"Grand India Tour" India by pensioners

We started at Delhi, saw old and new Delhi, what a culture shock. Traffic is manic with constant hooting and a great contrast between the haves and have nots, people begging, sleeping on the pavements. in contrast, school children out on a trip to a Temple were smiling and waving, asking our names and some taking a photo. Children get free schooling and uniforms + 1 rupee for every day the attend.Next to Agra and the famous Taj mahal, it is stunning and not to be missed but my favourite was Jaipur, with it's Amber Fort and the Palace of the Winds. There so much to see at every turn but I would not attempt to drive myself in any of these Cities.

Our hotel here was like a Palace, Nahartgarh Fort. From there we did 2 morning and 1 afternoon game drives. We had been told it would be chilly in the early morning but I wish some one had told us the truth, it was very, very cold. We could have done with hats, scarfs and gloves. A coat was a must. In open top jeeps it was a really rough ride but we all enjoyed the experience and the wildlife we saw. I also had a wonderful massage when I got back to the hotel. As we traveled further south, it got hotter and much more humid. There is so much to see as you are travelling. We had a train ride, 2 internal flights and 2 boat rides. We saw 2 evening shows, 1 was excellent, the other very strange. There is always something different to shock or amaze!

Arriving at Kerala seemed tranquil, the scenery is more tropical. Our accommodation was Travancore Heritage hotel and we had our own cabins in lovely gardens near the beach. We were not told beforehand that the sea was dangerous to swim in but we had 2 lovely pools. It is extremely humid here. Another place we had similar to this was Hoysala Village in Hassan. After all the sightseeing we had and some early mornings and late nights, this was time to relax. I loved this Country and the people. In some ways it is very modern and in others like going back a 100 yrs, like some women still doing their washing with a bucket of water, or in the river and bashing it on a rock. Industry is much the same, very up to date or primitive.

• Pros:The people, especially the children and the sights.
• Cons:The traffic and the constant hooting and the hawkers. I wish I had been told, Kerala is the only place a woman should wear shorts, other places, cover up.
• In a nutshell:An experience of a lifetime, not to be missed