For a while anyway...
Just arrived in Gokarna last night and am staying near Om beach, just before actually - Kudlee... It's well nice. I'm jumping forward, have been to places before, but this is nice - like really nice. Might inform you properly when I've got bored of doing nothing, swimming, eating, yoga-ing, chillin, shoppin, exploring, paying with cute puppies and generally soaking up the beauty for a while - mmmmmm.... :D
Better than black bogies, eh!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Oh yeah, and never thought I would be saying this...
But I am slightly hacked off that I haven't been struck with a bout of the shits and/or whilst vomming at the same time.
I mean, everyone said it happens, has happened to them or people they know and Becky warned me to bring loads of Immodium. I mean, I spent about 20 odd quid on Immodium/diahorrea tablets and rehydration sachets and they have not been touched - at all. That money could have well been better spent on about a weeks accommodation!! Rant over.
Also, on another sore note... boohoo... I've lost a load of photos on my camera :(. BUT, they might not be lost forever, but it'll be a long while before I can get anywhere/one get to fix the problem. Not gonna stress or cry tho. I know why it happened, twas my own negligence of the way digital cameras work, I mean, this is all new to me - but now I realise the error I will definitely not let it happen again. (Fucking bugger tho, it seems the ones that are lost are the best ones too...)
I mean, everyone said it happens, has happened to them or people they know and Becky warned me to bring loads of Immodium. I mean, I spent about 20 odd quid on Immodium/diahorrea tablets and rehydration sachets and they have not been touched - at all. That money could have well been better spent on about a weeks accommodation!! Rant over.
Also, on another sore note... boohoo... I've lost a load of photos on my camera :(. BUT, they might not be lost forever, but it'll be a long while before I can get anywhere/one get to fix the problem. Not gonna stress or cry tho. I know why it happened, twas my own negligence of the way digital cameras work, I mean, this is all new to me - but now I realise the error I will definitely not let it happen again. (Fucking bugger tho, it seems the ones that are lost are the best ones too...)
What a small world... again :)
This happens often and is the second time that it has happened to me in another country from the UK and it always blows my mind! So, have just finished watching this amazing Keralan theatre performance of Kathakali (will tell ya bout it in a bit - twas ace) and a guy sitting behind me calls my name, it's only the guy who's job I took over from that homeless charity I was working for in London!! Mental! He's on a 2 wk holiday with his gf - fancy that, in India, whilst we both moving around. It's a small friggin world. We didn't hang around too long, I mean, our mutual manager, (who he was well pally with) was the one who fkin sacked me the bastard :).
Anypoos, my next topic - Buses. Long journey local buses. Particularly the one I took from Alleppey to Munnar - the most uncomfortable and loud experience ever!! I was on the darned thing at 4am and whilst I would have liked to have got some sleep, I was catapaulted into the air loadsa times from the craters in the road and once we started the second leg of the journey (total 6hrs), the bus conductor told me to sit at the front (presumably because I was female and the only one on the damned thing) and I got to listen to the excrutiatingly loud blow of the fog horn on the thing every 2 mins! SO loud! And SO frequent. We got there in one piece tho, just - twas hair raising at points, but I have learnt to trust these bus drivers, they are skilled skilled men. I deffo wouldn't be able to take the blind corners, going up and down winding mountains at speed with a full, rickety old bus and single lanes at time! Mental.
Oh, and another point I forgot to mention that's come up quite a bit - every Indian I've met wants to know your salary. So I've found out a couple myself, eg. this train driver dude from my train to Kerala earns 20000R/month.
Btw, at the mo am in Fort Cochin - it's pretty nice, quaint (quite a lot of Dutch/Catholic influence) - lots of old buildings that are falling down all about the place, had a good wander round this morning in Jew Town and bought myself a few bits of contemporary Keralan art - has been my splurge wkend this :). Will check out the Synagogue tomorrow, one of my family friends has recommended to go and I have to/want to for him...
Yeah, so just come back from this traditional performance - Kathakali - Immense.
The beginning of it starts with the application of make up, which is pretty cool, a proper art form - but also a bit odd as it's a white tourist audience watching them in silence and loads of oldies around too, was sitting next to 2 American oldies and I became distracted at points by their crooked toes poking outta their sandals and their persistent nattering... Bitchy, me!? No ;P.... Yes :)
The face paint is made out of coloured stones that they mix with coconut oil whilst on stage - really vibran colours of red, yellow, green and black. The whites of their eyes they make red, by inserting this seed from a special flower just before they start - mental - and they also make their pupils proper black. The stories they tell are all from the Marhabrataha (think that's the spelling) so it's all about deities etc, so proper adds to the whole ambience of the thing.
It's all done through mime in the form of fast eye, face and body movements, with sign language for expression of mood, person, place etc. Fucking mental - the skill is unreal. Have never seen eyes move with such precision and... basically, have never seen eyes move like that before. I highly recommend going to see a Kathakali performance, regardless of how touristy it is, it's SO worth it!
Anypoos, my next topic - Buses. Long journey local buses. Particularly the one I took from Alleppey to Munnar - the most uncomfortable and loud experience ever!! I was on the darned thing at 4am and whilst I would have liked to have got some sleep, I was catapaulted into the air loadsa times from the craters in the road and once we started the second leg of the journey (total 6hrs), the bus conductor told me to sit at the front (presumably because I was female and the only one on the damned thing) and I got to listen to the excrutiatingly loud blow of the fog horn on the thing every 2 mins! SO loud! And SO frequent. We got there in one piece tho, just - twas hair raising at points, but I have learnt to trust these bus drivers, they are skilled skilled men. I deffo wouldn't be able to take the blind corners, going up and down winding mountains at speed with a full, rickety old bus and single lanes at time! Mental.
Oh, and another point I forgot to mention that's come up quite a bit - every Indian I've met wants to know your salary. So I've found out a couple myself, eg. this train driver dude from my train to Kerala earns 20000R/month.
