Wednesday 26 – Sunday 30 January: New Delhi and the Taj Mahal

 

After much anticipation, the day to fly to India had finally arrived. After spending the past few weeks ill I was looking forward to moving on, and India was exactly what I wanted. The 5 and a half hour flight between Kuala Lumpar and New Delhi was pretty empty, so it was nice and chilled. Matt and I spent four full days in New Delhi and Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal. My opinion of New Delhi varied greatly throughout the trip, but , all in all, it is exactly how you would expect India to be!

The area we stayed in is called Paharganj, and it is the worst part of New Delhi. It is located close to the station (perhaps the only plus!) and is incredibly cheap, especially when compared to the far more up market Connaught Place. Fortunately, Matt and I only had to sleep there, and we spent our days as far away from the area as possible. Our hotel was located off the main strip of this area, and to get to Connaught Place you had to step over the cows, go past a giant room full of rubbish, ignore about 15 scammers trying to get you to go the wrong way (the way of more scammers), ignore all the tuk tuk drivers, cross a ridiculously insane road (apparently no one swerves out of your way in India) and ignore all the men going for a pee, sometimes up the wall of a toilet. Once you get passed all that though you reach Connaught Place, which is a lovely area of New Dehli.

The scammers, unfortunately, were a big part of our trip in Delhi. On our first day we mistakenly took the direction of one of them, where plenty of other scammers were waiting. Unfortunately for them, they are completely transparent so even without my research I would have spotted them a mile off. It mainly revolved around them trying to get you to go to a fake tourist information office, where you would pretty much forced to buy tours etc that you didn't want. Matt spoke to a few, but I soon grew tired and asked him to ignore them. Even if you ignore them some seriously persist though, to the point where you have to rather forcefully ask them to go away.

My two worst scammer experiences occurred trying to buy train tickets and at the Taj Mahal. When we went to the train station to buy ticket to visit the Taj Mahal in Agra, we knew there was a tourist office on the second floor, but trying to get there was a mission. So many people tried to stop us from getting up there, and worst of all, some of the station staff were involved in the scam. We pushed through them all (about 30 of them from the entrance of the station to the stairs to the office), but it certainly wasn't easy. They want to send you to an unofficial and incredibly unreliable agent, who will overcharge you for the same thing you can get for free from the official office.

Perhaps more alarming were the scammers at the Taj Mahal. As I will explain later, Matt became ill during our trip to the Taj Mahal. Upon entry he had to go and be sick, so I sat down and watched the incredibly beautiful Taj from the entrance. Whilst there, five men came and sat around me and started asking me questions about where I was from. I ignored them from the off, I had a sick boyfriend (again) and I was incredibly tired from our 5am wake up. They told me I was being rude, so I stood up and moved closer to a group of Australian men. They followed me over, and so I decided to make a scene. Very loudly I said, “Look, you came over to me and I ignored you. I then moved away and you followed me. If you don't go away, I will scream and you will soon have hundreds of people staring at you”. This got the attention of the Australian men, who soon stood up in my defence. They quickly backed off, and I noticed the police escorting them out. I am sure they wanted me to be involved in some sort of gem scam, or perhaps they wanted to tell me about their English studies that they can't afford to keep up. However, I was pissed of that the second Matt left my side I had scammers all over me. Matt chose to be sick outside the toilets next time. Well, not many people can claim to have been sick whilst looking at the Taj Mahal.

However, even my shouting at the Taj Mahal doesn't beat how I reacted to the tuk tuk driver who drove us back after we returned to New Delhi. After being awake for 19 hours and spending the past 3 of those being stared at by an entire carriage of Indian people, I was feeling pretty fed up. After paying for a tuk tuk at the pre pay booth, I was quite alarmed when a group of the drivers claimed they had forgotten to add on the evening charge. Telling them I wasn't born yesterday (think it got lost in translation, as they told me that was obvious), I called at the top of my voice for a tuk tuk driver who wouldn't try to scam us. A lot of hands shot up, and I grabbed the nearest one. Upon arrival though, the driver asked for extra money for it being the evening. This was too much for me, fed up with every Tom, Dick and Harry trying to scam me, asking for more tip than I had given (the cheek, I always gave a bit more than suggested in Lonely Planet) or generally being rude to me (it is a very sexist country), I decided enough was enough. I told him that he had no right to try to extort money from us, and that at this rate no one would come and visit Delhi. Sure, I felt a bit horrible after that. But he quickly drove off, and I didn't calm down until I got on the plane to Goa.

