COMING SOON...

Israel, Jordan and hopefully Palestine, and more stories from the UK!  2012 will also see travels to Russia, the Baltics and plenty more!

Stay tuned, and Merry Christmas.......and I suppose Happy New Year as well.

Amos

Belting About Bruges

The night time canals are, apart from being full of water, also picturesque.

      A weekend out of the London hustle and bustle brought me to Bruges, Belgium.  As I so often come to regret, I caught the bus to Bruges from London, but unlike my previous trips to Amsterdam and Paris, the number of hours on the bus was a single digit figure (six to be exact).

A Boy Band

 Once I had arrived I moved toward the centre of town, from where I would be able to navigate my way to the hostel.  Bruges is an old city, with a very European feel to it, emanating from it's architecture to it's cobbled streets, and to the wafts of open sewers that you consistently walk through unexpectedly.  On arrival to the centre square, and with enough of an appetite to settle for eating the crotch out of a low flying duck, I purchased myself some famous Belgium Frites with Mayonnaise, and sat down to watch some live music and get my bearings.  While the music was great, I was disappointed when my request for some Michael Bolton tracks was shot down.

This tower was built specially for In Bruges

       While the music played, I sat in the shadows of the famous Bruges clock tower, which you may recall was the lead actor in In Bruges.  Just like in the film, there were an array of larger sized American tourists trying their luck with climbing the stairs to reach the top.  I didn't go up myself, owing to the fact that I still held out hope of hearing Michael Bolton, mixed in with the fact that I really could not be arsed.


      I went and checked into my hostel, and, to my horror, was awarded a Top Bunk bed, breaking my 44 hostel streak of getting a bottom bunk bed. Despite my protests, the Hostel manager would not negotiate on bed altitude, and so I begrudgingly made my bed from such lofty heights, and set back out into Bruges for some more sight-seeing type activities

Lot's of empty calories

This is a picture of my left hand.  Apologies the
Waffle is in the way.

BELGIUM

TREATS

This Fall has Niagara beat

     

      No trip to Belgium is complete without the cuisine.  I had already sampled the Frites, and later that evening it was time to hook into a famous Belgium Waffle!  I can confirm that these monstrosities taste like heaven, and luckily for me, my (trendy) beard was able to catch all the cream before it hit my face.  Coincidentally, Belgium is also the source (and sauce) of Belgium Chocolate, and there were no shortage of shops selling the very same product that drives Jenny Craig's profits.  While I didn't try any Chocolates on this trip, I did look longingly into many a shop window...sometimes at the chocolates, and sometimes at my own reflection.

Olives...why did I photograph them...because they are olives.

       One of my favourite parts of travelling, is hanging in the markets.  Here you get a great cross-section of different people, including locals.  Earlier that day, I had had a mini-crisis involving my belt snapping (unrelated to the consumption of the Waffle).  My exploration of the markets was one delicate balancing act, as I focused on keeping my pants from falling down, whilst trying to locate a bargain belt store.  Finally I located the finest/cheapest belt stand in Bruges, and negotiated a deal in which I would swap cash for the belt.  He agreed to this novel deal, and I was off, basking in the glory of having pants that stayed up on their own.

A Windmill.  (Also grass and trees)

       With my belt issues now well behind me, I ventured to the outskirts of Bruges, where I was faced with some type of a Windmill device.  These contraptions are quite famous in Belgium and particularly Holland, where they are used to blow away the smell of marijuana from the cities and towns. 

A Mouthful

     
    After admiring the Windmill for a full three minutes, I began cruising around the canals.  These meander all about Bruges, and it wasn't long before I was completely lost.  Luckily getting lost is the best mechanism for sight-seeing.  While I decided which way I should go, I partook in the consumption of a Belgium Beer at a near-by bar, where, to my immediate excitement, they played Go The Distance by Michael Bolton.  It was at this very moment that I realised how much Michael Bolton sucked, and was grateful for having had my request rejected on my first day in Bruges.

Bruges by Night

Money Shot

BRUGES AT NIGHT IS PRETTY SWEET

      
A weekend is plenty in Bruges.  It is very small, and you soon get sick of tripping over tourists.  In a way, Bruges only survives for it's tourists, every shop seems to sell souvenirs, rather than local goods.  Still there is no doubting it is a pleasant place to be, and it possesses four key culinary items, Beer, Frites, Mussels and Waffles (not strictly in that order).

      I still swear by Eastern Europe, but Bruges is definitely worth a six hour bus ride from London, even if it is just to reinforce how shit Michael Bolton is.

Prestigious Paris - A Habit worth Having!

A Cheeky Tourist Shot

        

      As one of the most alluring cities in the world, Paris holds a special place in many peoples hearts.  It is one of the first places people want to visit when making the big scary foray into exploring the world, and a return trip will never disappoint.  There is a magic about Paris that one cannot quite comprehend.  Like most cities, Paris is a metropolis built from masses of concrete, choked by incredible traffic, and chaos, as people dart in all directions!  Not really obscure characteristics that sets Paris apart from elsewhere?   You need to scratch beneath the surface to find the Parisian beat.  Is it the history of the city, or the culture, or even the arrogance of it?  Whichever it may be, Paris seems to just glide through life as smoothly as the boats cruise down the river Seine, a river with so much history clinging to its banks, pictures of which fill up many an SD card, as the tourists flow through day in and day out.

          I took a trip to Paris for a weekend in April.  It was my third visit to Paris.  Many people won’t see value in visiting the same city twice, but without the pressure of having to see all the attractions, I was able to simply just enjoy the city for what it was.  Many people’s experiences of a foreign environment are defined from swinging from one Lonely Planet suggestion to another!  This is fair enough, people want to see as much as they can, but you can miss out on experiencing the real heart-beat of a city, one that isn’t within earshot of American accents!  This time, my experience in Paris was deeply enhanced by not having to worry about seeing the Eiffel Tower (although I did get a cheeky photo in!), but just chilling out and soaking it all in, as Parisian’s seem to do well. 

