We arrived in Shimla on a ‘toy train’. This is the name given to India’s narrow gauge railways. Our train went from Kalka, a one hour bus ride from Chandigarh, to the hill station of Shimla, in the province of Himachal Pradesh. It took about six hours to cover the Continue Reading
Asia
Rishikesh
Rishikesh is a small city in the state of Uttarkhand that is known for its yoga and meditation classes, trekking, and white water rafting down the Ganges River, known in India as the ‘Ganga’. It is also a holy city where Hindu pilgrims come to the site where the Ganga Continue Reading
Traveling Then and Now – by Patrick
After completing university, I traveled in South East Asia for nine months from Sept 1990 to June 1991. Traveling almost twenty years later, there are some notable differences. Internet – We are able to stay connected with friends, family, and vendors (like banks, utilities, travel agent, etc.) through email, online Continue Reading
Delhi
This morning there was a major eclipse in India. In parts of India it was a total eclipse, but in Delhi it was about 80%. We woke early and headed out onto the roof to watch. This eclipse was apparently special because at 6 minutes it was one of the Continue Reading
Observations about India
Men where pants here, regardless of the temperature. Usually only boys (and tourists) wear shorts. Indian women typically wear a sari (a single piece of cloth that is wrapped without pins or buttons) or a salwar kameez (a long shirt and trouser combination). Younger people prefer jeans, despite the fact Continue Reading
Karni Mata Temple
Today we visited one of the most bizarre temples in India. It is located in the village of Deshnok, 30 kilometers outside of the city of Bikaner in Rajasthan. According to Hindu legend (as retold in the Lonely Planet guidebook), Karni Mata, a 14th-century reincarnation of Durga, asked the god Continue Reading
Rajasthan – by Patrick
I’m sitting on bunk number 41, coach S1, on the train from Jaisalmer to Bikaner. It is very hot. And very dusty. The train windows are all open as there is no air conditioning in sleeper class. Dust filters in, too fine to be seen during daylight hours, but it Continue Reading
Welcome to India
We arrived in Mumbai a few days ago at 4AM local time. We had previously decided to wait in the airport until sunrise. After wandering around the airport to find an ATM that didn’t work, we needed to change some US dollars into Rupees in order to get a taxi. Continue Reading
Elvis is in the Building – by Diane
Petra is an ancient city of caves, carved into the sandstone by the Nabataean people about 2000 years ago. It covers a huge area, and is truly remarkable. It has the most amazing rock and rock sculptures I’ve ever seen. After spending the first day walking around the site in Continue Reading