We were told glam but nothing could have prepared us for the wedding we have just been to and a massive thank you to both Patel families and all the guests for inviting us and making us feel so so welcome and part of the family. Olly and Celine - I have taken notes and feel sure we can borrow some of the ideas for Binsey!
First question - The clothes - how did we do on the style challenge. Well I think 6/10! I didn'yt manage a sari - which am sad about - instead 1 blue and 1 silver silk kurta and shawl and pyjamas (really tight trousers at the bottom baggy at the top)... Matty did a kurta and waistcoat - Toto just a kurta! I think we looked a little old fashioned... but smart enough! judge for yourselves on the new photos we've published! I have to say tho we didn't once feel uncomfortable - everyone was lovely!
Now excuse much wedding detail - but it is hard to do justice to such an amazing experience!
After the bumpy arrival we finally emerged at about 11am for Vishal's mmm (here I now wish I had the invite so I could use the proper term - please excuse...) painting ceremony... basically involving him having tumeric thrown on his face and lovely white suit. Then much food and then sweets were handed over... relatively simple and straightforward. A couple of hours rest and time to dress for the next occasion. We all climbed into buses and headed into the Gujarati countryside past villages and fields... before stopping as the road got too narrow to move into cars and jeeps... at this point we found out the family had rebuilt the road for the wedding... we were really in a remote area of gujarat. About 20 or so minutes later along a very bumpy road, negotiating past water buffalo etc we arrived at a ruined palace and wow! Dinner, drinks and music in one of the most romantic locations I have ever seen. A ruined walled palace on a cliff overlooking a wide curving river and desert like plains. (a little similar to the view from the Taj Mahal) The grounds of the palace had been decorated with bright jewel coloured tents, with hanging birds and bells, sofas with jewelled cushions, fairy lights and garlands, a swimming pool (a later addition to the ancient palace!) had been filled with saffron and red flower petals and floating candles and was lit with red lights, around the side different coloured petals had been shaped into kissing love birds..... Around the outside was a buffet and then in the centre a stage with amazing live music.
It was breathtaking!
Toby had a wonderful time running round the palace, taking prisoners, dancing round the petal birds, drinving Ahaan's trusty Mumbai Taxi along the ruins... meeting his first Indian lady - a 6 year old who he danced with on the empty stage, and we then had to seperate to allow Vishal and Payal's first dance some privacy... they then took to the stage to join the musicians. Fireworks, smuggled in beers, lovely cananapes, great company... A kind family with a 2 and 10 year old gave us a lift back earlier than most of the guests.... a good ideas as I think Toto would have flagged and turned menace... but instead we all had the most wonderful time... and really didn't want to leave.
Onto the morning of the wedding - we were told it would be much more sedate with no music - and worried a little that we might need a babysitter! Well - sedate obviously means something different in Gujarat! Again we left at about 4 in coaches and drove for 1 1/2 hrs across the countryside to the next remote venue. Vishal in an amazing wedding car covered entirely with white and saffron garlands. We then got off the coach and the drumming and clarinetting started! Red dressed and turbanned musicians making an amazing noise, everyone started dancing - especially all Vishal's boys - all dressed in amazing gold, and jewelled kurta... we almost missed the fact that Vishal at this point had been removed and placed in a glowing lit us carriage drawn by 4 white horses in finery and accompanied by all his amazingly glamourous sisters/ 1st cousins. This is the groom's entrance! (The bride is no where to be seen at the moment - and has a much quieter arrival later). We processed slowly along a village lane with the most amazing noise (you couldn't speak), dancing, then fireworks (health and safety not a concern here - they were about 200 metres away from us all in a cardboard box - one heading off horizontally at one point!)... the bpys dancing at the front of the horses and carriages, the parents and uncles and aunts dancing at the front of the procession... water and all the guest in the middle with Toto making the occasional mad dash thro the crowd (arghhhh!!) ... The drums were taken over by just clarinets as we entered the main venue... and thougtfully cold towels and water were handed out!
Then into a stunning wedding venue with waterfalls, flowers and a centra stage for the ceremony.... and the biggest buffet we have ever seen. The ceremony everyone agreed is very long and hard to understand. Vishal and Payal - groom and bride have no rehersal and don't know what's happening until it happens... must be very strange. But it included V's feet being washed, then P arrived at the front of a procession of all her family... wearing a gorgeous green and red sari. Then they both had garland put on them then a string of flowers round both their necks... holding them together.... it was beautiful and they are accompanied up on the stage) a little like a huppa - by all their family.
I have to confess that we didn't stay the whole ceremony - apparently this is acceptable as everyone thinks its ratehr long! We were tempted away by the buffet to the scent of freshly cooked roti bread, sizzling vegetable platters, rosti, bbq panner that Matty thought was chicken.... amazing complete with waitresses who kept bring us new dishes to try... including for desert the choice of kulfi (frozen milk) or 'pudding' - we could get no more explanation of what it was other than called 'pudding' - in the end like trifle.
As the cold finally drew in at midnight, so full of delicious food, quite tearful about the end of wedding, slightly creased we hitched a lift back with a lovely solicitor matty knew from london and his wife... who told us that all Patels originate from the area of gujarat that we were in - amazing ... and then tried to convince us to emigrate to Dubai - I was tempeted!
I must stop now! Sorry to go on! We leave tomorrow am for Goa... the plan being 10 days relaxing on the beach.. then inland to the ruins of hampi, mysore, wildlife parks, then onto Dad's Nilgri hills and we hope to stay on a tea and cinnamon plantation... before going coast ward again to Kerala.
So far India is a country of extreme highs and lows for us... we can't maintain this pace with toto so hope Southern india will be a little more gentle on us all!
today the irritation of being told we couldn't go to Champner a nearby 13th century ruin (not sure why - they were worried it was too hot!!) and that they had a much better place to take us - turned out after a 40 min drive to be a rather run down park... no ruins - a bit like walthamstow in gujarat- I was gutted!
Huge christmas love to everyone. Matty and I are really quite emotional not to be with the family... one and all... We know we are really lucky - beyond lucky - but so sad to miss out too! We have no idea what our next home in Goa will be like - suprise suprise most places were booked! But we plan to be toasting our lovely family and friends with cold beer (I am luring Matty onto the dark side of beer) and fresh fish on the day.
The only sign of xmas here is some rather naff decorations and lovely silent night lift music that started yesterday! Feel rather mean that Toto know nothing of it and will have no pressies... but hey... On the plus side - have seen many goat in fantastic costumes on their way to being slaughtered for Eid... (2 days ago) altho according to the Gujarat times this has been a tough eid as goat prices have rocketed - for anyone who's interested (I was facinated) an Eid goat used to cost ~46 pounds, they are now about 70! So goat shares have been happening.... anyhow I digress but how can the average Indian family afford that...??? Much much love again and hope you all have wonderful breaks, delicious food and that father christmas comes.
Kate x
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
From Ahmeda-Bad To Worse
ok .. so just when the travelling side of things felt like it couldn't get any tougher came the journey to the wedding !!!
