India's almost done

Well, as of tomorrow my india leg is over. I have been to six different cities and eaten daal at least once a day and been stared at at least fifty times a day (no exaggeration needed) I am currently on my way back to Delhi on my last indian sleeper train and my last worry is that I again get off at the wrong station. I am to be picked up at Delhi cannt, a station earlier than new delhi's main one but as it will be close to 5.30am, ie dark, and small enough to not need signs I do have a chance of missing it. Jodphur was nice but not my favourite, the fort this morning had stunning views of the many blue shaded house bellow and surrounding hills and I saw rajistan at it's expected with camels and elephants used as working animals and colour everywhere. But apart from that the small city did not have much to offer. I kinda think that ten days of bed and train hopping has tired me of the Indian wonders that are now becoming a little samey. Sitting on my top bunk of the train, we're off on my way back to a familiar city and the sight of familiar faces.

Rajistan is gorgeous

I am leaving Jaipur today for Jodpur and I really like Rajistan, yesterday I went on a half day tour organized by the tourist office which included the cities finest buildings and historical pieces along with 12 other tourists whom were all lovely. The observatory was particularly amazing, it was built in 17th century and can still tell the accurate tie up to 2 seconds on the worlds biggest sun dial and all the astronomical instruments are beautiful as well as mathematically completely accurate still. With two Mexican Californian girls who I met on the tour I went to dinner 30km out of the city to Joci Duni something like a theme park to demonstrate Rajistan's culture all rolled up in one cliche but we loved it. We rode on an elephant and a camel and got henna and danced and ate on the floor with our hands all of the areas dishes. I even got given a baby and asked if the father could take a phot of me holding it, I am an attraction as well so much so he offered to pay me for the privilege. So it was  very long day but so much fun.
 Today I will see one or two more trourist sites and possibly spend money in the bazaars before heading to my last stop before Delhi Jodpur tonight.

Taj brill, Agra no thrill

Today I got to see one of the wonders of the world and it really did live up to it's name. I arrived in Agra last night and so got up early this morning to fit in time to see everything most of all the Taj Mahal. I had my first roun of illness last night, I had dal and chapatis for dinner so cannot work out what it was from but it really disrupted my sleep and I was scared it would disrupt today but luckily enough when i woke this morning I felt absolutely fine. The taj was amazinf, the huge green ground that the memorial is in the centre of are emacxulately kept and the whjite marble centre piece cannot only be reached wearing shoe covers and paying 75 times more than indians. I really loved it and cannot believe it was done as a romantic offering for his wife, I'm hoping my husband will do the same for me one day.
After a long day and hardly any sleep I am now very tired and so bored of waiting for trains., I waited in Agra for 4 hours for my late train and then jumped off a moving train, graving my arms and knees in order to get off at Jaipur so after checking into my hotel at 2am I am now going to sleep and as I am here for two nights I am settiong no alarm.


btw I am also very bored of the staring espeially at the train station, I am not the first white person they have ever seen and when I am tired and hungry and by myself they all need to stop as it is starting to really get on my nerves!!!

I'm loving Ochhra

Now that i have arrived in Ochhra after a 15 hr train ride by myself in a cabin I am in Ochhra a gorgeous green town surround by a 17th century palace which includes many temples and memorials. The hotel I am staying at has a pool so after taking a lovely cooling dip I was guided round the town by a lovely 18 year girl named Hirdesh, her name was given to me by aman and her nglish and knowledge of the tourist spots were excellent. I seem to much prefer here to Varanasi and now as it is 9pm I am taking full advantage of the hotel fascilites and taking another dip in the pool before a long hoit shower and comfortable bed before me trip to Agra tomorrow.

dead man floating

Yesterday I got very lost so many times and when I ask for directions I seem to get laughed at quite a bit. I spent most of today wandering around the streets visiting temples along the way but my plan was to go on a boat in the evening to see the 7pm sunset ceremony where there is the lighting of candles and petals both floatd onto the ganges but the rain ruined this idea. Instead I got picked up at 5am this morning along with another two tourist couples staying at my hotel to go on a sunrise boat ride which was 4 times longer, 4 times more expensive and no ceremony. We got conned into paying a little more but not as much as the boat skipper wanted.
I have now seen over 10 bodies either in the p[rocess of being cremated or generally floating in the river and initially it took my breath away but now I just think of them as props on a tv show. Varanasi is fascinating and so strange to see bodies being floated into the water next to a gate meant for doing the toilet next to kids playing in the water, although so different to anywhere else on earth I don't know if the incredible smell and ammount of dirt would bring me back.

