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 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.