Why exactly did we choose India?
Firstly, because we have set a goal to see all the Wonders of the World, and one of them, of course, is the Taj Mahal, located in the Indian city of Agra.
Secondly, people only have two perceptions of this country: one is very positive and the other is very negative. There are no people who perceive India in a neutral way. Therefore, this was our challenge – to test whether we would be among those who perceive India positively or those who perceive it negatively!
And I can immediately reveal our big secret: all team members perceived India positively, and even very positively, and for some, it even turned into a very touching experience, but more on that a little later.
Upon landing in India, our first surprise was their driving style. Several times we felt our Indian adventure was over before it even began, but we still escaped unharmed, and in the end, we got so used to that driving style that we even dared to rent scooters ourselves.
Our second shock was the first hotel, where we only needed to stay for 3 hours, but that was enough to remember this first impression for the entire trip! Firstly, finding this hotel is problematic, because all hotels located closer to the airport, within 7km, have stated on Booking.com that they are in the airport area. Thus, attracting customers, but in reality, they are in the city, and finding them in its labyrinths is not so easy, but once we found it, we didn't care how clean or dirty the room was for our 3-hour sleep. You will see this room in our video about the India series.
In the morning, after 3 hours of sleep, we meet Edijs and Lauma, wait for our guide, and head out on a tour of New Delhi. New Delhi surprises us with its cleanliness, its grand buildings behind fences, the tidiness around the temples, and how green this part of the city is; it feels like we are driving through a botanical garden.
In the afternoon, we check into the hotel, catch our breath a little, and go to visit Latvians who work and live in Delhi. In the evening, we have a super cool interview about life in India and India itself, but you will see that in our video series.
We spend the night at the Radisson Hotel, and the next day we go to see Old Delhi, and this is where the real India begins. We are taken through the central market street in rickshaws; we finally see what we have seen in movies, but it doesn't scare us; on the contrary, it makes us happy to see the true face of India.
Another night at the hotel, and we head to the next city, Agra, where we will finally see one of the Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal.
The day passes on the road, in the evening we arrive at the hotel, go out into the streets to buy something to eat, and return to the hotel in Tuktuks, and they even let us drive them.
But the next morning starts at 5:00 AM, as we head to the Taj Mahal early to catch the sunrise there, but the long queue at the entrance delays us a little. About 15 minutes later, we are inside and hurry to the main gate, from where a fantastic view of this Wonder of the World, the Taj Mahal, opens up. We are all a little excited because, together with Edijs, we are caught up in a fantastic adventure when Edijs is ready to propose to Lauma, and our task is to be ready, with all cameras and phones, to film and photograph this event! Edijs finds, in his opinion, the right spot, asks Lauma, as if for a picture, we all prepare our cameras, and the proposal happens, tears in everyone's eyes, emotions running high, the video and pictures, of course, turn out great, but more on all this in the India series.
The Taj Mahal seen, filmed, photographed, we are ready for breakfast at the hotel, after which we explore the city, and in the evening, back to the Taj Mahal, but this time at sunset.
While Edijs, Lauma, Robis and I enjoy the sunset, Jānis and Ilvija meet a Tuktuk driver in the city and go to his home to visit, but later in the evening, when we have also returned from the Taj Mahal, we all get into one Tuktuk and go to visit again, where we see how the locals live, meet all 15 children and 20 relatives, there are conversations, songs, and dances, and from this event, we gain a million positive emotions and unforgettable memories.
To be continued.
Firstly, because we have set a goal to see all the Wonders of the World, and one of them, of course, is the Taj Mahal, located in the Indian city of Agra.
Secondly, people only have two perceptions of this country: one is very positive and the other is very negative. There are no people who perceive India in a neutral way. Therefore, this was our challenge – to test whether we would be among those who perceive India positively or those who perceive it negatively!
And I can immediately reveal our big secret: all team members perceived India positively, and even very positively, and for some, it even turned into a very touching experience, but more on that a little later.
Upon landing in India, our first surprise was their driving style. Several times we felt our Indian adventure was over before it even began, but we still escaped unharmed, and in the end, we got so used to that driving style that we even dared to rent scooters ourselves.
Our second shock was the first hotel, where we only needed to stay for 3 hours, but that was enough to remember this first impression for the entire trip! Firstly, finding this hotel is problematic, because all hotels located closer to the airport, within 7km, have stated on Booking.com that they are in the airport area. Thus, attracting customers, but in reality, they are in the city, and finding them in its labyrinths is not so easy, but once we found it, we didn't care how clean or dirty the room was for our 3-hour sleep. You will see this room in our video about the India series.
In the morning, after 3 hours of sleep, we meet Edijs and Lauma, wait for our guide, and head out on a tour of New Delhi. New Delhi surprises us with its cleanliness, its grand buildings behind fences, the tidiness around the temples, and how green this part of the city is; it feels like we are driving through a botanical garden.
In the afternoon, we check into the hotel, catch our breath a little, and go to visit Latvians who work and live in Delhi. In the evening, we have a super cool interview about life in India and India itself, but you will see that in our video series.
We spend the night at the Radisson Hotel, and the next day we go to see Old Delhi, and this is where the real India begins. We are taken through the central market street in rickshaws; we finally see what we have seen in movies, but it doesn't scare us; on the contrary, it makes us happy to see the true face of India.
Another night at the hotel, and we head to the next city, Agra, where we will finally see one of the Wonders of the World, the Taj Mahal.
The day passes on the road, in the evening we arrive at the hotel, go out into the streets to buy something to eat, and return to the hotel in Tuktuks, and they even let us drive them.
But the next morning starts at 5:00 AM, as we head to the Taj Mahal early to catch the sunrise there, but the long queue at the entrance delays us a little. About 15 minutes later, we are inside and hurry to the main gate, from where a fantastic view of this Wonder of the World, the Taj Mahal, opens up. We are all a little excited because, together with Edijs, we are caught up in a fantastic adventure when Edijs is ready to propose to Lauma, and our task is to be ready, with all cameras and phones, to film and photograph this event! Edijs finds, in his opinion, the right spot, asks Lauma, as if for a picture, we all prepare our cameras, and the proposal happens, tears in everyone's eyes, emotions running high, the video and pictures, of course, turn out great, but more on all this in the India series.
The Taj Mahal seen, filmed, photographed, we are ready for breakfast at the hotel, after which we explore the city, and in the evening, back to the Taj Mahal, but this time at sunset.
While Edijs, Lauma, Robis and I enjoy the sunset, Jānis and Ilvija meet a Tuktuk driver in the city and go to his home to visit, but later in the evening, when we have also returned from the Taj Mahal, we all get into one Tuktuk and go to visit again, where we see how the locals live, meet all 15 children and 20 relatives, there are conversations, songs, and dances, and from this event, we gain a million positive emotions and unforgettable memories.
To be continued.