Now as both my phones have died and refusing to charge I have purchased a lovely pink star shaped alarm clock which will be staying in my bag for the duration of the trip to help me keep track of time and hopefully not miss any trains. Next stop Ochhra.

18/08/10 Cow pat city

I have now offically arrived in Varanasi off of what was the correct train and the very religous reason for the city set on the Ganges mean many more cowas then even Dalhi and goats and buffalo evedently the sity smells pretty bad everywhere amd I have already stepped in two steaming piles.

The city is set on the sacred Ganges where people pilgrimage to bathe and set bodies a float, you see holy men everywhere of Hindu majority and small make shift temples in some of the oddest places. The orange of the robes is to symbolize Shiva who is celebrated especially in august and so many hundreds of people in bright orange is spectacularly colourful. The old part of the city is lined along the Ganges and has over 30 ghats which are manmade entry points into the river used for spiritual bathing and on two there are burning ghats which allow cremated or partly cremated or not at all to bwe floated on to the river.
I currently sit in a bakery near Shivala ghat which i found out is owned by the maharaja of varanasi and very nice it is. As I have finally cooled down and the baskin robbins sign i can see on the wall is a lie i'm gonna make my way back out to get lost in more of the historical cow pat covered ally ways.

17/08/10 iminent train journey

Last night i didn't get much sleep, Christine and Aman had their neighbour round for dinner and she has made me even more worried about the train and as a result I hardly slept. But after 7am yoga I am feeling positive an calm...ish.

I've now boared the train and sitting on my top windowless bunk I'm praying I am on the right train as noone was totally convincing in their saying it went to Varanasi. Isuppose even id it is wromg i will get to see another new aread o India.

OMG we are moving!!!!

First day done and the Rai's are fabulous hosts

Delhi is certainly a crazy city from the lack of any sort of road rules to the cows EVERYWHERE to the police caning people in the street.
At lunch I was invited for lunch to Aman's (one of my Indian hosts) house to eat what I was told was the safe homecooked version of the street-side food stalls and although total different from anything I wad expecting it was lovely. The "lassee" was not. A drink made from curd, spiced, salt and coriander reminded me very much of a drink forced upon me during some sort of drunken dare, not for me.
After lunch I joined Christine's friend Patrick and his Newcastle based colleague to see a few of delhi's finest sights. We first stopped for a sweet treat called "paad" made ifront of you at a street corner from a cardamom pod, spices, a treacle like substance, other unrecognisable things and wrapped in an edible leaf. Unfortunately again i didn't like it, it is meant to freshen your breath and be chewed for around 30minutes but myself and patrick's colleague lasted around 5.
We then drove around the city seeing the lotus temple, which literally looks like a lotus flower, the Indian parliament buildings which in size and grandure definatelu out do our london version then india gate an arch to commemorate those who ace theirs lives in wars then back home for a quick change before Zara's (christine's daughter) birthday party in the evening at Christine's gorgeous cafe and shop which was very enjoyable.

The journey begins

I thought I was bad discussing maths over lunch but the two men sitting behind me, one if Whig is a physics Cambridge undergrad and the other a maths caltech professor have been overwhelming the man beside them for over an hour now about the creation of AT and T and the physics of bad television reception.
Beside me on the Delhi plane are a pair of sweet old ladies from north Carolina sit with their fanny packs still attached to their person.
Now that I can officially say I am on my way I think it is time again to get excited about my first port of call; especially as the slightly less intelligent member if the threesome behind me is helping the Oxbridge grads with their Hindi. My first Hindi word
"agasraa-hey"
Probably totally incorrect but it is supposed to mean "how are you?" By the end of two weeks I will be fluent.
6.5 hrs now till touch down and so much has happened already.

The First of many

So...

as of Friday 13th  I am officially off travelling the world and instead of sending the same email to all my nearest and dearest I thought of entering all my goings on in this here blog. Hopefully I won't get too boring wit the details nor make you too jealous but feel free to contact me at any point through this or facebook just be prepared it may take me a while to get back to you. 

Dearest grandparents and family members be assured I will be as safe as possible and won't take any free holidays nor sweeties from men down dark allyways. Wish me luck and I will see you when I am back at christmas.

love and kisses

Eilidh