Incredible Northern India Garden Tour
March 3rd - March 15th, 2010
DELHI –AGRA – BHARATPUR - JAIPUR –JODHPUR –UDAIPUR – DELHI
 

March 2nd and 3rd, 2010

Here I am, in a city of 16 million, sitting on my balcony and all I can hear are the birds and classical music. The sounds of the city are very faint indeed, yet this beautiful hotel is right in old Delhi. This is heaven, perfect weather in March too. A breeze blowing gently to cool my tea, a hand tied packet of tea leaves sitting in the cup. It’s a high elevation Darjeeling blend and it is wonderful and soothing to my soul. Overlooking the pool area in this glorious hotel called The Claridges, I am seeing that they are preparing for something special this evening – a wedding party, or cocktail party – it’s too early to tell but they are thorough. The chairs are being draped in meticulous and sparkling white covers and there are many eyes overseeing the transformation. I do find out later that it is a very special 25th Wedding Anniversary party they are expecting. The guests will enjoy sitting around the pool area tonight with the lights dancing off the water of the pool and hundreds of tiny white lights in the trees.

Outside this sanctuary it is hustle and bustle as cars make their way through the traffic but here, all is peaceful and quiet. The perfect balance to a tour in India. The Claridges was a good choice for many reasons. The first being that it is in Lutyens Delhi. This area although being in the heart of Delhi, is located in a green, lush and tranquil part of the city that has grown up with history, the kind of history that keeps the old and historical because it knows how important it is to have this legacy.

It also fits with what I want my tour guests to experience while here. A beautiful hotel creating the magic of old world charm coupled with gracious Indian hospitality. I wanted 5 star and Heritage for this tour. Sitting here one cannot help but feel relaxed surrounded by beautiful gardens all around the hotel, but also amazed at the bird life fluttering by. Green and red parakeets nearby sitting in trees not 10 feet from my balcony and when they fly their long tails flutter behind them.

Just as the sun sets I see the birds getting very active flying off to their nightly roosts and I also see a family of monkey wander along the hotel roof. What a magical experience to have in a city.

This evening (March 3rd) my tour group arrives and I am most excited. I shall be there to greet them all and what is so much fun is that I already know so many of them from previous tours of mine. I know they will enjoy a very good sleep too!