After four days of loafing about it was finally time to go. I dragged myself out of my very uncomfortable bed at 8am, threw my few possessions into my bag and went. It is always cold at that time of day but I was lucky to get a bus out of town straight away. It was full locals on their way to Ajmer, the nearest large town. It was a bone shaking 30minutes but the sun was getting stronger.
From Ajmer there was another bone shaking wreck of a bus to Jodhpur. The five hours being bounced about passed, the bus was warm and not too crowded. It even stopped for lunch. We haven't reached the desert yet. The landscape is still scrubby fields and small trees. It's all quite brown after the end of the rainy season and the air is very dry. I feel like the moisture is being sucked out of my body and I can never drink enough to replace it.
The bus arrived in Johdpur at around 3pm and for once there was no trouble from auto-rickshaw drivers. I had booked this lovely old guesthouse just underneath the fort and the driver just took me there for the agreed sum of 50 rupees, about 60p. This new place is beautifully furnished with wall hangings and antique furniture. It's set around a central courtyard with three floors of rooms overlooking it. I have a room with a view of the old city and it's elaborate clock tower. From the roof top restaurant you can look up to the fort which grows out of the cliff side. The outside is bare and rugged but the inside is a beautiful palace with cool marble interiors and delicately carved sandstone windows.
The city is quieter than the others and I would have stayed but my train ticket to Jaisalmer has been confirmed for 5:05 tomorrow morning so I'll be leaving without really experiencing the city. One thing though, they still have horse drawn carriages as a form of public transport!
30 Jan 2012
28 Jan 2012
Fourth day in Pushkar
Today is my fourth day in this strange little town. I was going to leave today but felt like a longer rest. I spend my mornings wandering by the lake looking for the sun. I have located a network of little rooftop cafes with wi-fi so I can do a bit of surfing and hotel booking. Yesterday I made the major decision to book my hotel in Johdpur, thereby forcing myself to move on. This place is getting to be addictive.
I did the one day camel safari as a taster for a longer trip next week. They picked me up, took me for a wander through the surrounding fields and orchards and on to a village. All very pleasant with the camel gently swaying along. At the village I got the sales pitch for longer trips, up to six days if you want but I declined. It would have been just me and a camel driver stuck in the desert alone for six days. What would we talk about? I'll try to fix up a shorter one with other people.
I went up the local hill with a temple on top and got a good if hazy view of the town, it's lake and the surrounding countryside. And I've read another book. Sitting on the roof of my little hotel in the afternoon with it on my lap, dozing off from time to time. And that's all.
I did the one day camel safari as a taster for a longer trip next week. They picked me up, took me for a wander through the surrounding fields and orchards and on to a village. All very pleasant with the camel gently swaying along. At the village I got the sales pitch for longer trips, up to six days if you want but I declined. It would have been just me and a camel driver stuck in the desert alone for six days. What would we talk about? I'll try to fix up a shorter one with other people.
I went up the local hill with a temple on top and got a good if hazy view of the town, it's lake and the surrounding countryside. And I've read another book. Sitting on the roof of my little hotel in the afternoon with it on my lap, dozing off from time to time. And that's all.
27 Jan 2012
My plans for the lake
The roads surrounding the lake are packed with shops making money out of the tourists who flock here in their thousands. The shops sell all the usual stuff that you can buy in Camden Market just at a slightly lower price. The town is strictly vegetarian and non-alcoholic but their vegetarianism, like most people's stops at leather belts, shoes and handbags. This supposed to be a holy place but it's been almost completely handed over to tourism and money making. I counted about six collection boxes on one set of steps down to the lake and everywhere you go someone wants to "give" you some holy flowers or put a blob of colour on your forhead. This should come as no surprise really, this combination of religion and commerce. Think of the Vatican bank and all it's scandals, American mega-churches and the Church of England's vast estates not to mention the entrance charges to their popular buildings.
But the lanes are crowded and the ghats empty so I have a vision for a more economically viable Pushkar Lake where the Hindus can get in on the act too.
BEACH BARS
Think Goa, the beach capital of India. The steps down to the lake make for perfect settings for a few umbrellas and reclining chairs. Sand could be imported from the surrounding desert to give the place a more authentic look. Ok, there is an alcohol ban but that could be lifted just for tourists. A lot of the popular cafes are run by Israelis and they could buy the beach bar franchises. The pilgrims would still have part of the lake for their rituals, say the west bank. During the popular camel fair the Israelis might have to set up extra bars in the area but that is just good business sense not an intrusion into someone else's space.
BOATING
Clearly boats on the lake would be a terrible affront to the visiting pilgrims. Tasteful peddellos however might be acceptable. Peddellos in the shape of holy cows might be fun.
