12 Dec - just a quick wee blog to let you know what's been happening. As you'll have seen from my brief blog from Calcutta, our tiger tour was cut short and we never made it to Mumbai. And then my Mumbai to Goa trip was cancelled. After an unexpected week in Calcutta with Liam, a guy I met on the tiger trip, I flew to Goa last Friday. I have been staying in Benaulim, a sleepy wee village in South Goa. Nice hotel, surrounded by palm groves but it was a 10 min walk to the beach and not much [View Full Entry]

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5 Dec - I don't sleep much following Liam's departure and am up at 6am to get to the airport. The staff have been so friendly at the Lytton Hotel. Very sad to leave but glad to get away from the madness of the black hole of Calcutta! I fly Kingfisher Kolkata to Mumbai to Goa with no need to change planes. Kingfisher are a FAB airline, I recommend them to anyone flying within India - new planes, friendly staff, v tasty food and lots of freebies! Just a pity they don't sell their beer during the flight, lol. Goa is [View Full Entry]

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1 Dec - after our day spent with the Hope Foundation we not only need to shower the stench and filth away but take time to reflect and adjust back to our travellers world. We have dinner which is accompanied by a live band with a screeching Indian woman but she is thankfully replaced by a great covers band. We head to Aqua, another of the bars within the swanky Park Hotel and have some cocktails by the pool. A day of contrasts indeed... 2 Dec - Liam spends another full day doing more photography for the Hope Foundation while I [View Full Entry]

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1 Dec - World AIDS Day. Liam has heard, via his sister in Cork, of an Irish-based charity called the Hope Foundation set up in 1999 to help restore basic human rights to the street children of Calcutta. "Born on the streets, they are denied such needs as food, shelter, healthcare, education, love, safety and support. The streets offer little protection and dangerous predators abuse these vulnerable children emotionally, physically, mentally and sexually. Street children experience the cruelty and inhumanity of mankind on a daily basis. HOPE aims to protect these children from exploitat [View Full Entry]

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29 Nov - WOW! It wasn't a dream, Liam and I really are in Calcutta. Bhupindra confirms that the Mumbai to Goa trip has been cancelled due to the security issues and I'll get a full refund which I decide to put towards the Delhi to Kathmandu trip with GAP next month, which Bhup will also be leading...Liam manages to arrange a flight back to Ireland for a few days time, so it looks like our split decision to come here paid off. After breakfast we decide to upgrade to a nicer hotel and end up at the wonderful Lytton Hotel, [View Full Entry]

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29 Nov - just a quick note to let you know I'm still here in India...despite the terrorists. We were supposed to be on an overnight train to Mumbai last night but due to recent circumstances (!!) that was changed!!! My Mumbai to Goa trip has been cancelled (as well as the Cats and Dogs in Thailand - that's another story!!!). So I'm currently chilling out in Calcutta....with a mad Irish man. Will let you know what's going on once I have some plans / sober up. Far too much jager, beer, Baileys and rum in the last few months...so much [View Full Entry]

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27 Nov - our final early morning game drive and 2 elephant rides in Kanha! Can't see very well on the first ride to take photos but the second ride is fantastic and our best sighting. We're in the heart of the jungle, riding an elephant with Ginny and Liam and watch a tiger sleeping peacefully. Marc and John then arrive on another elephant waking up the tiger and then our elephant gets a bit too close resulting in a huge growl, captured perfectly on camera by Liam. Just as we're getting back into the jeep to head back to the [View Full Entry]

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24 Nov - Bhupindra wakes us at 5.30am so that we're ready to get off the train. We drive straight to Bandhavargh National Park for our first jeep safari ride here. It's a different experience to Ranthambore - great scenery, smaller jeep with just Bhupindra, Liam, Ginny, Mark and myself. Within an hour of driving round the park...we see our first tigers. We spot one some distance away feeding on a kill from the previous day, while enjoying watching that tiger, another one pounces from nowhere right beside us, what an encounter. We stay and watch for a while, what beautiful [View Full Entry]

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22 Nov - drive to Agra, stopping en route at the abandoned Mughal kingdom of Fatehpur Sikri, a massive complex of gardens and buildings. In the afternoon we reach the city of Agra and visit the Taj Mahal. It's an absolutely stunning building, I love the symmetry and intricate detail which you don't see in all the photos of it, as well as the relaxing gardens and pools. Despite there being thousands of tourists, including many Indians, it's surprisingly easy to find a quiet spot to sit and enjoy the splendour of the architecture. It appears to change colour constantly as [View Full Entry]

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19 Nov - our first experience of an Indian train journey! It's v busy and smelly at Delhi train station but thankfully train is only delayed 30 mins. Quite comfortable and staff are friendly bringing endless supply of chai (sweet, milky, Indian tea). Travelling most of the day but it goes quickly with Liam for company. Ranthambore is the real rural India. Nice hotel where we chill out and have a tasty buffet dinner. Do some stargazing, lying on the roof after dinner. Wonderful clear sky, peaceful and great company :) 20 Nov - we have our first tiger game drive. [View Full Entry]

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