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India
  • Sarah Naylor

India

After our Camino trip last year we thought we would not have a big trip this year but here we are not a year later packing our bags and winging our way to India tomorrow with a bunch of good friends and organised by Bessie Rasmussen. もっと詳しく
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  • 旅行の開始
    2024年7月23日
    Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    1

    Singapore

    2024年7月25日, シンガポール ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    After a 430am start to our day with a stunning flight up to Auckland watching the sun rise we finally boarded our Singapore flight. The long haul 10 hour flight but with our trusty sheepskin wool squares to sit on that we all bought it could have been business class...maybe not quite. Now it's wandering aimlessly around Changi and deciding what duty free grog to buy. Delhi next. We have a travelling group of 16 so lots of chat!もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者

    Hot steamy Delhi

    2024年7月25日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    After another longish flight from Singapore we arrived in Delhi at 530am to a steam bath! Luckily the wonderful Bessie our guide had organised an air-conditioned bus to the ParkHotel in a very leafy part of Delhi. In fact the Delhi we remembered from 20 years ago to now seemed hugely different although we were then staying in quite a different area with streets full of beggars, cows, dogs monkeys and powelines! Today we saw beautiful parks and old buildings driving in with the odd monkey crossing the road!
    After a bit of a hiccup with rooms being ready we had a delicious breakfast and well needed showers and sleep. The girls then set off for a bit of a shop with the beautiful silks and cottons tempting us all . We could only last a couple of hours as the steamy heat was intense.
    Tonight another amazing Indian meal with pre dinner drinks up in our room as wine and beer here incredibly expensive
    Brian has managed to find the Olympic channel watching the NZ Canada soccer game. Tomorrow is a 4 am start to be on the train to Varanasi at 5am. Tough life being a tourist!    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    Lots of sleepers at the Railway Station!
    Very nice Hotel we were staying atThe festivalFeet in the very warm and slightly dirty Ganges2

    Varanasi

    2024年7月27日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 35 °C

    Yesterday we were up at 4am for a train trip up to Varanasi. Just to be in the Delhi train station at that time of the day is an experience in itself with the floors just completely filled with sleeping people. The heat was immense but at least protection from the rain.
    The train trip up to Varanasi was the perfect thing to be doing after the long haul of flying and just getting to India. Big comfy seats and big windows to look out of , never mind the food that just kept on coming! It must say something about a country's cuisine if even the railway food is super tasty ( bar the cornflakes in hot milk) The views mainly consisted of endless rice fields and small towns with maybe not their best real estate showing at the rail station. But as always lots of activity and the rice fields are being harvested.
    We arrived in Varanasi in the afternoon and getting out of the rail station was another "experience" and we were again so thankful to the guides who got us into the not so air conditioned vans but then onto the cool of the Raddison Hotel.
    The temp was 36 plus . After a bit of a rest off we set to the banks of the Ganges and to see the goings on down there. We were not sure what to expect but as of most experiences in India you just absorb everything going on around you as it's just so colourful and vibrant and busy!! We had a great guide here who lives in a house with 22 others and 5 generations and loves it.
    We got down to the banks of the Ganges and it is quite an emotional experience to witness all that is going on down there with hundreds of people on the banks immersing themselves in the holy water where Pilgrims come across the world to to worship it. It is suppose to expiate your sins and cure all ills! Looking at the state of the water I would think it may give you some ills. Onto a small boat we went and puttered down the Ganges ...for the faint hearted maybe don't read the next sentence. Along we came to the pyres where the cremation of bodies goes on 24/7 and it's all happening as we boat pass. Only men of the family can be there and the body at least is covered in a cloth but.. it was all very sombre but also very grounding . Apparently once the body is burning they have to crack the skull open so God can get out!
    Then after that rather different experience we got off the boat to go to watch a Hindu service on the banks. I managed to bathe my feet in the Ganges so let's see what comes of that. The service was run by Brahman monks in their orange robes as the sun set. Another colourful somewhat long service and meanwhile some of us got blessed by a Brahman monk and hands hennaed by a beautiful young girl who had never been to school,
    So full of all things spiritual and Indian we headed home with our first experience of a TukTuk ride on this trip. As scary as usual but we got home safely so worn out .
    This is being written in a hurry as we are off soon for a day in Varanasi . What will we experience today. It is again hot and incredible thunder this morning.
    Haven't seen any Olympics yet but hope to at some stage.
    Am sorry this has been slow to be posted but have been hit with the dreaded Delhi Belly.
    Photos to come    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    Mother Theresa's House1The bus drivers helper telling people to get out of the way