Ironically this should have been relatively straightforward as we had been nice and organised and it was a straightforward trip ... a 1 hour flight from delhi to Ahmedabad where a car had been arranged to pick us up and drive us the 80km or so to our hotel in Vadodara for the wedding. First of all Delhi airport Domestic terminal itself was a nightmare ... despite having booked our tickets we had to pick up a confirmation from the Airline Counter where two women were being mobbed by about 40 Indians trying to buy tickets with no concept whatsoever of queueing and it seemed the only way to get anything done was to push past people and shout louder ... which with much prompting from Kate I managed. Once through we were astonished at the chaos in the departure gates ... we had a 22:20 flight which was due to board at 21:55 but with every other flight on the board showing as delayed I thought i'd check 5 mins before boarding that we really were on time.
Astonishingly enough I was told that the plane should be landing in 10-15 minutes and that everything was on time ... I immediately sensed a flaw in their planning !! When 22:20 came and the board was still showing 'on time' while we waited in the departure gate my confusion grew ... but we weren'tactually too late and the flight itself was fine.
Once we got to Ahmedabad airport i decided to check if our car was there and leave Kate and Toby with the luggage by the pre-paid taxi counter in case we needed one .. my 6th sense was right as no-one was waiting ... and in the meantime Kate - with Toby asleep on her back - was accused of stealing all the luggage (no idea why !!!)
We hopped in what seemed a reasonable taxi and headed off - phoning the hotel to check that at least our reservation was o.k - and settled back to sleep on the journey. Well that was a nice idea ... until about 55 km from vadodara and at 01:45 in the morning we heard a clunk and our car rolled into the hard shoulder.
The taxi driver spoke no English at all but his sign language to push was pretty clear ! So with toby asleep on Kate and a pitch black indian road the driver and I tried to push-start the car along the hard shoulder !! No Luck !!!
Cue lots of phone calls from the driver ... no communication with us ... and eventually much trying to flag down of other cars. After about 20 minutes one kindly soul stopped ... there was much gesturing and our bags began to be transferred to their car. We were fearing some awful scam at this point but didn't have many options ... but with two of them already in the car and the boot full .. Kate and I clambered into the back seat with Two Large Rucksacks, two small Rucksacks, one holdall and a pram ... all while keeping Toby asleep and seemed just about set - until our original driver motioned that he was getting in with us. !
We had little idea what was going on but the sign Vadodara 5 km cheered us up ... until the car pulled straight into a truck stop at the side of the road !! Our assumption is that these people weren't actually going into vadodara and this was as far as our lift went .. but fortunately within 5 minutes a third car arrived into which we were transferred (in comparative comfort) and driven to the hotel.
Being shunted from car to car with no idea why as people talk all around you is an extremely scary experience and we felt pretty vulnerable ... the only positive was that we kept hearing our hotel name being bandied about in inqusitive manner so we were pretty sure people were talking about how to get there and we were not being taken anywhere else !
We did eventually get there ... and had to laugh as the driver checked with the doorman as to whether we had a reservation or not as if not he was entitled to claim some commission for getting us there. In all the transferring all we lsot was Tobys cup .. a pretty good result !!
Ironically this was one of the first times that we had everything organised in advance and really couldn't balme ourselves (unlike the train) ... but we arrived at the hotel at about 04:30 absolutely shattered and with the joy of travelling beginning to ebb away !!!!
Fortunately I am writing this two days later (after two amazing days of wedding celebrations and a nice hotel - i'll let Kate write about that later) and things are looking up !! We have booked flights to Goa tomorrow for some time on the beach and to regroup and are ready for the next lg of the adventure.
wishing everyone an amazing xmas and loads of love to all
M
Ironically this should have been relatively straightforward as we had been nice and organised and it was a straightforward trip ... a 1 hour flight from delhi to Ahmedabad where a car had been arranged to pick us up and drive us the 80km or so to our hotel in Vadodara for the wedding. First of all Delhi airport Domestic terminal itself was a nightmare ... despite having booked our tickets we had to pick up a confirmation from the Airline Counter where two women were being mobbed by about 40 Indians trying to buy tickets with no concept whatsoever of queueing and it seemed the only way to get anything done was to push past people and shout louder ... which with much prompting from Kate I managed. Once through we were astonished at the chaos in the departure gates ... we had a 22:20 flight which was due to board at 21:55 but with every other flight on the board showing as delayed I thought i'd check 5 mins before boarding that we really were on time.
Astonishingly enough I was told that the plane should be landing in 10-15 minutes and that everything was on time ... I immediately sensed a flaw in their planning !! When 22:20 came and the board was still showing 'on time' while we waited in the departure gate my confusion grew ... but we weren'tactually too late and the flight itself was fine.
Once we got to Ahmedabad airport i decided to check if our car was there and leave Kate and Toby with the luggage by the pre-paid taxi counter in case we needed one .. my 6th sense was right as no-one was waiting ... and in the meantime Kate - with Toby asleep on her back - was accused of stealing all the luggage (no idea why !!!)
We hopped in what seemed a reasonable taxi and headed off - phoning the hotel to check that at least our reservation was o.k - and settled back to sleep on the journey. Well that was a nice idea ... until about 55 km from vadodara and at 01:45 in the morning we heard a clunk and our car rolled into the hard shoulder.
The taxi driver spoke no English at all but his sign language to push was pretty clear ! So with toby asleep on Kate and a pitch black indian road the driver and I tried to push-start the car along the hard shoulder !! No Luck !!!
Cue lots of phone calls from the driver ... no communication with us ... and eventually much trying to flag down of other cars. After about 20 minutes one kindly soul stopped ... there was much gesturing and our bags began to be transferred to their car. We were fearing some awful scam at this point but didn't have many options ... but with two of them already in the car and the boot full .. Kate and I clambered into the back seat with Two Large Rucksacks, two small Rucksacks, one holdall and a pram ... all while keeping Toby asleep and seemed just about set - until our original driver motioned that he was getting in with us. !
We had little idea what was going on but the sign Vadodara 5 km cheered us up ... until the car pulled straight into a truck stop at the side of the road !! Our assumption is that these people weren't actually going into vadodara and this was as far as our lift went .. but fortunately within 5 minutes a third car arrived into which we were transferred (in comparative comfort) and driven to the hotel.
Being shunted from car to car with no idea why as people talk all around you is an extremely scary experience and we felt pretty vulnerable ... the only positive was that we kept hearing our hotel name being bandied about in inqusitive manner so we were pretty sure people were talking about how to get there and we were not being taken anywhere else !
We did eventually get there ... and had to laugh as the driver checked with the doorman as to whether we had a reservation or not as if not he was entitled to claim some commission for getting us there. In all the transferring all we lsot was Tobys cup .. a pretty good result !!
Ironically this was one of the first times that we had everything organised in advance and really couldn't balme ourselves (unlike the train) ... but we arrived at the hotel at about 04:30 absolutely shattered and with the joy of travelling beginning to ebb away !!!!
