The Nomadic Ramblings of Andrew, on his World Tour 2016-2017

Mysore, India

Mon, 24 Jul 2017 17:00:00 +0530

A mini road trip to Mysore Halfway through our stay in Bangalore, it was decided that a mini road trip was in order, especially as Viral, the brother of Darshil who accompanied on our last road trip, had returned home from a business trip to Hyderabad. It was with the whole family that we embarked on the journey out of Bangalore, our first port of call after lunch a cascading waterfall chain known as Shimshapura falls, with a tiny village overlooking from the top. It was a nice place to spend 20 minutes or so, especially if you take some time to observe the cheeky little macaques that roam freely around the area. It would have been nice to go down to the shore, giving a closer and more dramatic view of the falls, but after a number of deaths through people underestimating the strong current, the access path had been shut off. Just down the road, by the banks of the River Shimsha, there are a couple of chaps who give boat ride in their traditional crafts. These floating circles, much like a giant bamboo tea saucer, were big enough to fit the whole family in, although it was a bit of a squeeze. With the captain using just one paddle to propel and steer the boat, we lazily ambled up the river, then back down, taking in the hilly surrounds and sounds of flowing water and wildlife. Managing to get out without falling in, it we here that Alpa and Parash waved us goodbye, returning to Bangalore, whilst Viral, Prince, Arjun, B and myself heading on in the opposite direction, bound for Mysore. It only took another hour and a half to reach Mysore, heading straight for the Brindavan Gardens, a beautifully kept park, complete with shrines, a lake, fountains and a water show. The walk around the gardens was peaceful, despite the number of families and couples who also turned out to enjoy the park, and the snacks weren't too bad either, a tasty selection of samosas, pakoras and chilli corn to enjoy the evening's water show with. The food really was a saving grace, as the show itself was mundane at best, not a patch on others we had seen, and also a far cry from the potential that the gardens could offer. Still, who am I to tell them how to run their attraction? Luckily, the evening got better with the ensuing dinner, and a comfortable room with thanks once more to OYO Rooms. Disaster of disasters! Come the morning, B wasn't well. That usually spells trouble for whoever is near, so it was a good thing I went down for breakfast when I did, and remembered the order of toast and chai that B had put in before I left. Although we were checking out that day, we were lucky that B could spend the rest of the morning and early part of the afternoon recovering in the room, which allowed the rest of us to venture out into Mysore itself, ready to take anything that it might throw at us. In the end, there wasn't much to contend with, both attractions we visited being worth the time and Arjun being kept firmly out of trouble in both! The first was the city's Museum of Natural History, a relatively interesting place that managed to answer some of the burning questions about life that Arjun had been relentlessly asking for the last few days. It was also free to enter, which is always a bonus, but a word of advice, when you have exhibits set out in a way that encourages people to interact with them, either don't, or put a sign up telling the public not to touch. It will make it both easier for us, and for the security guard on duty. The second place we visited was the main attraction of Mysore, the grand City Palace. Home to the region's kings for centuries, this impressive building had many artefacts and stunning architecture throughout, making it a must visit for both local and tourists alike. With beautifully coloured glass windows, grand golden ceilings and a number of thrones quite literally fit for a king, the hour we spent inside was fascinating, however, once more, a little piece of advice is going to be coming their way. A photography policy. As simple as that. My advice is that when you have one of these, make sure all your staff know what it is. I was told by different members of staff that I could use my camera, then I couldn't use my camera, but could take photos on my phone instead, then finally that no photos were allowed, despite that particular guard watching another chap take at least 5 photos without saying a single thing. Annoying doesn't quite do my feelings justice, but at least I managed to get a few nice shots with all the madness that surrounded me. After being satisfied with the visit, having taking a quick look round a small temple in the grounds, and educated Arjun into why the elephant rides that the palace were offering were cruel and horrible for the poor, tortured elephants, we headed back to the hotel to pick up a semi-recovered B, and begin our long journey back to Bangalore, stopping for a healthy lunch at a small boutique restaurant known locally as McDonalds. Moriz Inn Boutique Hotel - 8/10 The breakfast was great, the wifi efficient and the shower warm and strong. The staff were also accommodating to B's needs, which is all you can ask really.

Making sugar cane juice, the traditional way

The Shimshapura falls

Plenty of macaques playing around...

...although this cow was a little less active.

The Shimshapura river boasted some great scenery

There was plenty of fun on the traditional boat

The might not look the most stable, but they're fine, as long as you don't move about too much!

Views from the top of Brindavan Gardens

The shrine at the top of the park

Wouldn't mind staying in that hotel!

The fountains were well thought out

The gardens lit at night

Mysore Palace - stunning

The courtyard was a great place to start...

...and the inside got even better.

There were some spectacular ceilings

Thrones on show

The temple in the palace grounds

Glad he wasn't real

Bangalore, India

Sat, 22 Jul 2017 16:00:00 +0530

India's modern city So after the dampness of both the weather and general feel of Goa, we once more headed through the sky to our next destination, for yet another family reunion. Alpa, another of B's cousins, lives in Bangalore with her husband, Parash, and two boys, Prince and Arjun, as well as Viral, son of Ashwin and Rekha, as he is working for the family business. Are you confused? If not, you are doing better than me. Too many names and links to remember, I found it hard to keep up, but with the size of B's extended family, it really isn't surprising! Parash and Alpa were great hosts, once again making sure we weren't going to go hungry, and providing us with a comfortable bed to rest in during our stay. One thing I did learn about whilst staying here was the strange ideas the family have about meals. Now back home, I'm very much used to having a snack before dinner, usually a slice of cake, chocolate bar or fruit, depends on my mood, but I'd usually have it a good 2 hours before dinner. Things seem to be a bit different here. One good example was when we went out for dinner, and stopped at this great food street, selling all kinds of street food. We had pani puri, samosas, sev puri and other similar items. As we kept eating, the food kept coming, until I couldn't eat anymore. It was then that Parash announced that now we had eaten a few snacks, it was time to go and have dinner! What? All that was just a pre-dinner snack?! I somehow had to fit in potato twists, dosas, idly and a double portion of shiro before the evening was over. Another Indian family, another heaving belly. Me thinks a theme is appearing here! Another notable dinner we enjoyed with the family was at a popular restaurant in Bangalore, serving a whole range of traditional curries with rice and breads. All the food here was served on your own personal banana leaves, the waiters coming round to refill and rice or dhal that you wanted to compliment the rest of the food. Now, how to eat food in South India? Well, there were no knives and forks at the restaurant, no spoons to eat the food with, so it was a case of rolling the curry and rice into a ball, and flicking it into your mouth. It took some getting use to, but eventually I got the hang of it, and surprising not making too much of a mess in the process! On another day I got to try a falooda, a strange dessert jelly fruit drink sort of thing, made with rose syrup and other interesting ingredients. It tasted a bit of a nutty Turkish delight, but as with those sweets, there's only so much you can have before you start to feel a bit sick. This was the case with the falooda as well. Great for sharing, but I couldn't have a whole one to myself. On one of our days with them, Parash and Alpa had decided to take us on a day trip, so it was an early start to make the most of the day. After a traditional South Indian breakfast of dosas and idly, we headed off towards Shravanabelagola, to visit the famous Jain temple and pilgrimage site. With many small temples and shrines, all sharing a similar architecture to the famous buildings of Ancient Greek, it was a fascinating place, with many ancient Wall and floor carvings to discover all over the site. However, they didn't make it easy to get to, having to climb a uneven staircase that seemed to go on for eternity. One plus of that though were the views from the top, being the highest point for as far as the eye could see, even with my glasses. The main attraction here though is a mega statue of Gommateshwara (also called Bahubali), a revered figure in Jain scripture, 60 feet high and over 1000 years old. We spent a good couple of hours exploring the complex before it was time to head back down, where a lunch of fruits and salad awaited us, although I'm still unsure about rubbing everything, including the cucumbers and mangos, with salt and chilli. On our way back, we stopped by a traditional sugar mill to see how the sugar was processed by hand, and to pick up a large chunk of brown sugar - no point in missing out on a quick grocery shop when you're out! After returning from Mysore, we spend our final day relaxing, and browsing the local shopping mall for clothes, B picking up a beautiful salwar (her first piece of Indian clothing!), whilst I got another kurta and a traditional waistcoat to match. We were both hugely grateful to Alpa, who despite our protests, wouldn't let us pay for these items, for her generosity and kind-heartedness. We thoroughly enjoyed staying with the Shah family, and hopefully will see them sometime in London. With hugs and smiles, we stepped into the airport, ready to catch our flight to Kerala, knowing that once more, and for the final 3 weeks, we were back on our own, just the two of us, castles in the sky and all.

The state government office - not bad

Visiting the sacred Jain temples in Shravanabelagola

Some of the wall cavings were hundreds of years old

The famous Gommateshwara statue

Great views for miles around

Some of the temples looked very Greek in style

There was beauty all around

It was a long way up, and down!

Street food dinner, Bangalore style

Panjim, India

Mon, 17 Jul 2017 16:00:00 +0530

And then the rain came Goa brought about a change in what we had so far come to expect from India. Gone where the potholed roads, replaced by smooth, tarmaced surfaces. Gone was the rubbish piled high on the side of the street. Gone were the incessant honking of car horns every 5 seconds or so, a calmer atmosphere being allowed to settle in its place. I suppose where there is a lot of tourist money, there is more of an effort to keep the place looking pristine - 1, because they have the money in the local economy to do that, and 2, because they want to tourists to keep coming back. The lush greenness covering most of the free space, along with famous Goan beaches are the main draw here, a place to come and relax, unwind, and get pampered in a location where your pound goes further. Well, I'm sure that is what it is like in the dry season, and further south where all the big resorts are. For us, resorts and over-touristy places aren't what we enjoy, and certainly don't give you a feel of the local culture and everyday lives of its citizens, so we stayed further towards the north of Goa, in a small town called Sangolda, just outside Panjim. Our accommodation for the next few nights was a peaceful room in a beautifully old colonial villa, called Lar Amorosa. It was the perfect place to stay, as it was close enough to most things to walk or take a tuk-tuk, but also comfortable enough to stay in and laze about for he day, if you so desired, and with the amount of rain that we had during our stay, the latter option was mightily tempting most days. Honestly, the rain was impressive, really showing that monsoon season was well on its way. We were in Goa for 5 days, and it rained on every single one of them, not just once though, but about once every hour! Umbrellas were definitely the must-have item of the moment, but at least by having one, it didn't stop us leaving the hotel. Having spent our first full day inside, as B had a Skype interview (she got the job!), the second was spent walking around the local area, taking in churches, parks, small shops and a beach. The beach in question, Calangute beach, was full of locals, yet not another tourist in sight. Reasons for this? Maybe that the beach was shit! Literally, full of dog shit, cow shit, and all the shit that the people had just thrown on the sand. It was about as appealing as a colonoscopy carried out by Captain Hook. Luckily for us, there was a couple of other things to do around the town. First up was a local football match, which attracted quite the crowd of people standing on the side of the road to watch. The game itself wasn't anything to write home about, both sides making Harrow Borough look half decent, but the highlights came when the referee had to stop the game on a number of occasions due to cows running across the pitch! Watching a man with a stick running after the cows trying to shoo them away was priceless. After all that excitement, we needed a rest, and a lovely little chocolate cafe came to our aid before heading off back to the hotel. We decided upon a tour of the southern part of Goa on our third day, hoping the weather would behave long enough for us to actually see something without getting soaked to the core. With our driver in tow, we visited a number of old churches, a couple of temples, a couple of beaches and a partridge in a pear tree, I mean a spice plantation! Although there were some nice views from some of the places, the only real historic site of interest was the Se Cathedral complex. In this complex were at least three old churches, a tiny chapel tucked away out of view, and a couple of museums about the history of Christianity in Goa. We opted not to visit the main museum, as to be honest, it looked stale and boring, much like many other museums we had visited in this country. I don't know what it is, but all the curators seem to have an allergy to modernisation and making things interesting and interactive. The churches were quite good to look round, all built in a plain architectural style, but with some nice paintings and statues to see. Not the most ornate churches you will see, not the most appealing to look at, and certainly not the most interesting, but it was the best thing we had seen so far, although maybe that says something about the other destinations! By far the highlight of the tour was the stop at the spice plantation, where lunch was included. The guided walk around the plantation was great, although we had seen most of the crops before on other plantation tours, and the buffet lunch was top notch. It really made for a decent end to a rather drab sightseeing day. Our final day was spent in fine style at the local cinema, first to watch the new Spider-Man film, then making it a movie double by deciding to take in a Bollywood film. Despite it being in Hindi, they do use quite a few English words, and with the help of B to make some simple translations, I was able to follow the story quite well. It didn't have all the singing and dancing associated with the traditional Bollywood blockbusters, but it certainly gave some interesting insights and challenges to Indian culture. Ending the day in style, we dined at a lovely little restaurant close by our hotel called Mustard, serving a combination of local cuisine with a modern twist, and a number of French dishes if you fancied something more European. The food was divine, the staff really personable, and the whole experience a fine way to end our stint in Goa. What can I say about the popular region of India? Maybe it was because we came in the off-season and didn't stay at one of the touristy resorts in the south, but Goa was a real disappointment. The scenery was nice enough, but the places to visit and the things to do were just a bit crap, nothing being offered that we hadn't done or seen a thousand times better somewhere else. The only real thing of note for me was the hotel we stayed in, and their amazing staff. Very helpful, always friendly and smiling, they couldn't have done more to make our stay perfect. Lar Amorosa Hotel - 9/10 A hugely enjoyable stay, with great staff and a lovely feel about the place. The breakfasts were moorish, and the free hot drinks all day was a nice touch. The only thing that could have been improved was to have a heater for the jacuzzi.

Our homely abode for our stay in Goa

Thali time!

Not like the football pitches back home

The Mae De Deus church

Nothing like a makeshift football pitch

Cows on the pitch!

