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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Feb 20, 2007 07:00 PM India - in enchanting Kerala...
I am in Cochin (or Kochi). It is very hot and humid... Indian ladies from Kerala are very pretty... That's nice... But there is a lot of stinking garbage on the streets - it is bad and sad... It is still country of the big contrasts...
In the morning I was walking around the Fort Cochin, visiting old churches and the palace once presented by Portugeese to the local raja.
Kerala state has a lot of backwaters - rivers and channels. Local tourist office offers inexpensive tour to the backwaters. It will cost much more then 350 rupees if you will decide to go there on your own and to rent a boat... There were only 9 people on this tour - they took us by minibus to the distant village - little boat was waiting there and we sail through the narrow channels enjoying the scenery, watching the countrylife. The local guide was pointing many exotic terees and plants. Then in the village there explained how they made the solid strings from coconut fibre and the mats from the leaves of pandanus palm... It was very interesting and the people are just lovely...
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Feb 19, 2007 07:00 PM India by rail...
During my previous visits to India they made train reservation by phone. Now it is all computerized so if you arrive here you can book all your rail journeys from one big station. It will give you the advantage not to worry about free seatts or berths.
I took 15-hours rail journey from Goa to Cochin... It was a/c 2nd class carriage. It was more safe there then in non-a/c class (and you have more privacy there) but I got cold and I am sneezing now... in the temperature of 40 deg. Celsius.
We arrived to Cochin -Ernakulam station at 2 pm. Then I took a sweaty 20 min walk to the jetty. Ferry took me to the old part of the town - Fort Cochin located on the peninsula. I found accommodation in Old Adam's Inn in one of this enchanting narrow streets. They charge 350 rp per single room with bath. Nice place, but bring your mosquito net with you! You will find only little, dirty beach here but Fort Cochin has still lovely, colonial atmosphere...
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Feb 18, 2007 07:00 PM India - enjoying the sea and the sun...
Don't you think I work too hard during this voyage?... So this will be just day at leisure. I jumped into the warm see in the morning before the waves got high. What a pleasure! Benaulim is still like escape from the crowds and noise of North Goa. There are few bars on the palm-fringed beach with rooms attached - they charge 200-300 rp per room. Do not go to "Furtado's" - it is overpriced - just go along the beach and you will find a room or hut for youself. At "Furtado's" where the road ends there are cheap food stalls so there is no need to buy the meals at the bars (bread roll - 3 rp, bananas for 2, eggs for 5 and my favourite papaya for 25). I have been before twice to the North of India. Now I can compare: the people in the Southern India are not as nasty as in the north - less beggars here. In general - people of the South are much nicer...
I took a beach walk to Colva to photograph there fishing boats and to connect to the internet (30 rp per hour).
In the late eveving the rickshaw will take me to the nearest station - I plan to take the train along the coast to the south...
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Feb 17, 2007 07:00 PM The palms and monuments of Old Goa
In the morning I took a local junk bus (7 rp one way) to Old Goa - the former capital of the Portugeese colony. It is just 9 km from Panjim... In 16th and 17th centuries Portugeese built there many huge churches. They are still here... It is probably the highest concentration of European architecture in India... I visited the ornate St Francis Church, the museum in the nearby convent (entry only 5 rp), the cathedral and Bom Jesus Church where the tomb of saint Francis Xawier is located. There are also other places to see if you are resistant enough to the heat and sun (like 35 deg. Celsius during the day). Old Goa is not like other Indian city - there is space, palms, flowers and colonial atmosphere... must to see, if you are in Goa...
In the afternoon I put again my 20kg pack on my back and walked to the bus station to jump on the bus - first to Margao and then to Benaulim.
I found there just on the beach a quite room in "Sundance GH".
This is the place to be and to enjoy the romantic sunset over the ocean! Lovely evening!
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Feb 16, 2007 07:00 PM Goa - India - end of the legend?
Yes, I am already on the west coast of India... But it is still unknown to me South India... I came to legendary Goa - former Portugeese colony - then cheap base for the hippies located on the beautiful beaches of the Indian Ocean...
Just imagine: Goa is not one spot - it is now the state of India and it has more then 100 km of the shore line.
I decided to stay in Panjim - the capital of the state located inland - on bank of the huge river Mandavi. It is convenient transport hub if you want to visit several places around. i stay in the Republica Hotel paying just 200 rupees for the room with fan and shared bath. No nets in the windows, so mosquitos are extra and for free. I appreciate mosquito net I carry with me - it is malaria zone...
Panaji or Panajim has nice old town with narrow streets and old portugeese architecture. There are a lot of churches spread out around the whole state. The main one: wonderful Immaculate Concepcion is jest 5 min walk from my place.
I visited one by one famous beaches of north Goa: at first probably the most picturesque Vagator located in the coves. Then Anjuna - rocky spot - hippy hang-out for travellers who came for sex, drugs and rock and roll and finally: the "Queen Beach"- as they call it - Calangute - very long and wide but crowded, noisy, full of local tourists restautanst and souvenir shops. I definitely do not recommend to you this area - the village is no longer a quite retreat for the vacationers from abroad... Let me see what I'll find for you in the South Goa...
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Feb 14, 2007 07:00 PM Survive Madras (or Chennai)...
If here is written "Hotel" on the street building do not think you will find the room there... From my experience: 80 percent of such institutions serve food only - God knows why... You can have there a simple local style meal - e.g. rice with curry sauce for 20 rp - like half of dollar. A bottle of cold pepsi (0,5l) will cost you another 20 rp, if you don't want to take a risk of drinking tap water... Or ask the street vendor to open for you the coconut - it will cost you only 5 rp (8 coconuts for a dollar!)
