1/06/09 - 19/06/09 Bangkok, Beaches & Boredom....

......is pretty much what we were expecting from Thailand (and that's pretty much what we got!)

Bangkok
As we've been here before we didn't feel the need to do any sightseeing and this was great - some time just to get on with boring stuff, which bizarrely from time to time when you are away is exactly what you're looking for.

So we had a few chores to do - Laos Visa, China Visa, Japan Rail Pass and admitting my camera to the Sony "hospital" for a couple of weeks so it could be repaired (not good for a new camera and I cursed the European Warranty being in South East Asia!)

We also found somewhere else we can recommend - the Shopping Centres! The Paragon Centre is pretty impressive, far swankier than anything in the UK, so we hung out here quite a bit - knew those years in Milton Keynes were not wasted! We also saw a few films - Terminator (pish), Star Trek (fab) and Up (cute).

We stayed on Khao Sarn Road - it's mental, but not really in a good sense - a backpacker mecca which is like "Thamel on Stereoids", so we met a few crazy folk here, had a few beers and listened to lots of really bad music! We actually felt as though our room was in the disco at one point - at least at Thamel (in Nepal) we felt like we were underneath the disco!

Beaches
We needed these to recover from 5 nights staying on Khao Sarn Road! So we jumped on a bus & ferry to Koh Chang. It is one of the bigger islands and we visited Lonely Beach (which is not so lonely), Long Beach (which should be called Lonely Beach) and Bang Bao which is a lovely wee Thai fishing village on stilts in the water.

Then we jumped on a wee boat to Koh Wai - this is a tiny wee island and absolutely beautiful - and the best bit was that we had it all to ourselves! There was not one single tourist there all the time we were - so we had lovely sandy beaches all to ourselves (we stayed at Paradise beach, and it was!), swimming (paddling for me) and snorkelling (more paddling) - fantastic just what we were hoping for.

Off to Laos now......

India - what we think!

So India...well, what can we say.....we've given you the details of all the individual places as we've went along but India really deserves a little summing up and that's quite easy - IT'S CRAZY! It takes no prisoners as all day every day is a constant attack on all your senses - sight, sound, taste, smell (that is tested a lot!), and space (they have none!) - we've never been anywhere quite like it.

We've definitely found what people have said to be true in that if you can travel in India you can travel anywhere (Thailand is a breeze in comparison). India can be hard work and infuriating at times but if you put in the effort it rewards you ten times over.

India doesn't have much in terms of the westernised comforts and lifestyle we enjoy at home but it does have some wonderous sights and its biggest asset is its people (all however many billion!).

We found Indians to always be up for a laugh (they actually have a very british sense of humour), but they aren't shy of having an argument either - infact we think they quite like them! But they all follow my Granny's advice and never want to part on one - so they always make up with you.

India is also a country that has resisted being infultrated by the west to the point that its culture is swallowed up - their traditions are very strong and the family rules! If only they would stop having so many children though as that is why they have so much poverty - the country cannot support them all.

We miss India already and we hope we will get a chance to go back - there is still so much we haven't seen (Kerala in the South and Leh & Ladakh in the North), so many people we've yet to meet, and arguments waiting to happen - I think Graham actually enjoyed this aspect! You could easily spend 6 months in India and our 6 weeks only gave us a taster.

The other aspect to the Indian personality which deserves a mention (and our respect) is their apparently limitless tolerance - how so many of them manage to live together, many in poverty or with very little, without resorting to killing each other amazed us. We think as many Scottish people in the same land mass would be Armageddon!

Finally, just wanted to tell you what happened when we left India as it kinds of sums it up. Graham was a wee bit emotional (and pished) when we were heading to the airport so he started hugging folk and when the taxi driver was the lucky recipient his reply was "I love my India" - what a nice sentiment to end on.

27/05/09 - 30/05/09 Bombay (Mumbai), India

Arrived at our last city and final destination in India. We think we may have saved the best city for last as Bombay was far nicer and far more westernised than we imagined it would be. We stayed in Colaba (general bacpackers area), but the streets were big leafy boulevards - felt more like a New York suburb. We were also only a 5 minute walk from the bay, which gives a lovely setting and a panorama which we imagine Rio to feel like (we shall check this theory out next year).

But you only have to scratch the surface to find a darker side - in general the Indians here were more aggressive than elsewhere, and as you know there are a lot of slums, apparently 55% of its population live in poverty. At night this was very obvious as there were folk sleeping on the streets all over the place - we saw one woman with 4 children lying on the ground, and the kids didn't even have clothes they were just sleeping in their own pee - awful (and they were only a few feet away from a giant rat).

But there is also definitely money in Bombay and we found some at the 5* Taj Mahal Hotel. We had a burger here for lunch, which was amazing, but set us back 2,000rps (£30) - don't worry we're not eating at these establishments every day, this was a one off treat - honest! But being at the hotel could only remind us of the terrorist attacks 6 months ago and how terrifying it must have been. They are still repairing some of the hotel and there is a memorial to those who were killed. Another terrorist attack took place at Leopold's Cafe - this is a real backpacker haunt - and they still have the scars, or actual bullet holes in the glass and walls, although we think they have opted to keep them as a badge of honour.

