Jodhpur - city of Indigo

Left Jaisalmer via long distance bus, complete with sleeper seats, and roared across the desert to Jodhpur, a much larger city, with a much larger fort on a hill. At least this fort wasn't inhabited my shops and hotels - the Maharajah had kept it for himself, but would let us in for a small fee.

The view from the fort was impressive, and as the title says, the residents of Jodhpur have painted their houses Indigo blue, which supposedly keeps them cooler in the hot Rajasthan summer.

Aside from visiting the fort, we also headed out into some villages in the countryside to see some local crafts. We saw clay pots being spun, carpets being woven by hand (a couple were sold to our group). We also took part in a ceremony where most of us, including a police officer in our group, sipped on a little opium (don't worry, no effect whatsoever). We also went a little mad shopping in a beautiful fabric market. I even got caught up in the frenzy and bought some nice pillow covers. How I can keep squeezing this stuff into my luggage, I have no idea.

A Very Memorable Christmas Day

Dawn awoke us high in the fort in Jaisalmer, and yes, it was Christmas Day. Aside from the odd kitchy santa hat for sale in the village, there was no sign of Christmas. Everything was open as usual, and it was a fine sunny 24 degrees in the desert sun.

We ate a long leisurely breakfast in our hotel courtyard, surrounded by the fabulous sandstone fort. Cheese omelet, lemon pancakes, toast and a whole pot of coffee probably costing close to $2. We had decided to do the secret santa thing, so we headed out shopping. Our limit was supposed to be 10 rupees (20 cents), but I decided to break the budget and spend 30 rupees.

We did the secret santa thing in our hotel at 2:30 in the afternoon, making our Indian guide wear a santa hat. The family members that own the hotel gathered around watching our odd tradition. I got some individual packages of laundry soap from Santa - very practical! It all just seemed so much more fun (and less stressful) than Christmas at home.

Then most of our group were off through the desert in a couple of jeeps. It felt very Indiana Jones zipping along.














We arrived at our desert camp within an hour. The tents were up on platforms and had beautiful furnishings and thick comfortable Indian carpets - hardly roughing it. Our camels were already waiting, so we just dropped off our luggage, and headed out to meet our mounts. We were going in two's, so Rachel and I hopped up on our camel, Michael Jackson.
















We headed out through scrub desert towards the more stereotypical sand dunes. It was a good ride and I figured it would be over soon. Not so, we hung out with our camels and drivers in the desert waiting for sunset. We amused ourselves by doing high speed gallops on the camels, and sipping cold beers that a very entreprenuerial vendor got for us. We watched the sun set on Christmas Day, and headed back to our desert camp.

After cleaning up a bit, we headed over to a sandstone compound for drinks and a buffet dinner under the stars. They served peanuts, papadums and veg pekoras with our cold beer. There was a really good Indian band there playing traditional music, plus a couple of beautiful women in saris dancing and spinning. The buffet dinner was very good, with mostly vegitarian food (it is so easy here), and we just relaxed and took in the ambience.

A couple of us headed out to the desert on foot to stargaze later, then it was home to the cozy tent for a good night's sleep.

We are back in the fort in Jaisalmer again today (Boxing Day), and head out to our next destination tomorrow. We are having another buffet under the stars in the fort tonight, prepared by the mother of the family who owns our hotel.

A very memorable and relaxing Christmas here!

Oh yes, forgot to mention we spotted the three Wise Men on the way to see baby Jesus.

T'was the Night Before Christmas

Well, it actually is the night before Christmas right now in India, and here I sit in an internet cafe sorting out the next couple of days. Of course, it feels nothing like Christmas here, it is almost completely ignored, which as you all know, is fine with me.

So we left Delhi last night (23rd) at about 6:30 PM. Our overnight train to Jaisalmer was scheduled to leave at 6:30 PM, but was cancelled. Of GAP tour leader said prepare to scramble onto the train, and with that, we were off to Delhi train station.

We scrambled into taxis with our luggage, and headed out in this city of 14 million people during evening rush hour. We drove over a pile of re-bar, across a pile of gravel which almost tipped the cab, then on past cows, horses and chickens. We drove past a huge unprotected open pit, and then with a laugh past 2 big black pigs. With that, we launched into Delhi traffic.

Words cannot describe our journey, it was beyond even previous trips. There were literally hundreds of near misses each few minutes. At one point, we drove onto the sidewalk to get around a bus traffic jam.

