The End / Lists

It's our last day in Marissa and again it's been a bit of an adventure what with Carolyn "Bondi Rescue" Williams and then y'day a bloody big rat in our room! No damage done! An update on Ron, who Carolyn rescued, he's in a stable condition in Colombo and will be flown out to the States in the next few days. He's expected to make a full recovery. The family and friends continue to make a fuss of Carolyn who in her usual fashion thinks it's all a bit much! Love that girl.
We've been lucky to meet up with a great family of English people from Essex - Chris and Jill and Paul and Emma. We've had some great times in the days and nights with Jill regaling us with tales of "2 pound of sand in me draws" and rats under plastic bowls running around bathroom floors. We loved Chris's "new" rules of Uno as well. Enjoy the stout and keep an eye on your David Beckham look alike son-in-law mate. They're a terrific family and it was sad to say goodbye to them.
We head to the airport town of Negombo today and this is the last post. Thanks to all those who have followed our travels and I hope I didn't bore you too much. As promised here are some lists to enjoy!
TRIP BY NUMBERS
85 - days on holiday
24 - flights
9 - train trips
7 - countries visited (include Bali as we had to buy a visa and pay departure tax for a 2 hr stay!)
4 +1 - no of times sick (Carolyn 4 Me1)  i.e. Rangoon Runs, Delhi Belhi
11 - different beers
6 - wines from Oz, France, Spain, SL, India and Chile
5 - No of security checks at Kathmandu airport on departure
4 - dodgy bus trips
4 - No of Lonely Planet guides
15 - forms of transport used on the trip

16 - books read by me
2 - times walked out of dodgy guesthouses/hotels
1854 - No of photos taken

... and finally the number 1 - the number of arguments we had and yes it was the wrong street to head down in Kathmandu!

 ONE LINERS
"No more steps Lhakpa" - to our Nepalese guide  on our trek

"You want taxi?" - I never want to hear this again. If I want a taxi I'll hail one you muppet! It wears after the 1000th time each day.
"Opium, hashish, marijuana sir? - I got asked this all over all over India and Nepal
"Please slow down" - to various taxi and bus drivers in every country we visited
"How do you want your eggs? - every b'fast for 3 months you are asked this whether yuor slumming it or flashpacking
"Where you going?" - every tuk tuk driver thinks it's ok to ask this
"Real Pashmina Maam" - yeah ok fella!
"Maybe tomorrow" - when you say no to look at something this is what shopkeepers say

and in closing I had some advice to pass on to would be travellers but I realised it would sound pompous so I'll just say this - get out there and do it, book the ticket, jump on the plane and enjoy the journey and the destination. See you.

Carolyn the lifesaver - Serious!

The beach here in Mirrisa is idyllic - palm fringed, white sand, clear water and good waves but it can also be dangerous  as Carolyn witnessed yesterday (Sat).
 Carolyn was lying on the beach when she saw an American guy get dumped by a wave in the relatively shallow water. When he came up he was face down and not moving. She went to the young SL lifeguard who didn't understand and she then ran into the water to rescue the bloke. With assistance she got him out of the water and noticed he was foaming at the mouth (water in the lungs), she stuck her fingers in his mouth to clear his airway, checked his pulse, put him in the recovery position on his side and then had to tell the gathered group not to lie him on his back as they were attempting too!! She then slowly melted into the background and came back to the room. Others had noticed Carolyn's actions and told the family who were overwhelmed with what she did. They took him off to hospital where he remains in a stable condition but will survive. When his wife came into the dining room last night she walked up to Carolyn embraced her and said "do you realise you saved my husbands life today?" she went onto say that in the hospital he told her that when he was face down in the water and unable to move (temporary paralysis) he stated to think of their 2 daughters and that this was it. At this stage we were all bawling - Carolyn, me and the guy's 3 family members. Talk about powerful.
All Carolyn kept saying was that she did what anyone else would do - true but she did do it and she saved another person's life. Carolyn can't understand the fuss and wants to forget it but I am so proud of her and how she handled the whole thing and I don't mean that in a patronising way. Even writing this I'm emotional!
All those years at the beach, 1st Aid courses and watching Bondi Rescue paid off!
As for me I was asleep on the balcony of our room! I saw the guy karted off and when Carolyn came back to the room I asked if she saw what happened - her reply was priceless. "I think I might have saved his life: she then asked for a sugar drink to calm her nerves. What a woman!

