Steve – Page 10 – Travels

Time stopped

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Steve

A while back, in a Lonely Planet guide to India I read about the Kerala backwaters in the south west. There was lots written about day tours and house boats, but what grabbed me was the chance to catch a two day ferry trip north to Kochi (Cochin).

This plan was a kind of link in my trip, head south west, then by ferry start the trip north taking 3 weeks to get to Delhi. So you can imagine how delighted I was to get to Kollam and find that there is no such ferry.

But this trip is an adventure and on adventures things don’t go smoothly, after all, that’s what makes it an adventure, right?

In fact, despite my disappointment things were going well. My Bangalore Belly was settling down, I managed to get to Kollam, I had another amazeballs experience and I am in India. There is a ferry, but it only goes to Alleppey, takes 8hrs and costs Rs400 ($AUD9), then I can get a bus to Kochi.

Ferry 25. Kollam to Alleppey

There is a temptation to not write about this day, just post pictures of the most incredibly surprising trip. A double decker ferry with about 20 people on board chugging along coconut palm lined canals passing fishing canoes and houses and people and hot and humid.

Impressive number of fishing boats along the way

…and some not so big fishing boats

Towards the end there was a traffic jam of hundreds of houseboats tying up for the evening. They look fantastic but we're pretty expensive to hire, even by Australian standards.

Towards the end there was a traffic jam of hundreds of houseboats thing up for the evening. They look fantastic but we’re pretty expensive, even by Australian standards.

I have more photos but internet is frustratingly slow and as much as I am enjoying writing all this, it is painful Maybe I will add some more later or figure out how to make my Google album public.

Do check out this video of a steampunkish coconut oil extraction factory

And somewhere along the way I took my watch off…

Always follow the music

Posted on September 19, 2015 by Steve

There’s not a lot to do in Kollam really, though locals might dispute that. The noted sites are things like a clock tower and a shopping mall. There is also another shopping center with an internet cafe that has slow internet and old computers and where you might drop your tablet and crack the screen.

I want a front door like this

I seem to have slipped into a 2 meals per day routine. A late breakfast, then a late dinner. Having a mild case of Bangalore Belly, I decided to be a little more cautious about where I ate tonight. One decent looking place wasn’t vegetarian, an OK looking veg place had about 20 too many fluorescent lights for my liking.

I am wandering the back streets and in the distance there is some music, I follow it to a Ganesh celebration. I am very mindful about trying to observe customs so I remove my footwear and stand at the back. There is loud music and all sorts of rituals not unlike in the video from yesterday, except Ganesh is already in place.

I know that Ganesh is officially the God of removing blocked obstacles, but he also seems to be the God of garish decoration. Fluorescent colours, lots of tinsel, coloured lights, a strobe light – this is extreme decorating worthy of a reality show.

Unfortunately you miss the effect of the strobe light

After a while a couple of boys badly trying to not be obvious, stand near me and check me out. I let them be not very subtle for a while then to their surprise I say hello and shake their hands. A couple more boys wander over, it is all boys, the girls sit demurely with their mothers, at the back of course 😛

I am invited to sit but I prefer standing, I can see more and with my dodgy back I am more comfortable. This is OK.

When I go to take a photo from the back, the intention being to get the whole room and the atmosphere, I am invited, no ushered, up the front. Right to the feet of Ganesh, it is lucky I don’t have epilepsy, that strobe. Then I am introduced to the President of the association the name of which I have no idea. I shake his hand and act honoured to meet him.

Someone suggests we pose for photos in front of Ganesh, how can I refuse, and why would I? It’s like a selfie with God and I understand how celebrities must feel fulfilling their duty. By now the few kids is a group, standing around just checking me out.

Honoured guest with President plus unidentified photo bomber

The priest and helpers have been wandering, blessing people and handing out small amounts of food that I imagine have been blessed also. One is like a rice pudding, the other like a sticky date pudding, they taste great. The group of kids is now a small crowd. There are a couple of bold curious girls. The music is deafening.

