So i am currently in Srinagar, Kashmir, and its drizzling (its not for nothing they liken the place to England), so i thought i would write another post.
The road here was an adventure, not overly comfortable, but interesting none the less. I arrived in Jammu in the morning, intending to visit the sights, stay the night, and make my way up to Srinagar the next day. But this is probably the least inviting city i have visited so far. No one was helpful, its ugly, and so i decided to head straight to Srinagar. Paid 500rs for a spot in a jeep, which was twice as expensive as the bus but promised to be twice as fast and comfortable. Not sure about the last two, but it wasn't a terrible journey, despite the drivers constant attempts to drive us over the cliffs. From Jammu, the road keeps winding up and up (for 8 hours) into the hills, via narrow switchbacks and, well, you have seen the types of roads in James Bond movies. Apart from these were shared with trucks, cars, buses, jeeps and army traffic. Speaking of which, there are army camps lining the road the whole way here, and the military presence is rather oppressive. I felt this most when descending into the Kashmir valley, where looking out of the window, it doesn't take long to see armed patrols walking through the villages and fields - looking like something out of a Vietnam war film. They really do have the attitude and appearance of an occupying force, with all of the soldiers being Hindu (or Sikh) while the local population is Muslim. Added to that is the fact that many of the locals look either Pakistani, or even Persian (i.e much more European looking), and certainly nothing like the population of the rest of India. The lingua franca (?) is Kashmiri, of Persian origin, despite English and Hindi being the official languages (so many of the signs here are in English, and the locals have a much higher level of English than much of India- although there is a trend amongst young guys here to try English and Australian accents, which is rather annoying).
Back to the drive anyway. The hills on the Jammu side of the mountains are heavily developed, and deforested, and terraced wheat farms going up almost to the top. I had initially thought the area reminding me of Wakayama in Japan, but this development ended that. Saw my first snow in India, as the peaks here are still blanketed in the stuff, and certainly gave a feeling of heading towards the Himalayas.
The big change comes after exiting the 2.5km tunnel, that breaks out into the Kashmir valley. One is greeted with a wide open plain, extensively farmed, and with little villages dotted around, with houses looking more alpine than Indian, and wooden mosques in the Persian model (1 minaret). There are blossoms everywhere, my first sight of them since the apple blossoms of Kazakhstan last year, and apparently cherry, apricot, walnut and almond grow here in profusion. I have also seen daffodils which were rather unexpected, and apparently a legacy of the British in the area (it was a separate state, and not part of the Raj, but very popular in the summer for British families to escape the heat of India)
There were so many entertaining road signs along the way, all in English, and I managed to write a few down. They were sponsored by the BRO - Boarders Road Organization - but i am not sure for what reason. Anyone actually driving wouldn't have been able to read them.
"Driving after Whiskey is Risky"
"If you have a wife, dont risk her life"
"Speed is like a knife - cut it"
I wish i had been able to record more of them!
Backpacking around India. No real direction but plenty of stories and experiences (hopefully)
Saturday 31 March 2012
Amritsar
The Punjab certainly is green - fields of wheat stretching of miles. Although how much longer this will continue is unknown, as they have almost exhausted the ground water supply.
Amritsar is the capital city of the Sikh religion, with the Golden Temple at its heart. It isn't too dissimilar from its namesake in Japan, with both having a central golden building, surrounded by water. But while the Japanese one is set in a garden, this one is surrounded by dormitarys, museums and indeed, in encircled by them (as well as a surprising number of woolen thread shops). I am staying in the westerners room in the dorms, and can stay here, and eat (along with 45,000 other people) for free for 3 days, although a donation is expected. There are SO many people here, and not all Sikhs. The religion is a mix of Islam and Hindu, and that is also matched in the building styles, with the outsides being rather Hindu in design, but with an Islamic simplicity to the insides and decoration.
If you have watched 'Gandhi' then you will remember the scene, where the British soldiers shoot at the protesting group of people, killing lots of them. That was in Amritsar, and the memorial is a strange place, not least because i left it feeling rather angry (something i have been doing alot of recently, i need to stop!) The overall feeling of the place is simular to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in that they are painted as being the victims, and any of the deaths being totally undeserved. While the Japanese were hardly blameless victims, neither were the Sikhs. (I am not condoning the deaths, just commenting of the atmosphere of the memorials). The Sikhs were not 'innocent', but were in violation of the law, and while the British response was terrible, and highlighted the arrogance and racism of the soldiers and police, it was not without precedent, and not unlawful.
Trying to read quietly in India is very hard to do - people (men) just come and demand conversations, or will sit next to you (in an empty park) and try and also read the book, or shout and demand you come and talk to them etc. There is no respect of privicy, or any attempt to let someone read in peace. Although I have seen very people reading in public, so I dont know if that makes my actions rather unique, or everyone else has just found out the hard way that its easier to read at home.
The food hall is staffed totally by volunteers, and it really is a sight to behold. It is open 24hours a day apparently, and serves 45,000 meals a day. It has the feel of soup kitchen and sunday church BBQ combined, as Sikhs as well as the poor and visitors are feed together.
Old Delhi
The sprawl of old Delhi was rather overwhelming, especially how busy it was. It follows the classic bazaar style - narrow streets, far too many people, and rows of shops selling the same thing! For what of something a bit out of the ordinary, I visited the Jain bird hospital, where they look after any birds brought in by the public. 90% pigeons, but some housebirds and 4 very sad peacocks. After that the Jamma Mosque. It is the largest mosque in India, and the most expensive to visit! 300rs in camera fees and entry to the tower, but the view was worth it, and I dont have to feel guilty about giving less when visiting other mosques now.
The spice market, while aimed squarely at the wholesale market, was still interesting to visit, and it was rather funny to see everyone coughing and sneezing the whole time, as the air is thick with chili dust. As a visitor though, it is not nearly as interesting at the one in Istanbul, with all of the spices piled up to see. This was just giant sacks everywhere.
