After a hilarious final night in Sri Lanka where our delightful host hooked us up with free drinks and great stories we took our first tuk tuk ride in this country to the airport. Maybe it was a sign of things to come but the airport was chaotic to say the least with 6 flights all leaving within 15 minutes from more or less the same gate which created some rather upset Indians. There was nothing much to worry about really and we took off on time and were even treated to inflight beers and curry (Mum must have booked this flight for us). We had psyched ourselves up for the hordes of people in Delhi but found we were the only ones in the e-visa immigration queue and were promptly stamped through and on the calm metro to the city centre. Ok yes there was plenty of colourful people littering the train station floor and using just about every conceivable space to sleep but with a slow purposeful amble we worked out where we were and where we needed to get to without any bother. Our hotel was down a back alley off the main bizarre (think a less touristy Kho San Road) and we were warmly greeted by a hundred cockroaches who had also just checked into our room.
Now I’m sure everyone has heard of cows (the Indian version) which of course are sacred and have free rein everywhere but we didn’t expect to see them in the middle of the local square eating all the left over scraps and without a blade of grass to be seen. They are all very fat and well fed and literally just stumble wherever they please with not even an inkling of a paddock. We thought that Sri Lanka did good lassies well the coconut one we had in Delhi was much tastier and far cheaper at about 60c. The street food was also much cheaper, and so prominent. I am sure that many people in Delhi never cook as they can just eat or drink such a huge variety of foods so cheaply on the street whenever they please.
We ambitiously set off walking to the Red Fort early after a good nights sleep and were surprised to see that most things were still closed or just awakening. It was so entertaining watching everyone go about their morning chores and literally everything is done in the streets. We saw kids scrubbing their clothes on the pavement while others took baths under the water pumps located on the sides of the roads. We were hoping to go on a walking tour but it can’t have been running that day so instead we wandered through the huge Red Fort. It was very relaxing actually and the light cloud cover kept the temperatures down to a manageable level. We must have spent a couple of hours checking out the impressive old buildings and were stopped regularly by local tourists who wanted a photo with us. I think we tallied 7 selfies by the end of our first morning.
We had done a lot of reading about how to book train tickets but still honestly had no idea how we were supposed to do it. So after much trying to register online without any luck we opted to head back to the train station. Again there was much to-ing and fro-ing from one counter to the next before we finally waited in a long line for tourist tickets. We booked a sleeper bunk for our Varanasi to Delhi leg in a couple of weeks time but failed to workout how we were getting to Agra and the Taj the following day. Being hot, tired and hungry and trying to come up with a plan while walking along probably wasn’t the best idea especially when it seems that every car, motorcycle and rickshaw have mega amplified horns that they blare constantly. Anyway we came up with a plan over a coconut lassie and watched India beat Australia in the cricket.
It turns out we didn’t really have anything to worry about, as next morning we got a seat in a sleeper compartment without any hassle and even managed to book a ticket for our departure from Agra. The train was a few minutes late but we made it inside before it started raining and unfortunately it didn’t let up upon our arrival in Agra. Having not seen too much in the way of poverty in Delhi we saw plenty along the train tracks and platforms with rough sleepers and whole families who were clearly transitioning from rural life to the urban jungle in search of new beginnings. A couple of cheeky kids kept us entertained as well as the constant supply of goodies being sold by hawkers in the isle, you could literally buy just about anything, we know where we are going for our Xmas shopping!
We had a great curry at our hostel while desperately trying to finish our massive books which were adding extra weight to our packs and hoping the rain would ease up. It eventually did just after dark so we stretched our legs before having an early night as we had an early start. 5am our alarm went off as we wanted to be at the mighty Taj Mahal before the crowds and potentially catch the sunrise. I think we bet a fair portion of the crowds but unfortunately there wasn’t much of a sunrise though the overcast dreary sky did make for a picturesque backdrop. We had heard rumours that they had been cleaning the white marble so the building may be covered in scaffolding but thankfully they had finished 3 sides before giving up and there was no scaffolding. Upon first impressions it become quite clear why it has been rated the most beautiful building in the world. Although there was plenty of people around the crisp, clean, symmetrical lines made it seem relatively peaceful. The people watching was also pretty fun with some seriously dressed up people and great posers but the wining pose had to go to the monkey who nonchalantly strolled up onto a bench and checked himself out in the reflection of the fountain while the splendid palace towered overhead.