Fortunately I am writing this two days later (after two amazing days of wedding celebrations and a nice hotel - i'll let Kate write about that later) and things are looking up !! We have booked flights to Goa tomorrow for some time on the beach and to regroup and are ready for the next lg of the adventure.
wishing everyone an amazing xmas and loads of love to all
M
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Delhi belly on a veg diet
So how come I am the one telling matty to be careful, not eat meat, only eat piping hot food... while he studiously ignores me and order chicken at every available moment ... and then I get Delhi Belly. Yes I am now the world's expert on the location of toilets at Agra and Delhi's most beautiful monuments. And for your information Humayun's in Delhi was the best - I didn't even need to pay to use it.
Despite this - and as Matty mentioned - nearly getting frostbite on the train from Varanasi to Delhi ( I seriously feared for my toes and finally resorted to wearing Toby's spare socks - which amazingly just about fitted me) - we are having an amazing time. Matty and I are in love with Mughal architecture. And I have made him promise me that I get a tomb of some similar scale - he is however concerned about land shortages and says that it may only be possible in Africa.
M has asked me to fill in some gaps from his whistlestop tour. so here goes - with extra highlights - please skips to Matt's next one if you don't like detail!!
We have been in serious culture shock! From a motherly point of view I am on hygiene overdrive - I love no-water hand cleaner! - so does Toto - but only the blue one ... Toby is still off his dummy but has taken to chewing his nails - not good when pretty much every surface is dirty. I am over the moon to be staying in luxury for one night - so tired of standing under a drippy shower praying for the promised hot water to materialise - trying to convince Toby that mild cold is hot water.... , tired of not unpacking, and trying to work out which item of clothing is less dirty, travelling with a 3 year old is wonderful but can be vvv. tough.... def harder in India than thailand. Last night's window less box was a low point... I was very sulky.
Not sure how to add highlights!
Kolkata - our first stop and wow. We visit the famous TOllygunge club after some space and a pool for TOby - I am greeted by the Wills Lifestyle shop and Wills Hall - I use my maiden name here - bizarrely they are also holding a Berger reception that evening. M and I take bizarre photos next to the signs... then I am brought back to reality as I am banned from the restuarant due to my flip flops. I love the Maidan Park - its like Regents park moved to India complete with a Big Ben on the sky line (St Pauls church I think), and then with men herding goats across it, the odd cow and bony horse, and of course fleabitten dogs - Toby talks baby to them all. Did you know by the way that head boy at Maudalyn school in oxford is still entitled to roam sheep on christchurch meadow... The Fairlawn look after us but nearly kill us with their food - eukkk - cold milky cream of cucmber soup... Mrs Smith the 84 year old Armenian proprietess sends us up a cake for New year.
Train 1 to Varanasi - we have sheets and a blanket and toto and I share so he doesn't fall out - which means me balancing on the edge of my hipnot to fall out - but he sleeps well and I sleep for maybe 4 hours - so not bad. Men climb on at 6 and start to serve Chai from vast kettles and offer spicy omlettes- Chai is yummy and hot
Varanasi
Wonderful! If you haven't you must read Eric Newby's slowly down the ganges - so wonderfully evocative. I feel tears coming to my eyes when I see it. It is wide and slow and a magical mist sits on its surface so the other bank looks ghostly. Toby sleeps and M and I walk for 2 hours along the ghats. The architecture is breathtaking... a little venetian at times, crumbly, often with trees growing out of the buildings... suddenly you hear a moo and a cow and calf have taken up residence in a room of one of the ghat houses... goats wander by in frilly raggety dresses, monkeys leap from building to building - humping along the way (m has a wonderful picture!!!), puppy after puppy, cows wander lethargically along chewing the cud and looking at us arrogantly!!! Boys play cricket - stopping to let the baby pass! We pay 10 rps to put flowers on the river. Part of me wants to bathe - as I see people doing all around - there is this quick plunge that they do - the other part of me looks fearfully at the contents of the dark water and shudders!! The funeral pyres are beautiful - we are told the hindu death ritual which centres around returning the body to the 5 elements: water, fires, earth, wind and wood ( i think!). But the reality of the inequality of life comes in as we are told how much each bit costs and that the poor can only afford the most basic of pyres and the worst wood. We fall for a con and end up watching the main pyres from teh balcony of a dark house (we are told we aren't allowed anywhere else - not true) and then being blessed by the 'sacred old woman' and then asked for money- we give not enought apparently. I venture out after Toto is asleep - alone - and run back in again - it is pitch dark save a few low lights - I pretty much bump into a cow - very scary!!
After our morning boat ride - so so beautiful - we walk again - Toto running along the ghats - at times chased by photographers!!!! and admirers - him shouting No No GO Away (so embarrasing yet understanding!!)
Train to Delhi
Oh my gxd - getting on a pitch black crammed train with Tobes and 6 bags and thinking we had no beds just seats - was terrifying. Better when lights went on. I think we should have guessed that for 8 pounds for the 3 of us we were not getting luxury! SO SO SO cold - no sheets - I love the Indian man who lent us his 2 spare blankets - I nearly turned them down englishly at first - but we could have frozen without them... the wind whistled thro 2 cm (I had time to study them) the metal sides of the cabin (we were on the outside), M's was by a window that wouldn't close... I slept 40 mins before it got cold - then watched the minutes go by and tried to think walm thoughts and not cry!!!! Toto was cosy and slept!!! If he hadn't I don't know what we would have done. I forgot to say earlier - but being a woman I am often just ignored - a lot of people just speak to M. M was lovely looking up at us regularly and tucking us in - I couldn't move - as was wedged into the n arrow bed by the handing slats holding the top bunk to the ceiling... plus point being I couldn't fall out!
I think that might be all the highlights I can do for 1 night! M asked me to mention the confusion of our tour guides when we checked out of windowless box dirty room into the meridian - after we had haggled ferociously for our 2 day tour of delhi and Agra - they suggested we just take Toby to the theme park instead. I felt v.guilty - but am vvvv. happy - excuse me while I go off to luxuriate in bubbles and read Indian Vogue - which is vv.good
Oooh and I have bought a blue silk salwa kammeez for the wedding - hope it is glam enoutgh - venturing out tomorrow for possibly a Sari (or Matthew Williamson dress if I can find one as I think they are much cheaper here), shoes and make up and some big gold jewellery./.. mum keeps telling me I have to be very glam - this worries me ! may need botox after hygiene worries
love you all lots - Kati hope the baby has arrived and you are both well - can't wait to hear
Kate xxxxx
Despite this - and as Matty mentioned - nearly getting frostbite on the train from Varanasi to Delhi ( I seriously feared for my toes and finally resorted to wearing Toby's spare socks - which amazingly just about fitted me) - we are having an amazing time. Matty and I are in love with Mughal architecture. And I have made him promise me that I get a tomb of some similar scale - he is however concerned about land shortages and says that it may only be possible in Africa.
M has asked me to fill in some gaps from his whistlestop tour. so here goes - with extra highlights - please skips to Matt's next one if you don't like detail!!
