Travel The Unknown

Guatavita Lake, the salt cathedral and Villa De Leyva

2009-02-12T12:44:00.005Z

I was picked up by my driver in Bogota and we drove out to Guatavita lake, a completely circular lake that is the source of the El Dorado legends, with multiple attempts (mostly unsuccessful) to drain the lake to recover the riches that supposedly lie at its bottom. The place was nice and quite interesting but I was out to find out if it was worth taking in - or instead choosing Zipaquiera. Zipaquiera is the home of the salt cathedral. Whatever thoughts I had of what a salt cathedral would be were quickly dispelled in the haunting cathedral, an enormous structure and very impressive. There are 14 stations of the cross en route, and the cathedral itself is made up of all sorts of surreal interconnecting chambers. After the main tour we did a miners tour, and saw how the miners worked, and it provided a very interesting look into the life of a salt miner. From Zipaquira we drove on and got in to Villa De Leyva after dark.

The following morning I got up early and wandered around the beautiful colonial village of Villa De Leyva. The town is so striking that the whole town was declared a heritage site as early as 1953. I checked out a couple of museums, being especially impressed with the Acuna museum, a museum showcasing the Colomian artist who spent his latter years in Villa De Leya. In the afternoon I walked out to El Fossil, a remarkably well preserved 120 million year old fossil of a Kronasauraus. It looks like an enormous crocodile, measuring 7m without the tail which didn't survive. And apparently this one was just a baby! After another excellent dinner it was time for bed.

Back to Bogota for one more night, and then time to head back to the cold of the UK! Couldn't last forever! But as I vowed last time I left Colombia, I will be back!

- David

Amazon III

2009-02-12T12:23:00.002Z

We started off early again and walked and rowed back to the first Yaguas village we stopped at. From there we were picked up in a small motorboat and headed across the river and into the Peruvian Amazon (though without the hassle of any official border crossings). We stopped at another tribal village and visited a local home where the kids were very curious about the “foreigner”. We continued down the river, spotting a solitary grey river dolphin on the way. The river is so large that from the middle it looks like it's a lake as you can see land in every direction. We pulled into a little cove where we saw the beautiful Queen Victoria Lilies, about a metre in diameter. We continued on and stopped in another tribal village, and went into a house which was to be home for the night. My hosts were very friendly and made up a Copa Asu juice, and we chatted while the kids looked on fascinated.

After lunch we headed out piranha fishing, though we only managed to catch one between us, though we did catch some catfish and a very sharp toothed dog fish jumped right into the boat. We came back to our new base for dinner, and Wilson and our hosts talked excitedly about animals supposedly seen, “a big cat”, “this big”, “with webbed feet”, “able to climb trees”. The Amazon is a place where myths take hold as easily as they are difficult to dispel.

After dinner we headed out in the dark on the water. Armed with our torches we were on the lookout for alligators and crocodiles. After about half an hour Domingo spotted a baby alligator and quickly scooped him up in his hand. He gave him to me to hold and despite being no more than a foot long I struggled to hold onto him as he squirmed with surprising strength. I looked around a little nervously for the mother but there was no sign. We headed back to base and set up my hammock and mosquito net, and had another great night's sleep. Those big hammocks are really comfortable to sleep in.

The following morning we headed back along the riverside, spotting Capachino monkeys, tortoises, parrots and a pod (apparently it's not a school!) of pink dolphins that popped up suddenly and then disappeared back under the water, making photography a game of chance, which I played for about half an hour with limited success. Every so often they would pop up right beside the boat, and frighten us, but be submerged again before I got my camera pointed the right way. I'm sure the little fellows were playing games with me! We arrived back at the Yaguas village, transferred to the fast boat and found ourselves back in Leticia. My three and a half days in the Amazon was thoroughly enjoyable and not another tourist in sight! Fantastic!

- David

Amazon II

2009-02-12T12:18:00.002Z

Due to my lack of time we decided to combine what would be two days on the tour into one day so I could get a taste for all there was on offer in the Amazon. But it meant a long day. We started early and headed into the Amazon again. This time Abelardo's father, the tribe's shaman or herbal doctor, accompanied us as well. As we walked through he would stop and explain the uses of various plants, ranging from posion used to shoot monkeys, and plants to make the darts to shoot them. He also showed me rubber trees and a whole range of medicinal plants used for conditions as diverse as maleria, diabetes, hepatitis, prostrate problems, muscular pain, arthritis, asmtha, bronchitus, rashes, ulcers and scorpion bites. “We have our own pharmacy in the jungle”, Wilson beamed.

We stopped for lunch at a small waterfall (a rarity in the Amazon) where Domingo and Abelardo quickly set up a little platform to enable a very refreshing shower with surprisingly clean and clear water. We had lunch, relaxed for a bit and then it was time to start the journey back. Normally a group would stay here and there was a shelter for hanging hammocks and mosquito nets. We headed back a different route, via Butterfly Canyon, where beautiful butterflies flitted up and down. We came across some tiger tracks a couple of times and the usual quiet Domingo suddenly became more animated, issuing forth a couple of 'Hijo de puta's, a phrase I remember from my youth when playing football with Spanish students. We arrived back to the camp, sweaty and tired after abut8 hours of walking, but it was thoroughly exhilarating. After a shower and another fine meal I hit the bed and was asleep in seconds.

