*This blog kept crashing and I’ve lost hours of work. So apologies if it doesn’t make sense. There is a lot missing. It’s Incredibly annoying, but it is what it is. Have you seen the state of the world at the moment , seems like nothing will ever be normal again after that.
I’m sad this blog is now incomplete and probably incomprehensible. But I’m moving on and letting it go.
Well this is going to be a long long read, and if you’ve no interest in going on holiday, and more specifically, to India, then this probably isn’t the blog for you.
This will be very India centric, for very a good reason. It’s where we’ve just been, it’s my favourite place on earth (well, there and Corfu), and it’s an amazing adventure of a lifetime - every - single - time.
So the build up to this holiday was pretty stressful, there had been a few incidents in India which may have affected our ability to go, so that’s was already playing on our minds.
Then along comes the Nipah virus hooha, and boy did the UK press and social media outlets run with it.
I was in danger of becoming wildly out of control with fear that it could prevent us from travelling. I’m incredibly risk averse, so I didn’t fancy catching a virus with such a high mortality rate, in fact, I’d go as far to say I don’t want to catch any virus.
That’s why I am vaccinated against all and every mainstream disease, and some less common ones just for fun.
I can buy typhoid and dypyheria vaccines all day long, we even treated ourselves to rabies vaccines, but there is no vaccine or treatment for Nipah.
Again and again the stories were circulating about the outbreak in West Bengal.
So I did what I very rarely do in a situation like this, rather than panic about it, I researched it.
Well, it turns out that yes, Nipah is deadly.
But it’s not a new disease at all, it’s been cropping up occasionally for the last 30 years. And most countries who have some experience of it are pretty good at locking it down…like they have been doing for the last 30 years, while we live in blissful ignorance.
Also, I looked into the numbers. There were 2 confirmed cases in West Bengal.
And they had quarantined 197 people who had come in contact with those two people.
I was already becoming more reassured as time passed. Because when I thought about it 2 cases out of a country of nearly 1.5 billion people, isn’t that many…in fact it’s a microscopic amount.
It’s also less transmissible than a lot of viruses, even though the mortality rate is high.
Plus the fact that it was contained quickly meant the likelihood of a catastrophe was far lower, not impossible of course, COVID 19 I’m looking at you!
But the media do love a melodrama, and they needed a story to help keep other stories suppressed, so Nipah was the perfect storm. It’s a zoonotic disease (and social media and mainstream media alike love a buzz word).
And a zoonotic disease sounds very dramatic and alarming.
There was guidance on the UK government website about how to avoid the virus.
“Those travelling to endemic areas, particularly areas with active outbreaks, should avoid contact with bats and their environments, and sick animals. Consumption of raw or partially fermented date palm sap should be avoided. Wash fruit with clean water and avoid any fruit that has been partially eaten by animals or that may be contaminated (for example, windfall fruit)”.
I think it’s pretty safe to say, I wasn’t intending on playing with bats, ever! Or eating bat nibbled floor fruit, or un-nibbled floor fruit, or floor fruit of any kind, in any country, at any point in my lifetime. I marked myself as floor fruit safe! 😂
So we got through that emotional rollercoaster, to then have to fill out the visa application…which was a fairly traumatic as the site crashes multiple times during the process.
I couldn’t have even considered trying to fill the forms out. And even Chris, my solid, unflappable, calm voice of reason, struggled with it.
So if you are in the process of filling it out, have patience, stay calm. I wish you well, it will be worth it in the end.
So that was all fun and games in the build up to the holiday, then on top of that the UK weather forecast suggested it might snow, and if you know the UK at all, you will know we can’t deal with any sort of weather occurrence, even though we’ve had millennia of weather experiences to have learned from.
I remember when our Polish friend was living with us, and she was unable to fly out of Stansted due to the inch and a half of snow that had fallen over night…which had perplexed her deeply, as she was heading to a country that was still operating flights in feet of snow fall.
