tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43911707722926175382024-03-14T08:39:39.536+00:00SI & LIZ'S TRAVELSSi & Liz's Travels Around The WorldSihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.comBlogger293125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-12004186943448119212011-06-24T14:57:00.005+01:002011-06-24T15:05:06.898+01:00New Wedding Website!Although our travels are now well and truly over I just wanted to post a link to my new website for wedding photography. <div><br /></div><div><a href="http://simonbrettellphotography.co.uk/">http://simonbrettellphotography.co.uk/</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Please take a look and don't hesitate to get in touch if you would like discuss this any further.</div>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-61682260782924781742010-02-28T16:46:00.002+00:002010-02-28T16:48:54.146+00:00The fun stops here<p>We can't believe that we've been back in the UK for a whole month already, the time has really flown by. It's taken a little while to recover from reverse culture shock but were slowly returning to normal after 15 months of living out of a backpack. England feels so quiet, clean expensive and cold now we're back.</p> <p>When we first got back we had a few days staying with my parents before we headed down to Torquay to spend some time with Liz's family. After two weeks of living with our parents we finally moved back into our flat in Birmingham city centre on the 15th February. It's nice to have our own space again after spending more than our fair share of time in some pretty grotty accommodation.</p> <p>The question we've been asked most is ... is it nice to be back home? The honest answer is no, not really! It's been great to see everyone again and catch up but this miserable English weather really isn't helping much, it feels as if our tans have disappeared already. The sunshine of Goa seems a very long way away.</p> <p>The other thing people always want to know is what were our favourite countries that we visited. Three places stand out ... </p> <p>Laos - a really beautiful unspoilt country with great scenery, people and (thanks to the French influence) food.Plus it gets a bonus point for Beer Laos, the best beer we had on our travels!</p> <p>Egypt - Has something for everyone. The ancient sites were just stunning, the beaches great and the hookah are cheap!</p> <p>Nepal - Crazy Kathmandu and the stunning Himalaya</p> <p>Our jaunting officially ends today, for tomorrow we return to the real world of work. Before we sign off we just want to say thank you to everyone who's took the time to read our rantings and kept in touch whilst we've been away. Bye for now, Simon & Liz.</p>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-82719792964656679622010-01-27T12:16:00.006+00:002010-01-27T12:26:52.567+00:00The end is nighWell our lovely traveling time is nearly up. We have had a fantastic 15 months on the road and we can't believe it has gone so fast. It will be great to see everyone again but very hard to drag ourselves away from the fabulous Palolem beach and get back to a cold, grey February in the UK! We have got a month back in Blighty though before the dreaded work starts again, so we'll be able to spend some time with Si's family in Wyrley as well as my family in Torquay and we'll then have a few weeks to get ourselves sorted out and moved back into the flat in Birmingham.<br /><br />We have really enjoyed being back in Palolem. It definitely wins our award for best Indian beach.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsR9Lydio3llSbyrIhEXRlAkokPsExL7km-TDHJG8iyDmMotINk80urHf-sYDUwMsu6TjuTAQMCIMn0CePmWbZ4pjuMrEtsLhmSjHnH90V0culqng67jmlKgPvFXH4MGJkXzBFTiKj2L-C/s1600-h/Picture+001.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 587px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsR9Lydio3llSbyrIhEXRlAkokPsExL7km-TDHJG8iyDmMotINk80urHf-sYDUwMsu6TjuTAQMCIMn0CePmWbZ4pjuMrEtsLhmSjHnH90V0culqng67jmlKgPvFXH4MGJkXzBFTiKj2L-C/s800/Picture+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431392823716418770" border="0" /></a><br />It has just the right mixture of laid back and chill out attitude and some great bars and restaurants. We enjoyed going to the open air cinema again. It is in a fantastic location and setting, even thought the film (Paranormal Activity) was a bit poor. Unfortunately the Silent Disco was canceled on Saturday apparently due to problems with the police, so that was a shame as we really enjoyed our silent boogie last time. Off to the open air cinema again tonight to see Zombieland.<br /><br />Well it it has been a tough last week here in Palolem. We have been swimming, sunbathing, doing some light shopping, catching up on out last few paperbacks and enjoying having the full range of cable channels. All the restaurants we have been to here have been really good, especially the Cheeky Chapati and Magic Italy. We also had some in-restaurant cow related entertainment the other night. They just couldn't keep this particular cow out of the restaurant and it was fascinated by the open kitchen! <div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2LPPm93aXPWWckGPyuBGsEqSKnuWO9T2iFhWGwAfV0ovQQMbFlmBmVLz76Um0l7unkO1vgj8vugoLwboaSyoGJthrC2Fu6WzYvEgX7U_TPhT1VAPy-p6AkCV0FNSyVDzCxV7RWegGzeN/s1600-h/Picture+019.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2LPPm93aXPWWckGPyuBGsEqSKnuWO9T2iFhWGwAfV0ovQQMbFlmBmVLz76Um0l7unkO1vgj8vugoLwboaSyoGJthrC2Fu6WzYvEgX7U_TPhT1VAPy-p6AkCV0FNSyVDzCxV7RWegGzeN/s400/Picture+019.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431392849010628898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5M0Y29gcJLuHthWm2-IlfSfpARWA3G-klkjAzgAQhZHbc7__RZTuwm5Pu8WG4DI4KPWta-klGgABORev_o3UlbUjeMVa-Si85FDe2zTWpuQf680SnXGe3NOYQTq4DjtlIJouZnGEe9epL/s1600-h/Picture+015.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5M0Y29gcJLuHthWm2-IlfSfpARWA3G-klkjAzgAQhZHbc7__RZTuwm5Pu8WG4DI4KPWta-klGgABORev_o3UlbUjeMVa-Si85FDe2zTWpuQf680SnXGe3NOYQTq4DjtlIJouZnGEe9epL/s400/Picture+015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431392839957219026" border="0" /></a></div><div>They seemed to have more luck tempting it out of the restaurant with a chapati than by poking it with a kebab skewer. I'm all for fresh produce but a cow actually walking into a restaurant of it's own accord is pretty strange! Perhaps they need to install a cattle grid.<br /><br />We will miss the whole Indian beach experience. Vendors wandering up and down the beach will sell you anything from a sarongs, to fruit, to stone elephants, to massages, to henna tattoos, to boat rides and fish, to drums and stickers. You have got kids on tightropes, beggars, Indian women swimming fully clothed and Indian men swimming in huge shrieking groups all with inappropriate small brown pants on! The beach cows are always entertaining and will occasionally have a fight with the beach dogs. I don't think it will be quite the same back in Torquay. We will miss it all.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnNUjmSsxZoCznBBJVKkkRFAENBo_j0MAGk3ZHhsirU8dQB-54m8vRFRapmbJiD2ZzeYmLDKXxQAIaL9P55YHleTZOUS2QVWsCB5CzNZanNUQhxjCAg_WP4vNq1vJwXOc3RkjmgQEjvxS/s1600-h/Picture+006.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwnNUjmSsxZoCznBBJVKkkRFAENBo_j0MAGk3ZHhsirU8dQB-54m8vRFRapmbJiD2ZzeYmLDKXxQAIaL9P55YHleTZOUS2QVWsCB5CzNZanNUQhxjCAg_WP4vNq1vJwXOc3RkjmgQEjvxS/s400/Picture+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5431392832216824386" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Lizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02073250412809500688noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-39813278155209986282010-01-19T17:46:00.001+00:002010-01-22T12:05:47.987+00:00Bright lights big city BangaloreIn total we'd not even spent 24 hours in Bangalore but it felt like it had been a lot longer. It was slightly disorientating and felt a little surreal to be somewhere that was so much like home but still very much in India. Bangalore felt even more developed and westernised than Mumbai and Delhi, there was even an M&S!<br /><br />The strangeness was probably amplified by the hotel that we stayed in, a place called the <a href="www.hotelsilversquare.com">Silver Square</a>. They'd tried to set it up like an ultra modern boutique hotel, all the ingredients where there but they somehow got it completely wrong. Adding to the general feeling of wrongness was the fact that the hotel had been built above a nightclub which was so loud it shook the entire fabric of the building. The night we were there it was a Thai, Mongolian hip hop night! No . . . we never knew such a genre existed either.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaT6zwyz003UIw6pseZSya9CbvJYTqOl_K8Nx4apG3GWWNgxzhHHwg9Ee3PZcuWe-Clp1m6qsFL_PXpint_Dm2h5zDSYB5ClAQikuZTNkJdj9ib0-1k3m-XmpfiimZ0Vy9QkPz9ZCso7E/s1600-h/Picture+117.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaT6zwyz003UIw6pseZSya9CbvJYTqOl_K8Nx4apG3GWWNgxzhHHwg9Ee3PZcuWe-Clp1m6qsFL_PXpint_Dm2h5zDSYB5ClAQikuZTNkJdj9ib0-1k3m-XmpfiimZ0Vy9QkPz9ZCso7E/s400/Picture+117.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428694817954673330" border="0" /></a><br />Thankfully they had an 11 o'clock curfew so we escaped to the cinema to catch the new Sherlock Holmes film (well worth a watch) whilst the hip hop heads where shaking the furniture across our bedroom.<br /><br />One of the consequences of Einstein's theory of relativity is a phenomenon whereby the faster you move the slower time goes. Normally you can't perceive the effects of this as it is minuscule unless you are traveling close to the speed of light. However; thanks to the insane speed that our tuk-tuk driver blasted us through the streets of Bangalore to Yesvantpur train station we experienced this effect at first hand! The distance from our hotel to the train station was only about 8km but it felt like the journey was never going to end. We never knew that it was possible for a three wheeled rickshaw to travel so fast . . . or so dangerously. We lost track of the amount near misses that we had but some of the more notable ones included: a near head on smash into the front of a bus, a near miss with a crowd of guys that were trying to push start a van (which we also narrowly missed) and the near flattening of a school girl who was crossing the road. The insane driving is one of the few things we're not going to miss when we get back home.Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-25267628162197812152010-01-18T05:07:00.003+00:002010-01-20T05:44:09.196+00:00MysoreWhen we arrived in Mysore on Friday afternoon we were treated to a partial eclipse of the sun. I managed to bag a bit of a ropey picture without burning my retinas out!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8nJ6G2aLLF0L6oJ6RevFDDdxhvew_ePPHVHFZW2UNPpwMivyQ-M0jMurbv7F-OeyS-FVIPd4RgoSuWYQEq-th8XEblhR3Wii8AQkGn83cefz2mPh_GTvcTZQ-px-LGYewMTlRsR1JhQ/s1600-h/Picture+012.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg8nJ6G2aLLF0L6oJ6RevFDDdxhvew_ePPHVHFZW2UNPpwMivyQ-M0jMurbv7F-OeyS-FVIPd4RgoSuWYQEq-th8XEblhR3Wii8AQkGn83cefz2mPh_GTvcTZQ-px-LGYewMTlRsR1JhQ/s400/Picture+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428684506072633378" border="0" /></a><br />Apparently, due to the relative positions of the Sun, Moon and Earth, this was the longest duration eclipse that will be experienced this century. The only annoying thing about it was that if we'd stayed in Varkala we would have been in the area of totality and have been able to have seen the <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60E14O20100115">ring of fire</a> (you can insert your own vindaloo gag here). Unfortunately we knew nothing about the eclipse until we arrived in Mysore, they really couldn't have done a worse job in promoting it. Particularly when you think back to the fuss that was created back home when there was the total eclipse in Cornwall in 1999.<br /><br />Mysore is the historic home of the Wodeyar maharajas who ruled over this part of India from the mid 16th century until independence in 1947. The main focus of the town is Mysore Palace, the maharaja's former home and seat of power.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrKfvUYGNdLAhohBRUUaxUT0i5_tEsSWoc5raFNJCZaTKnwFdzr72ZFW9n4j03buyiePLf10BViYGZCnL006uGqHmZoECJgjX3Xtp879dHcRPZArVn75aRBq_D27FXNBs-QucQSalhyphenhyphen8/s1600-h/Picture+031.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcrKfvUYGNdLAhohBRUUaxUT0i5_tEsSWoc5raFNJCZaTKnwFdzr72ZFW9n4j03buyiePLf10BViYGZCnL006uGqHmZoECJgjX3Xtp879dHcRPZArVn75aRBq_D27FXNBs-QucQSalhyphenhyphen8/s400/Picture+031.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428684512315520098" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHE8kHdNCnuCcjZb1yoAGGAQVWSYYlCtxj5byoOJ_LH5IxCH323b2PFk69Jcv_mnXSb-r2Iu6Jkwt2zDIIsrPKdIj7At0-6Mw6UUTviA7KFaoY3Kc45EpLSmFq-BT_d9qWqsBVrjvdX4/s1600-h/Picture+049.