India Tour November 2012

15/11/12 Jamnagar
I got here from Mumbai yesterday. It was a good Jet Airways flight from London to Mumbai.I was in row 36 right above the wing of a B777 one couldn’t see much through the window but I had an aisle seat anyway. My companions were one Mr Kulbir Singh and his wife, Originally from the Punjab they have a house in or near Toronto and another one in Hoshiarpur. Punjab. They spend seven months of the year in Canada and five in India.
Good on them if that’s what they enjoy. Leaving London at 10.05 on the 13th we were in Mumbai by 00.30 on the 14th, I didn’t have much difficulty whiling away ten hours and more at Mumbai airport after which I caught an Air India flight to Jamnagar.
The hotel driver, Zakir who picked me up at Jamnagar Airport is of African descent. There are quite a few like him in Gujarat – yes India also had an African slave trade in days bygone. At the hotel reception I met Mustak who had emailed me to confirm the booking. Mustak, a Muslim who was born in Africa came back to his country of origin as a child. People tried to teach him Swahili and Urdu but he learnt neither. He says that he celebrates Diwali like everybody else in Gujarat. My room at the hotel is comfortable enough although I have been unable to get hot water out of the “hot” tap. It’s quite warm, so unheated water is tolerable. It was lunchtime when I got here and I didn’t waste much time getting to the hotel restaurant. I went vegetarian choosing a Gujarati dish called Ringna No Oro. Most Britons would find this dish too hot. In British terms it is a hot curry with aubergines, onions, tomatoes and garlic, I found it pretty hot myself but did enjoy it, finished it with the accompanying roti and papad and topped it up with one of the hotel’s speciality ice creams. Stepping out for a short stroll I soon decided that it was bedtime after two consecutive nights without sleep. I did wake up at 8 pm but decided that
further sleep would do no harm and stayed in bed till 8 am. I had a room-service breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast and tea, a shave, a cold water splash, changed and decided
to look around Jamnagar. With a little encouragement from the hotel staff a taxi driver called Hassoo Bhai, literally “smiling brother” agreed to drive me around Jamnagar. He took me to all the well known places, the Ratan Bai mosque, a Muslim place of worship named after a Hindu woman for some act of valour, the Jain temples Shantinath Mandir and Adinath Mandir, Willingdon Crescent, Maharaja Ranjitsinghji Palace, Durbargarh,
Khambalia Gate, Kalawad Gate, Bhujia Fort, the only ancient building in Jamnagar to be damaged by the earthquake of the year 2000 and Ranmal Lake with Lakhota Palace in the centre. The palace has a museum which I couldn’t enter as it was shut for Diwali. Walking along the footbridge to the fort which includes the palace I was surprised at the number of species of birds on the lake although the water level was low due to lack of rain. There
were ducks with a yellow or orange on their beaks, cormorants – one of them spreading its wings like the angel of the north – cormorants are the same the world over, flamingoes, herons and something I had not associated with India prior to 2010, pelicans. I entered a children’s playground to take pictures and then the Bala Hanuman Temple
taking a photograph of the chanters of “Shree Ram Jay Ram Jay Jay Ram”, a chant that has been continuous since 1964 and is included in the Guinness Book of Records. Later Hassoo took me to two more temples , a Tibetan market and the Ayurvedic University. At the end I gave Hassoo more than I had promised. He was pleased but suggested that I should go to the sea and even to Dwarka in his car. I am afraid he did not get the additional business because after lunch at the hotel – another Gujarati vegetarian meal, less hot than the previous one, I decided make other Dwarka arrangements. I am afraid I won’t be going to Dwarka tomorrow because the hotels there are packed and can’t give me a room. I shall go to Rajkot instead by private bus.

On the way back from the bus station where I booked my private bus I took a picture of Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi. My final evening meal in Jamnagar was sweetcorn soup followed by Chicken-a-la-King – Indian versions of European dishes can be surprisingly tasty – and mango ice-cream.. After breky tomorrow I shall head for Rajkot.

PS: I did a bit of emailing at a cyber café where, surprisingly, they asked for my photo id.

