Post by bet on Jul 17, 2017 9:25:44 GMT
INDIA 2016 - RAJASTHAN ADVENTURE WITH INTREPID
I know for most people in this forum, India isn't a place they would ever consider visiting but for a bit of variety I thought I would add a short tale about my trip there in November/December last year.
Some photos here flic.kr/s/aHskRdB3G5
India for me was undoubtedly one of the most fascinating and thought provoking places I have ever visited. It was one of my favourite trips.
India has always been on my radar, namely just to see the Taj Mahal but then the more I researched the more I realised there was much more I had to see. I was instantly drawn to Rajasthan but then there was Varansi for the Ganges, Khajuraho for its temples and the Himalayan region. With limited time I settled for Rajasthan. Rajasthan (The Land of Kings) is India's largest state and is home to the Rajputs, magnificent palaces and forts and a whole lot of colour. It is also one of India's most popular travel destinations.
I wanted to see and experience the real India, the good, the bad and the ugly. Most of my travels have been of the solo kind as I love exploring my own way and getting off the beaten track but I wasn't exactly comfortable doing that in India so I decided to travel with Intrepid and I found their semi independent tour style fitted me to a T.
I did the Rajasthan Adventure tour and although it wasn't my first pick it was a fantastic 15 day tour which took in the sights, sounds and smells of Delhi, Agra, Fathepur Sikri, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Mandawa, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur. It was a great mix of experiencing the big cities and rural India. We had a small but varied group of only 7 (maximum was 12) from Canada, Australia and New Zealand, aged from mid 30s to late 60s
Accommodation was simple and clean but most definately a whole lot better than expected. The highlight was staying in some absolutely stunning old heritage havelis (mansions). They more than made up for the more simple digs like the outdoor camp and the overnight sleeper train.
Transport was varied as it gets in India, private vehicles, tuk tuks, cycle rickshaw, metro, camel and local buses and trains. All run smoothly and without incident, although at times I felt I had my life in my hands.
My only disappointment was with the tour guide (I never seem to have much luck in getting a reasonably good one). He did what he had to do but it all came across as a burden and an inconvience for him, he appeared bored and his commentary was lacking except when discussing his tips. In fairness though he did get us from A to B without any hassle.
A big hassle on tour though was the Indian cash crisis which began around 2 weeks before the tour started. The Indian government decided overnight that it's 500 and 1000 rupee notes would no longer be legal tender which of course created absolute chaos. There were long queues at banks and at ATMs, that is at ATM's that actually worked, many didn't as there simply wasn't enough currency to go around. A maximum daily withdrawal of only 2000 rupee (A$40) was in place which only created another problem - everyone had 2000 rupee notes so getting change when making small purchases was troublesome. Thank god India is a cheap destination. Many of the ATMs were patrolled by armed guards which I'm not sure was the norm or not but even without the presence of armed guards the locals queued patiently, I never saw any pushing or shoving.
When it came to meals we only ate at upmarket restaurants or at the hotel so we were able to use credit cards which helped a lot (a typical meal would cost around A$10). I never got Delhi belly but 2 tour companions did and funnily enough they were the ones who were constantly using hand sanitiser, wiping everything down and cross examining everything to nth degree.
November is winter and peak season in India, the days were warm/hot but nothing oppressive around 30 degrees, a few mornings were fresh with some fog but the overnight camp in the desert was absolutely freezing.
Visiting the Taj Mahal was completing a life's dream of mine but surpringly it wasn't the highlight of my trip. For me the highlights were the unexpected ones - the Qutb Complex in Delhi, the Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur and Amer Fort in Jaipur. I loved rural India the most and the little outpost town of Mandawa was fantastic, my favourite city was Jaisalmer.
With no direct flights from Brisbane to India. I flew Cathay Pacific and enjoyed a 3 day Hong Kong stopover along the way. My first trip to Hong Kong was when I left school in 1996 and back then Hong Kong was still under British rule. A lot has changed since then so I was excited to see it again.
I bought the 48hr Big Bus Ticket doing the bus routes through Kowloon, Hong Kong Island and Stanely. I did a Sampan ride through Aberdeen harbour, the Star Ferry and of course the Peak tram.
I also took the Ngong Ping 360 cable car to the Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha), my favourite HK attractiion. It's named after the Altar of Heaven and the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The 6 statues surrounding the Big Buddha symbolises the perfections of wisdom, patience, generosity, zeal, morality and mediation.
At night I visited the Temple Street Night Market and watched the symphony of lights show along the harbour, which was not quite as exciting as expected.
I had an evening flight to Delhi and as expected I was one of only a handful of Europeans onboard. It was a 6hr flight to Delhi and after putting my watch back 2 and half hours which was a bit odd I arrived in Delhi at around 9.30pm.
The airport was basic, clean and surprisingly very orderly. I had applied online for my Visa (US$48) and after a snapshot and my fingerprints were taken I was granted entry to India. My luggage took over an hour to arrive but at least it did and it did give me time to look for an ATM with no success. I knew about the cash crisis before arriving but I had no idea how bad it was until I arrived and I didn't think to bring any foreign currency with me either.
Fortunately my transfer guy was still waiting patiently for me and I had booked an extra night at the starting hotel the Pooja Palace, which despite its name was definately no palace. It was the most basic hotel we stayed in on tour. Nevertheless, it was a standard 3 star hotel with friendly staff and comfy beds and I had a great night sleep.
Day 1 - DELHI
Tour began with a group meeting at 6pm but I was up at the crack of dawn to go ATM hunting around the hotel. With fair skin and blue eyes I got the expected stares from the locals but I had no luck with finding a working ATM. The amount of rubbish lining the streets was just incredible.