Mixing in with the locals at a Farmers Market

One of the greatest attractions any city has to offer, are the people.  This time in Paris, I spent more time observing people, than looking at funny shaped buildings!  People-Watching is perhaps one of the most interesting things to do in Paris.  I watched the Gypsy’s try their array of scams on many unsuspecting tourists, I watched hordes of Africans trying to sell Eiffel Tower key-rings, I watched men and women sitting at cafes watching the world go by, and I watched my wallet quickly enter a drought the more time I spent in Paris!

They sell cheese in France

They also sell bread

                                                                                                                                                                                                               A weekend isn't long, but it is plenty of time to get out there and get a good feel for a city.  The highlight was buying baguettes, cheese, ham and wine from a local farmers market, and heading up to Sacre Le Cour to watch the sunset.  If you are going to visit Paris, this is a must!  Hundreds of people sit on the grassy knoll under Sacre Le Cour, drinking wine, eating, playing guitar, singing, fire twirling, playing football, juggling and dancing!  The atmosphere is nothing short of amazing, relaxed, friendly, chilled out and most importantly, fun!  Coupled with a few short visits to some local bars, it was sufficient enough to be labeled a “kickarse Saturday night”…a ranking not given out willy nilly!  

It gets wild after the sun goes down at Sacre Le Cour!

On the Sacre Le Cour Grassy Knoll

         

                 Sunday morning started off in another Patisserie, a breakfast haul of croissants and coffee getting the eyelids well and truly open for business.  The farmers market again provided us with fresh baguettes and cheese and ham, and we set off to Versailles for a day trip!   

Palace of Versailles

One of the many fountains in the Palace Grounds

Versailles is just 40 minutes from Paris, but a completely contrasting place.  There is space, calm and a 2.25% reduction in the amount of car horns you will hear.  The main attraction in Versailles is the palace.  Once in the grounds, we were surrounded with perfectly manicured gardens, intricate water features and a grand Palace that would rival the Collingwood Estate flats for striking beauty (by about 1,000,000,000,023%).  We grabbed a patch of grass, and set about devouring the products purchased from the farmers market, in the company of classical music through the PA system, and views surrounding us of the grounds.  We felt very regal, but then we were eating peasant style ham and cheese baguettes; the irony was not lost. 

Our Peasant Lunch (Farmer Market Special)

Versailles is certainly worth the trip out of Paris, if not just for a point of contrast.  Wondering around the Palace gardens, grabbing a row-boat for the lake and eating an ice-cream, only for it to dribble on your top, are all key aspects of a successful day out in Versailles

       It was back to Paris after a day in Versailles, just in time for my night bus back to London.  In two days, I chilled out in Paris, perused various farmers markets, hung out at Sacre Le Cour, drank with locals at some hip bars, grazed at an array of Patisserie's and loitered at the Palace of Versailles.   Paris is a special place, which offers a lot to any traveller, whether it is your first visit or last visit.  What are some of your experiences in Paris?

