What to Wear Traveling in India

March 25, 2014

More What to Wear posts for more destinations here!

When planning our trip to India, I knew that we’d be going to a lot of different places and exploring a lot of temples, so it was key to have comfortable clothing and shoes, especially since India can get hot. We visited in the Spring so the temperatures were mild but layers were important as mornings and evenings could be chilly while the day could get warm. Most of our time in India, I wore maxi dresses which were the perfect way to layer but also match the vibrancy of the amazing locations around.

Travel Style for India

Outfit Details:

Old Navy Maxi dress (sold out) | J Crew linen scarf (similar) | Gladiator Sandals (similar)

Travel Style for India

Outfit Details:

Forever 21 Maxi Dress (similar) | Light Pink Jacket (similar) | Tan Flats (similar)

Ralph Lauren Orange Cross Body Purse (similar) | Scarf (similar)| Lumix Camera

Travel Style for India

Outfit Details:

Madewell Tee Shirt | Old Navy maxi skirt (similar) | Linen Scarf (similar) | Old Jean Jacket (similar) | Lumix Camera

Travel Style for India

Outfit Details:

Old Navy Maxi dress (sold out) | J Crew linen scarf (similar)| Tan Flats (similar)

Old Jean Jacket (similar)| Dooney and Bourke Cross Body Purse| Lumix Camera

Traveling to India?

See all of my posts on the country here!

Favorite Moments : SE Asia

March 17, 2014

I wanted to reflect on some of our favorite moments there first. For me, reflecting back on the things that meant the most to me through our travels is a way to hold on to what I learned from each place and how each location affected me, both physically and emotionally.

Our recent trip through SE Asia included many moments that I’ll always remember, moments of frustration, moments of language barriers and moments of misunderstanding, but among them as well were moments of pure magic, moments of awe and moments that truly define what that part of the world is about. Throughout our time in Thailand and Cambodia, I learned many lessons, took in many incredible sights and spent many moments taking it all in, embracing what those places are about and what they represent, letting it all sink in and enjoying the moments as they came.

In Siem Reap, Cambodia we visited all the major temples of Angkor Wat and the surrounding area, but my favorite and the most awe-inspiring of all of them for me was our sunset visit to Bayon in the Angkor Thom complex. Nick and I wandered around as the golden light fell in shadows within the temple ruins, casting an incredible light as we wandered through, in many places the only people, seeming to have the ruins all to ourselves. It was not only our favorite of the temples but an evening when the ruins seemed to come alive under the golden twilight, and as I sat there within the ruins as Nick finished taking photos, I couldn’t help but think back to all those that used this place so many years ago, never knowing then that they would be in such ruins now. It’s times like those when I feel so finite, like we never know what might come ahead and that each day should be lived to the fullest, taking in our world because it’s important to know what we’ll leave behind someday.

One of the places Nick really wanted to visit was the East Gate of Ankor Thom, an old and falling apart gate out in the jungle about 1 kilometer from the actual temple of Bayon. The gate, most famous for it’s scene in Tomb Raider, is not that easy to get to and is not a normal tourist spot. We hired a tuk tuk driver to take us the kilometer down a very bumpy dirt road (barely a path to follow) through the Cambodian jungle complete with monkeys all over, some with their babies clinging to their bellies as they ran along side us. The 15 minute drive to the gate was an experience in itself on this deserted road, in the middle of the jungle.

The gate itself, it was well worth the process of getting there. Totally empty except for us and our tuk tuk driver, we stood in the middle of the jungle, taking in the falling apart and decaying East Gate of Ankor Thom, once a glorious monument, now with stones lying around it as they have fallen over the years. The stone face that adorned the top seemed to still smile down upon us as the sun began to fall and the sounds of the jungle were our soundtrack to the excursion. It’s moments alone with monuments like this, in the middle of the wilds of our world that make me truly in awe of this world and of the civilizations that have come before us.

