Day 18 - Jodhpur

What a busy day!

I was staying in the same room as Julie the previous night, and a group of us had arranged to visit the Bishnoi villages, the small villages out of Jodhpur. The seven of us hopped in 2 jeeps (me, Kay and Julie bagged the open-topped jeep) and zoomed out of smelly, busy Jodhpur, the wind blowing in our hair.

Bishnoi means 29 (or is it49 - whoops, can't remember), which represents the 29 rules the village people live by (things like keeping the ground clean, looking after wildlife etc). In the villages it is customary to take opium, in the form of tea, for morning, noon and night. This has happened for centuries, and the village people even give it to babies (stops them whinging) and offer it to guests (makes them happy). So, as Hannah had warned us in advance, we were offered it in the first house we came to. We declined politely. The head of the family then showed us how he made the tea, and demonstrated by feeding it to our Indian guide from his cupped palm (sidelong looks between us - but he's ok, he's just the guide we told ourself. The guide coughed - "is stong" - oh dear). But theeen the lad driving our jeep, only 19 or so, bounced up and took some too! Hannah was like "nooooo, you are driving the jeep" but too late! The old guy bobbed his head "is good - make him more awake" - Hannah raises her hands in the 'I give up' gesture. Resigned to our fate, we continued chatting to the lady of the house and taking photos. A little later the three of who had come in the open jeep made our way back to it with great trepedation. We climbed back on, and gripped tight as we made our way to the next location - a small village. Our driver was grinning as he drove, and rubbing his head, and the three of us were just crying with hysterical laughter in the back. It was a surreal experience.



Above left: The jeep Above right: Opium man

At the next stop we swapped jeeps, and went to drink chai and try on Rajistani dress. Then we went to a carpet making co-operative, and watched them weave the intricate designes by hand. One carpet normally takes 2 people 3 weeks to make, and cost a mere 4000 Rupees (about 50 pounds). I restrained myself from spending yet more money, but Kay bought 2 and had them sent home.

Lastly we visited a house made entirely of cow dung, and ate Thali cooked over a cow dung fire. (Julie almost screamed when the lady cooking chipatti's picked up the cow dung fuel with tongs, then used the same tongs to flick & pat the chipatti).



Above: We wait for lunch

We jumped in the jeeps then, and rushed back to the hotel so that we would have time to visit the fort, and sighed with relief when we made it back whole!

We were dropped off at the fort overlooking Jodhpur, Mehranghar Fort, and wondered around like complete tourists with headsets on. The narrator had a wonderful, rich british-indian voice, and spoke in detail about the palace, Indian customs and many other things. Best guide yet. The view from the fort, across the blue washed buildings, was awe-inspiring. There was also some filming being done, and the whole fort was done up and camera crews, and little boys with painted blue faces, and giggling female extras in full traditional dress trooped around.



Finally 3 of us - me, Nicole and Julie - and arranged to visit the maharajas palmist (another one of Hannahs contacts!) at his house. After an epic journey of misdirection (2 confused rickshaws, 6 different sets of directions and much wondering around) we finally found the house. The reading was amazing, not at all airy-fairy - almost scientific in fact, and scarily accurate. We laughed about the predictions in the Rickshaw home, and when we arrived back we enjoyed the view from the rooftop cafe while we drank our evening lassi.

Day 17 - Jaisalmer/Jodhpur

We left the camp early, and hauled our aching backides onto our camels for the long ride back to the hotel. The journey was a tad uncomfortable, but luckily I had brought my MP3 player, so I plugged it in and listened to the Garden State soundtrack whilst the scenery bounced by - took my mind off the pain!

Back at the hotel we took a last lunch on the rooftop cafe, with the amazing view of Jaisalmer, then trudged downstairs to pick up our bags. We all crammed into rickshaws and rode to the bus station, where we would catch our 6 hr bus to Jodhpur (yet - it is where the trousers come from!).