Whilst on the subject of the Taj Mahal, I can confirm that it was worth getting up at 5am for. It was even worth the journey back in the non air conditioned second class carriage (horrific, perhaps worse that the sleeper bus). It truly is beautiful. It is far bigger than I ever imagined, and up close the semi precious gems embedded in the marble sparkle. It is incredible, and even though Matt was ill throughout, I could have sat for hours watching it. It is certainly not to be missed, and I loved having lunch with a view of the Taj.

The rest of our time in Delhi was spent sight seeing and eating. Delhi is certainly an acquired taste, and I am pretty sure if I came back it would only be for a couple of nights. However, there was something quite charming about the city. The food is certainly amazing. After being ill non stop in Vietnam, I decided to go veggie in India. This is particularly easy, as India has the largest population of vegetarians in the world, so most restaurants are vegetarian anyway. Matt agreed, but changed his mind one night over dinner, and decided to have mutton. Unfortunately, this is was a decision that he now regrets, as he got very ill. Even now, as I write this in Goa, he is curled up in a ball asleep. Fortunately, Heinz beans are easy to find so I am managing to get him to eat, but we have both become incredibly fussy. We both need to see the kitchen before we eat somewhere, and meat is off the table until Bali. Maybe even until we get home at this rate!

And now I feel quite bad, because I have complained non stop about New Delhi. It is a great place to go, but you do have to have a thick skin. I have never encountered levels of scamming like they have in Delhi, nor have I ever seen people ask for more tip than you have given. It is a good reason why people wouldn't go there for a holiday – if you work hard for 50 weeks of the year, why would you want your two weeks off to be full of people trying to extort money from you. I would only go again on a big budget, where I could hire a driver for the day and enjoy the city's charms for what they are. For now though I am glad to be heading to Goa, after being ill in Vietnam and spending the majority of my time in Delhi incredibly stressed out, I am looking forward to relaxing. I hear the Goans are famous for how laid back they are, here is hoping...

New Delhi and the Taj Mahal

Tuesday 28 December – Tuesday 25 January: Vietnam; Or, I must have left my heart in Saigon...

Oh Vietnam. I think I have done you a dishonour. You really weren't all that bad. And yes, throughout half of my stay in you I had the biggest case of travel fatigue, brought on by the cold weather and various bouts of illness. Yet, in places you were truly beautiful. And I am sorry I didn't give you enough of a chance...

Vietnam... What can I say? I loved the south and hated the north. But I don't think my opinion is a fair one, and I shall explain why later. However, I will start with Ho Chi Minh City, or, as I prefer, Saigon. Saigon ended up one of my favourite cities, and returning there just before we flew to India proved this. The contrast between north and south Vietnam is astonishing, and if I return I will most definitely be staying firmly in the south!

Matt and I flew from Kuala Lumpar to Saigon to bring in the new year, and what a place to do so! Matt and I did indulge in some sight seeing about the city, but Saigon is more a place for the atmosphere. The locals are lovely, and we had plenty of late night conversations in broken English with curious young people. One girl in particular will stick in my mind. I met her and her fiancée at the Saigon food festival, and she taught me some Vietnamese before asking every question under the sun about England. What is the weather like? What are your parents called? How much money did you earn in your job? Does your neighbour have a cat or a dog? Matt had disappeared to find a toilet, and when he returned I had found a new friend, or, as Matt called her, “ooooooh, Vietnamese friend”.

Locals aside, I think we were particularly lucky to arrive in Saigon for the annual food festival. This was quite an event there, and we found ourselves eating dinner there every night. It was a great chance to try food from very expensive restaurants at a fraction of the price, and Matt and I certainly indulged. Matt even convinced me to try a litre of beer... Thankfully, I had plenty of volunteers to help me finish it!

