How can I tell you how much we are enjoying India!
Kochi is an old fort and trading town, part of the spice trade originally. Peaceful. beautiful and we did a cooking/eating class there much to Phil's chagrin originally--he is now a convert to actually working a little more for his dinner.
Car down to Varkala, on the Arabian Sea where Phil is taking a dip while I sort out our next leg; some things you need to book in advance when there is a big pilgramage on, as we have realized. We have a 3.30 a.m. flight that takes half an hour and is deemed international so we have to be at the airport 3 hours prior to time because of teh terrorist threats!!!!!!!!
Food is absolutely stunning still. Fabrics and tailors everywhere and we are in wedding season here--the jewellry stores have to be seen to be believed, they are like huge supermarkets with gold, stones, diamonds, pearls....I am in shock.
Will write next from Sri Lanka
Friday, December 12, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Hampi
Will type this as it comes as the keys are jamming: we are in Hampi Bazaar (check it out via Google)today, came via Tuk Tuk from Hospet where we are staying , an amazing world heritage area, full of big rocks for Phil--reckon it is only fair as I have had a look at my fair share of old frocks!
Arrived from Hubli, took a car and driver for the princely sum of Australian $60-ish dollars. At times it was like being in the Aussie countryside with wheat growing and gum trees on the side of the road.
We are doing a Hampi tour tomorrow so we actually understand what we are seeing today, but thankfully not staying in this highly touristy place, full of backpackers--the youthful ones. We are also backpacking but not doing 1 to 2 star accommodation...our driver in Delhi referred to us as aged (pronounced as age-ed) on the way to the airport, so we are now referring to one another as age-ed wife or age-ed husband. Does this mean that we now have falls rather than falling over?
Love the country, though everyne is suffering from the scourge of terrorism and there have been alleged airline hijack threats so security is really ramped up. We are travelling on our first train tomorrow night, to Bangalore, an overnighter, sharing with ?? whom. Will keep you posted
The food is fabulous, we are mowing our way through all the local stuff, much to the amazement of some of the locals who keep trying to sell us omelettes!!!
Talk to you whenever
Arrived from Hubli, took a car and driver for the princely sum of Australian $60-ish dollars. At times it was like being in the Aussie countryside with wheat growing and gum trees on the side of the road.
We are doing a Hampi tour tomorrow so we actually understand what we are seeing today, but thankfully not staying in this highly touristy place, full of backpackers--the youthful ones. We are also backpacking but not doing 1 to 2 star accommodation...our driver in Delhi referred to us as aged (pronounced as age-ed) on the way to the airport, so we are now referring to one another as age-ed wife or age-ed husband. Does this mean that we now have falls rather than falling over?
Love the country, though everyne is suffering from the scourge of terrorism and there have been alleged airline hijack threats so security is really ramped up. We are travelling on our first train tomorrow night, to Bangalore, an overnighter, sharing with ?? whom. Will keep you posted
The food is fabulous, we are mowing our way through all the local stuff, much to the amazement of some of the locals who keep trying to sell us omelettes!!!
Talk to you whenever
Friday, December 5, 2008
Incredible India
Incredible India is the promotional idea of the Indian government adn it just about says it all--arrived in Delhi to amazing traffic (usual apparently), incredible turmoil post Mumbai. Have had a great few days, out to Agra and the Taj Mahal, lots of hype about it has proved true.
We are currently in Gurajat state, Ahmedebad, have been to Ghandi's Ashram and a great museum...more at a later stage.
Flying is a challenge with threats of hijacking. We are currently in an internet cafe and the space I have is for a 10 year old, not a voluptuous woman like me, so will write when I have more comfort. But, yes, so far I would come back in a heartbeat!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Hey Ho, Hey Ho, it's off to the airport we go.......
The last big sleep has been and gone, we are off to the airport for yet another flying marathon.
8 hours to Singapore, 2.5 hour stopover before we depart at 2.30 in the morning to arrive in Delhi at 5.55 am on a 5.5 hour flight...no, my maths is not that bad, allow for the multiple time zones and changes.
