India

A few days later...

petitibiza — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:53:00 GMT

So, here I am again, now in Goa. Let's see...where was I the last time I wrote...? Right, Jodhpur, the Blue City.

After seeing the fort, pretty much did nothing for a few hours back at my hotel, chilled, read and ate, mostly, waiting for my night train to Jaisalmer. Got on the train at 11pm, actually managed to sleep something and arrived at jaisalmer at 5:30am. Stayed inside the fort, nice guesthouse, nice fort, pretty much a sand castle, one of the top 100 most endangered monuments in the world, slowly but surely crumbling...a shame.

On the following day I was ready for the camel safari and, during breakfast met the other two people that were coming with me, Cedric, from Paris, and Kim, from Melbourne. Great guys both of them, we had a lot of fun!

First we rode a jeep to the camels, about one hour away, and then we rode the camels...the fun had just begun. Smelly, tall, kind of scary at the beginning, specially the first time they go up with u in 'em, and mostly when they go down! U gotta really lean back not to fall forward as the thing is bending is front legs. We were all pretty sore pretty fast, but then we got used to it and settled down a bit and relaxed...got into it and became one with the camel...one with the bouncing up and down...but mostly, one with the smell!

We visited a couple of villages on our way to the dunes (this is not a Sahara like desert, is mostly shrubs and bushes, dry trees and such, also dunes, but less) and all the kids wanted school pens, of which we had none and felt pretty stupid about it for the rest of the trip...there is nothing we could give them. We took pictures of them and they loved it. We were invited into a house where the women were making chapati (round flat indian bread) and we sat with them for a while, what a great experience.

Then we moved on until we stopped for lunch, ate with our hands a bunch of curry and saffron flavoured veggies, ramen and a lot of chapati. Kicked it for two hours or so and then left for our final destination, Sam Dunes, where we would sleep.

After dinner, pretty much like lunch but without the pretty much, we sat around the fire and listened to old songs from some guys that appeared out of nowhere, friends of our guide and cook. They played a guitar like instrument and some bangles. Fun.

Oh, almost forgot, had some opium tea, didn't really feel anything...slept great, though!

Got up early, as ususual, earlier than anybody else, and had the fire going and ready for breakfast by the time the guides woke up at 7 or so.

Back towards Jaisalmer, arrived at 5 pm I believe, showered and had dinner with Cedric and Kim.
Took the same night to Jodhpur, got there at 6 am and when straight to the airport, where I waited for ever to catch my plane to Mumbai. Got to Mumbai a few hours delayed and some guys decided to try another scam on me: after I had payed for my taxi ride one of them was taling to me trying to distract me and the other one took the bills and folded them as he was counting them and ripped them a little bit, showed to me and told me that he couldnt accept them cause they were ripped them, luckily I had seen it all. He didn't speak a lot of English (the other one did) so I used hand signs and slowly pointed to the bills, and to him, and to my eyes while I said: "U just did that, I saw u" and the other one quickly said something to his friend, they apologized and I got out of the cab.

Got to my hotel at 9pm, order room service for dinner, and slept until 3am. At 4:30 left the hotel and went to catch my super early train to Goa at 5:30. About 12 hours later I made it to the beach...and not going anywhere for a few days...
Goa, baby!

Jodhpur. The Blue City

petitibiza — Thu, 3 Jan 2008 17:39:00 GMT

Arrived yesterday at 2pm after 6 hours in the bus. Not as scary as the ride from Agra to Bharatpur, where the driver would drive on the wrong side pretty much all the time to swerve at the last second back to the right side when a truck was about to hit us... The Blue City is kind of cool, the Fort, Meherangarh, sprawled across a 125m-high hill, impressive. Did it all early, finished at 11 am and headed to the train station to re-confimr my train ticket for tonight, going to the desert.

Smelly city Jodhpur...cows and open sewers all over the place...

