I've stood before the Ganesh Gate and wondered at it. For the colours of this beautiful centrepiece of the Amber Fort in Jaipur might truly be described as organic.
Jaipur is known for its gems - for cutting and polishing precious and semi-precious stones - a craft, an industry established by the Maharajah Jai Singh when he founded the city some 300 years ago.
Particularly when soft emerald, lapis lazuli and ruby are cut, water is used to stop overheating. The water was reclaimed and the residue dust mixed with gum Arabic to make a paste to paint on the plaster ... to paint the Ganesh Gate.
The colours are delicate, natural, beautiful.
And, if you look even more closely, the Ganesh Gate tells a story. It features the Hindu god Ganesh, but it is distinctly Rajput and there's a clear Islamic influence. Maharajah Jai Singh was inclusive of ideas as, indeed, the ruler Akbar before him had been. He learnt to live with the Muslim Mughals who had come in to the north with armies of up to 250,000 and ended up controlling from Kabul to Tibet and three- quarters of the way down the sub-continental peninsula.
The Ganesh Gate tells story and history, and can keep me captivated for a long time.
I can just stand before it and stare, and enjoy the slightly odd and comforting feeling that I am held safely by its frame. 
And I am looking forward to sharing it. 
For soon I will be standing before the Ganesh Gate with the travellers who join me in India on our inaugural Travel Club Tour, in conjunction with our friends at Wendy Wu Tours.
I love Jaipur, but it is only one point of the Golden Triangle of India, of course.
There is Delhi, so dominated by the story of Mahatma Gandhi, and of the British, and there is Agra with that stunning white poem of love, the Taj Mahal. There is the symmetry, and the bench on which Princess Diana so famously sat alone.
And for Agra, I am working on a gala dinner for our guests, during which I will perform words alongside local musicians. 
And I have been keen to extend our triangle into a square, as it were, adding a visit to the beautiful city of Udaipur.
This is the city of busy ghats - the steps around a mirror-surfaced lake - and of white palaces shimmering on that lake. I'll host a special lunch there. Every week in our stories, and now in our videos and other work at sevenwesttravelclub.com.au, we share the world with you. Over the years, I shared a lot of my thoughts of India. And soon I'll be standing in front of the Ganesh Gate, sharing that too.
 WHAT YOU'LL SEE, DAY BY DAY 
Join Stephen Scourfield in India - presented by Wendy Wu Tours: A 13-day Guided Tour of India departing Perth on   November 18, 2016. 
Exclusive to our journey of India is a personally led tour of the Amber Fort by Stephen Scourfield. Enjoy a special dinner in Agra and a lunch and presentation hosted by Stephen in Udaipur.
 Day 1-2:   November 18-19 - Arrive Delhi 
Fly with Singapore Airlines to Delhi where you'll be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day will be free time.
 Day 3:   November 20 - Delhi 
A full day of sightseeing starts in Old Delhi with the Red Fort before walking through the Chandni Chowk bazaar. Continue to India's biggest mosque, Jama Masjid, and a brief photo stop at India Gate. See Humayun's Tomb - the inspiration for monuments such as the Taj Mahal. Visit the Connaught Markets, where you can find linen, clothing and homewares.
Meals:  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 Day 4:   November 21 - Delhi to Agra 
En route to Agra you visit Mathura. The mischievous Lord Krishna, the most beloved of all earthly avatars of the Hindu God Shiva. Fall in love with this naughty God who came to Earth to fight immorality, and the temples that celebrate him. This is followed by an enjoyable boat ride before you continue your drive to Agra and your hotel.
In the evening, experience  Mohabbat the Taj at Kalakriti Culture & Convention Centre.
A lavish dramatised extravaganza transports you to the 16th century, in which dwells a powerful king pining for his beloved deceased wife. This is a glimpse into medieval North India and  an inimitable cultural experience.
Meals:  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 Day 5:   November 22 - Agra 
Visit the Taj Mahal as the sun is rising. The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died in 1631. Spend two hours here.  Visit a marble inlay workshop, where you can learn more about the intricate skill of laying marble seen at the Taj Mahal. 
 Enjoy a special private dinner at the Hotel Clarks Shiraz hosted by Stephen Scourfield and a night of dance and music. 
Meals:  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 Day 6:   November 23 - Agra to Jaipur 
En route to Jaipur visit  Fatehpur Sikri,  built by Emperor Akbar in 1569 after it was prophesied that the then- childless Akbar would have sons if he moved his capital to the site. The capital was moved here but only occupied for 14 years before  being deserted. 
Enjoy lunch at Bharatpur, once considered an impenetrable city, then continue to Jaipur, known as the Pink City for the colour of the buildings in the old town. 