Anyway, thankfully the snow didn’t materialise, and we were able to head out on our way to Delhi, India.
My advice for flying to India is splurge as much as you can on the flight there.
We booked the overnight flight to Delhi, which means you go to sleep at a normal/ish UK time, and you then wake up in India at their morning time. Which means if you get enough sleep on the flight you can hit the ground running and use that first day for fun times, rather than feeling like death warmed up.
We’ve done it in Premium Economy in the past, and that was okay. But we do spend out on business class now to get the flat bed, which makes sleeping slightly more likely.
As it’s a night flight I take my shoes off for comfort, but of course I don’t want to fanny around putting my shoes back on when I need a toilet visit. So I packed some hotel slippers I had at home. They were fantastic! Easy to slip on, protected my feet from the loo floor germs, and throw away-able on arrival in Delhi.
(And I brought the ones from the hotel in India for the return flight).
People often ask me why we love to visit India so much. And it’s such a difficult question to answer.
We found that India captured our hearts, the sights, the sounds, the aromas, but more importantly the feeling.
India, and its people have a special aura, there is a palpable feeling of contentment. I have never felt more at peace than when I am in India.
People who have never been often have the most to say about it I find.
“Isn’t it dirty, and smelly and full of poor people?”
Simple answer is yes and no. “What’s your point? Every country in the world has all of those issues too!”
Some people have a morbid fascination with poverty in countries like India.
But volunteering at a foodbank in Braintree means I’m not ignorant to the fact that all countries have poverty, including my own, in varying degrees. I think a lot of people just don’t know what is going on in their own countries, because it’s hidden from sight, it’s brushed under the carpet and ignored, that doesn’t mean it’s not there, it just means it’s not visible.
It can be dirty in places, again, so can every other country I’ve ever been to, including my own home town, so I’m not sure what the point is.
Do I find it odd that it can be quite rubbish strewn in areas? A bit yes, and sometimes a lot, but it’s not something I hone in on because it’s none of my business.
I love the energy of India, I love the vibrant colours and atmosphere. I love how I feel when I’m there.
It is an extraordinary place, and if you dive right in you’ll love the adventure.
My favourite architecture styles are ancient Mughal, ancient Persian, ancient Hindu, and art deco, and quite fortunately for me there is a lot on offer in this incredible country,
Comfy clothes essential for a long night flight.
Also, I pack off of my stoma supplies in my hand luggage. I simply couldn’t take the risk of losing them.
Loungewear from H&M, Cardigan from Me & Em, Shoes from Hermes
The hotel slippers I took with me for the flight were a game changer.
We arrived sort of fresh, so we had a quick freshen up in our room and then hit the shops.
We had been unable to get the 3 nights in Delhi at the one hotel (we have a brand of hotel we love in India. We have always had an amazing experience and an incredible time at Oberoi Hotels, so that’s what we booked for this trip).
As we couldn’t get 3 nights in the New Delhi one, we had to do 1 night in the Oberoi at Gurgaon, then get transferred over to the Oberoi in New Delhi for the next 2.
(Next time we will book all the nights in the same hotel, just to make it a smoother trip. It wasn’t terrible, but it just would be smoother).
So we arrived and did what we did the first time we went to Delhi seven years ago, and that was to go to the shopping centre up the road to get a croissant at Paul’s, the patisserie! 😂
Croissant consumed, we headed to M&S. Yes, India has Marks and Spencer, and the people I spoke to absolutely love it. M&S pickie bits is a global phenomenon.
I bought an outfit to wear that night for dinner at the hotel. I had packed enough clothes, but I couldn’t be bothered to open the cases.
Besides, the Oberoi Gurgaon is a more business oriented hotel, so no one was all dolled up.
I loved the detail of the shirt, it’s a work shirt pin stripe, with a cinched in waist.
