Vanessa Betts is a writer and editor from England. She went to India in 1997, as the first stop on a round-the-world ticket, and then found out that nowhere else could quite compare. She has lived and worked overseas for most of the last 18 years, mainly in Egypt, India and Israel. Victoria McCulloch is a nomad currently calling Goa home. Armed with a laptop and a yoga mat, she plies her trade as freelance journalist and Kundalini Yoga teacher. She first ventured to India in 1997, but has been living in the 'motherland' for the last seven years and can now only drink her tea with masala in it. Victoria has also been influenced by the music and chanting in India and is recording her second mantra album.

1) Planning your trip 2) Delhi 3) North from Delhi (Chandigahr around; Amritsar around; Southern Himachal; Kinnaur Spiti; Kullu Valley; Lahaul the Manali-Leh Road; Northern Himchal; Trekking in Himachal) 4) Jammu Kashmir (Kashmir Valley; Ladakh) 5) Practicalities 6) Footnotes