first week in India

Notes:
You must be wondering if we were ever going to get to India . We did !
A quick note on currency. It is 85rs/ (rupees) to £1
And if you want to see pictures big and read the captions, click on them.

After the Four Seasons you would have thought that nothing India could offer could stand up to its quality, but mum wasn’t holding back on the cash flow (well, almost). We went on a flight where two of us got to go on business class (mum, because she was sick the night before, and me and Bruno swapped halfway through because we had to do homework with papa). After the flight we were whisked off in a car to our hotel which (as I had learnt in the plane a couple hours before) was FIVE STAR (again). Its name was the Imperial. We did however share a room (mum insisted I put that in). but I managed to see the Arsenal V West Ham on telly so that was something. Once we had arrived and we had checked in we went to the Sikh temple where we had to cover our hair with orange fabric. We learnt about the 10 prophets and that the tenth said “I am meant to chose the next prophet, so I chose the book” he’s talking about (which Judgeman will probably tell 6G) the book which all the prophets wrote in. We went to a lake which water had been blessead and Bruno put his feet in.

After the temple we went to this kebab place were we had OK kebabs but they could have been better. We battled our way to the Muslim Mosque (honestly you would think all 1.2 billion Indians were in that street) where we encountered this really unpleasant person and mum couldn’t go up the tower unless accompanied by a man (which was very unfortunate because we had a bag which we couldn’t leave behind and Ate was carrying it) but a German man helped us out. We then went to the Red Fort which was very disappointing (even though it was red). It had almost been completely looted (almost because there was one bit where there was still some silver on the ceiling) and very dusty. We then had a quiet walk, we wished. We have learnt that the people in Delhi don’t know the word no (and not because of language difficulties either) one guy followed us until we finally got in his rickshaw .

That night, we went to the house of a Maharaja in law or something, someone my father knew through his work – at 9.30 pm and had dinner at 11 if that . The guy was very rich it seems and as far as we could tell hardly worked. We were very lucky to go to his house and see how “the other half” live.

Next morning we set off in a car to Jaipur (after losing mum then pup then mum again) . This was the beginning of our tour of Rajasthan, a state in India which is very colourful and full of Maharajas and palaces and forts. The people we met the previous night were connected to some of them. We looked at 2 hotels and decided to stay in a haveli (which is a courtyard house) which was being done up as a hotel but they hadn’t finished it yet. We had 2 huge rooms and we were the only people there for at least 2 of the nights. In Jaipur we met Vikram, our driver for the next 9 days and went to his house which was one room and a kitchen and met his wife (who he only met on his wedding day – as far as he is concerned love marriages don’t work) and his 2 small sons. He wears an earring in each ear and like most Rajasthani men a moustache. He is a Hindu – a total vegetarian and he also doesn’t drink alcohol – and is of the Rajput caste. That is the warrior caste which most of the Maharajas also come from but there are many grades within each caste.

Just outside Jaipur (which is called the pink city even though its more light brown) we saw the Amber fort (even though it should have been the Amber palace) which was the Maharaja’s palace before Jai Singh founded Jaipur in the 18th century. We went on an elephant up to the fort /palace which was full of wonderful rooms and courtyards, before we went to another palace, the Samode Palace , which is now a fancy hotel. We were invited there by another guy we met in Delhi whose sister is married to the Maharaja of that area. He was very kind to us and showed us the palace and their other hotel which has tents – Bruno and I wanted to stay there (in the tents, it had a ping pong table, a pool table and a swimming pool).

We saw Jai Singh’s palace too which is called the City Palace. In there we saw some traditional gards, a giness world record vase (it was made out of the same pice of silver) and doorways of the four different seasons. He also built 5 observatories, the biggest of which is called the Jantar mantar and is in Jaipur. It is full of huge marble and stone astronomical instruments. We also by coincidence stayed next door to another he built in his palace on the Ganges at Varanasi. Jaipur is the centre for gem cutting in India and so of course we had to look at jewellery. Mum bought some at a shop Vikram took us to – we found out later he got a commission but he said it was only small, and I got a garnet necklace (for free because we bought so much other stuff) which sadly I broke in about 24 hours but I still have the stones to rethread.

I had loads of chicken kebabs and I ate my first boiled egg.

