When I was a kid I used to stare in wonder at pictures of the Taj Mahal and think to myself, "I'm going to live and die and never see that." Compass not only showed me the Taj Mahal—that most beautiful and amazing monument that for so many westerners like myself is the very symbol of India—but so many other things I never thought I'd see.
I travel solo. That means no friends or family accompany me (if I waited for my stick-in-the-mud friends and family to come with me, I'd probably never go anywhere). A woman with the courage to take a trip on her own to a country whose culture seems quite different is looking for a travel agency who can, as we say in America, ‘step up to the plate.’ I made a list of all the things that I considered to be important, and Compass, above others I checked out, responded in a way that told me these people are a cut above—classy, professional, and who I could count on to look out for my best interests day and night, so I could relax and enjoy the tour without any worries.
I also had the good sense to look for an agency who made an effort to know me—who I am, my level of education, my occupation, my interests, how experienced I am as a traveler (at the time I was not very experienced as an international traveler), how I feel about history and religion, and so on. Once I decided Compass was the right choice for me—and I’m about to give you a really good tip here, gentle reader, so pay attention!—I gave them a ballpark budget and a rough outline of the places I wanted to see and the kind of things I might enjoy such as traditional dance, architecture, ancient manuscripts, wildlife, train travel, star gazing, etc. Then I sat back and let them do their job.
My India tours as a result have been rich with surprises, as Company introduced me to so many delights I would never have thought of including for myself—why would I want to plan my own surprise party? (I spent a night in a tree house 40 ft. in the air on a ranch in the middle of a wildlife sanctuary and listened as peacocks called to one another.) The other smart thing I did was I read as many books about India, and especially about the parts of India I would be visiting, as I could so I wouldn’t be some gaping yay-hoo who visits Raj Ghat (the place where Ghandi was cremated) and call out, "Now what did you say this place was again?"
I have visited the most fantastic places! But beyond the many not-to-be-missed monuments, museums, or other main stops on perhaps any worthwhile tour itinerary, what I have appreciated even more are the impromptu side trips and off-the-beaten-path experiences that have been interjected by my guides and drivers simply because they ‘know a guy’ and just happened to be in the neighborhood. In Darjeeling I was taken, just on a whim, and because he remembered I had expressed an interest in meeting more of the locals, to visit the family of my driver who lives in a tiny village just a few minutes’ drive outside of town, and again down the road to visit his aunt whose house was surrounded by spectacular orchids of the most vibrant color. We laughed about politicians, complained about our arthritis, and talked about earthquakes and the best way to bake bread. And we didn’t even speak the same language. My friends sometimes ask me, “But don’t you hate to travel alone?” Alone? On my tours with Compass I was almost never alone. The only time I was alone was at night when I went to sleep in my five-star, luxury hotel with a cup of hot tea on the night table, a bathtub big enough to swim in, and more room service than I knew what to do with. Poor me.
But I digress. Ok, back to the Taj. My guide brought me to the Taj Mahal at 6:00 a.m. on the dot—the very minute that the gate opens. The sky at that hour is a soft white-gray with just a hint of pink. My photos of the Taj present her in all her silent majesty and grace, without the crowds of strolling tourists in the foreground. I would have to say the photo of me with Jamling Tenzing, the son of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa who, along with Sir Edmund Hillary, summited Everest for the first time in 1952. A private meeting with him was arranged through my guide in Darjeeling after I expressed an interest in climbing when we were visiting the mountaineering museum. I was completely unaware that Norgay’s family still lived in the town. What a thrill for me that was! I so appreciated it! But appreciated equally as much are the little things—those special touches such as realizing I had left my eyeglasses behind in the previous town and having them handed to me within 8 hours.
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