Elephant world

Spent the day at Elephant World, a sanctuary for rescued elephants. A sort of retirement home for elephants rescued/saved from the logging industry, entertaining to tourists, or begging in the streets of big cities with their mahout's.

Costs a bit more but all the money goes into the welfare of the elephants. While the mahout's get some pay and accommodation, the majority of people who work there are volunteer's.

Most of the elephants are quite old 60 - 70+, so Mike felt at home.

Anyway you not only pay to go, they expect you to work. Preparing meals for those with and without teeth. Those without have 'sticky rice' with veg rolled in a ball and covered with a calcium additive.
We were also expected to feed the elephants, help to wash up, chop and carry palm leaves and branches, and then wash them.

We both enjoyed the day, if you ever get the chance.....go!!

 

River Kwai

Caught the train from Thornburi station after a river crossing. Only a short trip, so Mike didn't change colour. 
Thornburi is a minor station in Bangkok and two trains a day leave for Kanchanaburi, costs 100 bhat. Even though the train is 3rd class it is quite comfortable. The distance is 140 km west and a little north of Bangkok. 

The vegetation grows so quickly that in many places it overhangs the track. Consequently quite a lot of leaf and branch are ripped off by the edge of the open windows, showering the occupants. It is not wise to attempt to put ones head out of any window most of the time!!

Kanchanaburi is famous for its floating market and disco rafts. We are staying on a house raft. Mike was very pleased!!
The couple who own it do all the cooking, food is sublime.
Other than that supply your own sheets, towels etc.
Yvonne saw a Monitor lizard swimming by the side of our bedroom. It was 5 foot long. Lucky to see one as they are very shy.

Went to see the JEATH War Museum, (Japan, England, Australia, Thailand, and Holland). On to the War Memorial, and the Thailand - Burma Railway Centre. The latter gives a complete history of the horror of that time.

Took a local bus the 80 km to 'Hellfire Pass', one of the deepest cuttings on the death railway. Called Hellfire because of the shadows of men cast by the fires lit at night so work could continue.

You'd think governments/people/countries/politicians/etc would have learnt something, because we are sure that people who visit do.......

Anyway, on that sombre note leave you with some photos.

Far East

Now back on our travels. Mike with a new spring in his ticker, and Yvonne with a whole new itinerary.
Left Birmingham on Tuesday, arrived in Bangkok the next day. 6 hours ahead here, so if anyone wants the euro million numbers.......
Spent 3 nights in Bangkok and did: trips to Wat Pho, (Reclining Buddha), Wat Arun (Buddhist Temple of Dawn), and the street markets. Used the river boats to get about along the Chao Phraya, the main river through Bangkok. Very cheap at a few baht a time. (1 baht is about 2p)

Decided to go as far as stop 1, starting at 13, as it is the same price no matter how many stops one goes.
Yvonne soon found her sea legs, although mike would not make a good pirate unless his dastardly duty was to vomit on people to make them submit.
When we got off Yvonne had cup of green tea, it was so green it fluoresced. She wanted to compete with Mike's complexion...

Street food is fabulous, and the Thai's love their beer, which was very good news for Mike!!

Tomorrow we go to Kanchanburi by river boat and train. Kanchanburi famed for the 'Death Railway' over the River Kwai, and 'Hellfire Pass'.

Leave you with some photos of Bangkok.

Udiapur

A city of lakes. Very fresh and cool. The region has had quite a lot of rain over the last few days. There are a lot of shops selling scarf's. Oh goody!! Lots of places and people straining to grab the tourist rupees.
Lake Pichola was created by flooding the village of Picholi to provide fresh water. There are boat trips around the lake. We thought we may as well add to our modes of transport. Note where school chairs end up!

Did the tourist temple/palace thing. Went to the main Jain temple. There was some kind if celebration taking place. Everyone looked like they were enjoying it, lots of smiles and laughter. Quite infectious!

We have to go back to Delhi to catch a plane. This means a 14 hour coach journey, oh what fun!! Something has come up which needs our attention at home for a couple of weeks or so. Both of us reluctant, but needs must.
As soon as we can we will be back on our trail and posting away. (Ab)normal service will be resumed asp!

Leave you with some photos of Udaipur.......

