OF TALES, TRAVELS, AND TRAILS

The world reveals itself to those who travel on foot.
– Werner Herzog

The thrill of discovering and exploring a new destination is always exciting. Absorbing the energy of a city, delighting in its sights, unearthing hidden gems, interacting with locals, understanding and appreciating a different culture and customs, trying the flavours of a new cuisine… are just a few of the many and splendid experiences waiting to be enjoyed. It is this very discovery that makes travel so rewarding and such fun.

A good book too has the power to transport you to a different world. If you let yourself be absorbed by the tale, the words on the pages come to life and recreate an entire tableau that plays itself out. From the beginning, as the story unfolds, to the middle where the parts all gradually start coming together… leading up to the denouement that either leaves you in tears or with a smile.

STORYBOOK WITH A TWIST

‘Storybook with a Twist’ was an idea born from our love of travel and books, both. So we scoured libraries and book stores for popular novels and for books that were more than just destination guides. We were looking for stories about cities in our part of the world that combined reality with fiction and created magic. The sort that would charm millions.

Once we had the books, many an afternoon was spent studying city maps and creating experiential tours that would allow our clients to retrace the footsteps of the characters in the story while also covering the must-see sightseeing in each destination.

Today, as part of our Shantaram Tour in Mumbai (capital of Maharashtra state), clients explore India’s ‘maximum city’ – incidentally, a fitting sobriquet borrowed from writer Suketu Mehta’s compelling, eclectic portrait of Mumbai – with stops and experiences en route as described in the eponymous novel.

Whether it is discovering the thrill of riding local trains in Mumbai, sharing food with commuters and seeing first-hand what the author, Gregory David Roberts, describes as the quintessential Indian headshake, the combinations are many and fascinating.

WHITE MUGHALS TOUR

In Hyderabad, we offer the White Mughals Tour.

With our expert guides, clients retrace the poignant and true love story – at the end of the 18th century – of James Achilles Kirkpatrick, the British Resident at Hyderabad (capital of Telangana state), and Khair-un-Nissa Begum, the aristocratic Hyderabad Muslim girl whom he eventually married.

The account of their unlikely yet moving romance was made famous by William Dalrymple in his bestseller.

Visiting iconic landmarks and uncovering the rich history of the city apart, the tour is also a beautiful ode to the power of acceptance.

You realise that what was true then is true even today; it is indeed possible to reconcile different worlds and cultures if one travels with an open heart. And without prejudices.

WHEN BOOKS BECOME EXPERIENCES

But not all books are tours. Some are simply the setting for a timeless experience that has the power to resonate and strike a chord.

Sitting under blue skies in Nepal, enjoying a champagne breakfast after a sunrise Mountain Flight, and reverently gazing at the majestic peaks of the Himalayas – all set the stage for your Mountaineer expert to recount another true story, albeit of a different kind: the tragic sequence of events of the ill-fated Everest Expedition of 1996 described by Jon Krakauer in his novel Into Thin Air.

On a clear day it is impossible to imagine the mighty, stunning mountains as a terrifying adversary. But that said, the book is really about the triumph of the human spirit; and is awe-inspiring and touching.

A truly captivating book is one that makes the reader’s mind wander to lands faraway when turning a page. A truly inspired reader or traveller is one whose life changes after shutting the book.

We do hope YOU can make that ‘inspiring journey’ to India – home to destinations that have inspired some of the greatest literary adventures.

Creating experiences and moments that have the power to transform you is what we hope to accomplish through our Storybook with a Twist travel ideas.

We hope you will come travel with us. Because we look forward to surprising you.