My last week in India,
Plannned to chill to the max in a little town full of eroticly carved temples!
Sadly the elections decided to take control, so with borders closed for 2 days I was unable to leave the polluted hole of Jhansi I'd arrived in to take the bus. The bus station full of rancid fly ridden puddles, pollution and dust filling lungs and being hawked out loudly in throaty lumps beside me, and even a dead cow thrown in, I left to find a crap hotel as fast as possible. Was misinformed for 2 days that the bus would run so made frequent trips through the haze back and forth between the filthy room and the cranky bus station! No one really knew anything. 6 different answers to the same question (every time!).
The hotel was conveiniently positioned between a run of marriage marquees. this being the 'wedding season' there were weddings every night. They came in the incredibly decorated, spectaculaly lit, deliciously fed and thumpingly loud form that hindi weddings do. I was invited in and fast became the novelty item, so after being fed (!!) I evicted myself before the bride and groom arrived in their carriage as i was in danger of stealing the lime light. All fine until I wanted to sleep. They (one each side) were louder than any free party I've been to and with terrible mixing of tunes!
Now, thankfully, I've made it to Khajaraho where the Karma Sutra pops out (literally) from every corner. The carvings are incredible and the temples sublime, never seen better. The men are extremely freindly here (too many temples for inspiration) and all slow down next to you on their bikes to 'chat for 5 minutes'. I've found myself becoming quite rude (memories from my last trip to North India 9 years ago) saying the repetitive 'no' more assertively than ever before.
Have also met some lovely locals, am dining with some tonight on the rooftop restaurant as their guest. Watched the orange sun set over the goat hearded fields.
Off to Varanasi tomorrow, straight through and on to Nepal (3 overnight journies travelling in a row -Ouch). It's going to be cold (Dave bring your thermals!) as I've dug my boots out even now and i am nowhere near a mountain.
Am learning how to make samosas for breakfast tomorrow
yogic goodbyes XXXXX Jo
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Straight from the horse's mouth
