Since I last checked in with you, our month in India has come to an end. I would be correct to say I have a love/hate relationship with this wonderful sub-continent. Whilst the people are generally really friendly, I can never accept that it's okay to push someone out of your way to get onto a train first... especially if that someone has a baby in her arms - unfortunately something that is culturally acceptable here. A small blip on an otherwise fantastic country.
Upon leaving the tiny beach haven of Goa, we made our way south to Kerala. This state is famous for it's backwaters; a network of rivers, canals and lakes that's begging to be explored. We did so via a large sleeper boat with driver, cook and waiter. All for as cheap as chips. However the real exploration was achieved the next day when we took a canoe through a series of small canals with a local as a guide.
Leaving Kerala we decided to spend our last we days in India visiting a National Park, followed by the Taj Mahal - rather touristy, but criminal to miss. Now India is mindbogglingly big. Think of something massive, and a bit and your not even close. Our 'express' train from Kerala to Nagpur (Pench National Park) took 30hrs, with another 18hrs to Agra (land of the Taj). I for one am convinced that I have discovered train-lag.
Stopping at Pench National Park (slap band in the middle of India, and where Jungle book was set), was part of a greater mission to see tigers. And as such a safari was in order. Unfortunately we didn't get to see a tiger, but this may have been a good thing as our jeep broke down in tiger country - twice! We first had to change tyre by crocodile lake, and then the radiator blew right in the tigers hunting ground. Luckily only us humans were stupid enough to be up at 5.30AM. The Tigers were most probably safely tucked up in bed.
Agra - the home of the Taj Mahal, along with monkeys and rats was next on our agenda. With very little time to explore the city we hired a tuk-tuk guide for the day. We also struck lucky as it was free entry day for all tourist attractions the day we were there. It normally cost more to get into the Taj, than we were paying each for a weeks accommodation. Result! Agra also gave us a good lesson on how not to drive - thanks to a driver who I was convinced was blind and drunk! Somehow we only had one small crash in a day where we spent a lot of time driving on the wrong side of the road :-) xx
