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India, Nepal & Bhutan

October - November 2019
  • Travel with the Wicks
After 10 years we return to India to explore Rajasthan and cruise the Ganges. We then fly to Nepal for a new adventure; a place Tom has dreamed of travelling to. Finally we will complete this trip with
Bhutan -the happiest place on earth! Read more
  • Travel with the Wicks
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  • Travel with the WicksTravelerIndia, Nepal & Bhutan

    INDIA OR BUST!

    October 22, 2019 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Unbelievable, we are on sched ( well Dianne’s sched) we made it to Calgary airport almost intact (May have forgotten a couple of things)
    We have checked in, easy peasy, and are now relaxing having a bite to eat.
    Our adventure really started last night. I had just opened the shoe polish as Dianne insisted on having nice shoes, when the phone rang. It was Liz, part of the Liz and Alan who make up our travel partners. They are leaving a day before us, and we plan to meet in Jaipur in about a week. Liz asked to speak to Dianne, and I was sure I heard stress in her voice. She asked if we had our Indian e-visa with our picture on it. We did not. It was posing a problem for them at the BA check in as it was essential for travel. We started to bum out immediately as we were not sure where to get that particular paper. We had documents that clearly stated our e-visa was granted with reference numbers and all, but nothing with a picture.

    When I answered the phone, I left the shoe polish on top of the washing machine. It was now in the floor pounding spin cycle and the shoe polish is on the floor. I feel like my hair is on fire with everything that’s gong on, and I can only imagine how Liz and Alan feel with the flight departure deadline. Dianne is now logged on with the Indian Consulate and is slowly making some headway. I’m supervising by this time which isn’t helping much but it does add some urgency to Dianne. After about 40 minutes we have two e-visas complete with pictures of ourselves. Dianne tries to send the step by step of how to do it to Liz.

    I clean up the shoe polish and around 9:30 pm Dianne gets another call from Liz. They have jumped through hoops of fire, but they have e-visas with pictures as well. The are on their way. I wonder why Liz didn’t want to talk to me.

    Anyway, we show up today well prepared with our pictured visas and they don’t even ask for them. I ask if she needs to see it and our check in girl says it is all on the information she gets from our passport....    Read more

  • Travel with the WicksTravelerIndia, Nepal & Bhutan

    We walked for miles and miles...

    October 23, 2019 in England ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    After a nice flight, couple movies, couple naps we arrived at Heathrow early! Good thing too! We cruised security and border formalities smoothly and were give detailed directions to gate B. Dianne couldn’t pass up an opportunity to shop (Terminal 2 has some nice shops) we continued our trek to the gate. The gate for Air India is across the hall from our arrival gate, but you have to walk about two kilometres and go up and down escalators, elbow your way past slow moving folks to end up at the shops they want you to buy things in. That’s where the slow moving folks catch up to you again and give you the evil eye for being so much in a hurry to go nowhere.

    We are back where we started, drinking a cappuccino and waiting for the departure of our delayed flight. Seems like another day at work.    Read more

  • Travel with the WicksTravelerIndia, Nepal & Bhutan

    Waiting in Mumbai

    October 24, 2019 in India ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Our flight on Air India went very well. They gave us pyjamas to wear and the food was tasty and ample.
    Now getting through customs took a little longer. Apparently Dianne struggled with her biometrics. Her fingers were so dry that the machine could not read her fingerprints. She was instructed to huff and puff on her fingers before laying them on the machine. This took several attempts. With passports stamped and visa’s accepted we went on our merry way!

    When taking our luggage (yes both pieces made it to Mumbai) to the transfer location, we are informed that our flight to Udaipur is delayed until 1600. That is about 12 hours from now if all goes well. We are both optimistic that we can spend some time in the airport lounge, so we go through security to domestic departures. We arrive at the lounge and are courteously informed that our access is restricted to a maximum of 4 hours before departure. Disappointing!

    We are in no mans land and we have hit a wall. We both are so tired. There are no ATM’s in this area; to leave this area is almost impossible. Once you have gone through security’ you are hooped! So here we are people watching, writing the blog and watching the clock-tick, tock, tick, tock.

    While we are waiting, (Dianne is sleeping) I am approached by a local family. It is a Dad and Mom with their two grown children. The son speaks very good English and he says where they are from and where they are going and begins asking questions about our life. He translates some details to his father, who is not quite as fluent in English. We learn a lot about each other. Their daughter is doing post graduate studies in Chemistry, the old man is a real estate broker. We discuss the price of real estate here and in Canada, They are amazed that Canada is so small, with only 37 million people. I point out it is big, but sparsely populated. Their flight is boarding now, so we get pictures and say a warm farewell.

    As we head over to lounge to get a bite to eat we marvel at the amazing artwork that is displayed in Mumbai airport. Both the domestic and international terminals are quite striking and beautiful.