A guy who speaks excellent English explains that almost everyone is northern Indian. The south Indians finished Ganesh Chaturthi a week or so ago and this is the northerners getting together to celebrate according to their calendar.

Some of the boys

By now they have asked where I am from and I give my standard answer “Australia, Ricky Ponting” which elicits much nodding of heads. There is also an odd question that is asked regularly, “what is your good name?”. Obviously they are asking my name but I can’t explain what is behind the “good name”. I have already adopted this way of asking others their name.

Guy explains that soon there will be food and I am invited to stay. Of course, following my mantra I say “yes” and I am handed over to what is now a mob of boys who seat me and ask non stop questions. But I can’t hear them as my ears are bleeding from the music.

VIP table

Although I was out looking for food I had already been thinking about how to indicate I only wanted a small meal. Hah! Not here. A couple of curries, some pickle, a papadam, and chappatis. Yum. And it was an endless supply. I ended up having to throw myself over my plate to stop it being refilled.

Chapatti man

I have learned to simplify answers to questions, it is just easier. My bad back is a swimmimg accident at the beach, it might sound Christi, but I am not even going near Ankylosing Spondilitis. I live at Brisbane, but if it is easier, it might become Sydney. My work is as a computer programmer, imagine trying to explain my life as an entertainer.

Guy happens to be a computer student and wonders if he could work for me in Australia. I don’t make any promises I can’t keep and we are going to try to connect on Facebook.

I offer my sincere and genuine gratitude for being made welcome and included, shake hands with each of the boys and head out into the night laughing at my good fortune.

I have only been here a week. What else is in store?

Heading south

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Steve

It’s a big day in India, the start of Ganesh Chaturthi, a 10 day Hindu festival. Originally I was going to avoid Mumbai, but when I read about this festival and how huge it is in Mumbai I decided to go there. Everyone warns me it is crazy.

Did I already mention this in a post? Forgive me if I am repeating but I am not going back to check.

Last night was a bit of a build up as they moved shrouded statues of Ganesh onto makeshift platforms. There are loads of these set up, various sizes and level of decoration. Each one is blocking a laneway, so traffic is a little more chaotic if that is possible.

I had decided to head south today and though I might have picked the wrong night to be on a train, night one of GS. But no fear of missing out. Read on.

Booking a train ticket was much easier than booking on the bus. Same app, but this time it connects with India rail and they don’t mind foreign cards.

The only problem was that the train was apparently full and I am on a wait list with 4 other people. I figure that getting to the station very early to sort it out is wise. I know you are thinking “there is going to be a story here” and there is, but there is a happy ending. Well, there goes the chance for some cliff hangers.

Passive aggressive street seller

I get to Bangalore Cantonment Station and am told that to get myself from wait list to confirmed I need to go to Bangalore City Station (BNC). This is a good train ride test run and despite the ticket only being Rs30 (70c) I could have gotten away without one 🙂 But I will leave it to Americans to be the ugly tourists…speaking of which, where are all the foreigners? I seem to be the only one here.

BNC I line up again and am told to go to DRM ground floor, commercial office for Emergency Quota because there is no Foreign Tourist Quota. Likely because there seem to be no other foreign tourists. I am waved off in a general direction.

Walking generally in that direction, people I ask either waggle their head which I think meant “I don’t want to admit I don’t know” or they continue to wave in a general direction.

A unique commercial collaboration between Sennheiser and Adidas. I am sure it is legit

In that general direction after some back and forth-ing I eventually spot a sign pointing to District Rail Manager – get it? Up to the front door and although the building is open, all the offices are shut up. I am hoping GS isn’t a holiday.

I should add there are no signs in the building indicating what office is where. A few people, including a police officer with a big rifle, point out different places, none of which are right. I wander around outside and a man walking towards the building knows! In fact he seems to be the Emergency Quota man! It turns out I have to fill out a form, but there are none so a hand written copy is fine.

