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20/12/2013
Woke up feeling ill and groggy again, was gonna just have a chilled day and recuperate but I though sack it, and I went for the bus station. Said bye, and forget to get a pic with Kiko. On the way out I seen leaflets for the Mewar Inn, Udaipur, which was now several times I'd seen it. Once you find a good hostel it can be like a stepping stone as they all seem to support each other. Paid 225rs with a 500rs note and he gave me 325rs in change. Haha maths wasn't his strong point then. Passed some crazy scenes on the bus, real rural India. Seen a dozen people hanging off a jeep, people on the top of buses, and herds of people just sitting in the back of a cart. All wrapped in blankets to keep protect themselves from the cold. The weather was really grim and foggy, the first bad weather of the trip.
Arrived and went for a massive walk to find my hotel, I had a point of reference of a Golfcourse so followed the signs from there. Once found I followed the small streets all the way along, and hitch hiked a ride of a young lad called Raj on his scooter, and he found my guesthouse for me. Tried to negotiate for prices on the room but was told the dorms were full, total BS and I knew it. I showed a cheap room but walked away, only for a young lad to chase me down the street. I got it for 150rs. The young lad sorting the deal was so disingenuous, they must honestly think I'm thick. Hello tripadvisor when I get back. However his dad the owner was funny and smiley.
21/12/2013
Explored the Taj gate, got ticket for the next day to see it at sunrise (most specular time to see it and you can have it to yourself). Came back to find no juice in the sockets, but the lights and fans were working, strange. Met Darren Van Blois, a American guy from California, who was writing a satire novel about a guy addicted to facebook. Seemed interesting. He was also trying to sponsor an India girl to get a basketball scholarship in America. Went for a nap, woke up, still no power.
22/12/2013
Woke up at 5am, had the s***s like you would not believe. My toilet was two floors above me so keep had to trundle up the steps. Put it this way there was more substance in a Katie Price novel. By the time I got backdownstairs I would immediately turn round and repeat the process. This happened around 6 times. Eventually decided enough was enough as the Taj was opening soon, at half 6, and I wanted to be there early. When walking en route I had another tremour in my stomach, and had to take an en-route wildy in a random bush. Oh India. Didn't open till around 7:10am and I was the second guy in behind Mitch, a Canadian lad who looked about 26 but had in fact just turned 20, also had around 3 months in India and had done the North. Walked through the iconic gate to find a sea of mist and no Taj. It was so quiet and silent, and it was as if the Taj had been kid napped. We walked closer but still not Taj, and only when up close could you see it. Such a disappointment. Came to the other side of the globe to see one of the most famous landmarks in the world and the British weather had followed me. We wandered around, and went inside. This is what you don't get to see in the pics, and there was two stone caskets, a big one on the side for the King and a smaller one in the middle for his wife. We had to cover out feet with a paper cover, but Mitch forgot his and went barefoot. Mitch recorded a few words of a sentence for a birthday present for his 90 year old gran when he gets back. He's made a compilation of words in each place and is gonna edit them all together to make a message across a montage of places in the background. Nice idea.
Went back and got my stuff and left for the train station when I bought a general ticket for 80rs. Met a Chinese guy on the platform and we got the train together. I decided to jump on the sleeper carriage with him, even though my ticket probably didn't permit it. Arrived and left the Chinese dude and made for the Main Bazaar, Paharganj, the main backpacking quarter of the city. I'd never been but this was the Koa San road of India, bright light displays on the side of buildings, loads of hustle and bustle, plenty of food stuff to buy and lots of tourists. A tout took me to his place, ended up getting a room down a small side street for 200rs, wifi and hot water. My room was right next to the wifi spot too.
Hadn't had anything to eat all day and my stomach as in no mood for street food, so 'splurged' at a really nice place called the Kathmandu Café, ran by Nepelese/Tibetan/Chinese people it looked like. Got an awesome thai green curry, a hot chocolate cake and a bottle of pepsi for £3. After not seeing a restaurant in weeks you would think God had revealed himself in a meal. The Nepalese know how to do food, all the Indian gaffs aren't even worth checking out. On the bottle of my Pepsi it said in big letters "contains caffeine" in inverted commas, what ever that meant, as well as a message of containing no fruit. Somehow didn't expect it would to be honest. It looked real, and lets hope Wonderful's advice of a bottle of Pepsi would work!!
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