Delhi has been a lot better this time round. We are staying at the Hotel Rak International in the Main Bazar. Lots of shopping all around us. We have been alternating between two restaurants, for breakfast the Everest Roof top Cafe, and for dinner Club India. We spent our first day visiting Gandhi Smirti, the place where Gandhi spent his last few days and was then assassinated. The walls were covered with quotes by this man who was much further ahead of his time indeed more progressive than many of our politicians are today. We saw his few possessions including his signature glasses, his bed, and the footsteps he took before being shot.
Next we went to the Planetarium which was conveniently closed for renovations and instead went to Connaught Place. Here we fell pray to the scammers and got led into an alley to the 'underground shopping mall'. Took one look at the street and figured out that the 5 different guys who had told us to go that way were all working together. Doigt! So thought I would not fall for that trap. Instead we went to The Park Hotel and booked a few spa appointments and found out all the information we needed (thanks Sony for the tip). Did a bit of shopping and then headed back for some food and to see Jess off.
Yesterday we woke up early and headed to The Park for our day of pampering. Balinese Massages and manicures. Ahhhh to feel human again! Decided to go all out and had lunch in a cabana by the pool. Mmmm western food!! Next we did a bit of shopping, got my photos printed out (all 500 of them) and headed to the cinema to see 'It's a Wonderful Afterlife'. A funny movie set in London (in English) about a mother who murders four people for calling her unmarried daughter fat. A sort of Ugly Betty meets 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding' kind of movie. Very funny....sometimes for the wrong reason. To end the day with a bang we headed back to the hotel for dinner and HEENA!!! Beautiful designs that took less than 15 minutes!!! An amazing day from start to finish.
Back to the spa today for a haircut and a pedicure and some more Hindi lessons from my manicurist Raj (look, its cheap and worth it ok?....dont judge). Some shopping and then back to the hotel to see Ronit off to the airport. We have gone from three (Jess, Ronit and me) to two (Ronit and me), and tomorrow it will be just one. Flying home around 10:30 pm tomorrow night (hmm...should probably double check that)! Ronit leaves tonight so tomorrow will be my first semi-full day by myself. The next two days will definitely be bittersweet. Ronit and I have had such an amazing time together. I couldn't have asked for a better travel partner. We have already decided that I will just have to visit her in South Korea this year while she teaches English there...what a hardship, huh?
Leaving India will also be difficult. Tourists here are something of a celebrity with people running around trying to get a picture with you, staring constantly, and asking questions about where we are from. Being half Indian I also got the random people coming up to me and speaking Hindi, trying to help me learn phrases (a few of which I now know), and asking me about my heritage. I could never say that India is my home or that I feel a real connection because when we come down to it I will always identify myself as being from Bermuda. However, the country is amazing. It has been such an experience from each city, Delhi to Agra to Varanasi to Kolkata to Darjeeling to Sikkim to Siliguri and back to Delhi. The people, the food, the culture, the hotels, the movies we have seen, the laughs we have had. It has definitely been worth any hard moments along the way (shivers from the cockaroach hotel) and I will definitely have to come back.
Unless something happens in the next day worth writing about this will probably be my last blog of this trip. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it. Dhanyavad! (Thank you)
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Bollywood to Bagdogra
Siliguri was pretty depressing. After some quick internet time we decided to go get some food. Ended up in a sketchy road side place where the food was served cold. ABORT ABORT! We paid and left in search of somewhere a little more established. Going from the mountains and the cool weather, the beatiful landscapes and the fun times we had had with James, back to the hot and haggling desolate Siliguri was a bit of a mood killer. To pass the time and uplift our moods we decided to go see a Bollywood film, Badma$h Company. All in Hindi but like with most Bollywood films, pretty self explanatory. Funny and at least it brought up our spirits. Dinner at a place which was the indian equivalent with a fast food joint, complete with waiters in bow ties and hats.
