Category: India

Read yesterday and repeat, basically.

Sally went off this morning into Trivandrum to try and find some T-shirts. She went in on the bus to find a mall. What did I do? I planted myself by the swimming pool and flopped in and out. Then I went for a walk down to the beach where the fishermen were out in force hauling in the nets. It was fascinating and I stayed there for ages watching them battle the sea to bring in the massive nets…about 20 men on each line hauling for all they were worth. The catch wasn’t too lucrative, a few good sized fish, lots of underweight fish (but not by Indian standards) and masses of really HUGE jellyfish, and I mean really huge!!

I wandered a bit more around the beach and the lagoon behind the beach. At about 12md I decided it was time for a Pina Colada but to my dismay I was told that the first day of every month in Kerala is alcohol free, called Dry-Day….WHAT?????

Linda joined me and we wandered some more, swam some more and then had some lunch at the resort. Sally got back from Trivandrum (Where they are playing a One Day match against the Windies today). No success with T-Shirts. She went off to find herself some lunch and lo and behold she came back from outside our gated city with some gin in a glass and a can of Tonic…that was a minor miracle!!

Linda and I did a bit more shop crawling, Linda buys a lot of things!! I am back now for a shower and regroup before Linda and I go out for a final meal. She leaves first thing in the morning so this is actually it. Sally and I have to wait until 10.45pm to depart. We have late check out until 4pm, then have to wait until 6pm to go to be picked up to go to the airport and then I guess it’s hang around the airport until departure. All I want to do is get home!!

Now I’m just back from dinner down at Lighthouse Beach with Linda. Sally didn’t come…she felt unwell again. We wandered around for a bit once more, Linda picking up bits and pieces of jewellery along the way. I bought a lovely (I think cows head) but I’m quite sure it’ll be confiscated by the Aussie customs boys…it is made from raw wood so it will be the luck of the draw I think.

We went back to last night’s restaurant for dinner. I cant remember if I told you about it. Coconut Grove it is called. Lovely looking fish and monstrously large prawns out the front. We had prawns again and a bit of Calamari. It is lovely. Red wine, no worries, but please keep it under the table!!

Then back by Tuk Tuk…he had waited for us poor man. How could you not give them massive tips????

Then it was goodbye to Linda who has been my salvation for much of this trip. She is off early in the AM and we have to fill in time until the night. It wont be too hard!!

I think I’m signing off now until I get home. I’ll have to pack the computer up tomorrow. Maybe one last blog from home…this time its over and out for long break from travel.

No wake up call for the first time in ages, that was nice. Then a fairly relaxed morning. I wandered off to do a bit of browsing in the local shops. Bought a top that is probably a mistake but it was only $20 so not a big mistake at all. After a while I bumped into Sally and she decided that she wanted to shout me a head massage. You know what I’m like about massages but I went along with it. God is was full back, neck, and head with the woman kneeled on top of me digging into my back. If there had been a CCTV under the headrest it would have been hilarious as my face contorted with each push down on my poor vertebrae. When that was over I headed straight to the pool…ouch!!

I plopped around in the pool. Sally donned her bathing cap, snorkel and mask and had a swim. Then Linda turned up so we had a snack and a drink (Pina Colada again). I stayed poolside and Sally came up to shower and go to bed again for the afternoon.

So I’m up now and showered and soon Linda and I are going to go down to Lighthouse Beach for some browsing and probably to get some dinner down there. Sally won’t come as she doesn’t feel well. So life goes on for the rich and the leisurely for another couple of days before we finally get on the plane to head home. Linda is heading to the Maldives and then Sri Lanka.

Back now after a lovely evening. We got in a Tuk Tuk and stopped along the way at a couple of art and craft places…just looking, not buying!! Then the same Tuk Tuk took us on to Lighthouse Beach where we walked along the beach and up along the shops, peering in regularly to see what we could see. Great fun…we walked the whole beach and then finally stopped at a fish restaurant for a delicious meal of grilled fish and prawns. It was a great meal and we were so happy to be as far away from a buffet as we could possibly get on this, our first night of freedom.

