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Rosemary's Ramblings
The trip so far...
I have been having a few problems with the internet loosing connection when I had finished writing a page for the diary so I have decided not to do a daily update as I seem to be spending increased amounts of time on the internet and getting nowhere. So from now on this will be a weekly update of what is happening - that way I still have a few stories to tell when I get back!
So I guess I left off in Agra - not the best city to just wander round in, it was quite spread out and the sewage system that runs down the sides of the smaller streets was more open than closed so it smelt quite a bit as I am sure you can imagine and although the whole country is pretty dirty I thought that was the worst place so far! However, it does house the greatest monument to love!
The taj mahal was fantastic and if I am repeating myself, I do apologies - I did not go online to check where I was before I started! I was something of a star a the taj, after passing through quite a rigorous search in order to get in to the complex (they were confiscating knives, torches matches lighters, the works) what did they take from me? Tiggar and gaia - I made such a fuss that they were taking them off me they didn't search the rest of my bag - I discovered later that I had a torch and my knife in there! I would not have dreamt of damaging it anyway so I guess it did not matter too much!
The taj itself is soo incredibly beautiful - we (Brent Shane and myself) went towards the end of the afternoon to see the sunset. Some of the areas you could look round we (white tourists as apposed to Indians) were given shoe covers, the other option being to remove shoe. So, we just took out shoes off - the only whit tourists to do so but it was fine (the white marble was a bit hot under foot though! Got some lovely photos, which should be up soon!
After Agra we headed towards varanassi which is on the Ganges (to the east of Agra) we couldn't get a train as they were all full - with a waiting list of about 150 people so we decided to hire a car, we met some others guys that were individually heading in the same direction so we teamed up to make it a bit cheaper. The car journey was really long and hot; the scenery was interesting though - saw lots of flat land and towns that we would not have otherwise seen. The driving is also a bit on the mad side! Sitting in the front was more like watching one of those computer games where things fly towards you at incredible speeds and you have to dodge them. There are few rules to the road - they drive on the left (allegedly!) However, it was common for us to drive the wrongs way down a dual carriageway with trucks cars, rickshaws and cows to be dodged. We saw a couple of accidents (fortunately, we were not involved in any ourselves!
We arrived in Agra quite late on so we headed straight for eh hotel (we had been recommended the hotel ganpatti but we could not find it so we stayed at the alka - turned out to be next door but down a dark alley that we did not fancy exploring the night before in the dark! We moved to the ganpatti in the morning as it was a much nicer place and cheaper! We (Brent, Flora, Dan and myself all shared a big room for four at jus over a pound a night each!
We had a balcony and overlooked the Ganges - its beautiful! I have started yoga lessons here in Varanasi with an Argentinean instructor who speaks very little English but she is really good! She is so incredibly flexible; the classes are 2 hours long, which we have first thing in the morning before it gets too hot!
Met some other guys, David and dorus both from Holland who are a bit mad - one of them decided to drive one of the cycle rickshaws and was only on it for about 5 minutes before crashing into an auto rickshaw and ending up in hospital! Fortunately, he was the only one to get hurt and that was not too badly. We had gone ahead in another rickshaw so they came to get us to take us tot the hospital, as he had to have stitches!!! It was fascinating - we were all (the 3 uninjured people) watching the staff and doctor really closely to make sure that everything was cleaned properly and that it was all being done hygienically (it is an Indian hospital after all!) They did a good job on him with seven stitches in his leg! We were able to watch which I know is gross but it was somewhat hypnotic too. I ended up very gently and relaxingly holding his head down as he wanted to sit up and watch (that's medical students for you) but everytime he did he moved his leg! So I stopped him!
Anyway I am sure that I have scared you all enough by now, so I will end and go and have some more (safe) adventures!
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