Another beautiful church

The beaches that people rave on about really weren't that special

There was a beautiful coastline

There were plenty of old churches on the tour of South Goa

The spice plantation was very picturesque

Mumbai, India

Sun, 16 Jul 2017 10:00:00 +0530

Bombay by the sea So having spent 3 days in local, everyday India, it was time for a bit of touristy sightseeing again. From Bhiwandi, there's only one place to head for this, and that's the large, cosmopolitan city of Mumbai. After an hour and a half of a mix of bumpy, pot-holed roads, and smoothly laid highways, we got our first glimpse of the Indian Ocean, calm and serene, unlike the city around. We started our quick-fire tour at the Colaba Causeway, along which stood the Gateway to India monument and the famous Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. The Gateway, built to commemorate the landing of King George V in Mumbai, is a huge stone landmark, with a large arch in the middle which creates the gate. It was nice enough to look at, but you wouldn't want to spend too much time here, especially with all the tourists and usual circus of hawkers trying to sell you this, that and the other. From here, however, are the boats that take you to the Elephanta Caves, something we would have liked to do, but simply didn't have the time. A small tip from me, if visiting Mumbai, make sure you leave time for that. Just across the road from the Gateway sits the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, a wonderful mix of historic, colonial architecture and modern, luxury design. When going inside, it's even nicer, being immediately clear why this place was way out of our budget. We were able, thought, to have a walk around, look around their shops and poolside, and use the best toilets we had seen for quite a few weeks! With the lunch menu also being a bit of the pricy side, yet feeling a bit peckish, we took the weight off our feet in the Taj Hotel's patisserie, sampling a couple of cakes and a truffle each to end with. Only a small slice of luxury, but with all the travelling and slumming we've been doing, it felt like so much more. After a short walk down the boulevard of Marine Drive and a drive across the iconic Sealink Bridge, we stopped to take in the peacefulness of the Bandra Bandstand. Now I was expecting a park with a beautifully ornate bandstand as the centre piece, but what greeted us was something altogether different. A long promenade along the sea front, with expensive, celebrity-owned homes lining the road, it was an relaxing walk, plenty of art along he route, but a distinct lack of one major attraction. Where was the bandstand? The covered circular instalment with music to enjoy as you rest your feet from all the strolling? Nowhere is the answer, not a bandstand in sight. Very strange given the name I must say, but then again, there's not an awful lot that surprises me these days, especially in India! As I said before, the walk was nice, and we ended it with a cob of corn each, freshly barbecued on the beach, with a rubbing of chilli and lime to taste. What was even better was the two brothers making it, the older one berating and hitting the younger brother, every time he tried to fidget with the corn. Having to get a couple of small suitcases for our journey home, mainly to house all the souvenirs we'd picked up along the way after Tokyo, we stopped by a manic shop with hardly anywhere to move, but this did mean that they had quite the selection, and with some hard bargaining later, we walked out with two, happy with the price we had paid, unlike the shop owner, who had a face like thunder! Suitcases in stow, we headed over to the Hari Krishna temple, just in time to see afternoon prayers at this beautiful building, as well as taking the opportunity to enjoy a bit of food, B opting for a dhai pura, whereas I went for a samosa and ladoo, both more filling than they looked. I would pay for this very soon after, as our last stop of the day was to visit another part of Dodhia clan - B's auntie and her son's family. Different people, same problem - mounds and mounds of food, and there wasn't a humane amount that I could eat to make them satisfied I'd had enough! Masala dosas were on the menu tonight, but with all the pre-dinner snacks being 'offered' to me, there was no way I would be leaving with anything but a heaving stomach. Still, when the food and company is that good, you can take these things as part of the ride. By the time we left, the hour was late, but at least the roads were clearer than before, Mumbai rivalling New Delhi for the title of hardest to get anywhere in a car. By the time we got back to Ashwin's it was time for bed, but that still didn't stop Rekha offering us yet more food, this time she accepted our polite decline! In the morning it was over to the airport, but not before saying our goodbyes to all the family, not for the last time I'm sure.

The older section of the grand Taj Hotel

The new addition to the hotel

The Gateway of India monument

Not a bad place to stay, bit out of our price range though

This water feature is a bit big for our garden

Cake time!

The truffles were amazing as well

There were some great views from the sea wall

This was strange

There are some great sculptures on the Bandra Bandstand, but no bandstand!

Corn anyone?

Bhiwandi, India

Wed, 12 Jul 2017 17:00:00 +0530

Meeting the Dodhia clan The end of the epic North Indian road trip meant the beginning of the great Dodhia family reunion. It also signalled a very specialty day indeed, with B celebrating the big 33. To say it wasn't the most exciting birthday ever, spending most of it sat in a car, is an understatement, but I suppose for her, the rest of the year might just make up for it! It wasn't all looking out of windows though as by early evening, we had reached Bhiwandi, a small town about an hour out of Mumbai, and we were set for an evening of celebrations, sort of. For the next few days, we were staying with Ashwin and Rekha, B's cousins, and in advance, a couple of cakes had already been baked. Unfortunately, lines got crossed between Ashwin and Rekha, meaning the cakes were ready for the 8th, instead of the 12th, meaning when we arrived, half of one had already been eaten!! It was alright though, as Darshil and I went out to get a fresh one, along with a grand banquet of local street food of pau bhaji, papad and salad, topped off with cakes and plenty of homemade gulab jambu. Mm mm mmmmm! The only issue was that I liked the gulab jambu so much, that Rekha decided to make me a whole new batch, meaning it was gulab jambu for breakfast, lunch and dinner over the next few days. After the constant go go go of the road trip, we needed a few days to just rest and relax, and so that's exactly what we did, eating home cooked food, giving our clothes a much needed wash and generally just doing nothing. We did make a few excursions out of the house though, including a quick trip to a family friend's cloth making factory, a couple of trips to get ice cream and milkshakes, as well as spending an afternoon with Raju, Rashmitha and their children, Nirali, Rupali and Bhavya (sorry if the spellings aren't perfect!), another section of the Dodhia clan. Not only was the food great here as well, but I also got to learn all about kabaddi, an interesting Indian game involving a mix of tag and wrestling. To spend time with different sides of B's family was great, getting to know more of the traditions and family stories, as well as being treated to quite a few photos from when B last visited India. The food was also amazing, but from what I could gather, I'm simply not fat enough, as the food just didn't stop coming. "I'm absolutely stuffed" apparently gets translated in India to "More? Oh go on then"! One moment I'm putting the last mouthful of food in my hand, the next, the plate magically refilled itself, meaning an already groaning belly was just gonna have to suck it up and go again! Whilst staying in Biwandi, it also because very apparent that I was probably the first white person to have ever visited the town, people stopping and staring in a confused manner, others coming over to shake my hand, just like a local celebrity. From what I was told, they don't get tourists in Biwandi, so I caused quite the stir. With the rest of our trip sorted with the help of Ashwin, we had one final day to explore Mumbai, before saying goodbye to everyone, for now.

The place to go for dinner

So much food!

B's birthday cake - what a candle!

And more cake - why not?!

The cloth making factory. It was very noisy!

...and a good clean up!

The roads in India could do with a bit of work...

That's just insane - only in India!

Raju's family

Ashwin's family

Cute

Ahmedabad, India

Mon, 10 Jul 2017 22:00:00 +0530

Gandhi's Gujarat homeland Like marines in the midst of a covert mission, right in the heart of enemy territory, we once more arrived at our hotel with the cover of darkness cloaked around us. However, unlike the marines, this was purely a scheduling matter, rather travelling during the late afternoon and sleeping in a proper bed, then trying to catch some zzzs in the car overnight. There was one small issue we had to contend with along the way though, due to one local law we were certainly not aware of before. Apparently in the Indian region of Gujarat, there is a complete alcohol ban. For what reason, we are still not sure, but from the posters around the towns, it seems to have more to do with the prevention of social disorder, rather than anything religious. Now we had a bottle of rum and one of sake in our bags, so when the police stopped us at a checkpoint to search the boot for alcohol, we were a little on the worries side. However, although the search was fairly comprehensive, they decided not to go rifling through our big backpacks, probably feeling it would take too much effort on their parts, so with a bit of luck, we were back on our way again, hoping for a patrol-free ending to our journey. We had one full day in Ahmedabad, so we were up and out fairly early, wanting make the most of what this city had to offer. And number one on the list, as I'm sure it is with every visitor to this place, is really what Ahmedabad is famous for, the home of Mahatma Gandhi's ashram. In Indian tradition, an ashram is a place where a person or people lived, secluded from the outside, to practice their religious observances. Over a period of about 12 years between 1917 and 1930, Gandhi based himself here with his wife, followers, and a number of guests who would come to the ashram to learn some of the teachings of this famous advocate of non-violence. The site is quite large, with many peaceful corners perfect for meditation and contemplation, as well as several buildings used as sleeping quarters, kitchens and a loom workshop amongst others. These days, these buildings house a museum and exhibitions, as well as classrooms for learning about the meditation techniques that Gandhi himself abided by. There is plenty of information to read and pictures to browse through, allowing each visitor to spend hours learning more about one of India's most famous figures, but for all the facts and photos, I believe the most authentic and rewarding way to find out what this place was all about is to simply find a spot on the grass, and just sit in silence, taking in the surroundings and listening to the sounds that Gandhi himself would have been at peace with. Food corner: Despite being in Gujarat, we found ourselves in a Punjabi restaurant for lunch. Most people know what a lassi is, the creamy, yoghurty drink often made with mangos back home. Well I learnt for the first time what a Punjabi lassi was. Not just creamy, it was the thickest drink I have ever seen, putting even a McDonalds milkshake to shame. It was so thick that unless your name is Henry the Hoover, a spoon is required to get the 'liquid' out of the metallic drinking vessel. It was wonderful, but cor blimey did it fill you up. A must try if you ever get the chance. With a couple more things to check off our list before dinner, we headed out towards a more rural, less-developed part of town to visit the Adalaj stepwell. Although basic in purpose, to provide water for the locals, and small in size, the architecture of this structure is absolutely breathtaking. Detailed carvings on every surface, beautifully ornate columns and a tiered system that creates a vision more akin to a ancient roman theatre than a place to fill your buckets. A visit will only last 20-30 minutes, probably the same as the time it takes to get here, but having made the journey, you won't be disappointed. Next up was another beautiful Swaminarayan Akshardham temple, smaller in size than the one in Delhi, but no less impressive. This one also had a art gallery, telling the story of the young guru, as well as a room of artefacts purported to have been used or owned by him. It wasn't just the architecture that took our breath away here, not by a long shot. Come the evening, the temple hosts a light and water show in the gardens. Now having been to the light show at Agra Fort, a mighty disappointment, we were hoping for something much better, and boy did it deliver. With actors, fountains, lasers and water holography, the show instantly grabbed your attention, and didn't let go until the very end, not even a numbing bum and lack of English distracting us from the spectacle ahead. Was it as impressive as the lights show in Singapore? Possibly not, but being something completely different to anything I'd experienced, it certainly isn't any less worthy of a visit. We ended the day in posh(ish) style, having booked a table at the city's revolving sky restaurant. I say poshish, because all the concept is a good one, the execution was very, well, Indian. Not only were the views mediocre, Ahmedabad not having the greatest skyline in the world, but the whole place needed a good old seeing to. The paint was old and peeling in parts, the revolving mechanism slightly jittery, needing a good dose of WD40, and the windows full of smears and water marks. As a saving grace, the food, presented in a buffet style, was actually alright. Nothing spectacular you understand, but definitely edible and occasionally uplifting, a distinct lack of gulab jambu the only criticism on the dessert front. Would I recommend it for a posh night out, probably not, but it's certainly something different, which was just what we wanted for the last dinner of our North Indian road trip. Hotel Royal City - 6/10 The place was under new management, so not everything was functioning as it should, but that's still no excuse for dirty sheets. The staff were a bit amateurish and the noise of the funfair opposite went on until the early hours. Ok for one or two nights at most.

Gandhi's room. Very plain and simple, with only a bed and a loom.

Mahatma Gandhi's house inside his Ashram

One of the places they practiced communal prayers

Gandhi was a huge advocate of using looms to make your own clothes, a part of his self-sustaining ideas

One the bicycles he used

Another peaceful place in the ashram

The beautifully ornate stepwell

Its incredible to have something so beautiful for something so simple

Finally made it to the bottom

There were so many levels

The stepwell from above

Just a random cow in the market

Udaipur, India

Sun, 09 Jul 2017 22:00:00 +0530

Rajasthan's finest Hey travel followers. You'll be pleased to know that after a day of feverish rest, I was back fighting semi-fit for our last morning in Jaipur and longish journey to Udaipur. We left Darshil was in charge of booking our one night stay, although this turned out not to be the greatest of decisions. Now don't get me wrong, the hotel was lovely - the bed was comfortable, the water hot, cricket on the TV and a decent breakfast in the morning. However, what is the first thing you look for when booking a hotel when you have a car? Exactly, so a hotel that is up a narrow alley way, round a corner and through a small courtyard isn't exactly the best choice in the world. Luckily, we were able to make it work, Mr Musa finding a parking space further down the hill. We had quite a full day in Udaipur, wanting to see what Rajasthan had to offer after missing out in Jaipur. First up was the grand City Palace, a huge architectural monument to the wealth and power of the Rajasthani kings. And if the outside was awe-inspiring, the inside was no less impressive. The rooms were not so much grand and stately, as beautifully decorated and calm, especially the small courtyard near the top. With great views of the surrounding area, it was the perfect place to survey the kingdom, as well as spot any incoming enemies from a large distance. With a few interesting exhibitions, including royal carts and musical instruments, it was a superb example of this area's famous architecture, and according to be, a far better building than the palace in Jaipur. We followed the palace visit with a wonderful lunch at a lakeside restaurant (traditional crossed-legged sitting the only option next to the lake, but at least comfortable cushions were provided!), before enjoying the lakes from another vantage point further round. We ended our stay in Udaipur with a short visit to the Jagdish temple, very small in size but very decorative throughout, as well as housing a collection of God effigies, all made from jet black stone with the strangest, almost goggly-esque eyes. Walking back to the car, we passed by a few tiny shops selling a range of leather goods, including bags and belts, as well as leather-bound books, which we fell in love with. What was even better was the vendor we eventually decided to buy from was actually making them as we entered his stall-like shop. The smell of leather and leather-working chemicals was almost overpowering, but it was certainly the right place, knowing these little souvenirs would be totally handmade but the man in front of us. It wasn't just the bound leather that was attractive in the books, the handmade recycled paper used was also very appealing, not just for its environmental friendliness, but also because it actually looked better than regular paper, giving it a real oldie-worldie feel. Souvenirs in hand, we headed back to the car, to start our onward journey to Ahmedabad, our final stop on this epic North Indian road trip. Anjani Hotel - 8/10 A very nice boutique hotel, complete with swimming pool and roof-top terrace. The rooms had much more character than the usual boring hotel room, and the breakfast in the morning on the roof afforded great views across the city.

Not a bad view at breakfast

Time tonsee what the City Palace has to offer

There were some great views across the city...

