Good nights rest after extended travel days. This is the view outside our bedroom at the Homestay It’s a cool 16-21c today, with a light breeze First stop St Stephen’s Church, lots of inscriptions of 30-something officers dying on hunting trips and similar fates around 150yrs ago View from Doddabetta peak… the highest point in …
After the overnight from Chennai (Ying took the sleeplessness hit for the team), we battled through the melee and got 4 seats on the Ooty Toy Train It took virtually 5hrs to negotiate the 46km uphill to Ooty mostly powered by the diesel steam cog train The train stopped every 5km or so to take …
Probably least interesting day today Taxi to Jaipur airport, plane to Chennai, then overnight train to foothills of the Ghats, southern Indian hill resorts, and up to Ooti See you on the other side!
Then off to Jaipur for a quick whizz round By Tuktuk around (some of) the gates and old town, Jantar Mantar (Astronomical Garden), Palace of the Winds, Albert Museum, and an ATM!!! All in three hours Back to the hotel and dinner on the rooftop terrace accompanied by Sitar and Drums Butter Chicken, Chicken Tikka, …
Gentle day today in the heat. Circumnavigated Pushkar Lake, in and out of the ghats, shoes on and off intermittently with rehydration stops Saw more Cobras but didn’t pay the necessary fee for a photo thanks
Actual Camel Fair was hot and dusty but huge, sprawling, sandy, undulating site, with loads of encampments variously representing families, villages and studs A mixture of horses (more valuable surprisingly), and camels, and some buffaloes
Our introduction to camels began at what I think might be originally the polo ground, with the Camel Decorations Competition. Basically putting as much bling as possible on a camel However, after the competition ended, the judging panel announced the three winners, but the third placed owner got very agitated and “appealed the decision”. This …
Woke early to sounds of horns tooting, and cows mooing in centre of town Revived by two pots of coffee and bowls of yoghurt and fruit (and Nutella and banana pancakes) Our accommodation for the next 5 days… Now off out to explore…and out to the market No photos though of when I turned round …
Not that much to report today, just train journey across small part of India… We’re in 1st class chairs, which are full but reasonably comfy but 2nd class crammed in just as you’d imagine Men wandering up and down train with buckets of drinks, urns of chai, and all sorts of low carb snacks!!! At …
Early morning visit to Taj Mahal, (photos unfortunately suffer from the permanent haze presently). Clearly despite the haze, amazing place, architecture and views. What else to say? went in search of lunch… The Oberoi for lunch in case you wondered, excellent buffet type selection of classic Indian (and international) dishes. Highlights, chicken curry – flavoursome …