IndianFrise

Delhi

2006-10-28T17:54:00.000-07:00

Our last day on Saturday was spent in Delhi a microcosm of India as a whole. There is every level of life here from the very rich to those living on the pavements. The one thing that all have in common is the poor air quality, which is quite frankly awful. A smog hangs over this huge city of 15+m, making breathing a less than pleasant experience. Many buildings to see and New Delhi is very English in design and layout which is no surprise as it was designed by a brit. The contrast between old and new can best be seen by a rickshaw ride through the narrow streets of the old town. Very very narrow passages with tiny shops no more than 4 feet wide and stacked with an assortment of clothes, jewels, food etc. Overhead hangs a mass of cables, many mains electricity all held together with string and a prayer. Mixed into this cocktail is the main centre for fireworks!!! How this part of town has not exploded is a mystery to me.

Now back at airport and through all the security and just waiting for the flight home. India is a facinating country of massive contrasts, noise, smells, poverty, food, language, cultures and of course religion, some of which I still can't get my head around.

Back at Delhi

2006-10-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

Seems like only yesterday we were here, but after a delayed flight from Udaipur we arrived at the domestic terminal at Delhi airport. Then the fun began. Getting our trolleys from there to where the coach was parked was an event. Using my newly found tut tut driving skills I, along with my fellow travelers set off weaving through cars, bikes, people, cows, tut tuts and just about everthing else you can imagine. Now this is a Friday evening during rush hour, and Delhi makes London look like a country lane. We went via Slough I think, but I took no prisoners and got our luggage through! Ahhh at last a shower and a beer. Today has been all travel and I'm very dirty. Full day in Delhi tomorrow and then home on Sunday.

Farewell dinner

2006-10-27T06:46:00.000-07:00

Sad though it was we enjoyed a wonderful candle lit dinner in the main courtyard of the Palace Hotel. This morning (Friday) we spent on our own just wandering around the town, after waving farewell to 2 of our party who are off for 3 days in a tent somewhere! Udaipur seems a nice place and somewhat more affluent than other places we have visited. My new handmade silk Jodhpur jacket arrived as promised last night after slight alterations to the sleeves. June spotted a flaw in the material on the front which I had missed, they made a new leftside front of the jacket in 3 hours this morning, returning it to the hotel just before we left for the airport. It is now perfect, amazing work.
At the airport now and have a delay so will not get to Delhi until 1900hrs tonight. We have a full day in Delhi tomorrow so still time for more Indian surprises.

Sunset over lake Pichola

2006-10-26T06:29:00.000-07:00

A major highlight of a visit to Udaipur is the boat ride around the lake visiting Jag Niwas and Jag Mandir. Unfortunately we were not able to stop and visit the Lake Palace Hotel (Jag Niwas) but we were able to visit Jag Mandir and see the sunset over this magical building built in 1615 by Karan Singh. It is reported that Shah Jahan based the Taj Mahal on parts of this building.. My fears about the boats were unfounded it was most peaceful and extremely calm. Tonight we have a farewell dinner in the Shiv Niwas Palace, before heading off tomorrow afternoon for the airport and a flight to Delhi. June is going shopping in the morning....... why am I not surprised? My handmade jacket should be ready by 9 PM tonight. Hope it fits!!!

NB

2006-10-26T05:42:00.000-07:00

Please excuse the odd spelling mistake, but I am composing on a BlackBerry, mostly on very bumpy roads and the predictive text on this thing has a mind of its own!!!

