I've been to India a few times, and usually to different places, which has been an interesting way to explore the country. My first trip was to the eastern cities of Kolkata and Darjeeling, followed by an adventurous multi-day trek up through the forested mountains of Sikkim. Up here, foggy and misty air drifted ethereally through rhododendron forests, with the occasional yak wandering about.
On my next trip to India, I took some R&R from Kabul, met up with my parents in Mysore, and traveled together to Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, and Puri. This whirlwind tour took us to a mix of temples and beaches, with some luxury hotel resorts along the way. It wasn't my preferred way to travel, but my parents were older at this point and were excited to enjoy hotel buffets and cocktail lounge happy hours after a long day of doing nothing.
My last trip to India was in 2014 and this time I went to the capital city of New Delhi and the deserts of Rajasthan. By now I'd been to a fair number of places in India, and while most were enjoyable, it still hadn't quite lived up to the hype that I'd so often seen in the media. Maybe I was just a grumpy and jaded traveler after years of living in Asia, but I always expected more saturated technicolor intensity from India. Well, if it was anywhere to be found it was certainly in the stunning deserts of Rajasthan with its majestic forts and bold scenery!
Now that I'm writing this blog post, I realize it’s been a decade since my last visit to India and I'm probably due for a return sometime soon, even if only to satisfy my persistent cravings for spicy sambar and dosas!
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| Calcutta, 2010 |
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| Howrath Flower Market, Calcutta, West Bengal, 2010 |
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| Non-vegetarian Thali, Calcutta, West Bengal, 2010 |
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The Darjeeling Mail Train, West Bengal, 2010
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| Zoran on a train, Darjeeling, West Bengal, 2010 |
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Darjeeling, West Bengal, 2010
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| Darjeeling, West Bengal, 2010 |
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| Red Panda, Darjeeling, West Bengal, 2010 |
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Darjeeling, West Bengal, 2010
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| Market shopping and street snacking, West Bengal, 2010 |
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| Yuksom, Sikkim, 2010 |
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Yuksome, Sikkim, 2010
 | Trekking with yaks, Sikkim, 2010
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"Dzongri - meeting place of men and mountain gods, alt. 3,950 m." Sikkim, 2010
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| Kangchenjunga - the 3rd highest mountain in the world, Dzongri, Sikkim, 2010 |
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| Dzongri, Sikkim, 2010 |
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Stylish yaks, Sikkim, 2013
 | Jorethang, Sikkim, 2010
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Tipu Sultan tomb, Srirangapatna, Karnataka, 2013
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Mysore, Karnataka, 2013
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Mysore, Karnataka, 2013
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| Chennakeshava Temple, Somnathpura, Karnataka, 2013 |
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Temple flowers, Karnataka, 2013
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| Chennakeshava Temple, Somnathpura, Karnataka, 2013 |
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| Preparing jaggery, Mysore, Karnataka, 2013 |
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| Preparing jaggery, Mysore, Karnataka, 2013 |
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| Chennakeshava Temple, Somnathpura, Karnataka, 2013 |
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Chennakeshava Temple, Somnathpura, Karnataka, 2013
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| Mysore, Karnataka, 2013 |
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Ganesh, Mysore, Karnataka, 2013
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Gulab Jamun, Bangalore, 2013
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Camels on the beach, Puri, Odisha, 2013
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Beach Chat, Puri, Odisha, 2013
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Ganesh, Puri, Odisha, 2013
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Fishermen on the beach, Puri, Odisha, 2013
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| The mystical wheel at Konark Sun Temple, Puri, Odisha, 2013 |
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| Getting my birthday blessings at the Konark Sun Temple, Puri, Odisha, 2013 |
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| Konark Sun Temple, Puri, Odisha, 2013 |
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Getting my birthday blessings at Kali temple, Puri, Odisha, 2013
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| Puri, Odisha, 2013 |
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Lord Jagganath, Puri, Odisha, 2013
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| Lord Jagganath's favorite food - sticky sweet fried pastry! Puri, Odisha, 2013 |
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| Library window view into Lord Jagganath's temple -- the closest look an outsider can get of the inner workings of the temple where food is prepared daily for devotees of Lord Jagganath, Puri, Odisha, 2013 |
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| Lord Jagganath's favorite food - sticky sweet fried pastry! Puri, Odisha, 2013 |
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| Crab curry, Puri, Odisha, 2013 |
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| Nine animals in one: cock's comb, peacock's head, man's arm, elephant's leg, bull's hump, lion's body, tiger's leg, deer's leg, and snake for a tail, Puri, Odisha, 2013 |
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Fried green chiles, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 2013
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| Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 2013 |
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| Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 2013 |
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| Cow, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 2013 |
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| Creative sex positions where 2 bodies become 4! Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 2013 |
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Birthday sushi lunch, New Delhi, 2014
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Vegetable kebabs and grilled chicken at the famous Bukhara Restaurant, New Delhi, 2014
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The blue city of Jodhpur, view from Mehrangarh Fort, Rajasthan, 2014
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| Pal Haveli, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014 |
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| Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014 |
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| Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014 |
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Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014
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| Lunch time! Chicken masala, saag paneer, malai kofta, kardi pakora, govind gutta, and more! Jharokha Panorama 360 Restaurant, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014 |
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| Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014 |
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| On the way to Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014 |
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Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014
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| Street cows, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014 |
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Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014
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Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014
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Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014
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| Jodhpur, Rajasthan, 2014 |
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