Our last night in Siem Reap, we went into town and had dinner on the famous Pub Street at the city center. We wanted to try the local favorite Cambodian BBQ and settled into a cafe with a table outside near the street. We watched the people go by, took in the scene and enjoyed one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever had traveling. We enjoyed the delicious Cambodian BBQ which included barbecued chicken along with a delicious soup of noodles and vegetables cooked around the roasting meet. We paired that with incredible fried spring rolls, white rice and the most delicious coconut milkshake I’ve ever tasted. It was a meal we’ll never forget, as we enjoyed the incredible food and took in the scene around us.

On our way home at the end of our trip, we made a stop over in Bangkok and had about 5 hours to go out and explore (which ended up not being nearly enough, as we fell in love with the city). We headed straight for the area with the Grand Palace and Wat Arun, taking the water taxi up the river heading there. We took it because it was Friday evening and traffic around the city was terrible and it seemed to be the fastest route, but the experience we got surpassed what we thought. We loved riding up the river, taking in the city all around us, feeling the breeze off the water to cut through the humidity. The temples that dot the river made for a scenic ride and it made our journey through Bangkok even more memorable.

In our final hours in Bangkok, we spent the evening in a park on the River across from Wat Arun (known as the Temple of the Dawn and a famous spot in Bangkok), taking in the twilight hours, followed by the sun setting and creating a painting of color across the sky. As the hours passed by, I sat on a bench a few feet from the river, with a Thai iced tea in my hand and taking it all in, watching as the night began to appear and the lights lit up the surrounding river banks. Finally, Wat Arun lit up, glowing against the deep navy sky and illuminating everything around it. It was a magical moment, sitting there, watching Bangkok go by around us, water taxis buzzing, people coming and going on their Friday night, and we sat there for hours, just taking in a city that we really fell in love with. It was one of those evenings that seems to fly by in the span of minutes instead of hours and it’s an evening I’ll never forget, a wonderful to end our magical trip in Asia.

Exploring Udaipur at the Oberoi Udaivilas

March 13, 2014

Our fourth and final day in Udaipur, India was filled with relaxing walks around the grounds of the incredibly gorgeous Oberoi Udaivilas where we were staying, spending time by the pool, delicious Indian cuisine and an elephant ride on a 50 year old elephant.

After arriving at the fantastic Udaivilas, we knew we wanted to spend some time just relaxing at the hotel and taking in the incredible scenery on the hotel grounds. We knew we’d have a few hectic days ahead traveling to Cambodia and Thailand, so we took the time to relax and unwind on our final day in India.

Nick woke up early and went for a sunrise walk around the grounds and I’m so glad he did, the photos he got are truly stunning and some of my favorites of the trip. I stayed in our cozy 4 poster bed and woke up when the sun was coming up and spent my morning in bed with tea and a view out to our pool and patio, with Lake Pichola shimmering in the background. Our time in Udaipur was full of moments like that, pure peace.

We spent the rest of the morning exploring the hotels grounds (which are huge) and I know we’ll be back to this incredible hotel many times in our lives, it’s just simply stunning in every possible way. I felt so much peace during our time there, it was really difficult to leave it, not knowing when we’d be back.

We enjoyed lunch in our room, relaxing and taking time by our private pool, watching the boats on Lake Pichola and the City Palace in the distance. We took in the peacocks, spotted deer and birds in the wilderness sanctuary behind the hotel and breathed in the gorgeous landscape, committing it to memory. After lunch we changed and headed out front of the hotel for our elephant ride. I knew before going to India that one thing I wanted to do there was meet and ride an elephant. My dream came true in the form of a 50 year old elephant, painted for a wedding it was going to later. He meandered down the grounds of the hotels and it was an experience I’ll never forget.

We spent the rest of the evening in our room, taking every last minute to soak up this amazing experience in India, not ready to leave beautiful Udaipur and talking about how we’ll most definitely be back. We watched our last Indian sunset as it dropped below the horizon and tried to get ourselves ready for the next stops on our trip.

