Finally- Another one from Chris

hmm shoulda emailed 2-3 days ago....a lot has happened
left the beach town(after 1 more feast of shrimp) ...coulda had my own cab for 15 minute ride......for 2.50 or for .37 1/2 take share taxi w/locals.......well it ain't about saving 2.00 cuz i don't care about that its about the challenge and doing the way the locals do it(when in rome....) there was 9 of us in car......4 front 5 back........i enjoyed it and many smiles/pleasant stares from others in car and we all shared snacks laughing how crowded we were
took overnight train.....sleeper class(bed) was sold out so i had to go in 2nd class.......the crowded like crazy section of train..........met a man and he helped me buy ticket then went w/him for same train.........he helped me get on(a crazy pushing shoving match of everyone tryimg to get a good seat) train fighting crowds of people pushing.....then pulled me through crowd and after standing 45 minutes crammed elbow to elbow he got a seat then let me sit in front of him between his legs crammed still but sitting totally was stared at for at least 30 mins and eventualy train thinned out and i was invited to sit up in luggage rack.
Landed in Amhedebad about 530 am........got room and showered by 7:00 and out the door walking round met some university students that took me/w them to shiva festival in temple then to their house and ghandi museum.......was nice temples and seeing the odd camel...... also met 3 fat hindu shop owneres wanting to practice their english and talking, so we joked laughed for 3 hours and they even bought me chai(sweet tea/coffee) and cigarettes.............returned to room(waste of room) then boaded another night train, but i bought sleeper class ticket during the day. Went straight to station headed for udaipur......slept a few hours and woke up to mountains and brown dry rocky ground........saw monkeys/peacocks and shared snacks/visited w/3 local boys going to wedding(invited me but i declined as out in the countryside) and frech tourist
Ttired a bit but got to station(300 km journey about 10 hours) rickshaw to hotel............100 rupees(rps)/night and view of river.....w/hot water,yippee. Awesome clean room. Bad thing 1 big beer is 100 rps so my tab will out number my hotel bill.......haha
Went to amazing palace built over 300 years by 23 different rulers. Purely amazing.
Had some good food for supper but i ordered potatoes/cauliflower...........and when eating i got 2 fish scales in my mouth....appearently the cook cleaned a fish and .....well u do the math...... oh well after eating 1/2 already....why stop now..........welcome to india.
saw 2 disturbing things about my beloved 'chai' that day......saw one kid washing the glasses in the gutter water......then saw another man pick up 3 glasses by the insides w/dirty fingers........then 5 minutes later refill them to sell........yuck..........after 2 hours of disgust and misery on thoughts i gave in and got another chai..........they r quite tastey.
next day...........got up and talking to artshop owner made deal for his nephew to drive me around countryside(i got shafted for pity story of poor student but at thje end trip was only 1/2 the agreed upon time.....and uncle took money,not student)..........saw clay brick making and beautiful man made lake and temples.....naked children swimming in river everywhere.......nice.
Drank beer w/wine shop owner for 3 hours and learned much more about culture if unmarried couple rents a room at hotel.....owner could go to jail b/c they not married? crazy eh? or if unmarried couple lives together in village no one will hire them/sell food supplies or anything.
Evening waked around and saw an actual performing group of student from england to '12 mights' shakespere! was cool many tourists
Heard something in room that night........too quiet for rat mouse or small lizard, either way i pulled sheets up tight.
Yesterday, was going to leave then met cool Aussie guy who bought miotorcycle and was on a 10 month tour of India................i payed costs for the day and he agreed to take me out touring countryside to get away from touts(men who hassle for money) pollution/noise/smells/heat
Saw some really pretty sights and stopped for many chais in small villages .........locals would come around and just stare for the whole time(farmers/children) got lots of sun
Saw crocodile waters and mountains/forests/monkeys. Got back and we parked the bike then went to wine store and drank beer there as 1/2 price of restaurants.......and it's like a real low down drinking place . Right around the corner went to river side w/more beer watched sunset, then i had an awesome Thali; chapatti breads w/veg's rice sauces.....as much of whatever u like and spicy(i think the owner thought if hot i'd eat less) it was soo good
I had heartburn afterswards but worth it. The food is great.