...and of some of its lakes

This really pretty courtyard was on the roof

Very shiny room

The architecture was something quite beautiful

I really liked their collection of musical instruments

Mr Musa, our driver

Darshil, B and me

The lakes were very scenic

It all allowed for some great photography

The Jagdish temple really liked their elephants

Jaipur, India

Fri, 07 Jul 2017 23:00:00 +0530

A cold in the sweltering heat Another long car journey took us from Amritsar to Jaipur, lunch and dinner stops along the way, but I really wasn't feeling too good, the sure signs of man-flu rearing their ugly head en route. As I'm sure you can imagine, when we arrived in Jaipur, all I wanted to do was go to bed, however India always seems to have a way of preventing you doing what you want or going where you need to go. Only about five minutes away from our hotel, we were pulled over by police carrying out routine checks. This is where it got silly. Seeing a white man in the back of the car obviously got them all excited, suddenly demanding money from us as we were in a car without a tourist license. As I've come to expect in India, that 'fine' was going to go straight into the officer's pocket, and he didn't seem to care that as the vehicle belonged to B's cousin, it didn't need a tourist license as we were not paying for it. Loud, vociferous arguments in Hindi ensued between the police and Darshil, myself having no idea what was going, until he got back into the car with Musa, and we carried on our journey, not a single rupee having been handed over. Another example of how bent the coppers are over here, but what's more surprising is the general acceptance of these practices. A night's sleep didn't do anything for my condition, feeling absolutely dreadful in the morning, forcing me to sit the day out. Luckily, the hotel room had a comprehensive range of TV channels, including a variety of sports ones that helped me through the day. From what B reported back, I didn't miss an awful lot, Jaipur's City Palace being mediocre at best, especially compared with sites we had already visited, although the Amber Fort and Hall of Mirrors were worth seeing. By evening, I was feeling a bit better, as well as mightily hungry, having only had a packet of crisps and squashed cupcake all day. So, paracetamol and ibuprofen in hand, we made our way over to the well-known dinning spot of Chokhi Dhani. Not just a restaurant serving unlimited thalis, the outdoor venue was a huge amusement park, with a range of fairground rides, artesian shops, boat rides, traditional dancers and street artists; all located a different spots in the park. Not feeling too great, I couldn't enjoy it to its full potential, but we did have a good evening none the less, the only down side being the elephant rides they were offering, this cruel past time still being widely available in this part of the world. Maybe it was the hot food, a days rest, a good night sleep or a combination of each, but the next day I was feeling well enough to venture out, visiting Jaipur's Palace of Wind before heading out to our next destination. The strange design and architecture of this place was the main draw, having an enormous flat wall on one side and not much else on the others. The small windows dotted all around as you ascend the sloping stairwell are responsible for the name of the palace, each one funnelling cool air in creating a blustery walk to the top. The views at the pinnacle were nice enough, but nothing to get too excited about, neither were the empty rooms and open spaces that littered the rest of the palace. Worth a visit, but only a short one. Having left, we picked up some fresh fruit, something that had been lacking for us over the past few days, before heading out to Udaipur. There was still enough time to be pulled over by the police once more before leaving Jaipur, this time a result of Darshil failing to use his seatbelt. An official 1400 rupee fine reduced to 200 rupees in the officers back pocket and a distinct lack of paperwork. That's India for you. Hotel - 7/10 The outside is not much to look at, but the rooms do the job, the bathroom good despite then shower head breaking, and a decent selection of TV channels, if this is important to you.

Jaipur's City Palace

Shame I didn't get to see it in person

There were some really elaborate doors

The Amber Fort was in a beautiful setting...

...but took some getting to!

The famous Hall of Mirrors

The gardens weren't too bad either

Time for dinner

The site was massive

Not your typical hotel doorman!

The Palace of Wind

Some lovely views across Jaipur

The world's largest sundial in the background

The building was strange, but still impressive

The large, flat facade the palace is most famous for

Lookong out across the lake

The cows get everywhere!

Amritsar, India

Wed, 05 Jul 2017 20:00:00 +0530

From the sublime to the ridiculous It wasn't a great start to our short stay in Amritsar. With a long day of driving completed, all we wanted to do was check in to our hotel, get some food and go to bed. Problem was the hotel we booked was crap, like really crap. They had no parking as promised, the rooms were dirty and smelly, and to top it off, when I asked to use a toilet, I was taken through the back and out to the side of the railway tracks! With such great facilities and customer service, I'm still unsure why B decided to cancel our booking there, but after about half an hour of checking out other local hotels, we eventually found one a little why outside the centre, quieter and more affordable, the perfect combination! This hotel also had its issues, but at least they were fixable, although the worst one of the lot was the night manager. I have never, in all my travels, met a grumpier hotelier. He appeared annoyed and put-out that anyone would want to stay at his hotel. I mean, how dare we want to spend our money with him. Still, his assistant was nice enough, and the room was pretty decent. We had one full day to check out the delights of Amritsar, so with three destinations on our agenda, we headed back into the city centre. Our first stop was the very reason we had trekked all the over to the very edge of the country, this Punjab town sitting very close to the Pakistan border. Having taught about Sikhism a couple of times, I knew how special the Golden Temple in Amritsar was, so to be able to visit it in person was a real treat, and although smaller than I had expected, it was no less impressive. Once you enter the walled square, the temple itself shines resplendent in the middle of an artificial lake, water surrounding this golden icon on all sides, save for the walkway leading out from the temple's entrance. Walking around the outside, there was that strange mix you get in many sacred places, thousands of people packed, yet a serenity enveloping the whole site. Staying on the outside is a good bet if you just want to relax and be at peace in this mesmerising arena of worship, however, having come all this way, it would have been a real shame not to go inside. This is where the calm sanctity was suddenly shattered. The walkway leading into the temple is not the widest, and with thousands of followers all wanting to complete their pilgrimage to this holiest of Sikh sites, it was more like a scrum than a relaxed profession along the bridge. You would have thought that in a place like this, with the values that Sikhs hold dear, there would have been some order, but all than anyone seemingly wanted to do was push, shove and barrel their way to the front, queuing a word that obviously hadn't settled in their vocabulary. It was a shame really, as such a beautiful place deserved a bit more respect, but we weren't going to let it sour our experience. The inside was absolutely magical, gold from ceiling to floor, the Guru Granth Sahib being recited melodically throughout the day, and the wall carvings and reliefs epitomising the craftsmanship and dedication deserving of such a revered place. With prashad having being shared, it was time to leave, neither the searing heat or unruly crowd was able to spoil our visit to this magnificent religious centre. After a quick stop for a drink, we spent the next half hour or so walking around the Jallianwala Bagh, the park that witnessed one of the worst atrocities of the British rule of India. With a large group of non-violent locals having gathered for a Sikh festival, the British Army decided to halt the proceedings by means of weaponry, firing indiscriminately into the crowd and shooting dead hundreds of civilians. It was one of the main events that started the decline, and eventual end, of the British occupation of India. The garden was peaceful, with a monument erected in the middle, and the bullet holes of the stray shots still visible on the surrounding wall. Many locals were also in the park, relaxing on the grass, or eating their lunch from their homemade tiffins, showing that although a place may have had a violent past, hope and peace can bring about a positive change. Having enjoyed the sublime in the morning, it was over to the ridiculous, and there can't be too many more ridiculous things than the daily ceremony at the Wagah Border, where both the Indian and Pakistani army show their strength and bravado as they lower their respective flags from the land in between the national fence. With football stadium-like stands surrounding the roadside, all packed to capacity by crazy locals singing nationalist songs and dancing wildly to the music blaring out of the crackly speakers, the atmosphere was electric, each side trying to rile up the other and encourage their own soldiers to out perform their counterparts. It was one of those surreal experiences that you just can't work out what to make of it, the whole scene being both a real show of patriotism, and completely, well, ridiculous at the same time. A definite must see, just for the bizarre culture spectacle if nothing else. Before returning to the Golden Temple to see it all lit up at night, we stopped by a small fast food restaurant, Indian style. Not serving the usual fast food that we are accustomed to back home, on the menu were lots of small dishes, such as pani puri, dhai puri, papri chaat, pav bhaji and dhai vada, all washed down with a thums up and meethi lassi. Despite some being a bit on the spicy side, they were very tasty, and certainly made for a delicious and filling dinner. As mentioned earlier, we returned to the Golden Temple, still full of people despite being past 10 o'clock. The temple itself was more beautiful than before, if that is even possible, and all around prayers were being sung, bathers were enjoying a dip in the holy water, and people were making their way over to the food centre, benefitting from the free food dished out at the Gurudwara, as is tradition. It was a great way to finish our busy day, and nice to be able to sit and admire the majesty of the site, without having to find shade from burning sun. OYO Rooms Chheharta Road Hotel - 7/10 The rooms were spacious and bathroom more than comfortable. A decent breakfast in the morning ordered to your rooms, but the evening manager was probably the grumpier man I've met, which made the check-in process more complicated and drawn out than it needed to be.

Haridwār, India

Tue, 04 Jul 2017 17:00:00 +0530

Amongst the crowds of the arti ceremony Pretty much the whole day sat in the back of a car. We left at 10, arrived at about 6. This part of travelling - the actual travelling - is not fun at all, especially with the roads and disregard for rules in India. Still, with the stunning Taj Mahal in the morning, it was a good start, and having arrived in Haridwa, the ending wasn't so bad either. We had travelled the 8 hours or so for one thing, and one thing only - the arti ceremony on the banks of the River Ganges. From what I could muster from the research I did, there are a number of places to see this ceremony along the river, which is pretty long. Probably the most well know is in Varanasi, but being situated on the other side of the country, it made far more sense to head to our third Indian destination. Were we disappointed at the spectacle we witnessed? Not a chance! It was colourful, it was loud, it was chaotic - an incredible event to be apart of. Barefooted and squeezed into any space that presented itself, B and Darshil went to the edge of the water to get a blessing, whilst I observed the cacophony all around. Thousands of people, all crammed onto the small steps that ascended from each bank, praying, singing, pushing and shoving to get the best view before the actual ceremony started, and when it did, the atmosphere went through the roof. Divas wafted through the air; conch shells calling to the great deities; offerings floating down the river, alight and plentiful. Throughout the chaotic scene, the priests were constantly reciting prayers and singing to the gods, everyone joining in at certain parts, but as the whole thing was in Hindi, I hadn't a clue what was going on. The only thing I can say earnestly is despite being elbowed, trodden on and told to sit on the wet floor a couple of times, I absolutely loved the sense of community and holiness the ceremony exuded, and the general craziness that I've come to expect in everyday Indian life. Having returned to the car, leaving the numerous tat shops and bangle vendors behind, I had one final first to enjoy before we headed over to the hotel. Thums Up. No, I haven't spelt it wrong, the company have! India's very own cola drink might not win any literary awards, but it is pretty nice, so worth a try if you're planning a visit, as is Limca, for those of you who prefer their fizzy drinks lemony, rather than black. Hotel Aananda - 7/10 The beds were large and comfortable, and the food we pretty good as well. The bathroom might have been small, but it did the job, if you don't mind an Indian style wet room.

First sight of the River Ganges

An offering of puja flowers and a blessing

People were flocking to bathe in the sacred waters

Both banks were packed

Time for the arti ceremony to begin

The were many items being offered to the gods

The priests conducting the prayers

A lighted diva floated down the Ganges

There were lots of petals used in the blessings

The large divas shone bright in the fading light

Offerings for sale

There was also a whole load of tat for the crowds to buy

Haridwar at night, still crammed with worshippers

A thumbs up for the Thums Up

Āgra, India

Mon, 03 Jul 2017 18:00:00 +0530

The Taj Mahal Our Indian road trip had started, along the roads from New Delhi to Agra, and what an interesting few days we had in store. Now you are probably thinking that I'm about to tell you all the interesting things we are going to see along the way, but no, that's not the only thing that is going to make this trip memorable. Based on the few hours the first leg encompassed, we will be lucky to make it to Mumbai alive! From what I can gather, there are rules of the road, but these are seen more as guidelines that can be shaped by each driver, based on how quickly they need to get from point A to point B. For example, on some of the roads there are lanes, but these aren't followed strictly, in the sense that if there are 3 lanes on the road, usually there are 4-5 lanes of traffic. Overtaking is done on any side of the vehicle, even if you have to go slightly off the road surface. Talking of the road surface, this is often non-existent or with huge chunks missing, limiting the driving to 10 miles an hour at most. In India, they drive on the left, supposedly. However, if there is traffic, you simply switch sides and try to avoid the incoming vehicles! All these combines to create sheer chaos, and I haven't even mentioned the motorbikes yet. My personal favourite anomaly in the Indian road system though is something that really needs to be seen to be believed. Driving around the often narrow streets of a town, there is one more obstacle that needs to be navigated - animals! Mostly cows to be specific, but it is not uncommon to have to drive around goats, chickens, pigs and even donkeys, none of whom seem to belong to anyone! One thing that really confuses me though, is that supposedly, the cow is a sacred animal in the Hindu religion, deserving of respect and to be treated well. If that's the case, why are they left to roam the streets as they please, having nothing to eat except the odd bit of greenery, or anything they find whilst rooting around all the rubbish that's thrown to the side? Maybe my mindset is wrong, but that doesn't seem like the way to treat a sacred creature. Just another example of the juxtaposition between the strongly observed religion and the day to day culture in India I suppose. Anyway, back to our trip. Having arrived in Agra in the late afternoon, a visit to the Tag Mahal that evening just didn't seem worth it, having less than an hour before closing and the sunset looking likely to be lost behind a thick blanket of clouds. As a result, we opted to settle into our room and explore the town (something that took only about 20 minutes, and none of them were really worth it!) before heading over to Agra Fort, for the night time light and sound show. This wasn't the first one we had been to. Singapore's was colourful and spectacular; Kuala Lumpur's beautiful and serene. This one, well, wasn't. In fact, even calling it a light show was stretching it a bit. Yes, the buildings did light up, but in reality it was a nothing more than a story-telling show about the history of the some of the kings to use to fort, and randomly they lit up certain buildings, which, most of the time, had nothing to do with what was being said. It wasn't what we had experienced, and the most exciting part was when they had a power cut and the whole place plunged into complete darkness, which says it all really. Still, it was something to do, and it didn't rain. 4:30am. Yes, in the morning. The sickening time at which the alarm clock slapped us awake. We only wake up at this time for one reason, and we hoped the sky would be accommodating to allow a beautiful sunrise over the Taj Mahal. We hoped. It wasn't. Still, getting to the site at the time meant that the huge number of locals and tourists that descend upon the complex each day were mostly still tucked up in bed, allowing us the chance to explore in relative peace, and better photo opportunities, which we seized with both hands. To say it was nothing like what I was expecting would be an understatement. For one, it was much smaller. For two, the path leading to it was much shorter. For three, it was a lot calmer, although the lack of the big tour groups might have helped with that. In my mind, the Taj Mahal was a huge palace, towering high into the sky, that you could see for miles around. In reality, it is a mausoleum, with one central room and a small corridor encircling it. However, don't misunderstand me, was it as beautiful as I'd expected? No, it was so much better. The simplicity of the structure, yet skill of the carvings, all created to honour the king's wife, was simply astonishing; mind-blowing. Unfathomably so, it somehow exuded a calmness that stuck you deep inside and turned your mind only on what your eyes were witnessing. The site is not large, but we spend a good three hours enjoying it, either walking amongst the gardens, or just sitting and appreciating the craftsmanship and dedication to this loving cause. And the question I'm sure you are all asking - did we get a photo on the famous bench? We sure did! And you can judge for yourself if you think it is any good at the bottom of the entry. Agra didn't really have anything else to offer us, so after a late breakfast of aloo paratha, we were on the road again, heading north to Haridwa, hopefully in time for the evening's arti. Three Musketeers Hostel - 5/10 The staff were not the most helpful, the rooms small and not overly clean. The bathroom also had a leak in, so the sound of dripping water didn't help with a good night's sleep. On the positive, the food from the attached restaurant was pretty decent.