Instructions are to drop it into a box where I was certain it would languish for days. The dice are cast, time to go with the flow. I drop my back pack in the cloak room and start following my nose.

The whole time I am working on Plan B. Can I get a bus to Kollam? No. How much for a bed for the night? Not much. Since I have spoilered this yarn, you know I didn’t need them.

Street wandering is great fun. Food, stalls, people, things. I am drawn to the sound of some drumming and the day suddenly becomes awesome! In a crowded temple something is going on, not sure what but worth investigating.

This kid was excited and going off. The drumming was loud, people inside the temple we doing puja, the atmosphere was pretty electric.

Then there was some shouting and Ganesh is hoisted into the air and taken out to the street. On the way coconuts are smashed on the ground, laps are done of a central structure, drummers are drumming.

Despite being right in amongst it I didn’t feel like I was I intruding or in the way, people were smiling, it was a joyous occasion. Ganesh went in the back of a truck and was driven off, drums still going, drummers hanging out the back. It was a rare treat to see.

One thing Indian Rail does well is manage bookings. You are given a PNR number – I have no idea what it stands for – and it is the key to your booking. You can even SMS the PNR to 138 and it will respond with your ticket status. 1300hrs and I am still wait listed for a 1715hrs train.

Mental note of location made

I have already learned that you have to be bold to get things done, whether it is crossing the road (Steve, will you shut up about roads already) or having your booking status changed.

Back to DRM and in a room the size of our bathroom are three guys, the first thing I noticed was the monochrome computer screen. I don’t think I have seen one since last century.

I give them my PNR and am ready to ask if there is a “fee” when he tells me it is all good. I am in car A1, seat 25. And no fee!

And now I am somewhere heading South. I am getting more confident, just need perseverance. Oh, and despite the wait list, the train had plenty of empty beds :o)

Looking forward to the view as we travel

I haven’t stopped laughing all day:

Went to buy a bottle of water, thought the guy said Rs50, had a money malfunction (stand by) and when I sorted it I discovered it was actually Rs15, between my dodgy hearing and his accent..
When I went to buy Rs50 water all my money apart from about Rs150 was missing from my wallet. About Rs3,000, I hoped someone deserving found it when I dropped it. Went to the ATM got more, was putting the bulk of it in my money belt and found the money I forgot I had put in my money belt.
I am heading to Kollam to catch a ferry through the Kerala Backwaters to Kochi (Cochin), my fellow compartment sharer was puzzled and it took me a while to figure out that the train goes through Kochi on the way to Kollam. [UPDATE FROM KOLLAM] there is no ferry from Kollam to Kochi – thanks Lonely Planet.

Just another day in India

Preparing a Ganesha float

The wheels on the bus…

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Steve

Hyderabad to Bangalore in a sleeper bus. There’s an app for that. Actually there are a lot of bus booking apps, how easy will this be!

Found the bus I wanted, leaving at 2130 arriving Bangalore 0700 for Rs 850 (<$AUD20). The booking process includes choosing your seat. Fantastic!

photos of the inside of a bus are pretty boring, so these are from around Bangalore

I try to pay and my card is “declined by issuer”. This is a special account I created with Citibank that has a debit card I can use in any ATM in India.

I know that the card works, I have paid for a room and withdrawn cash. I reluctantly try my Aussie credit card – they have shitty exchange rates and take a conversion fee on top, but that doesn’t work either.

I call them and we work out that because it is a foreign issued card they don’t accept it online. I suppose I should be tha thankful that there isn’t the obligatory foreign tourist premium…but I’m not. I am promised that a way around this problem will be investigated and I will receive a call back. Being patient as described here doesn’t help, I never receive the call, but was optimistic anyway.

Maybe Citibank can do something to make the card Indian friendly. I recall seeing a Citibank sign on a building so am happy to go for a long walk to try to talk to someone who might speak a little English.

After 3 days I was starting to get to know my way around Banjara Hills and I knew I could find my way back hom…always an important consideration.

