Travelling all the way home

We left our hotel in Kathmandu around lunch time. I had a quiet morning with a slightly unsettled tum so decided to have a sleep in.  At the airport I could have given the check-in guy a big hug when he said that he could check our luggage through to Christchurch. We had sent a number of emails prior to leaving NZ and no one could confirm whether we would need to pick up our bags in Delhi.  We had even purchased another visa to India in case we needed to go through customs.  Alison and I are thinking that it will be a small miracle if our luggage manages to stay with us on 3 flights and a 13 hour stop over in Singapore. Given we had a near two hour delay in Kathmandu we think a delay in getting luggage might be a small price to pay.

This might seem like a small delay to seasoned travelers but Kathmandu airport is not a place you want to get stuck in.  We had out bags half heartedly checked and our bodies patted down in a fashion that could only be  called  cursory.  In the departure lounge we settled  down to a lunch of chippies, biscuits and cold drinks as there was only one take-away restaurant. When our departure was finally called we were taken 25 metres by bus to the plane. Then there was a hand luggage security check. Picture those little sheds that line a UK beach in summer. There were three red ones lined up leading to the aircraft steps. One line  for women another two for men. This reflects the history that mainly men travel from Nepal (similar to the ratio of men:women loos that could be found in the airport).

We have had a great holiday and said goodbye to Nepal as the sun set behind the Himalayan mountains.

Our excursion through customs at Delhi was as could be expected with officials very confused that our boarding passes are printed on Air India letter head for a Singapore Airlines flight.  Sitting on the flight to Singapore we breathed a sigh of relief that travelling home, so far had been reasonably smooth.

It is a balmy 26 degrees in Singapore. We caught the metro into town  and wandered around the river and the garden known for its wonderful greenery and statues.  It has been over 10 years since Harry and I was last here and I  certainly can't remember much about the Harbour at all. Much of it looked new. It was nice wandering around with cruise ships and container cranes in the background.  Considering we haven't had much sleep in the last 24 hours I am surprised we have coped as well as we have. Back at the airport we had a refreshing shower and found ourselves a comfy spot near the window, foot massage and cafe.  I could feel my eyelids drooping.

We left on time and arrived in Christchurch after 9 hours.  It was made longer for me, as my entertainment system didn't work, and neither did the light above the seat (no reading!!) so 45H was quiet and in darkness.  I was probably the worst person to have this lack of entertainment as I wandered up and down the aisles looking at most others sleeping the flight away.  I was given a $75 duty free voucher as a compensation and when the lights came on for breakfast flipped through the duty free magazine.  $75 seemed generous at first glance, but actually most goods were well over the $100 mark.  I settled for a $79 face cream - my face won't know what has hit it and I am expecting to feel young and rejuvenated very quickly.

Christchurch was warm and sunny and to our amazement our bags came on the carousel.  Mine was the second to last out, and the aide who was beginning to doubt our bags would arrive was also pleasantly surprised. Pretty impressive service having a number of people all wearing uniforms look out for tired travellers.  I think we were too tired to care about our luggage but I did give a small thank you to the baggage handlers who had managed our bags over three planes and many thousands of kilometres.  We managed to get on an earlier flight to Wellington (the journey through Customs was a breeze thanks to Alison suggesting we write down everything we purchased, and my suggestion of packing all our purchases in one spot).

Harry was there to welcome me home and I needed that big hug. We sat outside in the sun which was one of the only sunny days Harry said NZ had had.  This was confirmed by my sad green looking tomatoes.   I was fast asleep by 8.00 having drifted off a number of times after we sat down for tea (my longed for salad).

Sunday - Harry has gone to a work expo and I have slept until very late.  I am just beginning to mooch around the house, unpack, eat, download photos and finishing the blog.

Our last day in Kathmandu

After breakfast we wandered down to Thamil district which is a busy market street. In some ways we had seen it all before but in other ways the narrow busy streets offered us further insights into the Nepalese way of life. Shopkeepers swept the dust from their frontages (I thought little vacuum cleaners which removed the dust rather than the brooms that simply rearranged it could be quite useful).  Many rickshaw drivers offered us a ride but our aim was to walk through the traffic mayhem. We gave up trying to follow the Lonely Planet walk but found some temples and little squares by ourselves. Little buildings squashed between others had fallen down and were partially being rebuilt.  We came to busy streets and suddenly market shops were replaced by the shops we know. Glass windows and doors to keep out the dust.  We stopped at the garden of dreams for lunch and wiled away a couple of hours eating tempura and drinking copious quantities of tea. As we watched squirrels played and pigeons strutted around.  Then we investigated the top two floors of the  mall ("stressed,  depressed but well dressed" was a shops logo) and then wandered around a near by pond which is in need of some love and attention. It appears as though this could be where rain water is piped to during the monsoons.

Back at the hotel we are thinking of packing but actually we are both lying on our beds not doing a lot. 