16/11/12
I am at the Bhaba Hotel in Rajkot. I got their telephone number from my Rough Guide. I used a private bus for the journey from Jamnagar. I shall use a state bus next time. The young conductor was determined to fill the bus until every flat surface above floor level had been sat on and all the aisle space crammed with standing passengers. I understand that standing passengers paid less for their tickets. When I saw mothers with babes in arms standing I felt guilty about sitting down with my back pack on the seat next to me. I had arranged this by buying two tickets. Nobody took offence but one man did ask me if I could move my luggage; he was happy enough when I explained that I had bought two tickets.
On getting here I checked into my room which is smaller than the one in Jamnagar but comfortable enough. I went into the hotel restaurant and had the only thing they serve at lunch time, a vegetarian thali. Then I visited the house in which Mahatma Gandhi’s family lived when they moved from Porbander where the Mahatma was born. I was
the only visitor all the time that I was there. An attendant started explaining thing to me but stopped soon after I had indicated that what he was telling me was written down in various places in the house. I took a picture and then went off to see the Watson Museum with its stone age implements, various historic statues of Hindu gods , articles from the Indus Valley Civilisation and stuffed birds and animals. Just before going to the museum I went into the courtyard of the school Mahatma Gandhi attended. Next I tried to book a hotel room in Junagadh. The bad news was what I had earlier got from Dwarka. All the hotels were full because of Diwali. I have decided, with some encouragement from the hotel staff to travel to Junagadh anyway, hoping to find a room at one of the lesser-known hotels If I can’t find a room I shall come back here. I ate at the Bukhara in the Kavery Hotel. They are vegetarian like my hotel here but do have European and Chinese food as well as Indian. After the meal I made a vain search for an Internet site. So I have two communications problems; my latest Samsung phone can’t connect to the local network and I can’t find an open internet site.

17/11/12 Junagadh
I am at the Hotel President, probably for three nights. It is in my Rough Guide but I am here by chance. I hired the Bhaba Hotel’s car along with their driver Paresh Bhai. It was going to be Rs 1800 plus road toll charges but then with having to search for hotels it was the best option. On arrival the majority of hotels were full. The Somnath offered me a room for Rs 2500 per night. Thinking I could do better we proceeded to the town centre. One hotel
offered to take me in and at the last minute said that they weren’t allowed to take NRIs. The only other available was n A/C room Rs 4000 per night. We headed back to the Somnath. The original room had gone. Another was available at Rs 3000 but only for one night. I liked Paresh Bhai’s persistence. He was going to find me a room come what may. We had more or less given up when the President pooped up. They gave me a very basic room for
Rs 300. They were very friendly and I took it –phew! I thanked Paresh Bhai profusely and he bid goodbye. I gave him a tip.

Next I strolled off to take photos and get a meal. Amongst other things I photographed the quaint little railway station. I ate at the Swad restaurant and then called at the vodaphone office next door. The very helpful manager,
Iftekar connected my mobile – or seemed to- to the network. He said that the work was free of charge as I was a Vodaphone customer. I left and then decided to go back in to get a local SIM card. Again Iftekar took a lot of trouble. He filled a form, got me to revisit the hotel for written confirmation by them that I was their guest. I then had to get a passport photo taken which meant another errand but Iftekar waited one and a half hours beyond
closing time to get me my SIM card and then wouldn’t accept a tip. He said that he was not allowed to; that was very honest of him after all one hears about corruption in India.

Despite all this I am far from convinced that my Indian SIM card will work but at least my phone works with my British SIM card, thanks to young Iftekar. I hope it works out well for him with his girlfriend – he told me he had one. The road signs here are mainly in Gujarati. I am learning to read them slowly.

18/11/12 Junagadh
I took another picture of the railway station to replace the one I deleted yesterday, then strolled past the Maqbara making for the fort, Upparkot. On the fort there was plenty to keep me interested including a young group who wanted to be photographed wearing my hat. They took turns at it. Then I asked them to take a photo of me with
some of them. They thought they did but I later realised that they didn’t. I did discover the use of the “Magic Filter” with my camera after two and a half years of owning it! I shall use it again and quite frequently. Anyway I strolled along the fort wall taking in some views over the city, a man-made reservoir, some Portuguese cannons, some Buddhist caves from around 200 AD, the Jama Masjid, two wells, one much deeper than the other, Navghar
Kuva.

