Singapore

Tuesday 8th December saw me and Nat up early and heading towards the bus to Singapore. It was a fairly smooth journey which included getting on and off various buses and stopping for quick border checks on either side. Once in Singapore things got even smoother! The city centre is so well signposted, clean and efficient that even two female travellers, one blonde (!) managed to find their hostel with ease! We checked in at the Cozy Backpacker's Hostel near Buglis Chinese Market; a great, central location. We dumped our stuff off and headed downstairs to the local food stalls that were conveniently located all around us. We chose a place that was full of locals (always a good sign) but the hostess swiftly moved us away from the road-side seating area (the best seats - in the sun and the heart of the street action) and instead told to sit inside. I'm not sure if she thought she was doing us a favour, or we were doing her one.  After food we explored the surrounding area and got lost in the labyrinth that was the Chinese Market. There was so much amazing stock to see there, you could buy anything and everything and we easily spent a few hours in there.

The next day was another early start as we were heading to Singapore Zoo. Having heard so many rave reviews about this place, along with the Night Safari, we were excited to check out what all the fuss was about. It did not disappoint! The zoo itself has no fences, walls or obvious boundaries and all the larger animals are separated from you, as you either walk or ride a tram around the park, by moats, so that you really get to see the animals up close and in a natural environment. We spent the whole day there and it was well worth the price tag - the time flew and it really is worth every penny. If you do find yourself at the Zoo however, make sure to stick around until after dark to experience the Night Safari. The first tram leaves at 7.15pm, which we took, but we still did not leave the park until 10.30pm. The first part of the Night Safari is a compulsary tram which stops off at different, dimmly lit areas in which you see the Zoo's animals in night-time mode. This is a really thrilling experience as the animals obviously behave differently at night, some being nocturnal, for example. There are two or three walks that you can choose to take once off the tram and by far the best was the Bat enclosure. The doors you walk through are on a timer, so only open when the first door is fully closed behind you. Then you really do enter their domain. Giant Bats are literally an armspan away whilst others are flying across your path and face. It was such a realistic experience, so much so that I couldn't stay in there too long for fear they would fly out at me! After a good effort I told Nat I would wait outside, through the safety of two heavy doors!

The next day was a bit of a disaster, through no fault but our own (!) as we tried to reach Mount Faber; a welcome slice of nature in a bustling city and a look out point over both the city and Sentosa, the artifical beach resort newly opened this year. However, after metro link after metro link and a walk through the suburban, and not particualry pretty parts of Singapore, we were none the wiser. Evenutally we made it to the sight of the cable cars, giving up on the idea of walking up to the top (this had taken up most of the day and it was already pushing late afternoon) but when we got there we were told it would cost us 52 SPD to get there. "I'm sorry, what!?" So we headed out again, still clueless after having asked copious amounts of people and with two different guide books in hand! We eventually found the route however, tucked away behind a car park of all places! The steep walk up was very pretty though, it was just so nice to be around nature. Once at the top however, the view was less than spectacular. You could see quite far and the view was panoramic but the building work that is still taking place on Sentosa slightly tarnished the sight. We were just glad they had benches at the top!! That night we headed to Raffles Hotel, the location for the creation of the famous Singapore Sling cocktail and a must-do experience in Singapore. The drinks were, as we had prepared ourselves for, budget-cripplingly expensive (our bill of two cocktails came to 60 SPD!!) But, it was well worth the experience. You enter the Long Bar and are greeted by a friendly female hostess who puts you in wicker seats in front of the largest offering of monkey nuts I have ever seen. As you are being seated all you can hear underfoot is the cracking and crunching of the nutshells. The nuts are nonchalantly cracked over the floor - a long lasting tradition that adds to the overall experience. It definitely felt alien littering the floor with the discarded shells, but hey, when in Rome! We left the bar quite late and in search of Jazz. Unfortunately, by the time we had Metro'ed it over to the Marina and walked along the stretch of canal attempting to find the smokey bar, time was against us and we realised the last train would prevent us from even one drink. Still, we got to see another part of the city and one that was certainly alive at night time.