Trekking near Panauti

The G Adventures trip is over and so today was our first day on out own. Well almost. Our guide arranged for us to go trekking with another guide and so five of us set off to the Panauti valley. It was a reasonably steep climb at first and we took the wander up to 1900 metres slowly with a  few stops for photos, drinks and info. Our guide is a sherpa by trade and surname.  So we talked about the wslk to base camp. Most sherpas can carry some where between  60 and 120 kg and since they get paid 25 rupees (that's about 40 cents) per kilo, the more they carry the more they get paid. It certainly feels to me that they are being taken advantage of. We wandered the hills and through many little villages. Goats, chooks and cows lazed and ate, pink bee hives graced some fields. A monastery was being completely rebuilt after falling victim to the earthquake. Women washed clothes, children played and ate celery looking vege sticks. Pristine dressed children  walked down to school their shoes already covered in fine white dust. And dusty it certainly was. The highlight was getting close to the terraced market gardens. From afar the fields look like an aran knitted rug. The cables are the high ground for the potatoes, mustard, spinach and wheat. The lower passages are for irrigation and are sloped so that  water travels to the lower parts. All the plants are watered without being drowned. I guess the rice would enjoy being in the gutters too.

We arrived back after another harrowing trip on very bumpy and busy roads. We talked about road rules and our guide said rules are really just suggestions. Those on motor bikes certainly have an unique way of navigating other vehicles much bigger than themselves. I sat for about  5 minutes at a major intersection in awe of the three traffic controllers trying to manage the traffic volumes. Traffic didn't even stay on the left hand side of the road.

At the hotel I settled for coffee and chips and read the local newspaper. There was an article about paragliding about the accident I heard on the  walkie talkie the other  day. The voice said that they were walking the stretcher down. Apparently a 68 year old man from Liverpool died from head injuries. I now wonder if the European man sitting on the  bank while I was trying to take off was his friend. He was sitting quietly with his paraglider open but not doing anything. If I had known I would have gone to be with him. The article went on to say that 7 solo paragliders had died in the last three years. All not local and all approved by the Pokhara civil aviation authority for solo flying. Apparently safety is being questioned which supports my experience and my recommendation not to do these things outside NZ or Australia.

After devouring my chips we thought we would wander around the shopping mall. Very interesting to see similar shops and brands to our big malls at home. We are also amazed at how much advertising appears to focus on the European looking people when there are very few about. The supermarket even sold Maggi masala flavored instant noodles. I  thought about getting some for Aaron but they already felt crushed and after being squashed into my over full bag would probably resemble rice.

We walked back in the dark. I took a photo for Harry along the way with my phone of dust covered bikes outside a service garage.  Dinner was a nice vegetable curry.

Agra to Jaipur

This is the one day I never got to write about at the time. I can't remember why perhaps it was the Internet connection or maybe I was just too tired. So, it is good to see I took some notes about our trip from Agra to the pink city Jaipur.

Our first stop was the summer palace. This is where we spent a few hours wandering around the rooms where the king played hide and seek with his 16 concubines. He had 3 wives one Hindu, one Christian from Portugal and one Moslem. Each had rooms in the palace and much of the marble carving included symbols of all 3 religions. It sort of explains why India appears quite tolerant of religions.

In the court yard was a large game of ludo. Concubines of which there are 16 of course the exact number of counters required for the game.  When they were required to move they also had to entertain the king with dance or song. My cynicism said if they didn't entertain at ludo perhaps hide and seek wouldn't be that much fun.

Moving on you say. Some interesting architectural insights. The rooms had hollow walls. In summer cold water was poured into the cavities and in winter fires were lit for heating. Hooks still graced the  walls where curtains were hung for shade and warmth. Beds were high above the floor to avoid  floods and for warmth.

The  palace also had many carvings of Gods and Goddesses and also pretty sparsely dressed woman.  However during invasions women were abused which is why burkas and full length clothing came about ie for protection. In Nepal woman were tattooed to make them ugly to avoid abuse.

We went to another step well, very different from the one in Delhi. Square in shape with steep steps zig zagging in a herringbone pattern down to the water.

We stopped at a small country village and watched beautiful bangles being made from wax.

The drive to Jaipur was through country side and little villages. Shepherds watched their flocks, gently guiding them with staff in hand. Camels, cows, goats, peacocks and chooks roamed freely around. Every one seemed well fed and clothed, government assistance having stepped in.

Jaipur is known as the pink city due to a comment on the colour of the building materials by a Prince of Wales. The kite festival was in full swing and children were flying brightly coloured squares from roof tops and side walks. It's a city of extremes. We saw a lot of poverty. In particular a family had hidden their bedding over a concrete fence. We saw them pulling it over the fence using an attached rope and then walking with their three children (possibly all under 4) to the park to sleep. I wondered what they did in the monsoon season and my heart went out to them. Just along the road are expensive clothes shops and car sales yards.

I rather think now that I thought about the family a lot thay night - perhaps that is why I didn't update the blog.

Back to Kathmandu

It was a leisurely start this morning and I was grateful considering we had two early morning starts. At 11.15 we lifted off on our 25 minute flight  after standing in the sun for an hour. I got a magnificent view of the  snow capped mountains and of the little villages perched on hills. The river meandered down the valley soon joined by other tributaries. I  could see the road we traveled winding its way above the river. Dusty, narrow and steep. I was grateful that the 9 hour road trip was over and couldn't believe a 25 minute flight could cover the same distance.  But it took a tad longer. Plane jam in the sky. We went round for 20 minutes which was okay by me. Views of the mountains, country side and outer suburbs circulated below.

