It All Begins on Christmas Eve

It’s been 14 years since any of us (Ree, Sim, Jeet, Duff, Nik, DT, Gee) have been to India, but due to various life circumstances, this seems like the perfect time to go. While we will have some time with family, a bulk of this trip is about exploring new destinations and revisiting special places. We’ll try to journal our daily adventures here (Internet access willing) and hope you enjoy following along.

Our rough itinerary is made up of a 12-hour stop in London on Christmas Day (we’re hoping at least a handful of Indian and Chinese restaurants will be open…lol). Then to Delhi and straight to Indore, Madhya Pradesh, which will be our “home base” to acclimate and see family.

Then it’s off to Kathmandu, Nepal! We’ll be staying at the Soaltee, the very same hotel where my parents worked. Can’t wait for that! Lots of sightseeing, a day trip to Nagarkot, a hill station that’s a couple of hours outside the Kathmandu valley, from which you’re supposed to see up to eight of the top Himalayan peaks on a clear day.

After that, it’s on to Amritsar, Punjab to visit the Golden Temple, one of Sikhism’s holiest shrines. Only Ree and I have been there before, so I can’t wait for everyone else to experience it. The utter peace and solace that pervades your being when you enter the doors is something I wish everyone could experience. We’ll also try to visit some other area destinations, including the Partition Museum, the India-Pakistan border, where they have a daily changing of the guard ceremony that is supposed to be a sight to behold.

From Amritsar, it’s back to Delhi and an overnight trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal, which we’ve all been to before but the kids were much younger the last time.

Then it’s on to Goa, which is a famous beach city with its own vibrant culture and aesthetic, influenced heavily by the Portuguese. It’s the perfect place to disconnect after several intense days of travel.

We’re back to Indore for a couple of days after that, and then fly back home via London from Bengaluru.

Whew! I’m tired just thinking about all of this, but also really excited. It’s been a challenging year on many fronts for all of us, and we couldn’t think of a better way to reconnect, explore and create new memories, many of which we hope to catalog here.

Hope you enjoy!