There are very few places in my travels that have spoken to me on such a deep level as the “Venice of the East” as Udaipur is known, speaking to the many lakes that the city is built on. Romantic, peaceful, lush, sparkling, historic, spiritual… these are just a few of the adjectives I can think of to describe this place that touched me so deeply. In the years I have traveled, I’ve seen many places, experienced cultures on 4 continents and countless countries, yet only a handful of places stand out in my mind as some of the places that I hold close in my heart, Udaipur is now one of them.

I cannot say enough how much this city captured me, how much it brought to life all the things I love about India, all the colors, all the landscapes, all the markets, all the palaces, all the architecture. I cannot say enough to how much peace came over me here, a peace I have never felt anywhere else while traveling. Udaipur will forever be a place in our hearts and a place we’ll meet again someday.

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Exploring around Udaipur

March 12, 2014

After a few hours in transit on day 2 of our trip in India, we arrived in beautiful Rajasthan. Our 45 minute drive into Udaipur from the airport provided some gorgeous views of the landscape of the area, crowned with mountains and adorned with lakes. Udaipur ended up being one of the most beautiful landscapes I’ve seen in all my travels. We fell in love with it immediately and I know we’ll be back many times in our lives.

Our driver from the hotel that picked us up from the airport drove us through the town, weaving us along roads beside beautiful blue lakes and finally stopping at a dock on Lake Pichola. He told us that the hotel wanted to show us something special on our way in and was going to take us to the hotel via boat. We left our luggage with him to drive to the hotel and hopped in a boat to be whisked over Lake Pichola as the sun set, taking in the mountains surrounding us, the City Palace shining on the shore and eventually arriving at the incredibly stunning Oberoi Udaivilas.

Upon arrival at the hotel, we didn’t think our trip could get any better, but oh how we were wrong. We were met at the hotel’s dock, walked up through the insanely beautiful grounds of the hotel and then as we walked into the hotel, rose petals fell over our heads (this is how they greet every guest), proceeded by walking into a gorgeous lobby and a quick tour of the hotel. We were shown to our room and while I had high expectations for this hotel beforehand, I was in no way ready for how much I would fall in love with it. Our upgraded room was complete with a gorgeous 4 poster bed, a giant bathroom with a claw foot tub and marble flooring. Our private patio, complete with 2 lounge chairs, an umbrella and a beautiful marble table was nothing compared to the immaculate semi-private infinity pool that flowed just outside our room.

We spent our first night in Udaipur in awe of our surroundings, of the beautiful landscape around us, sitting on the edge of our pool overlooking Lake Pichola, the City Palace and a wildlife sanctuary behind the hotel, watching the sun set and feeling like life couldn’t get a whole lot better than that.

The following morning, we slept in, enjoyed a delicious breakfast and then headed into town to explore. We fell even more in love with the town of Udaipur, full of shops selling sari’s, elephants carved from wood and silver. We meandered through the tiny streets, winding ourselves through the city toward the magnificent City Palace on the shores of Lake Pichola. We explored the thousands of rooms in the palace for most of the day, did a little shopping in town and then jumped in a tuk tuk to take us back to our hotel, speeding through the tiny streets in the back of the rickshaw with Hindi music blaring. It was one of those moments that makes you feel so connected to the country you’re in, that moment when you see it through new eyes, taking it all in. After we returned to the hotel, we spent the evening by our pool, taking in the stunning landscape and relaxing a bit after a hectic first few days.

I’ve had a lot of “awe” moments in my life, but not many of them have come close to our time in Udaipur. This magical place created a spot in my heart, it’s a place that I connected with, a place where I felt peace unlike anywhere else I’ve ever been in my life, a place that I’ll always remember and count the days until my return.

(Hilarious side story on this picture: We actually met the owner of this shop, who it turns out, lived in California for a while and actually imported items from India to sell in Anthropologie. He told us about how much he loved visiting Portland during his time on the West Coast… such a small world!)

(Side not on this photo above – if you look at the yellow building on the right, you can see a monkey jumping up to the roof. There were a whole bunch of them running along the roof tops and it was so fun to watch them. Such a great capture here from Nick.)

