http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Bob-and-Sarah/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Bob and Sarah en-us Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:08:28 +0000 Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:08:28 +0000 So after enduring six months in India last year we came back for more some think we're crazy others know just how much it can get under your skin we're already talking about reasons to come back again in the future So where have we been and what have we been up to...After a brief stop in Australia where we hooked up with Harriet Jon Barb Eddie and Will and had a brilliant few days Bob http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-426210.html I have been travelling for two years now and have been moved just this once to publically recommend a guest house via this blog. I have stayed at Lake Diamond in Pokhara twice on separate visits to Nepal and found the welcome to be so warm and the staff so friendly that I offered to write this blog for the owner Man Kumar. Man and his family operate the place in a relaxed low key manner where the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Nepal/Pokhara/blog-403848.html So first I got the photos sorted but couldn't add the text. Next time I was online I could add the text but the photos had dissapeared Don't ya just love internet cafes So watch this space for photos hopefully it'll be third time luckySo here I am in hot and dusty Delhi reflecting upon my time in NZ. I had hoped to write a few words about the place before I left itrsquos cool cle http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Wellington/blog-390281.html So we've been pretty slack about blogging but it's been great to settle down for a while and unpack the backpacks From India we had a lovely few weeks in Australia visiting friends in Melbourne Sydney and Port Augusta in South Australia. It was strange experiencing reverse culture shock on returning to the developed world after so long in Asia Melbourne airport and train stations were eerily q http://www.travelblog.org/Oceania/New-Zealand/North-Island/Wellington/blog-354087.html This is written for those out there who have the chance to visit Nepal India or New Zealand and are interested in finding some quality teachers and friends who would like an insight into some of the experiences I've had along the way this year I myself didnrsquot know where to start when looking for classes in the various places Irsquove visited in the last year my experiences were mixed R http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/blog-346499.html Whilst this blog seeks to entertain its main purpose is to be informative for those thinking of heading up to Ganagotri to trek to Gamukh and further beyond. There is a few things worth knowing that are not in the guide books before that might influence your decision as to how to do it where to stay and whether to use guides and porters. The trek itself is lovely and fairly straight forward pass http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Uttarakhand/Rishikesh/blog-289220.html Agra famous for the Taj Mahal was our first destination after Rajasthan. We decided that due to the very oppressive heat we would just visit the main attraction and get outta town as quickly as possible Our 6am visit to the Taj Mahal was great the cool air and beautiful light so early in the morning made this spectacular creation look like pure fantasy. The photos canrsquot quite do it justi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Himachal-Pradesh/Mcleod-Ganj/blog-281413.html It's some time now since we visited Tibet but the memories stay with me of the peaceful friendly smiling Tibetan pople their devout Buddhism enshrined in the many temples and monasteries and the beautiful landscapes of their country on the roof of the world. We have since encountered Tibetan peoples in exile at Boudhanath near Kathmandu in Nepal and in Dharamsala McLeod Ganj the seat of the T http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Himachal-Pradesh/Mcleod-Ganj/blog-285354.html So it's been a long time since my last blog and we've been busy bees these past few months Having enjoyed the beautiful coastline and lush backwaters of Southern India and our inspiring stay at The Russ Foundation we headed northeast to explore the delights and very different aspects of this fascinating subcontinent.Mumbai was our first stop and this quote from The Lonely Planet guide book reall http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Rajasthan/Pushkar/blog-281021.html The League of Cheesy RockSong Artist ltPointsgt Hotel California The Eagles lt333gtVarious Bob Marley lt318gtVarious The Kathmandu Cover Bands lt292gtAquaCame http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/blog-268665.html Our Russ visit began in the very early hours of seventeenth February when we disembarked the night train from Trivandrum. We were met by Berlin a founding member and the current President of Russ Foundation and a number of other staff who were waiting at the various exits of Madurairsquos busy mainline station looking for an English couple had we mentioned the size of Bob's beard in advance the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Tamil-Nadu/Madurai/blog-255337.html So we arrived in India just in time for new year After our journey across Asia and the mad dash from Kathmandu to Goa it was fantastic to kick back for a while and spend time with the lovely Hannah and her friends Staying in a flat with a kitchen was a real treat we got to make some of our own food for a change something we had really been missing We celebrated Bob's birthday at Silent No http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Kerala/Kovalam/blog-255329.html The journey to India was delayed before it even began the agency who'd convincingly promised that for a small fee they could secure an Indian visa in time for us to cross the border and catch the trains we had booked to get to Goa in time for new year unfortunately didn't come through with the goods we only discovered this late on 27 December the date we were due to depart. We're very sor http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Kerala/Trivandrum-/blog-246567.html IntroductionThis blog now in its second edition is to act as a reference site for those nonfatal diseases ailments and minor irritations that can blight the traveller is his quest bumming round the globe not having to work. Its a tough life on the road and contrary to one's working friends who believe that their mates are just on a long holiday and sending back the occassional sanctimonious 'h http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Tibet/blog-224177.html Very sad news about Slinky our cat he became ill just before Christmas and has sadly passed away. Many of you will have fond memories of this beautiful cat so we decided to write a few words in his honorhellipSlinky cat of Wivenhoe 2000 2008In 2000 two little black catsCame to live at Foresters HallBob and Mima couldnrsquot resistThe one who climbed Bobrsquos leg and satUpon his shou http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/United-Kingdom/England/Essex/blog-239356.html Our seven day jeep trip from Lhasa in Tibet to Kathmandu in Nepal started badly and the first day was to get steadily worse. We had turned one corner and were heading down the main street in only light traffic when our driver clipped the back wheel of a cyclist sending her toppling to the floor. I was sitting in the front and saw it all very clearly. I was expecting the driver to swerve at the l http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Tibet/blog-224174.html Our journey overland from Wivenhoe has got us to Nepal so far. We have been here for six weeks now and much of our time has been spent off the road in one way or another a fantastic antedote to all the time spent on the road since SeptemberOur first stop was Pokhara we both finally sucummed to the inevitable phenomenom of Asia the travellers squits I'll skip the details but we're both OK http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Nepal/Kathmandu/Thamal/blog-229560.html The journey from Lhasa Tibet to Pokhara Nepal was both stunning and dismaying awesome and frustrating saddening maddening funny and sunny but at times very very cold Seven layers in Tobed is really no joke... 1. Two pairs of socks2. Thermal long johns3. Warm trakkie trousers4. Thermal top5. Thick fleece jumper6. Thermal fleece hat7. Fleece gloves... and that's before getting into a thick http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Tibet/blog-224487.html In two weeks I saw three dead people which is three more than I have ever seen before. Two of them were among the most influential people in the twentieth century. Each brought communism to their Country and although their policies attitudes and methods are now being questioned even by their own Countries current politicians and political commentators the fact that thousands of people stream p http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Beijing/blog-218212.html So it's been a while since I've managed to sit down and write a little about where we've been recently Bob has been busy writing stories now tagged as Bobanory which I hope you have found entertaining... I certainly have We have also spent time saving photos from the camera so have now been able to add images to earlier blogs including 'Moscow to Mongolia' and 'We're on the road or rather http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/China/Tibet/Lhasa/blog-217906.html