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INDIA 2001
10th February 2001 Overnight Flight
Taxi at 7am to Heathrow Terminal 3. Checked bags all the way through to Delhi and caught the Gulf Air flight to Bahrain. Film was ‘Play It Forward’ which was quite good.
Mad dash at Bahrain to catch the plane to Muscat. Security (big guy with funny moustache) passed my camera bags (and all the film) through the X-ray machine 3 times and then hand searched it. Worried that the films may be fogged.
Plane to Muscat was only an hour then a 2½-hour wait for the Delhi flight. Nothing at Muscat except a big waiting room with rows of seats. Delhi flight was a couple of hours and arrived at 5:30 am local time. After immigration, customs and another X-ray machine (why?) collected bags and changed money. Got a stack load of rupees.
Got to the hotel and went straight to be for a couple of hours.
11th February 2001 New Delhi
Up at 11:30 am and had a shower. After a tour brief went into New Delhi. Saw the India Gate, government buildings on Rajpath (Kingsway) and the Qutab Minar mosque, which are covered by UNESCO as Heritage Sites. The splendid Islamic mosque had a large tower, red brick and marble, very pretty.
Curry with the rest of the group at 7pm.
12th February 2001 Overnight Train
Up at 8am and had sausage and egg for breakfast. Took tuk-tuks to Ghandi’s funeral pyre on the bank of the Yamuna River rode with the driver, which was great fun. Not much at the Raj Ghat but a few people praying. Went on tuk-tuks again to the Jama Masjid mosque, build by Shah Jahan. Went up the spire dark narrow windy staircase and a birdcage at the top. Went on ricksaws through the Chandi Chowk Bazaar and on to the Red Fort (also built by Shah Jahan), which was closed. Market reminded me of Cairo different parts for different types of goods. Tuk-tuks back to the hotel, then beers in the bar before a Wimpy at the station and boarding the train to Varanasi.
13th February 2001 Varanasi
Woken at 2:30 am by someone banging on the train door. It seemed half the Indian sub-continent (and their baggage) then descended upon us. Two important looking people (but pig ugly) then had their servants make up their beds beneath us. Arrived at Varanasi (modern name of Benares) at 7:30 am and went in small mini-buses to the hotel. Got stuck in a huge lorry-jam that was very dirty and smelly. Crossed the Ganges and found our hotel down lots of tiny side streets. After breakfast had a snooze, then in the afternoon went into Varanasi and walked along the ghats. Different places used for different things laundry, bathing or burning Grannies. We took a wooden boat trip down the Ganges and saw the ghats from the river. The sunset parade started at 6pm, which seemed to involve ringing bells and swirling fire about and generally making lots of noise in the dark.
14th February 2001 Varanasi
Up early for the sunrise. Boat trip down the Ganges. Quite a lot of people about, with a good sunrise, also some naked guys covered in ash. Also went to the Golden Temple, which was down in a labyrinth of side-streets. After brunch went to Sarnath to see the Buddhist temple and monastery ruins where Buddha was supposed to have given his first sermon. Lots of Japanese. Old stupa was quite impressive. Lazed in the afternoon. Buffalo steak for evening meal.
15th February 2001 Bandhavgarh
Up at crack of dawn for the long drive to Bandhavgarh, the region where the White Tigers were from. Had good breakfast. At first the roads were OK then the got lots worse. Rained and lots of thunder and lightening. Some cute kids in the villages. Roads turned to tracks and were steep with long drops. Got to the camp after dark, tents with electricity and tiled bathrooms. Vegetable curry for dinner then to bed early ready for the morning game drive.
16th February 2001 Bandhavgarh
Up before dawn. Jeeps for game drive are very small. Nice mist over grasses and lagoons. After about ½ hour came across a line of jeeps and elephants a tiger had been spotted. Got onto an elephant in search of the tiger but it had moved further into the bush and so couldn’t see it. Went further on and then the guide spotted a tiger way off in the distance. Raced to meet it like a white-knuckle ride in Disneyland. Saw a huge male B2, 2 years old over a ravine. Then he disappeared into the undergrowth. Waited on the road to intercept then he came through the bushes and straight in-front of the jeep got to within a couple of meters of us. Followed and saw him on a ridge in the distance. Went further on and heard alarm calls of monkeys and deer, but no tiger. Went further on and the elephants were all returning from seeing a tiger with 2 cubs, but had now gone further into the forest. Returned to camp. After brunch went on a nature walk and saw some bee-eaters, drongos, egrets and rollers.