    Kolkata to Gangtok

    2024年7月29日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    We are now at a beautiful spot Gangtok way up in the North near the Himalayas and the Chinese border.
    The day before yesterday we had an amazing day of sightseeing in Kolkata and there is just so much to see there that it's hard to absorb it all. The hero of the day was our bus driver and his side kick who spent most of his time leaning out the window yelling at tuk tuks cars bikes and people to get out of the way and the traffic is as heavy as you can get! Not only that but the beggar children are tapping on our windows for money in amongst this traffic and how they are not squished..
    Kolkata is where the Ganges meets the sea and apparently the most densely populated region on the planet and where more than a million people live on the street. The slums of course are dreadful with children picking through the big piles of rubbish and dogs sleeping on the street but the whole place is just heaving with life. The beautiful fabrics, the fruit markets the flower markets and generally just life being played out on the streets.
    We visited Mother Theresa's house which has a wee chapel and her tomb, plus a small museum and the room she lived in. I think we all were very moved by her house and it was all so plain and simple with nuns quietly going about their day. There was so much to read about her work and of course the work goes on all over the world including NZ.
    Our guide of course had to show us the huge cricket ground which seats 92 thousand people and had photos of all their famous cricketers over it especially Tendulkar
    Kolkata has a very English feel due to the influence of British rule and Queen Victoria but now these old homes are not just faded grandeur but derelict grandeur with trees growing out of them and facades falling off Thankgoodness Kolkata doesn't seem to get earthquakes.
    We visited the flower markets near the famous Howrah bridge crossing the Ganges and so aliv with colour. One poor man was cooking in a tiny wee hovel naan bread which was very popular but the heat must be intense for him.
    There are big trees and greenery everywhere and the beautiful Maidan park which is Indias version of Hyde Park. It was full of people playing cricket and soccer and picnicking.
    So many contrasts everywhere from the big marble monument to Queen Vic to the slum hovels around every corner. We even saw a glass covered carriage being pulled along with a dead person inside for all the world to see! The heat inside must have been intense and certainly puts a new spin on hearses!
    All in all it was a pretty intense day and it's the sort of place that is very hard to describe in words.
    How spoilt we felt at the end of the day walking into our beautiful air-conditioned hotel.
    Unfortunately my tum is till on a rumble so am missing out on all the beautiful food but hopefully time will be the cure!
    Off up into the hills today and more to come of our trip here later!
    Great to see we got a gold in the sevens
    My photo s are not all here . Tech glitch but more to come    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    Going to the temple
    Lee was charmedSilk workersA good ad for special saversSilks silks and more silkBeautiful entrance of our HotelOur lovely footman at the Hotel

    Varanasi to Kolkata

    2024年7月29日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 28 °C

    Now I am out of sync as we have been in Kolkata for 2 nights and staying in the most beautiful hotel that it seems a different world to what we saw today.
    Our last day in Varanasi before we left was visiting the Hindu temples in the University area and what is amazing about the temples is that they are very plain but full of flowers and people! If we were worried about crowded places at the airport this was another level. They have deities for everything you could wish for and believe in being nice to every living thing as you could be that ant next!
    It was great to see such alive places of worship without all the trappings.
    There were the beggars outside which is always sad especially the little children with their beautiful dirty faces. They say the social system in India is much improved but poverty surrounds you wherever you go.
    One of the highlights.of the day was going to a silk factory where these quite elderly gentleman were weaving silk in the most beautiful design only known to them and it takes months to weave a single item. Then of course came the Masala tea and the sit down and who wants to buy! Naylors got tempted into a beautiful runner..Brian couldn't resist but most bought something knowing the value of their work. Plus they sit on hard wooden stools and no air con. Truly inspirational.
    Tomorrow I will describe impressions of Kolkata as an amazing full on place.
    After a long day am lying on my bed watching Olympic table tennis and as you can imagine no coverage of NZ athletes so have to rely on good old RNZ
    Am still not 100 so hopefully tomorrow will be a new day!    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    Squeezing on throughOur sweet tea lady up near the lakeThe team high up in the mountainsDon't look downReading the Gangtok timesCricket ground KolkataLake Tsomgo..not quite Lake PukaJane getting some good wishes in for safe travels from the Budhist wheelsSome shade at the Budhist temple

