Life on the Rails

Posted from superfast/cheap cyber cafe in M G Road, Calcutta. Extremely hot and a huge anti govt rally in progress.

The last several days have been a bit of a mystery. Early morning arrivals and late trains out add up to rather tiring days. Not having complete access to washing facilities, I am just happy that I packed 2 pairs of pants instead of the one which I almost did. However, after those late night departures and early rises, now in a hotel in Calcutta for which words don’t come easily. It’s a bit of a rabbit warren on the upper floor, the corridor and my room are both about 5.5ft high. But still it’s not expensive and you can get used to anything if you try. Its saving grace is that there is evidence of new plumbing in the shared minute shower cum toilet and a newness with the clean white paint and unblemished flooring. At least I do have a window, a tiny one behind the bed!

The good news is that I don’t stink and stick to everything anymore, but give it a few days and I’ll be back to square 1. So, what about Agra?

The tomb of an English officer in Agra Fort (circ. 1857)

This was one of those unfortunate episodes but I did, in the heat, manage to get to the massive fort overlooking the Jamuna River, and from the walls there is a superb view of the Taj Mahal a km down river. I hired the services of a guide here because he looked a kindly old guy and still very sprightly at the age of 84. After a couple of hours I made my way back to Agra Fort station and caught a very slow train to Agra Cantt station. The 7km took 45 minutes but no matter, I had a lot of time. I had planned to take a bus to a place called Marutha but tiredness and heat defeated me so the railway station with its up market tourist restaurant became my home until the train to Allahabad left that evening.

The Taj Mahal in the heat and haze from Agra Fort

mistermeena, the helpful man at Agra station

The sangam at Allahabad. 30 mil Hindus here last year.

On the train to Allahabad I got talking to a guy, Jitendra, and it turned out that he is a lecturer (political science) at Allahabad Uni, the 4th oldest in India, which the British founded in the mid 19th century. He invited me for a trip around the city the next day. Had a great time and saw the Nehru family house where Indira Gandhi was born and then to his Uni, which is now a heritage site. Jitendra is also heavily involved in building and setting up a new private business college 15km outside the city, in the countryside. It’s an impressive setting with a view of the Jamuna River. Finally, we went to the sangam (confluence of rivers) where the Kumba Mela takes place every 12 years. Some 30 million Hindus gather there at the Mela in Jan or Feb. A successful day ending with a good meal in a restaurant before getting back to the station.

The colonial building of Allahabad University

Jitendra in one of the almost completed classrooms

Bamboo supports for new concrete floor

Bathing at Babu Ghat, Calcutta

The night train only allowed me 5 hours sleep to Calcutta, and being somewhat unwashed it’s not hard to imagine what my priorities were. It was the usual routine of: getting to hotel area, fighting off hotel touts, choosing wrongly through sheer exasperation, washing disgusting clothes, and then having THE SHOWER. After that a few meals are needed to revive my weary body. Ok now but there isn’t too much time to see anything in this sprawling mass of humanity that is Calcutta. This afternoon I made acquaintance with the Calcutta Metro and found it useful for avoiding the blood sucking rickshaw men. Excellent metro. Maybe a further report from Bhubaneshwar after yet another night on the rails.

Flower seller at Kali Temple, Calcutta

The Nehru family home, Allahabad

And finally for your amusement, a video.




CHEERS FROM INDIA

Jodhpur and Onwards

I keep getting the feeling that the trip hasn’t really started. Jaisalmer was pleasant enough and as for Jodhpur, it was pretty unimpressive for me. I arrived on the train before 6 in the morning which means that daybreak is just stirring the inhabitants into action. Being still cool it wasn’t such a labour to walk the few kms out to a hotel where city tours originate. The news wasn’t very inspiring as I was told that these tours didn’t actually happen unless there were at least 4 people. Its low season in India so the likelihood of anyone turning up was not a prospect. In the end, in a moment of indecision, I accepted an offer of a taxi for 150Rs (2.25 Euro) instead. Being recommended by a very reputable hotel, I didn’t expect that driver to try all the usual ploys to extract more money that I wanted to spend. One was a 25Rs parking fee that as far as the tour was concerned couldn’t exist. He could see that I wasn’t about to pay him that and also gave up trying to take me to his brother’s shop. To add to that, most of the hot Indian tourist spots have jumped on the bandwagon and charge extremely disproportionate prices for foreigners against the Indian’s price. (750Rs/20Rs Taj Mahal). The immense fort has gone the same way so I didn’t enter it. Not too disappointed as I was there many years ago when prices were sensible. But the city of Jodhpur is a vibrant crowded place with a fascinating market square. Very hot for serious tourism and was exhausted when I lay down in the train to Agra Fort.
As you can imagine, the chances of making blogs on the move are quite rare. Like now, I am sitting in the first class waiting room at Allahabad railway station at 6.30 in the morning, having recently stumbled off the train from Agra. Made a small movie of Jodhpur and that’s about all I can do at the moment. Hopefully in Calcutta tomorrow I should be able to do a lot better with the luxury of a room and a bed for the night. (note. Not a luxury room)