Final morning in Delhi was of mixed success. I tried to visit the Akshardham Temple, which is the biggest Hindu temple in the world, but it is closed on Mondays apparently, which was news to the driver, and not mentioned in the guide book. Tughlaqabad fort was open though, and it was fun to explore the extensive ruins. It differs from a ruin in the UK, where while the walls would be left, the ground would have been cleared of rubble, and have been thoroughly sanitized. In India, a ruin is just that, left as it is, and all the bricks and stones just lying where they fell. Which adds a certain something to the experience.
Few final notes from Delhi. Asian faces and black people. There are a large number of other Asians here, from all over the continent, which, apart from the odd Tibetan, is not something seen in other parts of India. There are also Africans, in large enough numbers to suggest there is some from of industry they are involved in. Something else not I haven't seen in India.
Felt very tired on the way to the station. The week in Delhi felt alot more like being home, than the travelling I have been doing, and the thought of 10 hours on a dirty train wasn't very appealing. But thankfully got over that, as I am not very half way through this trip!
Friday 30 March 2012
Delhi- Birthday (complete)
Cant really remember where i left off, so i will start from the 23rd.. My birthday! 5th birthday in a row ive had abroad now.
I had my own driver for the day, but he managed to never be around when i came out of anything, it was actually rather annoying! Felt terrible being angry about it though, and tried very hard not to!
Visited the Gandhi museum, housed in the building where he was living up to his death (a very nice one, but his room was suitably simple), and he was shot in the garden there. The building has been very nicely preserved, and it is a great venue for a museum, but I was very disappointed by the place itself. The bottom floor features lots of information about Gandhi, the struggle for Independence etc, but it is SO DRY! Walls and walls of black and white photo and huge chunks of text. It would take a whole day to read everything. And I have no idea what the idea was for the upstairs, but it made me angry enough that i walked out. It has been set up as an interactive walk through Gandhi's ideas and life, but it looks and feels like a mix between the kids hands-on section at the Science Museum in London and the Tate Modern. Which is fine if it WAS aimed at kids, but its not. Such a huge waste of money, and the whole effect was naff, something Gandhi would have been totally against I am sure. The whole place was such a contrast from the Ashram where I stayed, and I know where I preferred, and learnt more about the man and his ideas.
Next up was Indira Gandhi 's (no relation) museum. She was Nehru's daughter and was Prime Minister for a long time, before also being shot. It is set in her house as well, just around the corner, and is rather nice, without being over the top. While the beginning panders rather and involves showing off all the awards she received, the rest just shows the house and how it was at the time of her death. It offers a nice snapshot of her life.
I had run out of interest in assassinated former leaders of India, so Nehru's museum will have to be done another time.
Next up was a driving tour of the Rajput, the government area of Delhi. It follows the model of the Mall in London, or Washinton DC - A big road with a monument at one end, and the seat of government at the other. It is very impressive, and green, and long and i was glad not to have to walk it!
The only other area on my 'New Delhi' tour for the day was Connaught Place. It is essentially the shopping district of the city (well, it was until all the malls were built in the south, and it itself was designed to replace the old bazaars in Old Delhi). It is in a giant circle design, and is currently being restored to its former self. Features lots of western shops - Levis, Lacosste at prices not that much cheaper than in England, despite a large number of these brands having their stuff made in India. I treated myself to some Indian street food for lunch (no Indian food in the house, so I found myself actually missing it!) Clotilde arrived in the late afternoon, and we went for a quick snack at the Imperial Hotel, the grandest hotel in Delhi. 1930's Art Decco in design on the outside, it is stuffed full of paintings of the Raj and a very British feel on the inside. $500 a night! I had two Boston Creme donuts from the bakery and they were lovely. Then it was home on the Metro and birthday dinner - shredded duck with potatoes, and an Apricot sponge cake, complete with candle. It was a surprise, and very nice, especially when an Indian top, blue scarf and 3 books were added as presents. Did I mention i really enjoyed my stay in Delhi and my amazing hosts?
Monday 26 March 2012
Delhi
What a shock Delhi is, in just about every way! Coming from the rustic quiet of Rajasthan, this city couldn't be more different- there are trees and parks, millions of people who are not only westernised in dress and tastes, but also from different ethnic groups, and BMW's and Mercs everywhere. Delhi has money!
My notes are rather disjointed again, as i have just written down a lot of thoughts as they come to me, but I will try to explain things first.
alk!
Right, enough of showing off, back to talking about Delhi. The south of the city is very green - and spacious, and really rather nice (its like having Su
rrey extend all the way to Brixton). Visited Qutb Minar on my first afternoon, as its just nearby- and was shocked to find a big group of Chinese tourists. Not just as there seem to be so few here, but I am reading a book by Paul Theroux about trav
elling in China, and he talks alot about the destruction of historic things during the cultural revolution. I guess its good that modern Chinese people see the value in it!
Other local sights i saw included the very British looking Lodi gardens - a large park full of flowers, the ruins of the Lodi empire, and courting couples. It was a lovely park and it made me excited to spend time in Hyde Park when I am back in England. There are also two tombs close by, both totally different. Safdarjung's Tomb is Clautilds favourite sight in Delhi, and it is a very quite place, set in a large garden, and totally lacking in tourists and touts. I can see why she likes it so much. Humayun's tomb is a very different place, feeling alot more like the Taj Mahal, not just in the scale of the place, but also in its visitor make up. It has recently been restored (actually its still on-going) and there was a large display explaining how it had been done using traditional methods. They certainly had done a good job at least, doing just enough to stop further damage, without make the place look newly built, which many restorations can do (I am looking at you Soviet Union).
Next stop was the Lotus temple. Belonging to the Bahai faith (they seem to be a mix of all of the major religions, although cant say i know much about them). The building though, IS HUGE! It looks amazing from the outside, but is very simple inside, consisting of marble and wooden pews, and flowers. Its a very popular tourist attraction, and was packed, mainly with Indians, and I saw Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus all viewing the place, so maybe the cross-religion message of the religion is a popular one here.