Then a Tuk Tuk back home. In the meantime Sally did get up and took herself off to Lighthouse Beach but we didn’t run into each other. I think today will be repeated tomorrow.

Today was the last day of the tour. After breakfast we set off on the bus for a whizz around Trivandrum (which now goes by another very long and complicated Indian name that I cant spell). First stop was the Puthe Maliga Palace (Palace of Horses because of the 122 horses carved into the brackets of the walls), a beautiful, old wooden building that is now a museum. It was the palace of the Maharaja of Travencore. We walked around the magnificent rooms that are full of beautiful antiquities including stunning carved ivory, an even more stunning carved ivory throne and a crystal throne which was also beautiful…and much much more but what people are most likely to remember is the heat/ humidity…we were all bathed in a pool of sweat so much so that people were feeling quite sick.

Anyway it was really interesting and very gorgeous. Next to it is a magnificent Tamil / Hindi temple, The Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple intricately carved in white stone and the richest Hindu Temple in the world. Only Hindi people are allowed inside but the outside is a joy to behold.

The third ‘sight’ was the Napier Museum. Again in a most beautiful wooden building with a superbly carved roof. And again with amazing objects of finely carved ivory, intricate, bronze statues and carved marble and stone statues. That was good but again there was an awful lot of sweat involved.

We then went to two places for people to shop but I didn’t find anything I liked. Linda (my friend) got a severe case of the trots and had to find toilets in a very big hurry a number of times!!

We then came back here to the hotel. Sally went to bed for the afternoon again so I went down to the pool…the rest of the group were packing to get on their planes tonight, so it was just me indulging myself in multiple dips and a pina colada to boot. Sally is still in bed so I’m down in the lobby writing this. We’re all going out for a final dinner tonight. Then most of the group head off to the airport (I wish I was with them) and a few of us come back here to spend a few extra nights.

More later…Back from dinner now having farewelled the group heading off to the airport. Its a strange feeling after 30 days with the same people, it is weird when suddenly they’re not there…I have to say I didn’t love everyone but it was an incredibly harmonious group without frictions overall. Fortunately for me Linda is also staying on for 3 days so all is not lost!! Aji has also gone and we are now definitely unhinged from the mass. When we got back here Linda and I went for a wander (Sally went to bed…at 8pm!), browsing some shops and sitting by the pool having a drink before we came up to our rooms.

More tomorrow. Only 3 more sleeps in India + 1 on the plane…so looking forward to getting home now. XXXXXXXXXXXX

Here I am back in the world of the landlubbers (is that a word??). We set off for the houseboat area early in the morning yesterday, stopping first in Jew Town again to see inside the synagogue, it being Sunday morning and therefore open. That was good, it was built in 1568 and was interesting, with individually made tiles, ancient chandeliers, old pulpit and beautiful woodwork.

Back on the buuus and off we headed for Alleppey, a small town near the backwaters where we stopped at a supermarket for supplies for the boat. We were still on the hunt for gin which seems very elusive in Kerala so we stopped at a grog shop which had a massive queue outside of Indians lined up for their weekend supplies. The seas parted as they let us jump the queue, perhaps due to a certain air of desperation. But alas, no gin. Fortunately I had my red wine so I wasn’t going to be the one suffering.

So, off to board the houseboat at Nedmundy, run by Evergreen Tours. We had already worded Aji up about Linda, Laureen, Sally and I being on the same houseboat and he gave us a boat for 4 people. There were 4 boats for the 20 of us. We set off at around 1pm and it was the most lovely experience. They served us lunch promptly and we sat on the water, cruising along with wooden fishing boats, sea eagles, women and kids on the shores doing their washing, swimming and playing.