After settling into the hotel and more momos on the sun roof we visited the Pashupatinath Temple. First the temple where we couldn't go inside because we weren't hindus. It's a bit like Mecca is to the Moslems, Hindus try to pray at this temple at least once in their lives. We saw women whom when they are old and have no family live in a government sponsored retirement village.

Now for perhaps the most moving thing I have ever seen on our holiday. A funeral where the person is covered in a cloth and cremated while the family sit respectively and fuel the fire and talk. Grief seems to be a public affair with the wooden pyre chopped near by, the price list hanging for all to see and children hunting for coins with metal detectors as the mourners throw gifts and money into the river.  There were five funerals progressing and they can occur all through the night. I felt very touched to have seen it.

Tonight is our last group dinner.

Pokhara

We spent the day in Pokhara. 6.00 we were up seeing the sun rise over the Himalayas. A magnificent sight. Sun rose as an orange and red striped ball bouncing above the clouds. The snow turned from a dark grey to fiery orange and then gradually to its natural colour. After breakfast we took a pedal boat tour (quite hard work for the driver who was sweating and stripping through out the trip).  We landed on the other side of the lake and walked for about 45 mins up a cobbled track. It had all the  features of a centuries old track but in fact was built in the 80's. This didn't stop me from thinking about the labor that went into the  500 metre vertical climb. At the top is a peace pagoda (one of 20 in the world).  The bus was waiting for us on the other side and we went to the Tibetan refugee village for lunch.  These families arrived in Nepal in the late 1950's. If they return to Tibet they face  5 years imprisonment. They have stayed and built themselves a community including shops and school. Employment is limited as the Nepalese government won't employ them. I wondered what it would feel like never to belong.

We then went for our paraglide. Travelling up a very narrow track in a full mini bus with no seat belt was pretty harrowing particularly when a larger bus came down the hill and our driver backed down. During the backing motor bikes passed us going up the hill. I seriously wondered if we would make it. Paragliding was a wonderful experience but I had an unfortunate take off. It was a very bumpy ground for take off and the pilot was taller than me. When he said 'run' he lifted me off the ground and on landing I lost my balance. 3rd time lucky. In hindsight I don't think I would do this activity outside of NZ or Australia. The  safety information was not good enough and it was too difficult to explain the problem. Helmets didn't fit properly and we didn't get landing instructions. I did enjoy the flight over the villages, farmland and bush particularly all the little terraced gardens. In the evening we wandered the shops a bit then sat outside by the  fire for dinner.

Going on a rhino hunt

It was wild animal safari day. We started off by punting down the river bird watching and crocodile hunting. Saw a few of both. It was magical first in the mist and then the sunlight bought other colors to the water and trees. In the afternoon we punted over to the other side of the river and clambered into jeeps. An apt description as I was at the back which was tiered for a good view and led to quite a bumpy ride. Instructions were no red or white clothing and stay in the Jeep at all times. We saw deer (cute with little white spots but the novelty wore off after a while), some water hogs, peahens and various varieties of ducks but no rhinos or tigers. We went over swamps, under trees and around holes. The park ranger said it was the first time in 200 trips that he had not seen a rhino. Interestingly the other people in our group in the other  jeep saw a rhino and fleetingly saw a tiger as it raced across the road.  The saddest thing we saw were two elephants shackled to a post. There task is to transport the park rangers around Chitwan National Park every day. A wild elephant came towards them as we sat in the Jeep obviously encouraging them to go with him but they couldn't and he wandered away with his trunk lowered. Although a very sad sight we were grateful to the park rangers and his elephants the next day. As we hadn't seen a rhino the ranger took us for an early morning walk. 6.00 rise can you  believe it.  Walking along croc invested banks half asleep was an adventure in itself until we saw a rhino in the distance first one in the water and then mum and baby on the shore. The elephants stopped and then began to turn and run just as the rhino began to charge. Run, run yelled the ranger and we all took off forgetting all the advice  about  zig zagging to slow the rhino down.  Thankfully the rhino mum realized we were no threat and after the elephants calmed down we walked the rest of the way. Funny as the panic died down all I could think of was the story we tell Connie 'we are going on a bear hunt ...uh oh there's a bear'.

The other amazing thing about the jungle was the fig vine and the left hand strangler plant. They were climbing trees intent on getting their parasitic claws into the tree.  What I had not seen before was termite mounds built around the base of the tree and the climbers. These domes were not rounded like in Australia but hsd many peaks similar to a craggy mountain range.

Back to last night. We sat in front of a bonfire at the rivers edge  (crocodiles sleep in the river at night I am told) and watched Nepalese dancing and singing while eating tapas. Lovely music, colorful dress and very nimble dancing.