- David

Amazon I

2009-02-12T12:14:00.003Z

I was picked up from my hotel at 7am, and brought on the back of a motorbike down to the port, where myself and Wilson took the fast boat for about an hour to a Yaguas village (Yaguas are one of the tribes that live in the Amazon). From there we got in a small boat for about 15 mins and then hiked through the jungle for about half an hour – through the mud and across rivers on strategically placed logs - to the lodge that was to be our base for the next couple of nights. A lunch of Piraruqu (a delicious Amazonian fish that grows up to 180cm) with chips and salad was served up, along with a very tasty juice of a fruit called Copa Asu. After lunch Wilson produced a plastic bag which contained a Tarantula that one of the locals had just caught, and casually put it on his arm. He persuaded meto have a go, insisting it was fine so I put my arm out. It moved onto mine but instead of sitting quietly as it had on his, it decided to run up my arm, across the back of my neck, and onto the opposite shoulder. I somehow managed not to panic and after a quick photo, Wilson removed it and I breathed easy again.

After all that excitement myself, Wilson and Abelardo, a local tracker headed off into the jungle. We walked for about 3 hours, the mosquitoes and humidity a constant, but I have to say I was very impressed with both Wilson and Abelardo and the wildlife we saw – an array of different butterflies, frogs, monkeys, and birds, including eagles and toucans. Back at the lodge I took a shower and removed some of the wet dog smell that had begun to cling to me and lay down on the bed for a while to read. Then something flew across my room. And again. Then I glimpsed what it was – some sort of bat, a little bigger than a hand. I headed out for dinner. After dinner Wilson came to have a look for the bat, which had since vanished, of course, but I was very happy to have a mosquito net.

- David

Leticia

2009-02-12T12:00:00.003Z

After flying back to San Andres and spending one final day by the sea, I boarded the plane to Bogota and was back in the capital. After taking care of some admin – getting my sandals repaired and sorting out money – I was back on a plane to Leticia, a border town in the Amazon that skirts the borders of both Brazil and Peru. As we arrived I could see the dense jungle below stretching as far as the eye could see in every direction. I had been in the Amazon before in Bolivia and had enjoyed it immensely, the huge diversity of life. The Amazon river holds an incredible two thirds of the world's freshwater and the rain forests are essentially the lungs of the planet. As I stepped off the plane a wave of heat hit me. I met Antonio, the local operator who had been recommended to me as someone who knew the jungle as well as anyone, spoke English and liked to do things a little differently. Instead of plying the same route as all the other operators we hashed out a plan that would take us deep into the Amazon, with guides who had more than twenty years of experience. Antonio was excited about the idea too which I thought was a very good sign.

Leticia is a lively little town that has undergone a major transformation, once the haunt of any number of narco-traffickers, the town now is a very safe place and quite a prosperous one, though this prosperity probably has quite a bit to do with its nefarious past. So the plan for me is to go deep into the jungle with one of Antonio's most experienced guides, Wilson and stay three and half days in a remote cabin deep in the jungle and experience the real Amazon, far away from the where the rest of the tourists stay. From that base we will be able to discover both the highland eco-systems and the those of the flatlands, traveling up the tributaries in a small boat, and possibly camping out one night in the jungle, weather permitting. I am really looking forward to it.

Tonight Colombia play Venezuela in a key football match so I have found out where the action is at and will be heading out to cheer on Colombia as they battle it out with their age-old rivals.

- David

Providencia

2009-01-29T17:32:00.008Z

I arrived into Providencia on the first flight from San Andres. The tiny plane had barely taken off when we started to dip again towards the runway in Providencia, a tiny tropical Caribbean island and one that due to the only flights being from San Andres very much unspoilt by tourism. My taxi driver Dennis ferried me to my hotel, waving at almost everyone he passed along the way. With only about 5000 inhabitants, everyone knows everyone here.

I spent the day relaxing and catching up on the rest I needed. From beach to hammock to the sea and back again! The sun was shining and the temperature a beautiful 28 degrees Celsius. The next morning I ventured down to the next beach, Agua Dulce and met a couple from Glasgow on my way there. They had travelled nearly all of Central and South America over the years and this was their third time on Providencia and this time they had decided to spend their whole 3 week holiday there, despite having to make quite a mammouth journey to get here from Scotland. But the more the island grew on me and the slow slow pace of life and the very friendly and welcoming people here the more I understood their decision.
After another fantastic fish lunch in Agua Dulce I came back and arranged for a boat trip around the island the following day including some snorkeling with an Italian couple and a Danish girl that had just arrived from Bogota. We wandered up the beach after dinner and ended up in Richards Bar where we met Richard, the owner. A true rasta and a gentlemen with a dreadlock beard, we spent the evening chatting and listening to reggae, as he told us of his years working on ships around the Caribbean and how in the end he decided Providencia was the place where he most wanted to be and so he moved back. One thing that I found very unique about the place was that if the locals see you walking somewhere and they are going the same way they let you hop on the back of their motorbikes and bring you where you are going and there is no outstretched hand or expectation at the end. That is truly something you don't see very often anymore, and long may it last.

Today we did the boat tour around the island with Tank, our boat driver. The island is truly stunning and the colour of the sea was truly beautiful. The snorkeling is also excellent and there are coral reefs all around the island. Whenever I get the chance to come back I will definitely go diving, as its diving is rated as one of the best in the world. Tomorrow I leave, and I have to say I would have been happy to spend another few days, a week, hell maybe even a month here. The people, the pace (makes even San Andres seem rushed), the scenery and the food, Providencia is truly the nicest island I have ever visited and I hope I get the chance to come back again before too long.

- David

San Andres Caribbean island

2009-01-29T17:20:00.004Z

San Andres is not somewhere I guess I would typically travel. It's not quite off-the-beaten-track and does attract quite a few package tourists. However it's not really that hard to see a different side, and that was my goal. So after I arrived and relaxed in the hotel, I went out to find the local's watering hole. It turned out to be a shop! So joined a couple of the natives and we chatted away fr the evening. Gabriel, a local guy was very excited when I told him that I wanted to get to know the real San Andres, the people from here, the food. He agreed to take me around the island the following day on bikes.