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHE8kHdNCnuCcjZb1yoAGGAQVWSYYlCtxj5byoOJ_LH5IxCH323b2PFk69Jcv_mnXSb-r2Iu6Jkwt2zDIIsrPKdIj7At0-6Mw6UUTviA7KFaoY3Kc45EpLSmFq-BT_d9qWqsBVrjvdX4/s400/Picture+049.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428685128791673490" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4hAo-GMPvg-uhKvni66IDJVAWuFP3V1LlPHSmQLvdokQz4joU6sr9dg5CWrPC7B0gtz8PIw6f13mdxlUJf7reKYwfCOsmJ9MsmJy6Y4oMiLFu4jOB1dTmiLe5Mrkc03DGWFxBVV49kU/s1600-h/Picture+047-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN4hAo-GMPvg-uhKvni66IDJVAWuFP3V1LlPHSmQLvdokQz4joU6sr9dg5CWrPC7B0gtz8PIw6f13mdxlUJf7reKYwfCOsmJ9MsmJy6Y4oMiLFu4jOB1dTmiLe5Mrkc03DGWFxBVV49kU/s400/Picture+047-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428685117257888434" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNmC3EXg9DsqQT2B92_8f1_RLRncHkz6kJiWvJYPyHfqIn1nR0qLdg8Kre5fep2kWbJ0UYSwjvuhusMUox3U7udOvKyAcTpeCvRU5N3T42NpNpkQTu8vvCfEf6xW-FodB-8Cn75pB-JY/s1600-h/Picture+039.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcNmC3EXg9DsqQT2B92_8f1_RLRncHkz6kJiWvJYPyHfqIn1nR0qLdg8Kre5fep2kWbJ0UYSwjvuhusMUox3U7udOvKyAcTpeCvRU5N3T42NpNpkQTu8vvCfEf6xW-FodB-8Cn75pB-JY/s400/Picture+039.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428684517779362354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrGn3iWxu8B0MOKRhp4rka69ypwt02TktK9j8YorCRa-D5r4q0bH4YXS9OA6YKt6KMoXX3LOLFJ_MCN5sSKi3ERPvWUYhBycVWzKm1791qtrfj4pfnae2CWQ19mnWiBgvUKqOp8o6PA8/s1600-h/Picture+044.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHrGn3iWxu8B0MOKRhp4rka69ypwt02TktK9j8YorCRa-D5r4q0bH4YXS9OA6YKt6KMoXX3LOLFJ_MCN5sSKi3ERPvWUYhBycVWzKm1791qtrfj4pfnae2CWQ19mnWiBgvUKqOp8o6PA8/s400/Picture+044.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428684521562515682" border="0" /></a><br />The palace was designed by the famous British architect Henry Irwin and completed in 1912. The original wooden palace that it replaced burned down in a kitchen fire in 1897. Because of this the maharaja's wife insisted that no flammable materials were to be used in the new building so it is constructed from stone, cast iron and stained glass. This gives parts of the interior the appearance of one of those grand Victorian / Edwardian era London train stations. It sounds a bit odd but it was really spectacular. Unfortunately you're not allowed to take photos inside so we can't show you how it looks.<br /><br />Despite the fact that we've been in India for nearly four months, the one thing that we still can't get used to is being asked to pose with local tourists for photos as if we were some sort of celebrity. At Mysore Palace it was mad and almost had to resort to running away at one point.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0PdW23eL4zNs73rM1a2o5oXLQa1Ro44B-7KDedgZZEgvGFRiUSAyHeetKrYK-2qJ1nYkznQhnh6YmQQnn4i98ilCLVFJ8QYi33Xd2j6TQRAHSczNwSHqKiUkOTfcrosAhxPxp7Lzw-k/s1600-h/Picture+088.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt0PdW23eL4zNs73rM1a2o5oXLQa1Ro44B-7KDedgZZEgvGFRiUSAyHeetKrYK-2qJ1nYkznQhnh6YmQQnn4i98ilCLVFJ8QYi33Xd2j6TQRAHSczNwSHqKiUkOTfcrosAhxPxp7Lzw-k/s400/Picture+088.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428685133537212882" border="0" /></a><br />The other thing that happens quite a lot is that people ask us to take their picture with our camera. Here's a lovely relaxed shot that Liz was asked to take . . .<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjz1W5W3YifILVcUcoLwEzaBrYGJt_xmkkBdLyYeLFFZQvwTlwUlyzLFFnBj2XSrN9CiJNkjCgIBmvWcp25G9HMqNd7KrOAtOx_kkemun91gamEtH-X6erqmuwCbLS57udQbKU_alxWQ/s1600-h/Picture+090.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYjz1W5W3YifILVcUcoLwEzaBrYGJt_xmkkBdLyYeLFFZQvwTlwUlyzLFFnBj2XSrN9CiJNkjCgIBmvWcp25G9HMqNd7KrOAtOx_kkemun91gamEtH-X6erqmuwCbLS57udQbKU_alxWQ/s400/Picture+090.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428685140581929346" border="0" /></a><br />Thankfully we were a little less hassled when we went back to the palace on Sunday evening. Every Sunday the palace is illuminated with ninety six thousand bulbs.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69NwVDGLlZ5e4o44R8jvqKMmeV4ZFnZPft-Y25sbVB6cSwDQW1AQ_ETPzgoTGeTc4NRXaW7G6xcX-UxyfxbdGECSlKKavzYhayujkTLamj6eSGFC59YW7qnQHffX7wPVaywa9_jQLRk4/s1600-h/Picture+057.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69NwVDGLlZ5e4o44R8jvqKMmeV4ZFnZPft-Y25sbVB6cSwDQW1AQ_ETPzgoTGeTc4NRXaW7G6xcX-UxyfxbdGECSlKKavzYhayujkTLamj6eSGFC59YW7qnQHffX7wPVaywa9_jQLRk4/s400/Picture+057.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428691698929192738" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6T0ydelbU75owRZceG7Jjb8v0dNLaOUSYws7t9NwWWdSbKitLVIGFOxCx37PVmzee-HHFhUlWPBThEm1iTuUbNgr1cVbiGZ9UsHPE-nPZd-9V-7LEsBLtj13cnzkCeF4kjnO8_PZYa_0/s1600-h/Picture+059.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6T0ydelbU75owRZceG7Jjb8v0dNLaOUSYws7t9NwWWdSbKitLVIGFOxCx37PVmzee-HHFhUlWPBThEm1iTuUbNgr1cVbiGZ9UsHPE-nPZd-9V-7LEsBLtj13cnzkCeF4kjnO8_PZYa_0/s400/Picture+059.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428691708390950146" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEO3fXH8B5Csj0T19LeVUJvETT3vkYH8vqZSpukM_7XChsESkrB_2Fma-jg5rEpX-kefry1BsU18_L-z7asMmOhpXbV2xNsRQEenedhNbz0lp_IQZfuOg8jCnlNB7G6klVijaQrXckngY/s1600-h/Picture+062-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 579px; height: 181px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEO3fXH8B5Csj0T19LeVUJvETT3vkYH8vqZSpukM_7XChsESkrB_2Fma-jg5rEpX-kefry1BsU18_L-z7asMmOhpXbV2xNsRQEenedhNbz0lp_IQZfuOg8jCnlNB7G6klVijaQrXckngY/s800/Picture+062-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428691978118902658" border="0" /></a><br />For the first time in a long time we're staying in what would be considered an "international standard" hotel. After over four months in B&Bs, guest houses, homestays and huts it makes <a href="http://www.ushalexushotels.com/hotel-regaalis-mysore.html">Hotel Regaalis</a> feel like the Ritz. It's the first time we've seen carpet since we were in Jordan and the first time we've seen clean carpet since we left home!<br /><br />Oh yeh . . . and we saw Gandhi too . . .<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HKVH_zRlwfeorFrphpqFPqpOwGWizEZI-UKXaw23vENRd4l1W2UEjbR0CRf7wk_OX4CyfsfeUlsV8r9aIC04HG6Tg67WstZquMvBk64NhORkOW3XLEQfXNco4nn4TlQjjqaMnULqCgA/s1600-h/Picture+026.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_HKVH_zRlwfeorFrphpqFPqpOwGWizEZI-UKXaw23vENRd4l1W2UEjbR0CRf7wk_OX4CyfsfeUlsV8r9aIC04HG6Tg67WstZquMvBk64NhORkOW3XLEQfXNco4nn4TlQjjqaMnULqCgA/s400/Picture+026.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428684509083655298" border="0" /></a>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-15748075318191824282010-01-15T04:43:00.001+00:002010-01-20T04:49:26.984+00:00Luminous cows!Just when you think you've seen all the crazy things that India has to offer it will surprise you with another curve ball. Today in Mysore we encountered luminous cows . . .<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2b2UHrgU-fZm5ijfPmucCEZuib3loZ2qVwjtAS3C0ps0u6DM2kLlT-Pe6O7OE0vK95WT5Tqt6IeetwPYmoeCr_iZMQ8oAcgLCzAgV8aMVcIlcGz7ZXvz4x8w8gw_DFvlip4BFVQT4W2o/s1600-h/Picture+016.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2b2UHrgU-fZm5ijfPmucCEZuib3loZ2qVwjtAS3C0ps0u6DM2kLlT-Pe6O7OE0vK95WT5Tqt6IeetwPYmoeCr_iZMQ8oAcgLCzAgV8aMVcIlcGz7ZXvz4x8w8gw_DFvlip4BFVQT4W2o/s400/Picture+016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428678964027862450" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6ulYDgFNUyfkptcXEqqRiJt-De0sVIx_s3-yHTeZRzbcful7n8_FJRimdVGfBWGG5CkpC7hVO1VBsh9w9JVsYyumVlY2mPKK-6-J888lHTJGYrezB1hmS-tnFYu_0J2bXX67u17oGUs/s1600-h/Picture+015.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU6ulYDgFNUyfkptcXEqqRiJt-De0sVIx_s3-yHTeZRzbcful7n8_FJRimdVGfBWGG5CkpC7hVO1VBsh9w9JVsYyumVlY2mPKK-6-J888lHTJGYrezB1hmS-tnFYu_0J2bXX67u17oGUs/s400/Picture+015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428678962018667970" border="0" /></a><br />Please note that this is not the result of any computer jiggery pokery, they really are that colour.Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-46436108370035156462010-01-14T04:25:00.001+00:002010-01-20T04:36:09.068+00:00VarkalaVarkala is a small beach resort on the Kerala coast about 100km north of Kanyakumari, the southern most tip of the Indian sub-continent. It's a really nice laid back kind of place that's strung out along the top of the crumbling cliffs that line the back of the beach.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJljxV1tD-E5NNjASTezB0JtbYDrWcPM9iWnVXr65mcl29yUObxhvDdkIIygRNjzdxWZXZS_95JXVW8X-nYNT8ciYRw5Y9SEdlGmoFn_KaKxJWaGPZh9sRvhbSI4a0XfEGPw8ShaVKYY/s1600-h/Picture+002.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlJljxV1tD-E5NNjASTezB0JtbYDrWcPM9iWnVXr65mcl29yUObxhvDdkIIygRNjzdxWZXZS_95JXVW8X-nYNT8ciYRw5Y9SEdlGmoFn_KaKxJWaGPZh9sRvhbSI4a0XfEGPw8ShaVKYY/s400/Picture+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428674865500231986" border="0" /></a><br />The atmosphere is really nice and much more like Palolem and Anjuna than the package resort hell of Candolim.<br /><br />We've had a bit of rubbish weather whilst we've been here. However, we feel we can't complain too much over a few days of cloud and a bit of rain when it's been <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8448399.stm">-22 degrees C</a> back home!<br /><br />We've not done any sight seeing whilst we've been here. Other than a bit of aimless wandering around the cliffs and a spot of sun bathing we've spent most of our time trying to re-arrange our flights home. The booking agent, <a href="http://uk.terminala.com/webpages/index.aspx">Terminal A</a>, have the worst customer service of any on-line ticket agent that we've ever used. Getting the money back on our canceled flights is proving to be quite painful. So if anyone asks what our top travel tips are, not using <a href="http://uk.terminala.com/webpages/index.aspx">Terminal A</a> is right up there with don't forget your passport.<br /><br />We've again met up with Leigh and Nicola who were also in Varkala at the same time as us. This was the last time that we'll see them and we were a little sad to have to say goodbye as they've been great company whenever we've crossed paths. They're shortly going to meet up with Leigh's parents who are flying out for a few weeks to do a similar trip around Rajasthan to the one we did with Paul and Sarah back in November.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglh6gSgFEn1f_enX2HYRvYvc6tFYAvFkXqQAwhABNxaXm7hVwoZ4FjHcyHvkvfReLAIco-rGQOy5FTYzes5tGKkrDT_VJR8Z-qBcaBBlHCM6x1gZ1oos6s1j5uD6yFiQkcskurzARJZYk/s1600-h/Picture+008.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglh6gSgFEn1f_enX2HYRvYvc6tFYAvFkXqQAwhABNxaXm7hVwoZ4FjHcyHvkvfReLAIco-rGQOy5FTYzes5tGKkrDT_VJR8Z-qBcaBBlHCM6x1gZ1oos6s1j5uD6yFiQkcskurzARJZYk/s400/Picture+008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428674872470908626" border="0" /></a>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-52822381307877707482010-01-08T20:25:00.003+00:002010-01-09T07:37:41.933+00:00The Venice of IndiaHaving just left the St Ives of India we now find ourselves in the, self proclaimed, Venice of the east (yes, <a href="http://siandliz.blogspot.com/2009/11/udaipur.html">another one</a>!). We've come to Alappuzha (Alleppey) as it's the gateway town to the infamous Kerala backwaters. The backwaters are a network of rivers, canals, waterways, lagoons and lakes that are on the west coast of India, sandwiched between the Arabian Sea and the mountainous Western Ghats.<br /><br />Our guide book made Alappuzha sound like some quaint little village, when in reality, it was more like Dudley and bore no resemblance at all to Venice! Thankfully we've had a really nice place to stay called <a href="http://www.venicecastle.com/">Venice Castle</a> where we've been making the most of having a TV for the first time in while.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8e8vDJUbA3a1R4dj8B5e7zVcwJLTLbiu_flpIN0H2lwaPCvNiShZ3nq5rFQZNYrdbtrnzE4tX573kNkbofysjoboQNo_fTD-F2NOOTpd0IgKKAvtm9dXq5ySvQkRgczpVkTDIGPQPDU/s1600-h/Picture+001.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz8e8vDJUbA3a1R4dj8B5e7zVcwJLTLbiu_flpIN0H2lwaPCvNiShZ3nq5rFQZNYrdbtrnzE4tX573kNkbofysjoboQNo_fTD-F2NOOTpd0IgKKAvtm9dXq5ySvQkRgczpVkTDIGPQPDU/s400/Picture+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424633372727839682" border="0" /></a><br />In order to explore the backwaters we had originally planned to rent one of the rather swanky looking house boats for an overnight trip.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSz-zeQ5lN6Q2W_hAi5PRNCYB8SkBzYq5QywBtQ2H6qfnaI5X73EDKFM-2DBKcVidjxzc_l7TDsUYcEp1qp7RGx_5iWux-_yz1ytAezpl1ueQyLk4V9YqW49DxkSB8jpaRmon7a-JLNLQ/s1600-h/Picture+004.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSz-zeQ5lN6Q2W_hAi5PRNCYB8SkBzYq5QywBtQ2H6qfnaI5X73EDKFM-2DBKcVidjxzc_l7TDsUYcEp1qp7RGx_5iWux-_yz1ytAezpl1ueQyLk4V9YqW49DxkSB8jpaRmon7a-JLNLQ/s400/Picture+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424633380483935730" border="0" /></a><br />However, the cost was a bit too high so we ended up downgrading a little to something more in our price range . . . a canoe for four hours.