I'll post the promised list tomorrow as there is no A/C in here and I'm drenched. I'm off for a swim and I can only hope Carolyn  is keeping an eye out for me!

Sri Lanka - Cultural Triangle / Death by Temples

Days 63 to 68 saw us traversing SL to look at what's  called the Cultural Triangle. We spent most of the time looking at Buddhist relics and statues as well as ruins of the various conquerers of the island. It was all very interesting but our interest levels we starting to wane - over 6 countries we have seen every stupa, dagoba, pagoda, church,  museum and everything inbetween. In the end I told our driver (no public transport) that we didn't want to see anymore temples etc. Both Carolyn and I just wanted to lay on a beach! We had been to Anaradapuya the ancient capital, and Sigariya with its 600m high magma  rock, that was an adventure to climb, before ending up in the the hill town of Kandy for a couple of days.
In between we had walked out of a guesthouse that was filthy and ended up in another that was only marginally cleaner! During the night Carolyn killed 3 ants, we both had insects in our ears and the shower was a trickle! Ah the joys!
After Kandy we caught a train and a bus to the fort city of Galle which is quite interesting - spared from the tsunami by its 20m tall ramparts it's going through a huge makeover with boutique hotels springing up everywhere. A great place to while away a couple of days but the rest of the town is pretty average.
For the last 2 days (2 Nov onwards) we are in Mirissa a very quiet beach 40 kms east of Galle. Our room is 30 m from the ocean, the food is brilliant and Corona's for $3. There's even a good wave for body bashing.
The deal we got includes meals and last nite we witnessed the Germans at the buffet. There were 4 of them dressed head to toe in black, all seated together, the dessert table had a choc mousse dish that each of them had a bowl of. That was just the start! Each time the large bowl was repalced you could see them nudging each other and then jumping up to refill their bowls! It was a sight to behold and very funny to watch. Carolyn said I spent more time watching them than looking at her - oops! Mind you people watching is a great holiday activity.
We'll stay here before heading north to leave the country and as such you don't want to hear about the coconut fringed beach with white sand, warm water and a bar man just a click of the fingers away so this will be our last post - nearly.
Tomorrow (or the next day) I'll put some lists together i.e. the trip by numbers, best food, advice for travellers, best one-liners etc.
Again no foto's, the issue with my card is terminal but I've still got the pics I just can't upload them.
I'm off for a swim!

Kerala Backwaters / Farewell India - hello Sri Lanka

Days 59 - 61 of the trip saw us on a rice boat in the Keralan backwaters having caught a train from Trivandrum to Kottayam which was interesting due to the cockroach infestation in the seats and the site of a rat between the 2 panes of glass on the windows - ah the joys of sub-continent travelling. The boat crusie was great, very relaxing with good food (prawns like lobsters) and having your own cabin complete with ensuite.
Kerala has strict alcohol laws and you have to queque in an enclosed shoulder width mesh fence with males (no ladies) until its your turn. On the way to the jetty I asked the cabbie to stop so I could get a bottles of wine at one of these places. I stood in line patintly for 20 mins and was next to be served when a bloke came through the exit and tried to push in front of me and the other 15 blokes. I politely said I was next and he needed to go to the back at which point he shoved me in the upper arm. I turned towards him and put both hands on his chest and gave him a good shove back at which point the crowd roared their approval and the man in the shop told him "no service" . I walked away with my wine and dignity intact. This type of incident is common in India, everyone pushes in and you have to hold the line otherwise you never get served. I\ve seen Carolyn serve it up to bigger guys than me who have thought they could get away with getting in front of her!
All too soon our India trip was over and we were on a plane to Colombo, Sri Lanka.
For both of us India threw up so many challenges - the abject poverty, the rubbish, the filth, the brilliant food, the kindness of locals, the jaw dropping beauty of parts of the country, the ever widening gap bewtween the rich, the middle class and the poor. It utterly and totally consumes your every sense - from the smell of spices on the street, the stench of open urine pits on streets to the sight of a pink sunset over the white buildings of Udaipur to seeing the number of people living hand to mouth. It really is sensory overload and it can be overwhelming. Sorry to sound like a prat.
I came away with loving the experience but not really loving India - if that makes sense.
I\m also aware that what I\m writing here is really just what is going through my mind at the moment. With reflection that might change. Who knows.
The flight from India to Colombo was remarkable for the fact that there was only 3 'westerners' on a plane of over 200 and Carolyn and I were the only 2 without moustaches! when we arrived in Colombo the 3 'westerners' were the only ones to go through immigration as everyone else was transiting to the UAE for work.
First impressions of Colombo were that it is orderly, clean and they obey the road rules! People are unerringly friendly and it\s a bit more expensive than India.
We're off to the country for a few days to the Cultural Triangle before  heading to Galle and the beaches on the south coast.
I'll log a post in the next few days.