So we set off about 10 the following morning and took it quite slowly, cycling along the coast road line with palm trees and skirtig a sea of many hues of blue. The main language of the natives is English, albeit with a Caribbean accent an it was nice being able to chat to Gabriel in English. We stopped for lunch with some locals, a local fish dish with lime served up with coconut rice, fried plantain and salad. It had been a while since I'd eaten fish and it did not disappoint. In the afternoon I relaxed on the beach and went for a swim in the crystal clear sea. The pace of life certainly made for a change from the mad dash around of the last couple of weeks.

- David

Tatacoa Desert

2009-01-29T15:49:00.001Z

After a short bus ride I arrived into Neiva, then hopped on a local bus to Villaviaja where Pedro Paolo, my guide, was waiting for me. Deciding to take advantage of the glorious sunshine we skipped the museum and drove straight into the desert on a three-wheeler. “It's not actually a desert”, Pedro confessed, “it's actually a dry tropical forest”. It was certainly greener than any desert I had been in but nonetheless it did feel like a desert, with it's sparse growth, cactuses and red earth. It was also very varied and beautiful. Pedro took me down to a natural pool, spectacularly set in the middle of the desert, where you could bathe and lookout at the dramatic landscape. Then on to my accommodation for the night, a room in a farmhouse of a 93-year old woman, known as “The Queen of the Desert” and she even had a plaque to prove it!

I met the French couple, who apparently were the only other foreigners in town and Pedro brought us all on a walk through an area known as Cuzco as the sun began to go down. The scenery here was truly beautiful and photo opportunities abounded. We all had dinner and a couple of beers before calling it a night. The next day I checked out the very small but interesting museum before checking some accommodation in Villavieja and Neiva, as the Queen of the Desert's accommodation was not up to the standard we expect unfortunately. Then back to Bogota on the bus.

- David

San Agustin

2009-01-29T15:48:00.002Z

From Popayan I took the bus on to San Agustin, one of my favourite places in Colombia. In 2005 I stayed here for6 days and could have stayed longer. The place is blessed with many things – incredible natural beauty, from beautiful valleys to stunning waterfalls, a mysterious history – boasting a myriad of statues from the second oldest civlisation in South America of which almost nothing is known, and infectiously friendly locals. I know I keep banging on about the locals but for me Colombia's biggest attraction is the people, who have a genuine pride in their country and a warmth and welcomingness few other countries can match. On my first day I revisited the Archaeological park, again amazed by the excellent condition of most of the statues and wondered who were the people that made them, and what happened to them that they disappeared with almost no other trace. The park itself is also very beautiful with some very colourful flowers and dramatic landscapes. I even saw an enormous iguana in one of the trees. They are some gnarly looking creatures!
At the lodge I met a couple of Americans who had bucked the trend and lived in Mexico, becoming naturalised Mexicans and raising their kids there. For every rule...
The next day I took a jeep tour with the Mexican gringos! But to be honest I think an extra day in San Agustin would be better spent hiking or horse-riding one of its many beautiful trails. That said some of the waterfalls we saw were quite lovely.

- David

Popayan

2009-01-29T15:46:00.001Z

Unfortunately I didn't have a lot of time in Popayan, but as I had been before I knew what I wanted to see, namely the ten block by ten block historic centre which gives it its name of the “White City”. Beautiful whitewashed streets give onto more beautiful whitewashed streets. The effect is beautiful and the uniformity gives it a very classic colonial feel. And the friendly locals certainly did the place no harm. At the hotel I me Annika from Sweden who had been adopted from a nursing home in Popayan that had since been destroyed in an earthquake. It was her first time in Colombia and she was understandably quite nervous and emotional but determined to find out what she could about her biological parents. As we walked around the old town she was very conscious of how similar she looked to everyone and couldn't help but wonder about the life that might have been.

- David

More in the coffee region

2009-01-17T17:25:00.009Z

The day before yesterday I arrived into Armenia. No I have not quickly hopped continent, Armenia is one of the three towns that make up the corners of the coffee triangle - along with Manizales and Pereira. In fact there are many towns in the coffee region with the same names as countries or regions elsewhere - Syria, Montenegro, Palestine, Florida, Puerto Rico to name a few. I was met by the infectiously friendly Yicel who drove me around for 2 days to check out various farms that offer accommodation, as well as checking out the main sights in the area. The farm accmmodation selection is excellent, with some truly beautiful farms, many over 100 years old and maintained in the tradional stlye, with beautiful scenery, and an array of fruit trees. Each one has its own charm and I found myself constantly thinking, "Yes, this one is perfect!".

But Yical kept bringing me to more and eventually the one I decided on really is perfect! :-) Set well away from any roads, a small coffee farm with a beautiful soothing stream, a pool, comfortable rooms and excellent food. The farm is full of orchids and other plants, as well as the coffee plantations and plantains. I really didn´t want to leave.

We also found time to visit the beautful villages of Filandia and Salento (see photo above), picture postcard type villages with lovely colonial style buildings, and bright colours. Further on from Salento we visited Valle De Cocora, a beautiful valley famous for its trout and enormous wax palm trees, the national tree of Colombia. These beautiful trees rise from the ground through the clouds that shroud the valley and up above them to heights of up to 70m. After an excellent trout lunch we walked out into the valley and admired the scenery. Horses are also available and exploring the valley on horseback is also very popular.

I´m now in Cali, the party capital of Colombia, so I think I will have to reaquaint myself with the nightlife here tonight... It´s a dirty job but someone's gotta do it :-) Tomorrow on to the colonial town of Popayan.