Cheers Derek

Jaisalmer, the Golden City

Just an extra report from Jaisalmer before I leave tonight for Jodhpur. Last night, after a rather nice curry, I was walking up the hill to the main gate of the fort in the darkness of a hot evening. The Hindu temple just below the gate had got into swing and was becoming very animated; sunset seems to have an effect here. It is perhaps the relief after many hours of energy sapping heat. However, the sound was reverberating around the ancient market square from a typically raucous public address system, with the quality of a vaguely eloquent fog horn. But, even with the lack of any refinement, it created just the kind of atmosphere you would expect in a place so exotic.
Below there is short video of the Hindu devotees singing their devotional music, and under that some later pix of (and from) the Mandir Palace outside the fort walls. This palace has gone the same way as many other Indian princely establishments and is now a very up market hotel. But not so expensive at about 35 Euro a night.

Cheers from Del

You Want Camel Trek?

Well, that’s the question I have been asked once too often. It’s hot and sultry here in Jaisalmer but compared with the sky high humidity in Delhi, its more bearable. I had one good nights sleep in Delhi but it’s not enough, so hopefully here in Jaisalmer I’ll get the sleep I need to catch up on.
The 18 hour train journey took me through the Rajasthan tourist hotspots of Jaipur and Jodhpur and across the desert to here. Looking at the map it doesn’t look like the well over 900km that it really is. While I filmed the passing shrub and desert land, sand was billowing up from the track creating a mini sandstorm.

Jaisalmer is a pretty unique place. The whole fort area is literally a living museum of things of yesterday. Today thousands of people live within the walls but only a few 100 years ago it was a thriving wealthy town on the main camel trading routes of Asia. The final decline came when India was partitioned in 1947 which created a closed border with the newly formed Pakistan. In wandering the narrow lanes and alleys it is easy to see where the money comes from now. Cafes, shops, restaurants and hotels all point to one thing – tourism. It is summer here and this is the off season so being a tourist can be a bit harrowing with salesmen of all kinds chasing too few travellers. But I think I can survive in this giant manmade sand castle.

Street life in this far flung town is not symbolised by horrendous traffic jams because there doesn’t seem to be many cars here. It’s pretty laid back with only the odd scooter of rickshaw to deal with and even the ever present camels.

The temperature rises during the day, with a hot wind that carries sand everywhere. Not the kind of weather to be moving very much, or at all. So, quite happy to take things as they come. There is always tomorrow.

Family group on a railway station while travelling here and the entrance to Hotel Paradise last night. Cheers

Delhi and Safe

These trips never seem to go badly wrong but the vexing moments that come and go in waves. My arrival in Delhi was not without one of these trying events. The flight from Helsinki to Delhi had already been deferred to following day, but when the check in assistant said that I was on standby; alarm bells. He followed up with a promise that there would be a seat. Shortly after that the plane was proclaimed delayed with little reason given. Another proclamation came and hour later, exactly the same as first, except for ‘technical reasons’. Finally, and suddenly, the plane was being boarded and I joined a huge queue, hearing stories of overbooking being put about by some of the people. In my standby status I was definitely feeling nervous. However!
Delhi is much the same as last time I arrived there 2 years ago – hot, overcast and very humid.

The Delhi Partiers

The 3 hour flight delay turned out to be blessing in disguise as there was much less time to wait in the airport ‘restaurant’. Quite a seedy affair where broken subdued lighting and ancient crumbling furniture characterises the place perfectly. Four young professional guys ambled in from the rich side of town in. I cant honestly say, after almost 3 days of frustrating slow travel, I really didn’t want to join in, but they were a friendly bunch. Three hours passed very quickly and then into the steamy morning light to get the bus to Delhi. Now in the Smyle Inn situated amidst a chaotic array of shops, cheap cafes, and smells that often haunt me when I am dreaming of being here.
The Main Bazaar area opposite Delhi station. By the way, Smyle Inn can be found on the internet for advance bookings. http://www.smyleinn.com/

The only real job I had to do was to confirm and arrange further train reservations. It all went quite smoothly thanks to the staff working in the International Tourist office at New Delhi station. Now, armed with 22 reservation slips, I am just about ready to go. Tomorrow it will be to Jaisalmer in the Thar Desert next to Pakistan. Almost too tired to think at the moment, let alone make this blog.