Udaipur

petitibiza — Wed, 2 Jan 2008 05:34:00 GMT

Got up around 9 am onNew Year's Day. Walked around the city a bit, erad a lot laying on one of the terraces and in the evening watched a show in a Haveli of traditional dances and puppet shows, interesting as well as funny. Bought my bus ticket for Jodhopur. Leaving tomorrown at 8 am.

Udaipur...still doing nothing

petitibiza — Tue, 1 Jan 2008 17:30:00 GMT

I spent New Year's at that terrace that I told u about before, 450rps for dinner (big buffet) and some beer. I met a very nice Australian couple, Danielle and Dylan, and an American from New York, Steve. Spent most of the time with them drinking a bunch. Also had some fnu with Sandra, German lady who got all her bags stolen from the car she was travelling with...

Udaipur. Doing a whole bunch of nothing

petitibiza — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 19:27:00 GMT

I finally found my kind of place...rooftop terrace overlooking the lake where I can lay down for hours surrounded by cushions and more cushions...and that's what I did today, for about 5 hours. Also changed some money and bought a bus ticket for Jodhpur. I live on the 2nd. Tonight I am going to a party held on that terrace I just mentioned, dinner, drinks...I will be carrying my flask tonight just in case...there is beer but not everywhere and I haven't seen my friend Jack yet... I am getting used to their head wobble when they say yes, it is really funny, although sometimes it can also mean maybe...or no, actually. Hope to take some cool pictures of the lake and City Palace from that terrace as the sun goes down, now the light is not right. Happy New Year to all, stay cool.

Udaipur. The Venice of the East...

petitibiza — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 00:02:00 GMT

I spent yesterday afternoon relaxing at my hotel, reading after hacing checked out and waiting for my 10pm sleeper train to Udaipur. I also played a little cricket with the hotel staff and ended up joking around with them for a few hours, what a bunch of nice kids. I got my second formal invitation to stay at th e recepcionist house if I ever go back to Jaipur. They also gave3 me a 40 rps discounnt and wouldn't take tips from me. Finally, one of them, the oldest, gave me a ridee to the train station on his vespa and I didn't even have to pay a rickshaw. Even so I am watching my money because I am doing as lot of sightseeing and don't want to have to watch my money when I get to the beach in Goa...that is the most expensive place where I 'll be staying by far and dont want to have to worry.

Uneventful train ride, I even managed to sleep a few hours...Arrived at 8 am and went straight to my hotel, was thinking about taking a little nap but had breakfast instead and decided to go for a short walk. Visited the City Palace and de Maharaja's collection of vintage cars, including the Rolls Royce Phantom they used in Octopussy! Yes, this is the place where they shot it, and in case u don't know that already when u get here there's all kinds of sings wich remind u they will be showing the movie tonigh, and tomorrow night, too!

Also visited a little village a few km outta town where they were having the last day of their winter festival. It was ok, I saw some performances. The best thing was to watch all the young peolpe dressed up looking for badgee (slang for pussy, or so my friends from the Jaipur Hotel told me...) hehe.

Ready to get some dinner at any one of the rooftop restaurants that surround the city.

So far my stomach seems to be holding up pretty good, and I eat at the street stalls any change I get...

The further away I have been getting from Delhi and the closer to the desert the more laid back this has become, and I welcome that. Delhi was kind of hectic. I can't imagine anything more laid back than miles and miles oif sand dunens surrounding u...but we'll get to that in a few days.

Jaipur and off to Udaipur

petitibiza — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:57:00 GMT

So, it only took 5 days for them to try one of their scams with me. But I didn't let them try. This guy approached me on the street as I was walking back to my hotel and asked where I was from, Spain, I said. He went nuts and asked me to translate a letter for himn from English to Spanish for his bussiness partner in Barcelona. I have no doubt that such letter would have contained the details of some too-good-to-be-true deal. I said no, but no, thanks, smiling, and kept on walking. He insisted it would only take 5 minutes. I kept saying no and he followed me saying that I could me a lot of money, up to 5000 euros if I worked for his export company. I kept saying no and walking, and when he grabbed me by the arm to stop me I grabbed his arm, gave it a little squeeze and repeated it "you are not hearing me, I am not interested", smiling, and walked away. He let me go.

