Sunday 27 March 2016

Three on a bike


I always look in wonderment at the amount of people that can ride on one bike. The most that I've seen is a family of six with the small children squished in the row of people. Whilst walking by the Yamuna River we stop at a dusty stall for a drink and the owner is really friendly, talking about the area and the aarti celebration in the evening. So we head back there at 5, not taking the easy route of an electorickshaw, but walk through dusty residential streets to get back to the river. He puts down chairs on the top of the river bank and makes us chai in large clay pots and we watch the river from a distance. Nearing the time of the aarti we go and sit on the mat by the river, joining a group of older women who were waiting for the ceremony to begin. As always we're  the only travellers and they greet us warmly. We sit down and within seconds they are quizzing us about our travels and families all in Broken English,  and then we're all dancing, much to the amusement of other locals, who also join in, but this is my second dancing session of the day. After the ceremony we have another chai and admire his Royal Enfield bike, then we all squeeze on the bike and ride through the chaotic streets of Vrindavan, heading back to our hotel before we have to catch the night train. 

Can I have your feedback?

Whilst waiting in the hotel lobby using the wifi we strike up a conversation with the guy next to us, who reveals to us that he is the hotel owner, and asks if we have any feedback. What an opportunity, as there's plenty to improve on! We play a game in hotels and restaurants ....  if you had a budget of $100 what would you improve, so we've already given this though! So we give our feedback, more informative information on show about Uttar Pradesh and the local area, friendlier staff and a better working restaurant, as we have often been ignored when we arrive. It's so interesting to give feedback and simple suggestions to improve the place and not just tut at these issues. 

Dancing in temple


Vrindavan is the holiest of cities, as the place where Krishna was brought up. Temples dot each road and devout Hare Krishna worshippers glide along the streets holding their encased prayer beads. At one of the temples by the river, described in the lonely planet book as looking like a fairy tale castle, we sit and watch some chanting.  Then a small group of women come in and one very enthusiastic lady puts the red powder dot on my forehead and then invites me to dance! Well I do my best in what seems to be a mini aerobic session of steps and turns, ending with us spinning in the centre of the temple. 

Stuck inside


On the actual day of Holi there's huge festivities in the hotel, even new channels are here documenting the activities. We decide to head out and within minutes we have buckets of water thrown over us in the auto rickshaw, we're soaking, and then in the slow crawl of the traffic we are easy targets, more water, a lot of coloured power slapped onto our faces, and when we get out of the auto we are completely surrounded. This is a scary situation, so we quickly agree to head back and flag down another auto, but have more water deluges on our return. Relieved to be back in the safety of our hotel we wash our grey stained clothes and relax. That was a crazy Holi festival and by the afternoon the streets are safe to walk in, with the roads are covered in coloured powder and it's all back to normal!

Off to the villages


Given that we are in such a spiritual region we head to the outlining towns to celebrate Holi. Visiting other templates and walking through the small winding streets is like a breath of fresh air. There's no feeling of menace, just friendly faces and gentle dabbing of colour on our faces. The colours of the villages are vibrant, with beautiful blue painted houses contrasting with the colours on everyone's faces. 

True Holi experience


On arriving at the Vrindavan we realise we're staying in Hare Krishna accomodation. There's a 30 foot waterfall, a temple and hundreds of rooms. The whole pointed being here is to experience Holi,so we follow the recommendation of the reception and go to Bankey Bihari Temple, the holiest temple in town. Soon the busting steets narrow Into a chaotic mass of people shoving their way towards the temple entrances and we leave our shoes, and join the throng of people jostling to enter. Inside its the most crazy, uplifting and spiritual gathering I've ever seen. As well as being targeted for being covered with paint, we try to cross the temple floor without slipping, as it is awash with water and gloopy powder. This temple is unbelievable, the devout are chanting as one, throwing powder and at fever pitch. We seek solace on the raised platform and watch the activities from a safe place. Wow this is Holi! 

