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23.01.2022 Hampi - I have raved about this place on many an occasion. In fact I had planned a tour here in 2019 which did not eventuate for lack of numbers. Unfortunately, tourists visiting India tend to remain with the well beaten tourist routes like the Golden Triangle; yes one can do that, but there is so much more to explore in India and some of these places are less expensive, but equally fascinating. Hampi is one of them; what struck me immediately when I cast my eyes over the ...area for the first time, were the huge boulders and rocks scattered all over the region. This region is called the Dharwar Craton. A craton is an area that has remained unchanged by billions of years of volcanic movement. The rocks we see today are remnants of monoliths that have been eroded over the millions of years. The present temples and structures date back to the 13th century, though its antiquity can be traced back to the Mauryan Empire in 238 BC. Scroll down to see the amazing structures. Antique India! Hopefully in the not too distant future we can commence tours to India. See more

23.01.2022 Interesting! How two young Aussie girls attained Indian royalty.

23.01.2022 Ancient India! A glimpse of the time when Alexander the Great invaded India. He did leave a legacy. When I visited Coorg in Karnataka, I was informed by the local history buffs that during the same period, some of Alexander's army settled in Coorg. This is manifested in the similarity of the local dress which resembles ancient Greek attire. More importantly, Coorg till today many Coorgis join the Indian army. An attestation to this is the late General Cariappa. Funnily enough, Coorgis are lighter complexioned than the average Indian - perhaps due to the inter-marriage that occurred centuries ago. Visit and discover India with Spice Odyssey! I will share these interesting stories with you in person.

21.01.2022 Kabini rates as one of my favourite destinations in India. Yet many have not heard about this fascinating, spell binding location. The tranquillity is soothing and the wild life captivating. I hope to lead a tour there in the not too distant future. It is too good a destination to by pass.

21.01.2022 Morning street scenes in Gujarat

18.01.2022 An insight how Christmas was celebrated by the British Raj in Calcutta, India. It was a festival for the elite, which goes against the very concept of Christmas i.e. a birth of a babe in a manger. An interesting read all the same.

18.01.2022 Mumbai or Bombay is the place where I was born and reached adulthood. I did my education here and passed out through Bombay University - a magnificent structure. Hence I am very proud to share this clip with you..

18.01.2022 The Sidi Saiyyed Mosque was built in 1572 by an Abyssinian - Sidis, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. Ahmedabad, the 6th largest city in India, approximately 600 years old was declared not too long ago a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On my next planned tour "Heritage India with Spice Odyssey" which was scheduled for November 2020 and now has since been postponed, this mosque forms part of the sightseeing itinerary in Ahmedabad. Fascinating India!

17.01.2022 Attended the Know India Seminar at the Pullman, Circular Quay, hosted by India Tourism, Singapore and the Australia, India Travel/Tourism Council. Informative evening, attended by many Indian Tour Operators.

17.01.2022 With Divali, "The festival of Lights" just around the corner, I thought I would share one of many delicious recipes to appease your sweet tooth

16.01.2022 Another gem that has its origins in India. Not hard to believe. The British were in India for a long period.

16.01.2022 Interesting facts on Ahmedabad, that was declared a UNESCO world heritage city in 2017. I was totally fascinated when I visited this city last year. Hopefully when travel resumes and I am able to go ahead with my tour, "Heritage India with Spice Odyssey", I will be able to share this interest with others. Amazing India! There is so much to be discovered; it would take a life time.

16.01.2022 I was given a warm welcome by Distant Frontiers, India when I visited their office in Delhi to discuss my next years tour.

16.01.2022 Ah Peacocks! They have got to be the most beautiful and elegant birds in the world. I have seen them performing their majestic dance, on many occasions when I have taken my tours to the various parts of India. It is indeed a sight to behold. I and my fellow tourists can only stand in awe of Nature and its Creator. I look forward to enjoying this spectacle on my next tour to India in November. Join me and witness this for yourself.