The bus was aaawful. We had designated seats, but there was people in the aisles, people on the rook of the bus, hundreds of people crammed the sleeper cabines (the little nooks that are where the bags normally go above the seats on buses - they are designed for a person to sleep in for long trips, but often hold 3 generations of one family and about 5 bags of rice - myyy goood). The journey was hot and bumpy and men crammed the aisle. Kay and Karen - sitting in front, shared their double seat with an old lady and three children! Me and Nicole were almost more unlucky, a middle aged, rotund, sweaty Indian man just parked hus backside on the end of the seat and proceeded to interrogate us (you are how old? you are married? can I have your email? - head bobbing, wiping sweat from brow, Nicole almost fainting from wafts of body odour). It got worse when we hit a particularly rough area, and several of the people in the sleeper cabins above us were promptly sick out the window. As our windows where all open it just came right back in! Pleasant.
Oh - and all this was at about 90 miles an hour with the loudest horn ever (playing a delightful Om tune) blasting out every five seconds.

When we finally reached Jodhpur we were all traumatised, and had many showers in our rooms before heading to the roof top cafe above the hotel. The view was amazing, as the lights came on across Jodpur and the fort was lit up. After a good meal we had recovered enough to laugh about our earlier bus experience!

Day 16 - Jaisalmer

Ooh my poor knees!

Today I am sleeping in the desert, under the stars (which are behind the clouds). Anna and me spent the entire morning in a leather shop outside the main fort area whilst Vijay, the owner, showed us his entire collection of goods and his family photos of his father/wife/sons/brother etc. handmaking leather goods. Needless to say we both left after spending every last rupee we had with us. Oh dear. I did get a very nice bag though!

Afterward five of us all crammed in one Rickshaw, and popped to see the lake out of town. With the rainfall it was very full, and kids were jumping off the buildings into the water.



Above left: View of part of the lake (and random people) Above right: The five of us infront of the lake arch (nice photo rickshaw driver!)

At 3pm we hopped onto the hotels jeeps and they drove us into the desert were our camels waited. We all had a camel each, and a boy to lead the way and keep our pesky camels in line. We rode for hours, and had a bit of trotting too (I was clinging on with my knees for dear life - so bouncy!). At about 6 we reached the sand dunes where we would be spending the night. We mucked around and had sand dune races (sand got absolutely everywhere) whilst the camel boys prepared the Thali for dinner, and brought us mugs of steaming chai when we stumped our way back to the camp fire. As we ate our dinner the sun set and the full moon came out. At about 8 the entertainment arrived - there were 2 musicians and 3 dancers, all Rajistani gypsies. The men played a pipe and drum, and the ladies, in ornate cloathing, demonstrated the Rajistani dancing (twist the wrists, shake the hips). After an hour or so of music (and cold beer) they dragged us all to our feet and we boogied away Rajistani style until we collapsed with exhaustion.

The 5 left at about 11 (with a very generous tip) and most people dragged the bed frames out onto the dunes for some sleep. Some of us still felt very awake, so we persuaded the camel boys to sing us some Rajas. The guide, who was about 70, sang whilst the other boys beat out a rhythm on an empty oil can, and accompanied him. His voice floated over the sand dunes and the fire crackled and glowed. At midnight the last of us climbed onto our beds and fell asleep - to be woken a few hours later by light rain, in the desert! Crazy.



Above: The group chilling out, drinking beers



Above left: The camel Above centre: The dancing Above right:THe camel guide showing us how it is done

Happy birthday Stuart!!

Day 15 - Jaisalmar

Today I spent aaaaalooot of money. I woke up early and had breakfast on the roof with Kay, Anna and Karen.

After we finished we worked our way through the windy streets and keen salesmen ("Good price, very cheap" or "Please come in and give me a chance to rip you off" - yes, one man really said that!) to an ornate Jain temple for the sightseeing part. It was very beautiful, built of sandstone and carved wonderfully by hand. We took lots of pictures of the amazing carved figures that were everywhere and in every size.



