Asian Travel Blog

When considering travelling in India by rail, it is worth bearing in mind that even long distances such as Bombay to Delhi, or Delhi to Varanasi, can be covered more time-effectively than flying, using the overnight sleeper trains. The trains are comfortable too, provided you don’t pick the cheapest class of all – and even that can be fun. In terms of comfort, on its main lines the Indian railways now have carriages with air conditioning and tinted windows, instead of the old compartment carriages with open windows. If you still want to travel with the good views, open windows and heat, then you need to go second class - then you can still enjoy sitting on the steps with the door open, watching the world go by.

If you are planning on using the railways in India as part of your trip, it is well worth doing some research beforehand, which is pretty straightforward as there is an absolute mine of information available on the web. In this respect, once again it’s hats off to Mark Smith, aka known as The Man in Seat Sixty-One. His website has loads of information on trains and railways worldwide, not just India. Next up, take a look at the travel forum India Mike, which has info on all aspects of travel in India.

One recommended journey to take is a route that crosses the southern part of the Indian peninsula, from coast to coast, from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal, a journey of less than 500 kilometres. You can journey either way, starting in Chennai or in Kerala.

If you feel that independent travel is not for you, and you fancy going with an established tour operator, then you could try Explore who offer a delightful two week guided railway journey across northern India from Kolkata to Amritsar, taking in the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort at Agra on the way.

Either way, the Indian railways offer a great experience, and a safe and inexpensive way to get about this vast and varied subcontinent.

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You only have to see the BBC’s excellent programme “Monsoon Railway” to realise something of the intricacy, human background, impressiveness and efficiency of India’s railways. Monsoon Railway tells the stories of some of the ordinary people who travel and work on these railways, that for the last 150 years have driven social and economic development in the country, providing an essential service to the billion-strong population who depend on it.

If you really want to see something of the true India, the railways are a fantastic way to get around the country, providing an insight into aspects of Indian life that you will not get from planes and tourbuses. With 63,000 kilometres of rail routes and 6,800 stations, the railway network in India is the third biggest in the world after Russia and China, and certainly the biggest in the world in terms of passenger kilometres. Indian Railways are also the world’s biggest employer, with over 1.5 million staff. In Britain, half a century or more ago, they used to say that if you got a job on the railways, you had a job for life, and this probably remains true today in India.

The Indian railways are a safe, inexpensive and friendly way to get about. In fact many inveterate travellers to India believe that no visit to this vast and diverse country is complete without the experience of travelling on the trains, negotiating the bustling urban Indian railway stations, and seeing the small country stations, where the hawkers have baskets of guavas, bananas and and other good things to sell.

In my next post we will take a look at Indian railways in more detail.

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Goa in India is becoming increasingly popular as a holiday location, and it doesn’t just have to be about non-stop beach parties either. If you like to take care of your health, then you could give your body a real treat by staying at the Ayurvedic Natural Health Centre near Calangute. Ayurveda is an ancient system of health care that is native to area in and around the subcontinent, and practised by many people in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and beyond.

Ayus means life, in particular, long life, and veda means knowledge, hence, Ayurveda means the knowledge of how to lead a long life, and is very much concerned with healthy living and prevention of disease.

When you arrive at the centre you meet the physician, who discusses your health with you, runs a few tests, and decides what therapy you need to have. After this, you can unwind with a scented oil massage and steam bath.

You get to see the doctor every day, who takes the time to listen to your concerns. An important part of being here is the advice that you receive about diet and leading a healthy lifestyle. People who come here report positive effects lasting long after they return home, which is why many return year after year.

Set in its own beautiful grounds resplendent with coconut palms, the centre provides a calm and peaceful atmosphere in which to change your health for the better. It is just over a kilometre away from the Calangute beach, and half a kilometre from Calangute market and shopping area.

There is an outdoor restaurant, where you can eat wonderful simple Indian meals of rice, dal, and vegetables. There are also a number of international eateries at the beach.

Accommodation is mainly in simple but clean twin-bedded rooms which are serviced daily.

