I visit each year and can honestly say it’s always an eye opening experience. The real India starts from Delhi with the busy roads, colourful surroundings and historical places. No visit to Delhi would be complete without travelling in Delhi style. I’m sure you’ve heard of roofless tour buses, well why not try the next best thing in India which is actually sitting on the roof where the country can really be appreciated whilst the smell of pure Indian food blows you away.

Do not even contemplate leaving India without trying an Indian meal in the famous street restaurants known as “Thabba.” You will be amazed at the number of thabba’s available in the whole of India . You definitely won’t be coming home hungry that’s for sure! For all the vegetarians out there I would recommend trying Panner and Tandoori Roti. The meal consists of cheese cooked in a rich Indian sauce made up of onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, chillies and various herbs and spices with the Roti [bread] being slowly

cooked in a deep tava which is a hand made clay oven. I’ve heard the Non-Veg dishes are also to die for but I’m a vegetarian so I guess all the meat eaters will just have to experience the non-veg. dishes for themselves.

Wherever you decide to go, I promise you India is heaven for food and shopping with the thousands of bazaars in every town, village and city which you visit.

I went on a major shopping spree in Northern India , to the state of Punjab , visiting the major cities of Phagwara and Chandigarh . The shopping in Phagwara has to be rated as number one in my opinion. Of the 12 visits I have made I have never come across such a wide range of articles. You really can find everything here from Premiership football tops to beautiful silk saris. The jewellery is also fantastic and with prices ranging from 90 rupees – 400 rupees [£1- £6] you just can’t go wrong. But for those of you who would like to tour a little as well as shop and eat, Chandigarh is the place for you.

Chandigarh is a very modern city which offers a range of Western restaurants for those of you who are worried about getting Delhi Belly! The food was not as good as Phagwara, but that could just be my opinion as I like very rich pure traditional Indian food. Chandigarh offers lighter and more milder dishes and no matter how much I tried to avoid western food I just couldn’t get away from the Pizza Huts, Wimpy’s etc. so if you want to avoid feeling like you’re in London again then Chandigarh is not the place for you, however don’t let that put you off Chandigarh .

I spent 3 days in Chandigarh and there was so much to do I needed another holiday to recover from it all! I went shopping, again with a choice of hundreds of modern AC shops compared to your typical bazaars which fill your hair with incense as you walk through. It is one of the most beautiful and glamorous cities of India with its lush green surroundings, blooming gardens, shady trees, wide roads, excellent communications and the most charming people. The city surely stands up to its name as the City Beautiful.

I can promise you that you will need more than one visit to experience the vast amount of places and activities which India has to offer but whatever you decide to do or whichever direction you decide to travel in India, the memories will remain with you for years afterwards.