Somehow I walked about 1km past Citibank…sigh…and making my way back, there it was, but despite the huge sign (that I missed) it was only an ATM…another sigh.

Problem solving hat on I remember that Airtel, my phone company, has a money thing, you deposit funds and you can transfer it and pay bills. Kind of like PayPal and the bus place accepts Airtel money.

Given how often we deal with offshore call centres, I felt quite comfortable being transferred around Airtel’s and back again. However the foreign card thingy applies here too and I can’t get money into that account. I am done sighing.

My host Ashok has offer to use his card but by this time I am on a mission to solve this myself, as though I didn’t have such wonderful people backing me up.

The online ordering was through a portal and it showed the name of the bus line so I decide to call them directly. I am assured I can buy the ticket for cash and of course someone will phone me back™. Bugger me, they did! They give me details for the pickup point @ 2130. It is all going to happen.

Just kidding.

Ashok and Vani drive me to the bus stop plenty early. I call the bus directly and tell them I am waiting. In a little while they call me and say they are nearly there. After 30 minutes watching the Niagara Falls of traffic flowing continuously by, I call again.

“You have missed the bus” he says. At this point I hand to Ashok and he tries to find out in Hindi what is happening.

Either the bus was cancelled or they changed the route or I wasn’t there. All three reasons were apparently offered.

But I can still get on the bus, just need to get to the next pick up point in an adjoining suburb. Sounds easy but this is Indian traffic. A crazy dash it was. Ashok is the most cautious driver I have seen. One time he used his horn and I commented :o) But tonight he was possessed.

They are calling every few minutes “hurry up the bus is waiting”, Ashok’s crazy driving is fitting into the local traffic perfectly, Vani is yelling at them in Hindi, I can’t understand a word but the tone of giving someone shit translates easily.

Finally we arrive at a bus booking place (a handful of stands by the side of the road) and can’t find the guy despite us being on the phone to him. Then he spots me…I do tend to stand out, I don’t think I have seen another Westerner since I got here.

There is more yelling in Hindi, the Rs850 fare is now magically Rs900 and I have my ticket. But the actual bus isn’t here. I give Vani and Ashok a hug to thank them for their amazingly incredible hospitality as it might be the last time I see them.

It just might be the last time I see anyone, because I put on my backpack and climb on the back of a motorbike to be taken to the bus.

Fuck me! There is a bus! And a bed for me (no seats)! And we get going! And now I am in Bangalore.

I could write a post about the trip itself but will only tell about the fact that my bed was on the bottom (it was two tiered) at the very back. This is directly above the hottest part of the engine and after about an hour the heat had worked its way up through the mattress.

Fortunately the top bed was empty…and I am in Bangalore.

I’ll bet you can’t wait to hear about the train ride to Kollam…I am sure there will be a tale to tell.

Obligatory first cow photo

Saying Yes

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Steve

In 1974 I hitch-hiked across Canada to the Montreal Olympics and then over the next many months I made my way back and forth across the USA.

One afternoon in Arizona I was standing by the road and a car load of Native Americans slowed as they drove past and I can still remember hoping they weren’t stopping for me, after all I had my preconceived stereotype of them and I’ll be honest and admit that at a younger age, it wasn’t flattering.

As we drove along they asked if I wanted to hear some singing and I thought they meant the radio. “Sure” says I and they start singing some traditional songs and explain them to me. I was invited to come and stay at their house and being a bit nervous about something or another I declined with an excuse about having to keep moving.

I have regretted that ever since. It might have turned out to be a most wonderful experience, but I will never know.

With that in mind on this trip I am planning to say “yes” to every opportunity.

Ashok, my host is in the travel industry so arranged for a car and driver for the day. Meet Azim who spoke just enough English that we could understand each other. He took me to a some of the tourist sights in Hyderabad and at one point, I was kind of ready to head home and he suggested a temple and I declined, then remembered and changed my mind and said “yes”.

Cameras were not allowed unfortunately as it was a beautiful place made of white marble overlooking the city. Lots of idols and carvings of gods. I got talking to a priest who spoke a little English and was given some holy water to drink. So far I don’t think it has worked, but it was great being included in what all the worshipers were doing.