With the day free I had pre booked a private day tour. The hotel pick up was on time and the guide was good, especially as he found me a working ATM, I withdraw my 2000 Rupees (A$40), a huge relief. First stop was a visit to the Jama Masjid Mosque, one of India's largest. It has three gates, four towers, two 40m high minarets and is constructed of red sandstone and white marble. Entry was free but there was a rather hefty 300 Rupee photo permit. Shoes had to be removed and women had to wear a rather drab, unflattering button up dress. No head covering was required. The mosque itself was beautiful.
Next stop was at Raj Ghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi who was assassinated in 1948. He helped India gain it's Independence. From there we moved onto India Gate which was a beautiful war memorial and is very reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe. There are over 13,000 soldiers names inscribed on the gate and there's the Indian Army's Tomb of the Unknown Solider there as well.
Next stop was the Parliament district and then onwards to one of Delhi's main attractions the Humayun's Tomb. The tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun was built in the 1560's and is just beautiful, it was also inspiration in the construction of the Taj. The tomb is only one of a complex of other tombs that were built during the Mughal rule. All very beautiful.
The highlight for me though was the visit to the Qutb Complex, it was simply stunning. The Qutb Minar itself is the tallest brick minaret in the world and was built as a victory tower in 1192 to mark the beginning of Muslim rule in India. The complex was built over the Rajputs territories and many Hindu and Jain temples were destroyed in its construction like the Quwwat ul Islam Mosque which now lay in ruins. It was the first mosque built in Delhi and it has a mix of carved sculptures from the Koran and Hindu motifs. Totally fascinating and I could have spent a lot longer there.
Of course no day tour would be complete without the usual stop for lunch at an overpriced restaurant, the kind that caters to tour groups. The food however was very good and I had my usual Butter Chicken with Naan and 2 Cokes, it cost me 1700 rupees (A$35) it was the most expensive meal I had in India.
There was also a stop at an emperorium for the usual short demo and an offering of Chai before the usual selling pitch. I managed to part with some rupees and almost instantly regretted my impulse buy.
I was back in time for the tour meeting where afterwards we all went out for dinner, the food was delicious.
DAY 2 - DELHI SIGHTSEEING
The day began with our included sightseeing, we caught the Metro (airport like security included at entry points with X-ray machines and body scanners). The metro was ultra modern and clean with the first carriage being a women's only carriage. I felt I could have been in any major western city.
Getting off at Chandi Chowk station we had a rather short walking tour of Old Delhi. Our tour guide was a man of few words and he would delibately walk at his usual fast pace so we weren't holding him up by stopping to take photos. We walked up the 17th market place on Dariba Klan Rd for the quietnesstial photo of all the tangled and doggy electricity cables.
From here it was a short walk and another visit for me to the Jama Masjid Mosque. Afterwards we tried some street food, Samosas and Jalebi (a delicious dessert that's deep fried with a sugary syrup).
We then visited the Sheeshganj Gurudwar, a Sikh temple. It was fairly nice inside as was the music being played, but what I enjoyed the most was the visit to its working kitchen. Everyday the temple provides a free lunch to anyone whose anyone. We had missed today's lunch but we observed the volunteers preparing the veggies, the Roti dough and cooking Dal. Meanwhile there was one man squatting busily cleaning today's lunch scraps off the plates with his bare hands. Upon exiting the temple a blessing is offered in the form of Prasad (a sweet dry mixture). As simple as the experience was it was a nice change from doing the usual touristy things.
The Sikh temple marked the end of the included sightseeing, my only criticism being it was too short, I understand Intrepid's logic by taking us to the not so typical touristy sights but it would be good to include the big attractions as well. Aside from the Delhi sightseeing I couldn't fault the inclusions throughout the tour, they were all fantastic. Back at the hotel for an early night I ordered room service for dinner which was surprisingly good. We had an early start tomorrow.
DAY 3 - AGRA AND THE TAJ MAHAL
It was a 4:30am start today, extra early so we had time to find a working ATM before our 6am train departure to Agra. Journey time was 2hrs and boarding was done in an orderly manner. The train was basic but fine with comfy seats, breakfast was included and I did my usual toilet inspection, they were rank. Arriving in Agra we headed straight to Agra Fort for a guided tour with a local guide. The Fort was beautiful, it was the main residence of the Mughal dynasty before they moved to Delhi.
Afterwards it was off to the usual carpet demonstration, which was surprisingly interesting and there was no hard sell. We were offered the standard masala chai and a very tasty fried pastry with a fine spicy filling layer which I can't remember the name of.
We then checked into our rather nice hotel the Royal Residency where we had time for lunch and time to check out Agra's main drag. I had read Agra itself wasn't great and I have to agree. After a short and unnecessary rest at the hotel we were off to see one of the 7 wonders of the world, the magnificent Taj Mahal.
Our first glimpse of the Taj was from the red sandstone Mosque. The Taj Mahal is synonymous with love and romance and was built by the Muhal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. She died in 1631 and it took 12 years to complete. The relief work in marble and inlay with precious stones is beautiful as was the reflection of the Taj from the Lotus pool.
The visit to the Taj was a bit rushed for my liking, just a little longer would have been nice to enjoy the moment and take some good snaps without the crowds. However, we managed to watch the sunset over the Taj before it closed. Seeing the Taj was a real sense of accomplishment. Back at the hotel it was room service yet again and another early night for me.
