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| Other countries sue_and_nathan visited in yearaway |
| Australia (4) |
| Cambodia (2) |
| Czech Republic (1) |
| India (6) |
| Indonesia (2) |
| Japan (1) |
| Malaysia (6) |
| New Zealand (2) |
| Singapore (1) |
| Thailand (7) |
| United Kingdom (2) |
| Vietnam (4) |
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| This is the part of the trip that Sue has really been looking forward to. In fact, for her, seeing India again was one of the main reasons for going travelling. Me, well I was basically trying to ignore it and hope that it would go away, but it didn't! It wasn't until we boarded the connecting flight out of Singapore that it actually became a reality. We really were off to India for three months! One of the most worrying, and exciting times, is when you step off the plane or train into a new country. There are the practical things to think about like trying to keep your bags with you and your passport and money safe as well as trying to negotiate a taxi to your hotel. There is also the fear of the unknown and a hundred and one questions running through your head. But, I suppose that all this mixed together is what makes travelling such a 'buzz' - yup, definitely something I could get hooked on! The long taxi ride from Bombay airport takes you through long stretches of flimsy shacks and people huddled under blankets sleeping on the roadsides. We both knew to expect this, but nothing prepares you for the reality - that tight stomach feeling that reminds you of how lucky you are. I have been told a million things about India from a million different people and yet still... When we got to the city centre the streets were deserted due to the lateness of the hour. We managed to catch a glimpse of some of the magnificient Victorian buildings and the famous Gateway of India. But, it wasn't until the morning and armed with a whole load of jetlag that we got up to watch sunrise over the Gateway. Sunrise in India comes at a whole lot more of a decent hour than other places we've been to, in fact she doesn't show her face until well after 7. After being in Australia and New Zealand, where you can go for days without seeing a soul, Bombay was a big shock to the system! The differences couldn't have been more extreme. We tried to make our way to the train station on foot (that was after I messed around for about an trying to put off the inevitable) but took a wrong turning and ended up watching cricket on the Maidan (a green open space). We sat there for quite some time trying to find our location on a map and trying to muster some more energy to hit the packed streets again. Up to that point it'd all been pretty scary and I'd felt really uptight, but after our short relax on the Maidan I began to feel a whole lot better and started to notice the India around me. It was midday by the time we reached Victoria Terminus and the city's tiffinwallahs were sorting out their colour-coded tiffin carriers on the pavement in front of us. Every day these guys visit the officeworkers' homes and collect the lunchboxes filled in layers with curry and rice, cooked lovingly by their wives or mothers. Then at lunchtime they distribute this homecooked fare to the rightful owners while the food inside is still piping hot. Every day thousands of Bombay workers get the correct tiffin carriers, but there aren't any names on them, just secret codes and colours - amazing, huh? So, this 'India thing' that has so interested Sue for some many years...well, I'm beginning to understand what all the fuss is about and maybe I'm even catching it a bit too. Although, maybe I'm not ready to admit it just yet! We've even been talking about the next time we come to India which has surprised me as much as I imagine it'll surprise some of you. Right now we're in Goa, enjoying a bit of beach life before we move on to India proper. We've got a few plans for the next couple of months, but not exactly an itinerary. I'm looking forward to seeing the palaces and forts of Rajasthan, Sue's got some more family records to dig out in Calcutta, a hill station will be needed as it begins to heat up on the plains and there's bound to be a date with a Lama (that's 'LAMA' not 'LLAMA'!) or two, if I know Sue. And then, we'll need to find somewhere suitable to spend our first wedding anniversary - can you believe that? | ||||||||||||
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| 29 Jan 2002 : Queenstown - New Zealand | 16 Feb 2002 : Benaulim, Goa - India | |||||||||||
| Balloons and ice-picks | Goan Hospitality | |||||||||||