The Detour Home - India and Beyond

On October 4 2006 I set out for my big adventure home stopping in places along the way. India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Borneo and the Solomon Islands would add up to one heck of a great adventure. At the time I felt that India drove me absolutely nuts, yet it's the one place that I can't get enough of reading about, talking about and fueling a general fascination about... The following details my adventure home to New Zealand from London.

INDIA

October 5, 2006

And so it was I arrived in Delhi...

Even living in China for a year wouldn't prepare me for the emotions I've gone through today. India is by far the most intense place I've ever spent 12 hours in in my life. Yep, I've been in the country less than 12 hours - have already had a marriage proposal, am constantly being called beautiful lady (just like China! Why can't England be like that???), have had a screaming match with a rickshaw driver over a can of 7-up, and have been the target of soooooooooooo many scammers and people out to make a buck already. And have had a fair bit of fun in the process.

Delhi airport was somewhat interesting. For some stupid reason the blonde in me had always had this picture in her head of "New Delhi" having an airport that was nice and well, new. No siree! It's kinda falling apart and the walls are an off shade of crumbly yellow. I walk through the crowds of "lady! lady! You need taxi! I take you to werry good hotel" and finally found my man - a rickshaw driver by the name of Bobbin sent by the Smyle Inn - "Did you say your name's Goblin?" "No Miss MacGregor, BOBBIN with a Beeeee" - we laughed it off and the next thing I was walking through the dustiest airport carpark I've ever seen with perhaps the skankiest dogs I've come across. The stares were big. Where on earth were the women? Sonya Ghandi Airport appeared not to have a single Sonya anywhere - a few Janes and Barbaras perhaps (older sagging german ladies on their "spiritual journeys") but no ladies anywhere in the crowds.

So I jump in Bobbin's rickshaw and he proceeds to tell me his life story, his father's life story, his grandfathers life story and his son's. Basically they all grew up in Delhi and I was too overtired to hear the rest. "Ah, Miss MacGregor you can marry me, you have husband?" No and No. "You have fiance?" "Yes actually! (had to get Bobbin off my back ok!) He works in a coalmine in New Zealand (what the f%ck, where did that come from?)." "Ah Miss MacGregor, you werry lucky lady to have such hard working man." Bobbin off my back. I proceed to stare out at the traffic. And wow - the traffic.

In the Wizard of Oz it goes "Lions and tigers and bears oh my" "Rickshaws, crowded buses and cows oh my!" Amongst pedestrians who appear to have no self regard or else a sense of "they'll avoid me, I'm wearing a bright sari" - I need to figure out their secret. Along with cows, rickshaws and crowded buses you also get the odd carnation throwing taxi driver - hilarious. Randomly 2 landed on my lap in the shortish dusty drive to where I would stay.

There are cows everywhere in this city. I'm not kidding. Bobbin eventually gets me to my hostel - the Smyle Inn - situated on a street that I am sure I will fail to find again in the morning in the middle of this massive bazaar. It's a typical Asian style guest house. No windows, street noise, cold showers but rather cosy and damned friendly staff. I immediately ask what the deal is with cows - Mr Smyle - the guy on reception goes "Ah, Katherine, I have three." Big Grin from Mr Smyle. um, that's nice, still doesn't answer my question. I'm sure I'll figure it out with good time...

So I check in, have a nice cold shower - I don't think one is going to miss hot water. It's stinking hot in this place! And then go up for breakfast. Immediately I cling onto these Danish girls who let me tag along with them for the day. What nice people. I think I should have gone to Denmark instead! Annetta and Theresa were students having one last minute world trip before getting serious about life. We had a lot in common - including the constant stares at our legs - the people here seem to be obessed with them. Oh well, each to their own.

We headed off to the Bahai Lotus Temple. Amazing place. It's one of the most beautiful temples I've ever seen. Bright white in the shape of a lotus (the Indians compare it to the Sydney opera house but it does look like the flower) - as white as you can get something here anyway. Inside it's the calmest place I've ever been. Complete silence in a room full of the most colourful saris. Stunning. After being forced to pose in some photos with some local miltary guys we left the temple and went on the search for water.

