Delhi – Amritsar – Shimla and cycling to Jaipur – 16th to 29th December

Saturday 16th – 23rd December

Delhi – Amritsar – Beating the Retreat at Wagah border – Chandigarh – Shimla – Delhi

We have time today to visit more ATMs but our failure rate is so considerable that we’re going to try Western Union.  It’s going to cost us a £4.90 admin fee for £600 of Rupees but it beats the frustration and wasted time of repeated ATM visits.  We also need to pick up and pay for our numerous rail tickets and tour itineraries.   We tried and almost succeeded in arranging 2 tours for India. Our first with Vikki who arrives Sunday afternoon, visiting Amritsar, Chandigarh and Shimla.  I managed to book flights, bus tickets and hotels but I couldn’t buy any train tickets.  Daz and I spent hours registering on the Indian rail site, IRCTC,  but numerous lengthy attempts to purchase tickets failed despite them accepting our credit card for the registration fee.  Since we were still in Nepal and had been told trains soon become fully booked because it’s the most popular form of transport in India we asked for help on a Delhi expat site and thankfully Emma Horne took pity on us and booked all our train tickets.

Our hotel in Delhi – The Ark of Avalon

We also arranged a tour from Delhi to Varanasi, Agra and Jaipur.  More train tickets were required so again we turned to Emma but we also decided to organise a car and driver for a significant part of this trip.  We sought and received considerable advice from an Indian travel Forum www.indiamike.com re where to visit, how long to stay, recommended car & driver companies and planned our itinerary accordingly but returned to Emma’s company for the booking of a car and driver – www.emmahornetravel.com.  

Sunday Vikki arrives and it’s so great to see her.  We last saw her in October 2015, so there’s loads of catching-up with gossip and her life.

And she’s brought our new exped sleeping mats so no more uncomfortable camping nights.

In the late afternoon we fly to Amritsar and are wowed by the stunning spectacle of the Golden Temple beautifully illuminated at night.  We’re impressed by the cleanliness of Amritsar; it’s a different India to the one Daz and I have so far experienced and there’s also some delicious street food.

The Golden Temple is a place of great beauty and sublime peacefulness. Originally a small lake in the midst of a quiet forest, the site has been a meditation retreat for wandering mendicants and sages since deep antiquity. The Buddha is known to have spent time at this place in contemplation. Two thousand years after Buddha’s time, another philosopher-saint came to live and meditate by the peaceful lake. This was Guru Nanak (1469-1539), the founder of the Sikh religion. After the passing away of Guru Nanak, his disciples continued to frequent the site; over the centuries it became the primary sacred shrine of the Sikhs.  The sacred lake is fed by an underground spring and throughout the day and night pilgrims immerse themselves in the water, a symbolic cleansing of the soul rather than an actual bathing of the body.

After the Temple we take a tuktuk in search of evening entertainment.

Monday we visit a couple of other sites of interest including Jallianwala Bagh (Garden) which commemorates the 1919 Amritsar massacre.  General Dyer ordered fifty British Indian Army soldiers to open fire on an unarmed gathering of men, women, and children without warning.

Dyer ordered soldiers to reload their rifles several times and they were ordered to shoot to kill. It is believed 1,000 were killed and over 1500 wounded.  At the Gobindgarh Fort I impress with my dancing skills when a join some young girls on stage.

Then we catch a bus to the Wagah Border.

The Wagah Border is the border line running along the Grand Trunk Road between Amritsar in Punjab, India, and Punjab in Lahore, Pakistan.  The Wagah Border Ceremony, more popularly known as Beating Retreat Ceremony, was started in 1959. It is a symbol of the rivalry between the two nations, as well as the cooperation and brotherhood of both the nations. The aggression and anger between both the countries have been toned down a lot over the years.  Every evening, just before the sunset, the soldiers from the Indian and Pakistan military meet at this border post to engage in a 30-minute display of military showmanship.  