Our final day in Singapore and yet again another early start. This was one of the days me and Nat had been most looking forward to. Having sampled a bit of nature the previous day we were ready for a full day of trekking in the promised lush greenery that Singapore had to offer, just a bus journey out of the centre. It did not disappoint. We found the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve fairly easily (after asking a couple of locals for directions and evenutally being shown the way by a security guard working in the nearby shopping centre). We opted for the hardest of the walks, the 2 hour trek. It was hot, sticky and humid, as Singapore was for the whole of our trip, and so the sweat beads really came down as we marched up and up the steepest of starts to a trek you can imagine. We ended up doing all of the routes on the trek which took us right up to past lunch time. We were still raring for more provided there was chance of a quick watering and feed before the MacRitchie Reservoir's trails. Luckily, getting off one stop before the start of the Tree Top Trail, we were able to find the cafe and refuel. We then hopped back on the bus to the start of the trail (this would not have been walkable before the start of the trail as it took at least 20 minutes by bus). As promised the Tree Top Walk was awesome. You really do get to walk up at the top of tree level and look out to a distant reservoir on one side and lush greenery all around. After this, we went off the beaten path and created our own trekking routes, climbing up rock formations and slippery stream-lined paths. It was a truly tiring but incredible day in which we trekked at least 20km, and all so close to a major city! I would recommend this day to anyone with enough time allowing to leave the centre of the city for one day. Just as long as you have your trekking shoes with you!

KL

My time in KL was short but sweet. After getting off my flight in the wee hours of the morning, I met an awesome girl called Nathalie who I ended up spending all my time with both in KL and Singapore. By the time we got off the big, yellow Aerobus (a one hour journey from the airport to KL Sentral) and made it to Wheeler's in Chinatown, it was about 7am and definitely time for breakfast! What I hadn't bargained on was raw egg. When I ordered egg and toast at a local food court, I was given two eggs which I thought were "boiling" in the tin vat they arrived in. After being told to wait a few minutes, I cracked open one of the eggs. It exploded into a sea of raw egg. Right, that one's a right off, I'll give it a few more minutes and just have the second. Minutes later, egg number two and another sea of raw and running white and yellow gloop. Note to self: stick to toast in future! The rest of the day was spent exploring Chinatown and Bukat Bintang whilst running on no sleep. We ended the night at the Reggae Bar across the road. It was nice, but the rum was not.

Our second day we were up at the "crack" of dawn (no egg pun intended!) which was especially difficult considering the lack of sleep from the previous day's travelling. We headed to the Petronas Towers to see the view from the sky bridge. Except, fail. We arrived at 8.50am, just 20 minutes after tickets for the day were released and they had already issued all of them out for that day. Right! KL Tower it is, then. This was actually a much better choice, it is higher and gives a detailed tour at the top of each window, telling you exactly what building you are looking at and giving you a brief history. That night we moved to Hotel Cosmopolitan in Chow Kit. I would highly recommend this place, it's a great hostel to meet people and the free internet and TV area was a massive bonus! That night me and Nat went out with an American guy called Rob and Shane, from Australia. We started the night at a quiet bar and ordered a beer tower. The night ended in "Rum Jungle" with Nat getting asked if she was a "Sexy Boy?". Enough said!

The following day a group of us from the hostel caught the bus to the Batu Caves, a 45 minute journey out of the city. Unfortunately, it started to rain when we got there, but it was still well worth it. The sight of the Cave entrance, with what must be a thousand steps leading up to the mouth of the cave, was an awesome sight and it was made even more incredible by the huge gold statue of Buddah that sat beside it, whilst a swarm of monkeys ran up and down the steps; and, if your as lucky as I am, try to attack you by the trousers! That evening we all decided to do "Lonely Planet's Number One Thing to Do In KL".. go to a restaurant called "Devi's Place" that was, wait for it... An Indian Restuarant!!! Haha! We didn't realise this until we got here, though. The food however, was really good, but we all agreed that it was an extremely odd choice for it to be number one in KL! 

And so that was pretty much the extent of my stay in Kuala Lumpur. 

Return to Delhi

The last few days of my trip have been utter bliss; total relaxation, a clean and comfy place to stay and being able to feel safe and secure. Shannon, I thank you for your generosity, hospitality and kindness over the past few days. I really appreciate it so much!