    Gangtok

    2024年7月31日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    We have been in Gangtok for 2 nights and leave today for Darjeeling and am just hoping the drive there is better than the one we had to endure to get here.
    We flew in from Kolkata to Bagdogra after a pleasant flight. There was a huge military presence there and it seems Indian officials love to scan you and your luggage indefinitely! Eventually we were all through and allowed to enter the Indian state of Sikkim which before 1975 was it's own Budhist state.
    We had a lunch as supposedly we had a 4 hour drive ahead of us. Little did we know what was ahead of us!
    We had to go in cars as buses can't travel these roads but what they didn't say was that neither hardly can cars. We were with Bridge and Frank . It didn't take long for us to realise that this was no Sunday afternoon drive. With sheer drops below us, rock slides above us and it seemed every bloody truck in India coming towards us we battled on. The normal road due to a big slip was closed so had to use the" alternative " route which made that back road at Paekakariki seem like a main road. Frank sat in the front with a very grim face and his foot was doing a lot of breaking! Poor Bridge sat in the middle at first between Brian and myself and was so bounced around that it was like riding dodgems! In the end she andI were hysterical with laughter as the seat belt was just about completely decapitating her! When I had a turn the seat belt not only was strangling my neck but just about giving me a mastectomy! At least we could laugh but it was a pretty terrifying 71/2 hour drive . I am sure the scenery was magnificent but our eyes were on the road ahead! One truck had completely broken down so after endless waiting we could finally scrape past. I really am impressed with their drivers here! We managed to have a couple of loo stops ..squatters which some manage better then others and will say no more!
    It was a very bedraggled group that arrived at 8pm to this stunningly beautiful Mayfair hotel which is very Budhist and so peaceful. Again how lucky are we. There are flowers planted everywhere in pots and a beautiful old library with large bedrooms.
    Yesterday I considered staying behind at the resort just to try and get on top of the rumbly tum but fear of FOMO had me in the cars and supposedly up through wonderful scenery and lots of wild life. Again more windy roads but to be expected ,as we climbed up to Lake Tsonga , a glacial lake at 3750 meters which is as high as Mt Cook.
    We stopped on the way at this funny little tea house and we're immediately hit with the high altitude and some of us felt quite light headed. One of our group required oxygen mainly because ex bossy nurse Naylor advised him to take some as he looked decidedly unwell and blue around the gills. He perked up later thankfully!
    The wild life we saw was a truck load of sick looking chooks, a dog with a nasty infected foot and some yaks.
    The scenery was stunning with the Himalayas in the distance and we were meant to see Indias highest mountain Kanchenjunga but cloud cover prevented us. It seems very Tibetan here or Nepal like and our guides speak Nepali.
    Our guide knew nothing much about NZ except they knew who Jacinda Adern was as she had a baby while being prime minister and carried on working with her baby. Apparently that was huge inspiration to the woman here.
    The lake was slightly underwhelming but it was an adventurous day out . I forgot to mention we did go to a beautiful Budhist temple on the way home.
    The food here is different to the Bengali food not that I unfortunately are up to eating much. Their specialty are little dumplings and very tasty
    We listened with dodgy wifi to the triathlon and so close to another gold but great to get silver.
    Next stop Darjeeling and the tea plantations so had better get up and get ready for departure. Everyone is in great spirits and a few rumbly tums but not too bad    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    1
    Drivers lunch stopThis man in the blue striped shirt is Kanes mateA bit of water flowing throughLords of the manorFranks photo of the day. A beautiful butterfly

