TRAVEL THE WORLD - SOMEWHERE IN GUJARAT, INDIA

Bullock carts like the one in the photo are seen all over India, particularly in rural areas, but also on fast-travelled congested highways. These animals have been used as beasts of burden for many centuries in India. This one was photographed in 2007 in Gujarat.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - DIU, GUJARAT, INDIA

Children anywhere are fun-loving and happy to engage in conversation, especially in India where many English. These girls and boys at Diu were no exception - friendly and eager to have their picture taken. I loved the poise and self-confidence of the girls in their lovely, colourful clothes.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - GUJARAT, INDIA

There are two things to take note of about this small vehicle photographed somewhere in Gujarat in 2007. One is the fact that it has only three wheels. There are many such vehicles in India. Secondly is its colourful decoration. We saw trucks everywhere, many of them very large, that were attractively decorated in this way. When you cross a state boundary, all commercial vehicles must stop while the driver goes to a government office at the side of the road to pay a tax. It's really something to see maybe a hundred large trucks stopped by the highway for this purpose, most of them colourfully decorated.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - GIR NATIONAL PARK WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, INDIA

We visited the Gir National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary in 2007. It is famous as one of the few places - if not the only one - where the Asiatic lion can be seen in its natural habitat. We took a jeep safari before sun-up but did not see any lions. There are apparently fewer than 50 in the park. We did see deers, sambar and monkeys however, and the park was very attractive, especially just after dawn.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - DIU, INDIA

Diu, which we visited in 2007, is a small island of 40 square kilometers, located just south of Gujarat, and connected to the mainland by a causeway. In the 16th Century it became a Portuguese colony and has been part of India since 1961. The market in the photo is located in Diu City, the capital. We stayed at the Radhika Beach Resort, a lovely modern hotel located near Nagoa Beach. The beach, while beautiful, has no facilities and the water was VERY cold. We thoroughly enjoyed Diu, however. It is quiet and peaceful, and has beautiful coastal scenery. The island is small enough to be made a circuit of in two or three hours by auto-rickshaw. For us, Diu was the perfect escape from a tendency to become over-stimulated, a condition difficult to avoid in India with all its wonders.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - DIU, INDIA

Diu, which we visited in 2007, is an island on the southernmost tip of Gujarat, connected by a causeway to the mainland. A former Portuguese colony, it has many traditional houses and several churches which have survived from the colonial period. The island has scenic coastal landscapes and nice beaches, at this point almost untouched by tourism. These ladies are interesting. Don't you wish you could hear what they are gossiping about?

INDIA VACATION 2007

MORE INDIAN OCCUPATIONS

India likely has millions of small merchants, one reason for the government's resistance to the incursion of western retail chains. The man in the first photo above, a retailer of knives, is a typical proprietor of a small family-run business. His shop, tiny by western standards but adequate for his needs, is located on the main shopping street in the old city of Jodhpur. He was welcoming, not objecting in the slightest to having his children photographed.

The second photo above is of our tour guide at the Ellora caves near Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat. This man was the perfect guide, very knowledgeable and intelligent, but approachable, agreeable and patient. He took us by bus to the Ellora caves, the Baby Taj in Ahmedabad and two or three minor sites. The entire time with him was a pleasure.

INDIA VACATION 2007

DIU SCHOOLGIRLS AND CITY MARKET DAY

Diu is a small island on the southernmost tip of Gujarat. It is connected by a causeway to the mainland. A Portuguese colony until 1961, Diu is now part of India.

The island, almost untouched by tourism, has rugged coastal landscapes and unspoilt beaches.

Diu, like the state of Gujarat itself, is one of the more prosperous parts of India, as you can see from the charming well-dressed schoolgirls pictured above.

The women in the second photo were selling vegetables on market day in the main town of the island.

INDIA VACATION 2007

MAHESHWAR ON THE NARMADA RIVER

Maheshwar, located on the Narmada River, is not on the itinerary of very many tourists as there is no rail service. It took twelve hours with a car and driver to reach our destination from Indore. The roads were very rough, but were being improved - a good thing, as Maheshwar and the surrounding area are well worth a visit. Within the Holkar dynasty fort there are several temples with wonderful carvings dating from the 17th Century. One example is shown in the first photo above.

As we strolled by the beautiful Narmada River, we were greeted joyfully by several women from Goa who welcomed us to India and invited us to visit them. Some of them are shown in the second photo above.