Archive for September, 2009

Ever since arriving in India I have found myself staring somewhat enviously at the Royal Enfield motorcycles. I am forced to admit that there is just no way my feet will reach the ground on an Enfield, or just about any other bike they have here. However scooters are another story. My general fear of the roads in India, combined with failing even as a pedestrian to remember what side …

The rain dashed my hopes of getting to see the sunrise in Hampi, but by mid-day it had dried out enough for me to try some bouldering. It’s possible my plan to go bouldering was one of my least thought through. As soon as I found myself face to face with the boulders it dawned on me that I had no spotter and no crash-pad (which means if I fell, …

Virtually every time I told someone that I would be in Goa I was told that I had to check out Hampi as well.

Hampi is about a 12 hour bus ride inland from Goa and is situated on the ruins of the ancient city of Vijayanagara (which was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire that spanned from the mid 1300s to the mid 1600s). In addition to viewing the …

It turns out missing a connecting flight in India is not something to be feared. The airline put me up in a 5 Star hotel (Palms Hotel) for the night. After staying in hostels and dirty guest houses, having a clean bed is amazing.…

Udaipur came as a welcome relief after Jaipur. Known as the City of Lakes, Udaipur is situated on several magnificent lakes and is filled with parks and green space. It is hard to feel stressed when walking around a gorgeous lake or strolling through a park.

My first day in Udaipur I went sight-seeing with several people I met on the train from Jaipur. Some of the places we went …

Agra
I spent Saturday in Agra and visited the Taj Mahal and the Agra Fort. Without a doubt the Taj Mahal was the highlight of Agra. It is always amazing to see something in person that you have seen in photographs and paintings your whole life. It sounds cliché, but when you walk through the entrance and see the Taj Mahal it really does take your breath away.

Cute moment …

I got up early today with hopes of visiting the Red Fort and the Khari Baoli spice market (one of the largest spice markets) in Old Delhi.

The Red Fort, one of the most famous buildings in Delhi, dates back to Shah Jahan (Mughal Emperor of India) in the 17th century. Today it is a major tourist attraction complete with long lines and security check points.

After handing over my …

I arrived in New Delhi early this morning and spent most of today getting checked in at the Youth Hostel and exploring New Delhi. I headed over to Connaught Place and the market around there. Connaught Place is a bustling circle in the center of New Delhi surrounded by Connaught Circus (streets circling around Connaught Place).

The area I am staying in (Chanakyapuri- Diplomatic Enclave) looks a lot like a …

I was starting to think that I had seen most of Dharamsala when I heard about the Bhagsu Nag waterfall. The Bhagsu Nag waterfall is about a mile above central Mcleod Ganj (upper Dharamsala, where I am staying).

It looked like I had a few hours before the monsoon rains started again so I decided to hike there this morning. …

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