A month in North India

Celine, one of my best friends was living for a year in India, so before she left, we decided to take a trip to the places she didn't go to. So I arrived in Delhi, where she was waiting for me. We took an Uber directly to the train station to go to the amazing village of Agra. The train is one of the best and cheap ways to travel in India. You can choose the class you want to travel to, and it will add you more comfort if you need it. Agra is a very famous village because it is the home of the Taj Mahal. We stayed at the Taj Ganj Hotel, where we could enjoy the view of this amazing construction from the terrace. We visited it in the morning with a rainy then sunny weather. This is what you can expect of the monsoon season! The temple and both of the constructions are symmetrical. This is a very special place, take time to enjoy it well, the hight, the materials, the light, the patterns. Don't miss the view from the other side of the river which is stunning. When you are in Agraa, take the time to visit the Red Fort, it is really beautiful.

Orchha was the stop the least planed from our trip but one of the nicest. The vibes here are really nice, this is a small and very modest village but with amazing skies and sunsets. We didn't know what to expect and we were amazed by the peace that you get from this kind of place. The river is very powerful, and you can have endless walks discovering temples everywhere around. We also went to the Orchha Fort Complex which used to be the Maharajah's Palace. The architecture is really impressive since it has been built 500 years ago. Take the time to appreciate all the hidden corners and corridors of the place and enjoy the view of children playing around. By the end of the day, go to the river just in front of the island, you will witness amazing colours, people playing, and crossing the water with Indian skies. 

Varanasi or Benares, is a very well-known city where all people from different casts come back to die. We stayed in the Rajmahal Hotel with a view of the Ganja below. When you walk in the streets you may find people getting their head shaved, lying on the ground, or even carrying their loved ones to burn to the Ganja River. It is a very strong image and vibe that you will not forget but just be prepared.  You can also see people getting their ablution in the river and kids playing and jumping from the famous steps. At night, you can go on a pirogue on the Ganja River to enjoy fireworks and music with the people who are celebrating. You should definitively try the Thali, it's a plate with bread (roti and chapati) and with different dishes in little bowls. It can remind you of mezze, but you also have rice. The spirit is to share it so don't be greedy and enjoy it with a friend !

From Delhi, we took the plane to Leh which is one of the highest airports in the world. Ladakh is in the Himalayan mountains, the temperature is lower and the people are really chill. We stayed at a grandmother's house, we actually found an ad in the street. The house was super cute with an amazing aromatic garden, every morning you got your hot water from the tank in the middle of the garden, with a bucket. We did several activated such as renting a scooter and visiting all the Buddhist temples or going for a three days hike with a guide to a 5000 meters high mountain top. Don't hesitate to taste the Momo's, a kind of sheep ravioli which are delicious, the local tea and bring back a lot of natural products made with apricot (oil, scrub, lip balm...) they have a lot there, and it is delicious! Enjoy :)