This is the best the Agra Fort lightshow got

That's one extravagent entrance to a wedding

Even the entrance to the Taj Mahal is impressive

No words needed

My go on the famous bench

The mosque at the side of the main monument

The view of the Taj Mahal is amazing, but the view from it isn't too bad either

On the banks of the river

The level of detail was breathtaking

Just a shame about the scaffolding

A love this pic

Random cow in the street

New Delhi, India

Thu, 29 Jun 2017 03:00:00 +0530

The heat of the sub-continent beckons When arriving at a destination at 2 in the morning, there is really only one thing on the agenda - bed. Get to it as fast as possible and fall asleep. The Indian check-in system was, for some reason, against this idea, needing information about this and that, lengthy computer inputs and slow scanners all contributing to a long wait at reception before we were finally able to reach the promised land. Not that we managed a good night sleep. Builders up at silly o'clock, drivers using their horns more than their brains and curtains made of a material thinner than an economy fag paper, all ingredients for a couple of tired souls in the morning. Understandably, we intended our first day to be quite relaxed, B now taking the organising helm for the last few weeks of our trip, although somehow, it didn't really pan out the way it was planned. We started with a stroll into Connaught Place, the main centre for retail and restaurants, before heading out to small, local canteen for a traditional (and cheap) lunch. The place was great, and absolutely packed, servers coming round to refill your thali even before it was half empty, cried for more rice, rotis or dhal emanating from every corner. The perfect way to see this chaotic culture up close. It was after this that the relaxed plan went to pot. We visited the India Gate, Parliamentary buildings, the Gurudwara Bangla Sahib and a local market before finally heading back to the hotel. This might not sound like a lot of places, but the walk between them was long, longer than we had thought, much longer than we had wanted. All the sites were lovely, particularly the Gurudwara, where we took the time to listen to the prayers being sung and admire the architecture of the beautifully built temple. However, we were both ready for an early night after the almighty trek in the heat, and didn't last long in our quest to stay awake for some of the evening. Our first day also gave us our first look at India, its people and culture. You always hear that India is an attack of all the senses. A hectic haven combining a huge population, amazing sights and smells, as well as a vast spectrum from rich to poor. All this is quite true, but not in the exotic way it is painted to be. The smells were strong, but often of urine. Everywhere you look, there is rubbish just discarded in the street, on a level that needs to be seen to justify the extent of the problem. We couldn't move without being hounded to take a tuk-tuk, buy some clothes or other tat, sometimes being grabbed in the process. It was all a bit too much, and something that will take a while to get use to, not that I particularly want to! I hope my impression of India improves in the coming weeks, but it was not the start I had been expecting. After a rather more relaxed second day, using the down time to organise the next few days, before a trip out to the cinema and a few drinks at a bar specialising in world beers, we once more ventured out to a couple of tourist hot spots of New Delhi on day three. First on the agenda was the huge Swaminarayan Akshardham Mandir, the largest temple of its kind in the world. The day was blisteringly hot, yet that didn't detract from the beauty of the place, both inside the temple and around the cloisters. The carvings were breath-taking, the detail phenomenal, and the bronze-coloured stone used in the construction really bringing a different dimension to the complex. The site also sported a grand exhibition, with interactive models telling the story of the young guru who founded this particular movement, and a water ride showing the rich history of India. For many, you might not of heard of this form of Hinduism, but you might know of its biggest temple outside India - the huge temple in Neasden, North West London. It wasn't all perfect though, as we also experienced a more unfortunate side to the Indian mentality here. In a place that oozes spirituality and filled with followers that are suppose to embrace the teachings of respect, acceptance and tolerance, there were an awful lot of people who showed not-so-subtle disdain and disapproval at B's western dress sense and the fact she was with me. I really don't understand how they can stand there, describing themselves as good, dedicated Hindus, yet blatantly disregarding its teachings in the way they think and act. It puzzles me, but I suppose it's a symptom of the outdated caste system that still very much exists in this developing country. On the lighter side, I also witnessed a punch-up between two security guards by the entrance. Bizarre! It took a good few hours to cover the whole temple complex, and by the time we had finished, there was not much time left in the day for much else. So, after heading back into the CP area, we had a wander around the underground Palika Bazar, before meeting B's cousin, Darshil, who would accompany us over the next few days on our way down to Mumbai. As B's uncle had organised us to have a driver, Mr Musa, Darshil had come along to help with the language and show us a few places we might not have known about if we were on our own. Our last day of sightseeing in New Delhi took us to the Red Fort, a large fort made of red stone which is worth a wander round but nothing really special; the Jama Masjid mosque, impressive on the outside although we didn't venture inside as it was too wet; a wonderful lunch stop at the superb Rajdhani Thali restaurant; a visit to the Lotus temple, a multi-faith temple that had more than a passing resemblance to the Sydney Opera House; before returning to the India Gate to see the hullabaloo and carnival atmosphere as the sun set in the distance. We ended our busy day back at the underground market, where I picked up a couple of Indian outfits for a reasonable price, after quite a bit of haggling and walking away. I might have bought another one from a different shop, but with the vendor getting into an argument with Darshil about the supremacy of their respective cities, we decided that these were the kind of people who didn't really deserve our money, so we cut our loses and left. The disappointment didn't last for long, as we ended up back inside the bar we had visited a couple of days previous, to enjoy some food and a good beer before calling it a night. The third of July signalled the start of our epic road trip across northern India towards Mumbai, but before really stretching the tires, we opted for one last stop in Delhi. The Qutub Minar is a UNESCO world heritage site, boasting a huge minaret made of red sandstone, and a number of other buildings around the complex built over 800 years ago. It was very peaceful to amble around, with a few signs here and there to explain each section, and plenty of opportunities to get a lovely photograph. Conscious of the time, we decided that as lunchtime was approaching, we would head off onto the open road, and get our next big adventure underway. Smyle Inn - 7/10 Small room but it did the job. The breakfast in the morning was filling and tasted good, and the staff were friendly enough on the whole. Shame about the smell of the alleyway leading to the hotel, and the incessant banging at ridiculous o'clock in the morning on one of the days.

Time for lunch in an Indian canteen - unlimited thali!

The India Gate - remind you of anything?

There were quite a few nice monuments and fountains close by

The Governmental buildings

They were quite American in design

The Gurudwara Bangla Sahib was a beautiful building

The pool outside was a sea of peace

Who needs a delivery van?!

The roadside market didnt just have stalls

I did not like the chass (also called buttermilk). Salty and disgusting!

It's one way of getting your luggage around a busy station. If I tried that, I'd have no neck left!

Another day, another thali, but this time meethi lassi rather than chass!

We spent a peaceful couple of hours exploring the Red Fort

The columns lent themselves to some great shots

Plenty of water features

The outer walls were quite imposing

The beautiful multi-faith Lotus Temple. This one remind you of anything? There'a theme here!

Back to the India Gate for the evening carnival atmosphere

Before leaving, we stopped by the Qutub Minar wirh its inpressive minaret

The whole place was full of character

Loved the views inside the old arches

The start of an even taller minaret - it never got completed

A must see in New Delhi

Beijing, China

Mon, 26 Jun 2017 16:00:00 +0800

A celebrity at the Great Wall Having returned to Beijing for the last couple of days of our China stay, this time on our own, as Brad and Joseph had ventured out on their own travelling expedition, we were determined to fill our remaining time as productively as we could. This started on the first evening, with a walk into the Yindingqiao district, an area full of small alley ways packed with shops and eateries. By the lake, there are also plenty of bars to grab a drink at and enjoy the live entertainment, including numerous karaoke bars. Opting for a meal at Mr Shi's Dumplings, and avoiding the cackles and howls of the Beijing karaoke scene, we instead ventured north, to see Beijing's Olympic Park, resplendent in the glow of its artificial illuminations. Beautifully maintained, and still used on a regular basis, the various venues dotted around the park are a brilliant example of modern architecture, both functional and eye-catching. The two best examples of this are the Bird's Nest Stadium and the Water Cube, standing opposite one another, both admiring the other's timeless grandeur. These aren't the only attractions though. With views across the city, the Linglong Pagoda and Olympic Park Observation Tower provide a loftier perspective, the torch and wall of champions are located next to the main stadium, and for anyone wanting a more peaceful experience, the Olympic forest to the north of the park provides walks and lake views, although we never made it to this area. One of the more amusing things we experienced there was in the gift shop. I like collecting souvenir coins at places we visit, and as with many other tourist destinations in China, the Olympic Park has their own. The only problem with these though was their spelling of the main attraction, the Bind's Nest Stadium!! Still wanting one for my collection, I managed to get 10 yuan off the price for the spelling error, and I think it makes it that much more authentic! China's most famous attraction, being one of the seven wonders of the world, was always high on our Oriental wish list, but the only question was which part to visit? Although the wall is over 5000km long, there are only really a handful of parts that are accessible for tourists. By far the easiest to reach by public transport is the wall at Badaling, although as such it can also be the most crowded. I would have preferred to trek the 5 hour hike from Jiankou to Mutianyu, with a mixture of maintained and unrestored sections, however it is not advised to do this without a tour guide, and with prices as steep as parts of the wall, we decided upon the easier option. Only taking an hour from the city centre by bus, we were soon sat inside the sliding cars, one of the options to take you up to the top of the wall. You can also walk, but B didn't fancy the half hour ascent, instead preferring to save her legs for the main attraction itself. The day was blisteringly hot, and the path in parts steep and slippery, but neither of these deterred us from exploring the wall to the full. Having reached the top, we ventured off to the left, a piece of advice given to avoid the worst of the crowds. Despite there being a fair few people around, the warnings of so many people, you won't be able to move in some parts were wildly off the mark, and in fact the further we walked away from the sliding car and gondola stations, the quieter it got, to the point that at times, we were the only ones on a particular section. To say the wall was incredible would not do it justice at all. Standing at any point, you can see the wall stretch on for mile upon mile, a stone serpent snaking its way through the many hills and valleys that encompass its route. No pictures can really ready you for the sights that you experience, or the wonder you feel at the sheer scale of the operation. It really brings home just how paranoid Qin Shi Huang was about invading enemies, especially after visiting his Terracotta Army a couple of days before! After about 5 hours of sheer enjoyment, it was time to head back down to the bus station, but not before treating ourselves to an engraved medal each, after all, I think we earned it! The engraver, however, clearly doesn't get the chance to write English letters very often, as our names came out like they were written by a 5 year old! Still, I think it all adds to the authenticity of the thing, and at 60p each, you can't complain! Now China is a funny old place. It's customs are strange, it's people inherently rude and pushy, and some of the food looking more at home in a Damien Hurst exhibition than a dinner plate. However, one thing I certainly wasn't expecting, especially at such a popular tourist attraction as the Great Wall was the reception I received from a large number of locals. As if they had never seen a white man with shaggy hair before, I was stopped seemingly every 20 minutes to pose for a selfie, shake somebody's hand or generally have a short conversation about who I am and where I'm from. It was the closest I think I will ever get to being a celebrity, and I was very tempted to start my own twitter hashtag handle thing, but one thing I do know is how happy I made so many people just by being friendly - finally getting the status I deserve!! Our flight wasn't until late at night on our final day, so we spent the daylight hours back in Tiananmen, this time exploring the Forbidden City, once the home of the emperors of China, now open to the public despite still being the seat of power for the current ruling party. The various buildings and rooms were all very opulent and grand, similar in style to others we had seen but on a much larger scale. With many small temples along the sides, and a beautiful garden at the rear, the size of the complex is mind-blowing, and you certainly won't run out of things to see and do, although the walk back to the entrance around the outside was a lot longer than we had anticipated. My advice, just hire a tuk-tuk. With many of these large palaces in poverty-ridden cities, it always makes me wonder why anyone would think it was a good idea to build such luxury for the leaders instead of investing in their more needy subjects, but I guess that it is just a part of human nature that has lasted throughout the ages. Greed, ego and status have always been put ahead of the basic requirements of the poor, and that will continue until leaders truly experience the plight that so many people have to go through, instead of sitting in their lavish chairs, thinking they know it all because they had a privileged education. Anyway, enough politics for the moment. Having not taken into account the size of the Forbidden City, by the time we had walked back to Tiananmen Square, we had already missed the end of the lunch session at the Quanjude duck restaurant. Luckily for us however, there were plenty of alternatives, so we still got one final meal of China's most famous bird dish before our Oriental adventure drew to an end. We made one final stop at the Silk Market, to by a name scroll for the house, before heading off the the airport, via the metro and airport shuttle express. The journey was not as smooth as we would have liked, taking longer than expected and having a mini crisis as we were not entirely sure what terminal to get off at, but with the help of some kind locals, we soon got it sussed, and arrived just in time to check-in and clear the ridiculously lengthy process of security. I know they have to be thorough, but sometimes they can take it unnecessarily far. Still, we made the flight, and although we were not sitting together, the flight went quickly, both of us sitting with interesting people happy to have a conversation. I was sat next to a British diplomat called Adrian, based in Beijing but flying to Delhi to help there for a month. We exchanged stories about the various places we had both visited, and the constantly arriving beer certainly helped to drive the conversation along. All in all, one of the more pleasant flights we had taken, despite the unsociable hour of the take off and landing. Beijing Party Youth Hostel - 7/10 The location was good, being close to the metro and a couple of popular districts, but the building did look like a former prison, and the wifi just as bad as the aesthetics. Not a bad place for a couple of nights at a relatively cheap price.

The lake in the Yindingqiao district - beautiful at night

The Bird's Nest Stadium

The evening is the best time to see the Olympic Park

The Water Cube

The changing colours of the Linglong Pagoda

A novel was to reach the top of the Great Wall of China

Time for some walking

The Great Wall went on and on...

...and on and on!

It was steep in parts

Although a lot of the walkable sections are crowded, there are some more serene parts

It carried on going on and on!

Time to go back down

We earned these medals!

There was a wonderful park just by our hostel

Plenty of guys flying their homemade kites

A formidable entrance to the Forbidden City

The place was huge

There were plenty of shrines and meeting halls

The gardens were my favourite part

We finally made it to the end. But we still had to walk all the way around to the front again!

