FAMILY TRAVELIndian
adventures
AFTER A HOT, DUSTY AND
incredibly noisy day exploring
Agra Fort, this was our first
glimpse of the Taj Mahal. We’d
been aiming to visit a sunset-
viewing platform just down the
road from where this picture was
taken, but it had just closed when
w e a r r i v e d. S o w e c l i m b e d a
sand dune with a couple of other
stragglers. In the distance we
could see the specks of hundreds
of tourists beneath the Taj, but
this view gave us a completely
different impression of the site.
O n c e t h e k i d s w e r e a s l e e p w e
ordered curries and a couple of
beers from the homestay’s family
kitchen and had them on the
roof-terrace beside our room,
with the illuminated, ghostly Taj
Mahal visible in the distance.
The next morning, thanks to
our little early risers, we were at
the Taj when its doors opened
around 7am. (The Taj Mahal
opens 30 minutes before sunrise
and closes 30 minutes after
sunset every day.)
My son’s reaction to the Taj
Mahal was incredible. This was
the first trip we’ve taken with him
(he’s now four years old) on
which he has really taken an
i n t e r e s t i n w h a t w e w e r e d o i n g.
The excitement is written all over
his face in this photo.Where’s next on
your family-travel
bucket-list?
We’ll be visiting another wonder
of the world, the Great Wall of
China, on a stopover beforelanding in New Zealand
for New Year. My brother
emigrated to Auckland 10 years
ago, and we got a brilliant
fl i g h t d e a l w i t h A i r C h i n a, s o
the opportunity to go before
my daughter turns two (and
has to pay for a seat) was too
good to miss.When we shut the
front door, ready
to go and travel
as a family,
we a lw ays...
...make sure we have snacks.
Virtually every travel mishap can
be smoothed over with crackers,
rice cakes or fruit.LORNA’S TIPS FOR
VISITING THE GOLDEN
TRIANGLE WITH KIDS
1) Hiring a private car with
a driver significantly reduces
the stress of getting around,
especially if your kids are young
and you need to take a pram.
2) There’s so much to see in this
area of India that it’s extremely
tempting to overdo it; either give
yourself longer or rein yourself
in. Kids need down-time and
trying to cram everything in
isn’t a recipe for a happy trip.Travelling with children can bring
well-known landmarks back to life,
says travel writer Lorna Parkes,
after visiting India’s Golden Triangle
@Lorna_Explorer