Bangalore

India

April 2005
3 days

Gavin wrote:
we;re now in bangalore - we spent about a week in pallolum which was very relaxing - we did find somewhere to watch footie and drink beer so all was cool.

we left it too late to get a train to kerala - it required 5 days notice! so instead we hung out by the beach and chilled for a few days more than we planned.

we got a bus to bangalore which was an experience - it took 14 hours! we were in a sleeper bus which basically meant we had no head room but could lie down - didnt get much sleep but it was a decent way to travel.

Our bus was supposed to be luxury but didnt even have a toilet and when we stopped at along the way i have to say that the toilets we encountered were grim....very grim - pretty much the worst ive ever seen = urgh, i wont go into details....but urgh!

Tired but ok, we arrive in the morning in bangalore - we got in taxi and got completly ripped off - the richshaw drivers in bangalore are very dodgy - in fact a lot of people here are dodgy, wed go to buy water and theyd triple the price cos were foreign - which makes buying water hard cos we keep walking away from places - so our first impressions of bangalore are not good - i guess this is proper india. we are staying in an OK hotel, its very expensive tho (for india) - everywhere we saw was pricey - i guess were jsut used to Goa.

yesterday we found a shopping mall which was air con and clean so we hung out there most of the day (didnt buy anything) - had a mcdonalds and went to the cinema (were so not cultured) we saw two films back to back cos we couldnt think what else to do at night!

today we are going to go sight seeing - gonna go to a temple and a park and a fort and weird palace which is supposed to be a replica of windsor castle!

then tomorrow we fly to delhi.

Lorraine wrote:
Still in Indai - still havent done v. much. I am sooo lazy.

Unfortunately had to leave the beaches of goa. Had a rally good time aslthough the nightlife was a bit quiet - not allowed to play loud music after 10 in Goa.

Was supposed to go to Kerala and do some sightseeing but you had to give 4-5 days notice to book the trains so we didnt have time and had to stay in Goa for a bit longer.

Then had a 14 hour bus journy to Banaglore, wasnt so bad as it awas a sleeper but had to lie down the whole way but much better then sitting. Also had my first brush with public Indian toliets - lovley urine smelling squat loos at the petrol stations. V. pleassnt.

Nearly got killed a minute ago. the electricty in India goes of a\every so oftne and this then coincided with the air fan above me deciding to fall off the wall. I managed to dodge it as it smashed all around me. The internet people were a bit concerned - I hope they give me a discount.

Not much doing in Bangaloe - suppose to be the technology capital of India - but quite frankly - if they cant sort out the electricity then not impressed!

Also, the rickshaw men are rude and they are conmen. Had rows with 2 of thm so far. One had something green stuck in his teeth while we were arguing. Inian men also spit a lot of really digusting stuff, although I havent seen anyone poo in the street yet - am saving that pleasure for Delhi.

However, its nice being back in the city - got a room with telly and Ac and been to the cinema and mc donalds ( I know - Im such a Philistine)

Going to go and visit some palaces and parks today. Tehn off to Delhi tomorrow evening. Once in Delhi will book a train to the Taj Mahal and then to Jaipur. (unless liek Keral we have to give notice - in which case will go straight to Singapore)

Anyway, best be off and do some stuff. Maybe in my next email will be able to tell you baout some culutal stuff (or more lileky what I have watched on telly)