Train delay


Our travel from Agra to Mathura should take less then an hour, so we board the train knowing that we have a short travel time. However we make slow progress and then stop in the middle of nowhere. There is a problem with the train and we're going nowhere. What should have been a short journey turns into a four hour train travel endurance test, but this is India and we easily make friends in our carriage who report back on the progress of our travel.

Train delay


Our travel from Agra to Mathura should take less then an hour, so we board the train knowing that we have a short travel time. However we make slow progress and then stop in the middle of nowhere. There is a problem with the train and we're going nowhere. What should have been a short journey turns into a four hour train travel endurance test, but this is India and we easily make friends in our carriage who report back on the progress of our travel.

Train delay


Our travel from Agra to Mathura should take less then an hour, so we board the train knowing that we have a short travel time. However we make slow progress and then stop in the middle of nowhere. There is a problem with the train and we're going nowhere. What should have been a short journey turns into a four hour train travel endurance test, but this is India and we easily make friends in our carriage who report back on the progress of our travel.

Train delay


Our travel from Agra to Mathura should take less then an hour, so we board the train knowing that we have a short travel time. However we make slow progress and then stop in the middle of nowhere. There a problem with the train and we're going nowhere. What should have been a short journey turns into a four hour train travel endurance test, but this is India and we easily make friends in our carriage who report back on the progress of our travel.

Come and meet my family


Our bicycle rickshaw driver Jugno has worked up such a sweat peddling us through the streets of Agra, that is has decided to take us to meet his family on lazy Sunday afternoon. We bring bananas for his wife and on arrival seem to attract the whole of the streets occupants to come and visit the house! It's an incredible experience, the family are so welcoming, living around a small courtyard brothers family and father living in the centre. The daughter congress up a wonderful artistic momento of an integrate henna pattern of our arm and hands, whist the women make us tea and giggle at us! This is one of those priceless travelling experiences that is not found following a map in your guidebook. You make this happen by being open and interested. I take family portraits that I will send over for them to keep, as memories of our trip.

In search of the best view of the Taj

It's been a stressful couple of months and the thing that has kept me going is knowing that soon I'll be sitting on a rooftop restaurant in Agra, watching sunset over the Taj Mahal. Then in a blink of an eye the time is here, and we've checked into our hotel, just a couple of minutes walk from the Taj, but there is no access to the rooftop, as the monkeys are too dangerous. So we head out on the dusty Agra winding streets and find Lucky restaurant, and although caged in to protect us from the monkies

Friday 25 March 2016

Getting ready for Holi


The central purpose of our trip is to experience Holi and to do this we need to get into preparation mode, so I brought a cheap pair of sunglasses and a spare pair of sandals, as the powder dyes things. Also got a pristine white top for the festivities. 

How did you find out about that?


On a recommendation from lonely planet we go on a walking tour of Delhi old town run by a former street child. He ran away from Lucknow when he was 7 after his parents died and he was mistreated by his aunt. He stowed on a train to Delhi and was soon living in the station, working as a garbage picker and luckily got referred to a local charity which has supported him ever since. Great tour of the city, ending with a rooftop view of Delhi and then on to one of the homes the charity supports. As always there's an eclectic mix of person people in the group and one American woman continually asked us "how did you find out about that?'. Linked to the roof top restaurant, I replied I looked up in the street, and everything else i replied just research and asking people! She was quite odd, but funny and has now provided a new saying when we see something new!

The courage to go on

Incredible recommendation found in trip advisor to visit India's only cafe run by survivors of horrific acid attacks. These wonderful women did nothing wrong, just for giving birth to a girl, or not doing house work on time they were so wrongfully punished in such a cruel and sadistic way. But now through this cafe they are empowered to take control of their lives and are united with survivors across India to stand up for justice and be a strong voice.

Monday 21 March 2016

Short changed


You've always got to keep your wits about you when you travel. As India approaches the hot season there are fewer tourists, so less opportunity to make money, so the business model seems to be 'let's make more money then'. So the ice cream seller forgot the extra change, then handed it over swiftly when asked, the rickshaw driver was stalling when asked for change, and the most annoying of all, drivers who take you to the wrong place, then ask for more money to actually take you to your desired destination. This happens all over the world. I remember being in Bangkok at a small temple in the centre of the city and a tuk tuk driver was taking some tourists around, but to all the wrong sights. It's such a shame when you spend so much getting somewhere then it is made tricky to sight see just by the greed of the drivers. Am glad to report that being taking to the wrong side of New Delhi station just meant that we had a longer walk home! 