Photo's at last

I've just added some photo's to the Chitwan, Udaipur and Mumbai posts. Will add more later.

Goa / Kerala - Trivandrum, Kovsam

On Day 54 (Mon 17 Oct) of our travels we departed Goa and headed to Kerala further south. Goa was good but that was mainly to do with our hotel which Carolyn managed to get for 1/2 price. A pool, brekkie, peace and quiet, kingsize bed for under $55 per night. As I said in an earlier posting the beaches are largely unappealing and full of pervy Indian  men checking out the western women - you can imagine my reaction to that.

That said we had a great time including me  guiding a motor scooter on a 4 lane highway with no helmets, no insurance, Carolyn on the back and the mad Indian drivers! Our travel insurance didn't cover this either I later found out! I was fine until we hit a huge roundabout where there are no rules - you just go! Great fun.
We arrived in Trivandrum southern Kerala and again Carolyn score well with the hotel - close to half price I'm not a tight arse I promise)  and in a good location in the town. Trivandrum whilst not a tourist mecca is very pleasant and the people super friendly and no hassling to but or get in a taxi or tuk tuk. People say hello and excuse me and if you need help won't then ask you to visit their brother's silk emporium.
We are now in Kovasam just south of Trivandrum and it's a beach town - the beach and water are clean although the sand is dark - not dirt just volcanic. We've both swam and the waves are good. All the restaurants arre on the beach and we had a huge feed of Tiger prawns cooked in a Tandoor oven last night. Very tasty - still no meat though! On the subject of food our hotel in Trivandrum ($40 per night) had over 35 chices for its buffet plus 4 desserts and 3 flavours of ice cream all for $8 per head. What a bargain! (ok I watch the pennies a bit)
We are here for another day before heading north to go on a houseboat for a night on the backwaters. It's supposed to be a highlight of a trip to India - we'll see.
Monday we go to Sri Lanka for 16 days and then start of think of home.
Before signing off I have started some list of best foods, one-liners from our travels and some travel tips. I'll put them in separate postings closer to the end of our trip.
 I'm off for another body surf - see ya!

Mumbai / Goa

Arrived in Mumbai on 7 Oct late at night and it took 2 hours to get to the hotel because of all the Dessara festival celebrations which went late into the night - plus I had to map read as the taxi driver didn't know the way. Mumbai is a city of 15 million!!!
 The hotel we booked online and recommended by the LP was shocking. Dry rot on one wall, flaking paint, wet smell, bird feathers on the floor and a stinky shower. It was 11.30pm so we went to bed and checked out in the morning! Accom in Mumbai is really pricey - budget starts at $AUD50. The couple of days in Mumbai were taken up with checking out some of the tourist areas - Gateway to India, Taj Hotel, Chowpatty Beach, Victoria Terminal and then the cricket on Maidan Oval on Sunday. A space the size of 10 cricket fields had about 50 games going on - all in perfect harmony even though the makeshift boundaries crossed over. Some players were in whites and others in street clothes but there was no aggro and they all seemed to co-exist. It was something to behold. We ate locally and even had a meal in Leopolds which is made famous in Shanataram the popular novel (I couldn't stnd the book!). Food was good and relatively cheap. We even ran into Nelson and Francois from Udaipur!
Sunday we caught the train to Goa - supposed to take 10 hours! We arrived 5 hours late - ah well! Our accom in Goa is excellent. Huge room, kingsize bed, balcony, swimming pool, full brekkie all for $AUD57 per night. Competition for accom is keen here so online bookings are the way to go. The normal price for this room is over $AUD100. We like it so much we ended up staying the week! Goa is ok but the beaches are average by Aussie standards. Rubbish everywhere, coarse sand and not appealing. Sorry to sound like a snob! We hired a motor scooter for 2 days and we checked out Old Goa which is full of the Portugese influence and on Friday went to Mapusa markets which was an experience especially the freshly hung goats in the 33 C heat ...mmm.
It was good fun the 2 of us on a scooter motoring around the back blocks of Goa - palm trees and rice paddies. Very relaxing except for the sometimes frenetic Indian driving!
So far we've been to most of northern and middle Goa and we'll see how much more we can do before we head to Kerala on Monday (17 Oct). Mind you the pol looks good!
After 40 odd days of no meat we finally had some Goan seafood which is served very spicy - Extra tasty and washed down with a Kingfisher beer - or 2!
Sorry about the lack of photo's. the card has a virus. I've had all the photo's so far coped onto a DVD and had it cleaned so I can keep taking photo's. As soon as I can I'll add some pic's to the blog posts I've done so far.