It’s fabulous entertainment but the soldiers treat it with absolute seriousness. It begins with a parade by the soldiers from both the sides, ending with a coordinated lowering of the flags of both the nation. As the sun sets, the iron gate is opened, with an infantryman standing in attention at both sides of the gate. The flags of India and Pakistan are lowered simultaneously and then folded. The ceremony ends with a retreat that involves a brusque handshake between soldiers of both the sides followed by the closing of the gate. The ceremony is hugely entertaining and certainly builds a patriotic fervour for the thousands of people who come here every day. During the build-up to the ceremony, the crowd witnesses national anthem chanting, rounds of applause and Bollywood-style dancing.  The atmosphere is not dissimilar to a Premier League derby match.

Tuesday we’re taking a bus to Chandigarh and then a taxi to Shimla.  Our bus is booked for 0550hrs so we’re up at 0500hrs.  At Chandigarh we stop for lunch and visit the Rock Garden.

It consists of art object, fashioned from industrial and urban waste. It nestles amidst 20 acres of woods in the form of an open air exhibition hall, theatre trove and a miniature maze all rolled into one vast fantasy land of art and landscape. It is without doubt, a tourist spot that is a must on the itinerary of visitor to Chandigarh.

“An unpretentious entrance leads to a magnificent, almost, surrealist arrangement of rocks, boulders, broken chinaware, discarded fluorescent tubes, broken and cast away glass bangles, building waste, coal and clay-all juxtaposed to create a dream folk world of palaces, soldiers, monkeys, village life, women and temples”. TBH it really wasn’t this good but an interesting stop.  

Following this we have our taxi ride to Shimla.  For Daz and I it’s a pretty standard trip after our recent experiences in Nepal and India; heavy traffic, horrendous driving, rough roads and a gnawing doubt about our survivability but it seems Vik is a mere innocent in such nightmare road experiences and is horrified and almost sick!  It’s a relief to reach Shimla and our delightful Airbnb apartment.   

We’re all shattered but we decide a quick walk to the Mall is required followed by dinner and a stiff drink.

 The next day our ambitious plans to see the Ridgeway and walk up Jakhoo Hill to the temple and a large statue of Hanuman, its chief deity are nixed by the discovery of a rather delightful roof top bar.

 We were just checking it out for later but all temptation is our weakness and we can see all the sights of Shimla from here.

“The Hill-Station with Rich Colonial History”

Situated at a height of 2200 m, Shimla is one of the most eminent tourist destination in the country. Set amidst beautiful hills and mystical woods, this is the former summer capital of British India. this town’s captivating natural beauty, and the atmosphere are bound to leave any tourist overwhelmed. This town has colonial-style buildings alongside the historic temples and the amalgamation of the worlds leaves everyone visiting this region spellbound. Within this city, one must visit the Mall Road, The Ridge, Institute of Advanced Studies and Jakhu Temple.

It’s Thursday and we’re heading back to Delhi today.   We’re taking the toy train to Kalka then an express train on to Delhi.   This is the ‘blurb’… “There are few experiences in India that can come close to the beautiful toy train ride on the Kalka-Shimla route. It takes you through lush green mountains with scenic, misty views. Started in 1903, the toy train route has now been listed as a UNESCO site”.  Doesn’t it sound fabulous.  The reality: uncomfortable seats, a very crowded carriage, a large family group travelling from Pakistan to Bangladesh who were rehearsing for xfactor and a novelty factor that wore off after 10 minutes leaving only another painful 6 hours of screeching singing to endure.  Actually it was an ‘experience’ but probably one more suited to a rail enthusiast.   It was funny to see Daz with rolled up tissues in his ears trying to dampen (unsuccessfully)  the enthusiastic but tuneless singing efforts of the family group.

The Kalka–Shimla Railway is a 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow-gauge railway in North India travelling along a mostly mountainous route from Kalka to Shimla. It is known for dramatic views of the hills and surrounding villages. The Kalka–Shimla Railway was built in 1898, to connect Shimla, the summer capital of India during the British Raj, with the rest of the Indian rail system. At the time of construction 107 tunnels and 864 bridges, were built throughout the course of the track.