Try stay clear of the American Tourist Set

Nothing More Paris than the River Side Markets

Twitpacking India - Full Commentary from India Trip 2011

• Re-Worked Photo's from my Trip to India #indiatrip http://ow.ly/4c5v93 months ago from web
• Re-Worked Photo's from my India Trip #indiatrip http://ow.ly/4c5v93 months ago from HootSuite
• some photo's from my #indiatrip have been released....see last few tweets...3 months ago from HootSuite
• Omo Washing Powder really brings out the colours #indiatrip #udaipur http://ow.ly/i/8MsU3 months ago from HootSuite
• Delhi Groceries #indiatrip http://ow.ly/i/8MsL3 months ago from HootSuite
• Taj Mahal #indiatrip http://ow.ly/i/8MsD3 months ago from HootSuite
• Breakfast in #Indiatrip http://ow.ly/i/8Msw3 months ago from HootSuite
• Carrots anyone? #indiatrip http://ow.ly/i/8Msl3 months ago from HootSuite
• Delhi Nightmarkets #indiatrip http://ow.ly/i/8Msa3 months ago from HootSuite
• India Blog should be up and in readable form in next 48 hours for the #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• #indiatrip photos from Agra (and the Taj Mahal) -> http://ow.ly/3Rv9S4 months ago from HootSuite
• #Indiatrip Photos from Delhi -> http://ow.ly/3RuSC4 months ago from HootSuite
• Later India...home time now, can't wait to eat steak or parma! This concludes the #indiatrip tag, thanks for following. Pics/blog to follow4 months ago from Snaptu
• Got 4 hours sleep sleeping on my luggage...4 hours till I can check in, let's see if I can finish this book #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Finally allowed back into the airport! Not that it is anymore exciting, but at least this seat has no urine stains #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Fuck Mumbai, and it's many shit people...making me sit outside on the concrete while waiting for my flight. #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Mumbai airport at 5:50am....gotta wait till 9:55pm...shoot me. #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Will be home in 50 hours....I will next sleep again in 50 hours...#indiatrip #windingdown4 months ago from Snaptu
• Took scooters to Arambol beach today 45 mins away, played pool, ate curry, drank beer...primal! #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Last day in Goa tomorrow, then 43 hellish hours of flying/transit thanks to delayed plane...character building maybe? Nope. #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• My scooter is shit, the dude gave me a lemon...it keeps stalling and it's and auto....#indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Last night in Goa...tomorrow night I get to spend at the airport #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• It's a fine line, those were either sausages or meatballs....#indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Breakfast in Goa #indiatrip http://twitpic.com/3swqeu4 months ago from Snaptu
• Australia Day 2011 - every minute off it will either be on a plane seat, or a waiting lounge chair....sssssucksssss #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Off to the beach today...and tomorrow...and the day after...what day is it anyway? #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• This shower better have hot water, or there will be trouble....mainly of the hyperthermic variety...#indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• the great thing about India is there are no deadshit Aussie bogans wearing the flag as a cape here...#indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• I like Rupees, makes me feel richer than I am #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Everyone at this hostel has food poisening...all from different sources...or sauces...#indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Ah Bushmans mosquito repellent...even the flies wont touch me now...yes! #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Just told a local scammer to fuck off....he apologised and walked away. #ThatshowIrole. #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Night markets tonight, then beach party. Yep, ->THIS<- is the life. #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• #indiatrip addition to last tweet http://twitpic.com/3sa1sb4 months ago from Snaptu
• Prawn Xacuti (coconut curry) and Aloo Paratha for lunch sitting on the cliff-face to the Arabian sea....$3.00 well spent. #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Moving this show up to Anjuna in Goa....beach and shopping and ice cream and sunburnt..all the good things in life #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Firsy day in Goa spent riding Royal Enfields around coast...unbeatable. Beach today. #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• looking forward to Goa, sun, beaches and motorbikes. #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Highlights of Mumbai - toured the slums (good to see), rode train in peak hour like a true sardine, and beered up at Leopolds! #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Death. #indiatrip http://twitpic.com/3qscpo4 months ago from Snaptu
• dont even recognise myself in the mirror with these puffy eyes, how are customs going to match me with my passport pic? #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Feels like sheeeeeeeeet! This fligh to Bombay is going to be hell #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• sleeping on the floor tonight...good times! Bring on Bombay! (or Mumbai, but Bombay sounds better) #indiatrip4 months ago from Mobile Web
• bombarding this flu with soup, vitamins, soothers, panadene and lemon/honey/ginger tea...flying to Bombay 2mor...no flu allowed #indiatrip4 months ago from Snaptu
• Taking a boat out on the Uraipur lakes #indiatrip http://twitpic.com/3qk5274 months ago from Snaptu
• Having Marmite toast for breakfast, as they dont have Vegemite...sort your shit out India. #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• this sucks...flu in India...gotta battle on tho! #indiatrip5 months ago from Mobile Web
• There's an Indian wedding happening round the corner, and the cover band just slipped in a Dido song into the mix #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Oh and I saw monkeys swinging on the powerlines...but thats enough about me, what about my stomach #indiatrip #dinnertime5 months ago from Snaptu
• also saw an old India man ironing a shirt in his laundrette with the biggest iron i've ever seen...foot long...full of coals #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• @bcarbonaro85 Yeah, it was either the camel leather or the ''ive been to the taj mahal'' t-shirt #indiatrip #souveniers5 months ago from Snaptu
• debating whether to buy a Camel Leather bound notebook...man assured me camels rarely die, so I should buy it while its in stock #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Bought some papadams from a papadam shop today...the dude told me his family have had the shop open 65 years...selling papadams #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• out for dinner and beers...I guess it'll be curry again...I dont know if I trust their ''Lazania'' #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• this travel beard is getting ridiculous...and by ridiculous I mean fantastic #indiatrip #beards #hobo5 months ago from Snaptu
• just had a Mango Lassi...which you can now enter into your logs #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• anyone been to Goa? Need tips on where to stay/go...backpacking scene, but the less wankers about the better! Hit me with tips. #indiatrip5 months ago from Mobile Web
• Breakfast this morning - coffee, orange juice, muesli, fruit, honey, yoghurt and poached eggs on toast...$3 all up! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• the breakfast table #indiatrip http://twitpic.com/3q3ond5 months ago from Snaptu
• Another stellar guesthouse in Udairpur...chilling on the rooftop waiting for my $1 milkshake :D #indiatrip #apologoesfortheemoticon5 months ago from Snaptu
• from plane being cancelled, to the u-turn and it going, finally in Udaipur...where can I get some f*#king soothers here? #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Phew, plane has not been cancelled after all...we are off to Udaipur...hopefully...#indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• so far one delayed flight, one very late train, another late train, a cancelled train, and now a cancelled flight...this sucks. #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• we have definitely hit the red on the laundry gage...the bag is starting to shake...#indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• watching monkeys swing on a tree from the rooftop garden...pretty standard...like watching seagulls back home I guess #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• waiting for the plane to land...what will the delay be this time? #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• spotted a blond American dude walking around Jodhpur wearing a turban...whadda tit! #indiatrip5 months ago from Mobile Web
• is certain the main point to qual. for an Indian drivers license is an ability to drive 1 handed whilst tooting horn in staccato #indiatrip5 months ago from Mobile Web
• Ah lip balm and hand sanitizer...mans best friend when in India #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• spent the day exploring Jodhpur yesterday, awesome town, my fav so far. Off to Udaipur this afternoon...no rain here thankfullly #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Jodhpur goes alright...hotel is a winner...it is true, the further south you go in India, the nicer the people get #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Hotel in Jodhpur has a proper throne...result! #indiatrip http://twitpic.com/3pef5r5 months ago from Snaptu