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8S9Q-AjgUkbM3fTrWbcLwU1kzS5giCseF3p7OZanZH8qmHsnA_fCGQ6Ccm1iiz9AneJVme6bnCSVAf3OOGh34axmzX-Tygm1_Pn2ybZHWUBZRz6YHqCsgCYZypjIgFp-2n-1ugUIKPU/s1600-h/Picture+057.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge8S9Q-AjgUkbM3fTrWbcLwU1kzS5giCseF3p7OZanZH8qmHsnA_fCGQ6Ccm1iiz9AneJVme6bnCSVAf3OOGh34axmzX-Tygm1_Pn2ybZHWUBZRz6YHqCsgCYZypjIgFp-2n-1ugUIKPU/s400/Picture+057.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424633689900757986" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwz04f8L4WjRCDjBYtFL6PrdRJXFrdX1xphzwfF9NqUNsKfIDztIHz4uwVryHMeHFFf6a8eZq2D75AxojKAZ0uE-jA2jcLqviS5ArpViXICQROALHtmK4rLecw6748RbwrD9cxTUSBSc/s1600-h/Picture+043.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWwz04f8L4WjRCDjBYtFL6PrdRJXFrdX1xphzwfF9NqUNsKfIDztIHz4uwVryHMeHFFf6a8eZq2D75AxojKAZ0uE-jA2jcLqviS5ArpViXICQROALHtmK4rLecw6748RbwrD9cxTUSBSc/s400/Picture+043.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424634162151775682" border="0" /></a><br />Our canoe trip through the back waters was very pleasant as we floated through the villages, observing local life and relaxing in our little boat.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcpNJ7rj0VRX_cfe8f_kJCqp74wafgZq8QYd8sL5RYf7D-btaf1XMxE3AZi2kr3GpvOB-G0kHd9bfMxfTlft0bmN_db-uLaRgrAC35MWds-MsvuGrfSSZAfLzGSngWc_1cLTArXP9zlY/s1600-h/Picture+024.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixcpNJ7rj0VRX_cfe8f_kJCqp74wafgZq8QYd8sL5RYf7D-btaf1XMxE3AZi2kr3GpvOB-G0kHd9bfMxfTlft0bmN_db-uLaRgrAC35MWds-MsvuGrfSSZAfLzGSngWc_1cLTArXP9zlY/s400/Picture+024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424633679555016514" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiub_L7KkDUOkIoOJu447W0OIp7B-cN7qqLEWsLWc8cikpFH7-W8djqKN2iUpVjikm8fhQmjxmQifuOJzTXIdLkWrMEHhS-hgmTIhWthHNZ4Y1ZPa2ZOhlJnn-JEG21WfdlixNFkOJHWcg/s1600-h/Picture+012.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiub_L7KkDUOkIoOJu447W0OIp7B-cN7qqLEWsLWc8cikpFH7-W8djqKN2iUpVjikm8fhQmjxmQifuOJzTXIdLkWrMEHhS-hgmTIhWthHNZ4Y1ZPa2ZOhlJnn-JEG21WfdlixNFkOJHWcg/s400/Picture+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424633383233018850" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkj7-VEONc7jWPuWsNbvJOWtcQfNCXNS1hh46oVCvtq55JL0Mcd11IZeqWpNL-bpLZnOUm5hwO1Ic1_8jmXyh7lPtzwwgkWkhksZzlYdtFCvMsZLbCRxuujKT7VdSdkmFXwsy6X5V3v1o/s1600-h/Picture+017.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkj7-VEONc7jWPuWsNbvJOWtcQfNCXNS1hh46oVCvtq55JL0Mcd11IZeqWpNL-bpLZnOUm5hwO1Ic1_8jmXyh7lPtzwwgkWkhksZzlYdtFCvMsZLbCRxuujKT7VdSdkmFXwsy6X5V3v1o/s400/Picture+017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424633397889211938" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1hg2NxUNEKhVyNa3gsKaoMEELhMARFtdli9lmEWnubj9gstzsG6NziWuYTrIHT-c8I-jsGdRjkfi0VDh_Ga09nKbFLGdoyMocJQ_gCp8Jo3r8gxzEoCBqIG1q8dX167f8totKtUJTqE/s1600-h/Picture+015.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1hg2NxUNEKhVyNa3gsKaoMEELhMARFtdli9lmEWnubj9gstzsG6NziWuYTrIHT-c8I-jsGdRjkfi0VDh_Ga09nKbFLGdoyMocJQ_gCp8Jo3r8gxzEoCBqIG1q8dX167f8totKtUJTqE/s400/Picture+015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424633391315029090" border="0" /></a><br />It was a very relaxing little jaunt, or it was, until we encountered a monster head-wind on the way back. Our oars man couldn't make any headway so I was forced to break out the spare paddle and give some assistance otherwise we'd still be there now. He wasn't the most smiley guide we've ever had . . .<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGozKjof0jxO3TUitKVfLNiFTjEhyphenhyphenwtVnT3tQsIJobq0MFW_jubiNiz44vZ2NjsPWFqK5dzDgw1NSyVWKX7HLM5esDh5rnckRGh8q5o224edcPlBZNURlifVZ3SF7QdhGXwevVBODos0/s1600-h/Picture+030.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGozKjof0jxO3TUitKVfLNiFTjEhyphenhyphenwtVnT3tQsIJobq0MFW_jubiNiz44vZ2NjsPWFqK5dzDgw1NSyVWKX7HLM5esDh5rnckRGh8q5o224edcPlBZNURlifVZ3SF7QdhGXwevVBODos0/s400/Picture+030.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424633684436270866" border="0" /></a><br />As nice as it was we don't really understand what all the fuss is about. A trip to the Kerala backwaters is one of the things that often crops up on those "10 things to do before you die" sort of lists. It's definitely worth a visit if you're passing but we wouldn't recommend that you went too far out of your way to come here.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAm61Jm68aSu9vSRWPl2viTvdD_Rk_t2haTwdPfk-a2oGXHQN18ND8l_nBEp84g9wh6EB0SEtchh6nfoICo7yVHFC3SbxX-VkKuG9eKkXVB7g33PFIxD7ejB5Tl-r_bf8O321S2Zv2FjI/s1600-h/Picture+019.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAm61Jm68aSu9vSRWPl2viTvdD_Rk_t2haTwdPfk-a2oGXHQN18ND8l_nBEp84g9wh6EB0SEtchh6nfoICo7yVHFC3SbxX-VkKuG9eKkXVB7g33PFIxD7ejB5Tl-r_bf8O321S2Zv2FjI/s400/Picture+019.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424634154538771890" border="0" /></a>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-86518997477711381112010-01-07T05:51:00.003+00:002010-01-07T06:25:42.600+00:00KathakaliWe spent our last evening in Fort Kochi at a kathakali show at the <a href="http://www.kathakalicentre.com">Kerala Kathakali Centre</a>. Kathakali, which translates as "show play", dates from the 1600's and is usually a dramatisation of one of the Hindu epic myths such as the Ramayana, the Mahabharata or the Puranas.<br /><br />There's no dialogue in the play so the story is told through movement, hand gestures and facial expressions. Prior to the show starting the compare gave a crash course in some of the standard gestures and expressions so that we could understand what was going on (it didn't help much!). We also got to see the elaborate make-up process which transforms the actors into the various gods and deities.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49jrl4XB7lNKmDmGue7IZbfU7-syln3vIansNOEEOzfsx7EkMW7__plzKrFf5cwESYR7HCKV0lV0jbWLljmu5g3tTIneELB512NTOouPkGknMIKlE3mkoKm67kfEMzA5fxHOU2lgF7wY/s1600-h/IMG_0355-1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh49jrl4XB7lNKmDmGue7IZbfU7-syln3vIansNOEEOzfsx7EkMW7__plzKrFf5cwESYR7HCKV0lV0jbWLljmu5g3tTIneELB512NTOouPkGknMIKlE3mkoKm67kfEMzA5fxHOU2lgF7wY/s400/IMG_0355-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423878813136126786" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvRPGwizF2hrJcUjZW-kurqDbyHl3t8VMUSxmgPNXsxOZQhmv4Jnb_HXJpW96VgUYttCSmYkn3LMrlI9j7CGf16IzwhSwyd2S-ikbqnAZux_EvEg8R_IURHMcO3oZxRUcN-VlEatc4BM/s1600-h/IMG_0436-1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvRPGwizF2hrJcUjZW-kurqDbyHl3t8VMUSxmgPNXsxOZQhmv4Jnb_HXJpW96VgUYttCSmYkn3LMrlI9j7CGf16IzwhSwyd2S-ikbqnAZux_EvEg8R_IURHMcO3oZxRUcN-VlEatc4BM/s400/IMG_0436-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423878829509080450" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfK-iYqocXS1h1Q0PQLws4DBqTA7hMoBmffk6N8Z827hCWVYvBs7fhqWEyIjN5m581TcJBkCUTAF6-DFcb33jkH2ixo-cNzVH-CxNUn9z7-DXj6jR1P_h6zfsMCofwlhJ0ySuBQrHz8c/s1600-h/IMG_0403.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfK-iYqocXS1h1Q0PQLws4DBqTA7hMoBmffk6N8Z827hCWVYvBs7fhqWEyIjN5m581TcJBkCUTAF6-DFcb33jkH2ixo-cNzVH-CxNUn9z7-DXj6jR1P_h6zfsMCofwlhJ0ySuBQrHz8c/s400/IMG_0403.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423878823700339346" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSzH_b8erqCMo1WNpSkz8U4inVMQ25gPZFGJynCy24f1GvctO4RzeBeRtQi6M8iBrNCms3kgtD3ok5cNIQGlIFmCz9UbpqaYIXDOQq0FaS5HX7j0wwKaltKD2Qok_q-eYYLBsAfz40_E/s1600-h/IMG_0468.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQSzH_b8erqCMo1WNpSkz8U4inVMQ25gPZFGJynCy24f1GvctO4RzeBeRtQi6M8iBrNCms3kgtD3ok5cNIQGlIFmCz9UbpqaYIXDOQq0FaS5HX7j0wwKaltKD2Qok_q-eYYLBsAfz40_E/s400/IMG_0468.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423879063604114082" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0W2bioSz6CgQSfp4gV6jdXsv6Xdi9HDkGDDwW-Z6hDJd_i44LV9dHYeEJRZBPYsfV4uac2Nmo7XQVaRYIPX0B3DjbRCHn705p1EtzpElZhht6hrHkiIul84q1SCJNFcwuRX8-cxtgnk/s1600-h/IMG_0379.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj0W2bioSz6CgQSfp4gV6jdXsv6Xdi9HDkGDDwW-Z6hDJd_i44LV9dHYeEJRZBPYsfV4uac2Nmo7XQVaRYIPX0B3DjbRCHn705p1EtzpElZhht6hrHkiIul84q1SCJNFcwuRX8-cxtgnk/s400/IMG_0379.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423878819322334754" border="0" /></a><br />The performers are accompanied by a singer who narrates the story and some drummers, whos main function appeared to be to try and cause some form of permanent hearing damage to the audience. Being as the stories are narrated/sung in Malayalam we were given a cheat sheet which explained the plot - some princes lost their wife in a dice game, had to kill the wife's captor and wash her hair in his blood to set her free (que lots of gore and entrails).<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWow0g9ju48CVV70tARcRXwhU7tVegkXkpuNZvEQoDqV6-IqE757chj0sPRbk16c2VCF76jLKB3OnW4-cGGpXZdbW6wF3CR6dwtkhUZATereEcwTAzvTDBIsGJs1_sKrOJ28A0g2yLEg0/s1600-h/IMG_0507.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWow0g9ju48CVV70tARcRXwhU7tVegkXkpuNZvEQoDqV6-IqE757chj0sPRbk16c2VCF76jLKB3OnW4-cGGpXZdbW6wF3CR6dwtkhUZATereEcwTAzvTDBIsGJs1_sKrOJ28A0g2yLEg0/s400/IMG_0507.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423879071123282066" border="0" /></a><br />Traditionally kathakali shows would last from early evening until dawn, thankfully we only had to sit through a small exert from the Mahabharata that lasted an hour.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9cpDLQMiouEvh8-m2rKSjE7TA4vbFtofuW9GQrVNKwntJBpbalvYsVe3v05jIIO2Cwm5YM28umaioYmgWshNd15j1aWPoAMi_GxYluSBxPv4g0oRbnZ-TWO-57Tvc7-MJnOz0dv3nts/s1600-h/IMG_0331.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI9cpDLQMiouEvh8-m2rKSjE7TA4vbFtofuW9GQrVNKwntJBpbalvYsVe3v05jIIO2Cwm5YM28umaioYmgWshNd15j1aWPoAMi_GxYluSBxPv4g0oRbnZ-TWO-57Tvc7-MJnOz0dv3nts/s400/IMG_0331.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423878811336273634" border="0" /></a>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-17167875707359637082010-01-05T09:02:00.002+00:002010-01-06T10:38:43.404+00:00The St Ives of India?Fort Kochi lies at the tip of a small peninsular that juts out into the Arabian Sea from the south west Indian state of Kerala. The town feels a little bit like an Indian version of St Ives. It's full of wonky old buildings, craft bazaars, antique shops and has a bit of an art and gallery scene going on. There's also loads of little tea rooms where you can get a fresh brew and a slice of cake. They've even managed to get the bad service spot on so that it's just like being back at home!<br /><br />Kerala has a reputation of being the most laid back state in the whole of India, where everything slips into second gear. This easy going nature is all very well but it appears that the staff in the restaurants take it a little bit too far, getting served anywhere is nigh on impossible. On Sunday night dinner took so long at a restaurant called "Upstairs" that it may have well have been breakfast by the time they got round to serving it.<br /><br />Despite the fact that you can't get anything to eat the laid back Keralan attitude does make Fort Kochi a nice place to spend a few days. The cantilevered Chinese fishing nets that line the northern tip of the Kochi peninsular are probably the most recognisable sight in Kerala.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTLdMcde9Wuu_Igp4TYUpFAku-CCuob4zOGCKUwgHvfgxpIcAQQcq6DN1Jq-LEelvnZNm8mpkGv56fSpw3Lg3tgVxbHl-vrpRpwuOHuOGvYYMp_P1II0V5DarEzFuimQv_jj09Z0Gza0/s1600-h/IMG_0259-1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFTLdMcde9Wuu_Igp4TYUpFAku-CCuob4zOGCKUwgHvfgxpIcAQQcq6DN1Jq-LEelvnZNm8mpkGv56fSpw3Lg3tgVxbHl-vrpRpwuOHuOGvYYMp_P1II0V5DarEzFuimQv_jj09Z0Gza0/s400/IMG_0259-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423548786729895714" border="0" /></a><br />The nets, which take at least 4 people to operate, where bought to the area in the 15th century by Chinese traders. We spent a bit of time yesterday helping out (or should that be hindering) on one of the nets. I thought I'd let Liz get on with the heavy manual labour whilst I had the much more tiring job of taking a few photos . . .<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUujZVT3J8sASTqBKj5sftXkPKE-IHG3FuCOs-rlIZqnXAeEatJ-I6zchGUF3A0F5kbo-Db4pNLOjLruAFLx9uB_srKftYoxtD4-kMj-x6o6t8S7ho1cTD2BoefF02bvNkIJAx6mbXuA/s1600-h/IMG_0273.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUujZVT3J8sASTqBKj5sftXkPKE-IHG3FuCOs-rlIZqnXAeEatJ-I6zchGUF3A0F5kbo-Db4pNLOjLruAFLx9uB_srKftYoxtD4-kMj-x6o6t8S7ho1cTD2BoefF02bvNkIJAx6mbXuA/s400/IMG_0273.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423548792476436226" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUh3cJP7SYHicKgHzXpOm274bsLGshb4FOqtrPbxpEAqxjKgVPwZXmZv4r4tWBM6sNnHMuPX4iFL7POuRp3CkiQ9CDgpOc5SJoXSgkTOjUTNH8uDeHoEtzTOFc-6Yf5LGq5E_PHQ-8cA/s1600-h/IMG_0276.