Highlights of the tour were definitely the Taj (which we visited at sunset and sunrise) and seeing a tiger in Ranthambore but also the days in Varanasi...in fact I’d probably put them as my ultimate highlight. Obviously, apart from the planned sites, most of the time you are seeing life through the glass windows of a coach or train...in Varanasi you ‘get down and dirty’ so to speak. The rickshaw ride and then the walk to the Ganges were truly amazing – I wouldn’t have missed them for the world.

I’m trying to think of the things that I would have found useful before I went – so clothes...yes it can be chilly early morning and evenings but a fleece will really suffice. Skimpy shorts would have been out of place and most of the ladies wore thin long trousers or crops...but we were given ‘tasteful’ cover up garments and foot coverings where necessary. Money – all of the hotels would change money for you and some of our group did use ATMs which the local guides were able to find. I actually changed my first cash at Delhi airport while waiting for our baggage. One thing that took most of us by surprise was the amount we paid in tips...it all seemed very small amounts (at first I think most of us felt awkward about only giving 10 or 20 rupees – 10-20p) but it did add up by the time you put in all the drivers and their assistants, local guides etc. Not that I’m complaining – we had excellent service all round but one or two in our group said they would have brought more cash if they had realised...hence the search for ATMs! I was very pleasantly surprised at the standard of the hotels – yes, I’d looked at them on TripAdviser but I think I’d been prepared for slightly ‘dingy’ single rooms as can happen for singletons...but no, every room was a double or twin and I had no complaints at all. I really enjoyed every meal that we had there and was also very pleasantly surprised by the standard of Indian wine. I had (as I’m sure many are) been worried about the possibility of “Delhi Belly” but had no problems at all...whether it was taking probiotics or just luck I don’t know!!

One thing I dislike, probably because I’m so bad at it, is bartering so I had resigned myself to not bringing too many souvenirs home...wrong!!! Barbara had it all in hand...on arriving at a site the coach would be met by hordes of sellers...she told them we would buy on our return. Once we were safely back on the coach she would bring the things on for us to see and tell us the appropriate price...I am going to have one very happy granddaughter!!! We also did visit some planned ‘shopping opportunities’ – even if you didn’t want to buy rugs, artwork etc, the visits were very enjoyable and informative...be sure to leave a little room in your cases!!!

The notes on the webpage advise that the tour is not suitable for anyone with mobility problems and I would go along with that. It’s not that we did huge amounts of walking but there were a number of places where you would ‘miss out’ if you couldn’t manage steps. I think its more that it was a very tiring tour...always something going on and not a great deal of free time. That really suited me but I think some may find it a little challenging.

I’m more than happy to answer any queries that anyone has. Now all I need to do is get planning the next trip!

Angie

Nice review Joy. I've not been to India but it's near the to of the to do list. Glad to hear you had a memorable time.

Angie

Thanks Angie. I have thought of a couple of other things since I posted.

Adaptors...I bought the specific Indian one from Amazon – it only cost £3.99 and worked a treat. I’m sure some of my others may have been ok but I prefer to be ‘on the safe side’ and thought that a very reasonable price. Then there’s the thing we don’t like to mention!!! Toilets!!! Obviously in your hotel room everything is as you would expect but out and about things were a bit hit and miss!! Barbara was great at checking them out for us and most of the time we did in fact find perfectly acceptable loos. Yes, there were occasions when we needed to squat but I think that only happened to me 3 times. The most challenging was the train/train station but all things are manageable!!! That was also the time when hand gel/wipes were most useful...water wasn’t always available! Thinking of water, bottles were provided in plenty in the hotel rooms but were also available for a very small charge – around 20p – on the coaches.

I did this tour in March 2012 and your review is spot on! In fact, it helped me relive it by reading it! Well done on summarizing everything so perfectly and I hope your review helps those thinking of doing this fantastic tour to go and book it! We also had Barbara Eastlake and I agree with everything you said about her, she was utterly brilliant. She even gave all her tips to her son who was volunteering abroad - very impressive!

Cheers,

Bob

great review sounds like a great full on tour!!

