Leaving Nepal

It is always interesting to me how different airport security is around the world. Nepal is by far one of the more interesting. Upon arrival at the airport our carry-on bags went through an x-ray machine before we go proceed to check-in. Once the luggage was checked and with boarding passes hand we proceeded to the departure gate.  Again we had to go through security.  We already learned that there are separate lines for men and women.  In India we are wanded behind a curtained area and frisked. In Nepal there is no curtained area and you get a gynecology exam. Now you think that may be enough but before you get on the plane once again your hand luggage is checked and another gynecology exam takes place before you are allowed to walk up the stairs to the plane.

We know from our experience leaving for Nepal that security is excruciating slow. The x-ray guy stopped checking bags because someone left their cell phone and he thought it was his responsibility for some 15 minutes to look for the owner. Consequently we are arriving at Dehli 4 hours before our flight. And our flight is at 4:45am.

Checked my seat belt and looked at Barry across the aisle. The engines revved up and we began our taxi to the runway. Zoom zoom went the engines. And down the runway we went gaining speed. We began our liftoff. Suddenly without warning the pilot aborted the liftoff and we were swiftly brought back down to earth with a thud.

Everyone sat silently on the plane as the pilot taxied very slowly back to the tarmac where we began. It seems the pilot noticed something wasn't right. Everyone was calm and occupied their time reading or playing games on their phones or quietly talking. After several hours were feed our meal. We boarded the plane around 1pm and it is now 4:14. We are finally heading back to the runway to try our takeoff again.  SUCCESS  at 4:28pm!

Made it Dehli by 6:00 and we are now at an airport hotel for dinner and sleeping until we leave at 1am for the airport. What an adventure this has been 

Last day in Nepal

Thursday
It was really hard to top the flight to see Everest but we tried. Later in the day we went to see the Royal palace. There is no more monarchy here but it wasn't so ago, about 14 years, that one existed.  It appears the crown prince wanted to marry someone his family did not approve of.  He was 29 years old and couldnt find anyway out of his responsibilities.  He invited his family, including aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins to his residence for a party.  He drank to much and smoked some hash.  He left the party for his bedroom, changed into his army fatigues and returned with an ak47 and proceed to kill his family before taking his own life. I guess that was one way to get even for not letting math the person he read in love with.

Friday
Today we headed out of Kathmandu to the countryside to see how life is in the villages. Everyone is still recovering from the earthquake. There is construction everywhere you look.  For lunch we went to Bhaktapur a lovely cultural city. Beautiful old temples.  However the earthquake demolished a 500 year old temple as well as serious damage to a palace. The buildings are being repaired one stone at a time.

On the way back to our hotel or driver took a shortcut in an attempt to circumvent the traffic.  What a massage we got a we drove through tiny village after tiny village. We returned in time to meet with a 34 year old woman who is part of a 7 woman climbing team made up of Nepalese from all over the country.  Each woman had an interesting story as how she came to be a climber. The woman giving the lecture was only 5'2" and maybe 105lbs. Their very first climb was in 2007.  They submitted Mt Everest.  Since then they have submitted all the major mountains on all the continents including Antarctica. They work in Nepal to empower women and help women who have been sold as sec slaves. Apparently there is a region in Nepal where this is a major issue. She was quite the speaker and we were sorry when her lecture was over

But all good things come to an end and tonight we had our farewell  dinner.  E head back to  New Dehli tomorrow to begin the long trek home. It has been an amazing trip.  The people E have met have been awesome.  The culture of both countries was been enriching.  I hope you have enjoyed our journey as much as we have. Thanks for reading.

Carol 

Kathmandu

We spent the day learning about the residents of Nepal. Where they came from and how the country was formed. Like India they are primarily Hindu with Buddists thrown into the mix.

Kathmandu is a bustling city, and unlike India clean. They are still recovering from the 2015 earthquake.  There are collapsed buildings and lots of rubble everywhere. But at the same time there is construction going on. Modernization of their buildings is also taking place. Steel is now being used in new construction.  Consequently there is dust everywhere. Good thing I had my  masks with me.

