Growing up, I was fascinated by my Mum’s stories of her travels when she was younger. These were the spark for my travelling imagination, and after school I took a gap year determined to make a few of my own.
My trip lasted seven months across South America, India, and Southeast Asia. All amazing places, but India was my favourite. I travelled through Rajasthan — Agra’s wondrous Taj Mahal, the colourful markets of Jaipur and the desert fort of Jaisalmer. I headed south to Mumbai (where I imagined I was in the book Shantaram), and from there to Goa’s sunsets and beach cricket and Kerala’s back waters and tea plantations, via the ancient city of Hampi.
I love India for its culture, its scale and variety, the noise, smells, and general buzz — plus its lovely curry. There is so much to experience, I can’t wait to go again.
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Q&A with Jamie
What’s the best local dish you’ve tasted?
I was in a restaurant in Jaipur, the special was Narangi Maas. A Rajasthani dish created by the Rajput dynasty. I’d never heard of it before, being more familiar with Laal Maas, but I am so pleased I asked the waiter to explain. ‘Narangi’ means orange and ‘maas’ means meat, in this case mutton. The curry was made with freshly squeezed orange juice whose tangy flavour cut really nicely through the gravy and tenderised the meat. I loved it so much that I got the recipe from the chef and it’s now part of my curry repertoire at home.
Where would you love to travel next?
Japan has been on the top of my list for a while. Like India I’m drawn because of the difference in culture, that’s always high on my list of what attracts me to a destination. With Japan the food is also a big pull, after Italian and Indian cuisine it’s one of my favourites.
Which book, film or artwork captures India the most?
India is so vast that it’s difficult to pick just one. I loved Shantaram for the picture it paints of Mumbai, but on my last trip I read The Covenant of Water, a story set in Travancore on the southern tip of India in the state of Kerala. It tells a beautiful tale of a family over multiple generations faced by trials and tribulations, digging into social injustice and the caste system. There is an amazing foundation of belief and fate that carries the characters through. It painted a vivid picture of that area of India — I loved it.