Woke up early today and took the bus to Amber Fort, I was the only foreigner on the bus again. Really cheap and pretty fun. Amber Fort was really nice. Met again Galen, the American, we shared a joint, he had some hash froim Kashmir...Then got back to town and here I am.

For the Samosa take the prize, deep-fried triangle-shaped pastries filled with green peas. I go up to any street stall and buy them for 5 rps a piece, nice.

I am headed now to the train station to re-comfirm my ticket, just in case, I leave tonight at 10.

See ya!

Jaipur, the Pink City. Day 6

petitibiza — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:42:00 GMT

Finally slept in a little bit. Got up at 7, did one hour of yoga and had masala tea and an omellette for breakfast. Walked my ass of today coz I didn't want to hire a rickshaw for the day. Saw the City Palace and the Hawa Mahal, Jaipur's trademark. Later on today I will call my new friend, James, who drove me to my hotel last night and we'll go to see the sunset at Tiger Fort. Had a very funny talk with another driver who claims he has a girlfriend in Barcelona...He just followed me for about 1 km.

Ranthambore and off to Jaipur. Day 5

petitibiza — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:23:00 GMT

Got up at 6, Rahul, the 20 year-old recepcionst, had re-confirmed my safari reservation and my truck came to pick me up at 7 or so, only a half hour late. On the truck I met an American , Galen, and a pretty funny British guy, Jonathan, with whom I had a few laughs. We didn't see any tigers, bad luck, we did see deer and that's when Jonathan and I started laughing.

The truck stopped and the guide pointed to the right, we stood up all excited and there they were, the freaking deer...By the 10th time we stopped to look at them Jon and I could not stop laughing "I have seen deer...they are kind of cool but I came to see tigers!". After a while we realized that if you stood up (the trucks were roofless) and pointed to one side or the other and pretty much said anything, everybody would turn and look and even the truck would stop, so we had our little fun with everybody. Everybody was in a good mood, so they didn't linch us. We had with us some guys from Mumbai talking to us about the man-eater tiger, and I told them that I'd hear the tigers only eat people from Mumbai, that they didn't like Europeans, they laugh a little bit...

After the safari when back to the hotel at around 11 am and kicked it with my friend Rahul. My train wasn't leaving until 3 pm so they let me check out at 2 and gave me a 20% discount. I finished packing and Rahul took me out for a walk, after his 19 hours shift. He is from Shimla, up norht, in Himanchal, has a degree in hotel management and speacks Hindi, Himanchali and English. He was showing off the fact that he comes from a good family up there and makes about 5000 rps a month (75 bucks), bought me a pack of cigarrettes and we set off for the market. We had a pineappple shake at a place he knew and some chai later on, where he paid 6rps instead of the usual 20 that they charge u at the hotels. He has invited me to go hunting with his family in Shimla, and his three horses, whenever I make back.

Next year he has managed to find a job in Dublin, at a hotel, 5 year contract. He is saving for his sister's wedding who is sixteen and should e getting married pretty soon. Arranged marriage, of course.

Back to the hotel, said good bye to everybody and went to the train station. Rahul insisted in coming with me and that's when he paid 40rps for the ride...We waited together for the train while drinking a Fanta and when it came we hugged each other good bye. What a wonderful day.

On the train I met a very nice American couple, from Baltimore, we said we would try to hook up in Udaipur for New Year's Eve. Got to Jaipur at around 6 pm and straight to the hotel. They have room service, so I ordered a veggi burguer and watched a movie. Went to bed at around 10.

Agra-Bharatpur-Ranthambore. Day 4

petitibiza — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 18:10:00 GMT

Got up really early again, 5am. Took a bus to Bharatpur at 6am, no tourists but me. Luckily I overheard a local who was going to the same place when he said the name of he city and manage to jump of the already moving bus when I arrived to my stop.