After that we went and had seven up - my bargaining greatly pissed off this cab driver - I'm sorry but I'm not paying 100 rupees for a can of seven-up when I've just seen the guy in front of me pay 10. We went to another amazing place but I fell asleep in the rickshaw as the girls were trying to get there - wouldn't have a clue where we were. But it was amazing - all these old ruins that appear to have been an ancient muslim government judging by the architecture. Will read up on it tonight. It was very cool and suprisingly a great break from the rest of Delhi which can only be described as chaos which works in some oddly organised fashion if you can work it out. There was hardly anyone there - could have easlily stayed there for hours.

Went to the train station to get my onwards tickets for Sunday but after being chatted up by an English lady with a beard not much older than me and being too tired and impatient to wait for a ticket, decided to go back tomorrow. Have just had my first "real meal" in India - a proper vegetarian thali. Awesome.

So that's me for a while! Quite a packed in day. I don't love India yet but I'm not on the verge of hating it either. It's just gonna take a bit of getting used to and I might have to get some lessons on navigating past the cows in narrow alleyways.

Hope you're all well.

Katherine

P.S. Caz - thank you SO MUCH for your hand sanitiser. By far the best leaving gift one could ask for - it's so dirty here!

October 6, 2006

I am having such a cool day today. I had the best sleep ever, woke up, had some cornflakes and found this Canadian guy who's also on his own - a change from my super cool Danish girls yesterday but still great company.

Having a guy with you when you're in markets and stuff is SO MUCH EASIER than being by yourself or with other girls. Compared to yesterday I was mostly left alone. And they charge me less for stuff too. This could be the secret to travelling alone - abduct a male backpacker whenever possible.

We went to this place called the Red Fort which is where the Mughals ruled for years until the Brits came in and demolished/improved (whichever way you look at it) India. Amazing place - sooooooo big. So dusty too - seems to be a common theme here.

After the Fort we went on the search for some lunch. We walked down this crazy busy street and people were openly trying to pickpocket us. It got quite bad at one point but I still have my camera and some of my sanity left. For lunch I had my first Masala Dhosa experience - AMAZING. It was this dirty little cafe which happened to be packed. He had some samosas but I definitely got the better end of the deal. Being left handed I still haven't quite gotten the hang of eating with my right hand. A bit of a challenge and near impossible to resist using my left, or a fork.

Just as we finished eating I saw the biggest rat I have ever seen in my life. Urrggggh. It was big, it was grey and it was fat. Nasty. No signs of Delhi Belly yet though!

After lunch we went to this massive mosque. They made me put on this hideous orange outfit to cover my shoulders and ankles so ugly. And they made us take our shoes off - the ground was SO HOT it wasn't funny and I think I've learned how to walk on hot coals now... But it was impressive and worth the hideous outfit and the burned feet.  

Since the tower we've just taken a rickshaw back here and are in the hostel to chill for a couple of hours away from the afternoon heat which is somewhat overwhelming but I'm just gonna have to get used to it.

October 7, 2006

Oh my god - I hate going out alone in this place! Being a blonde hair blue eyed solo female with the palest skin this side of Scotland is not an easy thing in delhi! Especially at night.

Having an awesome time though. Today I met up with a local couch-surfer and we went to the markets. I'm starting to look like a right proper hippie! Oh dear.

Off to Varanasi tomorrow where I'm hoping it'll be a bit cooler. Delhi is SOOOOO HOT and I feel like I'm constantly showering to escape it.

Octoer 9, 2006

I left Delhi yeterday and felt a massive sense of relief as I jumped into my nice second class air-coned sleeper train. What luxury! Air con! Having been subjected to a barely working fan for the past 3 nights the air con has never been appreciated in my life. I lulled myself into a false sense of security as I had the entire compartment to myself and sat in 18 degree luxury staring out at the world.