Cindy

I'm off on this trip in a couple of weeks. Excellent review and I'm even more excited now !! ... Pete

I’m envious Pete...I’d love to do it all over again...but there are other countries calling!!!

As usual once I’d pressed send, I thought of something else I’d meant to add!!! Regarding the additional excursions...I’d opted for the extra game drive but was very undecided about the camel cart/school trip...I’ve done school/village visits on other holidays and found them a bit awkward. In the end though it was the camel cart that decided me – I’ve tried lots of different modes of transport but I’d never tried that! I am so very very glad that I did...what a fascinating trip. First the cart ride took you down the sort of tracks you’d never go down in a coach and gave us the chance to see rural life. Our driver, Ram, spoke very good English and was really informative about the birds, crops etc that we saw. Then there was the school...I think there were 165 pupils...all in the same room but you would never have known it. It was like stepping back into a school from the 50s/60s...quietly working, polite pupils, all eager to practice their English skills. There was no embarrassment about taking supplies either – they were all handed to the Head to be used when appropriate. It was great to gain some insight into the Indian education system but I think all of us were shocked to learn that the main reason for girls dropping out was not because they were needed to work but because there were no toilet facilities to enable young girls to discreetly deal with the bodily changes that happen at puberty! I know others in our group enjoyed using the facilities at the hotel...massages and the pool but I decided that I could do those things at home...not too much chance to ride a camel cart through the Welsh countryside!!!

Happy travelling .... Pete

An excellent and informative review JoyElizabeth. But it doesn’t quite answer a query I was going to post: Indian food.

Having had “The Best Holiday Ever” last October in China (with JY), the only disappointment was the relentless diet of Chinese food. Terrific to begin with but after the first six days, it really began to pall. But still, I managed to continue to keep myself nourished and without “feeling hungry” after half-an-hour!

I am planning to book the “Spirit of India” in October or November but I am a boring eater and cannot take hot, spicy food. On my rare visits to English Indian restaurants, there is always a ‘mild’ curry option if not Western dishes on the menu. It is good that you “really enjoyed every meal” but maybe you love hot curries?

Was there a variety to cater for people like me, or even the aforementioned Western-type dishes? I can’t believe I am the only Western visitor with such limited tastes.

I had a dodgy stomach for a day, as many people do when going to countries like India. I have learnt that this is nothing to do with bad food, food poisoning etc, but merely that food had different bacteria in it abroad than what we have at home. I suggest Boots Digestion Support Travel pills, which I have taken ever since and on the whole they have worked well with me. Hope you book and have a great time in India!

Best wishes,

Bob

I did this trip in February. Excellent tour very full on with lots of early starts.

I put off going on this tour for a long time as I do not like Indian or spicy food but decided to go for it. At all the hotels except Ranthambore I managed to get European food. I did however try some of the local dishes.

Go for it as it's an amazing trip.

Eve

Your “good news” does little to counterbalance the bad: the thought of having to go through all that palaver of waiting until most others at the table were seated just to find out which dishes were non-spicy – even if I was likely to remember them back at the buffet – over 25 or more meals is distinctly off-putting to me.

It backs up the opinion of a good friend I made on last year’s trip to China who, learning that I was planning on India for this year’s, emailed me to say she’d love to visit there but was put off by the food.

But before I decide, and with the greatest of respect to you, I shall see if others provide conflicting opinions now that this thread has returned to the top for a while; maybe seek those of JustYou’s own staff on the phone; and perhaps start a new, specific thread on the topic on the “Say hello...” forum.

Thank you, too, Bob, for the Boots pills tip! Though when you say you “have taken them ever since”, I presume you mean on very exotic trip ever since?

Mike

Hi Mike

I did this trip in February. Excellent tour very full on with lots of early starts.

I put off going on this tour for a long time as I do not like Indian or spicy food but decided to go for it. At all the hotels except Ranthambore I managed to get European food. I did however try some of the local dishes.

Go for it as it's an amazing trip.

Eve

Hi Eve:

Just posted my reply to Bob and only saw yours when the screen returned “page 2” which I hadn’t seen before. Bob didn’t include the date he visited the country so maybe the hotel selections by JY have changed since he went? If you read this Bob, perhaps you’d be kind enough to add that info.

