New chapter for us! We're in Kathmandu. This place is outdoor sports crazy - trying to control Graham in the fake outdoor clothing shops is no small task...
Anyway....we're off tomorrow on a big old trek - just me and G and our guide (who is small and sweet but hopefully strong enough to carry me when required!). We spent ages deciding between Everest region and Annapurna circuit, but have gone for Everest (even though Mark pointed out he has already beaten me there!).
We leave tomorrow and start trekking from Jiri so that we don't have to fly up (felt bad to make an even bigger carbon footprint than we already have - as normally people fly in and out). Its a 24 day trek (in for a penny in for a pound!) - think we will be in need of a good old wash when we get back! We are taking a long route via a mountain called Gokyo Ri (5,483m) and a glacier and then on to base camp. Well thats the plan anyway... but my level of fitness is super low at the moment (especially after our poorly tummies) so we'll see how we get on....
Assuming we survive (only joking parents!) we'll be in touch after the 2nd April!!! (or sooner if we have to turn back!). Off now to get warm clothes galore.
Love Jo xxx
G - boys you would love it....North Face Summit Series Jacket (genuine GBP200, fake GBP20!! The only problem is trying to fit it all in our bag...
x
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Delhi, Agra and Varanasiiiiiiiiiiii
My turn! Am not feeling quite so negative as Graham was (he is now betterererrrrr, phew!) - although I do feel like India hasn't been especially kind to us over the last 2 weeks and we're looking forward to a new chapter in Nepal. I'm entering my 6th day of bum wees :-( but have finally given into antibiotics so hopefully will be on the mend. Graham had it worse than me though (I think it was a bit like man flu....!).
On our way back from the best ski trip in the world we went to the holy city of Haridwar on the Ganges and watched the evening prayers and rituals. We found ourselves sat in amongst thousands of pilgrims chanting and waving our hands in the air with this fella....
And we were splashed with the holywater - which also happens to be one of the most polluted rivers in the world, ideal!
... but after a dose of religous culture we retired to our hotel room for a DVD and burger and chips - sooo nice and easily justified because I was still recovering from being ill in the mountains.
Took a train back to Delhi the next day. Feel like you see the real India at train stations - there are all walks of life from city people on their way back to Delhi to the hundreds of homeless sleeping on every patch of land. Travelled through rural india which is always a depressing sight - lots of mud huts and shanty towns at the side of the tracks and so much rubbish everywhere. It sometimes feels like this country is beyond help, there are just so many people living below the poverty line.
Spent a few days in Delhi in the old town but the hawkers, scammers, traffic, cows, noise, spitting and pissing in the street and fumes started to get us down. The north of India is so much more conservative than the south and especially at night the streets are men only - Delhi in particular feels quite threatening for a woman and I started hiding myself under a shawl to avoid the constant stares (Graham is constantly on his guard watching men around me and the way they oggle at me is getting to him). We retreated to new delhi in the evenings to a few bars and got our western fix in McDonalds so that we were ready to face the rest of India. Did cultural stuff during the day times including Ghandi museum and memorial, Red Fort and Parliament museum.
Travelled through Delhi mostly by cycle-rickshaw but the poor chaps struggled with two fatties so G had to keep getting out to push...
Took morning train to Agra on Sunday. Stayed in a super cheap (4 pounds) and suitably minging guest house - its only saving grace was that it had views of the Taj Mahal from our window. The Taj is as big and impressive as I thought it would be.... however, we didn't appreciate it for long because we were struck down with iiiillness (as per Grahams graphic previous blog entry!!). Managed to muster enough energy to go and see it but it was hard work being away from the loo. But we did get the classic Taj photo...!
Took overnight train to Varanasi (still ill - travelling on trains when ill is aaaaaverage - repeated trips during the night to train loo was not much fun!). We have been in Varanasi for 4 days recovering and mostly hiding from the mayhem of India. Been relaxing by pool and eating a lot of junk western food (3 McDonalds so far for me - its the only food I can trust, but worried I may be supersizing myself!).
Varanasi is super holy Hindu pilgrimage town where people come to die to liberate themselves from the cycle of birth and death. Every morning and night 60,000 people go to the ganges to perform rituals. Here is a Ganges factoid - the river is one of the most polluted in the world; safe bathing water should have no more than 500 foecal bacteria per 100ml, in the Ganges it is 1,500,000. It turns the stomach when you see people brushing their teeth in it...
