Delhi's monuments

Delhi is usually seen as a stopover to explore North India at large: Rajasthan, Ladakh, or of course Agra. Its points of interest are way underestimated! Why not enjoying your stopover to discover the city's incredible monuments hidden in the middle of a crazy traffic, and a quite dusty environment? And by doing it, your vision of the capitol will completely change! You will feel traveling back in times to the era of Moghul Emperors in which "Dilli" was the powerful respected vibrant jewel of the subcontinent.

It is biased to give any listing of the city's monuments, but I prefer to see it as a personal approach based out of my experiences. Here are some beauties not to be missed: the Red Fort and the Old Delhi mosque Jama Masjid, Humayun's Tumb, Qutub Minar,...

Corbett National Park

After few weeks discovering Delhi I started to miss the countryside and told to myself: what is the best thing to do around Delhi to go out of the city for a weekend? My answer was: exploring a National Park known as a tiger reserve, Corbett Park!
So here I was: taking my car for its first long trip on Indian roads! 240km from Delhi which means...8 hours ride! I would not recommend to get there by car now actually. I am still wondering how my Ambassador survived the trip...
The point is that was worth it! Nice landscape, more chilled weather, and fresh air at least!
The best part was the elephant safari in the woods!!! A MUST do!!!! So impressive, and probably the best way to see the wildlife!
One advice: don't go there during a long weekend. Full of jeeps and everything booked well in advance. The result: we couldn't see any tiger that weekend! I will then to go in the next months to the other reserve famous for its tigers: Rathanbore.
Next destination for me in India: Ladakh in the Himalayas! I promise you great pics :)

Thai break away

My first two months in Delhi were actually not really relaxing. So when my brother and mother proposed me to join them for a long weekend in Thailand I was already surfing the web to find great deals for my flights!! Done deal: 4 days in Phuket!
I know..."Come on, in Phuket...why would you want to go to that touristic spot full of a wild humane fauna...(if you see what I mean..)". I had the same thought before going actually. I must admit I was pretty surprised.
Of course you will find ones of the best beaches in the world, but also very warm and welcoming people, exceptional hotel infrastructure, and exquisite food.
Some original things we did and that I would recommand:
- rent a private boat for the day to visit some islands: Coral island for example
- fish feeding in the turquoise waters of Coral island with bread. A must do! All the exotic coloured fishes swimming around you is really surprising.
- rent some bikes for your trips once you get there.
So if ever I did convince you to go there, I would definitely recommand the place where we were staying: Three Residence at Kamala
(www.thetreesresidence.com)

Delhi traffic: a real romance...

People were asking me after I arrived in Delhi, coming from Canada i should mention: "what stroke you the most so far?" Well, I must admit that the traffic in Delhi is one of the first things you mention few minutes after you get out of the airport! The first word that comes to your mind watching this incredible show (it is actually a real show going on all day and night long!) is MESS!
You can see along your trip through the city bikes, tractors, dogs, cows of course, rickshaws (see picture), but event elephants, especially during the wedding season (winter time)!! I remember the first time I saw one on a big three lanes road walking slowly in the middle of the crazy traffic on my way to the office in the morning. I can assure you that that made my day! One thing you have to remember: honking is a way of being seen by other drivers, so get your ears prepared!
But after a while, you kind of find that charming. A moving show of colours, sound, and sometimes smells (!)
I still wonder how I will be able to drive in this city. Challenge planed for next month! Will send you the pictures and share my first impressions as a new actor of the show!

Official launch of the blog!

After more than one month already in India, it was about time to keep my word and launch my blog thanks to which my family and my friends will be able to follow a small living part of my Indian adventures.
So here it is! Please make it interactive by leaving posts or comments along the journey. Enjoy my friends as much as I enjoy my experiences in this unique land!