• just stopped in some backwater town for a break, thank god there's a red head dude on the bus, he's getting all the touts! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• pretty sure Carlos Sainz is my bus driver...getting sea sick on a coach! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• train to Jodhpur cancelled, braving the Indian bus system...been warned against it, but so far so good...no livestock onboard yet #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• hoodie still smells like burning dead bodies from the Varanasi river side cremations...pretty hot hey! Calvin Klein might be keen #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Breakfast time...ill have one of everything thanks. #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• no one knows who Climax Lawrence is here...he is your football captain....no one knows what football is here...#football #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• leaving Jaipur (the pink city) for Jodhpur (the blue city)...via 6 hour train (1st class of course, lashed out $12 instead of $6) #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• went to the ATM last night and pulled out 10000 rupees....never held suck a big wad of cash...inch thick...had to tighten my belt #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• $1 for a thermis of coffee....sold! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• funny reading it...was like a script! He played the part well..apparently it's a gem smuggling operation! Haha, no dice son! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• word for word it says, boy will approach you on bike, complain tourists ignore locals & invite u for tea to learn ur culture.cont #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• ...and learn about our culture...asked to meet him for tea, we said no....we felt bad, until today when we read wikitravel..cont. #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• an Indian kid on bike complained to us that tourists dont want to talk to Indians, and wanted to practise his English..cont...#indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Off to Jodhpur tomorrow...5 hour tain ride...hope there aint no dudes hoicing up spit every 30 seconds this time #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Vegetable Jalfrezi on a bed of rice....delish! Western meal tomorrow, craving it! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• time to head to the ATM and take out a lazy 10,000.....rupees. #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Rest of trip booked...Jodhpur tomorrow, Udaipur, Mumbai (dump of a hotel included) and the beering it up in Goa! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Air India cant work their own website...doesn't bode well for their ability to fly a plane does it? #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• just saw the Amber Fort, pretty cool, had monkeys on the roof..real monkeys...then had a curry for lunch...when in Rome...errrrm? #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Service in India is soooooooooooooooo slooooooooooooooooooooow...been waiting 20mins for guy to collect dried laundry! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Indian decorations #indiatrip http://twitpic.com/3p084t5 months ago from Snaptu
• Precision decorative painting #indiatrip http://twitpic.com/3p07ez5 months ago from Snaptu
• The Hostel #indiatrip http://twitpic.com/3p076o5 months ago from Snaptu
• My Balcony #indiatrip....one more sleep then it's back to the slums! http://twitpic.com/3p06eq5 months ago from Snaptu
• strangest q. from an Indian when lining up for Taj Mahal - ''what is the average percentage of brainpower used by Oz students?'' #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Going to check out the Amber Fort in Jaipur today, from the practises I see in the street, I have a fair idea why it is amber #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• plotting next bit of #indiatrip, looks like we are headed to Jodhpur, Udaipur, Mumbai then Goa...gonna have to fly tho, no trains!5 months ago from Snaptu
• Rooftop dining Indian style #indiatrip http://twitpic.com/3ozd9f5 months ago from Snaptu
• Hot Shower....I Feel Clean! Pity I had to put on my filthy clothes, may have to get to the river and bash'em on the rocks #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Breakfast time...no pakoras or momo's for breakfast today, egg jaffle and muesli for me...for a whopping $1.50...sound. #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• @LCBarnes Yeah pretty amazing, absolute mayhem and chaos on the streets, but it all seems to work! Shame about all the litter tho #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• so in India, when I say I'm Australian' locals say 'Ricky Ponting' or 'Shane Warne'...should I start saying 'Climax Lawrence'? #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• 10 hour sleep...followed by a hot shower...bit to western for my liking. #indiatrip5 months ago from Mobile Web
• gonna have to hit the streets of Jaipur tomorrow & heckle locals about their loss to #socceroos...prob still ask me for money tho #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• These Kingfisher Super Strong Lagers go alright, read the label and ''can range anywhere from 5% to 8%''...better be an eight ay! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• gonna chill tomorrow, thinking about taking an Indian cooking class down the road? Who wants a curry? #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• all kids do here after school is fly kites, no getting high off cordial and hitting the xbox...love the simplicity #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• all the shops here specialise in one thing...be it silk, stone masonary, baked goods, clothes, pots...no megastores, refreshing #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Roasted papads, veg byriani, stuffed parantha and honey parantha....4 course meal for $3....carbtastic! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Jaipur still has cows roaming the streets, but there are also a hell of a lot of wild pigs as well! Checked out Tiger Fort..good! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• think I have mastered crossing the road in India...close ur eyes, cross your fingers, but not ur toes, it'll impact on swiftness #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Locals a lot more friendly in Jaipur, saying hello to you without an ulteria motive...shame the scammers of Delhi have us wary #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• I take a photo of someone here, and they ask for 1 rupee, I might start taking the photo, then saying ''that'll be 2 rupees thx'' #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• I then told the Indian bloke I dont like cricket...he could not comprehend! I then said ''Tendulkar'' and order was restored. #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• An Indian asked me yesterday where I come from...I said Australia...he then said excitedly ''Ricky Ponting''...I said ''who?''...#indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• off to explore Jaipur, beautiful sunny day for it...should get some good shooting in with the battered Canon! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• But if you look past that, India is beauiful #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Indians have no respect fr the land or people around them, they litter, they push, all fr personal convenience. My 1 negative for #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Plush hotel digs in Jaipur #indiatrip http://twitpic.com/3opuwg5 months ago from Snaptu
• Men huddle round fire in street...joined by dogs...joined by a cow...come back an hour later and 5 cows round fire, ah Varanasi #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• in Jaipur checking into the digs, Krishna Palace...this place is plush, nice change to the regular squallar! hot shower time! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• on a 5am train to Jaipur, at least I think its a train...it has seats and windows, tho doesn't move...hot shower coming up soon #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• been in Agra for 3.5 hours, seen the Taj, early night for the 5am train to Jaipur...no rest for the wicked warrior! #indiatrip #backpacker5 months ago from Snaptu
• Taj Mahal was AMAZING...from the outside. On inside it was pitch black, overcrowded and akin to running with the bulls #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Finally in Agra 17 hours later....might be a bit late for the Taj Mahal...beer is a viable alternative #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Hour no. 16 on the sleeper train...3 hours late....this sucks! More so coz the indian man on bunk below is singing hindi tunes #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• on the sleeper train from Varanasi to Agra...Tah Mahaling it up tomorrow...#indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• bang from hanging on The Ganges watching the locals burn dead dudes...confronting...but the souvenier store opp was cheap, mint? #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• just checked into my hotel in Varanasi...open fire with 4 blokes around it in Reception, and the beds double as concrete slabs...#indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• is in Varanasi....we made it...finally! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Hour number 4 seated in plane on tarmac...not looking good for Varanasi :(.....cmon fog, lift ur game! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• Plane delayed 3 hours...well at least the carpet is interesting, whoever designs airport carpet is on some hard drugs for shiz #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• (puts on best Seinfeld voice) ''Whats the deeeal with squat toilets...what a man, got to do, to get a seat? (que canned laughter) #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• @TKYC as soon as the plane touches the ground, seatbelts fly off and people shoot up and open overhead lockers...insane! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• catching a plane full of Indians = one big game of musical chairs...seatbelt signs mean nothing...and 7kg hand luggage my foot! #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• as much as I love curry, we just went to McD's for a break! Tried an Italian place, but saw a mouse in bread bowl so bailed #indiatrip5 months ago from Snaptu
• at Delhi airport waiting for flight to Varanasi...then straight down to the Ganges to do some laundry #indiatrip5 months ago

