Travels in Sri Lanka – Day 7

29^th September 2010

Will make the long drive to Colombo for our flight home to the U.K..

It has been a remarkable trip to India and Sri Lanka and we have seen many different aspects of life both human and animal.  Our Travels have provided a fresh insight to the human condition.

Travels in India – Day 8

22^nd September 2010

Set out for Deli Airport.  Before Leaving Agra I donated a copy of my novel “Cogrill’s Mill” in memory of my forbears who sheltered their and as a thank you a thank you for building the wonderful Taj Mahal.  I left it hidden in my hotel room.  One day someone might find it and read the inscription in the front.

The Taj is truly an impressive piece of art and one of the wonders of the world.  It more than lives up to its reputation and ranks alongside Michelangelo’s David in its beauty.

The road to Dehli was crowded with lots of exciting things to see along the way.  As we neared the centre of the city it was in a bad state of repair.  I am afraid I do not see the Indian Government getting it ready for the Commonwealth Games.

Travels in India – Day 7

21th September 2010

Apart from our house, the Taj Mahal is reputed to be the most romantic place in the world and that is where I went with my lovely wife Helen today just after dawn.

Later in the morning we visited Agra Fort built by the Emperor Akbar between 1565 and 1573. It was here that Shar Jahan was imprisoned by his son and ended his days gazing from a balcony at the Taj Mahal which he built in memory of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. This place is also of great significance for the Jahans family as a number of members were living here during the Indian Mutiny.

Travels in India – Day 6

20^th September 2010

Set out to journey to Agra and visited Fatpur Sikri.

I hope this blog is not too disjointed and there are not too many typing errors.  I am writing this as we travel and am not spending as much time over my drafts as normal.  I have taken hundreds of photos and have probably spent too much time sorting out which ones to post.  Thus I may have spent too much time on photographs and less on writing.

India has no social security so its people live hand to mouth.  I see beggars and street merchants all the time but don’t respond to them outside the coach otherwise we will be swamped.  Our guides show us merchandise they bring once they have boarded.  That’s okay and we have acquired some fine items to take home.  I wish I had the nerve to try some of the street food they cook up on the pavements.  It looks tasty but I have not the nerve.

Health and safety looks like it does not exist here.  The people move round the streets at great speed and there is much honking of car and motorbike horns.  But they do look out for each other and there is obviously much mutual respect of  other’s right of passage.  The wanderings of the sacred cows are said also to be traffic calming.

Our coach had a puncture on our journey today.  Fortunately we had an ex-army paratrooper as a member of our party and he helped the driver change the wheel.  This and problems with the air-condition system meant we were delayed by about an hour.

Fatpur Sikri is only a few miles from Agra so we were still able to take in a tour of this walled city built by Emperor Akbar in 1571 and the Mughal Capital for 14 years.  It’s architecture is striking and was well worth the visit.

Travels in India – Day 5

19^th September 2010

The day was spent the day site seeing in Jaipur.  Saw Amber Fort with its wide vistas, elephants, snake charmers and other assorted life forms.

Then we took a helter-skelter bicycle ride through the streets before visiting the Jantar Mantar observatory, City Palace Museum, ending with a trip to a textile factory.

The city is a blend of striking historic architecture and modern urban India.  Both seem to fit together remarkably well.  Enjoyed a spicy evening meal and witness a wedding celebration in the grounds of the hotel opposite from the bar at the top of our hotel, beside the rooftop swimming pool, before retiring early to write blog before bed.

Travels in India – Day 4

18^th September 2010

Lost a day somewhere.  Must have spent more than one day travelling to Dehli and because of the time difference.  But I guess I’ll get it back again when we fly home to the UK.

Today drove from Delhi to Jaipur along the Nr 18, the region’s main motorway.  It was a two lane duel carriageway for most of the way but saw many types of vehicle using it.

Stopped to see statues of Hindu god Shiva.

Stopped again for lunch and drank half a litre of 8% alcohol strength Kingfisher lager, much stronger than the English ales I’m use to.  Good job I wasn’t driving.

Saw cattle being herded towards us up the lane we were driving down, which is a sight you don’t tend to see in England.  Cattle are sacred in India and have right of way in City centres and across carriageway central reservations.

Saw husband, child and wife, in that order, riding a single motorcycle.  Only the man was wearing a crash-helmet and the wife was riding side saddle.  Men women and children work hard here in order to survive.

Travels in India – Day 1

15^th September 2010

Arrived India after spending three hours on tarmac at Heathrow while pilot waited for a spare rubber band or whatever was the failed essential piece of technical equipment needed for takeoff.  Then 11 hour flight to Colombo followed by 3 hour transfer to Delhi.  We should have missed connecting flight by 2 hours but the Sri Lankan Airways aircraft kindly waited for us.

Arrive tired and dishevelled.  It was too dark to explore or take photos so had shower, meal and a beer at hotel then went to bed.