Travelling India 2013!
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| Rajasthan-Jaipur |
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| Rajasthan-Jaipur |
Travelling has always been my dream, but the problem with me was also thinking about it and never really ever doing it! So when I married Mr, addressed in previous blog go check it out, it only but seemed appropriate to stay with my new family and explore parts of India that I had never been able to do on my other trips.
Cue it being really hot during the months we travelled, I still ventured out slapped on loads of sunscreen turned a bright red! but powered on with my love for travelling. Portable fan in hand camera in the other, large sunglasses to hide my face , vest top and skirt and I was good to go, and literally melt! which I did.
The places we travelled, In Order of Travel:
Goa (South & North)
Amritsar (Golden Temple, Wagah Border & Jaliyaan Wala Bagh)
Rajistaan (Jaipur)
First stop was our honeymoon, this ended up being during the monsoon month, hey it made it much cooler and in some ways much more romantic! we stayed in a beautiful property called the Leela, it was on stunning grounds with lots of lush greenery! golf course a private beach. The golf carts would drive you to your room thats how big the resort was. There was a spa! games room, evening entertainment, it was fabulous and the hospitality was next to none, so respectful so polite well mannered they remember your name your favourite drink and personalise the service . www.theLeela.com. Its an expensive resort, but worth a one off pampering yourself trip, South of Goa so the quieter part but to get to the north and the more commercialised parts it only takes around 45 minutes in car. My favourite parts of the trip were the afternoons, mr likes to take his naps and I like to explore so I would take a cart to the reception area which was an open area slightly covered all in Marble and would watch the rain fall while nibbling on hot Pakoras and India Masala tea my Idea of heaven, it was just breath taking. If you want to eat in Goa trip advisor has so many good recommendations that you can't go wrong. One place that springs to mind was Martins Corner a great Lobster place, where on Friday and Saturday nights if my memory is correct they have live music. A little bit of advice fresh fish is their speciality so their lobster in garlic butter or then crab is great! the Goan spice fish is a very personal taste and extremely strong try it, might not work to your palette. Thumbs up with this place romantic rainy and scenic.
Second stop Amritsar the holy city. Now you might be surprised in knowing that since I was young I have always wanted to go to the golden temple and pay my respects and take in the grandeur and magnitude of the temple and savour the peaceful aura that I have heard it has. But because I'm very panicky in crowds and get very claustrophobic my family would just say you won't be able to cope leave it! This time with the help of a friends father we managed to skip certain areas where there would have been crowds and managed to do 'Darshan' and enjoy this beautiful place called the Golden Temple. I remember at that time the month being August and lets just say the marble was sweltering and burning my feet, I had to style the walking fast otherwise really I just wanted to run across it into cool waters, too hot, please go during the month of November, December or February, will be less intense on the body. Just a beautiful and surreal place.
Other stop in Amritsar aka Punjab, was the Jaliyaan Wala Bagh|! oh yes its the garden or area of torture historical it is known that when the British ruled India this particular area had some unrest brewing amongst the locals and General Dyer decided to do a gun massacre to end the situation and to show others it would not be tolerated, people gathered in the area thinking it was going to be a peaceful talk and actually gunfire was showered on the innocent victims so many ran for their lives and to this day the bullet holes can be seen in the walls, trees and the Well where the people ran into and died, its quite a sad historical place to go to but something that makes you realise and treasure the freedoms we now enjoy.
Third Stop in Punjab, Wagah border which borders onto Pakistan they open the gates once in the evening and hold a procession of all soldiers its literally brilliant you see the neighbouring country people sitting their flying their flags and its super to watch sad to see once the gate shuts how we are still divided by land and borders. But a wonderful procession and I have a few photos taken with me and the soldiers.Lots of tourists there I would suggest that you get there early it does get quite packed and you want to get seats or at least be in the front to be able to see the soldiers .
Last leg of our trip before I left for London was Rajasthan, Jaipur the land where the kings and Queens ruled the places and the grandeur still stands and how beautiful and breathtaking is this history as if time has stood still. I had no idea I would love this city of Pink as much as I did , I think eventually I drove Mr crazy with Youtube Videos of Gaytri Devi and facts that I learnt throughout the day! . She was the last remaining royalty of the old times who passed only a few years ago and lived her life like a tomboy played polo dressed up wore trousers back in the 1960;s and believed in education and equality for girls. Her palace now has been part sold to the Taj group of hotel and the other half the family are disputed in . Some palaces are still with families and some have become world heritage propertys the ones that still remain with families need some way to make money so they can be maintained, some have become paid for museums some schools for girls and the rest are a little worse for wear but nonetheless so beautiful I can't explain!