Indian Tales

India: Not for the Colour Blind

             After such a diverse three years of travel, a further year spent sitting on my hands in Melbourne, had miraculously brought on a severe case of itchy feet. No, I was not suffering from some rare medical issue that only Dr. Gregory House could solve in one hour of prime time television. The remedy was simply to plant my feet on foreign land, a criteria India holds well. The metaphorical itch was cured as my feet touched Indian soil, although being Delhi, it probably would not have been too surprising if a physical itch commenced. If that soil could talk, it would tell you stories of spit, urine, cow dung, and of my hand print, as I slipped over on one/all of the above.
           India is not for everybody, and when I told people I was going there, people were either on the “fantastic, that will be awesome” side, or on the “why on earth would you go there?” team. While India may not hold much appeal as a travel destination for a lot of people, for me it was about the rich tapestry of history, traditions and cultures that are so different in Australia, plus I really like curry.
           Traveling to places like Europe is very different, the beauty is presented to you in the form of polished up Coliseums and pristine Greek beaches. The challenge in India is to scratch beneath the poor and malnourished surface of the country, in order to find the beauty for yourself. Being the sole white man amongst a sea of dark skinned Indians', each with curiosity filled eyes fixated on you, is as disturbing as it is an adrenalin rush. It is part of the thrill of being in these types of countries. How often are you the center of attention amongst hundreds of people, without it being because you have toilet paper stuck to your shoe?
               The trip to India covered three and a half weeks. It was diverse, chaotic, eye-opening and methane scented (it was the cows, I promise, it was the cows). It all started in the capital, Delhi.

DELHI

Delhi Taxi Rank

            I arrived in Delhi on the back of an interesting Indian flight. Those who have never flown on an flight populated with Indians are missing out! The flight is basically one big game of musical chairs, no one sits still, regardless of the seat-belt sign, true rebels of the aviation game. I had no fewer than twenty different people sit down next to me, alternating the Hindi scented discussions and head waggling, with long periods of staring at my non-Indian head.
           Once at the airport, I had planned to catch the Metro into town. This is the very same Metro that was scheduled to be finished just in time for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. It is still being built! Instead, my hotel had arranged for a driver to pick me up. I was feeling pretty upmarket, in the knowledge that I had my own personal driver waiting for me. I had installed a pompous smile on my grill, ready to flash at my fellow travelers from the plane. I was soon put back in my place, confronted with the site of about two hundred screaming Indians, holding up signs! After spending ten minutes looking at each sign, I finally found mine, creatively spelled “Amso Rjotre”, and we were off into Delhi!
         My first experience of Indian roads soon followed. Lesson One - the markings on the road are for decoration only! It would seem in India, the prerequisite for gaining a drivers license (if such a thing exists), is to possess an ability to driver one handed, whilst tooting the horn at a machine-gun-like rhythm.
         We only had one full day in Delhi, so we hit the streets hard to see as much as we could, but not before hooking into our free breakfast. The hotel presented us with a bowl of cornflakes. It was stock standard, you had your Cornflakes, your milk, and as an added bonus, you had about fifty bugs swimming some laps of the bowl! We left the bugs to their fitness campaign and hit the streets. It is with great regret that we never made it to the Museum of Toilets, although I am unsure how many ways a hole in the ground can possibly evolve.

One of the rare public toilets

Delhi Markets are full of character

First stop was a hidden little market, where we were encouraged by the shopkeepers to take photographs. They all had an obsession with seeing pictures of themselves on the camera screen.  Their reactions made me wonder how long it had been since they had actually seen their own faces! One of the men insisted we look at his goat, maybe with the belief that we may want to purchase his goat might. He then pointed to a pile of blankets over a domed basket and started lifting it. We were unsure whether a snake might pop out, or some starving kids, but no, two little lambs sprung out and jumped on the goat (my third guess). The shopkeeper roared with laughter, so much so that it got awkward and we left. If you were a comedian, you would want this man in your audience.
         Next up we visited the Red Fort. While in the line to get in, we were approached by a group of Indian university students. They were from rural India, and seeing foreigners was rare for them. They obviously saw us as “movie stars” (eh, why not hey?), and came up pleading to have their photos taken with us. The girls quickly stood next to me and Shannon, exclaiming to us “oh so smart and so handsome”! A couple of their male friends also tried to get in the photo, but the girls promptly pushed them away. It's hard work being a "movie star", I don't know how John Stamos does it.

We were like Bollywood
Stars for 10 minutes!

Look Left and Right before
crossing the street

        Towards the end of the day, we wondered into a restaurant called Tom’s Café. Something had caught my eye in the food display, I saw a roll twitch, and out popped a mouse (complete with crumbs on his whiskers). It was at this point we decided Tom’s Café was not for us and left. After finding a restaurant free of visible mice, and having of all things, a curry, I stepped out onto the street, directly into the path of two elephants and two camels! The closest I have come to this type of scenario before, was when I left Safeway once and almost got run over by an XF Falcon and a Holden Torana.  My close call might have been an omen however, as later on in the night I heard an Indian shouting out, getting louder and louder and LOUDER AND BANG! A cyclist rode straight into the back of me. The Indian fell over, got back up, swore at me in Hindi and rode off.

Midnight Snack and Chai

Delhi Fruit and Veg Markets

Varanasi

Varanasi by first light

        I didn’t know too much about Varanasi, and my first real challenge in the city was deciding on our accommodation. The options ranged from a twin room without a window for $2.58 per night, a twin room WITH a window for $2.78, or a room with a window, bathroom and heater for $3.10 a night. Our arrival into the hotel foyer was greeted by the sight of five men huddled around a fire. A bonfire in the hotel foyer, and no fire escape to be seen! All I can say is lucky we splashed out on the room with a window.

The Dock

Another Morning on The Ganga

    

        The lifeblood of Varanasi is the Ganges River. It is an eerie site seeing a river with temples hugging the banks, and hundreds of wooden canoes tied to the sides.

