India Archives - Next Plane to Anywhere

Fear & Loathing of Tour Buses

The Hawa Mahal also known as the Palace of the Winds, is a delicate and beautiful pink-painted palace in the heart of the old city of Jaipur. Built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh to enable ladies of the royal household to safely view city life it is a must see by every...

Am I crazy to travel half way around the world for Holi? I think it is crazy not to.

Holi, the Hindu festival of colors happens every spring. It is part Christmas, Fourth of July and Halloween rolled into one. Depending on where you are in India, Holi festivities may go on for an entire week with the main celebration on the day of Holi (this year March 21). I planned my trip...

Tips for an Amazing Safari in India

A Safari in India can be an amazing experience and India offers a wide range of safari experiences from Asiatic Lions in the Gir Forest to Rhinos at the Kaziranga National Park there are numerous options based on the type of safari experience that you would like to choose. But how do you know...

A 9 Mile Hike Under the Blazing Sun of the Indian Summer and All I Saw was One @#$%#! Squirrel (AKA Day 1 of my Safari in Satpura National Tiger Preserve).

Arriving just past midnight after a long day of travel, I was pleasantly surprised how nice my hotel room was at the Danwa Backwater Escape. The room could have been pictured in any travel magazine, but I was leaving the hotel at 5:30 a.m. to start my tiger safari and was just happy to...

A Photographers Dream in Bangalore: Tips for shooting the KR Flower Market

The KR Flower Market is a bustling area of street vendors selling a vast array of fresh cut flowers. I am told that vendors starting arriving at 2:00 a.m. to set up their flowers, and that the market starts getting busy at 5:00 a.m. I arrived at 6:00 a.m. about an hour before sunrise. As...

Barefoot waiters serving food from silver buckets. What could be bad?

The Mavalli Tiffin Room has been at its present location on Lalbagh Road since 1960, but its history goes back 40 more years. MTR as it is commonly referred is a Bengaluru landmark and deservedly so. It was my first meal in India and it was not at all what I expected. I had...