Btw, at the mo am in Fort Cochin - it's pretty nice, quaint (quite a lot of Dutch/Catholic influence) - lots of old buildings that are falling down all about the place, had a good wander round this morning in Jew Town and bought myself a few bits of contemporary Keralan art - has been my splurge wkend this :). Will check out the Synagogue tomorrow, one of my family friends has recommended to go and I have to/want to for him...
Yeah, so just come back from this traditional performance - Kathakali - Immense.
The beginning of it starts with the application of make up, which is pretty cool, a proper art form - but also a bit odd as it's a white tourist audience watching them in silence and loads of oldies around too, was sitting next to 2 American oldies and I became distracted at points by their crooked toes poking outta their sandals and their persistent nattering... Bitchy, me!? No ;P.... Yes :)
The face paint is made out of coloured stones that they mix with coconut oil whilst on stage - really vibran colours of red, yellow, green and black. The whites of their eyes they make red, by inserting this seed from a special flower just before they start - mental - and they also make their pupils proper black. The stories they tell are all from the Marhabrataha (think that's the spelling) so it's all about deities etc, so proper adds to the whole ambience of the thing.
It's all done through mime in the form of fast eye, face and body movements, with sign language for expression of mood, person, place etc. Fucking mental - the skill is unreal. Have never seen eyes move with such precision and... basically, have never seen eyes move like that before. I highly recommend going to see a Kathakali performance, regardless of how touristy it is, it's SO worth it!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
JoJo's top trekkin tip...
DON'T do a 12km trek in a pair of Birkenstocks ;) - What was I thinking?! Is ok, have just got the one blister, but I was nearly feeling quite distressed about the whole situation when I'd been walking for 3 hours in the middle of this tea plantation in Munnar with noone around but a few local local people and not knowing where to go :S. Managed to flag a full rickshaw down to gimme a lift to the nearest bus stop tho, thank fk for that!
So, yeah - Munnar is pretty damn beautiful! Tea plantations stretch for absolute miles and the hills around here are beautiful. The climate is a lot cooler too, which is a nice change - have barely sweated today (except for when I was starting to get lost like :P). I followed this walk in the LP, they made it sound well easy but it weren't :/, but twas ace - took me through the middle of this plantation (all over the damned thing in fact) and I came accross a few workers on their lunch breaks eating from their tiffin, walked for blooming ages, then bumped into the lunchtime watchman, who informed me that I was tresspassin on private land - no trekkers allowed. But the dude just walked me to a short cut to these falls and we chatted along the way - ace again! Walked passed the villages of the plantations, twas proper cool and a nice peaceful walk, bar the blister and near panic that I might be lost there forever ;).
Gonna move on again in the morning, make it to Cochin so I can make it up the coast and have some more chill out and settle for a bit.
And I haven't forgot about photos, I will nab someone to do it for me soon, as I am loveably useless :D. xx
So, yeah - Munnar is pretty damn beautiful! Tea plantations stretch for absolute miles and the hills around here are beautiful. The climate is a lot cooler too, which is a nice change - have barely sweated today (except for when I was starting to get lost like :P). I followed this walk in the LP, they made it sound well easy but it weren't :/, but twas ace - took me through the middle of this plantation (all over the damned thing in fact) and I came accross a few workers on their lunch breaks eating from their tiffin, walked for blooming ages, then bumped into the lunchtime watchman, who informed me that I was tresspassin on private land - no trekkers allowed. But the dude just walked me to a short cut to these falls and we chatted along the way - ace again! Walked passed the villages of the plantations, twas proper cool and a nice peaceful walk, bar the blister and near panic that I might be lost there forever ;).
Gonna move on again in the morning, make it to Cochin so I can make it up the coast and have some more chill out and settle for a bit.
And I haven't forgot about photos, I will nab someone to do it for me soon, as I am loveably useless :D. xx
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Get with the locals ;)
So, I kindly got put on the train to Alleppey from Varkala from my friend Shajidas - makes navigating so much easier when ya have someone to do it for you eh ;P.
Arrived in Alleppley 2hours later and got accosted by this very attractive (but turned out to be a bit of a sleaze) young Indian bloke called Jay who was telling me about this new hostel he has just started with a friend of his. Twas alright like, they ended up fannying around a bit and he took me to his mate's one down the road - SO much better, well glad I came here. The boys who run it are really sweet, I say boys, coz they're 25 but look about 21!! They're very lucky to have this place, used to be a house but they got a nice little set up of bout 4 massive rooms, each with a huge bathroom that's been bigger than most of the rooms I've stayed in and all for 300R/night!
Only thgouht I was gonna stay for 24hrs so as soon as I checked in I was on the case about this nice beach I'd been recommended to go to and to get a canoe trip in for the following morning. Anyway, to cut all the boring bits out - Saiju (25) offered to take me to this beach on his moto if I paid his petrol - ace :) alot cheaper than had I got an auto and I get to ride on a bike, double ace! He took me for some traditional Keralan grub in a local village on the edge of town with his mates, ace again - food was top, nice and spicy and some fresh water fish - got this eating with my hands thing well down too.
The beach was beautiful - fringed with palm trees and barely anyone about - he taught me a bit of Yoga too which was nice, he's well bendy - he tried hard to force my legs into the lotus position - aint never gonna happen. Gonna try some Yoga again when I get to Goa, would love to be able to give it a proper go, but I'm so frivolous with anything that requires prolonged concerntration and practice :P.
Just come back from my canoe trip around the backwaters of Alleppey - well peaceful :). Felt a bit like a princess tho with ma man doing all the paddling, so I made sure I shared the effort a bit. (But not too much like, as I started to get a bit of a blister ;P). There are loads of houseboats around too - they're like floating palaces!! Would be a very luxurious trip, but they're motorise so you have the chugging of the engine constantly - and ya don't get to go down any of the slim canals that run through the villages. Had some good proper grub for lunch around here too - twas served on a leaf!
