Thursday, January 8, 2009
connecting to ellie blog
if my url doesnt' work click on the followers of my blog adn that will take you to ellie's blogs.
Taj Mahal
Hi all
I was writing more in Orccha when the electricity and connection went so I gave up. Now I am in Agra and have visited the Taj Mahal. It is truly amazing. I have lots and lots of photos.
For those of you who have had trouble with Ellie's blogsite try the url provided here. There is lots of amusing stuff to read. http://justlikejune-and-john.blogspot.com
We travelled by train from Orccha to Agra and the train was just as 'wonderful' as the train from Varanasi to Orccha so i have decided not to travel by train to Delhi but get driven. The cost will definately be worth it. I head to Delhi tomorrow after visiting the red fort. Then I have Saturday in Delhi before flying home. I am looking forward to getting home to all the things that you miss after 2 weeks in nepal and india. and let me tell you there are a few.
I will write a full account later.
love to all
Cathy
I was writing more in Orccha when the electricity and connection went so I gave up. Now I am in Agra and have visited the Taj Mahal. It is truly amazing. I have lots and lots of photos.
For those of you who have had trouble with Ellie's blogsite try the url provided here. There is lots of amusing stuff to read. http://justlikejune-and-john.blogspot.com
We travelled by train from Orccha to Agra and the train was just as 'wonderful' as the train from Varanasi to Orccha so i have decided not to travel by train to Delhi but get driven. The cost will definately be worth it. I head to Delhi tomorrow after visiting the red fort. Then I have Saturday in Delhi before flying home. I am looking forward to getting home to all the things that you miss after 2 weeks in nepal and india. and let me tell you there are a few.
I will write a full account later.
love to all
Cathy
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
a quick update
hi all
this has to be a short entry as i only have 10 minutes before going to the palace. I will provide more detail later. You will i am sure enjoy my description of the train journey from Varanasi to Orccha more than I did the experience. ;)
It is another foggy morning in India but it was very pleasant and cool (for all of those of you sweltering in the Sydney heat) for the short walk from the hotel into town. I met one of the locals on the way who was collecting food for his goats before he headed off to work at the museum. he was very chatty as I have found a number of Indians to be. Later as I entered town he having been on a bike and faster than me rushed out to show me his house and introduce me to his wife and goats.
We arrived in Orccha yesterday and it was a great pleasure to find that we were staying in a very lovely hotel that used to be the guest house for palace guests. It is a lovely building with beautifully laid out gardens and even a swimming pool ( a very clean and nice one I might add). the rooms are spacious with little gardens and a sitting area and a big bathroom. the bathroom has very nice fittings and hot water.
The town is only small but is relatively clean and has the most impressive looking palace that looms over it. I have got lots of pictures. Must go will post more later
love cathy
check ellie's comments for her blogspot address as there is quite a lot in it including pictures. i will include the address with my next post in case you have problems or try and put it as a blog i am following.
this has to be a short entry as i only have 10 minutes before going to the palace. I will provide more detail later. You will i am sure enjoy my description of the train journey from Varanasi to Orccha more than I did the experience. ;)
It is another foggy morning in India but it was very pleasant and cool (for all of those of you sweltering in the Sydney heat) for the short walk from the hotel into town. I met one of the locals on the way who was collecting food for his goats before he headed off to work at the museum. he was very chatty as I have found a number of Indians to be. Later as I entered town he having been on a bike and faster than me rushed out to show me his house and introduce me to his wife and goats.
We arrived in Orccha yesterday and it was a great pleasure to find that we were staying in a very lovely hotel that used to be the guest house for palace guests. It is a lovely building with beautifully laid out gardens and even a swimming pool ( a very clean and nice one I might add). the rooms are spacious with little gardens and a sitting area and a big bathroom. the bathroom has very nice fittings and hot water.
The town is only small but is relatively clean and has the most impressive looking palace that looms over it. I have got lots of pictures. Must go will post more later
love cathy
check ellie's comments for her blogspot address as there is quite a lot in it including pictures. i will include the address with my next post in case you have problems or try and put it as a blog i am following.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
the ganges, varanasi and fog
Dear all
I have returned from travelling on the ganges. quite an experience. they were open rowing boats with a wide flat interior that was suitable for lounging around. I helped our indian oarsmen by rowing for a couple of hours, and helping out with steering. It was very pleasant floating down the ganges enjoying the scenery. much quieter than the city. we also saw the freshwater dolphins which was quite exciting.
we camped by the river, where it was a large stretch of sand. It was bloody freezing. I am so glad that I brought Ellies high quality sleeping bag and lots of thermals and jumpers. only those with sleeping bags got any real sleep as the others were too cold.