After lunch went on another game drive. Had a few waits with alarm calls but didn’t see much apart from chital deer, monkeys, peacocks, rollers and boar. But the light was good. Had a slide show before dinner then went to bed fairly early. Had a shower with hot water.
17th February 2001 Bandhavgarh
Up before dawn for morning game drive. Stopped for pictures in the mist and sunrise above the mountains. Were signalled by a mahout that tigers had been spotted and climbed aboard his elephant. Went behind some bushes and up a bank of a ravine. Behind some bamboo was a female tiger. The mahout said there were two cubs of 7½ months also but couldn’t see them very well. The elephant tried to clear through the bamboo then one of the cubs came out and down the bank into the open, which was excellent. Back into the jeep then went to a clearing with chital deer and plovers. The deer scattered and saw 4 jackals running across the meadow and also saw them later entering the forest. Also saw a Maribou stork, which surprised me I thought they were only indigenous in Africa. Back to the camp for brunch and dinner. Did washing.
On afternoon game drive saw a sambur in a lake and a group of monkeys together. Waited for B2 to stir then heard the alarm calls and whizzed off road to the other side of the forest to head him off. After 15mins (4:30 pm) heard alarm calls and saw him come over a ridge. He walked parallel to the road for a bit being followed by 10 jeeps before crossing the road. He then disappeared into the bamboo and the convoy of jeeps then whizzed around again. About 5pm we sited him again and the 12 jeeps followed him for 30 minutes as he strolled parallel to the road. It was now dark and we left the park with the rest of the scrum.
18th February 2001 Khajuraho
Up at dawn for long drive to Khajuraho. Stopped at a village on bumpy road for lunch-break and were surrounded by the local kids. Stayed at the Holiday Inn in town.
19th February 2001 Orchha
Up at 7am but felt a bit rough dodgy lunch yesterday? Went on bikes into town to see the Erotic Temples got run off the road by a jeep coming the other way! The temples were interesting. Carvers seem to be into polygamy, group sex, lesbianism, tantric sex and bestiality sounds a fine religion to me! Had a doze at lunchtime then onto the coach again and drove to Orchha. Great sunset and saw the palace as we made our way to the Betwa Cottages on the which were quite basic with hard beds.
20th February 2001 Orchha
Lay-in then scrambled eggs for breakfast. Went to the palace, which is 500 years old and pleasingly symmetrical. Had cheeseburger and beer for lunch. In the afternoon went to a local school whose kids were enthusiastic and not shy; also a paper plant and village potter. Stopped at a farm on the way back. Had squeaky puppet show and dancers for outside meal. Religious music kept us awake all night.
21st February 2001 Shivpuri
Lay-in again before a short drive to Shivpuri. In lodges quite basic with hard beds overlooking Chandpata lake which is dammed. There was a large variety of bird-life in the grounds and on the lake. After a good lunch went around the park, very dusty. Saw two leopards and a tiger all caged waiting to go to zoos as well as a hunters’ lodge where KGV was to have stayed and saw his bath. Stopped by the lake and watched kingfishers, spoonbills, pelicans and a crocodile.
22nd February 2001 Bundi
Omelettes for breakfast then a long drive to Bundi. At the Rajasthan border took a while to pay entry taxes so walked around a village and got lots of attention. At Bundi the Maharaja is getting married on the 25th so they are preparing for the wedding and elephant procession. Went around the old Maharaja’s cenotaphs. Hotel is quite basic, up past midnight dancing with the early wedding guests.
23rd February 2001 Ranthambore
Felt rough this morning too many beers last night. Went round the Maharaja’s old palace last used 50 years ago but very derelict. Saw the Fort and went into the Step Well. Long drive to Ranthambore staying in the Tiger Den lodge, which is new and like an Oasis in the desert. It is very hot and dry here. Did washing. Watched sunset and BBC video on tigers in the park.
24th February 2001 Ranthambore
Up before dawn for game drive. Went into the park through arches and past the Sawamadhopur Fort, which is impressively built on a large escarpment. Saw a young lioness (3 years) with a male (8 years) in the forest. Their pugmarks were on the track and it looked like they were mating. Heard other alarm calls and a reported sighting near the lake, but saw no more tigers. In the afternoon it was very dusty. Saw a large kingfisher and a very big owl. Not a sniff of a tiger but waited near the palace on the lake for a female with young cubs. Saw sloth bear paw prints, but no bear. Buffet alfresco.