DAY 4 - FOGGY FAthePUR SIKRI & KEOLADEO BIRD SANCTUARY
It was a foggy and chilly start to the day and after a short drive we arrived in Fathepur Sikri, an old walled Mughal capital that was abandoned back in 1585 and only rediscovered in 1892. We had a guided tour with a local guide. The architecture is a mix of Hindu and Islamic and was beautiful. Well worth a visit.
Another short drive took us to the city of Bharatpur where we spent the afternoon at the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary, one of the best in the world. It's home to thousands of resident and migrating birds, some come as far away as Siberia. We weaved our way through the park on a bicycle rickshaw, it was so beautiful and serene and our rickshaw rider was also our guide and was a wealth of information. Aside from birds we spotted monkeys, white spotted deers and a whole lot more.
I thoroughly enjoyed the sanctuary visit yet I initially thought it would be boring in comparison to tiger spotting in the Ranthambore National Park, which was included in the tour I had originally booked with Intrepid. I was happy to be proven wrong, it was a highlight of the trip.
Our hotel was the aptly named Birders Inn located right beside the sanctuary and it was another beautiful, traditional hotel. My room was large and the food superb. The scheduled puppet show was cancelled but it didn't seem to matter as we were entertained by a Hindu wedding taking place next door, one of many we came across during the trip.
DAY 5 - THE PINK CITY OF JAIPUR
Woke up to another foggy, smoke filled morning. We took the public bus to Jaipur which was slightly delayed due to fog and again we got the usual stares from the locals as we boarded the bus. No doubt they were wondering why on earth we would travel by such cheap means when we could do better, but then that's the purpose of the trip.
The bus was old and a bit tattered from the outside but the interior was fine. The journey took us through some big towns and small villages and seeing women in their bright and colourful saris, amongst the rubble and rubbish was beautiful in its own way.
Arriving in Jaipur we had a walking tour of Jaipur's main drag with our guide. We had a great 2 night stay at the Arya Niwas hotel. The rooms themselves were simply furnished but the hotel was traditionally styled with beautiful frescoes and beautiful landscaped gardens.
Tonight was Bollywood night as we went to the movies at the famous Raj Mandir cinemas. Tickets were 170 rupee (A$3.30) and just like back home there was a candy bar serving popcorn and ice cream. The movie was typical of Bollywood, lots of music and dancing and lots of dramatic over acting it was a fun night, despite phones ringing and babies crying throughout the movie.
DAY 6 - JAIPUR AND AMER FORT
The optional early morning ballon ride over Jaipur was cancelled due to high winds. Our alarm this morning was the Muslim prayer playing out over loudspeakers throughout the city.
The hotel offered same day laundry service so I put in my order of 4 tops and 3 pants. Laundered and pressed cost me all of 120 rupee (A$2.30), ridiculous.
Our sightseeing began by visiting the red and pink sandstone palace the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) next was the stunning Amer Fort for a guided tour with a local guide. We took the steps to the fort but many tourists unfortunately opt for an elephant ride instead. The welfare of working elephants is questionable.
The Amer Fort was built in Hindu style in red sandstone and marble and was just beautiful. I enjoyed it more than the Taj Mahal. Back in Jaipur we paid a visit to a textile emperorium and a gem store and again I just had to find something to buy.
Last stop was to visit Jaipur's City Palace, it was nice but not outstanding.
It was another great night and tonight we treated ourselves to dinner with a puppet and cultural show at Narain Niwas Palace Hotel aka The Best Marigold Hotel for those who have seen the movie. It was the usual tour group set up with a smorgasbord, the food was very average.
DAY 7 - STUNNING MANDAWA
Another early morning departure by public bus to the beautiful city of Mandawa, the last portion of the journey was by private vehicle, the distance was short maybe 10kms but it took a good hour as the road was full of potholes.
We arrived in Mandawa and to the most beautiful hotel I have ever seen, the Mandawa Haveli. We were all in awe and we spent the next hour exploring the hotel in amazement as if it was a museum. It had a beautiful inner courtyard, beautiful frescoes and a rooftop restaurant.
After having lunch at the hotel we set out with a local guide for a fantastic walking tour around Mandawa. He showed us many beautiful havelis all in varied states of repair. Mandawa is a gorgeous little city in the Shekhawati region which in its heyday was a trading outpost for the ancient caravan routes between China and the Middle East. Since then it's been largely forgotten about but is now slowly being rediscovered.
A candlelight dinner on the hotel's rooftop under the stars topped off another great day. I only wished we had another night here.
DAY 8 - BIKANER
We were back on the public bus again this morning on our way to Bikaner for a 2 night stay, although I thought 1 night here was sufficient. We stayed at the beautiful Harasar Haveli, arriving there in time for lunch before a visit to the Junagarh Fort with a local guide. I wasn't feeling the love for this fort, it was beautiful but not as good as the Amer Fort.
Dinner was included tonight and we were treated to a lovely dinner by campfire out in the countryside. The food was delicious and we had musicians and dancers entertaining us. There was also a chance to dress up in traditional Rajasthani outfits. It was another good night had by all.
DAY 9 - OLD BIKANER AND RATS
With the morning free we opted for a Tuk Tuk tour of Old Bikaner, cost all of $2. Our tuk tuk drivers were our guides and they did a good job showing us around their city. We had a good walking tour, a visit to a Hindu Temple and to the local market. It was a great way to mix with the locals and our tuk tuk drivers did nothing dodgy like taking us to their brother/uncles/2nd cousin shop.
In the afternoon we had an included visit to the Rat Temple (Karni Mata Temple) I was curious and keen over the visit until I learnt shoes had to be removed, fortunately socks or those surgical foot coverings could be worned and there weren't as many rats as expected.
