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"The adventure begins"....Songhi & I departed Delhi at 1600hrs,(an hour and 35mins. later than our scheduled departure time) from platform 9 on the Himsager Express (the longest train journey on the Indian Railways Network) "What a way to start this 2 month trip".....we settled into our 3 tier cabin shared with (49 & 50) for the 47hr. journey down to Ernakulam Station (Cochin) in Kerala.....Songhi's happy, as she associated herself to some inquisitive passengers in our cabin...a doctor who just happens to be coming back from an Ayurveda Conference in the north of India and a group of pharmacists going home from a training session in Delhi including a couple of soldiers going on annual leave, so much to talk about .... there are times like this when I consider myself extremely fortunate to still read & write hindi ...the look of surprise & stunned amazement on people's faces when I speak is something to behold ... after an exchange of hints,tips,ideas & email addresses we settled for the night after a vegetarian meal of rice & dhal eaten with a little caution by both of us.
Woke to the sound of the bearer letting us know that our pre ordered breakfast of toast & omelette and idli was ready.....Arrived in the city of Nagpur at 1015hrs. and then on to Chandrapur at 1300hrs. where were served veg. biriyani for lunch....we can feel & see the change in weather and landscape as we travel further south into the tropics....1330hrs. we reached the Andra Pradesh border in Ballarshah where the train stopped for a clean & freshen up.....the usual vendors jump on selling their wares....ice cream,soft drinks,snacks,tea & coffee.....nothing has changed here with the sounds & smells in organised chaos at the stations we stop at....littering seems to have got to a critical stage & you wonder how much more this country can bear with this problem.....Rice,Dhal,Veg.curry & yoghurt with parathas was on the menu for dinner so Song & I shared a meal while still being a little cautious....We sat around for a chat in our cabin after eating which ended up in the indian railways version of India's Got Talent....After Song & I's efforts it was decided that Vinod Joseph was the winner with his versions of a couple of recent Bollywood hits...
Considering our delay in leaving Delhi on Tuesday we arrived at Ernakulam Station (Kochi) in almost perfect time at around 1445hrs on the 24th & with only a short "Tuk Tuk"(scooter rickshaw) ride to Thomas Inn, we headed first for a long awaited shower & decent cup of tea. The weather is in the mid 30degs. already,and summer is still a month away yet...With not much planned for the evening we both decided to attend a Kathakali dance show..Kathakali is a traditional form of dance in Kerala perfected only thru many years of intense study...the art of story telling is portrayed with the use of facial expressions & the use of hand and feet movements...we ended the evening with a traditional meal of fish masala & rice at Meenu's family restaurant within walking distance to our homestay...
We had a late breakfast on Friday after a much needed sleepin..once again it was a tradional meal of Idli Uppam with a coconut chutney..."spicey but extremely tasty"...On recommendation we both decided on a tour of the Fort Cochin area which cost us a mere 2.50rupees each for a half hour ferry crossing to this historic area of the city.....Rather than taking a tour by autorickshaw we typically decided to walk thru the tiny market streets & old harbour...The Portuguese & Dutch have had a strong influence in this part of India,made famous with the spice trade through the likes of explorer Vasco Da Gama & the mighty Dutch East India Company who had their offices here for almost 150 years....The british colonial period too,played a predominent role here with many buildings showing signs of their past presence...Another interesting & unmistakable sight along the harbour are the chinese fishing nets...records show they were first erected between 1350 & 1450 AD...uniquely structured out of teak and bamboo poles they are designed to work on the principle of balance and are surprisingly still being used to this day..... We headed back to our homestay,in time for Song's appointment at 1600hrs for an Ayurvedic massage that she had been eagerly looking forward to...half an hour and at the unbelievable cost of approx. $8.00 she walked out looking totally refreshed & vibrant,though it has taken her at least two showers to rinse the combination of three oils from her hair....
Sat.26th....Our initial idea was to take the 5 to 6 hour bus journey to our next homestay "The Shade" in Munnar,a small village in the hinterland surrounding Kochin....Unfortunately,just when I thought I had got over the worst of my cold it was back with a vengeance...the combination of the extreme humidity & heat along with a slight fever and not knowing how the trip would effect me, we both gave in to the decision of booking a taxi for the 130kms. journey....at the cost of 1900 rupees we think it was a wise decision, especially after the experience of the journey by car...we were in Munnar by 1330hrs. and I'm hoping the cooler climate & pollutant free air will sort me out within the three nights of our stay here...It's certainly a beautiful & serene spot surrounded within acres of herb & spice plantations..Cardomam,Pepper,Nutmeg,Cloves,Cashew,Tapioca,Curry Leaf,Mangoes,Jak fruit,Cocoa and obviously chillies are just some of the major crops cultivated in this area..Santosh and his wife who own the property began the homestay business just 3 years ago & we feel it's an ideal way of interacting with the traditional lifestyle & culture of the local people....We would certainly recommend this over staying in hotels.....Dinner was once again a traditional vegetarian meal homecooked deliciously by the family....Song has offered to try & cure my cold thru a treatment of Reiki tonight so lets hope it does the trick............