It was incredibly foggy in the morning so we set off with all the boats tied together. Luckily as it was so hard to see anything that for some time the boatmen had no idea where we were. Eventually we pulled in at a village near varanasi but not quite there as it would have taken tooo long.
this afternoon / evening we visited the ghats in Varanasi - a very hard to describe experience. the ghats (which sort of means steps) stretch for about 2 km or so along the river. Each ghat also has some sort of accompanying building, quite a few of which seem to have monkeys climbing around them. it is where Hindus come to pray, wash, burn the dead and just about anything else you can think of. we saw quite a lot of families carrying out the ceremony and burning dead relatives. we passed a floating dead cow in the river. we lit 250 candles held in little leaf bowls full of flowers and sent them off in the river with our wishes. We have done some walking through the streets which are busy with everything you can think of .
Tomorrow we are supposed to take the train to Orchha but as the fog is particularly bad at this time many trains (or all) seem to be being cancelled. we may end up hiring cars and driving; it will be a very long drive but it won't cost a lot extra and at least we will get there.
I am getting along quite well with the others in the group despite being a fair bit older than anyone else. those not in couples change room partners every few nights which allows for us to get to know everyone better.
that is all for now. I hope you are all well. I will post again soon.
I have returned from travelling on the ganges. quite an experience. they were open rowing boats with a wide flat interior that was suitable for lounging around. I helped our indian oarsmen by rowing for a couple of hours, and helping out with steering. It was very pleasant floating down the ganges enjoying the scenery. much quieter than the city. we also saw the freshwater dolphins which was quite exciting.
we camped by the river, where it was a large stretch of sand. It was bloody freezing. I am so glad that I brought Ellies high quality sleeping bag and lots of thermals and jumpers. only those with sleeping bags got any real sleep as the others were too cold.
It was incredibly foggy in the morning so we set off with all the boats tied together. Luckily as it was so hard to see anything that for some time the boatmen had no idea where we were. Eventually we pulled in at a village near varanasi but not quite there as it would have taken tooo long.
this afternoon / evening we visited the ghats in Varanasi - a very hard to describe experience. the ghats (which sort of means steps) stretch for about 2 km or so along the river. Each ghat also has some sort of accompanying building, quite a few of which seem to have monkeys climbing around them. it is where Hindus come to pray, wash, burn the dead and just about anything else you can think of. we saw quite a lot of families carrying out the ceremony and burning dead relatives. we passed a floating dead cow in the river. we lit 250 candles held in little leaf bowls full of flowers and sent them off in the river with our wishes. We have done some walking through the streets which are busy with everything you can think of .
Tomorrow we are supposed to take the train to Orchha but as the fog is particularly bad at this time many trains (or all) seem to be being cancelled. we may end up hiring cars and driving; it will be a very long drive but it won't cost a lot extra and at least we will get there.
I am getting along quite well with the others in the group despite being a fair bit older than anyone else. those not in couples change room partners every few nights which allows for us to get to know everyone better.
that is all for now. I hope you are all well. I will post again soon.
Friday, January 2, 2009
ready for the Ganges
hi all
just posting before i head off for ganges boat trip and camp out. it will be fr eezing in the night so am glad i h ave thermals and sleeping bag. the best tip i have discovered for walking in the st reets of varanasi ( a city of some 8 million people ) is to keep an eye on the road so you don't step in cow shit. and be polite to the cows as they are sa cred. that aside varanasi is an amazing place especially by the river wh ere the ghats are.
btw e xcuse the w ierd typing this computer seems to have a m ind of its own.
I will write again tomorrow evening when i get back from rive r t rip.
just posting before i head off for ganges boat trip and camp out. it will be fr eezing in the night so am glad i h ave thermals and sleeping bag. the best tip i have discovered for walking in the st reets of varanasi ( a city of some 8 million people ) is to keep an eye on the road so you don't step in cow shit. and be polite to the cows as they are sa cred. that aside varanasi is an amazing place especially by the river wh ere the ghats are.
btw e xcuse the w ierd typing this computer seems to have a m ind of its own.
I will write again tomorrow evening when i get back from rive r t rip.
