Wrapping up the North

Well have we been hopping around quite a bit.  From Jaiper we went to the National Park of Ranthambhore to hunt for tigers.  No luck on the tigers but we did see plenty of other game in the beautiful park.  Braving the cold mornings did reward us with seeing some wild dogs that looked a lot like small wolves and travelling in a pack, pretty cool.  We successfully purchased train tickets to Agra learning my fault in the last attempt on my own, there is a form that needs to be filled out and brought to the reservation desk.  Obviously LOL.

The train ride was adventurous as we had just sleeper seats which were full on our arrival.  Showing our tickets we claimed our seats although still cramped with sometimes two guys per bunk all staring at us.  Always with the staring, it can get quite uncomfortable at times.  When a couple with their two small children arrive to claim their seats as well it became apparently that there wasn't many people with proper tickets.  When the conducter arrived to check only are tickets Kim commented on this fact to which he replied after a pause, you are right madame.  And with a head bob back and forth (which as far as I can tell means anything from yes to no to maybe to I don't want to talk to you right now) he said all the others had been wait listed.  Perfect.  With a stowaway sitting on my feet and Kim stuck behind baggage I strike up a conversation with the man of the couple who has arrived.  His name is Lokesh and they are also going to Agra, a quick call to his family there that they are visiting and he confirms we must get off at the stop after them.  The train is full of different reactions to us three, from the uncomfortable stares and glares from the majority of men to the genuine, shy smiles from most of the women to middle class couples who seem to enjoy talking with us and discussing where we have travelled.  Also imparting advice to us along the way.

The Taj Mahal is more magnificent then I had imagined.  We spent a good chunk of time wandering around, amazed by the beauty of all the marble work.  And amazed by all the people around, the line up wrapping around street corners and us opting to pay to skip said line.  Built beside a bend in the river in the shape of a moon, the Taj stands out like a star.  Not to be missed I'm glad we have stopped in Agra.  Also we managed to find mutton here for Kim which is a bloody miracle.

Our other successful train ticket pruchase to Varanasi proves unsuccessful as we have tried for a/c and been wait listed.  Our hotel arranged other transport delivering us to a nearby train station and we tumble onto an overnight train to a village near to Varanasi.  Discovering we have been separated between two cars we double up, Kim and I to a bunk.  Cozy.  This time knowing where to get off is more difficult but Kim has the wesite on her phone that keeps telling us the train is delayed.  Our nine hour train turns into fourteen with the last 30 min spent standing by the door making small talk with a couple who just happen to be doctors.  Again great suggestions and interesting discussion about the difference in our cultures.

Varanassi is a beautiful place, riverside of the Ganges it is a very holy city where enlightenment can be achieved by death and burning of the banks of the Ganges and reincarnation is interupted.  Ghats, steps leading down to the river, line the rivers edges repeating until I can't see anymore.  Morning and evening people can be seen at the base of the stairs washing themselves clean body and soul in the water of the Ganges.  The burning ghats are a sight unlike any other that I have seen with one male family member accompanying the body through a process of wrapping in bright colored clothes, dunking in the Ganges and burning the deceased on huges stoked fires.  Different levels are apparent for the different castes and not all can afford the wood to achieve the proper send off.  It's incredible how death is looked at as just another process of life and how tears are not allowed as the soul cannot be released if in the presence of sadness.  There was a beauty to it that words cannot describe.

The weather in Varanassi has shifted, it's raining and the north has become very cold to us all of the sudden.  Plane tickets are booked and we are headed off south, time to hit the beach for these travellers.  My bday is coming up and I want to spend it in the surf and gorge on some seafood.  Next stop, Varkala.

From Blue to Pink

More train adventures but this time by day bring us to Jodphur, the Blue City, a labyrinth of stone walls and painted blue houses rising up to another impressive fort.  Jodphur has been a fave of mine, exploring mazes of houses in the old city to spectacular views up at the citadel with plenty of snack stops inbetween.  It is here where we discover the many varieties of lassis available, a deliciously refreshing cold yougurt drink and enjoy a few evenings rooftop listening to the evening call to prayer surrounding us from all directions and echoing off the walls.  The sky is full of kites by day and fireworks by night as it is wedding season giving the air an amazing aroma filled with firework smoke, spices and incense.