After a long day and some major mood swings we decided to retire early to our hotel, 'New Dickyi's Hotel'. Should have known from the name that we should not have trusted it. Came back to the room to meet my worst nightmare. Cockaroaches. Yes, it was my worst nightmare come true. 5 hours later, with the power having gone out half way through our battle, 5 cockaroaches killed (all by me, daddy you would be proud), one would have walked in to find Ronit and I standing in the middle of the bed, with a sea of cockaroches dead on the floor, the bed moved to the middle of the room (away from all walls), windows closed and sheets covering the cracks to the doors. I was down to one shoe, all three others lying in corners where I had thrown them for the chance of a kill, with my tiny LED light flickering on and off as I was getting tired of holding the button down, Ronit cowering behind me, resigned to do this for the rest of the night. Thankfully around 1:00am I must have finished off the supply with a total of around 9 casualties. We went to sleep on guard for more, waking up randomly and flashing the light around the room afraid of what I would see. Needless to say it was NOT the best sleep I have had.
Flight to Delhi was fun with our mystery stop being in Gujurati. Finally in Delhi and ready to SHOP!!! Good sleep last night...thank god for no more cockaroaches. Oh and Daddy, do not get any ideas....this does not mean that I will be any more willing to kill cockaroaches when back at home. I will still call for you. This just means that, if forced, I will survive.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Such is Life
Had a very eventful jeep ride to Rinchenpong, Sikkim complete with a panicked 10 minutes when we all thought our bags had been stolen. Oh, turns out our jeep driver decided to go for a joy ride while we waited and played cards (with an interested crowd of spectators surrounding us). Serves us right for trusting him with our bags on top of the jeep. Ah well he came back to much laughter of the crowd of people who had witnessed the 5 mad tourists running around in a panic for their luggage.
Once there we had some beers, played some cards, checked into a the Mount View Hotel and went to check out the festival at 9pm which we were told ran till 11pm. Definitely an empty field when we got there. Didn't stay long....long enough, however, for James to get us roped into going in and sitting down in a 'traditional' Sikkimese hut with pink coloured rice stuck to our foreheads, and some tea. Oh and you have to give a donation after being practically forced to sit.
Dinner at the rooftop restaurant of our hotel took almost 2 hours to cook. It wasn't until our friend Lucas from Majorca, Spain went into the kitchen and found, of course, NOTHING happening for them to speed up the process. A quick dance session between our 19 year old Indian cook and Ronit to some pumping Indian music and then off to bed. Exhausted!
Woke up the next day after a loooong sleep in and got bed tea brought to us. This should definitely be made a custom back home. Excellent idea. :) Any takers?
Breakfast on the roof and then off to the festival!!! Seemed like any Fair with huts around the edges, a crowd sitting in bleachers, a dance floor, someone droning away over a microphone, and the smells of food wafting out of huts. Quickly we found out that this 'tourist festival' sees very few tourists. So it was not long before we were told/dragged into a hut, forced to sit, given Millet beer, some 'traditional' pancakes, some meat curry (which we kindly refused), salty tea (no sugar here, only salt, salt and more salt), and then presented with some silk scarves. Oh did I mention that the entire time we were being filmed and photographed? I don't know where the broadcast was going but it was NOT pretty. Perhaps it was some comedy show watching us poor tourists trying to suck down this yeasty drink, which will quickly get you drunk, while they attentively refill it with water after every sip. Worse still it turned out that we were to be charged 140 rupees. Yes this is cheap, but come on..... we didn't even want to go we were just being polite! Scammed again. We learned quickly to avoid any other huts, simply doing a quick scan from the door from then on.
After some lunch we went for a walk to the Resum Monestary. 400 steps up a hill later we made it. Another interesting trip, complete with leech bite on James. Beautiful monument. Too bad it was closed though.
Last night was spent drinking Gin and playing cards. Early to bed, early to rise, and....SUCCESS! We have seen the mountains!!!!! SPECTACULAR. Breathtaking view of the Kanchendzonga mountain range. Just in time for our trip back to Siliguri. Delhi tomorrow then home on the 17th. Can't believe it's coming to an end.
Once there we had some beers, played some cards, checked into a the Mount View Hotel and went to check out the festival at 9pm which we were told ran till 11pm. Definitely an empty field when we got there. Didn't stay long....long enough, however, for James to get us roped into going in and sitting down in a 'traditional' Sikkimese hut with pink coloured rice stuck to our foreheads, and some tea. Oh and you have to give a donation after being practically forced to sit.
