Clare Exploring India with OWR Travel

Meet Clare, an OWR guest who joined us for 14 unforgettable days in India. From celebrating Diwali in Jaipur to sunrise yoga on a beach in Goa, Clare’s days were packed with color, culture, and a few surprises (hint: cows in traffic 🐄). Check out her Q&A style blog to see why this trip was one she’ll never forget!

Why Did You Book the Trip?

I was wanting to get out my comfort zone and take on something more adventurous as a solo traveller.

After looking at a lot of trips with numerous companies, I settled on India with Other Way Round because the itinerary was bursting with opportunities to learn about and explore a country I was sure would be unlike anywhere I had been before.

How Did You Feel As The Trip Approached? 

Honestly…a bit anxious.

I had travelled alone to cities in Europe before but I had never gone on an extended trip to such a different country by myself.

However, once I was organised and started researching some of the spots we would be visiting, apprehension was quickly replaced by anticipation!

“I KNEW THEN THAT COMING TO INDIA WAS GOING TO BE ONE OF MY BETTER DECISIONS”

How Did You Feel Upon Arrival?

Tired but very excited…I don’t think I could believe I was actually in India when I first arrived.

We were very lucky to be visiting at the same time as Diwali and one of the first things I noticed were all the lights in the airport and on my journey to the hotel for the festival!

I knew then that coming to India was going to be one of my better decisions.

How Were the People You Travelled With? And the Tour Leader?

The ladies I travelled with were fantastic! I met my first fellow traveller minutes after arriving at the hotel and we spent (before we knew it) several hours chatting and getting to know each other before we could check in to our rooms.

That theme carried on with the other travellers throughout the trip. 

As an all girl group, we made the most of and had so much fun exploring India’s fashion from trying out all the amazing fabrics and saris to getting henna tattoos and dressing up for Diwali! 

“ANKITA WAS AMAZING”

Ankita was amazing. Not only was she clearly knowledgeable, caring and approachable, she was very invested in making sure we all got the most out of our time in India.

What I appreciated the most was how attuned she was to the needs and feelings of the group, adjusting the schedule when it was required.

Her yoga class on the beach in Goa for the sunrise was a perfect antidote to the busy schedule she guided us through so seamlessly. 

“WE WERE SPOILED BY THE COMFORT OF OUR ROOMS”

Did You Like the Hotels?

When visiting a country like India with such a full schedule, being able to have a good night sleep is important. In India, we were spoiled by the comfort of our rooms, the friendly welcome, the service (I wasn’t used to having so many people running around after me) and in some hotels, the excellent shopping.

Our hotel in Ranthambore was particularly memorable with its fabulous safari themed interior and shop that our group took full advantage of!

A special mention has to go to our beach front hotel in Goa which acted as a perfect utopia for us all to relax in after a jam-packed 12 days beforehand.

What About the Food?

A typical day started with the infamous masala chai tea.

A bit jarring to begin with compared to English breakfast but after a few cups, it became a prominent feature of the trip.

If curry is your thing, you can have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner should you wish it! If not, the hotels had alternatives on offer for the less spice tolerant traveller.

Food highlights from the trip included our tasting menu at one of the oldest restaurants in Delhi (superb), the jalapeno pakora on our Rickshaw food tour of Jaipur and the naan bread (couldn’t get enough of the naan bread)! 

What Were Your Favourite Activities/Places/Highlights?

What was so great about this trip was that no place was the same and each stop had something different to offer.

Agra warrants an obvious mention because of the wonder of the world that is the Taj Mahal.

I very rarely utter the word ‘wow’ but it couldn’t be helped when I saw it come into view for the first time…spectacular!

I also loved learning about the Mughal emperors and their opulent taste in architecture and design which I think even Louis XIV would have found hard to play down.

“A SUNRISE HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE ADDED TO WHAT WAS AN UNFORGETTABLE COUPLE OF DAYS”

Jaipur, India’s pink city (or terracotta to be exact), was also a memorable stop least of all because we celebrated Diwali in this special city.

One of the things I will remember most about India was all its colours and nowhere was this more vivid than watching the endless fireworks and lights over the city skyline whilst being hosted by a generous family who welcomed us into their home to share their celebrations with us.

A sunrise hot air balloon ride the following morning added to what was an unforgettable couple of days. 

The stop I was most intrigued by prior to the trip was the spiritual city of Varanasi and it did not disappoint.

I had simply never been anywhere like that before.

Seeing Hindu pilgrims coming together for the Ganga Aarti ceremony was a stirring and emotive experience as was the opportunity to make a wish on the famous Ganges river; something I never imagined I would do.

Learning about Hindu Gods was an added bonus on what was an unceasingly interesting stop.

After such a busy trip, a chance to decompress in lush Goa was most welcome. 

Our beach front hotel fully equipped with a beautiful outdoor pool, bar, spa and restaurant was the perfect way to end and reflect on our adventure.

Other highlights included visiting the Sikh temple in Deli and seeing how they support and look after their community, our rickshaw Pink Ladies tour guides in Jaipur who were absolute bosses and the limitless Moet champagne at our high tea in Mumbai (worth every penny).  

Any Other Memorable Moments Along the Way?

Seeing monkeys and cows rule the streets and the roads, realising that lanes on the roads don’t really mean anything to anyone (the driving was a bit of a culture shock), a sign advising us that the filming of music videos inside a mosque in Delhi was not permitted (I don’t know who told them I was coming), the wonderful colours and fabrics including the saris and handmade carpets, the locals running from their homes to meet us off our hot air balloon ride and the immune boosting smoothies and fresh seafood in Goa. 

Any Advice to Future OWR India Travelers?

The heat will not be the problem, your clothes will be! I invested in a few maxi length cotton dresses which were ideal in helping me cope with the heat whilst being modest which you need to be particularly when visiting religious sites. 

Do your research when it comes to food so you can avoid the dreaded ‘Delhi belly’.

As a rule, I stuck with hot food, beers and unpeeled fruit. Spice levels are different in India and not everyone will be used to it so listen to your body and make different choices if it is not entirely happy with you. 

“A TRIP I WILL REMEMBER FOREVER”

If you are looking to sit on a beach and soak up the sun, this is not the trip for you.

If you are looking to experience a different part of the world and learn a few things you hadn’t before, this is absolutely the trip for you!

India is an incredibly diverse and varied country with multiple languages, cultures and religions and the itinerary, although busy, gives you a great opportunity to explore all the country has to offer!

This was a trip I will remember forever!