City Palace Udaipur

2006-10-26T04:28:00.000-07:00

Wednesday evening we sat by the lake and had a beer watching the sun go down over the Lake Palace Hotel. Had fish and chips for supper as we were all curried out!! Today (Thursday) we toured the Palace museum and saw many intricate paintings painted on silk and rice paper, a speciality of this region and referred to by our guide a minatures. Of course there were many shopping opportunities which we did not pass over. Including one in the textile area of the set school, where Malcolm was measured for a jacket, Indian style. The highlight so far today has been high tea taken in Fateh Prakash Palace. At least we left something in India when we left, tea and cucumber sandwiches!! Ita a bit like the Mansion House and the Ritz but with and Indian flavour, and of course we have the fabulous lake to look at also. All very strange. Shortly we are off for a boat trip around the lake and to see the Lake Palace Hotel. Will report on that experience later, only hope the boat drivers are not like the tut tut drivers?

Day 12

2006-10-26T00:10:00.000-07:00

So we are approaching the end of this wonderful worldwind your of Northern India and today we had another long coach trip from Ranakpur to Udaipur, the third largest city in Rajasthan. En route we visited Kumbalgarh Fort. This fort is set in a remote area on top of a hill some 3,500 feet above sea level. The climb to the top required some effort but the views from the top repaid the effort. The fort has some 36 km of crenellated ramparts winding round the rim of the hilltop and able to take 6 horses abreast. After this visit which included another hairy ride up and down in a jeep we moved on to Udaipur and the wonderful City Palace where we are staying. This palace complex overlooks lake Pichola which fortunately has plenty of water this year and will mean we can take a lovely boat ride out to Jag Niwas, now the lake Palace Hotel. More later.....

Day 11

2006-10-24T10:19:00.000-07:00

Left Fort Chanwa at 9.30 this morning after a very pleasant evening, made even better by a good nights rest in our wonderful new room. After an hour or so stopped at a nice rest area for a cup of tea etc, June and several of the other shoppers in our party found a great little shop and many purchaces were made!! Continuing our journey to Ranakpur somewhat later than planned there were the inevitable encounters with cows, ox, tut tuts etc, as our wonderful driver, who looks just like a major in the army with handle bar moustache, attempted to make up time. We arrived at the Jain temple complex at Ranakpur in the early afternoon. This is one of the finest Jain temples in India and is the largest. Built over 50 years and started in 1439. Rising 4 storeys in parts it is 72 yards by 72 yards and has 1440 individually carved marble pillars. The workmanship is quite breathtaking even when you have seen as many temples as we have!! After a long visit we continued to our overnight stay at an old hunting lodge called Rawla Narlai. This is like fort Chanwa but not as large and is hidden away in a remote area at the bottom of a large hill. We were greeted by a relative of the Royal family who owns the building, a very regal gentleman who took one back to the days of the Raj, hardly surprising I guess as we are in Rajasthan!! From here they would head out and hunt tiger, black bear and other animals, all that's left are leopard now apparently. Meal was ok, but it begins to have a sameness after a while. Lots of vegtables and mutton or chicken. Before the meal there was a show of dance during which we had a massage whilst sitting in our chairs, a very interesting experience. Early night tonight we have a busy day 12 ahead of us.

Bedroom Update!

2006-10-23T08:31:00.000-07:00

Good news bloggers, we have been moved from cell block 11 to the Maharaj's personal suite!! This is more like it, a double bed (still made out of concrete) and our own balcony overlooking the central courtyard. They even installed a refrigerator!! Tonight we have dancing and music on the lawn and then dinner outside. This will be a really good evening and no early start on Tuesday, so we can party. Hurrah!

Jodhpur

2006-10-23T05:34:00.000-07:00

Monday 23rd October. Not such an early start today, 9.30, mind you I did not get much sleep in cell 17. Anyway we set off for the impressive Meherangarh Fort. Home to the Maharajas of Jodhpur since the 15th centurary. This is an amazing structure set high above Jodhpur, the blue city. Lunch was taken at the home of the current Maharaja. The Umaid Bhawan Palace, with over 350 rooms is one of the largest residences in the world. Part is also a hotel and Prince Andrew and Eugene were there yesterday. The lunch was superb, but I did feel very sad for all the tigers heads on the walls! No wonder there are no animals left in the world. This really is a country of contradictions at almost every turn.
In the afternoon we visited the bazars having yet more tut tut rides. Fun walking around but not much worth buying.