Jaipur was founded in 1727 as the Mughals power was declining. The then Maharajah Jai Singh moved his capital from the Amber Fort down on to the plain below. The remainder of the day is free at your leisure.
Meals:  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 Day 7:   November 24 - Jaipur 
Visit Amber Fort, as the British called it. Erected in 1799 by the Sawai Pratap Singh, Hawa Mahal was built so that the veiled ladies of his harem could observe, unnoticed, the lively street scenes below. 
Later visit the Maharajah's City Palace to explore the former royal residence; part of the building has been converted into a museum, while the royal family of Jaipur still uses the remaining sections of the palace. Outside the gate  is Jantar Mantar, the largest stone and marble-crafted observatory in the world. The observatory has 17 large instruments, many still in working condition.
Meals:  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 Day 8:   November 25 - Jaipur 
This morning visit the Nahargarh Fort, also known as the Tiger Fort, which was built in 1734. Next you will visit Galtaji Temples, a prehistoric Hindu pilgrimage site, located only 10km away from Jaipur. One of the jewels of Jaipur, the temple complex encompasses natural fresh water springs. 
Enjoy dinner at 1135 AD Restaurant in  the Amber Fort and  the Light and Sound show.
Meals:  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 Day 9:   November 26 - Jaipur to Udaipur 
After breakfast begin your drive to Udaipur, stopping en route at Deogarh, on the right bank of the River Betwa, for lunch. The origins of Udaipur are based on a legend which tells of a holy sage that Maharajah Udai Singh encountered while hunting in the foothills of the Aravalli Range in Mewar. The sage told the king to build a palace in that exact spot and it would be well protected and so with this advice, Maharajah Udai Singh built his residence there. 
Meals:  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 Day 10:   November 27 - Udaipur 
Begin your second day in Udaipur with a drive around Fateh Sagar Lake, which has a garden cafe on its island. Located nearby are the Folk Museum and Mewar Art Gallery. You'll also visit the Sahelion Ki Bari Garden. (Garden for the Maids of Honour). This delightful 18th-century retreat in the north of the city was built for the Queen of Udaipur, whose dowry included 48 maids.
Enjoy lunch at the Darikhana Restaurant located on Jagmandir Island. Next visit the massive City Palace which overlooks Lake Pichola and enjoy a cruise on the  lake, a popular film location,  including James Bond's Octopussy.
Meals:  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 Day 11:   November 28 - Udaipur  
After breakfast there's an excursion to Jhadol Village Safari. Drive from Udaipur through the hills and forests, to an oasis in the desert hills of the Aravalis. The Bhil tribes that inhabit the hamlets present a life different from mainstream society. Learn about their life, admire their skilful products and soak in the beauty of simple village life. Relax, mingle, heal, enjoy and feel your mood lift to the rhythmic beat of the tom-toms in the evening before heading back to the city.
This evening enjoy dinner at the Sunset Terrace at Fateh Prakash. A restaurant offering unparalleled views of the city's landmark palaces and magnificent natural scenic beauty, and live music are the perfect accompaniments to delicious food. Daylight and night time both offer their own unique charm to the ambience.
Meals:  Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
 Day 12:   November 29 - Udaipur to Australia (via Delhi) 
After breakfast and checkout  you will be transferred to the airport in time for your flight to Delhi, where you will connect with your international flight back to Australia. Arrive home on 30   November.
Meals:  Breakfast. 
Inclusions 
 Return international economy- class airfares flying with Singapore Airlines.
 Tipping and current airline fuel levy - subject to change. 
 All accommodation and meals as specified in the itinerary.
 All transportation, daily tours and entrance fees to scenic attractions (excludes camera fees) as per the itinerary.
 National Tour Escort accompanying you throughout your destination. 
 Single Entry India visa fees for Australian passport holders. 
 Domestic flights based on economy class including taxes (Udaipur to Delhi).
 Australia and India departure taxes.
Exclusions 
 Personal expenditure such as all drinks (including at meals) laundry service and souvenirs. 
 Camera and video entry charges at monumentsforts etc. 
 Insurance of any kind.
 Arrivaldeparture transfers if not travelling on group flights. 
 Earlylate check-inout not guaranteed, if requested it is at an additional cost. 
Prices 
 From $5390 per person, twin share ex-Perth.
 Seven West Travel Club Gold Members $50 voucher accepted.
 Single hotel supplement: From $995 per person.
 Price includes airline fuel surcharge of $629 and tipping of $99 payable upon arrival. Amounts are subject to change.
 Pricing and services are all subject to availability. Please refer to terms and conditions in the Tours section of the Seven West Travel Club website for full details.