We arrived at Delhi train station on time, and with a few platform changes, jammed ourselves into a train for which we had no tickets. Our original tickets were for a berth for each of us, but we ended up with 4 seats for 16 people. What ensued after that was hours of chaos, as people boarded and exited the train, but mostly boarded.

Our final toll was 7 of us in 4 bunks, and the rest of the group in an unheated car in the freezing night of the Rajastani desert. There was also the usual screaming children, and their parents who would not shut up all night. It was not a pretty site.

What was pretty however, was our arrival in the city of Jaisalmer at 2:30PM the next day. We were exhausted, but thrilled to be there. You may recognize it as being that Indian city with a beautiful fort high above it, as featured in the Amazing Race - stunning.

What was even more amazing was the fact our hotel is situated right inside the fort, actually near the top, with absolutely stunning views. We settled in and got cleaned up, took a brief tour, then went out for another fabualous Indian dinner.

Oh yes, in case you were wondering, the military is everywhere here. Tanks, equipment and personnel were all along the rail line heading to this area - hey we are only miles from the Pakistani border. Even as I type, jet fighters are sceaming overhead.

So, are we worried? Of course not. Tomorrow, Christmas Day, we head out into the desert on camels to stay overnight in tents. We plan on exchanging tacky gifts by the bonfire. Yes, camels, desert, heading west on Christmas Day... it will be hard not to do the Three Wise Men thing. Hey, where is my frankenscence?

Merry Chistmas to all....

No meat in this Delhi

Well, devoted readers, it is almost Christmas and 2009, and I find myself safe and sound in New Delhi, India.

The long trip from Cape Town, via Germany, was actually not that bad. Andrea and I got to the Cape Town airport quite early, and saw each other off. Unfortunatly, we heard that there was a major incident on the N2, a key freeway in Cape Town. A pedestrian was hit, and the freeway was closed. We were ahead of this horrible accident, but the entire crew of our Lufthansa flight was behind it! We heard from them later that they were 3 hours in traffic.

Our flight left 2 hours late, but that was just more appies and cocktails in the SA Lounge for me. The flight itself was wonderful, as usual, and I got lots of sleep in the LH Private Bed.

I had a fairly long transfer in Frankfurt, so no rush making the connection. Especially considering the plane was still in maintenance. Another 2 hour late flight, but at least we landed in Delhi before the major fog moved in.

I had a rather creepy cab ride thru Delhi at 4 in the morning. There is a huge park just before the neighbourhood I am staying in, but I did not know that. I am in urban India, and wondering why there are no buildings. Am I way outside town, and about to be taken for all my money????

Well, the driver was really nice, so my worries were completely misplaced. "How much longer before we get to our hotel?" I nervously asked. "Only about another couple of minutes, sir". Seconds later, we emerge from the huge park, round a big traffic circle, and plunge into the crowded neighbourhood. I feel like a bit of a smuck - stop worrying so much.

Check into an OK hotel, and sleep well into the next day.

I walk around a very crowded and crazy neighbourhood, Karol Bahg, the next day. Decide on a quick hair raising tour throught the local neighbourhood on a motorized rickshaw late that afternoon. Cairo is no longer the crazy traffic champ for me, Delhi has now taken top honours - absolutely nuts, but fun. I just relax and laugh, figuring my relaxation will soften the impact with another vehicle. Pedestrians, bicycle rickshaws, motorized rickshaws, push carts, cars, trucks - tightly packed and weaving like crazy. They are really good drivers, did not see one collision - but boy, it was crazy!















Next day, one westerner and I are having breakfast amongst many Indian tourists in the breakfast room. I ask if I can join her, and sure enough, she turns out to be on the GAP tour with me. An Aussie, named Jeannine (Andrea, you are so easy to replaced!)...... just kidding.

Anyway, I end up joining her for a full day city tour. Once again, we are the only Westerners on the tour - lots of Indians on holidays. But it works out well, with the guide giving us English commentary as well.

Like I have heard, things here are absurdly cheap. Breakfast chocks in at $1.20, I spent $1.60 on lunch yesterday, and I ordered room service last night which came to $8.00, but only because the delivery boy went out and got me 2 large Kingfisher beers! The full day city tour cost a whole $7. This is a nice relief after going through so much money in Europe. Oh, by the way, the title of this blog makes refernence to the fact that I am going veggie for this part of the trip, on the wise advice of my dear sister.