DAY 10 - FORTRESS CITY OF JAISALMER
This morning we caught a fairly basic train with the local country folk to Jaisalmer, journey time was around 5hrs and we were treated to an impromptu Indian bagpipe performance performed by an elderly gent.
Arriving in Jaisalmer for a three night stay and again to another fantastic Haveli hotel stay at the Nachana Haveli. The Nachana family are Royal descendants to Maharawal Jaisal, the founder of Jaisalmer and like our Mandawa hotel, it was another stunning hotel with beautiful stone ceilings, tranquil courtyards and a rooftop restaurant.
Jaisalmer is located in the Thar Desert (Great Indian Desert) around 100km from the Pakistan border so hearing fighter jets overhead was a very common occurance. After checking in we set out to explore the Jaisalmer Fort which was only a few minutes walk from our hotel.
It is a truly beautiful fort that was built way back in 1156 in yellow sandstone which made it a nice change from the usual red sandstone we had seen so much of while on tour. It is India's last living fort with around 3000 residents and its filled with narrow winding lanes, Jain temples, handicraft shops, restaurants and guesthouses.
Finding a rooftop bar we had drinks while watching the sunset out towards Pakistan and being entertained by another local musician.
DAY 11 - MORE OF JAISALMER AND A CAMEL SAFARI
We had another free morning to explore Jaisalmer and its fort before leaving for our camel safari in the afternoon. It was a 40 minute drive further into the desert where our camels were waiting. It was my first camel ride and I was a little nervous, getting on and off wasn't as easy as it looked.
Reaching our camp hot and dehydrated I was relived it was over. The camp site was not the luxury kind, nothing more than a bed under the stars with the toliet being behind the bush kind. Our guide said its not about having the best sleep ever but the experience and he was right.
Watching the sunset over the desert was beautiful, we had cooks who prepared dinner over the campfire for us, followed by local musicians and dancers, they were fabulous.
Needless to say we had an early night and I woke up freezing cold and couldn't get back to sleep so I admired the beauty of star filled sky instead.
DAY 12 - JAISALMER
A simple breakfast was served this morning and then we were back on our camels for the return trip. Back in Jaisalmer we had free time and a few of us visited Patwon Ki Haveli which was the first ever Haveli in Jaisalmer, it's a group of 5 Havelis all beautifully intricate and built in yellow sandstone. The rest of the day was spent doing last minute shopping at the Fort. We had another early start tomorrow.
DAY 13 - THE BLUE CITY OF JODHPUR
An early morning train ride bought us to the Blue city of Jodhpur, journey time was nearly 6 hours. We checked into the beautiful colonial hotel, the Polo Heritage. It was the home of the famous polo player Kishan Singh. It had an old English Royal feel about it. The rooms were simply furnished but it had a pool and lovely tranquil gardens.
After lunch we set off to visit the Mehrangarh Fort, which was another stunning fort overlooking the city. It was built in 1460 and this time we had an audio tour of the fort. We then had a walking tour though the old town and with all the blue buildings it was easy to see why Jodhpur is called the Blue City. We finished at the market square and the Clock Tower where our Guide took us to a famous Lassi shop.
We had our last real dinner together at a very nice rooftop restaurant overlooking the fort.
DAY 14 - FREE DAY IN JODHPUR & OVERNIGHT TRAIN BACK TO DELHI
We had today completely free, there was an option to visit some of the local country folk but the guide said it would be more of the same so I decided against it which I somewhat regretted as the 2 people who did go, had a great time and it wasn't more of the same either.
The rest of us decided to explore Jodhpur further and do some last minute shopping. In the evening our guide wanted to get to the train station extra early for our overnight train back to Delhi but then while waiting for the train he strangely went walkabouts without saying a word. Our train had already pulled in and some 30mins later our guide finally reappeared and with no apology we were then able to board the train for one very uncomfortable sleepless night. The train was decent except for the toilets of course, but the sleeping area was so crammed that I felt like I was lying in a coffin.
DAY 15 - DELHI
After long 11 hour train ride we arrived back in Delhi. Stepping off the train we were hounded by people, it was foggy, dirty with debris everywhere. Knowing the tour was now over I was already emotionally on that plane back home so it felt like a slap in the face and it wasn't the best way to end what was a great tour.
Wanting to ensure he got his tips our guide instructed our drivers to stop at some ATM's on the way back to the hotel. Unfortunately for him none of the ATM's were working and now knowing he wouldn't be getting his expected tips he was visually annoyed that some of us had the cheek to spend our money on ourselves and not on him.
He implied we were slack for not finding ATM's, rather insulting I thought considering it wasnt slackness more virtually impossible to get any money. I had kept his tip aside but even then I had to use some of it but I didn't care that I gave him a bit less as I think he was lucky to get the tips he got. He even organised his tips to be paid through Western Union for those who didn't have the money.
When it came to us reviewing the tour, he literally told us that we could complain about anything to do with the tour but not to complain about him as he would get trouble. Intrepid had booked 2 day rooms for us which was a great idea and much appreciated, we were able to shower, sleep & relax before our flights home as all of us had late night flights.
We all headed to a nice American style cafe near the hotel for brunch, did some last minute shopping before catching up again for one last dinner together before heading to the airport. As expected security was tight, the tightest I've seen anywhere. Only passengers were allowed entry into the airport itself and further security measures beyond the typical.
I was sad to leave India, it was the realisation of completing a lifelong dream. India was everything I had imagined it to be. I hope to one day return to explore India further however I certainly won't miss the traffic, the smoke filled haze, the crowds, the rubbish and the grit that sticks to your face and gets in your hair.