- Dave

The Coffee Region

2009-01-17T16:39:00.003Z

I arrived on the nightbus into Manizales, one of the main towns in the coffee triangle. The buses here are very comfortable but for some weird reason they all turn on the AC full blast at night so it´s freezing inside the bus. Fortunately I had been warned and had my jacket, hat, towel etc. to sheild me from the cold. Met up with a local tour operator and we discussed various options for the main itinerary and for the various add-ons we intend to offer. They were quite excited by the itinerary and said it would be quite unique as no other overseas operators were doing very much in this part of the country, and the possibilities were excellent. Having been in Colombia for 6 weeks before made it a lot easier to make decisions, and discuss the options available.

The following day I set off on a tour to Los Nevados de la Ruiz, a national park with a unique biosphere and landscape. It contains a volcano that rises above 5,000m and the scenery all around looks like you have just landed on the moon. The day was quite foggy at first but when we got high enough we broke through the cloud and the views were truly spectacular. We climbed slowly up the volcano for about an hour, not to the top but up to the snow-line. At that altitude it´s important to climb slowly but consistently. But it was incredible, the snow against the bare rock, very sparse and hostile territory, but very beautiful. We stopped for lunch and then relaxed in the pool that is filled with water from the hot springs, the perfect way to relax after a hard day! I was the only foreigner on the bus and in typical Colombian style, I got to know everyone on the bus and got several invitations to visit people in various parts of the country. The people here truly are very special.

- Dave

Fruits of Colombia

2009-01-11T17:32:00.002Z

One of the lesser known facts about Colombia is that it is home to an incredible array of fruit many of which are unique to the country. A walk around any fruit market will show you what I mean, with all sorts of weird and wonderful looking fruits and a sea of colour that begs to be photographed... so here's one of mine.

Off to Manizales in the heart of coffee country this evening on the night bus. And down from the heights of Bogota so temperatures should be quite nice, currently about 25 degrees. Think I can deal with that :-)

- Dave

Bogota, Colombia

2009-01-10T16:43:00.004Z

Back in Bogota, and happy to be back. This city must have the friendliest taxi drivers in the world, had loads of good chats with them yesterday as I drove to meet up with people on all sides of the city! It was a fairly hectic but useful day, meeting various useful people from tour operators, tourist board representatives and hotel owners. After an early night and a chance to catch up on some sleep, it was time to climb up to Monserrate church, a Bogotan fitness pilgramage of sorts. With the cold I have just caught and the fact that Bogota is at more than 2,500 metres, it was quite a struggle. But also quite a spectacle watching people of all ages and walks of life walking up. Some people do it barefoot and alledgedly some do it on their knees! That I wasn't quite ready for.

The views over Bogota from the church were lovely, and the sense of achievement at the top made it all worthwhile. The church in the picture is Monserrate. I will be heading on to the coffee region on Sunday night, a day earlier than planned as more than one of the people I met yesterday raved about Salento so I decided I had to fit in to my schedule. Apparently they have palm trees that break through the clouds, so you see tree, clouds, then more tree. Certainly sounds like it might be worth a look.

I'll be back again soon with more updates,
Dave

Countdown to Colombia

2009-01-06T08:04:00.004Z

It's been more than 3 years since I first went to Colombia and fell in love with the place - the warmth of the people, the Caribbean coastline, its incredible Lost City, the incredible array of fruit, the coffee - and of course, la Fiesta. No one knows how to party like the Colombians.

And they are only too aware of what the world at large thinks of their country and they are only too grateful to those who decide to ignore the media and come and see for themselves. People used to avoid Northern Ireland as they thought it was a war zone so I can understand where it all comes from. Anyway two more days and I'm back on my way over... I really cannot wait.

- Dave

Day 1: Nawalgarh (Rajasthan)

2008-12-24T14:20:00.004Z

This was going to be my first proper trip to the Land of the Maharajahs since my visit some 14 years ago to Jaipur. Rajasthan has long been popular with travellers due to its rich and colourful heritage. To see it all in just 6 days would be impossible. So what I had planned on this trip was to try to get a good flavour of what this state is famous for – its Camels, Forts and Deserts ... thus the name of our new tour.

Set off early from Delhi and headed towards the Shekhawati region, an area famous for its dry landscapes and ornate havelis – a particular style of architecture attributed to the palaces of the region. Having stopped for a bite midway, I finally reached Nawalgarh, a small village/town famous for the above. I would be staying at a fantastic eco-lodge which takes its eco-credentials very seriously, from both a cultural and environmental perspective. The owner has created rural cottages consistent with those found in neighbouring villages.

After freshening up, I headed off for a tour of the havelis. The town is dotted with them, many of which are now gradually crumbling, but are nonetheless extremely impressive for their intricate design and painted murals. Just wandering around them one could imagine what they must have been like in their hayday... maharajahs being entertained by traditional dancers and folk music and local issues being discussed with representatives of the rich and poor. I then headed on to the extremely impressive Podar Haveli Museum, which had been kept in pristine condition. Not only was the artwork on the walls beautifully vibrant, but it also contained examples of Rajasthani artifacts, instruments and a lot more.

I then wandered through the small town centre where I jostled for space with camel and donkey carts, cycles, rickshaws and people. I also caught glimpses of the colourful Rajasthani turbans and twirling moustaches. Again this felt like India but not the India I had got used to in Delhi, so it was really refreshing. I headed back to the eco-lodge for an excellent dinner eaten on plates made from local leaves, and all vegetables had been grown organically in plots at the back. There were a few people over from France who were also staying in the same place, and it was reassuring to know that they had really been blown away by the sounds and colours. The rest of this trip promises to be fun then!

SUNDERBANS (DAY 3)

2008-11-07T14:14:00.002Z

Had to make an early start today for the trip to the Sunderbans. We set off by minibus to the small village of Sonakhali and then it was a 3 hour boat ride to the Tiger Camp where I would be staying. The boat journey was excellent with tea and coffee served as we cruised our way along the delta. I already felt a million miles from the chaos of Kolkata. Our guide, Mr. Raptan had been leading tours for the past 20 years and gave us a brief introduction to the Sunderbans. The reserve is actually split between India and Bangladesh with 40% lying on the Indian side. After almost 3 hours relaxing on the river we finally arrived at our camp which will be home for the next 2 nights.