And finally the Nizamuddin Dargah shrine, which is a Muslim shrine in the Sufi tradition - which makes it very different from the more traditional forms. Most notabably in followers singing and playing music at the shrine, something that is especially popular on thursday nights, when we went. The place was packed, and very interesting to see SOOO many people in such a small space. Not as much music as i had imagined, but the energy was still amazing.
I have to pack for my train to Amritsar tonight, so I will have to continue writing about Delhi when i get the chance, sorry about that!
Sunday 25 March 2012
Train to Delhi
Train left at 5.30pm, and arrived at 11am the next day, so it was nice to be able to actually see some of India from the train, especially how it changes. The empty desert of Jaisalmer slowly changed, and upon waking, was greated with green fields, trees, towns, and rivers choked with rubbish - the India i have known for much of my trip!
Terrible nights sleep though, an old lady decided to start shouting at 2am, not sure why. Shared the train with a few tourists, which was a first, including a German lady, who had quit her high-powered job in the Hamburg and was travelling for the near future. I know this as she didn't stop talking about herself, for hours.
Khuri
The desert! Despite many offers of camel treks offered around the city, i had heard that it was better to head out to Khuri, a small village 40kms or so outside of Jaisalmer, and organise something there. And i am glad i did!
While the 1400rs tours offered MAY have been nicer, i got one i was happy with for 450rs!
Although the effort of getting out there almost made me regret my DIY approach. Weither by design or just ineptitude, the location of the bus station seemed to be a mystery to everyone, including the guidebook.
Got on it eventually though, and made it out to the village, the most rural setting i have thus been to. And found a great little guesthouse, offering rooms in the local African style huts, for 75rs, including 3 meals! SOOO cheap, i was rather shocked, but it turned out fine, and has been the bargain of my trip so far. Opted to leave that afternoon on the camel ride, spend the night in the desert, and then the following night at the guesthouse.
Camels are, well, not comfortable. They are wider than horses, and the movement isn't as smooth, but it wasn't a painful experience, and I
am glad I did it! The highlight was sleeping under the stars, which were just beautiful, and its been a long time since I have been able to see so many, including at least 3 planets as well. The sunset wasn't so bad either! It has been a while since i have woken up for a sunrise as well, and i am glad i did! The others on the trip were all asleep and missed it.
After getting back from the desert, I spent the day and night just relaxing in the village, reading alot and walking around. While there are a few guesthouses, much of the village seems uneffected by it.
Comments on the people of Rajasthan - The men look like pirates! Diamond/gold earings, moustaches, turbans, and a cocky swagger about everything they do- very roguish. The women are the most beautiful i have thus seen in India. Tall, slim, with stern features but a different air about them than other states. Many cover their heads with their saris, and indeed, there is a deep conservatism in Rajasthan that is certainly no longer present in the cities. The village bus was segregated!
On top of getting the new shirts, i thought it was nice to get another shave/haircut, and paid 60rs this time, but a roof, and a chair was included in the 10rs extra price!
Jaisalmer
The desert wasn't quite the Sahara like dunes and endless land i had imagined (more like a eastern Colorado or California scrub), but still.. desert!
But i am getting ahead of myself. It was a lovely quiet (and cool) walk towards the fort at 6am after yet another night train, and this time helping a Japanese pair to find the bus station. One of them spoke no English at all, and while its great he was
travelling, you do have to wonder, quiet how he expected to cope (they had only teamed up the previous day).
Despite the comments in the guide book (the fort is falling down, dont stay in it)... i did. With over 500 Indians living in it, I didn't see how a few tourists could make much of a difference, or why we had to suffer, if the residents weren't also be made to leave. And my guesthouse was nice, with a great view over the city and countryside around.
The main attaction of the city seems to be in its shopping, and even i bought some stuff, although there was a reason, not simply to aid the local tradesmen! I would be staying in rather posher company in Delhi than I had packed clothes for, so thought that getting a few shirts might be a good idea. Picked up 3 locally made ones for 600rs (9quid or so), and a scarf/shawl as well, and felt better equipped to rejoin polite society! (speaking of which, sorry about any spelling mistakes...the computer is French, including the spell-check, so i dont have my usual competer-aided spelling assistant to help me out!)
I also found a 'german' bakery, which means lovely cakes! The apple crumble was amazing, and the lemon cake not bad either :) Mum...i need relearn how to make crumble please
Everything in the town - including the fort - is a golden sandstone colour, and even newer buildings are usually keeping to the colour scheme (even if it means painting concrete). Not sure if its a city order, or just local taste, but it reminds me of Bath and its colour planning. It is also rather unique for India, where the modern concrete buildings often sit next to (and probably ontop of) the far nicer older houses. If they could just learn to bury the power/telephone cables, this town would be very beautiful.
Final note- Cows in India scavange for scraps of food just like the dogs and goats, and neither of them will touch chillies. Makes you wonder why humans choose to eat them!
Thursday 22 March 2012
Jodhpur
Known as the "blue city', as, well, many of the buildings are blue, Jodhpur is a lovely city, and the colour is not only visually appealing, but also more striking that Jaipur (the pink city from earlier), as the blue contrasts rather well with the desert.
I finally visited the inside of a fort! I thought it was about time, and had heard very good things about this one. Every city seeminly has a fort/palace complex, and at 250rs a go, i would be bankcrupt and bored if I visited every one of them! Jodhpurs entrance fee was 300rs! but that included a free audio tour, narrated by an Oxbridge educated Indian, and was interesting if a bit wordy. I, however, managed to get the student price (50rs off, which paid for my lunch) by pretending my Japanese ID card was a student one. The advantage of having a card written in Japanese! And, as I WILL be a student again, its not even dishonest, so I can still sleep at night as well.
