As part of our TIGER Series of funds, we gave New Zealand financial advisers and brokers, the opportunity to travel to India and experience first hand one of the emerging markets in our sharemarket basket. This was a great educational opportunity and the experience was fully embraced by Auckland based adviser, Jonathan Westoby and his wife Linda.

INDIA - A Fleeting visit

By Jonathan Westoby of JMIS Limited
27 November 2006

When Mathew Mimms called me to say I had won a trip to India I was stunned. After two weeks in this country of unbelievable contrasts, I am still stunned.

My wife Linda and I only had 10 days in India so we planned short stops at five destinations to get maximum exposure. First up Delhi - 17 million people in an area unencumbered by hills, with no wind to blow the perpetual haze (smog) away and permanent road building/repairs (2010 Olympics). The streets are full, the driving unimaginably diabolical, the markets alive and the hawkers and beggars incessant - just great. After the mandatory visit to India Gate, Red Fort, Qutub Minar (Hindi temple), and Humayun tomb (not dissimilar to Taj Mahal), we flew to Varanassi (formerly Benares). The tour highlight for me was rising at 4.30am to watch the sun rise over the city while being rowed on the Ganges and watching the devoted Hindis bathing, washing, drinking the polluted water as well as cremating their dead. The large number of tourists did not reduce the splendour of morning light bouncing off the age old buildings nor reduce the enthusiasm of the locals doing what they always have done for hundreds of years. The odd dead cow floating near the shore and a foot sticking out from a funeral pyre just added to the melancholy of the morning.

After another mandatory temple or two we flew to Khajuraho, a town of only 15,000 people, but one harbouring the famous Khajuraho temples. Forgotten and unvisited until the mid 1960's, these temples are, behind the Taj, the most visited attraction in India. Originally there were 85 temples some 1,000 years ago - now only 22, but they are being faithfully restored, they are a world heritage site and this little town will soon have an international airport such is the interest. The sculptures on each temple (up to 900 on each) are breath-taking as they are erotic, depicting, amongst other scenes, all the "positions" in the Karma Sutra. This may explain the sudden popularity to the modern world of the Khajuraho temples.

Next, a four hour car drive through arid farmlands to Jhansi where we caught a train to Agra and the Taj Mahal. It was another early start to see the sun rise on the marble stoned monument to Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of Shah Jahan, and it did not disappoint. The first views were awe inspiring and they did not let up. I didn't know that the minarets (the four monoliths at each corner of the central structure) lean two degrees outwards, so should they fall it would not be on Mumtaz Mahal (his favourite wife as she bore him 14 children although eight died at birth). More interesting facts: It took 22 years to build, has 16 gardens, 53 water fountains, was completed in 1653, has a myriad of precious and semi-precious stones inlaid in the marble and the Taj looks the same from all four sides. On then to Agra's Fort, built of the local red sandstone, similar to Delhi's Red Fort. The Maharaja was imprisoned here by his son because he was spending too much money - he wanted to build a similar mausoleum (of black marble) for himself across the Yamana River and opposite the Taj Mahal, but couldn't afford it. He died in the fort - but was always able to see his wife's resting place from his personal quarters. The view is a popular tourist photo - but often marred by the haze. We drove out of Agra, heading for Jaipur, on the way exploring the deserted city of Fatehpur Sikri.

When we approached Jaipur it felt different. We were now in Rajasthan - an area blessed by less pollution due to the hills, proximity to the deserts of Rajasthan and far fewer factories. An important industry in the region is the mining of precious and semi-precious stones from the surrounding hills. Of interest was the summer palace of the local maharaja built in the middle of the man made lake, the Jai Singh Observatory which included the world's largest sun dial (accurate to within 20 seconds and 30m high) and the city layout where old Jaipur is surrounded by walls enclosing the largely pink buildings which the city is famous for. The highlight here though was the visit to the Amber Fort and the elephant ride up the hill to it. Once we battled past the incessant hawkers, had clung to our seats for the trip up and tipped (mandatory) our mahout (elephant rider), we soaked up the view and history of the 400 year old stone building. In fact it was built in three stages over 200 years and is enclosed by an eighteen kilometre wall on the surrounding hills.

We were sad to leave Jaipur, especially since the Black Caps were playing there the following day! Another afternoons drive to Delhi where we literally crashed at the hotel to prepare for our early morning departure. Though exhausted we continued our adventure for two days in Hong Kong where, apart from the ever present smog, we had another different though more pleasant culture shock. We had enough time to shop (better experience here compared with India) as well as travelling by boat, train, bus, tram and car around Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, the two main islands, before the twelve hour flight back to New Zealand.

For me and Linda, without doubt, the travel experience of a lifetime. I can't thank Liontamer enough for this wonderful opportunity, and would recommend India to any traveller to see the culture, colour, poverty, wealth and history like no other country can offer.