I know for most people in this forum, India isn't a place they would ever consider visiting but for a bit of variety I thought I would add a short tale about my trip there in November/December last year.
Some photos here flic.kr/s/aHskRdB3G5
India for me was undoubtedly one of the most fascinating and thought provoking places I have ever visited. It was one of my favourite trips.
India has always been on my radar, namely just to see the Taj Mahal but then the more I researched the more I realised there was much more I had to see. I was instantly drawn to Rajasthan but then there was Varansi for the Ganges, Khajuraho for its temples and the Himalayan region. With limited time I settled for Rajasthan. Rajasthan (The Land of Kings) is India's largest state and is home to the Rajputs, magnificent palaces and forts and a whole lot of colour. It is also one of India's most popular travel destinations.
I wanted to see and experience the real India, the good, the bad and the ugly. Most of my travels have been of the solo kind as I love exploring my own way and getting off the beaten track but I wasn't exactly comfortable doing that in India so I decided to travel with Intrepid and I found their semi independent tour style fitted me to a T.
I did the Rajasthan Adventure tour and although it wasn't my first pick it was a fantastic 15 day tour which took in the sights, sounds and smells of Delhi, Agra, Fathepur Sikri, Bharatpur, Jaipur, Mandawa, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur. It was a great mix of experiencing the big cities and rural India. We had a small but varied group of only 7 (maximum was 12) from Canada, Australia and New Zealand, aged from mid 30s to late 60s
Accommodation was simple and clean but most definately a whole lot better than expected. The highlight was staying in some absolutely stunning old heritage havelis (mansions). They more than made up for the more simple digs like the outdoor camp and the overnight sleeper train.
Transport was varied as it gets in India, private vehicles, tuk tuks, cycle rickshaw, metro, camel and local buses and trains. All run smoothly and without incident, although at times I felt I had my life in my hands.
My only disappointment was with the tour guide (I never seem to have much luck in getting a reasonably good one). He did what he had to do but it all came across as a burden and an inconvience for him, he appeared bored and his commentary was lacking except when discussing his tips. In fairness though he did get us from A to B without any hassle.
A big hassle on tour though was the Indian cash crisis which began around 2 weeks before the tour started. The Indian government decided overnight that it's 500 and 1000 rupee notes would no longer be legal tender which of course created absolute chaos. There were long queues at banks and at ATMs, that is at ATM's that actually worked, many didn't as there simply wasn't enough currency to go around. A maximum daily withdrawal of only 2000 rupee (A$40) was in place which only created another problem - everyone had 2000 rupee notes so getting change when making small purchases was troublesome. Thank god India is a cheap destination. Many of the ATMs were patrolled by armed guards which I'm not sure was the norm or not but even without the presence of armed guards the locals queued patiently, I never saw any pushing or shoving.
When it came to meals we only ate at upmarket restaurants or at the hotel so we were able to use credit cards which helped a lot (a typical meal would cost around A$10). I never got Delhi belly but 2 tour companions did and funnily enough they were the ones who were constantly using hand sanitiser, wiping everything down and cross examining everything to nth degree.
November is winter and peak season in India, the days were warm/hot but nothing oppressive around 30 degrees, a few mornings were fresh with some fog but the overnight camp in the desert was absolutely freezing.
Visiting the Taj Mahal was completing a life's dream of mine but surpringly it wasn't the highlight of my trip. For me the highlights were the unexpected ones - the Qutb Complex in Delhi, the Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur and Amer Fort in Jaipur. I loved rural India the most and the little outpost town of Mandawa was fantastic, my favourite city was Jaisalmer.
With no direct flights from Brisbane to India. I flew Cathay Pacific and enjoyed a 3 day Hong Kong stopover along the way. My first trip to Hong Kong was when I left school in 1996 and back then Hong Kong was still under British rule. A lot has changed since then so I was excited to see it again.
I bought the 48hr Big Bus Ticket doing the bus routes through Kowloon, Hong Kong Island and Stanely. I did a Sampan ride through Aberdeen harbour, the Star Ferry and of course the Peak tram.
I also took the Ngong Ping 360 cable car to the Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha), my favourite HK attractiion. It's named after the Altar of Heaven and the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The 6 statues surrounding the Big Buddha symbolises the perfections of wisdom, patience, generosity, zeal, morality and mediation.
At night I visited the Temple Street Night Market and watched the symphony of lights show along the harbour, which was not quite as exciting as expected.
I had an evening flight to Delhi and as expected I was one of only a handful of Europeans onboard. It was a 6hr flight to Delhi and after putting my watch back 2 and half hours which was a bit odd I arrived in Delhi at around 9.30pm.
The airport was basic, clean and surprisingly very orderly. I had applied online for my Visa (US$48) and after a snapshot and my fingerprints were taken I was granted entry to India. My luggage took over an hour to arrive but at least it did and it did give me time to look for an ATM with no success. I knew about the cash crisis before arriving but I had no idea how bad it was until I arrived and I didn't think to bring any foreign currency with me either.
Fortunately my transfer guy was still waiting patiently for me and I had booked an extra night at the starting hotel the Pooja Palace, which despite its name was definately no palace. It was the most basic hotel we stayed in on tour. Nevertheless, it was a standard 3 star hotel with friendly staff and comfy beds and I had a great night sleep.
Day 1 - DELHI
Tour began with a group meeting at 6pm but I was up at the crack of dawn to go ATM hunting around the hotel. With fair skin and blue eyes I got the expected stares from the locals but I had no luck with finding a working ATM. The amount of rubbish lining the streets was just incredible.