Above: The girls outside the temple, and the ornate sandstone inside

Then we went shoooopping. We went directly to a textiles shop recommended to us by Hannah, and proceeded to turn it into a big mess. We sipped chai and chatted away to the salesmen forabout an hour whilst they pulld out every rug, throw and cusion cover imaginable. The throws in particular were amazingly beautiful, made of silk and embroidered by hand. By 11 we had all drunk much tea and our eyes hurt with all the colours, but we had all given in to one thing or other. I bought a huge blue/silver silk throw and asked for it to be shipped home. It cost 6400R (about 80 pounds) but I justified it in the 'if I bought it in England it would cost ten times as much' way. Oops, thats it now, no more crazy spending. We shopped all morning (phew, so exhausting), spent all our money, then collapsed in a Tibetan restaurant at 1 and wolfed down some momos. Afterward we went back to the hotel to recover and relax.



Above left: Outside the main fort area Above right: People dancing at a street ceremony

Tonight we are all having dinner together in the very classy restaurant The Trio, and tommorow we go for a camel safari in the desert. We have been promised sand dune racing and sleep under the stars - very exciting!

Day 14 - Jaisalmer

We are now in the sandy town of Jaisalmer in Rajistan. It is dry and hot here, with lots of flies, but the town is beautiful.

In the midst of the Thar desert, Jaisalmer is a fort town built of golden sandstone. It served as a gateway for the Indian silk and spices going to Sindh and further west during the medieval period, so many of the building are very beautiful and richly carved.





Top: The group Above: Jaisalmer streets

We are staying in a hotel in the centre of the fort area. All the rooms are very different and interestng, and the corridors are so windy windy it is possible to get lost on the way to reception. From our room there is a wide view across Jaisalmer and out into the desert.

We did not do much as we arrived at about 4pm, but we had a quick walk around the town to get an idea of the layout (am so going to get lost in the confusing streets). In the evening we ate a meal on the top of the hotel, and watched the sun set as we sat munching our naan and korma, and sipping our cold beers. The night was so warm that we stayed on the roof for hours, chatting away.



Above: Me and Lisa on the rooftop cafe

Day 13 - Old Delhi

What a day! I met my tour group for the Intrepid Adventure tour of North India last night. There are 12 of us, from many countries, and 2 leaders (one trainee) - so it is a nice number. We all are in India for the first time, and most on their own, although there are 2 couples. We attempted to learn each others names, then went for dinner in a nice restaurant (had my first beer in 2 weeks!)

In the morning we crammed our way onto a local bus for the ride to the Jame Masjid mosque. The mosque was amazing, built of pinkish stone with ornate towers and domes. We carried our shoes heel to heel, and padded across the cool stone of the large couryard. Some of the guys, feeling energetic, climbed the hundreds of steps to the top of the tallest tower for amazing views across Old Delhi (they promised to let ussee the pictures!).



Above: Jame Masjid mosque

After leaving the mosque we wove our way through the grubby backstreets, with power cables tangled above us like spiderwebs, until we reached the spice market. We stopped off on the way for chai from a street chai wallah (the cheapest and most delicious chai I've had yet!). After exploring the bustling and fragrant spice stalls, we took a crazy (suicidal) rikshaw ride to the train station. Many near misses with bikes/cows/automobiles.



Above: The chai man, rickshaws, delhi streets and spice market

The underground in Delhi is like another world, you decend on escalators from dusty, load streets, to pristine, echoing halls. The underground train system is very new (it was only built last year) and many local people are still wary of it - this was most evident in the people who approached the escalator gingerly, paused to watch the revolving stairs appear from nowhere, then lost their nerve and scurried away.

We then visited a sikh temple. Covering our heads and removing our shoes, we went inside and sat in the main area, and listened awhile to the chanting from the holy book. Hannah, our leader, told us a bit about Sikhism and the temple we were in. Next we visited the temples kitchens, where a group of men and women were making chipattis. There were a bunch of ladies sitting round a low, square table, rolling dough into flat disks and laughing and chatting. Another group were baking the dough and flicking the finished hot bread into waiting baskets. Some of us sat with the ladies and helped them roll out a few chipattis. My attempts were somewhat squarish, but passed the test and were baked, though I gave up after the fifth try with no improvement. The people in the temple were friendly and welcoming, which was a nice difference from the short-tempered men in the muslim mosque.



