As Alexander Armstrong points out in his Channel 5 travel show, India is home to 1.4 billion people. He jokes that he “tried to meet them all,” proving he’s traveled extensively across the country. Here are some of his most memorable experiences.
Must-see: Tigers
Must-do: Cremation
I’ll never forget visiting the ghats – the stepped riverbanks – in Delhi. At 55, I hadn’t previously seen a dead body, but there, you couldn’t avoid them, and surprisingly, they were beautiful. The bodies were dressed in rich clothing, surrounded by countless prayers and ceremonies. Then, a funeral pyre was constructed, and both holy water and what seemed like accelerant – squeezed from tubes like you’d use for a barbecue – were poured on as people gathered to watch.
We received a kind invitation from a distant relative of the deceased to film the event, but one of the sons unexpectedly became angry and told us to leave immediately, so we had to quickly drive away.
Must-buy: Emeralds
I didn’t purchase anything in a small village near Jaipur, known for its leather artisans. Besides typical leather goods, I came across a craftsman making items for a more niche market – things like bondage gear and studded leather pants. Throughout the trip, most artisans asked if I wanted to buy something for my children, but in this village, I politely declined, saying they didn’t need anything like that.
Must-avoid: Trapdoor spiders
Becoming a dad taught me to overcome my fear of spiders – you can’t show panic when your child points one out! So, when we saw trapdoor spiders in Mumbai, it was a strange experience – fascinating, but still a little frightening. We were exploring a very old jungle, incredibly close to a Bollywood film set, and you could actually hear music and singing while we were there.
This expert was incredibly skilled at finding spiders in the forest, able to pinpoint their locations by reading the subtle signs in the environment. The spiders build their traps from decaying leaves. If you gently poke the trap with a pencil, the door springs open, and a spider quickly emerges – or at least, what looks like a finger. Though, it was probably just a piece of its claw, and a surprisingly large one. It wouldn’t be surprising if the spider was trying to trick me.
Must-eat: Vada pav
Mumbai’s most popular street food is vada pav, and Aram Vada Pav, just across from Victoria Terminus railway station, is the best place to try it. You join the line, pay a small amount, and a famously stern vendor hands you a crispy, deep-fried potato patty. It’s then filled with a spicy green chutney packed with vegetables and spices. It’s a bit like a flaky pastry shell filled with flavor – you have to eat it all at once to keep the filling from spilling out!
If you keep accepting the food he offers, even looking a little bit hungry, the grumpy man will continue giving it to you. Eventually, you’ll probably make a mess, with the green sauce running down your chin, but you won’t mind at all because it tastes so good.
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2026-03-02 20:39