Most Inspirational Moment
The first sight of the Taj Mahal through the windows of the Red Fort in Agra reduced me to tears - it just shimmers on the horizon and is so incredibly beautiful. But also Bundi, an absolute delight and assault on all senses, and we were lucky with a late Diwali that meant we caught the beginnings of the camel fair at Pushkar which was huge fun!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Krishna was just amazing, his knowledge, enthusiasm and kindness made him the perfect guide. He knew the best places to eat, from a palace on the shores of the lake at Udaipur to street food (and the best samosas ever); he organised fireworks for Diwali, tuctucs in Udaipur, a trip to a Bollywood movie, going out of his way to give us all the best experience possible, and adding in extra elements when he discovered our interests.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take existing clothes to be made up in hours from local material - I didn't know about it so didn't take anything but wished I had! I took a daily pro-biotic but on the one occasion I felt a bit dodgy it was sorted with some charcoal tablets that one of the other ladies let me have.
Suggestions
It really was the perfect introduction to India. The architecture is so beautiful, you think you've seen something that could never be surpassed, until the next palace where there's something even more wonderful and extraordinary. But it's not just the big stuff, there were equal delights in walking through the chaos and noise of the markets, especially after dark; the food (fantastic); the light; the monkeys and cows; the number of people you can fit on a bike or a tuctuc; Ranthambore which even without tigers was a magical place, like being in Kind Louis's palace in the Jungle Book - the list goes on. And the people are so lovely, there's a joyousness to the country which is infectious, and the colours! Just amazing.