from Jodhpur to Jaipur and Agra, from Delhi to the mountains of Dharamsala: 16 Days in India

It was an exciting, adventurous, scary and wary mix of feelings I had before embarking on a 16-day trip to India. I remember telling myself before that I don't think I will ever set foot on this country but here I am, writing about this on my last day here in this wonderful place. So before my flight tonight, let me recap the last 16 days of this adventurous ride all over the state of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and the endearing capital city of Delhi. We arrived at noon at this amazingly huge airport of Indira Gandhi. It was an easy-through Immigration and a hassle-free baggage collection and to getting to our hotel using the airport express train. We spent a night in Delhi before starting our journey

It felt really scary on Day 1. I kept thinking that anyone who will approach me will definitely just have an intention of getting money out of me. We went to Connaught Place area and Jantar Mantar to find decent food to eat and to begin immersing ourselves in India's atmosphere. But so far we survived except for some scary sights to see on the streets. We flew to Jodhpur the following day and we were greeted by Rishi, our driver for the next seven days. By the way, we got him through Ashok, a highly recommended driving company rated very highly on TripAdvisor. True enough, we did not encounter any problem with him. As a matter of fact, he was helpful all through out our journey.

Bloomrooms: A gem right in the heart of dirt, dust and defecation.

I am apologizing in advance if you feel offended by the title of this entry but this was just how I felt after stepping out of this incredibly lovely hotel. I know it sounds contrasting but let me tell you about the great things first about Bloomrooms. We arrived at the hotel branch of Bloomroom at Arakashan Road around 7:00 am. Luckily they allowed us to check in early without any additional costs. We were very tired after the 12-hour overnight bus ride from Dharamsala and allowing us to check in early was just he best thing that happen to us so far in Delhi. The rooms are quite small but it is good enough for 2 persons. I am always in awe on how interior designers and architects make the best out of a small space. It did not feel small at all. Most furniture are attached to the wall to save space. The bathroom looked spacious enough because of the glass walls and mirrors. The use of yellow and white as its main colors were quite relaxing.