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Published: March 22nd 2009
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Indian Interlude,
We have been on holiday! When we made the decision to come to this part of the world the lure of India was part of the attraction and as some friends from Coventry also decided to take their holiday in India we made plans to meet.
First we needed a visa—quite a complicated affaire at home but even more so here requiring a trip to Islamabad , queues in a car park at ramshackle tin huts to obtain bus tickets to the embassies and sitting on old school desks while gentleman typed up the necessary forms on accient type writers one letter at a time! Anyway, all the paperwork complete we visit the embassy and stand behind all the sand bags peering into a tiny window and are granted our visas to be collected in a week’s time! Luckily a colleague in Islamabad was able to do that for us and we got our passports back at the next VSO function.
So, we organised the trip and much to everyone’s dismay here left ‘But WHY do you want to go to India?’ they ask.
We began our visit in New Delhi and, as people
had said, it was huge, bustling, crazy and much more ‘in your face’ than Islamabad or Lahore. The rich are richer and the poor poorer and he beggars are very evident. But we had some BEER with our dinner that night
Then, Agra and the Taj Mahal. Now I was sceptical, as everyone says how wonderful it is but IT WAS! We were up really early and almost first in the queue to get in and it was well worth it as we had the view to ourselves for a few fantastic moments! It was breathtaking and although we had seen and saw later many other beautiful buildings the Taj had class and serenity and simplicity and size!
As I said we saw many old buildings full of wonderful carvings and marble inlay work much of it to honour dead people or as Geoff believes built to give the masses something to do so they didn’t rise up against the leaders.
We then travelled on a train .a much more comfortable experience than I had expected . We went to stay on a
small bird reserve and saw over 100 different species of bird including the largest bird in India, the sarus cranes who were doing their beautiful graceful mating dance. Our hotel here was quiet, with a swing on the balcony—a perfect place for yet another beer!
It was the Hindu festival of Holi and we joined in the colourful paint daubing games so were camouflaged for the bird watching!! Wrong colours though -I just looked sunburnt!
More travelling to our next destination were we meet up with Anne and Dave!! We must have looked quite a sight what with paint and marigold garlands and huge grins as we were so happy to see friendly, old faces!!
So we celebrated with some beer!
We were at Ranthambhor Tiger Reserve with 2 days of game drives in which to see tigers! I was so excited! Our first drive was lovely- the reserve was a Maharajahs play ground and he had had many little buildings built around for picnics and staying overnight for hunting so it was quite atmospheric. There were Samba deer, spotted deer, jackals,
boar, mongoose and many beautiful birds but no tigers. However still got 3 more drives to do and anyway all the other animals and birds were great. 2nd drive—just as lovely in a different area of the park but -no tigers. Had some beer to cheer me up! 3rd drive—went to different part of the reserve, along a shaded valley that the tigers love to spend the hot days snoozing in but not today. Getting rather despondent now . Final drive—a very good guide came with us and we drove at speed right across the reserve to a place where had seen a tiger very recently. But, oh my goodness, there were people there, locals, collecting stones!! So we move on a bit and then YES a tiger!!!! How he spotted it in amongst the undergrowth I really don’t know. It was the male cub, almost full grown and we turned round to see and hear the mother call out to him and the other cub to say that she had made a kill and that it was dinner time!! So off in the jeep to watch the 3 wonderful creatures meet up and greet
with playful tiger hugs and kisses then walk right in front of us towards the kill! The tigers stopped for a drink and we followed them to the place where the dead deer was. It was difficult to see them once they settled down in the grass but they kept getting up and doing tiger things so we had great views! I was so happy -I cried! Again we we so privileged as for the first half an hour or so we were the only people with the tigers and it was so special but then some more jeeps arrived and I was glad that other people had the opportunity to enjoy the thrill of the tiger!
When we got back we celebrated with some beers!
Our next experience was to stay in the village of the guide who had found the tigers for us. It was rather like coming home well to Sydenwalla anyway!! The village was more spread out than here but the villages still rely on a well for water and electricity is a new phenonemum being enjoyed for free until after the elections!!
The other big difference was that they had camel carts instead ob donkey
carts as Rajasthan is a semi arid desert so camels are more suited to the conditions. They look so snooty and were decorated with pompoms on their noses and hennaed patterns on their sides to say who they belonged to. It was a Hindu village and we tried on the huge heavy skirts that the women wear along with dupattas similar to the ones I wear everyday. Dave was dressed up in a dhoti and turban but as Geoff was already wearing his Pakistani shalwar he was allowed to stay ‘normal’ but only after he had shown them how huge the trousers are!!!
That evening we had a picnic dinner by a river in the star light with the food cooked on an open fire with some of the tastiest chapattis I had had since leaving Pakistan.
Next stop, Jodpur the blue city!! Now, I thought the story must be old but no, apparently Prince Charles was visiting and the place looked tatty and someone had lots of blue paint so everyone painted their houses blue and still do!! The fort here was wonderful, amazing architecture.
Our last treat was a drive into the desert of
Rajasthan to see the Indian gazelles and huge flocks of beautiful elegant birds called Demoiselle cranes and to stay in a most unusual hotel in a building built 250 years ago with fantastic old doors and ceilings. And a bar for our final beer with our friends as we had to return here while they had a few more days holiday.
So. Now we are back in our little backwater at Sydenwalla getting ready for the new academic year which runs from April to March. Our biggest challenge is to help the high school staff sort out the timetable—4 teachers, 5 classes, 8 periods aday doesn’t go!!
Hope everyone who reads this is well and we look forward to reading your comments. It is hard to believe that we are about half way through our adventure!!!
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Grace
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Tiger, tiger burning bright.
Hi Jane, I thought your blog was wonderful. The photos of the Taj and the tigers were fantastic. Keep'em coming!