The train ride was fantastic for the first few hours. We quickly got out of Delhi and started choo chooing through rural countryside. Along side the railway tracks were lots of little villages and for some reason a lot of cow pats laid out flat to dry. I have a feeling they're used for huts - again, one of those unexplainable India things I think...

Around 8pm a big noisy family got on just as I was about to curl up into my nice comfy train bed. There goes the nice peaceful train ride. They were loud. They ate smelly food and they seemed more than content to use the end of my bed as a dining table. Curried eggs I think it was. Many people know that I have an extreme aversion to the smell of eggs so you can imagine by mood change! Suddenly I'm sat up, corned into the corner, book in one hand, ipod up loud in the other and rather pissed off "Hey don't you get it!" look on face. No response.

They eventually go to bed and just as I've dozed off into happy dream land it's 2am - and they're getting out at some godforsaken village in the middle of nowhere. On gets this really old guy with the most annoying cough and loudest snoring I have ever come across in my life. Not only that - he appeared to know every insomniac on the train so had a host of friends around to view the fake asleep blonde and chatter away as loud as humanly possible.

It was 4am before I drifted off to sleep. I got off my train at 5am.

Varanasi train station at 5am was as intense as New Delhi Railway station. Grumpy morning Kat had the I've had no sleep hat on was not prepared for the hoards of Rickshaw drivers. The moment I jumped off the train (more like hobbled then stumbled) I was accosted by "Lady halllooo where you from you want restaurant? You want hotel? My fren kno a werrry good place." NO THANK YOU MY HOTEL IS WAITING FOR ME must have come out of my mouth a good 40 times. I telephone the Yogi Lodge who say not to move and they'll be there in 20 minutes. 20 more minutes goes by of "Lady you want restaurant? You wan hotel? Lady lady! What your name Lady?" and then a friendly little old man come up to me in a yellow t-shirt, secretly hands me this tiny piece of paper with Yogi Lodge Katherine Jane MacGregor - British" written on it - everything right but the nationality and I have never been so happy in my life to see a little old smiling Indian man. I practically hugged him and said "you've saved me!" He laughs and we get in our rickshaw - cycled and as he explains "Cheaper and much better to environmen".

On the way to the Yogi Lodge we pass through the morning vegetable market - one of the busiest I've ever seen and everyone in Varanasi appeared to be there. Was such a cool atmoshere! We pass through the crowds of kids on their way to school, men hearding their cows, goats, chickens, stray dogs and women wearing ever the colourful saris. We get out eventually and face a 10 minute walk up hill. Was well worth it.

Spartan though it may be - with merely a squat for a loo and a concrete walled shower - the Yogi Lodge is actually really charming. The old dude that picked me up is also a chef who makes the best banana pancakes I've ever had in my life. The guy who runs the place is this extremely friendly proud slightly rotund middle aged man. All is good there.

After I showered I set off to wonder the streets. I am actually lost right now as I write this... The streets are one confusing chaotic mess but it only seems to add to the charm. I found myself by the Ganges before in a really quiet part of town and all these kids came up to me begging for their photo to be taken. They are seriously the cutest things I have ever come across in my life. They all want to see themselves on the digital camera, have the biggest grins and are SO photogenic. Keep an eye out for when I next get to a decent computer. I'm rather impressed with these shots!

The people of Varanasi so far seem very pleasant and respectful. I feel quite comfortable walking around alone as a female, much unlike Delhi where I felt like a bit of an object, not really helped by a bit of culture shock. I'm planning to base myself here for a few days. Rachel arrives tonight which will be a welcome relief. Am so looking forward to having a friend to hang out with.

October 11, 2006                       DELHI BELLY. YUCK.

I have a nasty case of Delhi Belly. I don't think I've ever been this sick in my life. Will spare you all of the details! Luckily my hostel has a good internet facility with a fan and a fridge nearby filled with coke. Found myself puking in a rat infested gutter last night with about 30 or 40 locals watching - not pretty!