And the trousers were comfy so they were a must. I also bought some other new black trousers, which fortuitously came in handy in the following days.
If you are only visiting Delhi overnight before onward travel, I would recommend The Oberoi Gurgaon. It’s great for access to and from the airport.
It’s a very high standard, but is business focused, it’s great, but it’s not a holiday destination as such.
The following day we transferred over to The Oberoi New Delhi, and this hotel is absolutely fabulous!
I can’t fault it, it’s absolutely amazing! The staff are incredibly friendly and welcoming. The management team is so hands on and personable. Nothing is too much trouble.
Top and skirt from Maje, Shoes from Ferragamo.
These are my travel/sightseeing shoes.
I have had them 16 years, they have holes in the soles, they are so worn and battered, unlike any of my other shoes, most of which are still painful as I barely wear them enough to ever be comfortable.
These shoes have travelled all over the world with me.
They look great, they feel great, and they go with everything. And I’m just not a comfortable, sensible shoe gal. So a hiking boot isn’t going to cut it for me.
We checked out of the old, and into the new hotel, and for reasons unknown they had upgraded us.
It was out of this world! The views from there are incredible, and we were high up enough to watch the black kites circling in the thermals just outside our window.
The suite was huge and luxurious. This is a very special hotel.
We then headed out for the first of two tours we’d booked.
This one was called The Material Girl Tour, and it was focused on the clothes and fabrics of India.
It was so much fun!
The first stop was a store that sells beautiful Indian clothing.
And I gushed about how much I loved the dresses, and they said “we’ll try it on!”
I said “I don’t think I can, wouldn’t that be cultural appropriation, I’m a white lady from Essex”
And they said our clothes are for anyone who loves them, so that really does include me!
I think Indian traditional clothing is the most beautiful in the world!
Excuse me while I just fall in love with myself!
I felt like a princess, no, more than that, a queen!
It’s utterly utterly delightful, it makes my regular clothes feel like shabby rags.
Unfortunately, this one was £3,500, so it was way out of my price range, for a few reasons, but mainly because I have no where to wear it, it’s not really a pop to Tesco, or even a pop to Harrods outfit.
It was utterly dreamy to try it on though. It felt like a dream.
Then I tried a sari, and I loved that too.
This one was £600, it’s in the colour - onion. Which does make sense.
It was beautiful, I felt beautiful in it, and that’s not something I feel in general.
Were I to have somewhere to wear it I would have been tempted.
The tour guide asked if there was anywhere specific that I would like to go to after, and I said yes please!
So off we went to Sabysachi, it’s a designer brand that I am obsessed with.
I went to their Mumbai shop and I saw a necklace I really liked, but I didn’t buy it. Then I discovered that they don’t sell online, or sell in the UK at all.
I went to their store in New York, but they didn’t have the necklace I had loved, so I was kicking myself for not buying it when I was in Mumbai.
The staff there are so wonderful. The store itself is a feast for the eyes.
Luckily for me they had the necklace I wanted in stock. So I snapped it up, knowing I’d not get a chance to visit again this trip.
Photos below are from the internet as you can’t take photos in there…
It’s so beautiful and opulent. Their lehenga start at about £15,000, so that wasn’t going to work for me, but my goodness, how heavenly it must be to be a Sabyasachi bride!
We bought my necklace and then headed to the next stop on the tour, which was a very different experience, but fun nonetheless.
Dilli Haat market is a government backed project of artisan craftsmen and women, a place to sell their goods.
It’s £1 for foreigners to get in, and 30p for locals. Which makes it very appealing and accessible.
I bought some of the most beautiful pashminas I’ve ever seen. The embroidery on them is mind blowing.
And I bought this dress, as a swimsuit cover up. It’s hand made and hand embroidered. And was a much more reasonable £12.
The tour guide was fabulous fun to spend the day with. And it was a very successful day all round.
Although admittedly we went for a croissant on arrival, we always eat Indian food, breakfast lunch and dinner for the entire trip.