Can you give us a lift?


As always when you you get out your city map, you underestimate the distances to travel. Despite the heat of the midday sun, and I have gained 20 degrees, from 7 to 27, we walk to India Gate, taking in the sights and sounds of street life along the way. At what seems a just round the corner extension to the walk to get to the Craft Village Museum we get chatting to some older policemen to check we are heading in the right direction. I cheekily ask if they will give us a lift, and we are then ushered into the police car, and duly dropped off at the museum, much to the wonderment of all passers by who saw us laughing and joking in the police car on the way. I was only kidding when I asked for the lift, so be careful what you wish for! Only in India! 

Farewell Again


Incredible India, thank you again for making me so welcome again, it was a dream trip to travel through such spectacular landscape and meet some amazing people. 

Is this hotel like India?


Back to Kolkatta for one last night and stay in a high end newly refurbished hotel. The rooms are spacious and modern, there's a TVs in the bathroom and the breakfast is great.  But outside the central streets have herds of goats, wonderful chai wallers and homeless sleeping in the pavements. The reception staff ask "is this hotel like India?" And I reply yes, you can shelter away from the harsh reality of the lives of the street people, you can buy grandeur but poverty is just s few steps away. 

Local gig


There's a famous band in town, putting on a concerts for the locals, we firstly hear them in the lodge, then head out to the temple in the village. We sit with the women and enjoy the music, the singer is great and her guitarist is fantastic, along with a flutist and the village band. There's a lot of present giving, as it's the end of Durga Puga. And then there's fabulous music, dancing and we're the only westerners there. Luckily the band do some translating for us, but it's an absolute privilege and highlight to be part of something that is so special. 

Super Sunderbans


Our eco-tour of the Sunderbans is just that. We snooze on the scenic three hour drive down, enjoying chai breaks along the way. We pass the Kolkata dump, which provides thousands of people with a living, sifting through the rubbish and recycling. This huge mound looks like a hill on the horizon, forever increasing in height as the rubbish increases. We then are treated to a flat landscape, which is a sheer novelty. On this trip we travel like locals, we take the local boats and auto rickshaws to get to our island, and then begin with a walking your of the village. 
This Eco-lodge has been well established with buy in from the local community, and it's fascinating to walk around. After watching a beautiful sunset we then go and listen to a local band, playing traditional music.  After dinner we take up the opportunity to walk guided by the moonlight to a locals home, where we sit and drink rice wine, talking of the devastation of the cyclone and tiger attacks. 
The next morning we are on the boat all day, spotting wildlife, walking in the fenced in section of the tiger reserve and enjoying the relaxing scenery, sitting on the top deck of the boat. The group of friends travelling from Kolkata have  peaked early and overdid the rice wine and rum and are sleeping it off in the deck below. Sadly the only tigers that we saw were those printed on a tourists shirt, but at the second and best tiger lookout all the Indian tourists were so loud, that they would have frightened away anything! 

No chance

 
So of course there's one more wait list challenge for our train travel. We have booked two trains to get us back down to Kolkata, but we are still on wait list for both! So expectantly we head to NJ P station and check online and we are on RAI cancellation for all for tickets on our best option for the return journey. So we head to the station masters office and he trawls through the paper print outs and we have two confirmed seats - brilliant news as it's still peak time on the trains with Durga Puga just finishing. So we wait patiently for the slightly delayed train, and are helped by some fellow passengers to leg it down the platform, as the direction of the train has changed from the previous one and our A1 carriage is at the opposite end. Then we squeeze all of our bags on and get comfortable on our two births, when the ticket inspector comes round and we ask if there's any spare births he replies "no chance" and we make the most of the space that we have, relieved that we have got a place on the train. 

Puke!