Then we joind these 3 Israeli girls and talked travel, comparing how many/descrip. of scams we've had on us and how to prevent. Lots of laughs and my scam wasn't that bad compared to guy w/3 hr cooking class(he never asked price thinking cheap) and was charged 25.00 US (woman on road const. get .25/day men operating machinery .60-1.00/day so he sure got scammed!) oh well
Enjoyed a hot shower then again off to night bus to Johdipur. Buying ticket stressful. Went to about 5 different places ( all close together at station)............all giving me different prices telling me different times and how of course, theirs was the best..........what to do........bought ticket finally, middle price range. I'll get shafted again but not fully and maybe service will be a bit better..............300 kms ride, 9 hrs.......and that is expensive tourist express bus i splurged and got a sleeper bunk(small mattress in area 4' 1/2 x 6' 1/2 for two people. I lucked out and no one beside me!!! Then an hour later this guy climbs in and had cheaper seat below now crowdin in on me...............I was frustrated he wouldn' t leave(wasn't gonna tattle to bus man like a child would) Then I thought how indians here are always cold this time of year(25-30 during the day and still warm at night for me) So anyways, i opened the window wide open as we go 60-70 kms/hr down highway , after 10 minutes he used curtains to cover him then asked to close window. I expressed how he shouldn't be up here and that i'd stay up all night w/window open so he couldn't sleep (i was quite cold actually as well ) After another 5 mins he made annoyed sound then climbed out..........haha i froze the bugger out. it was my bunk fair n square .
Got to Jodiphur. Tired after tossin/turning all night and saw about 50 beds on street in front of train station full of locals..........checked in 7:00 in huge hotel across from train station full of travelling men 2.00/night and hot water.sweet. The kid changed sheets for me as i checked in.........clean sheets/hot water. Livin like a King now baby! life is good!
Walked around and had an awful pizza on a flat bread chappati then sauce/veggies/cheese but not cooked and curry flavor.
Lately I've been randomly ordering food(masalla/biryani/pokra/chitter) having no idea or not asking, just ordering blindly as all dishes veg etarian so it can't be too gross. Had some good ones and some not so good but good way to taste everything.
Seeing lots of camels pulling wagons even donkey/water buffalo/cow...and can ride all here(incld elephant)
Lots of amazing coloured sari's and turbins w/men wearing pointed up curled leather slippers..........really authentic smell of curry constantly in the air and other unpleasant ones as well . Talked driver of rickshaw into 4 hour tour of sites 4.00 and i got better deal this time(although i ended up paying for parking and a chai for him and he guilted a samosa as well oh weeell) saw amazing palace and fortress w/moat and tall stone walls and arched entrance, doors w/spikes to prevent enemy elephants from ramming the gates real old time history here. From waaaaaaaaay back could see damage on gates from canon blasts. Saw a huge fortress w/circular well, like olden days.
Well about to have supper and decide if i go on night train again in 3 hours(to save a day) or stay off to desert town(Jaiselmar) to ride camel and see desert/culture, as different parts have different cultures.
Saw some herds of goats in city and many colourful local people for great pic's but camera was full after the fort.........oh well, not looking forward to another night of travel and hardly sleeping but been here done that, nopthing else to see......gotta keep moving on i dread. Oh well. I'll walk around for another 3 hours yet, then prob check out. I love india.
Probably forgetting loads of funny stories as everyday seem to be an adventure and usually i'll spend around 10 hours walking/sitting/ vissiting locals or watching them(instead of them staring at me) I've done 800-900 kms forsure on 1 bus 2 trains prob 25-30 hours of travel .
India can be frustrating. Like having to ask directions from 5-7 people cuz everyone tells u different directions........crazy. Frustrating too. Nose picking is definately a national pastime here. Everywhere everyone is doing it...hilliarious.
well gonna walk around and read book to decide if i stay or go.. Meeting loads of tourists as well. actually oh 2 days ago i saw 3 korean or ? girls in a rickshaw w/tourist book and hardly speaking english.......i asked where they were going and price they will pay.............then i actually argued w/driver that that was too much and they'd only pay 1/2 that.......i stared to girls and after glares from driver he agreed to 1/2 and i told girls 50 rps......NO MORE!...... Was happpy to prevent just another almighty scam on the tourist..........oh well they are feeding their family but feeling of getting shafted is annoying numerous times a day.
Luvin it here, skin flaking, been hot here.
Take care sawka