Cologne Trip – Day One
I get to Manchester airport at about 18:30 after work and check straight into the TUIFly desk which is the airline I am flying with, I had never even heard of them until my company booked this flight for me. No other passengers are there to it only takes two minutes.
I go straight through security as I am hungry and want my dinner and am not going to waste my time on the cafes this side of the control after the poor quality of food I had a couple of weeks ago on my trip to India. Once through I go up the stairs on the escalator and choose a restaurant called Giraffe and have a peppercorn steak with mash and onion rings for a main and a banana waffle split for desert.
India Trip – Day Nineteen – Abu Dhabi & Manchester
I board the plane and try to get some sleep, I am in the very centre on an emergency exit row, so I don’t have anyone in front of me which is good but because a partition wall is there I am unable to stretch out fully which is frustrating and uncomfortable.
India Trip – Day Eighteen – Delhi & Abu Dhabi
I get up at 08:30 and have a quick shower before heading downstairs with Angus to say my final goodbye to Anuj and give him a thank you tip for his great work as tour leader.I go back upstairs and pack my bags, go back downstairs again and put my bags into storage until I get back. I say goodbye to Angus and Hector
India Trip – Day Seventeen – Pushkar & Delhi
I woke up and went for breakfast at a local Israeli restaurant called the Third Eye, unfortunately they had no electricity so could not make my toast so went back to the hotels restaurant for some cheese on toast, but I don’t think they could understand the concept as I had two slices of cold toast
India Trip – Day Sixteen – Pushkar
Because of the animals and drafts I did not sleep very well last night. Anuj got us out of bed at around 07:40 and it was quite a struggle to get out of my sleeping bag as it was nice and warm in there but very cold outside.Eventually I did get out as the sun looked great low on the horizon. I took a look down the well now that it was light, it seemed to go on forever and I could not see the bottom.
India Trip – Day Fifteen – Roopangarh & Pushkar
Woke up at 08:30 and went for breakfast before we checked out, we had it outside on the tennis court. I had eight slices of toast, greedy I know.We then took the 4×4 jeeps for an hour and a half to get to Pushkar. Along the way we passed through small villages, loads of cattle, goats, camels and even a funeral procession.
India Trip – Day Fourteen – Jaipur & Roopangarh
I wake up at 07:30 and get some breakfast and leave at 08:30 to go to the bus station. Our bus leaves at 08:50 and we just make it. Our bus is the basic type and we are all squeezed in.It takes abour two and a half hours to get to our stop we then switch to 4×4 jeeps to take us the rest of the way.
India Trip – Day Thirteen – Jaipur
I wake up at 07:00 and go down for breakfast and had what seemed to be my usual for this trip, four slices of toast with jam.We left at 08:00 to go to the Amber Fort by auto rickshaw, it is about 13km away from the hotel, so took a bit of time to go there, we passed the Water Palace on the right hand side
India Trip – Day Twelve – Agra & Jaipur
I get up at about 05:50 after the loud prey music from outside pours into the room, no matter how much I try, I can’t go back to sleep. Every noise at the hotel seems to be amplified, people working in the corridors, telephones ringing, doors opening even toilets flushing.I finally get out of bed a 07:00 brush my teeth and go down stairs
India Trip – Day Eleven – Agra
After an uncomfortable journey on the train we finally arrive at Agra, the station is very busy and we finally get out and take auto rickshaws to our hotel. Surprisingly the back seats come down in them to reveal a small boot area, I did not know they did that!The hotel we are staying at is the Sheela Inn Hotel, about 400 yards from the Taj Mahal.
India Trip – Day Ten – Varanasi & Train
The alarm clock goes off at 06:00 but it is cloudy outside so there is no chance of seeing the sunrise so I go back to sleep.I eventually wake up at 09:30 and have a shower to refresh me for the day ahead. I am so glad that I have brought my foam travel sandals that I use in showers as the entire bathroom is the shower so the water goes everywhere,
India Trip – Day Nine – Varanasi
I have a bit of a lie in today and don’t get up until 08:20, freshen up a bit and go down for breakfast for 09:00 to meet Anuj and the group.We have breakfast at a hotel which is about a ten minute walk away. I have something simple, four slices of toast and a bottle of water.
India Trip – Day Eight – Ganges & Varanasi
We are woken up at 07:00 with a cup of Masala chai. It is still raining slightly so I leave it to the last minute before I get out of the tent.
Because of the rain we have breakfast on the boat this morning which consisted of porridge and toast before we headed to Varanasi.
India Trip – Day Seven – River Ganges
I wake up at about 07:00 and have breakfast, toast and jam before setting off back down the Ganges at about 08:00.
Today is not as pleasant as yesterday and it begins to rain after lunch and we have to put a tarp over the top of the boat. Because of the weather we don’t hardly see anyone on the banks except for a couple of groups playing cricket.
India Trip – Day Six – Mirzapur & Ganges
I surprisingly had a good nights sleep and the train was smoother and quieter than expected.
After clearing up and putting the beds back we depart the train at Mirzapur and are taken by taxi to the hotel galaxy to have breakfast consisting of an omelette and toast which was only 100 rupees.
