From Nepal to Rajistan

Well folks it's been a while and I have been lazy, avoiding updating the blog. Whilst this has been nice for me it does mean that the suckers following this blog (you) have to read thousands and thousands of words. To aid you in this catch up I have broken this post into sections.

LEAVING NEPAL
Another horrible bus-bus-train trip that took something like 17 hours, not including waiting time. Anyway, we got to Lucknow, the capital of Utter Pradesh without too much trouble.

LUCKNOW
Lucknow turned out to be a tragic disappointment. The guidebook lists the attractions as the residency, "a collection of buildings left over from the British-Raj era", a Zoo and other uninteresting things that I wont waste your time with. The town itself is the usual deal; Even more cars than is possible, mess-tastic and smelly. Our hotel had a kind of British India feel to it but it really did not prevail through the musty smell and absence of flushing toilet. It was unmistakeably India.

Well we went out to explore the residency, which we were quiet worked up about after reading the rather positive description in the guide. It was a rather a large "ka-put" if you'll have it. Like the sound of a balloon deflating after it has been stabbed; not enough to pop, just crumple. The residency was a bunch of ruins of which about six had been looked after. It would be generous for me to describe the rest of the buildings as anything other than rubble. The standing buildings were hardly any better. Just nondescript, shells of their former selves. To top it all off the area was totally infested with dogs which followed us around barking until will left, thirty minutes later. The dogs was a little odd. We often get followed by dogs on the streets and look forwards to our visits to monuments because they are for the most part, dog free. The workers here were apparently more intent on feeding and nurturing the wretches rather than keeping them out.

Lovely.

The rest of Lucknow was not really worth mentioning. On we go to Agra, the only destination in India.


AGRA
Agra is really not all that exciting. It is full of tourists and therefore, it is full of tourist shops and rip offs. We visited the market, Agra fort and, of course, the Taj Mahal. The market was pretty awesome, curving around a giant mosque. The fort was much the same, and really a bit of a let down after all the others we have seen. And the Taj, well you've all seen the photos. It's really big and really white. An amazing building to see. The best feature its got going for it is its elevation. It is constructed on a platform so that from the ground, all you can see is sky behind it.
And tourists, did they come or what. They flocked. And flocked. It's an attraction in itself.

Naturally, they all try to get photos of themselves and the Taj. This is very amusing as there is not a single square metre without someone ah-standin' in it. The best was when this Japanese couple turned to me and restrained a scream, "please.................." as though I had walked through their photo of them and the Taj. Which I had. Well you can't expect to get a clean shot anyway.

The rather huge downfall of the Taj is that the entrance fee is a chortle worthy 7500rp which is about twenty five dollars. Our plan was to go in early, armed with books, cards and snacks, and spend a good amount of time soaking up the mystical stuff that emanates from these sorts of buildings. This was not to be so however as the guards at the front gate search your bag and pat your body. Because the Taj is a Mosque/Tomb, you are not aloud anything fun inside. Anything like books, cards and food. Just great I say, just great. In the end we just stayed until we were bored, then a little longer.


PUSHKAR
This was our first town in Rajistan and was a rad little desert outpost camped on the side of one of the holy lakes of India. It is full of camels, dust and hippies. There are more dodgy priests here than you can point a stick at, which made me angry. I wont talk about it though because I'll just get angry again. I like to think I have already moved on.

We found a wicked as little place to spend our time just a spit off the main road; a double story retreat with a tree growing through the two floors. Our rooms was the size of a small bathroom and was just a double mattress on the floor. We had to pack our bags up every night to squeeze them in at the end of our beds. The good news was that the room was 100rp a night. That's three Australian dollars. Hell yeah.

We spent most of our time just hanging about in the guesthouse, drinking the cheap Chai and staring at the sun. We did a couple of cooking lessons, which was great. Now I can make Chapati. I can even teach you mummy. They're kinda tricky but really quick to mass produce when you get the hang of it. We also went on a day long camel trip. We going to go for longer but coped out on the grounds that our trek in Nepal was initially going to be a four day ordeal. It was extremely bumpy and really rather slow. And camels are horrible beasts. Mine bit Kate's camel on the arse and I had to spend the rest of the day keeping the reins tight to stop it getting any second ideas. It tried a few more times to test my vigilance.

UDAIPUR
Now we are in Udaipur, Rajistan. It is a most romantic city, set in the foothills of the desert. The city itself is slightly cleaner than usual but apart from that, is the standard affair. The attractions are the Lake Palace, City Palace and Monsoon Palace. Being here is the only thing that does justice to it. In the meantime you can view some photos. The places were used in the Bond film, Octopussy, which is screened in just about every hotel and restaurant. Somehow, we have managed to be here for four days without viewing it.

Udaipur has been great fun. Mostly we have just relaxed, admiring the view. We did another couple of cooking classes with a lovely lady named Sashi and a bit of sight seeing in the city palace. They have a wild collection of weapons in the armoury display. Weapons that combined two functions in the one item. An axe/pistol, sword/pistol and an axe/sword to name a few of the best.

Unfortunately, the Lake Palace is a out of bounds on the grounds that it is now a hotel. The rooms cost from $350 US a night up to $1350 US a night. The other, more viable option is to go across for lunch or dinner. This however, requires an ironed shirt, a reservation and sixty Australian dollars each. Just not happening. Instead, we have been taking picnic dinner down to the water front and admiring the view of the lake and city palaces for about six dollars. And I don't have to iron my shirt.

The day after tomorrow we leave for Mumbai, and then for Australia. Not much longer now. Just have to cram all of Mumbai into the three days we have there.


No Photos because the computer is being a retard and you can just see them when I get back. If your that desperate just google the location and you can have lots of photos.

Nicholas&Katey.