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Puncture repair
Slightly out of sequence but this was our venue for getting our slow puncture done on the way into Delhi. Think we have a second one to repair now! Wednesday 5 May
Things didn’t quite work out the way we would have liked with regard to the car insurance. What should have been an hour or two to sort out paperwork turned out to be a further night spent at the hotel in Delhi. Also, our resolve to see the Foreigners Regional Registration Office and get our visas changed to allow us to enter and return from Nepal in a week was totally dashed when we arrived there to see a mass of heaving bodies all trying to register in the first instance to see someone within the building. Neither John nor I had the patience to wait for several hours and possibly several days to have such a request granted. We were unanimous therefore about abandoning Nepal, which was a shame, but with the strikes by Maoists causing eruption and turmoil in the country, especially outside the city of Kathmandu, we have many other options to choose from including either going to Mumbai and then onto Goa to cut across country from there to Chinnai or to go East towards Varanasi and then down to Chinnai.
For anyone driving through India the process to get car insurance is long-winded,
Hotel Godwin Grand
Out of the Lonely Planet, ignoring the comments about off-hand staff, this hotel proved to be very comfortable and accommodating, with staff who were very helpful. beaucratic and time consuming. Unlike the other three countries we have passed through where helpful officials have provided us with third party insurance for a small fee, the Indian process requires form filling, an inspection of the car if it is over eight years old, then further form filling. We did get insurance eventually at 3.00pm yesterday, leaving us a drive of 200kms to get to Agra. The day before we had spent in a Tuk Tuk chasing up leads to get this insurance and it was not until we reached the AA of India’s head office in Delhi that we finally made progress. Throughout of course, the heat in Delhi had been telling, and John, I could see, was wilting by the hour as we progressed through this nightmare of information and misinformation to get what we wanted.
Delhi belly is no myth! John was struck with it over night and another night in Delhi was a possibility. However, having dosed him up and got ourselves together to go to the insurance agents after our car had been critically inspected at the hotel at lunch time yesterday, we were able to drive off to get our insurance.
With insurance
Constant road and pavement repairs
Delhi is going through a monumental road and pedistrian improvement programme - wherever we went there was this sort of picture where men and women were breaking rocks, paving stones and slotting them together. in pocket and road legal, we set off for Agra. If soldiers were training to work in a security environment, they would not do wrong in coming to India to practise their driving capabilities. While the road to Agra was quite good, the express way continued to have tractors, donkeys, camels, people, bikes and slow moving trucks (20 mph) travelling in any lane on the highway they liked. Some even liked driving towards you on the dual carriageway! We were continually switching lanes and overtaking and undertaking - it is the norm for this country, and it is no surprise therefore that there are some nasty accidents in this country too.
We arrived in Agra at a respectable time last night, and both thought that the city seemed cleaner than Delhi (which we confirmed during daylight ours today). People were most helpful in guiding us to our hotel - it is one of those traits that seems to be missing in European countries - its perhaps because everyone is inside a car over there. Once in our room, air-conditioned thank goodness, neither John nor I were up for a formal meal; however he had some cereal which we are carrying
Outside the President's 'house'
South Delhi and a Tuk Tuk ride as part of a tour of Delhi brought us to the gates of this huge estate in which the President of India lives. with us and I was able to try some spaghetti bolognaise Indian style and a chocolate shake! John came into the restaurant to see me downing a milk shake and immediately ordered one too - they were delicious after such a journey.
The heat we are dealing with is intense, well over 40° centigrade during the middle of the day. So the use of my daughter’s travel towel she gave me before this journey that soaks up a lot of water and can be used to give some relief during driving, has been immensely useful. That and the universal sink plug she gave me, have proved two of the most enduringly important items in our enormous kit list we carry with us. The third item has to be the car compass that has helped us to navigate out of the big cities, sometimes erratically but nevertheless, the end result has been to find ourselves on the right route to the next destination.
This morning after a good night’s sleep, we took ourselves off to see the most photographed and most beautiful building in the world, the Taj Mahal. While we had asked our Tuk Tuk driver to take us to
Delhi railway station
A far cry from the platformed and formal arrangements in the UK, Delhi railway station seemed to allow people to walk anywhere they liked, not just the platforms. the East gate, which was the less crowded for entry, he took us to the West one! He did wait for us however, but it wasn’t long before we were approached by a guy saying that he could save us the three hour queuing to get in! I must admit the queues were very long and with John still feeling a little delicate neither of us relished such a wait so after some negotiation we took up the man’s offer and within five minutes we were inside the grounds of the Taj Mahal. Impressive operation and a nice little earner for some on the make. But once inside, the picture changes from the hustle and bustle that we had walked through to reach the west gate from where the driver had dropped us off.
Words are hard to describe the picture confronting anyone on first sighting this magnificent building. The crowds too were enormous. Some readers may have already seen the Taj, so I hope the pictures shown with this blog entry do it justice for those who have seen it in the flesh. Maybe they will bring back some wonderful memories for those who have seen it and for
The Delhi Tea House
Opening the doors to us, we entered a wonderful room full of Indian tea. others, emphasise what an awesome structure the Taj is considering it is well over four centuries old, completion being in 1653.
With many miles to go we decided this afternoon to change tactics and leave early in the morning for our next destination to get some driving in before the real heat of the day affects us. So rather than another outing today, we have had an extraordinary massage to rejuvenate us, Indian style, and then relaxed to face a two day drive to Varanasi. Where we will be staying tomorrow night is anyone’s guess but Varanasi should prove to be an interesting place to stop over for 2/3 days before heading south to Chinnai, some 2000 kms away! And the first great sea challenge since leaving Europe.
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catherine whyle
non-member comment
KB GB 2 Aus Supporters
Morning John and Barry Great to read all your news, so pleased the trip is going well. Your supporters here at KB in Newbury are going to be out in force on Saturday 5th June, undertaking our 25 mile bike ride. I have spoken with Claire from the Charity and she is going to send us some balloons and flags etc to highlight the charity. As well as Richard and Steph from here, we are being joined by Rob Taylor our CEO and Mark Prudden the Company Secretary. We are hoping to raise lots of money. Take care and we will be in touch soon. Catherine xx