Jaipur

After Heidi wrote about Tikam Chand and his incredible 150 year-old camera, I was very keen to track him down. Fortunately our rickshaw driver knew exactly who he was—no sleuthing required, just a trip to the Palace of the Winds. The photos are wonderful souvenirs (I am in favour of anything that makes you look the tiniest bit like a Mitford girl). Tikam says it's getting very difficult to find the right chemicals and parts to repair the camera, so you'd best get to the Pink City sooner rather than later.

We stayed at Karni Niwas, where Tim fell in love with the attentive service; they arranged taxis, tour guides and two-dollar house calls from barbers. If you're making a reservation, the golden room is 101. For whatever reason, Gatore Ki Chhatriyan (below left) is not a popular tourist sight—we had it to ourselves on a day when the nearby Amber Fort was packed. It's really worth visiting for the exquisite marble work. We had a late lunch both days at the Anokhi Café, which is an oasis after traipsing around in the dusty sun.