Above Left: The baking of the chipattis Above right: Me (far right) and Nicole rolling the dough

Lastly we went to connaught place, an upmarket shopping area, for lunch in the coffee house. The food was very yummy, but we were running late so ate quickly and rushed back out to the station to catch the tube back to the hotel.

We were due to catch a 6 o'clock train from old Delhi station. The jouney was to be a 19 hr, overnight, to Jaisalmer, far to the west. The train came quickly, and we hopped aboard and settled in to our booths. For a few hours we chatted away, watching the countryside crawl by. As we went further west the land flattened out into level, sparce scrubland, and the women's sari's became brighter and brighter. We eventually unfolded the beds at about 9, and crawled into our regulation sheets for a night of sleep disturbed by the load coming and goings, of people embarking and disembarking throughout the night.

Day 11 & 12 - Delhi

I'm in the smallest, grottiest internet cafe believable, in the Karol Bagh area of Delhi.

I arrived in Delhi at about 4 pm yesterday after a relatively easy journey to utterly torrential rain. Thankful that I brought my umbrella, I dashed for the nearest taxi and we sped off to Hotel Good Palace, where I would be meeting the tour group the next day. After asking about 500 people where my hotel was, the taxi driver dropped me at the hotel, sandwiched between saree and jewellery shops, in the busy shopping area of Karol Bagh. After some battle with the manager over my room price (which was 4 times that of my last room) the friendly bell boy showed me up to my room (hot water, clean sheets, room service - bliss) and proceeded to show me all 62 channels available on my TV.

After I had unpacked and settled in, it was still early, so I ventured out for some shopping... and 2 hours later I returned, exhausted, after spending all my money. The service in the shops is incredible - there must be at least one shop assistant per customer, and they all swoop in when you enter, and follow you round until you've bought more than you really need. In one shop I was hustled to the clothing section, and into the changing room. After trying on an endless number of Salwar Kameezes, I was handed an armful that passed the test, and told I "simply must buy them - perfect yaah". I bought just one, which was all I could afford with the money I had left (the shop girl was amazed at this - like everyone here she presumed that I, as a westerner, had an unlimited supply of cash). I then went back to my room and tried the clothes on again, wondered why the hell I bought them, shrugged, and ordered dinner. That evening I sat eating Sag Aloo, air conditioning blowing a gale, watching a hindi movie full of wailing girls and crying men - nice.

Today I have taken less money, and avoided the well staffed shops. I've also found a map of the Karol Bagh area so have located the ATM, this internet cafe, and the post office - where I will send some things home.

I'm meeting the tour group at 6pm, so until then here is not much to do but spend more money - sigh. Will try to be strong in face of incredibly pursuasive shop assistants.

Day 10 - Rishikesh

It's the last day today! I've been for a last wander and Hare Om'd all the sadhus, and done a few chores like get an Indian sim card for my phone, booked a hotel in Delhi and picked up my train ticket.

My yoga lesson yesterday involved handstands, a five-minute headstand, and shoulderstand with about a million variations. Far too much upside-downing for me! So tonight I'm going to give my poor, tortured body a rest and skip my yoga lesson. Instead I'll watch the sunset from my balcony, or maybe walk down to the Ganges to watch the evening prayers.

But now I'm going to attempt to do the one thing I haven't managed yet - find the beatles ashram! After some asking around I have received more precise directions and so hopefully it shouldn't be so difficult to find (famous last words)

Later:
Yaay - I've found it! What a mission. I almost gave up when I asked Navi (internet-lad) where it was and he gave me completely different directions, but then I decided sod it - I was going to bloody well find it.

I followed the original directions, and walked along the Ganga in a northerly direction. I cleared the swargashram area and continued through abandoned buildings, with the odd cow and mangy dog mooching around. Eventually I reached a path through weeds and bushes, and was about to give up when I spotted an amusing sign promising the Ashram to be 100m ahead! (It also pointed out that the Last Chance Cafe had good vibrations - see picture below)

I had to pick my way through Sadhus to get to the gate, which looked locked and had a NO ENTRY sign, but luckily a Swedish couple were just leaving, and slyly told me the gate was unlocked. Feeling like a rebel, I crept inside the creaky metal gate, and along the slippery, overgrown path that snaked up, through trees and pebble dashed huts, to the main area. On the right there was yet more huts, and as I picked my way through, I found hut number 11, where John and Cynthia Lennon reportedly practiced their transcendental meditation. The place was crumbling and in decay, and there was complete silence but for the chirrup of the crickets and the bird song. It was completely surreal, and felt more like a scene in Myst (computer game - teen addiction!) than real life. Below are pictures - hover the mouse over them for descriptions.