    Darjeeling

    2024年8月1日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Yesterday we traveled from Gangtok to Darjeeling for a supposedly 4 hour trip.
    I must say we were all a bit sad to be leaving the Mayfair Resort in Gangtok but we are all on an adventure not a holiday to lounge around the pool..so we tell ourselves.
    Off we set in our trusty cars and drivers prepared for anything! The trip to start with went pretty well and weather hot and fine. We go through the Sikkim border and passports all checked. Best thing at the border is a toilet! A proper one not a squatter. There is a tourist info place s well with 4 men sitting about doing not alot. Bridget asked one of the men for a map and he almost reluctantly gave out one and then others started asking but it was all too much . I don't think that man had had so much to do in years.
    We travelled on a bit and then stopped at a non scenic town to put it kindly so that our drivers could have their lunch. The specialty of the town was dried Buffalo but we were not tempted. We stood around in the dusty street and talked to a local who told us he knew Kane Williamson from the IPL.
    He claimed to have played with him but not so sure?
    Onwards we drove through a huge gorge that made our Manawatu gorge seem nothing and of course the inevitable happened, another road closure and another detour. The road was strewn with boulders and upturned trees an a river raging beside us.
    Their road workers are very intrepid it has to be said and some of the state of roads reminded me of Cyclone Gabrielle but I think up here there is some pretty extreme weather to put it mildly. There were lots of people cleaning out huge drains in preparation for the monsoons.
    Finally on yet another detour we left the gorge and started climbing up and up and up passing families of monkeys and huge Rimu like trees and dense bush. Our young driver of 24 was very competent and seem to lead the charge.
    We drove through quaint but fairly run down villages with houses clinging onto cliffs. We had been thinking where would the children go to school and then out of nowhere these dear little children wearing blazers and ties would be walking along. The views across the valleys and over to the mountains were stunning.
    Finally we arrived in Darjeeling at 2500 meters with the quaint steam railway running through the town.
    Darjeeling is set on rocky cliffs looking out to the Himalayas. When we arrived we were ushered into the Tenzing reading room and were offered cups of tea which was very welcome. Tending Norgay worked and died in Darjeeling so is very much the local hero.
    This is also called the Mayfair but slightly more faded and very reminiscent of British colonial times.
    The rooms have dark wood paneling and comfy soft couches.
    For most of us it was an early night and today we are exploring all the sights of Darjeeling.    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    1Outside the tea factoryPicking the teaLots of rain up at the war memorial1Beautiful Tibetan Mother and daughterThis woman is my ageDriving down today through tea plantations

    Darjeeling to Amritsar

    2024年8月3日, インド ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Yesterday was spent exploring Darjeeling which was very much hindered by the pouring rain but as intrepid traveller's and even more intrepid drivers we set off. First 2 stops were Hindu and Budhist temples high up on Cliff somewhere. Looking out all we could see was cloud so missed the stunning views over to Komchengo and neighboring mountains
    Then it was onto the war memorial to the Ghurkas ( Ghorkas in India) it was a beautiful spot and a wonderful statue of a soldier with supposedly a wonderful outlook but we had mist although that made it quite striking.
    Alot of Tibetan people were there in their stunning costumes.
    More rain and driving along steep narrow roads with no seat belts for us sitting in the middle!
    We then went to the " Zoo" which although sad to see the Bengal Tiger pacing up and down in its cage and a bg black bear looking a bit over it.
    At the top of the hill was the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute which was the highlight and great exhibits of Tenzings pack and icepick and lots of tributes to other mountaineer but Tenzing rightly was the hero of the exhibit. It was nice to see a few photos of Sir Ed.
    They had the front page of the English ?Guardian announcing the incredible feat with news being given to the Queen on the night of her coronation. They then mentioned how wonderful the conqueror of Everest was of British " breed" Tenzing though did get a small mention.
    Tenzing spent most of his latter years working there
    So truly being inspired by these great mountaneers we carried on wandering through the gardens. Occasionally woman would want their photos with you in a selfie and one lady even blessed my shoe..maybe it would help my bunions!
    Then it was onto the Tibetan refugee centre where the Dali Lama bought out the refugees from Tibet in 1959 as China was doing land grab and a lot more.
    The place is now totally run down and all the young have left but these dear old people are still making crafts and selling them. How they can see in the poor light is a wonder. Of course us girls had to support them so I now have a been to India throw but love it.
    With that the day out had ended and we were all very happy to get out of the rain and into the old world comfort of the hotel. Drinks around the pool table before dinner
    I was amused the night before as Brian was trying to get the Olympic channel which was quite a mission as you scrolled along to Chanel 450 and no sooner had he settled into watching the sport and then the power would go off so after the 3rd attempt he gave up.
    Today we left Darjeeling and still raining but no road blocks today although also no seat belts in the middle.
    We stopped at a tea plantation and saw the process of making the tea which was fascinating and of course bought some tea. For any of you drinking tea bag tea let's just say I wouldn't when you see where that tea comes from..basically the floor. We also saw pickers on steep hills harvesting.
    We have spent the rest of the day in transit and seeing lots of scanners and security guards.
    With all this travel you realise how little you really know of the country and it's history but every day we learn a little bit more.
    One highlight at the Delhi airport was that oldies were allowed priority boarding! Who were we to argue that call
    We now have arrived to Amritsa a stronghold of the Sikh religion and only 30 km from the Pakistan border.
    Just from bus observations it looks a more wealthy city. Tomorrow will be exploring.
    Hot and steamy here.    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    1Colliers donning the head gear
    1John our guide giving us a run down on the Temple. Hard to concentrate in the heat!Cooking vats in the kitchenDinner time! How would Brian's knee cope!Busy in the dining roomMonument in the remembrance parkGo the feisty woman