Udaipur

We arrived in Udaipur from Kathmandu on 4 October  and have had a marvellous time here in the state of Rajasthan. Leaving Kathmandu and Nepal was hard as we'd had a such a great time what with the trek in the Himalayas, Pokhara and then Chitwan National Park. We'd highly recommend coming to Nepal but be prepared for the pollution which is pretty bad in Kathmandu.

Udaipur is the city of lakes and our hotel (The Tiger) looks over Lake Pinchola which has the famous hotel in the middle ($500 per night). Accom is pretty good here and mid range with brekkie thrown in is about $40. Not bad for what is becoming peak season.

We've done a few sightseeing things like visit the cenotaphs of past Maharajas and the Monssoon Palace which is 980 m up on a hill that gives sweeping views of southern Rajasthan. The highlight though was the Royal Palace, a real example of Raj architecture. We did something we'd never done and hired a guide and it made such a difference. He was a young guy who was so proud of his heritage and culture and his enthusiasm was great to see. He was an outrageous flirt with all the feamles and had a good handle on Aussie slang but with an Indian accent. I couldn't stop laughing. He's been to Oz a few times and was in no way overbearing.

On Wed night we did an Indian cooking class that was recommended to us and had a wonderful night of cooking with Shashi (in her house) who taught us how to make pirathas, marsala, daal, poraka,  naan bread, chipatis and even chai tea. With us was Nelson and Francois from Portugal and it was a good night. At the end (10pm) you sit round and eat and it was at this time that I spied a huge rat under Carolyn's chair - it was like a kitten, it was huge. I'm trying to signal to Carolyn to move her foot without drawing attention to what was going on. Carolyn is looking at me oddly and I'm trying not to laugh. The reality is rats are everywhere here and you see them in even the most clean places. 2 days later and I'm still ok so obviously it did me no harm. The food was terrific and we all got a cook book. A night to remember!

Tonight (Fri 7 Oct) we head to Mumbai and on Monday catch the train to Goa - can't wait.

Sorry still no photo's - I'll try again in Mumbai to upload some.

Chitwan National Park

We've just arrived back in Kathmandu (Sun 2 Oct) after 3 days on a jungle island in the Chitwan National Park here in Nepal.
The accom was rustic at best but being on an island you didn't have to put up with hoards of tourists. We went on 3 elephant safaris into the heart of the jungle and a lot of the time you weren't on trails but actually cutting through the  undergrowth. We also went on a jungle walk, bird watching (we bailed out of that one) and helped wash the elephants which was a hoot (see pics).
Animals in the park include sloth bears, rhinos, tigers, leopards (both rare) alligators, crocs, deer etc. We managed to see deer, mongoose, an alligator but none of the so called big 3 - tiger, leopard or rhino until the last day.  We headed off on the back of an elephant and crossed 2 rivers and finally found a rhino which we tracked for over 1/2 hour. It was thrilling to say the least to see these huge armour plated beasts in their element. You can't get too close but Carolyn managed to shoot off a good front-on photo. We then crossed the 2 rivers on the way back to camp in the near dark. Being on the back of an elephant is an experience in itself especially crossing fast flowing rivers in the dusk or when they break into a trot!
You get to the island by way of dug-out canoe which is a bit unnerving given how quick the river is flowing post monsoon season.
The journey from Chitwan was pretty average - local bus with no A/C and when we arrived at the change over spot we clubbed in with a German and 2 Nicaraguians (?) and hired a van as the bus was 'chockers'. I shaved 3 hours off the 7 hour trip which is only a distance of 150 kms on some of the worst roads you'll ever see. It's festival time in Nepal - Dasain is a time when people return to their native villages so the roads are all clogged with traffic.
Today we went of to the Bouda Tibetan stupa here in Kathmandu. It's the biggest Buddhist stupa in Nepal and is pilgrimage site for many Nepali's and Tibetans. Tomorrow we are off to India and hope to be in Udapuir by late afternoon if our flights are on time!
Sorry no foto's as I'm having trouble uploading them. When I can get a relaiable connection I'll edit the post.