Something i had wanted to do was get out to visit some of the Bishnoi villages in the area, but no one at the guesthouse, and seemingly its neighbouring ones was interested, and i wasn't prepaired to hire a taxi for myself. Oh well, it gave me an extra day to explore the city, and I spent a long time up on the old outer defences, completly alone, reading and watching the sunset. Yet another one!
I also decided to splurge a bit on food. Junkfood. I am not sure why, but bought a jar of peanut butter for 100rs (first ive seen in India), and make banana peanut butter sandwiches for breakfast. Then i tried a local snack - a chilli, wrapped in mashed potato and then deep fried. The potato masks a lot of the hotness, and it wasn't bad at all! An
d then, just because i had a craving for chips (and wanted to see the menue) i went into a McDonalds. Haven't been into one for years, and it felt rather odd. McAloo (potato) burger, McPaneer (cheese) spicy wrap... a fish/lamb/chicken/veg menue that was really rather interesting, and in relation to the UK, both more appealing, and cheaper. I opted for the McAloo value meal, which was a mashed potato burger, small chips and small coke. For 75rs. The burger was actually rather bland, but not bad, but thinking about it, I could have gotten a much nicer Indian meal for cheaper in town. Oh well, another experience t
icked off the list.
Dinner was a 70rs all-you-can-eat meal at a workers cafe near the station, which was much better i am sure than the 150rs options offered at the two tourist focused options to it. And had a 'fruits cake' for dinner, which turned out to be a bright yellow sponge more like a brick and a cake, and faintly tasting of lemon. Lesson learnt i guess!
Friday 16 March 2012
Mt Abu
The 5.30am bus never arrived (I found out later it had broken down), so I had to wait 2 hours for the next one. Just before it arrived though, I was offered a lift to the local train station (and then a train - much nicer than a bus the whole way), by two charted accountants, and it was a pleasant, and much faster experience (my train actually arrived before the earlier bus would have). The ticket was also the cheapest so far, 33rs for a 2 hour trip. Just to put that in perspective, a 2litre bottle of water is 25rs!
While on the train I was thinking about what people do, in different countries, based on my experience. In Japan, most people are either using their phones, reading comic books, or sleeping. In Kazakhstan, people slept and talked/ate/drank most of the time. In India, most people just sleep or talk. I am the only person I have seen reading!
Mt Abu is the only British era hill station in Rajasthan, and it must have been incredibly British back in the day - the polo ground still exists, although now its for football and cricket. There are still a number of stone and brick buildings that wouldn't be out of place in Surrey or the Lake District, and I spent a very pleasant hour walking around the old Christian cemetery. Protestants on the right of the path, Catholics on the left, it was a snapshot of British Raj life, with most of the people buried there being soldiers or their wives. A number of graves from 1857 also show that the soldiers (and wives) were not spared from the killings of the Mutany. What I was surprised about though, was a number of relatively recent graves, including 1 from 2011, which included priests, and what I can assume as being holdovers from the Raj.
The carvings at the Jain temple are even more intricate here, but the buildings in general are less impressive, with a more secretive feel to their building (no outward facing windows etc). It is also free, so I was even happier. There was an Indian tour going around when I arrived, and the guide was shouting a lot, which makes me wonder if the 'Hindi voice of authority' just sounds shouty, and the priest in Alwar might not have been that angry.
Both the guidebook, and everyone at the guest house, warned against going walking in the hills by myself, due to 'dangerous animals and tribal people', but it sounded like a load of crap designed to get me to pay 500rs for a guided tour, so went for a great 2 hour walk by myself. Didn't see any animals or people at all, but did get great views of the lake (the top of the mountain is a caldera) as well as views down onto the plains below (the mountain rises up from what once was sea). Sat reading, waiting for the sunset, and had a very pleasant evening. Topped off with an all-you-can-eat meal for 120rs of Gujarati food, which is sweeter than anything I have had so far, and very nice.
The next day, I DID pay for the guided walk, although not from my hotel, but from a guy I met the day before, who said he worked for an animal welfare group. I hoped to see some of the sloth bears and jaguars that are on the mountain, but of course, didn't see anything. The walk was good though, and got to explore a few caves, and the company was interesting - a German and 2 Canadians.
While on the train I was thinking about what people do, in different countries, based on my experience. In Japan, most people are either using their phones, reading comic books, or sleeping. In Kazakhstan, people slept and talked/ate/drank most of the time. In India, most people just sleep or talk. I am the only person I have seen reading!
Mt Abu is the only British era hill station in Rajasthan, and it must have been incredibly British back in the day - the polo ground still exists, although now its for football and cricket. There are still a number of stone and brick buildings that wouldn't be out of place in Surrey or the Lake District, and I spent a very pleasant hour walking around the old Christian cemetery. Protestants on the right of the path, Catholics on the left, it was a snapshot of British Raj life, with most of the people buried there being soldiers or their wives. A number of graves from 1857 also show that the soldiers (and wives) were not spared from the killings of the Mutany. What I was surprised about though, was a number of relatively recent graves, including 1 from 2011, which included priests, and what I can assume as being holdovers from the Raj.
The carvings at the Jain temple are even more intricate here, but the buildings in general are less impressive, with a more secretive feel to their building (no outward facing windows etc). It is also free, so I was even happier. There was an Indian tour going around when I arrived, and the guide was shouting a lot, which makes me wonder if the 'Hindi voice of authority' just sounds shouty, and the priest in Alwar might not have been that angry.
Both the guidebook, and everyone at the guest house, warned against going walking in the hills by myself, due to 'dangerous animals and tribal people', but it sounded like a load of crap designed to get me to pay 500rs for a guided tour, so went for a great 2 hour walk by myself. Didn't see any animals or people at all, but did get great views of the lake (the top of the mountain is a caldera) as well as views down onto the plains below (the mountain rises up from what once was sea). Sat reading, waiting for the sunset, and had a very pleasant evening. Topped off with an all-you-can-eat meal for 120rs of Gujarati food, which is sweeter than anything I have had so far, and very nice.