The one palace or forte that took my eye and heart was the Amber Forte in the hills of a town called Amer Jaipur to get there we took an elephant and each section of the forte is according to the seasons , back then there was no proper water supply or heating so glass was used as a heat reflector water in wells was used as a cooling agents long swings with cloths as fans. The architecture and the red sandstone and the design are still so stunning and preserved so well . If you love history then you will be in your element with this. The design of the building reflects the Moguls and Rajas that ruled during the 1590's to the mid 18th century, royals ruling was stopped in the 1950's any powers they held taken from them but their palaces were left for them, however without any means of maintaining them unless they opened them up to the public as historical interest. People do come in the drives to see these palaces and pay to see the history some that have become hotels , weddings are now being held, so money is coming in and history remains in tact.
One thing that I can say about India is the vast array of colours history different cultures civilisations and wonderments is just amazing and I don't think in one lifetime I would ever be able to see the whole of India, but I have decided that I will try, I love the factor that my family and my ancestors are from a country so rich of values morals family life surviving and loving life, though my parents may have migrated India very much still remains a love filled conversation amongst my parents and we continue to enjoy our trips to the motherland.
I hope this Blog has given you a little insight of the joys of India. Where have you been thats taken you by surprise? or have you taken a few months off and just travelled and if so where? does going on holiday make you a traveller or does actually taking time out and spending months there make you are true traveller, as always I would love to know your thoughts!
Leave your comments.
To subscribe to my blog you can do it through google or bloglovin. I will soon enough have my website up and running.
Snapchat-neeru_chopra
Twitter-neeru_chopra
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Until Next Time
Unscripted and Unapologetic
NeerusLifeStyle
x
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| Amritsar-Golden Temple |
Third Stop in Punjab, Wagah border which borders onto Pakistan they open the gates once in the evening and hold a procession of all soldiers its literally brilliant you see the neighbouring country people sitting their flying their flags and its super to watch sad to see once the gate shuts how we are still divided by land and borders. But a wonderful procession and I have a few photos taken with me and the soldiers.Lots of tourists there I would suggest that you get there early it does get quite packed and you want to get seats or at least be in the front to be able to see the soldiers .
 |
| Amritsar-Wagah Border |
Last leg of our trip before I left for London was Rajasthan, Jaipur the land where the kings and Queens ruled the places and the grandeur still stands and how beautiful and breathtaking is this history as if time has stood still. I had no idea I would love this city of Pink as much as I did , I think eventually I drove Mr crazy with Youtube Videos of Gaytri Devi and facts that I learnt throughout the day! . She was the last remaining royalty of the old times who passed only a few years ago and lived her life like a tomboy played polo dressed up wore trousers back in the 1960;s and believed in education and equality for girls. Her palace now has been part sold to the Taj group of hotel and the other half the family are disputed in . Some palaces are still with families and some have become world heritage propertys the ones that still remain with families need some way to make money so they can be maintained, some have become paid for museums some schools for girls and the rest are a little worse for wear but nonetheless so beautiful I can't explain!
 |
| Rajasthan Jaipur-Amber Forte |
The one palace or forte that took my eye and heart was the Amber Forte in the hills of a town called Amer Jaipur to get there we took an elephant and each section of the forte is according to the seasons , back then there was no proper water supply or heating so glass was used as a heat reflector water in wells was used as a cooling agents long swings with cloths as fans. The architecture and the red sandstone and the design are still so stunning and preserved so well . If you love history then you will be in your element with this. The design of the building reflects the Moguls and Rajas that ruled during the 1590's to the mid 18th century, royals ruling was stopped in the 1950's any powers they held taken from them but their palaces were left for them, however without any means of maintaining them unless they opened them up to the public as historical interest. People do come in the drives to see these palaces and pay to see the history some that have become hotels , weddings are now being held, so money is coming in and history remains in tact.
 |
| RamBagh Palace-Jaipur (Gayatri Devis Palace) Now A Taj Hotel. |
One thing that I can say about India is the vast array of colours history different cultures civilisations and wonderments is just amazing and I don't think in one lifetime I would ever be able to see the whole of India, but I have decided that I will try, I love the factor that my family and my ancestors are from a country so rich of values morals family life surviving and loving life, though my parents may have migrated India very much still remains a love filled conversation amongst my parents and we continue to enjoy our trips to the motherland.
I hope this Blog has given you a little insight of the joys of India. Where have you been thats taken you by surprise? or have you taken a few months off and just travelled and if so where? does going on holiday make you a traveller or does actually taking time out and spending months there make you are true traveller, as always I would love to know your thoughts!
Leave your comments.
To subscribe to my blog you can do it through google or bloglovin. I will soon enough have my website up and running.
Snapchat-neeru_chopra
Twitter-neeru_chopra
Instagram-NeerusLifeStyle
Youtube-Neeru Chopra
Until Next Time
Unscripted and Unapologetic
NeerusLifeStyle
x
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