Blogs from Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India, Asia - page 68

30 Apr Sun walked around Ansal Plaza for ages...bought jeans for sis....low rise slim boot ones...hopefully they'll fit well had dinner at a nice restaurant at the plaza...although they didn't speak much english....we're getting good at ordering stuff ourselves anyway...it's famous for butter chicken...which we had...although it wasn't as good as Amen chicken. also had mutton and some vegetables. it was all good and ended up very very full. Punjab is famour for chicken...and butter chicken is also famous...so better have more before we leave the county. found out something very dodgy about the rickshaws. was riding in one...and the driver stopped at the petrol station. turned out that the fuel tank was just in front of him and there was no cap to the fuel tank...they just stick the nozzle in and start pouring in ... read more

After landing in India i take myself out to the taxi stand. Its a little hectic but i keep my cool. I find a driver and show them the address of where i want to go, so i can meet up with Steph. He tells me that he knows where it is and we agree to a price (after some persistent bargaining by me). I have to then walk over to the cab, which doesnt really look like one so I ask all sorts of questions making sure he knew where the place was. All the answers were what i wanted to hear so i got in and again asked several questions to which i got the right answers. We are driving for a while passing guards with big bloody scary guns and cows and all ... read more

Ok been a delay in making a new posting due to a) sitting on a peacefull palm fringed beach for the past week and b) very slow internet connection at current location, Hampi, and so this will just be a brief update with sadly no photos...they will come though. We did manage to get out of hot&humid mosquito ridden Cochin and head 600kms up the coast to Goa which has a much more pleasant climate. Stayed in a small village completely geared for the backpacker scene, Palolem. The main beach was a long broad cove backed by an endless choice of restaurants/bars...convenient but a bit overrun...we ended up finding a more secluded beach the next cove down, Patnem Beach. Each day we met up there with John and Kerrie, chatted endlessly, ate enormously (some of us ... read more

I'm sitting in a grotto on a tiny medieval lane in Jodhpur. I suppose the 3 computers flickering in a row qualify this as an cybercafe. I've had some of the most incredible experiences in the last two weeks but I can't seem to call any to mind over the racket of voices, horns, drums and general racket outside. It's Ramnavani today, the festival celebrating Ram's birthday. The streets are filled with floats, cars, camels, oxen and loads of folks dressed up as Sita, Ram and every conceivable character from the Ramayana. Maybe it's the heat or maybe it's the moon, but the choppy drone of the Hindi baritone on the phone beside me is only slightly more tolerable than nails on a chalkboard. Rajasthan has destroyed what little tolerance I once had for carriers ... read more

Summary of India India is country of contrasts. The north is dry and dusty, the south lush and tropical. The food can be great but there is no meat and the hygiene levels are unbelievable. There are some amazing and unique sites and on the other hand there are some s@*t holes full of dirt and poverty. The people are incredibly friendly and helpful, unless they are selling something then they can be incredibly annoying, sly and deceitful. Dave has spent most of the time sleeping and has not seen much of India, but I’m sure he would agree ( I agree) that we have had an amazing time, seen and done great things, met some great people and am glad we came here. Dubai We only spent one day wondering around Dubai while waiting for ... read more