Mcleod Ganj

Deluxe Bus/Death Bus

After deciding not to take up my train ticket to Amritsar, I bought a (criminally overpriced) 'Deluxe' bus ticket to Mcleod Ganj , Dharamsala. After waiting for an hour all on my lonesome, it appeared like I would be taking the 17 hour bus solo. I walked round the corner to set eyes on the bus for the first time and, Dear God! It was anything but deluxe. I would be surprised if it even started, let alone whether or not it was fit for the road. I have a photo, which I will have to post later, but I'm sure it won't do it justice. There were no seat belts, missing windows that let in the freezing cold Himalayan night air, the seats were practically falling off their hinges and the depth of dirt embedded in the upholstery was seriously not worth thinking about. Oh, and the whole 17 hour journey, most of which was winding up and up the tight roads of the sheer mountain edge, was a constant thud of up-down-up-down-up-down. Road surfacing does not exist in India. By the end of the sleepless journey I had almost put my neck out and due to the arctic climate of the inside of our bus, had lost all feeling in any one of my toes. Luckily, the one other person on board the bus was a fellow traveler, Lee from California. We tried to keep each other sane and laughed about the situation we were in; my new favourite tactic in circumstances so helplessly and utterly outside of your control.

                                                           *                  *                  *

Once in Ganj I managed to find my hotel with the help of Lee, a second timer, fairly easily. Owing largely to the fact it is called the Pink House. And, yup, you guessed it, it's big and pink.

"The Snow Lion"


Quite easily the funniest, most bizarre and surreal night of my trip so far has to be my first evening in Mcleod Ganj. During the day, once I had dumped my stuff off at the hotel and was exploring the small town, I bumped into Lee again. We were drinking in a coffee shop and chatting about nothing in particular when a Tibetan guy caught Lee's eye. He was dressed in a "Free Tibet" t-shirt and red Ray Ban sunglasses, clearly standing out in sea of traditional Tibetan dress. Before Lee could even finish telling me how interesting he looked, the guy had come up the stairs to our table, introduced himself (as the "Lion Man") and asked to sit down. To cut a long story short he was performing a musical extravaganza (!) that night, involving the story of his journey from Tibet and featuring "traditional" song and dance. And so later that evening I headed to the rooftop restaurant to check it out. There was a group of people already there and waiting. After first hearing his story, in broken English, about his struggle in fleeing his beloved country, he performed two of these said "traditional" dances. They were certainly something, and not easy to describe. Imagine expressive dance mixed with flutes, and then saxophones, and maybe you might be somewhere close. Then came the song, again just as bizarre (and A Capella might I add). But things really took an unexpected turn when he banged up the '90's dance; it was then things just got plain bizarre. First it was dancing with the potted Palm Tree plant in the corner of the room (not a prop), in such a way that I can only describe it as though he must have honestly thought it was the last woman on earth. Then came the dancing with the lamp shades, which he pulled of the lights, and then, the 'pick on the audience' part. Luckily, the large group at the table were a bunch of American Ambassay teachers working in Delhi and were such great sports. I tactically managed to avoid getting up and dancing (hide yourself in the corner) but most of the Americans were incredible sports and embraced the surreal turn of events that were spiralling out of control before all of our completely moritfied eyes! Certain events of this night may haunt us all forever and will be better left unsaid! I'll try to post a photo or two (and maybe even the video!) at a later date, computer willing.

                                                           *                  *                  *

The Dalai Lama

One thing I was completely unaware of when coming to India, and indeed for the majority of my time here, was that the Dalai Lama would be giving a special 3-day teaching in Mcleod Ganj (his, and the Tibetan Government in Exile's, home) starting on my last day in the area, 30th November. It was a fact me and Sol realised only days before in Rishkesh when googling Mediation and Buddist courses in Mcleods Ganj. This was unbelievable! What a once in a lifetime experience, and an utter fluke of amazingly good fortune! So, on my first day I registered for the teachings. It set me back 2 passport photos, 5 minutes and 10 Rupees. Incredible!