I left the fort and took a rickshaw ride to the National Hotel, one of a few offering non-vegetarian food, where I had fish and managed to avoid hot spices altogether. Then it was back briefly to the hotel before venturing out to see the Pyara Baba caves; the rickshaw driver hadn’t heard of them! No wonder, as it turned out I was the only visitor to the caves during my presence there. Anyway I took pictures undisturbed by the usual ten million other visitors. I returned to the hotel taking pictures while doing so of interesting buildings and monuments including a second one of the mosque by the side of the Maqbara, this time using the camera’s “magic filter”. I took off my shoes to enter the mosque and the Maqbara. Then it was back to base and discussions with the manager, Satish
about my plans for the next few days. I ate at the Swad again this evening, strolled part of the way along a lake near the Swad, Then I walked back to the hotel for another chat with Satish. England were 319 for 5 in their second innings after being bowled out for 191 in the first replying to India’s 521 for 8 declared. My mobile is working. I got Maureen’s message yesterday and now I have had a message from Flirtfinder!

19/11/12 Junagadh
I climbed Mount Girnar. I got a rickshaw at 5.05 am, got to the foot of the mountain at 5.35 and started the climb immediately. But as usually happens in India so did two million other people. I felt as hemmed in as I do at the start of the London Marathon; and it was like that all the way. I didn’t see anybody who was obviously non-Indian and was myself the object of curiosity as a “foreigner”. I noted the Jain temples some way short of the peak but
did not stop to visit. I think I reached the summit, Gorakhnath about three hours from the start. For most people the pilgrimage did not end here; they were going on to the next slightly lower peak to worship at the Dutta temple. I decided to carry on to there to ensure that I had stepped on each one of the reputed 9999 steps on Girnar. It was
downhill and then uphill. The return trek was in very hot sunshine. I stopped several times for refreshments constrained only by the fear of a bad tummy.
In the afternoon, after lunch I went to see the Ashoka edicts which, of course were not well protected. People were touching the inscriptions. I got some sleep at the hotel. It turned out that the hotel car was not available for a ride to Sasan Gir. At Satish’s suggestion I booked a car at the car stand near the bus station. The driver, Iqbal will pick me
up at 5 am tomorrow. He says he needs to if I am to see any lions.

20/11/12 Junagadh
I did get to Sasan Gir and spotted and photographed a lion, a nilgai and lots of spotted deer. I also saw a leopard at a great distance, clearly visible to the naked eye but too far away for my camera. I shared a jeep with a young Indian family, Ashish and Anupama Agarwal and their son, Aryan from Pune. But the manner of the introduction
wasn’t straightforward at all. I thought I had lost my application form with all my details on it. In fact Ashish got it off the lady looking for it’s owner claiming that he was the owner, deleted my details, put on his own on and got assigned a number in the queue. When I asked him if he had got my form he said “no” at first but then came back and admitted the truth. He suggested that we should share the form and a jeep. As this was going to make it
cheaper for me, after some hesitation I agreed. He told the official that I was Indian and not foreign which made it cheaper still. They turned out to be an otherwise pleasant family. Anupama even told Ashish off for his trickery and suggested that I should go and see them in Pune. Ashish gave me his email address. Before seeing the lion we did take in a large number of birds and a few crocodiles by a drying lake in the forest.
Dramatically we heard an animal squealing. Our guide and others left their jeeps to investigate. He told us that a lioness had seized a wild boar by its belly and wasn’t going to let it escape; on the other hand she wasn’t going to be able to kill it immediately having seized it by the belly rather than by the throat. It was very likely going to be a slow and painful death for the poor boar. Shortly afterwards our jeep and two others stopped where a lion was trying to take his afternoon nap. He wasn’t at all bothered by the presence of the jeeps and their passengers. Nor was he interested in the ranger who was resting and leaning against a tree with nothing but a baton for protection.
The ranger told us that he did not feel endangered; this was part of his job. He might have been showing off. After the two hour safari and the goodbye to the Agarwals Iqbal took me to Devalia to see more lions but we were going to have to queue up and wait a long time. I arranged for Iqbal to take me to Somnath tomorrow and we set off for the hotel. Once there I got some sleep as I was feeling a bit under the weather. That day I was able to access the internet at last. Dush had emailed me asking me to call him asap. I rang him and
he asked if I could call again at 10 am tomorrow. He and Yashi are going to be out of town when I visit Mumbai and he wants to do some rearranging.

