Blogs from Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India, Asia - page 6

...Toujours à Aurangabad. 24 déc. On prend notre déjeuner en relaxant sur la terrasse de notre hôtel. Devant nous, plusieurs cerfs-volants planent dans le ciel du centre-ville d’Aurangabad. Ce ne sont que des carrés de papier blanc qui flottent au-dessus de nos têtes. Quelques cordes s’enroulent parfois après les fils électriques. J’imagine alors les doigts grillés des enfants qui les tiennent. L’odeur serait sûrement celle du bacon bien cuit... mmm, du ‘’canadian bacon’’. Comme ça serait bon du ‘’canadian bacon’’ ... oups, je divague un peu là. Que voulez-vous, je suis un peu tanné de manger des œufs et du pain pas toasté pour déjeuner! Pour nous mettre dans l’ambiance des fêtes, les indiens ont pensés à décorer un peu l’hôtel durant la nuit. Des guirlandes et des couronnes éclatantes sont accrochées ici et là sur ... read more

Hey peeps, i know this blogg has been a long time coming but India is not blessed with an abudance of internet ascess. Since my last blogg I've been amazed, entertained and moved to tears by sheer fustration in this wierd country. I can't say i've been enjoying myself overly but it is interesting and certianly an experience. This place is so full of contrasts. People have either been horrible and annoying or embaressingly nice. This is confusing as it is easier to either hate (like vietnam) or love (like Laos) and country. But this bloody place requires you to do both at the same time which is asking to much in my opinion. We certianly havn't had a moments peace as everyone seems to have something to say to us (good or bad). Being english ... read more

2006………6wks-4th CYCLING TRIP-Gujarat & Southern Rajasthan, INDIA........... Coming into Aurangabad you go through a Military Zone with a prominant billboard that says "Thankyou for your visit to the green lungs of Auranganabad" You culd be confused in thinking that it refers to the pollution-free green lush nature of the city that is actually highly polluted and choked with vehicles. No, it refers to the military who show a strong presence here, particularly as a result of the bombing near here last week. The photo on the billboard was not of a lovely greeny scene, no it was of a group of soldiers firing some mortor shells. A sign by the guard box says "Sure Swift Fighters". Actually I very nearly got myself in a bit of bother- never muck with the Military. They have guns! They ... read more

We awoke to catch the 7:45 rickshaw to the bus station. Our goal for the day was to get to the Ajunta caves and then spend the night in Aurungabad. Our trip began well, with our very helpful hotel manager getting us a rickshaw for us and our gear to the bus station. Once we arrrived there we were accosted by a tout who took us over to a share jeep. Now this was the first time we had seen a share jeep before, so we were quite hesitant. Share jeeps are basically jeeps that fill up with people and then head off to another city, picking up people and dropping people off along the way. It was pretty sketchy, and I finally convinced Nabil that we should give it a try. With that we were ... read more

With Ajanta being a good 3.5 hours away by public transport, I succumbed to the lure of a taxi, which managed to get there in about 1.75 hours and was only about 500 times more expensive than the bus. You can only get to an area called Ajanta T-junction via your own transport, and from there you have to take one of the special buses the remaining 4 or 5 kilometres to the caves themselves. To get to the buses from the car park, you have to run the gauntlet of a small community of persistent souvenir vendors. In fact, you may well find someone opening your car door to let you out - they are not doing this out of the goodness of their heart, rather to have first crack at some fresh tourist blood. ... read more