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUh3cJP7SYHicKgHzXpOm274bsLGshb4FOqtrPbxpEAqxjKgVPwZXmZv4r4tWBM6sNnHMuPX4iFL7POuRp3CkiQ9CDgpOc5SJoXSgkTOjUTNH8uDeHoEtzTOFc-6Yf5LGq5E_PHQ-8cA/s400/IMG_0276.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423547441569577938" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaeSG5GgRYt7ya7pl19V9fKlESWC13RAdGhdI7bTdmBUiyJnHZsYP-MmlniLScX1e0ozV_m2Ued0Oq3qmYsy2_14ZdshJEvkXZGxJFuEWVX6OIC8yua43H4RH51d-P9JA8USL7B7h1MM/s1600-h/IMG_0268.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRaeSG5GgRYt7ya7pl19V9fKlESWC13RAdGhdI7bTdmBUiyJnHZsYP-MmlniLScX1e0ozV_m2Ued0Oq3qmYsy2_14ZdshJEvkXZGxJFuEWVX6OIC8yua43H4RH51d-P9JA8USL7B7h1MM/s400/IMG_0268.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423547437814250258" border="0" /></a><br />Earlier in the day the guys on the net had caught this funny little fella called a frog fish, so called as he gives a frog like croak when prodded!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcvkHehlK7OUvFmD34oUAGbwmf2wUlRrMPV3ykTVh8uVhtH_sQOHaXFUpK6GfMn6U6VlfqMzF5FRrilZtSHpVZMMszh65BTMvdSkQnDdEwUS1euTlRm4H76cqM710E97RXZVqm-R4x_fE/s1600-h/IMG_0264.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcvkHehlK7OUvFmD34oUAGbwmf2wUlRrMPV3ykTVh8uVhtH_sQOHaXFUpK6GfMn6U6VlfqMzF5FRrilZtSHpVZMMszh65BTMvdSkQnDdEwUS1euTlRm4H76cqM710E97RXZVqm-R4x_fE/s400/IMG_0264.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423548789599107362" border="0" /></a><br />Kochi is also home to St Francis Church which dates from 1503 and is thought to be the oldest European built church in India.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWwvzM3FWpRj0Is2BpIqRaIrfJc9DV_H5m0PzLrDwvzm60Dc_FGmhS2tuZLzRhBkESX018FMP961xp8iQ6fD7ljr-7L2kbXXH6eeOllcTKkpoWQk-H8YFZusnV_A6gkq9kqkXNSmgaUc/s1600-h/IMG_0282.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWwvzM3FWpRj0Is2BpIqRaIrfJc9DV_H5m0PzLrDwvzm60Dc_FGmhS2tuZLzRhBkESX018FMP961xp8iQ6fD7ljr-7L2kbXXH6eeOllcTKkpoWQk-H8YFZusnV_A6gkq9kqkXNSmgaUc/s400/IMG_0282.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423550416649070802" border="0" /></a><br />Vasco da Gama, the legendary Portuguese explorer, died here in 1524 and was buried in the church for 14 years before being moved back to Lisbon.<br /><br />Earlier today we went over to the eastern side of the peninsular to the district of Mattancherry. Whilst there we paid a visit to Mattancherry Palace, a Portuguese built palace from 1555 which was a gift for the raja of Cochin. The palace is home to some much revered Hindu murals, one of which features, to quote our guidebook, "Krishna using his six hands and two feet to engage in foreplay with eight happy milkmaids" . . . a nice trick if you can do it! Unfortunately the part of the palace with the said mural was under renovation and out of bounds (making a complete waste of our six and a half pence entrance fee). The area around Mattancherry Palace is also known as Jew Town as it is where the Jewish traders set up their businesses in the 1500's. At the centre of Jew Town is the ornate Pardesi Synagogue.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhqklztTGPoTw_iiSzvOAclmyVz3zb4_rRPfrmTdc39dPSADhNN_mw3Qz8byKvAiezCJSS6jsxU80ZK0ZQePa_l8R8KKRPtYtIek16dZTtMVOvqGu7KISA-H0CFz6Nsmw_5e5Qpz8uko/s1600-h/IMG_0328.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIhqklztTGPoTw_iiSzvOAclmyVz3zb4_rRPfrmTdc39dPSADhNN_mw3Qz8byKvAiezCJSS6jsxU80ZK0ZQePa_l8R8KKRPtYtIek16dZTtMVOvqGu7KISA-H0CFz6Nsmw_5e5Qpz8uko/s400/IMG_0328.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423549989557590914" border="0" /></a><br />The interior is decorated with a gold pulpit, glass chandeliers and hand-painted Chinese tiles. Unfortunately we weren't allowed to take any photos inside.<br /><br />We've also bumped into Leigh and Nicola again whilst we were here and have arranged to meet them again in Varkala next week.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXXdl3e17yNbPJ6u6KgkxRcGtdncu2ap67YsDgVvFrIHydgqxw3Mat_ghGYojmCsVNI-kvNd0wo02AseBbgVP_NkryTHJp1iXYL9rb_JmURxTv35qhwciSGjjBQ9SmlmTViki2VNuos0/s1600-h/IMG_0324-1.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMXXdl3e17yNbPJ6u6KgkxRcGtdncu2ap67YsDgVvFrIHydgqxw3Mat_ghGYojmCsVNI-kvNd0wo02AseBbgVP_NkryTHJp1iXYL9rb_JmURxTv35qhwciSGjjBQ9SmlmTViki2VNuos0/s400/IMG_0324-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423551712534384946" border="0" /></a>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-43938761366219476882010-01-01T14:03:00.005+00:002010-01-02T14:28:59.096+00:00Hello 2010I don't think that we would have chosen to stay in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Candolim</span> once the Sunburn music festival had finished. The town is like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Torremolinos</span>, the beach is a bit bleak, its not particularly scenic and the rusting hulk of the <a href="http://siandliz.blogspot.com/2009/12/costa-del-candolim.html">River Princess</a> isn't exactly inspiring. Unfortunately we had paid for a weeks accommodation in advance and didn't really want to waste the money by going somewhere else. Particularly as the room rates are usually double or treble the normal price over the festive period. Luckily our hotel was really nice and had a swimming pool, so we've spent the last few days since the festival just relaxing there and avoiding the ugliness outside whilst we wait for new year's eve.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrJDLLP8DICQh82CHN52rmahJlKuEokXapGcnT5cFcDT5Wwqt_-KIk0_UfZ2oHJ8dvaho5_FugbHlQDhJ1kme2tY8A3LMhVeJfIHJMV6zBltbr3oFKavtg-Gto0rPxDRbTsjvHqq3ddE/s1600-h/Picture+001.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghrJDLLP8DICQh82CHN52rmahJlKuEokXapGcnT5cFcDT5Wwqt_-KIk0_UfZ2oHJ8dvaho5_FugbHlQDhJ1kme2tY8A3LMhVeJfIHJMV6zBltbr3oFKavtg-Gto0rPxDRbTsjvHqq3ddE/s400/Picture+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422145903224066706" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLNCfizv5KPEb4r91QE57SNd71NQNwdmewpRzhYSNUaiDnaZ0hGiEIU9pu6Heskbw_6dxAEM8j3YJDq9cRU3MxWrqY8exNJ5ql5Ut4anK2MdZi-x0N66CHqONOtdJm5aBiV8CbqO_3_M/s1600-h/Picture+018.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLNCfizv5KPEb4r91QE57SNd71NQNwdmewpRzhYSNUaiDnaZ0hGiEIU9pu6Heskbw_6dxAEM8j3YJDq9cRU3MxWrqY8exNJ5ql5Ut4anK2MdZi-x0N66CHqONOtdJm5aBiV8CbqO_3_M/s400/Picture+018.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422145926360789538" border="0" /></a><br />We did venture out for a pub quiz one evening where Liz managed to win us some free beer thanks to her specialist knowledge of the West Country. We didn't do particularly well in the main quiz but luckily the bonus round was about <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Torquay's</span> most famous resident, Agatha Christie, so Liz had a rather unfair advantage over the other punters.<br /><br />We didn't have the most auspicious of starts to new years eve. We went to the local <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">internet</span> cafe to sort out the accommodation for our next couple of destinations, only to find an e-mail informing us that the final leg of our flight back home has been cancelled. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Hopefully</span> we'll be able to cancel the first leg, get our money back and book something else. Otherwise we'll have the pleasure of being suck in Istanbul airport for 24 hours.<br /><br />After dinner we planned to spend the evening at a nightclub called Butter. However; we decided to go somewhere else when the guy on the door informed us that the entry charge was 3400 rupees, which is almost fifty quid!<br /><br />We instead ended up at a bar on the beach called Boat Shack. They had turned part of the beach into a temporary nightclub by laying a dance floor, stringing <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">up some</span> lights and sticking a massive sound system on the sand.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcEJTaM0lDgwPPoZLNKX9CAOvPBjtsSMHiHm2KOnwLGVcSAZJ1tK5s1h5Z4eodeAvgzWCivJieY6tuN4BuYM2DVs8q83-7T82-qwwpQRQrL5t8N35_Tw9Wp2Sqyo517hey31MuaLg4ds/s1600-h/Picture+006.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRcEJTaM0lDgwPPoZLNKX9CAOvPBjtsSMHiHm2KOnwLGVcSAZJ1tK5s1h5Z4eodeAvgzWCivJieY6tuN4BuYM2DVs8q83-7T82-qwwpQRQrL5t8N35_Tw9Wp2Sqyo517hey31MuaLg4ds/s400/Picture+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422145911503589762" border="0" /></a><br />Entry was free and it only cost £1.30 a pint. Much more in-line with our back-packer budget.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGkOk3prAa8XIuVhzTgMEyEC9YM389DjhqGbUvU2bz-xmlTRtR3yz7yIg4-CKuiZ44y-9ha2JOqsZ1MckMTySLZuK61cxZOQRcW553zxPmrgO_QVFgz7Ys3LnCTC3uk4_KAM9Biuol3w/s1600-h/Picture+013.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrGkOk3prAa8XIuVhzTgMEyEC9YM389DjhqGbUvU2bz-xmlTRtR3yz7yIg4-CKuiZ44y-9ha2JOqsZ1MckMTySLZuK61cxZOQRcW553zxPmrgO_QVFgz7Ys3LnCTC3uk4_KAM9Biuol3w/s400/Picture+013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422145914399734290" border="0" /></a><br />We ended up having a great night. Most of the shops and restaurants had closed early and the workers had hit the beach to party hard to the latest Hindi and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">bhangra</span> hits. It made a nice change to be out somewhere in the evening where there were more locals than tourists as it made for a really different night out. I don't think we've ever seen quite such enthusiastic dancing from a huge group of men . . . they we're going absolutely mental!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTa2lzkgiM65AzVV_FNMyveW7Yy4OA9_a3zR1ax5zYie4P9EQ_kAK53Axa2-G4RFnjFvvjKxzLiXrWb6m_XNrgrGn_WnCnvesAd2tsdcdtgZxvNYMk0WkPHoppBy67xJu042X1P2TruWo/s1600-h/Picture+017.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTa2lzkgiM65AzVV_FNMyveW7Yy4OA9_a3zR1ax5zYie4P9EQ_kAK53Axa2-G4RFnjFvvjKxzLiXrWb6m_XNrgrGn_WnCnvesAd2tsdcdtgZxvNYMk0WkPHoppBy67xJu042X1P2TruWo/s400/Picture+017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422145925945358466" border="0" /></a><br />Come midnight there was the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">usual</span> assortment of dangerous low level fireworks followed by something called burning the old man (a little bit like a Guy Fawkes character who was set on fire).<br /><br />The Sunburn festival and new year's eve have been great but we're quite looking forwards to getting out of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Candolim</span> and onto to our next destination.<br /><br />Happy new year to you all!Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-47955551718182359142009-12-30T08:26:00.000+00:002009-12-30T08:29:35.093+00:00Feet on the sand and hands in the air - must be SunburnAs we've mentioned on a previous posting , the reason that we've come to Candoliom is to visit the <a href="http://www.sunburn-festival.com">Sunburn</a> music festival. The festival takes place on Candolim beach and is billed as Asia's premier music festival.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-F2UPBn_7DsaZj32xU0BEm0JAmkaKBNvc9jI51ODIDYV0w5istPonjNE5EH4mYRwUJVB_AODvu7JYCbQUGlUlyXMQ_I2_H4Spyw5OmqAF4bPWSvG_UtCUO4-6pb_39-YZBcFEZU63HT4/s1600-h/Picture+081.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-F2UPBn_7DsaZj32xU0BEm0JAmkaKBNvc9jI51ODIDYV0w5istPonjNE5EH4mYRwUJVB_AODvu7JYCbQUGlUlyXMQ_I2_H4Spyw5OmqAF4bPWSvG_UtCUO4-6pb_39-YZBcFEZU63HT4/s400/Picture+081.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420571982051433794" border="0" /></a><br />It's a little bit like a mini Glastonbury only with more palm trees and less mud.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nkcSnL7SrszjNwYXeFl6ApJ8vmW16gJkUeNguaJaMPdadzHuENStmzMSKjXPzVO4yb0tJVnMBqrkrX6qXwHZa0Ysmm5ubpV3r4PU00Rn8IZHkDGFj9KML5b3RIw7qFq5BD8U9PzGYg4/s1600-h/Picture+047-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nkcSnL7SrszjNwYXeFl6ApJ8vmW16gJkUeNguaJaMPdadzHuENStmzMSKjXPzVO4yb0tJVnMBqrkrX6qXwHZa0Ysmm5ubpV3r4PU00Rn8IZHkDGFj9KML5b3RIw7qFq5BD8U9PzGYg4/s400/Picture+047-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420571824436658354" border="0" /></a><br />It's primarily a dance music festival and features a lot of international DJs including <a href="http://www.john00fleming.com/">John 00 Fleming</a> (the happiest man in dance music), <a href="http://www.rogersanchez.com/">Roger Sanchez</a> (excellent as always), <a href="http://www.arminvanbuuren.com/">Armin van Buuren</a> (dull), <a href="http://www.djsultan.com/">Sultan</a> (an excellent Canadian DJ) and some bloke called <a href="http://www.myspace.com/djnickrafferty">Nick Rafferty</a> from Lichfield.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipviVvhw91UTdTh0DtRp1kcK65G7NgWtbxXiyyn_4QhQAv7W8YUl6zH_uyYUBua1VUvdi2cNMsjCDvF-GWOeurDSQU5f3DrNj9fiKCEfG3ZIOy-hY3OsfWg9HGtCM4YT1f6GApRTtg1hU/s1600-h/Picture+062-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipviVvhw91UTdTh0DtRp1kcK65G7NgWtbxXiyyn_4QhQAv7W8YUl6zH_uyYUBua1VUvdi2cNMsjCDvF-GWOeurDSQU5f3DrNj9fiKCEfG3ZIOy-hY3OsfWg9HGtCM4YT1f6GApRTtg1hU/s400/Picture+062-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420571828869100082" border="0" /></a><br />We had a great time over the three days of the festival. The only down side was the usual festival problem of toilets, or in this case, the lack of. 16 toilets for 5000 people doesn't go . . . and neither could you without a long wait!