The morning we decide to leave this blue city we wake early and attempt to purchase train tickets on our own.  Until now we have relied on booking through our hotel but yesterday have been assured 'you can do, no problem'.  The train is cancelled.  I push my way from one line to the enquiry line where I then am jostled and finally reach the front of the line, yes the train in cancelled but there is one at 8 am.  Cool.  The girls wait with the packs and I go back to the original line which by the way says women only but has had several men push past me to buy tickets.  I get to the front and am told 8 am is local train only but there is a 9:45 train.  It begs the question why he couldn't have told me this in the first place?  I bite my tongue and ask for three tickets.  He says no, women only or reservation, go back to window  beside enquiry later.  Ok then.  Outside I admit my failure and we retreat back to the hotel where we slip back into our room which is exactly as we left it.  Hours later we hire a car to Jaipur.

The car is like a carnival ride.  Weaving in and out of traffic, large trucks carrying rock, decorated and painted elaborately, tractors blaring music and camels pulling carts.  I joke that it feels like a carnival ride and then it gets dark out and we drive faster inbetween twice as many large trucks flashing our lights and honking our horn at the now lit up trucks.  I take it back, now it feels like a carnival ride.  One that perhaps I would like to get off now.

Reaching our hotel safe and sound the girls make plans for the next days excursion, Jaipur is very well known for being the Pink City (actually red but I'm not going to tell anyone) from the reddish paint on the old city walls and for its silver jewellery.  I think we should hit an ATM.  The next morning after a very colonial rooftop breakfast we hop in a motorized rickshaw and head to the monkey temple cause I like monkeys you see.  There are monkeys, pigs and cows galore at the base of the temple.  Feeding them brings good karma so many locals are there feeding them everything from bananas to tomatoes to peanuts.  As we trek up to the temple a lady at the side of the road pulls the lid off her basket and before see anything Kim has yelled and is running straight back to the bottom.  I look closer at the lady and see in her basket is a large cobra flared moving back and forth.  Not the first time my wife has abandoned me at the sign of a snake.  We retreat.  No monkey temple for me, I know there is no point in trying to coax Kim up.  Damn cobra lady.  On to silver!

Our silver hunt is quite successful, some beautiful pieces are purchased, delicious masala tea purchased from a young chai guy and some amazing fresh samosas found in the middle of kite street where you can buy kite string with bits of glass in it to cut through other kite strings and claim that kite during the kite festival everyone is gearing up for in the next couple of days.

The state Rajasthan came out of twenty-two feudal kingdoms and with all the fortresses one can only imagine the sultans and princes battling with their swords over land and princesses.  Sure I've probably romaticized it but that's what this place makes me do.

Under a starry sky

Our overnight train brings us to Jaisalmer, a desert town in the westernmost corner of the state of Rajasthan.  A giant fort rises out of the Thar desert with a town at it's golden walls, the 'golden city' of India.  The history is full of defending it's kingdom and creating a trade route between Delhi and Central Asia.  The fort still actively houses families as it has served for 900 years.  Very impressive one can and has gotten lost inside all the turns and walkways inside.

We are picked up at the train by Shahrukh who owns a guesthouse in the town, outside the fort gates, I'm sure we'll still be safe.  It is called Artists Lodge named for the colony of artists his family is from.  We are treated to traditional music that evening sitting rooftop to a private show.  Three artists perform for us including a young boy with the most amazing voice and intense energy.  Our camel adventure begins in the morning and we are very excited.

A jeep picks us up in the morning and delivers us out of town to our camels.  There are three guides and camels each for us and two others who join us.  Missy's camel is Julian, Kim's Mr. Aloo and mine Mr. John.  Julian is a calm camel, quite lovely and Kim's is a large male who really wants a girl camel close and keeps blowing his tongue out into a large bubble, super gross.  Early on I realize I have drawn the short straw, Mr. John has a bit of an attitude and woud prefer a different vocation I am sure.

The camels are loaded with supplies and we hop on, leaning back and hanging on tight as the camels is told to stand.  The camels gait is quite dramatic and one has to roll with it but feels comfy enough.  Off we go into the desert.