After 3 days we went on to Pushkar which is a holy Hindu city where no non-veg (including eggs) alcohol leather etc are allowed near the centre – and it is full of sacred cows(in fact the only place which is not full of sacred cows was Delhi). It is a city built around a lake and there are steps (ghats) down to the lakes(I played cricket for a bit with the locals near one of the ghats). They are really dirty – covered in cow poo and rubbish but you have to take your shoes off if you walk near to the lake for religious reasons. It is full of temples, the most famous of which is probably the Brahma temple. There are only a couple of temples to Brahma in the whole of India. Lots of boys wanted to give us blessings if we gave them a donation – which they said was for charity but we think was for themselves. Ate got really annoyed by this guy who gave us a tour of the temple (which had a box saying donation for cows) and wanted to give us a blessing at the lake and when we said we didn’t want him he came back anyway so Ate said don’t come back, don’t come back in a really irritated kind of way. Anyway near Pushkar on the road we saw a man that was rolling along the road, covered in kind of padding. Vikram said he was a sadhu (Hindu holy man) who was probably going from Pushkar on a pilgrimage to Rishikesh (600 kms away) and he was going to roll all the way. We only stayed in Pushkar one night but we had dinner at a great veg. restaurant called Seventh Heaven. I had pizza! And really fresh apple juice and it was excellent(even though half was froth). Unfortunately the hotel we stayed in was awful and had yellow dragonfly/wasp things. Next morning we had breakfast, got in the car, and skedaddled.

On to Jodphur (which is called the blue city and it is) where we stayed in this brilliant haveli /hotel with a view of the lake in our room. Mum and pup got a view of the fort to which we went later that day. If you ever go to Jodphur and go to the fort take the audio guide because it is great as it explained loads of things not only about the fort but also about history and the caste system and other interesting things. The fort also had a place were the wives and concubines left there handprints on the wall and then bunt alive on the maharaja funaral pire. This is called sati. Just before that is a door that had spikes on it so elaphants couldn’t get through. On the barraks you got a great veiw and there were loads of cannons. The hotel was next to the market so we went and it was crowded. We passed loads of spice stalls and then went into one, where we bought “brain” spices among other things(there were cows there two). After dinner (potato dosa for me, which is like an Indian pancake, and dinner cost us about 200rs/ for the 4 of us) we went across the street to this place called softy n’ softy. We liked the name because Bruno has a bear called softy and mum calls Bruno softy so that was funny. We had a softy ice cream which cost only 15rs/. Bruno feed half of his to a cow because he couldn’t eat it all (though I did) and the cow ate it in one bit.

Next Jaisalmer which is called the Golden City because it is built out of sandstone and is in the middle of the Thar desert only about 100kms from the border with Pakistan. It is about 280 kms from Jodhpur and we really didn’t want to drive on to the sand dunes which disappointed Vikram. We saw lots of camels on the way many of them wild but lots of working camels which are used instead of horses to pull carts and carry things and people. We also saw a lot of army trucks on the way. We stayed in another haveli where we had a room right next to the restaurant (it was more like 3 rooms) and people thought it was the toilet. We walked around in the streets of the old town and the fort after lunch (Bolognese pasta, they have a lot of Italian food there) and looked at various havelies one of which had an elephant that was made out of about 30 women (it was a sculpture made out of one elephant knee bone) it was for sale but we didn’t buy it (though I wish we had) we then went to the fort town where we walked on the ramparts (they were also covered in cow poo and rubbish) we watched the sun set while having a drink. That night I had pizza at the hotel(as it turned out we had all our meals in Jaisalmer in the hotel and I didn’t eat any Indian food there at all although Mum does at every meal).

This was the end of our first week in India. We’d driven about 900kms and seen so many things and we were now about as west as you can be in India.

lost, but was he found?

When I left off, we were franticly searching for Bruno in the airport on the way to Delhi.
I was on the escalator to the mini train when mum said, “Where’s Bruno?”
Seeing a head of brown hair, I said, “With papa.”
So mum called to Ate, “Where’s Bruno?”
And he said, “I don’t know”
Then I immediately leapt into action. Seeing that the route up was blocked, I shouted, “down” to mum, and immediately ran down the steps to the train. Then I ran around and saw the escalator up was not working and they had put a barrier up, not that it stopped me. There was just enough space for me to slip past the barrier, so I run up the escalator at break neck speed. “Bruno!” I cried while turning on to the next flight of steps. Once again I cried his name as I turned onto the third flight of steps and once more, with hardly any breath left, in the middle of the fourth, and final, flight of steps. Then at the top I saw him running towards me with tears in his eyes, and the relief I felt was immaculate. He ran into my arms and I whispered into his ears, “It’s all right I got you, I got you.” And then slowly we went down the working escalator to where papa was standing (may I add, in exactly the same place as when we discovered Bruno was missing). Calling down to mum (who was at the bottom since we were on the last escalator when we saw Bruno was missing) that we had Bruno, we went down to her and got on the train to the aeroplane on which (the train, not the plane) Bruno explained that he had looked away for a second and couldn’t see where we had gone, so he asked a man what gate the plane to India was (he didn’t know we were going to Delhi) but then he heard my voice and said it didn’t matter. Mum and papa then complemented me on how fast I had climbed the escalator saying, “No one could have stopped you.” Over and over again. But the important thing is we found him and it just proves that however much they say that they don’t, brothers always love each other.