Just about to go for another beach jaunt, gonna catch a bus to Munnar in 5am tomorrow :/, meet up with Rupal and Ben for dinner before they finish they're holiday and I head further up North.
See yous! xx
Arrived in Alleppley 2hours later and got accosted by this very attractive (but turned out to be a bit of a sleaze) young Indian bloke called Jay who was telling me about this new hostel he has just started with a friend of his. Twas alright like, they ended up fannying around a bit and he took me to his mate's one down the road - SO much better, well glad I came here. The boys who run it are really sweet, I say boys, coz they're 25 but look about 21!! They're very lucky to have this place, used to be a house but they got a nice little set up of bout 4 massive rooms, each with a huge bathroom that's been bigger than most of the rooms I've stayed in and all for 300R/night!
Only thgouht I was gonna stay for 24hrs so as soon as I checked in I was on the case about this nice beach I'd been recommended to go to and to get a canoe trip in for the following morning. Anyway, to cut all the boring bits out - Saiju (25) offered to take me to this beach on his moto if I paid his petrol - ace :) alot cheaper than had I got an auto and I get to ride on a bike, double ace! He took me for some traditional Keralan grub in a local village on the edge of town with his mates, ace again - food was top, nice and spicy and some fresh water fish - got this eating with my hands thing well down too.
The beach was beautiful - fringed with palm trees and barely anyone about - he taught me a bit of Yoga too which was nice, he's well bendy - he tried hard to force my legs into the lotus position - aint never gonna happen. Gonna try some Yoga again when I get to Goa, would love to be able to give it a proper go, but I'm so frivolous with anything that requires prolonged concerntration and practice :P.
Just come back from my canoe trip around the backwaters of Alleppey - well peaceful :). Felt a bit like a princess tho with ma man doing all the paddling, so I made sure I shared the effort a bit. (But not too much like, as I started to get a bit of a blister ;P). There are loads of houseboats around too - they're like floating palaces!! Would be a very luxurious trip, but they're motorise so you have the chugging of the engine constantly - and ya don't get to go down any of the slim canals that run through the villages. Had some good proper grub for lunch around here too - twas served on a leaf!
Just about to go for another beach jaunt, gonna catch a bus to Munnar in 5am tomorrow :/, meet up with Rupal and Ben for dinner before they finish they're holiday and I head further up North.
See yous! xx
Monday, November 17, 2008
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!
Yeah, so, nothing goes as ya plan it here ;P
Still in Varkala, met some locals who have been very hospitable - have managed to see bits of "real" Kerala and had some proper Keralan munch all in one day!! Gonna leave tomorrow like, head to Kochi and Munnar with Rupal and Ben - then god knows! Might go back on myself so can make it to back waters, even just for a day/night and then on to Mangalore, eh Pete! There's sposed to be some beautiful beaches and been recommended to see Jog Falls. From there, Goa I reck and finally to meet up with Becky! We'll chill and do Hampi whilst there - aaahhh :) ace ace ace :D...
Still in Varkala, met some locals who have been very hospitable - have managed to see bits of "real" Kerala and had some proper Keralan munch all in one day!! Gonna leave tomorrow like, head to Kochi and Munnar with Rupal and Ben - then god knows! Might go back on myself so can make it to back waters, even just for a day/night and then on to Mangalore, eh Pete! There's sposed to be some beautiful beaches and been recommended to see Jog Falls. From there, Goa I reck and finally to meet up with Becky! We'll chill and do Hampi whilst there - aaahhh :) ace ace ace :D...
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Never thought would get bored of the beach...
But it's starting to happen. My whiteness prevents me from frying myself in the sun and Varkala is quite touristy, yesterday I was sandwiched between some American girls ("like, totally, Oh My God!") and some posh young Brits ("oh, it's like tea time back at home but with Chai!"). Need to get back on the traveller trail and see some cool stuff, hoping chilltime in Goa will be more my vibe.
Ma friends from London are here now, but they like frying themselves by their hotel pool - not my scene, so will meet up with them later for some drinks and decide whether I leave tomorrow or Tuesday for the backwaters of Allepey... Ciao, x
Ma friends from London are here now, but they like frying themselves by their hotel pool - not my scene, so will meet up with them later for some drinks and decide whether I leave tomorrow or Tuesday for the backwaters of Allepey... Ciao, x
Friday, November 14, 2008
DAY &
Woke up Monday morning feeling like shite. Proper hungover and sick - meh :S. After brekkie I left Laur at the hotel for ma train to Kerala.
Ace 2 days in Hyderabad - had a wkd time hanging out with Laur and enjoyed the cosmopolitan feel of the city - not as hectic and had a slower, more amicable vibe that Mumbai and Aurangabad
Helf down ma vom on the bumby, polluted rickshaw ride to the station... just about - found my seat easy and just sank into it until I felt human again, this took quite a while and a little snooze... also didn't help that one of my fellow passengers had stonking B.O, thankfully he sat away for the time that I was feeling like I was gonna hurl tho ;).
Shared most of the 30 hour journey with a lovely family with 2 beautiful kids and a single guy. The kids, Ayush (10) and his little sister Anju (3.5) were lovely and Ayush spoke well good English, so we chatted away for most of the journey. He loved taking pics wi ma camera and I got some cute ones of him and his naughty little sis - they had a really lovely sibling relationship too, which was nice to see.
I took in a lot more on this journey as it was so long and alot of it was travelling in the day too. Throughout the journey there was a constant stream of beggars that move up and down the carriages, some coming on and leaving at different stations and other that travel the whole way. It's awful, but so frequent you kind of get used to it - tiz odd. Young boys dragging themselves along the floor on their knees with string holding their trousers up their skinny bodies, no tops and begging for food /money. Mothers with beautiful babies, girls, old women/men - some with amputated limbs/stumps, others with chronic burn marks and no eyes - tiz mad. One would be well out of pocket if you tried to give to all, but they accept food too, so at least ya know your cash aint necc going towards a can of Special Brew.
