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Published: October 5th 2007
After only two weeks it feels as if we've been away for months.
The beginning. Arrived fine & got our pick-up for the Wongden House in the New Tibetan Colony. The journey in took us through central Delhi as the airport is south of Delhi. Blimey, talk about hectic, humid, congestion and pollution!!! Arrived at the Wongden House. This area is just a maze of tiny streets; alleys by western definition. An area for Tibetan refugees full of stalls, shops, internet spots, restuarants, guest houses, wandering monks & wee temples. It's actually quite peaceful. Across the main road you are back into Indian territory. A different picture indeed. Noise, human traffic and open sewers. It seems that many of the manhole covers have been nicked.
We have seen all forms of human traffic from the bloated middle classes to those left behind by society. I can leave this to your imagination. We think we have social problems in the UK. It's nothing on this country. Heaps of rotting rubbish, open sewers, rats, even a mouse in a motorway service station, which had rather large ears. The traffic is mental. There is a language of the horn. It lets other
vehicle operators know you are there, that you are going to overtake or undertake or just to announce your presence. I use the term "vehicle operators" lightly as anything can be a vehicle: handcarts, cycle-carts, cars, scooters, motorbikes, buses, trucks, auto-rickshaws, cycle-rickshaws, cycles, horse carts, carts pulled by camels. I reckon if it can be powered, it is therefore a vehicle - bizarre.
Delhi became too much, especially after a man outside the Red Fort tried to sell Gaynor a false beard (a "Life of Brian" moment) so we bailed to Srinagar in Kashmir by plane. The Foreign Office says not to go, especially to rural areas. What a load of tosh. Yes, there is a heavy military presence, especially in rural areas with regular army checkpoints & camps but we experience nothing but civility from them. I suppose it's very different if you are a Kashmiri male. As our driver, Quintas, in Sri Lanka once said, " be careful, for you do not know who is the friend or who is the enemy." In Srinagar we stay on a houseboat on Lake Dal. You sit on the veranda and watch Kingfishers, fishing Buzzards (they call it the Kashmir
Eagle & who am I to argue?) and various other birdies. These buzzards/eagles are nearly as common as sparrows. The sun goes down (we are on the south side of the lake) and the sound of the call to prayer from the mosques begins - it's Ramadan. This also wakes you up at around 5.30am. Had a lake tour on a shikara, which is basically a covered canoe. We enjoy tranquil waters, a slow pace, mountains in the background & sunshine. We see folk harvesting the water moss to sell for fertiliser, some people fishing, occasional kids splashing around. Yes folks, it's quite heavenly.
Next day I got up pre-dawn to see the the floating market, which is actually a veg market on canoes. Unique.
We have arranged to do a bit of trekking in the mountains. Not sure of the range but the place we went to was called Nananargh by most. Only around 40-45km out of Srinagar but at the end of the road. I mean the end - there was no road left! A scattered settlement of brick-built houses with corrugated iron roofs (they like corrugated iron here; you see it everywhere). People here make
a living of sorts from herding animals & growing corn. They now increase this by acting as guides for trekking groups. The house we waited in as they set up camp belonged to Musafer's family and has a living area with no furniture, a loft for drying/storing corn & a ground floor area for animals. The valley is v-shaped & the sides are steep, very steep (Rob Scaife would love this). They take your breath away in both the effort required to walk up them & their beauty. I never thought of India like this, to be honest. The sides are clad in mature conifers with low cloud & mist hiding the highest peaks. Atmospheric is an understatement; this is frontier territory. The people here look just like the tribesmen you see on the news minus the guns & ammo belts. There are also encampments of nomadic sheep & goat herders living by the river. Lindsay, you'd love to do your river coursework here. Crystal clear water rolls over boulders smoothed by years of erosion. There are hanging valleys and all the other requirements for a very successful coursework trip. Mind you the risk assessment would be nigh on impossible.
In fact, it would be impossible if Alan Richardson had his way. People gather water from here as there is no running water. They have only had electricity in this part of the valley for six years. There are obligatory satellite dishes. BUT you still need to shit in the woods or in a whole in the ground. That's civilisation for you.
Manzoor our guide takes us for a short 2-3 hour walk up the valley. It chucks it down intermittently (ever so glad we brought waterproofs). I am on foot & Gaynor is on horse & on foot. We begin by going past the relatively intact ruins of a Hindu temple (just like Indiana Jones). As we go further up the valley, there are more scattered houses. These dwellings are straight out of medieval times, mud walls, turfed roof, mud floors with the cooking fire built in. There is a space in the house for the animals. On our way back Manzoor invites us in for tea & chapattis. The roof is low, the only light comes from chinks in the walls, the fire & the open door. It's really warm & quite smoky. We meet his wife
Peena & his infant son. Peena reminds us of Mr Matthew Longley's Amy, very pretty indeed. Back to camp where Showkat our "Man" cooks us up a chicken curry. Even here in the mountains you can go out for an Indian! There is a ton of rice & dhal to complement the curry.
A walk is planned for the next day. I am up very early (I am sure I am still suffering from jetlag & we have both got colds). There is blue sky & the mist & clouds have receded, revealing those hidden peaks. What a size! I get to see a map & they are in the 12000-14000 feet range. This is just silly. Brekkie is chapattis, jam & Kashmiri tea. We are ready to walk now. You take a guide & pony. Boy can these ponies climb even with someone on them. The effort's knackering. You haemorrage sweat like there is no tomorrow. Wild cannabis grows like nettles. Sadly a wee boy, no more than seven tries to sell me some. However, I do find out the the manufacturing of cannabis is a cultural norm here. Father would handroll it & deliver these "skills" to
his sons. The reason it seems sad that a seven year-old boy is selling it, is because foreigners created a market for it. That's how modern economics work I suppose. Another lad tries the same. He's about 12-14 & has a large lump of the stuff. I don't go there. So back to camp & more chicken curry. The next day the weather is really crap but this area looks better when it's overcast. It's wild and sunshine does not suit it. On the highest peaks the rain fell as snow. We got glimpses as cloud & mist came and went revealing this little treat (even the papers said this was unusual.) We leave for Srinagar later, picking up some apples (10kg) to take to the agent we booked through in Delhi. (Apparently, Kashmir is famous for it's apples!) I check the apples to make sure they are apples and not drugs. I don't fancy an Indian gaol. So next day it's back to Delhi & then onwards to Agra and the Taj Mahal.
