Agra – Taj Mahal

Written by Michael Zangerle on 15 December 2010. Posted in India

The first night train we took in India should be a little more luxurious, so we booked AC2 Tier. This one is different than the 4 person compartment in Vietnam. Here it is only a curtain between bed and aisle.

Right in the beginning we watched two mice trying to catch our feet and we had to look for cockroaches. We tried to convince ourselves to see only bugs in them.

We arrived in Agra after 14 hour ride and did check into a small hotel with a beautiful view onto the Taj Mahal. After breakfast we went to see the Fort as we did not want to be within thousands of tourist sightseeing the Taj Mahal. Our plan was to see it the next morning at 6am. It opened up at 6.30am but we were within the first dozen of people inside the Taj. The architecture is heart stopping. It was worth getting up that earl as we have pictures with nobody in the picture.

We took the local bus to Delhi and felt like aliens. It does not happen often that white people are using local transportation. From the very first moment in India people watch you all the time. Suddenly you have a baby in your arm to get a picture taken or some juveniles do make pictures of you. First all together and then one by one… Or school kids in the bus next to yours start screaming when they see you, that makes you feel like a film star.

Well, we are on the way to Delhi.

Varanasi

Written by Michael Zangerle on 12 December 2010. Posted in India

Funny, but now we are in India!

After bargaining about the Rikscha price we made it into the Old city of Varanasi.

Without a local we would be lost on our way to a hotel as this is a labyrinth. It is amazing but so small alleys only. Everything is damn dirty and stinks so much. Poo everywhere and animals where ever you look. Intersting somehow.

It is so easy to get lost here.

We went to see the Ghats. So we saw open cremation again. Varanasi at Ganga is quite nice if there would not be rubbish and shit from dogs, cows and humans everywhere.

The Indians wash themselves in the Ganga which has 3000 times more bacteria in 1 liter of water than usually in Europe.

We did the early morning boat ride on the Ganga, loads off people for praying services, sports and washing to see. It looks like in Venice, Italy. Nice.

You get offers off silk, boats, Hash, Marihuana, Opium, etc…They are sometimes 8 years old only. That’s really strange. Everybody stares at you as there are so many Indians. There are some Western people but not many. It is kind off funny when locals ass you to have a picture taken with them. Sometimes with their babies! That’s because we look different.

Tomorrow we are on the way to Agra (Taj Mahal) with the train, within 15 hours.

And guys, food is so DELICIOUS here!!!!!

Puja Hotel – IDR 400 (nice, hot shower, TV, hard bed)

Pohkara - Lumbini

Written by Michael Zangerle on 09 December 2010. Posted in Nepal

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Nici left today for Germany and we for Pohkara. We did nothing for two days. We did just reading at the lakeside of Pohkara.

We discovered that we would pass Lumbini on our way to Varanasi. So we made a stop there as well. We stayed in Bhairawa and made a daytrip to Lumbini. We are quite happy that it was on the way, as Lumbini is not worth going there. Most of it is still under construction.

Highlight was our trip on top off a jeep to the border! That’s a nice Good Bye from Nepal. The border was more a garage than anything else. Funny, but now we are in India!

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