In England Indian restaurants don’t open for breakfast or brunch, which is such a shame, as it means we miss out on some incredible foods!
Chole being one of my favourites.
I can’t see the point of coming to a country that has the best cuisine in the world, only to eat regular western food.
I saw so many people eating eggs and bacon for breakfast, and carbonara for dinner, it blows my mind.
We are in the country of flavours, and it’s a joy.
I need flavour, spices and depth. I find most English food bland, all of it is really, and if I cook at home I will add chilli or spice to give it a bit of a boost.
I think Brits do a fabulous afternoon tea, and our desserts are unbeatable, but the general food is lacking for my tastes buds.
The following day we were doing another tour. This time it was a cookery experience.
A tour of the spice market, and then back to the hotel to cook some dishes…or so it was billed as…
Top and Shoes from Hermes, Trousers from Ralph Lauren.
This was one of the most magical and memorable of my life. I will always remember it and treasure it. It was hilarious fun.
So it started out well as the chef who was accompanying us was one of the nicest people I have ever met.
So knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and good company.
He took us to the wholesale spice market. Which is a fascinating place.
The sights, and sounds and chaos and everything was overwhelming, in a good way though. It was so interesting.
And I happen to love chaos.
We were having this incredible day, rickshaw 🛺 rides through the streets of New Delhi, the sights and sounds of the spice market. It was wonderful, like I said, I enjoy the chaos, I find it fascinating.
I got chatting to chef Roy about our adventures the previous day, and that I had tried on my first lehenga, but that I couldn’t afford to buy it at £3,500, much to my disappointment.
He said “What!? £3,500 is crazy money, I bought my sister one the other day and it was much less than that!…would you like to go there and look at some?”
“Oh hell yeah!!”
So that’s what we did, and it was amazing and hilarious.
It was just so much fun. And the scene is now burnt into my brain. I believe this is the core memory of core memories!
I turned round, whilst self consciously trying on this beautiful lehenga…there, sitting watching me having the time of my life was Chris, Chef Roy…and the guide we had for the day, a man with a master’s degree in ancient history, who must have been wondering how the hell he’d ended up in a lehenga store with some mad English people.
Well, long story short, Chef Roy did me a solid favour and negotiated the price for me.
This, my beautiful glorious lehenga was £128, including tailoring to measure…and she now lives with me in rural England, also possibly questioning how she ended up here…much like the historian on our tour. 🥰🤩
Then we headed back to the hotel to do the practical part of the cooking experience.
The staff at the Oberoi hotel group are an incredible bunch of people. The attention to detail and the guest experience is like nothing I have ever experienced anywhere else in the world, and we’ve stayed at some very prestigious hotels.
The cookery day comes with the head chef, the guide, a driver, the cooking, a book about the food history of Delhi, personalised aprons and a traditional spice box…and a very sparkly lehenga! 🥰
It was absolutely fantastic! The food was out of this world, and hard to believe we made it…with some help.
Try this place for all your lehenga needs…
And this place for beautiful artisan crafts…
And this place for the most incredible stationary, I bought loads and still didn’t spend a fortune…
And this place for the most incredible table and homeware…but the worst customer service I’ve ever had in my life. I did buy some stuff because it was beautiful, but awful staff…
Then the next day it was time to fly to Udaipur…
A very quick 54 minute flight and we arrived in what looked like heaven…
Top and trousers from Ralph Lauren, Shoes from Hermes
Udaipur is dreamy, it’s so beautiful, and it looked as if it had the potential to be our new favourite place in India.
Unfortunately it didn’t live up to our expectations, there are some really very wonderful staff at the hotel, absolute darlings, so dedicated and kind, but it just wasn’t enough to counteract the negatives.
Udaipur is now the number one wedding destination for India…understandably so, it’s spectacular!
But as we quickly discovered, Indian weddings not only look spectacular, but the volume of the music has to also be spectacular!
