Now that I've returned home to the UK, it's probably a good time to reflect on the best and worst aspects of the subcontinent. So here are a few positives and negatives fom my observations of the country over the last 3 months. NEGATIVES: - Scammers, hawkers, and rickshaw drivers. It's a non-stop battle defending yourself against these parasites. I was turning into a very AYM (angry young man) by the last week. - Dirt, Disease and Pestilence. A late entry due to the fact I'm currently sitting on my sofa with an infected toe the size of Pakistan and several [View Full Entry]

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Well it was very much a case of mission accomplished in the Ranthambore National Park. The infamous Indian Tiger has been sought and found! But more of that later. My journey there took me via Mumbai (for a second time) on wednesday. This time I had a little more time to spend there and after a good night's rest following the journey from Goa I was up bright and early to take a peek at a city that allegedly represents the past, present and future of India. Most of the the bits I saw of Mumbai were quite attractive and with [View Full Entry]

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From the hippy-laden beaches and marijuana-filled air of Anjuna I arrived yesterday at the rather more sober surroundings of Benaulim Beach in south Goa. The area tends to attract a rather more middle-aged crowd as well as families and package tourists. However this shouldn't put anybody off as is my opinion the beaches are some of the best around here. There is literally miles and miles of sand and if you are feeling particularly anti-social you can certainly find a place to sunbathe in total solitude all day without seeing another soul. The beaches also aren't so cluttered with bars and [View Full Entry]

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Anjuna Beach is the original home of the hippy in Goa and current home of the ageing hippy (and seemingly their hippy children). It also seems to house a large community of pasty-white, emaciated British junkies, all doped up to the eyeballs and unable to speak or generally function properly. Quite where I fit in here I'm not totally sure but I've ended here all the same. After a 3rd consecutive day of rain in Arambol, I was none too enamoured at the prospect of spending yet another day inside my hut reading. So I decided to up sticks and jump [View Full Entry]

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If ever I've been taught a lesson about travelling it's been these in the last couple of days. If the stop in Kannur was an unexpected pleasure, then my (brief) sojourn to Palolem in Goa was very much a case of failed expectations. I visited Palolem on a day trip during a holiday in Goa 5 years ago. I couldn't wait to get back and actually stay there. For many Palolem is Goa's most idyllic beach. The villages of bamboo huts are built in the shade of palm tree groves virtually on the beach itself and are filled up with like-minded [View Full Entry]

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Sometimes it's the places you expect least from that you get the most out of. That has certainly been the case with Kannur, which was just intended to be a halfway stop between Alleppey and Goa in order to turn a 16 hour train ride into two 8 hour trips. The first bonus of the stop-over was the hotel. My travelling companion Gordon and I first got the inkling we were onto a winner when I saw a bright neon sign for the hotel from the railway station and none of the letters were missing. Upon arrival at reception we were [View Full Entry]

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From the beaches of Varkala (or lack thereof) I headed to the backwaters of Kerala, bound for the town of Alleppey. Up at the crack of dawn on Sunday morning, a rather rude awakening following 3 days of late mornings and lazy breakfasts, I caught a train to the town of Kollam where I picked up a ferry for an 8 hour cruise along the backwaters to Alleppey. It was clear to me that we were certainly in the tourist off-season as joining me on a boat that probably holds about 40 people were just two other travellers. one a french [View Full Entry]

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'Arguably the state's most idyllic beach' according to the Lonely Planet. Well would you care to show me where this beach is then, Lonely Planet? No? Well that's 'cos there isn't one between the months of July and November! Failed to mention that in your fancy guide book didn't you?! Lack of a beach aside(and ignoring the incessant bongo drum sellers), Varkala is a fantastic little seaside resort built mostly on a dramatic cliff top overlooking the Arabian sea and (when it's there) Papadashum Beach. During and in the months following the monsoon the sea swell manages to engulf most of [View Full Entry]

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Am currently in the town/island of Fort Cochin in the Coconut State of Kerala on India's South West Coast. I think I must have travelled some 2500kms since my last blog and seen very little. But that should hopefully all change soon as I make my way slowly back up the coast taking in the beaches and backwaters of the beautiful-looking state. My journey started last friday afternoon from Udaipur as I took a coach from there overnight down to Mumbai. I immediately regretted not taking the super-deluxe Volvo coach...not because it had A/C or super-recliner chairs. What I really wished [View Full Entry]

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When he founded Udaipur in the late 16th century, the Maharaja Udai Singh cannot have imagined in his wildest dreams that some 4 centuries later the great palaces which adorn this city would have played host to a figure peerless in terms of historical importance. I'm talking about a character who has taken on the enemies (and women) of the world single handedly for over 40 years and still continues to do so today. That's right. Bond. James Bond. In 1983 arguably the greatest Bond film 'Octopussy' was filmed here starring unarguably the greatest Bond of them all, Roger Moore (cue [View Full Entry]

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