Amongst the beggars you also have the food/drinks sellers - chai/coffee constantly, byriani, samosa, crisps, water etc.. ya stop at stations for 5-20 mins at a time, so one can also hop on and off and get your wares from there. There's also traders sellin kids toys, clothes, perfumes, jewellry - it's a constant hive of activity.
Everyone throws their rubbish out the window, no one bats an eyelid - I have quite a collection of bottles building up around me as I can't bear to follow suit. I ended up leaving it on the train as finding a bin a far fetched! Even where I am now, in beautiful Varkala, rubbish is strewn all over the cliff edge in places towards the beach - but thankfully it has still retained some beauty. I just can't quite grasp the mentality and haven't got around to asking them about it yet, but undoubtedly I will.
So, as I said, I've arrived in Kerala now - spent one night in the main city and it was ok - went to a skanky beach resort called Kovalam in the day - meh. In Varkala now and it's well nice. Proper relaxing. My mates from London, Rupal and Ben, arrive tomorrow morning so will be good to hang out with them for a bit - they're holidaying it around Kerala for 2wks so may go with them for the next wk I reckon. Oh yeah, I have some bad ass mark around my left arm where I got stung by a jellyfish tenticle - should take a photo of that before it disappears...
Right, off to get my first taste of fresh Indian seafood!! Yum!! In a bit yo, xx
Ace 2 days in Hyderabad - had a wkd time hanging out with Laur and enjoyed the cosmopolitan feel of the city - not as hectic and had a slower, more amicable vibe that Mumbai and Aurangabad
Helf down ma vom on the bumby, polluted rickshaw ride to the station... just about - found my seat easy and just sank into it until I felt human again, this took quite a while and a little snooze... also didn't help that one of my fellow passengers had stonking B.O, thankfully he sat away for the time that I was feeling like I was gonna hurl tho ;).
Shared most of the 30 hour journey with a lovely family with 2 beautiful kids and a single guy. The kids, Ayush (10) and his little sister Anju (3.5) were lovely and Ayush spoke well good English, so we chatted away for most of the journey. He loved taking pics wi ma camera and I got some cute ones of him and his naughty little sis - they had a really lovely sibling relationship too, which was nice to see.
I took in a lot more on this journey as it was so long and alot of it was travelling in the day too. Throughout the journey there was a constant stream of beggars that move up and down the carriages, some coming on and leaving at different stations and other that travel the whole way. It's awful, but so frequent you kind of get used to it - tiz odd. Young boys dragging themselves along the floor on their knees with string holding their trousers up their skinny bodies, no tops and begging for food /money. Mothers with beautiful babies, girls, old women/men - some with amputated limbs/stumps, others with chronic burn marks and no eyes - tiz mad. One would be well out of pocket if you tried to give to all, but they accept food too, so at least ya know your cash aint necc going towards a can of Special Brew.
Amongst the beggars you also have the food/drinks sellers - chai/coffee constantly, byriani, samosa, crisps, water etc.. ya stop at stations for 5-20 mins at a time, so one can also hop on and off and get your wares from there. There's also traders sellin kids toys, clothes, perfumes, jewellry - it's a constant hive of activity.
Everyone throws their rubbish out the window, no one bats an eyelid - I have quite a collection of bottles building up around me as I can't bear to follow suit. I ended up leaving it on the train as finding a bin a far fetched! Even where I am now, in beautiful Varkala, rubbish is strewn all over the cliff edge in places towards the beach - but thankfully it has still retained some beauty. I just can't quite grasp the mentality and haven't got around to asking them about it yet, but undoubtedly I will.
So, as I said, I've arrived in Kerala now - spent one night in the main city and it was ok - went to a skanky beach resort called Kovalam in the day - meh. In Varkala now and it's well nice. Proper relaxing. My mates from London, Rupal and Ben, arrive tomorrow morning so will be good to hang out with them for a bit - they're holidaying it around Kerala for 2wks so may go with them for the next wk I reckon. Oh yeah, I have some bad ass mark around my left arm where I got stung by a jellyfish tenticle - should take a photo of that before it disappears...
Right, off to get my first taste of fresh Indian seafood!! Yum!! In a bit yo, xx
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Blondes on Tour
The hotel Laura booked was WELL nice!! Well outta my travel budget, but Laur kindly sorted out me out mosta the bill - safe as fuck :D.
I arrived first and settled maself in with a nice hot power shower. Laur arrived and we had a quick catch up before we went to see some of H'bad's sights!
Went to Charminnar in the Old town which was cool - good views of the bustling bazzars in the streets below. Lunch was ace in a local diner, toilet was not - have a lovely pic of a cockroach :P. Wherever Laur and I went in this city we drew LOADS of stares, 2 young blonde whities was a real rarity!
The afternoon was spent having a mooch around the shops, this was after we spent hours being driven around the whole city and back in a rickshaw looking for a particular shop, they proper took us for a ride on the meter and still never found it (we got conned a bit by the drivers in this city).
After dinner we went looking for a bar recommended int he Lonely Planet, again, mega rickshaw wind up - but we found one which we just went in anyway.
Twas at the top of a shopping mall, pretty posh too - ahem, we were offered "welcome" drinks tho... They were the most foul tasting things we had ever tried!! Well nearly vommed! Think salty, eggy and sour - unwelcome more like.
Day %
Took a rickshaw to see Golconda Fort in the morning - 200R there and back with 1.5hr waiting time, well good. Fort was pretty cool and it gave us ace views of H'bad. Again, Laur and I were attractions ourselves and had to stop the photos at one point or else we'd have never got round in time!! They're all nice about it tho, just well intrigued.
