Delhi

Just manic...unbelievable chaos, filth, noise, vibrancy, smells, colours, foods, ..amazing...Bob and I wrote this 'acrostic' or mesostic something like that poem ( see Morag for details on acrostics...Dysart kids poetry booklet..Dysart Artworks)

meDieval
spontanEous chaos
Carting huge loads
smilEing "where you from"
Manic!
Big sizzling cooking pans
spicEs
aRomas

Incense
burNing

Debris, dirt and derriliction
cyclE rickshaws,oxe carts and cows

sparkly Lurex jumpers
auto ricksHaws peep peep!
Incredible!

Hopefully this gives some idea.

We were picked up at the airport by the hotel...amazing how all this just works ( well mostly)..and taken to our hotel with trepidation...the streets we were going down..at night...really seedy and shady looking, narrow back streetish and neon red light districtish, and manky..piles of rubble and litter everywhere. Stopped outside one on the neon signs 'Ajanta' and immediatly two porters picked up our bags and the doorman opened the door...inside was a bit of a sanctuary...air conditioned, relatively clean, shirt and tied reception staff....phew.....the room was fine...ground floor,no window...probably a good thing ...big curtain where a window might have been if the room had had one but if it did it would have looked into a semi outside corridor, where staff were constantly coming and going..although we couldn't see we could hear what was outside...it had some vents where we heard everything going on , washing of glasses, putting out of rubbish, very loud talking and the constant delhi "gutteral aachh grog spit"..charming but room and bathroom clean ..well after we'd washed the sink and toilet......Clean in India is very relative...if the place has clean ( or lets say washed)sheets and the place can be cleaned by us.. generally thats 'clean'..no this place Ajanta, was actually very good ..and it was a bit of a sanctuary, with resturant ( the only useable one locally), when we 'came in from our city jaunts)..

I'd certainly recommend Delhi ...it is just amazing all these things going on around you. There are many poor people...working and a few people begging..but not many, occasional woman with child or children approaching you ..but really infrequent..and you get the feeling, that although you know the kids are poor some of them are just being mischevious...so I did give out some money and bought some kids some bananas, that they asked for...and wasn't swamped...still don't know if thats what one should do or not...in preparation for the 'begging/poverty onslought' Bob and I thought we would have to 'walk by' and give to an Indian orphanage charity or something like that...actually the people begging on the train really got to me, often with dissabilities..one guy attempting to sweep the floor, which would have needed steamed cleaned to make a difference, with a cloth in his hand as he hauled himself along on his bottom, one leg missing the other wasted dragging behind him, asking for money for the service he was giving...that was really difficult to witness......... Later I wasn't so moved as amused ..but probably shouldn't have been...by the transvestite boys in their Sahris and overdone make up..going up the train coquettishly and cockily asking for money....one of the boys sitting next to us gave them some..I tried to 'get the picture' asking ..is it impossible for them to work?...but didn't really get the answer..just that they were 'girl boys'.

Anyway back to Delhi...we saw the sights ..Red Fort, amazing Moghul palace in its day.....a bit of garden, water, marble and mosaic paradise, and escape from the pleb mayhem outside the walls, which we recon had probably not changed much since that time..400 years ago....also famous sight of the uprising of the population against the British in 1897...and later. Also visited biggest Mosque in the world..holds 25,000 people...kind of an outdoor stadium/temple, and Ghandi's memorial...that was really interesting...history of India's British rule and Indian struggle for Independance...made one ashamed to be British. This was where Ghandi took his last steps before his assasination, marked out on the path to the prayer area...very poignant and peaceful.

Our dearest friends Roger and Fenella have friends in Delhi Oma and Giti and were keen that we say hello..which we did and we were so glad we did...they received us with such a warm welcome and were so happy to meet anyone associated with Roger and Fenella as they have such high regard for the kindness and friendship they showed to them when Giti and Roger were studying together, and since. We had lovely tea, from china cups and sandwiches and delicious indian snacks with them, and conversation about friends, Scotland and Omas work here. She has founded and developed a multi functional education and medical centre with full integration of able bodied and people with dissabilities from disadvantaged villages. In addition to some academic studies they focus on many crafts and manual skills and sports. The pupils from the centre have won many awards for their sports and works of art. The centre also trains teachers and nurses and I think this in some way helps to subsidise the other work. The centre is held in high regard by the Indian Government and although receives some grants, like all voluntary projects is constantly fundraising. Ohma and Gita are certainly passed retiral age but are daily involved with the centre. One of their grandchildren has a gift for art and design and when she was 5 designed some intricate jewelery designs which the jewely teacher at the centre was so impressed with that he made up in silver..they were very beautiful...so we will look out for her being a famous designer in a few years.

