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To the Taj Mahal by Rail

A transcontinental train adventure from Brighton Pavilion to India’s Taj Mahal.

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The ‘locals’ owe us nothing

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Recent posts

The Indian Finale
Returning to Dharamshala
The ‘locals’ owe us nothing
Sharing a moment
Celebrating Pakistan
A monster sunrise
Slow travel: it’s a mindset
Pakistan: And now for a brief interlude
Iran: it’s been a journey
Happy tears

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At Selective Asia, we believe travel should leave

At Selective Asia, we believe travel should leave a positive impact. That’s why, in partnership with @worldlandtrust , we have set up our Planet, Community & Conservation Fund, contributing to the “Securing the D’ering-Dibru Saikhowa Elephant Corridor” project with every booking you make through us.

Today, on the World Wildlife Conservation day, we’d love to tell you more about this cause➡️

#travelwithpurpose #wildlifeconservation #sustainabletravel #responsibletourism #selectiveasia

Whilst India gathers steam, a brief throw back to

Whilst India gathers steam, a brief throw back to a few days in Lahore, the foodie capital of Pakistan.

Memories of the mutton channa and beef nihari are going to stay with me for a long time (for very different reasons… 😉)

There’s smidge of evidence buried in there that I did something other than eat. No comment on the whole boys rolling around in mud thing.

#pakistan #tagskryt #lahore #tajmahalbytrain #selectiveasia #foodie #foodietravel

Nowhere demands your attention quite like India. T

Nowhere demands your attention quite like India. The final leg of my journey from Brighton to the #tajmahalbyrail is underway and what a place to start. Amritsar’s Golden Temple.

#tagskryt #india #railtravel #responsibletravel #amritsar #goldentemple #selectiveasia

Oh hello! That’s me stepping off my final train

Oh hello! That’s me stepping off my final train in my penultimate country. Day 49 and 11,583km of travel under my belt.

Tomorrow I’ll say goodbye to Pakistan 🇵🇰 and hello India 🇮🇳, stepping across a border that so few nationals from either country can.

Whilst I can’t wait to start exploring Amritsar, Dharamasala and beyond, I wanted to take the opportunity to shine a light on all that is wonderful about Pakistan.

Interested? Of course you are…now all you have to do is visit the ‘Brighton to the Taj Mahal…by rail’ blog. 🪧Link in the bio.

#pakistan #tagskryt #tajmahalbyrail #lahore #wagahborder

We just can’t get enough of the mighty mountains

We just can’t get enough of the mighty mountains, and what better place to take in the stunning views than in India’s “Little Tibet”.

Ladakh is the place where culture and spirituality meet thrilling adventures. Add seamless service and beautifully restored traditional houses, elevated to very high standards of comfort, and you’ll have a pretty good picture of Shakti. Which has swiftly become our favourite base in Ladakh, that offers you true local experience, without any sacrifice.

#unfollowtheherd #selectiveasia #exploreasia #himalayas #mountainlovers #beatravellernotatourist #meaningfultravel #responsibletourism

When you mention big mountains, most people’s mi

“Where to go for the winter sun?” is a questio

“Where to go for the winter sun?” is a question frequently asked now, as we’re heading towards the darkest time of the year. To help you find the answer, we’ve selected some of the best places to be this coming winter!

For more inspiration, regularly delivered to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter (you’ll find the link in our bio)

#selectiveasia #unfollowtheherd #exploreasia #wintersun #winterescape #beatravellernotatourist

Nothing but a post of appreciation of Japan’s sp

Nothing but a post of appreciation of Japan’s spectacular autumn colours, while we fight the sleet. How stunning does the country look, all dressed up in shades of red, burgundy, and gold.

Are you team Autumn colours, or cherry blossom?

#unfollowtheherd #selectiveasia #autumncolours #traveltheworld #beatravellernotatourist

Is anything else as atmospheric as south Asia’s

Is anything else as atmospheric as south Asia’s railways?