Crowded junk buses crawl the city in different directions. For me the most important is. no 32 - from my "Himalaya Hotel" to the central railway station. It cost only 2.50 rp but watch your bag and pockets!...
Madras has the complex of interesting museums. I was very surprise at the ticket desk: the entry fee for the locals is 15 rp. Foreigners will pay 250 rp - 18 times more! I cannot imagine that in my country: somebody asking citizens of India to pay 18 times more that they charge from me...
Smog and stink on the streets - you will have enough after an hour - tomorrow I am escaping from Madras...
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Feb 13, 2007 07:00 PM South India -Temples for the money...
If you will come to Madras (people use also new name: Chennai) there are at least two places in the area you should visit: Mamallapuram (known also as Mahabalipuram) and Kanchipuram... Both known for the interesting temples. They are located 60-70 km from Madras and I planed to use local bus to get there, but after arrival I found less expensive option: the bus tour offered by Tamil Nadu Tourist Development Corp. They have their office at the end of my street: High Triplicane Rd. Full day tour will take you to both places just for 330 rp - but be prepared that it will be long and hot day - their bus is not a/c bus...
We departed at 6.30 am to Kanchipuram to visit there 3 great temples and a silk saree manufacture... On arrival our tour guide advised to leave the shoes in the bus -They can dissapear if you will leave them at the gate! OK - remember to bring solid socks with you!
The ornate gates of Kanchipuram are imposing! I was really impressed entering 59-m high "gopuram" of Shiva temple.
Entry fees are not included in the tour price. A guy in the gate asked me to pay 20 rp for use video camera inside the courtyard nad 100 rp for the entry of the foreigner. I asked for the ticket - he had only one - 20 rp for camera. It means that he just invented the second fee. Ask for the ticket first - other fees are illegal, they can ask only for donation - but it is not compulsory! And do not think they will allow you to go to the main temple - in all 3 temples of Kanchipuram only local people are allowed to go there!
In the afternoon we we driving through the local roads to Mahabalipuram. There are 5 little temples (rathas) cut-out from one huge rock to see - I liked them most... You pay here 5 USD to enter both: ratahs and the majestic (but not too big) Shore Temple on the coast. Both places are on the UNESCO World Heritage list. And are worth to see... I came back to the hotel at 7.30 pm - tired, sweaty but happy...
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Feb 12, 2007 07:00 PM Incredible India...
I have been to India twice already - visiting the north. Now I want to see the South...
It was 9 pm local time and 27 deg Celsius when we landed in Madras - Chennai airport. To avoid bargaining you can buy at the exit taxi coupon for the ride to the city. They offer it for 350 rupees (1 USD is worth 43 rupees) - still too much for the single backpacker. I went to the town by moto-rickshaw paying 200 rupees to the Himalaya Hotel in Triplane quarter. They charge 420 rp per clean room with fan - more for a/c...
In the morning I took a walk around this 4,5-million city. Can you imagine dust and garbage on the streets, a lot of barefoot people walking around, some of them sleeping on the sidewalks... Stink, heat, noise, beggars... This is India... viewed not from the window of the a/c coach. I saw only one group of tourists during whole day... There is not much to see in this big city: the Fort of St George has a museum (2 USD entry fee for foreinners but only 5 rupees for locals) and St Mary's church. In the south of the city close to the beach you can visit for free The Basilica of St Thomas - the nicest church in Madras. From the fort junk bus no.6 will take you there for just 3 rupees... For 1 USD you can have like 30 bananas... Hope you still like them...
Tomorrow I plan to visit famous temples outside Madras...
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Feb 11, 2007 07:00 PM Skyscrapers of Kuala Lumpur...
Since my first visit years ago the capital of Malaysia changed o lot... Every traveller kwows about Petronas Towers - the highest twin building in the world. They are open for visitors but since the visit is free there are a lot of tourist. -You must be there at 7.30 am to get a free ticket! said my host. Yes. I have been there on time but it was Monday - the maintenance day - no tourist visits. Sorry - you will also know that now!. If you get a ticket they will take you to the skybridge linking towers on the level of 41th floor (170 m). You can stay there 8 minutes only - otheres are waiting!
I decided to visit KL Tower - the fourth highest telecom tower in the world... Here you pay 20 ringitts for entry but the express lift will take you much higher - 276 m. The view is excellent!
For travel inside Kuala Lumpur they built very convenient monorail - the ride cost 1,20 to 1,60 ringitts - you will have two rides for your dollar. I used monorail to get in the evening to the Sentral Station - on my way to the airport. I am departing to South India!
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Feb 10, 2007 07:00 PM Welcome to Malaysia!
Can you imagine? All people around speak English and I can read all information at the bus stops and stations! It is different world - I am already in Malaysia... In Kunming going by city bus no.103 to the airport I was passing the dusty bazaar spending some time in the traffic jams. Few hours later in Kuala Lumpur I boarded express KLIA train going in 28 minutes directly to the center of the capital of Malaysia. Malaysia is well organized, people are very friendly - they just celebrate 50th anniversary of independence.
I stay in the friendly Equator Hostel near Times Square. They charge 40 ringitts for clean single room with shared facilities and the breakfast is included. No alcohol and no pork in the hostel - I am in the Moslem's country again!
In Kunming there was 5 deg during the night, it was 25 deg Celsius when I landed around midnight in Kuala Lumpur. Hot, hot and humid... I slept only few hours last night after delayed flight. In the morning I took a bus (2,5 hours - 9.40 ringitts) to Malacca - old colonial town on the west coast. There are monuments and museums to see, and on the other side of the river there is little but picturesque Chinatown. - I took more then 50 pictures... They pay 3.46 ringitts per USD...
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