There are destinations which polarise people, and India is one such. It is either right at the top of your ‘must do’ list, or down at the ‘never in a million years’ end. The problems arise when you are at one end, and your spouse at the other, as was the case when I mooted a visit to India. Matthew’s resistance was based on a number of things: a bad experience embarking on a ship in Mumbai, a deep seated (physical) aversion to Indian food, and a reluctance to compromise on standards of accommodation.

Over many years, we have worked with an exceptional partner in India offering the highest standards, and achieving excellent satisfaction levels from our clients adding pre- and post-cruise arrangements to their cruises. I was confident that the combination of our local agent Ventours, and the outstanding Oberoi Hotels, would win over even Matthew.

We flew to Delhi on the conveniently timed Virgin flight, leaving in the evening and arriving late morning the following day, so consistent with our body clocks we were able to sleep – the four and a half hour time difference makes adjustment relatively easy. After a lazy afternoon, we had a good night’s sleep and were ready to enjoy lots of sightseeing the following day.

During our morning in Old Delhi we rode a trishaw through the old town, and gasped at the narrow streets, overflowing stalls and bustle of thronging people and tottering buildings. New Delhi, on the other hand, laid out by Lutyens (all too familiar to someone who grew up in Hampstead Garden Suburb), is beautifully laid out with broad boulevards, imposing buildings and lots of open space and greenery. We saw Raj Ghat, a simple memorial that marks the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated in 1948, the beautiful Lodi Gardens, the stunning Qutb mosque and minar constructed in 1199, and the Tomb of Humayun, an early example of Mughal architecture.

The following day, the Shatabdi Express train departed Delhi at 6a.m. for Agra, and we were at the Oberoi Amarvilas in time for breakfast. A fantastic view of the Taj Mahal just 600 metres away from the terraces of nearly all the rooms at this beautiful hotel make it very special indeed, whilst its elaborate mughal gardens echo the beautiful architecture we were to see that very morning at Agra Fort. We visited Itmad-Ud-Daulah, (known as Baby Taj) a beautiful mausoleum which (so we thought) prepared us for the excitement of finally seeing the Taj Mahal , late the same afternoon. In fact nothing can prepare you for this, the most perfect architectural monument in the world, built by the great Mughal emperor Shah Jehan in memory of his wife. However many pictures you have seen of this imposing monument, you can have no concept of its size, beauty and perfection until you view it close up, with its beautiful inlaid semi-precious stones glinting in the setting sun. We couldn’t resist returning at dawn the following day, and indeed it changed colour, minute by minute, as the sun rose.

From Agra we visited Fatehpur Sikri, the red sandstone former capital of the Mughal empire. The city lived between A.D. 1571 up to 1585 and then became a ghost town, abandoned, possibly due to complexities with the water systems. From there, the long journey by road took us to Jaipur and the Oberoi Rajvilas, whose suites and tented rooms are dotted around over thirty acres of beautiful gardens, pools and fountains.

Our exploration of Jaipur gave us our first taste of the wonders of Rajasthan – a most vibrant city and living history, its memorable pink crenellated walls and bustling streets are unforgettable. We visited the Amber fort, the former seat of the Rajput rulers of Jaipur with its beautiful palaces and Shiladevi temple (which continues to be the private temple of the Royal family) exquisitely carved and decorated with silver. That afternoon, the highlight was the incredible open air royal observatory Jantar Mantar, a true tribute to the visionary intelligence of Maharaja Jai Singh, with his love of mathematics and astronomy.

From Jaipur we flew to Udaipur, crossing the famous Pichola lake by boat to reach our beautiful hotel, the Oberoi Udaivilas, designed as a traditional Rajasthani Palace. Set in the hills where the Maharana used to hunt, Udaipur is less manic than Jaipur and the tranquil setting contrasts well with the bustling streets and busy markets. We actually saw the Maharana at the Ashwa Poojan regal festival where five royal horses were worshipped by the Custodian of the House of Mewar (the Maharana himself, Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar).

The following day, we enjoyed yet another highlight on a drive through the countryside to Ranakpur to visit the Jain temples, situated in the remote and peaceful Aravalli valley. The most famous is the Adinath temple, a beautifully crafted marble edifice, which has 29 halls supported by 1444 pillars – no two of which are alike. This was a most amazing site – the workmanship was breathtaking and the preservation of the carvings a marvel to see.

This brought our brief introduction to India to an end – we flew back to Delhi for a night before returning home.

There were a number of factors which made our visit very special, and the first must undoubtedly be the outstanding quality of the hotels we stayed at. Oberoi is a very special hotel chain: the hotels themselves are beautifully planned and reflect the architecture of their surroundings, so that you feel as if you are a guest of India’s legendary Rajput Princes. No queues at front desks here – you are greeted at the door of each hotel with a flower garland and cold towel, and escorted to your room where the check-in formalities take place in a leisurely fashion. Each hotel has its own character, but key notes everywhere are the most charming and attentive staff, fountains and pools, terraces and pavilions in beautifully tended gardens, and an emphasis on the music and dance of the region: al fresco dining in the evenings in both Jaipur and Udaipur was enhanced by excellent performances, and in Agra, a glorious dance event in the early evening is played out to the backdrop of the Taj Mahal silhouetted against the sky. The food in all the hotels was excellent, with wonderful Indian specialities, but plenty also for the Western palate.

We were fortunate to be in India during the Hindu festival of Navaratri, when Hindus invoke the energy aspect of God in the form of the universal mother. As the nine day festival drew to an end, the goddess was carried through the streets to the water in a colourful and noisy procession, which we witnessed both at the lakeside in Udaipur, and on our journey through the countryside to Ranakpur. The joyous event was a wonderful reflection of a gentle and welcoming race of people.

Our busy itinerary looked overwhelming at the outset, but in fact as each palace, fort and temple was different, and the quality of our guides so excellent, the history and culture of the country came alive before our very eyes. To experience everything with a private driver and guide is a privilege indeed, and one I would thoroughly recommend. Never a moment went by without another sight to amaze us, and in particular we enjoyed the experience of being driven along roads where buses, vans, tuk-tuks and carts pulled by oxen, buffalo, horses or even camels jostle for position, motorbikes carrying whole families of four or five people weave around herds of goats and swerve to avoid stray dogs, pigs rootle through the rubbish at the side of the road, elegant women clad in the brightest of colours sway along balancing huge brass pots or baskets full of vegetables on their heads, an elephant nonchalantly passes in the opposite direction, and in the middle of all this chaos, a sacred cow and calf wander obliviously into the path of oncoming traffic bringing everything to a hooting, shouting but good-natured standstill. Indeed the traffic jams could arguably head the list of highlights of our trip.

And was the naysayer Matthew converted to the wonders of India. High praise indeed came from him with his conclusive statement that our trip was ‘nearly as good as a cruise’!