Getting Sea-Worthy

         We took a walk down and admired one of the many fires the locals had burning on edge of the water. I didn't know a whole lot about the history of Varanasi, and what the city was all about. As I watched one fire, a strange smell filled the air. I quite quickly learned the exact purpose of what the fires were for, particularly when my gaze was directed to a foot hanging out from the flames.
      
             The Ganges river is quite simply filthy. Human remains (from the burning ghats) are thrown in it daily, sewerage runs straight into flowing water, urine, laundry detergent, you name it, it is in there! It should have come as more of a surprise then when we saw people swimming in it the next day, let alone seeing people dipping their toothbrushes into the river during their morning brush! Debatable if the daily laundry routine each day in the Ganges River results in cleaner clothes really, although I now understand why the hotel charged per item for their laundry.

Laundry Day: Laying out the sheets

Having a Dip

        The balance of power in Varanasi is very much held with the cows. They run this city. One cold morning, I saw a group of men huddled around a fire, trying to keep warm. They were soon joined by a few stray dogs. After returning an hour later from breakfast, I observed the following; the men were gone, two dogs remained, and six cows were had replaced the men, and were now huddled around the hot coals. I can only hope this isn’t a crystal ball into the evolution of the world.

Town Mayor

Town Scandal

The Brute Squad move in

AGRA

The....(looks up encyclopaedia).....Taj Mahal

          My first experience on the India rail system involved an overnight ride from Varanasi to Agra. A little known fact, Indian Rail can magically transform 12 hours into 18 hours…amazing! It all started with boarding our train and making our beds. We had the top bunks, and with ladders not having been invented in India as yet, getting to bed involved some proper Tarzan manoeuvrings. Complimentary with our beds, was a lack of head room! I lay approximately half a foot from the ceiling…my breath bouncing off the roof and back into my face!
         Four middle aged Indian men were our roommates, though none of them spoke English. Over the journey, we had nothing better to do, than observe each of our Indian cabin-mates. They simply sat, staring into space, whilst Hindi music blared out of their mobile phones. The only movement these men made was a slight head waggle to the beat of their phone. Eighteen hours of Hindi music with poor sound quality, and constantly breathing onto myself, contributed to our arrival time being a champagne popping event.
        We were only in Agra for twelve hours, and after quickly checking into our hotel, we descended onto a tuk-tuk, pointing and shouting “TO THE TAJ MAHAL!!!”. He obligingly put the foot on the gas…which had a great effect for two metres, until we were stuck in traffic.

High Speed Tuk-Tuk pursuit

          Once we arrived, touts flocked onto us, trying to entice us to give them money! One persistent bugger would not leave us alone, and when I told him he was wasting his time, the cheeky kid exclaimed “my friend, it is my job to waste your time”. I pointed him in the direction of an elderly American tourist, told him it was a sure thing, and he was off.
          I have a diverse experience of waiting in queues, ranging from Banks, to Centrelink, to football grounds and Airports. Being in a queue in India is a whole new ball game. Having come from a culture in which we join the queue AT THE END, we soon realised Indians' join the queue right in front of the ‘gullible’ Westerner. Unfortunately for them, after eighteen hours on a train, we were not in any mood for these shenanigans, and soon most of the queue understood some new words to add to their English vocabulary!

Token Tourist Photo

          The Taj Mahal is an amazing sight up close, but with everyone required to remove their shoes at the base of the Taj, the exquisite sights and surroundings are complimented with the fragrance of cheesy feet.
          We joined the line to enter the Taj Mahal, and a local started talking to us. After learning that we were both from Australia, he quickly entered into a furious discussion with us about Ricky Ponting. Then came with that standard types of questions, such as “what percentage of male adults play cricket?”, and “what percentage of brain power is required to be an engineer in Australia?” as well as “what percentage of men are married in Australia”. If only I had a calculator, I may have been able to answer him.
          While the outside of the Taj Mahal is picturesque, the inside of it is possibly the biggest anticlimax in the universe. It is not only pitch black inside, but you get pushed through in a sea of five-hundred people. If you have ever caught the London tube in peak hour, then cross the interior of the Taj Mahal off your list, you’ve been.

JAIPUR

Jaipur City Life

          Jaipur is known as the Pink City, not because wearing sequins is popular here, but because all the buildings are painted in a pinkish colour. Jaipur marked a distinct change in the trip; it introduced us to the phenomenon known as “hot water”.
          Jaipur also marked the first time I had seen an alternative to the Donkey Powered Cart. The Camel Powered Cart! I can only relate this to Australian conditions, and assume that the Donkey cart is equivalent to the Holden Commodore, and the Camel cart an V8 SS Ute? The driver certainly looked proud of his Camel muscle cart…I can only imagine he will soon be at the Indian version of Easternats.
          As we walked down one of the main streets, a boy on a motorbike said hello. We nodded and kept walking. He rode up beside up and said “why do tourists never talk to the locals?” We apologised, and explained to him that we had been hassled a lot, and it had made us a little guarded. We got chatting to him, and he said “I would like to practice my English, and learn about your culture, can we meet for a cup of tea later on”. As we already had plans, we had to decline, spoke to him some more and bid him farewell. Back at the hotel, as we looked on Wiki Travel online, we read something very interesting:

"Beware of young college students on motorbikes, who will complain to you about tourists ignoring locals and not speaking to them. They will get talking to you, and invite you to have tea with them"

         Word for word, to the script! This was part of a gem scam, one of the many scam recipes in India that was impressively followed to the letter!
         As we headed back for the day, we soon realised a little girl was following us. She started trying to talk to us and holding out her hand. We thought she wanted money, and kept walking. She persisted, until we had found a bin and were about to throw out a soft drink bottle bottle. She rushed to us, speaking in Hindi and pointing at the bottle. All she wanted was the empty bottle! She took it, smiled at us and walked off. Happiness in its simplest form.