Sunday 27th...After breakfast Santosh booked us a autorickshaw @ 800 rupees for the day which gave us the the chance to look around Munnar & the surrounding area...My first plan of attack though was to fight off this cold that had been hanging around me for almost two weeks now,so we headed for the nearest pharmacy in town to purchase some antibiotics....Uniquely,this is one country where you can purchase almost all drugs & antibiotic medicines at a fraction of the price of any western country and without the need for a doctor's prescription, so at 130 rupees (Approx. $3.00) I was prescribed enough dosage to warrant the end of my troubles....Our second stop was the popular Tea Museum & Factory near Munnar... Famous for it's production of tea, this area of Kerala was once again first established by the british and dutch in the mid 1800s who purchased many acres of land on which they cultivated a vast amount of tea estates...the museum holds a wealth of knowledge from the early pioneer days,thru India's independence and to the present day production and turnover of this huge industry....after a few samplers we headed for the river Periyar, across the border into Tamil Nadu and to the tiny village of Top Station,so called for the situation of it's height in the mountains..Our lunch stop was at one of the few large dams built by pioneers in the early days..Unfortunately,the drawback of standing out & looking too obvious as a westerner is that you are charged two or even sometimes three times the price as opposed to a local visitor...Maybe,I need to dress Songhi in a sari & a kurta pyjama suit for myself..!!!.. amazingly, as their main languages spoken here are Malayalam & English it was almost impossible to use my knowledge of Hindi to question the price differences.. Ah..! well, these are the joys of travelling "Incredible India"......Kerala is probably the cleanest & richest state in India with we are told the highest literacy rate in the country at 100% ...There seems to be a great deal of development happening,mainly leading to tourism...We feel though, that the homestay style of accommadation is an ideal way of understanding & experiencing the local culture & way of life.... scheduled 27 February 2011 from 2:30 AM to 7:15 AM
Monday 28th....Today we decided was going to be a day of leisure with a walk around the homestay gardens & while Song decided to do an hour of meditation, I took the opportunity of updating the diary,which would then make it easier to copy & paste to the blog at the next convenient access to the internet...we were introduced to a french family who checked in for a few days and on their first visit to Kerala...It seems a long way to fly for a 15 day holiday in India, though we have found flights to this part of the globe to be extremely cheap from most parts of Europe....Meeting & making friends from various parts of the world and who tend to share similar ideas & interests has been a thrilling experience for Song & I...Our address book tends to grow day by day and we hope to stay in touch with everyone on the list as best as we can...."Travelblogs"..!! what a great idea...!!!..
Tues. 1st of March...Santosh at the Shade organised a taxi to drive us to our next stay for 3 nights at Chitrasala Homestay in the tiny hillstation of Kumily near Thekkady...the 3 hour drive along some extremely winding roads unfortunately took it's toll on Songhi,so a stop at the Hindustan Herb & Medicinal Ayurvedic Plant Farm was a welcome & ideal 30 min. break on the way..a cocktail of sucking on a fresh lime & chewing on a fresh piece of ginger was prescribed & turned out to be a good remedy...!!!.."Natural medicines"..the only way to go sometimes...!!..We arrived at our Homestay around 1330hrs and were greeted with a cup of cardamom tea by our hosts Sajeev & Bindu....It looks like our 3 nights here are going to be very comfortable & memorable,with lots to see & do...Not wasting much time we decided firstly on an elephant ride for an hour thru the spice & herb plantations in the local area...Opting for the brave choice of riding bare back (the elephant..not us..).. we found it to be a quite comfortable and unique experience..Typically,Song has taken a shine to these majestic creatures & would now like to own one..ha..ha.!!..Somehow, I don't think it would be an ideal playmate for our westie "Dante" in Tasmania...After rewarding Meera the Elephant with a variety of fresh fruit & vegetables and saying our goodbyes we made it in time to the Kerala Kalari Centre for the 6pm show to watch an exhibition of a traditional form of martial arts & self defence in Kerala...."Kalaripayattu" as it is known, originated in South India & is said to be the oldest form of martial arts....Drawing inspiration & strength from various animals (Lion,Tiger,Elephant,Snake,Crocodile & Wild Boar) it is taught in complete secrecy & isolation with only a small handful of masters in the sport. The holistic approach is aimed at ultimate coordination & control over mind & body... We settled for an early night after another homecooked kerala dinner prepared by Bindu ..Why take the risk & expense of eating out when you can enjoy fresh home cooking in the comfort of a home from home environment....
2nd March & it's a religeous public holiday in Kerala...As lucky as Songhi had thought she had been, unfortunately she has ended up with a touch of my symptoms of the cold...so after breakfast we walked into town and picked up another dose of the similar medicine that I had been prescribed a few days earlier...We both still persisted with the initial plans and decided to go on the 3hr. nature walk thru the Periyer Tiger Reserve....Armed with plenty of mozzie repellant,long socks to ward off potential leeches and an armed guide for protection against the odd wild tiger,elephant or anything that would find us appetising we headed off into the jungle in search of some illusive wildlife....As it was just Song & I in our group,it did make us feel a bit special...Unfortunately though, the 925kms. of reserve did not offer us the satisfaction of a viewing or even a sneak peek of anything larger than a family of Nilgiri langurs,a few rare species of water birds near the Periyar river & the very rare lesser spotted, rice eating "Song Bird" that migrates in from the Korean continent at this time of the year..Get it...???..We are not disappointed though, as it gave us the opportunity to be in the wilderness and listen to the sounds of nature for a few hours....the rest of the afternoon was spent with me catching up with this travel diary while watching a bit of the World Cup Cricket....Song opted for a couple of hours sleep to try & recover from her cold & sore throat.....