Fort Chanwa

2006-10-23T05:16:00.000-07:00

Well the drive from Jaipur yesterday was fairly uneventful with even a stretch of road being 3 lanes and quite smooth. It still took us all day to make the trip. Worth it to arrive at our Heritage Hotel, Fort Chanwa at Luni just 30 km outside Jodhpur. This 15th centurary fort is very enchanting and we sat out on the lawns listening to music and watching traditional Indian dance. The only downside is our room which I think was once the cells. A 9 x 12 box with 2 planks of wood on the single beds. No hot water or anything else for that matter. This was a slight dilema for me as there were people outside the fort with nothing, not even cold water! Never the less a change of room was called for. On our way back from a full days sightseeing so don't know what the new room will be like. Stay tuned for more on that later.

Diwali in Jaipur

2006-10-22T04:48:00.000-07:00

As promised a report on the celebrations in the centre of Jaipur last night. Like most things in India it was an unforgetable experience and a total assult on the senses. Let's start with the ride from hotel to the action. For those that know the main form of transport apart from foot and bike is a motorised lawn mower called a Tut Tut. Imagine the front of a scooter attached to an Atco mower with seats. 7 of us in 2 of these 3 wheeled coffins headed off after an hour of fireworks and snacks laid on by the hotel. The entire population of Jaipur were on the streets all in their new clothes and very happy. We survived the 30 mins trip cutting (excuse pun) through the crowds and were set down amidst this fantastic throng of humanity. We spent a wonderful 2 hours wondering through the bazaars being greeted by many locals with happy Diwali. I think we stood out just a bit and June's red hair was a great favourite. The ride back was even more scarey as the police had closed many of the roads and we had to take the side streets to get back to the Hilton. Arrived back at 11.15 and sat at the bar with a nice cool beer, Tony Grieg was there so we were able to catch up on the cricket, which of course England lost!! Apart from that it was a truely remarkable day. These people know how to enjoy themselves with virtually nothing, a lesson for us all. Today on our 29th anniversary we have a full days drive to Luni near Jodhpur. More death defying road experiences, I am sure.

The Pink City

2006-10-21T04:36:00.000-07:00

Jaipur is unlike any other Indian city I have visited, in that instead of a maze of narrow winding alleys, the spacious streets of the quarter are completely straight and laid out on a grid at right angles. Founded in 1727 this is one of Rajasthan's younger cities.

As mentioned earlier we visited the Fort early this morning taking a fairly hairy elephant ride up the ramparts. Of course we were surrounded by sellers again but they seemed to respond to my singing here! June made some purchaces but appears to have escaped with all her fingers in tack! Then we visited the Maharaja's home, called the City Palace. The Royal family live there but you can visit most of the amazing complex..

The final site we toured is called the Jantar Mantar, a unique location and an inforgetable site of medieval Indian astronomy and astronomical observation. Built by Jai Singh. A total of 18 instruments were built between 1728 and 1734 and these large objects (one as large as 27 metres high) display the unique time in Jaipur and identify the location of the planets etc, well in fact a whole lot more. Our guide was the most interesting we have had thus far. This man could tell you from your birthdate and time where the planets were and what influences there are over your personality etc. A real character. Tonight the hotel have a Diwali celebration for the guests so we will join in that, fireworks etc and then we plan to visit the quarter to see how the locals celebrate this event. I will report on that tomorrow as we are on another long coach trip to Jodhpur, so I will have plenty of time and it will stop me looking out of the front at all the on-coming traffic!!!!

Diwali

2006-10-20T22:43:00.000-07:00

Subh Diwali to all Indian readers, or happy Diwali to others. Here we are in Jaipur on Diwali. Have just been to the Amber Fort and ridden on an elephant for 30 mins from the road right to the top of the fort. I now know how Hannibal felt!