Yogic Flying

Yogi Flying is where one sits in a lotus position on a thin mattress. By thrusting down with the legs and springing up, it is possible to do a sort of hop, whereby the body leaves the mattress and then returns. In order to 'fly' as soon as you land back, you bounce again, and again, and again.......
So if you do this for say 10 minutes you will be flying for 5!! Yogic flyers believe, of course, that if you practice this then there will come a time when you bounce up and don't come down until you 'will' it. A bit like flying pigs!!

Anyway, on the overnight sleeper bus from Jaisalmer to Udaipur we both experienced a form of yogic flying. As we lay on our bunk beds (a kind of capsule on the upper tier of the bus) we were continuously thrown up into the air due to the road conditions, which ranged from bad through to diabolically outrageous. (If there had been an earthquake we would not have realised). Out of the 11 hour journey we spent about 5 hours airborne!!

This bus had air horns, I say 'horns', because it had 4. The driver could pick from a number of presets; one to scare the shit out of stray cows; another for the unwary pedestrian; an especially noisy blaring for slower vehicles, and a long, very loud tune when going through sleeping towns. We were surprised that 'Colonel Bogey' was not played when passing police and army posts.

Once again the driver and his accomplices seemed to have absolutely no regard for the fee paying passenger. The scheduled stop was at a run down street side vendor with no toilets. Okay for the men who just about piss anywhere, but a real problem for the women, many whom were oldish Indian ladies. Meanwhile only one couple ate at this establishment. The driver and his merry band had their meal for free!

We are not grumbling here. Its not a bad way to travel at all, and quite cheap. (And you get to fly)

It has, however, become more obvious how so many males hold women in utter (sexual) contempt. Maybe even the majority of middle aged men. Enough to give real vibes of menace and threat. This is not just our observation, but that of many of our fellow travelers, especially the females. The word most often used to describe this behaviour is 'nasty'.

On that somewhat sad note we leave you with some pictures of Jaisalmer fort, and our chariot.

Into the desert

Arrived in Jaisalmer. Staying at 'Dylan Cafe & Guest House.' www.dylancafeguesthouse.com.
Good big room with two outside windows and a balcony, separate toilet and shower. £3.50 a night, I know, I know extravagant!!

Went on a camel safari. Taken 40 km into the desert, by jeep, where we pick up a couple of camels (Lula and kula, both male) and a guide. Then ride camels for a couple of hours, about 10 km, into sand dunes. Mike has the grumbly one with lots of scars from fighting other camels. Set up camp, which means put a blanket on the sand!!
Collect some wood, make a fire and guide then cooks a potato, cauliflower, onion, tomato and chilli curry, with rice and chapati.

Watch sunset. Then it is dark. Time to relax. At 7.30 pm it starts to rain! We are on top of one blanket and under another. After a while rain stops and dung beetles come out to play, collecting fresh camel dung. Lots of them! There is a lot of dung!
Clouds depart and we are left with a spectacular display of stars. No light or indeed sound pollution. Time to sleep. Yvonne woken by dog attempting to steal our day sack which contains some biscuits, says 'shoo', dog obliged...
One more animal joins us, a lone scorpion.

Wake up at 5 am and watch the sky light up over the hour. Chai is served. Followed by breakfast of hard boiled eggs and toast. At 8.15 am the Jeep turns up and we make our way back to Jaisalmer.

Leave you with some pictures.

The Blue City

Jodhpur is known as the blue city. The Raj at the time did not like the view from his fort, Mehrangarh, so he ordered the houses painted different shades of blue. You can still see the effect from the fort.

Jodhpur is further west into the deserts of Rajasthan. It has a very medieval feel, a tangle of winding streets. Smells of spices, incense and sewers!

From the fort you can wizz down a series of wire cables called the 'flying fox'. So we did. The longest stretch is about 500 metres. The closest thing Mike got to his jet pack!!

After all that fun it started to rain, thunder and lightning. Just as well we had finished. Not sure that steel aerial cables and high voltages go together! Time for food.

We do not trust empty restaurants, and tend to eat where we see lots of local people eating. So we ended up at a place called Pilar's. As you can see a very nice thali for £1.50.

Tomorrow we go further towards and into proper desert, a place called Jaisalmer for a camel safari. A night sleeping in the desert, under the stars.