The camp is set on the riverfront and everything run in a very eco-friendly manner, from the use of solar panels to the sustainable use of water and raw materials. The camp has a range of accommodation ranging from tents and huts to fully equipped AC cottages. I had opted for the non-AC hut which was fine for this time of year.

After a lavish buffet lunch we set off for our first cruise amongst the mysterious mangroves. We were all on the lookout for one thing – the infamous man-eating tigers of the Sunderbans. Tigers have been known to swim across the river and venture into villages killing and eating many humans every year. Fisherman and honey-collectors who venture deeper into the mangroves have come up with a simple yet effective way of warding away this predator. Tigers are not known to attack from the front (such cowards!), so people wear masks on the back of their heads in the hope they won't be attacked. Apparently it works... to some extent!

The river and the mangroves seemed endless and we caught occasional glimpses of fisherman hurling nets into the water, scooping up plenty of fish. The weather was fantastic albeit a little humid. We cruised along spotting numerous kingfishers and other birds, as well as the odd monitor lizard but no tiger sighting. The encouraging news was that tiger numbers have steadily increased in the region totalling some 270. Although we knew the chances of spotting one in an area of 2500 sq kn were going to be remote.

After we got back to the camp, some locals performed folk dance and music after which we proceeded to the outdoor dining area. I like this buffet style of dining, and naturally ate to bursting point... my favourite were the delicious kofteh, these were balls made of raw banana which were fried and cooked in mustard-based gravy.

Afterwards I got chatting to the manager and staff who were all extremely friendly, before retiring to the comfort of my hut... tomorrow is an early start.

-Rahul

KOLKATA (DAY 2)

2008-11-07T14:13:00.002Z

After omelette and toast in the garden, I set off with my guide for the day to 'Imperial Kolkata', the main area where the British had built most of its grandiose buildings. I had heard from many travellers that out of the major Indian cities, Kolkata had the most character and I was starting to see why. Kolkata had been the former capital of British India, and as a result a lot of the architecture resembled that of 19th and early 20th century Britain. This is perhaps the only city in India which has a functioning but creaking tram system and parts of the skyline of Old Kolkata are dotted with colonial reminders.

When people think of Kolkata, the first image that often comes to mind is poverty. Needless to say this does exist, but it is unfortunately commonplace in all Indian cities. Perhaps the main reason for this notion amongst Westerners is the media coverage of Mother Teresa's selfless work providing care for the poorest of India's poor. I was eager to see her 'Missionary of Charity' to learn a bit more about her and the work she started in Kolkata. Originally from Skopje (formerly part of Albania, but now Macedonia), she lived in absolute simplicity which was apparent from the set up of the missionary. One of the rooms has a very informative gallery of her life and her tomb lies in the centre of the room, which is visited by other nuns and the general public who pay respect on a daily basis. The missionary is run by volunteers from around the world who continue her good work. Despite her immense popularity for the noble work she carried out, there are those who also criticise her for the often negative connotations of Kolkata and there are others who go further and accuse her of religious imperialism. Personally, I wouldn't go so far as the latter, but I can understand how the media's portrayal of her has led to an unfairly one-sided perception of this city.

From there I headed on to the imperial part of Kolkata. The roads are afloat with a sea of funky yellow Ambassador cabs, introduced by the British and still produced in India! No visit to Kolkata is complete without a visit to the Victoria Memorial, and it really is something truly breathtaking. The Lonely Planet is spot-on when it describes it as a cross between the US Capitol building and the Taj Mahal. As the name suggests, it was built as a memorial to Queen Victoria, despite her never visiting these shores. From the outside it is a majestic white structure surrounded by tropical greenery, and inside there is a very impressive gallery of Kolkata depicting the transitions this city has gone through, before, during and after British colonial rule. Bengal used to be one state before the British divided it into two states, West and East Bengal. At the time of Paritition in 1947, East Bengal became East Pakistan and in 1971, Bangladesh. Kolkata was the original settling post of the British, under the auspices of the East India Company and it was from here that Indian raw materials were taken out of India and expensive British imports flooded India. Since West Bengal had been at the forefront of colonial rule, it was no surprise that there was a lot of political agitation in Kolkata, and in 1911, the British felt this was too much and shifted the capital inland to more stable Delhi.

OK, history lesson over! Moving on from the Memorial, I visited St John's Church, the High Court (from outside) and then the somewhat bizarre Marble Palace. The building is very grand and contains the prized collection of a wealthy Indian businessman, which consists of an eclectic mix of art, chandeliers, furniture and massive mirrors. We then went on to the backstreets of Kumartuli which is where grand statues of Hindu deities are made – some are used for local puja festivals and many are also exported. It was amazing to see how these were made, first from straw, then covered and detailed in clay, and then left to set before finally being painted.

Later in the evening, I met up with Randeep at a bar in the Broadway Hotel, and he was joined by 2 Aussies and a British guy by the name of John who was also staying at our guesthouse. The 2 Australians had actually been living in Kolkata for the past 12 years and had started walking tours showing the hidden side of this city. Immediately I thought this would be ideal for our tours as well and Randeep spoke highly of his experience on the walk. After a few beers and a good chat, John and I pencilled in Nov 5 for our walking trip. Before that though, I am off to the Sunderbans tomorrow, the world's largest mangrove forest. It should be an amazing contrast to the frenzy of Kolkata. I can't wait!
- Rahul

KOLKATA (DAY 1)

2008-11-07T14:12:00.002Z

I flew into Kolkata with IndiGo, another of India's fledgling budget airlines, and was incredibly impressed by the whole flight experience – definitely something the likes of Ryanair and EasyJet could learn from in the UK, who seem more obsessed with cramming as many people into their aircrafts as possible. Anyway, the journey from the airport to the guesthouse was a pleasant one despite the traffic jams that typify any city. It was the last day of the 'Kali Puja' festival and as I entered the city I could see lots of pandals, lavish temporary temples, honouring Kali Maa, the Hindu goddess of destruction. These are then taken down to the Hoogly River (also part of the Ganges) by devotees and then immersed into the river. Unfortunately, since I arrived quite late I was unable to witness this.