Guess Who I Met??

2006-10-20T08:38:00.000-07:00

Here we are in Jaipur, very nice hotel, only 2 hours late arriving! I won't go on about the journey, only 3 cows and 4 dogs sent to an early grave. So we checked in and dumped the bags, no need to unpack, and straight to the bar. Sitting there with June having our drinks and in the chair next to me is Geoff Boycott. Blimey, of course we play Australia on Saturday in Jaipur and we are here!! Geoff said I would get a ticket no problem, that went down well of course. We had a chat. Really nice bloke. More on Diwali later. Jaipur streets look fantastic, just lilke Oxford Street.

Fatehpur Sikri

2006-10-20T03:05:00.000-07:00

So after a short journey covering 30km which took 90 mins, we arrived at the Moghul emporor Akbar's former capital city. Built between 1569 and 1585 this is another stunning site. Only poor water supply was to end this as a city. Akbar's harem was said to have over 5,000 women in it and much of the time he spent taking cannabis, opium and Persian wine whilst enjoying himself!! (A bit like the IT department at TEAM?) After the main palaces we then went to the marble Mosque. Well I thought the scrum to get out of Spurs after another bad performance was bad enough but this place was something else. Beggars everywhere and these fellows stuck to you like limpets. They were the most aggressive so far and would make the average English football thug look a positively gentile. I have adopted a great technique for dealing with these people and that is to start singing. Now anyone who has heard this will know how effective this is?? Its worked everywhere but NOT at Fetehpur Sikri... they joined in! Oh well back to the drawing board. On a 4 hour coach journey now to Jaipur, what joy another roller coaster ride with death an option at every turn. Stay tunned for more later.

Day 7

2006-10-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

Today we are driving west from Agra to Jaipur. En route we visit Fatehpur Sikri and a bird sanctuary at Bharatpur. Good night last night, nice meal and for those following the June Cappucinno hunt, last night we found a wonderful one in the hotel, so we are OK for a few days!! We are of course in Diwali now and tomorrow is the main day and we will be in Jaipur, which by all accounts is a great city to be in when Diwali happens. More to follow on this later....... I can't keep my hands still on the coach and I think we have just run over something!! No dengue fever or the other thing, but several of our small group have been struck down, still no need to worry I know a good Doctor.

Agra Fort

2006-10-19T03:54:00.000-07:00

So after a swift breakfast after the early morning visit to the Taj Mahal we headed off for the Red Fort, so called because of the red sandstone used in much of its construction. Built between 1565 and 1573 in the form of a half moon, this was the seat and stronghold of the Moghul empire for successive generations. A fantastic structure with great views over the river Yamuna and of course the Taj Mahal.

Taj Mahal

2006-10-18T22:03:00.000-07:00

Another very early morning start today after our long travels yesterday. Up at 5am to get to the Taj Mahal for sunrise, the best time to view this masterpiece of Moghul architecture. There is so much one could say about this stunning building and gardens, but words are somewhat lacking. It took 20,000 men 22 years to complete. A marble monument to love finished in 1653. We sat on the Princess Diana bench (so named by the Indian government after Diana`s death) and had a picture taken! I can now see how lonely she must have been sitting there on her own in such an amazing place. Off to see the Red Fort at Agra later, where Shah Jahan (he built the Taj) was imprisoned by his son and where he died in 1666, aged 74.

Indian Railways

2006-10-18T10:23:00.000-07:00

As promised an update on the train journey to the City of Love (Agra). The journey itself was fairly uneventful and rather like a budget airline. Water and tea were included in the price. You were given your own flask of hot water and a tea bag and off you go! The station and the fight to get on the train was another story. Where to start? Well let's talk beggers, or to be more accurate very young children and babies. A pitiful sight, but one it is impossible to do anything about. Then the station with yet more cows on the line this time and dogs and rats etc. Then the train arrives, on time and the scrum begins. June performed like Martin Johnson, felling one German and probably incapacitating several natives. Our tour guide, a slight man of 7 stones could not believe his eyes!! All those years of tube travel in London coming in handy. Although the trains in the UK are now crap this is the one thing we left in India, trains that run on time. We duly arrived in Agra on time and with all baggage in tack, amazing!