City Life carries on

Jodhpur

Jodhpur Square

                            

The Blue City

  Jodhpur is called the Blue City, due to the fact that the local paint shop only stocks blue paint.  To get to Jodhpur, we had to board a 10am train from Jaipur, which of course had been cancelled!  The next train was not till 5pm, and not wanting to soak up the beggar filled atmosphere for too long, we asked some staff on the platform what was happening, showing them our printed ticket.  One guy passed it to another guy, who passed it to three more guys (who at this point were just bystanders), then they had formed a huddle, had a little team meeting, then one of them brought back the ticket and said exactly what the board said, “Cancelled”.
       

Modern Bus Station

        Having been warned NOT to travel by bus in India, we headed to the bus stop (a setting straight from the 1970's), and found one leaving straight away. Air Conditioning, Reclining Seats, free bottles of water, and complimentary motion sickness, due to the drivers ability to cut through traffic at high speed in a bus!



           Upon arrival into Jodhpur, we decided to walk into town, almost solely to spite the fifty off taxi drivers hassling us. One had spotted us alongside the bus a hundred metres from the station, and ran by the side of the bus eyeballing me, only for me to say “no thanks” as I stepped off the coach!
          Jodhpur was one of the favourite stops. It had colourful markets, good food and a blond American tourist swanning around the city wearing a turban to ‘fit in’. American tourists, always a good laugh! The locals were noticeably more laid back here. Sure, they still have a friend who has a cousin who has a shop, and sure, they end the conversation by trying to get you into that shop, but that is the in-your-face corruption that India works on, it is all harmless in the end.

The Rug Man

A Flat Tyre on route

          We went up to the big Fort that overlooks the city. After asking several Auto-Rickshaw drivers for prices, and spending five minutes haggling over twenty cents, we were off up the hill. He soon pulled over, he had a flat tyre. He was livid, as that was his day's earning done, but he stopped another Tuk-Tuk, gave him half the cash, and waved us on our way.

             The highlight of Jodhpur, was going into a fabric shop for a friend, to purchase cashmere scarves. You may find this hard to believe, but I have absolutely no idea about cashmere. When the man at the shop showed me twenty different types, getting me to feel each fabric, he seemed a little disappointed I didn't react with a more enthusiastic "Oohhhh" as I felt each type. I then began the negotiation, in which he responded "we don't negotiate, if you want to negotiate, go to the tourist market". BANG! Luckily my negotiating skills improved somewhat in Udaipur, which is where we went next.

Jodhpur Fort

Udaipur

Udaipur by Water

            Udaipur was a late choice for a destination to hit, and was the surprise packet of the trip. The nicest Indians we had met were from here, just pipping Jodhpur. The town was super relaxed, and not under strain from the chaos that exists in the other cities.
            Walk down the streets in Udaipur, and you will see monkeys playing on the power lines (do not try this at home), and men directing a school of donkeys through the High Streets!  Like the other cities, Udaipur also manufactured some interesting tales for us.
           Through a period of window shopping, a man insisted that we must buy Camel Leather. His reasoning was as simple as it was logical. “Camels do not die that often, so you must take this incredible opportunity to buy Camel leather”. It worked, Camel Leather was purchased, the man is a sales genuis!
          A brief wonder through a bookshop, and I had spotted (of all things) a book. I began the bidding process, despite my low confidence in negotiating after the Cashmere scarf incident.

Me: “How much my good man” (I said inquisitively)
Man: “400 Rupees” (said the no-nonsense Indian)
Me: “I’ll give you 300 rupees” (in my most business like tone)
Man: “No” (he said defiantly, whilst getting back on the ladder to put the book away….then he turned around…)
Man: “How about 200 rupees” (he said, undercutting my last offer)
Me: “Uhhh, oookay, yeah deal” (I said, slightly confused, but still basking in a negotiating win)

The Papadam Trade

          On the walk back to the hostel, being a bit peckish, we stopped at a papadam shop, for a bit of local fare. There we received a history lesson from the brothers and cousins running the shop, on not only their own family, but also that of the shop. It was a family business, and has been running for 65 years. We crunched down some papadams, and promised to visit in 35 years for the big milestone!



             If there is on thing Indians do well, it is a wedding. Two weddings on the trip have been right near our hostels. They go all day and night, for two days. I tried valiantly to get to sleep, but wafts of Hindi music kept piercing my ears, fused with laughing and chatter. A string of Bollywood Sitar classics were belted out, one song blending into the next, until Dido came on. DIDO! The one Western song they decided to play was Dido!. I wired in the iPod until the Hindi tunes returned.

Bombay

Bombay

            A flock of taxi drivers greeted us in Bombay, each insisting they were the best qualified to take us to our hotel. We showed our address to an older driver, and he nodded and took us to his car. Drivers in India are very proud of their cars, and they personalise them. They have their shrines to the Gods set up, and they clean their vehicles and present them like it is their shop window.
           As we made our way to the hotel, we stopped at a red light. A street peddler came to the car window, carrying a tower of the latest best-seller novels. If the book had been on the Oprah Winfrey Show, it was in this man's pile of books. I waved him off and looked out the other window, before looking back out my side. Another man was now at the window, complete with a severely deformed left arm, and an outstretched right arm. I decided it was about time I wound up the window.
          Once in the hotel, we cruised down to Chowpatty beach. The “Beach” was a mix of families, couples courting each other, boys playing cricket, and in the far corner, families and wild chickens, living as one in upside-down canoes! The Lonely Planet describes the water at this beach as “toxic”. There were twenty odd locals we saw out there practicing their backstroke, who obviously need to purchase a Lonely Planet from a street vendor pronto.

