India Diaries: We're going to India!

With my auntie in India 

Exciting news here. We are off to India next week!!! I booked our flights just last month and didn't want to say anything before we got our visas, a very time-consuming bureaucratic process which sometimes ends in rejection, but they were granted last week so India here we come! You may know that I'm half Indian and my dad was born in India. I've been fortunate to visit India many times since I was four years old and have family living in Kolkata, West Bengal. I've written about why I want to take my son travelling and I'm so excited to be taking him to India for the first time. It's funny to think that a quarter of him is Indian since he has blue eyes and fair hair :-) It will be such an amazing experience to show him this beautiful, colourful and vibrant country, visit with family and see all of my Indian relatives again. Like any other Indian family, I have so many cousins! I haven't been to India in six years so I'm really looking forward to seeing my Indian family again and this will be my son's first time outside Europe! He's been to France, Italy and Holland so far and this is our biggest trip to date.

Celebrating the New Year 2010

The outdoor market in Kolkata

I've been busy working it all out the past couple of months and while some parts of our trip will be travelling solo (just me and my son) a lot of it will be with extended family since my mum, brother and his family are also coming. I think it will be much more fun for my son that way because his six year old cousin (my nephew) is coming too and they get on so well & play together all of the time!

The Victoria Memorial, one of the biggest cultural sites in Kolkata

I am a little apprehensive about the trip especially in today's economic climate. I don't have to mention all the news articles in the past year or two for you to know what I'm talking about, there have been far too many incidents and it sometimes feels like a very sad world we live in. I do often wonder if we should stay put in the UK but even here anything could happen. And, of course, there is so much of the world to see and we can't let fear stand in our way, can we? My travel linky #MyFavouriteTrip has also given me oozes of inspiration seeing how other bloggers travel the world with small children.

I will probably find being solely responsible for an active three year old for three whole weeks a little challenging especially going to a country as big and busy as India! Amsterdam was actually a piece of cake but this time there will be a big change in climate (it will be summer and monsoon season!), a different diet, a huge cultural difference, sights of abject poverty and the land of 'Delhi belly'. But, it's also like nothing else; a treat for the senses, a country full of life, colour and friendliness and so much beauty it will leave you breathless. A land like no other. I'm just going to take everything in my stride and see how it all goes. Of course, having family around will help and kids often adapt much more easily than you think. I'm just so excited now I think I'll be living on adrenaline until we leave!

On top of the roof of the family house with my little cousin, Dipankar

I'll be writing more about where we're planning to go and what we want to see and will be writing under the label of India Diaries.

Read more of my India posts:
India Diaries: We're going to India

India Diaries: Our first week in India

India Diaries: Our second week in India

Above the clouds
At the beach
Celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi

Have you been to India? Have you taken kids to countries afar? I'd love to hear about your experiences.