We got off the boats at one point in a small town where the large catholic church was having a service. Definitely an improvement on the services in Australia…a jam-packed church with Indian/ Christian fusion music that sounded good.

Anyway, never let it be said that I’d get carried away with a church service. Back on the boat and we putted along again until around 6pm when they have to stop the boats so the fishermen aren’t disturbed. Then it was just quiet and peaceful and rocking. They served us dinner on the boat and we went to bed early with a very gentle rock. We were served attentively by 3 lovely men, a Captain, a cook and an assistant to both…what more could a little boat of women want??

This morning it was up, the boat started moving again at 7am and we watching the water-dwellers getting up and going off to work and school. We docked at around 8am, got back on the bus and spent the first part of the day driving here to Kovalam down on the coast. It is a resort on the beach, although the beach isn’t that pretty… a bit like Sri Lanka, Rose, although the resort isn’t as tasteful. There are 3 swimming pools.

I went off by myself after lunch here and got in a Tuk Tuk to go and check out what was supposed to be the best swimming beach around. It is about 2km from here and it was steaming hot so I Tuk Tukked. The beach called Lighthouse Beach, was underwhelming, the sand was black, it was rough and uninviting. The walk along the beachfront was lined with slightly grotty tourist shops full of the usual shawls etc. I walked the length of it in my customary pool of sweat and then got in a Tuk Tuk to bring me back. I’d put my bathers on before I left so I walked in here and flopped into the pool without hesitation.

It was a lovely swim, then back up here…Sally was in bed asleep.

We have booked in here for the next 4 nights. This is the last night of the tour. We all do a tour around Trivanthum tomorrow and then most members head off home tomorrow night. I must admit I am wishing that I was one of them but we have another 3 nights.

Off to drinks in Laureen’s room now and then to dinner before too long so I’ll send this now while the WiFi seems to be working.

A day of touring around Kochi. Firstly to the Dutch Palace built by the Portuguese in 1545. It has the most beautiful frescoes covering the walls telling the story of Vishnu and his sons. They are amazing but no photos allowed which I find very frustrating. Next we walked through Jew Town (yes Jew Town, not Jewish town). There are 5 jews in Kochin, the most famous of whom is 93 yrs and you can peer in through the window of her house and see her moaning on her bed. She is demented and thinks she is in London, we’re told!! That was an unedifying experience!! We wandered around there for a while, poking around in shops, visiting the synagogue that has no Rabbi and can’t get the Jewish equivalent of a quorum for services, but we couldn’t enter anyway because it was Saturday.

Then we went to the Kochi equivalent of the Mumbai laudromat. An area where about 10 men do the washing for this city, pounding the washing vigorously in cubicles. It then gets hung out to dry then ironed using an iron full of hot coals, folded and delivered back. Next we went to St Francis Church which was the first European Church built in India by the Portuguese. Vasco De Gama’s tomb is there but no body (I missed why that was!!). Old Vasco was a blood thirsty, murdering bastard from this side of the historical perspective.

We then walked to a restaurant called Arches for lunch. We had calamari and large prawns which was a treat, and in keeping with being down here.

After lunch we walked down to the water to see the Cantilevered Chinese Fishing Nets. A bit like the stick fishermen of Sri Lanka they are a relic from the past that is kept alive for the tourists. But fascinating nonetheless.

Then we demanded that Aji find us a bottle shop so we could all stock up with for night on the houseboat tomorrow night in mind. We all piled off the bus to ensure our needs were met but sadly the only drink they didn’t have was gin. I got some wine which suits me but Laureen, who had had to go back to the hotel due to the trots, is sadly missing out. We had a quiet word to Aji about who we wanted to go on the houseboat with which was good, there are 4-6 per houseboat and that could have been a total disaster. That is tomorrow night and there is no WiFi on the houseboat.

We are going out to a concert tonight then back for dinner and to pack a small overnight case for tomorrow. Kerala seems really different to the rest of India that we have seen. It is laid-back, hippy-ville. The pace has slowed down, there are less people hassling us all the time, the traffic has slowed and generally it feels more relaxed. More later tonight, then nothing for the next night!!