Anyway! Rachel arrived in Varanasi yesterday. I was soooo glad to see her! She also brought along 2 Israeli guys she met on the bus from Nepal. They've been so good to us. I think I've mentioned earlier that having a guy with you when you're roaming the streets means you mostly get left alone - it's awesome - the guys get badgered non stop but Rachel and I are mostly free to be in our own little worlds. We spent most of the day just hanging out looking at neighbourhoods. Varanasi is one of the oldest cities in the world and it's here that you can see life as it has been in this city for thousands of years. As one of the guys said, not much has really changed except the invention of internet cafes.

Before I met up with Rachel and the boys I went for a walk at 7am. The most random thing happened to me. I just went out to take some pictures and grab some breakfast. Neither happened. Some random old man got talking to me - really sweet little guy that I just couldn't escape from. So I gave him the benefit of the doubt and followed him.

Turns out that yesterday was some festival of women. We ended up following a crowd of ladies dressed in amazing saris and ended up at a small temple where I got blessed and had a massive bunch of flowers put around my neck and a big orange dot painted in between my eyes. I have no idea what they were saying as everything was in Hindi. After that we went up to another temple and watched people worshipping. The next thing I know we're in a flower market drinking chai with his friends.

 We sat there for about 30 minutes. Still had no idea what they were talking about but all of a sudden another bunch of flowers is put around my head! I looked like mother earth! I try to find excuses to leave him as at this point I had no idea why he wanted my company. He tries to lead me up another street but in the end I thanked him and went off on my merry flower covered way back to my hostel.

I had no idea where on earth I was.

Next thing I know I'm in a silk shop and 30 minutes later own a green sari. Not quite sure what to do with it now!

Took me another 45 minutes to find the Yogi Lodge but I finally get back, run into the room where Rach just looks at me and cracks up - I looked RIDICULOUS. This all happened before 9am.

So I spend the rest of the day mooching around Varanasi while Rachel catches up on some well needed sleep having been on a bus for pretty much 24 hours from Nepal. Around 5pm me, her and the Israeli boys decide to go down to the waterfront and get a boat along the Ganges to watch the sunset and people performing rituals. All was fine until we got to the burning ghat - where bodies are burned after they die. Really frightening and I was to have the full experience of it this morning.

We get off the boat and I make a dash back to the hostel while the others stay to watch a puja (a ceremony that priests perform nightly as a gift to Shiva). On the way I'm ill but eventually make it back and a few hours later am asleep.

Funnily enough we actually managed to get up at 5am to go and watch the sunrise over the Ganges. Through this I was to see India at it's most real. Bathing time. It's a community activity where everyone gets up and does their thing in the water which happens to be the dirtiest river on earth. How they get clean I have no idea but they do so every morning. It was fascinating and I was really lucky to experience watching it even though I felt disturbingly unwell. We eventually get off the boat close to another burning Ghat. It was to be my most intense experience in India yet. It was pure hell on earth and probably human life at it's most basic. Made me realise that my charmed little life in the West isn't everything. At the end of the day we all have to fight to survive and make a living. The ghat is attended to by the Untouchables - the poorest chaste in Indian society. The neighbourhood is by far the poorest I've ever seen in my life and the people weren't friendly. This is where they attend to death day in and day out - it's their job. The smell was so bad I can't describe it - yet that's how they live their lives and that's how it has been working for thousands of years.

We eventually made it back to our hostel. Since then I've been in bed feeling like complete utter shit. Rachel managed to convince me to get up, have a shower and come downstairs to do something other than sleep. The whole neighbourhood seems to know that I'm ill and they keep asking her how I am. The people here are so amazing. They just let you into their lifes and accept you for who you are. No questions asked.

I think I've got a love hate relationship with this place. One moment it's the most incredible place on earth, and the next I'd do anything to be back in London drinking a cocktail at the Big Chill. This seems to be travel at its most real however and I'm so glad I've come here.