Ah! The best laid plans aft gang aglae, as Burns said. We are supposed to fly to Delhi today (23rd September). This does not happen.
early morning veg market
Floating veg market. 3 pound of spuds & a bag of carrots please.The flight is not exactly cancelled but eternally delayed. People kick off in a grand style. The airline (Jet Airways) put us up in a decent hotel. The next day they reassure us that we will get to Delhi that day. Again this does not happen. They put us on a flight to Delhi via Jammu. We take off and the world is smiling (I'm still carrying these apples). We land at Jammu & stay on the plane waiting for the other passengers. Then the ANNOUNCEMENT, "Ladies & gentlemen, we have a problem with the plane. A component is damaged, which needs to be flown up from Delhi. So the plane is grounded." Another hotel, this time a good one, with a bar. So the cricket is watched in the wee bar & beers are charged to the room. India celebtrates very loudly & with relish. One soldier told us that this match was like a war. I believe him. Back to the airport the next day. Everyone refuses to pay their drinks' bills, stating that the airline should pay considering the nonsense they have put people through. Some have missed international connections. The airline are having none of this
The Nananargh
First of 3 days in the Nananargh valley regarding the drinks' bills. They threaten to ground the flight & arrest everyone involved! From this we learn a lesson, leave western ideas of customer service behind. You don't do India, India does you! For us, it was all part of the experience.
Finally, we land in Delhi & deliver the apples. We hire a driver & car & we're off to Agra and the Taj Mahal. We are driven by the diminutive Mr Singh, who has to stand up to look behind when he reverses! We are up at sunrise after not much sleep. Sunrise or sunset are the best times to see the Taj Mahal. There is no sun as a steady drizzle ensues. No matter, it is still a wonder to behold. A monument to love. My cousin's husband proposed to her here. I think this happens a lot. We just look like sweaty drowned rats. Still, I would not have missed it. We go on to Agra Fort. Sandstone seems to be the preferred building material for forts in India. The D&T department could appreciate this for Product Design. The Art department would just love India. Shame AD would not authorise a field trip. Damn,
In the river
Early morning shot of Nananargh the whole school should come here, including the sixth form. Every department would find something.
We leave Agra for Jaipur, 5-6 hours drive away. On route we stop at Fatepuhr Sikri, a ghost town/fort. More red sandstone. We reach Jaipur & our hotel, the Umaid Bhawan. This was a haveli, which is basically a townhouse owned by a wealthy family. This one has been converted into a hotel. You are welcomed by incense gently drifting through the reception area & up the stairs. It even has a swimming pool. It's lovely, with attentive staff, good food and a great room. We have the basic, which is a deluxe. Not cheap by budget standards but only about 17 quid a night. This standard of hotel in the UK would set you back between 70-100 squiddlies a night. You can check it at:
Umaid Bhawan The sights include the City Palace, where the current Maharaja still lives, the Jantar Mantar (outdoor observatory built in 1722 & took six years to construct). Ther are countless bazaars where you can by jootis(pointy slippers-cum-sandals.) I do not buy. The streets are set out so that one street or a section of it specialises in
Hashhead
This is wild cannabis. Wee G was given by our guide. one type of product. We watch guys making bicycles. There are cows or oxen wandering up the street. You give way to them. Kiddies beg for a school pen. You say no. Then they ask for chocolate. You say no. Then they ask for "One rupee." You say no. Then they ask for one photo (they will expect one rupee after this). You say no. They are incredibly persistent. Have seen a few disfigurements. You need to numb yourself towards this.
We went to Amber Palace. Bucket loads of tourist groups. You can either access the palace by jeep, foot or elephant. we choose by foot. Everybody else chooses elephant. We manage to take the wrong path. the footpath is to the right of the elephant path. We take the elephant path. Very surreal. two lanes of elephants. Full ones going up & empty ones coming down. we need to dodge the cannon-ball size poos that they freely eject. Hitting the gound with a dull thud. Have to keep an eye out if one of them pees. Like a forearm thick flow of piddle. One farts, very funny. like a huge flappy mouth blowing a very slow raspberry. We
Home fire
Manzoor's source of heat & cooking need to walk between them & to the side of them. Occasionally one snorts violently down its swaying trunk. People do get a good spraying of elephant snot. Coming back into Jaipur from Amber Palace you pass cars, trucks, busses etc & elepahnts & camels. The elephants are not allowed to work between 11.00am & 4.00pm due to the heat. very strange to see them as prt of the regular traffic flow.
Today is Sunday & we leave for Bikaner tomorrow. It's to the west of Jaipur. A 6 & three-quarter hour train ride in 2nd class (no air conditioning or cooling) awaits us. we are masochistically looking forward to this. So today is good for writing this.
Got to Bikaner by train, seven & a half hours rather thna the predicted six & three-quarter hours. Made pals with a vet, a university student & a member of congress for a local political party. Boy this is a dusty state. Got collected by our guest house. Room very basic but clean, 8 quid for three nights. plenty to see here in two days & will head to Jaisalmer after. Will try to get more pics up soon.
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K
non-member comment
Really a fab blog
had a great time reading it :-)