    Amristar to Dharamshala

    2024年8月5日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    Yesterday was not your normal lie in bed on a Sunday morning with cup of tea and the papers to put it mildly.
    First we drove to the Jallainwala Bagh where in 1916 hundreds were massacred by the British for not obeying to the rule of not gathering in groups of more than 2 people. It was a dreadful day of senseless slaughter and now there is a beautiful garden and museum describing the atrocities. After that sobering start we then walked on to the beautiful Golden Temple. It was totally beautiful but so did 200 thousand think so yesterday and the place was packed. It was just a stream of people there and the Sikh men in their turbans and beautiful woman in their saris. On we walked in the stifling heat with just so much going on including swimming in the big pool in front of the temple. People come from near and far to worship in the Sikh temple and the people double on a Sunday! We had to don head scarves and wear pants or long skirts to cover our legs.
    We were then shown the community kitchen which was one of those " you had to be there" moments. It was absolutely packed with people going in to eat as a community and on a Sunday they feed 200 thousand people. Everyone gets a tin plate and sits cross-legged on long mats and the volunteers come around with plates of ? looked like lentils rice and naan bread. Even people who are not poor eat there as it's just about taking part in a community event. I was just so happy our men were not subjugated to sitting on the floor. You can imagine the noise of a thousand tin plates being loaded onto trolleys. There was so much order to it all that was so admirable. The Sikh religion are very much about not having a caste society and they have no figures in their temple to worship to.
    The Punjab people are much taller and bigger than where we have come from and seem more out going but that is only my observation.
    As we left the kitchen in total awe we saw the que to get into the temple and it was packed but luckily we were not going in!! They were waiting in 30 degree plus for 3 hours just to get in and so patient.
    The heat was getting pretty intense by then but we were taken to an air-conditioned museum documenting the Partition in 1948/49. It was again a very tough time for India and a big part of Punjab was turned into Pakistan and people turfed out of their homes depending on their religion.
    A lot of lives lost and hardship to so many.
    So after that also sobering account our morning ended!
    Will post the next account in morning as gins are being poured down the way and we are staying in a beautiful peaceful place in Dharamshala but more tomorrow.
    Great to see the pole vaulting girls got through!    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    1
    View from the hotelEntrance to the temple. Poor chap in the foreground wanting money . Lots of dogs.Up fir the sunrise but a very hidden sunBeautiful in pinkMonkeys watching onNot a bad place for a pool

    Amrista to Dharamshala

    2024年8月6日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    Our last afternoon / evening in Armistar we headed off to the Waga border to see the Beating Retreat ceremony a sort of changing of the guard ceremony. We had no idea what we were going to.
    When we arrived it was party central! Reminded me of waking into a big out door concert or a rugby game. We walked into a type of amphitheatre with music blaring and all the crowds dancing in a type of mosh pit.
    The whole ceremony was like a cross between India come dancing, military tattoo, a crazy crowd at a football game and a whole lot of roosters prancing around with their amazing head gear. Will put a couple of videos up.The amazing thing was the Pakistanis were doing exactly the same thing but we couldn't see their crowds. The whole thing took well over an hour and I think is a huge attraction and it's very important to make more noise then the other side. They at the end with great fan fare hoisted the flag.
    It was a pretty tired bunch of kiwis that returned home that night after a full on day. My tum must be better as even had a glass of wine that night!
    Yesterday we had a 5 hour drive to Dharamshala over a lot of bouncy roads but again always so much to see. We are now out of Punjab and high up at 2 thousand metres in the state of Himachai Pradesh.
    Dharamshala is famous as the place where the Dalai Lama lives and is the base of the Tibetan government .
    There is huge money being put into road construction here and not a red cone in sight but I think some of their health and safety could be a little dodge. As you know in India cows are sacred and they just amble along on any road. Our bus driver stopped to feed them the banana skins we had in the bus.
    On arrival at our beautiful hotel set high up in the hills we got taxis ( bus had a broken fan belt) to see the big Buddhist temple and the house where the DL lives.
    The temple is right in the middle of a busy street where beggars , dogs, little Tibetan markets abound and is apart from the decorated altar, very plain. Their are of course monks everywhere including little boys. They were thrilled when we gave them some kiwi key rings and pens.
    Our guide was great and I think he looks loves cricket more than anything and was so happy when he learnt we were kiwis! The black caps were here recently and met the Dalai Lama which our guide was overjoyed about!
    The evening was spent relaxing and having a beautiful meal in great surroundings and some went swimming! The good thing on this trip is that all our breakfasts and evening meals are prepaid for. Wine is very expensive but the beer is good.
    Next stop Manali.
    All pretty healthy    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    More rock slides1Our toiletsCow just hangingBig slips coming down the hills3A very washed out road