I arrived at the superb guesthouse that we plan to use for our tours, with each room having a particular theme. I was staying in the Rural India room which had been done up fantastically well. The roof was thatched with straw and the interior walls done in clay with figures painted on the walls, complete with flatscreen TV! It was very compact but very tastefully done. I ventured into the garden area where there were a few tables and met another guest by the name of Randeep, who was also from the UK (Doncaster to be exact – Kevin Keegan's hometown!). Amazingly, he had been staying here for 3 months and was doing training/ internship at the Kolkata Stock Exchange. He had also travelled a lot within India and he told me some of the highlights to look out for in Kolkata. I was due to be picked up in the morning by the guide for city sight-seeing and based on what Randeep had told me, tomorrow should be an exciting day!
- Rahul

VARANASI – DAY 2

2008-11-07T14:11:00.001Z

5am and it was still dark outside except for a few flickering lights. I joined the other shadows and headed towards the ghats which had already come to life. As my boat glided along the water it was as if a whole new drama was unfolding in front of my eyes. Women were huddled in small groups offering flowers and fruit to God and the River. A sadhu with his eyes closed and partially submerged offered prayers. Men and women dipped their heads beneath the water in deep contemplation. Newly lit candles started their journey down the river. Just as I was starting to take in the tranquility of the river in the early hours, there was a sudden boom of laughter... and again... some men had gathered for 'laughing yoga' which is supposed to be a fantastic stress reliever and work out! Further along the ghats people were doing 'conventional' yoga, some were singing the morning aarti, others washing themselves and some even brushing their teeth! One of the saddest things about this River is the pollution. There is no denying that the River is heavily polluted with effluent, plastic and other rubbish. But this is no ordinary River. It is revered by devout Hindus who are able to look beyond the dirt and consider the River nothing but sacred. Mind over matter, or however you want to put it.

As the boat ride was coming to an end, I witnessed something that words cannot describe. A lady was praying on the ghats when a stray cow wandered down and started to nibble at the fruit in her bag. Now cows are considered sacred by Hindus, so she appeared to be in somewhat of a dilemma as to how to get rid of the cow in a polite way. She was holding a small bell in her hand (which is commonly used in Hindu rituals) and she started to gently hit the cow on the head with it... at the same time another lady was throwing flowers on the cow from behind and asking it for blessings... all the while the cow continued to munch happily away! Absolutely classic! Nothing is quite what it seems in Varanasi!

After breakfast I headed off for the Temples tour, starting with the impressive Benares University, the world's largest Hindu university with some 20,000 students. It also houses the New Vishwanath Temple which contained many beautiful idols of Lord Shiva and other Hindu deities. From there I moved on to Sankat Mochen Temple, which pays homage to Lord Hanuman and then the Monkey Temple which is devoted to Goddess Durga. It's named as such because there are monkeys everywhere, most of which seem to be after prasad (food blessed by God). One of the fascinating things about India is how religion is intertwined so tightly with daily life. Varanasi is perhaps the truest example.

Varun, my guide for the day, was excellent – knowledgeable, humorous and polite – definitely someone we should use on future tours. He then took me across the river to the small fort town of Ramnagar. The former king had built up an interesting collection of relics and memorabilia, ranging from stuffed animals to a cadillac!

I had the evening to myself and I wanted to sample more of this intoxicating city at night, so I ventured into the market once more. Despite the constant chaos, everyone seems so calm here. People bump into one another and don't bat an eyelid, strangers gladly do favours for each other... it made me realise that back in the West we seem to have lost something. I seemed to walk endlessly criss-crossing the tiny alleyways avoiding the numerous obstacles in my way and finally I found the Lotus Lounge, an open-air chillout style restaurant overlooking one of the ghats. This place would be great at sunset, but unfortunately by the time I got there the sun had long gone. The vegetable curry went down a treat and I reluctantly headed back through the dusty streets and grabbed a rickshaw back to the hotel. It was another mind-blowing day.
- Rahul

VARANASI – DAY 1

2008-11-07T14:10:00.001Z

Having somehow managed to navigate the chaotic streets in the back of an auto-rickshaw, I finally arrived at the magnificent Hotel Ganges View perched on the tip of Assi Ghat. A lone goat was roaming by the entrance, but as soon as I entered I was immediately struck by the character of the place. The hotel was filled with traditional artifacts and antiques and each room was beautifully done up. The hotel had an enchanting roof terrace overlooking the sacred River Ganges and the staff extremely friendly.

After a brief rest and a quick bite, I set off for Sarnath Temple, some 30 minutes from Varanasi. Sarnath is a holy pilgrimage site for Buddhists, as this is where Lord Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining Enlightenment. I arrived there at the same time as a group of Buddhist pilgrims from Sri Lanka. A stream of women dressed in white saris gently trickled through the temple ground. The 110 feet stupa was indeed impressive as were the surrounding ruins of an old temple and other monuments erected by the great Mauryan Emperor Asoka. After a contemplative stroll around the complex, I headed back to Varanasi.

