Day 22 Incredible India!!
12 September 2009
My last day in India
Money talks in Jaipur just like in Agra
Friends decided to stop by for lunch along the way.
I finally reached Delhi
It has been a great trip, encompassing the different cultures, heritage, landscape and nature. The memories will be etched in my mind. Thank you India
Till then, keep in touch.
Day 21 Incredible India!!
11 September 2009
The journey to Jaipur began at 4 am as planned. The weather was cloudy but soon the sky started to open up with some sunshine. Yippee!!
Next on the list is ChandBaori, an unplanned stop proposed by but definitely a worthwhile stop.
This is the same shooting location which they filmed the Hindi Bollywoodmovie . Sorry, I could not remember the title. The dancers will lined up the staircases and danced away.
In the vicinity, there was a school session in progress. The teachers were kind enough to invite me in.
But in another class, San was asked to give something in return. Ok Ok….this is not a right thing to do for him in front of the school kids. Oh please!!
Now do we appreciate Kashmir even more.
Upon my arrival in Jaipur, I went to the Amber palace but loitered around at the courtyard.Decided to give the main palace a miss.
Touts will harass you again at the palace entry. I am beginning to dislike the Golden triangle now after the non stop harassing for the past 2 days. I am beginning to lose my patience and I am better off falling asleep in this town.
Scores of shops lined up the streets selling the same stuff, obviously to cater to the tourists.
My hit rate is decreasing right now, sigh!! I head back to the hotel for dinner but not before the tuktuk driver lost his way. I packed my stuff for I am leaving India
Day 20 Incredible India!!
10 September 2009
It was raining cats and dogs when I set off for Agra
before heading to Akbar tomb
They imposed an entry fee to this tomb but due to the shortage of time, I gave this place a miss. I checked in at Kant Hotel before heading to TajMahal, one of the seven wonders of the world. You will have to walk about 1-2km to reach the entrance of the TajMahal. Touts after touts lined up the street, peddling their souveniers while others offer a ride for 10Rps in a horse carriage to the main entrance. You have to be firm in saying NOOOO, else there will be non stop harassing. This is spoiling my trip. I simply hate this!!Entrance fees to the Taj is 750Rps. Yes, 750 RPs!!!!!Bloody expensive.
TajMahal in itself is very beautiful.
It is unfortunate that I was not blessed with good weather here.
You will have to deposit your shoes before entering the main building. They will demand a tips, moneyagain!!!Either that, you can use a shoe cover (given to tourist at the ticketing booth), but I did not get mine, oh well.
I am simple in awe of the Taj.
with the neighbouring architecture sitting pretty next to the Taj.
Do refuse if there is any individual come forward in the pretext of giving you tips on good shooting angles as they will demand tips from you. MONEY , MONEY, MONEY!!!
Next stop is Agra
I only took a ride outside the fort. Decided to give this place a miss. Here , they will charge you additional for any cameras brought in beside the entrance fees. Experience in Jaipur was not every forthcoming. Too touristy and the constant touting will kill your visit for freedom. No peace to soak in the beauty.
I had dinner at the hotel, and I simply don’t understand why the dining room is so freezing cold. Turned in at 10pm for an early morning wake up call at 0400 hours for Jaipur.
Day 19 Incredible India!!
9 September 2009
My final day in Kashmir . I woke up at 0700 hours, did my final packing. Let’s have a final group shot for a final farewell.
My heartfelt thanks go out to MrYusof (3rd from left) and the chef (2nd from left) who have been taking good care of me preparing my dinner, supper and so on.
It is sad to say goodbye, but all good things have to come to an end. To Kashmir , or otherwise knows as the last paradise on earth, I will miss you.
I don’t feel intimidated by the presence of Indian soldiers every 20 metres with AK47 patrolling the remote village. It is a safe place, trust me!!
I left the boat house for the airport at 1030 hours together with Yusof.100m away from the departure hall, you will need to go through a security baggage screening . At check in, you will need to get a luggage tag and identify your own luggage before they haul it up the plane. Very strange procedure!!!
This is a military airport and security is at its tightest. The plane arrived 30 minutes late and I reached New Delhi
before heading back to meet our travel agent for my Golden triangle trip (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur). I stayed in Hotel Raikant International, settled down for dinner at South Indian restaurant., turned in at 2200 hours for a wake up call at 0400 hours the next day.
Day 18 Incredible India!!
8 September 2009
As usual, I woke up at 8am, and headed to the back of the boat househunting for subjects. I left the boat house at 0930 hours for the Verinag Spring Water, the place of the source of Jalim river. And yes, the color of the water is natural blue, no idea why.
Along the way , I stopped by the town of Annatag
Different vendors, different towns, but still the same friendly hospitality.
