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
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2 comments:
Hello Family Berger, it's the Jeza here. Didn't actually realise that you'd been so wonderfully efficient to update your blog, as I've just logged on to see I have much travel literature to read about. Forgive me for not actually yet reading in full, however I will do so very soon and you can test me on everything. Hope you're having an incredible time. You are sorely missed at home, and I do hope you don't leave us forever as London just wouldn't be the same without you all. Matty, I've played squash about twice and lost once, and nearly lost the second time. I have clearly lost my squash mojo and have become fate and round like a weeble. Take care and love to all, Jeza.
Hi Guys,
Ella, Ben, Dexter and I are having a very chilled afternoon eating cake and reading your blog. We've just been through your fab photos and were commmenting how well you all looked and how your making travelling with a 3 year old very easy. We then read some of your blog and it does sound like you're having a brilliant but tough time. As Jeremy said you really are missed, xmas dinner was not the same without you. You missed out on the playboy mag and light up ducks (secret santa gifts!). Can't wait to see you - when are you back???? Hope you get back before I go back to work (only 1 more weeks :-(). Loads of love, Jen Here's Ella........
Hello lovely people. Sending you all masses of love for an exciting start to 2008. Ive popped to Jenny's to say hi to the little Dexter. All good here. Really looking forward to reading more of your blog - so much respect for keeping up the discipline of reporting back to all of us in cold, grey London. Great to know what you adventurers are up to. Sounds amazing and you're making it look v easy.... My news is that Gav and I have exchanged on our house, so we'll be moving to NW6 in mid Feb (Douglas Road, half way between Kilburn and Queen's Park tube, about 15 min walk from W Hampstead). I can't remember when you are home, but looking forward to having you round already. Apart from that, cant think of much to tell you...had a few v hectic weeks at work followed by a lovely Christmas and New Year in Dorset. Sending you all a huge festive hug and masses of love from Summers Row xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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