Day 25 - 36

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Day 25

We checked out of our hotel about 10 (which I forgot to say before was very nice and fancy!) and headed to the lower mountain region of Darband which was a walk up the hills through trees and stuff but surrounded by a million cafes and food stalls which slightly ruined the view! Anyway bit of a hike and then some tea before walking back down to the bus and the drive to the airport. The flight left at 8.30pm and was surprisingly ok especially the inflight food which after a week of crisps was the best thing ever. Landed at 2am and after passport control and waiting for luggage made our way into the town of Amritsar and our hotel which after the luxury of Iran was a bit of a disappointment! However the duty free bought alcohol eased the pain!

Day 26

Slept in til lunch time (whoops!) so after a quick shower me and Cheryl went to explore the area near the hotel and try and change some dollars into rupees. Such a difference to anywhere we've been so far still getting stares as there are not many white tourists in the area and we stuck out just a little! Successfully changed money and dodged beggars, cows, dogs that look like they are covered in rabies and the crazy traffic to find food. Shortly after sitting down we are approached by a lady who wants us to hold her baby so she can take a picture of us holding him, the baby has other ideas and just cries! Our first experience of this and not the last! The locals love seeing us and chatting ts and most of thejm yell out hello when we walk past and want photos too. After a quick lunch we head back to the hotel and have a nap before heading up onto the roof of the hotel and then out for tea. After a really nice meal we hopped in an auto rickshaw (I really want one!) and headed to the golden temple which is a Sikh temple and absolutely beautiful by night surrounded by water and lots of lights. After another rickshaw ride back to the hotel we headed back up to the roof and had a few drinks before bed.

Day 27

Slept in again and only just made the bus on time! A long drive to the town of Sri Gangaragagagagaga (or something like that!) this time we had a nice hotel complete with swimming pool so after a quick swim we headed to the hotel restaurant for a buffet meal and a er interesting puppet show complete with annoying whistle!

Day 28

Shorter drive to Bikaner arriving at the hotel about 1 and after lunch headed to the room for another nap! Headed out later on an autorickshaw for tea which was really good (the food here is amazing and after Iran am eating quite a lot of it!) Drove back to the hotel stopping off at a hand craft shop and bought the most amazing MC hammer style trousers the most comfortable things in the world just not the most attractive!

Day 29

Set off at 8 for the town of Jodhpur in the Rajastan region of India. Stopped off at the rat temple on the way which is as described, a temple full of rats! The legend is that no rats leave the temple or die but the population never grows too much this was proved not to be true because as soon as we arrived a rat ran out the door and we saw a dead one 2 minutes later lying on its back by a pillar but a nice story all the same! A very weird place and not the nicest temple also not helped by the fact that shoes are removed on the way in so a bit gross too! After a bucketful of antibacterial alcohol handwash we left and made our way to our hotel. Easilly the nicest place so far, the rooms are individual hut style nicely decorated and the grounds were beautiful lots of trees and grass and plants with a pretty courtyard and swings. After an hour or so chilling out and a rucksack full of washing was done we headed for the monkey park just down the road. A guide of conduct at the gate made us laugh especially the last point "Do not hang off the arms of men or show you are attracted to them" er ok! Anyways the park is as described a park full of monkeys we were very excited by this until 2 seconds after arriving one got all viscious and charged at us, this slightly put us off! Anyhoo we walked round spotted other animals like chipmonk things and dead crusty fruitbats, some temple things and then headed off to play cricket ( I say we played cricket but that is a lie everyone else did while I held the cameras and sunglassess etc...much safer that way!) loads of locals joined in which was cool wandered back to the hotel for a buffet tea a few gin and tonics and bed!