End of China

Before we continue I have some funny toilet picturers.
When we left of we were in Xi’an and on our way to Beijing
While going to the train station we made a small detour to the stage of a famous movie called “Raise the red lantern”. Before the communist rule it belonged to the emperors of China so it was very beautiful (even more after the film makers came). After an hour of looking at a film stage and historic monument, we got back in the car to go to the train station. When we arrived it was dark, so we had dinner in Dixons (the Chinese version of KFC). After dinner we sat in the waiting room till nine for the 10 hour journey to Beijing. But wait, you cry, you cant sit right through the night. Well we didn’t, we were in a sleeper train. It had compartments for four and in our carriage were a monk and a general.
We arrived and were whisked of in another car (we must be polluting so much on this trip)to our hotel. It’s called the Red Capital Residence and it had five rooms only!!! Mum and Pup stayed in the Mao suite, and me and Bruno stayed in the west wing Concubine suite. Concubines are (as the adults will know and the children won’t) are like the reserve wives; if a wife dies, they can become the new wife (not that Mao waited that long). After the boring business of checking in, we went to the Forbidden City (not before we had lunch and were conned. Please ask for details). It was good but it needed a big dust down. On the second day we went down a back alley and bought a stamp that the guy specially engraved my name on(in chinese of course). I also got great new shoes. On the last day in Beijing we went to the great wall of China(not all of it though just a section). We climbed as far as we could one way (some of it is crumbling so you have to be a skilled climber to climb there) although mum and BB (my name for Bruno) didn’t do the last bit, and I cant blame them. It was like 300 steps of shear torture (it felt like 300 steps anyway). The steps were uneven, slippery and endless. After the climb up and down my legs were trembling. We then went the other way but we only went to the toboggan which you could take down. Unfortunately I was behind some slow business men so they slowed the entire thing up. I might go back one day just for the toboggan.
Next morning we flew to Guilin where we were for one night (again). We visited a cave where there were a load of stalactites and stalagmites which, with a stretch of the imagination, turned into shapes. The water was so still that the reflection was perfect.
Next morning we got on a boat to Yangshuo (both of the last two had hills that came out of nowhere, let me explain. That bit of China was at a certain point under the sea so the water shaped these rocks and left the surrounding area flat). We stayed in this perfectly good hotel and didn’t have any exotic food just egg and toast(for breakfast). We were near west street, and it really is western, it has shops with pizza and popcorn and everything. Further along there’s a park with stalls. I had a go on the shooting stall, shooting balloons, and I got 8 out of 10. I made a vow to go back and get 10 out of 10. after the shooting game we went to market (not with cheep junk but food) and they sold a live animal and killed on the spot so it’s fresh. That night we went to the Yangshuo sound and light show. The stage was the Li river and behind it were 12 of those weird rocks that I talked about and it was brilliant(there were 600 actors in it, all local). The best bit was when people in reed boats (they looked like farmers) dipped red flags in and out of the water, and it looked a bit like a Mexican wave.
We went on a bike ride the next day, with tandems! It was really good fun, even if we got kind of lost. In fact it was so much fun, we did it again the next day. After we got lost again we went on a boat crossing the river with locals going to market (they pay ½ rmb and we pay 20). It was our last day and we had to check out 90 minutes before we had to leave, so I went to the shooting parlour and got … 10 so I got what I came for, plus a lollipop.
Next Hong Kong, and he’s is different. It has so many adds and our hotel was a mere 45 floors compared to all the skyscrapers around it, however it was a five star hotel (really it was). The room had a telly in the bathroom for petes sake(long list of cool things coming up). There was: a shower with two heads, sky sports and cartoon network, excellent room service (I had it) and a grand view of the harbour. History lesson: Hong Kong was a British colony and was only given back to China a few years ago, on the terms it could keep its commercialism. All the rich Chinese had come to Hong Kong when the communist rain took over, that’s why they can hold this spectacular light show every night (it has won a Guinness world record). After we saw the show we went back to the hotel. We, me and Bruno (unfortunately) got to have room service because mum and pup wanted to have dinner down stairs. I had burger and chips and a banana, and the banana became the most interesting thing that dinner. The bananas were impossible to open so I had to use a knife (oh-oh). I cut Bruno’s without too much trouble and then it was my bananas turn to be cut. I struggled a bit so when I cut it, it came down with a vengeance and (guess what?) I cut my finger. Luckely mum and pup were only downstairs so I went down to the restaurant and the waiter fixed me up. Next morning mum was ill so she missed the worlds longest escalator (or series of escalators) measuring 800meters (if you put them all together). We then went to the airport (to go to India) and had a quick lunch and went to the mini train (like in Stansted) but before we could get on, we had lost Bruno!!!