On the 30th November, at 7.45am, me and Sol walked down to the the temple for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's teachings for Russian Buddists. We checked through security for 'Foreign Visitors' and through the sea of people; Russian, Tibetan, European, Indian; every kind of nationality was there. We went up to the first floor, the very floor from which he was teaching, and found our spot in the crowd (everyone had reserved seats days in advance by putting out a multitude of coloured cushions, sheets, name placards etc) and the place was already packed out. The Dalai Lama was already there and talking! His voice amplified through the loud speakers. We tuned in our FM radio's to the English translation and heard the Dalai Lama joking about, of all things, how hungry we must all be! But not to worry, traditional Tibetan tea (salty, made with butter and salt - disgusting!) and bread would shortly be handed out. And it was, by robed Monks, with great efficiency. It was 8.10am when we arrived and he was already talking, although the teachings did not start until half past, an hour earlier than billed. We had all been given a booklet of the teachings, translated into English, and so were able to follow his teachings. Although not able to physically see him from our seats, the feeling of being there, and so close, was really amazing. When the first session ended at 11.30 we were all able to watch him leave. It was an unforgettable moment and all the hairs on my body stood up on end ('horriplication' - thanks Madhav!) as I saw him walk through the mass of people and down the stairwell into a 4x4.

For the afternoon session we decided to remain in the downstairs area of the temple, as I would have to leave early to get organised before starting on the journey back to Delhi. Embarrassingly though, I had left my cushion upstairs, with the afternoon's talks having already begun. I needed that pillow for the rest of my trip, and so had to tip toe and apologise through the crowd of Monks and pilgrims in order to grab the pillow and make the repeat trip back through the crowd again. I was so embarrassed and I'm pretty sure my cheeks were the exact same colour as the Monks' robes.

The experience and blessing of being able to listen firsthand to the Dalai Lama explain "The 37 Practices of Bodhisattva" was undoubtedly the highlight of my month in India. It is truly a once in a lifetime experience and something that I never could have dreamed of before making this trip, and, part owing to the fact that cameras were prohibited and partly due to the fact that no photograph could have truly recorded the reality of that moment and the intensity of the atmosphere, is one that will stay with me always.

Haridwar/Rishikesh

During my time in Jaisalmer my friend Deepak told me about an Ashram, in Haridwar, that is open not only to Indian's but tourists too, for both short and long term visits. He assured me it was one of the best and that he tries to go twice a year in order to mediate, practice Yoga and take some dedicated time away from the madness that is India to focus on "me". With my train tickets booked for my whole time in India (something I decided on doing in Delhi at the start of my trip), it just so happened that I would be getting the train to Haridwar after Varansai, en route to Rishikesh; the Yoga Mecca. Deepak explained how days at the Ashram were spent with sole emphasis on "you". On entering, you are given plain white clothes, almost a uniform, if you like, and are only allowed access to "the outside world" for half an hour for every week spent there. It sounded like a great chance to get away from the chaos of India and reconnect with myself, away from the constant stresses and strains that the country hurls at you as a female solo traveler. I scribbled down the address and mentally set aside those days to be reserved for "me". It was a prospect that was both daunting and liberating in equal measure. The only niggling concern I had was written in thick, black ink, right in the middle of my train ticket. Arrival time: 04.00.

As the train pulled up to the station in the dead of night, I, bleary eyed and not knowing where the heck I was, (thank you to the father of an Indian family who kindly let me know when my stop was next) stepped off the platform and headed out towards the exit and a sea of Auto-Rickshaws. Clutching my piece of paper with the Ashram's address written on it, I attempted to find a driver who knew where it was whilst also trying haggle down the price. In hindsight, only the latter was particularly successful.

After having to share my rickshaw ride with a random Indian guy, whose destination got priority but which allowed me to barter down my fare down further, and after about 20 minutes of driving, we pulled up to an almighty Ashram. I mean, the place was huge. An elderly Indian man whose face was full of fine, paper-like lines and who spoke no English was waiting at the high arch of the entrance. My driver got out and spoke to him, I joined him and did my best to communicate via the art of pointing and repetition. Neither the conversation in Indian, nor my attempt got us anywhere nearer to discovering the address. We drove on further down the road, aimlessly looking left and right in hope of some sort of sign, clue, anything. We stopped at a Chai Wallah stall and again the Indian asked for help or directions (bear in mind that at the time of getting into the Rickshaw, the driver was adamant he knew where he was going. Such is India!) So we carried on driving... Round and round for hours. We eventually decided to call it a day at around 5.45am, but then came the saga of a hotel room. The first 3 hotels we went to weren't interested in a "single", strictly two people. Brilliant, now I'm being judged! And believe you me, this is not the first and definitely not the last time that having a man around would have made my travelling experience a hell of a lot easier, not to mention safer. Finally I found a room at around 6am, but the guy wanted a ridiculous amount of money for it, "But I'm only staying a few hours, check out is 12 noon!". We agreed on a price, I checked out the room (fine, by Indian standards - no bugs at least) and I went back down to check in. After writing down all of my info - passport number, address etc. I confirmed the price with him, and, you've guessed it, he'd put it up! At this point I was so tired and really sick of the whole drama that I just wanted to lie down and rest for a few hours and then get the hell out of there (I really didn't like the look of this place one bit). We drove to several more hotels and at what felt like the fifth or sixth one, I managed to get a fair price. The room was average, and it was now only a few moments sleep until the Sun would come up, but at least I could get some peace and quiet. Or so I thought. The taxi driver helped me with my luggage, and then, as I have had the unfortunate pleasure of finding to be the norm (for me) here in India, he tried to get something out of it. GOODBYE! Door. Slammed. Shut. One thing was for sure, I was getting on the next bus to Rishkesh as soon as I could. 