We went to a dance performance tonight that is specific to Kerala called Kathakali. There are no words spoken and it is all done with expressions. It was terrific…really interesting to watch. The female parts are played by men and the makeup is an art in itself.

Back to dinner and now time for bed. As I said, no WiFi for the next 36 hrs as we experience a houseboat!!

Such a big day yesterday. We didn’t get down here until 11pm and we then had to eat our dinner, get our room keys etc and get sorted. It was well after midnight before I at least got any sleep. Now its up and on the road again.

For all of that yesterday was brilliant. It was a sightseeing day of Mumbai. Now I didn’t think for a minute that we’d be able to get any idea of Mumbai driving around in a bus all day but in fact we did. At least enough to know it is a brilliant city and one that I would really like to return to and spend some solid time in. It helped having a fabulous guide for the day.

We saw amazing colonial era buildings such as Victoria Station, the High Courts and many others, we saw Chowpatty Beach and drove down the Marine Drive walked around the Gateway to India and the magnificent Taj Hotel next to it (subject of a horrible terrorist attack), we watched the Indians out in force playing cricket in what looks like a 24/7 activity…all in their whites. We went to the Dhobi Ghat which is this massive area that is an outdoor laundromat where the washing of Mumbai is done, every day over 100 people wash hundreds of kilos of clothes and linen and hang them out to dry. We saw the biggest food moving operation of all time where Indians on bikes, on foot and on trains pick up the lunches of the office workers, bring them to a central point to reorganise the lunch boxes according to their destinations and then deliver them to the workplace…amazing.

We had lunch and then went briefly to the Afghan Church (dedicated to the 4,500 Indians the British sent into Afghanistan in 1819 and all but 1 died) and to the hanging gardens which are nice but birds of prey circle overhead because the Parsi’s lay out their dead next door in a forested area and the birds come and pick the bones.

Then it was to the airport. We had to say goodbye to Hassan then, that was very sad, we had become very dedicated to him and we were all sorry to see him depart. On the plane and down here to Kerala to meet a new guide, Aji, who seems OK but we haven’t really got to know him at all.

Sally has a cold again and is miserable…not much to be said about that. Off now for a day exploring Kochi which I’m looking forward to.

Another exceptional day but oh so busy. Its now 10.15 pm and I’ve just come up to our room. There is just no time anywhere.

So…we set off this morning to go to the Ellora Caves…Truly and honestly amazing. The most stunning one is the Hindu Kailash Temple. It is a massive temple carved out of the basalt cliff. It is made from a single piece of rock and took 150years to carve. It has intricate carvings all around it and is just a remarkable sight both inside and outside the temple. Hard to describe and it will probably get very boring if I try but for me it was one of the highlights of India and that is saying something.

There are other temples including another beautiful Buddhist Temple but everything else pales against the Kailish. It was a much, much more accessible temple than those at Ajanta and therefore a more pleasant excursion.

We went back to the hotel for lunch and then set off for the airport to get a flight to Mumbai. The airport preparation is always a kerfuffle as everyone agonises over getting their luggage down to 15kgs. We were moving things around cases those of us with some capacity could take things for those over the limit. It serves little purpose because everyone just stuffs heavy gear into their hand luggage….I think the plane will go down every time!!

To end another busy day, we are here in Mumbai and tomorrow night we go down to Kerala after a day sightseeing in Mumbai.

Hi Calamia, thanks for the email Mares…as soon as I get a second I’ll reply.

Long, long day of flights. From Udaipur we had to go to Delhi because Mumbai airport was closed. We had to go through the whole security horror and luggage horror where we can only take 15 kgs on these internal flights and people (not me) had to pay excess. It went on and on. We finally got on the plane in Udaipur and off in Delhi. Unfortunately we had to get our luggage and go through the whole check in thing again, and security etc.