14.01.2022 For centuries, dating back to 500 BC, India has piqued the interest of many travellers from the West. It was mainly the Greeks and Romans who were the forerunners. This is a long article but definitely worth reading. Ancient India! You still continue to fascinate many travellers.

13.01.2022 Visited the oldest mosque in Ahmedabad. An interesting place.

12.01.2022 When we start to travel....

12.01.2022 About two months ago I shared an article on St Andrews Church in Bandra, Mumbai - today I actually attended mass there. To me it is a feeling of coming home. More so because my mother is also buried in the cemetery that surrounds the church. After that I walked down one of the side lanes and bought my indian breakfast from a simple, no frills place; I had to wait in queue for about 15 minutes before I was served; the wait was worthwhile-it came straight off the stove; a simple meal of Puri Bhaji. Ah! India!

11.01.2022 A bit of history from the area where I grew up. I spent a great deal of my childhood/youth in this area; had many friends here. It is a quaint, historic area. Some of the houses that feature in this article, belong to family friends and I have visited them on many an occasion. On one of my recent Indian tours, I led a group there so that they could also enjoy the quaintness of the area. Fascinating India! So many different facets to it.

11.01.2022 Yes, India does have a minority Jewish population; the Bene Israelis or "Children of Israel are the Jewish inhabitants living along the Western Coast of India. Are they one of the ten lost tribes of Israel? Many myths and legends exist about the origins of this community. The fact remains that around 5000 of them still exist in the region around Mumbai. An interesting article! Amazing India!

10.01.2022 An amazing, inspirational account! As you are aware, I organise tours to #India on a regular basis. I am always on the look out for areas that promote the local artisan, handicraft or help with putting back into the community. The #Cottage Industry of this country will soon disappear if we do not sustain it. It is an art not to be lost. This is what heritage is all about. As an Australian of Indian heritage, I need to do my bit. In #November this year, I am conducting a ...tour which is almost planned. I am covering #Gujarat and #Kutch is one of the areas I will be visiting. This is a chance for you to explore this beautiful area yourself. I did my initial research at the end of last year and was awestruck. Time for you to get the same feeling. As I have always said India has a lot to offer and be discovered. Stay tuned and #join me! See more

09.01.2022 Bodh Gaya is a truly inspirational place. I led a tour there a few years ago; it is a simple city, in keeping with its pilgrimage status. By the same token it bustles with life. We did the traditional walk around the temple and sat under the Bodhi tree. We all experienced a peace and calm as we sat under this tree - a sense of spirituality. Spiritual India!

09.01.2022 #Memorable past tours with #Spice Odyssey. To the future and more #everlasting experiences.

08.01.2022 My mother's family home is located not far from Juhu. I have fond memories of our family going for walks to Juhu. It was not that densely populated then, as is it is today. To a degree it has become the home of the rich and famous. I had planned on starting my November tour, "Heritage India with Spice Odyssey", now postponed, in Juhu. Hopefully it will go ahead at a later date.

07.01.2022 Not many would associate Judaism with India, yet it was one of the oldest foreign religions in India. The Cochin Jews are the oldest Jewish Inhabitants in India, having started trade with the ancient port of Craganore, not far from Cochin around 562 BC. Many Jews fled the destruction of the 2nd temple in Jerusalem and took exile in Cochin around 72 AD. The Jews resident in Mumbai are mainly descendants of the Bene-Israelis and the Baghdadi Jews. The Bene-Israelis arrived in India around the the 7th-8th centuries AD; they trace their origins to the 10 lost tribes of Israel. The Baghdadi Jews refer to Jews of Arabic origin from the Middle East who arrived in India around the 18th century to escape persecution in the Middle East. Today not many Jews are left in India as many migrated to Israel after 1948. Multicultural, fascinating India.

07.01.2022 Dreaming of Kerala #stone commemorating St Thomas landing at Cranganore AD 52#a church established by him#Kerala scenery# a houseboat on the backwaters. Will return.

