Golden Triangle, India Review

I did the Golden Triangle myself back in March of this year, pretty much the best time to visit India I'm told, and had an absolutely wonderful time. As an ex-backpacker I'm now appreciating the luxury of a fuss-free properly planned tour so much more!



I had been told so much about India, good and bad, and wanted to make sure I got it right, so I did the Triangle reasoning that with so many destinations there was bound to be something I liked. I wasn't wrong. I spent two nights at Delhi, two at the Ramada in Jaipur and two at the Mughal at Agra.



As an Englishman and a first-time visitor to India I wasn't quite sure if I was going to be harassed down the street by crowds of hustlers, but it turns out I had nothing to worry about - there are probably too many white faces to even notice any more. What was even better was that the majority of people speak fairly good English, albeit with a rather comically perky Indian accent. I remember getting a cab from the Viceroy's Palace and telling the cabbie I wanted to go to Humayun's Tomb. He didn't understand the destination the first three times I repeated it, and so out of desperation I said it again with a ridiculously put-on Indian accent. "Ah, Humayun's Tomb! Of course!" he replied.



India is, of course, rather hot, but dress properly and drink plenty of water and you should acclimatize fairly quickly. Bear in mind, of course, that England will feel even colder when you return...



So in summary I did lots of sightseeing, lots of shopping, and yes I couldn't resists a visit to the Taj Mahal. It really is quite fantastic; I didn't realise that the inside is as breathtaking as the famous outside. Walking on the marble floor made me feel like a raja. The hotels were great and the staff friendly, all the transfers were handled without fuss and about the only complaint I had was with my partner who suddenly developed a love of expensive rugs. (Really, how are you going to get a rug home? Fold it sixty-five times and put it in a suitcase?)



My own traveller's tip is to consider getting yourself a tailored suit whilst in Delhi. You will not find one of better quality for a lower price. Just hold firm on haggling. I don't know too much about Newmarket Travel as in your original question, but would thoroughly recommend http://www.travelpack.com who organised my own holiday faultlessly.