Indian Adventure
My flight from London Heathrow to Delhi was with Virgin Atlantic and I was very fortunate to be able to experience their Premium Economy service on the flight. This is an enhanced service which includes larger seats and upgraded meals. Prior to boarding we were also allowed to visit the very impressive Virgin Clubhouse at Heathrow which is reserved for Upper Class passengers and those with Flying Club Gold status.
Following our eight hour flight we were met for our transfer into Delhi. Unfortunately our arrival in Delhi also coincided with a visit of the Chinese President so our 40 minute transfer became a two hour wait in traffic jams. However this brought an early glimpse of Indian life and the bustle that goes with it. Our first stop was The LaLit Hotel for an inspection of the super facilities and spot of lunch. Then it was off to the hustle and bustle of New Delhi Railway Station for our six hour journey to Amritsar. The station was as you would expect, busy and noisy and it was a relief to board our air-conditioned First Class carriage on the Shatabdi train. Meals were included on the rail journey and we arrived in Amritsar just before midnight and transferred to our hotel – Radisson BLU Amritsar.
Our hotel was situated out of the city centre towards the airport and was an excellent choice. A great thing about staying in the Radisson BLU hotels in India is their policy of offering free Wi-Fi to their guests which was great for keeping in touch with home. The following morning we were given a tour of the hotel before heading off to the Golden Temple in Amritsar itself. The final part of the journey was taken by rickshaw – great fun. The Golden Temple is the spiritual and cultural centre of the Sikh religion and all heads must be covered for the visit. My hosts had kindly arranged for a turban for me to wear. It was amazing to see the Golden Temple itself, but I was even more fascinated by the operation that is mounted to ensure that everyone visiting is offered a meal. A whole army of volunteers prepare, cook and serve the food with another army to clean up afterwards. There is a wonderful atmosphere as everyone works together. After our visit to the Golden Temple we walked the short distance to Jalianwala Bagh where there is a garden of remembrance for the victims of the massacre which took place in 1919.
We next headed for lunch and a tour of the Holiday Inn Amritsar (another quality hotel) before heading to the Wagah border crossing between India and Pakistan for the daily ceremony closing the border and lowering of flags. This is an amazing sight and wonderful fun attended by thousands; it’s a pageant of colour, noise and national pride as both countries military display much bravado to each other before the border is closed. Dinner that evening was in the Hotel Country Inn & Suites (a more centrally located hotel in Amritsar) followed by another visit to the Golden Temple to see it in the evening and the daily procession.
An early morning then for the return rail journey to New Delhi - we were then taken to lunch at the Lazeez Affaire restaurant before heading to the Radisson BLU Plaza Hotel for an overnight stay. Dinner that evening was in the hotel’s signature restaurant – The Kebab Factory. The following morning we were given a tour of Old & New Delhi which included a rickshaw ride through some of the narrow side streets and which was a great way to see more of this fascinating city. This was followed by an inspection of the beautiful Claridges Hotel and lunch there. After lunch our tour of Delhi continued with a visit to Qutub Minar. Overnight was at the Radisson BLU Dwarka on the outskirts of Delhi.
The following morning we were off on our way to visit one the real wonders of India – The Taj Mahal at Agra. On route we stopped to check-in and have lunch at the Radisson BLU Agra before visiting this amazing sight. It is an amazingly beautiful building – a monument to love built by Shah Jahan following the death of his favourite wife. The beautiful Makrana marble, which is inlaid with semi-precious stones, is amazing to gaze upon up close. Dinner that evening was in the beautiful Oberoi Amarvilas Hotel, a stunning hotel where every room has a view of the Taj Mahal.
The following morning we visited the lovely Hotel Trident in Agra before starting our journey to Jaipur. On the way we stopped however to visit the deserted medieval city of Fatehpur Sikri which was fascinating.
Again we were staying at a Radisson BLU hotel; one of the best features of this hotel though was its rooftop swimming pool which in the evening became a ‘cool Miami style bar’. The following morning we visited the Hotel Trident before heading off for an elephant ride. Then we were taken by Jeep up to the Amber City Fort and given a tour of this amazing place. For lunch we were driven out into the countryside to the very spiritual Hotel Tree of Life Resort and Spa and inspected the amazing villas here. After lunch it was back to Jaipur to visit the City Palace followed by a visit to the beautiful Hotel LaLit Jaipur for an inspection, and where the doorman has a fifteen foot long moustache!
We then had an early morning departure from Jaipur for the short flight to Mumbai. We stayed at the Hotel LaLit Mumbai – a lovely hotel near the international airport. Mumbai is a huge city with some very busy roads and I would certainly plan in advance what you would like to see and where to stay as it can take some time moving across the city at certain parts of the day. Our first visit of the day was to the wonderful Oberoi Mumbai where we were spoiled with lunch in their Michelin starred restaurant Ziya. We then had a full inspection of the hotel ending with the highlight of visiting the Presidential Suite which was simply amazing. We then had to get back up to the airport area for our dinner that evening was in the beautiful ITC Maratha Hotel.
For our last full day in India we started with a visit to the beach and inspected the very first beach hotel in India, the Sun-n-Sand Hotel on Juhu Beach. We followed this with a visit the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, made famous by the recent BBC TV series ‘Hotel India’. This is another iconic luxury hotel in a super position just opposite the ‘Gateway to India’. Finally our day ended with an inspection and dinner at The Leela hotel before catching our overnight flight back to the UK.