21/11/12 Junagadh
Iqbal’s cousin, Yassin drove me to Somnath today. It was a rougher road than yesterday’s. A new road is being built parallel to the existing one. They might even become one road between them. The new road is to be a toll one. I wasn’t feeling all that well after being subjected to cold weather for two hours in short sleeves followed by torridly hot sunshine for the rest of yesterday. Anyway I dressed warmly for the outward journey today. I took
pictures of Somnath’s temple, the neighbouring Dharamshalla and a local statue, wandered up to the the sea before getting back to the hotel for a few hours sleep aided by a headache pill. I felt much better on waking up and went up to the Vodafone shop to see if the manager, Iftekar Pathan could get my Indian SIM card working. He appeared to do everything right but I have yet to use the new card to productively. I have settled my hotel bill. Either Iqbal or Yassin will drive me to Diu (Div) tomorrow. I have set a
start time of 10 AM and booked a hotel room in Diu.

22/11/12 Diu
Iqbal drove me here from Junagadh. We came here through lion country and Iqbal says he has seen lions on the road in the past. On getting here it turned out that the Sao Tome Retiro couldn’t give me a room after all. One of their guests had extended his/her stay. I was given the option of sleeping on the roof terrace but the space was limited and I could see other people’s belongings there. Fortunately the Super Silver Hotel were able to give me a
nice room at Rs 500 per night. I have had an evening stroll and eaten as little as I can given my tummy problem. My Indian SIM card works.

23/11/12 Diu
I had breakfast at O’Coquiero following the hotel owner Mr Nazeer’s advice. Scrambled eggs and toast seemed right given my tummy problem. Before that I did call at a medical store seeking help with my bad tummy. The shop owner gave me two different lots of tablets and some powdery stuff to dissolve in water and consume. After
breakfast I saw the museum, formerly St Thomas’ Church, Diu Church (St Pauls) and the fort taking lots of pictures. Getting back from the fort I had lunch at O’Coquieros before doing a boat trip round Panikotha Fort, shaped like a boat. In the evening I took a rickshaw ride to the hospital, formerly the Church of St Francis of Assisi, and Gangeshwar
temple. I want to visit the temple again tomorrow and the beaches we passed on the way. I had my evening meal at Alishan. The meal was OK but the wine was very downmarket. I did some research on presents for relatives in Mumbai.

24/11/12 Diu
First thing this morning I bought three pairs of sunglasses for Dush, Jayu and Sharad and then went to O’Coquieros where I had an omlette and toast followed by filter coffee, picked up some items from the medical store and then went on another trip to the Gangeshwar temple. By folklore the Pandavas were here during their exile and used to worship on the site of the temple. They are represented by five Shivalinghas which women more
than men seem to worship – I guess they are hoping to have children. Various Hindu deities are also represented. I understand that at high tide the sea water can wash up on to the Shivalinghas. The shoreline in this area is subject to coastal erosion of the kind I have seen on the Isle of Wight. Nearby is the unused and derelict Parsi tower of silence. I am told that three thousand or so Parsis who lived in Diu have all left. My rickshaw driver dropped me
off at Chakratirth beach from where I visited the INS Kukri memorial, a Hindu temple nearby, Jalander beach, the Circuit House (or one of three Circuit Houses), a mini-fort nearby, a Mahatma Gandhi statue and then made my way back to the hotel.

Later I took a ride to Gomtimata beach and Nagoya beach. I had agreed with the driver that he’d wait for me at Gomtimata while I wandered for fifteen minutes or so. I saw none of the wild wolf-dogs that Mr Nazeer had warned me about but remained wary. My driver dropped me off at Nagoya which was far more crowded in contrast to the nearly deserted Gomtimata beach. There were some paragliders out over the water as well as some
speedboats and at least one jet ski. I walked over to a high point to watch the sunset before taking a rickshaw ride back to town. I looked for a half-bottle of wine but in vain. Going over to O’Coquieros I settled for two glasses of apple juice which was probably more enjoyable than the wine might have been. The fish, chips, salad, fruit pancake and filter coffee were very agreeable and I felt satisfied returning to the hotel.
Back at the hotel I chatted with Mr Nazeer, got a bottle of water, had a short stroll, then fot on to the internet at a cyber café in the same building before going up to my room No 206.