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHxPu6a_sZgacskTLr5E1n0sYwC9-3n_AMY2h0qQN-k4C6wS_x-KM7AXV7z8PnovK5LftYr8UX9KCOnzYoItOvoCPrZ9yV3UZPTSBxoOwHEFDZGZ-QdoifPMRxE9Tg6lD8RbTbgbDnUM/s1600-h/Picture+029.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAHxPu6a_sZgacskTLr5E1n0sYwC9-3n_AMY2h0qQN-k4C6wS_x-KM7AXV7z8PnovK5LftYr8UX9KCOnzYoItOvoCPrZ9yV3UZPTSBxoOwHEFDZGZ-QdoifPMRxE9Tg6lD8RbTbgbDnUM/s400/Picture+029.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420571815598277586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlPdnqr9L7PsTn_scVAXHeN3xxtLitKqsJiFcKicc9sDwJVb1B4UeB7TFFD3B1wYusYxkQniyb_-KqeIahuQSuE-6tC21ceG4ijwgPF-CAX7rckLxDfeATdI2vcLVfUnONv8riaZMpI8/s1600-h/Picture+063.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYlPdnqr9L7PsTn_scVAXHeN3xxtLitKqsJiFcKicc9sDwJVb1B4UeB7TFFD3B1wYusYxkQniyb_-KqeIahuQSuE-6tC21ceG4ijwgPF-CAX7rckLxDfeATdI2vcLVfUnONv8riaZMpI8/s400/Picture+063.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420571833266264658" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQlZof1jMkxPw4ObBzjKKz_JpbEErUZHoMmLtgk4RsW0M9yOjbpuizc5eec3tTiitR7YJYo0yuTTxqCfu8eyifcmu2Jq7bVb2aMvyLnOYeQNdU-P5Q9JqIs5l6_-4SrzIPTgg7qSc9rU/s1600-h/Picture+082.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOQlZof1jMkxPw4ObBzjKKz_JpbEErUZHoMmLtgk4RsW0M9yOjbpuizc5eec3tTiitR7YJYo0yuTTxqCfu8eyifcmu2Jq7bVb2aMvyLnOYeQNdU-P5Q9JqIs5l6_-4SrzIPTgg7qSc9rU/s400/Picture+082.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420571987321108946" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUs31OfOr9aFshYapxmYQ6K06J4_jaoZfB4BC0OukFyvwOqAalCezbotNnE19tGVNMtMbeCctgj1uVKfO6qnYU2_glgrM-mSi_w2L3kXK03u1Ro6kRpjTJx8J-U0sL-vDf35jUUv9U3dc/s1600-h/Picture+075.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUs31OfOr9aFshYapxmYQ6K06J4_jaoZfB4BC0OukFyvwOqAalCezbotNnE19tGVNMtMbeCctgj1uVKfO6qnYU2_glgrM-mSi_w2L3kXK03u1Ro6kRpjTJx8J-U0sL-vDf35jUUv9U3dc/s400/Picture+075.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420571837871536002" border="0" /></a>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-30161981012699590472009-12-27T07:42:00.000+00:002009-12-29T07:52:47.485+00:00Costa del CandolimCandolim is only about 10 minutes drive down the coast from Anjuna but feels a whole world away.<br /><br />Anjuna has a very laid back and fairly relaxing atmosphere, where Candolim feels like it's smack bang in the middle of the Costa del Sol (but with more Russians). The whole resort feels like it's packed full of chip eating, loud mouthed package tourists.<br /><br />We're not sure why someone would choose to come here for a holiday as Candolim is famous for being home to the rusting tanker the River Princess which was grounded on the beach during a storm in June 2000. It's not exactly what you'd call picturesque.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY50bxSRbXu9ZxEeasTfkzDWNx7ltvlY0lzd9SN-Za3MP-N3_YVMeF91Z2k8mkWBqE8sWnpObXdcYJoZn5h67pJnyanlfKF9h2ArYspUhB7wZz7uc1OCJgT-Xgkih1ycHs8kBT8X71hpI/s1600-h/Picture+018.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY50bxSRbXu9ZxEeasTfkzDWNx7ltvlY0lzd9SN-Za3MP-N3_YVMeF91Z2k8mkWBqE8sWnpObXdcYJoZn5h67pJnyanlfKF9h2ArYspUhB7wZz7uc1OCJgT-Xgkih1ycHs8kBT8X71hpI/s400/Picture+018.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420561367859850530" border="0" /></a><br />The only reason why we've come here is to visit the <a href="http://www.sunburn-festival.com">Sunburn</a> music festival which happens on the beach over 3 days between Christmas and new year.Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-15100067443165792352009-12-26T07:16:00.000+00:002009-12-29T07:41:23.519+00:00Christmas in AnjunaWe've come back to Goa so that we could spend a week at Christmas relaxing on the beach at Anjuna.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDaQuSNZ0s4WY3VznaHTZDBLsuwl8sZGMPWOqdKgL0GWtYHw8w-_rslI9nwFtOzD8hprq6WlCrru33Bp9poz5nNbgS8l3k2UUxJDkyiVaOI9hG31BqJkRD7cSR4cm24T9B-i6kpk-0ug/s1600-h/Picture+005.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDaQuSNZ0s4WY3VznaHTZDBLsuwl8sZGMPWOqdKgL0GWtYHw8w-_rslI9nwFtOzD8hprq6WlCrru33Bp9poz5nNbgS8l3k2UUxJDkyiVaOI9hG31BqJkRD7cSR4cm24T9B-i6kpk-0ug/s400/Picture+005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420559497534822434" border="0" /></a><br />Well, that was the idea before I got bed-ridden by a mystery illness. We're not quite sure what it was but initially thought it was a monster hang-over as we had been up until 4 in the morning having a wee drinky after meeting back up with Leigh and Nicola. However, when it hadn't cleared up after three days we realised that perhaps I hadn't gone soft after all but had picked up a seriously debilitating man flu type virus.<br /><br />By Christmas eve I was beginning to feel better and was helped along by some of that wonder medicine called beer! We again met up with Leigh and Nicola and tried to make our Christmas eve night out as festive as we could.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2lZXPAGDIN4jZjuD0EFydtaBtBuZtGpSsIrLkMpn5Oc2GaLDn7oB5jD2L1xnCFbKKpM8pJzGGd9PYM651zX_xF67edct5lcZ_pHfi1qyCpeRQhYxZBQQ3t7EtWZcvVc4su5RavlIiy4/s1600-h/Picture+052.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga2lZXPAGDIN4jZjuD0EFydtaBtBuZtGpSsIrLkMpn5Oc2GaLDn7oB5jD2L1xnCFbKKpM8pJzGGd9PYM651zX_xF67edct5lcZ_pHfi1qyCpeRQhYxZBQQ3t7EtWZcvVc4su5RavlIiy4/s400/Picture+052.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420559510408059394" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76If6ITFo-LfAkduYd-U23ixtvBPsHsLvzUZUOH3G_snPoPZ6KaIdeYfYJKblUsyhTdyaalS0kCkquuzJ617him-k5PwQg6mlcBNab4TJD6RZyvkXamAPiSwnd1gAtCtCX8aMvXCX6Xs/s1600-h/Picture+053.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 301px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76If6ITFo-LfAkduYd-U23ixtvBPsHsLvzUZUOH3G_snPoPZ6KaIdeYfYJKblUsyhTdyaalS0kCkquuzJ617him-k5PwQg6mlcBNab4TJD6RZyvkXamAPiSwnd1gAtCtCX8aMvXCX6Xs/s400/Picture+053.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420559519515507170" border="0" /></a><br />It wasn't easy though as this was the first time that we can remember a Christmas without any Slade!<br /><br />We didn't see any reindeer flying through the sky on Christmas eve but we were lucky enough to see some dolphins from the beach at sunset.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNajIGfuWSjfEFTmYmm1S5-nD_VOF2fsWKUKDihqiSuxRNiNZGZFPZtvLC4F6J8ULp-SzEA1vy9aXOAhy1V6P6vtLpBfFDX3mM_4SIad9ol04eV1YTtHDi6qk2M4FtasaCYgvc17cKvh0/s1600-h/Picture+003.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNajIGfuWSjfEFTmYmm1S5-nD_VOF2fsWKUKDihqiSuxRNiNZGZFPZtvLC4F6J8ULp-SzEA1vy9aXOAhy1V6P6vtLpBfFDX3mM_4SIad9ol04eV1YTtHDi6qk2M4FtasaCYgvc17cKvh0/s400/Picture+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420559490976839490" border="0" /></a><br />On Christmas day I was well enough to venture out for some sun bathing (and to put a Santa hat on a cow).<br /><br />We could only find one restaurant in the whole of Anjuna where you could get a traditional Christmas dinner. However; it was a bit of a grubby shack stuck on the side of the main road so we decided to give it a miss. Instead we had to settle for that other traditional Christmas meal . . . a chicken and paneer tikka kebab - very festive!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OmEbUeCHx261rK4BqVsBZgop6ya6ORLsar-WTYmJEi4YhuRkZ5dAb0co7I1MofdOVa6M327GBJuUIizuTIiqR1f4Ae-j3S9IMdBXKIPBzcLKVuyGrUFpt5coh75OkNv1hYgKuxa1vWA/s1600-h/Picture+008.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4OmEbUeCHx261rK4BqVsBZgop6ya6ORLsar-WTYmJEi4YhuRkZ5dAb0co7I1MofdOVa6M327GBJuUIizuTIiqR1f4Ae-j3S9IMdBXKIPBzcLKVuyGrUFpt5coh75OkNv1hYgKuxa1vWA/s400/Picture+008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420559506592163618" border="0" /></a>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-26739122964293663672009-12-25T15:23:00.002+00:002009-12-25T15:27:27.290+00:00Merry Christmas from Santa Cows<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBO7YIlvbRi4adBiDBfB3NPAmK_K1ZEnARlaPKeB1NJuJWvKJSaR9JLSFGMHVxHYZLp-JqdIDbkrQOtzkOCV_DOtsaaadoG00cJzIBXcEB8DruKgpuHs-x4EjTz1L8HfTNyec2euWQzAM/s1600-h/Picture+001.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBO7YIlvbRi4adBiDBfB3NPAmK_K1ZEnARlaPKeB1NJuJWvKJSaR9JLSFGMHVxHYZLp-JqdIDbkrQOtzkOCV_DOtsaaadoG00cJzIBXcEB8DruKgpuHs-x4EjTz1L8HfTNyec2euWQzAM/s400/Picture+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419195061876362898" border="0" /></a><br />You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to get a Santa hat on a cow!Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-2943514267707922182009-12-19T19:09:00.003+00:002009-12-24T07:45:21.087+00:00Happy in HampiAfter our week on the beach at Palolem we took the train 350km inland to Hampi.<br /><br />Hampi lies on the outskirts of the city of Vijayanagar which was founded in 1336 but abandoned in 1565 when it was sacked by Muslim invaders. Before it was abandoned Vijayanagar became<br />one of the largest Hindu empires and had much of southern India under its control. The plains around Hampi are littered with the ruins and abandoned remains of Vijayanagar.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJapYqeoeZlN3JAf_SJnpkfWljgHoDLz5Mh_VJsjQTUNQPejXmOUQ57yVWflVEBcPXboTvjGBpOwo98q13P-yrE5TU38PIrxw3GbRPKRGLnFAS7rLbSA11E0fFKp29VwkBncblhG-kj0A/s1600-h/Picture+004-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJapYqeoeZlN3JAf_SJnpkfWljgHoDLz5Mh_VJsjQTUNQPejXmOUQ57yVWflVEBcPXboTvjGBpOwo98q13P-yrE5TU38PIrxw3GbRPKRGLnFAS7rLbSA11E0fFKp29VwkBncblhG-kj0A/s400/Picture+004-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418696975574429986" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sx_9TzSN1V1fFPF9yyjUZOfiQptmXmucEOE1PjWwW3Ano2dkdKO_AzFd7PawOKZsLn7l7TKNbi0VDNxPcij4hC4Hw38ikmnYiuboyWcda01Gsufo-jp7zmkcC5r-Chu9dcawq2E_Sio/s1600-h/Picture+009.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5sx_9TzSN1V1fFPF9yyjUZOfiQptmXmucEOE1PjWwW3Ano2dkdKO_AzFd7PawOKZsLn7l7TKNbi0VDNxPcij4hC4Hw38ikmnYiuboyWcda01Gsufo-jp7zmkcC5r-Chu9dcawq2E_Sio/s400/Picture+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418696981017973442" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_v0zzc1D9R_osqIx6RrdC9WL4by0XliTdZBrg0wR__213hdJ9ft9n0reeZFeCeMcS7Vn0vNpC5O101aAyye-w63hMymXlrACMuFgwfXavLA7nJ903IrwievvzkejiK7aEq3gvz9M2CBk/s1600-h/Picture+010.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_v0zzc1D9R_osqIx6RrdC9WL4by0XliTdZBrg0wR__213hdJ9ft9n0reeZFeCeMcS7Vn0vNpC5O101aAyye-w63hMymXlrACMuFgwfXavLA7nJ903IrwievvzkejiK7aEq3gvz9M2CBk/s400/Picture+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418696985372150082" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtWDpzz45gvpXR0thu5-dVPsXrXgG3-BuV0JeCDUKZUy1yZXTqa3V2X8dKXEe0GDWjsIT2Typwpuo5fPZalpVGckMwGpXmXNLBFICeI2LvufTPhkEKWUNYhKj63T1XQoO_TKe1gwlY_s/s1600-h/Picture+021.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxtWDpzz45gvpXR0thu5-dVPsXrXgG3-BuV0JeCDUKZUy1yZXTqa3V2X8dKXEe0GDWjsIT2Typwpuo5fPZalpVGckMwGpXmXNLBFICeI2LvufTPhkEKWUNYhKj63T1XQoO_TKe1gwlY_s/s400/Picture+021.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418696995181274738" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpHA0MHaIrVCrnP_OtnU8HwmzXNQogywh5-bQMfynA141XuUUBYdrZhPwm6JUhWGKXjowq3A6cjHsV1laf4svzFLeGtL9PgeSwARQLsUqCrkAlVbsDfo_bwbC0FahtBgdVwH6E71WOxM/s1600-h/Picture+054.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlpHA0MHaIrVCrnP_OtnU8HwmzXNQogywh5-bQMfynA141XuUUBYdrZhPwm6JUhWGKXjowq3A6cjHsV1laf4svzFLeGtL9PgeSwARQLsUqCrkAlVbsDfo_bwbC0FahtBgdVwH6E71WOxM/s400/Picture+054.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418697824240906130" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNmLG350-NzIfeYDrg7CrjUuxrI1pc_MqtFwJ1rzVOvhRQTgatQYzY3aChQfl6PyQrWbkBxKht3YMX3Rd5bZnIWMd2hqTgplxiqT0CevGrL3OSnjqSKNS-mBZ_6KSIK-W5r90mMgGJ20/s1600-h/Picture+047.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNmLG350-NzIfeYDrg7CrjUuxrI1pc_MqtFwJ1rzVOvhRQTgatQYzY3aChQfl6PyQrWbkBxKht3YMX3Rd5bZnIWMd2hqTgplxiqT0CevGrL3OSnjqSKNS-mBZ_6KSIK-W5r90mMgGJ20/s400/Picture+047.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418697316648619954" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8BEOwDFIEBxSRu5u9CjEJ0PL4ni-AZ9oAloRgUAVko2a9p_PsIhM4fzUfVo71Ba2tImyO5YtXMZzJUc9H59DtGsw5Jihw5Z_2lOVp3zUmhC7SKzVEofGpaIDdDroXuKyLRctq99MzUw/s1600-h/Picture+064.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP8BEOwDFIEBxSRu5u9CjEJ0PL4ni-AZ9oAloRgUAVko2a9p_PsIhM4fzUfVo71Ba2tImyO5YtXMZzJUc9H59DtGsw5Jihw5Z_2lOVp3zUmhC7SKzVEofGpaIDdDroXuKyLRctq99MzUw/s400/Picture+064.