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Links 2 Love
Romantic Travel Ideas and Travel Tips, Honeymoons in India
You'll discover romantic travel ideas,
romantic travel tips, honeymoons in india, travel ideas,
romantic honeymoons and ideas for travel in India.
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Honeymoon or Getaways and Vacation in India
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Honeymoon in India?
Adventure and Romance from New Delhi to Goa with Just
a Billion of Your Closest Friends
By Mark Shuman
New Delhi, India - Bermuda, Hawaii or Bora Bora,
maybe. But India?
It rarely makes the list when American couples
think about honeymoons.
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But it was in New Delhi where we emerged from
our hotel, blinking in the laser-bright sun just 60
hours after walking down the aisle in South Bend,
Ind.
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Why not India? A honeymoon is an excuse for a
good long trip, for one thing, and we were both
interested in Asia.
So it was during our first jet-lagged walk when a
man in a caftan emerged from the shadows of a
park called Connaught Circus and rushed up to us.
Whatever he held looked a bit like a hookah.
"Hello, kind sir!" he said. "Are you in good service?"
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It's natural to pause when first asked that common
question, but soon we were even more perplexed.
"Wash your ears?"
His was among a flood of offers that came within
minutes for Coke, shoeshines, back massages, tea
and marigolds.
Maybe we didn't want the ear-washing, but it was
clear from the start that while in India, we would
be in refreshingly new surroundings.
Seeking education and adventure, we chose three
weeks last autumn, when the heat was
manageable and the monsoons were clearing out.
During the trip, we were "in good service," as the
ear-washer had asked.
He meant "well-treated."
Not that travel in India comes without challenges.
In the huge cities, poverty, heat and pollution can
be overwhelming sometimes.
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Language, however, is no problem. For the British
Empire and now for India, English helps to unify a
nation where 18 languages are recognized by the
modern constitution.
We nosed around Old Delhi for a couple of days,
learning how to read menus, buy train tickets and
deal with the cycle-rickshaw drivers whose
pedaling became our favorite mode of
transportation. Although we felt uncomfortably
imperialist at first, we liked seeing the street life at
close range -- within smelling distance of the curry
stands.
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The drivers were friendly, too, and
appreciated our good tips. Along with many others,
they seemed truly delighted when we mentioned
this was our honeymoon.
So, we rode to the massive Red Fort, built by
Mogul king Shah Jahan in the mid-1600s. By the
early 1500s, the Mogul empire had already become
the strongest unifying force India had ever known.
The Moguls maintained power until European
colonizers effectively deposed them early in the
1700s.
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Within the red sandstone ramparts of the fort we
explored courtyards and rooms walled with
translucent marble screens, looking buttery as the
sunshine filtered in.
After a couple of days, we hopped onto an air-conditioned
train and arrived in Agra a few hours later.
Agra is best known for its monument to love. Shah
Jahan built the Taj Mahal here as a mausoleum for
his favorite wife, Mumtaz. |
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That night, a heavy full moon hung in a cloudless
sky, and my wife, Ann, and I had a drink alone on
the hotel's rooftop deck. As we took another look,
the marvel of this place started to sink in. |
WHEN TO GO
India is such a huge country that most things --
including religion, geography, language and climate
-- vary considerably from place to place. Generally,
the best time to visit is between October and
March, after the monsoon is over but before the
blazing heat begins. From April to September,
temperatures can be hot, but this is also climbing
season in the Himalayas. India's rainy season
usually starts in June and July, but travel during
these months is not impossible. Sometimes, the
rain is more sporadic than torrential.
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If you want a honeymoon to remember - India might just be the place! |
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If you feel like making plans,
or packing your
bags and want to find out where to go and how to get there -
check out our Getaway Links - for helpful travel tips...
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