We have culled (or is it killed??) the amount of clothing we are taking in our back packs:while we are not really ageing hippies, carrying or pulling suitcases is hard work and a real pain-packs give us free hands. Seems ludicrous, but more of the weight of the bags consists of some books, Lonely Planet India and Sri lanka guides, power adaptors, mobile phones, camera, anti-bacterial gel and wipes, sunscreen, tropical strength insect repellant, anti-biotics, anti-diarrhoea and anti-vomiting medication...we reckon our bags weigh less than 10 kgs each, and we both still think we are carrying too much!
As we usually do, we will probably end up 'donating' any excess to fellow travellers on the road. For now, au revoir, auf wiedersehn, ciaio, hasta la vista, 再见，hoo roo
8 hours to Singapore, 2.5 hour stopover before we depart at 2.30 in the morning to arrive in Delhi at 5.55 am on a 5.5 hour flight...no, my maths is not that bad, allow for the multiple time zones and changes.
We have culled (or is it killed??) the amount of clothing we are taking in our back packs:while we are not really ageing hippies, carrying or pulling suitcases is hard work and a real pain-packs give us free hands. Seems ludicrous, but more of the weight of the bags consists of some books, Lonely Planet India and Sri lanka guides, power adaptors, mobile phones, camera, anti-bacterial gel and wipes, sunscreen, tropical strength insect repellant, anti-biotics, anti-diarrhoea and anti-vomiting medication...we reckon our bags weigh less than 10 kgs each, and we both still think we are carrying too much!
As we usually do, we will probably end up 'donating' any excess to fellow travellers on the road. For now, au revoir, auf wiedersehn, ciaio, hasta la vista, 再见，hoo roo
Friday, November 28, 2008
Here today, gone tomorrow
I have not been hiding from the blog backlog, just been catching up with 'stuff'...you know what that is like! Time consuming is only part of it. Couple that with the number of phone calls we have been fielding regarding our upcoming trip to India and Sri Lanka and I am so far behind I'm in front! And my intentions about the packing updates have gone by the wayside also: am actually off to cull some of the gear right now.
If we had been on our original schedule, we would have been transiting via Mumbai on the first day of the terrorist action. As it is, we transit in about 8 days from now with hopefully everything more sorted than it is now. I am sure it will be much more security with each leg: I know that's a good thing, just means even more time at airports. I am taking bamboo circular needles and some wool to knit I-cord while I kill time
We fly to Delhi, visit the Taj Mahal (not the hotel), maybe Jaipur, but other than that, a few days in both Old and New Delhi before we head south to the cardamom (spice) hills and Cochin. All up about 2.5 weeks in India, then off to Sri Lanka. And, no, we will not be going up north where the Tamil Tiger action is.
I may just post occasionally while on the road so you can check up on our well being if you are so inclined.
For everyone (just in case my intentions are better than the reality), enjoy whatever end of year celebrations are appropriate to you. We will be back on home soil on December 30, just in time to sleep through all the New Year's Eve fireworks. Have a glass or 10 of bubbly for us
If we had been on our original schedule, we would have been transiting via Mumbai on the first day of the terrorist action. As it is, we transit in about 8 days from now with hopefully everything more sorted than it is now. I am sure it will be much more security with each leg: I know that's a good thing, just means even more time at airports. I am taking bamboo circular needles and some wool to knit I-cord while I kill time
We fly to Delhi, visit the Taj Mahal (not the hotel), maybe Jaipur, but other than that, a few days in both Old and New Delhi before we head south to the cardamom (spice) hills and Cochin. All up about 2.5 weeks in India, then off to Sri Lanka. And, no, we will not be going up north where the Tamil Tiger action is.
I may just post occasionally while on the road so you can check up on our well being if you are so inclined.
For everyone (just in case my intentions are better than the reality), enjoy whatever end of year celebrations are appropriate to you. We will be back on home soil on December 30, just in time to sleep through all the New Year's Eve fireworks. Have a glass or 10 of bubbly for us
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