Anyway long and short of it is that we are here in Aurangabad and in a nice hotel only to be up at 5.30 in the morning to make our way to the Ajanta Caves. From what I gather it will be an arduous day of climbing. They do offer seats to be carries by 4 men for some people and some members are taking this up but I wouldn’t be seen dead doing this so climb I will.

A short one today…tomorrow will be big!!

Ajanta Caves

This exhausting/ amazing tour just keeps on rolling on at a cracking pace. After getting to Aurangabad late, having a late dinner and falling into bed, we were woken at 5.30 am to get ready for a 7am start. On the buuuus!!!

But one of our group, one of my favourite people, Natasha wasn’t with us. Overnight she’d got a call that her sister was very ill (???), her parents weren’t coping with it all so she had to get on a plane back to London. I’m sad that she isn’t here any more…she is such a bright spark, and one of my mates.

To continue…It was a long 3.5 hr drive to get to the Ajanta caves. The last 5kms we have to transfer to a government bus which is just barely holding together and is so full you cant move. Anyway we got there and the fun began. First a steep climb up a hill…fortunately there was a ramp and some stairs so I was able to opt for the ramp not that that was easy. The sun beats down on you and you sweat like a pig as you climb and climb. Memories of the caves in Sri Lanka

That got us to the first caves. Caves 1 & 2 were spectacular…covered in remarkable paintings covering the walls and ceiling. They are intricate and detailed and tell the stories of Buddha and of court life dating back to the 2nd century. The caves were monasteries and the monks cells were carved into the walls. Some others were temples with stupas inside and beautifully carved rock. The carved out the caves completely from scratch, a monumental feat. Carving statues and pillars from the top down and then creating these amazing paintings in what must have been nearly complete dark. All a bit awe inspiring.

We walked along through the caves, there are 30. Cave 17 again has spectacular paintings throughout. We walked up and down masses of stairs as we made our way along the caves which are a horseshoe in the mountainside. It was blazing hot and sweaty business but I did it and again, it always feels good to get the job done. One of the women on the trip was transported by 4 men carrying a palanquin. OMG, save me from this humiliation.

We had lunch in a restaurant at the caves which was fine and then had the long drive back here to Aurangabad. Everyone was exhausted.

We now got a couple of hours to shower and ready ourselves to go out to dinner tonight for tandoori which will be a welcome change.

Back from dinner. It was the best meal we’ve had yet…really delicious and for once not a buffet so that was good. We then needed to finish off the gin before tomorrows flight so I went off to Laureen’s room for a bit of a chin wag and a night cap.

Big day again tomorrow…must get some sleep

We set off on the bus this morning, everyone coughing and spluttering. Except that I’m definitely feeling as if I’m on the mend.

We drove around the lake that the hotel (Hilltop Palace) overlooks, Lake Fateh Sagar, and went on to a lovely C18 garden that was designed for the Queen of Udaipur for her 48 maids to enjoy. It is called Sahelion Ki Bari Gardens. Beautiful fountains, lily ponds and lovely lawns and plants…a very peaceful and gorgeous place.

Then we went on to City Palace. Another of those beautiful palaces on a hilltop with a steep climb up to them and then stairs, stairs and more stairs to get up to the top. The palace overlooks another gorgeous lake, Lake Pichola, in which sits the famous Lake Palace Hotel. The Palace itself was built in 1725 by Maharana Udai Singh and is ornate, and splendid…it is actually 11 palaces kind of rolled into one. And it was crowded, so crowded with little concept of waiting or queueing. If there was a fire you would very definitely get trampled. The palace is still the home to Udai Singhs ancestors who actually remain rulers of the independent state.