The likes of which I’ve never heard before, even the Coldplay concert at Wembley wasn’t that loud. I’m not sure how people chat to each other with the volume of the music.
We didn’t know this information before we went and we booked five nights here to relax and unwind.
Which was almost impossible, as I had to wear ear plugs by the pool area as the base from the wedding disco was affecting my ears.
I suffer from bouts of tinnitus and vertigo, and one of the triggers is loud noise.
And the wedding wasn’t even in our hotel, it was the one next door.
How loud was it really? Well Chris took a video of the windows in our room rattling with the vibrations.
If I was recommending a trip to Udaipur, and I would because it’s absolutely beautiful, I’d suggest 2-3 nights maximum.
Take ear plugs for sunbathing and sleeping, get all the sightseeing done and then get out of town. It wasn’t a relaxing in the resort kind of place.
I felt bad about moaning about such a spectacular place, it looked like heaven, but I met some people at the airport who had been at our hotel, and they too had not enjoyed the experience, so at least it wasn’t just me. 🫣
Udaipur is a must for the visiting India list, but it’s a great place for a quick stop.
We were driven from the airport to the jetty to get the boat over to our hotel.
It felt very magical.
Udaipur is stunning, the city palace is a must. The colours of the painted walls and architecture are amazing!
The royal family really are dedicated to making it a great city to visit. We saw the young prince riding round in a golf cart. They are a very chilled royal family.
Rajasthan is absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. The women in their bright clothes, the buildings, the people, it’s all so lovely.
Our hotel room was beautiful, the grounds are beautiful, so it was a bit upsetting that we didn’t enjoy it as much as we had hoped.
The city palace day trip…
This was the palace post office, yes, hundreds of years ago they had a post office…they used carrier pigeons to transport messages…
This seat looks like a swing chair, but it was actually made so that the princess could be attended to from all sides whilst getting ready for the day.
This is the India I see, the vibrant colours and the incredible architecture.
It’s a must visit place. The colours are amazing, it’s a breathtaking place.
Dress from Missoni, Shoes from Gucci.
As it turned out, it wasn’t a place where there other guests got dolled up for dinner, but that’s none of my business, so I just dressed up as I pleased.
I like 3/4 outfits a day, or at least that’s what I had planned for. A breakfast outfit, a day outfit, a pool outfit, an evening outfit, and next time I will probably cut down on that as half my case came back unworn.
Outfit from Monsoon, Shoes from Hermes.
Bikini from Hunza G
We got on and tried to make the best of it, which is a strange thing to say about very expensive luxury five star hotel.
Top and Trousers from Me&Em Shoes from Chloe
We went for walks around the grounds after dinner.
We came across this little tiny snake, now I’m going to be honest, I had forgotten snakes live in India. And I am absolutely terrified of them.
But I was really quite surprised how brave I was when I saw this one. He’s just a baby. So dinky and almost cute.
Until Chris pointed out his mum was probably nearby, and most likely not a dainty and small lady…that’s when I took flight!
We visited the Jagdish temple, which was an utterly beautiful place. There was a special ceremony going on, which meant all the local women turned out in all their finery.
I wouldn’t usually take photos of strangers, but just look at how beautiful they are.
Like I said, Indian traditional clothing is the most beautiful in the world in my opinion.
It was wonderful to experience it.
We also visited the palace car museum. All of the cars are maintained and still in working order.
I dressed up for dinner because I wanted to. I don’t mind being overdressed, because I don’t really believe in that as a concept.
I dress how I want, and I just assume everyone else is doing the same. That way we all get to wear what makes up happy.
This dress was one I bought from Shein, it was £7.50, and it made me happy.
We celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary here. We had a lovely day, because we were together. But it wasn’t quite as we’d planned, as we had to go to a pool much further away to try and get away from the music.
So booking a room with pool view and access wasn’t much use to us.