After a polluted rickshaw ride in the day (I found it quite stressful at one point, traffic, horns beeping and fumes everywhere), we went to see the standing statues of Buddha in Hussain Sagar Lake. Twas sunset too, so nuce setting and a chilled boat ride out after the mad rickshaw runs we'd had in the day.
Dinner was in a deserted restaurant at the top of this hotel over looking the city - twas a right little gem but bugger to find, well worth it tho. Laur treated us to a bottle of Indian vin rouge, kicked the evening off nicely :)
After a covert tipple of vodka back at the hotel we were well determined to find these bars, again, proper mission. We found them in the end and they were both closed for rennovation - in btwn finding them tho, every darned person we asked for directions, all pointed this way and that as if they knew what they were talking about, but they didn't. Frustrating to say the least, but meh.
Ended up at the same place as the ngith before and we headed straight for the club - deserted like the night before, save for a few deviant Indians. We managed to get ourselves pissed anyway...
Getting a rickshaw ride home tho was pretty impossible after midnight, so we got chatting to the police who had kicked everyone out of the bars and asked them to give us a lift somewhere. The officers were well up for it but we had to run it by the big cheese commander with the big belly, so we batted our eyelids n that and he agreed to take us to a rick standshaw. Ace, personal police escort like ;).
Will fill the rest in tomorrow, gettin shoulder ache and probably being eaten alive by mozzies...
I arrived first and settled maself in with a nice hot power shower. Laur arrived and we had a quick catch up before we went to see some of H'bad's sights!
Went to Charminnar in the Old town which was cool - good views of the bustling bazzars in the streets below. Lunch was ace in a local diner, toilet was not - have a lovely pic of a cockroach :P. Wherever Laur and I went in this city we drew LOADS of stares, 2 young blonde whities was a real rarity!
The afternoon was spent having a mooch around the shops, this was after we spent hours being driven around the whole city and back in a rickshaw looking for a particular shop, they proper took us for a ride on the meter and still never found it (we got conned a bit by the drivers in this city).
After dinner we went looking for a bar recommended int he Lonely Planet, again, mega rickshaw wind up - but we found one which we just went in anyway.
Twas at the top of a shopping mall, pretty posh too - ahem, we were offered "welcome" drinks tho... They were the most foul tasting things we had ever tried!! Well nearly vommed! Think salty, eggy and sour - unwelcome more like.
Day %
Took a rickshaw to see Golconda Fort in the morning - 200R there and back with 1.5hr waiting time, well good. Fort was pretty cool and it gave us ace views of H'bad. Again, Laur and I were attractions ourselves and had to stop the photos at one point or else we'd have never got round in time!! They're all nice about it tho, just well intrigued.
After a polluted rickshaw ride in the day (I found it quite stressful at one point, traffic, horns beeping and fumes everywhere), we went to see the standing statues of Buddha in Hussain Sagar Lake. Twas sunset too, so nuce setting and a chilled boat ride out after the mad rickshaw runs we'd had in the day.
Dinner was in a deserted restaurant at the top of this hotel over looking the city - twas a right little gem but bugger to find, well worth it tho. Laur treated us to a bottle of Indian vin rouge, kicked the evening off nicely :)
After a covert tipple of vodka back at the hotel we were well determined to find these bars, again, proper mission. We found them in the end and they were both closed for rennovation - in btwn finding them tho, every darned person we asked for directions, all pointed this way and that as if they knew what they were talking about, but they didn't. Frustrating to say the least, but meh.
Ended up at the same place as the ngith before and we headed straight for the club - deserted like the night before, save for a few deviant Indians. We managed to get ourselves pissed anyway...
Getting a rickshaw ride home tho was pretty impossible after midnight, so we got chatting to the police who had kicked everyone out of the bars and asked them to give us a lift somewhere. The officers were well up for it but we had to run it by the big cheese commander with the big belly, so we batted our eyelids n that and he agreed to take us to a rick standshaw. Ace, personal police escort like ;).
Will fill the rest in tomorrow, gettin shoulder ache and probably being eaten alive by mozzies...
DAY @
Met the Aussie at the Gateway to India to catch the boat out to Elephanta Island to see the historical caves there - meh... didn't think it was really worth the mission to be fair, but it was ok nonetheless...
In the evening went to Chowpatty Beach tho and that was way cool. Just sat and people watched for hours whilst the sun went down over the bay. Showed the Aussie boy some of the choons on ma mp3, he liked the Whip ;) whilst watching kids frolicking ni the sea, us takin pics of them and their parents taking pics of us. One couple even asked James (the Aussie) for permission a photo of me taken with his wife ;P, has happened quite a lot tbf.
There's a wkd little carnival at Chowpatty - all the rides are worked manually by men pushing/twirling them around, H&S knows no bounds in India.
(Examples of poverty will feature a lot in this blog, it's frikkin everywhere, all the time - so much so that it just becomes normal to say no to beggars, is well hard, I've written a bit recently that I'll get to in a min...)
DAY #
Decided to get out of Mumbai pretty quick, so headed for the station early ni the morning to get a train ticket to Aurangabad to see the Ellora caves. On the way to the station I met this young lad who questioned me bout me eating banana for breakfast and started chatting along the way. I immediately thought he was after something (most peolpe here are), but he said he wasn't and he was tellin da truth - he set the trend for me meeting nice people in each place I've been and I was really greatful for his help this day. The strap on my sandal broke on the way, he took me to a shoe repair man and made sure I only paid the price that an Indian would and then took me all the way to the station, navigated me to the reservation desk (would never have found it in so quick a time without him, CST train station is MENTAL!) and pushed to the front of the Q for me to get my ticket (tiz the done thing here). He even made up the 2R change I needed for the ticket, so I made sure I gave him 5R when I got ma change back. Proper little dude, he left to go get his arm x rayed after that - he was on the way to his appty when he met me. This little meeting did me some good, but I was still shitting it a bit when I went for my train ;)
No need to shit it, actually got the train pretty easy - tiz a really good way to travel here. There were some proper maddies at the station (particularly this dude with eyes going well skewiff) and most people loved staring at me, ya just gotta smile and roll with it tho, happens EVERYWHERE! Smells that dominated at the time, dried fish like.