The highlight of Saigon was, of course, new year's eve. We had noticed a few days before that they were putting speakers up in the heart of the city, and when we arrived there at 11.30, there were literally thousands of Vietnamese people dancing the night away, having a great time. We had an amazing time whilst it lasted (unfortunately, Vietnam has a strict curfew so the party ended at 12.30), and went back to the hostel to wish everyone at home a happy new year, ready to wake up at 6 the next morning.

Our next stop was Mui Ne, a windsurfers paradise. I was particularly fond of Mui Ne. The beach was as nice, if not nicer, than those of Thailand. The crowds were young Australians instead of sleazy old men, and the bars and restaurants were cheap. We decided to only spend one day on the beach as at the time we were eager for culture after enjoying many days at the pool in Kuala Lumpar. However, Mui Ne is most definitely a place I would recommend.

North west of Mui Ne is the charming little town of Dalat. Compared with its surroundings Dalat is remarkably cool, and the temperature came as a shock to us! However, due to the micro climate Dalat is a food paradise. They grow all sorts, and I was particularly fond of the delicious strawberry jam. Food aside, there was not a lot to do in Dalat. There was the infamous 'Love Valley', full of plastic animals and general tat. A great stop though to get away from the heat though.

Next stop was Vietnam's ultimate beach resort, Nha Trang. Unfortunately, the weather had taken a turn for the worse when we arrived, and it rained non stop! Never mind, I, by this point, had contracted illness number one, a cold. As such, I was more than happy to sit around enjoying coffee and chilling out. Still, we moved on pretty sharpish. We decided to go to Hoi An next, an inevitable stop for anyone returning from travelling to get a job – it is tailor heaven.

First though, we had to go on our first of two sleeper buses. Fortunately, Matt and I had managed to avoid sleeper buses until Vietnam. I hated both of the ones we went on. No matter where you are on the bus you can smell the toilet at all times. They are also not designed for Westerners, so if you are above 5 foot tall you won't fit. And, apparently, it is necessary for the driver to sit with his hand on the horn throughout the entire journey. Nevertheless, it got us from A to B both times, and I can say this in the knowledge that I have promised myself that I will never, ever go on a sleeper bus again.

Hoi An is a charming little town. It was quite chilly whilst we were there, but we enjoyed it all the same. Matt had by this point contracted my cold, and I was beginning to get really bad stomach cramps everytime I ate. Still, we managed to make our way to Adong Silk, where we spent three hours choosing fabrics and designs, whilst being measured from every conceivable angle for our suits and coats. Two days and three fittings laters, our suits were ready. We are both very happy with the result and would recommend Adong Silk to all. It was very reasonably priced, even with shipping (and I have received confirmation that the suits have arrived safely!) and we are now ready for all those job interviews back home...

Next stop was Hue. Poor Hue, it is actually quite a charming city, but, unfortunately, Matt and I were both ill by this point. My cold had come back, and I was still suffering from stomach cramps. Matt had really bad tummy trouble, and we just couldn't stomach walking further than a restaurant for lunch or dinner. We did manage to get to the Citadel; well, the outside of the Citadel. The thought of going in was a bit much, and we decided to cut the trip short and head to Hanoi.

Oh Hanoi. In hindsight, you actually weren't all bad. I want to try to avoid writing too much about Hanoi, but it is actually quite a charming city. It has nothing on Saigon, but it isn't that bad. The problem was Matt and I both got very ill there. I am not sure what exactly caused it, but we both had serious stomach problems, although, luckily, not at the same time. I am not sure we would have coped at all well both being ill, as finding the energy to get out of bed was pretty hard, let alone trying to eat something. Trying to get Matt to eat something when he was recovering was like trying to feed brussel sprouts to a toddler. Fortunately, the shop down the road sold Snickers, so it was was 5 Snickers a day for Matt until he felt well enough to eat pizza, and other “safe” food. In case you are wondering, his eating did get better in India. Until he ate mutton (I did say I would avoid the meat in India...) and he got sick again. Fortunately in Goa they have Heinz baked beans, so getting him to eat is not such a struggle...