    Dharamshala to Manali

    2024年8月6日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    I wasn't even going to write about our day today as it was to be 6 to 7 hour trip high up into the hills of Manali heading east?
    Our trusty bus having being fixed arrived in good time while we had all had a leisurely breakfast and off we set in our bouncy jalopy.
    Prior to leaving some person who remains nameless and you can all be the JUDGE of who that could be was showing off doing throw the umbrella in the air tricks and nec minute it's on the roof. The poor staff were in a flurry to get it down and ladders produced and finally the umbrella was retrieved.
    So off we then bounced knowing it was going t be a long trip.
    These long travel days do not factor in the wee stops or possibly food we may need and 17 of us today were driving that bus.
    The amount of time we all inhaled or stifled a scream as passing trucks nearly clipped our sides or a little 2 year old child would be standing on the side of the road, never mind the cows sleeping right in the middle of the road! These are busy busy roads and a huge amount of traffic but it all seems in it's chaotic way to work.
    We are never bored as so much life going on outside our windows. We stop at these random places so the driver deservedly gets a well earned break. Let's say they are not the loos of your normal z stations of NZ.
    The roads have huge rock/ landslides and there is constant cleaning of roads. Massive boulders lining the roads.
    The worst part was coming near the city of Manali where last week there was serious flooding and the river washed out roads. It looked like a war zone. Our driver was incredible the way he negotiated the roads.
    We were stopped by police as needed to check the driver. The clock was ticking.
    The final straw was when we were so close to the hotel and there was a road block. The poor driver had to back the bus down the rockiest road and go another way. How he got the bus up to the hotel again on the road is incredible. At one stage when he had to 3 point.turn a corner one of us who will remain nameless but she OKAY with that jumped out to do a quick pee by the wheel and the bus started moving. We were very relieved when she emerged and jumped back on the bus!
    After 10 hours we arrived to the most beautiful hotel in the style of Swiss chalets. Mountains surround us and more on Manali tomorrow.
    What a day!
    Budhist saying below very appropriate for today's travel

    We need to spread our wings to fly far. · "If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine, it's lethal" - Paulo.

     Routine is looking OK at present!    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    3John Bessie and Brian outside our chalet
    The man who made the tea in his kitchenThe tea houseRotang Pass entranceHimalayan poppy1Soaring above the cloudsA sheep hearderLooking pretty handsome in red..guide DannyMore mountains1Some of the team feeling.top of the world!1Trevor by the massive waterfallHolding ice

    Manali

    2024年8月7日, インド ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    We had a great day yesterday driving up to Rohtang Pass in the Western Himalayas. After the long drive the day before we were very relieved to wake up in Manali safe and sound in this beautiful chalet style resort.
    2 vans arrived as well as our gorgeous guide Danny who seems to be action man in all mountaineering pursuits!
    We again bounced along on muddy slippery road/ tracks rougher than most farm tracks.
    We were climbing from 10 thousand feet to 13 thousand feet at the pass.
    On the way up there were a huge amount of road workers clearing rocks by hand. Our guide Danny told us they are families from Nepal who get paid pretty well and live in camps on the side of the road. Children and babies are also up there with their families. It must be tough.
    The views of course were incredible with these soaring peaks of the Himalayan Mountains so close. We came across a glacier which was quite a sight and waterfalls thundering down.
    At 11 thousand feet we stopped at a funny little tea shop and had beautiful black tea with ginger in it.
    Next door was a wine shop! What a strange place but we all bought our wine for tonights drinks at a tenth of the price that hotels charge.
    Finally we reached Rotang Pass at 13 thousand feet where there were lots of people milling and although there was cloud cover of the mountain peaks there would suddenly be a clearance so caneras whipped out photos taken of just great views. There were people who had mountan biked up!
    Nepali ladies were sitting in a tent knitting hats and scarves. Unfortunately they knit with acrylic not wool.
    The last part of the road was very good and well kept.
    Some of us went for a short walk to see the blue himalayan poppy which only flowers at this time of the year so good to see it.
    On the way down we went through a 9km tunnel which was very impressive. There is huge military presence further up near the Chinese and Pakistan borders . In the winter the army help clear and maintain the roads.
    We also passed a ski field which is under huge development.
    I must say being up 13 thousand feet, you do feel a bit light headed especially if you are climbing up a path.
    A great day and so good to see those majestic Himalyan mountains!
    I am lying in bed this morning catching.ip on Olympic news and rain pouring outside! Should we be worried?!    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    Magnificent man donned in apricot turban and gownDear old man blessing us outside the Hindu templeThe local snake charmerRoad outside our hotel.