It was the Hindu festival of God of Shiva yesterday so lots of processions with elephants, camels and kids with freaky face paints (rubbish pictures as camera died mid procession)
The ghats...
Went to the main burning ghat which is the most auspicious place in India to be cremated. We had a morbid curiosity but regretted visiting - seeing the bodies in the pyres is a sight I will remember for a long time (and the smell of burning was not pleasant - especially when our stomachs were already feeling tender!). They bathe the bodies in the water first before cremating them on the bank of the river. If people can't afford a cermation they tie rocks to the body and throw it in. Its really no suprise that the water is so polluted.
On our way back from the best ski trip in the world we went to the holy city of Haridwar on the Ganges and watched the evening prayers and rituals. We found ourselves sat in amongst thousands of pilgrims chanting and waving our hands in the air with this fella....
And we were splashed with the holywater - which also happens to be one of the most polluted rivers in the world, ideal!
... but after a dose of religous culture we retired to our hotel room for a DVD and burger and chips - sooo nice and easily justified because I was still recovering from being ill in the mountains.
Took a train back to Delhi the next day. Feel like you see the real India at train stations - there are all walks of life from city people on their way back to Delhi to the hundreds of homeless sleeping on every patch of land. Travelled through rural india which is always a depressing sight - lots of mud huts and shanty towns at the side of the tracks and so much rubbish everywhere. It sometimes feels like this country is beyond help, there are just so many people living below the poverty line.
Spent a few days in Delhi in the old town but the hawkers, scammers, traffic, cows, noise, spitting and pissing in the street and fumes started to get us down. The north of India is so much more conservative than the south and especially at night the streets are men only - Delhi in particular feels quite threatening for a woman and I started hiding myself under a shawl to avoid the constant stares (Graham is constantly on his guard watching men around me and the way they oggle at me is getting to him). We retreated to new delhi in the evenings to a few bars and got our western fix in McDonalds so that we were ready to face the rest of India. Did cultural stuff during the day times including Ghandi museum and memorial, Red Fort and Parliament museum.
Travelled through Delhi mostly by cycle-rickshaw but the poor chaps struggled with two fatties so G had to keep getting out to push...
Took morning train to Agra on Sunday. Stayed in a super cheap (4 pounds) and suitably minging guest house - its only saving grace was that it had views of the Taj Mahal from our window. The Taj is as big and impressive as I thought it would be.... however, we didn't appreciate it for long because we were struck down with iiiillness (as per Grahams graphic previous blog entry!!). Managed to muster enough energy to go and see it but it was hard work being away from the loo. But we did get the classic Taj photo...!
Took overnight train to Varanasi (still ill - travelling on trains when ill is aaaaaverage - repeated trips during the night to train loo was not much fun!). We have been in Varanasi for 4 days recovering and mostly hiding from the mayhem of India. Been relaxing by pool and eating a lot of junk western food (3 McDonalds so far for me - its the only food I can trust, but worried I may be supersizing myself!).
Varanasi is super holy Hindu pilgrimage town where people come to die to liberate themselves from the cycle of birth and death. Every morning and night 60,000 people go to the ganges to perform rituals. Here is a Ganges factoid - the river is one of the most polluted in the world; safe bathing water should have no more than 500 foecal bacteria per 100ml, in the Ganges it is 1,500,000. It turns the stomach when you see people brushing their teeth in it...
It was the Hindu festival of God of Shiva yesterday so lots of processions with elephants, camels and kids with freaky face paints (rubbish pictures as camera died mid procession)
The ghats...
Went to the main burning ghat which is the most auspicious place in India to be cremated. We had a morbid curiosity but regretted visiting - seeing the bodies in the pyres is a sight I will remember for a long time (and the smell of burning was not pleasant - especially when our stomachs were already feeling tender!). They bathe the bodies in the water first before cremating them on the bank of the river. If people can't afford a cermation they tie rocks to the body and throw it in. Its really no suprise that the water is so polluted.So, thats us! Off to Kathmandu tomorrow then into the mountains for trekking and reeeeeeeeeeally looking forward to clean mountain air! Graham is super excited about mountain biking, canyoning, whitewater rafting and paragliding (Matt, thanks for the tip off about the yak attack mountain bike event... I guess am signed up to a few days of looking at bikes, brilliant!)... I really think I may struggle to get Graham back to India.
By the way, our India phone number is 0091 9717654752 (although not sure if it will work in Nepal!).
