We're celebrating our 10th birthday at Escape Worldwide,
and looking back at 10 years of globetrotting in the name of bringing you great
holidays - at least that's our excuse! We're having a look at our personal top
10 favourite travel experiences of the last 10 years.
Karen gets a little teary at the Taj Mahal
"There are some places that you feel you know even if you haven't been, and the Taj Mahal is one of them - it's such an iconic building that everyone knows what it looks like, but when you actually visit you're really blown away with quite how beautiful this place really is.
I was part way through a trip to the highlights of Northern India when I visited the Taj Mahal - it was my first trip to India, and a real eye-opener to this fantastically diverse country. I'd started with a few days in Delhi, which acts as the main gateway to Northern India and is a good place to get started, both geographically and also historically and culturally. New Delhiand Old Delhi are two very different parts of the same city, and it's great to get an overview of the British influence in India and also a take on modern life here.
"There are some places that you feel you know even if you haven't been, and the Taj Mahal is one of them - it's such an iconic building that everyone knows what it looks like, but when you actually visit you're really blown away with quite how beautiful this place really is.
I was part way through a trip to the highlights of Northern India when I visited the Taj Mahal - it was my first trip to India, and a real eye-opener to this fantastically diverse country. I'd started with a few days in Delhi, which acts as the main gateway to Northern India and is a good place to get started, both geographically and also historically and culturally. New Delhiand Old Delhi are two very different parts of the same city, and it's great to get an overview of the British influence in India and also a take on modern life here.
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| Karen at the Taj Mahal |
I'd also been to Jaipur, which I think I'd have to say is my favourite
part of Northern India - Amber Fort is a spectacular, perched on a
hill outside of Jaipur itself, and the unique (and slightly wacky) Royal
Observatory is very intriguing indeed. Besides the numerous things to see
in Jaipur, there's something about the atmosphere here that I can't
quite describe, but just makes it really worth visiting.
Touring India can be quite a tiring experience, as there's so much to take in, and it's such a hectic place - just walking down the road can be an experience! The roads can be very busy so getting around can be slow at times - don't try to do too much! But then, just when you're getting a bit tired, you arrive at somewhere as stunningly beautiful as the Taj Mahal, and you quickly remember how wonderful this place is.
Touring India can be quite a tiring experience, as there's so much to take in, and it's such a hectic place - just walking down the road can be an experience! The roads can be very busy so getting around can be slow at times - don't try to do too much! But then, just when you're getting a bit tired, you arrive at somewhere as stunningly beautiful as the Taj Mahal, and you quickly remember how wonderful this place is.
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| Mosque at the Taj Mahal |
It's fair to say that the Taj Mahal is amongst the most visited sites in
India, so you're unlikely to get much in the way of peace and quiet here -
forget having a 'Princess Di' moment to yourself. A good guide is invaluable as
they'll explain the intricacies of this incredible series of buildings and
gardens. From a distance the Taj Mahal takes your breath away, but its
only when you get up close to it can you really appreciate the detail involved.
The bas reliefs on the walls, the calligraphy on the gates and the gemstones
that are inlayed in to the interior walls all come together to produce the most
beautiful building imaginable. Seeing the beauty and hearing the story behind
it brought a tear to my eye!
The entrance to the Taj Mahal itself is through the landscaped gardens, with a reflecting pool running through the centre giving another perfect photo opportunity - be sure to bring plenty of film, memory cards or batteries with you as you're bound to take more photos than you thought was possible!
The gardens do offer some corners of relative peace and quiet, allowing you the opportunity to take in the beauty of the Taj Mahal. I'd recommend taking a guidebook - there's so much to take in here, about the history of the building, the story behind it, the meaning of the architecture and the construction of it, that you're not able to remember all the detail. If you can find a quiet corner, re-read some of the details, just to ensure you've really appreciated why this place is quite so special!"
The entrance to the Taj Mahal itself is through the landscaped gardens, with a reflecting pool running through the centre giving another perfect photo opportunity - be sure to bring plenty of film, memory cards or batteries with you as you're bound to take more photos than you thought was possible!
The gardens do offer some corners of relative peace and quiet, allowing you the opportunity to take in the beauty of the Taj Mahal. I'd recommend taking a guidebook - there's so much to take in here, about the history of the building, the story behind it, the meaning of the architecture and the construction of it, that you're not able to remember all the detail. If you can find a quiet corner, re-read some of the details, just to ensure you've really appreciated why this place is quite so special!"
Next time...No 1..... The Masai Mara....
Escape Worldwide - Home of Long Haul Holidays
http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk
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