A gem in the centre of India ... reach there by taxi from Jhansi and stay at the Bundelkhand Riverside Hotel if you can (a property of the Maharaja of Orchha now converted into a hotel) ... the rooms have fabulous views of Betwa River and you can just step from them and reach the banks ... do visit the Jehangir Mahal for some intricate architecture and the Lakshiminarayan temple for some really fabulous frescoes ... and the more modest birthplace of the ancient poet Keshav Das housed in school compound and a bit more difficult to find ... worth fixing up the same taxi guy for getting you into Orchha, sightseeing within the city, and any trips out it, if you are going to Khajuraho for instance...

Famous for the Taj Mahal Agra is most popular with tourists therefore being very crowded. Foreign tourists have to pay way over the odds to get into see the Taj Mahal than Indian tourists, so its worth knowing that fridays are free.

One of the worst cities in India, in my opinion. Get in, see the Fort and the Taj, and get out! The touts are the most vicious I've ever encountered. Yikes!

a door stop to shove on the inside of the door when you are sleeping comes in very handy...gives you a heads up if someone tries to break in so you can have time to grab something to throw or at least yell out!!

Most come here to see the Taj Mahal. Its worth knowing fridays are free. Usually foreigners have to pay above the odds, alot more than Indian tourists to get into see it. Agra is a fab place though and if you like monkeys yo'll be glad to know there is a lot of wild ones running around the streets! Bring some bananas, but be careful of your hand!

Confluence of Holy rivers The Ganges and The Yamuna

a city saturated in holly Indian'ness ,were down narrow winding streets you loose yourself to the smells of chapati cooking , brahmin cows and constant incense to mask the odour of the burning ghats the constant calls of the chai wallah,the mighty Ghanga seething with bodies seeking holly cleansing,cheeky monkeys egging you on looking for some action ,ancient men pulling fat rich people through pot holes to there destiny dodging the the scared ones the litter the streets.....................

A sunrise boat trip is essential. The best hotel in town is a 4 star - be careful of anything electric though as power outages are common.

The first thing you need to know about Varanasi is to be vigilant in getting from the train station to your hotel as the rickshaw men double as hotel touts, but not the kind who want to talk you into going to their hotel, the kind you trick you into it. If you say you want to go to, say Yogi Lodge (a guesthouse that refuses to pay touts) then they'll take you to New Yogi Lodge, a guesthouse named after the original that does pay touts. If you pull them up on it, they'll tell you that the original burnt down or that it's moved. You're likely to notice that you've been collecting a group of stragglers the closer you get to the wrong guesthouse at which point you'll know you're being dupped as the real Yogi Lodge doesn't send people out to get tourists in (they don't need to). Try to get a cycle rickshaw from the train station, they're not all upright citizens but your chances are better with them. Most importantly study the map before you get there are keep a close eye on street, lane names and be vocal and insistant with the driver, that you know where you want to go and this isn't it! Also, avoid petting the dogs, or puppys, and don't stay in the lanes if you're afraid of cows as it's a tight squeeze getting around them.

I LOVED IT HERE! Atari is home to the border between India and Pakistan, and hence the border ceremony. Thousands (maybe not thousands but almost) pack into the grandstands on both sides of the border and try to out-patiotic-ise each other, with chants of Hinustan etc. The freakishly tall-slim-flexible guards goose stomp their patriotic bottoms off! It's a face off, of the most friendly and uplifting variety. Ignor the touristy side of it if you're one of these annoying travellers whose nose is so far up in the air of so called 'authenticity' (urgh - you lot annoy everyone! ) this is fun. Grab a shared taxi from the outskirts of Amritsar and once you get there grab a seat at the front of one of the grandstands to ensure a good view of the guards' scowls.