Christmas greetings

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Took a little detour, to avoid being amidst the crowds of westerners going to Goa. All trains in that direction were booked anyway. So I did what any traveler would do: took my bible (=Lonely Planet) and explored the options in other directions. Several people had already told me that the Ajanta caves are really worth a visit. The bible said Aurangabad is a good place to use as a hub, as it is easy to take day trips from there to Ajanta and Ellora (caves there as well). No seats available on the train to Aurangabad either, so I took another night bus.

Finding a room was the next challenge. I looked at several rooms in different hotels near the train station (some of them even got recommendations in the bible)... I will never understand how any hotel owner can seriously claim to be running a "hotel", considering the state the rooms are in. Paint coming off the walls, the walls full of dirt, hardly any light, and absolutely no sense of general hygiene. I may be traveling on a budget, but I am not desperate enough to sleep in one of these rooms and find my hair full of lice or my backpack full of roaches the next day.

But luck was on my side: there is an actual official tourist office on the same street. You rarely find those on convenient spots here in India. After explaining what I needed (a room within my budget, but not in a noisy street), he immediately proposed a specific hotel near the train station. Train stations are not exactly known for their quietness, are they? Ah, but that hotel belongs to a "friend"... Ok, one condition added to my needs: NOT a friend, please call some of the hotels on the hotel list. He called up several but one after another was full or too expensive. High season, you know. The Indians also have holidays this week... So all the hotels are full of Indian tourists, while most westerners have made their way to Goa.

Finally, one hotel had a room: Hotel Kartiki. I can't see what good I can tell about the place, but the guy in the tourist office called it "a nice and clean room". Our standards obviously differ somewhat. To summarize it: the sweet smell of urine intoxicates you as you open the door. If you are lucky, your nose gets used to that after minutes only. The first sight you get are dirty walls and blinded windows with never in a lifetime washed curtains. I don't need to explain what the bathroom looks like.. the picture shows it. Arhh.. It's a little depressing to have to spend 5 nights in a room like this, especially over Christmas. But I know this will just be something to laugh over once I am away from here. Can't always have a nice room like in Mumbai.

I visited the Ellora caves yesterday, and the Ajanta caves today. They ARE indeed worth the detour. I don't understand why they are not more famous than they are, because it is quite spectacular. Caves with a multitude of sculptures, small to huge, all carved from the same rock, and paintings from 2200 years ago!

Anyway I have to finish because they do cut off the internet connection without warning here just before 10PM. And it's now 9:55...

I hope you all enjoyed (or still are enjoying) the Christmas celebrations. I am quite happy to have skipped it this year, although I would have liked to have some company. Missed you, my friends !

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Photos

Aurangabad - The Bathroom
How many months does it take to get it in this state?

Aurangabad - The Best Inn ??
wonder what the worst one is like then!

Aurangabad - Restaurant recommendation
"Bhaj Restaurant": friendly service and great "eat all you like" thali's. You would have loved it, Gaelle :-)

Ellora - Hills
thought the bus gave it an extra dimension

Ellora Caves - Cave 16
Pointing finger ??

Ellora Caves - Not cave 16 ;-)
My camera is not high-tech, so inside the caves it was difficult to take good pics. Liked the effect here though.

Comments

[Arthur, Zoé, Nathalie & Alexander]

merry x-mas
Hey Tata Sabrina, we wish you a very good x-mas. May you find what you are looking for. Can't wait to see you again and listen to all your stories. Have a look on http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1772727515 Hugs from Arthur,Zoé, Nathalie & Alexander

[zora]

Kerst
Morgend Sas,ik denk dat je idd al andere kerstdagen meemaakte dan daar op dat vies kamerke.Kop op,je bent er al bijna weg om verder te reizen. Kus.

[pankaj]

Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas and a fruitful and a prosperous happy new Year 2008 to you and Gaelle.

[werner]

Een zalig uiteinde en vervolg in 2008
Hooi Sabrina, ne ferme knuffel en een dikke kus voor 't einde van 2007 en 't begin van 2008 en dat je verder met volle teugen kan/mag genieten van je super back-to-my-roots ;-) avontuur. Groet. Werner.