We're sat on a plane, waiting to go to Bangkok. Already, in the air-conditioned stuffiness of the cabin the dust, heat, smells and vibrancy of India seem to be fading. But the country has left its mark on us. The new memories, friends and perspectives that we carry with us on the next stage of our journey will be the immediate legacy of this wonderful, surprising and dynamic country.
Another day on our own
This morning saw us officially leave the Intrepid tour. One by one, our new friends have climbed into cabs to the airport - and from there, flights to the UK, Australia, the US and South Korea. To all of you, should you be checking our blog: thank you for a wonderful tour. It was made all the richer for sharing it with you.
Our day started comparatively leisurely, checking out of our hotel to wander Karol Bagh market before lunch. The market had been one of the first places we'd visited in Delhi at the beginning of the tour, making the differences in how we saw it now all the more pronounced. We now moved with ease through the throng of cars, people and mopeds.We shrugged off the heat, noting that it felt cool compared to other towns we'd been through. In just two weeks, we'd gone from newbies to semi-confident travellers (admittedly for lunch we went back to a restaurant we knew from our first stay in Delhi, just to be safe!)
After lunch we headed onto the metro to check out some gardens that our tour leader H had recommended to us. We walked round marvelling at the pairs of young sweethearts sat under bushes stealing kisses in the afternoon sun. We also marvelled at the elderly gentlemen who found us on no less than three separate occasions, determined to take what he saw as lost tourists in hand and show us the sights. But most of all, we reflected that this site, which was clearly a hang-out for designer-shopping bright young things, reminded us of H.
How to see the real India? Have a local show it to you
H (or Harshvardhan, to use his full name) has been an almost constant, reassuring presence on our tour. He showed us how to ride the metro, where to get the best food, and how to dispose of water bottles so that they cant be refilled and used in a water scam. From our first night in Delhi to saying farewell at our last hotel, H has made sure that everyone on our trip was comfortable, happy, and knew what to expect from India.
Where he's most impressed us, though, is the insights he's given us into India. The scenic gardens and fashionable people put us in mind of H because he is, in many ways, a wealthy young man. He's connected to one of the noble families in Rajasthan; his family owns two houses (one of which is more accurately a palace); he faces very few of the deprivations and hardships that we've seen in our travels around India. But he is aware of them, and he cares. We've had so many conversations with him upon seeing some reminder of the poverty, or the poor conditions of the roads, or the litter, and in every one he's explained to us why we're seeing what we're seeing - and what's happening to change things for the better.
Rather than ignore the street hawkers, H always took the time to show their wares to us all, ask us if we were interested, before sending them on their way. We were particularly touched in Jaipur when he noticed a young boy trying to sell us trinkets. Instead of ignoring him (as some of us had been doing), he taught the boy the English to actually try and sell what he had to us, and then bought him a bag of crisps. A small gesture, but one that showed us that H isn't a guy to sit on the sidelines when it comes to facing up to the issues his country faces. The fact that he's working as a tour guide, exposing himself to different cultures and ideas, and sharing his with the world, says a lot about him.
India: the final verdict
Simply put, we really liked India. Through H's eyes, we've come to see that it's a dynamic country, evolving fast. Yes, there are things that need to improve, but things are changing for the better. It's definitely a country we'd come back to again.
We'd both like to say a big thank you to Intrepid, and especially to H, for making our stay in India so great. Without H, India would have been scary, a mystery, and we'd definitely have missed some of the most eye-opening things we experienced if it hadn't been for him and Intrepid. If anyone is thinking of travelling India, we can certainly recommend them both.
And H, if you're ever in the UK, look us up. Thanks again!
J&g
Another day on our own
This morning saw us officially leave the Intrepid tour. One by one, our new friends have climbed into cabs to the airport - and from there, flights to the UK, Australia, the US and South Korea. To all of you, should you be checking our blog: thank you for a wonderful tour. It was made all the richer for sharing it with you.
Our day started comparatively leisurely, checking out of our hotel to wander Karol Bagh market before lunch. The market had been one of the first places we'd visited in Delhi at the beginning of the tour, making the differences in how we saw it now all the more pronounced. We now moved with ease through the throng of cars, people and mopeds.We shrugged off the heat, noting that it felt cool compared to other towns we'd been through. In just two weeks, we'd gone from newbies to semi-confident travellers (admittedly for lunch we went back to a restaurant we knew from our first stay in Delhi, just to be safe!)
After lunch we headed onto the metro to check out some gardens that our tour leader H had recommended to us. We walked round marvelling at the pairs of young sweethearts sat under bushes stealing kisses in the afternoon sun. We also marvelled at the elderly gentlemen who found us on no less than three separate occasions, determined to take what he saw as lost tourists in hand and show us the sights. But most of all, we reflected that this site, which was clearly a hang-out for designer-shopping bright young things, reminded us of H.
How to see the real India? Have a local show it to you
H (or Harshvardhan, to use his full name) has been an almost constant, reassuring presence on our tour. He showed us how to ride the metro, where to get the best food, and how to dispose of water bottles so that they cant be refilled and used in a water scam. From our first night in Delhi to saying farewell at our last hotel, H has made sure that everyone on our trip was comfortable, happy, and knew what to expect from India.
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| He also made us wear the horrible orange life jackets on our boat ride in Udaipur - safety first, we suppose! |
Rather than ignore the street hawkers, H always took the time to show their wares to us all, ask us if we were interested, before sending them on their way. We were particularly touched in Jaipur when he noticed a young boy trying to sell us trinkets. Instead of ignoring him (as some of us had been doing), he taught the boy the English to actually try and sell what he had to us, and then bought him a bag of crisps. A small gesture, but one that showed us that H isn't a guy to sit on the sidelines when it comes to facing up to the issues his country faces. The fact that he's working as a tour guide, exposing himself to different cultures and ideas, and sharing his with the world, says a lot about him.
 |
| Though it must be said that when it came to camel riding, he chose to take the easy option and ride in the trailer! |
Simply put, we really liked India. Through H's eyes, we've come to see that it's a dynamic country, evolving fast. Yes, there are things that need to improve, but things are changing for the better. It's definitely a country we'd come back to again.
We'd both like to say a big thank you to Intrepid, and especially to H, for making our stay in India so great. Without H, India would have been scary, a mystery, and we'd definitely have missed some of the most eye-opening things we experienced if it hadn't been for him and Intrepid. If anyone is thinking of travelling India, we can certainly recommend them both.
And H, if you're ever in the UK, look us up. Thanks again!
J&g
Was that you on that camel?
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