Day 9 - Rishikesh

It's the 31st of august today... which is, urm, thursday (the days all blur into one here) this means I have only today and tomorrow left in Rishikesh, and then the long and tedious journey back to Delhi to look forward to! (Bus-Train-Rickshaw)


I join my tour on the 3rd September where ensues a manic 22-day tour of Northern India in the company of 13 strangers. (Our route is shown above)

Until then I will continue with my relaxed routine in Rishikesh. I'll admit to having become somewhat of a regular at the Little Italy restaurant below the hotel, and enjoy speedy speedy service with a smile - something that is very rare from the grumpy head waiter (I like to think it is my friendly manner, but it is more likely the generous tips). I enjoy going there because of the delicious food, but it is also a great place to watch people and meet other travellers. Yesterday I met an insomniac pole who was lamenting the knack of nightlife ("they all go to bed at 10 because they wake up before dawn" I told him, and with this he shuddered visibly, and admitted that was usually when he went to sleep).

I'm also a regular at the little internet cafe by the hotel, and friends with the music-crazy lad that works there - I share my mp3 player so he can boogy away as I write, and he, in return, gives me all the gossip and points out the large lady that always checks her backside in the cafe's reflective window as she goes past every day - much to his amusement.

Today my legs ache. Under the stern eye of the yoga teacher I was able to get into Padmasana or lotus (right) for the first time in ages. But it did not end there - he then had us stay in it for what seemed an eternity whist we did other variations. My legs did not like, and this morning they paid me back - I'm walking like a knackered mule.

Day 8 - Rishikesh

Another day, another futile search for an elusive place mentioned in lonely planet.

I started off the day by visiting the Hotel Great Ganga, aall the way over the river, for breakfast in their posh, air conditioned cafe with views of the rushing Ganga.
Unfortunately the day was sunny, and I had forgotton to put on suncream, so my face erupted in freckles (niiice).

Afterward I bought a cheap camera and, slightly embarrassed by my touristness, I wondered back to the hotel, taking a few snaps as I went. I chickened out of asking the crazy snakelady for a picture, although the poor thing was probably doped out on opium (the snake, not the lady). Luckily I have found picture on t'internet for your viewing pleasure (left)

Anyway, after I got bored of taking pictues I decided to attempt to find the ashram the beatles stayed in. It was not, as I've originally been told, the swarg ashram, but in fact the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ashram. The ashram of pebble-dashed huts and buildings is abandoned and decaying after the organisation decamped to Holland, so it's location was not mentioned in the lonely planet. However I asked one of the crazy american ladies, who said I had to "walk about a km along the ganges" but didn't say which way before doddering off - it's needless to say that I spent half an hour walking in the wrong direction! Sigh - try again tomorrow.

And, to complete my cycle of dopishness (these things come in threes you know), I returned to my room to discover that I had dyed my favourite white top light blue after leaving it in to soak it with a new scarf. Rats. However this did have the side effect of making the existing splodges of pink (achieved by walking in the rain with a new maroon wrap on) a more attractive shade of violet.

Day 7 - Rishikesh

Today I got up at 6.30am with the best intentions. Last night, when dining in Little Italy (the restaurant below the hotel - which serves most excellent pizzas btw) I bumped into a german woman, Christina, who is taking yoga lessons in the yoga room in the next hotelalong. Hurrah. After days of trailing round ashrams and yoga halls only to be told "No yoga madam" - I've finally found a class. And I checked - the yoga teacher, unlike my last one, is not also the owner of the hotel.

