Dubai & India

I know I promised this post a long while ago, but life got in the way and well, all of you know by now that I am a professional procrastinator.  

As many of you know, I went on holiday to India at the beginning of May with a friend of mine.  Imma tell you right now, if you are a fan of 45 C degree weather/50% humidity, sweating in places you didn't even know you could, and the fantastic feeling of your skin melting off your body...then India is the place for you!  

A and I are friends from university, meeting in one of the first weeks of school.  I still remember her telling me a few months later that her first impression of me was that she thought I was going to be a huge bitch because I was so pretty (1. resting bitch face for life 2. thanks A for the nice stroke to my ego 😂).  Luckily we got past that and we have been friends ever since.  

Last year we did a little girls trip to France and Monaco, with a day trip to Italy thrown in.  I clearly did not do a blog post on that...maybe one day? (but probably not)

This year we decided to stay a little closer to home, well mine at least.  She came over to Dubai for a few days, to see me and a couple other friends she had in the area.  We than tacked on a three day trip to India because a. Taj Mahal and b. we definitely did not need an entire week in Dubai.

We toured Delhi, Agra, and Jaipur (often referred to as the Golden Triangle...not to be confused with the Golden Triangle of opium producing countries in South East Asia...not to worry dad, been there, done that).  While this trip did present some difficulties at times, with issues arising in regards to the tour company we went with, the Taj Mahal was absolutely incredible and so worth dealing with what came up.

We haven't yet decided on where to go next year...any suggestions?

Yacht life/fake life

The next day A and I met up with a photographer friend of hers to go dune bashing in Al Badayer Desert and watch the sunset.

Wild (?) camels

What up good lookin'

Mama and babe

Trying not to wince in pain...the sand was so hot

Sunset in the desert is one of my favourites

Off to India!
First stop, Delhi

I'm clearly blending in

India Gate

15 years of ballet has clearly made an impact on my poise and grace

We drove to Agra that afternoon, in order to wake up the next morning at the ungodly hour of 4:30am to catch sunrise at the Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal

Princess Di bench

The face only a mother could love

Inside the mosque on the left hand side of the Taj complex

The guest house that was built on the ride side of the Taj complex

A mirror image of the mosque

Agra Fort

After touring the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, we drove to Jaipur to explore the Pink City.  In anticipation of the arrival of the Prince of Wales in the mid 1800's, the entire city was painted pink as a sign of hospitality.  Since then the city has grown up around the old town.  Every few years the old buildings get a new coat of pink paint to keep with the tradition.

I didn't take too many photos this time around...I may or may not have dropped my camera, lens side down, onto marble 😬

Amber Palace

We did a lot of walking up and down steps...

and it was in front of these steps 

where I may have dropped my camera

My obvious enthusiasm for A's love of running and exercise

On our drive from Jaipur to Delhi we stopped by the side of the road because...MONKEYS!!!

If you are keen on finding out more about A's adventures (she recently quit her big girl job, as she puts it, to travel around the world), check out her Instagram @vagabondhearts.  She is wildly famous and posts the most incredible photos of mountains.