After a couple of hours taking it all in we ambled the km or so back to our pad for a bit of breakfast and a rest. We made it just in time before the monsoon rains appeared again. Luckily they had all but gone by mid afternoon and we took a nice long walk through the gardens and back alleys of Agra to the old fort. This is where the builder or the Taj spent his last year’s (in jail) before his death upon which his body was returned to the Taj mausoleam. If you thought the red sandstone fort walls were impressive inside was even more so. Similar in layout to the Red Fort in Delhi with large atriums and open courtyards and fantastic views out over the river towards the Taj Mahal it was a nice way to end our day exploring this famous city.
We had a leisurely departure from Agar (even more so when the train was 40min late) and we rattled along in second class which was comfortable enough. We had a bit of a runaround trying to find the booking office so we could purchase a sleeper cabin for an upcoming leg and then drove a hard bargain with a rickshaw driver to take us the final 13km to Orchha. This quaint little town is surrounded by huge old palaces and temples that looked great in the afternoon sun and the laid back nature of the people became quickly apparent. Our host was delightful though in the whole three days we stayed we never got a smile out of him. He ran the family business next door which made samosas, served amazing chai (tea) and sweet treats all of which we had plenty of during our stay and which he refused to accept any money for.
We tried to beat the heat and tackle the main palace early but it was so elaborate it took us ages to explore all the passageways and climb the narrow balconies around the top. It was in great condition for a building built in the 1500s though some of the mosaics were missing. In a couple of the large open aired rooms the remains of exquisite paintings were still visible. Two big tour groups were obviously in a hurry and quickly charged through while we took our time admiring the views out over the countryside and river which was very dry as the monsoon which was supposed to arrive in July still hadn’t arrived. There was a large temple situated amongst the street vendors so we climbed the stairs up to it. A tout offered to show us through the very steep narrow stairways and we climbed right to the top of this 5 story temple and out onto the roof where the views were awesome, though the temple pinnacles had been taken over by bats which give off a nasty ammonia smell!
We sheltered from the heat of the day before exploring two more temples. One situated in a commanding position on the hilltop while the other looked a little less glamorous next to the river until we went inside the grounds. It was amazing with five identical palaces set out in a formal garden. Though we couldn’t climb up into them it was a beautiful place to be in the late afternoon sun and the many bird species, including endangered vultures which were certainly enjoying the elaborate temple tops too. We watched the sun set from the river which provided a nice reflection and sampled a great fried potato and lentil dish for dinner which came served in a plate made out of leaves. Plastic is certainly used much less in India than Africa though there is still far too much of it around!
The locals were all great, we were shown the back room of an office where we could freely fill our water bottles with cold water and Nick spent ages chatting with the young fruit sellers who were constantly chasing away the cheeky cows who loved to steal bananas. We even had dinner at a local farm house where they served us up a spicy curry made from green papaya and freshly made rotti.
We were sad to leave such a hospitable and welcoming place but had an early morning train to catch from the tiny Orchha station. There was no reserved seats so we squished in and found a place in the aisle and up above on the luggage rack, it eventually cleared out and we had fun helping a local Indian man learn Spanish with the help of Alejandro, an Argentinian, who was keeping us company. It was another hot day so we waited for the midday heat to die away before venturing from our incredibly cheap guest house ($3nz) for a stroll around Khajuraho which is famous for its Kama Sutra temples and seemed much more touristy. It was festival time in the town so there were celebrations going on all around, we sat and watched some young girls’ dance performance with backing vocals provided by a wailing man and girl who at times sounds like a strangled cat.
We hired bikes and befriended a local school kid who insisted that he would show us around and only wanted to practise his English. He seemed genuine enough so we followed him to his wee house in the village before getting him to take us to some of the smaller temples. They consisted of a small internal carving with intricately decorated ceilings while the outside had a very tall steep pinnacle roof with elaborately carved figurines and patterns. We popped into the boys old school and talked to the principal who explained that the kids come from poor rural areas and have to walk a long way to get to class and that the government doesn’t fully fund it due to it catering for the lower caste. We had worked up a pretty mean hunger and our trusty wee guide had promised us food at his house but when we popped back in it still wasn’t ready so we grabbed a samosa which are sold on every street corner and checked out the southern most temple group. A lot of these had been destroyed by the Muslim Moghuls and then partially restored with all the modern parts painted a funny yellow colour while the original carved pieces poked out here and there. Lunch was ready when we arrived back at the wee farm house and we ate roti and lentils in the tiny smoky kitchen.