It's an absolute gorgeous experience, the scenery is amazing, the guides full of information, constantly rhyming and singing and the camels pretty cool.  A fighter jet flies over quite low at one point giving us a surreal moment and reminding us exactly where we are as the Indian army patrols the Pakistan border constantly.  We stop for lunch cooked over a fire, Kim helps with prep and we eat a traditional fresh veggie meal cooked with cumin, curry and spicy sauces, peppers, onion and garlic, paired with fresh made chipati.  Back on the camels we ride into the sunset into the dunes proper. 

A couple of fires are lit and we romp around on the dunes while dinner is prepped.  I try my hand at making chipatis, not as easy as it looks and I'm not all that successful as each one I make is corrected.  After dinner we chill around the fire listening to songs and stories.  We are invited back in late February for the Desert Festival when thousands gather with their camels and compete on many levels such as camel polo, camel decoration, turban tying and Mr. Desert which maybe we could judge?

Under the starry sky our bedrolls are laid out and off to bed we go.  One blanket on the sand and five on top, as I lie down I can feel the sand is still warm from the day even though the night air is very cold and brisk.  Bring your shoes with you we are told... gypsies may come.  Ok then.  Falling asleep looking at a huge open sky with bright stars above is perfection.  I am very content in this Thar desert and am sad to leave tomorrow but this moment I will remember forever.

Dining in Delhi

Good news!  Today's forecast for Delhi is fog, lifted up from smog  yesterday, the sun may or may not peak out a little.  We have just spent three days in Delhi touring around by rickshaw and eating our way across the city.

A normal morning starts out with Missy and I enjoying a special masala tea from the chai guy across from our hotel.  Masala tea differs from chai as it is made mostly with milk rather then tap water, the closest one can get to a latte and far more delicious.  The spices combined with the creaminess of the milk and piping hot is divine.  No less the three chais a day is our earliest pact.

After tea the three of us venture out amonst the street vendors in search of some tasty breakfast.  Some are just set up on a street corner while others have an open restaurant tucked into the side of a building.  Either way whatever is busy and popular is the best bet to approach.  A typical breakfast so far is paranthas, a morning bread snack like a thick roti that can be stuffed.  Ordered up as a thali, meaning it will come accompanied by a small curry and a relish or served with sprinkled sugar, butter and delicious curd.  There is also bread pakoras fried up on every street corner with green chili for 40 rupees.  Super delish.

After breakfast we are usually stuffed and can last till late afternoon when the craving for more goodness kicks in.  Haggling for a rickshaw hire is tricky as expected but sticking to our guns we bang out a price before hopping in.  Skirting in and out of traffic with music blaring is a blast.  Our driver is surprised at us as to the hustle, bustle and horn honking doesn't faze us.  Actually surprised us as well, the likes of Hanoi, Saigon and Phnom Penh have prepared us well and Delhi has been fine.  The main difference is mainly only dealing with men from morning till evening.  Touring through the city is cool and all, we've seen India gate and the prime minister's house, but seriously driver, I am now starving!  It takes some convincing but finally we travel to one of his local street food vendor spots, located is a bicycle market, for some chicken curry.  Upon arrival we are told 20 min... do you drink beer asks the driver?  Heh.  We find a bottle shop and split a couple of Kingfishers in the back of the rickshaw being sure to camoflauge them in metal cups.  Grabbing some chicken biriyani on the way back to the curry place introduces me to a fave of mine so far, chicken and rice cooked up in a large metal sphere pot.  The spices are amazing, loaded with cumin and covered in both fresh green and red chili sauce.  Tides us over till the curry is ready and Kim gets to feed bones to the dogs.  Win win.  The curry is up and worth the wait, super flavourful, both chicken and mutton, a red curry packed with goodness.  Now we can tackle more of Delhi, off to a market we go.

We lost our driver.  I swear he said meet him at platform 7 outside the market but no where to be found.  We wait.  We have agreed upon a day rate and haven't paid yet but we have to get back to the hotel.  We flag another rickshaw and upon arrival explain to the group of rickshaw drivers what happened and are met with smiles and laughter.  A quick call and he is found.  We settle our debt and head in for a rest.  Good times Delhi, good times.

Still recovering from jet lag a bit these past few days but all is well.  We head out the Jaisalmer by train this afternoon, 18 hr trip so we have some shopping to do before we go.  Snacks and some of those metal cups are needed.  Kim and I managed to track down some gin yesterday, an experience in itself especially as two women LOL but mission accomplished none the less.  All in all India is less scary then expected and another lovely country for us to explore.