By comparison our seats on the express to Delhi and are luxurious.  We have the executive seats, I think that’s equivalent to 1st class, and for the 4 hour journey it’s freeflow food, one tray of food following another.  

 We then catch the Metro to our hotel 18km away.  The metro is incredibly modern, clean and efficient – I feel I’ve teleported into another country.

By the time we get in it’s nearly midnight and Vikki has to be at the airport by 330am! Hugs all around,  sad goodbyes and we hit the sack.

Friday, we get the metro back into central Delhi.  We are off to a huge Bazaar where we are told you can get everything,  including the fuel we need for our alcohol burner. Unfortunately they were wrong, but we do enjoy a cup or two of tea at a street çay stall. We are saving any further sightseeing of Delhi until Jac arrives so we head back to the hotel.

 The intention is to purchase more money from Western Union, pick up our cash and then enjoy a leisurely afternoon.  Well the reality is so far removed from the plan and what follows is about 5 hours of sheer hell.  So those of you reading our blog will know we’ve visited hundreds of ATMs and failed to withdraw cash.  Well we tried again in Amritsar and failed where Vikki succeeded.   We’d then discovered that our N&P account had been frozen, not via an easily accessible Internet banking message but through a letter sent to our correspondence address.  So we’re already in the process of fixing this account but no worries because Western Union works a treat!  Well not any more.  Daz uses 2 cards and fails.  I then open my own Western Union account and make a purchase.  It’s not processed immediately but promise to complete the transaction within 30 minutes if there are any queries.   This did not happen with Daz’s first purchase so we’re not feeling confident.   So whilst we wait Daz tries again.  Still no luck.  Then my phone rings; Western Union is based in the USof A.  The rep on the phone is indeed American and refuses to accept that a phone call received from America to India on a UK mobile will cost me a fortune – “No ma’am I don’t believe you’ll be charged!” – OMG you ignorant moron, of course I will but persisting will simply delay the security interrogation I’m due.  Fortunately he completes his questions just before my phone credit runs out – that was £20 worth.  Phew.  Two minutes later we see online my Western Union transaction has been approved.  Daz potters off to get money and I start going through all our accounts notifying them we’re in India and requesting that they don’t freeze our accounts.  I strongly suspect our Halifax Clarity credit card has been frozen but I can’t find any way to message.  Finally after trawling through their site I find a contact phone number for those abroad and out of desperation make the phone call having loaded another £20 of phone credit.  I queue and wait, wondering how long my phone credit will last.  Finally an adviser to speak to and ‘yes, your account has been frozen’!  I tell him those numerous India transactions are genuine and that I’m in India, can he please fix my account.   No I must speak to the fraud department.   I explain that my phone credit won’t be sufficient and is there another means to fix the problem.  Apparently there isn’t and then I’m cut off, another £20 spent.  Arghhhhhhhh!  I then spend another hour convinced there must be a way to speak to Halifax Clarity online.  I find an online message option but it refuses to accept my username and actual name.  OMG this is a really shitty admin day.  Finally I discover the ‘complaints’ option allows online messaging.  God knows how long that will take though!

 

Saturday 23rd December

Delhi Mahipalpur to Manasar

Distance Cycled 40.26 km

Total Distance 18153.25 km

Our first proper lie in for ages.  It’s 10am by the time we wake up and on a cycling day too!  We sort ourselves out and get our bikes from the hotel’s lock-up. They are covered in an inch of dust, it seems they have been mixing cement in there!!

We get on the main road and go up the wrong way, there’s a huge central devide that we can’t get over. So we pedal into the oncoming traffic, just like all the locals do.  We are off to see Mace,  our rescue puppy, before leaving Delhi for Jaipur.  He remembers us and runs to meet us vigorously wagging his tail and weeing because he’s overexcited.   He seems to be doing well and has filled out a little and doesn’t seem to be so bow legged in his back legs.  But he is filthy!! Mind you, the whole kennel is particularly dirty.  We leave a donation,  say goodbye and hope he is adopted soon.