With the day free I had pre booked a private day tour. The hotel pick up was on time and the guide was good, especially as he found me a working ATM, I withdraw my 2000 Rupees (A$40), a huge relief. First stop was a visit to the Jama Masjid Mosque, one of India's largest. It has three gates, four towers, two 40m high minarets and is constructed of red sandstone and white marble. Entry was free but there was a rather hefty 300 Rupee photo permit. Shoes had to be removed and women had to wear a rather drab, unflattering button up dress. No head covering was required. The mosque itself was beautiful.
Next stop was at Raj Ghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi who was assassinated in 1948. He helped India gain it's Independence. From there we moved onto India Gate which was a beautiful war memorial and is very reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe. There are over 13,000 soldiers names inscribed on the gate and there's the Indian Army's Tomb of the Unknown Solider there as well.
Next stop was the Parliament district and then onwards to one of Delhi's main attractions the Humayun's Tomb. The tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun was built in the 1560's and is just beautiful, it was also inspiration in the construction of the Taj. The tomb is only one of a complex of other tombs that were built during the Mughal rule. All very beautiful.
The highlight for me though was the visit to the Qutb Complex, it was simply stunning. The Qutb Minar itself is the tallest brick minaret in the world and was built as a victory tower in 1192 to mark the beginning of Muslim rule in India. The complex was built over the Rajputs territories and many Hindu and Jain temples were destroyed in its construction like the Quwwat ul Islam Mosque which now lay in ruins. It was the first mosque built in Delhi and it has a mix of carved sculptures from the Koran and Hindu motifs. Totally fascinating and I could have spent a lot longer there.
Of course no day tour would be complete without the usual stop for lunch at an overpriced restaurant, the kind that caters to tour groups. The food however was very good and I had my usual Butter Chicken with Naan and 2 Cokes, it cost me 1700 rupees (A$35) it was the most expensive meal I had in India.
There was also a stop at an emperorium for the usual short demo and an offering of Chai before the usual selling pitch. I managed to part with some rupees and almost instantly regretted my impulse buy.
I was back in time for the tour meeting where afterwards we all went out for dinner, the food was delicious.
DAY 2 - DELHI SIGHTSEEING
The day began with our included sightseeing, we caught the Metro (airport like security included at entry points with X-ray machines and body scanners). The metro was ultra modern and clean with the first carriage being a women's only carriage. I felt I could have been in any major western city.
Getting off at Chandi Chowk station we had a rather short walking tour of Old Delhi. Our tour guide was a man of few words and he would delibately walk at his usual fast pace so we weren't holding him up by stopping to take photos. We walked up the 17th market place on Dariba Klan Rd for the quietnesstial photo of all the tangled and doggy electricity cables.
From here it was a short walk and another visit for me to the Jama Masjid Mosque. Afterwards we tried some street food, Samosas and Jalebi (a delicious dessert that's deep fried with a sugary syrup).
We then visited the Sheeshganj Gurudwar, a Sikh temple. It was fairly nice inside as was the music being played, but what I enjoyed the most was the visit to its working kitchen. Everyday the temple provides a free lunch to anyone whose anyone. We had missed today's lunch but we observed the volunteers preparing the veggies, the Roti dough and cooking Dal. Meanwhile there was one man squatting busily cleaning today's lunch scraps off the plates with his bare hands. Upon exiting the temple a blessing is offered in the form of Prasad (a sweet dry mixture). As simple as the experience was it was a nice change from doing the usual touristy things.
The Sikh temple marked the end of the included sightseeing, my only criticism being it was too short, I understand Intrepid's logic by taking us to the not so typical touristy sights but it would be good to include the big attractions as well. Aside from the Delhi sightseeing I couldn't fault the inclusions throughout the tour, they were all fantastic. Back at the hotel for an early night I ordered room service for dinner which was surprisingly good. We had an early start tomorrow.
DAY 3 - AGRA AND THE TAJ MAHAL
It was a 4:30am start today, extra early so we had time to find a working ATM before our 6am train departure to Agra. Journey time was 2hrs and boarding was done in an orderly manner. The train was basic but fine with comfy seats, breakfast was included and I did my usual toilet inspection, they were rank. Arriving in Agra we headed straight to Agra Fort for a guided tour with a local guide. The Fort was beautiful, it was the main residence of the Mughal dynasty before they moved to Delhi.
Afterwards it was off to the usual carpet demonstration, which was surprisingly interesting and there was no hard sell. We were offered the standard masala chai and a very tasty fried pastry with a fine spicy filling layer which I can't remember the name of.
We then checked into our rather nice hotel the Royal Residency where we had time for lunch and time to check out Agra's main drag. I had read Agra itself wasn't great and I have to agree. After a short and unnecessary rest at the hotel we were off to see one of the 7 wonders of the world, the magnificent Taj Mahal.
Our first glimpse of the Taj was from the red sandstone Mosque. The Taj Mahal is synonymous with love and romance and was built by the Muhal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. She died in 1631 and it took 12 years to complete. The relief work in marble and inlay with precious stones is beautiful as was the reflection of the Taj from the Lotus pool.
The visit to the Taj was a bit rushed for my liking, just a little longer would have been nice to enjoy the moment and take some good snaps without the crowds. However, we managed to watch the sunset over the Taj before it closed. Seeing the Taj was a real sense of accomplishment. Back at the hotel it was room service yet again and another early night for me.