We're going to leave Varanasi on Friday night. Off to Agra to see the Taj Mahal and then up North to do some yoga and check out where the Dalai Lama lives. Then we're going to visit Rachel's friend Nasib who's family live in Kashmir.

October 19, 2006

I'm back online after ages of being unable to upate this. Several reasons but mostly due to slow Indian computers and the fact that since i last wrote I came down with big time Delhi Belly. I was not a happy person at all for near on a week! 

After being stuck in my hostel for several days Rachel dragged me out to see an Indian movie called Side Effects. Very cheesy and going to the movies in India on it's own is quite an experience! For starters, it's AIR CONDITIONED. Amazing. We could have stayed there for hours... hold on, we did... the movie had intermission which was good at least. Second of all, they have extreme security measures in place to go in. One security guard searched through our bags and pulled out a bag of tampons (a lady) and asked what they were and why we had them... short of doing a demonstration she decided they were some odd thing that westerners smoke  "to smoke???" "Um... yes!"

And then we went to buy popcorn. Rather than you carrying it and eating it before the movie even starts they deliver it to your seat about 10 minutes into it. How novel!

The movie was full on Indian cheese. Lacking a bit in the bollywood dancing but the plot was great... This DJ meets this girl at her wedding. She bails out of the wedding, starts seeing him over a few years, he has committment issues so she dumps him, he's devastated, tries to win her back but fails so goes out with this other girl who simply doesn't compare. She is about to get married to this complete gimp, he gets jealous, wins her back on her wedding day and they ride off into the sunset on a rickshaw... how romantic. It took 4 hours to tell us all of that.

I spent the rest of that day in bed.

On Saturday we get up and decided to go to a place called Sarnath. Sarnath is where the Buddha gave some of his first sermons and is a very important historical site for Buddhists. It's mostly a bunch of ruins - has a great museum and is set in gorgeous quiet surroundings. While Sarnath was lovely the highlight of that day was actually the drive there.

We're convinced by this super friendly rickshaw guy that he should drive us to Sarnath. What a decision to make! We get into his rickshaw. It's not just any rickshaw - it's DISCO RICKSHAW. The inside was vinal sparkly green with patches of flourescent yellow, images of bollywood stars, various Indian gods, a buddha, a big sign saying "LOVE" with a heart and a dagger. A bright pink rimmed mirror, fan, velour curtains and to top it off Varanasi's finest speaker system. We were blasted with Bollywood hits all the way to Sarnath - it was AWESOME and featuring DJ RICKSHAW WALLAH. I will try and put up a video of it sometime soon.

We got back to Varanasi after an hour each way in Disco Rickshaw, had a juice, played cards with our ever friendly Israeli guys who had been escorting Rachel around for the week, and then it was time for the train to Agra.

WHAT A FRIGHT.

The previous train I'd been on had turned out to be a rather flash one with air con. This was anything but. It was filthy. Dirty, smelly, old, decrepid, slow, and to top it off we were 2 of 6 females in our carriage along with a million men, all staring at Rachel and I, and not at our eyes. We were eye candy for a good 16 hours - it was not comfortable at all. We stupidly decided to order meals - I think they might be responsible for Rachel's recent bout of Delhi Belly.

I had the top bunk right by the door and by a light. Didn't sleep at all and I spent most of the time brushing bugs off my face. It was the most unpleasant train ride I've ever had in my life. I stupidly wore a skirt as well so everytime I got down to use the loo or grab my book that kept falling off my bunk the million and one men in my carriage would turn around. It was legs legs legs and eyes eyes eyes and no matter how many evil looks I gave back the more one was stared at.

We eventually arrived in Agra 4 hours late. Rachel had the middle bunk, ear plugs and an eye mask so had slept super well all night long. I was one grumpy post delhi belly snuffly tired irritated blonde. We were relieved to be on terra firma again and checked into a hotel that seemed like a palace. It had a proper loo! It had almost warm water in the shower! And it was only a 20 minute walk from the Taj Mahal.