Arrived at the train station with time to spare so I found a place to make a phone to try to make a reservation in Sawai Madopur, the city next to the Ranthambore National Park. Right before I started to get worried the third hotel I called had rooms available, booked one and a pick up rickshaw that wasn't there waiting for me in the end.

While I waited for the train I had of course little girls and boys asking for money the whole time. I didn't give them anything but I did make this little girl an origami camera out of one page of my book, she loved it. As I was showing here how to work it a small crowd of about 15 people gathered around us, all smiles. Then, after refusing to get my boots shined for the 400th time, the train finally came only 45 minutes late.

A rickshaw driver wanted to charge me 30 rps to the hotel, got it down to 10. The recepionist was impressed (on the folowing day he would pay 40 for the same distance) (??) The room was the most expensive one so far and, accordingly, the best. I had a late lunch at the hote;l, it really goes a long way when u try to speak the language, however little u know. I said my room number in hindi, and threw around the things I have learnt and they were all cracking up. Every time the waiter when back to the kitchen to tell them what I had said I could hear their laugh.

Took a nap and read some and then had dinner. They brought me all kinds of complimentary treats, spring rools, chapathi...I guess they liked me.

Went to bed early.

Agra. Day 3

petitibiza — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 01:01:00 GMT

U guys should see the computer I am using now...pretty funny.

So, got to Agra at around 8 am and went straight to the Taj, after leaving my backpack at the hotel, 50 m from it. Got to see it all before all the tourists started arriving, so that was cool. It is really amazing and I hope the pictures do it justice. What can I say about the Tak that hasn't already been said...? The guy had a lot of marble to spare, that's for sure...

Met a new friend, the rckshaw driver, Bobby. He took me to the hotel from the train station and then waited for me at 2pm to take me to Agra Fort, nice as well. Then he insisted on tasking me bo the banks of the Anyuna River, behind the Taj, for sunset. That was an experience. ON the way there one girl wanted to marry me...She was sitting on the back of a horse carriage with two little girls and two older women. Then I touched her hand and they all went crazy. There was a big traffic jam so we weren't going that much faster than them...At one point I thought she was going to jump off the thing and joing me on the rickshaw...Thank the Lord Shiva that didn't happen...

When we actually got there it was as Bobby had said, no tourists at all, just him, our friend Sadu, the holy man, and three girls that were working on some weeds to feed the camels afterward. They didn't wante me to take a picture of them but I shot a little video without them realizing it...Also got a picture of a funerary pire from a distance. That was happening on the banks of that river as well. So i got to see the Taj for sunset, too...I can see it from the rooftop restaurant of my hotel also. Not much of a restaurant, but certainly a rooftop..

What s country, such poverty..It really is heartbreaking. I mean, I saw poverty in Cambodia but I didn't see dead people on the streets like I did in Delhi, not joking, saw two, covered in flies, and yes, they were pretty dead.

I am having a lot of fun, specially talking to the people. These two guys that were trying to sell me all kinds of shit at Agra Fort were hilarious. As soon as they realized that they weren't selling me anything we kicked it for a little bit while I waited for Bobby to pick me up. Of course they speak all the languages. "Oh, Spanish!? Teta, culo, polla! Jajajaja" One of them was missing the right hand, so we shook with the left one instead, he seemed happy about it.

So, as I was saying, it is fun, but I really can't wait to get out of these really touristy places and start walking around other cities a bit more relaxed and without so many must-see-spend-all-your-ruppees places. More than anything I am looking forward to the desert and the beach...got sand?

This is all for now, tomorrow I am getting on the bus to go to the city of Bharatpur, one hour away where I'll board the train for Rhantambore National Park, try to find a place for the night (didn't make a reservation) and see me a tiger the next morning in this safari I did book.

Geoff, I will try that cashu leche when I get to Goa.

C ya!

New Delhi. Day 2

petitibiza — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 22:47:00 GMT

About yesterday: Jama Masjid is the largest MOsque in India. And the Red Fort is, well, kind of red, didn't actually go in coz there was a line of about 800 Indians and 3 foreigners.

