• Mark Prior
  • Dhun Prior
  • Mark Prior
  • Dhun Prior

India 2025

En 36-dags äventyr från Mark & Dhun Läs mer
  • Resans start
    29 januari 2025
  • Hyderabad Palace and Secrateriate

    2 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Went to a palace in the morning, the former home of the ruling Muslim family of Hyderabad, then went to the secrateriate which is home to the regional government, it's not open to the public but a relatives friend works there and gave us a private tour! We had security with us on the tour who wanted pics with us.Läs mer

  • Ajanta Caves

    4 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    Went to Ajanta Caves, they are 30 Buddhist temples carved into a cliff face, the detail of the carving was amazing. They were constructed in 200 BC and are unbelievable.

  • Ellora caves and BiBi Ka Maqbara

    5 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Days sightseeing Ellora caves, mini Taj (BiBi Ka Maqbara) and Muslim temple and grave of former ruler of the region. Caves were amazing, unbelievable how they created them by chiseling out the rock by hand!! Just landed in Mumbai, quick drink before bed as nearly midnight.Läs mer

  • Mumbai Day 1

    6 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Arrived in Mumbai last night, staying at Holiday Inn, getting v well looked after as some relative is manager of HI in India 😆... Room is lovely with view over the city. Got in late last night but Dhun and I still managed a couple of cocktails before bed (we are the youngest after all 😂). Ferry from India Gate to elephanta caves, boat is an experience with lifejackets worn throughout journey! Caves are interesting, dedicated to Shiva (Hindu god), route to cave temple was a run of stalls, cows, dogs and monkeys who steal anything they can!! Only downsides were the traffic (1:50hrs to do 21km and pollution, the air was pretty bad, probably thanks to the static traffic and no wind).Läs mer

  • Mumbai Day 2

    7 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Later start today as everyone knackered! Gym, breakfast and pool. Before heading off to tour the city, first to a Dhobi Ghart (laundry area), Hanging gardens and Gandhi museum. All really interesting, stopped at Swoti for snacks (evidently famous) normal chaos when ordering food. On to the central station and then Crawford market, the beach and then beer! Finished the evening with some small food at hotel and watching Dhun's sisters dance to a band playing Indian-filmy songs in lobby bar !!!
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  • Mumbai Day 3

    8 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Another day of sightseeing, air quality poor today (actually highest possible level according to Google maps so masks on). Highlight was a trip to Leopold cafe near Taj hotel where there are still bullet holes on the wall from a terrorist attack in 2008. Came back to hotel to watch Orient play Man city in the FA cup then out to a 2nd cousins for chaat !!Läs mer

  • Mumbai Day 4

    9 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Dhun and her brother and sisters went off to Pune today to see relatives, Rob DK Emma and I went to Versona beach on the metro. (Tbh not the most pleasant beach I've seen). In the evening we hosted some cousins at the hotel , lovely evening.Läs mer

  • Mumbai Day 5

    10 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Last full day in Mumbai, went around the town to Juhu beach, a theatre and the commercial area by the slums (of slum dog fame), working conditions and housing are appalling (though guide who used to live there said people were happy) tbh the government is failing them, given how affluent Juhu and other areas are !! Tonight went to more relatives for dinner, although they don't drink their son (who lives in a flat a few floors down did, so popped down to his for a whiskey (and gin).Läs mer

  • Mumbai to Goa

    11 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Early start as flying down to Goa for a few days by the sea! Landed in a hot and noisy Goa airport that immediately had a short power cut (not unusual for India). Staying in a villa for a while, Rob, Meenu and Emma have gone home this morning so just 6 of us in Goa . Pollution and traffic way better here, scenery also lush and green. Modern villa (part of a small enclave), but rural outside but short ride to the beach.Läs mer

  • Goa Day 1

    12 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Leisurely start breakfast cooked by people who come in and service villa ( water was off after 9:30 for a few hours) . Took a taxi for the day to tour beaches and market. Stopped at the beach for a walk then beach bar with excellent live music and view. Then off to another beach for swim and walk then bar to watch cricket. Dinner on the beach watching sunset!Läs mer

  • Goa Day 2

    13 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Earlier start , went to picturesque local beach for walk and a paddle, then on to a fort (ruined) with great views. After that off to another beach north of a huge lagoon, pic of the mouth of the lagoon attached. Disappointingly although seawater looks lovely the quality is poor (according to government website) - still swam in it!! Back to Villa for dip in pool, shower and then on to dinner.