Thurs.3rd March...Today we took a stroll into Kumily town,just a 5 min. walk from our homestay though unfortunately we had to cut the visit short as Song was not feeling too good...we knew we had a two hour boat ride booked at 1530hrs. so if Song managed to get some rest she'd be ok for the trip, plus she was not too keen on missing out....After a soothing lemon tea and fresh pineapple which seemed to have made Song feel much better we boarded the boat at 1500hrs. on the upper deck for our cruise thru the Periyar Tiger Reserve in the hope to see a little more wildlife than we did the day before....This is the wedding season in India as the majority of passengers on the boat happened to be young Indian honeymooners who tend to come down on package holidays to Kerala from the big cities of Mumbai,Bangalore & Delhi to enjoy the temperate tropical climate before it gets too hot in the next month or so.... Thanks to Shajee at our homestay we have now realized that by using our Indian Passports at all sight seeing venues we now only pay at the rate of an Indian citizen rather than the inflated tourist fee at more than 100% at times....My knowledge of Hindi has been a great assett too, along with a few surprised & puzzled looks..!!..We are happy to say that the cruise did not dissappoint us as being a perfect time of the day we did end up viewing a good amount of wildlife along the river banks, except for the elusive tiger..we returned to our homestay satisfied and relaxed for the evening before heading down for another homecooked dinner of peppered chicken, okra,yoghurt dhal & chappatis...We settled for an early night as we had a taxi booked for 0730hrs. in the morning for our 4hr drive to Alleppy to board our boat at 1200hrs for our o'nite backwater cruise....
4th March..."Happy Anniversary to us both...!!"..Seven wonderful years and what a fantastic way to celebrate it....After a pleasant drive thru the hills scattered with yet more tea estates,spice farms and pineapple plantations we boarded our boat the "Venice Castle" at Alleppy...We met our three man crew and set sail on near perfect time for our o'nite cruise through the backwaters to our destination at Kumarakum... Having mentioned it when booking & completley forgotten this trip turned out to be a truly memorable experience with some pleasantly unexpected surprises from our crew...We stopped at a small fish market along the way & purchased some of the local catches which our chef kindly offered to prepare for our dinner that evening....We anchored at a beautiful spot surrounded by coconut palms & mango trees and overlooking vast paddy fields where we were served lunch on banana leaves in true Kerala style..slightly spicy though extremely romantic..!!. and this was just the beginning....The backwaters are a network of around 900kms. of waterways that flow inland from the coast & are used as the main form of transport for many villagers and farmers who are isolated from the bigger towns in this area... The houseboats are designed like rice barges or "kettuvallum" in malayalam and come in a variety of sizes from one bedroomed to upto seven...We were even fortunate enough to have a balcony, where we spent a fair bit of our time, with camera of course...It may be one of the most expensive things to do in India but we believe it's worth every rupee...After lunch we sailed further out before parking up in a remote spot at 1730hrs. where we were to stay for the night...Song & I decided to take a stroll along the paddy fields and grab a few sunset shots & watch our captain dive in for a unique way of catching some fish.. using just dough & rice with a bowl it was quite an interesting spectacle...To our surprise dinner was served by candlelight at 2000hrs. followed by an anniversary cake baked by Santosh our chef....It was certainly an unexpected wonderful surprise, and along with the fish we had purchased earlier that afternoon & another authentic Keralan meal it will surely be an evening to remember....
Sat.5th March....We awoke to the sound of the birds & fishermen heading off early in the morning & typically not wanting to miss out on anything I could not resist the temptation of crawling out of bed & grabbing the camera...Still keeping the romantic theme going the guys served us breakfast & presented Song with a bunch of lotus flowers freshly picked....Within a couple of hours we pulled into Kumarkorum boat harbour & realized this unforgettable trip was coming to an end...We would certainly love to experience the cruise again & would recommend it should definitely be on anyone's itinary should they be going to Kerala or "God's own Country" as it is known here...We caught the bus back to Kochi (a bone rattling two hour ride) to stay our last night in Kerala before catching the train up to Goa the next afternoon at 1400hrs.....
Sunday 6th March..Not much to do this morning so we slept in till 0800hrs. had a late breakfast & I caught up on more of the blog seeing as we had a few hours access to the net and we did not have to leave for our train till 1230hrs....Unfortunately, our 1400hrs departure from Ernakulam Sth. station turned out to be an 1830hrs departure due to railroad repairs earlier down the line or so we were lead to believe....."No Worries"..fortunately we were not catching a connecting train or flight the next day & I guess this is to be expected with most long distance train journeys in this country..It would not be India otherwise....!!!..The other bonus was that we got to watch the first innings of the India vs Ireland cricket in the World Cup on one of the numerous large screen TVs at platform 1...I'm wondering, seeing as it was India playing today, was this the real reason for the train's delay..!!!!..It should really be an easy win for India with a target of just over 200 to reach & win...I guess we will make up a small amount of lost time thru the night, though we still expect to reach Goa around three hours late tomorrow morning....