If there's one thing in life that can change a grumpy post delhi belly snuffly tired irritated blonde it's seeing one of the world's finest buildings. Agra was such a change from Delhi and Varanasi. Rather than constantly dodging cows, stray dogs and the effluent of both we were exposed to wide roads with the nearest animals being camels quietly delivering tourists to the great building. We chose to walk.

The extortionate entry fee (all of US$15) was well worth it. I can't really put it into words except to say that the Taj Mahal blew me away. It's such an incredible wonder of architecture. The light reflects off it to make it seem not quite real and it's massive. I hate to say it but I actually think the Taj impressed me as much as the Great Wall of China. The story behind it is very cool - I won't bore you with the long version but basically this ruler was so bereft at the death of his favourite wife upon having their 14th child that he built the Taj as her resting place. It took 40 years and 20,000 men to build it and nearly broke his empire. He never recovered from her death and was sent to live in Agra Fort as his son took over. It is said that he gazed out at the Taj Mahal all day until he finally died and was buried beside her inside.

There is another story though that says that once he died he turned to a diet of sex and drug, went insane and basically lived like that til his death at 70 something years old. I prefer the first one.

We only had a day in Agra and then it was onto a full day of travel starting at 4am the next morning. We accidentally got in the wrong carriage to Delhi and ended up being fully squished in with daily commuters. Nearly all men staring not at our eyes. Loads were hanging out the side of the carriages and I wouldn't be surprised if many had made it onto the roof. It was tight, it was hot and as usual the train took forever. We eventually arrived in Smelly Delhi and had to wait 6 hours for our next train. I got to show Rachel Delhi. She wasn't impressed. We ate lunch, more fried food, ick. Sat in a cafe and wrote postcards, got stared and hounded at constantly and then it was time to get our next train.

This one was so much nicer. It had fans, wasn't over crowded and managed to get to our next point "Haridwar" - where we were hounded with offers of rickshaw rides to Rhishikesh. We took the bus. It took an hour. We got there and made our way to the Ved Niketam Ashram. It was really dark and after crossing over a wobbly bridge over the Ganges and walked down a dark narrow street for what seemed like hours we eventually made it - and crawled straight into bed.

We woke up to the sounds of the Ganges floating by. Looked out the windows and it's amazing. It's actually clean in this part of the country. Even runs blue - completely different to the same river in Varanasi which is more of a pooey brown littered with dead bodies and all sorts of matter. Rhishikesh is the most peaceful place I've been in months. We're staying in a yoga ashram and it's lovely. Rishikesh is also cold though and so is the shower - we came here to get spiritual but with the showers and somewhat rather hard beds I'm hardly feeling it! However, this place is gorgeous set in the foothills of the Himilayas. So far I've done yoga twice - both times the yoga teacher trying his hardest not to laugh at my terrible lack of co-ordination with basic stretches... One is determined to contort oneself into odd positions - I will persevere! Rachel seems to have gotten the spirituality of this place. I am convinced that I'm a cold hearted western brat too obsessed with her nice products and am perfectly content with that.

Tomorrow morning it's up for 7am meditation (he he...) then yoga at 8am for 2 hours and then... We're going to Kashmir! We'll be staying with a friend of Rachel and her family for Diwali - the Indian version of Christmas. Keep posted for the next update!

Katherine

October 25, 2006 - DIWALI, Jammu, Dharamasala and Free Tibet Protests

So much has happened since I wrote last week so excuse me if this sounds a bit like it's coming straight out of my journal... a lot of it is!

After yogaing out in Rishikesh and Rachel having strict rules imposed on her by the yoga teacher - i.e. don't eat bananas today because it's cold - needless to say our favourite feisty red head rebelled... we left beautiful Rishikesh on another second class sleeper train complete with the dirt, bugs and hard beds with rucksacks for pillows, to go to Jammu, Kashmir.