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Agra in a Day

March 11, 2014

Bright and early our second day in India, we awoke at the beautiful Oberoi Amarvilas before dawn in order to make it to the Taj Mahal for sunrise. Luckily, the storm from the night before had subsided a bit and though the streets were wet, no rain fell during our visit. We hopped in a golf cart from the hotel, taking us to the entrance gates for the Taj, bought our tickets and wandered in, not sure what to expect.

To say seeing the Taj Mahal is anything but awe-inspiring, would be an understatement. Seeing such a world famous landmark, one of the seven wonders of the world, was pretty incredible. Though we didn’t get a great sunrise due to the storm, we did approach the Taj as morning fog swirled around it, rising up in a hug around the building. The fog gave a mystical view of the tomb and made it even more surreal. I was shocked at how large it was, especially up close but equal to its size, are the incredible intricate details on its surface and the overall thought behind the monument.

Built as a tomb for his wife who died too young, the ancient King was mourning deeply for the love of his life and wanted a paradise for her to be buried in. He built the Taj as a monument of love for her, engrained with symbols from Hinduism, Islam and Christianity as a place that connected all the faiths of his subjects, leaving no one out, a paradise for all, for tolerance. Every part of the Taj is immaculate and perfectly thought out, everything is symmetrical (except for the King’s own tomb placed next to that of his wife’s against his wishes by his son.) Walking around the monument, touching the carvings, feeling the marble under your fingers is a feeling I can’t quite explain, a feeling I’ll never forget.

We wandered around the grounds for a while, taking in the mosque next to the Taj and the symmetrical building on the other side, built identical to the mosque but with nothing inside, just to make sure everything was balanced. Upon leaving, we took one last look at the majesty of the building we had just seen, just touched, just experienced.

We returned to our hotel, had a quick but delicious breakfast and took a look around the grounds just a bit while the rain stopped and then headed back to meet our driver to make the drive back to Delhi, to the airport and on to Udaipur. Our time in Agra was short, but the memories we made there I’ll never forget.

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A Quick Overnight Stay in Delhi and Driving to Agra

March 10, 2014

Our first full day in India, after arriving the night before around 10pm, started with an incredible breakfast at our hotel, the Trident Guragaon, and a walk around the grounds to take in the beautiful hotel. Around 10am, we checked out and met our driver (we had hired him ahead of the trip) to take us to Agra. We had previously arranged to stop over in Delhi for a couple hours and specifically visit the Lodhi Gardens before heading on to Agra.

Our first stop along the way, our driver dropped us off at the gardens and we wandered around for a while, taking in the amazing ruins that sit in this beautiful park. We walked around the Bonzai garden, took in the Bara Gumbad tomb and mosque and explored Mohammed Shah’s Tomb. The park was full of locals enjoying the sunshine, picnicking with their families and taking leisurely strolls. It was a beautiful area to take in Delhi for a couple hours and we got lucky with a gorgeous day.

After exploring for a while, we began the drive from downtown Delhi to Agra. We got to take in a lot of Delhi as we drove through the city and knowing on this trip that Delhi wasn’t a huge draw for us, we didn’t mind not spending a ton of time there. We got the lay of the land and views of the city as we weaved in and out of the nonexistent lanes of traffic, motorcycles speeding through tiny openings everywhere you looked, and little girls holding babies tapping on car windows at red lights asking for money. Finally, we left the chaos of New Delhi behind and sped along on the fantastic new expressway to Agra.

The hotel was kind enough to make box lunches for us for the 2 1/2 – 3 hour drive to Agra and we enjoyed our lunch as we took in the farmland landscape in between the two famous Indian cities. Landscape of sugar cane fields, cows roaming, fields of workers making bricks from the red clay dirt under foot and tiny Indian towns dotted the windows during our drive.

Upon arrival in Agra, we were met with a very dirty and run down city. Agra in itself was not my favorite spot in India, though after hearing about the history of the city during our trip to the Taj Mahal the following day, I was inclined to feel more for the city. Once an incredibly rich and wealthy province of India, due to many declines in jobs and industry in the area in the past, the city now is buildings falling apart, monkeys and cows roaming freely and pretty much just a tourist draw for those of us visiting the Taj Mahal.