The next day, I DID pay for the guided walk, although not from my hotel, but from a guy I met the day before, who said he worked for an animal welfare group. I hoped to see some of the sloth bears and jaguars that are on the mountain, but of course, didn't see anything. The walk was good though, and got to explore a few caves, and the company was interesting - a German and 2 Canadians.
Thursday 15 March 2012
Ranakpur
The main (seemingly the only) attraction at Ranakpur is its Jain temple. A large complex carved from marble. It is truly beautiful, and the way it has been planned allows for a lot of light to enter, creating great shadows. At only 100rs to get in, it makes a nice change from the forts in the area, although it is a rather long bus ride, which is compensated for by the beautiful nature of the countryside passed through - mountains, ravines, fields and villages, the twisty mountain roads are amazing, and after the rainy season, the whole area must be lush and beautiful. At present though, coming to the end of the winter period, it is dry and brown.
Groups of kids has set up road blocks by pushing large stones into the road, and were demanding money from people driving along. While this just seemed to be a bit of a racket, but apparently was due to it being the last day of the Holi festival (not sure what that had to do with demanding money, but anyway). Although we were rather lucky, as the last public bus of the day was actually held up and robbed by one of these groups. Not sure how I would have reacted, but pretty sure I would have fought back....no village punk is getting my camera!
My plan had been to stay at the temple, and experience some of the Jain way of life (including its food laws - vegan, and no vegetables that involve killing the plant to get (onion, potato etc). But a big bus load of Indian Jains arrived just before me, and put paid to that idea. There wasn't much in the way of other accommodation in the area, and I ended up paying 400rs for a room, the most I have paid so far (and indeed for the whole trip, unless its for something special- this wasn't), although it did have a dirty swimming pool, so at least it felt posher than everything else. I DID have a nice but expensive restaurant, and access to a large lake, and was very peaceful, so I don't feel too bad about spending the money. Not like I had any choice anyway!
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Groups of kids has set up road blocks by pushing large stones into the road, and were demanding money from people driving along. While this just seemed to be a bit of a racket, but apparently was due to it being the last day of the Holi festival (not sure what that had to do with demanding money, but anyway). Although we were rather lucky, as the last public bus of the day was actually held up and robbed by one of these groups. Not sure how I would have reacted, but pretty sure I would have fought back....no village punk is getting my camera!
My plan had been to stay at the temple, and experience some of the Jain way of life (including its food laws - vegan, and no vegetables that involve killing the plant to get (onion, potato etc). But a big bus load of Indian Jains arrived just before me, and put paid to that idea. There wasn't much in the way of other accommodation in the area, and I ended up paying 400rs for a room, the most I have paid so far (and indeed for the whole trip, unless its for something special- this wasn't), although it did have a dirty swimming pool, so at least it felt posher than everything else. I DID have a nice but expensive restaurant, and access to a large lake, and was very peaceful, so I don't feel too bad about spending the money. Not like I had any choice anyway!
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Udaipur
So, traveling with diarrhea is not that fun, especially after the 4 Imodium tablets taken, fail to plug the leak. After finding a cheap place to stay, I went off to the hospital to get sorted out. Which is not normally something I do, usually trying to get through things like this. But i was tired, and hungry, and wanted to get back to traveling as soon as possible.
The doctor said I had a bacterial infection, and 5 hours later (he had said only 2), I was on my feet again, after a saline drip, and a bunch of other stuff had been pumped into me. And it worked, so I guess that is something to be thankful for!
The problem was, that I had spent much of my 1 full day of Udaipur sightseeing time in the hospital, meaning I didn't get to visit the palace, but I elected to just relax by the lake instead, and spent a few hours talking with a retired mental health nurse, waiting for the sunset. It was a nice way to recover from the uncomfortableness of the previous few days.
From what I could see of the town, it really is very nice, and I have added it to the list of 'places I would like to come back to'. Especially for the bakery near the hotel, which did HUGE pieces of banana cake for 40rs. I will certainly be back for more of those! There was also a great little cafe that specialised in food made using millet, and the porridge was great. Its an ingredient i will try to use more when i get home - you have been warned mum and dad!
The doctor said I had a bacterial infection, and 5 hours later (he had said only 2), I was on my feet again, after a saline drip, and a bunch of other stuff had been pumped into me. And it worked, so I guess that is something to be thankful for!
The problem was, that I had spent much of my 1 full day of Udaipur sightseeing time in the hospital, meaning I didn't get to visit the palace, but I elected to just relax by the lake instead, and spent a few hours talking with a retired mental health nurse, waiting for the sunset. It was a nice way to recover from the uncomfortableness of the previous few days.
From what I could see of the town, it really is very nice, and I have added it to the list of 'places I would like to come back to'. Especially for the bakery near the hotel, which did HUGE pieces of banana cake for 40rs. I will certainly be back for more of those! There was also a great little cafe that specialised in food made using millet, and the porridge was great. Its an ingredient i will try to use more when i get home - you have been warned mum and dad!
Ajmer/ Pushkar
I sat next to a Muslim dwarf, on the baggage rack, on the train to Ajmer. Thought that was worth noting. No, you cant buy tickets for the baggage rack, but I had only bought a general seating ticket - 45rs, and there weren't any general seats left!
The town center was PACKED, and the Islamic shrine I had hoped to see, as well as being hopelessly crowded, also had a 'no bag/ no camera' policy, which meant it faced a 'no Pete' outcome.
Didn't come here for that though, as Ajmer is the gateway to the town of Pushkar.
Rather jumbled notes from here, so will do my best.
The reason I came to Pushkar was, well, I am not really sure. I think I had just heard fellow travelers talking about it, and it sounded nice in the Rough Guide. The Holi festival was taking place that morning, and it is famous for the throwing of paint on people. It was something I wanted to take part in, although I am glad I arrived late in the town square, as it looked like (and later conversations confirmed) that it had been like a war zone... clothes being ripped, and tonnes of paint being thrown, splashed, inbibed and generally abused! I arrived at the tail end, and still got 'painted', but was able to get it off with 1 shower, unlike some people WHO ARE STILL PINK/PURPLE (10 days later).
