India - Golden Triangle and Amritsar

Around the end of 2024, my eldest sister asked me to arrange a trip for her and her husband to go to India, a trip she’d been planning since before Covid. When the itinerary came back it quickly became apparent, we should also go to India, we also added on an extension to go to The Maldives. We arranged for a trip to the Doctor’s to ensure our vaccinations were up to date. We also had to apply for Indian Visa’s, these can take time to complete, especially when you must name all the countries you have been to in the last 10 years! I should point out; I forgot Austria but was still cleared to travel. It cost $25 per person and once you tick the boxes agreeing you are not wanted for Genocide or War Crimes, it is sent off. We then received countless replies saying it had been accepted, my sister counted 20 plus of these replies. Ensure you have the visas for all your party, I had mistakenly taken an email that my wife’s Visa was accepted, when it hadn’t been fortunately, I noticed with time to spare and was able to get it completed. If you apply for an Indian Visa, ensure you take note of the number assigned to your application. This is only for the pre-application; in case you need to come back to. Once it’s sent off you then receive another number!

The day quickly arrived, staying overnight in a hotel with parking, allowed us to travel down the day before at a more leisurely pace. Arriving at the hotel, allowed us to relax into our trip something I prefer to do as I am too much of an anxious Milly to travel on the day!

The following day we awoke reasonably refreshed and ready to head for the airport. Again, we had booked a lounge to enable our relaxed and stress-free trip. Finding a seat in the lounge, having a bite to eat and drink without the hassle of the departure lounge.

The flight was uneventful, besides being delayed for departure and we landed in Delhi around 3.30am. Although we had completed the Visa’s when you arrive you also must complete Immigration Forms. Arriving in the early hours, Delhi’s airport is an abuse on the sense’s, it could be 3.30pm with no break in amount of people arriving. Unfortunately, we also couldn’t find the form, it’s an A5 size and asking officials for more forms does not guarantee any are found. Eventually after what seemed like an age, we found some forms to complete. Then you must wait with the rest of your travellers, all tired and hungry and fed up, so a sense of humour can go a long way at this point! Meeting our guide ensured we were delivered to our driver. I know New York claims to be the city that never sleeps, but Delhi is on drugs! I am currently reading Simon Reeve’s book ‘Journey to Impossible Places’ he describes Indian roads as ‘without rules’ it’s true, Indian drivers believe the horn gives you right of way, drivers have an almost telepathic ability overtaking and undertaking, the first in the gap wins. It’s no coincidence we didn’t see any car hire firms at the airport, not that I would want too! Any foreigner thinking they can navigate the road network should seeking psychological help before they arrive in Delhi.

Our tour started in Delhi, then we went to Amritsar and the Golden Temple. Flying back to Delhi and onto Agra, were we saw the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort and ‘Mini Taj’ finishing the day asking our guide to go to a bazaar, meaning a market what we got was a street of shops and some stalls. We found out later a bazaar is a street of shops; our request was lost in translation. When at some of the major tourist attractions, do not be surprised if people come and ask for a picture with you. Our guide explained some people come from the country to temples or mosques and have never met Westerners. They will display your picture in their home as a badge of honour. It makes you appreciate what someone famous must have to deal with.

We stayed at a homestay property in Agra, a B&B property run as a government scheme allowing foreigners to meet people in their homes. We then moved on to Ranthambore, a National Park in the hope of seeing tigers. Unfortunately, the tigers did not come out to play, our second safari later in the day did allow us to watch antelope, deer and monkeys react to a warning call from antelope further up the hill from where we were. We stayed in the hope of seeing tigers or leopards but never seen them. TOP TIP: If you fancy a safari, I suggest you consider a four day stay in resort, allowing 2 safaris per day just increases your chances of seeing the animals you came to see. After that, safaris can be tiring I would then suggest finding somewhere else such as a beach or pool. The next stop on the tour was Jaipur, to see the Amber Fort. Our final leg was back to Delhi for flights onward to The Maldives.

Some final Top Tips: you need to consider several things for a tour of India. * You will see lots of deprivation and poverty, including small children begging. You must harden your heart and not make eye contact; do not hold anything a street seller is offering you. If you accept something without intention of buying, you may find yourself trying to explain to your guide and anyone else you did not want it! You will see dead animals and dogs on the street.

* Particularly for the ladies, my sister and wife both suggest you do not wear open toed shoes and ‘tight’ trousers, carry tissues and hand sanitiser as some of the toilets are not clean by Western standards. Your guide will always try to ensure you go to clean public toilets, but no one can account for your call of nature.

The owner of our accommodation in Agra described India quite succinctly, ‘If you come to India and look at it with your head, you will hate it! If you look at it with your heart you will love it.’ I can say I loved our trip, as a taster of such a huge country. The people are all friendly, the food, culture and history are amazing.