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April 3rd, 2008
Exotic India

37 comments to “Exotic India”

  1. One day, I may yet travel to India. I’m just not sure I’m strong enough to handle it… I hope I am. I love the food and find the culture fascinating - but all I know about it I learned from the family of a boyfriend who was born in Mumbai (his mum was originally from Chennai, but the boyfriend had lived in the US most of his life).

    Still, I’m fascinated and intrigued by the place. I just might have to pick up a copy of that there book, this summer. ;)

    Ciao! - er, rather - Namaste!


  2. I’ve always wanted to see India. Thanks for sharing some of your experience!


  3. Those pics are awesome. My husband’s family lived overseas for a while. I love looking at the slides. Thanks for sharing! :)


  4. Oh, Ellora’s Caves look amazing. Thanks for sharing your travels with us. Happy T13!


  5. Wasn’t Ellora’s Cave in the last Indiana Jones movie? I’d love to see it.


  6. What a fascinating place to visit! I’d love to go there someday.


  7. Awesome post!


  8. Wow, I love your post. I’m going to Madurai this summer.


  9. Oh wow. Especially the real Ellora’s Cave. India here I come.


  10. Oh man, I want to go to all these places. You’ve given me a bad case of wanderlust.


  11. Gorgeous, Shelley!!!! I love this. And Mysore was beautiful lit up like that.


  12. You might like the novel Q & A by Vikas Swarup. The main character lives and works in many of the cities in your list. There’s a review on my blog.


  13. Wow! It all sounds so amazing. I’m not fond of traveling, but admire those who are. :)


  14. Very cool, Shelley! Someday I’d like to travel everywhere. I’ve made it out of the country twice so far: Haiti and Switzerland. Thanks for sharing the gorgeous pictures.

    I’ve got birthday cake at my place today, stop by and have a piece!


  15. Stunning! I wanna go now!!


  16. Lol, I had no idea Ellora’s Cave is based on a real place.


  17. Very cool! And great pics!

    *hugs*
    Paige

    My TT is at http://paigetylertheauthor.blogspot.com/


  18. Wow, you are one well-traveled woman. I must confess, I’d probably be in the hate category for India — I don’t deal well with in-your-face. :D But I’m glad you love it!


  19. What a fascinating post! Now I want to visit India! Cool! Happy TT…


  20. I think it was probably lucky that I’d been to other countries beforehand such as Pakistan, Turkey, Iran to prepare for the sheer numbers of people. Sometimes we’d find a nice hotel and pay to use their swimming pool for the day, just for a time out.

    Ellora’s Cave is an amazing place and the photo doesn’t do it justice. The caves are carved into rock faces and some have glorious paintings while others have huge buddha statues and other statues of the various Indian gods.


  21. Wow, India is beautiful. I hope to someday visit the sites and experience the rich culture, but my ultimate wish is to see the Taj Mahal in Agra.


  22. We were invited to a wedding in India when I was pregnant with #2 — so of course, we couldn’t make it. One day, I’ll get there.

    btw, I have news for you! I’ll e-mail you as soon as I’m caught up — right now, I’m swamped!


  23. Ooh, Susan. Color me curious.


  24. Love the pictures. It makes me want to travel there.


  25. I’m so looking forward to reading your book now!


  26. Chloe - it’s a colorful play, that’s for sure.

    Ann - thanks!


  27. Oh, wow. THIS was a treat to read, but I wish your photos were bigger. I would love, love, love to go to India. (If I can survive L.A., bring on India.)

    Your first photo–the one with the multi-colored trays and the pyramid colors–what IS that?

    How long did you suffer malaria?

    (Oh, cool! I just noticed that you’re responding to questions. You rock, Shelley Munro.)

    I think I’ll put Wanderlust on my TBR list.


  28. Hi Unhinged Thanks!

    Some of the brightly colored piles are dyes and some are spices. The markets are full of smells - some delightful and some not so nice. I’m a vegetarian and remember wandering through a market in Pakistan, I think it was. They had these carcasses hanging from hooks and the heads of the various animals below. Not so nice to look at, but the people were friendly and wanted us to take photos.

    I think I caught malaria in Pakistan, despite taking tablets. We traveled through Iran and into India. I didn’t start feeling sick until we hit Jaiselmer and was very sick the first time we visited Pushkar. (I’ve been twice to Pushkar) Hubby and I had to leave the trip in New Delhi and I spent about five days in hospital there before flying back to London. It was the cerebal type of malaria, which is pretty serious. I lost a lot of weight and was weak for a good month afterward. Another guy also got malaria. He hadn’t taken tablets at all and was flown back to the States. He had kidney failure and was VERY sick. I was lucky.

    I’ve used a few of my actual travel experiences in Wanderlust. I might tell you which they are if you ask.


  29. PS - have you checked the photos from the photo link just below my template? There’s only one Indian photo there, but it’s bigger. Hit the browse on the top right and it brings up all the photos. Click to bring up a larger version.


  30. Wow, India is now on my travel radar, where it wasn’t before. Great list!

    Happy TT!


  31. Thanks for sharing your memories of India. I admit, I’ve never wanted to visit, but I do enjoy Indian food ;)


  32. I’ve always wanted to go to India. ALWAYS!!

    I have a historical kind of sitting around that takes place in Victorian India only around the Himalayas.

    I hope one day to set foot there. :D


  33. [...] I have a contest to give away a download of my upcoming release, Wanderlust at my website. Yesterday I also blogged about the setting for Wanderlust - India - and there are loads of photos. You can check out that post here. [...]


  34. Wow!!! Amazing, and informative. What a great wealth of information to draw from for your story. I hope I can be so well traveled someday. As soon as they come up with a method that doesn’t involve an airplane - I’m there!! Terrific TT - thanks for sharing!

    ~Gwen


  35. (No, I didn’t check the photo link, but I will.)

    Shelley wrote:

    I’ve used a few of my actual travel experiences in Wanderlust. I might tell you which they are if you ask.

    And Unhinged says:

    I’m going to ask!

    Actually, I’m full of questions because I’m nosy that way.

    Did your stomach get queasy at the sight of the carcasses hanging from a hook? (Bonus: Did you notice any flies around?)

    What kind of TABLET did you have to take?

    Does malaria feel like the flu, only ten times worse? Cerebral malaria. Guess I’ll have to Google that.

    Love the photos. Still.


  36. LOL - no queasiness, but I wrinkled up my nose. There were a few flies but it wasn’t too bad. I was brought up on a farm and have a fairly strong stomach, plus I always close my eyes at the right time!

    Malarial medicines are always changing. At the time we had to take paludrine and chloroquine plus we used insect repellents and mosquito coils. We also used mosquito nets at times.

    Symtoms for malaria include really bad headaches, hot sweats and fever, weakness and sometimes diarrhoea, a cough or chills. I had a bad headache plus was alternatively hot and cold and found it difficult to sleep.


  37. Beautiful pics. Your Thursday 13 sure beats mine this week - 13 things in my purse.

    I’ve never been to India but I hope to visit one day.

    Good luck with your new book release. Many happy sales.