Back to Tiananmen Square on the way for some Roast Duck, Peking style

Xi’an, China

Sat, 24 Jun 2017 18:00:00 +0800

Bringing the immortal army back to life After overcoming a small issue with booking our train tickets, and the crowds at the station, we crammed our luggage into the overhead shelves and sat back to enjoy being hurtled through the Chinese countryside at over 300kph. Even with all that speed, it still took us about 6 hours to reach Xi'an, and with night having descending upon us, we soon found our way to the Silk Road Youth Space Hostel. Not feeling particularly hungry, we decided to venture out for a walk around the Muslim Quarter, and we certainly were not expecting what greeted us on our arrival. Bright lights, hoards of people, streets lined with the cries of vendors selling food, drink, clothes and much more. As the streets got narrower, the organised chaos become rather less organised, roads no wider than a car a highway for people, tuk-tuks and other random, cart-wielding locals. With hardly enough room to breath, let alone allow our senses to settle from the overwhelming sights, sounds, smells and frequent bumps, we grabbed a juice and made our way to the relative sanctity of the city's Bell Tower, garishly illuminated for surrounding traffic and pedestrians to enjoy. Our evening ended with a few dumplings across the road from our hostel, before bedding down for the night, an earlyish morning awaiting us on the other side of midnight. We only budgeted on one full day in Xi'an, and we're determined to make the most of it. With only one main activity on our agenda, we left our hotel early to catch a couple of buses to make the journey east, 50km or so out of the city. Upon reaching our destination, we headed straight for the ticket counter, and through the entrance gate, ready to see what all the fuss about the Terracotta Army is about. Our first impression, not of the monument, but of the services provided, was not exactly great. Having come all this way, we decided it would be a good idea to enquire about getting a tour guide. The initial cost didn't seem to bad, but after a quick conversation, we were informed rather frankly that the advertised prices were for Chinese speakers, and English speakers would have to pay over double. Maybe it's just us, but we felt that was rather unfair, especially when it was the same guides doing both tours. I suppose it was just another example of trying to milk the tourists for as much as they can, something that had become all too common on our tour through Asia. What made it worse was that they told us that a guide was vital, as all the information boards were in Chinese exclusively, a claim we soon found out to be a Trump-styled alternative fact to get us to part with our money. In hindsight, we were glad we decided to go it alone, as we got to spend way more time at each location, and enjoy the ruins without being pressured into moving on before we were ready or buying useless tat from the various vendors around the site. History corner: The building of the Terracotta Army was commissioned by Qin Shi Huang, China's first emperor, to be his warriors and protectors in the afterlife, allowing him to gain immortality. It may seem a strange idea, but it is certainly impressive, and in all fairness, this guy didn't do things by halves. Fearing attacks during his actual reign, he decided a protective wall would do the trick, so he commissioned the building of the Great Wall of China, only about 5000km long. For someone who craved immortality, he certainly went the right way about it, for his name if not his body. The Army in question was divided into three chambers of varying sizes, but equal realism, each warrior carrying some kind of weapon, and some with horses to aid in the heavenly battles. We spent pretty much the whole day there, only leaving as the early evening sun tinged the buildings with an orange glow. Seeing these clay figures, some fully restored, others in varying stages of disrepair, was unexplainably fascinating. The detail that went into making each soldier, how lifelike they are, the scale of the whole site, all of it combining to justifiably lend it the moniker of the 8th wonder of the world. There was also a great photography exhibition about other UNESCO world heritage sites, quite a few we had been to this year. Another interesting cultural lesson we were treated to was the way Chinese people cope in a crowded situation. The answer is not very well. In their minds, and this was pretty much the case for everyone there, if they want to get to the front of a crowd of people waiting to see something, pushing, shoving and elbowing your way to the front is perfectly acceptable, as is waving your selfie stick in all direction, no matter who it bashes into or what photos it ruins. It was some of the rudest behaviour I had ever seen in public, but everyone else seemed to think this perfectly normal, and nobody seemed to bat an eyelid. It was an interesting lesson to learn, but one what we did, so it was elbows out and standing our ground for the rest of the day! Having caught the bus back to Xi'an city, we had the option of two activities for our evening entertainment. The first was a trip to one of the local night markets, however, having visited many of these on our travels, including on the previous evening, we opted for a more cultural end to the day. Close to our hotel was a tiny, backstreet shadow puppet theatre, a few rattly old chairs at the back and benches at the front that had seen better days, only large enough to fit no more than 20 people or so. Very much a one-man operation, the show lasted about 20 minutes, the music was very loud and the plot only just decipherable, but we loved every minute, and even came home with a little souvenir, the whole experience costing less than a fiver for the both of us. A lovely way to finish our short stay in Xi'an. Silk Road Youth Space - 6/10 The room was comfortable enough, but the wifi was temperamental and the showers were small. Good area though, close to centre and metro.

The 2 sets of horses pulling chariots were the first treasures we saw of the Terracotta Army

Chamber 2

This one is in its infancy of being excavated

You can really see the fine details put into each figure

Some were better restored than others

The main chamber - it was absolutely manic here!

The scale of the place blew us away

It would have been one formidable army, if they were real

All the soldiers were ready to march into battle

The restoration work is still ongoing

Its no wonder why it is considered the 8th wonder of the world

The third chamber was much smaller, but the same level of detail went into its creation

Loved this police bus

The drum tower by day...

...and by night

The Muslim shopping district was buzzing with activity

A taste of the traditional Chinese shadow puppet show

The bell tower - another great roundabout feature

This sign is awesome. I'd like to find the person that needs to be told the last one!

Beijing, China

Sat, 17 Jun 2017 06:00:00 +0800

The China of old, the China of new China has a lot to offer, something one would expect from a country with such a large landmass. A plethora of terrains, it's fair share of wild animals and a history that stretches further back than one can conceivably imagine. However, it has one great problem (well, it probably has a few, but one main one that affected me when we arrived). The internet does not allow Google to work. More to the point, it doesn't allow Google Maps to work, making it infinitely more difficult to find where we were going. We were going to be staying with Brad, a friend of mine I taught with back in London, however all we had to go by to find his apartment was a picture of an address in Chinese, which nobody seemingly understood. The taxi dropped us off in an area we didn't know, and we couldn't find a single person to help us, some sending us one way, others sending us another. It took about 20 minutes before we finally found somebody who could show us on his phone map where we needed to head, and a good job it was to, as we might still be traipsing the street now! Having reached the apartment, on the 27th floor of the block (luckily there was a lift!), it was great to unload all our heavy bags and say a proper hello with Brad and Joseph, the first faces from back home I've seen in person since setting off in September. We spent lunchtime catching up over Dominoes pizza, the afternoon catching up with some sleep, and the evening relaxing with the leftover pizza and a film. Sunday was equally as lazy, a necessity after all the to-ing and fro-ing we'd been through over the last couple of months or so. Beijing was the first time we were spending any considerable time in one place, so a few non-eventful days were a must to get our energy back. We slept in, before setting out to a nearby restaurant, a favourite of Brad and Joseph's, sampling some great Chinese dishes and chatting about everything and anything. That was pretty much it for the day, except a short foray out in the evening, again to try a selection of small plates of varying parts of different animals at another local restaurant. With Brad working in an international school, I couldn't turn down the chance to see one at work, having often thought seriously about taking my career in that direction, at least for a year or two. Being the final week of term, everything was winding down, but it was still interesting to hear the thoughts of Brad's colleagues on the IB system, how it differs from back home and how it promotes child-led learning, rather than the constant spoon-feeding encouraged by the British system. Seeing Brad in action, with his class creating review posters of their last topic, really reminded me of the things I enjoy about teaching, and reassured me that my decision to return to the profession after our year away was, at least for now, a good one. A couple of days after our school visit, we had to opportunity to talk more with the staff, having been invited to the pub to watch the State of Origin game on the big screen. What was most amazing wasn't just the camaraderie between such a large number of colleagues, but also one of the teachers there was actually from Harrow, and even attended Rooks Heath in her early days! What are the chances! She wanted B and I to move to Beijing next year and fill the vacancies they still had, but as tempting as it was, we had to kindly decline. I was struck, however, by how positive everyone was about working in an international school, and upon leaving the bar, I was more convinced than ever to give is some real consideration. Maybe it was due to the most amount of alcohol I'd consumed in many a month, but I suppose only time will tell. It wasn't all just lazy days and school visits though, as we did venture out to see what treasures Beijing had to offer. Loving a bargain, we routed around the city's Silk Market and Pearl Market, being enthralled with the hustle, bustle, and sales techniques of these places. The biggest shock for me was how fluid the prices were. I'm used to markets where you can barter 20, 30, or even 50% off the price, but never at the levels witnessed here. For example, I wanted a tie with Chinese design. The label stated ¥700, about £75. However, by the end of our negotiations, I took home two for the sum of ¥90, under a tenner. That's a price drop of over 90%. If only all shops could be like this! We also took home a tea set, the prices here being a little more reasonable than in Japan. The art district (known as the 798 Art Zone) was also a great find, walls covered in artistic graffiti, the old military warehouses being turned into galleries, studios and trendy cafes and eateries, a real Camdenesque vibe surrounding the whole area. It was here was also picked up a set of paper umbrellas, something B had been wanting for a long time, just couldn't find any we could afford. Luckily this place had a number of umbrellas that were defective for use in the rain, yet still looked as pretty as the others. These were being sold for only ¥100 each, so it seemed a shame to only take one, in B's eyes anyway. We ended up with 3, and guess who will have to lug them around for the rest of the trip!! A recommendation from Joseph we followed was a visit to the Summer Gardens, the residence of a number of Emperors in China's history. The grounds were extensive, needing a full, full day and a marathon of walking to cover the lot, but it's certainly worth the effort, as the buildings have a real character about them, the lake gleams resplendently when the sun shines down upon it, and the pathways around the complex are just divine. A stroll around the lake might sound tempting enough, but with the construction of the 'long corridor', with the chance to see this remarkable painted pergola, it adds another dimension, as well as some much needed shade. By the end of the day, our feet throbbed, and due to Beijing's wonderful air quality, my asthma had been triggered, but for all the issues, it was certainly well worth it. The final cultural thing we did was pay a visit to Tiananmen square, a huge central plaza flanked by unostentatious grand buildings and home to the mausoleum of China's famous leader, Chairman Mao. It was similar in design to other communist public meeting points we'd seen, the buildings lacking elaboration or much decoration, but much, much bigger, either to demonstrate the grandeur of the regime, or just to fit the massive population of Beijing in! We would have also liked to explore the Forbidden Palace, however with time against us, it would have to wait for our return in a few days. Now when you come to Beijing, one of the must-dos is to experience a Peking roast duck restaurant. Now as far as I'm aware, having taken the views of at least 10 people, everyone in the world loves Peking duck, the thin pancakes filled with cucumber, spring onions, hoisin sauce and that crispy duck shredded for ease of container to pancake delivery. So, when in Rome as they say, we sort out the original roast duck restaurant in Beijing, having opened its doors for the first time over 150 years ago. Arriving for lunch with great anticipation at 1:31, disappointment soon reared its ugly head, as, unbeknownst to us, lunch service stopped at 1:30. It was only one minute!!!!!! They still said no. However, as if fate was using us as pawns in its sadistic game, we soon found that this was a blessing in disguise. As an unexpected, but welcome surprise, Brad and Joseph had organised for us to dine at another roast duck restaurant on our return from our day out. This one was great, live traditional Chinese music, waiters in waistcoats and flat caps and duck to die for. There were even a couple of additional condiments for the pancakes, including pickles, garlic paste and sugar. The hoisin sauce was also different, not as sweet (which I suppose is what the sugar was for), but still scrumptious. Overall, it was a great experience, and the ideal way to finish our first stint in Beijing. Tomorrow would bring the train journey to Xi'an, and our farewells to Brad and Joe, but with the knowledge that at least in a few months, we would see them both again back in good old Blighty.

Won't find this in the supermarkets back home!

The Summer Palace was full of traditional stately buildings

That's a lot of Buddhas

There were some great views of the site

The famed 'long corridor'

There were plenty of places to visit

The architecture was a real treat

The grand theatre, complete with an orchestra of bells

The scenic zen gardens were hidden away, but well worth the effort to find them

The walking was just as special as the architecture

The Suzhou Street, full of little shops and stalls

The colours came alive in the evening's light

Perfectly peaceful - not that easy to find amongst Beijing's hustle and bustle

The 798 art distric was a great find, full of interesring art and quirky boutique shops

Couldn't find a bin large enough!

Didn't expect to find the Ace Cafe here!

The Forbidden City, we would have to wait to go inside though

The famous Tiananmen Square

Our afternoon walk went through some interesting streets...

...and beautiful gardens

Our view from Brad and Joe's apartment - not too shabby

Tokyo, Japan

Wed, 14 Jun 2017 15:00:00 +0900

From expansive parks to illuminated streets - the contrasting landscapes of Tokyo Ok, so I'm sure everyone has preconceptions of what Tokyo is like, from the films, TV shows, newspaper articles and general hearsay we are exposed to. For most of you I'm sure, me included, it probably involves plenty of high-rise buildings, all with tiny, pod-like spaces inside; illuminated electronic signs on every street, advertising the latest brands or gadgets; technology being utilised in pretty much everything; and just millions of people, all using public transport at the same time. Well, to be fair, all of this was true in parts, but there were some other, surprising features we don't hear so much about back home. Our first experience, however, was exactly what we were expecting. Having commuted all the way over to Tokyo and struggled our way off the train, we were faced with a local JR rail journey in the heart of the city. We didn't get on the first train, as it was absolutely full, and although only going a couple of stops after catch the second one, I've never seen a carriage so packed. Even when there wasn't anymore room, people still managed to squeeze on. Being packed in like sardines, there was no chance of holding a handrail, but to be honest, it didn't matter a jot, as there was no space to fall into! Interestingly enough though, it was remarkably easy to get of the train, as if the carriage was bewitched, magically expanding when the doors opened to allow clear passage for those leaving the train. After all that excitement, we were glad to check into our hostel (not pods!), have some dinner and relax for the short time left in the day. Having only a couple of days in Japan's capital, we couldn't have done everything, not a chance, but we did decide to split our stay in two. The first day would be the more hectic of the two, spent in the east of the city, while the second would be more relaxing, over in the west. On the agenda for the day one was the Asakusa area, including the Senso-ji temple and Nakamise market, followed by a boat ride down the river to the Kabuki-za theatre, for a slice of the more unique in Japanese culture. In the baking heat, we ventured into the temple grounds, however for us, the hype the temple had received on Trip Adviser and other websites was a bit overblown for us. It was nice enough, the buildings rather impressive, especially the monumental pagoda rising high like an ancient giant sequoia tree. However, with the beauty and serenity of the Kyoto temples still fresh in our minds, this one really didn't stand up against them, so our stay was fairly short in comparison. Leading away from the temple, however, is a street lined with souvenir shops, ice cream parlours and small snack emporiums, all ready to relieve the thousands of tourists of a yen or two. It may have been quite touristy, but if there is anything you are looking for to take home, this is the place to come. Tea sets, kimonos, chopsticks, mugs, fans, shoes and a whole heap more. Being one of our last days in Japan, and having loved the culture so much, we thought it was only right to get something to show for it, so after a couple of hours of perusing, eating and drinking, we left the market ladened with a beautifully simple set of chopsticks, a kimono for B and a yukata for me, as well as an ice cream each to combat the heat of the afternoon sun. The river boat awaited us, so we headed over to the pier to join another orderly queue. The cruise itself wasn't much to right home about. A relaxing way to transit across the city, but unlike many other cities, the views from the water were less than impressive. Our drop off point also wasn't really close to anything, so a longish walk greeted us at the other end to reach the theatre. Culture Corner: Kabuki theatre, a Japanese art form going back hundreds of years, is most similar in the western world to opera, although the dialogue is not really sung, rather spoken with a lyrical cadence, the pitch dramatically changing throughout each sentence. With elaborate costumes and an all male cast, some playing female characters, the shows are usually performed in three acts, lasting at least 4 and a half hours in total, however, if you don't have the time for all of that, you can buy tickets for just one act, the structure of the plays being designed so that you still know what is going on, even if you haven't been there for the whole thing. We absolutely loved this quintessentially Japanese experience, a must for anyone who enjoys the arts, and the little handsets you can rent definitely help you understand the plot, as well as learning more about the history of Kabuki. It had amusingly staged fight scenes, authentic Japanese music, interesting plot twists, as well as a weird tradition of the audience shouting out the names of the actors or characters to encourage them during the performance! Our second day wasn't as rushed as the first, starting at the local post office to send yet another package home, followed by a proper Indian curry lunch, and I mean really good, traditional Indian food, before enjoy the previously unknown calmer side to this bustling city. Our first stop was at the Shinjuka Gyoen National Garden, the number one thing to do according to most Tokyo guide blogs. I must say, it's high accolades are well justified. Not only is it vast, but with ever-changing scenery as you journey along the paths, you can't help but get lost in a serene haze, a place to come to relax you body and mind. Amongst other things to explore are the French flower garden, English landscape garden, a wonderful tropical greenhouse, and a traditional Japanese garden, complete with arched stone bridges and feng shui styled rock formations. If you are feeling parched, there are plenty of small cafes and tea houses to stop by at, allowing you to stay for as long as you like. We continued our mind-detox just down the road at the Yoyogi Park, more forested than the last,and home to the Meiji Shrine and gardens, as beautiful as any you are likely to find in this ancient and historic country. Unfortunately we missed out on the heart of the gardens, but the rest of the park was a sea of calm, the soothing waves lapping peacefully against the souls of all who bathe in it. From the sublime to the ridiculous is a phrase often used, but rarely in my experience have I ever found a more justified situation for it than what happened next. Exiting the park, we walked the twenty minutes or so over to the district of Shibuya, the trendy, shopping heart of Tokyo. The much talked-about huge electronic advertising boards were here, illuminating the crowded streets below, attached to pretty much every shop or building. It was like Oxford Street on viagra, but the best part was yet to come. Staying with the Oxford Street comparison, recently the London shopping street has adopted a new design of crossing where it meets Regents Street, all the traffic lights turning red to allow pedestrians from each corner to cross in whatever direction they like. It can be chaos, people bumping into each other trying the cross paths with hundreds of other people, however it somehow works. The Shibuya crossing must have been the inspiration for that, just a bigger, busier, more manic version. Having chanced your luck at getting to your preferred destination before the red man angrily replaces his green counterpart, there are many elevated vantage points to watch this chaotic ballet unfold each time the traffic stops. Mesmerising and strangely hypnotic, you could spend a long time enjoying the spectacle, as well as some even more bizarre sights of you are lucky, such as the 8 or so go karts that raced by, each driver dressed as a different character from the Mario Kart franchise! After all this excitement, we were starting to get hungry, so we made a beeline for Ebisu, a culinarily vibrant district not far down the road. It was our last night in Japan, and having had our fair share of noodles and rice, we decided to splash out a bit more on a firm favourite of the Japanese diners. Wagyu beef is much talked about, and with good reason. Raised in such a way that veins of fat marble their way through each cut of meat, creating an impossibly tender and flavoursome treat for the tastebuds, this beef is not cheap, but words cannot really describe the value for money you are getting. Outside of Japan, genuine top-class Wagyu is rare, and incredibly pricy, so this is the best place to get it, and you won't be disappointed. At the restaurant that we visited, the selected cuts of meat were sliced into small, medallion sized pieces, and presented in a beautiful platter, ready for us to cook to our own specifications on the charcoal-fuelled grill in the centre of the table. Melting in the mouth like heated chocolate, we savoured each and every mouthful, complimenting the meat with a selection of vegetables and a bowl of rice, to create a sumptuously perfect meal. I did fall foul of an unfortunate moment at the start though, but I can't really be blamed as it was a very easy mistake to make. Having been presented with the circular grill, a few bowls of sauces and condiments, and what looked like a sliver of meat, we assumed that this was a complimentary amuse-bouche, sticking on the grill to brown off nicely. However, when I came to taste the sliver, I quickly found out that this was no free starter, the cut being extremely chewy. I soon realised it was a chunk of fat, and looking around at the other diners, a chunk supposed to be used to lubricants the grill, stopping the real steak from sticking! It might have shown our inexperience at posh restaurants, but it certainly gave us a laugh, and just one more thing to remember this amazing culinary experience with. It was soon time to journey back to the hostel, collect our bits and head to the airport, our Japanese adventure sadly over, but with many great memories to take away. Obi hostel - 8/10 Conveniently situated in the middle of Tokyo, there are a range of transport links in and around the area. The hotel itself was nice, although space in the dorms was at a premier. The cafe area downstairs was great, as was the wifi and helpful staff.