Hope all well in old blighty, stay in touch with your news on schmemail. Love Jo x
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Multiple Bum-Weeees :-(
I guess it was going to happen sooner or later......
It must have been the lunch at the local Paratha restaurant in Delhi (see pictures below). It was recommended by Time Out, would you believe, so we popped along saturday afternoon and had dahl and Paratha bread (kind of like chappatti but fried in oil) all for about 50p and not another westerner in the place. Jo decided hers was too hot so I finished hers off.
Me in the "restaurant"...
It must have been the lunch at the local Paratha restaurant in Delhi (see pictures below). It was recommended by Time Out, would you believe, so we popped along saturday afternoon and had dahl and Paratha bread (kind of like chappatti but fried in oil) all for about 50p and not another westerner in the place. Jo decided hers was too hot so I finished hers off.
Me in the "restaurant"...
The kitchen....
This was (particularly for me) a VERY low point in our travels so far (even after the ski nightmare). For the last 3 days we have been weeeeing out of our bums (sorry for the squeemish amongst you).
It all started to happen in Agra, on monday we booked into a dingy little hotel but it had great views of the Taj Mahal. Jo started to get worrying rumblings and had to head to the loo sharpish. I was feeling pretty smug thinking I had got away with it, but 2 hours later I followed suit. We both lay in our room just staring into space not moving or saying anything.
I decided to get up and fetch some water as we were running low. My eyes whited over and I started to feel very sick, I managed to get to the bathroom thinking I was about to puke. I realised it was coming from the other end. I then started to sweat, beads of sweat appeared on my face and in my eyes within seconds. I felt really hot so I slipped onto the floor where it was at least a little cooler and wet from the shower. Not sure what happened next but Jo woke me saying "did you just faint" ?
She ran off to get water, like a total legend and I just lay there. I couldn't see anything, just white-out (luckily I had been through this before when my uni house-mate cooked us some dodgy sausages one night so I knew it was food poisoning and nothing worse).
I managed to turn the cold water tap on on the wall and lay under the cold water, fully clothed, just trying to cool down. I suddenly got worried about Jo thinking maybe she had also fainted when fetching water so I tried to call out but had no energy to even shout.
Jo got back with water and I suddenly felt really cold, I had uncontrollable shivers and violent shakes so I lay under the duvet and kept hyperventilating and shaking, this lasted for about an hour.
Jo was an absolute soldier throughout until she got caught short trying to get to the loo...!!
I had a headache for about 12 hours.
It is now wednesday and I still haven't eaten a meal. Jo has managed 2 burgers with fries and a pizza.
We headed off to Varanasi on tuesday on an overnight train, now that was a test of the sphincter. Driving through the crowds in a tuk tuk I suddenly really started to notice the blokes just pissing at the sides of the road, and the spitting they all do regularly, the stench of the raw sewage just trickling down either side of the road and just the general rancid smell of the place. Jo retched at the station because of the smell of stale urine that oozes out of every corner.
So if any of you are thinking of visiting India in the near future, please take on board the fact that it is a rancid festering sh*t-hole.....maybe in a couple of days I will see the funny side and fall back in love with it....((when the antibiotics set in) (Jo hasn't taken any, she wants her body recover of its own acord, did I mention she was a legend)).....
G x
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Skiing in India - not recommended!!!!
Bartlett - happy birthday for 27th Feb! As promised... here the special birthday message - in case you can't read it it says Happy 30th Birthday Matt - (by the way, the 0 is made from cow poo crumbled with Grahams bare hands, the things he'll do for you....! and yes.... we had a LOT of time on our hands in les mountains. and no.... we aren't dossers ;-)
Anyway, back to Indiaaaaaaaaa. We were sad to leave Sri Lanka (tears from one of us as we drove away from the village) but now excited about the thought of 2 months travel. Getting to Delhi was a culture shock - we had forgotten how unbelievable poor and over crowded India is. It is also coooooooold compared to Sri Lanka. We spent one day in Delhi and went to this big old Mosque but mostly shopped for warm clothes. Then we were off en route to
the Himalayas.....
Day 1: took over night train from Delhi arriving at Haridwar at 3.15am followed by 9 hour drive into the Himalayas. Twas a
looooong journey and the road was crumbling away, so scary at times but amazing views along the Ganges. There were Hundeds of people working at the side of the road rebuilding the bits that the monsoon had destroyed, often women smashing up stones with babies under one arm - mental note to selves never to moan about our jobs again. Drove up through colourful towns perched on the hillside - the 
higher we got the harsher the climate and the more hardy looking the people were, the towns were very Tibetan looking and goat and donkey tastic.