We had a long day as our train to Varanasi didn’t leave until 11:30pm. So after a leisurely start and good breakfast we opted to finish a couple of books and Lucy started the dreaded business of applying for jobs. Once the heat began to wain we strolled through the beautiful gardens and explored the main temple complex. The biggest of the temples was 28m tall and had so many carved figures of elephants, horses, various gods and battle scenes and if you looked closely in the tight alcoves Karma Sutra images. Funny how even holding hands in public now days in India is frowned upon... Thankfully we could have a cold shower and lounge in the hotel foyer to pass the time before our train rolled out.
Our night on the train was comfortable enough though Lucy had somehow developed a cold which kept her fairly quiet and miserable. We drove a hard bargain with a tuk tuk man who dropped us somewhere in the vicinity of our guesthouse though the walk through the tiny alleyways was very hot and sweaty, not what Lucy wanted! We had a good chat with a couple of young kiwi scarfies before taking a slow walk along the banks of the mighty Ganges. I think I have said it before but it was stifling hot even as the sun set on another day. Having expected the river banks to be heaving with people and utterly chaotic it was actually a rather soothing place with people from near and far undertaking their own rituals and appreciating this holy place. It was the end of the holy celebration and we managed to find where the main event was taking place. It was awash with bright colours, tourists, holy men and of course plenty of cows. It was good to sit and take it all in though there wasn’t too much action to get excited about. We did find a pretty good egg roll for dinner which is very similar to the Ugandan Rolex, a pancake with two beaten eggs, coleslaw and chow mien noodles all for about 60 cents.
Lucy was taking it easy for the day so Nick set off to find a healthy breakfast, returning with a coconut, bananas and watermelon for the patient. He then braved the heat and walked aimlessly through the narrow alleys taking in the sights before making his way back to the river. On his way back to the guest house he passed the famous burning ghat where there were half a dozen or so bodies being cremated in full public view. It was a humbling experience to see something that is often so private to us taking place in public with little real emotion or empathy, it’s all just business. Nick snuck out to watch the end of the last ODI between Aus and India and sat in a tiny wee sari shop with the owner who spoke little English other than what was relevant to cricket. He also found a man serving lassies in traditional clay pots for half the price and twice as good as the Delhi ones!
Our final day in Varanasi saw Nick up at sparrow fart for his teacher college interview which went ok considering the scratchy internet connection (he got accepted). The early start did allow him to witness the sunrise over the Ganges which was a bright red flaming ball due to the persistent smog which cloaks India. Lucy was a bit more chipper so we set out for an explore along the river and the parallel twisting alleys. The river had slowly risen overnight making it a little more difficult to stroll along the stepped banks. We had lunch at a tiny wee underground place which was just off the main route to the burning ghats where the bodies streamed past. We had a night train to Delhi which left at 7pm but we opted to escape the heat and relax in the rather glamorous tourist lounge complete with its aircon and leather armchairs. Walking from the comfort of this lounge to the train was like walking into a different world, as train stations in India are always full of people young and old moving about or camping under the station eves. We also made use of the quiet tourist ticket counter and booked all our trains for our return journey in a months time. Although plenty of people without tickets snuck into our carriage and made plenty of noise we got a fairly good night sleep but the 3 hour late arrival time meant the morning dragged on.
Back in Delhi for one night only we stayed in a much cleaner and friendlier place than our last stay here. After a visit to our favourite lassie stall and a bite to eat we took a tuk tuk to India Gate. This is a huge archway similar to the Arc de Triomphe and the avenue stretches all the way down to the presidential palace way in the distance. Plenty of locals were enjoying the afternoon sun and the ever lurking tuk tuk driver were as persistent as ever. One in particular, a Mr Harbashan Singh, annoyed the hell out of us, when we finally relented after we had finished our afternoon activities, he turned out to be a very nice man. He gave us a bargain price and good conversation but we did have to visit a couple of big market shops for him to get a commission. We were in need of an early night after our long train ride and to compound matters we also had a 4:30am wake up as we were heading for the Indian mountains. It was humbling to race through the back streets to the train station and see all the pedal rickshaw drivers and tuk tuk drivers sleeping rough on their only livelihood possession. We also watched the city wake up and people do their morning rituals in the closest bush. This is one of the largest problems affecting rural India, open defecation is responsible for the spread of all sorts of disease, composting toilet companies would make a fortune if they could only curb the stigmatism. We took a nice train ride to the town of Kalka before we boarded the ancient British built toy train which takes 5 hours to wind the 96km up to Shimla, the summer tourist town.