Morning dawned and after  a hearty breakfast required after the rhino chase we piled into the bus for a long drive back the way we came over the bumpy and dusty road construction. After a few wrong turns and a huge truck jam (can't believe how many trucks there are on Nepalese roads) we arrived 15 minutes before the road closure. Well done driver.  We made our way back and then over the bridge and up the other side of the gorge. Dust covered trees and banana palms turned into green foliage as roads returned to tarmac. The valley had a magnificent back drop of the mountains  (Anapurna 1,2,3,4,5) some mountain sides too steep for snow to hang on to.  Out hotel in Pokhara is up to the usual high standard but bigger and inner city.  We had a wander around the city that sits beside a lake, had soup and momos for dinner, browsed in a few shops and arr now lying on the bed thinking of sleep and it is only 8.30.

Traveling to Bawahi Jungle Lodge

The walk from our hotel was rather special. It didn't take long but we watched little children whom I thought were about three (probably just small for their age) begin the climb up the hill to the primary school. A bit further along girls from the local secondary school walked with us. Emerging from little homes shared with many others they were kitted out in white blouses and dark blue trou that looked so pristine it would have put many office workers to shame. On their backs were bags with Mickey Mouse and they chatted happily in English. On the  swing bridge we let three people passcarrying heavy slabs of concrete on their back held by a  strap around their forehead. Its humbling to think that this brick was going to the court yard by our hotel swimming pool. Labour comes easy in this part of the world and I felt humbled to think that I had enjoyed an evening in a place built with such effort.  On the bus once again.

It took till 2 o'clock with only one toilet stop to travel 72 kilometers.  A good part of the road is being widened to two lanes.  No quake damage just improvements. Yeah right! I imagined the Nepalese locals saying. Dust galore. I can see why when we later walked alongside the river the sand is finer than chalk dust. Most of the trip reminded me of travelling the Manawatu Gorge, it was a long way down and nothing to stop us going over. One lane turned into three with oncoming traffic and motor bikes and the occasional car trying to pass as well. No wonder a truck flew over the side last night with the driver still not found. Anyway enough of that as we have to return the same way in two days time and we will be on the river side!!

As we approached the valley the scenery changed. Fields of bright yellow mustard and pink flowering buck wheat intermingled with haystacks and brightly painted villages. Three road closures didn't seem to phase our driver. On seeing the tree trunk laid carefully across the road he stuck his head out the window and asked a local for directions. Thankfully it seemed the roads followed a grid pattern but some of the roads could have been mistaken for a four wheel drive track.

On finding the Bawahi jungle lodge I was transported back in time and would not have been surprised to see Fred and Wilma  Flintstone greet us at the door.  We are  staying in little bures similar from the outside to those in a Pacific island resort but inside is something very unique and hard to describe. Stone flooring, heavy wooden furniture, pottery rhinos, birds and turtles. A lovely peaceful deck overlooking the river (apparently with resident crocodiles). After getting over our WOW bedroom we sat down to an amazing meal which included green papaya salad, vege kebabs and coconut cake.

Short break and off to a little walk around a village. Thatched roofs topped walls made from elephant grass  (looks like thin bamboo), cow dung and clay. The village came out to meet us and loved having their photos taken. Goats, chickens and water buffalo mingled around the outskirts. Washing hung on the thatch to dry, spices were being mixed and babies hugged.  A short distance away we stopped by the river for the sunset. An amazing day finished off by a great vegetarian meal.  Tomorrow is a boat ride to see crocs and bird life and after lunch we are going  on safari. Off to bed.

A little Nepalese Valley

This morning I sadly ignored the six o'clock call from the monks to join in their chanting ceremony but did manage to get up for our  8 o'clock wander around the village. The night had been cold but with layers of duvets and warm clothes I woke up roasting.  We walked up a path to the local nunnery where young girls learn to be buddhists and from their balcony we saw  the mountains and declined an invite to see the nuns bedrooms. Further up the hill a hindu temple stood tall and proud where not long ago 2000 animals were sacrificed. On our return the sleepy little hollow had turned into a hive of activity. Animals were escaping their bedroom shelters and beginning to look for food, women were beginning their daily chores like washing, cooking and sewing. Men were leaving their homes and children were playing. After pancakes and honey and a specially made omlette just for me we hit the road. Back down the bumpy road onto the new Nepal Tibet highway which has taken more than two years to build probably slowed down by the quake as the epicenter was not far from here. I  have never seen so much dust. Vehicles covered from top to bottom, shop keepers must have despaired as each day clothing, drinks, food and household goods get their daily coating.  Over the saddle we drove and down into a steep greener valley where most of the road was sealed. Strangely it reminded me of driving in some of the pretty French countryside where villages perched on cliffs and shops adorned the roadside.