During our walking tour of an older part of the city we were invited into someone's home. The buildings are primarily made of brick and mud and are usually 4 stories tall. We walked into the entranced to the building and saw the walls were made of mud.. We climbed a ladder to the next floor to get to this person's residence. She lived in 2 small rooms. One room had a single bed and a sewing machine. The other was open and had 2 burners on a table which made up the kitchen. This young woman was a seamstress and supported herself by making clothes.  I noticed there were two quits folded up on her bed. There is no heat so the quilts are a necessity. Her home was spotless. The door frames and ceilings were quite low. Nepalese at one time were very short. Not so much the case any more

One of the things I noticed as we drove through town is how many schools they had. Our guides daughter is currently a junior at the University of Texas studying engineering. She had been a biology major in school in Nepal but decided she did not want to be a doctor. She would have to go back to school for another 2 yeasts to take the required courses to go to engineering school in Nepal. Like in India students take exams in 10th grade to determine their career  path. Their last two years in high school is devoted to that career path.

It's another early day tomorrow as we leave at 5:30 am for the airport. We have our fingers crossed that the weather is good and we can take a flight
Up to the Himalaya and see Mt Everest. 

Varanasi

Our last stop in India. It is the holiest city in India. Like making a pilgrimage to mecca, making a pilgrimage to Varanasi is the same.  The city sits on the Ganges River. Bathing in the Ganges is a way to purify the body. It is done early in the morning and is done to Corpses before they are cremated. We experienced both.  We had the opportunity to dunk ourselves in the Ganges early this morning but we both declined

There is also a religious ceremony by the river every day giving thanks for the day.  Saw that as well as well as several cremations from the river last night.  Creations are perform 24/7.  Ergo the haze at the airport when we arrived and the slight burning smell

I will post what pictures I have on my phone. We leave for Nepal in the morning.

Train travel

Early day as we rose at 5:30 and were on the road by 7am. We headed to the railway station. As you might expect all manner of humanity was there. Luck would have it that our train was actually on time. We had seats in an air conditioned car.  It was not quite the AC we were used to but at least we weren't sweltering. We were given a large bottle of water which came with the price of our ticket. The train you saw in  "Lion" that the young boy found himself locked in  was a second class car. That train was on another track. No one on the roof top but plenty of standing in the aisles and people sitting on the stairs to the car.

Three hours later we found ourselves in Jhansi. A bus was waiting for us as we continued our travels southwest for 4 hours to Khajuraho where we would spend the night.

Khajuraho was the center of the Chandelas civilization.  They left behind an amazing group of temples more than 1200 years old and 90% in tack.  The carvings in the sandstone were remarkable. Our guide at this UNESCO World Heritage Site pointed out the many interesting carvings particularly those that related to women and love. These carvings apparently were where the kama sutra was born. Need I say more about the carvings. The erotic stone carvings have come to symbolize the importance of love and energy in Hindu thought.

Another very early morning tomorrow as we fly to Varanasi , the holiest of Hindu cities.

A day in the life

Today we spent time at the local school that is supported by the Grand Circle Foundation. The children were from kindergarten to 10th grade. Always a treat to meet the kids  one 6 year old stood out among the group of children. She recited a Hindu poem for us then translated our names on our name tags from Hindu to English. Her math skills are as spot on as her English and Hindi. We also spent time with a group of 11 year olds. They are as rowdy as 11 year olds are everywhere.

After we spent time at the school we walked to the home of one of the villagers and spent time with him and his family. His wife took us out to the weekday field where we helped cut the ajar with a curved blade.

Then it was off to the women's coop to see what they are making and selling and to have lunch. The proceeds of the sales go both to the women and a portion to the save the tiger program.

It's  now a 4 hour bumpy ride to the tented camp where we will spend the night

One more thing, Nasty Women, I was wearing my scarf when we saw the tiger. A very taste occurrence. I attribute our good fortune to you. 