A two week stay costs 980 euro, including treatments, meals, medicines and accommodation.

So, if you want to improve your overall health, while at the same time enjoying a bit of relaxation, why not give it a try?

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Having already developed a liking for Chinese and Indian food in the UK, moving to Japan opened up new food possibilities.

In Japan I found slightly different variety of Chinese food, and enjoyed eating garlicky gyoza dipped in chilli oil, vinegar and soy sauce. Gyoza are a bit like a Chinese verion of ravioli, with a little parcel of meat or prawn wrapped in a type of thin pasta. I also found in Japan the popular Chinese dish known as Ghengis Khan, which is stir fried slices of lamb with vegetables.

Another discovery in Japan was Korean food, and I once had a great meal at a Korean restaurant in Kyoto, where we had fried garlic, delicate slices of raw liver – yes, I really didn’t realise how raw liver could taste so good – and then grilled meat and kimchee.

From Japan I visited Thailand, and here I was willingly seduced by yet another variety of food. The Thai food combines the fieryness and spice found in Indian food, with some of the crispiness and soupiness of Chinese food. I fell in love with Thai green curry, which I now often make at home. An additional feature of Thai food which makes it so tasty from my point of view is the plentiful addition of coconut milk and pulp which I so much like.

One feature that runs throughout all of Asian food is rice, and I am sure that this is one of the reasons why I like it so much. Although British, I am more a fan of rice than of bread and potatoes.

In future posts there will be more mention of Asian food – hardly surprising since it has so much to offer the tastebuds.

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If anyone asks me what my favourite food is, the answer is simple – Asian food. I really do love just about all of it.

As a resident of the UK, my love of Asian food probably started with the excellent Chinese restaurant in my small home town, run by a couple from Hong Kong. The crispness and freshness of the ingredients grabbed me at once, as well as the delicious flavours of char sui, (red cooked pork), duck, and other exciting dishes. Having discovered Chinese food I was then eager to try other establishments, and with other foodies went to restaurants in Leeds and Birmingham.

Then it was Indian food, and many a time, when out with friends, we couldn’t decide whether to go to an Indian or a Chinese restaurant. I once heard that to eat Indian food is to take a glimpse of heaven, and I have certainly found this to be true, with the irresistable flavours, the spiciness, the rich sauces, and the lovely scented pillao rice. My friends in the UK who come from Indian families recommended Indian cookery books for me and other Indian food enthusiasts to try, and we cooked up some very passable and tasty dishes of our own.

Then I moved to Japan, and discovered how delicious sushi can be – particularly liking the sushi rolls. Here I also discovered many different kinds of noodles, from the lovely ramen with pork that you can have in the small ramen shops after a night out, to the fine, white somen that are so cooling in the summer. I also discovered miso soup, which I still have to this day.

Being in Japan also led to other new food findings, which I shall relate in the next post.

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Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the beautiful Taj Mahal, located at Agra, is one of the most popular sights in India. This wonderful monument is in fact a mausoleum built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his much-loved third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in childbirth.

The Taj, made from white marble, with wondrous inlays, and with its distinctive dome, is considered to be one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture, which combined elements from Indian, Islamic, Persian, and Turkish architectural styles. It took seventeen years to build, and was finally completed in 1648, with then a further five years for the completion of the beautifully laid out gardens.

Old documents reveal that Ustad Ahmad Lahauri , who was also involved in the construction of the Red Fort at Delhi, was most likely the chief architect of the Taj Mahal. It seems also that Shah Jahan was closely involved in the construction of the Taj, consulting daily with his architects.

In the right light, the image of the Taj can be seen in the wonderful reflecting pool, which makes for a dramatic view.

Agra, located in Uttar Pradesh in northern India, has a number of top hotels including Hilton, Sheraton and Holiday Inn, and there are also budget places to stay, including bed and breakfast places, and backpackers’ hostels. Agra has other examples of Mughal architecture that you might like to see while you are there, such as the Agra Fort.

The best time to visit the Taj Mahal is at dawn, so be sure to set your alarm clock early.

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