Well..!!..that was a journey to remember..!!..We did reach Goa eventually at around 1100hrs...Only five hours behind schedule, we were both desperate for a shower & something decent to eat....Unfortunately, Songhi had suffered with a nasty cough most of the night even though a fellow passenger in our cabin arranged for one the rail crew to get her some Vicks menthol pills during a five minute stop at Calicut station...If that was not all, we realized the next morning that both of us had nearly been eaten alive by what we determine to be bed bugs living in the blankets provided to us as AC 3 Tier passengers..They obviously love the foreign blood 'cause it seems none of our fellow passengers were affected & poor Song came off the worst...We got off the train at Thivim station & caught an autorickshaw at a prearranged price of 300 rupees to the Castle House Hostel in Calangute...We checked in with our host Dave & his wife & as first impressions go we found it to be a pleasant & comfortable hostel with even the luxury of a pool to use in the current temperatures of mid 30deg heat.... After a most welcoming cold shower we walked into town for a bite to eat & some remedies for our insect bites & Song's persistent cough... We treated ourselves to a pair of thongs (slippers) for the beach & I decided on a short back & sides with a haircut for Rs.30 (approx. 80 cents)...
Tues.8th March...We woke early for breakfast & decided on a walk along the beach from Calangute to Fort Aguada to the surprise of other guests who obviously thought we were a couple of mad Aussies...Goa has turned into India's equivalent of the Gold Coast, a huge change from when I stayed here nearly thirty years ago....Though not as many Aussies it seems to be an ideal destination for Brits & Europeans getting away from their cold winters....Package holidays of three to four weeks are the economical way to fly out direct from most cities in England & Europe...We have noticed many from the Eastern block countries, mainly the Soviet Union...Unfortunately though, as much as they may be good for the tourism industry here they are not the favourites with most Indians, who feel they are extremely rude & arrogant to deal with..The beach along this stretch is strewn with bar & restaurant shacks of all shapes & sizes and with flags flying from a variety of countries you can tell that they obviosly cater for all palates....It's a real free for all on Goa's beaches so if you like walking along the beach minding your own business or enjoying your own time, forget it here..!!..You are plagued at almost every ten paces by someone trying to sell you something from tattoos,massages, local souvenirs, jetski rides, parasailing, sunbed hire including trying to entice you into their shack for either a meal or a drink...Patience is the virtue here as at times they can be persistent....It took us approx. an hour and a half to reach Fort Aguada & with the tide drawing in we had to decide on a detour...While walking the last stretch we were once again approached by a young guy on a bike with the offer of a promotion at a holiday resort on Baga Beach...Being the sceptics we are, we scratched the cards we were offered & not giving it much concern...to our surprise & even more of a shock to the sales guy Songhi was told she had won a choice of four prizes with the only catch being to spend an hour of our time thru a presentation at the resort..."Timeshare" was the first thing that came to mind but being inquisitive about how true they were going to be about the prize we gave in and took the free taxi ride to the resort...Well, to cut the story short, Yes..!!.. it was similar to what we suspected and "No"..!!..we did not sign on the dotted line on completion of the presentation even with all the options we were offered..Anyhow, with the idea that we were to be stranded & find our own way back to our homestay we were pleasantly surprised to be offered a taxi back and even more shocked & excited to be told & offered that our forth coming prize had been confirmed as a free week's holiday in either Bali,Thailand or back in Goa and we could take it from anywhere in the world seeing as we were overseas citizens though we had to take advantage of the win within a year....While I was content with the bottle of wine we were offered, we are still staggered with Songhi's luck especially after being told it was a 200,000 to 1 chance win....Well, it looks like Thailand here we come..!!!!!..Still stunned with our afternoon's news we headed back for our homestay and celebrated with a couple of Kingfisher Premium beers before ordering dinner....
Wed. 9th March....The wednesday flea markets on Anjuna beach are a popular event every week on the Goan calendar so Song & I decided to put this on our list of things to do for the day...Coming as no surprise we opted on walking the two hour stretch north to Anjuna...Typically aimed at the tourist the markets are mainly handicrafts, jewellery & fashion from all parts of India with even a few we noticed owned by Europeans...Song treated herself to a couple of pairs of handmade Tibetan malachyte & silver earrings for a bargain price of Rs.700 for both sets after which we cooled off with a fresh mango juice each....We caught a boat back to Baga beach and decided on a "yummy" Goan fish curry & rice with a green salad at the highly recommended "Britto's" restaurant on the beach...it may be a little more expensive than most other eating places with our bill coming to a total of Rs.365.00 ( approx.$7.00) including a litre of Kingfisher beer....but we feel it was well worth the refreshment stop, with the added bonus of sitting beside the sea & watch the everyday activities on Baga beach.We strolled back to Calangute beach which not only helped in working off lunch but also building up an appetite for dinner in the evening....Seeing as we had an earliesh start in the morning we decided on having dinner at the Castle House restaurant & bar..Songhi stayed with the Goan flavour of Vegetable Handi with basmati rice & salad while I went with an Aussie style masala kingfish with chips & salad, washed down with a Kingfisher Premium, of course..!!..the bill, just $10....
