December 1st - 2nd
Mumbai

December 10th - 11th
Udaipur / The White City

December 12th
A Side trip to Kumbalgarh fort and Ranakpur Jain Temple

December 13th
Jodhpur / The Blue City

December 14th - 15th
Jaisalmer / The Golden City

December 16th
Random Stop : Bikaner and the close by Karni Mata Temple

December 17th - 20th
Pushkar / Important Hindu Pilgrimage Center

December 20th - 22nd
Bundi

December 23rdth - 24th
Agra

December 25th - 28th
New Delhi

Nuances of India

Volunteering in Mizoram

India:
Time:  Nov. 30 (late) – Feb. 9
India – is vast.  Lonely Planet Sept. 2005 (a guidebook to India) summarizes the country this way, “Nothing can fully prepare you for India, but perhaps the one thing that best encapsulates this extraordinary country is it’s ability to inspire, frustrate, thrill, and confound all at once.”  So we really don’t know what to expect.  Since we have not yet started traveling when writing this, it is with words from the ignorant that we say; hopefully by this point we will have gained a few pearls of traveling wisdom and experience so as to decrease the frustration and increase the inspiration and thrill.  But lets be realistic, traveling is the unexpected – don’t leave without embracing this motto.

During our travels through India we hope to overland through the following 4 states; Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.  Here’s what we know so far.  Maharashtra – where we arrive.  This state is home to the internationally know city Bombay (Mumbai).  A short stay in Mumbai, we head over to Pune a city that is quickly becoming a business hub.  Maharashtra is also home to some fascinating Buddhist temples and art housed in elaborately cut caves (Ellora & Ajanta).  As characterized as country of multiple religions, our next stop is Nasik.  This is a holy Hindu site and bathing rituals can be observed at the ghats on the Godavari River. (Ghats are steps or landing on a river).  Then we continue to travel northeast towards the state of Gujarat.

Gujarat is “off the beaten” path which makes it a plus on our list.   Areas that hit our itinerary are Junagadh – home to the hill top temple of Girnar Hill (temple to Jains and Hindus) and an interesting, ancient, fortified city. The challenge to visiting Girnar Hill is actually getting there, one must climb up 10,000 stone steps. Next is Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary which has gained its fame for being the last home for wild Asiatic lions.  Additional off the beaten path options: visiting tribal villages at Kutch, kicking back on the Arabian Sea at Diu (an ex-Portuguese colony) or detouring to the salt plains to visit wild asses.  Who knows at what point we will decide to meander towards Rajasthan.

Touristy, colorful, Rajasthan.  This desert place has a colorful history that is displayed throughout the land today.  Warring Rajputs (warrior clan and lords) left their historical mark in creating fantastic forts and palaces.  Today many of the cities are referred to by the color it vividly displays (i.e. Jaipur = pink, Jodhpur = blue, Udaipur = white). The palaces, fortes, and havelis (traditional, often ornately decorated, residences) are the must see’s for this region.   

Agra = Taj Mahal, in the state of Uttar Pradesh.  Probably the most well know, the Taj Mahal is of course on the list.  This will be the last stop before Delhi – India’s capital and international travel hub.