Shanghai2, xi'an and pingyao

Reminder: the format is: most recent entry is at the top and the first entry is at the bottom.
FOOTBALL RESULTS. Conor you are the man for that.
for all you food maniacs out there, I have not had bugs. I have had hot pot where you order ingredients and then cook it your self, rice, noodles, shrimp, dumplings, chicken and beer fish (the name dosn't mean anything). more details later.
Now back to my trip in China and India and Australia.
Next morning we went to Starbucks, because we had a sleep in, so we had to have breakfast somewhere else. We sat and watched the world pass by. After breakfast (namely a sip of hot chocolate and an eighth of a bun) we went to the old town which was much more like I (and probably you) imagined China would be like. We went into yu gardens (not Kew gardens) which were traditional Chinese gardens with interresting old buildings(pic1). There were lots and lots of carp in the ponds and you should see them when you feed them. They jump all over each other and the ones on the top cant even breathe sometimes. After looking at some Ming dynasty buildings (here's your history lesson).the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) was the longest and most stable period in Chinese history. It consisted of 17 emperors. In this period of time Beijing became the official capital of China(end lesson). Next to one of the ponds some 16 year old girls asked to have a photo with us (me and my brother Bruno)(pic2), just because we look kind of the same and cute(maybe). And ever since we have been asked to have photos taken with all different types of Chinese people. We are thinking of charging 5rmb per photo (joke). After the embarrassment of one photo, Bruno had to suffer another (with me safely on the side lines, Ha). We saw some women in old Chinese costumes and curiosity got the better of mum and Bruno. So they went in the shop and asked the amount. Bruno almost chickened out so I had to convince him to do it. Thankfully I did, so they put on the clothes of empress(pic3) and mini emperor (it just went over there normal clothes) and went outside to face the camera. Immediately loads of Chinese people crowded round to take photos(pic4) of these strange Europeans (including those Chinese girls again). After we had no more mishaps in the park (it might be the fact that that was the last we did, but hey) we went to have lunch. We went to the best dumpling maker in the world (apparently)-which is very good if it was the first time you've ever had any, which it was for me-and we had to wait 45 minuets before we actually got any, but (and this is a very important but) I liked them which made it all worth it, yay.

Next morning we left Shanghai and flew to Xi'an(why the '?). after the boring plane journey (lasting two hours) we would have had to endure a boring car journey lasting 2 hours if we didn't have a short break (a.k.a 1 hour) to see the mini terricota warriors(pic5). They were great. There were woman horse riders and musicians as well as animals, such as a dog and a couple of roosters even. There were pigs and goats and figures just walking, and they were all mini. After looking at them we went to the hotel that we were staying in for just one night (mad huh). We had a hot pot dinner in the hotel and it only cost 82rmb (at this point I can make a play
miss grey: so how much is that?
Kenki: £7.50 aprox
Miss grey: well it says here it is £5.45 aprox
Kenki: but that's wrong.
Stop play scene. You see it is right but Kenki has the wrong stats. It somehow changed from being 14rmb=£1 to 15rmb=£1. don't ask me how it just is). Then we went for a walk on the Muslim market where we bought a 40 mtr long kite for five rmb (work that one out with the new stats) and I got a pack of Iraqs most wanted cards which I might sell on e bay (Archie?).

Next morning it was off to the Terracotta warriors(pic6). They are enormous clay warrior(e.g. life size) (in practically every stance, archer, spear holder ect)and horses, thousands of them, to guard the 1 emperor of the qin dynasty (pronounced chin) found by luck when a farmer was digging a well. There's only one who has a bit of colour on it(look carefully at pic6, second nearest, there is a bit of yellow on his collar) and only one who was found completely intact (pic7).
On to the airport, we were flying to taiyuan, but we went staying there. It's just the town we went to hasn't got a airport (not promising, and it's the coal capital of china, producing nearly 50% of it's coal) so another tough two hour cardrive over bad roads. Its name is Pingyao. There was poverty everywhere. Looked like we were seeing another China now. And there was no fancy shops anymore. Apparently, it has the best Ming dynasty wall in china. We stayed in one of the many inns in the centre of town and the rooms were great. there were no cars in the town apart from electric ones so people used bikes and animals
Long blog today but I have to add one more thing.
You all take your toilet for granted, but think before coming to china, do you really want to lose your bowl, your toilet paper and clean smell. If not do not come to china for the toilets stink, hardly ever have toilet paper and are (really) a hole in the ground!!!!!!!!!!