Top from Oasis, some 36 years ago. Trousers from M&S about 6 weeks ago, Shoes from Gucci.
Anywhere with him is my happy place.
We decided to go to a shop the guide the day before had recommended. It’s insane, I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s floor after floor, room after room of treasures, some huge, some tiny. But so many things my eyes couldn’t take it all in.
We have done something we’ve never done before, we bought stuff and had it shipped home. Wish us luck on it turning up! 🤩
Then it was back to the hotel to ‘relax’.
Bikini from Tesco, Shoes from Hermes
I post my bikini pics to show that anyone who wants to can wear a bikini.
I did laugh when I received a message from some random saying that their friend has a stoma and they wear a one piece costume and wouldn’t I prefer that too?
My response was pretty simple, that surely they could work out that if I actually preferred a one piece costume, I’d be wearing one?
I totally understand if people do prefer them, that’s totally okay, you do you. I like bikinis. It’s not a debatable subject.
Then it was time for our anniversary evening.
I bought this dress years ago, it cost a ridiculous amount of money. I then grew out of it in lockdown. Which was a darn shame.
I lost most of the weight a few years ago, but I’m still 7lb up from when I wore this the first time.
So I took it to my tailor and he made it fit me again.
So really there’s no need to lose weight, just find a good tailor. 🥰
We had a very romantic sunset boat ride, and lovely dinner and…
…The hotel staff really pulled out all the stops for our anniversary celebration. They spoilt us with cake, and our own personal fireworks display! How kind is that!
It was a surreal experience.
We decided to book a driver to take us around Udaipur for a look see.
And ended up in a huge fabric store.
The owner showed us photos of him with the cast of The best exotic marigold hotel, he had made the costumes for Dame Judi Dench.
That happens to be one of our favourite films. We watch it on repeat. So that was a great find.
We bought a load of stuff from here too, that is also being shipped back home to us. Let’s see how that turns out.
Dress from Doen x Gap collaboration.
We saw the wedding procession, it was so colourful and beautiful.
And bought beautiful fabrics.
Every bed in our house has a new throw on its way.
Then headed to the slightly quieter pool, again because of the music from next door.
Obviously no self respecting wedding would be complete without day fire works and powder fireworks. I bet the photos are sensational!
Then it was time to leave Udaipur and head to Jaipur…
Which is our favourite place on earth!
I have never flown in a prop plane before, and I was shitting myself the entire 40 minute flight. Chris motivated me to board the plane with a trip to a shop I love in Jaipur. Worked a treat.
It was so funny on the plane. We had another surreal experience.
We landed in Jaipur, but no one made any attempt to stand up when the seat belt sight went off. Which was really odd.
So we did as everyone else did and just sat there.
The air steward approached us and said “aren’t going to Jaipur?”
This seemed a very strange question in the circumstances.
We said “yes!”
And she said “we’ll get off then or you’ll end up in Chandigarh!”
So apparently, planes in India are like buses and they make various stops along the way!
We got of, and then we arrived in paradise…
The Oberoi hotel in Jaipur is in my opinion the best hotel in the world.
I have never felt more special in all my life. The hotel manager pulled out all the stops and completely and utterly spoiled us.
So much so, that life back home seems rather mundane 🤩😂
He upgraded us to an incredible suite, with its own private pool. I’ve never been more delighted, or overwhelmed with joy.
The staff brought us the most incredibly thoughtful gifts too. It’s an other worldly experience.
Breakfast eaten, we checked into our room, and then went straight out into the city for some fun.
Jaipur is most definitely always fun!
Look at this place 🥰
I wanted to get some block printed fabric, I’m now a block printing expert 😂
A city full of life and surprises.
We visited this Jaipur icon. The Indian Art House is a magnificent place. Part museum, part shop, part home.
It’s incredibly cool. They ship container loads of stock to Portobello Road and Camden Markets, so it’s very young and hip and fabulous.