DAY 4 - FOGGY FAthePUR SIKRI & KEOLADEO BIRD SANCTUARY
It was a foggy and chilly start to the day and after a short drive we arrived in Fathepur Sikri, an old walled Mughal capital that was abandoned back in 1585 and only rediscovered in 1892. We had a guided tour with a local guide. The architecture is a mix of Hindu and Islamic and was beautiful. Well worth a visit.
Another short drive took us to the city of Bharatpur where we spent the afternoon at the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary, one of the best in the world. It's home to thousands of resident and migrating birds, some come as far away as Siberia. We weaved our way through the park on a bicycle rickshaw, it was so beautiful and serene and our rickshaw rider was also our guide and was a wealth of information. Aside from birds we spotted monkeys, white spotted deers and a whole lot more.
I thoroughly enjoyed the sanctuary visit yet I initially thought it would be boring in comparison to tiger spotting in the Ranthambore National Park, which was included in the tour I had originally booked with Intrepid. I was happy to be proven wrong, it was a highlight of the trip.
Our hotel was the aptly named Birders Inn located right beside the sanctuary and it was another beautiful, traditional hotel. My room was large and the food superb. The scheduled puppet show was cancelled but it didn't seem to matter as we were entertained by a Hindu wedding taking place next door, one of many we came across during the trip.
DAY 5 - THE PINK CITY OF JAIPUR
Woke up to another foggy, smoke filled morning. We took the public bus to Jaipur which was slightly delayed due to fog and again we got the usual stares from the locals as we boarded the bus. No doubt they were wondering why on earth we would travel by such cheap means when we could do better, but then that's the purpose of the trip.
The bus was old and a bit tattered from the outside but the interior was fine. The journey took us through some big towns and small villages and seeing women in their bright and colourful saris, amongst the rubble and rubbish was beautiful in its own way.
Arriving in Jaipur we had a walking tour of Jaipur's main drag with our guide. We had a great 2 night stay at the Arya Niwas hotel. The rooms themselves were simply furnished but the hotel was traditionally styled with beautiful frescoes and beautiful landscaped gardens.
Tonight was Bollywood night as we went to the movies at the famous Raj Mandir cinemas. Tickets were 170 rupee (A$3.30) and just like back home there was a candy bar serving popcorn and ice cream. The movie was typical of Bollywood, lots of music and dancing and lots of dramatic over acting it was a fun night, despite phones ringing and babies crying throughout the movie.
DAY 6 - JAIPUR AND AMER FORT
The optional early morning ballon ride over Jaipur was cancelled due to high winds. Our alarm this morning was the Muslim prayer playing out over loudspeakers throughout the city.
The hotel offered same day laundry service so I put in my order of 4 tops and 3 pants. Laundered and pressed cost me all of 120 rupee (A$2.30), ridiculous.
Our sightseeing began by visiting the red and pink sandstone palace the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) next was the stunning Amer Fort for a guided tour with a local guide. We took the steps to the fort but many tourists unfortunately opt for an elephant ride instead. The welfare of working elephants is questionable.
The Amer Fort was built in Hindu style in red sandstone and marble and was just beautiful. I enjoyed it more than the Taj Mahal. Back in Jaipur we paid a visit to a textile emperorium and a gem store and again I just had to find something to buy.
Last stop was to visit Jaipur's City Palace, it was nice but not outstanding.
It was another great night and tonight we treated ourselves to dinner with a puppet and cultural show at Narain Niwas Palace Hotel aka The Best Marigold Hotel for those who have seen the movie. It was the usual tour group set up with a smorgasbord, the food was very average.
DAY 7 - STUNNING MANDAWA
Another early morning departure by public bus to the beautiful city of Mandawa, the last portion of the journey was by private vehicle, the distance was short maybe 10kms but it took a good hour as the road was full of potholes.
We arrived in Mandawa and to the most beautiful hotel I have ever seen, the Mandawa Haveli. We were all in awe and we spent the next hour exploring the hotel in amazement as if it was a museum. It had a beautiful inner courtyard, beautiful frescoes and a rooftop restaurant.
After having lunch at the hotel we set out with a local guide for a fantastic walking tour around Mandawa. He showed us many beautiful havelis all in varied states of repair. Mandawa is a gorgeous little city in the Shekhawati region which in its heyday was a trading outpost for the ancient caravan routes between China and the Middle East. Since then it's been largely forgotten about but is now slowly being rediscovered.
A candlelight dinner on the hotel's rooftop under the stars topped off another great day. I only wished we had another night here.
DAY 8 - BIKANER
We were back on the public bus again this morning on our way to Bikaner for a 2 night stay, although I thought 1 night here was sufficient. We stayed at the beautiful Harasar Haveli, arriving there in time for lunch before a visit to the Junagarh Fort with a local guide. I wasn't feeling the love for this fort, it was beautiful but not as good as the Amer Fort.
Dinner was included tonight and we were treated to a lovely dinner by campfire out in the countryside. The food was delicious and we had musicians and dancers entertaining us. There was also a chance to dress up in traditional Rajasthani outfits. It was another good night had by all.
DAY 9 - OLD BIKANER AND RATS
With the morning free we opted for a Tuk Tuk tour of Old Bikaner, cost all of $2. Our tuk tuk drivers were our guides and they did a good job showing us around their city. We had a good walking tour, a visit to a Hindu Temple and to the local market. It was a great way to mix with the locals and our tuk tuk drivers did nothing dodgy like taking us to their brother/uncles/2nd cousin shop.
In the afternoon we had an included visit to the Rat Temple (Karni Mata Temple) I was curious and keen over the visit until I learnt shoes had to be removed, fortunately socks or those surgical foot coverings could be worned and there weren't as many rats as expected.