We arrived at our hotel (originally staying at the Trident in Agra) to be told that we had been upgraded to the gorgeous Oberoi Amarvilas with views of the Taj Mahal (thanks to my amazing family connections with the hotel brand). To say we were excited, was an understatement. The beautiful Oberoi hotel in Agra is world famous, mostly for it being insanely stunning and for being (I believe) the only hotel in Agra to actually have a direct view of the Taj. We were escorted into the hotel to take in the stunning forest behind the hotel, with the majestic Taj Mahal rising out of the mist behind it. Our room had a straight on view of the Taj and we spent the rest of the afternoon just taking it in, holding on to that moment.

It happened to be incredibly stormy during our time in Agra, with a huge rain and lightning storm that evening, so we didn’t get to explore the surrounding area much. Instead we had dinner at the hotel restaurant and took in the incredible hotel and restaurant. We returned to our room to head to bed early, in anticipation of our sunrise visit to the Taj Mahal the next morning.

Taj Mahal view from oberoi amarvilas Agra

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A Hotel Review of the Trident Gurgaon in Delhi

March 6, 2014

trident Gurgaon delhi hotel review oberoi

Trident Gurgaon – Delhi, India

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The Trident brand in India is the lower cost, business version of the Oberoi brand (they are equally gorgeous and unique to the larger and more elaborate Oberoi hotels). We decided to stay at the Trident in Gurgaon (a close suburb of New Delhi) at the suggestion of my family connections in India. I couldn’t have been happier taking this advice as this hotel is gorgeous, incredibly easy to get to from the airport and simply stunning, night and day. We arrived around 10pm at night and were upgraded on arrival to a gorgeous suite overlooking the pool. We woke up early the next morning just to walk around the grounds and take in more of this amazing hotel. I can’t wait to go back and stay longer, as one night here simply wasn’t enough. Here is my honest Hotel Review of the Trident Gurgaon in Delhi.

LOVE

Check in – Upon arrival at the hotel, we had an amazing welcome and were met with a gorgeous lobby. Even though it was late at night, we were given a tour of the hotel (which is beautiful by night all lit up) and then checked in when we arrived at our room. Everything was easy, convenient and quick.

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Room – Our room was fantastic, complete with a very comfortable living area and separate bedroom. Our floor to ceiling windows looked out over the infinity pool, which showcased a gorgeous sunrise with light reflecting off the water in the morning. There was lots of space for our bags and space to spread out, as well as a desk to work at. The design of the room was immaculate.

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Bathroom – The bathroom was very large, with a separate shower and tub. Had we spent more than just one hurried night here, I would have envisioned taking long luxurious baths but the shower itself was incredible too so it made up for it for our one night there.

Design – I loved the modern design of this hotel, combined with local India architecture. The domes and arches create a very nice organic mix with the sleek modern aesthetic in the hotel. The neutral color palette mixed with bold colors like oranges and reds popping out provided a very chic and yet very comfortable palette.

Dining – We only ate breakfast at the hotel during our one night there and the breakfast buffet had everything and more. We thoroughly enjoyed the gorgeous setting and wonderful food for a leisurely breakfast.

Overall Impressions – I loved this hotel and wish we could have stayed longer. The architecture, the rooms, the service, the food, everything was impeccable. The location was also great, within a quick drive into Delhi and close to the Delhi airport, the hotel for our needs and itinerary was perfect!

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Travel Tips : Tips for Traveling to India

March 5, 2014

Before I get into our day by day posts for India (and to give Nick a little more time to finish up his photo edits), I wanted to do a post offering some tips that I would have liked to have read before we traveled there. India is a magical place but it also is a place foreign to many of us and with some hard truths, if you will, within the country. I would whole heartedly promote traveling to India to everyone but it’s also a difficult country to travel through in some ways and I think it’s helpful to be aware of a few things before going. So here are a few things I would have liked to know before going, lessons we learned along the way and general tips for those of you thinking about traveling to India.