    Goais really green and lush with palm trees and dense forests, as its India the roads are mainly shot and the locals live very basically, we've seen a number of English people who've moved here in the markets running stalls for Indian and and European tourists, presumably they've moved over for the hippie lifestyle.
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  • Goa Day 3

    14 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Two of the team down with vomiting (Dhun and Mamta) so quieter day today. Both are in bed asleep with yoghurt from a (top end!) restaurant being the main suspect. We've organised for a chef to come in tonight to cook veggie Indian. The "well" four are heading for short trip to the market and beach bar for light lunch while the other two sleep.Läs mer

  • Goa Day 4

    15 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Last day in Goa and unfortunately the ill two are now 3 as I've come down with something, it was inevitable as eating here is russian roulette ☹️, anyway quiet day in the villa before early flight to Agra (with change at Bangalore). Hopefully we'll all be up to it, Dhun is the worst but we called a doctor (relative) who gave advice over the phone so hopefully she'll get better. Only upside is that as we're in I can watch the O's tonight on stream (3-2 win over Lincoln, last minute winner from Charlie Kelman 😃).Läs mer

  • Goa to Agra (via Bangalore)

    16 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    Moving day, everyone's feeling a bit better today, early start, fly to Bangalore then change for flight to Agra to meet up with Dhun's mum, aunt and cousins. Arrived at hotel with a view of the Taj!! Agra airport is actually a military airport that allows some internal commercial flights when you arrive after collecting your luggage you have to take a bus off the military complex to the boundary of the base where taxis wait.

    Went to dinner at Dhun's aunts, the road she lives in is mainly owned by one extended family who have the apartments in the road, there was a wedding (today being the first of 3 days of celebration) and the road has been converted into a wedding venue! Carpets and wall hangings with food music and bar laid out along the road. We walked through it to get to the house, it was great to see everyone again and to rejoin Dhun's mum who had been staying there for a week. After food Ab and I popped out to the wedding and immediately were grabbed by a chap (who may be slightly related to us) and given whiskey and introduced to the bride and loads of the guests, amazing, people are so friendly.
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  • Agra Day 1

    17 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We're staying near Dhun's aunt at the Marriott and after leisurely breakfast headed out to Sikandra Tomb of Akbar - a huge tomb for a Mogul ruler's family, spent a great couple of hours wandering around (had a guide who was really useful), from there we headed to another tomb Itmad-ud-daula (Noor Jahan's father) on the banks of the river Yamuna. Went to Dhun's cousins for dinner after a beers and whiskey at hotel!Läs mer

  • Agra Day 2

    17 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    We spent the morning at the hotel, after long late breakfast Dhun & her sibs popped into her aunt's and then we went to the Taj Mahal in the afternoon for the sunset. Although we've been there before it's hard to describe how amazing it is, it's impossible to look away its beauty is so captivating.
    The guide we hired was excellent - very knowledgeable & he also took fantastic pictures ! The Taj was completed in 1553 and took 22 years to build, and is Indo Persian architecture. It's built of roman style clay brick covered in marble inside and out.
    We stayed for hours through the late afternoon, sunset and dusk (leaving as it closed / when it was dark).

    We got back to the hotel and then out to restaurant for dinner.

    Another moving day tomorrow as we head to Kanpur where Dhun's dad is from and many of her dad's family still live.
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  • Agra to Kanpur

    19 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Day started with goodbyes and blessings as we popped into Dhun's aunt before setting off, there was a band waiting outside the house, not for us but to send off the bride in a neighbouring apartment following the wedding!

    We took a private minibus to Kanpur (the Budhwar family home town), the scenery on the drive reminds you how green and vast India is. I think the earlier blessings must have protected us as we had the worst driver ever, speeding and weaving through the traffic for 4 hours, whilst splitting his time between swearing & shouting at everyone else on the road; chatting on his phone; and singing Hindi songs with his helper in the front passenger seat..!

    Once we arrived we headed straight for the rooftop bar for snacks & drinks and then out to see various relatives, everyone was so welcoming and each house we visited had a different set of savoury & sweet dishes to feed us with !

    Back to the hotel for late drinks & food and a visit from some more relatives, who introduced us to yoghurt kebabs which were fantastic !
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  • Kanpur Day 1

    20 februari 2025, Indien ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    Today's been a day of relatives with a bit of shopping thrown in!

    We headed over to see various people this morning and everyone was so welcoming

    We went back to the hotel for late lunch then off to "Z Square Shopping Centre" which was as glitzy and posh as Westfield!! A massive contrast to the street markets, poverty, and mess outside ☹️.

    We took a few Ubers today (top of the range "premium" rides as is obvious from the pic below 😆)

    In the evening we went to Dhun's cousin Chhaya's for dinner (Chhaya is an amazing warm, lovely lady who we spent a lot of time with when we last came). While we were there a wedding procession went past so we rushed to the street to take pics. The procession was the groom being taken to the bride's family before the actual wedding.

    After an 11pm dinner, whiskey and liquors from Rajasthan we headed back to the hotel.
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