The Sensō-ji temple

The pagoda was quite impressive...

...but the gardens were nicest part

Some interestinf buildings, including the Tokyo Skytree

Space-aged boats for a space-aged city

There were some nice views along the riverside

The Rainbow Bridge in the background

Love the archetecture of the Nakagin Capsule Tower

The Kabuki-za theatre

Time to get cultured

There were stunning views across the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden from the start

The huge greenhouse had a vast collection of flowers and plants

I found the most beautiful petal of them all!

There were plenty of lakes and japanese-style bridges, as you would expect

There was also a French flower garden

The beautiful pavilion tucked away amongst the trees

These were strange. Still don't know what they were.

One of the traditional tea houses dotted around the park

The English landscape garden. Reminded me of home.

Time to explore the Meiji buildings in Yoyogi Park

The highlight of the park, the Meiji Shrine

The light fell beautifully upon the trees

That's a lot of wine gifted by the French...

...and a lot of sake opposite!

The Shibuya crossing - just completely mad!

We found an elevated spot, sat back and enjoyed!

The streets around Shibuya were much more what I expected of Tokyo

Time for dinner, Wagyu beef, cooked the way we like it

The meat was unbelievably tender and full of flavour

B with the other man in her life!

Hakone, Japan

Mon, 12 Jun 2017 12:00:00 +0900

Absolute beauty, yet with a tinge of disappointment Leaving a particular place you have enjoyed is never the best experience when traveling, or at anytime in life I suppose, but occasionally, there can be things that soften that blow. Often it is the next port of call, either for the place itself or the people you will meet there, but on rare occasions, it's the actual journey getting there that makes you most excited. This was one of those times. Ever since my childhood, I've been surrounded by trains, buses, trams, trolleybuses and a whole heap more transport related modes. Finding the nearest steam railway or being told which buses in deepest, darkest Cornwall were used on the number 438 to Harlesden in the 70's - this is the childhood for the son of a transport anorak! However, you do tend to grow a fondness for some of it, through pure repetition if nothing else, and it's in that vain that since being a wee lad, the prospect of being on a bullet train, rushing through the Japanese countryside from one city to another at ridiculous miles per hour has always grabbed me in a "that sounds really cool, I'd love to give it a go" kind of way. And finally, at the age of 29 and three quarters, this dream was finally going to come true along the Kyoto to Odawara line. Now, pretty much like British main line services, the Shinkansen train isn't cheap at over £80 one way, but unlike the aforementioned railway, it is clean, comfortable and on time! The front of the train has a nose akin to that of a love child between Barry Manilow and Pinocchio, a space age eel that bolts through the air at electrifying speed, clean white with leg room to envy the most spacious of stadium boxes. It was an incredible couple of hours, and if I'm honest, took a bit of getting used to, the velocity making me feel a bit queasy at first, much like experiencing a plane taking-off for the first time. The countryside whizzed passed furiously, but not too fast to enjoy the rolling green hills, countless rice paddies and snow-peaked mountains as we drew closer to our destination. After arriving, and being given a huge let off after realising I'd left our bullet train tickets on my seat prior to alighting, we bought our tickets for the next few days, the all important Hakone free pass, for anyone visiting the Hakone mountainous region for a couple of days or so. This pass allows you unlimited journeys on any of the transport systems in the local area, including the mountain train, funicular, ropeway gondola, countless bus services and even the sightseeing cruise across Lake Ashi. Please note: Despite the title given to the Hakone free pass, the pass is not actually free. It costs ¥4000 for two days, or an additional ¥500 for a third day to be added. I guess the free part is that fact you don't have to pay additionally for any of the services mentioned above. So, three modes of transport later, we were up on the mountainside looking for our hotel. Muggins here had forgotten to download the instruction, thus causing half an hour of searching, despite our accommodation being only a 2 minute walk from the station. Still, lesson learnt, and when we arrived, we discovered what a good choice we had made. The owner was quite possibly the jolliest man that had ever existed (Santa needing a whole pharmacy worth of anti-depressants to even get close); there was free ice cream at any time during the day or night; the place contained its own onsen (a Japanese hot spring bath), water naturally heated by the volcanic activity under the soil; as well as wonderful views over the valley and mountainous backdrop. As is the tradition in Hakone, our hotel was a ryokan, featuring Japanese-style rooms, with futon beds and low tables with the chairs that have no legs, yet are deceivingly comfortable. The dinner at this ryokan, as we had chosen half board, was also very traditional, consisting of small, bento box style portions of many different dishes, some meat, some fish, some noodles and others veg or tofu, a hot pot for the warm course, and all accompanied by unlimited amounts of rice and miso soup. It was quite the experience, and certainly the type of cultural immersion that we crave on our global travels. Oh, and the best bit, we got to wear kimonos around the place, somehow making us feel more comfortable and relaxed than staying in an alpine-style area would normally afford. As for activities, we certainly made the most of our passes, well, we had paid for them, so we were going to milk them for all they were worth! As the first day was getting on, we simply enjoyed a peaceful wander around the rose gardens, fountain and craft shops of the Hakone Gora park, before walking down to the town, realising there was nothing there and no buses for an hour and a half, so walking back up, and enjoyed another trip on the funicular back to our hotel. Wow, that was a short paragraph, but you are all happy about that! I think the next might be a bit longer! Our second day was a bit fuller than first, starting early enough, but cursing out luck, as the weather had closed in overnight, and although the rain pretty much stayed away, the clouds were an ever-present menace. Although this is not always the worst problem to deal with, when you are up in the mountains to enjoy the views, it is pretty much the worst scenario to have. Up on the top of Owakudani, usually with a volcanic show on offer, and terrific views of the whole district, including the ominous cone of Mount Fuji, though today all you could see was white, with the faintest sight of the sulphur-stained crater, although the strong smell certainly gave it away that we were really close. We did manage to make the most of the bad conditions though, by buying 5 black eggs, a delicacy for which this small town is renowned. I'm not entirely sure what they do to them to make them black, but I think it's something to do with boiling them in the volcanic water rich in sulphur. Whatever it is, legend has it that by eating just one of them, you will gain 7 extra years to your life. In that spirit, I've just gained 14 more years than I was getting - ace! So with eggs in my belly and clouds around my head, we headed down to Lake Ashi, to continue our tour of Hakone, this time by boat. Now call me a traditionalist if you will, but my understanding of a sightseeing tour of a lake predominantly focuses on the lake and its surroundings, and the appearance of the vessel you tour around in doesn't make that much different, save for the company logos. So I'm still puzzled as to why the operators of this route saw the need to use fake tall ships, much like those that appear in popular pirate movies. The crossing from one side to the other is only about 30 minutes, and the scenery is so beautiful, that it almost seems a shame that they've used this gimmick, actually drawing people's attention away from the thick, lush forests and mountains that look down on the lake with a protective solemness. Visibility down at this level was a tad better, but with the mist still shrouding the hill tops, there wasn't a hope in hell of seeing Mount Fuji at all today. Having docked at the first port of call, we decided on a leisurely walk to the next port, a mere half hour stroll through an ancient cedar lined walkway created over 400 years ago to provide protection from the elements. One in Motohakone, there is not a massive amount to do, other than have some lunch and enjoy the lakeside views (which we couldn't really do!). There is, however, a shrine that is worth the short walk and flight of stairs to reach. The grounds are lovely a peaceful, although this was slightly broken by an elderly dance troop performing their mix of martial art moves and modern dance. It was pretty fun really, and in such lovely surroundings, made it even better. We decided against paying to go inside the temple, but we spend a flaming half hour in the grounds, before it was time to head back into town for some lunch, a wonderfully small cafe playing host to our culinary needs. Having made the dash back to the original port, as all services from Motohakone had been suspended due to the weather, we got the ferry back across the lake, this time in near zero visibility as the weather had really set in, before performing the rest of our route again, this time in reverse. An evening of good food, a half-decent beer, a hot bath and free ice cream awaited us on our return, all these combining to send us off to sleep in a perfectly blissful mood. Our final day in Hakone started the same way as the first, a traditional Japanese breakfast of, well, much of the same stuff as we had for dinner, only smaller and with a sweet egg and beans dish. We weren't planning on staying long today, as we had planned to head into Tokyo at some point, but with the sky slightly clearer, and the clouds seemingly higher, we felt that retracing our steps of yesterday was a good idea, hopefully with the added bonus of actually being able to see something. To this extent, we were a whole heap more fortunate, the volcanic activity really impressing the crowds, a stark contrast from the whitewash of the previous day. The lake cruise was also much better, however being able to witness a wider scope of the wondrous forest wilderness on offer. Despite the surrounding prettiness, there was a significant disappointment to our whole stay in Hakone, like a major puzzle piece missing from the box. Although the conditions were much better today, there was still no sign of the snowy, conical peak of Mount Fuji, the clouds once again playing the role of an old, permanently-shut theatre's curtains, teasing as to what might be behind, but never revealing the true work of art. The way I see it though, with all the luck we have had at other places with the clouds behaving, especially Machu Picchu, I can't complain too much I suppose, especially as we enjoy our bakery treats on the boat back, the Bakery and Table a good choice for anyone keen on a pastry or a light lunch. Almost time to head in the direction of Tokyo, but before commencing the fun of lugging all our bags once again on public transport, just enough time for a final ice cream! Ryokan Suirinso - 10/10 The owner is the happiest man alive, the bath was so relaxing, the food was great and free ice cream! What more can I say. A great place to explore from and relax when the sun has set.

The Shinkansen bullet train looked more like a spaceship

B certainly enjoyed the rose garden

It was a lovely walk through Gora Park, but only because we started at the top - downhill all the way!

The town at the bottom of the hill had some nice views, but that was about it

Gora station though was lovely, like an alpine hotel

Breakfast, Japanese style

We made good use of our transport tickets, especially on the funicular

Ōwakundani - famous for its black eggs

They tasted just like a normal egg, just a bit more sulphury!

The low cloud made for some great views across Lake Ashi

There was some beautiful buildings hidden away on our walk to Motohakone...

...and some picturesque paths, like the Ancient Cedar Avenue

The Hakone shrine is a nice place to spend a bit of time

We were treated to a dance display by a group of women, some who were absolutely loving it!

This fountain may have been small, but one of the more interesting we had seen

A siamese tree!

The boats across the lake looked fancy, but they were just dressed up to look that way

The Hakone checkpoint

The mist really started to come down on our way back

Dinner time!

I loved the yukata the hotel provided

Not a bad place to wake up to each morning

We ventured back to Owakudani on the second day. Thankfully the weather was better.

More picturesque views from a cable car

The steaming vents of the volcano

Back on the boat

Blue sky!!!

Mount Fuji. Shame we couldn't see it.

