Back from India

[LukenDC]

Detail of a carving on a Jain temple:

Farmer drawing water from a well:

City Palace in Udaipur:

Elephant ascent to Amber Fort in Jaipur:

Slum area in Jaipur:

Camel caravan:

Tiger seen on safari:

City of Fatehpur Sikri, built by Akbar the Great:

The Taj Mahal:

 

[LukenDC]

Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who built the Taj Mahal in honor of his beloved late wife, was deposed by his power hungry son Aurangzeb. Aurangzeb imprisoned his father in this tower of the Agra Fort. Shah Jahan could see the Taj Mahal in the distance and would gaze at it for hours each day.

Colorful doorman:

Humayun's tomb in New Dehli:

Street scene in older section of Dehli:

Street scene in Old Dehli as seen from cycle rickshaw:

Red Fort in Old Dehli:

Mother Theresa's Tomb in Calcutta:

Communist political graffiti in Calcutta:

 

[TimeforMe]

Your pics are incredible.

 

[Oreo Cookie]

What a wonderful trip. Your photos are stunning!

 

[Maggimus]

Ive visited several countries... 10 or so.... but the only country I have ever really REALLY desired to visit is India. It's on my bucket list! I've always been fascinated with the country as a whole, their culture, etc.

Your photos are amazing. I enjoyed reading what you wrote and hope that you will post more photos, or atleast post them to a site where some of us can see them. I'm glad you had a great trip!

 

[SeaSpray]

Hi Luke!

Beautiful pictures, what an amazing trip!! Thanks so much for sharing this with us, I'm sure I'll never get to India myself.

 

[DawnCt1]

What a wonderful trip! I think it was awesome that you took your mother too.
A little OT, but you pointed out something that is still true, despite all of our modern technology. The greatest development towards health and hygiene is the sanitary septic system.

 

[robinb]

Wow! I loved your photos. I am torn on visiting India. I am usually not a worry wort, but the violence makes me think thrice about a visit. OTOH, parts of it are absolutely beautiful and every Indian person I met (I was a computer programmer for over 10 years) was very nice. I have been to many places but I have never taken a tour. Perhaps I can visit India on a tour in a few years after things settle down a bit.

Someone mentioned a "Travel Bucket List" ... hmmm off to start a new thread!

 

[Pixiedust34]

Thank you for sharing your trip and your photos with us! Our kids just finished studying India for school, and it's such a fascinating country.

 

[LukenDC]

Wow! I loved your photos. I am torn on visiting India. I am usually not a worry wort, but the violence makes me think thrice about a visit. OTOH, parts of it are absolutely beautiful and every Indian person I met (I was a computer programmer for over 10 years) was very nice. I have been to many places but I have never taken a tour. Perhaps I can visit India on a tour in a few years after things settle down a bit.

There are many places in the world that are worth seeing but a bit unstable. I decided when I booked the trip last May that the only event that would make me cancel would be the outbreak of hostilities outside of Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

IMO, the key to staying safe in a developing country is to do your research and understand your limitations. I had never traveled as part of a guided tour, but I recognized that India was more exotic than the other places that I have traveled and I knew that I would feel safer as part of a group. A tour managed and led by locals also provides a wealth of local knowledge that can be handy in an emergency.

I read the State Department reports on India and checked the BBC website daily for articles on recent developments in India. I also registered with the US Embassy in advance of the trip. I usually sport a military style haircut, but grew my hair out to better blend in with the other tourists.

I felt safe at all times while I was in India. I also kept my eyes and ears wide open and was constantly aware of my surroundings.

 

[LukenDC]

What a wonderful trip! I think it was awesome that you took your mother too.
A little OT, but you pointed out something that is still true, despite all of our modern technology. The greatest development towards health and hygiene is the sanitary septic system.

I was vigilant about using only bottled water and kept my mouth tightly shut while in the shower so as not to inhale even a drop of tap water. I also refrained from eating raw fruits and vegetables that could have been irrigated with local water. It was wonderful to return to the USA where we do not have to worry about such things.

 

[DawnCt1]

I was vigilant about using only bottled water and kept my mouth tightly shut while in the shower so as not to inhale even a drop of tap water. I also refrained from eating raw fruits and vegetables that could have been irrigated with local water. It was wonderful to return to the USA where we do not have to worry about such things.

All good decisions. Isn't amazing what we take for granted.

 

[DebbieB]

I went on a business trip to India earlier this month, 2/27 to 3/14. We were in Pune, which is east of Mumbai. We stayed at the LeMeridian, it was beautiful and the service great. The office was in an office park and was also nice. But in between there was alot of poverty (a car drove us to and from the office). We also only drank bottled water and canned sodas, no ice. No fresh fruit or vegetables. We worked evenings to match American hours, 5:00pm to 2:30am. Luckily the hotel had a 24 hour restaurant with American food, we dragged ourselves there every night at 3:00am. They also had a good Thai/Chinese restaurant. We were told not to eat the food in the office cafeteria (they are a contractor we are working with) so we brought crackers & pretzels to eat so having the hotel restaurants saved us. On the weekends we went out shopping. I wish we could have got to the Taj Mahal but it was too far. It was a very interesting experience and really makes you appreciate what we have.

 

[JulyGirl]

Thanks for sharing your photos. There is a lot of beauty in that country.

 

[anniemae]

Sounds like it was a fascinating trip and the pictures are wonderful.

Note for those reading, this is an old thread.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We were in India several years ago. We did the golden triangle, which is New Delhi, Agra, VeranasI, and then on to Kathmandu. It was an incredible trip. We loved everything about it, the sights, the sounds, the colors, the smells And especially the people. I would go back in a minute. we have several friends who say they couldn’t go to India because of the poverty. Yes, it’s there…but the people are so strong, flexible and willing to do anything to feed their children. Their kindness and love is overwhelming. Truly an amazing place.

 

[Pink Partridge]

This was an old thread that was worth the bump for sure!

I have always been too intimidated to visit any part of India. I feel it would be very overwhelming. I loved reading your report. And wonder if you ever returned since 2009?

 

[Dan Murphy]

Pune is the best place to visit in India because Apart from Pune's famous street shopping, there are many shopping malls in Pune. You can enhance your shopping experience at 93 Avenue, the most loved shopping mall in the East of Pune. 93 Avenue- A shopping mall in Pune is a complete shopping experience for you

Welcome to the dis, kad.

Sounds like you really like

93 Avenue, the most loved shopping mall in the East of Pune. 93 Avenue- A shopping mall in Pune is a complete shopping experience for you