Back to India.

Well now I'm actually in Pushkar India... a long way from where I last wrote about in Nepal... I guess I better update you all about what's happened since then.

So we went back to Kathmandu and saw the last of the sites...all very cool. Nepal is truly a lovely country, the people are much gentler than the Indians. And we decided to fly to Varanasi since Kerryn was running out of time and three days to transit through just wasn't possible.

But as normal Varanasi was wonderful! We stayed in a room that resembled a brightly painted prison cell but I got two beds to myself so I put the mattresses one on top of the other and had the first great night's sleep I've had here :)

It was also right behind the Burning Ghats (where the bodies are cremated) so first thing we headed down and watched dozens of bodies get carried down and burned. Last time I was here there was only five or so bodies getting cremated but this time there were so many that they had a line of them on the river front, at least a dozen waiting.

It's such a crazy city with streets so narrow sometimes two people can't pass shoulder to shoulder. Cows wander peacefully, monkey's jump over head, dogs sleep in door steps and I even spotted a mongoose run under a table and along the street.

The noises never stop and people call out to each other across rooftops. Those flat roofs so close to each other I could imagine running across them like the monkey's do and avoiding the streets entirely.

We met a boy who was home from school because of a festival that was running for three days while we were there. He showed us around the city's cramped streets and into the many temples. And at the end of the day we bought him a kite with $1 and watched him join the hoards of other children and other young people flying them from the rooftops.

And we wondered the Indian markets buying bangles and other trinkets and the prices were real...not what I expected from this crazy city but welcome none the less.

Then on to Agra... the train ride from hell. We arrived at the station at 9pm for a train that was meant to leave at 10:50pm and arrive at 7am...it actually arrived at the station at 6am...it didn't arrive in Agra till 1am the next day. 27hours in transit isn't exactly a fun experience. Damn this fog!!!

But anyway, saw the Taj and Agra Fort and then found out that all the trains to delhi were either full or cancelled. And Kerryn needed to fly out of Delhi the next day! We looked up busses but they were all full from the cancelled trains...we ended up taking a taxi...not a cheap option but he only one we had.

But we found the most wonderful hotel in Dehli... Cottage Good Day on the Main Bazaar. New and clean, what a relief...

Chitawan National Park and other sites in Nepal

Well finally I have a few hours to fit in a little blogging and photo editing...

After our Hiking adventure we soon set off to Chitawan National Park to go on Elephant Safari...you know that Rhinos, Hyenas, Crocodiles etc doesn't usually match up to our idea of nepal...but seriously it was amazing.

We climbed into jeeps, paddles canoes, hiked across grassland that that taller than the a house, sat on the back of elephants and saw some of the most amazing animals and jungle. And it was warm!!! For the first time since leaving South India :)


And here are some pics of that time :)

... Actually I can't seem to upload photo's here today :( but... to see a whole lot of pics go to my public album...
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=143608&id=514543204&l=aaa6d82946

A little of India and a lot of Nepal

Yeah, I know How absolutely terrible I am...haven't even updated my blog once since we arrived here!!!

But here have some India pics to make up for my terrible lack of writing :)

India is just like I remember, hot, chaotic, dirty and crazy, I still love it! Though it does make you feel like you need a holiday from your holiday.

It's very different travelling with women instead of with Ben. Men keep pushing in front of us for everything...I can see my indian rudeness coming back full force.




Welcome to India shot...


It's funny, we arrived on the terribly cramped AirAsia and basically collapsed...but were off to explore the nearby Thanjure and visit it's world heritage listed temple to take photo's of Indians taking photo's of us :) It's so random when you as much the attraction as what you are visiting!


Then of to NEPAL! ANd it's to amazing (when they're not striking)

It was a breathe of fresh air (literally, Kathmandu may be smoggy but it has nothing on India)



So we visited a few sights, saw a few buring bodies, hiked a few mountains (yep, it was just as hard as they say! It's true when they say that the Nepalese believe that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, no matter if a mountain gets in the way.


We were watched as we sweated our way up from the valley by the amused Nepalese.

The view at the top was worth it and here is a few more pics of it because it is just that spectacular


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Setting off in the morning, you can see it was cold and!!



But then off to Chitawan to track Rhino, Hyena andcrocodiles, but that's another story for nest time.

Well off I go :) sorta..actually I'm having hippy time at woodford folk festival for a week first and then I fly out of Brisbane. I can't help think that I've packed too much... Oh well, dumping will probably happen in India...What do you think? here is a pic of it all!!!


ps. The mat and sleeping bag got sent ahead to england, save me carrying them...thanks Ian!!!

The entire point is.....?!?!

OK, so this blog actually hasn't started yet since I'm here, at home, in bed. Really nothing interesting going on yet.

Except for trips to melbourne, Blue Mountains and another to Canberra I haven't actually travelled this year (much to my horror).

But that's not really the point because inevitable friends I will eventually send this blog to, I will be travelling, yup (as if you didn't know that already with all my bluthering about it)... India (and maybe Nepal) and then on to the epicly cool London to Australia trip... all starting in 4 months time...

Four months! Gah...too long!!

So I've started a blog, a facebook group and done loads of research (hey you try planning 11 months away and see how you fare in the sanity stakes :P

neway, bought a mat (well stole one from Mum) and finally got back my pack from Glenn - (did you know that my pack has now travelled round every continent except South America and Antarctica - and still looks pretty!)

Not planning on buying a sleeping bag, the old one will have to do :)

But I am buying a new netbook, mini and cool! Yay!

Now I just have to finish working and saving and off I go...well kinda, got about 20 Visas to organise and a headache load of paperwork to silt through, but in theory, yes in theory that's the entire point...