The sulphur smell was really strong, but the dramatic scenery was well worth it

Back down the cable car

Kyōto, Japan

Fri, 09 Jun 2017 15:00:00 +0000

How can being so busy be so peaceful? "The best thing about this destination is the hotel." Very rarely will you ever hear these words spoken by a traveller or holiday maker, and if you do, it really means one of two things. Number one, the destination was not very good, or the more likely number two, they didn't venture outside their hotel resort to see some actual culture. One thing is most clear to me, that being those words will certainly NOT be coming out of my mouth or writing fingers when I talk about Kyoto. Then again, I suppose when you book budget places wherever you go, I suppose you will find it hard to find top notch accommodation, but usual even with our budget restraints, we find something half decent. Kyoto Guesthouse in Saiinsanzocho (we found that there are quite a few places called Kyoto Guesthouse, so we want to make sure you know the one we mean) was hard work, two words you most definitely don't want to use when speaking about your hotel. We found the place alright with the pictured instructions they sent us, but it wasn't until we arrived did the trouble begin. So, first of all it was self check in. They tell you the room you are staying in by email, the door should be open, and you deposit your things inside, using the combo lock as your security. Well, room 4, which was ours, was occupied, room 5, which they told to use as an alternative, hadn't been cleaned, with room 3 being the only one free and available, yet apparently not for us, with the owners changing their minds a couple of times as to if we could use it. A few message exchanges with Booking.com and we were eventually told to use room 3 until the other guests get back and we could swap with whoever was suppose to be in that room. It was very confusing, and a hassle we could have done without after a long coach journey from Hiroshima. Eventually we sorted it out ourselves with the other guests, in the end staying in room 3, for the first night anyway. The only plus point for a largely uneventful and annoying day was the dinner, which was taken at a very popular small restaurant selling skewers and other tapas-style dishes. It wasn't the cheapest place, but was certainly one of our favourites, the atmosphere being highly jovial, and the staff going all the way and beyond to cater for our Japanese-less inadequacies. With two full days in Kyoto, it was time to head out and explore this temple-heavy city. Our first port of call, not surprisingly, was a temple, the Rengeoin Sanjusangendo to be exact, home to a long hall housing 1000 golden Buddhas, all pretty much identical to each other, guarded in front by a group of Buddhist deities, these statues being darker with more expression than the others. In the middle of it all was the largest Buddha, must have been about 8 metres tall, ornately patterned and surrounded by shrines and gifts from those seeking a bit of holy fortune in their lives. The rest of the complex was fairly standard, although the Japanese garden did stand out as particularly beautiful. Next stop was a long, elevated walk through a huge Japanese graveyard to reach our second temple of the day, the Kiyomizu-dera. With peaceful walks snaking off from the main temple, taking in remote shrines and pagodas, one could spend a good few hours exploring the whole place, although to be honest, not all of it needs finding. There is a path that leads to various shrines designed for followers to hang their luck charms, the path flanked with vendors ready to sell you the luck you need. I'm not sure if this is traditional or not, but from the outside looking in, it certainly felt that the temple vendors were suggesting that good fortune could be bought, rather than earned through pious living and looking out for others. Still, from their point of view, they were making quite a few bob out of it, so you can't really blame them. As remarkable as some of the architecture in the temple was, the street leading away from it, down the hill to the main road, was equally as interesting. Flanked on either side with touristy shops, selling tea sets, kimonos, chopsticks, fans, and other temple-related tat, the street was jam-packed with people, some having dressed up for the day in hired kimonos, huge bows sitting snuggly on their waist, whilst others were lugging around carrier bags full of homebound souvenirs and gifts for their nearest and dearest. It was quite a sight, like a oldie-worldie version of Oxford Street, only with more crap than a waste disposal unit at Glastonbury. Our yen was better spend here on a couple of ice creams, just the ticket for the fiery hot afternoon. It took some finding, but eventually we located the bus stop needed to take us to our final temple complex of the day, and boy was it different from the others. The Fushimi Inari Taisha had the same types of buildings near the entrance, the main temple, side halls and shrines painted in a vivid orange colour. However, what lied behind was far more interesting. Not just satisfied with forested paths leading in multiple directions to the various temples and shrines hidden within, but these paths were adorned with beautiful Japanese gates, one erected every half metres or so, providing an orange tunnel to guide you to your desired destination. We spend a good couple of hours getting lost in these paths, finding small crevices and shrines hidden from view, finally making our way back to the entrance as the sun was saying it's last goodbyes for the day. We could have ended the day there, but the appeal of dinner and a walk along the canals in Gion was too much to resist, and despite the traditional-looking street of Pontocho Alley being somewhat ruined by expensive restaurants, not the local living it promised, it was an evening well spent. The Japanese curry was great, but unfortunately the night market I'd found turned out to be a day market, much to B's disappointment (oopsie poopsie!). Still, a cold beer back at the guesthouse, courtesy of Lawsons, was more than enough to make up for that. Next day, more temples. This time Kinkaku-ji and Ryōan-ji, the first with a beautiful island temples and pleasant gardens, the second with even better gardens, including a plant-free rock garden, but not as impressive temple. Both are fairly quick to visit, and well worth the journey to the outskirts of the city to see them. The famous Kyoto castle (also known as Nijō castle) was next, with well maintained-gardens and a castle that remains in the state it would have looked like in its hay day, as oppose to being turned into yet another museum with artefacts lining the walls. This for me was much better, as the patterns on the walls and sliding door designs were clear for everyone to see, giving a much clearer picture than reproduced images or models. Now please don't think that the lack of word count about these three places is a sign that they were not very good. In fact, in my opinion, they are must-sees if you are fortunate enough to spend some time in this ancient city. It's just that I'm sure by now, if you've been following my blog, you are probably sick of hearing about temples, and for me, there is only so much I can write without sounding like I've got the copy and paste technique down to a tee. Let's be fair, how many synonyms for ornate, beautiful and impressive are there? And guess what. The early evening was spent in the day market that wasn't a night market, and that's about all the original things I can say about it. It had a few souvenir stalls and a lot of food stalls. There you go, the market. Well, I will say another quick thing about it. It's where we picked up a bottle of sake, after a few tasters came our way, and where we bought a set of personalised chopsticks each, for special occasions you understand. Right, I think that will do. Having returned to the guesthouse, the final evening was eventless, and the morning early, as we had to catch a bus to the station, our first bullet train experience awaiting us on our arrival. Kyoto was great, full of interesting temples and a rich history running like veins through the city. It seemed that every place had been blessed with a magical calmness that washed over each visitor, despite the heaving crowds in some places. Stopping here a definite must for those visiting Japan. Still, more adventures are ahead, so onwards we must go, very quickly by the sounds of it! Kyoto Guesthouse Saiinsanzocho - 5/10 The room was spacious, beds very comfortable, and shower pleasantly hot. However, the organisation of this place was crap, there's no other way to put it, with the owners seemingly caring little for who stays and where they go. It's a shame really. With proper management, this place could be really good.

The Rengeoin Sanjusangendo temple, with 1000 golden Buddhas inside

There were plenty of shrines everywhere in the city

There was a beautiful orange pergola running the length of the outer wall

The small Japanese garden was beautiful

The small temples opposite were just as picturesque

The place to come to buy your tombstone

The graveyard was huge, like a grand model of a skyscrapper-ladened city

You could see for miles from the Kiyomizu-dera temple

Plenty of smaller temples hidden in the forest

Not a bad entrance at the Fushimi Inari Taisha temple

The tunneled paths were an unexpected surprise

They seemed to go in every direction, but to where?

I managed to find a bamboo forest down one of the smaller paths

This small cemetery was beautiful

The narrow streets of Gion

The Pontocho Alley was a bit too touristy for us. Expensive as well!

The Kinkaku-ji temple was probably the most stunning of the lot

The grounds were amazing...

...and the temple was beautiful.

If you want a peaceful setting, the Ryōan-ji temple is the place to go

It doesn't get much more Japanese than this

The famous feng shui rock garden

Our final stop at the Nijō castle

The grand gate was quite something

Another beautiful garden

The whole feel of this placed oozed of an older era

I didn't know about that bald spot!

We seemed to walk from one incredible sight to another

The watchtower in the early evening glow

For B's sake, we had to get a bottle!

Hiroshima, Japan

Wed, 07 Jun 2017 22:30:00 +0000

Witnessing first hand the destructiveness of nuclear technology Taking just over 5 hours, our coach journey from Osaka to Hiroshima was very comfortable, if about double the time of the Shinkansen bullet train serving the same route. We considered taking the bullet train, but the tickets were over double the price of the coach, and thinking we wouldn't be using the train system enough to warrant the large investment of a J-Rail pass, the coach was definitely the most cost-efficient option. The driver, adorning pristine white gloves, was very courteous throughout the journey, a trait we had come to realise was very popular amongst Japanese people, putting a board up every time we stopped at a service station (we did this more times than I'd expected!) to inform us of the time the coach would be leaving to stay on course to arrive at precisely the right time at each destination. In the late-evening's darkness, we arrived in Hiroshima, trudging our way over to the Evergreen Hostel with just enough time before check in closed for the night. As you can infer, it was late, so without too much delay, we headed for our sleeping berths and bedded down for the night. Hiroshima is very well-known throughout the globe, but really for only one reason. Unfortunately it isn't to do with any delicate creation they make, or amazing scenic vistas they boast (although I'm assured they do have a few of these, especially south of the city at Itsukushima island with their famous Torii gate). No, the unwanted fame that is bestowed on the city is the fact it was the victim of the world's first aggressive atomic explosion, a terrible event commemorated by the development of the Hiroshima peace park on the land around the epicentre of the bombing. A wonderfully respectful area, we had planned on spending 3-4 hours wondering the gardens and visiting the museum, but with an unexpected turn of fortune, our trip didn't quite follow our plan. As I was reading the first of many signs around the park, I was approached by a kind-looking Japanese woman, equipped with a range of folders and sporting a name badge, who offered us a free tour of the park, as she wanted the opportunity to practice her English on native speakers, referring to us as her teachers for the day, although in truth, it was definitely the other way round. Not just showing us all the main sites, but being very informative with her brochure of facts and photos, Azumi showed us the Atomic Bomb Dome, the Peace Bell, the Children's Peace Monument, the Cenotaph, and a number of other smaller memorials. Another interesting, yet much smaller and easier to miss than the others was the plaque that denoted the hypocentre of the bomb's explosion, known as Ground Zero. The word hypocentre is used here instead of epicentre, as with most nuclear explosions, the bomb detonated above the ground (about 600m in this case). This was designed to create maximum distraction, as the affected area would be much greater, than if the bomb exploded on the ground, the surrounding buildings taking most of the impact, limiting the damage radius. As with anything you really enjoy, the time went far too quickly, and it was soon time for Azumi and ourselves to part company, Azumi leaving us with a gift of a paper crane and huge smile. The generosity and will to improve demonstrated to us really struck a chord, and just reiterated what an amazing society Japan has managed to build up. Carrying on our visit, the museum was a world away from many of the other war-centred museums we had visited, as there was no blamed attached to anyone here, no provocative language used against their enemies, only a factual account of what happened, how atomic and nuclear bombs were created and developed, and the overwhelmingly convincing reasons why their continued existence should be terminated. A really well curated exhibition, and one that not only brings home the magnitude of what happened, and the severe affect it had on human life, but also refrains from finger-pointing, as the global situation at that time meant that no party was without fault. One interesting idea that the organising committee had come up with was a novel way to recycle and reuse the paper from the many millions of paper cranes that the park received each year, a number far too high to store permanently. Instead of just chucking them away, they recycle the cranes, using the new paper to create notebooks, letter sets, postcards and a whole heap more. The profits from these are used in the upkeep of the park, and continued support of the victims of war, both in Japan and further afield. Feeling humbled and sombre, we could have ended our day there, but the afternoon was still young, and it would be a waste to come all this way to finish early, so we made our way the short distance over to Hiroshima castle, a beautiful building totally destroyed in the bombing, but faithfully rebuilt in the style of the original, one more housing a museum of artefacts and tales, much like the castle in Osaka, as well as great panoramic views of the surrounding area from the very top floor. By the time we reach the viewing level, it was almost time closing time, but we still had just enough time to enjoy the vistas, as well as dive into the dress-up room to try on the replica samurai armour, posing for a few historically inaccurate photos in the process! Having stopped for a dinner of HOT noodles, we wandered back to the park to see the monuments tastefully lit up, providing the perfect environment to relax into the night. What was unexpected though, and truly beautiful, was the presence of a local school choir singing hymns across the river, their own small tribute to the fallen. Harmonious, delicate and above all moving, this was by far the most fitting way to end a sober and thought-provoking day. We were back to the coach station in the morning, but not before getting the chance to witness the chiming of the park's clock at 8:15, denoting the exact time the bomb struck, changing the world in the process. Thinking it a fitting way to end our stay, I decided to sit a little longer in the park, plug my headphones in, and listen to the arresting Penderecki composition, 'Threnody for the victims of Hiroshima'. Listening to this piece of music in the place were the atrocity it represents occurred brought a new dimension to the atonal harmonies, making them seem even more lifelike than ever before. The Evergreen Hostel - 7/10 In a city were accommodated in pricy, this hostel provided all the amenities you need, with good wifi, clean showers and adequate cooking facilities. It's close to the Peace Park and near the main road, giving access to a whole range of public transport. It could benefit from a larger communal area, but that's about it really.

The understated plaque that represents Ground Zero, the exact position, 600m up, where the bomb exploded

There were plenty of small memorials throughout the park

The A-Bomb Dome and old fountain, a stark reminder of the destruction of nulear weapons

Its clear to see the damage, especially the dome, where the iron frame remained, but the copper covering melted away

A Japanese graveyard directly underneath the hypocentre. The tops took the brunt of the blast, but the sides were unaffected and still smooth

One of the bridges that remained after the blast

The Children's Peace Monument, complete with cases of paper cranes around

There was even a small ceremony from local scholl children whilst we were there

Stones from Ben Nevis and England, presented as a gift of remembrance

This one remembers the South Korean victims of the blast

The cenotaph, in a perfect line with the A-Bomb Dome and Flame of Peace

Azumi, our guide for the morning

Some of the artefacts left over from the bomb

The museum was very thought-provoking

Glass bottles stuck together by the intense heat

An old oil lantern

Ringing the Peace Bell, maybe one day it will strike a chord with our world leaders.

