India 2000
Leaving Nepal by bus was a mission as there was a long ride to the border crossing from Chitwan and an overnight stay in a filthy old town was necessary. The funny thing was that Balahiya was in Nepal but the next morning we walked around the corner and through this archway with horse & carts and the odd bus travelling through it along with people going about their business and blow me down it said 'welcome to India' Just as well because one would never have known as there was none of the usual stuff with border guards and check points. In fact we wandered along this unsealed road with shopes either side, for awhile, and thought we should really search for a border guard as we had a six month visa anyway and so had nothing to hide, and besides it is difficult getting out of a country if the there is no entry on the passport like in Thailand whn we were not checked in from Malaya so it was a hassle at Bangkok airport to get out. Anyway we found this guard on the side of the road in a little shack of a shop and he spoke perfect english and welcomed us then stamped our passports and wished us well. Very strange the whole thing was. Next job was to find a bus to take us south to Gorakhpur because that was the nearest railway junction for our trip to Calcutta. Well hours later we reached Gorakhpur and what a shock it was to be placed in the middle of our first large Indian city. It was bedlem, it felt as though being amongst the people was like you were covered in flys all buzzing around you and not being able to escape them. We did stay there the night however and the next morning we were off to Calcutta and that was scary thought considering all those things we have all heard about the poverty and Mother Teresa and all.
Calcutta - Damned fantastic. You could see it was once held by the British as there were lots of english style things about it. The massive river with huge bridges in typical British style. After crossing the river on the ferry we hit the real downtown Calcutta, a huge city with the most baffling traffic system and the good old crumbling infrastructure as with all of India we found. Those old Morris Oxfords everywhere and still being sold new in showrooms even though they are a 1953 vehicle which the Indians bought the plant & dyes etc from England. Even the fire station was barely standing and a few old dilapidated engines inside. The problem is that India is basically broke and West Bengal has a communist state government which is virtually bankrupt so its a wonder anything works at all. As we were about to learn however, Indians are so resourceful and strong that they seem to survive no matter what the odds against them are. Getting back to the photos above, there was this massive graveyard we walked through which was a set up from the old Raj days and the monuments were huge and the tombstones all written in english and describing soldiers and kids and families who died of everything imaginable in the old days.
Our local shop keeper was a nice guy and we bought smokes & things from him as he was just down the road from our really grotty hotel. the next two shots were in fact taken outside our hotel and there is that great motor vehicle, The Ambassador.
Talk about the British being there! This grand monument to Queen Victoria dominates the huge park which is in the middle of the city. The Calcutta people are very proud of their buildings and monuments and the one above was having a complete overhaul when we were there. Yes we walked the city for five days and visited Mother Teresa's hospital and in fact went inside the wards where, yes there were dying people in very old sterile white wall concrete rooms which were very clean. Outside there were very poor people but they still went about their business showing the world how brave they are.
Thirty six hours of travelling and we arrive on the other side of India, Bombay (Mumbai) and who should be there at the same time but our son Leon. We didn't meet him until a week later, in Goa, however. We did try some cocoanuts however and laugh at the double decker buses which seemed out of place in this busy entangled run down city of over 15 million. We did find the gateway to India as it seemed appropriate to start our journey from there really. Ok then perhaps not.
Off to Anjuna beach, Goa, The cheap train rides are a blessing. Only £50 for the two of us from Calcutta to Bombay and that is four times the length of Britain. Anyway its green & lush as we head south from Bombay and arrive in Goa. It was planned three years ago that we would meet our friends from New Zealand in Goa for the Millenium New Years Eve 2000, and here we are all meeting up as scheduled. Mary & I. Leon, Graeme & Jaz, Dennis & Chris and Barbara & Tom. The next week was spent lazing around the hotel pool, walking along the beach and having a hell of a good time at the all night rave outdoors by the beach in what was a very well organized dance party for all in sundry.
