The people of India are the real highlight

I've been to a lot of countries and the thing I'll remember most about India isn't Taj Mahal or even the extraordinary butter chicken — it's the people. In Varanasi and out in the countryside, I encountered a warmth and generosity that felt completely genuine.

One local family essentially adopted me for an afternoon after I got lost trying to find Taj Mahal. extraordinary spiritual sites became a shared experience I couldn't have planned. That human connection is something travel can give you and India delivers it more than most places.