Jaipur

We have been very busy these last few days seeing a Hindu Temple, visiting the City Palace and today visiting Amber Fort. (Am-er)

The fort was built in the 1100's I belive and belonged to the Maharaj.  It was hugh with multiple levels, gardens, harem quarters and an amazing view of the valley below. Surrounding the fort was a wall  that encompassed a vast area delineating the boundaries of Jaipur.  When we first approached the  fort we thought we were looking at the great Wall of China. That should give you an idea of the style and size of this wall.

We were driven to the entrance by jeep. Others, not our group, arrived by elephant. The pictures will tell the story.  Eventually the city was moved to its current location

Later in the day we went to a local bazaar to satisfy the shopping craze of some of our fellow travelers. I think they are done for now

The day before I had gotten up at 4:30 am to take a balloon ride over Jaipur to see the sun rise. Sadly though  the winds were to strong for us to fly. We were back at the hotel by 8 and I got to have breakfast with Barry

This evening we had a home hosted dinner. The couple whose home we visited were lovely. They had two teenage daughters, one who is in college studying business.  We exchanged lots of cultural and parental information. The wife had been a kindergarten teacher.  The role of women and the family dynamics are changing swiftly in India.  Some say not swift enough while others say it is to fast. They prepared a great meal for us and we all cleaned our plates. Many of us took seconds. They were quite helpful in giving us insight into the color festival we will be experiencing tomorrow. The history of this Hindu celebration is to complicated to explain but tonite people held bonfires in the streets and tomorrow they throw color chalk at each other. It is a very fine vibrant powder. In preparation for the festivities we each purchased a holiday suit. White tunic and  pants.  Our hosts had some pointers on how to coat out bodies so we will easily wash the chalk off. Otherwise it could be a week until we get it all scrubbed off. This should be fun.

One more thing. On our way back to our hotel this afternoon we stopped to take a picture of a water palace. There it was a massive palace sitting in the middle of a lake.

We are off tomorrow to the color festival and then on to the National Park in the hopes of seeing a tiger.. We will also be visiting a school supported by the travel company's foundation while we are in the area.

Dehli and Shahpura

It has been a busy  2 days. So much so that we bypassed dinner last night and probably will again tonight.  Our lunches have been so plentiful that there  is no thought of having a 3rd meal that day . We have enjoyed  bitter  chicken  tandoori chicken and goat. Let's not forget the vegetable curry and included in many meals and other veggies I don't even know the names of.

Our last day in Dehli  was spent at the site of an ancient Mosque  dating back to the  1100's.  There are two things I found most remarkable while we were there. First there is an incredibly tall minaret that in its day was the tallest structure in the world. Next there was a black pillar that is made of iron that had been there since the 800's. Somehow those ancient people's figured out how to process the iron so it doesn't rust. Pretty amazing.

Once we left the site of the mosque we took a ride to embassy row in Dehli where we had lunch at a very modern and elegant restaurant. Embassy row was beautifully landscaped and we got to glimpse over the walls to see some of the embassy buildings. We also got to see the Parliament building and several other impressive government buildings. This part of Dehli was clean and modern.

Our next stop was a Sikh Temple.  We learned a great deal about this very peaceful group of people and how they differ from their idol worshiping Hindu brothers.  After viewing the Temple and the enormous man made lake (it was to big to be called a pool or a pond) which was the focal point of the outside courtyard we walked over to the community kitchen. There we saw people sitting in long rows on the floor  being handed metal trays and then having food  dished out on to the trays. We were told they feed upwards of 20000 people a day. These people take community service seriously.   I am certain not all the mouths fed are Sikhs but many come just for the social atmosphere. We had the opportunity to help with preparation of the food. I shucked peas and rolled chapati. There were high kettles of cut vegetables and a giant grill for cooking the chapati. It's quite an under taking.

We were required to cover our heads before we entered the mosque and remove our shoes and socks. The entire place is made of marble. As you approached the stairs to walk into the mosque there was a place to wash your feet. Our feet were beyond dirty when we were ready to leave. And speaking about leaving we were greeted with a downpour as we walked to our bus. I finally appreciate my new curly do.