Enough of this frolicking as we finished the holiday part and started the next adventure so it was off further south and after a weird bus ride overnight where two people would have this little cubicle to lye down in and be most uncomfortable we arrived next morning in this place called Hospet. Now this ramshackled town was near the famous Hampi where there were tombs and rocks and temples galore. There is too much to say about everything so from here on in I will just talk about the photos above. Like monkeys playing amongst the telegraph poles and bill boards being hand painted as labour is cheap so they are all done this way. The old machining shop which is more like a sweat shop really and the group of us finally out at Hampi discussing the move
We paid a dollar or two and the guy and his mate starts dancing for us. Very entertaining but probably not authentic at all. A really hot day walking from ruin to ruin. Families of Indians loved playing around in the round boats, then heading back to the centre of Hampi we view this very large white temple which is so splendid in its arty handy work..
Then all too quickly (not really) the day is over as we head back to the hotel at sunset. The next day we wander along the canal and view the women washing the clothes then its off by train again heading inland to Bangalore then down to Mysore.
The funny thing about the movie showing at this theatre was that surprise, it was filmed in and around Christchurch New Zealand. Of course the Indians are mad about their movies and there are no shortages of theatres throughout the country. Off to the market and lots of men arranging flowers to wear around the neck. Great colourful spice stalls, common around the third world. Its off to Kerala now as we hire a rice boat and spend a few days cruising the beautiful rivers Here Jaz is singing as it is all captured on camera. Off to Madurai where we filmed Jaz singing 'Perfect World' down the old ramshackled streets.
More train rides, this time heading south to the bottom of India and then up the other side to the old French settlement of Pondicherry then up to Madras (Chennai) which we called the Billboard capital of India like this one behind Leon. A massive city which appears to be doing rather well for its self but very crowded and busy. It must be so stressful for people living in these huge hot and sticky cities. Off to Varanassi now which takes about 36 hours on the 2nd class train carriage and we all start to get a bit tired by this stage, a month or so into the journey. Varanassi woke us up though as it was so dramatic being in one of the great sacred cities and boating on the Ganges. A fascinating train station is not something that one ever says but we found the Varanassi one to have such interesting people hanging around.
On the Ganges with our boatman and an inlay of a guru getting ready at the railway station prior. Leon tackles the traffic of the old town of Varanssi and Barbara has a foot problem or did she lose her other boot? Another glimpse of the banks of the Ganges before leaving the incredible.
Two policemen having a snooze while on duty in Varanassi...No Indian adventure would be complete without a day at the Taj Mahal. Set within the city of the horrible old Agra, it is like a breath of fresh air but not quite as the postcards would have it as there were thousands of tourists, mainly Indian, crawling all over the place. It was off to Delhi and yet another great contrasting place, from the wide streets and lavish suburbs to the noisy sprawling streets of shops to the worst squaller down by the river. The elephants were in downtown Delhi being used to cart heavy items I think. Nicely dressed up for the occasion though. After a day in the slum area Leon climbs into our chartered taxi as we head back to our little hotel over the road from the railway. So many places visited and explored on the way to Rajistan, like Sawai Madhopur where we went on a tiger safari but sadly no tigers to be found.
Its off to the west now as we arrive in Jodpur then connect to the Jaipur train. Another massive city where we wade our way through the hordes of kids in the slums and up to the old forts on the hill which allow for a grand view over the city and to the west, the old castles in the distance.
Time for the train again as the topography changes from lushness of the south, to the dry deserts of the north west as we head into the Rajistani desert heading for Jaiselmer and an early morning sun blasts its rays over the ancient fortress town.
A fantastic place within the castle where there were all sorts of vendors and entertainers including these kids. Some lovely dressed women and the odd musical instrument seller. Staying in a 500 year old hotel come boarding house was where we organized the next few days of the camel expedition into the desert.
Barbara learns quickly how to lean back while the camel sits down to let her off. Lots of sore bums on that little excursion however. Soon we were heading back to the castle for a good nights sleep before heading back by train to Bombay where we all went our seperate ways to various parts of the world. Our Indian adventure has changed us all forever. It will never be forgotten and although it was so cheap to travel the country is was one of the richest experiences one could possibly imagine.There could have been hundreds of photos placed on this page but it would never down load so it had to be brief unfortunately.