When our daughter Gemma announced her engagement to Suraj and told us that there would be a wedding in Navi Mumbai India, our thoughts turned to planning an extended travel experience. There were some bucket list places that we wanted to visit in India - the Taj Mahal, tigers in the wild and the historical monuments of a bygone era.

Just as rewarding as these planned experiences were the small moments - sharing a meal with a family in their home, making connections with fellow-travelers and the fun of a selfie photograph with a complete stranger. Along the way we learned some of India's unique history and saw how it's complex cultural and religious heritage had shaped India's view of itself in the world.

Finally, before returning to Melbourne, we spent some time in Singapore - a city that is both a sophisticated commercial hub and a reflection of its historical Chinese, Malaysian, Indian and Western ethnicity.

This book captures some of the amazing places and memories we will always treasure.