Back on the road we head with the flow of traffic towards the main Delhi to Jaipur road.  It’s very busy and continues to be for the rest of the day.  We stop briefly at a garden with huge statues of Hindu Gods and later for a spot of lunch.  

Then we get into a mother of traffic jams.  We swerve around the static cars and trucks, sometimes in the middle and sometimes on the dirt hardshoulder.  

 

Finally we break free and continue on.  Near the end of the day we pull up next to an NSG (National Security Guard) camp. Can we camp? No sorry.  On we go and then pull into the National Brain Research Centre, they look like they have got a nice garden we could camp in. But the answer is no, even Daz’s brain doesn’t tempt them.  However they suggest the temple just up the road.  TBH we’re not feeling confident but we couldn’t have been more wrong.  They welcome us with open arms.  They shun the spot where we think we’d like to camp.  Instead we’re taken to meet the Village Chief and we’re shown a room we can use.  Wow this is fantastic.

 Then we’re introduced to Anil, he’s a Colonel in the NSG and has come for evening prayer.  He intoduces us to his Guru, arranges tea and an evening meal and then invites us to evening prayers.  He also insists that we’re blessed by his Guru, he wants photos of it to top it all off.   He gives Daz an officers’ ballcap and takes some pics.  

We swap numbers and he tells us if we have any problems between here and Mumbai to ring him.  Also when we get to Goa he will sort out a camp for us, or maybe it was a party!! Lost in translation that last one.  What a great evening to cap off a shitty busy road day!

 

Sunday 24th December

Manasar to Tijara

Distance Cycled 55.93 km

Total Distance 18209.18 km

Well we both slept well on our new Exped mats.  I go off to explore; there’s a dog here with a litter of 6 gorgeous puppies.  There’s also numerous peacocks, the national bird of India. Anil arrives with his two sons. They have brought me 4 beautiful red roses (the only Xmas present I think I’ll be getting) and some Lassi. Isn’t that lovely!   The boys have a ride around the temple gardens on our trikes, even though the youngest can barely reach the pedals!

Then they offer to take us for breakfast at KFC.  Wow, we’ve not had fast food in ages.  We readily agree.  We have lovely Zinger burgers whilst Anil and his sons, vegetarians all, tuck into veggie burgers. It’s been fab meeting Anil, but now it’s time to say goodbye.  

Today we need to decide whether to stay on the main Highway,  the NS8 or take the ‘back road’ to Jaipur via Alwarl. We decide on the backroad but it’s not really much of an improvement; still heavy traffic with lots of dust but no longer a hard shoulder.  

We’re planning on trying the temple gig again since last night was so incredible.   At the first temple they initially say yes but soon change their minds when they see our tent going up.  They tell us to try the Jain Mandir Temple.  We think we’ve found it but receive a definitive no.   Disappointed we start heading back to the main road when 3 kids on a motorbike, who gave us directions earlier, tell us we’re at the wrong temple. We turn around.  We’re tired now and frustrated and worried this is a wild goose chase.  We cycle through a busy market area and then into the temple compound. It’s full of Indian tourists, nothing like yesterday’s quiet village temple. We park our trikes and soon a big crowd descends on us.  We manage to escape the madding crowd and find the Temple administrator.  Daz explains our need for somewhere to sleep. Yes of course, please fill out this form they say. We are then escorted out of the temple by a young man.  

He takes us through the market,  down an alley and into another compound. We round a corner and there’s a huge hotel in front of us. What’s going on we wonder? Well it turns out the temple has free accommodation for visiting pilgrims and they’ve kindly decided we’re pilgrims! How amazing; a nice room, hot showers and electricity!  Bizarrely we are spending Christmas Eve in a ‘hotel room’ courtesy of a Hindu temple.  