We have been in serious culture shock! From a motherly point of view I am on hygiene overdrive - I love no-water hand cleaner! - so does Toto - but only the blue one ... Toby is still off his dummy but has taken to chewing his nails - not good when pretty much every surface is dirty. I am over the moon to be staying in luxury for one night - so tired of standing under a drippy shower praying for the promised hot water to materialise - trying to convince Toby that mild cold is hot water.... , tired of not unpacking, and trying to work out which item of clothing is less dirty, travelling with a 3 year old is wonderful but can be vvv. tough.... def harder in India than thailand. Last night's window less box was a low point... I was very sulky.
Not sure how to add highlights!
Kolkata - our first stop and wow. We visit the famous TOllygunge club after some space and a pool for TOby - I am greeted by the Wills Lifestyle shop and Wills Hall - I use my maiden name here - bizarrely they are also holding a Berger reception that evening. M and I take bizarre photos next to the signs... then I am brought back to reality as I am banned from the restuarant due to my flip flops. I love the Maidan Park - its like Regents park moved to India complete with a Big Ben on the sky line (St Pauls church I think), and then with men herding goats across it, the odd cow and bony horse, and of course fleabitten dogs - Toby talks baby to them all. Did you know by the way that head boy at Maudalyn school in oxford is still entitled to roam sheep on christchurch meadow... The Fairlawn look after us but nearly kill us with their food - eukkk - cold milky cream of cucmber soup... Mrs Smith the 84 year old Armenian proprietess sends us up a cake for New year.
Train 1 to Varanasi - we have sheets and a blanket and toto and I share so he doesn't fall out - which means me balancing on the edge of my hipnot to fall out - but he sleeps well and I sleep for maybe 4 hours - so not bad. Men climb on at 6 and start to serve Chai from vast kettles and offer spicy omlettes- Chai is yummy and hot
Varanasi
Wonderful! If you haven't you must read Eric Newby's slowly down the ganges - so wonderfully evocative. I feel tears coming to my eyes when I see it. It is wide and slow and a magical mist sits on its surface so the other bank looks ghostly. Toby sleeps and M and I walk for 2 hours along the ghats. The architecture is breathtaking... a little venetian at times, crumbly, often with trees growing out of the buildings... suddenly you hear a moo and a cow and calf have taken up residence in a room of one of the ghat houses... goats wander by in frilly raggety dresses, monkeys leap from building to building - humping along the way (m has a wonderful picture!!!), puppy after puppy, cows wander lethargically along chewing the cud and looking at us arrogantly!!! Boys play cricket - stopping to let the baby pass! We pay 10 rps to put flowers on the river. Part of me wants to bathe - as I see people doing all around - there is this quick plunge that they do - the other part of me looks fearfully at the contents of the dark water and shudders!! The funeral pyres are beautiful - we are told the hindu death ritual which centres around returning the body to the 5 elements: water, fires, earth, wind and wood ( i think!). But the reality of the inequality of life comes in as we are told how much each bit costs and that the poor can only afford the most basic of pyres and the worst wood. We fall for a con and end up watching the main pyres from teh balcony of a dark house (we are told we aren't allowed anywhere else - not true) and then being blessed by the 'sacred old woman' and then asked for money- we give not enought apparently. I venture out after Toto is asleep - alone - and run back in again - it is pitch dark save a few low lights - I pretty much bump into a cow - very scary!!
After our morning boat ride - so so beautiful - we walk again - Toto running along the ghats - at times chased by photographers!!!! and admirers - him shouting No No GO Away (so embarrasing yet understanding!!)
Train to Delhi
Oh my gxd - getting on a pitch black crammed train with Tobes and 6 bags and thinking we had no beds just seats - was terrifying. Better when lights went on. I think we should have guessed that for 8 pounds for the 3 of us we were not getting luxury! SO SO SO cold - no sheets - I love the Indian man who lent us his 2 spare blankets - I nearly turned them down englishly at first - but we could have frozen without them... the wind whistled thro 2 cm (I had time to study them) the metal sides of the cabin (we were on the outside), M's was by a window that wouldn't close... I slept 40 mins before it got cold - then watched the minutes go by and tried to think walm thoughts and not cry!!!! Toto was cosy and slept!!! If he hadn't I don't know what we would have done. I forgot to say earlier - but being a woman I am often just ignored - a lot of people just speak to M. M was lovely looking up at us regularly and tucking us in - I couldn't move - as was wedged into the n arrow bed by the handing slats holding the top bunk to the ceiling... plus point being I couldn't fall out!
I think that might be all the highlights I can do for 1 night! M asked me to mention the confusion of our tour guides when we checked out of windowless box dirty room into the meridian - after we had haggled ferociously for our 2 day tour of delhi and Agra - they suggested we just take Toby to the theme park instead. I felt v.guilty - but am vvvv. happy - excuse me while I go off to luxuriate in bubbles and read Indian Vogue - which is vv.good
Oooh and I have bought a blue silk salwa kammeez for the wedding - hope it is glam enoutgh - venturing out tomorrow for possibly a Sari (or Matthew Williamson dress if I can find one as I think they are much cheaper here), shoes and make up and some big gold jewellery./.. mum keeps telling me I have to be very glam - this worries me ! may need botox after hygiene worries
love you all lots - Kati hope the baby has arrived and you are both well - can't wait to hear
Kate xxxxx
Down but far from out !!!!
Ok ... this entry finds me typing from the free internet access on the 20th floor of the 5 Star Meridien where we have checked in after being slightly beaten by the last 9 days travel ... but I guess it's hardly surprising when you consider that in that time we have been in 5 different cities and 7 different hotels and managed two flights, two overnight train journeys (13 hrs and 15.5 hrs ) and two 6 hour drives (only 200 km but when your motorways are crammed with cows, camels, half of the traffic going the wrong way to save time and various tractors that's no surprise)
to give a rough idea ... this is our recent itinerary which might be more manageable if not travelling with a three year old (any of you who have tried long journeys with a toddler will definitely be sympathising - with Toby as much as us !!!!)
9/12 - up at 5:30 for early flight from chiang mai to bangkok where we leave all our bags at the airport to save time and head straight out of Bangkok to chatachak market
10/12 - quiet(ish) day in bangkok visting fair trade exhibiton organised by the Salmons who are kindly putting us up in bangkok for the second time in a month !!!!!
11/12 - up at 5:45 for early flight to kolkatta
13/12 - 8pm train from Kolkatta to Varanassi .... 13 hrs on not the most comfortable (or so we thought ... in hindsight it was luxury !!!!) train ever !!!
14/12 - arrive varanassi hotel at around midday
15/12 - up at 5 am (on my bday !!!!!) to see sunrise on the ganges
8:30 pm train to delhi
16/12 - arrive delhi at around midday
17/12 - 6hr evening drive to agra (home of Taj Mahal for the more ignorant among you !!!)