Annapurna Himalaya Trek

Well we've just got back from a 4 day trek called the Ghorepani to Ghandruk Loop. It takes you through the western side of the Himalaya's called the Annapurna Circuit. You climb from 1012 metres to 3210 metres which doesn't sound steep but for 2 solid days you basically walk up and one of those days is just slate steps for hour after hour. I carried 14 kgs (big mistake) and Carolyn had 7 kgs (another big mistake!). It's very challenging physically and would easily be the hardest thing I've ever done since I was in the army all those years ago.
The 'trail' goes from goat tracks (complete with goats) to slate steps and then recent landslides which you have to traverse. Due to an upcoming Tibetan festival huge herds of goats were being herded down the mountains for sale at market and of course you had to move off the tracks to let them pass. Add to the mix ponies carrying rice and gas bottles and the odd water buffalo and it makes for interesting times especially with all their poo on the track!
I won't bore you with all the  details but for the 1st 2 days you see nothing but Nepalese jungle and rolling hills with mist and rain but on the 3rd morning having arrived at Ghorepani the night before we climbed Poon Hill (3210m) to see the Annapurna Ranges. OMG! it absolutely blew me away - you are confronted with an array of mountain peaks from 6000 to 8217 metres and all in the glorious sunrise light. It truly was a life affirming moment for both of us and something that will stay with me forever. Even writing this some 3 days later I feel emotional about it. It was a wonderful experience. Best of all Poon  Hill had not been clear for a whole week and there was nothing to see, but the morning we went it was clear (hopefully the photo's will give you an idea). After that we started the descent which was not great for my knee but was certainly easier than going up, but was harder for Carolyn.  As we came down (2 days) you walk through a clearing in the jungle and see the soaring peaks of the Himalaya right there almost within touching distance wow!
The lodges we stayed in were basic but at least you had hot showers (most of the time) and all the lodges charge exactly the same price  for a room and food and drinks all the way around as part of a co-operative so it's reasonably cheap.
We hired a guide  (as most people do) and Lakpa was brilliant. A true gent he made everything so easy for us ( I of course refused to let him carry my pack). After a day or so I had to ask if he'd climbed Everest to which he replied "yes but only the once". He really enriched the experience and contributed to it being such a fantastic thing to do.
When asked if there was anymore climbing Lakpa would say "no, only Nepalese flat" which we quickly worked out would mean 2 hours of up and more up!
When we got back to our starting point, Naya Pul, I checked the Lonely Planet to find that the 4 day trek we did should take 6 days! No wonder we were knackered, 78 kms in 4 days up and down from 1210m to 3210m  and back again is hard yards. The only reason we took the trek on was because we were told it was "lite" trekking yet everyone we met said it was the hardest thing they'd attempted.
Anyway it's done and it's filed away as the most amazing experience that I'm so glad Carolyn and I could share together. The only way it could have been better was to have Jaz and Elle with us. The phot's are in a separate blog.
Tomorrow we are off to Chitwan National Park for a 3 day jungle safari - rhino's, elephants and hopefully tigers!
Again we're "off the grid" so will update the blog when we get back to Kathmandu next week.

Kathmandu/Pokhara

We arrived in Kathmandu day 28 of our trip (20 Sept) from Delhi. Our hotel - the Ganesh Himahl is excellent and close to the main area of Thamel which is a maze of narrow lanes and streets choc-a-block with everything from traveller's gear to pashminas to mini wooden violins! It's a heady mix when combined with German bakers, pizza restuarants and tiger balm hawkers on every corner. It's very vibrant and  full of back packers but also safe and the food is excellent especially the local favourite - momo's which are vege dumplings both steam and fried complete with a dipping sauce. The beer of choice is either Mt Everest Lager (unsurprisingly) or Gurkha Beer. Both ok.
We chilled out for most of our time except for visitng Durbar Square the cultural heart of Kathmandu. It looks much like all of Nepal did when travellers starting coming here in the 60's. Most of the architecture dates back to the 16th Century. We also posted some trinkets home which is an experience. After it's boxed up it is handstiched in cotton and then wax sealed on the corners with a post office seal. Very elegant.
Yesterday we took the bus to here in Pokhara some 190 kms to the north east. The trip took 8 hours with some impressive 2000 ft drops off a road only wide enough for 1 vehicle yet you are competing with fully laden trucks as road transport is the only mode of supplying the rest of the country. Another bus ride from hell!
We are in Pokhara so that we can do a short trek into the Annurpuna mountain range.  We are away for 4 days and 3 nights and wil be staying in local villages with pretty spartan facilities - no hot water, generators cut out at 8pm etc. It really is only a 'taster' as the whole circuit takes 21 days to complete. Still it should be fun. We have a guide and I'll carry our stuff and Carolyn will have the day pack. If the weather is clear we'll be close to some 6000 and 7000 metre mountains  so it should make for great photo's! We then come back to Pokhara before going to Chitwin National Park for a 3 day jungle safari!!!! Sorry I can't add photo's this PC won't let me.

