I was kind of reluctant to go to India this Chinese New Year. But since father in law insisted to go there for a vacation and everyone else agreed, I didnt want to be left behind. So to India I went! with TH, parents in law, Seah, Irene and Susan.
India had never been of an interest to me. It terrified me to think of getting health jabs prior to departure. I was also worried about the hygiene there.
It was winter and my first destination was Kashmir, followed by the Golden Triangle i.e. New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.
It was eye opening the minute I set foot in Kashmir. A huge, beautiful lake surrounded by lovely snow-capped mountains greeted me. The gondolas and houseboats in the lake were so unique that we stayed in one house boat for two nights, a great experience.
Then, we made our way up the mountain in a sleigh and got down in a cable car. The snowy scenery and tall pine trees were spectacular and breathtaking. I had tremendous fun up there. Later, we travelled to the Golden Triangle and visited interesting forts, beautiful monuments and had a joyful elephant ride up the hill. I stood in awe in front of the most lauded attraction in India, the magnificent Taj Mahal. It was just brilliant!
We travelled a lot by bus, from one place to another. We shared road with camels, goats, sheep, cows, horses and monkeys. There were no traffic lights and drivers honked to make way for each other. Sad to say, the living conditions were pretty bad.
However I must salute the locals, especially the young ones, who peddled stuff by the roadside. Out of desperation, they had to work extremely hard to earn a living. They were so full of energy and persistence. Though they could be irritating at times, they were harmless. Handicraft and souvenir items were attractive and affordable too.
All in all, I had a good trip and a lifetime experience. Oh, I also met a rather charming man, Mr. Heera and his family on this trip and he kept us entertained throughout the trip with his magic tricks and good humour. He's a trainer in nature and a nice man.
India had never been of an interest to me. It terrified me to think of getting health jabs prior to departure. I was also worried about the hygiene there.
It was winter and my first destination was Kashmir, followed by the Golden Triangle i.e. New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.
It was eye opening the minute I set foot in Kashmir. A huge, beautiful lake surrounded by lovely snow-capped mountains greeted me. The gondolas and houseboats in the lake were so unique that we stayed in one house boat for two nights, a great experience.
Then, we made our way up the mountain in a sleigh and got down in a cable car. The snowy scenery and tall pine trees were spectacular and breathtaking. I had tremendous fun up there. Later, we travelled to the Golden Triangle and visited interesting forts, beautiful monuments and had a joyful elephant ride up the hill. I stood in awe in front of the most lauded attraction in India, the magnificent Taj Mahal. It was just brilliant!
We travelled a lot by bus, from one place to another. We shared road with camels, goats, sheep, cows, horses and monkeys. There were no traffic lights and drivers honked to make way for each other. Sad to say, the living conditions were pretty bad.
However I must salute the locals, especially the young ones, who peddled stuff by the roadside. Out of desperation, they had to work extremely hard to earn a living. They were so full of energy and persistence. Though they could be irritating at times, they were harmless. Handicraft and souvenir items were attractive and affordable too.
All in all, I had a good trip and a lifetime experience. Oh, I also met a rather charming man, Mr. Heera and his family on this trip and he kept us entertained throughout the trip with his magic tricks and good humour. He's a trainer in nature and a nice man.
I must admit my perception of India is totally wrong. India is indeed a country full of charm and beauty. As the saying goes, never judge a book by its cover. It's so true!
No comments:
Post a Comment