The reserved tickets were all sold out so we squished into the last carriage with some Boy Scouts and university students. Everyone was intrigued to see us whities in here so we had countless selfies, offers of food and drink and even a whiskey or two with a couple of cheeky students though this was definitely frowned upon by the majority of the train. There were great views of the very steep hillside and a very nice sunset to boot. We arrived just after dark and without any accomodation booked we followed some new found friends to a Sikh temple where they said we could stay. It turned out we needed to register with the police to stay here so we thought it would be easier to just get a hotel room. In hindsight maybe it wasn’t, our friends were determined to find us a cheap room which had us running all over town until we were nearly loosing our rags. Eventually we found a room that did the trick even if it was more pricey than what we had been paying. We had carried a big watermelon all the way from Delhi so opted to eat that and head straight to bed. A good nights sleep and the cooler mountain air saw us ready to take in Shimla. Shimla was once the British summer capital so has some grand old building but now days it is popular with the wealthy Indians who come on holiday. We took a stiff walk up plenty of stairs to the Hindu temple and huge statue which towered over the city from its hilltop viewpoint. The views were awesome and if you peered through the hazy sky hard enough you could just make out the snow capped mountain peaks of the Himalayas. The monkeys up here were also particularly problematic and we watched a couple of helpless tourists lose their sunglasses to the lightening quick monkeys.
Up early to head to our ultimate destination, Manali which was a 10 hour or so bus ride away. I don’t think there was a straight piece of road in the 300 odd kilometre journey. It was great scenery especially through one gorge where the road clung precariously to the cliff face. The locals had strung up small trolley carts on wires up to their hilltop homes way in the distance. We finally arrived in Manali just on dark and decided to head straight to our hotel and then worry about dinner afterwards. Probably just as well as we had a slight disaster upon arriving at our accomodation. Our booking was for two nights at the minuscule price of 100 rupees per night ($2) which seemed too good to be true and it was. Apparently the former lease holder had done a runner and after some very poor service from the new lease holder who informed us it was closed (it wasn’t) we established that they wouldn’t accept us. Luckily they lent us a phone to call booking.com who were relatively helpful and booked us a place nearby and will hopefully refund us the difference it price between the two places. Needless to say we were very hungry by the time all this drama had eventually been sorted.
Our place was across the valley from the main town and had a spectacular view out onto some incredibly steep mountains. We had a few days in the area so decided that after our two nights were up here we would pop across the valley where we had found a room with an even better view. This area is home to plenty of Israeli tourists in the summer season (thankfully most had left) so there was weed growing everywhere and plenty of humus and bread which was a nice change from garam masala flavoured everything. Everything was much more relaxing up here in the mountains and we could have easily been in France, Canada or USA with the landscapes. The people are also very different looking as we were very close to the Tibetan border but they still had the Indian work ethic. The steep hillsides were planted in apple trees and the harvest was just coming to an end. As we climbed up the steep hills to view a waterfall they came screaming past us with huge baskets of apples which they carried on their heads. In a brief moment of rest one young lad said he made 14 trips a day!
A real treat was the Rama temple which has so called holy water or in western terms hot springs! Everyone was welcome to visit the temple and springs and plunge into the segregated pools. The temperature of the water was bordering on unbearable but pole pole (slowly slowly) you could get in and it was divine. We spent a nice evening in here and then snuck back in for a mid afternoon session after a walk up through the apple orchards. We then ambled across to the other side of the valley carrying our packs for a bit of training for our up and coming Nepal trek and enjoyed the late afternoon sun from the balcony. Lucy had us up early as she had a job interview which brought us crashing back to reality that all this swanning around the globe will soon be over. We celebrated the interview with a fresh croissant, cinnamon scroll and proper late coffee and gazed longingly down the valley before snapping into day two of training. We took a small trail up along a very deep side valley which provided great views onto some seriously jagged peaks. The German bakery made a great loaf of bread and with a cucumber and a couple of tomatoes we had a relaxing picnic beside a wee waterfall high in the forested mountains. Along the way we were met by a social old dog who followed us all day and as we sat down for afternoon tea a very cheeky jersey calf appeared and took a strong liking to Lucy’s sandwich. The lack of other tourists provided some tranquility but also meant that we had to keep each other entertained especially given we didn’t have Internet so countless games of 500 were played and Nick ticked off another book. That’s 3 in as many weeks! Before we had departed on our hike we had asked our lovely hostess if she would cook us dinner (for a fee of course) and she came through with a beaut meal. We tucked into dhal, curry, veggies, rice and chapati and for a nice change it wasn’t overly spicy all while sitting under the stars in the cool autumn air.