PHOTOGRAPHY
There is a photography ban around the lake. Why not sell permits to those tourists with long lenses? They could then photography the pilgrims at their rituals without causing offence. After all these activities take place in the public realm and we have the right to know what goes on. It's in the public interest after all. Any money raised by selling pictures to tour companies and the like could be given to charity after all.
CONCERTS
They have them on a lake on Hampstead Heath and the atmosphere is lovely. The audience bring picnics and sit out on the grass and listen. It's quite respectful and civilised. They might even play a bit of Indian classical music. Ravi Shankar is a Hindu, he might like to come.
These are just a few ideas to create a Hindu Enterprise Zone in line with current Neo Liberal thinking so let's give it a go.
But the lanes are crowded and the ghats empty so I have a vision for a more economically viable Pushkar Lake where the Hindus can get in on the act too.
BEACH BARS
Think Goa, the beach capital of India. The steps down to the lake make for perfect settings for a few umbrellas and reclining chairs. Sand could be imported from the surrounding desert to give the place a more authentic look. Ok, there is an alcohol ban but that could be lifted just for tourists. A lot of the popular cafes are run by Israelis and they could buy the beach bar franchises. The pilgrims would still have part of the lake for their rituals, say the west bank. During the popular camel fair the Israelis might have to set up extra bars in the area but that is just good business sense not an intrusion into someone else's space.
BOATING
Clearly boats on the lake would be a terrible affront to the visiting pilgrims. Tasteful peddellos however might be acceptable. Peddellos in the shape of holy cows might be fun.
PHOTOGRAPHY
There is a photography ban around the lake. Why not sell permits to those tourists with long lenses? They could then photography the pilgrims at their rituals without causing offence. After all these activities take place in the public realm and we have the right to know what goes on. It's in the public interest after all. Any money raised by selling pictures to tour companies and the like could be given to charity after all.
CONCERTS
They have them on a lake on Hampstead Heath and the atmosphere is lovely. The audience bring picnics and sit out on the grass and listen. It's quite respectful and civilised. They might even play a bit of Indian classical music. Ravi Shankar is a Hindu, he might like to come.
These are just a few ideas to create a Hindu Enterprise Zone in line with current Neo Liberal thinking so let's give it a go.
24 Jan 2012
Towards Pushkar
Every journey takes a day. I left my hotel around ten and took a tuk tuk ( they call them auto rickshaws here ) to the bus station and caught the 12:30 to Ajmer and then on to Pushkar. It was a nice clean AC bus and I sat next a friendly guy. He asked me where I was from and I usually ask them back. Of course they're from the country I'm in but this time he said "Mexico". They get around these Indians.
The motorway driving wasn't as bad as the guide books led me to believe. There was a bit of indiscriminate lane changing but that's all and we arrived in Ajmer mid afternoon. Mercifully the bus's tv wasn't working so we were all spared three hours of Bollywood dance moves.
In Ajmer I began to wonder if this country can get any rougher. Dusty, dirty, chaotic with old buses crammed with people. I caught one of the old buses which just managed to climb a hill and descended into Pushkar, the sacred Hindu pilgrimage site now a major tourist magnet. The old part of the town is a maze of gifts shops, restaurants and hotels surrounding a lake. Its all stunningly beautiful. The surrounding temples are all gently crumbling into the waters.
I had to ask about six people directions before I found my hotel and I have a fairly barren cell but right by the lake and set in a well tended garden. Finally after checking in I sat in a cafe by the lake and had tea ( the town is strictly dry ). A crowd of attention seeking Italians appeared and a row of urchins with bare feet and wrapped in blankets paraded past the Italians and disappeared to the sound of snapping cameras. Two tabla players started up and were joined by a shaven headed hippy. Pushkar, it's like Brighton, full of foreign tourists, gift shops and ageing hippies.
The motorway driving wasn't as bad as the guide books led me to believe. There was a bit of indiscriminate lane changing but that's all and we arrived in Ajmer mid afternoon. Mercifully the bus's tv wasn't working so we were all spared three hours of Bollywood dance moves.
In Ajmer I began to wonder if this country can get any rougher. Dusty, dirty, chaotic with old buses crammed with people. I caught one of the old buses which just managed to climb a hill and descended into Pushkar, the sacred Hindu pilgrimage site now a major tourist magnet. The old part of the town is a maze of gifts shops, restaurants and hotels surrounding a lake. Its all stunningly beautiful. The surrounding temples are all gently crumbling into the waters.