Road to Orchha.

2006-10-18T06:51:00.000-07:00

This should really be titled the road to Mandalay!! What a day. I thought the rickshaw ride was exciting but this journey was something else. Now you have to imagine traffic in both directions travelling at break neck speed but both using the middle of the road. Well there really is only the centre anyway. So you have the picture, coach in one direction doing 60, huge truck loaded with the population of Wembley coming the other way at 65. Remember the game chicken? And this went on for 4 hours, bikes, people, cows, goats and cars * all sent flying in every direction. I've paid a pretty Penny at Disney for a ride like this!! Now after visiting the Palaces at Orchha we are on train from Jhansi to Agra. I will report on this later as I just need to recover from the fight to get on the train-and that's another story altogether. * Oh and yes I forgot to mention the herd of camels (300+)

TEMPLES AND GALA EVENING

2006-10-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

The temples were amazing depicting every sexual act known to man (and woman)
in great detail. We had an amazing guide talking us through it all - they
were all over a thousand years old.

Tonight we had a very special evening solely for our party - traditional
Indian dancing, which culminated in us all joining in. A wonderful banquet
was laid on for us, and in addition there were many shopping opportunities!
We watched an amazing puppet show and then found an Internet connection.
Tomorrow morning, very early, we are leaving for a long coach drive to
Occha, and then a train journey to Agra.

Khajuraho

2006-10-17T10:17:00.000-07:00

So we are on the move again having flown from Varanasi to Khajuraho or
Kagagoogoo as Malcolm calls it!

Lovely hotel with traditional Indian greeting - we now both have Bindis! K
is located centrally some 400 km from Agra but is remote and completely
different from Varanasi. We are off to the temples of Khajuraho which are
famed for their eroticism!!

Rickshaw rides in Varanasi

2006-10-16T11:21:00.000-07:00

Well if you thought the M25 was mad, try a ride through Varanasi on a bike rickshaw. This has to rate up there with the wall of death and other fun fair rides. Hard to describe really as you weave between cows and 10 ton trucks on roads which resemble a collection of holes joined together with the odd patch of tarmac! Oh and most of the population is on the street also.

Sunrise over the Ganges.

2006-10-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

Got up at 4.30 and went down to the Ghats (steps) and then went out in a boat to see the sun come up. Wow, what a sight, people, sounds, smells, well everything really. Some people washing, some doing the laundry and even some being cremated!

Buddha

2006-10-15T07:01:00.000-07:00

Visited Sarnath where Buddha gave his first sermon. This is one of the most important Buddhist centres in the world, very iinteresting.

Varanasi

2006-10-15T02:11:00.000-07:00

Flew from Delhi to Varanasi this morning. This is one of the oldest living cities in the world where thousands of pilgrims visit each year.

New Delhi

2006-10-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

We've arrived, hurrah!

Jewels of India Tour

2006-10-13T03:36:00.000-07:00

Jewels of India Tour
Originally uploaded by IndianFrise.

A sample of where we are heading.apparently!

Itinerary

2006-10-12T12:38:00.000-07:00

Sat 14th - Delhi
Sun 15th - Varanasi
Mon 16th - Varanasi
Tues 17th - Khajuraho
Wed 18th - Agra
Thu 19th - Agra
Fri 20th - Jaipur
Sat 21st - Jaipur
Sun 22nd - Jodhpur
Mon 23rd - Jodhpur
Tue 24th - Ranakpur
Wed 25th - Udaipur
Thu 26th - Udaipur
Fri 27th - Delhi
Sat 21st - Delhi
Sun 22nd - Home