Holiday time! I am a very lucky boy and was offered the opportunity for a holiday to India with my family. It was all very last minute, with a two-day stopover in Mumbai to stay with family and spend time with my cousins, and an 8-day trip to Chennai, down in the south to see more family and make some religious trips. Plus, my parents have recently built a beach house in Chennai, with access to an almost private beach, which makes for a fantastic holiday home. All in all, it’s been a great trip, full of food, great weather and a variety of contrasting and interesting experiences.
Top of the bill have to be our visit to Tirupathi, a temple located on top of a mountain in the state of Andhra Pradesh, accessible only by a 7km trek, for both late evening and early morning darshans; spending an evening at Marina Beach in Chennai, complete with crabs, shooting practice and, oddly, “authentic” Italian ice cream; a stop over at Swami Malai resorts in the town of Kumbakonam, consisting of Ayurvedic treatments, renovated colonial buildings (with colonial furniture), and outdoor swimming pool; a day spent touring the Queen’s Necklace in Mumbai, visiting the Gateway of India, an Indian cinema and several local eateries (and eating possibly one the tastiest dosas I have ever had); visiting the centuries-old temples at Mahabalipuram; and, of course, the countless meals and free time spent with relatives. A lot to fit into 10 days, but definitely worth it. I love spending time in India, and I hope as I get older to spend more and more of my time there.
Though I was more aware of the poverty and starkness of some areas during this visit than on any previous stopover, I still believe it is a fantastic place to spend time, with a bright future and heaps of potential. Food for thought for our cosseted existence in the UK, where we often believe we are better off than our “Third World” neighbours: they are fast catching up, and in some sectors, overtaking us!
