More Pictures

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Hello again all,
Finally I am at Mumbai, the last port of call in India. My first train from Udaipur to Ahmedabad was cancelled so I had to get a refund and catch a nightcoach there, I had a sleeper compartment although the breakneck speed of the driver and the poor condition of the road meant I didn't really sleep at all. I got the connecting train and am now in Mumbai. I've heard a lot of bad stuff about Mumbai but from what I have seen so far its what I expected, Big, Loud, tons of people, appalling poverty which yesterday got the better of me a bit, I'm not ashamed to say I had a little cry. It had probably been coming, I hadn't slept properly or eaten properly in about 30 hours but I'm new to this and the poverty is really shocking sometimes especically when I know how much better things could be, I'll never take what I have for granted again, thats one thing I'll definatley take away with me from my travels.
I'm in Colaba which is a nice area full of big high rise apartments and its nice, haven't seen much more yet so I'll post something when I have more time but as I have found a decent computer, here's some more pictures in no particular order I'm afraid you'll need to open them to know where they are from although some will need no introduction........

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Photos

Locus Temple, Delhi
Just found this while looking through my camera again, Its a Bahá'í temple, but it is open to all faiths and people, emphasing the need for Unity and peace. I remember you couldn't talk in there and had to take you shoes off, as with everywhere in India!

Tibetian Buddhist Monks, Dharamasala
This is in the Monastry, Its an absolutely amazing place.

Buddhist Prayer Rocks
Prayers are written everywhere in Dharamsala in beautiful bright colours I found these on some rocks on a path that lead.....

Buddhist Temple
....to this which isn't in any guide books, which I found just walking around lost trying to find the Dalai Lama's house. Its fantastic to look at, the cloth you see tied up (which is everywhere in Dharamsala) have prayers written on them. I then had a discussion with a Buddhist monk who told me I should become one.

Taj Mahal
Probably my favourite shot of the TaJ Mahal and I didn't have to pay for it! Got it on the other side of the river. Directly behind me is the foundations for the second Taj, which Shah Jahan wanted to build in black marble, kind of a 'Taj Mahal Strikes Back' moment for when he died. However his son, in power by now realized his father was losing his marbles by this point and fearing a peasant revolt for the cost of a second one, imprisoned him in Agra Fort.

Me and the Taj for free
Not sure why I'm doing some sort of Hip-Hop Gangster lean on this shot....

The Taj Mahal Money Shot......
As seen on everything to do with India......

Biggest Sundial in the world, Jaipur
This is the biggest Sundial in the World, in the Observatory in Jaipur which house loads of crazy persian Gizmos, its amazing to think they were plotting the stars and eclipses and building sundials and us Europeans were raping and pilliging.
This Sundial is accurate to 2 seconds, although I would want to carry it round as a wristwatch....

Elephant 3 point turn, Udaipur
Only In India.....

Brahma Temple, Pushkar
After Being Cursed by the wife he should have married, Savitiri (She was late for the wedding because she was too busy getting ready, Women!!!!) Brahma, one of the 3 most important Hindu Gods is only allowed temples in Pushkar. This is me at his temple after being blessed by the lake, The spot on my forehead would later run down my face...

Sitting by the lake, Udaipur
This little boy, I'm pretty 100% sure, is listening to 'Pacific' by 808 State for the very first time. I'm not sure what he makes of it, poor lad.......

And Finally.....
Couldn't have put it better myself.....