18 / 12 - After sightseeing in Agra 6hrs back to Delhi (different hotel ... we thought the first was bad but this was the worst yet ... no windows in the room, forgotten room service and second order served witn no cutlery etc . give an idea !)
19 / 12 ... admit defeat and check into Le Meredien to regroup before flight tomorrow to Ahmedabad for 3 days of Indian Wedding !
Thats the bones of the last 10 days but in there have been some of the most incredible experiences ... both positive and negative !!!
Ok .. so here are the highlights since the last post .!
The last day in Kolkatta was a bit quieter as we kept away from the main streets and headed to a shopping mall with a play centre for TJ ... although even here the attention he is getting was amazing .. at one point an entire lift full of people had their mobile phones out taking pictures of him ... a theme that is continuing at every place we go. People are now regularly asking to have pictures with him at tourist sites ... Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Humayuns Tomb etc all seem to be better (according to Indians) if you have a photo in front of them holding my son ?? Its like being with a celbrity at times as you are walking and people are walking backwards in front of you taking photos .. or asking him to join in family snaps (I have some I will post shortly !! )
At the train station that night Kate went to buy some food and a whole crowd (maybe thirty people) gathered around Toby and I sitting with our bags to stare at us and snap away ... which was actually a good thing as I found having our whole life in bags on a crowded platform quite scary and the crowd at least felt safe.
The train journey itself went well .. we had bunks not next to each other but there were two aussie guys who happily swapped and were good company (one was a roaming sheep-shearer) so that Kate and Toby could be above me in one bed, and further down the carriage were some young South african Missionaries who loved Toby which meant he could burn som energy running up and down the carriage relatively safely. Fortunately enough he managed to sleep from about 10pm - 6am which meant that even if we didn't sleep much ourselves the journey itself was nowhere near as bad as we had feared.
Our Hotel in Varanassi was great ... about $15gbp and clean, friendly and a good middle eastern restaurant and we felt really comfortable there .. shame it was only for one night !!! The day we arrived we took a walk along the ganges from the bottom ghat - definitely one of the most amazing things I have ever done. As an exercise in people watching there can't be anywhere better in the world ... where to start with the things going on along that river bank ... Laundry, Men having their heads shaved, cricket games, buffalo being washed, cows wandering around, boats being fixed, people washing themselves in the river, goats, monkeys, market stalls, various items being hawked to us at regular intervals, massage, palmistry, fortune telling - the list is endless - and of course bodies being burned by the side of the river. Afterwards we had a walk into the town centre (past elephants, parades etc.) for some food and Kate managed to find Marmite inb a tiny corner shop ... the absolutely perfect birthday present for me !!!
The following morning we got up at 5 to do take a boat ride along the river and see sunrise ... even at this time the activity was just as frenetic as the evening before but the view and the atnosphere was magical. After a quick kip to recuperate we got a rickshaw through the town itself to see some more before one more walk back to the hotel along the river .... gutted to have to leave that nigh but we need o get to ahmedabad for the wedding and plenty to do along the way !!!
Having negotiated the kolkatta - varanassi train quite comfortably a similar journey to delhi held no fears ... but this one was very different !!!
The first shock was getting in to a much dirtier carriage and where the first one had seemed spacious and not full ... evry seat was rammed on this one and best of all ... there were no lights and it was almost pitch black !!!!!!!! This sort of thing has made us realise how utterly trusting our children were as Toby showed absolutely no fear or surprise ... as far as he was concerned Mummy and Daddy had put him on the train so what could be wrong ???
I seriously considered getting off, bolting back to the hotel and flying the next day but we were there and reckoned we could manage ! Fortunately after about ten minutes the lights came on and we chained our bags to every available point and padlocked every pocket ... much to the amusement of the watching locals. Again .. our seats weren't together but a bit of sign language and pidgin english and some really kind people moved around to allow Kate above me again.Aat this point we also realised that where the previous train had sheets, pillows and blankets ... this had none !!! Large holes in the windows and what we later learnt was Delhis coldest night for god knows how long did not help matters. Everything we had went on toby and we are eternally indebted to the Indian man opposite us who produced two spare blankets from his bag ... one for each of us which although neither of us slept, just about staved off the frostbite.
Toby again slept till 6:30 (waking up to kiss Kate with a "Good morning mummy - I love you - you're my best friend") which seemd perfect as the train was due in at 8am so we got our bags together and got ready ... 9am, 10am 11am ... we still weren't there but at about 11:30 the movement all around us told us we had made it ... vowing no more long trains in India overnight (at least for a long time).
The last thing we needed was a horrible, overpriced room in and unfriendly hotel but that is exactly where we were headed !! For the capital city in what is supposed to be a booming country Delhi didn't make a great first impression ! We did find a really cute park which we thought might serve to help Toby release energy on Monday but no ... it is close Mondays !!! (why would you close a park ffs !!!)
Why relax we thought ... so booked a trip to Agra the following afternoon and the agent who arranged it found us a new hotel for our return to delhi as well as a hotel for the night in Delhi plus a guide and driver.
The hotel in Agra was lovely and a 7am start to see the Taj mahal was soooo worth it ... truly unbelievable (not as if I'm stating the obvious or anything). I have to confess huuuuuge ignorance here and admit I had no idea that all that was actually inside the building itself was one tiny room with two Tombs ... I had kind of assumed Palace, Art etc. but the building itself and the grounds were nothing short of breathtaking !
We also visited Agra Fort and a beautiful temple whose grounds were over-run with Monkeys and Deer where Toby got a much deserved chance to stretc his lega sn run around for an hour. The grounds in all of these places were stunning - green, clean and fresh air really helped recharge the batteries.
After a long drive back though the last thing we needed with all of us tired and moody was to find a grotty hotel, no windoe and shit service ... at this point Kate broke down and I booked the meridien for the following night and the next day until our flight in order to pick us up a bit - it is certainly working !!!!!!
Kate is in the bath (a luxury in itself) and I have free snacks in the internet cafe here from which to blog.
I have to confess to being shocked by much of Inida ... i expected so much more from the place and although the sires we have visite our stunning ... so little seems to be done to encourage tourism and there seems so little enterprise. I have hardly been able to find any internet access and where I have it has been in dark, dingy rooms. People here have not been friendlyand it is tiring being constantly aware that everyone - and I mean everyone- is trying to rip you off one way or another. today we visited the Red Fort ... The number one tourist attraction in the Capital city ... and thought we might eat at the restaurant / tea room. We were handed a crumbling torn menu that must have been 15 yrs old and only has 20 items on but amazingly enough when i then went to order i was told that none of the items were even available - all they had was a vegetrian sandwich and mountain dew to drink - surely there is a gap in the market there. I had to ask why I had been given a menu but the waiter just looked blankly ! that just about sums our experience up so far and although we love so much of what we have seen it is really hard work with Toby,
We are reconsidering our plans after the wedding ... distances here are just soooooo huge that we may not manage as much of Rajhastan as we wanted (maybe even none tragically - we will see) but we need to be fair to Toby who can't keep up the sort of punishing schedule of the last week. We are considering just bolting for the south and the beaches of Goa and Kerala although if we feel stronger may try at least Udaipur (and maybe Jodphur)
No idea where we will be for xmas but will definitely miss home and friends at that time so lvoely to har from any of you.
much love
M
to give a rough idea ... this is our recent itinerary which might be more manageable if not travelling with a three year old (any of you who have tried long journeys with a toddler will definitely be sympathising - with Toby as much as us !!!!)