We did also have a bit of time to take in other (non-terrorist) sites and took the boat trip to Elephanta Island and strolled along Chowpatty Beach (but resisted the really manky water). And we did go in search of a Bollywood film, with subtitles, but this was to no avail so we went to see Tom Hanks & Ewan McGregor in "Angels & Demons" instead. Now, while the film was pretty cheesy, we did experience a night at the pictures - India style. They love it - the cinema was packed and we had to stand for the national anthem before we could see the film, and we also enjoyed a nice interval and appreciated the warning which came up on screen right at the end of the film to remind us that "it was not real" - good to hear that no popes were injured in the making of the film! - thank God.

Bangkok next stop......

26/05/09 - Calcutta, India

We managed to squeeze in a short visit to Calcutta on our way to catch our flight to Bangkok (feels weird to be flying somewhere else and not back home). Now our time in Calcutta was very short - 6 hours infact, so really only managed to get first (or short) impressions. Although, it nearly all went pear-shaped as a Cyclone was due to hit Calcutta shortly before we were also due to turn up! But India doesn't let bad weather stop the national institution that is the train system and we left on time, and by the time we arrived in Calcutta the weather was sunny and the locals were well on their way to repairing the damage - lots of trees blown over and sadly 25 people were killed.

So Calcutta........it looks very different from Delhi with modern buildings and some grand old ones. We also saw photos at the Victoria Memorial Museum which gave the impression that Calcutta in the 40s & 50s looked amazing, but it looks a bit run down now and like the rest of India - overcrowded. Although, when you crossed the river the view looked like it could have been Glasgow, Manchester or New York - at least from a distance. There were also loads of yellow taxi cabs which added to this feeling.

Calcutta also has its own type of rickshaw - we've seen auto and bicycle elsewhere, but here they have "man" rickshaws - just guys pulling folk around! Rather them than me looked hard work.

Well, our short and sweet visit was over and we were back on the train for the next 31 hours! (don't worry, books were at the ready and we'd upgraded to 2AC - luxury!)

21/05/09 - 25/05/09 Sikkim, India

Sikkim is a very beautiful, quiet, unspoilt part of India which feels more like Nepal and is spotlessly clean (unlike the rest of India!) - and it is mainly Bengalis' that visit (in their hundreds) with very few Westerners - we saw a dozen at the most. However, it also attracts a lot of Tibetans as it is supposed to be very similar to their homeland.

We actually met a very nice Tibetan, Sanjay, who over a couple of days told us about his escape from Tibet 9 years ago. He fled across the Himalayas when he was 18, which took 22 days, and meant walking in the winter and mainly at night to avoid being shot by the Chinese, and with only flour and butter to eat and mix with water when they had the chance. He really wants to go back to Tibet, as his Dad is now 75 and he may not see him again, but if he does go he has to go back over the Himalayas and if he gets caught he will most likely be put in prison. His story made us realise how lucky we are and how much we take for granted being able to visit all these countries and come home whenever we want. Tibet sounded such a lovely, peaceful country and we hope Sanjay gets to go home one day soon.

Although, later on in Sikkim we had our own very small (and more amusing) introduction into what not being allowed to do simple things feels like. Basically, Sikkim's borders have made it a bit on the paranoid side so when we booked on a tour to go to Tsomgo Lake we didn't give it much thought. But we hadn't realised we had really booked onto the "NOT ALLOWED" tour! Basically, if you are a Westerner they like to keep close tabs on you and don't want you to run away so they stop you from doing stuff! Here are the things we were NOT ALLOWED to do:-

1) share a jeep with Indians - NOT ALLOWED, had to book a jeep on our own so adding 2,000rps to the cost;
2) go on the trip without a guide - NOT ALLOWED, even though all the guide did was remind us what we were NOT ALLOWED to do;
3) after arriving at 12,000ft we were NOT ALLOWED to walk all the way round the lake (only 1/2 way for us);
4) our white skin meant we were NOT ALLOWED a fair price for a Yak ride, so we had to disembark quickly; and
5) I was NOT ALLOWED 5 minutes to pee as a wee boy kept banging on the door telling me I was taking too long!!

So, in conclusion, we felt Sikkim is a lovely place but it isn't quite ready for westerners, as we're NOT ALLOWED to do much. Saying that, there was 1 thing which we weren't actually allowed to do as it was a "dry" day but we did! That was to sample the local "Tongba" brew. This is made from fermented millet seed, served in a tin, onto which you pour boiling water and then drink through a bamboo straw. It was actually quite nice, bit like fortified wine, but you had to watch because when you stirred it - it got really strong! We also tried a little Yak meat alongwith it - pretty nice, bit like jerky. But, sadly for the Yaks it turned out to be cheaper for us to eat them than go for a ride on them - not good marketing Yaks!

We also managed to see the mountain Kanchenzonga at long last, only took a week! And Graham finished off our time in Sikkim with a visit to Domino's Pizza - you can take the boy out of Paisley.........