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Ok , first up I've come to the conclusion that all of the crap stuff that has happened on this trip has taken place in the city of New Delhi. I refer of course to my arrival here, my second visit when my travel plans went out the window and right now. I hate to start on a moan but that's the case. I'll come back to it later though as the week started off brilliantly.
Last Sunday, I woke up at 4am to catch the bus to Amritsar. In all truth I was glad to leave Dharamsala as the rain was beginning to take it's toll. As an Englishman I should be used to it. Amritsar is the sight of the The Golden Temple, the holiest site for Sikhs. It's unlike any other place I've been to here in that there are no touts, no "only look only lookings" and offers of friendships every 5 minutes. I chose to stay in the temple to get the full experience but also because it was free. The Temple is amazing and the Sikh people are perhaps the welcoming I've come across. I suggest you guys google it to get a full description of it as my ramblings won't do it justice. Needless to say I spent two wicked nights there and ate in the communal dining room there to(also free and very tasty). I was becoming quite hippyish so I thought it was a good idea to make a quick get away. Whilst there I also traveled to the Pakistani Border to watch the border closing ceremony. Every night Pakistan and India perform an elaborate ceremony mixed with macho bravado to close the border. It was all good fun though and I found myself chanting "Hindustan" with the masses. While in Amritsar I visited Jawallian Bagh, the site of the British Massacre of several hundred Indian Protesters. I felt a little ashamed here that I had never heard of this place or event before when I also realised that I know nothing about the British Empire. I guess it's the sort of thing that the Brits would want to hush under the carpet. Needless to say I felt a little uncomfortable there but didn't get any hassle. I said I was Polish when asked!
After leaving Amritsar it was off to the state capital of Punjab, Chandigarh. I'd heard a lot about the place, mainly that it is India's only planned city (their version of Milton Keynes). It's only 50 years old and was designed by a french chap called Le Corbusier. Despite reminding me a little of Milton Keynes, the place was really good and had a real modern feel to it. My budget again went out of the window as the hotel cost me 5 pounds a night (extortionate by new standards) and a total splurge on western fast food. Yum yum. The sights were really good too for a modern place, The Nek Chand Fantasy Garden was built by a guy using rubbish from building sites. (Sounds greeeatt I hear you sarcastically say) but it really was. Check out the pics. The museums were good too and all in all I was glad I made this stop on my way to Delhi. After two nights though and too much Ice cream it was off to Delhi to meet up with old Chang (Sarah) from previous travels.
After a horrendous bus ride sat behind a woman who threw up the whole way journey (6 1/2 hours! I was sitting by the window and constantly had to duck the sick flying back into the bus) I made it too Delhi. Arriving this time was a different experience in that I've learnt to tune out the touts and keep waking froward. I found a good room and headed off to meet Sarah and her mate Kylie for dinner! Had quite an amusing dinner with those guys. Thanks for talking through your motions ladies and not being girly girls! So what's wrong with Delhi I hear you ask? Why all the moaning?
What's wrong with the place is that it's hard bloody work. The traffic, the noise the sellers etc. It's just got really irritating over the past couple of days. Despiite trying to tune it out. We headed off to Hanyumans Tomb in the morning and had a look around. It was ok but I was busy following a guy I'd seen with the funniest beard in the world. If you've seen Life of Brian before, it looked like the beard Brian has to buy to escape the Romans. ("but it 's wort 10" hahaha) I finally got my pic of the beard and we were ready to go. The next day was Republic Day here in India. We made some plans to watch the parade after breakfast. However we soon found out that we had missed most of the parade as it started at 10. We sensed this could be a start of a troubling day to come. Kylie (Sarahs friend) was leaving that night and having been in Delhi for 4 days was feeling the strain. We made a plan to go to the Imperial Hotel (V Posh) for a few drinks to fill up the day. With high hopes we jetted off there only to find out that it was a dry day in India so no alcohol anywhere. With Kylie looking like she about to have a breakdown we stayed for non alcholic drinks (I had an English cuppa!) and made plans to go to the cinema. When we got to the Cinema we bought our tickets, but weren't allowed in as we have bags with us. Sarah who is feeling quite rough decides to take our bags back to the hotel and meet us later. Kylie and I try to make a second attempt to get in and after two body searches (i'm not kidding) we are almost there. Then they spotted Kylies phone in her "Ladies" bag and we are told to leave! Then we find out that we can't get a refund on our tickets. So that was a good last day of their travels for Sarah and Kylie and another reminder for me of why I hate Dehli. Sarah (looking quite ill, now known as the lepper) Kylile and I had a last dinner before they set off for the airport. So it's back solo agian. Chang it's been real. See you in October for our run in the States.
I Can't wait to get out of Delhi now and head back to the countryside. Off to Jaisalmer on Monday for a Camel Safari and two nights in the desert.
Until then
Will
P.S. A bird crapped on me today, hopefully this will bring good luck but it was still bloody annoying and typical of Delhi
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