Because of the holiday, all the cafes/restaurants were closed, bar 1 place doing Israeli food.. and it was this place that got me sick..... damm you Felafel and humus wrap for tempting me!
I tried not to let it ruin my visit though, and managed to see the sites of the town, get my 50rs blessing at the lake, and doing lots of relaxing in bed (while not on the toilet). I was feeling slightly better the next day, so wanted to visit a very highly recommended cafe, where I had a great tofu and aubergine sandwich, but in hindsight, was rather a waste, as it was expensive, and came straight back out again. The clientele at the place though, made me realise that while I am another backpacker in India, I cannot call myself a hippy. I dont seem to share the same views, certainly not the fashions, and I think my view of my own self importance is kept mostly in check. The conversation of a young couple from Oregon sitting next to me angry. They were talking about how much they loved India, especially the food, while eating tofu salad and drinking milkshakes. They were not interested in going to China as there was nothing to see and no one speaks English there, and "because the population is so large, the culture is watered down with sudo-arts". As if China is so different from India, in terms of population and tourism. All of this took place while they were wearing the 'Indian' clothes that only tourists wear... angry!!!!!!!!!!!!
Overall though, I dont think I missed too much by being sick here, as Pushkar is a town aimed squarely at tourists (every building seems to be a guesthouse or a shop)
The town center was PACKED, and the Islamic shrine I had hoped to see, as well as being hopelessly crowded, also had a 'no bag/ no camera' policy, which meant it faced a 'no Pete' outcome.
Didn't come here for that though, as Ajmer is the gateway to the town of Pushkar.
Rather jumbled notes from here, so will do my best.
The reason I came to Pushkar was, well, I am not really sure. I think I had just heard fellow travelers talking about it, and it sounded nice in the Rough Guide. The Holi festival was taking place that morning, and it is famous for the throwing of paint on people. It was something I wanted to take part in, although I am glad I arrived late in the town square, as it looked like (and later conversations confirmed) that it had been like a war zone... clothes being ripped, and tonnes of paint being thrown, splashed, inbibed and generally abused! I arrived at the tail end, and still got 'painted', but was able to get it off with 1 shower, unlike some people WHO ARE STILL PINK/PURPLE (10 days later).
Because of the holiday, all the cafes/restaurants were closed, bar 1 place doing Israeli food.. and it was this place that got me sick..... damm you Felafel and humus wrap for tempting me!
I tried not to let it ruin my visit though, and managed to see the sites of the town, get my 50rs blessing at the lake, and doing lots of relaxing in bed (while not on the toilet). I was feeling slightly better the next day, so wanted to visit a very highly recommended cafe, where I had a great tofu and aubergine sandwich, but in hindsight, was rather a waste, as it was expensive, and came straight back out again. The clientele at the place though, made me realise that while I am another backpacker in India, I cannot call myself a hippy. I dont seem to share the same views, certainly not the fashions, and I think my view of my own self importance is kept mostly in check. The conversation of a young couple from Oregon sitting next to me angry. They were talking about how much they loved India, especially the food, while eating tofu salad and drinking milkshakes. They were not interested in going to China as there was nothing to see and no one speaks English there, and "because the population is so large, the culture is watered down with sudo-arts". As if China is so different from India, in terms of population and tourism. All of this took place while they were wearing the 'Indian' clothes that only tourists wear... angry!!!!!!!!!!!!
Overall though, I dont think I missed too much by being sick here, as Pushkar is a town aimed squarely at tourists (every building seems to be a guesthouse or a shop)
Jaipur
Despite being one of the big stops on the Rajestan circuit, Jaipur is rubbish. Well, its rubbish compared to the other cities in the state, which have still managed to keep some atmosphere, while pursuing the relentless push to capitalism that India strives for.
Jaipur though, it full of shopping malls, and at least 2 McDonalds, and lots of traffic, and very little charm.
The reason for my staying was to see the Elephant festival, as well as see some of the historical sites, and I am glad I did visit, but 1 day would have been enough, if it wasn't for the festival being unable to give reliable information - the tourist information said come at midday...nothing happened till 4pm.
I was also couch-surfing here, which was a nice way to meet some locals, as well as save money, and it led to some very interesting experiences. Going for an evening drive with a friend of the couchsurfer, we stopped off at a very expensive restaurant - aimed at rich tourists as it has a nightly 'cultural show' featuring dancing and music. Just had a tea, which was nice, and not overly expensive, and got into talking with one of the other customers, a single Indian guy. I could make this a very long story, and I might when it comes to writing my memoirs. But for this version, I will be brief. This guy paid for dinner, and for lunch and dinner the next two days (he probably spent 1000rs on food for me, which is certainly more than I would have spent, although I did get a very nice apple pie and ice cream)... anyway.... he worked for a jewelry exporter and needed, what amounted to a mule, to get some stuff into Australia and avoid paying tax. I was offered, along with free flights and 3 nights hotels, 7000pounds and the prospect of further work.
Thankfully, I am not that desperate for the money (although it would have been very nice), otherwise the offer would have sounded VVEERRRYYY NIIICCEEE. I declined (after getting all the nice food), and will add the whole experience to the growing list!
Anyway, more about the city. The biggest attraction for me, other than the elephants, was to see the Jantar Mantar. Not that I have any interest in astronomical instruments but the whole place seemed suitably unique, and it was fun to see.. for about 20 minutes.
But the elephants where the main attraction, and I am glad I went to see them. The festival was housed at the polo grounds, still in use, and a very posh place it was too. Got to see lots of elephants, all dressed up and painted, as well as regional dancing and music, although with 90% of the audience being tourists, it was clear to see where the focus of the thing was. It was free though, so I was happy!
Jaipur though, it full of shopping malls, and at least 2 McDonalds, and lots of traffic, and very little charm.