Chowpatty Cricket

Chowpatty Socialising

         No trip to India is complete without experiencing the local train system. Sure, we had taken an overnight train, but not an intercity one! We casually slipped onto a north-bound train, which basically was the a goods carriage with wooden benches for seats. It was hardly full. Phew! Then came the next station….BOOOOM! Hundreds of men, complete with masses of groceries balanced on their heads, swarmed into the carriages, pinning us against the walls! When our stop came, I tried to barge through the masses, monkey-barring myself on the handrails, stepping on peoples shopping, but just has I got to the exit, another wall of people got in. The trains don’t even stop, they just slow down, and I missed my chance of escape! I looked back to a see a variety of scornful Indian faces cursing me in Hindi, complimenting their words with the shaking of their fists. We got off at the next train stop, and again were unable to get off at our destination, but third time was the charm!
          Once off the train, we met up with a local guide. We had decided to take a tour of Dharavi, the largest slum in Asia. Having read Shantoram and Slumdog Millionaire, I was quite curious to see how locals live in these shanty-towns. Sure, it is not a glamorous, picturesque thing to see, but it puts things into perspective, and if anything, highlights how good we really have it at home. I doubt I will ever complain about a the clothes drying breaking down again! The way they live is, as a Westerner, deplorable. Up to twelve people will live in a two metre square room. There are only six toilet blocks servicing many thousands of residents, and there is a smell that would melt the West Gate Bridge There is also a lot of smiling faces, a sense of family, community and most importantly, belonging (by the locals, not me). Some residents here have good jobs in the middle of Mumbai, but still choose to live here; it is their community, their home.
           After the Slums, we cruised down to Colaba, and the ‘Gateway to India’, where we had another experience with a scammer. An Indian man went straight for my mates ear, saying “what’s this?”. I quickly said there was nothing there, and we quickly moved on. Upon reading up on it later, we found out that he was going to put a beetle on the ear, and claim it was poisonous, and he was the only one with a cure! On six more occasions during my time in India, they tried this scam on me, and on each occasion they were given a swift “Jog On!”.

WARNING: Sunglasses
required to view this photo

        As much as I love Indian food, eating it every night gets tiring. Curry is a novelty at home, something you eat once or twice a month. After eating it everyday, we at times craved some Western food, something without spice! The taste-buds needed a rest!  We pulled into Subway on the first night in Mumbai, and judging by the reaction of the staff, we were the first Westerners ever to set foot in their store. They were honoured we had chosen their restaurant (a reminder, it was a ‘Subway’). My ‘sandwich artist’, Ramesh, was so careful not to disappoint me, that it took him ten minutes to “create” my sandwich. Each ingredient was carefully placed, in a strict line with the other ingredients. It was painful to watch, I was starving and started eyeing off the cow that had just wondered past the shop. I finally got my sandwich, praised him on his ability of avoiding intersecting the capsicum with the tomato, and proceeded to the table for consumption.

An unwell man on a Fosters

        The last day in Mumbai was perhaps the highlight. We stopped into a bar for breakfast, and I ordered a Dosa (stuffed pancake) and a bottle of water.   I was quite ill that morning with the flu, and needed to re-hydrate pronto.  When the water came out my eyes popped out of my head. It was a Fosters!   They make water apparently? Would explain the taste of their beers I guess!

GOA

Goa by the Beach

          Goa was the last stop of the Indian adventures. I had set aside a full week in Goa to chill out, after the hectic two weeks in the north. First stop was a plush hotel, complete with a pool, a cheap bar and Air Conditioning! The catch was that we brought down the average age of the cliental there to about 72. It was full of elderly British couples praising us for having sun in Australia. In the end, they all left to hit the clubs, and we crashed out. Ironic?
         The plan for day two in Goa was simple. Hire Motorbikes and burn around Goa like the Hells Angels Bikies. Two Royal Enfields were our weapons of choice, as we hit the road. We soon realised we were the only ones wearing helmets, which I guess back home is the equivalent to seeing a grown man ride past on a Cannondale Road Bike with training wheels attached, in other words, Lame! Being that the helmet kept falling off my head, I soon dispensed off it, and let the wind ruffle my luscious hair at 100km/h. It was clear that the only people, who wore helmets here, were those elderly British tourists who had a hair plugs to consider. After a full days riding, along amazing coastal roads and through remote tropical countryside, we threw in the towel and took the bikes back.

The Beast

Living the Dream

          I moved the next day up to a town called Anjuna. I was now travelling solo for the first time in the trip. The new hotel had no pool, no bar, no hot water, no internet, but it did have a hammock, and a strange Irish dude who hated Indian food. To get around having to eat curry, he ate all his meals at McDonalds instead, where he picked up food poisoning and was out of action for a week. ‘Irony’ is a fantastic word, I must use it sometime.

Stock Standard Meal Setting

         It was at this hotel I met up with a couple of fellow travellers, Ash, Jase and Kurt. We formed our own bikie gang…but on scooters, and the daily routine for the rest of the week consisted of waking up (no easy task really!), having breakfast, firing up the scooter (not vroom vroom, but vriiiiiiim vriiiiim) and riding to the beach.
         A day at a Goan beach would consist of waving away Indian women trying to sell you a pedicure/t-shirt/sunglasses/massage, having a swim, eating a curry, having another swim, realising you should have waiting an hour after eating the curry before swimming, then cruising back to the hotel, ready to hit up the bar!

THE JOURNEY HOME

         The Indian adventures were quickly drawing to an unwanted close. After a night on the whiskey with Ash and Jase, I set off for the airport at midnight. It was a tad bit disconcerting when I arrived to find the airport locked up, and with an armed policeman telling me I could not wait outside, I had to go and sit under a tree in the with an Indian family. They stared at me, and I stared at the tree. It was a system that worked.
         I arrived into Mumbai at 5am. Easy, check my bags in and head to town, what could possibly go wrong? Well of course, Mumbai have a policy where you cannot enter the airport more than three hours before your flight! With a mighty heavy bag on my back, tackling the hectic streets of Mumbai was out, so they directed me to a small waiting room to ride out the 14 hours!
        Two hour sleep on my luggage, and I was woken up by four policeman telling me to get out. The waiting room was now closed, as the Police chief had a function booked in the room!! They pointed me toward a patch of concrete outside, and I plonked myself there for the next six hours, hating the world, and hating the Indian police, and especially hating their moustaches!
        Forty hours later, I was home, swearing I would never fly Air Asia again, swearing I would buy a Royal Enfield and ride again, swearing I had to go back to work again next week, and
swearing that I had finally been struck down with Delhi Belly after three weeks staying clear of it!

Spices by the bucket full

Freshly Baked Breakfast