The German bakery provided the goods once again for breakfast on our sunny balcony before we shouldered packs and headed for the bus station. Luck was on our side as we timed it perfectly to board a departing bus direct to our next destination, Kasol up the Parvati Valley. It was a slow old journey as the road was perilous in places with plenty of one way sections, steep drop offs and many people jumping on and off. Kasol is a tiny wee town with a few eateries and tourist shops selling woollen hoodies and shawls and weed growing wild everywhere. We found a slightly run down old place which had a nice sunny courtyard and view up and down the narrow valley and put our feet up. We had no luck finding any free hot springs down by the river but it was a nice spot in the late afternoon sun though as is typical in India and many other developing countries the rubbish was strewn everywhere without a care in the world, and detracting from the very thing that attracts people there in the first place.
The evenings were a bit chilly so we pulled out the sleeping bags and slept so soundly that the sun was streaming down the valley when we awoke. Once again we found a bakery which are virtually non existent down in the flats of India and after a chai sat on the edge of the river and ate the spoils. It was about 6km up to Manikaran the next village along and at times slightly overgrown path and only once did we loose our way and start to head up a steep side valley. There at Manikaran the hot water bubbles out everywhere and is supposedly where Shiva spent 11 000 years getting all wrinkly. We took a dip in the so called holy water but it was scorching hot so took a fair bit of persistence to get in and then it was only for a minute or so at a time but it did feel invigorating. We had lunch in the shade of an apple tree beside the river and in the company with 20 or so lambs and kids who mothers we had past being driven down the road before we too plodded off down the valley.
Next up on the training regime was a strenuous hike up to the village of Rashol 1100m above. The track was well worn in by the numerous mule caravans we passed and it was good to test the lungs and thighs out. The village itself was disgusting, we had hoped for a nice traditional village with wee wooden homes with cobbled roofs but instead were greeted with rubbish lined alleys, strong smells of sewage and plenty of stoned villagers. We later found out that these small mountain villages make all their dollars by growing and selling weed based products. We quickly tapped it back down hill with Lucy moving even faster when a rather large brown snake gave her the fright of her life, back to the relatively peaceful town of Kasol.
We had a night bus from a town at the bottom of the valley so spent the morning eating fresh bakery products by the river and taking a pleasant stroll through the forested banks before hoping on a bus back down the winding road. It was market day in the town so not only was our bus crammed full so too was town which is never fun to navigate with large packs on. We sought refuse in a samosa café before killing time at the bus stand. Eventually we found our bus (we had booked tickets from the next town up the valley which caused no end of confusion) and it was comfortable enough though we got a rude awakening when a truck scrapped along the side of us causing our driver to do you U turn and catch the culprit blocking the whole road in the process and causing a huge scene. Arriving in Delhi on time we quickly got lost on the short walk to the tube station though once we eventually found where we were we also found a great potato pancake and got to our shitty airport hotel without too much extra effort. Upon arrival they informed us our booking was for two not three, sorry Tom you’re on the floor, and we caused a small scene about the state of the bathroom and faulty internet (this hotel was more expensive than what we usually paid). We also rather rudely found out our flight time had been brought forward by half an hour and that they recommend checking in 4 hours before! So we are in for a 3:30am Wake Up! Who said travelling was easy?
Anyway from here it’s off to Nepal for a spot of rafting and trekking before a quick two week trip through Rhajastan to Mumbai where we will finally set sail for Aotearoa. We have had a great time in India and the title is just an acronym we heard along the way and we look forward to returning. Yes India can be hot, dirty and at times overwhelming but the diversity in culture, food, colour and landscape more than make up for the ever present throngs of people and constant questioning about “your country?” you just have to hang in there and try and remain patient and appreciate it for what it is.
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