http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/DauntlessNumpty/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from DauntlessNumpty en-us Fri, 25 Dec 2009 20:11:16 +0000 Fri, 25 Dec 2009 20:11:16 +0000 The amazing and alluring Ajanta Caves 7540rsquoN 2030rsquoE no idea what that means are famous for their murals which are the finest surviving examples of Indian art particularly painting and I must say a hell of a lot ore enticing than anything I saw in the Museum of Modern Art in Mumbai. These caves were excavated in horseshoe shaped band of rock scarp home to lots of lovely squir http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Ajanta-Caves/blog-176236.html hellipWe actually went to visit these before Ajanta so I have no idea why I have written the blog the other way round. Perhaps you may think it is my advice to visit Ajanta first and then Ellora. If you thought that you would be wrong in fact it is my advice to visit Ajanta second not in the order this blog is written.Ellora was nice. We had a nice bus ride there and then it proceeded to r http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Ellora-Caves/blog-176238.html After our escapades around Aurangabad Jon and I returned to Mumbai. Ok Jon went to Mumbai and I returned to Mumbai. Whichever it was together. I know I hadnrsquot been particularly fond of Mumbai but I wanted to do a Vipassana in Igatpuri which I shall write about later and needed to hang around somewhere close but cheap and I wasnrsquot sure where. Which is not why I went to Mumbai as http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Mumbai/blog-176241.html One of Goas most idyllic beaches home to friendly dogs and cows chilling by the lifeguard tower at sunset kind of like floozy girls on the beaches in Cornwall.Low season. Not much happening. Taxi drivers thinking up all they can for means of conversation on the at least 6 ties a day walk to and from the beach consisting oflsquoTaxirsquolsquoNo thank yoursquolsquoMaybe tomorrow..r http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Goa/Palolem/blog-176243.html On the train from Goa I found my place and a hiccupping girl helped me put my bag on my bunk. She mumbled something I didnrsquot quite understand about my bag and proceeded to sit opposite me continue hiccupping and smirking at herself for hiccupping. We became great friends. Irsquove since asked her what she mumbled about my bag and she did tell me but Irsquove forgotten.Once she got ove http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Igatpuri/blog-176246.html Actually I lied please forgive me you do speak on the 10th afternoon itrsquos called a shock absorber so you are ready to go out into the world and communicate with people. You would laugh at this concept I know but even I and it seems I than quite a few chatty others even I who we all know likes to talk didnrsquot want to speak. I really didnrsquot want to speak. I suppose I was qui http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Igatpuri/blog-176253.html It occurs to me that I havenrsquot really written anything about my original time in Nasik Trimbak. Basically I did yoga and a short course in Ayurveda. It was great. There were lots of wonderfully great people. We had great chats learnt great things and did great things. On our days off we also did great things. I went to lots of temples and saw bathing places not just our showers and the http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Nashik/blog-176257.html I'd heard a bit about India the busy streets the beeping horns the poverty and the indifferent attitude to men wandering the streets holding hands just cos they feel like it. I guess I felt pretty prepared for Mumbai.. My days there were pretty relaxed.. In a rushed not at all relaxed kind of way I figured I go against the norm settle myself in slowly so I got taxi from the airport and it http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Mumbai/blog-154055.html Nasik is a really friendly place so is Trimbuk where the ashram is actually situated.. it's no suprise I want to stay longer. The yoga course is finishing in a couple of days and the plan is to stay for the ayurveda and then volunteer for a while. Editing the Yoga books. Hmm.. my literary skills are pretty nonexistent can't pull the wool over ur eyes can i But at least it'll be a slight http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/India/Maharashtra/Nashik/blog-154073.html