So at 8.30, so dashed out of my hotel and into Raj Palace in my somewhat revealing yoga clothing carefully draped with one of my many wraps, and sat down in reception and waited for the other yoga students to come. No one came.
After some minutes the young desk clerk approached apoligetically "No yoga this morning madam". Raaah.
So, instead I spend most of the day reading on the balcony, occassionally interrupted by the Israeli girls sunbathing in their bikinis - more precisely the steady stream of 'workmen' come to check the flowerpots or scare off the monkeys (i.e. goggle at the girls in their scandelous clothing)

This evening I am meeting Christina for the 5.30 yoga class with the fille-gross teacher (think that means he's buff). There are apparently are quite few people who go to the class - it's always good to make new friends!

Update:
Fille-gross (or however you spell it) sadly does not mean buff - it must mean skinny. The young yoga teacher is a human elastic band without an ounce of fat on him, anywhere.
Happily he is a very good (if slightly demanding) teacher, and he excells especially in demonstrations - where he shows a talent of being able to move each muscle individually, and astonishingly flexible ankles (he could probably get into press-up position with feet flat on the floor!).
And the cost of a 2-hr, expert lesson in a 3 person group? (myself, Christina and Alice from Paraguay) It is a mere 50R (about 65p).

Right: Adho Mukha Svasana, also known as downward facing dog - which I had to do about a gazillion times, ouch my poor arms. We also practiced standing up straight for about 20 minutes ("dese arre really de hard postures, yaah, you practice practice")

Day 6 - Rishikesh

I've up and moved downtown, I'm now in a (slightly grotty) room in the Green Hotel in the swarg ashram area (next to the Ram Jhula bridge). It's less of the backpackers chillout and more of the busy, but friendly, little area full of stalls. The post office is nearby, so I can finally send my postcards!

Today there are no clouds, and the sun is beating down, so I've been spending most of my times in cafes reading or on the internet. In between times , I have wondered about the swarg ashram area dodging the sadhus, the lady with the python, and the guy who determinedly tries to sell me bindis every time I pass. When I'm not pacing quickly away from crazy people, I've developed a relaxed, slug-slow walk that enables me to get places without turning into a hot mess (unfortunately there are quite a number of crazy people around, so it's not much help).

Below are a couple of pictures I took on the balcony of swiss cottage this morning. Internet connection is hideously slow here, so I am thinking of buying a normal camera and sending the photos home.

Day 5 - Rishikesh

It's my third day in Rishikesh, and already it feels like home. The waiters in the cafe in front of the hostel all know my name, although it still takes about twenty minutes for my ginger, lemon and honey drink to arrive.
Today I walked to the Ram Jhula bridge to renew my efforts to find the Madras cafe, and hopefully find the famous Swarg Ashram, where the beatles and their prospective partners hung out in 1968 with Maharish Mahesh Yogi (right). After some to-and-froing I eventually found the steps leading down to the bridge, and, weaving my way through the begging sadhus, I ventured onto the (slightly swaying) bridge. About 5 monkeys watched me from the rails of a bridge, and one tiny one waved at me - so cute!

On the way across a family of Bengali tourists asked me for a family photograph I agreed, somewhat puzzled as to why they would want a picture of themselves with a sweaty, red faced English girl, and they all crowded round me in delight, much to the irritation of the other people trying to pass by.

The other side was full of little shops selling bracelets, beads and other items. I browsed for a while, then went in search of the Green hotel, where I had heard that a good yoga class was held. Unfortunaly no yoga classes - but the double rooms were nice and half the price of the Swiss Cottage. On my way back to the bridge I bumped into Marius, a german traveller I had met in Haridwar, it turned out that he was staying in the hotel next to the one I had just visited, and was also in search of a yoga class. We decided to go for breakfast, and he led the way to a restaurant called Chotiwallah (means "fellow with small tuft of hair" apparantly - and the rotund manager was sitting outside dressed as aformentioned person). Unfortunately, though the food was cheap and looked yummy, it was not really breakfast stuff. I slyly requested a visit to the Madras cafe, and yeees - Marius knew where it was - success!!