I am in an internet cafe in Connaught Place in New Delhi now, trying to catch up on picture uploading. I have switched chips in my camera, so it may not get caught up until I get home.

We meet our group tonight at 5:00, have some kind of tour around Delhi tomorrow morning, then it is off on a 20 hour overnight train ride on the world's biggest rail system tomorrow afternoon. Don't worry, we have berths, so should not be too bad. I am truly looking forward to yet another adventure.

It is sunny and comfortable in Delhi now, and luckily I got in before the thick fog you may have heard about. I am guessing that may have delayed some of the other GAP travellers. But the weather is nice now, so we should all get going tomorrow. The fog/smog did make for a nice sunset, pictured below, at the resting place of Mahatma Ghandi.

I have a feeling internet cafes are going to be difficult to get to, and that we are going to be fairly busy in the next couple of weeks, so please do not worry if you don't hear from me for awhile (right, Laurie).

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas season, while I am over here ignoring it! Enjoy the snow, as I will enjoy the warmth of India.

Namaste.

South African wine country

Andrea and I are both big wine lovers, so it seemed appropriate that our last days in Southern Africa were in the fabulous Franschoek area. I have been to many wine areas, including Napa and the Okanagan, but none compare to the spectacular scenery in South Africa. The mountains surrounding the valleys are very rugged, and the wine farms, as the South Africans call them, are second to none.

The South African wine industry goes back hundreds of years, yet there is still a youthful enthusiasm about the wine industry here. The wines themselves are excellent quality, and the prices are so low, its almost a joke.

Craige and Greg - you must come here one day - you would absolutely love it. Make sure you see some wild animals too!

We took a tour called the wine hopper, which dropped us off and picked us up at 4 wineries, that way there was no problem driving. All 4 were absolutely beautiful, with spectacular views, and some very impressive wines. Unfortunately, we were leaving the next day, so could not buy any.
















I am sitting here in the South African Airways Lounge in Cape Town typing this. The couple behind me in security just had two beautiful bottles taken away from their carry-on - they did not look happy.

I am off to Dehli via Frankfurt in a couple of hours. Just time enough for a glass or two of South African wine - Cheers Dwayne and Andrea!

Really South, South Africa

After dropping Dwayne off at Cape Town Airport for his long trip home, Andrea and I headed further south. I really miss Dwayne already, it was so nice to have him join me in Africa - it made this part of the trip so special.

We drove to the beautiful seaside town of Hermanus, the best place in the world to view whales from land. Unfortunately, it was not their season, so we filled our time walking along the wonderful waterfront, and hiking in hills filled with wildflowers.
















We also visited some cool climate wineries in the area, and made our way to the southernmost point in Africa - Cape Aguhlas. We stayed in a gueshouse high on a hill with a great view of where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet.















We are now (Dec 16) back in wine country, in the very beautiful town of Franschhoek, which could certainly give Napa a run for its money. Like the good budget travellers that we are, Andrea and I have discovered that one of the top 50 restaurants in the world is here, and guess what, they had a last minute cancellation. So..... we are treating ourselves, a bit expensive, but nothing like North American or European prices. We are doing the 7 course tasting with 7 matching wines - hey, you only live once!

Watching the Tablecloth

It was 100 degrees F when we went through Stellenbosch, and it did not look like the pretty wine town we were expecting, so we contined on to Cape Town. What a fabulous view as you approach the city, seeing Table Mountain looming over the city.

I had booked us at the African Train Lodge, and interesting sounding concept were you sleep on rail cars in an old train station. A few problems, as lovely as Cape Town is, its old train station is in a very scary part of town. There is unfortunately, so much crime in South Africa. The other problems is that a train compartment is a tad stuffy when there is a heat wave on. We braved it out one night, Andrea bunking with us because she was too scared to be alone in her room.

We moved to a nice guesthouse in the Sea Point area the next day, and were much more comfortable.

We explored Cape Town, including its interesting gay neighbourhood. We also spent time at the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, took a boat trip to Robbin Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisioned for many years. One day when the wind died down, we actually made it up to the top of Table Mountain, with the fog whipping in and out. I tell you, I thought San Francisco had amazing fog, but it is nothing compared to Cape Town. Same kind of speed and coolness, but it rolls over the top of Table Mountain in the most spectacular fashion - thus the expression - the tablecloth!

















We also had some really great dinners in Cape Town, the one that really stand out is Addis in Cape Restaurant - featuring genuine Ethiopian cuisine.