Thurs. 10th March....We checked out after breakfast & booked a taxi to drop us off at Thivim station for our train down to Margaon where we were to stay o'nite at the Nanutel hotel....this was where we were to catch the Goa Express the next day for the overnite train journey to the city of Bhopal in the state of Madhya Pradesh.....Surprise..!!..Surprise..!!..the train was about an hour late & to top that it arrived on a different platform to the one announced causing mayhem with everyone, so with the help of a fellow passenger Song & I decided to give the overbridge a miss & keep with tradition by running across the tracks..Well as they say..When in Rome..!!..Unless there is no option, it is not something to be recommended or attempted too often.....We arrived at Margaon around 1130hrs and after a short autorickshaw ride we checked in at the Nanutel Hotel.....Well,we were pleasantly surprised as this place exceeded all our expectations..Worthy more of the three star rating it has, this place is faultless in all aspects & for the tarriff at just over Rs.2000 (approx $50) for the two us including breakfast, we would recommend it highly....after a walk to the nearby markets we returned for a refreshing swim in the hotel swimming pool and enjoyed a snack of masala paneer which seems to be very well matched with Kingfisher beer..!!!!!... we reserved a table for dinner at 1930hrs. in the hotel restaurant after checking out the goan specialities on the menu....As we were both enjoying the local cuisine I was determined not to leave Goa without another food fest...!!..If in Goa & staying at the Nanutel Hotel in Margaon, one must not leave without trying their delicious Prawn Balichow and Masala Kingfish Fry, cooked to perfection by a very experienced chef....It was certainly a wonderful way to spend our last evening in Goa.....I'm happy Songhi is enjoying the food in India as this seems to be turning out to be a Henry & Songhi's travelling food fest on this trip..!!!!..We are now looking forward to what north India has to offer us.....
Friday 11th. March...Thankfully, the Nanutel hotel allowed us a late checkout of 1300hrs. seeing as our train was departing Margaon at 1550hrs., so after breakfast we relaxed and caught up with a couple of phone calls and emails, mainly confirming our stay at the Kumaon Regimental Centre in Ranikhet from the 1st. of April for a week...I'm looking forward to reminiceing my childhood memories once again as Ranikhet (meaning Queen's Meadow) has always been a place close to my heart as this is where I spent most of my younger days..Canossa Convent, my first school still exists & a visit there is at the top of my list...Sitting high up in the Kumaon hills and a constant view of the Himalaya Mtns. it was originally settled by the british as a summer hill station...The Kumaon Regiment (the oldest & most celebrated regiment in the Indian Army) has it's headquarters here..With a rich & colourful history the Kumaon Rifles was formed originally by englishman Sir Henry Russell & now consists of around 16 battalions incorporating some Naga & Gurkha regiments too...On passing out at the Indian Oficer's Academy in Dehradun dad served initially with the 2nd. battalion with eventually taking command of 9th. Kumaon as before retirement in 1969... Fortunately, Song loves this place too..!!..The peace & tranquility of the area is a far cry from the hustle & bustle of the big cities....The train trip to Bhopal has prabably been the most pleasant so far...No bugs or mosquitos to bother us or were we just prepared for them this time..???..Our only wish would be more education on cleanliness....there are plenty of signs & notices around warning against littering, but when you see railway officials tipping litter out on the tracks I think this country has a long road ahead....The younger generation though are showing signs of conscious improvement....It's heartbreaking at times to see this beautiful country being so abused & neglected by it's own folk.....
Sat. 12th. March..We both had a pleasant night's sleep and after being woken at 0430hrs. with a long stop in Pune (Dad's birthplace)...An eerie coincidence..!!!..Nice to know you are sending me signs of your company dad..!!..After a wash & tidy up Song & I shared an omelette for breakfast and settled down for the rest of our journey to Bhopal with me catching up with this diary & Songhi getting back to reading "Reincarnation" by Trutz Hardo, a bestseller she had been recommended...she has not been able to put it down since purchasing the book at Margaon station..!!!!..We arrived at Bhopal Junction around 2000hrs. & caught an auto to the Sonali Regency Hotel which was fortunately only 1/2 a km. from the station..Having had a late lunch we decided to skip dinner & had a Lassi each, while taking advantage of the free WiFi at the hotel to catch up on emails & the blog...Spoke to aunty Blanche and organised to catch up with her & the family the next day..
Sunday 13th.March..Woke around 0700hrs. & after our complimentary buffet style breakfast we caught an auto to aunty Blanche's house in Arera Colony...It was great to catch up again as it must be at least thirty years since we last saw each other & SongHi's first introduction to Uncle Buster's family... Aunty is looking well for her age & the two boys Christopher & Joe are both settled and seem extremely happy in home & work..it was nice to meet Sonya & Chicoo & the kids..!!!.."As promised, this is the start of a renewed relationship, so let's all stay in touch.." Facebook, what else..???.. Thanks for a wonderful day everyone & we know if Christopher had his way Song & I would probably have lost our tickets to Amritsar and stayed longer in Bhopal..!!!..We look forward to being back very soon.The city of Bhopal is the capital of the state of Madhya Pradesh & though it's not on every tourist's "to see" list it grown into an ultra modern & vibrant city since the unfortunate tragedy of December 1984...It was probably one of the darkest days in Bhopal's history when a storage tank at the Union Carbide pesticide plant leaked gas into the densely populated city...Apart from the many deaths at the time the worst part of the tragedy is what has happened in the following years...Although the company have paid some compensation to the victims they still claim no liability for damages 'cause they blame the disaster on sabotage, with the results being that many of the surviving victims continue to live in ill health & are unable to work to this day.....