Yes they’re grubby, the stations hectic and at times maddening. However, lurking just beneath the surface is a level of structure and organisation that our friends at Southern* Rail can only dream of.
So I say embrace the madness.

Grab a chai, carefully peak your head out of the open door of the now moving train or kick back and enjoy the ride.

*replace with your chosen flavour of UK train provider

#tagskryt #tajmahalbyrail #traintravel #pakistan

Nepal’s community homestay network is a unique i

Nepal’s community homestay network is a unique initiative that helps travellers get a real taste of Nepal, all while benefiting local communities. Some are so remote that tourists rarely get there, making the experience truly unparalleled, and worthy.

Our founder, Nick, can talk endlessly about this incredible and inspiring organisation, and we encourage you to read his full post in our blog (you can find the link in our bio).

Meanwhile, we’ll share a little teaser here, and start uncovering this gem of an experience that’s just so good from all the angles, we almost can’t believe it’s true (but it is!)

#unfollowtheherd #selectiveasia #responsibletourism #ethicaltravel #explorenepal #exploreasia #beatravellernotatourist

🇮🇷😢❤️➡️ 🇵🇰👋 A final mon

🇮🇷😢❤️➡️ 🇵🇰👋

A final montage of Iran, this time a flavour of the mesmerising landscapes I passed amongst (and honestly I’ve barely scratched the surface).

I had hoped to be filling the screen with tantalising images of Pakistan by now, however there’s been something of a delay. 4 days and counting. Im confined to a guarded compound at the Taftan border whilst necessary security is arranged to accompany us through Baluchistan.
I’d been warned that travelling through this region was challenging and ill-advised, but that’s where the train tracks go so I was stuck with it. Heightened tensions continue since the very sad events in Quetta last weekend.

👉link to my final Iran article in the biography. It’s been quite a journey

#iran #tajmahalbyrail #landscapes #nofilter

Our ode to Sri Lanka, a true paradise on earth. Ha

Our ode to Sri Lanka, a true paradise on earth.
Have you been?

#teardropisland #visitsrilanka #exploreasia #unfollowtheherd #selectiveasia #beatravellernotatourist #traveltheworld #srilanka #srilankatravel

Travelling long-haul isn’t the most sustainable

Travelling long-haul isn’t the most sustainable practice, there’s no denying that. But can we be better, and more eco-conscious, while exploring our dream destinations?

The short answer is yes. There are so many things we could be better at, from an eco perspective, when travelling. Let’s take a look at a few simple steps each of us can take.

Swipe left to find out more➡️ and share your thoughts and best practices with us in comments. Let’s have a little conversation and learn from each other♻️

#selectiveasia #unfollowtheherd #exploreasia #beatravellernotatourist #responsibletravel #ecowarrior #sustainabletourism #incredibleasia #ecotourism

I’m into the final few days of the Iran leg of t

I’m into the final few days of the Iran leg of this rail journey and I don’t feel ready to leave, not remotely close.

Last nights train finally pulled out of Yazd station at 4.30 am, I was bunked in a compartment of 6 and as we seemingly bulldozed our way through the western fringes of the Lut Desert the carriages filled with sand. 8 hours? I’d of willingly done 8 more. Summer time temp in these parts? 72•C 😳

Another سفره مزه - sofreh mazeh - of choice cuts from the past week.

#Iran #tajmahalbyrail #tågskryt #railtravel #selectiveasia #responsibletravel #sustainabletravel

I’m honestly lost for where to start with my tra

I’m honestly lost for where to start with my travels in Iran thus far, this past week has felt like a lifetime in some ways. There early few days were an emotional rollercoaster but the trip soon blossomed into something entirely remarkable. It’s going to take a little while to fully process this one.

This is just an initial smorgasbord - or a sofreh in Farsi- of images from the past week. There’s plenty more in the locker…

👨‍🏫There’s a couple of new articles on the blog including ‘Breaking Down Barriers in Iran’ that I hope you’ll enjoy. Link in the bio as always.