Driving is a skilled task here. Our bus driver has given me the confidence he knows what he is doing as trucks pass each other on blind corners but boy do some vehicles get close. It isn't a place I would contemplate a cycle trip. We meandered down passing more villages, swing bridges,  and terraces of fresh  vegetables  (caulis, wheat, carrots and peas) and fruit  (bananas). Stop! It felt like the middle of no where. Leaving our large bags in the care of our helper for the night we carried our over night stuff and wandered across a long and strong swing bridge. It was built to take a number of people and their loads across which is good as we saw people carrying incredibly heavy concrete slabs, fire wood and other things I couldn't easily identify. We wandered past a number of homes  (single storey but pre quake was two I am told). This tour company never ceases to  amaze me about the little gems they find. High above the river are bougainvillea lined fences and the cutest little cottages. Doors are locked with enormous padlocks and have a great view of the river. We wandered up to the primary school and onto a village celebrating a hindu festival where a young boy was being welcomed into hinduism. Alison wasn't feeling too well so we left the others and followed our footsteps back. Well almost. Somewhere we took a wrong turning and ended up on the wrong side of the stream. Reasonably confident we wouldn't get lost if we could see the stream we continued on our path and found a wonderful water fall before finding a familiar bridge.  Tonight was a great buffet of noodles, rice, vegetable balls and the  best rice pudding  (I was certain it was  a cream Brule). Tomorrow is an early start. It is going to take us 4 hours to do 35 kilometers. And the road is closed every day from 10.30 to 3.00 so can't be late getting across the start line.

Neydo monastery and Mount Everest

We are sitting in our bedroom in Neydo Monastery. It's cold and there is no heating. I am not going to treat anyone to a selfie cos you can imagine me wearing polyprops, covered in duvets and scarf and my head topped in a woolly beanie.  And I feel really privileged to be here.  It is here I sit writing my blog.  We got to the  monastery via a very windy and rocky road  (another earthquake fatality). A one lane road often saw trucks, bicycles, motor bikes and our bus vying for position. I decided not to look as we got rather too close to the edge for comfort (at this point if Harry were here he would make some comment about my spatial awareness). The monastery was built in 2008, rather a magnificent building on the hill overlooking the village. The monks range from all ages with a school for the young ones who are here for seven years and then can decide if they return to village life or stay on at the monastery. I heard one sad story of a mother who lost her whole family in the quake except for her son. The villagers ostracized her (bad kharma)  and so she sent her son to the monastery to redeem themselves. Apparently hecis happy here but I felt for her.  Certainly when I saw the young ones playing a version of handball they looked as though they were having fun.

Probably the highlight of the day was our early morning flight over Mount Everest. I got a great seat up front and had an amazing view over the foggy country side (little villages built along the ridges) and then just as the sun hit the mountains we flew back. Great views.

We left our 5 star accommodation and headed into another square where we saw more temples (some being rebuilt), an 11th century palace (huge outside bath for king), amazing wooden carvings. I am too comfortable to get out from under the duvet to find the names of the square and temples at the mo. We lunched in an outside cafe in a courtyard and I have never had such an experience. The owner came up and said today's special was chicken and chips or fish and chips. Some of the other kiwis wete satisfied with this offering but I asked for a vegetable chop suey. The little man screwed up his face and said 'long time to cook'. My question of well what vegetable dish would take a short time was met with another frown and then he agreed chop suey it would be. When Valeria beside me asked for a feta salad her order was met with verbal disapproval as well. Needless to say our meals came out first with a much longer wait for anything with chips.

We also stopped at the monkey temple, where dogs, monkeys, pigeons and humans mixed companionably in the incense filled air. I reminisced about our visit to Gibraltar as there were a number of similarities.

On the way back to our bus we stopped at the meditative and healing center where they talked about the making of the bowls and how they are used to restore health.  By moving the stick around the side of the bowl little vibrations can cause bubbles. These vibrations can similarly be used to cure headaches and backaches or any other ache for that matter.

We then stopped by a temple of the Kumari  (the living goddess). I found this visit very disturbing. At 5 young girls are chosen to be a living goddess until they reach puberty. They are not allowed to leave two poorly lit rooms and their feet are not allowed to touch the floor. In the morning they bless anyone who comes to visit them and in the afternoon they have lessons and friends can come and play. The memory of a shivering sad little girl will remain with me for a long time.

We also visited another charity that is supported by g-adventures. Apron making from sheeps wool. Beautifully finely woven and brighly coloured. Bright pinks, greens and blues all from the buck wheat plant at different times of the year.

Signal at the solar powered monastery high in the hills above Kathmandu is to weak to upload any photos. So

Second day in Kathmandu

I am going to start today by going back to last night as it is a memory that has stayed with me all day. After meeting our new tour members  (over half are kiwis) we were taken to a restaurant. Sitting on low chairs and cushions we were served a six course meal in a fabulous building. Every where you looked there were more alcoves. Special touches included a personalized menu, shoes off but slippers to wear in the loo, and a gift of a brick with a symbol to bring good luck. A great way to start our tour.

This morning after an exceptionally light breakfast we went to Bhaktapur heritage area. The  earthquake damage is obvious and our guide pointed out a pile of rubble where 150 people sadly lost their lives. The people are getting on with rebuilding their lives. Concrete is being made  (gumboot stomping is the mixer), bricks being laid and rooms taking shape to fill the gaps between buildings left standing. It feels as though the people are working very hard even though it is festival time. Children are off school and played together in the square while others gave offerings to their gods, fed the pigeons, sat making pottery  (heaps of money boxes as children are encouraged to save) or trying to sell us more wooden elephants or jewellery.