Varanasi is located between the two rivers – Varuna and Asi, but it is also known by two other names. Amongst Indians it is more commonly known as Benares and it is also occasionally referred to by its older name, Kaasi. For consistency I will stick to calling it Varanasi. For Hindus, the Aarti ceremony is an important ritual and Varanasi is famous for its spine-tingling Aarti on the Ghats of the river (ghat is the set of steps by the river). It was approaching 6pm, so along with the guide I jumped into a boat at Assi Ghat which then made its way to another ghat for the aarti. The river was buzzing with activity. Boats with other tourists stared in disbelief at the spectacle unfurling before their eyes, local kids hopped effortlessly between boats offering tea and flowers. The sun had set and in the distance on one of the other ghats numerous funeral pyres were being lit as the dead were offered to the mighty River Ganges. We told the boatman not to go to close, as I felt somewhat uncomfortable spectating on someone else's grief. Hindus believe that if someone is born and then cremated by the River Ganges, then he or she will end the cycle of reincarnation. Lotus flowers with candles bobbed up and down in the water, gradually drifting off in the distance carrying someone's prayers.

There is something very special about Hindu ceremonies with the colours, flowers, incense and flames, but this Aarti ceremony was on an altogether different level. The ghat was packed with people and then seven men mounted on pedestals stood at the edge of the ghat offering incense, flowers, and lit diyas (lamps) as the aarti was chanted on the loudspeakers. The boats came to a standstill as everyone watched on. This must have lasted some 15-20 minutes but I had totally lost any concept of time in the process. One cannot even start to put the amazing sense of calmness afterwards into words. It was a privilege to watch and be a part of.

Afterwards I headed into the main market area and was confronted by activity entirely on a different scale. Varanasi is made up of thousands of narrow alleyways, crammed with people, saffron-robed sadhus (Hindu holy men) carrying holy pots with burning incense, scooters jostling for space, sacred cows ambling through with people stopping to take blessings, shops selling everything from trinkets, statues of deities and silk, for which Varanasi is famous. I eventually headed back to the hotel for dinner on the roof terrace where I could see this fascinating city lit up at night.

You can't help but be infected with Varanasi's energy and mysticism. I still feel on a high from the aarti and the walk through the market. Tomorrow starts with a 5am boat ride at sunrise. I can't wait. Really.
- Rahul

DELHI - VARANASI

2008-11-07T14:09:00.001Z

Train travel is one of the highlights of travel in India and Indian stations are always teeming with activity from someone selling garam chai (hot tea) to someone offering joota polish (polish shoes). I eventually boarded the Delhi-Varanasi overnight train and the sun started to set as the train chugged its way out of the hustle and bustle of Delhi leaving behind a cacophony of hawkers and coolies (train porters).

I was booked into 2nd class AC sleeper, which was remarkably clean and comfortable. One of the common gripes of Indian trains is cleanliness, but there was no such issue on this journey. You can never go hungry on an Indian train with food and drinks continuously being offered as vendors boarded the train at various stops tempting the traveller with all kinds of delicious Indian snacks. I got chatting to a few other passengers on the train all looking forward to Varanasi, especially as they were going back to visit their families to enjoy Diwali, the biggest Hindu festival. I'd read much about India's holiest city (and one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities), and my excitement was fuelled all the more by fellow passengers explaining how Varanasi is the epitome of ancient India and that nothing can really prepare the first time visitor.

The seating berth cleverly converted to a bed with a few simple manoeuvres. I lay down, closed my eyes and drifted off... around 7am I was woken up for breakfast, which was hot stuffed aloo parathas (a type of Indian bread stuffed with potato) washed down with a cup of hot masala chai. I looked out of the window and villagers were going about their daily work with bullocks ploughing the fields. Within a matter of minutes the train made its final approach into Varanasi ... I quickly got my bags together, took one deep breath and stepped out on to the platform. I was as ready as i could be for the adventure that lay ahead.
- Rahul

Jaipur

2008-10-27T15:29:00.003Z

From Agra we drove to Jaipur, stopping first at Fatepur Sikri. Fatepur Sikri was one of Akbar’s greatest projects, to design a perfect town. However he didn’t properly consider the location and a lack of water meant that it was abandoned only a few years after it was completed. The beauty and inspiration of the place has been very well preserved however and some of the design is breathtaking. After an hour or so of exploration we drove on to Jaipur. The hotel was lovely with a pool, plenty of outdoor seating areas, the occasional visiting peacock and a serenity unexpected in its location, and very rare in the busy city of Jaipur. The staff were very friendly too and quite a bit of fun.

The next day I was met by my guide and we did a tour of the palaces of Jaipur - the Wind Palace, effectively just a façade that was built so the royal Rajput women could view the comings and goings of the street, the Water Palace, now permanently flooded. From there we visited the Amber Fort, high up on the hill and we arrived, very royally on elephant back!

After the Amber Fort we drove to the spectacular city palace and the even more extraordinary Jantar Mantar, an observatory built in 1728 by Jai Singh that houses all kinds of incredible instruments including the world’s largest sundial and instruments to measure everything from the height of the North star, local time and various measurements of the heavenly bodies that were used to predict fortunes but also, more usefully effectively predict when the monsoon would start. It was a busy day but a very enjoyable one.

The following day I did my tour of the gem shops and the block print workshop, getting demonstrations of how the famous crafts of Jaipur are created and I was happy to see that there was again no sales pressure, and some beautiful souvenir options.

In the evening I headed to Galta on a whim and was very happy I did. The temple is dedicated to Hanuman, the monkey god and it is considered auspicious to feed the monkeys here. So I bought myself some nuts at the entrance and handfed the monkeys throughout the temple. Some three or four hundred gather at sunset awaiting the feeding, and despite this wonderful spectacle, there were very few tourists around, unlike the main city. On walking back to the entrance there was quite a bit of excitement and as I drew closer I saw why. Perched up on the side of the mountain in the disappearing light was a tiger, surveying the scene. Apparently there had been two of them a few minutes before but I missed one. Still it was the first tiger I had ever seen and was quite exciting. The next day we drove back to Delhi and then it was time to fly back to London. Time up on this trip but as I write Rahul is out exploring the temples of the holiest city of Varanasi before heading to Khajuraho to check out the temples and their saucy carvings from the Kama Sutra. Expect to hear more from him soon.