Delhi and Carolyn Goes the Biff!

We arrived in Delhi late on Saturday night and had the usual hassles form the taxi drivers. They are extremely aggresive and predatory by nature. After a couple (10) of polite refusals I told him to f#$k off! He did.
Hotel Aura is ok but in Old Delhi which is quite run down but the rest of Delhi is a pleasant surprise. The roads are clean and wide and the city is very green. The traffic is orderley by Indian standards and the eating and shopping is pretty good. All in all we've had a good couple of days.
 Sunday we went to Red Fort and it was packed with huge lines to get in because of the upgraded security. (a bombing last week). Carolyn wandered off and had her back to me and I noticed some guys in their 20's checking her out (as with all western women). 1 of them gestured to his mates to stand next Carolyn so he could film her from behind but seemingly taking photo's of his mates. I could see what was going on and walked over to Carolyn and gently moved her away whilst explaining what was happening.. She turned round and the guy was videoing her. I told him to stop as Carolyn did but she then walked up to him and cracked him on the arm with her brolly and yelled at him. He was startled and rejoined his mates. As we walked off he said something and I spun round and took 2 steps towards them and they took off. This all happened in a crowd of thousands. Carolyn laughed it off and it didn't spoil her day but it does highlight something that may seem lighthearted and innocent but is far from that.
Since we arrived we've both noticed that, from teenage boys to older men,  look at western women with a lustful look that is not flattering in any way. They are very open about it and it is done in a fashion to intimidate. This is not us as visitors mistaking signals - it's very off putting and not at all nice when you are admiring a tourist attraction only to have gangs of boys ogling in a highly sexualised manner at your wife. When I catch them I give them the stare or say something and it stops. We've heard from other travellers about single western women being groped on the streets.
It won't spoil our holiday but non-the less it's very unsettling especially for Carolyn. I'd like to be there when the bloke Carolyn whacked and his mates tell the story  of the day they took on Ms Carolyn and lost!
We went to another couple of tourist spots including the Lotus Temple which is staggeriing and  then called it a day.
We're off to Nepal tomorrow and have had a good time here in Delhi - one incident apart!

Khujaraho

Temple hopping and looking at the Karma Sutra in Khujaraho, a small village between Varanasi and Agra. I got a great deal on accomodation and we lived it up with a pool and a bed turn down service. Carolyn said "are we at the right place?"
The temples are world heritage listed and a ticket in to the walled and manicured gardens means you're not hounded by touts at every turn. The buildings have been well preserved and the intricate carvings of highly erotic scenes are not for the faint at heart. The Guide Book talked of a carving with a man and horse having relations!!!! Of course I hunted high and low until i found it, just before we left.
On Friday, the hotel staff suprised me with a birthday cake and let us stay in the room until 5pm at no extra charge. We caught a taxi to the local train station for the overnight train to Agra. We had to change at Mohaba and wait for an hour. The train station was grotty to say the least and and we were stared at like we were a freak show in a circus. A group of men stood less than a few metres from us, just staring. We met Mike from Seatlle who had a five hour wait on his own, so glad it wasn't us. Hope you survived it Mike and made it to Varanasi.
We arrived in Agra at 2.30 am and waited until 5.00 am to catch the sunrise at the Taj Mahal. It is breath-taking and just as amazing as we were expecting. The sky was clear and made for some great photos. We meandered around for three hours, had some breakfast on a roof top terrace overlooking the Taj and then headed off to the Red Fort. Another amazing feat of architecture with beautiful marble inlay work and intricate Moghul carvings and designs. A further taxi ride to the other side of the river and we saw the Baby Taj, it isn't really, as it slightly predates the Taj but is another amazing building and again the Moghul designs and marble inlay are incredible.

