Top Menu

Archive | Asia

Rajasthan 2023 – Photo Gallery

Jal Mahal, the “Water Palace”, Jaipur

Rajasthan has immensely changed since my first trip back in April 2012! The first thing that immediately stroke me was the mere fact that now tourism is mainly local. The most surprising fact was maybe how well organized & clean the major spots of Rajasthan now are. Only once we were back to Delhi had we the impression we had escaped this “sanitized experience”. Then, what were hidden gems 10 years back are now surrounded with 5 stars resorts full of SUVs, catering for the new middle / upper class of India discovering their own country. All in all? Rajasthan is far easier to travel than it once was, and quicker! Better infrastructure and improved organization make your life so much easier. Of course, it will appear less confusing and more “On the main touristic tracks” than it was 10 years ago. Continue Reading →

An Itinerary in Rajasthan – 2 Weeks

Taj Mahal, Agra

Rajasthan has immensely changed since my first trip back in April 2012!

  • The first thing that immediately stroke me was the mere fact that now tourism is mainly local (maybe 90%, from what I could observe).
  • The most surprising fact was maybe how well organized & clean the major spots of Rajasthan now are. Only once we were back to Delhi had we the impression we had escaped this “sanitized experience”.
  • What were hidden gems 10 years back are now surrounded with 5 stars resorts full of SUVs, catering for the new middle / upper class of India discovering their own country.
  • All in all? Rajasthan is far easier to travel than it once was, and quicker! Better infrastructure and improved organization make your life so much easier. Of course, it will appear less confusing and more “On the main touristic tracks” than it was 10 years ago.

Continue Reading →

Budget Guide To Rajasthan (Updated)

Elephant and Rickshaws at Sardar Market, Jodhpur

One Of The Cheapest Places To Splurge A Little Or Upgrade Your Travel Style…

Type Of Travel

The 4 trips to Rajasthan were really different from one another, and this actually also shows in the budget spent:

  • During the first 2 trips (2012 & 2013), with limited time at hand (each time 12 days) and India being a rather cheap country, I opted against traveling low budget. Instead, I frequented “mid-range” hotels or Havelis and pleasant local restaurants. This trip could definitely have be done a lot cheaper than spending 44 and 48 Euros per person per day (this amount does not include the international flight or the visa fees).
  • For the last 2 trips (2015 & 2023), I went for the “upper mid-range” type of travel to ensure a nice level of comfort and enhance the mobility: nice Havelis or small Boutique hotels, nice restaurants, at times a car with driver… The budget almost doubled, not surprisingly.

Continue Reading →

Gangaur Procession in Jodhpur

Gangaur procession in the streets of Jodhpur

Highlights are where and when you do not expect them, aren’t they? I honestly had never heard of Gangaur, so when we stumbled upon a group of Indian ladies, young and old, in traditional dresses, in the streets of Jodhpur, we had no idea what it was all about… Well, the explanations given over the hours that followed created more confusion than anything else… We somehow understood that they took care of idols praying for a “good husband” (whatever that means…). Continue Reading →

Street-Art in Jodhpur

Street-Art in the streets of the old city of Jodhpur

I wasn’t exactly expecting Street-Art when starting my third visit of Jodhpur, the laid-back, relaxed “Blue City” on the edge of the Thar Desert! I just recalled a maze of intertwined, narrow streets, where you would actually get lost however careful you were trying to keep somewhat of an orientation… Continue Reading →

Holi Festival of Colors in Mathura and Vrindavan

Holi Festival of Colors in Shri Krishna Temple in Mathura

You thought you really experienced the “Holi Festival of Colors”, that heralds the arrival of spring, when Indians throw color onto each other and wish each other “Happy Holi”? Have you experienced the Holi in Mathura and Vrindavan and discovered the religious / spiritual part of this Hindu Festival? Continue Reading →

Grand Escapades’ Travel Guide To Bali

Rice Terraces near Sidemen

Bali – The Perfect Travel Destination With A Baby!

Itinerary And Time Of The Visit

We spent two weeks in Bali in the first half of April 2019. The first week, we rented a very comfortable villa in Seminyak, and discovered the more popular, more touristy south of Bali: Seminyak of course, Pura Tanah Lot & Ganggu, Pura Luhur Ulu Watu and the Breaks of Ulu Watu, but also Pura Tirta Empul & Pura Gunung Kawi north of Ubud (we skipped Ubud altogether).

Then we took a speedboat to Gili Air where we stayed 2 days, went to Amed 3 days to scuba dive on the USS Liberty Shipwreck and to discover Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang & Taman Tirta Gangga, and last but not least spent 2 days in Sidemen in the middle of the Rice Terraces. Continue Reading →

Glimpses of Bali: A Selection of 40 Pictures

Popular Swing on the Beach at Sunset in Gili Air

Bali is a popular destination, deservedly! Stunning beaches, evergreen rice terraces, high volcanoes, spiritual and nonesuch temples, colorful markets, overloaded motorbikes, … This on an island incredibly easy to travel, catering for all budget, and offering pleasant experiences for high-end honey-mooners and hardcore backpackers, first-time Asia tourists and experienced travelers, beach-bums and culture-avid discoverers alike. Continue Reading →