The cafe was the other side of the bridge, and the yogurt and fresh fruit I ordered was yummy. Marius was travelling into the jungle, and asked if I wanted to go too, but I declined - visions of me soaked in sweat, bitten to death and being slapped around by wet trees stuck in my mind. We arranged to meet later to watch the sunset prayers held on the Ghats, but at 4 o'clock the sky grew grey and the rains came big time.

It is pissing it down still, so I shall spend the evening in the cafe reading my book.

Right: The cafe (from my window), rain is causing connection problems with uploading piccies - more to follow!

Day 4 - Rishikesh

I leave England to go to India, and what do I get? Rain!
No, it's actually nice, monsoon is still lingering in Rishikesh and the rain falls in shorts, light bursts. A thick layer of mist permenantly hovers above the Ganges and clings to the jungle hills. The air is warm and damp and my hair constantly frizzes.

I am feeling a bit tired today, I met a funny french guy, Antoine, in the cafe last night, and we went to watch "God must be crazy" in this wacky cafe that looked like a bedouin tent. The staff were all lazing around and drinking awful scottish whiskey, and the Israili guy next to me got completely stoned and tottered off with my scarf while I was engrossed in the movie. I didn't get back till about two, so felt completely knackered this morning and to dip out of the trek to the waterfall I had arranged yesterday.

Instead I faffed around, and pottered off down the road, looking for the Madras Cafe mentioned in Lucy Edge's book. I had spotted signs the previous day, and thought it would be easy to find - no such luck! After half an hour, 5 'Madras Cafe' signs, and about a hundred rikshaws asking for a lift, I finally gave up and hopped on the next one.

I asked for the cafe, and the driver nodded and drove all the way up the hill to the top, where I had come from! He dropped me off, and tried to overcharge me! Anyway, giving up on the cafe, I walked over the amazing suspension bridge to Lacksman Jhula, found the shops, and proceeded to spend all the cash I'd brought with me (budget smudgeit, it was all so cheap!)


On a further note, after consulting LP back in my room, I discovered that I had actually managed to walk right past the Madras cafe, and was only a little distance from it I gave up - #@*#!*%$ rickshaw drivers grrr!

Day 3 - Rishikesh

I'm now suffiently chilled after all my manic travelling. I have settled in to the Bhandari Swiss Cottage, in a lovely double room with a balcony overlooking the ganges. It's a tad pricy, but I keep telling myself I deserve it :-)
I ended up catching a taxi to Haridwar - I took one look at the bus station, went "eek" and crossed the road to get a pre-paid taxi. 440R instead of a mere 15, but I was dropped right outside the door, and it was nice not to share the seat with someone else's elbows.
The area I'm in here is very self-contained, with a shop, bureau and restaurant, and there are lots of other travellers hanging out and generally relaxing. The strangest thing so far has been seeing the monkeys hanging around. I keep wondering how on earth they got there - then remembering that they are just native to the area, not escapees from a local zoo!
I am planning to take my first yoga lesson in India tonight - it's been a while, so hope I can still touch my toes!

Day 2 - Haridwar

Well, I didn't quite make it as far as Rishikesh.
I planned to take a train from Delhi to Haridwar using an eticket I bought over the internet, and then a bus from Haridwar to Rishikesh.
With the ticket clutched in my hot hand, I left the hostel at midday and headed for New Delhi station.
As I neared the station I was bombarded with touts trying to sell me tickets and taxi rides. I thought I'd got through them all, when I was detained by a smartly dressed man at the entrance gate who asked to look at my ticket. Thinkig nothing of it - I showed it to him, and he immediately shook his head and told me that it was not valid and that I would have to rebook in the International Tourist bureau. Craaap
He offered to show me to it, so I followed him out of the station to a poky office across the road. Darn - it was a ticket sales place - fooled. It took about half an hour to escape in which time they told me an unbelievable pack of lies including that the ticket was the wrong date (it wasn't), it wasn't actually a real ticket (it was) and that I should instead take one of their taxi's for a mere $70 (not likely).
I marched out of the office, past the hoards of touts (again), and straight into the station aand upstairs to the real, wonderfully air-conditioned, International Tourist bureau.
When my train came I found my compartment and seat eventually, and the 5 hour journey to Haridwar went by quickly, with excessive amounts of chai being consumed and fielding questions from the curious family surrounding me.
I got into Haridwar at 9pm. It was dark and I had to pick my way through hundreds of ripe-smelling travelling Sadhu's in their orange robes, stretched out on the station platform.



