DESTINATIONS GANGES | CRUISE


ABOVE: Ganges Voyager II PICTURE: Uniworld River Cruises


the 18th-century brick temples, widely considered to be the best examples of Bengal terracotta art, it was the village’s children who will linger longer in my memory. Excited to have visitors – and the chance to practise their English – they kept us company, running off to bring freshly picked flowers as gifts for the women in the group. The unspoilt atmosphere is largely down to the fact that Uniworld is one of only two operators to include this utter gem on its itineraries. Post-excursion, there were


plenty of lovely distractions – the turban and sari demonstration was particularly good fun, with passengers modelling the resulting garb – and traditional dance and music performances after dinner were professional and impressive. The group bonded and shared travel stories over fairly potent cocktails in the Governor’s Lounge, too.


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And of course, there’s the temptation to soak up some rays on the sun deck or chill in your cabin; my personal concierge Mahendra made this pretty irresistible with his uncanny sixth sense of knowing just when my fridge was in need of another cold beer, or when I might fancy a plate of fruit.


SPIRIT OF INDIA


On the morning of our penultimate day, a majestic cerulean-domed temple shimmered on the horizon. We had arrived at Mayapur, regarded to be the place where Lord Krishna was reincarnated many centuries ago. Today, it’s the headquarters of the Krishna Consciousness Movement and a devotee showed us around the vast complex, explaining their belief system as we walked. It might not chime on a spiritual level with everyone, but it


was interesting nonetheless. Likewise, the final day brought us back to Kolkata for a visit to a children’s orphanage founded by Mother Teresa. We’d spent the morning experiencing the glorious kaleidoscope of colours, sounds and scents of the city’s famous flower market, mingling with locals buying marigolds and jasmine as offerings to their Hindu gods. Some members of our group


were hesitant about the orphanage, but our fabulous tour manager Ajay handled it with ease, warmly encouraging them to use the time to continue exploring the city at their own leisure instead. Of course, it’s this kind of


attentiveness to the sensitivities of individual clients – and first-timers to India – that will ensure they feel comfortable and confident enough to return in the future. Not that I’ll need any persuading.


TW


BOOK IT


Uniworld’s 13-day India’s Golden Triangle & The Sacred Ganges land and cruise adventure from New Delhi to Kolkata is priced from £5,795, twin-share, departing December 5. The price includes flights, luxury Oberoi hotel accommodation on land, a river-view stateroom on board the Ganges V


oyager II, all meals and a selection of beverages on board, plus shore excursions and transfers. uniworld.com


16 JANUARY 2020


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