We are not staying in Agra, catching another evening train tonight onto Delhi for three days before heading to Nepal on Tuesday.

By Any Means and Beer of Choice!

Just a quick add on to highlight the different modes of transport we have used  - so far!
Jet plane, propeller plane, taxi cab, tuk tuk, pony and cart, cyclo, push bike, motor bike, metro train, row boat, bus, coach, metro train, ferry and after tonite night  train. More to follow no doubt!

Beers tasted - again so far! Beer Lao, Singha, Tiger, Beer Chaing, Ikon, Kingfisher ... and the winner is Beer Lao! Good drop but it's never cold enough.

Varanasi

Day 19 of our journey saw us arrive in Varanasi probably the holiest site in India for Hindu's. The Ghats (steps) that lead to the Ganges is where everyone gathers to wash., offer prayers, burn dead bodies, wash clothing and replenish!

The town is pretty grotty and rubbish and filth abounds much the same as Kolkata but you can see all past this when you realise how much respect they pay to the Mother Ganga (Ganges River). Going down to the Ghats and witnessing the daily rituals of cleansing and praying is quite moving but you do feel that you are intruding.

This time of year sees Hindus come to Veranasi to pray for relatives who have passed away.. We were very fortunate to get into the Vishwanath (Golden ) Temple which is the equivalent of  the Vatican! The push of bodies and the electric atmosphere of being cheek to cheek with people who are on a pilgramage was humbling. It really was an experience not to be forgotten. That night we went down to the Ghat for evening prayers and blessings which goes for an hour and has a lot significance for Hindu's. We got on a row boat to be at the front and although the photo's won't show it, it really was a privilege to observe.

Our lat day saw us on a row boat at dawn to witness the sun come up over the Ganges (inspiring)  and to travel up all the Ghats. A must do if you come to Varanasi. We then went to a "burning" Ghat to witness people being cremated on open fires. The stretchers are covered but you can smell the burning. I did find out some interesting facts which I'll dot point below (if you're interested)

• 150 bodies are cremated daily
• the individual fires are lit from a 3000 year old eternal flame
• Sandalwood is used for important people such as politicians and teachers!
• it takes 3 hours for a person to burn
• the wood costs 3000 rupees for each cremation which are held in the open and in full view
• pregnant women, brahmin priests and people killed by cobra bites are put into the Ganges weighed down by heavy rocks. They are seen as pure people and do not require burning to release their soul. Pregnant women have a 'bloom' inside them.

2 or 3 days is plenty and then we were off to Khujaraho - home of the Karma Sutra!!!!!

Kolkota Chaos

OH MY GOD!
Nothing can prepare you for the assault on your senses when you leave the airport - the sea of people, cars, bikes, rickshaws, tuk tuks is simply overwhelming  and in pure numbers (16 million and counting) is hard to comprehend. The filth and rubbish you see in the 2 hour drive from the airport - $6 and only 22 kms - is beyond anything I expected.
The chaos on the roads with ancient taxis all jockeying for position and where rules are merely suggestions is something even the most hardened traveller couldn't but shake their head at.
Our hotel is in a residential area in the south of the city and is an oasis of calm and pretty flash compared to the backpacker accom in Sudder St where most travellers (read young) gather. It's good to be in this part because you also don't get bothered by touts and beggars and you get to see the daily life of ordinary Indians.

Today (Sunday) we went to the Victoria Memorial - a monument to the Empire days. Wonderful building and a good way to get an understanding of the 'rule' of the Brits who were brutal and hardly benevolent towards their commonwealth subjects. Then we went to have a look at the Hooglay Bridge and onto the New Market. The highlight was a trip to a Gungeer Sweet shop - Moghul sweets are world renowned - burfi, galam julung etc and all made with pure Ghee. We also had a Tharli lunch - dahls, curries, chapati's, pickles and dessert for $3! Magnificent.
We are off to Veranasi tomorrow morning by plane (couldn't get a train until 16 Sept) and here's hoping the for a few less people and a shorter ride from the airport!

Koh Tao Island - Thailand

We are just kicking back relaxing on Koh Tao Island before heading off to Bangkok and then India on Saturday. Our beach side villa is literally 10 metres from the water!

We hired a motorbike y'day and cruised the island and just relaxed. Last night was spent eating a bbq fish dinner and then chilling on the beach at the Lotus Bar - very relaxed,   cool music, and we were the eldest there!

