My second trip to India was in February of 2008 and was organized by Ms Megah Kalia of Elephant Ride, Inc., New York. Her personal attention to detail before my departure was awesome and continued throughout my 2-week trip to North and South India.

Whereas my first trip to India had been with an organized tour, this trip afforded me the possibility to revisit the places I had liked and to explore new ones. The accommodations were a combination of hotels with a magic touch and home-stays with family and friends of Ms. Kalia. The latter were most memorable, because they afforded a unique way to get to experience Indian family life and the most delicious Indian home-cooking imaginable! My hosts went out of their way to make me comfortable. I had the feeling I was the beloved long-lost aunt, that had finally shown up to visit!

My many flights were well-chosen to make the most of my itinerary. By the way, even on short flights full hot meals are served and they are nothing like the atrocious airline food we remember on American airlines.

Ms. Kalia managed to connect me up with my favorite driver, Salvamani, in Chennai (the former Madras) and the joy to meet again was fabulous. This time there was time to visit his small but welcoming home, where he lives with his parents his beautiful wife and adorable little son.

All the guides in the cities and at the temple sites that Ms. Kalia had organized where knowledgeable, personable and spoke understandable English.

My brief visit to Goa, the Hippie paradise of yonder-years, was timed to afford me a glimpse of Carnival, which was fun and touching, because of the great effort put into it and the enthusiasm of the onlookers. The popular beaches of Goa have become British meat markets due to the frequent arrivals of British charter planes.

My favorite "magic" place of India is near Chennai. It has a wonderful small beach on the Bay of Bengal, where fisherman still go out with their colorful nets, where food is cheap and has the taste of the sea and where there are three ancient sites, one of which is a temple by the sea. There is a man who does ironing on the street and a tailor who makes clothes to order in a day. I will not divulge the name of this, my favorite little beach town, for fear that it might be ruined like Goa. I pray that I may return there for a third time and find it as untouched by mass tourism as it is now. If I do it will definitely be by Elephant Ride.

Supporting pictures from Marylou's trip are attached herein:

Megha has always proved to be a true delight in disguise. My recent backpack with her has been an experience I'd cherish all my life. Her enthusiasm and comradeship has been a tremendous boost to urge me take time off my busy schedule for a trip that I certainly would be guaranteed fun filled.

I have no clue how does she do it? How is she such an energizer bunny, full of life and always chirpy?

Well I think if you have the time and a place in mind to explore (especially India ), I can't think of anyone better then Megha to take you on an Elephant Ride.

Cedric Rodrigues