Nicholas Goslett, Brighton & Hove, UK
I am a Trustee for an educational charity in Kovalam, a poor fishing village just south of Chennai. I visit each year for a week and then go off wandering in India. I am always reassured by Vikas being there for me at all times: giving me excellent advice whilst I plan the journey; helping me to book trains and planes and buses and the odd hotel (I travel light and usually book bed-and-breakfasts or hotels the day before); always on hand if I have a problem.
My first trip (at the age of 67) was for six weeks to Mysore, Hassan, Hampi (my favourite place in India) then up to Rajasthan visiting Jaipur (where I introduced an Egyptian to the mysteries of 20-20 cricket), Shekawati, Pushkar (where I purchased two tabla which were made for me and shipped to England), Bundi (with the Palace which Kipling described as “the work of goblins rather than of men”), Rathnambore (in a hopeless quest to see a tiger), Udaipur (where I had a superb yoga teacher), Jodhpur (where I chanced upon the sensational Rajasthan International Folk Festival in the fort with the full moon rising over the ramparts), and Jaisalmer (where I was ripped off for a two-day camel trek but loved it all the same). Being my first trip, I was so glad to have Vikas to book most of the long journeys and help me with accommodation when I needed it.
In 2014 I visited the North East , first with a trip splendidly organised by Vikas to the tribal area in Odisa, then on to Konark (another fishing village with children who called me Mr Pen since I gave so many pens away), Puri (with some bird watching), Varanasi (where I played cricket and flew kites with the boys on the beach and soaked up the religious feeling of the ghats and the Ganga) and finally Khajaraho (with the most beautiful, and erotic, carvings I have ever seen).
In February 2016 I decided to spend four weeks seeing more of Tamil Nadu than just Kovalam where we run the Venkat Educational Trust. Starting in Chidambaram (where I had a very strange evening with some Pentecostalists and visited the second largest Mangrove Forest in the world with three lovely girls from South America), I then spent a couple of days in Trichy (and wondered if I had had enough of temples and these Dravidian ones so different to those in other parts of India I had visited), came to Madurai (with the incredible temple which I visited so many times), spent twelve nights in a youth hostel in Kodaikanal (with two games of golf at the excellent 120 year-old course), and finally six days in an Ashram (which I didn't want to leave - you go for the yoga and stay for the friends). This journey was pretty straightforward but once again Vikas was there to help if I needed it.
I learnt a good lesson during my 2018 trip to Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Shimla and Amritsar: don’t believe in one’s fantasies, check what it’s really like and plan it better! I was saved a couple of times by Vikas when a plane left four hours before the expected time and the Darjeeling Toy Train did not exist. The whole trip went pear-shaped: Darjeeling is now overtaken by 4-b-4s, not much to do in Kalimpong and the monsoon was playing such havoc with the roads to Shimla (which I was told was now much like Darjeeling). I abandoned the trip and flew home in time to watch the Ryder Cup.
Undaunted, this year I was back and travelling to Rishikesh (to take in the yoga and meditation) and Amritsar (to see the Golden Temple which is every bit as wonderful as I had been led to believe, and the Changing the Guard at the Wagah Border Crossing which is ludicrous but the Indians love it).
I can whole-heartedly recommend Vikas and Vacationindia for any help you need with your holiday in India, from planning it all for you or helping you like he does me!