The reason for my staying was to see the Elephant festival, as well as see some of the historical sites, and I am glad I did visit, but 1 day would have been enough, if it wasn't for the festival being unable to give reliable information - the tourist information said come at midday...nothing happened till 4pm.
I was also couch-surfing here, which was a nice way to meet some locals, as well as save money, and it led to some very interesting experiences. Going for an evening drive with a friend of the couchsurfer, we stopped off at a very expensive restaurant - aimed at rich tourists as it has a nightly 'cultural show' featuring dancing and music. Just had a tea, which was nice, and not overly expensive, and got into talking with one of the other customers, a single Indian guy. I could make this a very long story, and I might when it comes to writing my memoirs. But for this version, I will be brief. This guy paid for dinner, and for lunch and dinner the next two days (he probably spent 1000rs on food for me, which is certainly more than I would have spent, although I did get a very nice apple pie and ice cream)... anyway.... he worked for a jewelry exporter and needed, what amounted to a mule, to get some stuff into Australia and avoid paying tax. I was offered, along with free flights and 3 nights hotels, 7000pounds and the prospect of further work.
Thankfully, I am not that desperate for the money (although it would have been very nice), otherwise the offer would have sounded VVEERRRYYY NIIICCEEE. I declined (after getting all the nice food), and will add the whole experience to the growing list!
Anyway, more about the city. The biggest attraction for me, other than the elephants, was to see the Jantar Mantar. Not that I have any interest in astronomical instruments but the whole place seemed suitably unique, and it was fun to see.. for about 20 minutes.
But the elephants where the main attraction, and I am glad I went to see them. The festival was housed at the polo grounds, still in use, and a very posh place it was too. Got to see lots of elephants, all dressed up and painted, as well as regional dancing and music, although with 90% of the audience being tourists, it was clear to see where the focus of the thing was. It was free though, so I was happy!
Nawalgar
I am very behind with writing this blog, sorry!
On the recommendation of French lady I met in Orchha, I visited Nawalgarh, an area famous for its old havelli houses - private merchants houses, based around an enclosed inner courtyard.
The bus from Jaipur was either the best driving I have ever witnessed, or the worst, depending on how you define it. We came close to death very often, and so did everyone we passed, and yet all were unhurt, and seemingly, unperturbed by it all. It was nice to get out into the relative countryside, well, towns as opposed to cities. The pace of life is quieter, and less touts! While walking into town to find somewhere to sleep, I spotted an organic food shop that seems worth a visit - and it certainly was! Just popped into to have a look really, and their range of stuff was amazing. It turns out they are part of a national chain, this being the head office, so I will be buying some stuff in Calcutta before flying home. Organic chickpeas and lentils, for the same price as the normal stuff in the UK. But apart from the free tea and cookies I got while chatting to the manager, the offer to sleep in the companies havelli in town... for free... really made the visit worth while! Also managed to get free entry into the other havellis in town (and some rather tedious free tour guiding as well), but made me glad I had visited and come off the tourist path (well, the youthful path - a few tour groups of elderly French people were in town).
The buildings, in their faded kitsch, with paintings (some very childish) were fascinating, but the place must have been terribly ostentatious when it was new - very 'new money'. I had my quietest nights sleep so far, but slightly creepy, sleeping as I was, in an empty museum. Next days train back into Jaipur was my first on a meter-gauge train in India, not that its easy to notice, but another notch on the stick of 'Indian experiences'. It reminded me of the old man from Barnsley I met while on the way to Gandhi's ashram, who was livid that the meter gauge line he had come to see, and had a ticket for, had been replaced by normal sized rail 3 years ago.
Some of the questions from people on the train:
"Do you have rice in England?"
"What about camels or buffalo?"
"Is there a shortcut to earning money? I want to be rich."
"What do you think of Indian traffic rules?" <- My reply of "what rules?" was met with laughs thankfully!
On the recommendation of French lady I met in Orchha, I visited Nawalgarh, an area famous for its old havelli houses - private merchants houses, based around an enclosed inner courtyard.
The bus from Jaipur was either the best driving I have ever witnessed, or the worst, depending on how you define it. We came close to death very often, and so did everyone we passed, and yet all were unhurt, and seemingly, unperturbed by it all. It was nice to get out into the relative countryside, well, towns as opposed to cities. The pace of life is quieter, and less touts! While walking into town to find somewhere to sleep, I spotted an organic food shop that seems worth a visit - and it certainly was! Just popped into to have a look really, and their range of stuff was amazing. It turns out they are part of a national chain, this being the head office, so I will be buying some stuff in Calcutta before flying home. Organic chickpeas and lentils, for the same price as the normal stuff in the UK. But apart from the free tea and cookies I got while chatting to the manager, the offer to sleep in the companies havelli in town... for free... really made the visit worth while! Also managed to get free entry into the other havellis in town (and some rather tedious free tour guiding as well), but made me glad I had visited and come off the tourist path (well, the youthful path - a few tour groups of elderly French people were in town).
The buildings, in their faded kitsch, with paintings (some very childish) were fascinating, but the place must have been terribly ostentatious when it was new - very 'new money'. I had my quietest nights sleep so far, but slightly creepy, sleeping as I was, in an empty museum. Next days train back into Jaipur was my first on a meter-gauge train in India, not that its easy to notice, but another notch on the stick of 'Indian experiences'. It reminded me of the old man from Barnsley I met while on the way to Gandhi's ashram, who was livid that the meter gauge line he had come to see, and had a ticket for, had been replaced by normal sized rail 3 years ago.
Some of the questions from people on the train:
"Do you have rice in England?"
"What about camels or buffalo?"
"Is there a shortcut to earning money? I want to be rich."
"What do you think of Indian traffic rules?" <- My reply of "what rules?" was met with laughs thankfully!
Friday 9 March 2012
Alwar
A town that is totally off the tourist trail..the only other white people I saw were arriving at the station while I was leaving!
