Written 5th August 2011 - Day 49 of my tour

Hello!

So I arrived in Delhi on my own after my few days in Mumbai. Delhi airport was beautiful and even had a WH Smith! After lunch I decided that Plane-Taxi-Hotel was abit boring and that a real backpacker should try out the local transport and actually put his rucksack on his back. I worked out where I wanted to go and headed to the metro. As soon as I got my bag on my back, I turned the corner and had to take it off for a scanner, great start! Anyway, the metro was successful and I arrived at Koral Bagh metro station to find hundreds of people buzzing about and 1 white man with a massive rucksack trying to find a hotel, that was me! I decided I would have to get a lift of some sort but still had my ban on taxi's. I hopped on the back of a rickshaw bike and eventually arrived at the Raunak International Hotel. I checked in and spent the next few hours chatting to people at home, the ones that would answer the bloody phone anyway! After a bit I got changed and headed out into the unknown. Connaught Place is the centre of Delhi so I headed there. After a walk about I found the QBA restaurant, had a great pizza and chocolate pudding washed down with a Kingfisher. While I was eating a load of 'Chinese' lads walked in, obvious backpackers. On my own I decided that I would go for it. I offered to take a picture of them all and I was in J It turns out they were actually from South Korea. I then did the whole spiel about, football, Bolton Wanderers and Chung Yong Lee. They were most impressed, constantly 'ohhhhh' and 'arhhhhh' - ing at everything I said! I had a picture with them and told them I would show Chungy, I'm still to figure out how I can do this but it went down well. My night in Delhi alone had been quite successful and I returned to the hotel via the Metro and then used my GPS to head for home. I'm getting good at headed for a marker on a white screen, no internet connection so no map. I then had a monster skype with Rachel H, Toby and Tom F, it was great to have a catch up!

After a good nights sleep I met up with the group, 16 of us aged 17 - late 30's. We have siblings from Canada, a couple from Austria and 1 couple from England and siblings from Wales. I'm not going to lie but the Welsh, Aled (17) and Mared (22) are bloody brilliant, endless entertainment especially from Aled.

During the day in Delhi a few of us travelled around the city on the metro to a few sights. We were literally melting, and I mean water pouring off us! We went to the Lotus temple which was shut and then to India Gate. Not the restaurant Lucy but the actual India Gate. I'm not sure if I look like a celeb but when we walk around all people do I take pictures of us. I'm going to start holding out my hat I think! We then met out tour guide after a race back to the Hotel in a tuc tuc. Yash is Indian, about 27 and has two pink earrings. We had our first meal together as a group and then went to a bar. A beer is about ₤1.30 and massive!

The next day was our main tour day in Delhi, old Delhi. First we went to Gurudwara Sisganj Sahib temple, where I got told off for not having my legs crossed. Opps! We then went the biggest temple in India were over 4,000 people can pray at once. Here I climbed to the top of a tower to get a fantastic look over the whole of Delhi. It nearly killed me but we very impressive. A ride around the market on another Rickshaw was a great experience. The streets are tiny, people everywhere, smell overpowering and sky filled with wires! We then headed back to the hotel to prepare for our overnight train to Jaisalmer. The train was great! Packed to the rafters, on every carriage but ours, it took about 18 hours from 5pm - 11am. We had bunk beds, sheets, and air-con. No complaints at all J When we arrived in Jaisalmer India changed. Cows, pigs, dogs and more cows control the streets! There are open sewers, no high rise buildings but it is still bloody hot! Our hotel is very nice however the pool is empty. It is currently however being filled up J We had lunch and then headed out for a walk, can I just note that the Cheese and Tomato sandwich in the Mahavdev Palace, Jaisalmer is rubbish! Our walk lasted 5 mins before we decided a beer and shade would be much better. In the evening we went for a walk around the outer city to a Lake, with massive fish, and Bada Bagh Cenotaphs. At the Cenotaphs I bumped into some English people, the looked about my age so I said hello. The conversation went like this…. 'Hi, where you from?', 'Manchester', 'Oh right where?', 'Bolton', 'What!? So am I', 'What school did you go to?', 'Bolton School', 'Oh….' I had found my first fellow Boltonians on top of a small hill, looking at the sun set in the middle of nowhere, India. We had a good chat about all my Bolton School connections, The Henthorns, Harpers, Lloyds, Thresh's girlfriend Charlotte, whom one of the lads I met lives with (Tom Rhodes), and then we watched the sun set! Very nice!

Our next day in Jaisalmer was spent on a guided tour. We started with a walk into the main city within the fort walls. On the way passing endless numbers of cows and pigs either covered in s*** or rolling in s***! I decided to pose for a picture next to one set of cows, just as the picture was taken the b***** decided to stand up and charge at me! I was unaware of this and now have a fantastic picture! I survived! Inside the fort was visited some beautiful temples, old houses with fantastic carvings and took in the amazing view! In the afternoon with took 4 jeeps into the desert. After initial disappointment that we were staying in a camp and not just in the middle of nowhere like in Egypt we went on a camel ride. Yes another camel. I am now an expert, however I have decided that for the good of my manhood and future prospects of being a father my camel riding career has been cut sort and I will now no longer be participating in such activities. My camel this time was fat, tall and very uncomfortable! Aka… ball crusher! Anyway, we watched the sun set from the top of sand dunes and took the opportunity to spell out INDIA with our bodies. We then returned to camp to have our evening meal and were provided with traditional Indian music, dancing (all men in drag) and I even joined in! I loved it really! I then moved my bed outside of the tent, determined to sleep outside, set up my mosquito net as a dog guard and slept under the stars again. In the morning I woke just as the sun was about to rise so I raced to a viewpoint and watched the sun rise. Very cool! In the morning after a game or cricket with the staff we headed back to the city, of course we lost but I did manage to bowl an Indian. We had a few hours kip before a visit to the most expensive rug/carpet/bed cover/scarf shop in the world! I managed to hold off from purchasing until we got back to the market and got something I was just as impressed by for about 10% of the price! Bargin! We had our evening meal overlooking the city from the top of the fort before walking back to the hotel. Then it happened! I got the s***s! Like a bloody tap… but now I'm thinner after no food for 24 hours! Almost worth it!

We woke up this morning at 5.30am to get a bus to Jodhpur. This was an experience in itself! Crammed in, no air con, needing the loo. Anyway… just got to a very nice hotel with a swimming pool. Off to have a splash around in that and a cool down after talking to Rachel on Skype! HAHA!

Bye for now!

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