25/11/12 Powai, Mumbai
I had my last breakfast at O’Coquieros, fried eggs for a change. It was good as usual. Then I made my way back to the hotel to use the internet. I had already checked out and settled up; my backpack was in the storeroom. I sent out a “report from Diu” to the closest relatives in India and the UK including Maureen. When I had finished it was time to head for the airport. I said goodbye to Mr Nazeer and his staff and after a few anxious moments got the
rickshaw man to get going. At the airport I had to unpack my backpack to remove a box of matches. We took off on time and landed early first at Porbander and then Mumbai. I got to Dush and Yashi’s in an A/C cab. Belaji has gone to see relatives. Yashi is here. So far I have only met her and Kimaya but have spoken to Tai, Jayu and Dush on the phone. We have decided to meet here at D & Y’s flat for a meal on Tuesday evening though Tai and Sharad will also be here tomorrow evening to take over from Yashi.

26/11/12 Mumbai
I got here a little early because the ‘plane, an ATR-72 landed ahead of schedule.Yashi received me at the flat as Dushyant is away on a refresher course. We had a quiet evening. India were in trouble in the Mumbai test at the end of play. This morning after breakfast I went to the bank to get my account details updated. At the end of my discussion with the lady there I asked her to merge two of my existing accounts. She said that this would be done overnight, so I shall have to return tomorrow. There was a reasonable looking café at Andheri rail station so I had a masala dosa and some grape juice there. I strolled along the skywalk before looking for SV Road along which I hope to catch an auto-rickshaw. I found
one and asked the driver to take me to the seafront at Bandra. He dropped me off at Bandra Land’s End Garden where there were lots of trees providing some welcome shade. There were also lots of romantic couples seated at various places which unfortunately made strolling around a little uncomfortable but I pressed on with it regardless,
I took some photos, strode on the rocks by the sea before moving away from Land’s End at very leisurely pace. Eventually I got a rickshaw back to Powai and used a Cyber Café before returning to the flat where I met Tai and Sharad. Yashi’s flying to Brussels and returning Wednesday evening. Tai and Sharad will stay here till then. India lost by ten wickets – what a shame!

27/11/12 Mumbai
First thing after leaving this morning I headed straight for the bank to see that very nice lady Sangeeta. She had done everything she needed to do. I came away with the documents I had wanted. Sangeeta also answered all my questions and at the end suggested that I put more funds into my accounts. Then I made off for the Dharavi slum
which wasn’t as bad as the film Slumdog Millionaire made out. The next stop after taking a photo of the Palonji Towers (mansions actually) was Dhobi Ghat. Aai had told me about that many years ago. Then on to Kamala Nehru Park on Malabar Hill for a restaurant meal. I was thinking of the restaurant I had taken Celia, the girls and Jayu’s family to many years ago. But when I got there I found no restaurant. So I ate bhel, peanuts, crisps and ice
cream. Then I trudged downhill to the beach. From there it was a taxi to Bandra and then a tuktuk to Dush and Yashi’s stopping once to put credit on my Indian SIM card.
Jayu, Rohini and Saga arrived very late for the meal. Tai had brought food and wine for the meal already and Rohini added to that with some lovely dishes of her own. It was a very pleasant evening. I took photos of the family. After Jayu and company had left I went to my bedroom to make my diary entry for the day.

28/11/12 Mumbai
I got up very late after the delay going to bed last night. I bathed, shaved and changed and after saying goodbye to Tai and Sharad – I wouldn’t be seeing them again on this trip – took a rickshaw to Borivali. When I got there I found out that the next Volvo coach wasn’t going to leave till 12:45. I looked at the option of a private car for Rs 3000 for a return trip to Lonavala; very soon that became unavailable and so I decided to use the coach knowing
that it might take me 3.5 hours to get to Lonavala in it. The coach was half an hour late picking me up. We made innumerable stops with the conductor trying to pick up business. He did pick up some. At Vashi they asked me to move to a different coach, a Mercedes Benz. We finally got to Lonavala after a 3.75 hour journey. I didn’t spend long with Bapu who was joined briefly by his neighbour, Mr Korde. I had a small lunch with Bapu,. took photos and bid goodbye. The return journey didn’t take quite so long and I had time for a bit of shopping and a meal at the Hirandani shopping centre. When I got back to the flat Belaji let me in and offered me supper which I politely declined saying that on my doctor’s advice I wasn’t eating just before bedtime and that I had eaten on the way home.

Mission accomplished, I leave for Havant tomorrow.