India is like no where else in the world and honestly is so different in many respects from the rest of Asia and the Middle East, two areas of the world that sit on either side of the sub-continent. India is India, it won’t be like any place else, so don’t compare it, don’t try to fit it into a category. When you can just embrace the country for what it is, take in its sights and culture as it is, that’s when you’ll see the true India. Just let it be what it’s meant to be, if you do that, India will steal your heart.

India is a mix of contradictions and while much of its population lives in poverty, the country is also one that does luxury insanely well. The service, the gorgeous architecture and landscapes, India is a country that you should splurge on luxury even if for a short time while you’re there. I have family connections to the Oberoi hotels, so we stayed in their hotels during our trip and I was blown away by the beauty, by the staff, by the magic of the luxury hotels of India.

We made the choice before our trip to splurge on this trip on incredible hotels and food, for a number of reasons. First, as I mentioned I have family connections in the country and it was simply easier and more helpful for me to go through them while traveling to their home country. Second, knowing we were going on to other places on our trip after India, we really didn’t want to end up getting sick while in the country (which is an often occurrence with Westerners traveling to India), so we made the conscience effort to eat mainly at the hotels to be safe. We were not disappointed and had some incredible meals.

And finally, luxury in India can be incredibly magical. The luxury hotels and restaurants add an aura to ancient India, taking you back in time and offering an incredible experience. We had some amazing moments at our hotels and though they are a splurge, they are worth every penny for what they provide, from a view of the Taj Mahal from your hotel room to 5-star service, to being showered with rose petals upon arrival. If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t change a thing on where we chose to stay during our trip, we were totally blown away!

India has a ton going on and as a tourist, it can be an overwhelming sense of emotion. There are dogs roaming the streets, cows wandering around all over, people everywhere and sounds and smells all around. It’s really important while traveling through India to be aware of your surroundings, especially because so much is happening all around you. It’s easy to become distracted but I would advise to keep your awareness around you as much as you can.

There are many things that are common in India such as wild animals roaming wild, begging children (many times small children holding small babies) and shopkeepers trying to get you to buy something, seeming to incessantly say “lady, come here, buy this.” The most important word you’ll say in India is “No.” We found that saying no firmly once was most of the time enough, then if they keep bothering you, saying it again and walking away without saying anything more was helpful. Even Indians will tell you not to give money to the begging children, they’ll tell you it’s a real problem in their country. Don’t enforce it. If you want to donate, there are good charities out there that help with the issue.

India is a country that is very foreign to those of us from the West and it can often be daunting for travelers to know how to stay safe in this country, as it’s so different traveling here than other places in the world. It’s important to be safe when walking around, stay in the flow of other pedestrians so you don’t get hurt by the traffic that seems to flow on every surface, in no order or lanes and you want to make sure to stay clear of the hurtling cars and motorcycles.

Another thing to be aware of when in India is eating safe and drinking safe water. Tap water isn’t safe there to drink unless you’re staying at a hotel that filters their water (many of ours did), so be aware of that and only drink bottled water. Also, be careful with what you eat. We chose to eat mainly at our hotels just to be safe, but even then you want to be safe and prepared. Make sure to bring medication in case you get sick.

There are other things that are common in India that it’s important to be aware of like women being safe in public places. There are instances of groping or men asking to have their pictures taken with Western women, you should be safe and aware of things like this happening and say no immediately if it happens to you and hold your ground. It’s also important to dress conservatively as a woman traveling through India and not to wear lots of expensive jewelry as that might be a red flag for pick pockets or make you stand out. Many of the safety features I travel with through Arab countries, I applied to our trip through India. Be conservative, be polite and be courteous and that will get you a long way.

India, as I’ve said before, is a mass of contradictions, it’s both amazing and horrifically sad at the same time. But that’s what the country is, that’s what makes India, India and has for many many years. It’s important as tourists there traveling through the country to remember that, to know that while we’d like to feed every starving child or adopt every wild dog, it’s not our culture and we can’t pretend to know what’s best or how people should live. We must take the good with the bad and do what we can, experience the country and see the beauty of a place that has an incredibly rich tapestry of culture and landscape. We must take the good with the bad and see the beauty in a country so different than our own.