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418697839740147938" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRK56dPrCFj9bkZPcizwINF6qZNy9SBhAe6M8BAKaSgetcrIF6XAqF8rE5hDP_VfVrecu2Fv5W3_jjrNc1JXd0rGBCQBmgPbd7caAgrGB4pRXRuKs-duQpmbCEVVnOw1excbrF645SdUw/s1600-h/Picture+026-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRK56dPrCFj9bkZPcizwINF6qZNy9SBhAe6M8BAKaSgetcrIF6XAqF8rE5hDP_VfVrecu2Fv5W3_jjrNc1JXd0rGBCQBmgPbd7caAgrGB4pRXRuKs-duQpmbCEVVnOw1excbrF645SdUw/s400/Picture+026-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418704520543371602" border="0" /></a><br />One of the more unusual buildings is the elephant stables which were used to house the royal elephants of the city.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDIzcanOPmBtdQ_W2sK8IecjERLx7PwrUHH_iFDTmb1KUWEnbz8aeQBO7AqD3Hbvhfxj-51TPTm1wTIS9qVGUhTFtwsrgBk0LTzq33avtOX5yXFay5zfKh7QzN0Ao9P1gK2x0p414HZg/s1600-h/Picture+018.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGDIzcanOPmBtdQ_W2sK8IecjERLx7PwrUHH_iFDTmb1KUWEnbz8aeQBO7AqD3Hbvhfxj-51TPTm1wTIS9qVGUhTFtwsrgBk0LTzq33avtOX5yXFay5zfKh7QzN0Ao9P1gK2x0p414HZg/s400/Picture+018.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418696991140701762" border="0" /></a><br />The area around Hampi is also famous for its rather strange granite boulder landscapes that resemble something out of a Road Runner cartoon<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNVyOvXw8MJknHVpeN_52dvhslPdFGhDWG-hsHclU9T5NfRiPNZ4ZD940rdN1ZNc0pD0pVplCc3hzq65jk4VPFt4ErVfKUxwowOo8nTcqQMJ9WIzF9HzA7-j7rMa_N7hhXdnZXqrDwAs/s1600-h/Picture+043.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQNVyOvXw8MJknHVpeN_52dvhslPdFGhDWG-hsHclU9T5NfRiPNZ4ZD940rdN1ZNc0pD0pVplCc3hzq65jk4VPFt4ErVfKUxwowOo8nTcqQMJ9WIzF9HzA7-j7rMa_N7hhXdnZXqrDwAs/s400/Picture+043.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418697314144645778" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhuO9UKKkVqoMBQZAy3lwWtKxSrxtHeN2Tl-lfPPzCA_KDfWr3JU-6upS87xxIQsEtc7VJKLjhaee50lEum8FxH4iupmF0VpZ0BU0Eq54y14EzYYabnaEAZypzGmZm5bQ8JC7YVD6REM/s1600-h/Picture+022.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhuO9UKKkVqoMBQZAy3lwWtKxSrxtHeN2Tl-lfPPzCA_KDfWr3JU-6upS87xxIQsEtc7VJKLjhaee50lEum8FxH4iupmF0VpZ0BU0Eq54y14EzYYabnaEAZypzGmZm5bQ8JC7YVD6REM/s400/Picture+022.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418697307760610242" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lpCj26brADRbZAyHyx6L7JX-CeFwYNVR-acUYnaebSaUl-d81dhZRNTZu8J5MuTRHjH3Hsdq6xKbNSx8M5IxjN0msJvqfThIOFsnc78VJ80Y_0hYWrOZILqFp_qdCCIQSu_CWy-1Ggo/s1600-h/Picture+052.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9lpCj26brADRbZAyHyx6L7JX-CeFwYNVR-acUYnaebSaUl-d81dhZRNTZu8J5MuTRHjH3Hsdq6xKbNSx8M5IxjN0msJvqfThIOFsnc78VJ80Y_0hYWrOZILqFp_qdCCIQSu_CWy-1Ggo/s400/Picture+052.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418697326360253666" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXw7ChQhDpcDSAZd1IQfUcSX1NV8K7mLYXZPOoC8WXL4pAUJrGpKeqMxp6zLBzmPd3Cu1wE6Q4t8dtiRU-Ipb_9D3i2nR-lpT3PHYst-5x-1p3pE0v7tBY2ihGuTZtht0kVNcpDItwjYI/s1600-h/Picture+058.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXw7ChQhDpcDSAZd1IQfUcSX1NV8K7mLYXZPOoC8WXL4pAUJrGpKeqMxp6zLBzmPd3Cu1wE6Q4t8dtiRU-Ipb_9D3i2nR-lpT3PHYst-5x-1p3pE0v7tBY2ihGuTZtht0kVNcpDItwjYI/s400/Picture+058.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418697828468712946" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcg_QIiUe8Tne1gB4Se6DAWJRo24WEBCgmVxIG2_6YdVW99jzmBk9TTR7eP7pY2KiwkzMFuNA7EPKswJSRi4ocfjK8m5X3P1g6_hRnvCyiREA1eH7qRWwdu_MwfQJjN6FZNmEDxWf4ko/s1600-h/Picture+048.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 268px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCcg_QIiUe8Tne1gB4Se6DAWJRo24WEBCgmVxIG2_6YdVW99jzmBk9TTR7eP7pY2KiwkzMFuNA7EPKswJSRi4ocfjK8m5X3P1g6_hRnvCyiREA1eH7qRWwdu_MwfQJjN6FZNmEDxWf4ko/s400/Picture+048.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418704530980446450" border="0" /></a><br />We've had a bit of rubbish weather for our first few days here as we caught the end of another cyclone (<a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Cyclone-weakens-likely-to-cross-TN-coast/articleshow/5334287.cms">Cyclone Ward</a>) which was affecting the eastern Indian coastal state of Tamil Nadu. Thankfully we only had to deal with heavy cloud this time and managed to avoid the horizontal rain which lashed us when we encountered our last cyclone when Paul and Sarah visited us in <a href="http://siandliz.blogspot.com/2009/11/cyclones-and-tigers.html">Ranthambore</a>.<br /><br />We're not actually staying in Hampi but in the village of Virupapur Gaddi which lies on the opposite bank of the Tungabhadra River. We're staying at a place called Shanthi Guest House where there's only a sporadic electricity supply, no TV or air con and your shower is a bucket of hot water! However; despite the fairly basic conditions it's been one of our favorite places that we've so far stayed in India. We have a little thatched hut on the banks of the river in a really picturesque spot just behind a field of rice paddies.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgxiubvf8w-4CrGMOAhQrzqAEeFgS_AEHazwTDZ86x3ncYRhs4l2Ho8ZlXHW_dckiosMVx3Lp6FXgnMSMb19-DiAfhlGG2qlIH_1s_CBNCY77ZWtSkh6IGD5QLSzun5RvswKeBZazDpQ/s1600-h/Picture+105.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkgxiubvf8w-4CrGMOAhQrzqAEeFgS_AEHazwTDZ86x3ncYRhs4l2Ho8ZlXHW_dckiosMVx3Lp6FXgnMSMb19-DiAfhlGG2qlIH_1s_CBNCY77ZWtSkh6IGD5QLSzun5RvswKeBZazDpQ/s400/Picture+105.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418697843327781618" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhc2Jr0szkRowNsl3gxmKllehosAblDe7boZwmrgnmc64j10Rt8o2rdvIPQD_dWgNt493dH-NW-rEBZ4c_3n06Y8KNBRNdQflZpTDc_zMKFVPhwnJyG5SJdpLr4Yy1VWtgoCxQkdbKb0/s1600-h/Picture+110.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhc2Jr0szkRowNsl3gxmKllehosAblDe7boZwmrgnmc64j10Rt8o2rdvIPQD_dWgNt493dH-NW-rEBZ4c_3n06Y8KNBRNdQflZpTDc_zMKFVPhwnJyG5SJdpLr4Yy1VWtgoCxQkdbKb0/s400/Picture+110.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418704534227856210" border="0" /></a><br />Once the cyclone cleared we were treated to some spectacular sunsets.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYaVHilfklJp_i3NTSobxQeakMy75HQjgx3ctF3LtTVJjX7v8Pv9y5Yk8UEXYRUfv4yhtstZ0HnjNZPt-UsVKIEFaDDaPCdkMgQW9EfT3k_DRVnXfuQhdAGwCz0SGaLCGNVKHHDZN4Fc/s1600-h/Picture+042.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnYaVHilfklJp_i3NTSobxQeakMy75HQjgx3ctF3LtTVJjX7v8Pv9y5Yk8UEXYRUfv4yhtstZ0HnjNZPt-UsVKIEFaDDaPCdkMgQW9EfT3k_DRVnXfuQhdAGwCz0SGaLCGNVKHHDZN4Fc/s400/Picture+042.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418697311650484546" border="0" /></a><br />Next we head back to Goa for christmas.Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-49895689951231826612009-12-14T13:32:00.001+00:002009-12-14T13:53:49.776+00:00Cows on the beach . . .You don't get this in Torquay!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnbJErdbuHVx0diiecRgwlt8sANndSVgk6IM8JmreqQSIzjZREyHijLS2wlJroejt0wEmfHcTT5xCEM8ZjG9THJIECM81b0b4Cicqel26X_rZMuMbL6YJO675ux75Lti7ptfPP6VmAZQ/s1600-h/Picture+100.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpnbJErdbuHVx0diiecRgwlt8sANndSVgk6IM8JmreqQSIzjZREyHijLS2wlJroejt0wEmfHcTT5xCEM8ZjG9THJIECM81b0b4Cicqel26X_rZMuMbL6YJO675ux75Lti7ptfPP6VmAZQ/s400/Picture+100.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415076703146993362" border="0" /></a>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-50978283296385135872009-12-14T12:36:00.004+00:002009-12-14T13:52:55.344+00:00Silent Noise at PalolemAfter 24 hours on a train (or two) we made it from Ellora to Goa, the former Portuguese colony on the Indian west coast. The Portuguese arrived in 1510 and retained control of the area until 1961, 14 years after the rest of India gained independence from Britain.<br /><br />We're planning on visiting three or four different resorts along the Goa coast but our first stop is at Palolem, the most southerly of the developed beaches. We've not seen a beach since we left Aqaba 4 months ago and it's also only the 2nd time in 4 months where we've stayed in the same spot for a week. Hence we're making the most of sitting on the beach, not moving and doing no sightseeing! Essential tan topping up time before we head home.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZd9yFWLG_d0gw8oLCkX2K-KeGnHeq5jRglU7zp6UD6x-2AdQwHrpfhJCI5QHXFzyeXyjE0kRWZkwXMWwk8_bkvnXr6ljGEyLOPecyc9t-HgdM3Ycv6TQ6x3Lq72YtdngBTx9wNB9jjbk/s1600-h/Picture+093.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZd9yFWLG_d0gw8oLCkX2K-KeGnHeq5jRglU7zp6UD6x-2AdQwHrpfhJCI5QHXFzyeXyjE0kRWZkwXMWwk8_bkvnXr6ljGEyLOPecyc9t-HgdM3Ycv6TQ6x3Lq72YtdngBTx9wNB9jjbk/s400/Picture+093.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415077906939908018" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxPYt8ki5s_VEIOKSqoWrfwaAZyyxG8buZJzqU-n-dL-5CPW34nbcwbC47KyYlYvB1J0idKUGS6h-6euxFnPheGginkgwsL5Kq8Gzq4o0Qnk-dFmY5p_dd1Pfykmj23oV-A8kq4IQTZI/s1600-h/Picture+090.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxPYt8ki5s_VEIOKSqoWrfwaAZyyxG8buZJzqU-n-dL-5CPW34nbcwbC47KyYlYvB1J0idKUGS6h-6euxFnPheGginkgwsL5Kq8Gzq4o0Qnk-dFmY5p_dd1Pfykmj23oV-A8kq4IQTZI/s400/Picture+090.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415077903778353938" border="0" /></a><br />Palolem is a really nice little village that hasn't been spoiled by over-development and retains a lovely ramshackle, laid back feel. There's no international hotel chains (all the hotels and beach huts are locally run) and there's no buildings over two stories high. It also has loads of great bars and restaurants. Best of all a big bottle of Kingfisher beer costs Rs60 (that about £0.78) and a glass of gin costs less than a tonic!!!<br /><br />A few years ago Goa became well known for its night life and the party scene here got really popular. However; in order to calm things down the government banned loud music in open air locations after 10pm. To get around this problem the local promoters have opened several silent discos. A <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_disco">silent disco</a> is a club that has no speakers, instead everyone is given a set of radio headphones which they use to tune into one of the 3 DJ's that are playing.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7H9YHw4QJCQeScvt-0UmnrXshjZkBk6uzICOlqhWwVVQmZsRKLf3i9_XYlTYoQSGphS2YPDrFhyfDtdvJuyMY45gEMxrzcZzhwpO_8MGS9OTfqGRD5XnpDKY1WiH7H8vatKhn_QJgaZE/s1600-h/Picture+109.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7H9YHw4QJCQeScvt-0UmnrXshjZkBk6uzICOlqhWwVVQmZsRKLf3i9_XYlTYoQSGphS2YPDrFhyfDtdvJuyMY45gEMxrzcZzhwpO_8MGS9OTfqGRD5XnpDKY1WiH7H8vatKhn_QJgaZE/s400/Picture+109.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415076709276571826" border="0" /></a><br />On Saturday night we went to an event run by <a href="http://www.silentnoise.in/">Silent Noise</a> who have an open air club at Neptune Point, on the cliffs overlooking Palolem beach. It was very strange when we first walked in to see several hundred people who appeared to be dancing to no music.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1OMnLm_bxQ2f6VqDqqpIyCNRREv_Mzs_NCyIPYoi5caW6fY1Gco8itV1iopZjPhZV74KsMJkIysUQnzNBFW3weULUd4CqyqmOkXh8cBm-EvqmnffrxLB_S1B14Hty3C-2ggmMhCi0Ko/s1600-h/Picture+118.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX1OMnLm_bxQ2f6VqDqqpIyCNRREv_Mzs_NCyIPYoi5caW6fY1Gco8itV1iopZjPhZV74KsMJkIysUQnzNBFW3weULUd4CqyqmOkXh8cBm-EvqmnffrxLB_S1B14Hty3C-2ggmMhCi0Ko/s400/Picture+118.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415076718246983362" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8Vcn30afNOZ96aplgAkHkW-0_6KiVVMVMF_bET49giaCYt6wQeGp4boz97O-u2c-ruRjnbKB3MrbTe3nzBBQVTrzaYdeGo9lNfOKBaQ4J_tddwUWZaXA1k0MU4PqvyLszqN8vL_4qG8/s1600-h/Picture+112-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 301px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8Vcn30afNOZ96aplgAkHkW-0_6KiVVMVMF_bET49giaCYt6wQeGp4boz97O-u2c-ruRjnbKB3MrbTe3nzBBQVTrzaYdeGo9lNfOKBaQ4J_tddwUWZaXA1k0MU4PqvyLszqN8vL_4qG8/s400/Picture+112-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5415077894157982850" border="0" /></a><br />We had a great, if slightly surreal evening!Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-3160317160919906992009-12-07T13:50:00.000+00:002009-12-11T14:01:55.612+00:00No sweeming!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugsuGTfGaR2OlVa89QOMAKOOvx3wvi0NVZMgNbtHnS0GzhnmxkEDvuE0AWDThtiE5TkN-rfUwxPpAVLx8c56C9CrzBAgO_kqccD7QGzFWr8ErjKR2NYagijaNvUJ1Q_9T9l-tC38pvn4/s1600-h/Picture+076.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugsuGTfGaR2OlVa89QOMAKOOvx3wvi0NVZMgNbtHnS0GzhnmxkEDvuE0AWDThtiE5TkN-rfUwxPpAVLx8c56C9CrzBAgO_kqccD7QGzFWr8ErjKR2NYagijaNvUJ1Q_9T9l-tC38pvn4/s400/Picture+076.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413970500449032642" border="0" /></a>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-27051309141258669372009-12-07T13:30:00.005+00:002009-12-24T09:15:54.892+00:00Cave Temples . . . Like busses!After spending yesterday at the Ajanta Caves today we headed for the cave at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellora">Ellora</a>, a collection of 29 Buddhist, Hindu and Jain temples cut into a 2km long section of cliff.