It was a daytime express train to Aurangabad, so no need to sleep - sat all the way and didn't leave my seat - it was well full for most of it and did not fancy standing for 8 hours. Was well hot too obv, had some fatto with his sweaty armo for a few hours, rank.
Obvs there's a lot to see on the train, loadsa slums right by the track and people walk all over them everywhere. There was some arguing going on when more people got on with reserved seats, went on for ages as this old man wouldn't get up for some old woman who'd had it reserved, was ranting for ages - but everyone was good humoured about it and it got sorted in the end. Some maddie climbed in the baggage racks and kipped up there mosta the way - hehe.
There are loadsa food sellers on the way too, but will wait a bit and tell ya bout that later...
Hotel in Aurangabad was ok, pretty nice actually - Auranagabad is a shithole tho, just another stinky, dusty city - tiz ,main the base for Ellora and Ajanta caves tho, so alright like.
DAY $
Took the bus to Ajanta caves, twas the only whitey on the bus - probably for miles, but this thing aint knew now so won't hang about on the subj...
The caves were pretty fuckin mint, had said initially they were amazing, but then I went to Ellora the next day and I personally think they blow them out the water.
Ajanta caves are set in a beautiful gorge, right in the middle of nowhere - twas a bit dodge as you get off the bus, coz ya have to dodge the sellers at the bazzar to get the shuttle bus 4km to the caves. I have loads of pics, so will update when I can be arsed ;P
Met a nice Hindu man on the bus on the way back, Kishore (49) - he spoke good English and was keen to converse with me all the way back to the city. Other commuters on the bus were also interested to find out about me so that sparked conversation with him too, this happens a lot - makes a stark contrast to the lack of commuter interest on a Manchester bus or London tube...
DAY ^
On the bus again but this time to Ellora. Get a load of stares for a change, they're just well curious, but as soon as you give them a grin they warm up nice - gives you a good feelin that :)
Ellora = FUCKING AMAZINGLY IMMENSE!!!
The bus drops you right outside the entrance, so ti was much easier to manage than Ajanta. Ya still get the street sellers tho and this one guy in particular came up and started chatting, showing me the way to start my cave tour - but again, like the lad in Mumbai, he stated that he wasn't out to get anything from me, didn't want to be my guide, but that he was a Buddhist and believed in Karma - one good turn etc... Hmmm...
Anyway, to cut a really long story short - he was was well genuine, Vijay (25). He ended up guiding me through most of the caves, allowing me to roam around the massive ones on my own as he would haev had to have paid a guide fee had the guards have seen him. He also took me to some caves that I would never have found had I been on my own or with some other guide, they were pretty special. Right up high, Yoga caves with beautiful pools of water and waterfalls with no one in sight - well peaceful. He lived in Ellora because he enjoys going there to meditate etc... think he makes a habit of making traveller friends, he said that he got on with foreigners more that he did Indians, he's done the whole India tavel vibe himself - twas a proper dude. Bestowed me with gifts for me and my family too, proper treated me as his guest - was well mad. Took me most of the day to trust him properly like, I'm a bit of a natural skeptic - meetings like these have been good for me tho... Had the best day anyway, he even treated me to dinner!
There were a few whities around the caves, but not many. LOADS of Indian tourists tho, 100's - I became a bit fo a novelty in quite a few caves, having ma photo taken with whole families etc. Felt like I was on a presidential campaign trail at one point when they wanted me to hold their babies!! Tiz a good opportunity to get photos of them too like ;P
On a cave note, there were over 30 of them - mix of Jain, Buddhist and Hindu, all from about 500AD onwards I think... The 3 religions fit really nicely together and they are all equally as breathtaking and even managed to feel a bit spiritual like. The echoes in them are unreal - Vijay did some "Ohms" and chants in a few, the sound is magnified by the crystals in the stone, really powerful - could well have seen myself wigging out to the buddhist vibes had I stayed longer ;P may go back one day, and I well recommend going.
Got the overnight train that night to meet my friend Laura in Hyderabad for 2 days - she's been living in India for a year so it was well nice to get the opportunity to meet up with her.
Again, train thing was an experience. The stations are mental - peolpe just climb over the tracks and it smells like shit! Carriages are well full, trains are well long, old and pretty uncomfortable.
Caused quite a stir whilst waiting on the platform again, got the smiling thing going on tho :).
Another young lad started talking to me as he knew English - Akil (21) from Hyderabad. Interested that I'm on me own (most people are), where I'm going, where I've been etc... His friends were having a right giggle whilst we chatted - he worked in a UK debt advice call centre in H'bad.
Train was really noisy and ya get to smell quite an array of aromas throughout the journey. Had one of the most uncomfortable night's sleep of my life! Was well cold and only realised to get my jumper at 6am.
Got to Secunderabad (twinned with H'bad) at 9am and saw ma mate Akil when I got off. He was well sound, again - and helped me get a rickshaw to the hotel Laura had booked. Haggled the price down for me too. We had a good ol' chat and he gave me his number if I needed anything whilst I was in his neck of the woods - Sounds Indian man number 4.
In the evening went to Chowpatty Beach tho and that was way cool. Just sat and people watched for hours whilst the sun went down over the bay. Showed the Aussie boy some of the choons on ma mp3, he liked the Whip ;) whilst watching kids frolicking ni the sea, us takin pics of them and their parents taking pics of us. One couple even asked James (the Aussie) for permission a photo of me taken with his wife ;P, has happened quite a lot tbf.
There's a wkd little carnival at Chowpatty - all the rides are worked manually by men pushing/twirling them around, H&S knows no bounds in India.