9/12 - up at 5:30 for early flight from chiang mai to bangkok where we leave all our bags at the airport to save time and head straight out of Bangkok to chatachak market
10/12 - quiet(ish) day in bangkok visting fair trade exhibiton organised by the Salmons who are kindly putting us up in bangkok for the second time in a month !!!!!
11/12 - up at 5:45 for early flight to kolkatta
13/12 - 8pm train from Kolkatta to Varanassi .... 13 hrs on not the most comfortable (or so we thought ... in hindsight it was luxury !!!!) train ever !!!
14/12 - arrive varanassi hotel at around midday
15/12 - up at 5 am (on my bday !!!!!) to see sunrise on the ganges
8:30 pm train to delhi
16/12 - arrive delhi at around midday
17/12 - 6hr evening drive to agra (home of Taj Mahal for the more ignorant among you !!!)
18 / 12 - After sightseeing in Agra 6hrs back to Delhi (different hotel ... we thought the first was bad but this was the worst yet ... no windows in the room, forgotten room service and second order served witn no cutlery etc . give an idea !)
19 / 12 ... admit defeat and check into Le Meredien to regroup before flight tomorrow to Ahmedabad for 3 days of Indian Wedding !
Thats the bones of the last 10 days but in there have been some of the most incredible experiences ... both positive and negative !!!
Ok .. so here are the highlights since the last post .!
The last day in Kolkatta was a bit quieter as we kept away from the main streets and headed to a shopping mall with a play centre for TJ ... although even here the attention he is getting was amazing .. at one point an entire lift full of people had their mobile phones out taking pictures of him ... a theme that is continuing at every place we go. People are now regularly asking to have pictures with him at tourist sites ... Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Humayuns Tomb etc all seem to be better (according to Indians) if you have a photo in front of them holding my son ?? Its like being with a celbrity at times as you are walking and people are walking backwards in front of you taking photos .. or asking him to join in family snaps (I have some I will post shortly !! )
At the train station that night Kate went to buy some food and a whole crowd (maybe thirty people) gathered around Toby and I sitting with our bags to stare at us and snap away ... which was actually a good thing as I found having our whole life in bags on a crowded platform quite scary and the crowd at least felt safe.
The train journey itself went well .. we had bunks not next to each other but there were two aussie guys who happily swapped and were good company (one was a roaming sheep-shearer) so that Kate and Toby could be above me in one bed, and further down the carriage were some young South african Missionaries who loved Toby which meant he could burn som energy running up and down the carriage relatively safely. Fortunately enough he managed to sleep from about 10pm - 6am which meant that even if we didn't sleep much ourselves the journey itself was nowhere near as bad as we had feared.
Our Hotel in Varanassi was great ... about $15gbp and clean, friendly and a good middle eastern restaurant and we felt really comfortable there .. shame it was only for one night !!! The day we arrived we took a walk along the ganges from the bottom ghat - definitely one of the most amazing things I have ever done. As an exercise in people watching there can't be anywhere better in the world ... where to start with the things going on along that river bank ... Laundry, Men having their heads shaved, cricket games, buffalo being washed, cows wandering around, boats being fixed, people washing themselves in the river, goats, monkeys, market stalls, various items being hawked to us at regular intervals, massage, palmistry, fortune telling - the list is endless - and of course bodies being burned by the side of the river. Afterwards we had a walk into the town centre (past elephants, parades etc.) for some food and Kate managed to find Marmite inb a tiny corner shop ... the absolutely perfect birthday present for me !!!
The following morning we got up at 5 to do take a boat ride along the river and see sunrise ... even at this time the activity was just as frenetic as the evening before but the view and the atnosphere was magical. After a quick kip to recuperate we got a rickshaw through the town itself to see some more before one more walk back to the hotel along the river .... gutted to have to leave that nigh but we need o get to ahmedabad for the wedding and plenty to do along the way !!!
Having negotiated the kolkatta - varanassi train quite comfortably a similar journey to delhi held no fears ... but this one was very different !!!
The first shock was getting in to a much dirtier carriage and where the first one had seemed spacious and not full ... evry seat was rammed on this one and best of all ... there were no lights and it was almost pitch black !!!!!!!! This sort of thing has made us realise how utterly trusting our children were as Toby showed absolutely no fear or surprise ... as far as he was concerned Mummy and Daddy had put him on the train so what could be wrong ???
I seriously considered getting off, bolting back to the hotel and flying the next day but we were there and reckoned we could manage ! Fortunately after about ten minutes the lights came on and we chained our bags to every available point and padlocked every pocket ... much to the amusement of the watching locals. Again .. our seats weren't together but a bit of sign language and pidgin english and some really kind people moved around to allow Kate above me again.Aat this point we also realised that where the previous train had sheets, pillows and blankets ... this had none !!! Large holes in the windows and what we later learnt was Delhis coldest night for god knows how long did not help matters. Everything we had went on toby and we are eternally indebted to the Indian man opposite us who produced two spare blankets from his bag ... one for each of us which although neither of us slept, just about staved off the frostbite.
Toby again slept till 6:30 (waking up to kiss Kate with a "Good morning mummy - I love you - you're my best friend") which seemd perfect as the train was due in at 8am so we got our bags together and got ready ... 9am, 10am 11am ... we still weren't there but at about 11:30 the movement all around us told us we had made it ... vowing no more long trains in India overnight (at least for a long time).
The last thing we needed was a horrible, overpriced room in and unfriendly hotel but that is exactly where we were headed !! For the capital city in what is supposed to be a booming country Delhi didn't make a great first impression ! We did find a really cute park which we thought might serve to help Toby release energy on Monday but no ... it is close Mondays !!! (why would you close a park ffs !!!)
Why relax we thought ... so booked a trip to Agra the following afternoon and the agent who arranged it found us a new hotel for our return to delhi as well as a hotel for the night in Delhi plus a guide and driver.
The hotel in Agra was lovely and a 7am start to see the Taj mahal was soooo worth it ... truly unbelievable (not as if I'm stating the obvious or anything). I have to confess huuuuuge ignorance here and admit I had no idea that all that was actually inside the building itself was one tiny room with two Tombs ... I had kind of assumed Palace, Art etc. but the building itself and the grounds were nothing short of breathtaking !
We also visited Agra Fort and a beautiful temple whose grounds were over-run with Monkeys and Deer where Toby got a much deserved chance to stretc his lega sn run around for an hour. The grounds in all of these places were stunning - green, clean and fresh air really helped recharge the batteries.
