TRAVELLING IN INDIA - SOLO

I have just returned from travelling in India solo

This is my second time travelling solo to this country. Each time I have visited a part of India called Tamil Nadu. I have passed through Kerala and also briefly brushed Karnataka. But it is Tamil Nadu that I know best.

When I say that I have visited India and have gone to Tamil Nadu most people are baffled. Nobody seems to have heard of it. I have no idea why as it is an incredible place and it is rare to see another European traveller.

This can result in a lot of attention which it is best to be prepared for. Often people will come up and asked to be photographed with me because the colour of my skin is extraordinary in this part of the world. Family groups have put me in the centre of the group, arms around me and taken numerous photos. The people here are very kind and friendly. Possibly because there is so little tourism and they haven't been exposed to the worst side of it.

The people here speak Tamil, which is the oldest spoken language in the world. Tamil Nadu is steeped in history. It is an extraordinary place with ancient temples that are still used throughout the day, When you visit you are not traipsing around a monument. You are taking part in the very fabric of life in this part of India. As the priests chant and the people pray you are swept along with them into an ancient history that is woven throughout the culture in this part of the world. It is an extraordinary experience. Impossible to describe. It has to be lived.

In this blog I thought that I would share some of the places that I have visited. What it is like to visit solo. Tipping - which India runs on and which is an absolute minefield of misconception and offense.

More to come...