Katie_m80

The WORST journey that i've ever experienced was from Bhariawararwarawa (me and tom couldn't say it and so resorted to taking the mick) to Pokhara.....we were told there were no tourist buses and so we set off at five on a state bus...mistake number one. I've taken loads of state buses and they're ok, sometimes they breakdown, usually they're overcrowed and if it rains your generally going to get wet in my experience...but they get you from a to b relatively ok... Me and Tom sat on the bus with a steaming plastic bag filled with garlicy veg chowmein that we had for tea - we were late and hastily had to turn it into takeout chowmein hence the scalding hot plastic bag on my lap...no cutlery..which was fun. anyway beside the point. the journey was ... read more

We arrived in Lumbini - what i think is Nepal's third largest town. It was a village and we were pleased to see that we were only accompanied by a few other foreigners. Lumbini is apparently the birthplace of Buddha and although it had great religious signifacance and many people come to visit the town is not very touristy at all. We had a kip and then braved street food the next morning with the locals - yum! before hiring bikes to explore buddha's birthplace - Maya Devi Temple - and some of the surrounding monasteries. The cycling was lovely they had leaf towpaths and i felt like i was in Amsterdam or in France in Amelie :) There is some comic value in this - Roof riding is rather unmerciless to the bum and Tom's ... read more

Nepal was amazing. sorry for the communications blackout everybody...i've lost my phone -which was broken anyway..and nepal has no signal..also std rates there (phone booths not sexual diseases!) are way higher than India the same is true with net :( Nepal seems to be a country untouched by the vices of the modern world. Kathmandu is the most populated and busy city and although it is large and spread out it is nowhere near as busy, populated and polluted as Dehli. I met up with Tom another gap, quiet, funny from Kent as it turns out and thouroughly nice bloke who also had a desire to visit Nepal. We got a 20 hr train from Dehra Dun to Gorakpur (Indian trains are amazing i love them especially sleepers..) Arrived in Gorakpur at 10.30 after a fairly ... read more

There was a beautiful scarlet dragonfly in front of me before i started writing this - perched on a flower - it was so unlike anything we have in England. Its just one of the many little things that make me so so happy to be here right now - alive - 19 - on a gap year - in India - staying in a remote buddhist monastery chatting and eating with the monks and getting such a priviledged view into their way of life. There is an abundance of wildlife here which flourishes due to the peaceful ethos of this monastery dominated village. It is set amid hills with a strong tibetan community. As I write (in my journal before) the sun is beating down and i can hear monks chanting softly and Bhaarat quietly ... read more

My goodness the fort here is unlike any other it is really lived in by the locals and full of guest houses and small hotels although the open sewers tell their own story!!!!!!!!I gather it is slowly being eroded by over population and destroyed by too many tourists which is one reason we stated outside of the fort. Last night we went on a trip with some fellow tourists in our hotel who were from belgium and france.We firstly were driven into the desert ina jeep a dusk and then wandered through a typical desert village.Katie and I felt very uncomfortable doing this as it all felt very artificial and the villages seemed to perform as characters on stage.We arrived at a remaote area and were faced woth a line of tick ridden camels! Yes we ... read more

We arrived in Jaisalmer and realised that we were going to have to have access to a pool whilst we are here 47 today a bit hot.We chose a hotel out of town.Katie did some more expert negoitiating and managed to get an upgrade and breakfast thrown in. After we met the owner we also managed to get a free supper thrown in too.Tonight we are looking forward to the trip into the desert and riding camels......... Will i manage to mount a camel?????... read more

During three days of luxury in the Taj we visited the fort there which was amazing and the most organised tourist spot we visited complete with western orientated museum shop,and audio tour although they wanted either our passports,credit card or £40 as a deposit!!!!! Jodphur is BLUE alot of the houses are owned by the Brahim cast which is the highest cast and they paint their houses Blue which is also supposed to ward off the mossies????? We managed to visit and have lunch at Umaid Bwahan(the venue for THE wedding)you know Liz Hurley.It was very pretty and posh and it has a museum attached which we wandered around.For the Little Kimble members of our family we then watched lots of chipmunks run around the grounds and a lizard climb a tree.(look forward to showing you ... read more

Jaipur is pink. The old city is made entirely out of pink sandstone and is a complex myriad of twisting alleyways, haggling bazaars and frantic traffic. We stayed at Jas Vilas a beautiful family home an oasis of calm in the madness which is Rajasthan's capital city. Our first night we decided to splash out and for 60rs (80p ish) made our way in a tuk tuk to the most lavish hotel in Jaipur - The Rambagh palace. A large gorgeous colonial building lit up with fairy lights and with a fabulous restaurant with exquisite food. Once the Maharaja's palace it has been lovingly converted into a deluxe hotel. I had mushroom risotto and Ma had Goan prawn curry both of which were fantastic. (It makes a welcome change from backpacker food and hotels for me!!!) ... read more

Well i arrived at delhi airport and as i stepped off the plane it was like opening an oven! Was met by gorgeous looking guy dressed all in white who whisked me twisting and turning throught the madness that is the Indian traffic.Having been to cuba and morroco i thught i'd be prepared for most things.I was wrong!The driving here has to be experienced,imagine people,oxen,dogs ,cycles, mopeds ,tuk tuks,lorries and buses and of course cars!all travelling and doing what they like, when they like, going in all directions.Mix this image with the fact they all sound their horns to warn people they are coming,and you get the picture,but there are few accidents a i haven't seen any road rage. I enjoyed an uneventful afternoon in the lovely hotel and waited fro katie and nats(who were delayed ... read more

Today we went on a dophin trip and despite the dogdy boat held together with string and the persistant doubts in our minds that we would be wasting our time...we actually saw some. Seeing them wild is a fantastic experience...unfortunately because everyone wants to share it there was some competition indded not as much as you would expect though...4 other rickety wooden tubs floated around near us trying to catch a glimpse which soon turned into a chase the dolphins scenario...wildly rushing off in any direction but it was fun. Aside from pursuing dolphins we've been working on our tans, eating a LOT of yummy food,(feeding my gobi desert - gwenno) to the extent that i was asked to day if i was pregnant....i thought i'd got slimmer... Today we rented out body boards also...me to ... read more