 

CHRISTMAS DAY!

Tijara to Sahori

Distance Cycled 66.72 km

Total Distance 18275.9 km

Our Xmas morning is a rude awakening due to a çay seller making the rounds yelling “çay, çay” or perhaps it’s now “chai, chai”, whatever, the result is the same – awake before 6am.

 

For our Xmas breakfast treat we stop at the market for samosa and chai.

 Then off we trundle and see our first camel drawn carts.  I’m a bit wary when I overtake, worried that the camel might spit on me.  It’s actually a holiday here in India, Xmas Eve, Xmas day and Boxing day and apparently it’s due to the holiday that there were so many visitors at the temple.  

And today the traffic seems relatively light until early afternoon.   Today we finally break back into countryside and it’s actually quite pretty.  Our lunch stop is at a typical local eatery with Roti and vegetable curry but later, when we spot a Domino’s pizza joint in Alwar, we stop for our ‘Xmas treat’ – yup, we certainly know how to treat ourselves on Xmas day.   

Out of Alwar we keep our eyes peeled for a camping spot and are rewarded by a walled orchard.  I had just seen a sign advertising a hotel ‘Tigers and trees’ and I’m hoping it’s a case for Trade Description and not that we’re in tiger territory! Happy Christmas everyone,  I’d raise a glass in toast, but we couldn’t find any alcohol!!!

Christmas without imbibing, ridiculous!

 

BOXING DAY!

Sahori to Kharkri

Distance Cycled 48.37 km

Total Distance 18324.27 km

No tiger attacks last night but I heard a lot of pig/boar noises.  Daz says they’re nothing to worry about but he’s obviously not seen Hannibal Lecter and the pig scene!  Our orchard appears to be one of mutant gooseberries and a couple of locals arrive to pick them.  

We’re in a Muslim area and heard the call to prayer at 6am but then we dozed off again and didn’t hit the road until 10am, well it is Boxing Day.  Today we cycled through Sariska National Park.  It’s tiger territory but we didn’t see any but saw wild boar, several types of deer, monkeys, mongoose, kingfishers and other pretty but unidentified birds.  

In the Park a couple of locals told us we’re close to Bhangarh Fort, the most haunted place in India, and indeed one of the most haunted in Asia.  Its reputation is such that no-one is allowed in at night.

 Sadly it was a significant detour so we pushed on.  In Kharkri, a small village, we stopped and were immediately surrounded by a huge crowd.  They were all desperate to see ‘the foreigners’ and were shoving forward and pushing on our trikes and baggage.  This type of behaviour is a bit intimidating and unpleasant.  

They pointed to a food stop and the village elders kept the crowd at bay after we explained we didn’t want people touching our trikes.  After a dinner of spicy hot but cold samosas we cycle out of the crowd and the village.

We soon spot a nice field and that’s where we’re camping tonight.  

 

Wednesday 27th December

Kharkri to Jaipur

Distance Cycled 80.08 km

Total Distance 18404.35 km

Another excellent camping spot.  We’re off to a bit of a slow start because the inside of our fly sheet is wet.  Whilst it’s drying we get 2 visitors, our only visitors at this site, an old man and old lady who gaze upon us as if we are a sight to behold.  

At the first big village we stop for breakfast and then we continue on our back road, through countryside for 40km, before finally hitting the highway into Jaipur.  

On the way we see the Amber Fort, Albert Hall, Palace of the winds and the City gates but we don’t stop because we’ll be back here with Jac.  About 20km from our destination we leave the Highway and cycle through Jaipur.

 I must admit I love the thrill of cycling through cities, the buzz and the attention,  although sometimes it’s a little scary.  Today my near miss was almost being squashed between a bus and a 2ft high kerb.  I gave the driver some serious verbal and gesticulations, not that he’d have understood what he’d done wrong.  Finally we arrive at Kroytos, the bike shop of Chinmay, our warmshower host here in Jaipur.  After a drink and a natter we follow him to his apartment.   He’s on a motorcycle and we’re on our trikes.  It’s dark so all we can see are headlights so dodging the traffic is even harder than usual but we make it to his apartment safely.  

