This week saw the return of the BBC's The Real Marigold Hotel, a travel documentary series wherein a group of nine famous senior celebrities pack their bags and head to India, for a once in a lifetime trip uncovering the fascinating history, wonderful scenery and unique cultural differences of this kaleidoscopic destination.

You love rail travel but also want to explore further afield than Europe; this is a conundrum many of our customers call us about.

70 years ago, on the 15th of August 1947 India became the country that we know and love today. Following the departure of the British after nearly 200 years of what is known as the ‘British Raj’ (or ‘British Rule’), India suffered a period of turmoil, with Pakistan off from India, but it has since risen to become one of the main superpowers of the modern world.

A firm handshake and a broad smile; his name was David (a member of Kerala’s Christian community who make up 20% of the population here), and with this and this alone, he welcomed me aboard his giant Chinese fishing net. Here a team of six lowered the netting over 250 times a day into the estuary below, which just a few short metres away transformed into the Arabian Sea.