Monday 14th. March..."Happy Birthday to my Darling Wife"....An early start to the day with the alarm set for 0500hrs...Our train "The Chattisgarh Express" departed Bhopal at 0710hrs. for our 25 hour journey to Amritsar...After a long & wonderful day yesterday & not getting to bed till 0100hrs. we thought of catching up on sleep while on the train...It's probably the cleanest & most efficient of all the train journey's so far, with the added bonus of having the air conditioned 3 tier compartment all to ourselves for most of the journey thru Jhansi, Mathura, Agra and on to Delhi....Having missed breakfast this morning we were both looking forward to our lunch order of Rice,Dhal,Paneer Sabji & Roti...Song was itching to try Chicoo's homemade mango pickle & now cannot wait for an email of the recipe..!!!!..It's yummy Chicoo, even though I break out in a sweat...!!!..
Tues. 15th March...Arrived in Amritsar around 0800hrs. and were fortunate enough to be allowed an early check in at the CJ International Hotel in the heart of town...The hotel is wonderful value for money with a great & almost uninterrupted view of the city landmark "The Golden Temple" from the terrace....No breakfast this morning, so the first thing on our minds was a good punjabi brunch after we had freshened up...We found Vishra's restaurant thru the markets & just around the corner from the hotel...Great punjabi food & excellent value for money...Not being tempted to wait till the next day we walked across to the Temple only to be surprised by the sheer size & beauty of the place...The sounds & songs being echoed throughout the complex are quite overwhelming...Songhi & I relaxed in the shadows of one of the many hallways listening to the "Geeths" being sung along with the prayer recitals and could have done so for a few hours if time had permitted....We're looking forward to spending a little more time at the temple tomorrow...It's certainly an experience not to be missed..!!.. .Amritsar was founded in 1577 by Guru Ram Das, the fourth guru of the Sikhs. It's the spiritual capital of the Sikh community and gained its name, meaning "Holy Pool of Nectar", from the body of water that surrounds the Golden Temple.The exquisite Temple is what makes this Punjabi city special. It attracts sikh pilgrims from all over the world who come there to pay their respects and do voluntary service.The main temple looks particularly amazing at night when it's beautifully lit up, with its imposing pure gold dome illuminated.It's well worth two visits -- during the day and night. Heads must be covered and shoes removed at all times when you enter the temple premises.
Wednesday 16th March...After a hearty breakfast of Aloo & Gobi Parathas with Raitha & Pickle, Songhi & I got a rickshaw to Chowk Bazaar & the Booklovers shop...Tutsie, our cousin in Gurgaon had recommended a good read for Song called "Same Soul,Many Bodies" by Dr.Brian Weiss...Fortunately, our mission was a success and Song was happy..!!..We headed back to the Golden Temple as this was where we had decided to spend most of our day today...We found a comfortable shady spot where Songhi could settle down to her new book and I was able to grab a few candid shots of everyday life and rituals around the temple....Amazingly, with the amount of people that visit everyday (approx.100,000 per day) it's very interesting to watch & observe how well & organised the daily routines are...Twice daily all the carpets around the temple are rolled up and the marble floors are washed......Guru-Ka-Langar is a free community dining room (though donations are appreciated) It's a significant feature with all Sikh temples as a mark of unity among people of all religions, and nationalities. The huge kitchens are manned by volunteers each day who prepare dhal, rice and chapatis (one kitchen even has a chapati making machine) for up to 40,000 pilgrims a day. All are welcome to be seated on the floor & join the masses for a meal at any time of the day or night... The sound of prayers that are actually telecast live throughout the world are heard all thru the day..People are even allowed to take a dip in the pool surrounding the temple though only in restricted areas...We paid a visit to the Sikh museum on the premises which gave us a more indepth knowledge & history of the Sikh religeon and beginnings...
I sparked up a conversation with one of the many uniformed guards who was so taken & surprised at my knowledge of hindi that the next thing Song & I knew was him giving us special permission to go to a higher viewpoint above the main temple so I could grab a few quick shots from a different angle...In his words they had to be "Futta Futt" (Quick) so he did not get into trouble with his seniors....After a bite to eat for dinner we returned to view this amazing temple when lit up at night before having an earliesh night seeing as we were to be up at 0530hrs. the next morning for our journey to Dharamsala......
