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‘We flew overnight with Jet Airways and arrived into Delhi after the 8 hour flight ready to immerse ourselves into this amazing city teeming with sights, sounds, people and quite a few cows too!

Day 1

We took a bicycle rickshaw from our hotel in New Delhi to the metro station and then travelled by train to Old Delhi. We emerged into the narrow streets which are so busy and bustling, an assault on all of your senses, the sound of horns, traffic and people, the smell of spice in the air, the heat and humidity. The markets are wonderful with locals selling everything from hand-made wedding invitations to home ware!

Day 2

Early the next morning we take the 6am train from Delhi to Ajemer.  We arrive early at the train station and even at 5am the place is alive! It takes 7 hours to travel from Delhi to Ajemer and another 45 minutes by road to reach Pushkar.

Pushkar is much quieter than Delhi, however the markets are still a busy place to be with tuk-tuks zooming past, cows taking a rest in the middle of the road, and locals trying to go about their daily business. Pushkar Lake is very tranquil and is where people come to bathe in its holy waters.  This evening we had the pleasure of joining a local family in their house for dinner. We ate on the roof top where the breeze was welcoming after a long day of sightseeing. The family are warm and kind as they serve us a traditional home cooked feast.

Day 3

Today we drive from Pushkar to Jaipur which takes around 3 hours. After lunch we have a walking tour of Jaipur’s markets staring at the food stalls selling spices and fresh fruit and vegetables before heading to the textiles markets which sell every colour of sari you could imagine. Jaipur is a beautiful city with all the buildings painted in a wonderful pink. This evening we got to watch a Bollywood film at the local cinema – it’s a special occasion for the locals who dress in their finery.

Day 4

Our second day in Jaipur begins with a visit to the most famous building in Jaipur, the Hawa Mahal. This is the so called ‘Palace of the Winds’ built so the women of the royal household could watch the street festivities below whilst remaining unseen from the outside.

The highlight of the day was a visit to the Amber Fort, a short distance drive from the town.  It is a classic fort-palace that was the ancient citadel of the ruling Kachhwahas of Amber before the capital was shifted to the plains.  It is a beautiful building and the views are spectacular over old Jaipur.

Day 5

Today we take a long drive to Agra with a stop en-route at Fatehpur Sikri – a ‘ghost city’ built in the 16^th century.  It has remained untouched for over 400 years and its palaces are regarded as the best example of the coming together of Hindu and Muslim architecture.   After our visit to Fatehpur Sikri we take a walk into the village for lunch before we carry on with our drive to Agra.

Day 6

Today – and all too soon – is our last day in India and the grand finale…. The Taj Mahal!

The guide arranged for us to see the Taj at sunrise. Feeling tired and bleary eyed at 4am was well worth it to avoid the huge crowds and intense heat. Words really cannot describe the beauty and sheer splendour of the Taj Mahal and hearing the romantic story behind why it was built was very moving and emotional.

After our visit we head back for some breakfast before visiting the Agra Fort.  For many people this place is just as beautiful and impressive as the Taj Mahal.  We then head back to Delhi for our flight home.

It was a brief but brilliant introduction to India.  I would love to see the south of the country next to make a comparison but there is still so much to see in the north – Varanasi, tiger-spotting in the various national parks, the hill-towns of Shimla and Amritsar. India is endless and I know I have only just scratched the surface so far.’

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From the moment you step onto PEI you feel life is celebrated at a different pace here. Rolling green hills, red cliffs and small-town charm promise camera worthy pictures around every corner and great interactions with the locals. With food playing an important role on the Island and along the NS coast a fishing trip is a must, bbqing your catch on the boat. Try lobster and crab to your heart’s content,  play golf, ride a horse along golden  dunes and enjoy picnics under light houses, visit the white quaint churches dotting the landscape – soon you will understand why this island was the perfect setting for the much loved story of a girl named Anne (of Green Gables).

To connect back to the mainland take Air Canada’s  small plane service between Charlottetown and Halifax or travel to Victoria by the Sea,  onto the Confederation Bridge and cross for a short drive into New Brunswick or, like me, drive straight to Nova Scotia.  Halifax’s  historic port is the hub of this fast growing city. The very modern university and current healthy economy guarantee good revenue and building work is going on everywhere.   Check out eclectic shops, artisan studios, museums and galleries. Walk the waterfront, experience the vibrant music scene, savour award-winning cuisine, and hoist a pint in a place with more pubs and clubs per capita than almost anywhere else in Canada.