06.01.2022 Memories are made of this. Journey in the heart. Heres to the future and more memories.

06.01.2022 Kala Ghoda! Anyone who is from Bombay or Mumbai would be familiar with this name. It is an area dedicated to the Arts. I am originally from Bombay, but was not familiar with the history behind this famous black horse. An interesting revelation. Hopefully, when everything returns to normal and we can travel again, my next tour kicks off from Mumbai, my second home. Historical India! It never fails to fascinate and amaze me.

04.01.2022 When I recently visited India for the International Tourism Mart last month, I selected Gujarat for a study tour. Gujarat is starting to grow in popularity as a tourist destination in India. It is an interesting tourist destination. Needless to say it does need to I improve in certain areas like hotels, which given time, more chains will start to be represented. I was sufficiently impressed to include this in my next years tour that I have started planning.

04.01.2022 I recently did a study tour - the Gandhi circuit after the ITM 2019 in Delhi. This was one of the places I visited. It was an inspirational tour, as we visited many places that were closely connected with the Mahatma, for e.g. the school he attended that is now a museum. We also followed the Dandi March trail; as we did this circuit towards the end of September, a date close to his 150 birth anniversary, there were many pilgrims doing this by foot. Truly inspiring to be part of - to think that after all these years he is still revered and looked upon as a role model.

04.01.2022 A very detailed article that throws light on the background of the recent Indo-Chinese conflict. Over the years there have been many such conflicts. Perhaps this matter should have been resolved pre-Independence. Hopefully a peaceful resolution will be sought. It is a beautiful part of India. I was planning a trip to check out the Ladakh and Leh area. It is a great tourist destination. Incomprehensible India!

03.01.2022 Gujarat, an interesting state in India, but less explored. Music is very much a part of life and culture in this state. This small snippet gives you an insight into the history of music in Gujarat. You have a chance to experience this yourself, if you join me on my next tour that visits Gujarat.

03.01.2022 My plans to lead a tour to this area have been put on hold for the time being. I had a tour planned for the end of this year to this area. Hopefully when we are allowed to travel again it will take place.

01.01.2022 A fascination read. It shows how in the early 20th century these Australian belles managed to capture the hearts of the Indian Maharajahs, much to the dismay of the British.

01.01.2022 Nothing more soul satisfying than doing an early morning safari in the #Wild Life Reserves of India. I have done a few in the #Kabini Wild Life Reserve. I have always been rewarded. To come up close and personal with these #big cats - I cannot think of a more spell binding experience. I have been blessed many a time. Visit this area and experience this feeling yourself.

01.01.2022 Few would associate India with slavery; it did exist. The wily British found ways and means to by-pass the slavery law that came into force in 1833 and replace it with a "Girmit agreement. These Indians, were uprooted from their native land - India and sent as indentured labour to countries like Fiji, Jamaica, Surinam, Mauritius to name a few. The conditions under which they lived were appalling, similar to slavery. Many of these "Girmityas" were eventually assimilated into these countries when this indentured system was abolished in 1917. Today their descendants are tracing their roots back to their mother country, India. Fascinating India!

01.01.2022 It is hard to imagine that Kashmir was once closely connected with Buddhism. When we think of Kashmir today, we closely associate it with Islam. However it was on this site that the 4th Council of Mahayana Buddhism was held in the 1st or 2nd Century. Though given its location close to the Silk Route, It would have played an important role in the spread of many faiths. Buddhism continued to flourish in Kashmir until approximately 8th CE when it was replaced by a form of Hinduism. As I have said before, my dream is to lead a tour there. I visited this breathtakingly beautiful place in my early teens. How I long to go there again!

01.01.2022 I think we all need a break from the current topic of the day "Coronavirus". My go to subject is wild life; I never tire of it, especially the wild life in India. It fascinates me. I have visited the Kabini Wild Life Sanctuary a few times and have also been fortunate enough to sight tigers. Inspite of that, I am always ready for the next sighting. These beautiful creatures are a sight to behold in their natural habitat. The good news is that there are now close to 3000 tigers in India. May this number continue to grow.