A lovely wander at the mercy of the wind in this amazing Rajasthan (page 7 of 11)

You often make fun of yourself with your photos, but I can tell you that you're wrong. This one is proof to the contrary! 😊

I had exactly the same thought. At the best time of day. I’d title it: Elevation to Pastel! !

You often joke about your own photos, but I can tell you you're wrong. This one is proof of the opposite!

Yeah, I love this one too. I mostly joke about my wildlife photos—not because I lack talent, but mostly because of my crappy gear 😂

Yes Isabelle, nothing pleases me more than accommodation you won’t find in any other country in the world 🤩. And there’s a lovely one coming up for the finale 😄

All this is your fault, Bruno 😄. It’s because of stunning photos like yours that my disappointment was so big! From now on, I’ll be wary when there’s never a wide shot 🤓

in this city of 4 million people, right at quitting time apparently 😵😵😵.

The images this sentence brings to mind make me think more of the Khajuraho sculptures

Haha, I laughed, Pagal! It hadn’t even crossed my mind, but we were far from the serene Kamasutra-esque vibe of Khajuraho 😄

I’m well aware I missed out on that city, Marie Jo and Bruno, by not making the right choices. But we’re real "country bumpkins" in our beloved Chalosse. 400,000 inhabitants is already overwhelming for us, but 4 million in India? Just not doable—I know that now 😅

I had exactly the same thought. At the best time of day. I’d title it: Elevation Towards Pastel !

Love the title, Joel, absolutely brilliant! 👍😊

And here it is—the final page of this journey, with a loop nicely closed.

Remember the start of this adventure when we were in a perched fortress?

Well, for our last night in the country, we slept at its "twin sister" 😉.

(Not my photo, obviously 😉)

Once again, several "palaces" fully restored by the Franco-Indian company NEEMRANA, which, since the 1980s, has transformed 18 historic monuments in the country into hotels 👏.



And it’s truly heartwarming to see this extraordinary heritage so well maintained (right, Marie Jo? 😉)!

The trickiest part is already finding your way around because, despite the map provided, it’s quite a challenge (and a lot of exercise too 😅).



There are stairs everywhere—you’re constantly going up and down (and sometimes ending up in dead ends)!

For a moment, Lulu and I felt like we were back in our childhood, searching for our way in the fairground maze 😜.

So, there’s plenty to keep you busy exploring the beauty of this palace!

But at 5 PM in the Neemrana’s, it’s "tee time," complete with melt-in-your-mouth pastries 🤩.

Then, around 6:30 PM, as the sun sets over the small town at the foot of the citadel, a unique concert begins: a peacock concert!



It’s just incredible—there are peacocks everywhere, perched freely on rooftops or in the tree canopies.



We spotted 14 of them, including 3 that treated us to a beautiful fan display 😍.

No matter where you are in this country, Incredible India is always there!

And to top off this journey in style, after drinks and dinner, we were treated to another immersion in Rajasthani culture...



sprinkled, for once, with a colorful Cricri 🤔😂.

(Yes, that’s me the guy is spinning... a lot 🙃😂)

And that’s it, my dears. It’s time to wrap up this extraordinary adventure where every day brought its share of surprises and wonders.







As always, thank you so much for joining in, and see you soon somewhere on the planet.

Adishatz, my dears 😘 (just a reminder, this travel journal was originally for our loved ones 😅)

So, when and where are the next trips / travel journals happening? 😉

Thanks so much, Christelle, for this travel journal 😊 I love your storytelling and your enthusiasm 😍

Absolutely, this last hotel is really great—what a fantastic idea to repurpose old palaces 👍

I love the monkeys looking at themselves in the pool 😍

Thanks for joining in, Isabelle. Sharing my travel journals here only really interests me when it sparks exchanges and connections between "forum members" who’ll meet up somewhere else 😊

Oooh, you’re such a foodie, Catherine! 😄

One silver lining of the health crisis is that I’ve got a few trips stocked up!

So, let’s make it a game if you’re up for it! 😊

I’m inviting all readers of this travel journal to vote to help me pick the next destination I’ll share with you.

Here are the options:

1 – Benin: a country that’s truly worth discovering, with incredibly warm and welcoming people.

2 – The Mascarene Islands, especially Mauritius, which we explored fully, and the surprising Rodrigues Island.

3 – São Tomé Island, nestled off the coast of Gabon with beautifully preserved nature.

4 – Kenya, self-guided, with some wildlife but mostly a lot of human encounters.

5 – The Seychelles, far from the all-inclusive resorts, with walks across the classic trio: Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue.

Get typing, and sorry to those who love the Americas and Asia! 😅

Have a great day, everyone

Oh wow, you’re such a foodie, Catherine! 😄

The silver lining of the health crisis is that I’ve got a few lined up in advance!

So, let’s make it a game if you’re up for it! 😉

I’m inviting all the readers of this travel journal to vote to help me pick the next one I’ll share with you.

The choices are:

1 – Benin: a country that’s truly worth discovering, with incredibly warm people,

2 – the Mascarene Islands, especially Mauritius, which we explored fully, and the surprising Rodrigues

3 – São Tomé Island, off the coast of Gabon, with its beautifully preserved nature

4 – Kenya, self-guided, with some wildlife but mostly lots of human encounters

5 – the Seychelles, far from the all-inclusive resorts, with walks across the classic trio of Mahé, Praslin, and La Digue

Get typing, and sorry to those who love the Americas and Asia! 😅

Have a great day, everyone

Absolutely, Africa has been in the spotlight these past few years! 🙂 I’m voting for two destinations I haven’t visited yet: Benin & São Tomé. Two places that aren’t exactly tourist hotspots… it’s up to you to show them (us) around! 😉

I’ll vote for Benin and São Tomé, which are on my list, but when? I’ve got other plans first. Thanks for your travel journal—I’ll try a palace next time. A hotel next time; the one in Mehansar in Shekhawati wasn’t great, very much stuck in its ways (and that’s another travel journal I won’t publish until this summer, I think).

Thanks so much, Christelle, for this lovely travel journal written with so much humor! I had a great time reading about your adventures in Rajasthan—recognizing some places and especially discovering others. It’s clear you love connecting with the locals. That’s definitely one of the reasons we love traveling in India so much; it’s easy to form connections there. And then, the icing on the cake, the trip ends in a beautiful palace straight out of *The Arabian Nights*! As someone who loves art and craftsmanship, I dream of staying in one of these palace hotels to admire the incredible work done to preserve the heritage. Apparently, every room is furnished differently, and the artisanal craftsmanship is really showcased. I saw a documentary some time ago about the Frenchman behind this project—what a great idea he had!

For another travel journal, I’d vote for São Tomé, but honestly, I don’t know any of the countries you mentioned. It’ll all be a discovery! 😊

See you soon, Gabriele

Seychelles and Mauritius since I haven’t decided between the two for a trip in the near future ;)

Watch out, there are big rocks—you’ll need to climb in the Seychelles!

Wow 🤪 I’m looking for gorgeous beaches—white sand, coconut trees, sun loungers, cocktails, massages—basically the whole cliché! It’s for a "gap" trip, just to chill and experience this kind of getaway once in my life. Polynesia, the Marquesas… way too far! !

The Seychelles and Mauritius because I haven’t decided between the two for a trip in the near future ;)

I haven’t been to the Seychelles, but Mauritius—meh. Réunion is way better! (even if you’re not into hiking)