After a long drive back though the last thing we needed with all of us tired and moody was to find a grotty hotel, no windoe and shit service ... at this point Kate broke down and I booked the meridien for the following night and the next day until our flight in order to pick us up a bit - it is certainly working !!!!!!
Kate is in the bath (a luxury in itself) and I have free snacks in the internet cafe here from which to blog.
I have to confess to being shocked by much of Inida ... i expected so much more from the place and although the sires we have visite our stunning ... so little seems to be done to encourage tourism and there seems so little enterprise. I have hardly been able to find any internet access and where I have it has been in dark, dingy rooms. People here have not been friendlyand it is tiring being constantly aware that everyone - and I mean everyone- is trying to rip you off one way or another. today we visited the Red Fort ... The number one tourist attraction in the Capital city ... and thought we might eat at the restaurant / tea room. We were handed a crumbling torn menu that must have been 15 yrs old and only has 20 items on but amazingly enough when i then went to order i was told that none of the items were even available - all they had was a vegetrian sandwich and mountain dew to drink - surely there is a gap in the market there. I had to ask why I had been given a menu but the waiter just looked blankly ! that just about sums our experience up so far and although we love so much of what we have seen it is really hard work with Toby,
We are reconsidering our plans after the wedding ... distances here are just soooooo huge that we may not manage as much of Rajhastan as we wanted (maybe even none tragically - we will see) but we need to be fair to Toby who can't keep up the sort of punishing schedule of the last week. We are considering just bolting for the south and the beaches of Goa and Kerala although if we feel stronger may try at least Udaipur (and maybe Jodphur)
No idea where we will be for xmas but will definitely miss home and friends at that time so lvoely to har from any of you.
much love
M
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Kolkata
The word culture shock doesn't come close to describing what I felt when we arrived here yesterday ... and ironically it started so calmly.
Despite reading stories of mosquito swarms at the airport and touts, crooks and con artists hanging off every limb .. arriving at the airport was a pleasure. no car came from our hotel but we got a taxi straight there with no problems ... we are staying at The Fairlawn which is a very famous / trendy arty types hang out .. chintz and memorabilia everywhere and an eccentric armenian proprietress widow of an englishman. The place is like a throwback to colonial times ... waiters in white regency suits and turbans, set menu meals served at tables with your eating companions dictated to etc and walls covered with actors / artists to have stayed there. All very pleasant !! (OMG the food is too awful to describe though .. 50's english food cooked horrendously and set menus every meal)
But then we stepped out !!! The drive from the airport had passed slums and plenty of street children but when we left the hotel with Toby on our back we were immediately accosted by women and children ... and when you have a three year old with you , you feel so much more defensive !! We walked to Park street described as the 'buzzy eating centre of the town' but that is not how we would describe it . Dusty, squalid and decaying works better for me ... the old architectue is stunning but crumbling like I have never seen.
On the way home ..having managed to find a lovely patisserie and fill Toby with sugar we had to deal with questions that are not easy from a three year old ..."why is that woman holding onto daddys leg" "why is that boy asking for money" and hardest of all "why are those babies sleeping on the street" are not lessons we were prepared for ... but I guess they were eye-openers !! We had been told that kaklota is the least tourist friendly town in India and the most poverty stricken but until you are there and see family after family (7 in a row all with babies) sleeping at the side of the road in a sewer directly outside your hotel you can't comprehend !
Today we ventured to the park for a walk (ripped off for a horse ride and then someone asked to have their photo taken with toby before standing next to kate ... another scam where they later pretend it is their family to win the confidence of westerners) and the victoria monument before heading for the sanctuary of the Tollygunge Club ... an exclusive members club with swimming pool ... although our sandals were deemed to poor to allow us in the main restaurant !!
Also worthy of comment is the traffic ... although nothing in volume compared to Bangkok the sheer disregard for other cars, bikes , pedestrians etc. is unbelievable ... the highglight being the scrums to cross the road which neccesitate police holding us back with ropes like horses at the start of a race while people jump under and over the ropes to dodge the cars !! quite scary with toby on our back !!
Lastly ... I was amazed to see human pulled rickshaws ... Kaklota is the last place to still allow them (they are best for avoiding flooded roads during monsoons apparently) but the thought of sitting up high in a carriage while someone pulls you through the streets is so distasteful ... would be worse if they weren't desperate for you to do it to support their livelihood !
We are only here becuase we couldn't get flights to Delhi ... another lesson in preparation !! but hesd to varanasi tomorrow night by train (12 hrs overnight) before Agra (another 12 hrs), Delhi and a flight to ahmedabad for the wedding .
p.s. Much props to Oli and The Epstein on getting 4 stars in Rolling Stone Magazine (Germany) for their new album ... as well as a great review in Q magazine !!
(Rolling Stone (xxxx) Germany: "The Epstein have recorded this beguiling debut with an overwheing sense of ingeniousness and enthusiasm... There has not been a better band to come out of England this year, the epstein play in another league - in a vast, desert like land of the soul." )
read the reviews ... joiunt the facebook group here ... http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=5946829493&topic=3906
Despite reading stories of mosquito swarms at the airport and touts, crooks and con artists hanging off every limb .. arriving at the airport was a pleasure. no car came from our hotel but we got a taxi straight there with no problems ... we are staying at The Fairlawn which is a very famous / trendy arty types hang out .. chintz and memorabilia everywhere and an eccentric armenian proprietress widow of an englishman. The place is like a throwback to colonial times ... waiters in white regency suits and turbans, set menu meals served at tables with your eating companions dictated to etc and walls covered with actors / artists to have stayed there. All very pleasant !! (OMG the food is too awful to describe though .. 50's english food cooked horrendously and set menus every meal)
But then we stepped out !!! The drive from the airport had passed slums and plenty of street children but when we left the hotel with Toby on our back we were immediately accosted by women and children ... and when you have a three year old with you , you feel so much more defensive !! We walked to Park street described as the 'buzzy eating centre of the town' but that is not how we would describe it . Dusty, squalid and decaying works better for me ... the old architectue is stunning but crumbling like I have never seen.
On the way home ..having managed to find a lovely patisserie and fill Toby with sugar we had to deal with questions that are not easy from a three year old ..."why is that woman holding onto daddys leg" "why is that boy asking for money" and hardest of all "why are those babies sleeping on the street" are not lessons we were prepared for ... but I guess they were eye-openers !! We had been told that kaklota is the least tourist friendly town in India and the most poverty stricken but until you are there and see family after family (7 in a row all with babies) sleeping at the side of the road in a sewer directly outside your hotel you can't comprehend !
Today we ventured to the park for a walk (ripped off for a horse ride and then someone asked to have their photo taken with toby before standing next to kate ... another scam where they later pretend it is their family to win the confidence of westerners) and the victoria monument before heading for the sanctuary of the Tollygunge Club ... an exclusive members club with swimming pool ... although our sandals were deemed to poor to allow us in the main restaurant !!
Also worthy of comment is the traffic ... although nothing in volume compared to Bangkok the sheer disregard for other cars, bikes , pedestrians etc. is unbelievable ... the highglight being the scrums to cross the road which neccesitate police holding us back with ropes like horses at the start of a race while people jump under and over the ropes to dodge the cars !! quite scary with toby on our back !!
