India

Exotic Eats: India

Posted by on Apr 10, 2013 in Exotic Eats, India | 4 comments

Exotic Eats: India

India is a culinary smorgasbord. The food is greatly varied and extremely flavorful.  Before traveling to India, my knowledge of the cuisine did not extend further than naan and chicken curry. Anil, our driver, helped make every meal feel like a special occasion by taking us to restaurants that are “known” for whatever specific dish we ate.  At almost every meal he would take a bite, savor it, and say, “You cannot get this taste at any other restaurant.”

 It is impossible to include everything I ate during my two weeks in India so I have focused on some of the new things (and dishes that were easy on my American stomach) that I sampled:

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Best of India in Photos

Posted by on Apr 7, 2013 in India, Photos/Video | 10 comments

Best of India in Photos

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People Tell the Story: India

Posted by on Apr 7, 2013 in India, People Tell the Story | 3 comments

People Tell the Story: India
After two days in Delhi, we hired a driver to take us through Rajasthan for 12 days. These drivers typically leave their families for days to weeks at a time. Although it takes them away from home, it’s a profession that should provide comfortably for the family. For travelers, it’s a convenient and affordable way to bypass India’s public transportation system if you are short on time. A local hotel in Pahar Ganj organized a driver for us and set us up with Anil, a man who is extremely passionate about his work and giving travelers a unique experience. Anil has been navigating tours all over India for the last 18 years. His tour clients have ranged from teenagers on a tight budget to retirees with luxury in mind. Anil entertained us with stories about his country, immersed us in cultural experiences we would have never sought out, and quickly became a good friend. Here are some thoughts from Anil regarding his native India:  
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India in 2 weeks

Posted by on Apr 6, 2013 in Featured, India | 3 comments

India in 2 weeks

As our adventure through India has come to a close, I find myself reflecting on the trip.  These two weeks have been filled with unbelievable experiences in a foreign land but have also been riddled with frustration.  I have felt outside of my comfort zone for 90% of my time in India and that is what makes it so wonderful and so terrible all at once.  I have never encountered such high highs with such low lows all at the same time.  Many people have asked me if I would recommend traveling to India now that I have experienced it.  The truth is, I am not sure.  India is not for the traveler that wants comfort or relaxation. The country will show you abject poverty, aggressive vendors wanting money at all costs, and sexism like you would never believe.  However, I do feel that I am better off having spent time there.  I have compiled a brief summary of each of our stops through Rajasthan in case you do want to take the plunge.

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Peaceful Pushkar

Posted by on Apr 4, 2013 in Featured, India | 2 comments

Peaceful Pushkar

India can be described with a myriad of adjectives: colorful, exciting, impoverished, flavorful, decadent, I could go on.  One adjective that I never thought I would use, however, is peaceful.  On our trip through Rajasthan, the state in India that we explored, we hit the major city high lights: Delhi (the capital), Agra (for the Taj Mahal), Jaipur (the “Pink City”), Jodhpur (the “Blue City”), and Udaipur.  We even stopped at two more remote destinations in the countryside: Ranthambhore National Park for a tiger safari and Ranakpur to enjoy nature and a picturesque temple.  While each city was unique and surprising, none were peaceful.  I was thrilled when we arrived in the small town of Pushkar and I could finally catch my breath for 2 days of relaxation and cultural immersion.

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Driving through Rajasthan

Posted by on Mar 30, 2013 in Featured, India | 5 comments

Driving through Rajasthan
Thank God for Anil. For twelve days, he heroically drove us through Rajasthan, one of India’s most visited states. His calm, even-keeled, and gentle personality boded well with the clueless drivers and maniacal bikers that cram India’s fractured roadways. If our roles had been reversed, hundreds of curse words would have filled the car everyday. At times frustrating, and other times comical, driving through Rajasthan was a tiring and eventful experience. 
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