It was pitch black, and I didn't fancy catching a taxi, so I popped into the classy Ganga Azure hotel and booked a room with airconditioning. And I ate my first proper indian meal in their snazzy restaurant (most delicious it was too) !

Day 1 - seedy hostel, Delhi

Well, I made it, the epic journey is done and I am in Delhi.
The flight was painful- having never been on an overnight flight, I have not mastered art of sleeping sitting up, so ended up curling in un ungaily pile before I went to sleep, about 2, despite everyone bashing me as they passed by.
I landed in Mumbai about 10.30 and got utterly confused by the signposting - somehow I managed to catch the shuttle bus to the domestic terminal (bloody miracle - everytime I asked someone they pointed in a different direction!).
Unfortunately I had to then wait hours to check in for my internal flight to Delhi (don't ask me why I didn't just book a flight to Delhi in the first place - I'll just get angry). About midday hunger struck - there was only one decidedly dodgy looking juice stand - so I ventured outside. Just about made it to the mini cafe across the road, before I was drenched in sweat and purple (more amusement for the bystanders). It really is hot here, I knew it would be, but actually experiencing it is something different - it's so humid - a bit like a tropical greenhouse really.
Anyway - caught my connecting flight - with the bargainous Air Deccan (the plane was a tin can). And I just knew when the gineourmous, sweaty man borded the plane that he would end up sitting next to me. Yeah, and he snored really loudly. There was a tiny little Tamil woman on my right who couldn't speak a word of English, but we had a good giggle about him.
Picked up from airport but friendly, though somewhat mad, driver, and then escorted to my hostel (in dodgiest street ever) by his kid brother.
Change, bed, bliss
Rishikesh tomorrow, hope I get there ok!

One day to go...

I've done it - it all fits into my 35ltr bag (bloody miracle).

I'm flighing out tomorrow evening from heathrow, and catching a connecting flight to Delhi a few hours after arrival - here's hoping the flight to India doesn't get delayed!

I've just checked the weather in Delhi at the mo...

Very humid high: 34*c realfeel: 51*c

... oh dear me

Less than a week to go...

Last week of work, and I've officially given up. What I sould be doing right now is cross checking the references on 1000 pages of writing with a list of approved references (yawn) - what I'm actually doing is trying to arrange the first month or so of my trip online.
Yesterday it actually dawned on me that I'm going to India soon, alone, and that I didn't have a clue what I'm letting myself in for!
But... I've just discovered just how much you can do online these days - it's aamazing!
So far:

• Booked accomodation in Mumbai for the first night and arranged airport pick-up
• Booked a dodgy internal flight for about £30 pounds from Mumbai to Delhi (air deccan)
• Printed off an indepth guide to catching trains in India (found on theIndiaTree forum - genious place). Read it. Very scared!
• Chose an ashram in Rishikesh - can't book it, darn - it was going sooo well
• Booked a guided tour of northern india - that way I will meet new people + have moral support when visiting crazy tourist places like the Taj Mahal (Intrepid Travellor - cheapest I could find, seems ok)
• Booked a months stay in ashram in Kerala starting on the day of my birthday - bliss

Phew, still have to work out how the heck I'm going to get from Kolkata to Thiruvananthapuram (phew - mouthful) in time for my Kerala bit - I do not want to spend my birthday stuck on a train/plane!

And the rest... I'm going to worry about another time!

Next up, I will try to work out how to fit my entire wardrobe into a 35ltr backpack.

Itinerary

Finally got my itinerary sorted...

• Heathrow -> Mumbai 22nd August
• Chennai -> Singapore 18th November
• Ho Chi Minh -> Perth 2nd December
• Cairns -> Aukland 19th Jan
• Aukland -> Fiji 15th Mar
• Fiji -> LA 2nd April
• LA -> Heathrow 9th April