    Manali Day 2

    2024年8月8日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Today was probably the most relaxing day we have had and in fact lying on our bed late afternoon watching the Olympics. Every now and then the power goes off and poor Brian has to reprogram the tv so you have to be keen!
    We have the door open onto our dear little balcony and fan going as no air conditioning but comfortably warm. You can also hear the distant sound of many waterfalls cascading down the hills/ mountains.
    This morning we set off with the lovely guide Danny, braced the rocky roads and visited a temple 4 thousand years on. It's made of cedar intricately carved and incredible its still standing! Outside was the local bath house for woman and children and down the road a snake charmer.
    Lots as usual to feast your eyes on. Then it was to another temple in the cedar forest and many dogs, one of which befriended me!
    It was so peaceful and cool there but there were markets to be reached so off we set!
    The markets were full of goodies and shopping with Bessy is something else! She saved some.of us quite a bit and then told the shop owners not to give us dirty notes but clean notes! Go Bessy!
    This area is full of apple trees and they are just ripening so have picked a couple. Plus there are plum and cherries.
    A few of us came back to rest up but some hard core shoppers stayed on so looking forward to the show and tell@
    As I write this have just watched Lisa Carringtons K4 team win gold! Great result.
    Tomorrow is a 10 hour plus trip to our next stop and the thought of going back on the road we came.on is not filling us with joy but no doubt many sights on the way.
    Loving all the messages and we all in pretty good form and are onto the last week.    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    Another slip
    Road waged awayLittle vege shopGetting the hat and welcome rosehip drinkDriver conferringNot goodNot a good look!

    A 13 hour trip

    2024年8月9日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    We were all up early and on the bus by 7am a little bit anxious about the " 10 hour trip ahead of us and the state of the roads!
    Off we bounced and had not been going long when the driver pulled over to have a quick prayer at the Hindu temple on the side of the road. We hoped he was doing the prayer for the team.
    On we went with mist on all the hills and the raging river beside us. It wasn't too long before we came to a huge traffic jam in the gorge. With great boulder cliffs hanging over us, it's not the kind of place you want to be in. It turned out that a truck was on its side and a grader as well so hence the jam.
    Finally we got through but the bus wasn't sounding too good and the air-conditioning wasn't working. Farmer Frank thought it was the fan belt.
    After a couple of stops an a couple of hours it became clear that the bus was in trouble so off we got in an " interesting town" an found a very nice restaurant to have lunch at.
    After much discussion it was decided that our supposed destination was just going to be too far so a decision was made to go to Shimla only supposedly 4 hours away.
    It took a couple of hours for the bus to be fixed and off we set again. What a trip !
    Winding around hill after hill with sheer cliffs below us and some hair raising moments as our driver although very good is also very fast. Our internal organs were fair rocking and rolling.
    There were a few near misses but I logged into.my talking book as was too stressful to be looking at what was on the road.
    Finally we got to Shimla but still took another hour and a half to get through the city. Shimla is at approx 6 thousand feet with a population of 250 thousand so not big in India standards but it's really spread out and built on steep steep cliffs.
    The drive down to the hotel is so steep the bus couldn't get down.
    We had an amazing welcome into the beautiful hotel set amongst firs and pine trees and all given the little fez type Indian hat.
    Totally exhausted so was a quick meal and now in bed. Looking forward to exploring Shimla tomorrow.
    Great to see more gold medals for NZ. India very excited with the bronze they got in the men's hockey!    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    2
    Our driver sporting a new hair cut with his 3 co drivers!Bridget happy with her new shoes. Frank very happy2 beautiful girls with the amazing.mirror behindBeing offered delicious clove and apple tea4Note the shoes at this stage on her feet1High on hill with our new friends and the mist4Does the yak look happy?Down we go into the mist1View from the hotel1Lovely Indian family and JaneTea for oneLord Kichener3