    Tom ordered me an egg, fried hard over. The picture is what arrived. We need to work on his communication skills!    Read more

  • Travel with the WicksTravelerIndia, Nepal & Bhutan

    Udaipur Welcome

    October 24, 2019 in India ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    What an odyssey. We left Mumbai 5 hours late and arrived in Udaipur at 815pm. Our hearts were pounding as one of our pieces of luggage was 3 rd last to appear on the carousel. Whew we got everything and were met by smiling person named Jai! He came bearing welcome gifts. A nice hat for me and a pashmina for DIanne.
    It is India as we remember it, cows in the street, narrow roads, horns honking friendly folks. Out hotel is inside the walled part of the city overlooking Lake Pichhola. To get to it we transfer from our car to a golf cart type vehicle that can navigate the very narrow streets.
    Arriving at the hotel we were greeted by hotel staff with a welcome drink and a marigold garland, Perfect Travels representatives also bearing gifts.
    Our room overlooks the lake and the view is stunning.    Read more

  • Travel with the WicksTravelerIndia, Nepal & Bhutan
    Breakfast music

    Call to prayer

    October 25, 2019 in India ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    This morning we were woken by the call to prayer over the loudspeaker followed by drumming and singing. Really quite beautiful and brought memories alive of our previous visit says Dianne. I am not as charitable with my words. The drumming was some guy wailing on a drum at 5:15 am. I used my binoculars to try and see if I could later identify him when I was out and about. Maybe tune him up a bit about my version of morning serenity.
    Breakfast was good and we left our nice hotel room behind, checking out. We will be on our way to Jodpur after touring Udaipur for a while.    Read more

  • Travel with the WicksTravelerIndia, Nepal & Bhutan

    Our senses are awakened!

    October 25, 2019 in India ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    It has been while since either Dianne or I have been to an Indian Market, but the Bada market in Udaipur immediately brought back all the memories of ones visited in the past. The sounds, the colours, the smells, the confusion! All are present here. It is crowded and thankfully not too hot as it is still morning. We both like the market because we are walking and it consists mostly of vegetables and flowers. We ended up with a spice merchant, paying as I always do in these situations, too much for spices. Oh well.Read more

  • Travel with the WicksTravelerIndia, Nepal & Bhutan
    We are in a courtyard at the top of the palace

    City palace, Maiden Garden

    October 25, 2019 in India ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C

    Included in our itinerary is the palace and palace museum. Our guide Abhi is knowledgeable and informative. The palace constructed started in 1644 and all the Maharani have contributed to it over the years. At the end of the tour there is an opportunity to buy all sorts of things like carpets and clothes. Carpet salesmen are very skilled at getting my internal dialogue into an internal ferocious argument. We have no intentions of buying a carpet, and as he rolls out more and bigger carpets, each more laboriously constructed than the last, I wrestle with being rude and walking out, or continuing my feigned interest in his wares. The longer it goes on the louder my inside voice becomes. I’m finally screaming at myself, get out! Get out! Together we say thanks but no thanks and edge our way around the carpets which are an investment in our future that come with free delivery. We are out the door.

    Before leaving Udaipur, we stop at the Maiden garden. It’s nice. It was designed by the king for the queen, princesses and their ladies in waiting. There are fountains, swimming pool snd grassy areas to play.

    We part from our guide Abhi, and are left in the care of our seasoned and skilled driver Hari Singh.    Read more

  • Travel with the WicksTravelerIndia, Nepal & Bhutan

    Jain Temple, Ranakpur

    October 25, 2019 in India ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    We drive from Udaipur to a Jain temple in Ranakpur. It takes about 2 hours and the drive is through some rugged mountainous country. We see monkeys, wild pigs, a horse, a camel and cows. Lots of cows. Not cows in a field as that is a rarity. Cows are usually in the middle of the road.
    By the time we get to Ranakpur we need to use the washroom. Hari puts us in the right direction to the loo, but as we approach, the toilet paper salesman intervenes. The cost is 20 rupees for paper but the smallest I have is a 200 rupee bill. He manages to scrounge up 100 in change. I think we got 4 squares each. He was nowhere to be seen when I exited the washroom. He probably retired.

    The Jain temple was impressive in that it is carved from marble. There are 1444 individual columns intricately decorated by hand carving each.

    The rest of the journey to Jodpur was relatively slow due to traffic. The afternoon evening traffic was lots of goats being herded down the road. Everyone who had goats was moving them today.    Read more

  • Travel with the WicksTravelerIndia, Nepal & Bhutan
    Royal Palace the king resides, viewed from our room

    Awaking in our palace!

    October 26, 2019 in India ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    Arriving after dark at our heritage hotel Ranbanka Palace, we met our guide for tomorrow in the reception area. He is Ravinder or Ravi for short. We are pretty hungry and tired. First we have to stow our luggage in our room which is on the third floor. Being a palace from yesteryear it has no elevator, and we are on the third floor for the best view. This is no problem for the hotel’s ample staff. They schlep our bags upstairs without complaining and even smiling. Nice for Dianne. We go for something to eat and are entertained by a quartet of Indian musicians. One fella can busta move as a dancer too. We’re bagged so it’s off to bed.

    It’s a new day and we wake up in our palace bedroom.    Read more

  • Travel with the WicksTravelerIndia, Nepal & Bhutan
    Royal Centotaph
    111Royal Cenotaphs

    Royal Cenotaphs

    October 26, 2019 in India ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    We meet our local guide Ravi again this morning in the reception of the hotel. We are going to the Royal Cenotaphs and Mehrangarh Fortress. The Royal Cenotaphs are constructed of white marble ; the same as the Taj Mahal. They are great, with nice views of the Blue city. Ravi talks at length about both, if I’m honest, it is sounding to me like the last great palace fortress.

    Next we plan to go to the old part of Jodpur by the clock tower to see a Krishna Temple and the local market. It is a holiday and part of the festival of Diwali. Traffic is intense. We can only take the car so far until we switch to a Tuk Tuk. Ravi negotiates the price and on we go through the narrow ancient streets. As we are bumping along my cellphone falls out of my pocket and hits those same narrow and ancient streets. It made some noise when it bounced off the floor of the Tuk Tuk and so did I. We stop and retrieve it without further drama.    Read more

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