Yesterday I turned in at 7pm, read a bit, slept some (this peepol are noisy), woke up at 4 am, killed a cockroach and went back to sleep. Woke up at 7, did some much needed yoga and headed out to change for money first thing before finding any of my "friends" on the streets.

Had me a treakers breakfast of scrambled eggs, hashbrowns, some bread and muesli. Hired a rickshaw for the day who wanted to charge me 800 ruppees, finally got it down to 300 plus parking and a promise that I would help him out and agree to go to a couple of government sponsored emporiums where if I was in the store for about ten minuts he would get a gas coupon. That turned out to be quite fun, actually.

First shop: A guy was talking to me about the beautiful green marble elephants that they just happened to have on sale and then he showed some interest in the book I was reading leaving himself wide open for my counterattack. I inmediatley seized the oppportunity and started telling him about the plot and throwing all kinds of weird names at him until defeated and recognizing me as a fellow bullshitter let mew go with a smile and a handshake.

Second one: Started talking about soccer, of course, the guy liked Ronaldinho...Told him all about his getting fat lately and all that. Ended up talking about Japanese women (and the small dicks that the Japanese men have...) and he told me a very funny story about a friend of his who was about to have sex with this Japanese girl whom, after seeing his instrument, wanted to literally jump out the window...so they ended up just cuddling...

Third one: (man, this people can talk...) Had some cardammon, saffron and jasmine tea with the guys in the store, a few laughs, and we got our third gas coupon of the day.

Went briefly to the India Gate, the 42m-hihg stone memorial arch that pays tribute to around 90,000 INdian army soldiers who died in WWI. Took a not very good picture of it. Then we went to Qutb MInar (Kutub), fine example of Fghan architecture. The minar itself is a huge tower of victory started in 1193. About 73 m high with a 15 m-diameter base. PRetty cool. And finally, to the very impressive Humayum's Tomb, a brilliant example of Mughal architecture, built in the mid-16th century.

All of this was done before 2pm, and was very fun, the ride on the rickshaw interesting at least, I almost swallowed my cigarrette twice...

For a late lunch I had me a Thali nepalese style, a kind of all you can eat big plate of rice with chicken curry, some other king of curry, spices, potatoes...and other things. Jasmine tea to top it off.

Also, went to the train station, re-confirmed all my bookings and made a new reservation that I had forgotten about. Everybody is nice, even when u don't thing the are, it might be the language, they sound pissed all the time...

Oh, finally didn't change hotels. The room at my place is not great but they are really nice.

This is all, stay tuned. Merry Xmas to all and love, love, love.

PS. Largo : I am leaving tomorrow for Agra.

New Delhi. First day

petitibiza — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 22:21:00 GMT

Finally here. Arrived at 9am, after a great flight to Doha from Osaka and an ok flight to Delhi. The driver from the hotel was actually waiting for me at the airport, a little surprise there, coz I don't know why i was expecting otherwise...Made it to the hotel, the room is clean but old and right next to the street, seriously considering checking out tomorrow mornig, founf another hotel down the street where I can get a 500 rps room for 350 after a little bargaining. Already visited Jama Masjid and the Red Fort, walked, took the metro and walked some more, done by 3pm. Ate "somosa" on the street, little pastry triangles filled with green peas and potatoes...pretty good, actually. And that reminds me of the food on the flight from Doha, what looked to be two turd meatballs with a little of diarrea sauce on the side and some bread...also good, but not pretty. I can't seem to be able to walk out of the hotel without someone folowwing wanting to practice their English, wanting some money, or wanting to call me a bastard...like this woman I didn't give a ruppee to. A little girl knee high walked next to me for about 500 meters wanting money, grabbing my pants, etc. Another guy just offered me weed...Anyway, can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store for me...Love u all. I'll keep u posted. Of course, cows everywhere, chaos, car horns, rickshaw horns, motorcycle horns... Peace y alegria!