Traveling to India?

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India, I Love You

March 4, 2014

I wrote this post laying poolside at our gorgeous hotel in Udaipur, India, looking out over the incredible landscape in front of me, Lake Pichola glimmering and the mountains in the distance seeming to fade in and out of the blue sky horizon, completely in the moment, taking it all in. There are some moments in our lives when you look around and are completely overwhelmed by beauty, this was one of those moments and the words seemed to want to flow from me, wanting to tell the world how incredible this country is and how much beauty it holds.

I wasn’t sure before our trip how I would feel abut my return to India, I wasn’t sure if I would like it, if it would just be overwhelming, if it would just be chaotic. And now after experiencing it, India is for sure all of those things but at the same time, it’s incredibly peaceful, immaculately beautiful and just plain interesting. It’s a land steeped in culture and contradictions, hillside palaces and tuk tuks, luxury hotels and falling down houses with roofs covered in monkeys. It’s a land of patience and chaos, of unspeakable natural beauty and skies full of choking smog. Our time in India was full of every contradiction possible, but at the same time, that is what makes India, India.

The beautiful Lodi Gardens in Delhi.

For anyone that says that India is all chaos, they would be wrong. Sit on the shores of Lake Pichola in Udaipur and watch the sun set beyond the lush mountains and you’ll know real peace or stand in front of the Taj Mahal at sunrise as the fog lifts itself in a hug around the immaculate building, as prayer call rings out and monkeys roam around you and you’ll know true awe. Sip a cup of masala chai or enjoy a trip through the many markets and you’ll see what makes India so endearing, both the luxuries and the lowliest of India, they in themselves make this country what it is.

The gorgeous Udaivilas in Udaipur.

On the streets of Agra.

It’s safe to say that I fell in love with India, from the flat, dirty and chaotic streets of Delhi to the peaceful and serene shores of Udaipur, from the majesty of the Taj Mahal to the poor streets of Agra. Each and every moment for me during our time in India showcased what this country is, both the good and the bad, the high end and the very lowest of the lows. India is both streets filled with gaunt cows and dogs roaming free as well as the luxury five star hotels that are modern palaces in themselves. India is both the smoggy skies and trash littered everywhere as well as the immaculate landscapes of Rajasthan. It is both touched and untouched at the at the same time. It is both in the present and the past.

On the streets of Udaipur.

The immaculate City Palace of Udiapur.

In the end, India is India. It’s not meant to be compared to other places, it’s not meant to be fully understood by those of us not from there, it’s not meant to be taken one side or the other. India is meant to capture you, to see the beauty in a country that might be thought of differently by many around the world. It’s seeing the beauty in the chaos and the peace in the incredible culture. India for me was about embracing the moment, whether that be in the back of a tuk tuk riding through an ancient city full of buildings falling apart or in the back of an Audi being whisked along the Expressway to the Taj Mahal.

Udaipur, India.

The Jagdish Temple in Udaipur.

India made me feel alive, it made me feel deeply spiritual, it inspired me, it nestled itself into my soul. It’s a country I’ve always had ties to through family connections, a country that I visited many times as a child, and yet still it wasn’t until this time that I found how much the country speaks to me in a way that I still can’t entirely put into words.

So I guess in the end, I will end with a simple phrase that expresses everything about this place that has touched me so very deeply: India, I love you.

Traveling to India?

See all of my posts on the country here!

India : Moments to Remember

March 3, 2014

We’re back from our incredible trip through Asia and I’m jumping right in with posts from our trip! I can’t wait to share all the amazing things we saw and did in the weeks to come, but today I wanted to start with some of the incredible moments we had, the memories that will stick with me forever and some of the ways that each amazing place inspired us. I’m breaking these posts up per country because we had so many amazing moments in each place that I think they deserve their own words to describe the moments we encountered in each place. First up, the first stop on our trip, the incredible country of India.