I went back and corrected my spelling  from the Myanmar post. I also posted some photo's  - have a look.I reviewed what I wrote and I don't want to come over as naive - I read widely about Myanmar and researched widely before we went. Ah well it is what it is!

Will post again once we are in Kolkota India

Myanmar

Yangon - Mandalay - Bagan - Bangkok!
Hi everyone. Sorry for the huge delay in posting on the blog but access was blocked in Myanmar. I can only assume it was  to prevent people posting negative or anti junta feelings which is a shame.

Before we even arrived in Yangon we saw some sights. On the plane from KL to Yangon we were 2 of only 6 'westerners' on the flight! As we taxied to take off the bloke in front answered his mobile and calmly engaged in a conversation. I looked around to see if anyone would say anything only to find that I could see one bloke texting and another playing a car racing game on his i-phone! When we landed a family was up and out of its chairs withing 5 seconds of the plane touching down and everyone just charged to the front of the plane. Chaos ensued!

When we arrived in Yangon we were surprised at how the infrastructure was very old and decrepit. The taxis are ancient and our broke down. Driving through the burbs everything seemed old and run down.

We spent the first day orientating oursselves and visited the Schwe Dagon Paya Pagoda the 'centrepiece' of both the city and the buddhist faith in Myanmar. I wont bore you with the details but the gold leafed covered stupa reaches 98m into the Yangon sky and is breathtaking not only in its beauty but also the calm and serenity it exudes. In a city of some 6 million that is chocked by car fumes and is chaotic and busy it really is a sanctuary. We went back at night and saw it under spotlights and it was even better. Just to see local people put aside the daily struggles to take some time to pray and pay respect is quite humbling to a no believer!
Carolyn and I covered 21 kms on that 1st day walking around the city taking in the sites. Yangon is fairly  uninspiring and we made plans to head north to Mandalay flying Bagan Air - no I had never heard of them either!

Mandalay was fine and we climbed Mandalay Hill - all 1452 steps (I counted them). Great views and we spent a good 1 hour sitting with some monks who were keen to practice their english on us.

Accom in Myanmar is basic and our guest house was what you might call rustic with the drains in the shower being open and the power a bit on the intermittent side!

We decided to hit the road and caught a bus to the temples of Bagan. Safe to say that the bus ride will rank right up there with our previous "bus rides from hell". The route is on a 'main secondary road' that for much of it was uncovered and washed away. Then we got bogged in a river bed - and we all stood and watched as the driver argued with a local crew on the cost of his assistance in getting us out! Very funny! Of course being a Kimberley boy I could tell that by trying to turn your wheels and not reversing and then going forward all they were doing was digging themselves in deeper.

The trip was so rough my back went and accompanied with a dose of the Rangoon Runs I spent the best part of a day in bed! Carolyn also went down with the trots and we were a fine site. On holiday and both crook in the guts!

Next day we hired a pony and buggy ($12 for the day with driver) and went to check out the Bagan Plains. Over 2000 stupas dating back to the 12th Century dot the plains around Bagan and it truly is site to behold. Word cannot describe the 360 degree view that's afforded fro the top of various stupas. If my photo's can be attached you'll see but if not just google Bagan and you'll get some idea.

The next day Carolyn was still unwell and the somewhat squalid conditions were having an effect and we made the decision to leave Myanmar even though we had only been here for 8 days. It's a sad country mired in poverty and oppresion by a military regime that allows little in the way of freedom of speech. Of course I knew this before we came so I shouldn't have been surprised.

People are unfailingly friendly and happy and want people to travel there - god knows they need the money.

Myanmar seems to have changed little in the years since the British left last century. Everything is old and decrepit. Basic infrastructure is lacking and there are no foreign NGO's or evidence of UNICEF programs. It's like the military junta don't want the eyes of the world on it. Indeed one of the local newspapers under it's logo says "say no to meddling foreign interests".

Se we left feeling more sad than anything else about a beautiful country rich with natural resources and abundant with oil and wonderful friendly people caught in a time warp!

We landed in Bangkok a couple of days ago - what a difference! Modern, chaotic, commerce driven, full of tourists! We decided to head off to in island to sit on a beach for a few days and later today are catching a bus and ferry  to Kho Tau Island (next ot Kho Samui) to sit on a beach! Our accom is right on the beach! Can't wait - we're both well again and looking forward to some sun before heading off to India!

Sorry about the spelling - the spell check doesn't work and I'm too tired to manually check it.

Will post again soonest.

Countdown

Departure date 24th August 2011