Somehow our train managed to pull into Jammu over an hour early. It was 5am - we were stuck. There was no way we wanted to call Nasib at that hour! So we waited and the wait was actually quite an experience. Rather than the station being a hub of activity it was filled with bleary eyed travellers much like ourselves and as much in shock as we were about arriving so early.

We waited until around 6am before calling Nasib and in that time people watched. The majority of the people were doing one of the following or a combination of all: cleaning their teeth, hocking and spitting up phlegm from the night before, peeing beside the train or whereever there was a semi private space, doing their hair, eating, or just waiting around like Rachel and I in a sleep induced haze, all as close to the train tracks as possible. 6am finally came and after waiting in loo lines of 15 minutes or more and checking out the heightened security prescence as a result of being in Kashmir (i.e. men with BIG GUNS everywhere), Nasib and her uncle picked us up in remarkably perky moods for that time of day.

The 10 minute drive in the flashest car I'd seen in India so far took Rach and I to the home of Nasib's MASSIVE family. I still have yet to figure out just how many there were! The house (mansion?) was an enormous hub of activity. I think I'd put the number that live there around 12, a staff of 7-10 and visiting relatives at any given time at least another 10. They're amazing - so much love in the extended family. They all hang out together all the time.

Rachel and I had a brief nap and woke up to be introduced to the clan. First Nasib's Dad, then her Mum, then her brothers, then uncles (3 I think?),Aunts, great aunts, great uncles, cousins and last but not least, Nan, one of the cutest old people I've ever met - one tooth and a smile to light a thousand faces. Once we'd showered and changed we were introduced to the staff - 2 drivers, a dishes girl, a cook and 2 washing ladies - those are who I counted. The washing ladies stared at Rachel and I in disbelief and then one of them exclaims "Barbie Girls!" - Barbie is one of fe western faces they've seen in their lives.

After the formalities it was time to eat. We were fed toast with the best butter I've ever had (India does remarkably good dairy) and then the sweets started and didn't stop coming until we left Jammu. Oh my god, I LOVE INDIAN SWEETS. They will be the death of my waistline (and my teeth!), mark my words. After breakfast we set off on a girls day to Jammu. Nasib, Rachel, myself, 3 of the cousins and one driver. First stop was a park that we walked through to get to a temple where we offered food to the gods and dodged rather frightening monkeys. From there we had pizza then got caught in the biggest traffic jam EVER. We managed to get out of that and then it was time for Mhandi - henna paintings in incredibly intricate patterns on our hands. They were amazing and only took 20 minutes to do per hand, if that. Walking through Jammu with all our ams in the air trying to dry our hands was hilarious - had we been further South it might have been a perfect time for the local men to have a damned good look, but in Kashmir they're lovely - no one is sleazy and the stares are more inquisitive than anything - much like we experienced in China.

We got back to the manion a little worried that we were late, but we weren't. Ate some more and then it was time to really celebrate Diwali, the festival of light and the start of the New Year for most Indians. First stop: MODERN GUN WORKS - the family gun factory and the business that has managed to provide an amazing education for the entire clan. At Modern Gun Works we said a prayer to bless the factory for the coming year and then lit candles everywhere. It was beautiful but what put goosebumps on everyone was the rooftop where we had lit candles all over. It looked so beautiful. The view around was amazing. And then the fire works started lighting up the sky for miles. There we were on top of a gun factory with the nicest people we've ever met lighting fireworks to put to shame my local guy fawkes celebrations back home. After spending close to an hour setting off fire works - even the 4 year old was doing so - that would make a heath and safety inspector have a hernia and me a near heart attack at the age of 25 - we set off back downstairs where it was time to play with guns!

They were big wooden shot guns the size that would put many a grin on the faces of most of the boys I know. The men all had a go, they tried insisting that Rachel and I learn how to shoot a gun but we happily settled on holding one and taking cheesy photos - in fear of it all going wrong I didn't want to spend my last days in a cockroach infested Indian jail...