Today we left Dehli by 8am and headed to Jaipur. A 200 mile ride took until 5:30 pm. The traffic by the airport and then through the tech area and major corporations was horrific. At one point thete were 15 lanes of bumper to bumper traffic. We made a pit stop along the way at a McDonald's. Where else would you stop. No beef in this country. Cows are sacred and are treated much like our canine friends. You see them everywhere. Sitting along side the road. Sitting in the road  you name a place they can be and they will be there. Finally got to Shahpura where we were driven in open jeeps through narrow winding streets to the top of the city. There we entered a magnificent residence with exquisite gardens. Above the residence were the ruins of an old fort that once belonged to the Maharaj of the area. The residence belongs to his family. Now the building is restored to its original beauty and has 5 guestrooms as well as a restaurant.  Another downpour while we were eating lunch. Thank goodness it stopped before we were ready to leave. We were not looking to drive in the open air back to the bus in the rain.

Early night tonite. Barry is sleeping in while I have a 4:30am wakeup. I am going hot air ballooning. I need to bring my passport. I guess it is for just in case.  Up in the sky I go 

International Women's Day

Traveling with OAT is always an adventure. We spent the day visiting a mosque in Old Dehli. Then went for a rickshaw ride through Old Dehli. Rickshaws, motor bikes, and cars negotiated the impossible narrow streets. It gave us a great overview of all the businesses that are there. Many fabric and sari shops, jewelry shops, book shops, paper shops, street food vendors, auto parts the list is endless and so we're the streets and alleys.
From there we drove a short distance to New Dehli where we visited a beautiful garden site that surrounds the  pedestal where Ghandi was cremated. An eternal flame burns on the  pedestal

Being that it was international Women's  Day we headed over to the park where the India Gate stands. The  gate is a rather imposing archive built by the British to commemorate those Indians who fought for the British in various wars. It is also a place where people meet to share views and celebrations.  There was a celebration of international women's day going on when we got there. Som our tour leader had some large construction paper which we used to write slogans in support of the day. We walked over to the crowd holding our signs high. Being we were 16 Caucasians in a swarm of Indians were a novelty. Soon we were surrounded by people everywhere taking our pictures and no doubt up loading to Facebook and instagram.  A group of young women came over and wanted photos of us with them. The next thing we knew they took us by the hand and walked is through the crowd where the army band was playing and some one was singing some very lively Bollywood music. And we danced, and danced with the girls. Everyone was snapping video in the meantime. Som finally had to drag is away and take us to dinner.  It was a great night and a wonderful experience.

I'm having trouble getting the blog to upload my photos so I will post them separately on Facebook. Barry has video of me dancing with the girls
  I'll try and get that posted another day    Tomorrow we go to a Sikkim Temple and a few other places in Dehli including a stop in the afternoon for pashmina

Day of Rest

When we arrived last night we were greeted by our friends Kathy and Dan who had arrived earlier in the day. They had already scouted out the area and advised us it was best to hang out in the hotel all day. Dan who is a great adventure seeker told us he got about a half a block from the hotel and turned around. It was consistent with what we were told from the tour company.  Our first clue was when our taxi was stopped as we entered the hotel gate. A mirror was put under the car and the trunk inspected before we could pull up to reception. Once out of the car our belongings were scanned, just like security at the airport. We each walked thru a metal detector and Barry was wanded

So we spent the day inside the hotel reading and sleeping. We had a wonderful dinner in the hotel dinning room. It was an Indian festival. An array of northern Indian cuisine. Barry and Dan did the meat choice  while Kathy and I went the vegetarian root.  Delicious, all of it. What we ate I couldn't begin to tell you. So many appetizers to start, then sweet corn soup, then a half dozen main course choices from the buffet table. The group agreed we were finished dinner after the appetizers. But not wanting to hurt anyone's feelngs we ate it all, including the desserts.

Tour starts tomorrow. The rest of the group arrived this evening.