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Introducing our INDIA series; 12 days of major highs and extreme lows
Updated: Jun 16
Welcome to the first post in our India series! We spent 12 days touring 5 cities in the world's most populated country. This was a trip of epic proportions, as we planned to move around on trains, planes, buses, taxis and rickshaws. We certainly did that and some!
Today we will give you a bit of background as to why we went to India, along with sneak peak at what is to come in the series.
To give context, the story of India actually begins back in a pool hall in Kuala Lumpur, where we were spending a super fun evening with our travel buddies Jackson and Marjo. Our friends are relatively new to full-time travel, having left the Netherlands and starting their world trip just a few months ago. For us it has been over two and a half years.
As seasoned travellers, we always knew that India would be a big travel project. Many hours of research on YouTube will tell you this is not exactly a country for beginners. There is so much to India and it requires some serious planning. That being said, it is a gateway to connecting with the world's largest population, immersing in a unique culture that has been around for centuries.
So we all discussed it over a few beers, we all cheered and hi-fived, as we all agreed, and got super excited to be going to the land of the rising sun with Jackson and Marjo. Our friends, who we had actually met in Jakarta back in July, and had gone on to join up with in Langkawi in Malaysia before heading to Kuala Lumpur. It was actually the perfect scenario, as traveling as a group of four is far more assuring than just as two, not just for the fun, but also for security, safety and support. India is a notoriously hectic place and this is something we could all agree on for sure.
While our friends were on route to Cambodia and Thailand after Kuala Lumpur, we went out to the Philippines for a month. We then flew to Singapore for an epic few days, before taking a bus to Malacca (Malaysia). A few days there and we were back on the road, this time taking a coach back to Kuala Lumpur for a night. Then, the date had approached, September 11th. It was time for India.
In all truth we had the time to plan India in the Philippines, as we had been there for a month in the same spot. Jenn does a large majority of our planning and had mapped out an itinerary, with our friends happy to join us. We all had certain spots that we really wanted to see too, such as the Taj Mahal and the Wagah Border Crossing in Punjab.
So our plan was to start in New Delhi for a couple of days, check out places like the famous Connaught Circle, Akshardham Temple and the Delhi Gate. Our hotel was booked, and we opted for a more budget option here. We had then booked train tickets to go to Agra for a few days, for a hotel with a rooftop view of the Taj, and then from there we were taking a 6 hour coach ride to Jaipur. The City Palace, Hawah Mahal and the famous Nahargarh Fort awaited us, with a plan to take another coach from there to Udaipur, the city of lakes. From Udaipur we would then fly to Mumbai, before checking out Goa, Kerala and Chennai. It was a massive route across both the North and South, and we were a little daunted but prepared for it.
Needless to say, things did not work out exactly as we had hoped. India was full of drama, with major highs and major lows. It was also super challenging on so many levels, with every ounce of strength, stamina, emotion and endurance tested. We managed to accomplish half of our list, which we are happy about. It is a tad bittersweet, as we really had no choice but to leave, and we kind of wish we had started in the 'calmer' south before hitting the north. But it is what it is!
In this India series, we are actually trying something a little different from our 'normal' blogs. While we still plan to provide you with the best sights, food, accommodations and more, we will be telling the story from a more day-to-day perspective. India left such an indelible mark on us, and as much as we want to promote the country and tourism there, we have to tell it as it is. So that will include all of it; all of the things we saw, the people we met, how we felt as foreigners, the testing times we experienced, and of course our true thoughts and learnings from the country.
Our India adventure will be told from a day-today angle, and there are 12 jam packed days to get through! We are really excited to have you here, and we can't wait to bring you the sights and delights, the rough and tough, and all the in between.
There are lots of ways for you to stay up to date with our India series here on Jenn and Leon Travel Blog. If you follow us on Instagram, you can join our broadcast channel for our latest updates including our posts. You will also find us on YouTube, and we can't wait to share some epic footage with you over there! Last, but most certainly not least, you can simply subscribe to our blog right here, and we will drop our latest posts straight into your email inbox.
Coming up: We officially start our India series with night and day one in New Delhi
We arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport after a long travel day pretty late in the evening. We were weary and tired, and most grateful that our first hotel had been able to arrange a pick up service directly from the airport. Finding our driver was easy, but from then on, we had to contend with India's own Lewis Hamilton on the G20 laden roads out of the airport. (It was a wild drive for sure!)
After some pretty intense moments for our first take on India's infamous roads, we eventually made it to the Staybook - Hotel City Stories - By Aira Xing, Paharganj. Well at least that is what it called on Expedia. From what looked like an excellent 4-star hotel online became a 2-star reality. So much so that we barely took footage from it! It was not clean at all, and very rundown. Shocking actually. We were sad, but after meeting our friends (who also booked the same hotel) we felt better. The staff were very friendly too which helped. But more on all of that next time!
Day one was a new day, and we were all super pumped to get out and about and explore New Delhi. We decided on Connaught Place, the famous business hub known for its circular Georgian-style buildings. After a crazy first time SIX IN A RICKSHAW ride, we were dropped off in the wrong place, at a what felt like a scam 'tourist shelter', and then eventually found ourselves at a zombie bar where we went on to spend no less than EIGHT HOURS! Did we mention post notifications and subscribing?!
A new feature for our blog
We are excited to be launching a brand new element to our travel blogs, after Wanderlog reached out to us to let us know of their user-friendly embeddable maps. It is something we feel will add real value, allowing us to share our route including accommodations and city sights in an interactive and helpful way.
Wanderlog is a free travel planning app for iOS and Android devices that allows users to create trip itineraries, organize flights, hotel and car reservations, view places to visit on a map, and collaborate with friends. Please do let us know about this new feature in the comments below.
Join us on YouTube
As part of our travels, we not only bring our experiences to you through this blog, but we also strain every sinew to capture as much quality video footage as we can too! And of course in India, we literally have some 80gb to edit and get through. Our excitement for this series on YouTube is just as high as it is for our blog. Our first video is in the making as this is being written!
Of course if you use YouTube and would like to follow along you can hop over and subscribe; it is totally free and will be most gratefully received by us as we strive for 10k!
Your GUIDE to visiting India
First time in India? Check out our comprehensive guide with all you need to know including our latest posts, must-see places, and key information about health & safety, transport, local customs, connectivity, visa information, useful links and much more!
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