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFoBImLlaMk2mV3M29dWZcwqCvSzHOJ0F7EOjcq_U1Nfv1QP3_bNrZUt5xOFN0Nw_9EFr7WjjGnc7Jt5EHuPfpQ4xYvQPG7BqhMr80B8vy_6cfe6S8QqAS5kM8Fd8tId00RM-eJquZCes/s1600-h/Picture+087.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFoBImLlaMk2mV3M29dWZcwqCvSzHOJ0F7EOjcq_U1Nfv1QP3_bNrZUt5xOFN0Nw_9EFr7WjjGnc7Jt5EHuPfpQ4xYvQPG7BqhMr80B8vy_6cfe6S8QqAS5kM8Fd8tId00RM-eJquZCes/s400/Picture+087.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413970789253805378" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnwySLeZnbWNk9lQykhK7GlDN06WC94E1Gz1YJQrDh7Kk8XNN2SjoEpVc6afSREN6mWh5JHrC2Qyj1ryS66sIxD4cB4m2DhATKbWBoqVJFN6QA5j9rnq-s98V9QigYqnKuRV_ifEs_tc/s1600-h/Picture+082.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlnwySLeZnbWNk9lQykhK7GlDN06WC94E1Gz1YJQrDh7Kk8XNN2SjoEpVc6afSREN6mWh5JHrC2Qyj1ryS66sIxD4cB4m2DhATKbWBoqVJFN6QA5j9rnq-s98V9QigYqnKuRV_ifEs_tc/s400/Picture+082.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413970503650574082" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iTUJrsz9jEhC79qE7LNofCiq8Unp9AWQsUnJ5S2QoxyJyA8VjMmqXDYz3rW_e7a563oPhyphenhyphenkCyYrz5WkT7pohGuxw1reqbDxxs6VswYvdQVDFJipU7zFUlyoPNVUXZ4v5z_pzFqb07MI/s1600-h/Picture+073.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7iTUJrsz9jEhC79qE7LNofCiq8Unp9AWQsUnJ5S2QoxyJyA8VjMmqXDYz3rW_e7a563oPhyphenhyphenkCyYrz5WkT7pohGuxw1reqbDxxs6VswYvdQVDFJipU7zFUlyoPNVUXZ4v5z_pzFqb07MI/s400/Picture+073.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413970497651600818" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Yz2Xm0ZR5OMrnzqMZAru7MPefF2wr0ug_cBl8YNeinUqxTdU4GMCYtVtiFyuV-Ttw1UF4GaSKWx0axhjNykNeDhnc8PAwyUf5a5WT-gi_797QEsa3vlcIDvvSb5kQDcLIm3ISq7a6p0/s1600-h/Picture+086.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Yz2Xm0ZR5OMrnzqMZAru7MPefF2wr0ug_cBl8YNeinUqxTdU4GMCYtVtiFyuV-Ttw1UF4GaSKWx0axhjNykNeDhnc8PAwyUf5a5WT-gi_797QEsa3vlcIDvvSb5kQDcLIm3ISq7a6p0/s400/Picture+086.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413974086149919970" border="0" /></a><br />The caves were built during the 7th to 11th century and are home to the Kailasa Temple reputedly the worlds largest monolithic structure.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGSN9mfyz-CiNYr7X3xCTv6IXWHsvMGa8q0N0kRrZQLTruTlj91CKMCeZuSfCUn8FFhoOOaINRqedJIghXvNi0c-hMZ6RGRt0pdtGWlOk2SXWB23yiUZDz13_nYCUtaao1rZ5Ixgoknc/s1600-h/Picture+055.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhGSN9mfyz-CiNYr7X3xCTv6IXWHsvMGa8q0N0kRrZQLTruTlj91CKMCeZuSfCUn8FFhoOOaINRqedJIghXvNi0c-hMZ6RGRt0pdtGWlOk2SXWB23yiUZDz13_nYCUtaao1rZ5Ixgoknc/s400/Picture+055.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413970482885734770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpVpiKxZZE3xG_VjuQOxgb8wmUtiIsLWlnhtppQPNJ9ViTtFUZT-N-hnVVLEKXr07vJvdFU8xCIEyrGzcmlNdqK-aWdSGXGcy-uCY1efbrJkwev0fr_e4gkONsECPEYlGr69YkIEJR40/s1600-h/Picture+065.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQpVpiKxZZE3xG_VjuQOxgb8wmUtiIsLWlnhtppQPNJ9ViTtFUZT-N-hnVVLEKXr07vJvdFU8xCIEyrGzcmlNdqK-aWdSGXGcy-uCY1efbrJkwev0fr_e4gkONsECPEYlGr69YkIEJR40/s400/Picture+065.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413970490816748194" border="0" /></a><br />It is estimated that 7000 workers took more than 150 years to cut the temple from the cliff cafe and carve out the interior. This resulted in the excavation of a quarter of a million tonnes of rock.<br /><br />The guide books rave about Ellora but we didn't think that it was anywhere near as good as those we saw yesterday at Ajanta. However; we may have been a little bit "caved out" by the time we finished there. This guy appeared to be thoroughly enjoying it though (check out that cheeky hand!) . . .<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHxXosy9CSMaoNfMFbwtclUGUsqDBe66CRFir6dJgvHIuXHLatrj-UkcURfTx5U96ml3ub0oD__YhDTbNzdwBrTx9HoYFHMIM525XMyAA2ewynmMlvo4LKsV6bz5m58PqquUp4gvNfdM/s1600-h/Picture+083.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHxXosy9CSMaoNfMFbwtclUGUsqDBe66CRFir6dJgvHIuXHLatrj-UkcURfTx5U96ml3ub0oD__YhDTbNzdwBrTx9HoYFHMIM525XMyAA2ewynmMlvo4LKsV6bz5m58PqquUp4gvNfdM/s400/Picture+083.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413970786499259202" border="0" /></a><br />Whilst we we at the caves we bumped into <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Leigh-Daniel-Walker/703577686">Leigh</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/people/Nicola-Walker/795610074">Nicola</a> who had our space on the <a href="http://www.africantrails.co.uk/">African Trails</a> overland truck when we left it in Zambia. We had a great evening, helped along by a few Kingfishers, chatting about our various escapades and comparing horror stories!Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-74631844646411871052009-12-06T12:53:00.002+00:002009-12-11T14:01:23.197+00:00AjantaWe've spent today at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajanta_caves">Ajanta Caves</a>, a complex of 30 ancient caves that are carved into a horseshoe shaped gorge.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteWjxkwGiQ76u_UOqHRjeq2OmrD4HjFPNjsLMnk65WcLVyYgxL0FJ0fBjk48VrPA_iuMuZZG2nWyHVXXi8km-GncxMI6izFBOxbNacqepTfFyHmhRZSnh3z35DgJoxoe_nHzOZj9hfVA/s1600-h/Picture+024.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteWjxkwGiQ76u_UOqHRjeq2OmrD4HjFPNjsLMnk65WcLVyYgxL0FJ0fBjk48VrPA_iuMuZZG2nWyHVXXi8km-GncxMI6izFBOxbNacqepTfFyHmhRZSnh3z35DgJoxoe_nHzOZj9hfVA/s400/Picture+024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413961266260377682" border="0" /></a><br />The caves are a little bit like a Buddhist version of Petra and are cut directly into the rock-face. They were constructed from 200 BC to the 6th century AD and feature some pretty amazing feats of carving. They are considered to be one of the masterpieces of Buddhist religious art.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWr4da7zDA1jOzZodQtm1R8gQAXh6OSy6Xyu3vBuqGfWZ4zHBq0KVND7CT2wabrMZOZwH-S9M7Rb2J-HjgzMOSUT_LIHzb1Z1XV8X0M5hs-5ThZILeVDffwA-Fk19JhwQjD9Yad6EbIGg/s1600-h/Picture+040.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWr4da7zDA1jOzZodQtm1R8gQAXh6OSy6Xyu3vBuqGfWZ4zHBq0KVND7CT2wabrMZOZwH-S9M7Rb2J-HjgzMOSUT_LIHzb1Z1XV8X0M5hs-5ThZILeVDffwA-Fk19JhwQjD9Yad6EbIGg/s400/Picture+040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413961835991269522" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvmplMxjy2X9IeoDcBbPr4_Qn7uOEc_h5cGIsSV06b7dCV5o07URm0CHC_Thireo7Cei4Dxy9jixQfSPxxhrxeiKPM_ydG1nJKfbPVxjEiN9an1afz0MPXRIbjkwjsikNmfjeIn47WGs/s1600-h/Picture+043.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihvmplMxjy2X9IeoDcBbPr4_Qn7uOEc_h5cGIsSV06b7dCV5o07URm0CHC_Thireo7Cei4Dxy9jixQfSPxxhrxeiKPM_ydG1nJKfbPVxjEiN9an1afz0MPXRIbjkwjsikNmfjeIn47WGs/s400/Picture+043.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413961836420894274" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UX-GO5DQ7Hpbc9Cihwz7wYyuzQmwm5ViL9VdiYOHPcwrOAT-GRre8E4uElBGRsaJacrTWEeFt6PTA6_aqrA4eBroKWKgPZtnTkNcdSrqBn0jCXYLfimkfAmeFE61fBlsc1h3b9juCt0/s1600-h/Picture+029.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-UX-GO5DQ7Hpbc9Cihwz7wYyuzQmwm5ViL9VdiYOHPcwrOAT-GRre8E4uElBGRsaJacrTWEeFt6PTA6_aqrA4eBroKWKgPZtnTkNcdSrqBn0jCXYLfimkfAmeFE61fBlsc1h3b9juCt0/s400/Picture+029.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413961272380912498" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRzD0XFYSGVDv0jjRDAb4ldXSGwoHQYqqQE9ubZkJ1WpuZ_eAxJcm1br753F6CTkQG3WtBGJduO-OmQVoaW7RpieYs0kU9td0BJlVSUiTqf4_Tb2JsqKWbh3cd-HpXVsYmR-Tp8MeSQ8/s1600-h/Picture+019.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; 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width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoS-9FV6zT0V3vNz0pQJPAsmDwY5DtUK-7Tm8ZmkD-B7Rm2lSWbbQF5htklxrDGvd8vENS01j_hOrD1QsgORTk_WWqWJdXGbFjF9ZKRdJHXYNhJcVtHLtWHWW4gT57JLGxENVphf_Los/s400/Picture+030.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413961826532567010" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZy6zGYXnWS1501WCGY4VMnrGNpVzXW6Q-FlKfj331fNllGsIxDIQIOLTZUg_zEvitH4eKku12XSs9uin-sVNrHFB7dRSRllX1cqxDp_onnQbLa_SNDVVCs4mdgQNcIx4Xb-9aQlpNaI/s1600-h/Picture+120.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOZy6zGYXnWS1501WCGY4VMnrGNpVzXW6Q-FlKfj331fNllGsIxDIQIOLTZUg_zEvitH4eKku12XSs9uin-sVNrHFB7dRSRllX1cqxDp_onnQbLa_SNDVVCs4mdgQNcIx4Xb-9aQlpNaI/s400/Picture+120.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413962352534284114" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeF0JxBhNNsWnZVoJIy6OuveyQybDOmYTTFgnP5G8CL1LwMoeo0_nBHKgbXkB28kDTJ-Kr2KiQ3u2CoDZzhJgZu4pBOItDn1ZVLPDuGSLnSx9ILvKgO5zo2dQ7phiPSsT5mBeq0YoSgdo/s1600-h/Picture+050.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeF0JxBhNNsWnZVoJIy6OuveyQybDOmYTTFgnP5G8CL1LwMoeo0_nBHKgbXkB28kDTJ-Kr2KiQ3u2CoDZzhJgZu4pBOItDn1ZVLPDuGSLnSx9ILvKgO5zo2dQ7phiPSsT5mBeq0YoSgdo/s400/Picture+050.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413962348786601922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUhAzXdRRtsMH5ncVaekDoXY6fD6TiwBqn0DW9gfNuZXU659JrkLoP9vsrL6JU0zZRkRP7YREHKVaAuRbJwuKpIvBo3O-rBvXGXS_1nAFlUH1lHGqBbnMN8XNntqD6t4K7FT5ANMeYHA/s1600-h/Picture+048.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqUhAzXdRRtsMH5ncVaekDoXY6fD6TiwBqn0DW9gfNuZXU659JrkLoP9vsrL6JU0zZRkRP7YREHKVaAuRbJwuKpIvBo3O-rBvXGXS_1nAFlUH1lHGqBbnMN8XNntqD6t4K7FT5ANMeYHA/s400/Picture+048.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413962344221147410" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcngk6HFShWPUR8hNrjxJx7K6SPdqYlPWyflZUzc_PEKNWIlbcwsobUoXFbRqUF_5JJtnVzKP1dT8Sgm45e1hYRCTzCs3nqZIqPzrLrbIQcB_YxEvDMtk4S8vYfh70QPL28hyVITntdpk/s1600-h/Picture+036-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcngk6HFShWPUR8hNrjxJx7K6SPdqYlPWyflZUzc_PEKNWIlbcwsobUoXFbRqUF_5JJtnVzKP1dT8Sgm45e1hYRCTzCs3nqZIqPzrLrbIQcB_YxEvDMtk4S8vYfh70QPL28hyVITntdpk/s400/Picture+036-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413961827448498706" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8wmqExJpm6zZTJPcNIeh2KoiLpfH3NqB8WswRmqSFsi4HnpIb9jOo_lEGQAeYwXdfmAt49w99wsE1OJKxQ8C-bXtPJZ4Bc4LxeqQIU73i6eGEbH7WXaBjQDK6kNWvbLc0Qqn2nFfuMs/s1600-h/Picture+046.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif8wmqExJpm6zZTJPcNIeh2KoiLpfH3NqB8WswRmqSFsi4HnpIb9jOo_lEGQAeYwXdfmAt49w99wsE1OJKxQ8C-bXtPJZ4Bc4LxeqQIU73i6eGEbH7WXaBjQDK6kNWvbLc0Qqn2nFfuMs/s400/Picture+046.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413962334576643842" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVS-GJmkk34lVYG1Zwmzm2yOhhMDjM_DNzrfhnz8f23CGz9paJBdVvl87wMwkIVsiTJamNNsZ_gy_Xduv6ZrGxRNfb-Wf0QkNUYGHcDBSRUr1rFZfjUhOuvRrvAuSxy7xNAaHtqP20pw/s1600-h/Picture+045.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVS-GJmkk34lVYG1Zwmzm2yOhhMDjM_DNzrfhnz8f23CGz9paJBdVvl87wMwkIVsiTJamNNsZ_gy_Xduv6ZrGxRNfb-Wf0QkNUYGHcDBSRUr1rFZfjUhOuvRrvAuSxy7xNAaHtqP20pw/s400/Picture+045.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413961841244692674" border="0" /></a>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-26713898290101088552009-12-05T12:24:00.001+00:002009-12-11T12:32:03.673+00:00Marvelous MumbaiWe were really surprised by Mumbai. It felt incredibly vibrant, cosmopolitan and, with so little livestock on the streets, it was almost as though we weren't in India!<br /><br />One of the things that has surprised us the most has been the architecture. The areas around the Colaba and Fort districts are packed with loads of amazing old buildings including Victorian colonial houses, art deco apartments and huge gothic mansions. Unfortunately most of them are in a state of disrepair and slowly crumbling away.<br /><br />One of the grandest buildings in town is Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, or to call it by its easier to remember old colonial name, Victoria.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CdvkL18kT-DYjt7V-6jVFtrHQjOajq4kgw_6_WmJDaT6WE_7XVLNwXZQJs2tylGJ4msKcFjuSFUQVZgRqfoobVfEVgtNWd-nA6rw4JMxQRyNBcy4VlQfL6sMvbllqyxEP-XWWyDdLP0/s1600-h/Picture+001.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 581px; height: 276px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5CdvkL18kT-DYjt7V-6jVFtrHQjOajq4kgw_6_WmJDaT6WE_7XVLNwXZQJs2tylGJ4msKcFjuSFUQVZgRqfoobVfEVgtNWd-nA6rw4JMxQRyNBcy4VlQfL6sMvbllqyxEP-XWWyDdLP0/s800/Picture+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413953691698180994" border="0" /></a><br />The station dates from 1887 but recently had a staring role in the film Slumdog Millionaire.<br /><br />In total we've had 5 nights in Mumbai but we haven't really done that much sight seeing. Although we did make a point of going to see the Gateway to India.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQ9_UzxuG9_TCBA9IzAhO_6d3_OUaRVcUuD-24aDt_UL-NaUtNoM31YDSZ2lVaEwO5lq25BKtQW8C1XY31wHKGvIdWatwPOKlgWAvzxSShmjheSkXfw17E9dnijX8HQ9dx4h_2DI4TIg/s1600-h/Picture+007.