People were very friendly, and the normal call of 'Hellos' were simply that, and not followed by the 'do you want any silk/toilet paper/water' etc. I even managed to get two cricket matches out of the kids. 1st was against some University Students, and they made me look terrible.... so to feel better, I played against some 10 year olds and was amazing!
The palace was a ramshackle place, mainly being used as offices for the local government, and free to wander around, and up on the hill overlooking the town was a huge fort complex, with walls all over the place (looked like something out of Lord of the Rings).
The walk up was great, and the number of deer and peacocks was amazing. Most of them were clearly not scared of humans. The guide I 'picked up' (he started following me) said there used to be jaguars in the hills as well, but they have all be shot apparently, which is a shame, but might explain the number of tame animals! Favourite quote from his 30minute monologue (the time it took to get to the top)
"Engineering students come here to do immoral things like kissing etc...do you know Sunny Leone?....No? She is Indian pornstar." I really wasn't sure what his point was, as his morality seems to be conflicting somewhat.
I went to the local church on Sunday, mainly as it was in such a lovely building! A miniature English church, right in the middle of a typical Indian town (although inside was Indian, with bright coloured walls) The service was all in Hindi, and I am not sure what denomination it was, but it sounded very angry. The congregation was segregated as well, men on the right, women on the left, and the saris added another blast of decidedly un-british colour. Had a nice conversation and tea with some of the men afterwards.
Baratpur and Keoladeo National Park
Bit of a random choice, as the highlight here is Keoladeo National Park, famous for its birds. Lots of birds.
Found a lovely quiet guesthouse with a garden and really should have stayed an extra night, as it was very peaceful. The park, mainly the allure of hanging out in nature, was inviting, but the entrance price had doubled since the guidebook came out early last year, and honestly that almost put me off. But I am glad I visited, not really due to the birds seen, but the mammals were great, and cycling around the park was nice and relaxing. Saw some owls, ibis, peacocks, storks, kingfisher and lots of other birds, plus jackals, deer, bigger deer and a family of mongoose!
Fatehpur Sikri
A short trip from Agra, although it feels very different, is Fatehpur Sikri, the short lived city of Akbar, and a lovely place to visit!
Many less tourists, and therefore the shops and touts that survive off them, and a far more rural setting. The mosque is HUGE, and clearly shows the intended importance of the whole area, as it could easily more people than live in the currant village. It is however, home to a number of people selling marble trinkets and silks, and it was a little distracting. I remember thinking, "Jesus wouldn't be happy about this!"
The palace is a great place to wander around, and imagine the former splender, and i really would recommend the place to people visiting the area.
Saturday 3 March 2012
Agra
Haven't found time to make any notes, which is silly really, but its the truth. So, writing this off the bat, in the internet cafe in Alwar.
Agra is.... not a great city, it must be said. I am not sure why, but I didn't enjoy it much. That being said, it is surrounded by some amazing sites, and I am glad I visited it, but just wont be returning anytime soon.
Managed to eventually find a hotel that wasn't a rip-off or a dump, and 300rs later, at 7am, I was off to visit the Taj. The promised queues were not there, and I was into the complex within 3 minutes, minus 750rs! The cost really is amazing, considering that 500rs of that is tax added by the city, but with seeminly 70% of the visitors being foreign, they know they are on to a money maker. The building is simply breathtaking, and I dont think I have the words to do it justice. So I wont bother. It has to be seen to be believed though.
I refused to pay 300rs to enter the fort, as I will be visiting many of them in the next month in Rajestan and need to save both my money, and my desire to see more forts. But i did walk round it, and it was very big. I was walking towards the mosque, that used to be connected to the northern part of the fort by a courtyard, but had the railway line run through it by the British as punishment for the mutiny in 1847 (?). Huge big complex, in the same style as others here. I took offense for a donation being DEMANDED by the caretaker though, and only gave 10rs. A donation is a donation, not a fee.
After that I saw Akbar's tomb at Sikandra, despite my best efforts to miss it. Not only did I buy a ticket for a town 30km away (and it was much more expensive), but I slept past the stop, and had to get an autorickshaw back to Sikandra. But it was worth it, even with the 250rs entrance. A huge sprawling area, with far less tourists, especially foreign ones, it was peaceful in comparison to the rest of the city. The park around it still has deer and peacocks, just as in the past, and it felt almost like going back in time. Recommended for sure!
My hour is up... more stories about the travels coming up.
Agra is.... not a great city, it must be said. I am not sure why, but I didn't enjoy it much. That being said, it is surrounded by some amazing sites, and I am glad I visited it, but just wont be returning anytime soon.
Managed to eventually find a hotel that wasn't a rip-off or a dump, and 300rs later, at 7am, I was off to visit the Taj. The promised queues were not there, and I was into the complex within 3 minutes, minus 750rs! The cost really is amazing, considering that 500rs of that is tax added by the city, but with seeminly 70% of the visitors being foreign, they know they are on to a money maker. The building is simply breathtaking, and I dont think I have the words to do it justice. So I wont bother. It has to be seen to be believed though.
I refused to pay 300rs to enter the fort, as I will be visiting many of them in the next month in Rajestan and need to save both my money, and my desire to see more forts. But i did walk round it, and it was very big. I was walking towards the mosque, that used to be connected to the northern part of the fort by a courtyard, but had the railway line run through it by the British as punishment for the mutiny in 1847 (?). Huge big complex, in the same style as others here. I took offense for a donation being DEMANDED by the caretaker though, and only gave 10rs. A donation is a donation, not a fee.
After that I saw Akbar's tomb at Sikandra, despite my best efforts to miss it. Not only did I buy a ticket for a town 30km away (and it was much more expensive), but I slept past the stop, and had to get an autorickshaw back to Sikandra. But it was worth it, even with the 250rs entrance. A huge sprawling area, with far less tourists, especially foreign ones, it was peaceful in comparison to the rest of the city. The park around it still has deer and peacocks, just as in the past, and it felt almost like going back in time. Recommended for sure!
My hour is up... more stories about the travels coming up.
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