We then walked to a restaurant for lunch. It was underwhelming and I’m starting to find it hard to keep eating the buffet food. It is all really good, tasty etc but I’m a bit over it. Anyway, after lunch we went to the Mewar Art Gallery where they do these superb, fine, sort of miniature paintings which I love. They do the coarser work with brushes made from the camels eyebrow and then the fine, fine work with a squirrels hair. We watched them in action. I bought myself a painting and this time I don’t regret the purchase, I love it.

We had half an hour back at the hotel before setting of for a boat cruise on Lake Pichola. It is so beautiful, surrounded by mountains. In the centre is the Lake Palace Hotel, on the banks are the City Palace and the Lake Palace (Nag Niwas) which is supposed to be the world’s finest hotel. We stopped and got out at Jagmandir. Another palace now hotel that played a significant part in Indian history…but I’ve lost the plot a bit. Suffice to say the sun set over the lake, the palaces and hotels were lit up and it was a magical boat trip. Except that we had to wear life jackets and mine came up over my head which sent everyone into hysterics….I have a photo which I might send to you!!

7 of us did an optional extra tonight. A dancing, puppet, singing show that really was fabulous. It was jam-packed full of people and the kids just adored it too.

Back for dinner and now getting ready for bed. We fly to Aurangabad via Delhi tomorrow. Its been a long day but a thoroughly enjoyable one. I love Udaipur, I think it’s my favourite city so far.

Another eventful day, although the eventfulness was rather unexpected. First I will explain with a little background. Everyone on the bus is hacking away with a cough/cold so for a few days now there have been stops at chemists and I have been checking what’s in the drugs for them. So I have become the completely inappropriate advisor on health issues. This is the background and now I will begin the day.

We left Jodhpur and drove for about 4 hours to lunch. We stopped for lunch and were getting ready to leave when one of the group, a lovely Englishman called Frank ( I love this English couple, Frank and Karen) blacked out and face planted on the floor. He was unconscious for maybe 30 seconds before he came around. Blood pouring from a cut to his nose where he had hit the table on the way down and taken a goodly chunk out of the bridge. He’d cut his lip etc but more worrying for me was why he had blacked out.

Anyway Hassan is yelling out Susan, Susan and everyone was running for strapping etc. His poor, dear wife Karen was distressed of course. Anyway they thought it needed stitching so there was a very small hospital nearby. Karen, Hassan and I went to the hospital with him. We bypassed the many Indian people waiting for attention and were ushered straight in. Yes, they wanted to stitch it, I didn’t know how they were going to stitch a chunk out of a nose but I didn’t want to make the call.

They sent us all out and wouldn’t let us watch the procedure….god knows what the hand hygiene or sterile technique was like and I haven’t been able to look at the job they did because its got a bandage on it. I’ll just have to keep an eye on it over the next few days. Frank was shaken up but is OK now. Karen described a previous episode where he had blackout out at the dinner table so I’m guessing he’s having little TIAs…not that I’d know but I’ll certainly be telling them to go to their doctor when they get home.

Next stop, the most beautiful Jain Temple in all of India. Ranakpur. Built C15, The main temple in the complex is Chaumakha (four faced) Temple. And it is truly superb. There are 1444 pillars that are carved intricately and magnificently. There are 29 halls with roofs whose carving is hard to take in it is so beautiful. All in all stunning.

Then on towards Udaipur through a mountain range where the superb driving skills of our driver Mr Singh were put to the test as we twisted through the passes, meeting other busses/trucks/cars and having to negotiate our way around them. The route was lined with monkeys along the side of the road. We finally descended into Udaipur, a beautiful town with 5 large artificial lakes, palaces, temples etc. To be explored more tomorrow.

To our hotel, the Hilltop Palace…and it is just incredible and so very beautiful. It overlooks a large lake. Our room has a balcony and a glorious view (and two beds very close together!!!). We went up to the rooftop bar and sat out on a gorgeous balmy night having a drink before going downstairs to the outdoor dining area overlooking the lake.

We have a big day tomorrow so wont be able to enjoy too much of the hotel but it does feel like a lovely place to be.