DAY 10 - FORTRESS CITY OF JAISALMER
This morning we caught a fairly basic train with the local country folk to Jaisalmer, journey time was around 5hrs and we were treated to an impromptu Indian bagpipe performance performed by an elderly gent.
Arriving in Jaisalmer for a three night stay and again to another fantastic Haveli hotel stay at the Nachana Haveli. The Nachana family are Royal descendants to Maharawal Jaisal, the founder of Jaisalmer and like our Mandawa hotel, it was another stunning hotel with beautiful stone ceilings, tranquil courtyards and a rooftop restaurant.
Jaisalmer is located in the Thar Desert (Great Indian Desert) around 100km from the Pakistan border so hearing fighter jets overhead was a very common occurance. After checking in we set out to explore the Jaisalmer Fort which was only a few minutes walk from our hotel.
It is a truly beautiful fort that was built way back in 1156 in yellow sandstone which made it a nice change from the usual red sandstone we had seen so much of while on tour. It is India's last living fort with around 3000 residents and its filled with narrow winding lanes, Jain temples, handicraft shops, restaurants and guesthouses.
Finding a rooftop bar we had drinks while watching the sunset out towards Pakistan and being entertained by another local musician.
DAY 11 - MORE OF JAISALMER AND A CAMEL SAFARI
We had another free morning to explore Jaisalmer and its fort before leaving for our camel safari in the afternoon. It was a 40 minute drive further into the desert where our camels were waiting. It was my first camel ride and I was a little nervous, getting on and off wasn't as easy as it looked.
Reaching our camp hot and dehydrated I was relived it was over. The camp site was not the luxury kind, nothing more than a bed under the stars with the toliet being behind the bush kind. Our guide said its not about having the best sleep ever but the experience and he was right.
Watching the sunset over the desert was beautiful, we had cooks who prepared dinner over the campfire for us, followed by local musicians and dancers, they were fabulous.
Needless to say we had an early night and I woke up freezing cold and couldn't get back to sleep so I admired the beauty of star filled sky instead.
DAY 12 - JAISALMER
A simple breakfast was served this morning and then we were back on our camels for the return trip. Back in Jaisalmer we had free time and a few of us visited Patwon Ki Haveli which was the first ever Haveli in Jaisalmer, it's a group of 5 Havelis all beautifully intricate and built in yellow sandstone. The rest of the day was spent doing last minute shopping at the Fort. We had another early start tomorrow.
DAY 13 - THE BLUE CITY OF JODHPUR
An early morning train ride bought us to the Blue city of Jodhpur, journey time was nearly 6 hours. We checked into the beautiful colonial hotel, the Polo Heritage. It was the home of the famous polo player Kishan Singh. It had an old English Royal feel about it. The rooms were simply furnished but it had a pool and lovely tranquil gardens.
After lunch we set off to visit the Mehrangarh Fort, which was another stunning fort overlooking the city. It was built in 1460 and this time we had an audio tour of the fort. We then had a walking tour though the old town and with all the blue buildings it was easy to see why Jodhpur is called the Blue City. We finished at the market square and the Clock Tower where our Guide took us to a famous Lassi shop.
We had our last real dinner together at a very nice rooftop restaurant overlooking the fort.
DAY 14 - FREE DAY IN JODHPUR & OVERNIGHT TRAIN BACK TO DELHI
We had today completely free, there was an option to visit some of the local country folk but the guide said it would be more of the same so I decided against it which I somewhat regretted as the 2 people who did go, had a great time and it wasn't more of the same either.
The rest of us decided to explore Jodhpur further and do some last minute shopping. In the evening our guide wanted to get to the train station extra early for our overnight train back to Delhi but then while waiting for the train he strangely went walkabouts without saying a word. Our train had already pulled in and some 30mins later our guide finally reappeared and with no apology we were then able to board the train for one very uncomfortable sleepless night. The train was decent except for the toilets of course, but the sleeping area was so crammed that I felt like I was lying in a coffin.
DAY 15 - DELHI
After long 11 hour train ride we arrived back in Delhi. Stepping off the train we were hounded by people, it was foggy, dirty with debris everywhere. Knowing the tour was now over I was already emotionally on that plane back home so it felt like a slap in the face and it wasn't the best way to end what was a great tour.
Wanting to ensure he got his tips our guide instructed our drivers to stop at some ATM's on the way back to the hotel. Unfortunately for him none of the ATM's were working and now knowing he wouldn't be getting his expected tips he was visually annoyed that some of us had the cheek to spend our money on ourselves and not on him.
He implied we were slack for not finding ATM's, rather insulting I thought considering it wasnt slackness more virtually impossible to get any money. I had kept his tip aside but even then I had to use some of it but I didn't care that I gave him a bit less as I think he was lucky to get the tips he got. He even organised his tips to be paid through Western Union for those who didn't have the money.
When it came to us reviewing the tour, he literally told us that we could complain about anything to do with the tour but not to complain about him as he would get trouble. Intrepid had booked 2 day rooms for us which was a great idea and much appreciated, we were able to shower, sleep & relax before our flights home as all of us had late night flights.
We all headed to a nice American style cafe near the hotel for brunch, did some last minute shopping before catching up again for one last dinner together before heading to the airport. As expected security was tight, the tightest I've seen anywhere. Only passengers were allowed entry into the airport itself and further security measures beyond the typical.
I was sad to leave India, it was the realisation of completing a lifelong dream. India was everything I had imagined it to be. I hope to one day return to explore India further however I certainly won't miss the traffic, the smoke filled haze, the crowds, the rubbish and the grit that sticks to your face and gets in your hair.