To the museum, where they have refined the “let’s charge the rich foreign tourist a bit more” rort and taken it to the extreme. Entry is Rs 20 for locals and a bit of a premium for me at Rs 500 and for that I still had to pay extra to take photos (not an uncommon additional fee).

There was a lot to see but the highlight is a statue called Veiled Rebecca. I had to spend quite a bit of time looking from different angles to be certain that it was carved and didn’t have a material veil placed over it. I have never seen anything quite like the way the sculptor has somehow made marble look transparent.

On to Charminar. You are going to have to do your own research on these places, it is worth it. While the traffic has been hilariously incredible, the area around this monument is that image of India that you have seen so often.

The photo doesn’t do any of it justice, the crowds, the traffic, the shops, the structure itself. In fact because we were a little pressed for time today and didn’t have long, I am going to head back there tomorrow by bus to spend a few hours just hanging out.

Hmmm…dosa, Indian fast food

When you are in Hyderabad I highly recommend you eat at the Amat Hotel. We ate there last night and then by coincidence that Amiz stopped there for lunch today…well, maybe not a coincidence since it is popular. When a meal costs Rs 200 ($4.50) I generally don’t think there is going to be a lot of it…but I was very wrong.

There are actually 2 rotis on my plate, it was overwhelming to just look at. Then half way through the meal Vani and I both spotted a waiter walking towards us with a huge bucket of rice and we must have thought the same thing, that he was bringing it to us. As he walked past we both collapsed laughing at just the thought of it being delivered to us. There has been a lot of laughing.

Have you noticed the lack of cutlery. Yep, eating with your hand (right hand only) is how you do it. A pile of rice in the middle of your plate, take one or more of the accompanying dishes, massage it together and with a little practice and some instructions on etiquette it becomes second nature.

And I haven’t even touched on our visit to the Sound and Light Spectacular at Golconda Fort before dinner. I am fitting so much into a day it is hard to believe that was last night…seems like a week ago already.

And to cap it off, Facebook was all abuzz with the long awaited ousting of Abbott. YES!

To market…

Posted on September 13, 2015 by Steve

I have only been in India for 36 hours and it already feels like I have been here for months.

Vani and Ashok are extraordinary people – I would love to get Vani and my sister Di together, the connection would be instant. I contacted Vani through Couch Surfing and have to admit that right up to the moment she gave me her address I wasn’t confident this was going to happen. She messaged me and advised that there was a bunch of kids in the house and Vani was right, but this is a wonderful story.

The photo is after we came back from an incredible dinner at a Dosa house at about 10PM last night…they tend to eat pretty late here. The photo is great, but moments before we had all dissolved in fits of laughter. I set up my camera on the back of a nearby car with a 10 second timer and it was counting down. You couldn’t plan it better, just at flash moment, guess what happened.

See us in the background? :o)

Vani is a teacher at a college that does an engineering preparation course. She has this bunch of students, but I have to use the term loosely. These young men, around 17 years old, are more like family, I have never quite seen anything like it. They are absolutely welcome in Vani and Ashok’s home and they act like they live here.

The boys like to hang around me and when we went out to dinner there were too many people for the car, so I was invited to go on the back of a motor-bike. I was tired and didn’t quite think the implications through:

This is a motorbike
I am in India
No one wears a helmet
No one takes any traffic “rule” seriously
I have zero idea of the skill level of the 17 year old driver (though he is still alive so that must count for something)
My travel insurance likely doesn’t cover riding pillion on a motorbike

It was about a 15 minute ride and I can honestly say that I was only terrified for about 14:30 of it. About half way there, as we came way too close to yet another vehicle I thought to myself “what the fuck were you thinking?”.