Anyway, back to Indiaaaaaaaaa. We were sad to leave Sri Lanka (tears from one of us as we drove away from the village) but now excited about the thought of 2 months travel. Getting to Delhi was a culture shock - we had forgotten how unbelievable poor and over crowded India is. It is also coooooooold compared to Sri Lanka. We spent one day in Delhi and went to this big old Mosque but mostly shopped for warm clothes. Then we were off en route to
the Himalayas.....
Day 1: took over night train from Delhi arriving at Haridwar at 3.15am followed by 9 hour drive into the Himalayas. Twas a
looooong journey and the road was crumbling away, so scary at times but amazing views along the Ganges. There were Hundeds of people working at the side of the road rebuilding the bits that the monsoon had destroyed, often women smashing up stones with babies under one arm - mental note to selves never to moan about our jobs again. Drove up through colourful towns perched on the hillside - the 
higher we got the harsher the climate and the more hardy looking the people were, the towns were very Tibetan looking and goat and donkey tastic.
Me loving the journey, Graham spends a lot of time on the road enjoying his own company - Sarah, this will be a familiar site for you!
Reached the "ski resort" at 3,000m by cable car and were excited about skiing in India. The resort is Auli - India's "premier ski resort" - ok... so we knew India wasn't renowned for skiing but didn't think it would be as bad as it was!!!
We splashed out on "international standard accommodation" as a treat. This is what we were expecting...
But this is what we got...
The front half of the hotel had been demolished ... so we had to pick our way through the rubble to reach it as it (Mum, it was a health and safety disaster!) - without warning the Government smashed it up to make way for a new ski run out the front (for the Asian Winter Games next year!!). Can't believe that the 
government get away with acting like thugs!
government get away with acting like thugs!The luxury accommodation turned out to have no heating, which in -5 degrees centigrade was not ideal! We were given a 1 bar heater - we asked if we could have another electric heater but were told that we would soon get used to the cold! So spent our first afternoon shivering in our room wearing the entire contents of our bags.
Another bonus was that there was no running hot water... but we were given a bucket of hot water to wash in. G warming his feet...
There were also powercuts every half hour. Doing aerobics in our room was the only way to get warm (KB, you'd have been proud of our pendulum and grapevine!). The woman in the room next to us crying because it was so cold. We spent most of the time in hysterics, if we didn't laugh we'd have cried... and we hoped the skiing would make up for it!
Day 2: Our first day skiing...... up and out early doors to get the first lift up. Put on what was described as "the latest skiing equipment" - those of you who are skiers will remember this sight from the late 80's....
But we got to the bottom of the lift only to be told that the lifts weren't opening - bizarrely because of an election(?!) - you can imagine how pleased we were! The Indians didn't see the problem and told us to walk up, as if it was the most natural thing in the 
world! So we walked up and skiied down 3 times before giving up (walking up a piste is haaaaaard work and the ski down is over all too quickly!).... so spent the afternoon sat inches from the heater in the cold bedroom, brrrr. We thought it couldn't get much worse....
world! So we walked up and skiied down 3 times before giving up (walking up a piste is haaaaaard work and the ski down is over all too quickly!).... so spent the afternoon sat inches from the heater in the cold bedroom, brrrr. We thought it couldn't get much worse.... Day 3: .... it did get worse. I was sick as a dog and spent the day in bed :-(
So Graham went out and did the only run that was open on his own (no need for a piste map, even he couldn't get lost).
Day 4: Hurrah, ski lift open and both fit and healthy. Did the one run umpteen times until we were bored. It was a good day though and made up for the other days. Views were aaaamazing ...
After a good first (and last) day skiing we ended up cutting the ski trip short, we couldn't bear the thought of 2 more cold afternoons and evenings confined to our room in the most depressing hotel in the world.
Drove 9 hours back down the crumbling road, thawing out as we went. Stayed in Rishikesh last night at the foot of Himalayas on the Ganges. It claims to be "Yoga Capital of the World" and should be renamed "City with the most annoying travellers in the world". Leaving today to another religious town called Haridwar before back to Delhi. Hoping to go to Nepal next but the fuel crisis is on going so we will seeeeeee!
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