#iran #tajmahalbyrail #tågskryt

The thrill of visiting a new country is unbeatable

The thrill of visiting a new country is unbeatable: the excitement of the unknown places, the anticipation of new discoveries, and the satisfaction of adding another destination to your personal travel map. Oh how we love to feel it all again!

There is, however, a different kind of magic, and a certain depth, in revisiting the country you’ve already been to. The joy of familiarity, lack of rush, and all the surprising details that emerge right in front of you. You’ll be feeling the destination on a whole new level, and that feeling, to us, is priceless.

If going back and re-discovering sounds like your kind of adventure, our list of lesser visited destinations within some of our beloved Asian gems are here to inspire you to truly unfollow the herd➡️

#selectiveasia #unfollowtheherd #beatravellernotatourist #discoverasia #slowtravel #responsibletourism #meaningfultravel #asiatravel

It’s hard to know where to start, just 48 hours

It’s hard to know where to start, just 48 hours in Iran 🇮🇷 and my head is spinning.

Extraordinary, complex, surprising, welcoming, unnerving, mesmerising, confusing and a little mentally exhausting. I’ve been told that it’s likely that I’m the only western tourist in Iran right now, I don’t know how true that is but you can be sure I’m going to use it (I can picture the book sleeve - scratch that - make that the film trailer, already…)

I’m passing through on a rail journey 🚂 and I’m certainly not going to be sharing opinion or commentary on anything religious or political leaning during my visit (and a polite request to refrain from doing so in any response), I’m keen to share visuals of the landscapes and everyday street scenes I encounter. I hope you enjoy them as much as I am. Next stop…Tehran.

There’s a link to the ‘Brighton to the Taj Mahal…by rail’ blog in the bio. Take a peak, you might like it 😊

#tajmahalbyrail #selectiveasia #iran #railtravel #tabriz #streetlife #tågskryt

In just a matter of a few days, Türkiye has rippe

In just a matter of a few days, Türkiye has ripped up the script and set a new course. The change to the landscape and culture, and in many ways the tone of trip, has been significant.

Autumnal colours, European flavours and blunt soviet-era architecture have all been replaced by earthy browns, scattered villages and, well, a lot of kebabs 🍢 (other delicious food available). It’s got tougher also - almost no spoken English and little tourism infrastructure. Just how I like it.

At the time of posting, I’ve got just a few hours remaining of an 18 hour beast of a ride to Lake Van in the far east of Türkiye, and the end of the line. When we departed Kayseri yesterday, I’m told we had a full load, there are now only a dozen or so onboard (lightweights!)

All photos taken from my couchette over the past 15 hours 🛌😴📸

Time for a 🚿 now please.

Check the blog for an update on where I go next. 👆link in the biog

#turkiye #tajmahalbytrain #selectiveasia #tågskryt #tatvan #kayseri

Today marks the beginning of Diwali, widely known

Today marks the beginning of Diwali, widely known by its romantic nickname of Festival of Lights. A beautiful Hindu celebration of light, goodness and purity.

Lasting 5 days, each dedicated to a different theme, Diwali brings colours, vibrant flower arrangements, lit oil lamps, and, above all, the sense of community and togetherness.

Let’s dive into the Diwali’s magic, and look at each day more closely.

#diwali #indianfestivals #incredibleindia #festivalsoftheworld #selectiveasia #exploretheworld #beatravellernotatourist

All change please! So here we are, in the space o

All change please!
So here we are, in the space of just a few days we crossed into Asia at Istanbul AND I bid farewell to Sarah, who’s heading home. We go our separate ways with our bags overflowing with special memories, and I venture east through Turkiye and beyond. 🇹🇷

The change in landscape has been immediate. Vast arid planes, speckled with small villages sat baking in the afternoon sun. It’s great to be back in Asia, the smells, sounds and terrain are all that more familiar to me. Although the route for the next 5 weeks, until I hit northern India, is new to me. Exciting times ahead.

Bye for a while Sarah, I’m really going to miss sharing a window with you x

🚏Click link in the bio to discover more about the journey.

#tajmahalbyrail #tågskryt #türkiye #railtravel #selectiveasia

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