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYQ9_UzxuG9_TCBA9IzAhO_6d3_OUaRVcUuD-24aDt_UL-NaUtNoM31YDSZ2lVaEwO5lq25BKtQW8C1XY31wHKGvIdWatwPOKlgWAvzxSShmjheSkXfw17E9dnijX8HQ9dx4h_2DI4TIg/s400/Picture+007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413953694178286402" border="0" /></a><br />We've mainly spent our time just wandering aimlessly about, enjoying being in the big city and soaking up the cafe culture. I love Indian food more than most people but it's been quite nice to have some international food after eating virtually only curry for the last two months. You can get western food in most towns but the Indian interpretation is usually way off the mark so you're better off sticking to the extremely tasty local stuff. However; there's loads of proper western cafes and restaurants here (and Mc Donalds!) so we have indulged a little in some blander food from back home!<br /><br />Last year Mumbai became the focus of the world when the 26/11 terrorist attacks occured at several locations across the city resulting in the deaths of nearly 200 people.<br /><br />The city is still recovering from the attacks. The main part of the <a href="http://www.tajhotels.com/Palace/The%20Taj%20Mahal%20Palace%20%26%20Tower,MUMBAI/default.htm">Taj Mahal Palace and Tower</a> hotel is still closed (only the tower is open) for rebuilding and repairs. The hotel is home to the Harbour Bar 1933, the first licensed bar in the whole of India. On the day we visited the bar was re-opening for the first time since the attacks so we dropped in for a cocktail to pay our respects.<br /><br />One of our favorite places to stop for a sneaky afternoon beer, Leopold Cafe, was also hit during the attacks.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LZycO_e7Hde04GMjjLV-1psoWD4shEFkTWcQ7NqaE0poCqmFZFKEOpPtXl4sn2FRJEwfJm43FM4an-OJDX8_38OTViNYTjafKTE11CLwY9Hlq6rZCwa9RYv70oCjVynkYWFAEn8oue8/s1600-h/Picture+102.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LZycO_e7Hde04GMjjLV-1psoWD4shEFkTWcQ7NqaE0poCqmFZFKEOpPtXl4sn2FRJEwfJm43FM4an-OJDX8_38OTViNYTjafKTE11CLwY9Hlq6rZCwa9RYv70oCjVynkYWFAEn8oue8/s400/Picture+102.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413953710236697762" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZiwmTl3Xomtt4pUqIwae0CL5uMbapJzXAJnySfhRrCA2SvREbzASASDAbfLcqPd1V5WBmqDDT4mN9qj18-gk3XbHlAWjnXHfqc2KQ5hk7DfHLipwHQssXBcCchY75eX_iJUO3cWu6kw/s1600-h/Picture+100.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVZiwmTl3Xomtt4pUqIwae0CL5uMbapJzXAJnySfhRrCA2SvREbzASASDAbfLcqPd1V5WBmqDDT4mN9qj18-gk3XbHlAWjnXHfqc2KQ5hk7DfHLipwHQssXBcCchY75eX_iJUO3cWu6kw/s400/Picture+100.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413953699248580370" border="0" /></a><br />The table we were given on our first visit there was right next to one of the bullet holes. If we had been there a year and five days earlier it wouldn't have been the best place to be seated.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4cyrTaWrEyikwH6pjSRA-IvQx0r9EAy2px_gYe3CVixy9xNm9NynBV5ZLMfAkHITPu54cSvtouRvpidAGMBWdSWLKSTsvw4DlFfax-0hGDNTGGNk35qvk06J35OsCSHpiMzT2AFS45U/s1600-h/Picture+101.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4cyrTaWrEyikwH6pjSRA-IvQx0r9EAy2px_gYe3CVixy9xNm9NynBV5ZLMfAkHITPu54cSvtouRvpidAGMBWdSWLKSTsvw4DlFfax-0hGDNTGGNk35qvk06J35OsCSHpiMzT2AFS45U/s400/Picture+101.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413953705689983890" border="0" /></a>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-74006441363650573692009-11-30T09:20:00.000+00:002009-12-02T09:22:40.029+00:00Ahmedabad - really bad!The last time we were in Ahmedabad, a few days ago, a tuk-tuk driver asked Liz "What brings you to Ahmedabad?". Her rather blunt answer was "Nothing, we've been trying to avoid it!".<br /><br />I think that statement pretty much sums up all you need to know about the unbelievably hectic and smoggy state capital of Gujarat, that some call the Manchester of the east. If I was a Mancunian I think I would campaign to put an end to such slanderous associations.<br /><br />On our last visit we were only here for 7 hours whilst we waited for a train out of town but<br />this time we've had the misfortune of having to stay overnight.<br /><br />The two most positive things we can think to say about Ahmedabad is that it has cheap internet access (Rs15 / 20p per hour) and is home to the <a href="http://www.houseofmg.com">House of MG</a> hotel. Although the rooms at the House of MG are a bit outside of our budget we have made the most of their very nice restaurants.<br /><br />I'm not a celebrity, but get me out of Ahmedabad! Next stop Mumbai / Bombay, the home of Bollywood.Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-44205552880551384262009-11-28T18:30:00.005+00:002009-11-30T06:50:57.579+00:00Lions go grrrr in GirWe've had a great time in Gir and have been incredibly lucky with the wildlife. On our first trip out yesterday we were fortunate enough to see 14 lions and lionesses.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgf5lGTIrPhWWWv-6v2cl1fvBlgAN9B73T9qu2-pdFdVGf4y17Vqu_KnylBkCImjSyEFshIfJRjqhifthdlfewn6Uz4G_tvtJTLMXJRcrPFdnSwR3cHq5QLsLZOyNg9wwwY6qkx_YZxw/s1600/Picture+096-1.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgf5lGTIrPhWWWv-6v2cl1fvBlgAN9B73T9qu2-pdFdVGf4y17Vqu_KnylBkCImjSyEFshIfJRjqhifthdlfewn6Uz4G_tvtJTLMXJRcrPFdnSwR3cHq5QLsLZOyNg9wwwY6qkx_YZxw/s400/Picture+096-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409780023378376978" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJzTARK_xW7_tPdifLfOEFMpi2L1SiUvzv6k1o3rkgLD-NXZpD1y1DR_piz39BtukX8JknqmuA1kSmSRDmp6ekUef8mj25_UX3M6bUZlZKZN7R_ujqisiD8lCyfqdCwvVWkdY-FcoE4M/s1600/Picture+034.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnJzTARK_xW7_tPdifLfOEFMpi2L1SiUvzv6k1o3rkgLD-NXZpD1y1DR_piz39BtukX8JknqmuA1kSmSRDmp6ekUef8mj25_UX3M6bUZlZKZN7R_ujqisiD8lCyfqdCwvVWkdY-FcoE4M/s400/Picture+034.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409777848801352530" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYRB9rX7GuDJeT7FZvcyMSvdOnGaf4tVUM1G9XDD5oHaSv_0eiHb1oOjTKM47CISucwkbqdBB-nx3U_HLuDAs3VnT3aLLayylrY6BZ9om_sB5W46SQASy6RRPBzIvJ2kMtD06l_mfjvg/s1600/Picture+028.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixYRB9rX7GuDJeT7FZvcyMSvdOnGaf4tVUM1G9XDD5oHaSv_0eiHb1oOjTKM47CISucwkbqdBB-nx3U_HLuDAs3VnT3aLLayylrY6BZ9om_sB5W46SQASy6RRPBzIvJ2kMtD06l_mfjvg/s400/Picture+028.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409777841502420050" border="0" /></a><br />The one group included a very cute triplet of cubs who were only about 4 months old.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0GgxLiHm5MC39qsfJP5TvuDLkvqmtgMqRhkKdhnIzsnxn6-pcpuZfcRlH7_sgTqYh7pYu9sUtv86DpMXFFgIem9-Vfua_ffa7XZ-sJe6rJqzGAgtMAMOOWqRZ5b0lRXMx2liPkY5Up0/s1600/Picture+101.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq0GgxLiHm5MC39qsfJP5TvuDLkvqmtgMqRhkKdhnIzsnxn6-pcpuZfcRlH7_sgTqYh7pYu9sUtv86DpMXFFgIem9-Vfua_ffa7XZ-sJe6rJqzGAgtMAMOOWqRZ5b0lRXMx2liPkY5Up0/s400/Picture+101.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409778825278200178" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQ1Nd5r2Ek-PZJwjAR9dEaxBJd6KdV2PBCaZeAyA5SCfUBn986wuP-VTGRJKucdvgnlsVNu4uyZNjmeYqG0SGdE8EYEnZva7o3lxdNyeCP2WBfCh2BUcT5tV24kK-M5LFDy3uCH-sbXY/s1600/Picture+092.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGQ1Nd5r2Ek-PZJwjAR9dEaxBJd6KdV2PBCaZeAyA5SCfUBn986wuP-VTGRJKucdvgnlsVNu4uyZNjmeYqG0SGdE8EYEnZva7o3lxdNyeCP2WBfCh2BUcT5tV24kK-M5LFDy3uCH-sbXY/s400/Picture+092.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409777859306512706" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquBHRBMvZ3WlDeMo-7SJwdCf8O-lo4LtWLunZ2m6aR3-k1IUKuhtB3SSY194S1OgngvnPND0DDsO-ptW87swSRPIY71CPpWp84BFfTq7b9U30VPql0jTcOqE95R_SEHo8oool7EK-gsE/s1600/Picture+045.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquBHRBMvZ3WlDeMo-7SJwdCf8O-lo4LtWLunZ2m6aR3-k1IUKuhtB3SSY194S1OgngvnPND0DDsO-ptW87swSRPIY71CPpWp84BFfTq7b9U30VPql0jTcOqE95R_SEHo8oool7EK-gsE/s400/Picture+045.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409777852597828354" border="0" /></a><br />As well as the Asiatic lion the reserve is also home to lots of lion food including various types of deer and antelope.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSWc7cVx5i3sjwQj4qPqR_RdblkDz0Ed3j-is7xT_IRWna8GuuuJZ1ojgo0Pz-9VujkKjblhztrSfhlqTzZjJKvcMUFeTTepK3WQ4w3RisT5cGfJhyyUo9qBymKdQ78mbgvg0IwyZQ8M/s1600/Picture+082.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrSWc7cVx5i3sjwQj4qPqR_RdblkDz0Ed3j-is7xT_IRWna8GuuuJZ1ojgo0Pz-9VujkKjblhztrSfhlqTzZjJKvcMUFeTTepK3WQ4w3RisT5cGfJhyyUo9qBymKdQ78mbgvg0IwyZQ8M/s400/Picture+082.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409784166912255330" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86zweT0xtI4JUV28C7KZ2_DeNAvvBpzlm3uhyphenhyphen8S3VlTeNsz1c0OfxpIbufSUHe6G8eN7qZ0QEqCTUpRWE5ig9EiIMZwttBfw1gkKqkQIdQDmwPzJaFWApxKEyaAlX08Nys9Jpjx9yv08/s1600/Picture+009.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi86zweT0xtI4JUV28C7KZ2_DeNAvvBpzlm3uhyphenhyphen8S3VlTeNsz1c0OfxpIbufSUHe6G8eN7qZ0QEqCTUpRWE5ig9EiIMZwttBfw1gkKqkQIdQDmwPzJaFWApxKEyaAlX08Nys9Jpjx9yv08/s400/Picture+009.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409784158000451858" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLZRclncj9v3E29aI25EmVckfC9h7MAmPz4o6OwPFGUkHFPsIfIG9j0zhpmLzwvUJfP4kW6K2sPTqZzGLzha716D0e5gGeZTuIMQ9hCKv96VjdJVdCbM7SdNDuIizaUDK18d7xpng4NM/s1600/Picture+068.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLZRclncj9v3E29aI25EmVckfC9h7MAmPz4o6OwPFGUkHFPsIfIG9j0zhpmLzwvUJfP4kW6K2sPTqZzGLzha716D0e5gGeZTuIMQ9hCKv96VjdJVdCbM7SdNDuIizaUDK18d7xpng4NM/s400/Picture+068.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409784160882167122" border="0" /></a><br />After yesterdays lion frenzy we spent todays safari looking for leopards but unfortunately our luck ran out and the elusive big spotty cat remained unspotted! However to keep the spotted theme going we did see a couple of spotted owlets hiding in a tree.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6ORR-N5nfstsP6BgEaBegoHNkUJwMC-iFJKSVuHzRoKkN-tMrAow3cNzSJu_7unOy4mlVaoVTpIYlTFvV_YiOzeSo1H2c1t2-WL_x1548Cy61Q38cCeP_hCQS4i5JC1FreuFX10mDUM/s1600/Picture+079.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 265px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6ORR-N5nfstsP6BgEaBegoHNkUJwMC-iFJKSVuHzRoKkN-tMrAow3cNzSJu_7unOy4mlVaoVTpIYlTFvV_YiOzeSo1H2c1t2-WL_x1548Cy61Q38cCeP_hCQS4i5JC1FreuFX10mDUM/s400/Picture+079.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5409784174570459250" border="0" /></a>Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4391170772292617538.post-67952761465781073682009-11-27T15:30:00.001+00:002009-11-30T06:19:24.835+00:00Getting to GirWe're currently in Gir so that we can visit the Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, the last place on Earth where you can see the Asiatic lion in the wild.<br /><br />The domain of the Asiatic lion used stretch from Greece in the Mediterranean, through the Middle East, all the way to the Bay of Bengal on the East coast of India. However; loss of habitat and hunting decimated the population so that by the end of the 1870's there were thought to be only 12 Asiatic lions left.<br /><br />They probably would have been driven to extinction if it hadn't have been for the actions of the nawab of Junagadh, who in the early 1900's turned his hunting grounds into what is now Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary. The numbers are slowly recovering and there are now estimated to be around 370 lions in the park.<br /><br />It had taken a fair amount of effort to get here. We left Mount Abu at 9 o'clock yesterday morning, had a 1 hour taxi ride to the train station followed by a 4 hour train journey to Ahmedabad, the state capital of Gujarat. We then had a 7 hour wait before we could catch the overnight train to Veraval.<br /><br />Veraval had the distinction of being the ugliest town we've had the misfortune to pass through since Lusaka in Zambia. It looked like it had just been on the receiving end of some huge industrial accident that had affected the whole town. . . plus it smelt of fish! We quickly made our escape in a taxi and headed an hour up the road to Gir.<br /><br />When we arrived at our accommodation we discovered that the booking agency we'd used for the hotel, despite charging my credit card, hadn't actually made a reservation for us. So after more than 24 hours on the road we arrived to find we didn't have a room. After much faffing about we eventually managed to sort things out and get checked in so that we could unwind before we went out on our afternoon safari.<br /><br />We're staying at a place called <a href="http://www.girnationalpark.com/gir_lodge.htm">Gir Birding Lodge</a> where we have a quaint little hut in the middle of a mango orchard on the edge of the reserve. There's no TV or traffic so other than the sounds of the wildlife it's incredibly quiet, calm and relaxing, something of a rare experience in India.Sihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14450677699892780682noreply@blogger.com0