I had to ask about six people directions before I found my hotel and I have a fairly barren cell but right by the lake and set in a well tended garden. Finally after checking in I sat in a cafe by the lake and had tea ( the town is strictly dry ). A crowd of attention seeking Italians appeared and a row of urchins with bare feet and wrapped in blankets paraded past the Italians and disappeared to the sound of snapping cameras. Two tabla players started up and were joined by a shaven headed hippy. Pushkar, it's like Brighton, full of foreign tourists, gift shops and ageing hippies.
23 Jan 2012
My first railway journey
It was a very early start for me to get the 6:05 train out of Delhi to Jaipur. My night was made even more difficult after eating a disgusting meal in the hotel. I was up most of the night and felt really bad the next day. A shame really as the train journey came with food and something they called a "tea kit", a little paper envelope with two tea bags, sugar and powdered milk. I managed the tea but passed on the breakfast and slept most of the way there.
My new hotel, The Savoy no less, is charming. The room is big and the bed covered an embroidered quilt. I slept really well and kept warm unlike the room in Delhi.
Jaipur,like Delhi, is chaotic, dusty and noisy but on a much smaller scale. I did the City Palace, took a cyclo tour around the old city and visited the Hawa Mahal, a beautiful palace where women would peak out of tiny shuttered windows to watch the goings on in the streets below. From the top you get a fantastic view of the city and the forts on top of the surrounding hills. The old city is painted a dusty pink and contained by city walls. You can walk around it if you want but I'm planning to take it easy and not rush about. It's the capital of Rajasthan and still big and I'm looking forward to my next stop in Pushkar which is tiny and has a religious lake in the middle.
I've seen my first camel and first elephant and yes, the elephant was wearing makeup. I videoed two musicians playing a drum an accordion with my iPad. This thing is coming in very useful for writing, surfing and now filming. It'll be on YouTube very soon.
My new hotel, The Savoy no less, is charming. The room is big and the bed covered an embroidered quilt. I slept really well and kept warm unlike the room in Delhi.
Jaipur,like Delhi, is chaotic, dusty and noisy but on a much smaller scale. I did the City Palace, took a cyclo tour around the old city and visited the Hawa Mahal, a beautiful palace where women would peak out of tiny shuttered windows to watch the goings on in the streets below. From the top you get a fantastic view of the city and the forts on top of the surrounding hills. The old city is painted a dusty pink and contained by city walls. You can walk around it if you want but I'm planning to take it easy and not rush about. It's the capital of Rajasthan and still big and I'm looking forward to my next stop in Pushkar which is tiny and has a religious lake in the middle.
I've seen my first camel and first elephant and yes, the elephant was wearing makeup. I videoed two musicians playing a drum an accordion with my iPad. This thing is coming in very useful for writing, surfing and now filming. It'll be on YouTube very soon.
21 Jan 2012
Some video clips
20 Jan 2012
Old Delhi
Where to begin. This place is crazy. There are too many people with a different view of personal space from me and from the people of east Asia. I'll just have to learn to push and shove.
My day started with a big breakfast of masala dosa, a huge stuffed pancake with curry dips and a cup of hot sweet tea. I then made it to the tube station I arrived at last night and bought a one day ticket, unlimited travel for about £2. The tube is ultramodern, quick clean and sleek once you get into it. You can make calls on your mobile and even plug in your laptop. Imagine that on London transports. Above ground it's almost invisible amongst the broken pavements, stray dogs, tuk tuks and people. I took it to Chandi Chowk the heart of the old city where the red fort and the Jama Masjid are. As an obedient tourist I did the fort which was more interesting from the outside. The mosque was shut for Friday prayers but looked spectacular and I shall be going back tomorrow to try and get in. The lanes and alleys surrounding it contain everything, jewellery shops, sari shops and incense shops. What else do people need?
It's cold though. A lot colder than I thought it would be. I bought a wooly hat from a man by the train station and might survive with what I've brought with me. An overnight camel safari will be a challenge unless they provide warm things for the nights. I have become used to the soft tropical warmth and have forgotten what being cold is like. The locals wander about wrapped in blankets and scarves, giving the streets the air of a rather large and permanent refugee camp. I think it might actually be that for some of the people who look like they have no home to go to.
Despite the brokenness of everything I like it more than New Delhi. Edwin Lutyens designed New Delhi and at the same time must have invented the dual carriageway and the roundabout as that's what this part of town is. I endured a confusing ride in a tuk tuk from a tube station to Humayan's tomb. The driver seemed to enjoy whizzing round in circles but I didn't . The tomb was beautiful and set in a large and peaceful ornamental garden. It was a contrast to the morning's sights.