The clock tower, chiming the exact time each morning that the bomb exploded

After the Peace Park, we visited Hiroshima Castle

Some of the buildings had rooms laid out as they would have looked

A mock-up of how the Samarai would have lived

There were some splendid views from the top

Samarai Hickman, ready to fight

The A-Bomb Dome and other monuments were lit up perfectly at night

We were even treated to a memorial concert by local school children

Ōsaka, Japan

Mon, 05 Jun 2017 02:00:00 +0000

Into the land of the rising sun, technology and politeness Half past ridiculously early. That was the exact time we landed in Japan, after adjusting the clocks to accommodate the time change of course. Nothing in the airport was open, taxis were beyond the acceptable range to be called excessively expensive, and only one bus route ran at that time, leaving us without much option but to take it. Still, despite being void of any real energy, there were a few nice surprises that greeted us in country number 30 of our trip. A simple task of going to the toilet. There have been many moments of bemusement, disbelief and downright disgust at various toilet experiences along our travel, but this surprise took us in a whole new direction, of amusement, wonder and complete satisfaction. Why you ask? The toilet had a remote control, making all kinds of strange things happen, from playing water sounds to hide your own aural moments, heating the toilet seat and even controlling different jets of water, spraying in a range of directions to suit all bathroom requirements I can only presume. Another nice surprise, this time away from bodily functions, were the politeness and manners of all the staff. We got on the bus, and the station attendances bowed at us as we left. Only a small thing I know, but it is the small things in life that make the biggest differences I found. Anyway, away in the bus we went, and after switching to a taxi in the city centre, it wasn't long before we had reached our hotel, the sky starting to lighten by this time, and settled down to catch some zeds before the day complete arose. Japan. Not the biggest country in the world, and not the biggest cities scattered around it, yet a fairly sizeable population. This has meant that space in Japan, particularly in the big cities, is at somewhat of a premium. At our hotel, this we found out first hand. Having booked a twin room with a bunk bed (accommodation is expensive in Japan you know!), we woke up to see it in the daylight. In the room was the bunk bed, and, erm, well - no, that's it, as there was no space for anything else. Between the bed and the far wall was a gap of no more than 50cm, and a similar space between the end of the bed and the door. Nice and cosy one might say, once one had picked oneself up from the floor, having tripped over all the bags that had nowhere to go (that's presuming there was free floor to fall onto, which there wasn't!). Still, a bed is a bed, and although we felt like contestants on the Crystal Maze every time we went to bed, it was fine for a few nights. Our first day, after waking up in the early afternoon, was quite lazy I'm sure you can imagine, yet we still managed to fit in a few cultural experience in the short time we were out and about. First of all the covered pedestrian shopping streets are a fantastic idea, great to stay cool or dry whilst having all the shops in one place. Brilliant. And secondly, Japanese savoury pancakes are the bomb (non-atomic of course!). Okonomiyaki, as it's known, was an unknown food stuff before our arrival in Osaka, but boy are we converted now. A pancake made with egg, noodles, meat, vegetables and a delicious array of sauces all combine, on a grill plate in front of you, to make an unbelievably tasty meal, perfect with a beer of glass of sake. Mm mm mmmmmm! Well, not being able to top that, we opted for a drink in a bar for the evening, as well as a game of darts, this bar having a few of the rubber electronic boards gracing its walls. However, there was time before that to enjoy a lovely long soak in the hotel's onsen (hot bath) and a good steam in the sauna. You've got to love Japanese culture! Day 2 was our busy day, taking in three of the main attractions Osaka has to offer. First up was the city's castle and surrounding park, a beautiful spot to take a peaceful walk and see some of the traditional Japanese architecture still on show. With seven floors, the castle itself was full of interesting artefacts and tales of the old kings that presided over this land. It was just a shame really that every floor was a part of this collection, not keeping any space to showcase what the inside of the building would have been like many centuries ago. Other highlights were the views around the moat, seeing the castle at many different angles, all displaying the fortress centre resplendently, overlooking its parkland subjects; the giant stones used to create the inner walls, some as long as a railway carriage, yet double the height; and finding many ancient shrines hidden between the scattered trees. It was soon time for a spot of lunch, but this meal became memorable for a number of reasons, not all positive. In a country where the written language is unlike anything we get in Europe, ordering food often relies on looking at pictures and deciding what looks best, rather than what sounds good. This is where I hit misfortune. Udon noodles with a meat topping looked pretty good, so that's what I ordered from the automated ticket machine. Although strange to us, this system, where you get your order ticket after paying, then hand it over to the staff to be cooked, is very popular at many restaurants in Japan. It's very convenient, when you actually use it, as long as it has an English mode or easy to follow instructions, as there is no confusing with what you are ordering on account of the language barrier - you get what you punch in! All good so far we thought, but that all unravelled when we received our meals. B's was lovely, and my udon noodles would have been great I'm sure, except they were cold, and not just a bit cold, they were mixed with ice, meaning this was quite deliberate. This, I was not happy with. Feeling let down like a field of deflating balloons, I struggled through my lunch, not really enjoying this Japanese delicacy. I think I'll stick to hot in future! Continuing the day, we headed over to the dock lands, a popular tourist area as it is home to many great attraction, including a LEGO discovery centre and theme park. These, however, were not part of our itinerary, as we decided that we would visit the aquarium, before taking a ride of the Osaka Eye, or whatever they call their glorified ferris wheel. The pinnacle of the day, no doubt, was the massive central tank at the aquarium, hosting a range of fish and marine life, including rays, a school of mackerel, reef and hammerhead sharks, as well as the number one attraction, a pair of enormous, spotted whale sharks. Hours, days, weeks, years could have gone by as I gazed dreamily at the fish's mesmerising waltz. It was without equal from any other aquarium I'd ever visited, and it would take an almighty effort from any I would visit in the future. Along with this mammoth tank, the marine centre also housed otters, capybaras, jellyfish, penguins and dolphins, although I'm not convinced the latter should be in captivity at all. There was even a chance to feel some of the smaller reef sharks and rays in the 'petting' room, which pleased B no end, having never experienced this at a Sealife Centre back home. It all came together to form a brilliant few hours, and made the ensuing ferris wheel ride seem quite mediocre in comparison, although the views were pretty decent from the top as the setting sun lent a special hue to all the high rise buildings and bridges in the local facility. We had a very pleasant final day in Osaka, taking in the well-known covered shopping streets of Shinsaibashisuji, as well as enjoying the bright lights, big signs and peaceful canal of the Dotonbori area, despite the rain doing its best to ruin the mood. Selling pretty much everything you could want, from clothes to homeware, food and the must-have touristy nick-nacks, the shopping streets were packed, adorned with international high street names, as well as more local, independent stores. It was fantastic to see, and the bustling atmosphere created by locals and tourists alike looking for a great bargain was electric, much like the signs that lined the avenues outside. Coming across a conveyer-belt sushi restaurant, we found our lunch destination, enjoying the last couple of hours in Osaka before heading out by coach to our next Japanese destination. Hotel Mikado - 8/10 The rooms are very small, not providing much room for any sort of movement of baggage storage in the rooms themselves, however, the other facilities far outweigh this little inconvenience. The sauna and hot bath is very relaxing, as long as you are comfortable with naked public bathing; the coin laundry is very cheap and efficient; and the food options in reception are convenient, if lacking haute cuisine. The staff also excel in their politeness and helpfulness, always providing detailed answers to any questions we posed.

Time for an okonomiyaki lunch

These japanese pancakes were unbelivably delicious

The outer forts at Osaka Castle

The grounds around the castle were resplendant in the sun

The size of the stones that make up this wall are insane

Some of the decorations that once graced the outside of the castle

Views from the top

Osaka Castle in all its glory

Even the boats looked good

The view of the castle from the outside was better than the museum inside, in my opinion anyway

Otters at Osaka aquarium

The viewing walkway gave some great, close-up views

Look at them torpedo through the water

The sea otter enjoying his ball of ice

Some of the fish looked so strange, although I guess they would probably think the same about me!

The lovely capybaras

Everyone loves penguins!

Rays up close

The main tank at the aquarium was just magical

Stealing the show were the pair of whale sharks

They had plenty of different species all cohabiting

The flying parade of rays

Love this shot

The whale sharks were enormous

Let's not forget about these fellows. Not the same as swimmig with them in the Galapagos Islands though.

Cheer up you old bugger

This guitarfish couldn't make its mind up as to whether it wanted to be a shark or a ray, so chose both!

How many fish do you see at first?

The whole tank was mesmerising

You looking at me?

The infamous hammerhead shark

These spider crabs were massive

More rays

Even had fat ones!

These jellyfish were stuck on each other

They did keep getting tangled up

Stroking the shark. Had to be gentle as there was no heavy petting allowed in the water!

This cross section was awesome

Time for a trip on the Osaka Eye

That's the aquarium in red

The Dotonbori area was bright, flashy and in your face...

...but the canal was peaceful.

The Tsutenkaku Tower

I love the toilets in Osaka. Warm seats, privacy sounds and even a remote control!

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Wed, 31 May 2017 16:30:00 +0800

British China What sorts of things come to mind when you think about Hong Kong? Ultra modern? A huge western influence? Business and banking skyscrapers dominating the skyline? Well, in parts, that's absolutely what it is, yet venture out from the hustle and bustle of the harbour, and you'll find a different, darker side less published by the travel agents and tour companies. These are the parts that we like to find out about, seeing the real city and what life is like for the less well-off locals, and one of the best ways of seeing this is by going on a walking tour, run by a local, who knows the city inside out, and who's not afraid to go behind the really touristy places, focussing more on what life is really like. So, naturally, we chose the best reviewed company who offers free walking tours, and went along for the ride, well, on the second day anyway. The first was spent applying for a Chinese visa, then wandering through the highly touristy Ladies Market, before heading back to the hotel, and like always, B didn't return empty handed, a new bag and a rubic's cube in tow. Top tip of the day: If, whilst travelling, you decide that China is somewhere you'd like to visit, Hong Kong seems like the best place to get your visa. The process is much quicker, and does not require you to give your full itinerary whilst in China. This was particular good for us as we haven't exactly decided what and when we will be venturing outside Beijing to soak up more of the Sini culture. Also, instead of taking 4 days, we got our the next day, although this service does come at quite the premium, but when time is against you, sometimes you just need to bite the bullet. Right, on to the tour. Our Friday tour took us around the streets of Kowloon, the area on the other side of the Harbour to Hong Kong Island. Close to the bay, the stores are luxury and the hotels mightily expensive, but the further north you travel, the more this materialist vibe softens and fades, at least from a visual and retail viewpoint. The tour took us to some of the markets less known to the tourists, such as the goldfish market, flower market, bird market and meat market, all selling pretty much what it says on the tin, the goldfish market the most troubling of all, where they put fish in plastic bags with enough air to last them a couple of days, and if they are not sold by then, in the bin they go. Also on the itinerary was a 'cursed' building, misfortune coming to anyone who tried to knock it down after the owner requested his pride and joy remain untouched after his death. It is now a school for traditional medicines, as well as housing a herbal tea shop on the ground floor, perfect to relieve all and every ailment under the sun. The most disturbing part though was yet to come. Ok, just to let you know, I might get a bit political here, but bear with me, it's worth knowing, unlike anything that comes out of Teresa May's mouth, as it's all just a pack of lies and bullshit. Sorry, back to Hong Kong. They have a massive problem. Their economy is built on their housing market, with 20% of their GDP coming from this sector. So, when house prices and rents are high, the economy is high as well, try to bring the cost of housing down, the economy suffers. This has resulting in unthinkable problems, where even people in full time employment can't afford the ridiculous rents, so either sleep rough, or in environments worse than slums. There are apartments when you can rent out a part of a room, others where you pay to sleep in a cage with all your possessions, and even stairwells that transform into bedrooms at night, and still cost you over £400 a month. It's scandalous, completely unacceptable for an area that considers itself a global player. However, with a government chosen by a few, not the masses, this will take something huge to redress the balance and initiate real change. Our day ended with a leisurely stroll through Kowloon Park on the way to pick up our visas, another market, this time the Temple Road market, where we bought absolutely nothing, as it was all the same old touristy shit we had seen for the last 4 weeks, and finally ending with takeaway noodles and a can of Chinese beer. Nuff said. As if it was a carbon copy of yesterday, we started Saturday with a free walking tour, same company (The Hong Kong free tour), but different area, this time on the other side of the harbour in Hong Kong island itself. The information given today was much more about the history of This interesting place, rather than the current political situation, although there was more than enough politics in its history to keep us preoccupied. The tour was primarily focused around the harbour and business areas, the sights not really as authentic or exotic as yesterday, as almost every building was a modern skyscraper associated to one bank or the other. It was interesting though the hear about the struggles, uncertainty and potential future of this place from a resident, something that really made you wonder if the British rule was really such a good thing, especially now that it's been handed back instead of becoming independent. Anyway, enough of my political speculation, I'm sure you're all sick of that by now with the election fun bus in full swing! Having finished the tour and wandered around the lesser known roads, we headed back to the harbour, to enjoy some of the international dragon boat tournament that was drawing in the crowds from near and far. The racing was fun to watch, but what really made it enjoyable was meeting a lovey couple from New Zealand, who we ended up chatting to long after the last race was run, even sharing their free beer vouchers with us. We would end up meeting with them later in the evening, to try out a new brewpub that had just opened, but first, we ventured back to the other side of the bay, not by metro this time, but by Star Ferry, a popular service that crosses the few hundred metres from port to port, only costing about 26 pence each. T wasn't long, but well worth a trip, as you get to see both skylines as you slowly navigate the water. Before needing to catch the bus to the airport, we had a good few hours to kill, so what better way then spending them at the Hong Kong Science Museum? I'm sure the curators got their inspiration from their name sake in London, as the whole feel of the place brought me straight back to South Kensington. I wish they had taken the size of the queue to get in from London as well, as we are not used to waiting half an hour to buy a ticket. Still, it was inexpensive for what they had on offer, and the queue was in shade for most of the time. The highlight of the museum was an Ancient Egyptian exhibition they had on, in association with the British Museum. Mummies, canopic jars, statues and more filling the glass cases all around, each surrounded by a human wall of visitors desperate to get a glimpse of these ancient artefacts before the whole thing returned to England. It was nice in a way to see so many people interesting in the history and culture of this great civilisation, but I would have much preferred to enjoy the displays in peace, the jostling, bashing and general cacophony of noise being a problem for another day. Still, I enjoyed it for what it was, and the rest of the museum was highly interesting as well, with many interactive activities and informative games sprinkled around each floor. I would suggest an improvement though, as with no cafe, they are losing out on a lot of business, judging on what the museums back home charge for a cup of tea and slice of cake! Having spent the hours productively, it was time to head to the airport on an event free journey, ready to catch our plane to the place of the rising sun. London Guest House - 7/10 It was a bit cramped, but being in a very central location, with lots to do nearby and easy access to the metro made it a very convenient place to stay. The room was comfortable, and having about 200 toilet rolls behind the bed meant we were never endangered of running out!

Opening hours at the goldfish market

Seems a strange way to buy a pet

Pink frogs, more as food than a pet

He's a funny looking fellow!

They had fish of all colours and sizes

Moving on to the flower market

This one seems a bit more pleasant than the last

The bird market. Not as popular as it once was.

Built to be different

Housing like this was not what I was expecting to see in Hong Kong.

The cheapest Michalin starred restaurant in the world

Paying a visit to Hong Kong Island

We were surprised to see a dragon boat regatta in full swing

The architecture on this side of the harbour was much more modern

Sights more akin to what you would expect in Hong Kong

Love the rivalry with the banks here. The Bank of China built their bank on the left, looking like a chainsaw threatening the HSBC building on the right. As a consequence, HSBC built a cannon-like structure on the top facing the Bank of China!

The HSBC bank headquarters were amazing. They can even take the building apart and reassemble it in a different location!

The HSBC lion

The lion the Bank of China had commisioned to rival that of HSBC. I know which one I prefer!

Lunch at a traditional tea house. We literally had no idea what we were ordering or what was going on for that matter!

The ladies with the trolleys got swarmed of they had anything decent

This apartment block is mad

Hong Kong's very own tram network

Great views across the harbour. More of this later.

The dragon boat festival was still buzzing with activity

Views from the grandstand

As promised, more views of the harbour

The famous Star ferry crossing the bay

The Hong Kong Science museum had an Egyptian exhibition on, in association with the good old British Museum

They had 'traditional' mummies

And Roman mummies, with a painted board to represent the face

I'd never seen mummies like these before, a mixture of Roman, Greek and Egyptian culture