Dinner at the rooftop restaurant of our hotel took almost 2 hours to cook. It wasn't until our friend Lucas from Majorca, Spain went into the kitchen and found, of course, NOTHING happening for them to speed up the process. A quick dance session between our 19 year old Indian cook and Ronit to some pumping Indian music and then off to bed. Exhausted!
Woke up the next day after a loooong sleep in and got bed tea brought to us. This should definitely be made a custom back home. Excellent idea. :) Any takers?
Breakfast on the roof and then off to the festival!!! Seemed like any Fair with huts around the edges, a crowd sitting in bleachers, a dance floor, someone droning away over a microphone, and the smells of food wafting out of huts. Quickly we found out that this 'tourist festival' sees very few tourists. So it was not long before we were told/dragged into a hut, forced to sit, given Millet beer, some 'traditional' pancakes, some meat curry (which we kindly refused), salty tea (no sugar here, only salt, salt and more salt), and then presented with some silk scarves. Oh did I mention that the entire time we were being filmed and photographed? I don't know where the broadcast was going but it was NOT pretty. Perhaps it was some comedy show watching us poor tourists trying to suck down this yeasty drink, which will quickly get you drunk, while they attentively refill it with water after every sip. Worse still it turned out that we were to be charged 140 rupees. Yes this is cheap, but come on..... we didn't even want to go we were just being polite! Scammed again. We learned quickly to avoid any other huts, simply doing a quick scan from the door from then on.
After some lunch we went for a walk to the Resum Monestary. 400 steps up a hill later we made it. Another interesting trip, complete with leech bite on James. Beautiful monument. Too bad it was closed though.
Last night was spent drinking Gin and playing cards. Early to bed, early to rise, and....SUCCESS! We have seen the mountains!!!!! SPECTACULAR. Breathtaking view of the Kanchendzonga mountain range. Just in time for our trip back to Siliguri. Delhi tomorrow then home on the 17th. Can't believe it's coming to an end.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Let's get together and gley sometime!
Just wanted to start this post with a tribute to the numerous misspellings which I have noticed along the way. Daddy, this is your paradise for laughing at others poor grammar and spelling. (P.s. I have recently realized that you are way more Indian than you think. All Indians have this insane need to be up at 5:00am and make AS MUCH noise as possible.....Mummy, I think you are going to have to accept it....its in the blood). Anyways, at breakfast this morning we found a photo album on a table with the following on the front, I swear I am not making this up, "Coy, Let's get together and gley sometime! We are the happinese freind. I have very pretty freind, lovely".
After breakfast we took a walk to our helpful tourist information center where we received a hand drawn highly detailed map of Pelling (basically useless to us as we are only here for two days but very helpful nonetheless). Later we went for a walk up to the Pemayangtse Monestary. Absolutely beautiful old monastary, one of the oldest in Sikkim, with beautiful hand painted walls and statues. Next we took a very scenic walk down to the Rabdentse Palace Ruins. I say scenic because at a cross roads (confused by our hand-drawn map) we asked an Indian construction worker whether the cobble stone path ahead of us would lead to the Ruins we could see on the hill, or if we should go the newly paved road to the right. We of course got the standard Indian head wobble which can mean, yes, no, maybe, I don't know, I don't speak English etc. etc. So after repeating the question getting a point towards the ruins and another head wobble we decided that must mean 'yes'. After climbing down a path, over a damn, across a construction site, up a hill, over a barbed wire fence and finally past the toilets and into the ruins we determined that yes, we had definitely gone the correct route. Hmm must learn how to translate that head wobble more accurately.
Climbed to the top of the highest ruin for an awesome photo opp. Would have been a great view if it were not for those damn clouds. On the other side as leaving via the more conventional route we found the sign warning that "misuse of the monument may be punishable by up to 3 months imprisonment or 5000 rupees OR BOTH!" Oops.
After a much nicer downhill walk back to a hotel we had some local Sikkim beer, masterfully poured and served by our 9 year old waiter Sutant (he told us we must call him Master Sutant), and played some cards. Off to dinner now. Rachimpong tomorrow for a once-a-year festival and a possible helicopter ride. Still no mountains....damn fog.
