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.