For lunch we visited the Sisterhood of Survivors. This is a non government organization started by a local woman and supported by G adventures. Its the story of young girls being rescued from human trafficking  (horrifying statistic is that over 7500 children are abducted annually) and how they find a new life. Education provides opportunities to work as paralegals in police stations, hopefully this will encourage more girls to ask for  help. They can train to be cooks, teachers or a tour guide. Their English is excellent given it could be their fourth language (hundreds of dialects and languages are spoken). The girls taught us how to make momos (remember the dumpings I have been raving about), and then fed us a selection of goodies before giving us a presentation on the organization. An Australian who volunteered for a month made a fantastic recipe book that is the ideal fundraiser for tourists. Friends back in NZ may get to sample home made momos on our return.

Next we went to a Buddhist temple surrounded by shops and more temples. A quiet meditative place where everyone goes round clockwise  (very practical as you aren't fighting human traffic, apparently its because your right hand which is the clean hand is nearest to god). The temple lost its tower in the April quake but through hard work it was restored quickly. There is no entry to the dome but rumor suggests there could be holy scriptures hiding with in.

I am pleased nothing is planned tonight. We have an early start tomorrow for the flight and so it will be a hotel dinner then bed. Tomato soup was yum and the conversation with the waiter about  NZ cricket was delightful. He had met Stephen Fleming.

Some interesting facts and observations. Very few cats around as they are considered bad luck if they cross your path. Lots of chooks, and only a few goats, cows and dogs. Lots of women wearing trousers and a number of women working. If married a woman wears an apron at the back, if she is single apron is at the back.

Sadly not many photos today as I forgot to take out my phone.

Kathmandu

We have arrived in Kathmandu. Yesterday was spent driving back from Sawarda (about 6 hours of driving) where I am continually grateful I can't see out the front. We passed the typical countryside and villages, a week ago we would have seen photo opportunity after photo opportunity but now all the photos are taken and the novelty has worn off. Another curry for dinner and goodbyes.  4.00 the very loud wake up call blasted through our dreams. Customs seemed endless they certainly do not like us having 2 single entry visas. Plane was late leaving  (fog in Kathmandu they said but on arrival we were told there had been no fog). I had a 90 minute snooze on the floor, bright yellow back pack serving as a reasonably good if not bumpy pillow. Customs on arrival require an online check in. The machine couldn't read my machine readable passport so I typed heaps of details in and then it refused to give me a receipt so I had to do it again. Our transfer and guide for the week was waiting patiently and soon we were at our destination. I thought we would be staying in backpackers  (even bought jandals for the shared bathroom experience) but this is 5 star. We lunched on the terrace overlooking the neighborhood and then went out for a wander with Matthew from Melbourne. Momo's for lunch the best dumplings ever.

Initial first impressions and of course the inevitable comparison to Delhi. Less traffic and horn honking, some traffic order but pedestrians don't get right of way. Dusty perhaps from demolition from earthquake, eclectic mix of old and new. Less dogs, and so far we haven't seen any cows,  goats, horses or piles of dung. A bit more health and safety conscious  ( eg ladders are held)  but the power cables are possibly the worst we have seen. We found the supermarket after asking for directions  (we can't recall seeing any in Delhi).  We also stumbled on the Dream Garden which was an idyllic haven and place where lovers go away from the noise and dust.
We are now lying on the bed waiting for the tour meeting. Hopefully an early dinner and bed to fight this cold.

A little village in India

I  could tell I was tired this morning when I realized on the bus I had forgotten to wash out all of the conditioner in my hair. Thankfully although it felt like a gooey mess for a while it didn't look too bad and I thought of starting a new fashion after all the instructions say leave it on for a while.

We spent a bit of time on the bus today and as we rode along I thought about all the forms of transport we have used this week. Cars (noisy, smelly, aggressive  and seat belts only in the front), tuk tuks (quieter, noisy, more agile, cheap), rickshaws (difficult to maintain momentum up hills so driver is very aggressive and competitive with other vehicles and takes a few risks), buses (big and can rule the road but still no seat belts), jeep (great for rocky uphill tracks but still no seat belts).   Which is where our day began.

G adventures don't allow us to ride the elephants up the hill to the  11th century palace. It's apparently too hot for the beautiful graceful animals and they have a pretty hard time. We all agreed and instead embarked on a jeep ride through the back streets along some fairly bumpy roads. We wandered around the  palace and I longingly looked at the wall high up on the hill. If I was with Harry we would take a day and do the  11 kilometre walk. The palace was the first place we had been to where there were a number of tours and guides and straight away I felt a loss of the Indian culture and color.

After a few hours of taking creative photos around a huge and magnificent palace we drove to a textile place where I spent some money and then we drove on to our hotel in the little village Sawarda. Ever heard of the Exotic Marigold Hotel. Well we are staying at a very similar place. The photos say it all. Magical. We wandered the little town followed by children who wanted their photos taken. 'Don't give them your camera as the children will run home to show their parents the photos' was the instruction. We were welcomed into someones home where we sae the central courtyard watched complete with  motor bike and cooking fire.  The house wss very clean and the floor newly decorated for the festival season. A  potter also moulded his clay and we were told  that each family hasxa unique pattern pattern painted on so you can return if faulty

. Teenagers too cool to have their photos taken or to say hello passed by on their motor bikes more than once. A very humbling  and moving experience.