After breakfast we took a walk to our helpful tourist information center where we received a hand drawn highly detailed map of Pelling (basically useless to us as we are only here for two days but very helpful nonetheless). Later we went for a walk up to the Pemayangtse Monestary. Absolutely beautiful old monastary, one of the oldest in Sikkim, with beautiful hand painted walls and statues. Next we took a very scenic walk down to the Rabdentse Palace Ruins. I say scenic because at a cross roads (confused by our hand-drawn map) we asked an Indian construction worker whether the cobble stone path ahead of us would lead to the Ruins we could see on the hill, or if we should go the newly paved road to the right. We of course got the standard Indian head wobble which can mean, yes, no, maybe, I don't know, I don't speak English etc. etc. So after repeating the question getting a point towards the ruins and another head wobble we decided that must mean 'yes'. After climbing down a path, over a damn, across a construction site, up a hill, over a barbed wire fence and finally past the toilets and into the ruins we determined that yes, we had definitely gone the correct route. Hmm must learn how to translate that head wobble more accurately.
Climbed to the top of the highest ruin for an awesome photo opp. Would have been a great view if it were not for those damn clouds. On the other side as leaving via the more conventional route we found the sign warning that "misuse of the monument may be punishable by up to 3 months imprisonment or 5000 rupees OR BOTH!" Oops.
After a much nicer downhill walk back to a hotel we had some local Sikkim beer, masterfully poured and served by our 9 year old waiter Sutant (he told us we must call him Master Sutant), and played some cards. Off to dinner now. Rachimpong tomorrow for a once-a-year festival and a possible helicopter ride. Still no mountains....damn fog.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
It's always time for safety time
Been a little while since my last post. Not much to report and not much enthusiasm at the moment. I thought that making it through Varanasi and the toxic waters there I was in the clear, but I ended up getting sick in Darjeeling. Horrible. Definitely was the one crying in the corner of the bathroom "I want my mommy!!!!" Thankfully I have made some great friends who were there to bring me lots of medication, chocolate, mango, toast and comfort. So, Sikkim was postponed a day.
However, before the dreaded sickness occurred we had some great times. Took a comedic ride to grade 4 (really was more of grade 3 I am told by my Kiwi friend....then again what do they know ;)) white water rafting in Darjeeling, complete with popped tire en route. Note: If you are coming to India expecting luxurious rides...prepare to pay or get prepared. All of our jeep rides so far have found a way to manage at least 12 people per jeep. Three up with the driver, four in the middle, four in the back. And of course there is always the occasional 2 on top. Along the way we passed many signs saying "it is always time for safety time" which was quite ironic considering that we were 3 people sitting on the top of the jeep inside the raft, 5 people jammed in the back of a jeep, me with only a wooden peg locking me in (which actually fell out so was replaced with a TWIG from the side of the road....sorry mummy... I survived). Oh and did I mention that one of our guides rode the rest of the way (after the tire was replaced using a rock as a jack) on the hood of the car holding onto a rope.....along high mountain paths with no guard rails........going at least 50 kmph ....with only a horn to warn people coming the opposite direction. Bermudian roads are going to be a tame after here. Another note, indicators here are not used for the traditional purpose of indicating a turn. No, here they are used to indicate to the person behind you when it is safe to pass....along with a casual hand out the window to warn if something is barreling around the corner. Ridiculous? Nah....this is India!
Anyways, white water rafting was lots of fun, especially making fun of our two 15 year old guides. One with his less enthusiastic commands of "fooorward", 'back foorward" and the occasional "hard forward". Always given in a monotone calm indian-accented voice. I think he caught on when we started mimicking him so he eventually jumped over and shouted "SWIMMING" with much more life. Great fun. Swallowed a bit too much water I reckon, though.....which is probably why I got sick. Ugh.
Have had tons of tea in Darjeeling, and the best momo's EVER! The kind little lady at the end of the street in Chowrasta with a little pull up bench in front of her stall. The ladies there making their chowmein buns with ketchup sauce, their paranthas (veg), and momo's. Handmade, these momos melt in your mouth. The woman could clearly see how delirious with happiness I was as she kept smiling and nodding at me eventually even telling me the ingredients. I WILL replicate these at home.
Finally made it to Pelling today after another packed jeep ride with me in the fetal position most of the way. Two days here and then Yuksom and then Gangtok. Come on mountains!!!!!!