                                         *                *               *

Rishikesh was great. So much so that I forfeited my train ticket and trip to Amritsar to stay there longer. The place is full of travelers, Yoga enthusiasts and has a really relaxed vibe (head to Lakshman Jhula for the more Western area and for a more 'Indian' experience, Ram Jhula). Here I met up again with Sol (which made my stay enough more fun), took morning Yoga classes, walked through the Himalayas and just generally relaxed. After some of my past experiences, it was somewhere I felt safe. 'The Freedom Cafe' proved a great place to chill out and meet like minded travelers and if it wasn't for the weather turning colder and so many people moving on, I could have stayed longer. 

Varansai

27 hours after boarding the train at Jodphur, I finally arrived at Varansai. En route to the hotel we were caught up in traffic due to a huge Sikh celebration moving towards us from further down the street. A nice, traditional way to be welcomed into a new Indian State! My first afternoon was spent getting used to the city, and discovering that my friend Antonio would be coming to meet up with me the next day!

The following morning I took a walk down to the famous Ghats (these Ghats line the length of the River Ganges, and each have steps leading down to the water where the religious pray morning and night, and bathe in the "holy" water - after seeing the water for yourself, you would describe it as anything but holy..), and see a cremation ceremony. This was extremely moving as it was the first body I have ever seen, and the religious ritual was taking place only a couple of feet away from me. A kind Nepali man named Babu explained the ceremony to me, before being interrupted by Indian rest-house worker who jumped in to tell me more and take me (even) closer, only to ask for money after he had shared his knowledge with me. I left with the same amount of rupees in my purse and also knowing that the ritual is broken up into 5 stages, depicting the 5 elements of Air, Earth, Fire, Water and Space. Each element involves a different kind of blessing; I saw the body being covered with Sandalwood (it was tossed over the body by a male family member who circled the body five times in a clockwise direction) to represent the element 'Earth'.

After meeting up with Antonio, we take a longer walk round the Ghats and end up in the Lotus Lounge. If you ever find yourself in Varansai, head there. The place is always packed and for a good reason - good food, great location over the Ganges and a cool place to meet fellow travelers.

That evening we headed back to the Ghats to find the place lit up with neon lights and abuzz with people. The atmosphere was incredible, like being at a football game or music concert. A famous Hindu Priest was giving a talk on the need to keep the Ganges clean (*ahem!*) and the Indian singer who performed was apparently some kind of national celebrity! I got chatting to the Tourist Officers nearby and next thing I knew I was being blessed by a bald headed Monk. Cool. Well, until he asked for money, and the Officers explained how he was a fake and just trying to make money off the good nature of religious people. And there was me
(and Antonio) left with a FAUX Bindi's between our eyes! We carried on further up the River and once again I found myself at the main cremation Ghat. We went up to the top rest-house (and the only one allowing public access) and watched an evening ceremony take place. Did I mention that once the ceremony is complete, the body is pushed out into the water to be completely cleansed and thus becomes enlightened. Another reason not to take a morning dip in the River... We moved on fairly quickly as the stench really was too much, and the smoke from the Pyres is enough to set your eyes crying for hours. Whilst walking, we stumbled upon a Comedy being acted out by some of the locals, a real treat!