At one point Vishwanath seemed to think I would like the exhilaration of riding fast. Since I was behind him he obviously couldn’t see the whites of my eyes dominating the night sky. But by embedding my fingernails in his ribs I made it clear that riding slow is bad enough, riding fast was simply nuts and he got the message. Then he made a left turn into a busy road and at no time did he look to see if there was any traffic coming, I imagined waking up in an Indian hospital. But we did make it in one piece and on the way back it was in the car for me – I have done it once, that is plenty thanks.

Somewhere along the line Vani has adopted an orphanage to support and has encouraged her students to get involved in doing community work. So when I arrived at the house all these young men we making and decorating statues of Ganesh to sell at a Sunday organic market for Ganesh Chaturthi.

This is one of those rare treats in the life of a traveller. To be directly involved with the locals, get to know a few people and hang out. But there is a down-side to it as well. I am being so well taken care of that it is like I haven’t quite been thrown into the deep end of India yet. But I am certainly a bit more prepared, trying to learn a few basic Hindi words and making sure that any cultural gaffs are pointed out.

As always it is the kids. Here’s a couple of kids from the orphanage, apparently their parents have either died from AIDS or are in prison for some reason. Maybe when I get home we can do something to support them.

They started off pretty shy, but some magic tricks, a few nursery rhymes on the ukulele and I ended up king of the kids. This little one below was the daughter of one of the other stall holders and quite bold. She wanted to be in a photo :o)

Yes, I am growing a beard only because I am too lazy to shave.

As well as our Ganesh idols, there were other delights at this Sunday organic market.

In fact, these are used for cooking stoves or burned to keep insects away…but it certainly isn’t something you see every day at home 😛

Ganesh Galore

Posted on September 12, 2015 by Steve

I’ve had a few things to do to get started. Get a SIM card, power plug adapters, do some repairs (already).

I was looking forward to a good nights sleep after getting to bed at about 1am local time which is about 5am by my body. And sleep well I did, for a while.

Not sure what time the call to prayer at the mosque next door was, but it got my attention. Then at 8am my body decided it was time to wake up, unfortunately it was 8am at home and 4am here. So sleep deprived I am.

Hyderabad so far is like most Asian cities I have visited, noisy, polluted, grotty. And fascinating.

I am doing my first ever couch surf and caught an auto to Vani’s house. An auto looks like the offspring of a fling between a motor scooter and a 1970s mini minor panel van.

They nearly always have an abundance of people in and hanging out of them. The only vehicles carrying more people are the motor scooters, but that is another post topic.

I have already noticed an Indian cultural trait. A reluctance to admit you don’t know, especially when it come to directions. And my auto driver was another fine example. He waggled his head and assured me he absolutely knew the place, and we agreed on a price.

In the end I think he spent more time stopped and asking people for directions than he did actually driving. And this is a good thing for road safety statistics. Talk about calling out the bluff of other drivers… yikes. A u-turn into oncoming traffic? No worries. Turn a corner without even looking? Of course.

Everyone honks all the time, but unlike back home where it means Get The Fuck Out Of My Way Arsehole, here it seems to mean “watch out, I’m near you”, with ‘near’ being an understatement.

But he got me here and already my first couch surfing experience is awesome.

I walk in and am made instantly welcome. The apartment is packed with about 10 twenty year old guys all making statues of Ganesh out of clay to sell for Ganesh Chaturthi, the big festival I am heading to Mumbai for.

They are going to be selling them somewhere tomorrow and I am going along to help. Instant cultural immersion.

Vani is already on the case with details about an overnight bus to and organising a bed in Bangalore, has my next couple of days planned and is just wonderful.

She speaks excellent English, but most people don’t speak much at all which is a bit of a surprise, and my Hindi sucks or should I say mera hindi kharab hai.

Follow along

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Steve

Since my last post I have had several more pieces of advice offered both verbally, by email and on Facebook. A couple of them have actually been good ideas and will be taken on board. Thanks for all of it, it is better to have too much info, including some that you don’t need than to wish someone had suggested something like pre-register to book on Indian trains (which I have now done) and they hadn’t.

