Varanasi Varanasi is a holy town and an important pilgrimage for Hindus. Many of the stories told about what happens at the Ganges is an everyday practice here. During a morning walk along the Ghats (steps leading into the river) we passed locals going about their usual day; bathing, washing and drying clothes and boys playing cricket on the steps. We witnessed a funeral procession, a body wrapped in shawls being lead to the water, dipped into the holy Ganges ...

Agra Visiting the Taj Mahal was a highly anticipated part of our trip in India. Although we've seen countless photos, entering through the gates to see the marble dome emerge is breathtaking and a surreal experience - even with the hordes of tourists! We don't usually accept guides but thought if we were going to do it, the best place is here - so we opted for the $2 audio guide tour. The Taj Mahal is surrounded by lush green gardens with a view of the Yamuna...

We arrived in Jaipur, also known as the Pink City late at night. As soon as we got off the train there were the usual rickshaw drivers offering to take us to our accommodation. One friendly fellow offered us a reasonable fare which we quickly accepted - after being sick on the train I would have accepted anything. The driver started with the standard questions; where are you from, do you like India, but got increasingly personal as we neared our destination. W...

We should have paid heed to the old saying "don't speak too soon". After months of dining on foreign cuisine (save for being spoiled by Ray and Noeline in Jeju) with no ill effects our luck finally ran out as the fearsome "Delhi Belly" caught up to us during our stay in Rishikesh. As uncomfortable as it was, it could have been much worse (No, don't say that, have you learnt nothing!?) and we were still able to get out and about and see the sights while tryi...

In our wisdom we decided to visit one of the oldest cities in the world during summer. With 40 degree scorchers and being fully covered to keep with the dress code of India (also with the benefit of keeping out the malaria biting insects) we had a steep acclimatisation from the cool Jeju climate we left behind. Tourism in Delhi had a revamp in preparation for the 2010 Commonwealth games, and has many interesting historical sites, including three world heritage...