The following morning it was up at 4.15am and down to the Ghats for 5am, to take a trip on a River Boat over the Ganges to watch the sun come up whilst all of the morning prayers were taking place. This was an amazing experience, as lined up along the entire length of the River, at every Ghat, beautiful Indian women donned colourful sari's and together with the men and children, bathed, prayed and welcomed in the new morning. This image, together with the rising of the most beautiful grapefruit-coloured Sun I have ever seen  (my photos just don't do it justice) was immense. And it was made even more powerful when you consider just how much the people were washing and lapping in the water, and just how polluted it really is! The boat trip ended with both me and Antonio taking it in turns to steer the boat. Antonio left much to be desired, but once I took hold of the oars and got into the swing of it, I was a natural, of course! And I kicked Antonio's butt!

I really enjoyed my time in Varansai and could have happily stayed longer than my 3 days there. And thanks to Antonio for meeting up with me again and hanging out :)

Jaisalmer, and drama in Jodphur

Jaisalmer was such a nice place to chill out for a couple of days. On my first morning, while walking round the shops and stalls that make up the insides of the Fort, I met a Brahmin guy called Deepak. He explained how he owns a shop called "Bellissima", where you can buy handicrafts, materials, bags etc. that are all made my women in crisis and poverty, and with all the items being at a fixed price, the money goes back to the women making the goods. 

He was a really interesting guy, so I went into the shop and we talked some more; about Ashrams, languages, traveling etc., so much so that I spent most of the day with him! He later took me to his new restaurant, the "Pink Floyd", and yes, as soon as we got up to the rooftop terrace, "Dark Side of The Moon" was playing out of the CD player! Ha. We chatted and drank Chai, and he even took me on his motorbike. I spent a few hours there alone, reading, and later returned that night for some food. During the evening I met another guy, Antonio, from America. We spent the night on the roof together chatting.

The following day, at 2pm, I set off for my Camel Safari. It was a bit of a shaky start, with the Indian driver being pretty aggressive (serious communication breakdown!) but it all worked out well in the end, as I shared the 40km Jeep ride into the Desert with Alan, a Canadian originally from Belfast (very interesting accent!) and Sol, lovely Sol, a beautiful Argentinian woman, who has since become my close buddy here in India! The safari was definitely an experience! You are driven into the desert, near the border with Pakistan, plopped on Camels without much communication, marched out into the desert with 10 year old boys leading you and your Camel, and left in the dunes until sunset (we must have been there 2, 2 and a half hours). The view from the desert was beautiful one side: sun, sand, dunes; but from the other, looking back the way you came, there was hundreds of tourist coaches parked up and a bustle of tourists around you. Certainly not the image of the Desert I had in mind! Still, the setting and the company was good. When our Camels finally returned back for us, there was a shortage - so me and Sol had to share. This was a painful experience. I was on the back of the Camel, with nothing much to hold on to. And if you can imagine the pace of a Camel who is being hurried home at dusk, being spurred on my a small running child, and with my rucksack constantly bouncing off my back, jabbing into me with every stride, whilst my crotch was banging against his hump, then I hope you can begin to understand how uncomfortable this journey back was! However, in situations like that, you have to laugh. Right?

The rest of my time in Jaisalmer was spent hanging out with Sol and Antonio, and most of that time was in the "Pink Floyd".

After a nice few days, my luck changed when getting to Jodphur. For starters, someone from the hotel I was staying at was meant to come and collect me from the train station, an important factor as my train got in at 5.20am. Not a nice time to be a female traveler in India. Luckily, Antonio was taking the same train ride, and his connecting train wasn't until 9.30am, so he stayed with me to make sure all was okay. Which it was NOT. After realising I had no driver, we flagged a Rickshaw. Giving the driver the name of the hotel, we drove for a while through the darkness and labyrinths of the city, and arrived... at the wrong hotel. This was hotel Halevi, we were told, not Hotel KP Haveli. Urgghhh! So, we clambered back in and after 5 more minutes arrived at the right hotel. Except, for one thing. I couldn't check in until 10am. And it was a little before 6am. Even more great. After receiving copious abuse from the night porter, and after a rowing match and hurling of words (not by me, however), we were sent upstairs to what must have been the family lounge, where we were ever-so-kindly allowed to wait. Sleeping on a sofa, after hours of uncomfortable and cramped travel, anyone? After a few hours we were back downstairs trying to get me checked in, only to find, after the Manager arrived and seemed very confused, that I was not given a booking at this hotel, but in fact I was booked in for the following night (when I would be leaving Jodphur that morning). This was getting ridiculous. And to make matters worse, the whole saga had been going on so long that Antonio's train was now due to leave within the half hour. So, I managed to get the Manager to hail and pay for a Rickshaw to drop Antonio at the station, and me at the hotel I was now supposed to be staying at (after several tense phone calls), and so I lsaid goodbye to Antonio and started out all over again.