I am quite impressed with the changes the Indian government is making. Snake  charmers are banned for new snakes. As they only live for about two years in captivity this means soon this cruel circus activity will be no more. Children have free clothing and food and medical care is free for all. Villages have subsidies for building toilets and for getting  LPG for cooking. Our guide couldn't really tell us where the money came from but there must be a magic pot somewhere as 60% of Indians live in villages and villagers don't pay tax. He also said it is very difficult to leave India even for a holiday, you need to own land so you come back.

The last evening of this part of the tour was spent drinking chai tea, flying kites as it is the kite festival  (which includes a day of charity, lighting chinese lanterns  (sort of like a little hot air balloon but a huge fire risk particularly when one of ours landed in a tree) and playing silly party games  around a bonfire. Stories of ghosts made some people concerned which is possibly why quite a lot of gin and vodka was consumed. An amazing experience. The following day we headed back to Delhi a long day with no new adventures but simply a reinforcement of the things we have seen in the past week.

Jaipur

5.30 this morning and the hotel woke us with a very noisy wakeup call.  Not long after we were sitting in a bus heading for the hot air balloon ride. Our first drive through real country side. Bumpy and dust roads (still no seat belts) led to the spot where two balloons were inflating. Soon we were floating over  little houses and fields packed with wheat, tomatoes, corn and cauliflowers. I was so excited seeing where the vegetables grow that a small girl through me up a cauliflower. See Alison's Facebook for photo.  I felt a bit nosy photographing inside courtyards but floating quietly over gave us a real insight into the design of the small homes. Men swept the floors, women fed the cows and children played. In the fields the wild antelope stomped and ate the crops.

A nightmare for the farmers as hunting and shooting is prohibited in India. We landed not far from a little village where the children raced to see us and older women strolled over to shake our hands and with big smiles have their photos taken. One of the older women complete with nose ring wanted to try my glasses on. She was thrilled and that was by far the best thing of the day. I dare not tell the balloon pilot that when he asked if we enjoyed the ride.

After breakfast we spent rather a long time wandering around the palace. Jaipur looks like it has quite a European influence with shop frontages and a first storey for accommodation. Behind this was the palace where the crown prince mingled for the day and every one was flying kites as it is kite festival time.

Later on we visited a jewellery shop and saw how the stones were shaped for the jewelry.

A ride in the rickshaw took us to the astronomical gardens (pretty impressive 7th century sun dials) and through the market place. The driver had a pretty energetic time pulling us through the traffic but he got us to the bollywood movie on time. I need to rewatch the  movie with subtitles.

Taj and other Agra highlights

Cows nosing into shop doors, dogs snoozing in the sun, goats nibbling on short blades of grass, squirrels running nimbly up trees, monkeys running along power lines and oxen and horses pulling loads are some of the memories I have of Agra. From the people side Agra begs the question how many people can you get on a motorcycle  (at least 4), on a tuktuk (at least 9) and on a cart built for two (4). Road safety rules seem non existent. Although the traffic is hurrying along I wonder where everyone is going. Nothing else is going fast. Men still huddle in groups anywhere anytime - and we think we have too many meetings at work!! Women are few and far between I get the impression behind the scenes most of the time keeping the home and country running.

After a breakfast of curry, toast, bananas and hashbrown (seems ok in India but probably not something l will have in NZ) we took our bus to the Taj Mahal. Magnificent building and photos don't show its real magnificence. Beautiful marble inlaid with gems.  Inside I was expecting a peaceful meditative haven but no the security guards whistled every few seconds yelling orders to the orderly crowd to keep moving. I felt transported back into a Delhi street. I took a deep breath and tried to ignore the noise. Outside every one (except me) wanted there photo on the Charles and Diana bench.

Then it was the red fort. A magnificent place where the 16th century emperor lived with his 3 wives and 300 concubines.  Back in the day it would have been covered in carpets and curtains and the hooks where they hung are still there. Architecturally a front runner in modern design.  Hollow walls allowed for cold water in summer and hot in winter to be poured into the walls to moderate the temperature. Even had a water infiltration and re cycling system. Marble was used that filtered the sun light and mirrors helped to lighten the darkest rooms.

After a very late lunch (glad I ate such a hearty breakfast) at the hotel we went to see Baby Taj. Built about the same time as its bigger and older relation it stood proudly by the river. Down below women wsshed clothes and it suddenly occurred to me they may be contracted by our hotel. So you never know the clothes I am wearing tomorrow may have been washed in the  Yanuma river. Except they came back nicely folded, damp and smelling of too much soap powder  (hopefully hanging on chairs over night might do the trick).

After that dinner at an outside balcony restaurant and then bed.