Agra

The main reason that I wanted to come to India was to see the Taj Mahal. My father spent some time in India during the war and at home Mum has some photos of him during this time, including shots of when Mountbatten and Herohito (Japanese leader..not sure if thats how its spelled) were visiting Bombay...some famous signing?..( unless Dad was in Singapore for the signing of the end of the war there..which I don't think he was)..anyway these photos and a pair of hand made Indian sandals and a wooden carved flying fish were always around the house when I was growing up, and inspired me to see the country which Dad had brought them from. ( although Mum just told me recently that she thinks the fish came from Aden!) When I left Bridge of Allan I took the photo of Dad at the Taj Mahal with me. I have it in an album and meant to bring it with me, but I guess with the stress before leaving forgot. However I have the picture clearly in my mind and Dads exact pose, smiling with his hands on his hips wearing white shorts and collard shirt, and the Taj behind him. I wanted to go to the exact spot where he had stood 60 or so years ago, to reflect and have the same photo of me taken holding the photo of him. Unfortunatly as I said I did'nt have the photo with me ( at least I will still have it, and no chance of loosing it!) but wanted the visit to the Taj Mahal to be special. For this reason we didn't take a day trip which you can from Dehli. We had arranged to stay two nights in Agra so that we could spend as long as we wanted. I had booked the hotel on the net from home. We took the train down in the evening ariving around 9.30.....first hicup...a pick up had been arranged but apparantly theyd gone to another station...this was very quiet there had been some tuk tuks but they'd gone!...Luckily one came back so we got it and he knew the hotel ( good sign we thought) and headed off. As we approached the hotel the streets became narrower and narrower, and the usual chaos and derriliction, cows and then camels walking down the street! and it was quite quiet in that not many people not a lot of activity ..but it was 10.00. When we stopped..the driver pointed down a land and said hotel down there and " watch yourself in this area..lots of cheaters around here"...oh great. I wouldn't get out till we checked out that the hotel was ther..and they were due to pay the fare anyway, so I stayed and Bob went down the dark lane....and yes our hotel was there...I wasn't too concerned about the surroundings...just India...the hotel will be a wee sanctuary again ..I hoped!...eh.....no.....it was the pits...indescribable fawinty bits...enough to say that I asked for clean sheets and just told the guy to leave them all when he'd brought about 10 which I'd rejected on the grounds of stains, dirt and holes!...we couldn't leave ..it was 10.30...dark, no transport and we'd no idea where to go..and 'high season'...so I reconed that 10 dirty ( but washed) sheets on top of the bed but save us from the bed bugs. We were filthy from the train journey ..only three hours this time but you know what the trains are like now......so just dying for a shower....there was no way I was taking my clothes off in this place....we lay on the bed fully clothed...and I slept like a log! Up at 6.00...we wanted to be at the Taj for sunrise when it opened at 7.00 so just picked up our wee bags ( left big sacks in Delhi) and checked out...determined that no matter where we ended up we were not going back there even though I'd booked for two nights. The reason I'd chosen the hotel was it was close to the entry gate to the Taj and rooftop resturant views of the Taj, clean etc. etc....b******s!....it was close to the entry gate...but that particular gate did'nt open till 9.00! We got to the correct gate ..only to discover that it wasn't opening either till 7.45...so sunrise would be missed! oh well never mind...we're hear.

I put the whole experience behind me and waited with excitement and thinking of Dad, approached the magificent building. It is just spectacular...the layout of the approaching archways and surrounding gardens show the actual Taj Mahal, the mosoleum, off wonderfully. Unfortunately the day we were there they were cleaning the water chanels, so no water around, which was really dissapointing as much of the splendor and image of the Taj almost appearing to float in mid air is given by the reflections off the water. Oh well this visit just not to be perfect!....but it was still amazing ...the scale, the materials, the craftsmanship...all dedicated to the moghuls wife who'd died....it took 17 years to complete the mosoleum and another 5 to complete the surrounding buildings...I think another, miror image was planned accross the river but only the ground platform was prepared for this. The visit was very emotional for me, and I did stand in the very spot which Dad had and had my photo taken, to put in the album alongside his.

We went immediatly to the train station, in a cycle rickshaw, which I vowed I was not going in again....I felt we were too heavy for the wee skinny guys, however one guy hassled us so much I agreed that he take us a short way to the auto rickshaws...at least we would be helping him out a bit...but once we were in he just kept insisting that no not too much I do it all the time ..so Bob said just let him take us...so we did ..the 8kms!...we did get insist on getting out to wald on inclines...the guy was OK about me getting out!...but wanted Bob to stay in!!...I think its a male thing...rather than a weight thing!!. So with some hassle and then paying 3 times as much again on the train cos we'd bought the wrong ticket we were on our way back to Ajanta...I'd phoned and booked for the night.

The Ajanta was great....and we managed to skype all the time we were there which was also really good to talk to Mum and Dad and some of you ....so get skype and we'll try to contact you...my e-mail for skype is same [email protected]

Another day in Dehli,then early morning flight to Port Blair, Andamans.