Lastly ... I was amazed to see human pulled rickshaws ... Kaklota is the last place to still allow them (they are best for avoiding flooded roads during monsoons apparently) but the thought of sitting up high in a carriage while someone pulls you through the streets is so distasteful ... would be worse if they weren't desperate for you to do it to support their livelihood !
We are only here becuase we couldn't get flights to Delhi ... another lesson in preparation !! but hesd to varanasi tomorrow night by train (12 hrs overnight) before Agra (another 12 hrs), Delhi and a flight to ahmedabad for the wedding .
p.s. Much props to Oli and The Epstein on getting 4 stars in Rolling Stone Magazine (Germany) for their new album ... as well as a great review in Q magazine !!
(Rolling Stone (xxxx) Germany: "The Epstein have recorded this beguiling debut with an overwheing sense of ingeniousness and enthusiasm... There has not been a better band to come out of England this year, the epstein play in another league - in a vast, desert like land of the soul." )
read the reviews ... joiunt the facebook group here ... http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=5946829493&topic=3906
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Chiang Mai
we are now in chiang mai in the north .... and have a longer stay than planned as our Indian Visa application is taking longer than expectd ... obviously 'ready in 5 days' means that if you drop it in early on the 3rd you can pick it up on the 12th.
in the meantime though the last week has been great ! our last day in railay was great fun - although on the walk over from one beach to the other (actually quite a climb) kate spotted a monkey in the trees and in her desperation to let Toby see it .. threw it a banana ! unfortunately it was our only banana ... and as none of us speak 'monkey' we couldn't communicate this to the other monkeys who joined it ... blocking our path to try to get into our bags and baring their teeth at Toby. At this point kates maternal protection instincts kicked in and she grabbed a stick to hit them with (very brave) and as they retreated began throwing rocks .. well she says she was aiming at the monkeys but managed to only hit me !
once down the other side we booked a nightime snorkel trip which was truly amazing ... after visiting a few dive sites (lots of nemos again! ) we stopped for dinner in the dark on small empty island and just a single torch / flame thing ... stunnin!! and on the way back the boat stopped in the middle of the sea and turned off all its lights for night swimming !!!!!!!!!!! incredibly scary ... but after you jumped in all of the little phosphorescent algae light up around your body as you disturb them and the effect is an incredible shimmering around your limbs as you swim !! much to kates shock .(she had stayed on the board with TJ) .... toby announced at this point that he wanted to jump on with me and promptly did with absolutely no fear despite the dark and th huge open sea ... as i couldn't actually see him if i let him go more than 5 feet i clung onto him for dear life as he was totally oblivious to any danger !!
Onto chiang mai and on the first day we met up with one of Abis friends ... Guy ... who kindly agreed to give us some tips as he lives here - which was really useful. The next day we hired a Jeep to explore the surrounding area and had a mixed day ... started at hot springs (I may be slightly miserable but just dont get excited about hot water anymore ... whether it's coming from a tap in my bathroom or the ground so we didnt stay too long) and then went to the weirdest tourist attraction i've ever seen. The Horizon about 20 mins outside the city may actually have been quite nice ... especially as it boasted a swimming pool, maze, botanical gardens and museum, small zoo, boating lake and toy train ... but the fact that we were the only people in the car park and then proceeded to see not a single other visitor in the enitre place really freaked us out !! the atmosphere was so eerie - heightened by the fact there were hundreds of staff everywhere that we actually left because it was to spooky (and kate lost her temper with Toby ... more of that later). Ironic really because when we go to these places and they are really busy we wish we could go when they are empty. Classic moment here when Toby's imagination reached new levels and he announced that his slice of lemon in his drink was an ipod!
We then drove round further to the Four Seasons Hotel for a drink ... OMG ... quite simply the nicest hotel I have ever been to ... they have designed their restaurant to overlook working paddy fields (which they created obviously with extra beautiful flowers, trees and waterfall) with buffalo roaming etc. and I sooo wished we could blow the budged there but unfortunately at nearly 3000 quid for one night in the triple suite with live-in housekeeper Kate just wouldn't let me :( - anyhow ... after that on to a really nice National park with waterfall for sunset .. and back home.
That evening we put toby to sleep (minus his dummy which he out the blue announced he was too big for and has not mentioned since) and took him in his pram to the Night Bazaar. The indoor section is definitely the smartest market of its kind I have ever been to ... with really amazing clothes and furniture sooo cheap ... as we only have rucksacks we may well be shipping home soon !!
Yesterday we booked a great day out ... began with a 45 minute climb through the jungle to visit a Hmong tribe which was great ... Toby was happy to walk the whole way himself ... including rickety rope bridge !! -his temparament is really allowing us a better trip than we could have hoped for. The village was lovely with the dustiest one room museum I have ever seen ... they cant have cleaned the exibits for 10 years !! we walked back down again and then went for an elephant ride which Toby loved .. he even got to get out of the chair on the back and sit on the neck patting his trunk which was lovely. after that we visited another tribal village which was sooo different ... totally contrived and out to cash in on tourism. we 'stumbled' across a woman at her loom selling cloths which when we quizzed (kate said the finish was too good) she admitted she hand't actually made. It was a really different dynamic ... the first tribe had made it clear they were welcoming tourists ... i.e. they had laid on a museum and had two stands selling their local wares .. whereas the second acted like an exhibit themselves as if you had walked in on them and they had not prepared or made any effort but still wanted to sell you stuff.
We then visited the most amazing cascading waterfall ... obviously brave toby stripped off and headed straight in ... slipping repeatedly on the rocks and exhorting me to be careful as I followed him ...'cmon daddy - we can do it - Toby and Daddy - you just must be careful', before finishing with a ride down river on a bamboo raft (fortunately a calm ride except for 1 or two fast bits). Overall it was such a nice day and it also meant we got a really good nights sleep out of Toby (although he still woke up far too early this morning necessitating us sticking him in front of Lion King on the portable dvd player with headphones on for an extra 90 mins peace)
Today I'm off for the second fitting on my new suits I'm having made :) and a few more days sightseing before down to bangkok and off to delhi !!! On planning our Indian Itinerary we were so daunted by the scale and sheer amount we wanted to see that we are going to skip Angkor Watt and do ten days in India before the wedding to get more done ... otherwise places I really wanted to go like varansi and the desert in jaisalmer just weren't possible. .... Plus I'm happy to have an excuse to come back !!!
For those of you concerned about Tobys Diarrhea ... you will be pleased to know it has cleared up after 5 days (temporarily??) but I am still not sure which moment was worse .... all over the floor in Boots pharmacy in the centre of Chiang Mai or dead centre of the Labyrinth at the Horizon Village when he could have told us but chose to hide thus entailaing Kate grabbing him and despertely trying to run out of the labyrinth with him ... only to continually meet dead ends. ... why she couldn't see the funny side of this I'll never know.
M
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