However, before the dreaded sickness occurred we had some great times. Took a comedic ride to grade 4 (really was more of grade 3 I am told by my Kiwi friend....then again what do they know ;)) white water rafting in Darjeeling, complete with popped tire en route. Note: If you are coming to India expecting luxurious rides...prepare to pay or get prepared. All of our jeep rides so far have found a way to manage at least 12 people per jeep. Three up with the driver, four in the middle, four in the back. And of course there is always the occasional 2 on top. Along the way we passed many signs saying "it is always time for safety time" which was quite ironic considering that we were 3 people sitting on the top of the jeep inside the raft, 5 people jammed in the back of a jeep, me with only a wooden peg locking me in (which actually fell out so was replaced with a TWIG from the side of the road....sorry mummy... I survived). Oh and did I mention that one of our guides rode the rest of the way (after the tire was replaced using a rock as a jack) on the hood of the car holding onto a rope.....along high mountain paths with no guard rails........going at least 50 kmph ....with only a horn to warn people coming the opposite direction. Bermudian roads are going to be a tame after here. Another note, indicators here are not used for the traditional purpose of indicating a turn. No, here they are used to indicate to the person behind you when it is safe to pass....along with a casual hand out the window to warn if something is barreling around the corner. Ridiculous? Nah....this is India!
Anyways, white water rafting was lots of fun, especially making fun of our two 15 year old guides. One with his less enthusiastic commands of "fooorward", 'back foorward" and the occasional "hard forward". Always given in a monotone calm indian-accented voice. I think he caught on when we started mimicking him so he eventually jumped over and shouted "SWIMMING" with much more life. Great fun. Swallowed a bit too much water I reckon, though.....which is probably why I got sick. Ugh.
Have had tons of tea in Darjeeling, and the best momo's EVER! The kind little lady at the end of the street in Chowrasta with a little pull up bench in front of her stall. The ladies there making their chowmein buns with ketchup sauce, their paranthas (veg), and momo's. Handmade, these momos melt in your mouth. The woman could clearly see how delirious with happiness I was as she kept smiling and nodding at me eventually even telling me the ingredients. I WILL replicate these at home.
Finally made it to Pelling today after another packed jeep ride with me in the fetal position most of the way. Two days here and then Yuksom and then Gangtok. Come on mountains!!!!!!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Solace from the Sun
Lots to report in the last few days. Still in Darjeeling enjoying the cooler climate and more relaxed attitude. The majority of the people here are Indian tourists so we are no longer completely foreign. There are also a lot of people dressed in more modern western clothing so we do not look too of place.
We have met up with other back packers, some we met in Kolkata, some Ronit knows from her schooling, and some we met here in Glenary's. So have had lots of group meals and interesting conversations.
Woke up at 3:50am yesterday morning to head to Tiger Hill in Ghum to see the sunrise and the mountains. Of course, as is typical of Darjeeling, when we got there a fog descended over the hills and blocked even the sun from view. Got one or two nice photo's anyways. We also got photographed a couple times by different Indian tourists (there were hundreds of them on the hill). One family even asked to pose with Ronit and Sarah as though they were celebrities.
Went for a walk down to see Green Zone at the theatre. Funny that we went to buy a cd for Ronit and saw packages of about 50 different movies, all about 100 rupees each. However, when we got to the movie theatre security was so tight we were asked to check our camera batteries at the desk. Clearly, that plan is working well.....especially since if I had been trying to pirate the movie I could have simply pulled out my backup battery that I keep in my bag. Hmm.....plan failed, no?
Went to the pub for a few beers, some thai food, some more street momo's and had my first day of meat. Had some Schezuan chicken, some pork dish, another beef dish (all shared between the guys and me). Even had my first sweet lassi! Day later so I think I am in the clear, PHEW!
Still looking out for the illusive mountain's but thinking of heading to Sikkim on Friday. Sure to see some there....I hope.
Just changed into cooler clothes as the sun was beating down. Now of course, having sat at a computer for the past 30 minutes, it is pouring rain. This is just as bad as island weather!
Time for some lunch. More street momo's and shaphalay's? Mmmm cabbage overload.