It is time to give a bit of a picture to the trip and here it is…

Click to view full size

I pretty much explained the rather loose plan here and I keep hearing about cool things to do and see along the route. Please feel free to add more in the comments, all ideas considered.

Why arrive in Hyderabad? With a fare of only $330 or so it was pretty hard to resist.

It is interesting to note how the to-do list keeps getting longer at the same time as the amount of time left is getting shorter.

But at least I managed to finish Breaking Bad before I left.

The top image was taken by my son Taj. It is quite intriguing and when you realise the secret it will make sense.

I’m listening…

Posted on September 6, 2015 by Steve

I have received plenty of advice and I appreciate it. Especially from those who have ventured to the Indian subcontinent before me.

Information is best shared so this is a collection of advice offered to me *.

Travel by train whenever possible and take Sleeper Class
Eat vegetarian cooked food , avoid salad.
Street food is fine
Visit the Taj Mahal as early as possible in the morning. Do this by staying in Agra the night before
You will get sick , you will get better.
Try not to get bitten by a rabid dog
Get over it and stop being such a wuss. What happened to the spirit of Crocodile Dundee?
Don’t leave Chaitrali Mahanwar hanging! Let her know if you still want to stay. (Auto response from CouchSurfing)
You can basically buy anything in the world at an Indian pharmacy
Travelling light – did you hear about the guy a few weeks ago who fainted at the airport because he had like 4 layers on, trying to avoid being overweight with his carry-on?!
Allow 1 more working day for receipt of your visa
Take care!
Remember – the worst experiences at the time, make the best stories later
Wash your hands at every opportunity
Don’t forget to view our handy travel insurance claims guide
Don’t forget every bank-note is contaminated with all sorts of lurgies. Think about BUYING food then eating it without implements
from 18 Nov to 25 Nov there is India‘s biggest tribal fair near to Jaipur at Pushkar. it would be your life time opportunity to experience this fair.. I am planning to attend this fair. Can help and guide you If you’re interested in it
Varanasi has one of my favorite stepwells, hidden in the city, you’ll probably need to keep asking, it’s surrounded by temples: LOLARKA KUND also known as CHARAN GANGA…really amazing.
Go to the Red Fort (in Delhi) and hunt for the baoli

This is all very useful information that I have taken to heart. No doubt you have some advice that isn’t on the list yet. Please add it as a comment.

I hope this list will benefit not only me, but any one else who stumbles on this blog. I found the writing of other people useful, I can only do my best to keep the information flowing.

I will add this advice of my own: Do not pay much attention to the guru in the image

* These are all genuine.

Don’t bug me…please

Posted on September 5, 2015 by Steve

I am going to take the advice of a commenter and not focus on toilets…until I desperately need to. And at the same time, Delhi Belly is not something to be ignored or sneezed at…especially when you have it.

Being labelled ‘reckless’ has been a staple of married life for me. The Sheila and I live in different worlds when it comes to risk assessment. For me, taking calculated risks makes life exciting but not so much for her.

I am unlikely to eat a meal in a hotel or fancy restaurant – I don’t do it at home, so why when travelling and the lure of street food is irresistable. So going prepared for anything and hoping for the best is not a bad idea, especially since I will be a long way from home and by myself for 5 weeks. “But don’t you have a real doctor in your family these days?’ you might ask. Yes, but it isn’t much help really unless trying to get a diagnosis via email is your thing.

And getting sick when you are supposed to be exploring and having adventures seems much less fun than taking an ideological stand and remembering that you are a wuss when it comes to injections.This was the formidable looking line up. In fact, two of them were absolutely painless, seriously! Zero pain! I have learned a lot about the value of relaxing when having your body intentionally punctured.

Common sense tells me to have what I might need at hand rather than having to struggle to a doctor or chemist and try to figure out what I needed 60 minutes ago. So here’s the kit – it is only because of weight limits that I am not including a defibrillator.

Six days to go and I raise my glass of boiled, UV treated, filtered, iodined water from a sealed bottle in a toast to good health.