My day started with a big breakfast of masala dosa, a huge stuffed pancake with curry dips and a cup of hot sweet tea. I then made it to the tube station I arrived at last night and bought a one day ticket, unlimited travel for about £2. The tube is ultramodern, quick clean and sleek once you get into it. You can make calls on your mobile and even plug in your laptop. Imagine that on London transports. Above ground it's almost invisible amongst the broken pavements, stray dogs, tuk tuks and people. I took it to Chandi Chowk the heart of the old city where the red fort and the Jama Masjid are. As an obedient tourist I did the fort which was more interesting from the outside. The mosque was shut for Friday prayers but looked spectacular and I shall be going back tomorrow to try and get in. The lanes and alleys surrounding it contain everything, jewellery shops, sari shops and incense shops. What else do people need?
It's cold though. A lot colder than I thought it would be. I bought a wooly hat from a man by the train station and might survive with what I've brought with me. An overnight camel safari will be a challenge unless they provide warm things for the nights. I have become used to the soft tropical warmth and have forgotten what being cold is like. The locals wander about wrapped in blankets and scarves, giving the streets the air of a rather large and permanent refugee camp. I think it might actually be that for some of the people who look like they have no home to go to.
Despite the brokenness of everything I like it more than New Delhi. Edwin Lutyens designed New Delhi and at the same time must have invented the dual carriageway and the roundabout as that's what this part of town is. I endured a confusing ride in a tuk tuk from a tube station to Humayan's tomb. The driver seemed to enjoy whizzing round in circles but I didn't . The tomb was beautiful and set in a large and peaceful ornamental garden. It was a contrast to the morning's sights.
Delhi
I am going on holiday to India to escape the Vietnamese Tet holiday, it,s a bit like Xmas but without the snow. Most people leave to avoid the near total shutdown and I have chosen India. I've never really been there apart from a short trip to Delhi for a recruitment fair so this is a big adventure for me.
I'm flying with Air Asia, the local budget carrier and so far it,s been good. The food and wine was fine and the aircrew were lovely so this is not the easy jet of the east. The airline even have their own terminal at Kuala Lumpur airport for budget travellers where the beer at nearly£4 a glass is nowhere near budget but hey, I'm on holiday.
I've booked a hotel near the central train station for three nights and then a train ticket to Jaipur on Sunday morning. You can do it all online, no wonder Thomas Cook went bust, who needs them now.
I'm planning to spend three weeks in Rajasthan travelling by train, bus and hopefully camel and visiting palaces, forts and deserts.
I'm going to blog about my experiences on my boring old blog that I have neglected for the last four months and I can do that using my lovely new iPad that I have brought along for the ride.
My hotel is in a dusty lane full of other backpacker type hotels and my room is a bit cell like but it does have a flat screen tv and a shower. After a long day on planes it was nice to savour the atmosphere of the city. Dogs barking, fires burning and people wandering about wrapped in thin blankets against the cold evening air. The air is a shock to my system. Anything below 30 degrees seems cold to me now. I need to look in my guide book and plan tomorrow's sightseeing. The red fort sounds colourful so that could be on the agenda and there are plenty of other attractions. The underground system should take me to most of the places I need to go as long as I can work out where places are.
The people out in the street have been cooking bread over charcoal tonight so that's going to be breakfast but now for sleep after a slurp of dutyfree whiskey.
I'm flying with Air Asia, the local budget carrier and so far it,s been good. The food and wine was fine and the aircrew were lovely so this is not the easy jet of the east. The airline even have their own terminal at Kuala Lumpur airport for budget travellers where the beer at nearly£4 a glass is nowhere near budget but hey, I'm on holiday.
I've booked a hotel near the central train station for three nights and then a train ticket to Jaipur on Sunday morning. You can do it all online, no wonder Thomas Cook went bust, who needs them now.
I'm planning to spend three weeks in Rajasthan travelling by train, bus and hopefully camel and visiting palaces, forts and deserts.
I'm going to blog about my experiences on my boring old blog that I have neglected for the last four months and I can do that using my lovely new iPad that I have brought along for the ride.
My hotel is in a dusty lane full of other backpacker type hotels and my room is a bit cell like but it does have a flat screen tv and a shower. After a long day on planes it was nice to savour the atmosphere of the city. Dogs barking, fires burning and people wandering about wrapped in thin blankets against the cold evening air. The air is a shock to my system. Anything below 30 degrees seems cold to me now. I need to look in my guide book and plan tomorrow's sightseeing. The red fort sounds colourful so that could be on the agenda and there are plenty of other attractions. The underground system should take me to most of the places I need to go as long as I can work out where places are.
The people out in the street have been cooking bread over charcoal tonight so that's going to be breakfast but now for sleep after a slurp of dutyfree whiskey.
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