We have met up with other back packers, some we met in Kolkata, some Ronit knows from her schooling, and some we met here in Glenary's. So have had lots of group meals and interesting conversations.
Woke up at 3:50am yesterday morning to head to Tiger Hill in Ghum to see the sunrise and the mountains. Of course, as is typical of Darjeeling, when we got there a fog descended over the hills and blocked even the sun from view. Got one or two nice photo's anyways. We also got photographed a couple times by different Indian tourists (there were hundreds of them on the hill). One family even asked to pose with Ronit and Sarah as though they were celebrities.
Went for a walk down to see Green Zone at the theatre. Funny that we went to buy a cd for Ronit and saw packages of about 50 different movies, all about 100 rupees each. However, when we got to the movie theatre security was so tight we were asked to check our camera batteries at the desk. Clearly, that plan is working well.....especially since if I had been trying to pirate the movie I could have simply pulled out my backup battery that I keep in my bag. Hmm.....plan failed, no?
Went to the pub for a few beers, some thai food, some more street momo's and had my first day of meat. Had some Schezuan chicken, some pork dish, another beef dish (all shared between the guys and me). Even had my first sweet lassi! Day later so I think I am in the clear, PHEW!
Still looking out for the illusive mountain's but thinking of heading to Sikkim on Friday. Sure to see some there....I hope.
Just changed into cooler clothes as the sun was beating down. Now of course, having sat at a computer for the past 30 minutes, it is pouring rain. This is just as bad as island weather!
Time for some lunch. More street momo's and shaphalay's? Mmmm cabbage overload.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Petrichor
Dinner last night was amazing. At the time (until today) it was the best meal we had had in Darjeeling. I can't remember if I described it already but it is an arts/crafts/breakfast/lunch/dinner place run out of the living room of an artsy couple. We got homemade hummus (amazing) and some Vegetarian Thali with hot chocolate.
Woke up early this morning to have breakfast at the rooftop of the hotel and then headed down to check out the Toy Train. Ended up taking a jeep guided tour to see the Japanese peace pagoda (beautiful and peaceful), the Tibetan Refugee Camp (did not realise how ignorant I was on the subject until getting here), Ava's Art Gallery (uh.....small but interesting) and the Tea Garden. It was a great way to spend the morning.
Back in Darjeeling we decided to brave the street food and had the second best meal since getting here. We had a pancake-calzone-style fried dish with cabbage stuffing then fried in oil (yes you could fry cardboard and it would taste good but this was seriously amazing). Also had some fresh onion-bahji type balls fried with some chili sauce and some freshly made (in front of our eyes) veg-momos....the best we have had since getting here. Definitely worth the risk of getting sick (knock on wood).
After stuffing our faces with more than was necessary (and still only spending 25 rupees) we headed back to the (drawing a blank now) place for tea and goodies until 3pm when their bar downstairs opened the open mic! Awesome hearing some western songs sung (with a slight accent) but still very well done. Football on the tv, people smoking and drinking....could have been in a bar anywhere in the world.
Met up with Ronit's friend Michelle and are off to dinner in a bit.
Woke up early this morning to have breakfast at the rooftop of the hotel and then headed down to check out the Toy Train. Ended up taking a jeep guided tour to see the Japanese peace pagoda (beautiful and peaceful), the Tibetan Refugee Camp (did not realise how ignorant I was on the subject until getting here), Ava's Art Gallery (uh.....small but interesting) and the Tea Garden. It was a great way to spend the morning.
Back in Darjeeling we decided to brave the street food and had the second best meal since getting here. We had a pancake-calzone-style fried dish with cabbage stuffing then fried in oil (yes you could fry cardboard and it would taste good but this was seriously amazing). Also had some fresh onion-bahji type balls fried with some chili sauce and some freshly made (in front of our eyes) veg-momos....the best we have had since getting here. Definitely worth the risk of getting sick (knock on wood).
After stuffing our faces with more than was necessary (and still only spending 25 rupees) we headed back to the (drawing a blank now) place for tea and goodies until 3pm when their bar downstairs opened the open mic! Awesome hearing some western songs sung (with a slight accent) but still very well done. Football on the tv, people smoking and drinking....could have been in a bar anywhere in the world.
Met up with Ronit's friend Michelle and are off to dinner in a bit.
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