Thurs. 17th. March....As we were leaving before breakfast we settled for boring old toast & jam with tea & grabbed an auto to the station for 0710hrs. Tata Jat Express to Pathankot....Another tip & lesson learnt..after being quoted Rs.100 to the station we were both stunned when he mentioned it was Rs.100 each when we got to the other end..This is where my hindi comes in handy so I let burst & after a few heated words he was happy to accept the 100Rs....Experiences like this do tend to put a sour taste in your mouth & lose faith in people sometimes,especially with a feeling of being ripped off and we certainly feel more for the unassuming westerner who would probably have no clue....It was not looking like a good day for us as our next hiccup was being told that our train to Pathankot was running three hours late which would cause us missing our connecting train to Kangra.. though, at the cost of Rs.130 we could travel 2nd. Class at 0915hrs and still hopefully make it to our homestay in reasonable time...Using our savings of Rs.100 from the auto episode we decided to take the plunge...Fortunately, it turned out an enjoyable though slightly overcrowded journey as long as we were seated & stayed put for the two & a half hour journey and thanks to a wonderful young indian couple with a two year old daughter who were travelling most of the way with us...We departed Pathankot for Kangra at 1300hrs. on the narrow guage toy train for our five hour journey to the hill station of Kangra..Originally built by the british in the colonial days the track winds it's way up to an incredible 14,000 ft. through some dramatic scenery & valleys in the Dhauladhar mountains of Himachal Pradesh..Adventurous and quite unique is how I would describe the journey and probably a train buff's delight...We arrived in Kangra at approx. 1800hrs. where our prearranged taxi driver was waiting for our one and a half hour drive to our homestay near Dharamsala....It seemed a never ending drive or were we just tired & over our travelling for the day, especially after being stopped halfway and our driver being fined Rs.100 for not wearing his seat belt..!!!!..Feeling a little worse for wear we had a much looked forward to dinner and bed....
Friday 18th. March...Ahh.!!..Home at last..!!!..That's exactly how I felt when we woke in the morning...Our homestay "Jagatram Niwas" in the village of Bhagsunag is perfectly situated high on the mountainside overlooking the township of McLeodganj...the village is named after a mythical King Bhagsu & Nag the snake god he did battle with..It's also popular for a temple which is administered by the Gurkha Regiment in the Indian Army....It's a steep 20 min. walk down to the village, with a further 20min. walk to the Mcleodganj, the home of the exiled Dalai Lama & Tibetan Government since relocation in 1968 from his original settlement in Dharamsala....Named after David Mcleod, the Lt. Governor of Punjab during the British Empire, the town is a haven for tourists and pilgrims from all parts of the world...We visited the Tibetan Namgyal Stupa (temple) on Temple Road where throughout the day buddhist monks & pilgrims spin the prayer wheels that surround the complex and recite their mantras..The Dalai Lama's palace "Thekchen Choling" is near Temple Road...Built of a simple & plain design it reflects the Dalai Lama's wish not to build in lavish tibetan style but rather to respect the refugee community's limited means...We have been told that his Holiness is actually in town for two days (19th & 20th) during his present heavy schedules, so Song & I are going to try & take advantage of the opportunity to catch a glimpse....It was wonderful to end up meeting Ashwini from MoonPeak Pictures, thanks to Angus McDonald, who requested we drop in & say hello..!!..Hope to stay in touch...Song's happy too, as she managed to fulfill her wish to speak to Dr.Satindar Kumar, an Ayurvedic specialist who has offered to teach her the main areas of the industry on a one to one basis...Happy with a successful day we treated ourselves to a "Singing Bowl"..In case you are wondering, it's used to purify & cleanse bad energy wherever it may be..!!..Our 40min. downhill walk turned out to be a steep uphill hour walk, though we think by the end of our five days here we should be almost jogging back up..haha.!!!!..
Saturday 19th. March.."Happy Holi" to all..!!..It's the celebration of spring all over India..Seeing as it was a public holiday Song & I did not have much planned for the day, so for a change of scenery we decided to walk a different track down into Mcleodganj and have lunch at the Moon Peak cafe while taking advantage of the free WiFi to catch up on emails....Around 1800hrs. after a bit of window shopping & me finding a much sought after "Kullu" cap, we had built up enough of an appetite to treat ourselves to Ashwini's recommendation of the Himachal Thali meal at his Moon Peak Thali restaurant near the Thekchen Choling temple....For anyone travelling thru this part of the world and looking for different taste in indian cuisine from the norm I would certainly back up Ashwini's suggestion, and no, I am not biased...!!!!..Whatever calories we had gained were soon gone by the time we got back up the hill to our homestay at "Jagatram Niwas" and fortunately just in time before we witnessed one of the biggest thunderstorms I have seen in a while....Being on the side of a mountain offered us the view of a spectacular lighting show though I just could not pluck up the courage to sit out on the verandah with my camera....So yes, Henry has no award winning shots of lightening bolts..Sorry..!!!!!!