First impressions India
We started for India at 5am. reach the border in the misty dark. We left our bus and headed first to Nepalese immigration, then over the border to Indian immigration. Then into the waiting cars. It was a bit like being in a movie where they are doing handovers of prisoners and they walk through the dark and mist to cross the border - me as James Bond.
We had comfortable cars for the t rip to Varanasi, which was lucky as the road at times is really rough. The main road to Varanasi from there is at times like some outback track. It seems to be better out of the towns and really bad in the towns. Indians don't bother with rubbish bins they just chuck it anywhere. We had a stop at a little road side tea place and I was collecting the little plastic cups from our group to put in a bin and the driver came up and just took them and tossed them on the ground. A lesson in Indian customs.
Varanasi is a big city and is where we will be viewing ghats and the ganges. We start on our river cruise tomorrow with overnight in a tent. Thank Buddha and all the Hindu gods I have lots of warm things as it is very cold at night.
We have been advised or rather told by our guide we cannot go out on our own at night here as it can be quite dangerous. So we will be good little ducklings and only go out with our mother duckling guide. He is an Indian from Rajustan and is very informative about everything indian. This is really interesting because we are getting first hand knowledge of life in India. He is muslim but has hindu friends as well.
I will get back to you all after the river cruise. I am having a fascinating time and enjoying it.
love to all
Cathy
We had comfortable cars for the t rip to Varanasi, which was lucky as the road at times is really rough. The main road to Varanasi from there is at times like some outback track. It seems to be better out of the towns and really bad in the towns. Indians don't bother with rubbish bins they just chuck it anywhere. We had a stop at a little road side tea place and I was collecting the little plastic cups from our group to put in a bin and the driver came up and just took them and tossed them on the ground. A lesson in Indian customs.
Varanasi is a big city and is where we will be viewing ghats and the ganges. We start on our river cruise tomorrow with overnight in a tent. Thank Buddha and all the Hindu gods I have lots of warm things as it is very cold at night.
We have been advised or rather told by our guide we cannot go out on our own at night here as it can be quite dangerous. So we will be good little ducklings and only go out with our mother duckling guide. He is an Indian from Rajustan and is very informative about everything indian. This is really interesting because we are getting first hand knowledge of life in India. He is muslim but has hindu friends as well.
I will get back to you all after the river cruise. I am having a fascinating time and enjoying it.
love to all
Cathy
Happy New Year
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE
Thought I would start a new post so I could wish you all a happy new year. We had a pig on the spit and other delicacies as part of a buffet for dinner, there were traditional Nepalese dances performed and the food and cultural festival raged on next door as well. So it was all go in chitwan for new year.
New years day saw us leaving the Chitwan and heading for Lumbini. So I was able to start the year with some spiritual nourishment. We were all pretty spiritual during the drive there as we prayed for safety during some of the hairier moments on the road.
Buddha has definately inspired many temples and monuments. we visited the tree where he was born, and the site of the pool where his mother washed. squirrels and holy men inhabit the tree area and there are monastries erected on being erected by budhists from all around the world in the area surrounding. So I said a few prayers with the prayer wheels which I have become rather taken with.
The hotel we stayed in was rather grand looking but it only had intermittent electricity and no hot water and although there were TVs in the rooms they were only for show. But hey there were real toilets and running water so no complaints.
I am perfecting my squat while holding a torch and wipes and not touching anything vaguely suspicious. Some of the toilets make you actually think fondly of a long drop back home.
I shall start a new post for my first impressions of India.
Thought I would start a new post so I could wish you all a happy new year. We had a pig on the spit and other delicacies as part of a buffet for dinner, there were traditional Nepalese dances performed and the food and cultural festival raged on next door as well. So it was all go in chitwan for new year.
New years day saw us leaving the Chitwan and heading for Lumbini. So I was able to start the year with some spiritual nourishment. We were all pretty spiritual during the drive there as we prayed for safety during some of the hairier moments on the road.
Buddha has definately inspired many temples and monuments. we visited the tree where he was born, and the site of the pool where his mother washed. squirrels and holy men inhabit the tree area and there are monastries erected on being erected by budhists from all around the world in the area surrounding. So I said a few prayers with the prayer wheels which I have become rather taken with.
The hotel we stayed in was rather grand looking but it only had intermittent electricity and no hot water and although there were TVs in the rooms they were only for show. But hey there were real toilets and running water so no complaints.
I am perfecting my squat while holding a torch and wipes and not touching anything vaguely suspicious. Some of the toilets make you actually think fondly of a long drop back home.
I shall start a new post for my first impressions of India.
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