"~ The Beginning of a Love Affair with India ~" Top 5 Page for this destination India Travelogue by Canadienne

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~ The Beginning of a Love Affair with India ~ - India

When I die India will be found engraved on my heart. ~ Queen Mary

Than Monastery in the Rann of Khachchh

Gujarat & Mumbai

I arrived in Mumbai on December 31, 2000 ~ nothing like adding the festivities of New Year's Eve to jet lag and culture shock!

My adventures in Western India took me from Mumbai to Gujarat, into the Rann of Khachchh ~ we met some of the loveliest, friendliest people I have encountered on my travels. We were fed and entertained on the train, welcomed into a monastery near the Pakistan border and given homemade gifts from families in rural Gujarat.

Lion-sightings, Portuguese churches, hilltop Jain temples, my first Bollywood movie ~ this area had everything I could have hoped for my first weeks in India. .

Traditional Home, Jalu Village

A major earthquake on the 2001 Indian Republic Day destroyed much of the city and thousands of lives and homes were lost.

I was lucky enough to visit in the weeks before the earthquake occurred ~ the tourist infrastructure is a bit rough, but the warmth and openness of the people more than made up for it.

Mealtime in the Thoda Village, Tamil Nadu

Southern India

I travelled in Southern India ~ Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala ~ from January 19 through February 2, 2001. I joined a tour group for this portion and we numbered 11 (including our leader).

The size initially interfered with natural interaction with local people, but we moved past that fairly quickly.

Thoda Bride & Family

Southern India was an altogether different adventure ~ tropical, slower, calmer. . .our trip took us from dirty Chennai (not a favourite) to elegant Mysore, from hilly national parks to the island-based Kochi.

Days were spent in the Kerala backwaters, as guests at an amazing homestay. . .and we finished off the south with a bang! in Madurai ~ a temple town that can't fail to impress.

The Ubiqitous Taj Mahal Shot

Northern India

Reaching Delhi and Rajasthan came as something of a relief to me ~ the temperature and humidity were rising uncomfortably in the South as we neared February (I am a fair-skinned, Toronto native after all).

This area of the country is also the one that held the most appeal prior to my trip ~ the romantic forts, magnificent palaces, painted havelis and Rajasthani women had always been part of the mystique of India.

Sabzi Market, Bundi

Rajasthan still holds great appeal ~ the reality met the expectations of my fantasy ~ but my travels in Gujarat and Southern India opened my mind to the many things that India can be.

Camel Trek, Rajasthan

India Part Two

Almost three years later and the fascination was still there. . .it was time to start planning another visit.

I set my sights on a return trip for December 2003/January 2004 and got ready to explore, learn and fall in love all over again.

Page Updated Mar 8, 2004
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Comments (133)

tushark Oct 27, 2011 at 1:12 AM Report Abuse

Hello!
Thanks for visit India & Kolkata.Tushar from Kolkata
easterntrekker Feb 19, 2011 at 12:34 PM Report Abuse

Hi Wonderful and detailed pages.I've book marked many as I start me reading for our planned tripwithin the year. Thanks.
illumina Jan 23, 2010 at 3:20 AM Report Abuse

What a wonderful page! thanks for sharing. India really does seem to get into your blood, doesn't it?!
MichaelFalk1969 Mar 25, 2009 at 7:46 AM Report Abuse

Hi Stevie, I met the multilingual salesman at the pigment market stall in Mysore, too. He seems to have extended his grasp of foreign languages, as he had guestbooks for Croatian, Russian and Icelandic visitors, too (:-)
RAJESHSINGH Feb 14, 2009 at 7:23 AM Report Abuse

HI STEVIE !VISITED UR PAGE GRT INFORMATION ABOUT INDIA!NICE.TC !ENJOY
tezzz12 Sep 25, 2008 at 6:20 PM Report Abuse

Wow! Thats a massive bee's nest! I've never seen anything like it... and it looks so scary!
Makaron Sep 8, 2008 at 3:15 AM Report Abuse

Very nice page about this great country.
musicollector Jun 29, 2008 at 4:31 PM Report Abuse

The stares are not intended to be anything more than that. When one stands out in a crowd, people stare surreptitiously in North America. Not so in India or other countries. They simply don't bother to mask their curiosity. It's never meant to be rude.
Mr.Sparkle Apr 26, 2008 at 4:55 AM Report Abuse

Great page. I am planning to visit india with my gf this year. what is the weather like in Dec/Jan?
jokonda Nov 3, 2007 at 1:38 AM Report Abuse

God bless your words...India teaches to be opened and takes in what ever will come...at the end, everything is experience!