Sunday 20th. March..."Happy Birthday with lots of Love Mum"...We're thinking of You..!!.XX..!!...Today Songhi & I planned a day excursion in the Kangra Valley...We booked ourselves a tourist taxi for the day @ Rs.2000. ($44.00) with our first stop at the Masrur Rock-cut temple... Maintained now by the Archaeological Survey of India this temple complex was said to be created in the 7th century and comprises of actually fifteen elaborately carved temples & one of only four in India...Unfortunately, what remains standing now are the remnants of a devastating earthquake in 1905 that caused major damage...Our next stop was the Hindu Jwalamukhi Flame temple in which there are nine natural gas flames burning constantly within it's walls...Leading up to the complex is a narrow road lined with shops selling everything from souvenirs, religeous flags and food offerings (Prasad) to the many pilgrims who visit the temple every year...As you can imagine, being the festival of Holi and a Sunday we obviously picked the wrong day for a visit...After a lunch of "Aloo & Moolee" parathas we headed on to the Kangra Fort,standing on a steep rock in Purana (old) Kangra ....Thought to be dated back to 1009AD and built by the Katoch Dynasty it is the largest fort in the Himalaya mountains....We were back at our homestay by around 1730hrs. Our ideas of a shower and preparing for dinner were very quickly diverted when Bhavinder & family invited us to celebrate Holi with them...After comforting our slight concern of the colours staining our clothes we gave in & joined in the fun and frivolity of the festivities...Looking & feeling as though we had been dipped in a variety of paint pots, a shower each was definitely on the cards now or maybe a spin in the washing machine with our clothes might even do the trick..!!.."The pics should tell a better story"
Monday 21st.March..."Another Day in Paradise"...We had been invited to Ashok & Sunita's for breakfast this morning at 0830hrs...Sunita is our homestay owner Bhavinder's eldest sister & Ashok happens coincidentally to be the Dalai Lama's personal driver.."Life is full of surprises"..!!..and to top that we find Ashok is a good friend of Angus McDonald.."What a small World..!!!"..Shame we could not catch up while you were here too Angus though I'm sure we will when we are back in Australia...After a great breakfast of Tea & Parathas and another invite back for dinner in the evening we walked around to the little township of Naddi thru a quiet & remote forested track recommended by Ashok...We stopped halfway at a small tibetan temple & got into a deep & meaningful conversation with a young Tibetan refugee who to our amazement spoke perfect english & was graduating from the Tibetan College in two days....After an exchange of email addresses & promises to stay in touch via Facebook we headed on to Naddi from where you can witness probably the best view of the Dhauladar range of mountains..Being a perfect spring day too was certainly an added bonus.."True picture postcard material"...We walked down to the next village near picturesque Dal Lake which gives you a wonderful panorama view of Mcleodganj and decided to take the challenge to walk back up and return the way we had come...It was not until returning to Jagatram Niwas at 1630hrs. that we realized we had been walking since 0930hrs....While Song decided on an hour's meditation I took the opportunity to catch up on some entries in the diary for the blog....There is still a slight chill in the air after sunset so by 1930hrs. we put warm jackets on & grabbed a torch each before taking the thirty minute walk to Ashok & Sunita's house for dinner...It was a brisk walk back at night, not only to walk off the scrumptous goat curry, dhal & rice but a walk of nerves after the stories we have heard of leopards & the odd tiger being spotted in the area... Well, it's our last night in Bhagsunag and it has not only been a memorable stay with Bhavinder and his family, who have been the perfect hosts but also amazing value for money for accommodation that Songhi & I would compare to most 3 or 4* hotels at probably less than half the price...Our total expense for five nights including breakfast, three home cooked dinners, a day's excursion, taxi pick up from Kangra train station as well as drop off to Palampur on our last day @ just over $200.00 (Rs.9035.00)...They do offer day or overnight treks deeper into the mountains at quite reasonable rates too we noticed,though there is no pressure, as you can do as little or as much as you'd like..!!!..Added to this, with a home at the bottom of the snowcapped Dhauladar range and a spectacular view over the Kangra Valley it's on a par if not better than any holiday you would pay an arm & leg for in most parts of the world..!!..With daily flights to Kangra from Delhi, it's easily accessible now, unless like us you prefer to be a touch more adventurous & travel up by train or bus... Getting around in India is much easier now, as there are any number of websites to choose from to book your travel & accommadation...
Tuesday 22nd & Wednesday 23rd. March...Arriving in the Darang Tea Estate on the outskirts of Palampur must have touched a spiritual side of me that I was not aware I ever had, or was it just my emotions getting the better of me knowing that I had just returned to the place where I was born over fifty years ago....It was definitely an odd feeling yet extremely calming & serene..!!..Naveen & Neeru Bhandari are the wonderful couple who are the proud owners of this 70 acre property that has been in the family for over 150 years and uniquely the first to have been planted by an Indian.....Almost everything you consume is homegrown & homecooked, with naturally as much tea as you'd like to drink.The very Victorian style house and quaint cottages & gardens are surrounded by pine forest hills that are overlooked by the snowcapped Dhauladar mountains of the Himalayas. As it is so similar to our own taste & style there is no doubt in our feeling of this being a home from home... Having been aquainted with this area for such a long period Naveen & Neeru's knowledge has been of great help and they have been only too willing to assist in finding neccessary information and contacts with reference to my early childhood days in Palampur...A busy day is planned for us on Thursday 24th. as apart from some local sightseeing, I am looking forward to meeting a couple of local stalwarts from the area who might shed a little more light on dad's early years as a young Indian Army officer in the Kumaon Regiment (2nd. Battalion) including mum & dad's early years of married life here..."Sentimental, who me"..??
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