Immediately as I entered exotic India I was blown away. I had travelled by bus all day from Pokhara in Nepal and I crossed the border into India at Sunauli. This must be among the busiest border crossings in the world. The place was full of trucks, rickshaws and pedestrians. I took a cycle rickshaw from the Nepalese side at Bhairhawa across the border, through both sets of immigration and on to Sunauli itself.
In Sunauli I caught a late afternoon bus that was heading to Gorakhpur – and yes I was forced to pay the baksheesh required for the driver to put my backpack on the roof of the bus. Once in Gorakhpur – with much hassling and bargaining – I finally got a 2nd class sleeper on the 11pm train to Varanasi, my first ‘real’ destination in the Holy of India.
In India I witnessed some of the most amazing sights of my entire life. It was a journey I will never forget and one that I am eternally thankful that I had the opportunity to take. Varanasi (Benares in earlier times) was an eclectic mix of Sadhus (Hindu Holy men), pilgrims and the ever-present foreigner.
A Must See/Do In Varanasi
Take a boat with rower from Dashedswamed Ghat (approx. US$1 for 30 minutes per person), along the mighty Ganges River. The scene will transport you back in some sort of surreal timewarp. Dead bodies, sometimes partially cremated, in the morning will float by and you will see the burning ghats where the cremations take place. It is a good idea to do this trip at different times of the day as the changing strengths of light can give a beautiful warm glow to the sandstone buildings that line the banks of the river.
After four days in Varanasi it was time to move westward to Agra, home of the exquisite Taj Mahal. There is no superlative that can exaggerate the beauty of this monument to love, built by Shah Jahan in honour of his wife. However, Agra is not such a friendly city and in fact the touts that congregate at the entrance of Agra’s Red Fort are downright abusive.
There is a small guesthouse called Sheila’s, not more than 50 metres from the Taj’s eastern entrance and I do recommend that you stay there (it’s cheap, not more than US$3 for a single) – though one must be aware that many places in Agra are not foreigner-friendly. Be particularly careful about where you choose to eat because there have been a number of cases of food poisonings with related theft of items from baggage just when you’re at your worst. Most people tend to eat where they are staying, all the guesthouses have their own restaurants.
After numerous visits to the Taj (closed on Mondays) it was well and truly time to move on. Next destination: New Delhi. And isn’t this place an eye-opener. Wow! The Paharganj is where all backpackers stay. It’s a single road leading from the New Delhi Railway Station that is as congested as any street could possibly be. So congested in fact that no cars can negotiate it due to the many cycle rickshaws, beggars and everyday-people going about their business. Ignore the touts and keep walking is the best advice.
In the Paharganj I stayed at the Shivlok Palace, it’s pretty good by Indian-backpacker standards (TV, private toilet, shower and fairly clean bed, no linen though; about US$8-10). The family that runs it are quite friendly and they were generally very helpful.
After a brief stay in New Delhi I was more than happy to be moving on to the quiet and considerably cooler north. I took a train to the British Colonial summer seat of government at Shimla. I had heard all the stories about the cute ‘toy train’ that did the trip and thought it would be a good experience. It wasn’t too bad, though it was extremely slow.
Shimla wasn’t much, despite what the guide book said. I didn’t even bother to overnight there, instead took a clapped-out old government bus to the Dalai Lama’s home in exile, Dharamsala. The bus ride was the scariest, roughest and most uncomfortable I have ever had; we even went around a corner on two wheels at one stage. I definitely recommend that you shell out a few more dollars and take what they call the ‘luxury’ bus. Make sure that what you have paid for is what you get. And keep in mind that ‘semi-deluxe’ means nothing, it’s a rusting heap of junk!
Dharamsala isn’t really where the Dalai Lama resides, but instead at McLeod Ganj, about 30 minutes further on. McLeod Ganj is a great little spot, high in the Indian Himalaya, beautiful scenery and none of the commotion of India further south. It’s a great place to take a break and chill-out, and to get ‘in touch’ with some highly spiritual Buddhist culture.
I stayed at the Green Hotel (US$2-8), it has some good rooms and most have excellent valley/mountain views. It also has the best restuarant in town. From McLeod Ganj you can take some scenic day walks around the area – watch out for the dogs after dark!! A highlight of any visit up this way is to go to the Dalai Lama’s Monastery, Namgyal. It’s just a ten minute walk down the hill at the back of the town. If your luck is in – as mine was – you will get to see and hear the Dalai Lama give one of his many speeches to the Tibetan community at the monastery.
Many westerners tend to be of the opinion that Dharamsala is more Tibetan than Tibet because of the Chinese occupation as opposed to the Indian government’s level of freedom afforded to the Tibetans here. This, in my opinion, is NOT the case. Northern India is nothing like Tibet. True, there’s a large Tibetan population here, but McLeod Ganj is still very Indian.
After two weeks of ‘chilling’ – and numerous offers to venture into Kashmir – it was time to risk all and take the horror bus back to New Delhi. I couldn’t be bothered with the train as ‘luxury’ (US$8) buses made the entire journey all the way back to New Delhi from McLeod Ganj.
Another couple of days were spent in ND organising train tickets for my entire route through the desert province of Rajasthan. Probably the most enjoyable time throughout my Indian experience.
First stop was Jaipur. Not so different from other Indian cities, and only just on the edge of the Thar Desert. The Jaipur Inn is about the only viable place for backpackers to stay and it’s not too bad at all, except for the mosquitoes. Jaipur has some spectacular sights, namely the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds), an extraordinary red standstone building – a must see.
Next stop Jodhpur, the blue city, so named because many of the old town’s houses are painted a pastel blue, it’s certainly very appealling and easy on the eye. Jodhpur’s Meherangarh Fort is spectacularly perched high above the old city on a platform of solid rock.
From Jodhpur I took the overnight train to Jaisalmer – the highlight of any trip to India’s Rajasthan Province. This is the most beautiful town in this part of India and certainly one of the friendliest. The people seem a world away from the clutter and chaos of cities further north. The turbans worn by Rajasthani men are colourful and look great in photos.
I stayed at the infamously named, though quite accommodating, Swastika Hotel (the Swastika was a Hindu and Buddhist religious symbol long before the Nazis took it up), it’s below the fort close to town. Many choose however, to stay within the fort’s walls as there are a number of guesthouses that will allow you this experience. Just about everything is cheap here and there are a few rooftop restaurants – with good food – that also give you the privelege of watching the world go by a you sip chai (tea) and have a bite to eat.
A must do in Jaislamer is to take a camel safari out into the desert proper. It’s a great experience and a fun thing to do. However, you will feel quite sore and dirty afterwards. Camel safaris are offered by many outfits in and around the fort, and also by guesthouses (some won’t let you stay unless you take THEIR safari). ‘Mr. Desert’ is about the only one that comes with recommendation. Many other outfits are rip-offs and cheats. ‘Mr. Desert’ is not the cheapest but on the other hand you will get what you have paid for. Otherwise it’s buyer beware.
I spent a good week in Jaisalmer, such an enchanting little town. But before long I had to head back to New Delhi in order to catch my flight back to Nepal.