There were so many moments in India that literally took my breath away, that moved me, that I was so blown away by how hard I fell for the country. From the moment we arrived until the moment we left, India captured me in a way I never thought it would. There is no doubt we will be back and I’ll be counting the days until we are. But until our next time in this ancient land, I’ll remember some of the most amazing moments I’ve had in all of my travels, moments that I’ll truly never forget.

We were met with the sincerest kindness in India from everyone we met and our hotels led the way with hospitality. We were met our first night in Delhi with the most magical welcome and after a very long 25+ hour travel day, we walked into an oasis of calm and beauty at the Trident Hotel in Gurgaon. Upon arrival, we were given champagne glasses filled with fresh watermelon juice, dots painted on our foreheads and a tour of the beautiful hotel and grounds. We were also so graciously offered a bottle of champagne upon arrival in our room and shortly before going to bed, we stood at our floor to ceiling windows watching the full moon outside, sipping champagne and watching a fireworks show from a nearby building. It was our first memories in India that were sure not to be our last.

The Taj Mahal itself is a majestic ode to architecture, but it’s not just the structure that makes it so well known world-wide. The Taj is an ode to love, to beauty, to faith and to acceptance. For me, our sunrise visit to one of the world’s most famous landmarks was a spiritual experience. We watched as the morning fog lifted around the monument, making it seem to lift off the ground, floating in front of your very eyes. With prayer call resounding in the background from a nearby mosque, people all around staring at the majestic building and the sounds of birds and monkeys all around you, viewing the Taj Mahal is a moving experience to say the least.

The story behind the monument makes viewing it even more special, knowing that the king built this tomb for the love of his life, the woman that died too young and that left him with a permanent longing for the woman he loved. It’s a story of a king that built his beloved wife a place for her to rest for all eternity, a paradise for all faiths: Muslim, Hindu and Christian. It’s a monument connecting faiths, showcasing the power of love and the beauty of art. Our sunrise visit to the Taj was incredible for so many reasons, but seeing the intricacy of it up close, feeling it with my own hands and feet and taking in the stunning views will be something I’ll never forget.

Upon arrival in our final destination in India, we immediately fell in love with the landscape on the drive to our incredible hotel, but it wasn’t until our magical boat ride to the hotel grounds that left us knowing that beautiful Udaipur will forever leave a mark on our hearts. It was on that boat floating on Lake Pichola that Udaipur became one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen in my travels, a land of lakes with mountains rising in the distance, lush green land and sparkling blue water contrasted by the immaculate white palaces that line it’s shores. It was that night as twilight began to set that Udaipur became one of my favorite places I’ve ever been.

Upon arriving at our hotel in Udaipur (the incredible Oberoi Udaivilas which I’ll have much more to come on soon), we settled into our gorgeous room by watching the sun set over the mountains from our room’s patio. Peacocks and Indian spotted deer roamed in the animal sanctuary behind the hotel, colorful birds flew into the rainbow sky and for a while, it was such a perfect moment filled to the brim with beauty.

Our first encounter with the Tuk Tuk in the Old City of Udaipur was a memory that I’ll never forget for so many reasons, but as we hurdled through the tiny streets of this ancient city, Hindi music blaring from the speakers and our driver narrowly missing oncoming obstacles, it was a rush of energy like nothing else. The city whirled past us, women in bright colored sari’s, men pushing carts of produce and grains and donkeys and cows roaming freely, it was one of those moments when you realize, “wow, this is India.”

Traveling to India?

See all of my posts on the country here!

What to Wear Traveling in India

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Favorite Moments : SE Asia

Exploring Udaipur at the Oberoi Udaivilas

Exploring around Udaipur

Agra in a Day

A Quick Overnight Stay in Delhi and Driving to Agra

A Hotel Review of the Trident Gurgaon in Delhi

Trident Gurgaon – Delhi, India

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Travel Tips : Tips for Traveling to India

India, I Love You

India : Moments to Remember

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Favorite Destinations

Travel Reviews

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Trident Gurgaon – Delhi, India

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