When I travelled in Tibet I went up to over 14,000 feet, so heading to the Yumtang Valley at a lower height I did not anticipate any problems. However despite the distracting beautiful vistas of snow capped mountains and Mount kunganjuna in a dizzy spell I puked and had to lay down. Altitude sickness had kicked in. On returning to the car I even turned down the offer of steamed momo's, so I must have been ill! In the afternoon we descended the mountains and crossed the Teeta River to stay in a fantastic homestay in Junga, surrounded by lush vegetation. Descending the steps from the road finished me off and I headed to bed, perhaps sleeping the same room as Prince of Noway, who brought his family here, to explore Sikkim.

Cheeky Monks


We head to Rumtek Monastery as the light fades and the rain pours down. There's armed guards everywhere as this is a highly significant monastery which has been invaded by other monks, attempting to take over the home in exile of the black hat monks.  Here cheeky boy monks play roughly with each other, scampering around the monastery courtyard and ducking out of the rain, whilst the guards stand on ceremony, guns in ha

Just don't ask!


So our grand tour of Sikkim begins and we are picked up by our driver and guide and start to climb up the mountains on the roads clinging to the sides, heading up into the clouds. There are so many heart pounding moments, when you squeeze past another vehicle, with inches of crumbling road on your side and then thousands of feet sheer drop. You do slowly get used to the extreme height, but the bumpy road adds to the thrill of the ride as you cling on to the edges, passing children walking on the extreme ledge. Our guide is not so much of an informative guide and as a young student he has a lot to learn but it's fun to see how much is lost in translation. At one point I am sure he said he wanted to vomit, but just went off to show our permits. 

Beef or buff?


Our tour of Sikkim begins in the central town of Gangtok, where were have climbed up bumpy roads to our first destination. Eager to have lunch the chef comes up with the menu and announces that we can have beef or buff? Confused we ask again, and then realise the option is beef to buffalo! 

Don't look down!


As we leave Darjeeling for our six day trip in Sikkim, we are now climbing in altitude on roads clinging to the hillside. As always there's an administration nightmare, and we need permits to enter, but don't have any photo copies of our visas and passport, so we rush round the border town of Rampong in search of a shop with a photocopier, and then head back to get our permits. Loved the fact that we were just allowed to enter illegally to head to the shops, but this is India! Then we continue weaving up dusty single track roads 
Up at dawn 
One of the must see things is to head to Tiger Hill to see dawn over the Himalaya's. One the last day of Durga Purga it's a bustling crowded experience, with hundreds of cars climbing the steep hill. We had to get out of the car and walk up the last part, as time was counting down quickly for sunrise. Joining the cries on the top we all waited patiently for the clouds to lift as the chinks of light of the rising sun gave a silver lining to the clouds. Then there was a mutual gasp as the sun was just about to appear on this auspicious day, then a sigh of dismay as the mist descended  and the whole scene disappeared. Slowly the crowds went and we headed to the other side of the hill top and wat

The magic cardigan


When travelling in India there's always restrictions on alcohol consumption. Throughout Durga Puga you are not allowed to drink after 5, but undeterred Ella and Tom go in search of a bar in the centre of Darjeeling. They bump into a small group of gay guys, who then take us to a small bar, where on request the woman gets you a beer and produces it from her cardigan and plonks it down on your table. We then have to leave as there is the potential for a police raid, as this speakeasy has not got a licence, but it was great meeting such a fun and open group of guys, when being gay in India is a challenge. 

The best views are on your left


There are three hill station railways  in India, two n the north, to Shimla and to Darjeeling and one in the south to Ooty. At Christmas I travelled through Tamil Nadu and took the steam train to Oooty and it was incredible. I was so excited to get us first class tickets on the train and we had to leave Mirik at 4am, go down one mountain and then up another to get to Kurseong where the train starts.
Luckily we were told that the best views were on the left hand side, so for three hours we slowly creeped up the hill towards the bustling town of Darjeeling. The tiny train clings to the roadside and the shop keepers and shoppers have to squeeze in as the train goes past, bringing all the traffic to a standstill.