Mozzeenet

The rest of our group has just left for Delhi so now the start of my solo travel… but not for long as I am so lucky to be able to experience true Indian life with Amit’s parents and friends from Tuesday. It has been hard for us to get to know Indian people because, as Western tourists, we have constantly been approached by people wanting to sell us something and have an ulterior motive for talking to us. This unfortunately makes us wary. That’s why I am extremely lucky to be staying with Amit’s family on Tuesday and Wednesday night and Rudra and his family on Thursday.

Varanasi has been really interesting. A walk along the gats opens up a flurry of activity with people preparing bodies to be burnt, many sadhus (guru-type pilgrims who shun society - not sure how else to describe them but they often wear robes, have dreadlocks, a stick and face markings), people bathing in the holy river, cows, goats, boats plying up and down and people selling things.

I am now catching a bus tomorrow morning direct to Bodh Gaya instead of train and I will be picked up at 5.30am tomorrow morning to be taken to the bus station. Usually I would be grimacing at such an early departure but I am actually happy because it means more time in Bodh Gaya. I will only get a couple of hours there of daylight rather than the whole day as planned but at least I get to see it. The roads to there are pretty bad apparently and I am going in a local bus so it will take 7-8 hours. I have bought my bottled water, biscuits and chips in preparation. I am also prepared for bollywood movies and hindi music (as experienced on the trip to here from Allahabad!).

This is going to be quick but so far India has been amazing - it’s certainly an intense experience - noisy, dusty, colourful and varied - well that was Delhi anyway.

Everywhere there are people doing so many different things for a living, street sellers, auto and cycle rickshaws, horse-drawn carts, rubbish, markets.

We visited an amazing mosque and Old Delhi with its narrow alleyways where we saw the spice market and had some chai made by the side of the road (very milky and sweet).

We haggled with very persistent sellers - a stressful experience. I came out of it with a nice shawl and a few more grey hairs. Many touts and sellers on the streets.

Now in Agra and just saw the Taj - very beautiful. We also visited the Agra Fort which was amazing.

Had a funny tummy yesterday - too much spicy curry. Took steps and feeling better today - on plain food for a while.

We’ve taken local buses - very crowded and dirty. One broke down on the way to some Islamic ruins.

The group is good and looking forward to going to a remote village for the next few days.

I forgot what it’s like to be continously bathed in sweat and needing to move really slowly to conserve energy in humid climes!

Arrived 6am to Bangkok and took it slowly getting out of the airport treating myself to a nice breakfast, getting out some money and taking some photos of the big, new airport. It was slow through immigration too.

Since then have journeyed via local bus, sky train and river boat (x2) to visit Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) and had a fabulous lunch of fried rice with chicken and a sprite (so unbelievably beautiful when energy is sapping) at a local restaurant at one of the piers.

First use of squat toilet occurred at Wat Arun. Technique needs honing. Angle meant spraying action rather than stream so there was a danger of pants getting wet. Put legs on either side of bowl rather than on foot holds which caused a bit of muscle strain but got it done. Yes…well….

Wat Arun mosaics really beautiful though had to have a long sit-down to try to regain energy in heat.

Now back at Siam Square, big shopping district. Busy and interesting area and has nice air-conditioned shopping centres. Air-con is a boon on the sky train and shopping centres.

Internet costs quite high so keeping this short. Heading back in a couple of hours to the airport via sky train and local bus. Will take it easy there and then catch flight at 19.50pm to Delhi! Missing everyone at home. It takes a bit of getting used to travelling solo again.