- Dave

Agra and the Taj Mahal

2008-10-27T14:40:00.002Z

So my trip in the more touristy part of India had arrived. Quite different from the North East, in fact I saw single groups larger than all the foreigners I had seen in the North East in 3 months! But it was also interesting though in a different way. So I arrived into Agra on the early train, was dropped to my very comfortable hotel, and my guide picked me up to bring me to the Taj Mahal. We were dropped off short of the monument and had to take a rickshaw the last part.

It had been almost ten years since I’d last visited the Taj Mahal but still it took my breath away when I caught my first glimpse. The colour of the stone, the beautiful symmetry of the building, the incredible marble inlay work and the story of Shah Jahan’s love for his wife Mumtaz that inspired its creation make it a truly unique building. We spent a couple of hours taking in the Taj before driving across town to the Agra Fort where Shah Jahan was eventually imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb after overthrowing his father.

The room in the fort where his father was imprisoned has some of the best views of the Taj Mahal, scant consolation for Shah Jahan I’m sure. I also visited a workshop where the families of the creators of the Taj Mahal still ply their trade in marble-inlay work, and was very impressed with the quality of the produce but also the easy, laid-back approach to sales, unlike the street hawkers who are quite a pain in Agra specifically.

On my second day in Agra we drove out to Akbar’s mausoleum, about 10km from Agra. The building was built by Akbar, the third and greatest Mughal emperor and contains elements of Christian, Islamic and Hindu architecture in line with Akbar’s beliefs (and his wives, having one from each of the three faiths). The gardens were lovely and full of deer, monkeys and birds.

After that we drove to Itimad-ud-Daulah (better known as the Baby Taj). This beautiful building was effectively the precursor of the Taj, and many of the design elements were copied from this building. In the afternoon I went hotel hunting and checked out a load of hotels in Agra, varying from the adequate to the grandiose. I spent the evening listening to live music in a small restaurant and being amused by the local kids playing air guitar and trying to learn U2 songs.

The tribal circuit - Part 2

2008-10-13T05:52:00.002+01:00

After the match we went on to Kabu, a small nearby village of the Adi-Galo tribe where we were greeted by the family, as well as some of their friends. We were served up rice beer and brought various dished, all eaten from a leaf that is commonly used in the tribe. The food was very tasty and plentiful. The women tried to teach Karla and Myrka some local dances and in return were taught the chicken song, which was the source of much amusement, especially as it sped up. We elected to sleep outside the main house on the balcony and used the camping mattresses. The next day was a lazy one. After breakfast in Along the girls went shopping and myself and Stephen played poker for matchsticks.

After a few hours chilling out we ordered take-away pakoras and chips for lunch and then drove back to the village. C.K. arranged for two local boys to accompany us on our afternoon walk. We walked down to the river, to the fantastic bamboo and cane hanging bridge. We all managed to traverse the bridge, getting braver as we walked on. When we finally made it across the local boys showed off by running across it, making us feel less brave than we had!

We stopped on the side of the river and had our lunch, watching the locals cross the hanging bridge without a second's thought. After lunch we walked through the valley and up to Paia, another Adi-Galo village and then on to Pobdi before returning to Kabu for dinner. We asked our hosts to give us smaller portions as we didn't want to seem ungrateful by not finishing the four hundred tonnes of rice they allocated for us.

The local women were still humming the chicken song! After dinner the women did a few local dances and they made my two left feet participate as well! The girls taught them the Macarena and even C.K. joined in after a few rice beers! The local women were so impressed they gave each of the girls a traditional handmade Adi-Galo skirt they had woven themselves.

The next morning we said goodbye to our hosts and soon after to Arunachal Pradesh and came back into Assam, to the village of Likabali. It was the main day of the Durga Festival and people's faces were painted bright red and there was plenty of singing and music throughout the village. We had some lunch and went to meet our host family. They were very welcoming and curious, not having had foreign guests before and the home was a beautiful bamboo construction with tale and chairs made of bamboo and cane. After the introductions we climbed up to the ancient ruins of Malinithan where the remains of a 10th to 12th century temple had been uncovered. We were given some sweets at the temple and then came back to our hosts, washed and the rice beer was brought out. I think I'm going to have withdrawal when I leave the North East! Conversation was a little awkward at first, but after a few rice beers things got a bit more lively. Again the food was excellent and very plentiful. We had a few more rice beers after dinner and our beds were put out for us, as well as mosquito nets.

The next morning we said goodbye to our hosts and drove to the ghat (river port) abou an hour away. Our intended route to Majuli was impassable so we were taking a slightly longer way around. We jumped on the crowded ferry along with our jeep and moved slowly down the mighty Brahmaputra river. We arrived on the Southern Ghat after about 2 hours and drove on to Namati Ghat to catch the ferry to Majuli, stopping for a superb lunch in a remote little roadside restaurant. At the Ghat I said goodbye to the group, sorry I wasn't able to continue to Majuli as well. They would be using a local jeep on the island so I borrowed the vehicle and trusty Das (our driver) to drive on to Guwahati. It was a long drive and I arrived in around 9.30 in the evening and crashed out for the night.

Today I have been catching up on some work and looking at some ways to improve our route and facilities for future groups. Tomorrow I fly to Delhi, where I will spend a couple of nights before testing the add-on tour to Agra and Jaipur that we will start to offer shortly. It's been almost ten years since I first (and last) went to Agra and Jaipur as a backpacker so I'm quite looking forward to it. This whole trip just seems to be rushing by!

- Dave