Old Delhi and trip to Agra

The day started early, bags packed and on the bus by 8.30. Doesn't sound too early but having a bedroom close to reception with arrivals and departures through out the night we felt a bit jaded at the start of the day. The morning was spent wandering the streets of old Delhi. Firstly we met Amon a street kid who had been rescued and was our tour guide. He had been rescued from the streets aged 6 after being kidnapped and bought into the city. Poor man he had no memory of where he came from though is still trying to find out. I thought of his parents always wondering what had happened to their son. The good news is that g adventures sponsors a local programme that is currently helping 800 children.

We also visited the mosque in the Centre of Delhi. A peaceful haven overlooking the hustle and bustle of the city. Shoes off, scarves on for the visit to this immense and very old building.

I had a wow moment today. We visited the hindu center. The prayer area was rather opulent with huge Chandlers, marble and mirror work.  The WOW came from the people. The center offers free medical care, libraries and food. Food for 50,000 mouths three times a day. In hindu there are four stages of life. The last is what we call retirement.  This is when people come to pay back the  community gor their life a bit like "paing forward" I guess. Cooking for anyone who wants a free meal. Food can be found at the center or at corners of the streets where dogs are fed as well. Awe inspiring stuff. Amon had mentioned that street kids of which there are about 50,000 in Delhi alone did not buy food with their earnings. Having free food meant they could buy glue and new clothes to go to the new bollywood movie. The disadvantage of free food is lack of motivation to make improvements. Food for thought.

After a rather nice platter of different curries we wandered back through the narrow streets to the tune of honking horn and  smells of exhaust, incense and barbecue food. The shops were full of anything imaginable the only criteria seemed it had to be colourful but strangely empty of customers.

We drove to Agra. More interesting alley ways past the shops with stolen goods (if you have something stolen you are pretty sure to find it for sale in these streets). Car parts adorned the pavements and doorways as well as electrical goods and a mish mash of unnamed metal objects.

The drive through Indian country side was far different to what I expected. Outside Delhi there were a number of large estates in various stages of completion -huge apartment blocks.  We passed fields of mustard, wheat and rice and many brick kilns. Hotel was a bit more up market than expected though we are still having trouble with charging all our electronic stuff until one of our tour members said NZ plugs work if you put them in hard and he was right.

Thoughts so far

I have not yet seen one person exercise for the sake of keeping fit eg I Am thinking of runners or cyclists dressed in lycra or skimpy running shorts. It seems that the time to exercise is a first world luxury.

Manual work is prevalent. People brush the streets, make bricks, work as scare crows. Any job like brick making or laying, shovelling dirt seems  to  take one person to do it and at least three or four to provide moral encouragement. Many of the  work is seasonal and workers live in little circular thatched homes. As evening fell open fires lit up and the country side began to look like bonfire night. There is a lot of construction going on but it doesn't appear quickly though to be  fair we traveled along a road finished in 2015 which reduced traveling time by a fee hours. The old road had been converted to a walking and cycling path.

Women obviously spend most of their  time indoors.

Most horrifying sight was a 7 or so year old child sitting centimeters from traffic 5 wide. As the lights turned red she went to the middle of the road doing aerobics and gymnastics. Lights turned green and she wouldn't leave without money until she was threatened with being run over.

Cutest sight was a dog wrapped in a blanket with corners tied to his legs so it would stay on.

Second day in New Delhi

Well I  am not sure where to start. At the very beginning you say. A sound jet lagged sleep prepared us well for the day as did the little bananas and toast for breakfast. I am still a little unsure of quality of food but the evening meal of curries has had no ill effects so that is good. After much discussion we decided to take a tuktuk to the metro. After realizing the ticket machine only took 5 and 10 rupee notes we then needed to find coins for the ticket man. Battle over we discovered metros are the same world over except this one has a violet line. We managed the line change smoothly and ended up at connaught square. Safety in numbers as Judy from Vancouver joined us we followed a man to the hop on hop off bus office through a rather dubious door and a more dubious flight of stairs. No seats on the bus we were told would we like to spend 30000 rupees on a private taxi. A tad expensive so he gave in quickly and we settled on half the price. A good idea as we soon learnt negotiating our way around to see the sights would have been time consuming and I think rather stressful. Rupin our taxi driver negotiated the cars, bicycles, buses, dogs and pedestrians with local expertise. Max speed is 60 but you are lucky to get over 40 and usually it is snails pace. We saw dogs, cows, goats, pigs,  sleeping or wandering around as well as plenty of birds including eagles.  Colourful stalls lined the streets  (food, flowers,toys, carpets,  clothes) and at each intersection people attempted to sell us amything from selfie sticks to peanuts.  The streets were also lined with washing  (hotels contract it out but surprisingly the towels remain off white although a bit hard).  On many of the median barriers and trees cow pats  about 30 cm in diameter had been assembled to dry for fertiliser. We managed to fit in the red fort, Qutb monument with drive bys for the bahai temple lotus flower and Indian gate. Here's some photos to  wet the appetite. One thing is that the colors people wear are amazing.  I  can see that I won't be trying to avoid getting photos with people but they will be a feature. We are off to our tour meeting shortly then being taken out for tea with the ceo from the tour company presumably he is of the  Indian branch.