He lives with his mother, father and his sister, Maitraiye. Chinmay has to go back to his bike shop, but his sister and mother keep us company and cook us a lovely Indian meal.

We show them our video from Wagah, they love it.  Finally,  very late we get off to bed, with the promise to get up at 6am to go for a bike ride with Chimnay to a nearby hill fort!!

Thursday 28th December

Jaipur

Well our 6am wake up call (Daz’s alarm) is an unmitigated disaster! We’re still in bed at 7am but Chinmay says it no problem – oh dear we were half hoping for a cancellation.  After a cup of masala tea, a short taxi ride to Chinmay’s shop, we set off on our bikes to Nahargarh Fort.  Daz and I are on mountain bikes, Chinmay on a road bike.

We cycle through the centre of Jaipur, the Pink City and then stop to admire Jal Mahal, the Water Palace. From there it’s a steady but scenic ride up to the Fort.  It’s certainly beautiful but also a little painful.  It’s been awhile since we were astride a ‘normal’ bike and there’s certainly parts of our anatomy that aren’t impressed.  At the top we’re rewarded with fantastic views over Jaipur and even see our first stepwell.

Nahargarh Fort is one of three forts at Jaipur, Amber Fort and Jaigarh Fort, being the other two. Nahargarh means an “abode of tigers”. Nahargarh Fort was built in 1734 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the founder of the city of Jaipur. The fort and stepwell at Nahargarh were built as a defense fort but never used. A stepwell, also known as a bawdi, baoli or vaav, is a well or pond designed to collect water which is then accessible using the steps.  Deep trenches were dug for year-round groundwater.  The walls of the trench were lined with blocks of stone without mortar.The Stepwell at Nahargarh Fort is unique in that there is no symmetry in its design. The steps resemble waves rolling down the hill side.

From the Fort Chinmay chooses the steep, cobbled route back to the city.  It’s more painful for him on his roadbike than for us on mountain bikes but at least he has his padded cycling shorts to alleviate the pressure points.  We drop the bikes off and head back to the apartment for a delicious breakfast: Chinmay’s mother is a fabulous cook and loves feeding us.  The afternoon is a mix of trike maintenance,  blog uploading and chatting to Chinmay’s extended family.  We’re trying to understand more about Indian culture and what we’re seeing is an emphasis placed on family and religion.  

 And here family isn’t mother, father, children and perhaps grandparents but all of that plus uncles, aunties and cousins.  It’s only been 4 years that Chinmay, his sister and parents have lived in this lovely apartment.  Before that they lived in a small house with his 4 uncles and their wives and children and his grandmother  (on his father’s side). There were 19 family members living in one house.  When the house finally became too small it was demolished and this apartment block built in its place. The extended family now occupies the various apartments on the 4th floor whilst the other apartments below are rented.  On festivals and holidays the whole family gathers to celebrate together.  This is unheard of, or certainly uncommon, in the UK.

 

Friday 29th December

Jaipur

Today Daz has some remedial work to complete on the trikes and then we’re just preparing for our return to Delhi.  Chinmay is storing our trikes and excess baggage until we return on 19th January.   

We say farewell to Chinmay’s sister and mother, their hospitality has been incredible.   Then after a haircut for me, my first in over a year I think, we head to Chinmay’s bike shop and visit a local eatery for lunch.  The food is delicious and inexpensive ; I wish we had Chinmay with us for all our food stops so we could end all the ‘bargaining’ over the price.

 We’re catching the express train to Delhi.  And tomorrow Jac arrives; we’re very excited.

Our evening train is on time and whisks us back to Delhi. We are fed 3 times during the 4 hour journey!  

Then it’s a matter of a short walk in the dark through a touristy area to our hotel.