Unfortunately, once we were both feeling a bit better (I actually got ill again just before we left Hanoi!) we couldn't leave Hanoi, as we were applying for a visa at the Indian embassy and they had taken our passports away. We did manage a trip to Halong Bay, which was incredibly beautiful. Unfortunately though, our entire boat consisted of French people. As good as I can read and understand spoken French, I cannot speak it well at all, so we had no one to talk to. Although, to the French woman who looked like yoda please note that I understood when you said in French, why should they get a double room and we have to get a twin, stupid English pigs. Although, I think she might have realised I understood when I said to Matt that I couldn't spend another second around pretentious French people. Her yoda face did look utterly horrified, I think.

At last though, the day arrived for us to pick up our Indian visas and return to Saigon. It was great to be back – no one staring, 30 degrees, clean rooms and restaurants. Thought we should enjoy it whilst it lasts, as I can't see India being particularly clean! All in all though, can't see myself returning to Vietnam anytime soon. If I do though, I must remember not to leave my heart in Saigon next time...

Mui Ne, Dalat and Hoi An

A happy new year from Saigon

Thursday 16 – Monday 27 December – A very HOT Xmas in Kuala Lumpar

At the beginning of our trip Matt and I went to stay with Doug and Wilma, friends of the Cheeks. They were kind enough to invite us back for Christmas, and we jumped at the offer! Having been on the road for a quite a while now, we were very excited to be going somewhere for a reasonable amount of time. As lucky as we know we are, constantly moving from place to place is exhausting, and we are very fortunate to be able to go somewhere for some rest.

We flew into Kuala Lumpar, and after being picked up at the station by Mark, we were greeted into the familiar penthouse by the smell of lasagne. It was delicious, and we enjoyed catching up with the Websters. It truly was great to be back, and that evening, after a hot shower, we enjoyed sleeping in a comfortable bed in an air conditioned room. This is what 'flashpacking' must be like...

Yet again we have really seen the sights of Kuala Lumpar, of course, if those sights include the pool.... We even managed to go for a dip in the pool on Christmas day, mainly, I think, just because we could. In fact, we had a great time in Kuala Lumpar, and the time flew by.

A particular highlight was going to see Harry Potter. It was a really nice cinema, far nicer than in the UK, and it cost all of 15 Ringit (£3) each, including a drink and popcorn. There was one problem though, the cinema was freezing! In fact, Wilma told us that you can go to special screens which have reclining armchairs and blankets; it is a shame we didn't have the chance to experience that! I can confirm that we thoroughly enjoyed Harry Potter, although I think non-fan Mark was quite confused!

Going to the cinema wasn't the only touch of home we had, we also indulged in a Domino's. This was a bit pricier though, it was about the same price as home, but so good. In a way, Kuala Lumpar certainly feels like a home away from home, and Matt and I are even starting to get excited to be getting back on the road.

The highlight of our time here was, of course, Christmas. Michael and his girlfriend Sandy came over, and we had a great couple of days. We started by going on a night out for Christmas eve, which was pretty much over a few hours later after only two cocktails. It might have something to do with the cocktails coming in pint glasses though...

Christmas day was spent at the Hilton, and we enjoyed a 24 course meal. As you can imagine, it was HUGE. Very, very delicious, but by the puddings I couldn't even manage a spoonful of each. My particular favourite was the pink snapper. We did get to have a taste of caviar as well, but I didn't think much of it! Perhaps it is an acquired taste...

Let us not forget that Matt also turned 25 whilst we were out here! I did take him for lunch and manage to buy him a few useful presents. Doug and Wilma also had a Christmas party that night, so Matt managed to consume his entire body weight in beer... It was his birthday, after all.

It has been another fantastic trip to Kuala Lumpar, and as we are now planning on heading to the north of Malaysia, it may not be our last... Thank you once again to Doug and Wilma for their hospitality, when you are next in London we will make sure we begin to repay the favour!

A very hot Xmas in Kuala Lumpar!