(Examples of poverty will feature a lot in this blog, it's frikkin everywhere, all the time - so much so that it just becomes normal to say no to beggars, is well hard, I've written a bit recently that I'll get to in a min...)
DAY #
Decided to get out of Mumbai pretty quick, so headed for the station early ni the morning to get a train ticket to Aurangabad to see the Ellora caves. On the way to the station I met this young lad who questioned me bout me eating banana for breakfast and started chatting along the way. I immediately thought he was after something (most peolpe here are), but he said he wasn't and he was tellin da truth - he set the trend for me meeting nice people in each place I've been and I was really greatful for his help this day. The strap on my sandal broke on the way, he took me to a shoe repair man and made sure I only paid the price that an Indian would and then took me all the way to the station, navigated me to the reservation desk (would never have found it in so quick a time without him, CST train station is MENTAL!) and pushed to the front of the Q for me to get my ticket (tiz the done thing here). He even made up the 2R change I needed for the ticket, so I made sure I gave him 5R when I got ma change back. Proper little dude, he left to go get his arm x rayed after that - he was on the way to his appty when he met me. This little meeting did me some good, but I was still shitting it a bit when I went for my train ;)
No need to shit it, actually got the train pretty easy - tiz a really good way to travel here. There were some proper maddies at the station (particularly this dude with eyes going well skewiff) and most people loved staring at me, ya just gotta smile and roll with it tho, happens EVERYWHERE! Smells that dominated at the time, dried fish like.
It was a daytime express train to Aurangabad, so no need to sleep - sat all the way and didn't leave my seat - it was well full for most of it and did not fancy standing for 8 hours. Was well hot too obv, had some fatto with his sweaty armo for a few hours, rank.
Obvs there's a lot to see on the train, loadsa slums right by the track and people walk all over them everywhere. There was some arguing going on when more people got on with reserved seats, went on for ages as this old man wouldn't get up for some old woman who'd had it reserved, was ranting for ages - but everyone was good humoured about it and it got sorted in the end. Some maddie climbed in the baggage racks and kipped up there mosta the way - hehe.
There are loadsa food sellers on the way too, but will wait a bit and tell ya bout that later...
Hotel in Aurangabad was ok, pretty nice actually - Auranagabad is a shithole tho, just another stinky, dusty city - tiz ,main the base for Ellora and Ajanta caves tho, so alright like.
DAY $
Took the bus to Ajanta caves, twas the only whitey on the bus - probably for miles, but this thing aint knew now so won't hang about on the subj...
The caves were pretty fuckin mint, had said initially they were amazing, but then I went to Ellora the next day and I personally think they blow them out the water.
Ajanta caves are set in a beautiful gorge, right in the middle of nowhere - twas a bit dodge as you get off the bus, coz ya have to dodge the sellers at the bazzar to get the shuttle bus 4km to the caves. I have loads of pics, so will update when I can be arsed ;P
Met a nice Hindu man on the bus on the way back, Kishore (49) - he spoke good English and was keen to converse with me all the way back to the city. Other commuters on the bus were also interested to find out about me so that sparked conversation with him too, this happens a lot - makes a stark contrast to the lack of commuter interest on a Manchester bus or London tube...
DAY ^
On the bus again but this time to Ellora. Get a load of stares for a change, they're just well curious, but as soon as you give them a grin they warm up nice - gives you a good feelin that :)
Ellora = FUCKING AMAZINGLY IMMENSE!!!
The bus drops you right outside the entrance, so ti was much easier to manage than Ajanta. Ya still get the street sellers tho and this one guy in particular came up and started chatting, showing me the way to start my cave tour - but again, like the lad in Mumbai, he stated that he wasn't out to get anything from me, didn't want to be my guide, but that he was a Buddhist and believed in Karma - one good turn etc... Hmmm...
Anyway, to cut a really long story short - he was was well genuine, Vijay (25). He ended up guiding me through most of the caves, allowing me to roam around the massive ones on my own as he would haev had to have paid a guide fee had the guards have seen him. He also took me to some caves that I would never have found had I been on my own or with some other guide, they were pretty special. Right up high, Yoga caves with beautiful pools of water and waterfalls with no one in sight - well peaceful. He lived in Ellora because he enjoys going there to meditate etc... think he makes a habit of making traveller friends, he said that he got on with foreigners more that he did Indians, he's done the whole India tavel vibe himself - twas a proper dude. Bestowed me with gifts for me and my family too, proper treated me as his guest - was well mad. Took me most of the day to trust him properly like, I'm a bit of a natural skeptic - meetings like these have been good for me tho... Had the best day anyway, he even treated me to dinner!
There were a few whities around the caves, but not many. LOADS of Indian tourists tho, 100's - I became a bit fo a novelty in quite a few caves, having ma photo taken with whole families etc. Felt like I was on a presidential campaign trail at one point when they wanted me to hold their babies!! Tiz a good opportunity to get photos of them too like ;P
On a cave note, there were over 30 of them - mix of Jain, Buddhist and Hindu, all from about 500AD onwards I think... The 3 religions fit really nicely together and they are all equally as breathtaking and even managed to feel a bit spiritual like. The echoes in them are unreal - Vijay did some "Ohms" and chants in a few, the sound is magnified by the crystals in the stone, really powerful - could well have seen myself wigging out to the buddhist vibes had I stayed longer ;P may go back one day, and I well recommend going.
Got the overnight train that night to meet my friend Laura in Hyderabad for 2 days - she's been living in India for a year so it was well nice to get the opportunity to meet up with her.
Again, train thing was an experience. The stations are mental - peolpe just climb over the tracks and it smells like shit! Carriages are well full, trains are well long, old and pretty uncomfortable.
Caused quite a stir whilst waiting on the platform again, got the smiling thing going on tho :).
Another young lad started talking to me as he knew English - Akil (21) from Hyderabad. Interested that I'm on me own (most people are), where I'm going, where I've been etc... His friends were having a right giggle whilst we chatted - he worked in a UK debt advice call centre in H'bad.
