THE WORLD’S GREATEST TRAIN TRIP

Welcome aboard, madam.

Fairfax Media recently published my article on our fabulous trip on the train rated the world’s most luxurious. So now here on the blog is the full story on our envy-breeding adventure…

WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE: (accidental) selfie, Rajasthan

At first I thought, ‘Damn! Look at that reflection.’ Then I reflected further…

It’s been a while since I entered the Weekly Photo Challenge, and this week’s topic ‘SELFIE’ wasn’t immediately appealing. I hadn’t heard the word until a few months ago. Then I decided perhaps I did have something to offer…

On our recent luxury train trip through India on the Maharajas Express we often found ourselves staring through the tinted glass as Real India, non-airconditioned India, slid past.

This shot, which had been consigned to the ‘reject file’ seemed to capture the spirit – fascination with what we were seeing, tinged with a little guilt that we were so insulated from it.

The writer was the guest of Railbookers. See www.railbookers.com.au

OLD JODHPUR IN SEPIA

I guess they’re just farmers off to do some ordinary job, but it looks like part of a mysterious story.

I’ve been so overwhelmed by the colour that is everywhere in India, that I’d forgotten to try this arty photo experiment…

With the stroke of a key in iPhoto Effects I can make my shots look as if they were taken by an intrepid explorer traipsing across India in the days of the Raj, with an entourage of bearers carrying his photographic equipment.

INDIA: THE LIVE SHOW

Both this man and his moustache are professionals. It’s what they do for a living, we’re told.

It may be a bit hokey at times, but this Maharajas Express train trip is pure theatre, and we love it.

At every whistle stop, before we board the bus to take us around each town, we’re greeted by troupes of local musicians and dancers.

MAHARAJAS IN TRAINING

Welcome aboard, madam.

We’re doing this trip in considerable style on the Maharajas Express Heritage of India tour.

To be honest, I didn’t know such luxury trains existed. I assumed that the best available would be First Class, which in India may not mean much other than getting a seat to yourself, with your private cockroach swatter dangling above you.

This train is more like we imagine the Orient Express to have been, in the mythical good old days when extremely rich people could get murdered on it.

WHY WE’VE NEVER BEEN TO INDIA

It looks fine on the website, but where are all the people? Photo: Maharajas Express.

Mevrouw T, a dyed-in-the-wool Bollywood fan, has always been keen to go to India. I’ve been daunted by the whole idea.

It’s not the heat, the crowds, the chaos, the red tape, the poverty and the potential diarrhoea that have condemned India to my ‘too hard’ basket. We’ve experienced those in other parts of the world. It’s the sheer size of the country and the range of travel options in India that have left me not knowing where to start.

But next week we’ll be dipping our toes into Indian waters and hoping they don’t dissolve.