25th February 2001 Jaipur
Up before dawn for game drive in shared Canter. Went off at a gallop but saw the two tigers from yesterday. They were in the bushes to the left then ran across the road 5 10m in-front of the truck before disappearing into the forest. At the lake heard sambur warning calls then saw the female tiger (without cubs) through the trees. Followed for a few moments in the queue of jeeps but then had to leave as our time was up. After good-byes made our way to Jaipur. Nice hotel.
26th February 2001 Jaipur
Tour around Jaipur, the Pink City, but it looks more of an Orange City to me! Photo of the Hawa Mahal before we went around the City Palace and Jantar Mantar observatory with ancient astronomical instruments to tell the time, azimuth, location of the Pole Star etc. Went around a carpet factory. Had tandoori mixed grill for lunch then went to a linen printing factory where we were given a coloured elephant print and gem cutting place. Walked around Jaipur in the afternoon, a dusty squalid place. In the evening went to the Rambagh Palace Hotel for a beer in the Polo Bar and then pizza in a café.
27th February 2001 Shariska
Up early to go to the Amber Palace. Took and elephant to the palace entrance, the elephant behind picked up a padlock dropped from our elephant. Mirrored bedrooms and air-conditioning by fountain were good. Drove to Shariska and had lunch in the hunting lodge. At 3pm crammed into little jeeps for the game drive. The waterholes were good, saw lots of jackals and some tiger put marks. Also saw a couple of mongooses. Evening buffet in the Hunting Lodge then back to the grotty Tiger Den government hotel for cheap beers.
28th February 2001 Bharatpur
Excellent buffet breakfast sausages and omelette for the first time in ages. Drove to Bharatpur stopped on the way to watch sheepherders camels, field workers and the women making fuel from cow dung. Saw camels carrying lambs in pannier baskets. Went round the Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary in ricksaws. Saw owls, egrets, eagles, storks and herons. Not much water though and quite dusty. Also saw a long sick-looking python. Did washing and nice buffet meal.
1st March 2001 Agra
Lay-in in the morning as chose not to go to the park again. Drove through some villages to a large fort and mosque at Fatehpur Sikri, the deserted city. The overhead walkways in the Hall of Public Audiences (Diwan-i-Am) were very impressive. Drove on to Agra, nice hotel. Went to the Taj Mahal at 3:30pm. Searched on the way in. Lots of people mainly Indian. Great symmetry, balance, simplicity and detail. Break in symmetry only by Shah Jahan’s tomb as the Taj Mahal was only originally intended for Mumtaz Mahal. Waited for sunset, nice reflections. Meal and beers at curry house.
2nd March 2001 New Delhi
This morning went around the Red Fort at Agra. The Taj Palace overlooked the Taj Mahal but hazy as the sun was behind it. Shah Jahan was imprisoned in his palace by his son, Aurangzeb and killed his daughter for falling in love with the palace poet. Mughal daughters were forbidden to marry. Drove on to Delhi. Stopped at a marble emporium and bought a marble tablet of the Taj Mahal. In the evening went to Rodeo in Connaught Place the waiters’ dress as cowboys thought it was a gay bar but fortunately it wasn’t. Tuk-tuks back to the hotel.
3rd March 2001 New Delhi
Lay-in until 10am. Went to the Cottage Emporium very big on 6 floors. Bought a Ganesh (Indian Elephant God), a couple of elephants and some Taj Mahal coasters. Had last dinner with the group in the Chinese in the hotel the very best meal in the last 3 weeks!
Bed at 10pm.
4th March 2001 Home
Wakeup call at 2:30am not nice. Ride to the airport in the bus for the last time, probably done over 2,000 miles. Curried Egg for breakfast on first leg to Muscat (I’m not going to have another curry for months!). Bought some duty-free then short hop to Abu Dhabi, staying on the plane for the long flight back to the UK. The A330-200 has personal screens with out-board cameras which were fascinating watching the plane landing. Home at 7pm and had a humungous pizza.
Animals seen on Safari
Tigers 10 Jackal 11
Highlights
§Tigers §Taj Mahal §Different forms of transport §Palaces §Birds
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