Next stop was the largest mosque in Kashmir, the Hyderabad
You can feed the pigeons in the vicinity.
I reached the boat house at 1700 hours. Tonight was to be my last night of prayers at the mosque. I kinda felt sad. ‘I silently cry’, crybaby huh…but I will certainly missed the company and the people at the mosque whom have been nice to me during my stay.
And tonight, San and Stan had been staying up late with Kingfisher beer (hmm, first time drinking beer in this journey) to enjoy their last night here. We are going to miss this wonderful place. Sad…sad sad…sob… so….sob.
Day 17 Incredible India!!
7 September 2009
I woke up at 8 am to shoot in the vicinity of the guest house before departing for Manasbal Lake at 930 am. We have to circle round the lake. Stopppppp!!!!
I left the place at 1120 hours for Wular Lake. Along the way, you will pass by the town of Bandipore
And the vendors were so friendly they would smiled for the camera.
I stopped by a local village but ended up getting swarmed with kids. I cannot complain, can I?
The kids are such great company. Seriously, the kids in Kashmir are nowhere spoilt even if you need to have a photo with them.
and they worked hard too to help their parents.
This was the same town where there were a number of kids disappeared, believed to have been kidnapped by the ‘soldiers’ and nowhere to be found till today,
the ‘carpetted grass’,
the life and identity of this place is beyond words to describe
I ended the visit to a shrine at the top of the hill.
I left the place soon after, caught up in traffic jam, had to breakfast in the car and finally reached the boat house around 1900 hours. My nightly routine followed thereafter.Day 16 Incredible India!!
6 September 2009
I set off for Phalagam, situated 90 kilometeres away, at 1000 hours .
I stopped by Avantiswamin temple, a ruined Hindu temple. The entrance fee was really exorbitant but after some hassle, my guide managed to get it down to a reasonable rate. You may give this a miss, nothing special.
Afterwards, I passed by small town along the way,
Though the journey was long, there were plenty of photo opportunities, as the route will bring you into some small town, apple,
pine tree and walnut plantations.A glimpse of the local at work.
If you are lucky, you could see the gypsies on the road,
one after another.
And also the shepherds.
No wonder they call Phalagam, the valley of the sheperds,
Now lets count some sheeps shall we? 1, 2….3….
If you feel the urge to stop, please do so, else you will regret it!!
Upon reaching Phalagam you will be offered a horse riding trip that will set you back for 700Rps for a 2 ½ hour ride into the meadows. A ride distance of 14 km to be exact. San decided to give this a miss since he has a phobia of horse.
At the meadow, they will charge you for 5Rps again just for stepping into this soil,
the valley of the sheperd (not worth it in my eyes, so I did not take any pictures), as well as the Kashmiri valley.
If you ask me personally if this ride is worth it, I would gladly say you will not miss noting if you give it a miss. Perhaps it is the weather which is unkind to me, the sun being too harsh and the long steep up and down slope. My butt is hurting when my horse started galloping, fortunately it didn’t do that a lot. This place is too touristy for me. I left Phalagam around 1630 hours and only reached the boat house at 1830 hours where my nightly routine follows thereafter.
Day 15 Incredible India!!
5 September 2009
5 am wake up call. It was time to leave for the floating vegetable market at 0530 hours on a shikara. The boat ride in the morning was very good and the floating market itself was super.
This is an experience of a lifetime. You could find many different types of business on the floating market, from money changer, flower man selling seeds, vegetable seller selling different types of greens
Of course, the business transaction took place over the water
I headed back to the boat house at 830 am. Oh yea!! I did catch a glimpse of the kingfisher on the way back.
There were egrets, ducks and other types of birds too.
After a short rest, I left for Mughal Garden
And being a garden, you will be greeted with flowers.
Here you could have a good view of the Dal Lake
I was very fortunate to witness quite a number of flying eagles circling in the sky, to the extent of fighting for food.
I set off to Shalimar Garden
Kasmhir is the ‘one place’ known for its quality carpet. I reached the boat house at 1400 hours.
At around 1600 hours, I went to the old town,
to visit a mosque. There was a shrine inside the mosque . There was a man who kept tailing me and forced me to make a donation. Islam do not practise such attitude. I refused him totally and lied to him that I do not have any money with me. He went after San and Stan too.
I went in the mosque for my afternoon prayer, and I was given a strange look. All eyes were on me, and my stomach begin to twitch with all the attention eyes on me. After prayers, I make a quick exit.
Next stop, Jamae mosque, the mosque with 4 minarets. The mosque was very big and the people here were very friendly. I was free to wander around just like these birds
A quick parting shot before I leave the mosque.
At the exit at 1845 hours, I was charged 10Rps for each camera that I brought in. Gosh!!!! As usual, I went for my nightly prayers opposite the boat house.
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