One thing I have forgotten to mention is that my dear freind Sol left for Jodphur the previous afternoon, whilst I was getting the night train. She does not have a phone in India, however, after asking Deepak where we could try and meet up in Jodphur whilst still in Jaisalmer, he told us the Clock Tower. And neither of us knew where this was, but we were calmly informed that every driver in town would know. So, with that, we had arranged to meet at the Clock Tower (!) at 10.30am. And it was now nearly 9.45am and I hadn't slept, nor had I checked into my hotel. So I arrived at the next hotel, and guess what? "Sorry ma'am, your not staying here either, there's no room. We will drive you round to the guest house where you will be staying, just wait here 10 minutes". ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? This was becoming an actual living nightmare, I was tired, hungry, weak, and did not like the look of this city in which I was being carting around!

So, with the clock ticking as to my rendezvous with Sol, and no way of contacting her, I was getting pretty anxious by the time I was back in the car and being taken to the next place. But, and you will never believe this, as we were turning off the road and into the drive, a woman carrying all her belongings and looking extremely flustered and rushed was hurrying out of the drive way. Sol!! After laughing so hard about the  fact that we should end up meeting like this, I soon learned she also had a nightmare of a journey. We ate breakfast (which we made sure was complimentary!) and swapped stories. Hers consisted of also being left alone in the night at the train station, but having luckily befriended two Indians on the train, she was with others. However, there was shouting in the streets and yelling (not Sol, I might add) and she also had been carted from hotel to hotel even though, like me, she too had made her reservation through a Travel Agent in Delhi.

The moral of this story? Don't travel during the 20 days after Diwali: It's a public holiday and hundreds upon thousands of Indian families are holidaying all over the country, and they, of course, have priority over every, single, room in India, reservation or no reservation.

Our remaining day is Jodphur was far from great, it was too hot, it was too dirty and overcrowded, and we were both extremely exhausted. The highlight of the day was our palm reading session with the Lonely Planet recommended Mr. Sharma, but that was about it. I was glad to be moving on the next day.

Some pigeons for you, El!

8.00am, Thursday 4th November, and I am leaving Delhi. I have a new driver, whose name is impossible for me to pronounce. He too cannot pronounce my name, and so we are officially renamed "Bj (!) and "Flower". The drive to Agra takes 5 and a half hours, but this is my favourite way to see India in all it's polluted, hectic and noisy glory, and so the time flies by. Before reaching the Taj Mahal, we stop off at Akbar's Tomb, for a brief photo opportunity, and a run in with some monkeys!

 


The Taj Mahal is everything you can imagine from the postcards, utterly breathtaking and an awe to stand in front of.

 


A few facts that my guide informed me about the building:

1) 30,000 people visit every day, and around 100,000 during festive period such as Christmas and other Public Holidays.

2) It took 11 years to make. With 8 of these years being spent on the structure alone!

3) Many precious stones are in bedded into the building's walls, such as Jade, Coral, Turquoise, a yellow stone specific to India and Onyx. The building itself is made from marble, and changes colour depending on what time of day you view it (yellow in the morning Sun, white during the day, and a shade of pink at night).

The outside pillars are not at an upright angle. They actually lean 5 degrees to the outside of the Taj Mahal. This is because, if ever hit by an earthquake, the pillars would fall to the outside of the building therefore not destroying the Taj!

After the Taj I nipped over to see Agra Fort, very beautiful and interesting, but not a patch on the Taj Mahal. However, it did have a spectacular view across the water. The Fort, my guide informed me, was firstly protected my a moat, and secondly by Lions and Tigers, and Elephants, who roamed the surrounding space of land just before the Fort walls.

Another pigeon for you, El!

Perhaps my favourite part of the day was being taken, by my guide and driver, to one of their friends' marble workshops. Here, an Indian man named Ricky explained to me all about the festival of Diwali, and also how the art seen at the Taj was carried out. As Ricky explained, I sat and watched one boy sanding the chips of precious stones with an old fashioned wheel, whilst the other boy chiselled out the grooves in the marble where the stones would sit. The first boy also made me a Turquoise Bindi, placing it between my brows, which I was thrilled with!