JY staff may also be able to confirm that now, thanks to your comment, Eve. I don’t mind the early starts; I was well used to that last year in China and it couldn’t be more “full-on” than that! Your observation has gone a long way towards counterbalancing Bob’s “bad news”! 🙂

Looking at the hotels from when Bob travelled and to those that were used on Eves departure, there are some hotels that are the same but those used in Delhi and Varanasi have changed.

Kindest regards,

Julia

Please don't let my post put you off going on this fantastic holiday! I went in March 2012 and as Julia says, some of the hotels have changed since then. The food varied from mild to quite spicy, but nothing that would really burn the mouth off you! As far as I'm concerned on a tour to a country like India, you go to see all the sights, sounds and experiences - and if you don't like the food, well it's not the end of the world! I found enough food to eat that I was fine with and I didn't come back any lighter, which I think speaks for itself! Travelling abroad involves trying new foods and cuisines which I sometimes may not be mad about, but it's all part of the experience!

Regarding the Boots pills, yes I take then on every long haul holiday now - one a day for a week beforehand, two a day while away and one a day for a week after I get back. I had a mild upset stomach while in Costa Rica, but again it was nothing that stopped me from doing the excursions or enjoying myself!

Best wishes,

Bob

Despite both, I’m still not much the wiser re the food situation! I must be ultra-fussy if spicy variety is not a major factor in hotel selection. If it was, I’d imagine Julia’s response would’ve made the point?

Your further comment, Bob, is only a little more reassuring than your original post! I’m probably just getting old but, again, your comment that “...on a tour to a country like India, you go to see all the sights, sounds and experiences - and if you don't like the food, well it's not the end of the world!”

I agree; it’s not – quite. But TBH, it’s a big part and if one “doesn’t like” every meal, then the holiday is largely ruined. Enjoyable food is surely a big part of any holiday abroad? Would you put up with a bedroom whose windows were jammed open through poor maintenance when heavy traffic outside trundled past throughout the night? “All part of the experience”?

The beauty of travelling to exotic destinations is the chance to experience local life, culture and food. One has to remember that when you travel, you are leaving 'home' behind. I have been travelling for years and being a vegetarian it was not always easy to find decent food, but this did not stop me travelling. I made do with whatever was available - sometimes just living on salad. This is my personal choice and I am not trying to say that others should follow it too. But, sometimes being too fussy means that one misses out - obviously the choice is up to the person! Also, I do not think there is any need for Just You to search out restaurants that cater for 'Brits varied and delicate tastes' - 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do'!!

Regards

Jaya

Thank you for this wonderful review. I have to say I have thought about India, but was always worried that it would not be for me. Having read your review, I've now added it to my ever growing list of place to explore.

Kind Regards

Kezzer

So glad for you to have brought your excellent and comprehensive review back to such prominence again!

At last, despite your doubts, just the sort of response I was looking for rather than the polite little lectures!! I must emphasise to you, and Jaya too, that at no time did I ask nor expect JY to search only for hotels that exclusively suited delicate Western palates, just providing an alternative, that was all. All anyone had to say was “no, it’s all hot curries everywhere”! – which as you say Joy, you happen to love. Great. Absolutely agree when in Italy, France, Greece or almost anywhere else. But if you just can’t take hot food in your mouth, what is the point in going? That was all I was trying to find out before spending three-to-four grand.

You have told me exactly what I wanted to know from having been on the tour: options are available with details of the varied breakfasts; “pasta, plainish meat and salads” in the evenings. I’d be happy to live off omelettes and pasta for the 12 days if necessary. But I shall of course sample the local cuisine as you confirm what both Bob and Eve hinted at: less-spicy food does exist.

The bonus news in your review is that the wine is good. In China last year, I could not believe that it was hardly even available in any of the superb hotels, and restaurants especially, though the Tour Guide managed to communicate my request most evenings. Everyone else seemed happy with the free beer, SevenUp or mineral water that was served. I hardly dare mention that I can’t stomach beer! But wine is essential to me as a rule.

I wish you an equally enjoyable trip to Vietnam and Cambodia over Christmas and many thanks again.

Mike