    Serenity in Shimla

    2024年8月10日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    What a relief to wake up this morning and know we were not defying death on mountainous windy roads. After a leisurely breakfast we were back on the bus to visit a park high up in the hills with supposedly 360 views of the Himalayas. On the way was a stop to see the yaks of which I was brave enough to sit on one of them. Am not sure who was more worried the yak or me!
    On we climbed to Kufri for the amazing views but sadly it was mist and more mist.
    However when we got there a conference of sorts was going on and we were swamped for selfies by the participants. One of the girls Monica who was a gorgeous girl from Rajasthan really took a shine to us. So much so that when Bridget commented on how nice her shoes were , she took them off and gave them to her. Of course Bridget protested but our new friend ( now my Instagram friend) would not say no and Bridget is now sporting a beautiful pair of sandals.
    I must say wherever we go the Indians are so welcoming and interested in us and LOVE the selfie with us.
    Next visit was the most beautiful Oberon hotel which was built by Scottish architects in the 70s . The original house that burnt down was Lord Ktcheners home who was the viceroy of India in the early 1900s.
    The house/castle was stunning and next level luxury. We had a tour through it and dined there for lunch. What a change from the harrowing journey of yesterday!
    In winter it is covered in snow. It reminded us abit of the chateau at National Park but far more elaborate.
    Shimla was once the summer capital of the whole of India and when the Partition was formed and 2 thirds of Punjab was made into Pakistan it was all signed off here in Shimla. The power house that decided the future on 1 fifth of the world's population. A city that punches well above its weight and beautiful as well.
    Then it was back to the hotel to anxiously watch the K1 race and could only read the commentary of the race. Another gold! Then all through dinner it was again live updates on Lydia. We all went to bed happy to be kiwis and Bridget super happy with her new shoes under her bed!
    Only 3 more nights on this incredible trip and so lucky to have Bessy and Sukumar leading the charge!    もっと詳しく

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  • Sarah NaylorIndia旅行者
    Up at the temple
    In the viceroy gardenSpices to buyBus stop for lunchBe nice to him!Sunset in ShimlaCity street1Don't you dare take my glasses!Handsome soldiersThis slip happened as we driving along. One of hundredsA good way to shift glass!Delicious smellsMist over the valleyShimla hillside

    Its a wrap in Chandigarh

    2024年8月11日, インド ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    This is my final post from India as we will be flying home in a couple of days arriving in green old NZ on Thursday. I will never complain about our roads again in NZ!
    Yesterday we spent a great day exploring more of Shimla including a visit to the old Viceroys house in the days of British Rule. There were the polo grounds, tennis court and beautiful rose gardens. You could just imagine the English ladies sitting about drinking their teas and gins giving out orders to the " natives" It reminded me of the book/ film Passage to India. The grounds also held an Army museum which is not usually my cup of tea but it was fascinating and so many wars India has been involved in. They had a display of some of the soldiers uniforms. Quite magnificent!
    We visited another temple on the top of a steep hill. The most memorable aspect of the visit were the aggressive monkeys who steal your glasses off your face and won't give them back unless you give them food. I kept my glasses in my pocket!
    After a late lunch in town ( tandoori chicken kebab) we wondered into the markets. As it was a Sunday I am sure half of Shimla were there and the further along you went the tackier the stuff but some beautiful silks and pashminas .
    We had a fun evening with the drinks and then usual buffet dinner. The fish curry was the favourite for me.
    Today we drove down the steep windy roads to Chandigarh.
    Chandigarh is a newish city in Punjab as a new capital of Punjab was needed in the 1960s. We havent seen much yet but driving here to the hotel it seems full of beautiful parks..and people. The roads from Shimla to Chandigarh were just full of landslides and am putting up a little video of 1 just after it happened.
    India might be touted as the future power house of the world but their roads you just wonder how they will ever fix.
    Anyway it's been such an eye opener of a trip with a great crew of people .
    You don't realise how vast India is and how varied it is. The colours and the landscapes, the food, the amazingly beautiful hotels and just seeing the people going about their daily business in a country so full of history and culture.
    Looking forward to a grilled lamb chop on return to NZ!
    Thanks for all the comments along the way and sharing a bit of this trip but my ramblings don't really do justice to what we have seen.    もっと詳しく

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    旅行の終了
    2024年8月15日
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