Train was really noisy and ya get to smell quite an array of aromas throughout the journey. Had one of the most uncomfortable night's sleep of my life! Was well cold and only realised to get my jumper at 6am.
Got to Secunderabad (twinned with H'bad) at 9am and saw ma mate Akil when I got off. He was well sound, again - and helped me get a rickshaw to the hotel Laura had booked. Haggled the price down for me too. We had a good ol' chat and he gave me his number if I needed anything whilst I was in his neck of the woods - Sounds Indian man number 4.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Well frikkin well... Have had a maddie two days, but skipping a bit so will start from beginning eh ;) will update in due course - peace out :P
Day !
Mumbai - fkin stinks!! Felt pretty good when I landed, just jumped straight to it, booked maself a taxi into the city and just did one. Taxis are pretty ace, proper 70's (this one is lined in faux tiger fur ;)) and it's like riding in a dodgem car but for some reason we manage not to scathe anything! Horns beep everywhere, constantly - they use them to let anyone who's in their way know that they are there and want to over take - how there aint an accident every 2 mins I don't know. The taxis turn their engines off at traffic lights/jams too - I'd liek to think it's to save on pollution but think it's more likely to conserve petrol usage innit. The aroma around me is pungent to say the least (smells like I may just get the shits from that!) and I'm swotting flying things from ma page, ace!
One thing ya notice in Mumbai is that there are people EVERYWHERE! And people think they're homeless back home - pish! Whole families literally sleep on the curb, sometimes with a bed and their washing beside them, but mostly on a sari on the floor, bit of cardboard or newspaper - babies, kids, grandparents, man, woman and dog - many dogs... Think the next tier up, other than the make shift tents in the slums, are one room houses dotted along main road where it looks like wholee familes stay - there is also this typr of accommodation by the train tracks (actually have some photos of this when I can figure out how to upload/use my camera properly :P).
Not many white people or tourists at all really - took an hour and a half to get to the centre of the city and I saw one, maybe two - more once ya get to the tourist disctrict (Colaba), but still hardly any.
The entrance to the hotel recommended in the Lonely Planet is proper shoddy, but I go up anyway, past workmen cementing the stairs and oples/hazards everywhere. Three flights up and the darned thing is full, so am shown to the hotel downstairs which is proper rank, but I just take it as I needed to settle/find my feet. My room for the night was a shoebox with cardboard walls, literally right next to reception, like a foot away - the walls don't go up to the ceiling either - beyond rank, but fook it eh.
As soon as I opened my bag I realised how shitly I packed!! Too much shit with me, really wanna dump it but spose I'll use it all in Aus. Spose I didn't need 2 months supply of wet wipes though and about 2kg of toilettries ;P.
Didn't bother showering as I know I'd just sweat immediately anyway - left pretty sharpish or a mooch around to get my barings and find this Hotel Sophie had recommended - found it quick and reserved a room for my next night. Much better, cheers for that Soph ;)
Had some food and a mooch and collared some poor Aussie minding his own business by the Gateway to India, made him keep me company and we went for a drink - slowly easing my way into this lone traveller vibe. (was sposed to be meeting ma mate Becky, but she's well held up in Nepal...)
***
Gotta catch a train, will update the rest when I can...
Day !
Mumbai - fkin stinks!! Felt pretty good when I landed, just jumped straight to it, booked maself a taxi into the city and just did one. Taxis are pretty ace, proper 70's (this one is lined in faux tiger fur ;)) and it's like riding in a dodgem car but for some reason we manage not to scathe anything! Horns beep everywhere, constantly - they use them to let anyone who's in their way know that they are there and want to over take - how there aint an accident every 2 mins I don't know. The taxis turn their engines off at traffic lights/jams too - I'd liek to think it's to save on pollution but think it's more likely to conserve petrol usage innit. The aroma around me is pungent to say the least (smells like I may just get the shits from that!) and I'm swotting flying things from ma page, ace!
One thing ya notice in Mumbai is that there are people EVERYWHERE! And people think they're homeless back home - pish! Whole families literally sleep on the curb, sometimes with a bed and their washing beside them, but mostly on a sari on the floor, bit of cardboard or newspaper - babies, kids, grandparents, man, woman and dog - many dogs... Think the next tier up, other than the make shift tents in the slums, are one room houses dotted along main road where it looks like wholee familes stay - there is also this typr of accommodation by the train tracks (actually have some photos of this when I can figure out how to upload/use my camera properly :P).
Not many white people or tourists at all really - took an hour and a half to get to the centre of the city and I saw one, maybe two - more once ya get to the tourist disctrict (Colaba), but still hardly any.
The entrance to the hotel recommended in the Lonely Planet is proper shoddy, but I go up anyway, past workmen cementing the stairs and oples/hazards everywhere. Three flights up and the darned thing is full, so am shown to the hotel downstairs which is proper rank, but I just take it as I needed to settle/find my feet. My room for the night was a shoebox with cardboard walls, literally right next to reception, like a foot away - the walls don't go up to the ceiling either - beyond rank, but fook it eh.
As soon as I opened my bag I realised how shitly I packed!! Too much shit with me, really wanna dump it but spose I'll use it all in Aus. Spose I didn't need 2 months supply of wet wipes though and about 2kg of toilettries ;P.
Didn't bother showering as I know I'd just sweat immediately anyway - left pretty sharpish or a mooch around to get my barings and find this Hotel Sophie had recommended - found it quick and reserved a room for my next night. Much better, cheers for that Soph ;)
Had some food and a mooch and collared some poor Aussie minding his own business by the Gateway to India, made him keep me company and we went for a drink - slowly easing my way into this lone traveller vibe. (was sposed to be meeting ma mate Becky, but she's well held up in Nepal...)
***
Gotta catch a train, will update the rest when I can...
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