That night me and my driver shared a bottle and a half of Rum, and ate curry on the rooftop of our hotel! And this is good Rum, its 42.8%. Ha! Here he invites me to spend the most celebrated of Festivals in the Hindu calendar, Diwali, with him and his family in his village home. How could I refuse?

The following day we hit the road for the 4 hour journey to his village. Just before we get there I suddenly feel anxious, "Do they know I'm coming?", "Will I be welcome?". But of course I am welcome, this is India. I meet the Eldest son of my driver, Suresh, who is watching videos of Michael Jackson's thriller tour, and Britney Spears "Oops, I did it again". Very surreal. A few hours later, Suresh and his cousin take me for a walk around the village, and we end up at their friend Raj's house (who is a member of the Delhi police force). We sit upstairs, the four of us, and in broken English, and lots of Hindi (apart from me), we talk about families, our countries and... Yup, you've guessed it, Rum! Oh, and I forgot to mention, before we enter the house, Raj's 90 year old Grandfather is sat on the porch, cross legged, puffing away on his Hookah pipe, and chuckling very hard at the sight of me. I am told he says he just wants to look at me! As the sun starts set, signalling the start of the festivities, the Whisky comes out. Now, I'm not a massive Whisky fan, and especially not when your mixer is water, so it takes some drinking!

Back at my Driver's house, I remove my shoes and enter the bedroom of the first celebration/offering. It is an amazing sight, and I feel very honoured to be here, especially when I am included and have the rituals of red rope tied around my wrist (left, not right like them - I am unsure why, perhaps as I am not Hindu?) and a red Bindi spot painted on my forehead. We move into another bedroom, and the same (or similar!?) routine is carried out. After another walk with Suresh, and a stop off to sample hot Buffalo milk at his cousin's house (delicious!) we crack on with more Whisky back in my bedroom, with all of the men of the family (about 6 or 7 of them, and me!). The Hookah pipe comes out again, and the party really starts. We eat late, after we are done drinking, which I have learned is the order of events round here. A delicious meal is prepared by the Wife, who sits roughly 3 ft away from me, staring at my every mouthful. There is only so many times I can tell her how lovely the food is, just to fill the awkwardness. One of the sweets was an marzipan like cube, very sweet and very moorish. I later realised this too was the taste I had experienced when drinking the Buffalo's milk - my new favourite!

Up at the crack of dawn (as per usual in the village) and after a breakfast of rice and more of that amazing dessert, Suresh, his cousin (whose name I forget) and myself walk further down the village, and they show me  a Hindu temple. During the afternoon I decide to take a walk by myself, but I am soon chased by one of the young girls who takes me back to their backyard, where 17 (that's right, I counted) of the Indian villagers, young, old, male, female, stare, laugh and chatter intensely about me. The second evening is much like the first, except without the rituals, and the Whisky is replaced with Rum, hoorah! This time even the ministers of the village come and sit with us, and the novelty of their English, Rum-Drinking Guest is far from getting old.

The next morning we leave for Jaipur. A beautiful sandstone city with a City Palace and the Amber Fort high up in the mountains. A wall surrounds a portion of the city, with an even higher Fort overlooking the lot. I met Raja, a 21 year old Indian who studies Italian (and also speaks English). I ask him how to get up to the highest Fort, and he offers to take me ("Free of charge") on his motorbike. Amazing! Unfortunately his friend had taken off with it, but he walked me up there and back, free informative tour included, which was very sweet of him. He wanted to take me further sightseeing, but my driver was waiting. Later, he text me to go back to see the Amber fire show, but I was already in a hotel...

Indian Kurt Geiger!?

I love this: The Fort is their "'joint"!

After more sights and a Hindu temple, I am dropped at a hotel to kill the remaining few hours before my Midnight, 12 hour train journey to Jaisaimer. The train is typically Indian; late. After a struggle to find my upper berth bed, and with 2 lost French girls with me, we eventually find our beds. The train is a great experience, but very noisy and very long - we pulled in to Jaisaimer a little after 2pm. I'm now at my hotel, and I swear, it must be at least 4*! So a guaranteed better sleep tonight I think...

Photos for the previous post

   

 

   

My Hotel in Delhi!