But not far from the city the wide-open spaces invite to scenic drives. Shaped by the highest tides in the world, the Bay of Fundy is home to over 15 species of whales. The Annapolis Valley combines lush farms and award-winning vineyards with Mi’kmaq legends and heritage sites celebrating the earliest European settlements in North America. Experience highland hiking trails, the Bras d’Or Lake inland sea, world-class golf, and the world-renown Cabot Trail on Cape Breton Highlands National Park. And visit Nova Scotia’s longest sand beach at Eastern Shore, offering year-round surfing, sea kayaking in the island-strewn waters, and the chance for birders to cross Great Blue Herons, Atlantic Puffins and Sandpipers off their list.  At South Shore navigate through weathered fishing villages, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Old Town Lunenburg, and past 40 lighthouses – including the famous beacon at Peggy’s Cove. Discover tales of pirate treasure at Oak Island, and visit Kejimkujik National Park and come face to history with Mi’kmaq petroglyphs.

So if you enjoy friendly most hospitable people, coastal landscapes, easy driving and unique food and drink this destination should soon be on your travel wish list.

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We flew via Bogota with Avianca (a very comfortable airline and Bogota airport was way above my expectations for our connecting flights).  After arriving at our hotel in Quito we had a walking tour of the charming old town and the lively plaza with its array of cafes, friendly shoe shiners and locals selling homemade ice cream. We then later visited the La Compania de Jesus Church which took 160 years to build using the finest 23 carat gold leaf to decorate the interior.

The next morning we took the cable car to the top of Pichincha Volcano at 4100 metres. The views are breath-taking and so is the altitude!

After taking plenty of photos we headed back down for a stroll round La Ronda – the best place to purchase handmade chocolate using the finest Ecuadorian Cacao. In the daytime La Ronda is relatively low key but at night this place comes alive with locals and tourist looking for a good time.

Early the next morning we took a short flight to Coca and embarked on our adventure into the Amazon… It started with a high speed boat ride of 2 hours down the Napo River.  We docked the boat and then walked through the jungle for about 35 minutes before making the final leg of our journey by dugout canoe to the top of a lake where appeared Sacha Lodge – our base for the next 3 nights, deep in the rainforest!

The Lodge offers many activities including canopy walks, canoe rides, night walks and rather excitingly, piranha fishing! My personal highlight was climbing to the top of the tree house for views over the jungle canopy.

Our stay at this incredible lodge sadly come to an end all too soon and we headed back to Coca airport for our flight back to Quito.  We then drove to northwards to Imbabura Province, stopping along the way at the Equatorial monument to stand with one foot either side of the equator!

We arrived later at a rose farm and enjoy a guided tour. Ecuador produces the finest roses in the world due to the climate and because it’s on the equator the roses have perfect stems as they grow straight upwards towards the sun!

Here in the north the landscape becomes more and more dramatic with rolling verdant hills and volcano peeks. We headed down windy cobbled roads deep into the countryside and arrived at Hacienda Piman which would be our base for the next part of our trip.

After waking early the next morning I drew back my curtains and then crept back into bed and watched as the trees came to life with acrobatic humming birds!   We headed to Cotacachi famous for its leather goods, each street smells of leather and attractive shop fronts entice you in to see the goods. We also partly walked the Cuicocha Crater enjoying the stunning views with the snow capped Cotacachi Volcano peak in the distance. The next day was largely devoted to shopping and we headed to Otovalo which has one of the biggest textile markets in Ecuador.  It is such a lively place – full of life and the markets are a complete maze. We spent a couple of hours here haggling and grabbing a bargain or two. You can pick up almost anything here from alpaca blankets, jewellery, hats, rugs hammocks and more!
We then headed to the food markets just round the corner where this is a heady mixture of fresh fruit and vegetables, spices and stalls cooking local dishes. The place is bustling with not a tourist in sight!

Finally, on our final day in Ecuador we travelled on a scenic train jourmey from Ibarra to Salinas where we were delighted to be greeted by Afro-Ecuadorian dancers, before heading back to Quito for our flight home.

Ecuador is a spectacular country with very proud and welcoming people.  This was my first taste of Latin America and it has inspired me to return and see a lot more of what this continent has to offer in the future!

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Whilst she travelled she wrote regular postings to her ‘Time to Look at the Moon’ blog which we think is one of the best travelogues we have ever had the pleasure to read.  Dip into it here and you may find yourself hooked and end up reading the whole caboodle!  https://timetolookatthemoon.com/

Thanks, Sharon – we loved your blog and were just as sorry as you were that it had to come to an end eventually!  – The Nomads

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