Day 30

Left the hotel at 9.30 and garbbed an auto rickshaw up to the Fort (it does have a name it is long and begins with m but can't remember it!) via the white temple both beautiful places especially as they were high up on the hill so you get a good but slightly smoggy view of Jodhpur. The fort was amazing and we got an audioguide read by a man with the coolest accent so we learnt stuff too. Was nice to see the armories and some of the textiles and costumes I had a proper costume graduate morning doing close up embroidery shots etc all in the name of inspiration! After a bit of retail thearpy in the fort shop we walked down the hill to the shops and stalls of the bazzaar for a wander before grabbing another rickshaw back to the hotel for a late lunch. At about 5 we headed back to the town centre and did more retail therapy this time for more MC hammer pants (my new favourite thing in the world!) Dinner, beer, gin, saris, 80s hairstyles and dancing before bed.

Day 31

Left at 8 for Jaipur, long driving day so not much happened, went out for a really nice dinner then bed.

Day 32

The 6 girls decided to hire a car with driver for the day so up earlyish for a 9am start. First stop the Amber fort which we didn't go in but did drive up to and wander round the courtyard where there are lots of elephants for lazy tourists who can't be arsed to walk the hill but nice to see all the same! After this we drove round a bit and headed to a jewellry shop with the workshop attached which was really interesting to see and I bought a silver anklet which is completing my hippy traveller look (minus the dreadlocks!) Headed to a few more places including a textiles factory with loads of men on machines taking me back to the bad old days of uni! Eventually after waiting all day it was food time and then time to take the car back but not before an hour long wait for miss preya who decided that she needed herbal malaria tablets. Finally made it back to the hotel and after a quick change headed to the cultural indian resteraunt of Pizza Hut which is different so not toatlly touristy!

Day 33

Left at 8 for the capital Delhi quite a long drive again but a nice hotel which made it worthwhile. We headed for a mall which was really western and its amazing to see the differences between the rural areas and the city (which had had a clean up prior to the commonwealth games a few weeks earlier) Again a cultural experience of Mcdonalds for tea followed by Icecream (Love indian Mcdonalds particularly the fact that I can actually eat something and its cheap. About a quid for a large veggie burger meal...bargain!) got a taxi back and then bed.

Day 34

A pretty lazy day headed to the post office to send some stuff home, one of the most stressful experiences of my life but eventually it was safely sent by sea mail to arrive in the UK god knows when! Got a rickshaw to the India Gate and after a quick wander headed again to Mcdonalds for lunch (I promise this is not going to become a habit!) By this time we were flagging so headed back to the hotel where I spent several hours typing blogs and facebooking. About 7.30 headed out for dinner and buy one get one free beer, this turned out to be a bit of a group affair with a table for 18 being pulled together by moving another group of 6 diners. Ah well! After a proper indian meal (i promise) and several beers back to the hotel for much neded sleep.

Day 35

Left Delhi for Agra and the home of the Taj Mahal. Quite a long drive considering its not that far away but made it to the hotel about 3.30. Weeks of limited sleep, heat and rickety buses meant that Emily and I crashed and had a 4 hour nap before ordering room service, watching the incredibles and sleeping again!

Day 36

Woke at 5.30 ready to see the Taj Mahal at sunrise with the rest of the group. Bit of a queue to get in and hassle of the local traders trying to get us to buy stuff but eventually made it into the gate and walked up to the entrance where the Taj Mahal can be seen from. I would like to say it was amazing and took my breath away but to be prefectly honest it didn't! It is a very impressive building and in beautiful grounds but I don't know it was abit like "is this it" which sounds so ungrateful! I am very glad i have seen it though and it is stunning maybe its just the fact i've seen it so many times in the media etc who knows! Anyway back to the hotel for a nap and the witnessing of emily's haircut by Preya before heading out.

Well that takes me up to now so hopefully will get online sooner than last time so I don't have to write an essay of a blog and desperately try and remember what the hell i've done!

Love you guys!

XXXXXXXX

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Comments

[Nixy]

nixy!
Hello, katie, sounds like you are having an amazing amazing time!! but I still think your hair is goin to have dreads (possible braids or plaits) at some point, as it has not taken long for phase one of the hippy stage to take place lol!! to be fair, tis no good looking like a real western person when your travelling!! i need pics of you in my life though love...sort it!! I am starting to loose where in the world you are, need to do some googling me thinks !! so ulv update....its the same...like really the same, weather, people etc!! any way, keep blogging girl, love you lots nix x x x