We bought a few pieces for our memory wall.
Then we just walked around for general sightseeing.
We got back to the suite to be given photos of us printed on chocolate…I mean, have you ever seen such opulence and service?
Oh and fabulous snacks too! Heaven.
And key rings, and mugs with our photos on them. The gifts didn’t stop coming. It was unbelievable.
I haven’t had a gift brought to my door since I’ve been home, unless you count Ben being me some laundry to get done.
It’s quite rubbish here, I desperately want to go back to Rajvilas and be spoilt. 🤩😂🥰
Dress from Reiss, Shoes from Chloe
The food! Oh my goodness I miss the food on a cellular level.
I happened to mention that my favourite dessert was kheer, so the next night the chef made me 3 different versions. All incredibly delicious.
There is seemingly an endless obsession with people conflating the real India with eating what the local people eat, or rather, more specifically “Street Food”.
I eat Indian food only in India, but I eat it from restaurants, like I do everywhere else in the world, including the UK.
In no way shape or form would I feel my trip was only satisfactory if I consumed food from street vendors in London, New York, Paris or Rome.
In no way do I feel compelled to eat anything from the roadside in any country.
I’ve told this story before but a group of us went to winter wonderland in Hyde Park years ago. Twelve of us went, and 9 went down with a horrendous stomach bug, 2 required antibiotics to treat it.
I didn’t succumb because I didn’t eat or drink anything there. No thank you very much. And I was that I don’t feel tempted to eat food outside of restaurant settings.
So no, I don’t feel that consuming street food makes me more well travelled. I’m sure it’s perfectly fine to eat it, I just don’t want to.
I don’t even eat fast food in the UK, I never go to Maccie D’s et al. It’s just not my thing.
The food 🥰🫶🏼🇮🇳😩
We visited a few new shops to us.
The Palace Atelier: absolutely stunning.
With a great selection of beautiful clothes.
And then on to PDKF store.
Princess Diya Kumari foundation
Aim to provide holistic support and empower the disadvantaged women of rural Rajasthan.
I bought loads in here. The store had a great feel and the clothes were exceptionally well made and beautiful.
Then on to Bapu Bazaar for a very different experience, but really fun.
We got to experience what monsoon session is like too, which has always been a fascination of mine.
Dream trip every single day.
Back in Delhi we were again upgraded to a beautiful suite, thus hotel chain really go all out.
We decided to make the most of our last day in India. We had such a surreal experience, we decided to walk to Khan market from our hotel, it’s only about 40 minutes to walk it, but it was a very hot sticky day.
Anyway, there was some big Ai convention in the city and the army were regularly blocking roads to let dignitaries through.
That’s a normal enough practice, but the odd thing was they stopped pedestrians from walking too.
I’ve never really seen a pavement block before.
But even with being stopped in our tracks a few times it was a pleasant enough walk.
And Khan Market is with a visit. It has some really good shops.
I accidentally packed my flight socks in the suitcase.
I had a panic about it, I don’t want to risk it. So the wonderful BA team helped me fashion some out of Chris’s socks that he was up until that point wearing. And the socks that come in the BA gift bags on board. They opened extra bags so I could have multiple pairs of socks on.
Seems to have worked a treat, I am still alive.
T shirt from PDKF store.
Sunday we went for a roast. Then I came straight home to play dress up in my lehenga…
In my humble opinion, India has the best cuisine, the best architecture, the best hotels, and the very best traditional clothing in the world
How am I meant to go back to normal life knowing this is hanging in my wardrobe?
I am so full of gratitude to Chris for booking, paying for, organising everything and generally making my dreams come true, not just in this trip but every day.
I am so lucky and grateful to be loved by you.
And huge thanks to all the incredible Oberoi staff who go above and beyond to make the customer experience so special.
10/10 would recommend 🇮🇳🫶🏼🙏🏼🥰