After Modern Gun Works we went and checked out the old family home, ate more, visited more cousins, ate again, and then it was time for home. Where we had dinner again. This time it was curried veggies on bread with tomato and lime - really really tasty! I have never spent a day where I was constantly stuffed full to the brim. I was worried I was about to turn into an Indian Sweet so politely excused myself and went to bed in the knowledge that I'd had one of the most amazing days of my travels yet.

The next day, still full from the day before, I got up relatively early and started teaching the 4 year old how to yell out "RISE AND SHINE SLEEPYHEAD" - Rachel's mood for the rest of the day with me was not something I want to be on the other side of for a while again! Everyone got up, we had another awesome meal, and were told to get ready for the mountains. After visiting and picking up more of the family the 3 vans took off to this beautiful place in the mountains. It was set on a lake with a small park beside it. The ride there was one of the bumpiest rides I've ever had but it was stunning and the sun was setting so it made it look even prettier. We got there, fed the world's ugliest fish - thousands of them - and they were huge - and then sat down for dinner. There we were at dusk sitting with this massive Shiek family in traditional dress - 2 white as western girls - eating curry and just having a good old gossip with everyone while the boys played cricket and we ate. It was crazy and awesome.

One visitor to the lake asked if I was married - at the ripe old age of 25 I really should be. So I said - I have a fiance. Reply "Well where is your ring then?" - ummmmmmm.... "Oh, I don't carrry it around with me as it's a very special diamond so I prefer not to wear one." Nod of approval. "Where is your fiance?" "He's in New Zealand digging coal mines." I then walked away.

After a wicked time at this place we started the drive back. It was kind of scary but I was relieved that I couldn't see out the window and the cliffs below. The lastest punjabi hits played on the stereo and it was all in all a good drive back.

We got back, made a few calls home and then it was time for a good old family get together Punjabi style - the music was loud and everyone was dancing - including nan and the great aunts and uncles. It was soooo cool - they were dancing like they do in the movies! After a few hours of dancing the women all got together with the musical instruments and started singing shiek hymns - I've never heard music like it - it was beautiful. It went on well into the night. 3am came and I went to bed sad in the knowledge that Rachel and I would have to leave the following morning.

We got up Monday morning to a massive breakfast of curry - paneer and chickpea and tons of fab chapati - we were full to the brim. And then it was time to say goodbye to this incredible family who let us in for their version of Christmas and New Year.

 Rachel and Nasib's awesome family

The journey to Pathankot and onwards to McLeoud Ganj was surprisingly really good! Having shocking memories of Chinese buses I wasn't so keen but we got on and had a blast getting there. It took close to 10 hours on 2 different buses and then a taxi but it was mostly comfortable if not rather crowded but efficient. The first bus played the most disturbing wailing music ever but it was entertaining and took my mind off the kid in front of me who looked like he could power chuck any second... luckily he didn't and we got to the first stop all in tact if not somewhat deaf with ears ringing of very old Hindi music. The bus to Dharmasala was cramped as. Rachel used her rucksack for a seat in the aisle where most people chose to stand, and while I was lucky enough to get a seat I had to sit for several hours with mine on my lap - never realised just how heavy my pack is!

Circulation virtually cut off we eventually made it to Dharmasala, spent close to an hour haggling with a taxi driver and eventually shared a cab with a crazy Turkish girl who came across as quite frustrated like the world was against her. I put it down to culture shock having only had a spaz at Rachel less than an hour before complaining about the cold and how everyone seems to want to rip us off or just look not at our faces.

It's lovely here. It's where the Tibetan Community live in exile and is set in some stunning himilayan foothill scenery. The story of the Free Tibet Protests however will have to wait til tomorrow. I'm tired. And there's a rat crawling around this internet cafe!

Dharamsala and Tibet

We arrived in McLeoud Ganj a bit weary and cranky. Had hot showers for the first time since arriving in India (just as well cause i