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I’m so thrilled by this amazing review from social media travel blogger and author, Preeti Rajput! You can find this review and much more on her entertaining blog, Inertia Speaks, and on Instagram.

[NOTE: her lovely review of Please Don’t Ask For Extra Glasses, Book II in Your Camels Are Here series, can be found here.]

Do Not Wash Hands In Plates by Barb Taub

Review by Preeti Rajput, Rating : 4.5 out of 5.0 stars

It is the first book of the “Your camels are here” series. Somehow I read part-2 (Please don’t ask for extra glasses) before this, leading to a stimulating experience of reading which compelled me to read the first book also. Gladly, I wasn’t disappointed at all reading this hilarious and delightful book.

Jaya, Barb, and Janine plan to meet in India to have an extended sightseeing trip. It starts from TajMahal, going through Delhi, Kerala, and concluding in Mumbai. They stayed and picked heartful menus at Jaya’s infinite relative’s homes. It is true, in India you can have connections in almost all the states. I gather the reason for their delightful experience was the presence of an Indian woman among them; otherwise, they might have stuck in language issues and tourist traps.

As usual, the worst experience every international tourist goes through in India is an upset stomach. Due to differences in food habits, it is common for most of them. Barb also got the same. She survived and overcame the nightmare and went on the journey to have the time of their life. I can relate to their love for Paranthas, camels, and elephants. Unlike Book2, this time, Jaya wasn’t a too aggressive, no-nonsense kind of woman, apparently being mainly among her family.

Few things are repetitive, like the mention of IPS (Indian Pedestal system) in both the books. Either the drivers were the same with different names, or at least their behavior was.

It is a short book with exotic pictures of the trio having loads of fun. Roughly, one can finish it off within an hour. And the hour will be a pleasant and exhilarating experience for the readers. I started the book with similar hope and am glad it went as per the expectation. And yes, Indians are very generous, especially to international travelers, for no particular reason.

Calling all travelers, writers, and readers:

Please help us support ArranSound.com, the new radio station on our little Scottish island, Arran. They are hosting a contest with prizes including free books and a Kindle fire7 Tablet.

Just drop us a note telling about your most memorable vacation. Was it the best trip ever? That pandemic staycation? Worst holiday? The trip you always dreamed of taking someday? We can’t wait to hear from you! Further info and entry links are here, and winning entries will be read on air. I can’t wait to hear from you!

One more bit and a question for readers:

I recorded Do Not Wash Hands in Plates for the new ArranSound.com radio station, and am thinking of making the chapters available in podcast and/or audiobook form. Do you access blog posts via podcast? Do you listen to audiobooks?

Here’s a sample chapter from the day we visited the Taj Mahal.