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Post by onlyMark on Nov 8, 2014 14:14:09 GMT
I may add to this as I go. I'll see how I feel.
The flight here was fine, only two seats each side of the aisle in business class but no in seat entertainment. No problem, I read anyway. When I booked the hire car I was supposed to land about 3.15pm, so I booked the car for 4pm. Oman Air changed the time to 2.45pm but I thought I wouldn't bother changing the car time as I needed to get some money etc. What happened was we set off early because the plane was less than half full (in business class there were 12 seats and only 2 of us on both legs). The plane then must have had a following wind because we ended up arriving at 2.15pm. I had to muck about trying to get money - one of my debit cards kept getting spat out of the atm's, a second one eventually worked.
Went to the car hire desk and they told me I was far too early, they didn't have a car yet. So I had to wait, and wait, and wait. Eventually at 4pm they said they were ready and I followed a girl outside who handed me off to a man with a car. Not my car though. He then had to give me a lift to their office half an hour away. Then the usual mucking around with paperwork as though they'd never done it before - plus - neither of my credit cards were ok, both were 'declined' in the machine. I told them there was nothing wrong with the cards and they tried a different method on one of them which was accepted. Then the car allocated for me couldn't be found, they decided it must be being serviced. The next one then had a problem with the permits expiring in a few days so a third one was settled on.
Eventually I set off at 5.30pm just as the sun was setting and at the rush hour. Then there were a load of roadworks meaning the sat nav I have couldn't find the way to the hotel, which ended up down a small side street at the side of a main road that I couldn't turn down because of the aforementioned road works. A ten minute ride ended up being nearly an hour. Then I couldn't find a parking spot, no matter the hotel blurb said they had parking. But that was about it.
I've just had a couple of vegetarian dishes (paneer bhujia – cottage cheese and onion in a curry sauce, jeera aloo – spiced potato cubes, a couple of Indian breads (roti) and a pot of chai served in my room and I'll soon crash into bed as I've been up all night.
One extra kicker is the last time I hired a car I could go anywhere in it and had unlimited mileage. That company now restricts it to 250km a day, no good for me. So I've used a different company that give me unlimited again. However, and I didn't know this until just as I was picking it up - it can be taken anywhere in India - but it is registered as a commercial vehicle and as such I now have to pay taxes in every state I enter. It means, for example, that going to my next destination, Jaipur, means I have to pay about 3 Euro a day for the privilege. The cost isn't the problem, it is that I now have to find out and chase round to find somewhere/someone to pay it to.
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Post by mich64 on Nov 8, 2014 14:57:41 GMT
How long was the flight? It will be interesting to find out how and where you have to pay this tax. Maybe they now have toll booths when you enter or exit states?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2014 16:26:40 GMT
Ha ha, sounds just like India! You must really be there.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 9, 2014 1:19:26 GMT
Mich, I had a 3 hour flight from Amman to Muscat, 3 hours in the lounge and then 3 hours from Muscat to Delhi. All in all quite relaxed. I think there is a building on the entrance to each state where it will be paid. I need to keep my eye out for it.
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Post by mich64 on Nov 9, 2014 3:13:52 GMT
I have never been in any of the lounges in all the airports we have been to as we fly economy. We were offered a discounted rate coupon to the one in Toronto after an extremely stressful check in a few years ago, the lovely lady at the counter was very kind. However, we were traveling with others who would have had to pay full price so we missed the experience.
When we were in Austria this past September, we had to purchase a vignette to travel on the major highways. If I remember correctly it cost 8.50 euro for 9 days usage. Before the border (German side) there were huge signs telling you to pull over and purchase one before entering Austria. We have been before and knew to purchase one so we got one at a gas station on a B road well before the border. I have read of some travellers not getting one and thinking they got through without paying only to be billed by their car rental company the fine and administration charges months after returning home. Overhead cameras were everywhere. We had a GPS that warned us of speed cameras as well.
Being this seems to be a new tax, I suspect the signage will not be as good yet. I am sure you will see it, you know to be looking for it.
Looking forward to your adventures in Jaipur.
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Post by anshjain97 on Nov 9, 2014 9:47:27 GMT
Many commercial vehicles do not have an all-India permit and indeed these taxes need to be paid. Although it's been a while since we did this, there were buildings on state borders where this registration is done.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 9, 2014 9:56:18 GMT
Mich, I normally fly economy all the time. I'm only flying business class because when my dad died and left me a few thousand euros he asked that I go on holiday with it. So I am. Anyway the ticket was cheap, just 600 euros return. More on the permits soon though I've driven a lot in Europe and am aware of the vignette thing, especially also in Slovenia.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 9, 2014 12:41:48 GMT
Slept really well last night, nice soft bed and hardly any noise outside. I’ll not normally include details of what I eat during the day but as it is the first full day I thought I would. So, for breakfast I had aloo paratha (which is “unleavened dough stuffed with a spiced mixture of mashed potato, which is rolled out and cooked on a hot flat frying pan with butter or ghee”), banana, cucumber raita (yoghurt), pickles and chai (sweet milky tea). For lunch I had a vegetarian thali (selection of various dishes/breads in small bowls) which stuffed me quite a lot but – it soon seemed to go down and I’ve just been out for a walk from my hotel as it is a couple of hours until the restaurant opens and had a bit of street food. First were small pani puri – puris are small circles of a simple bread that is deep fried and puffs up as it does so. A small hole is made in the top and it is then filled with a mixture of flavoured water ("pani"), tamarind chutney, chili, chaat masala (spice mixture), potato, onion and chickpeas. It is usually small enough to fit completely into your mouth in one go. Then there was a potato cake called aloo tikka - mashed potato patties mixed with various herbs, like coriander and spices, deep-fried in oil. Then something I have no idea what it’s called but it was an Indian version of eggy bread/gypsy toast/french toast. I’ve no idea what I’m going to have for my dinner either, but I think I’ve eaten enough really. We’ll see later. I drove off this morning knowing I have to find some solution to the permit thing for the car. I asked later at a garage and a couple of truck drivers but the language always got in the way. I then stopped at a Police Station. They understood and said I needed to go about 15km to find the building. Twenty five km later, no sign of it. I know I was looking for one that had a sign – “RTO tax”. I then stopped at a traffic police station. Oh yes, they said, go another twenty km or so. After about 15km I came across this sign board – I stopped and saw a little shed – From then on it was all straight forward. The lads accessed some sort of official database (legitimately), I paid them the requisite cash, they printed off a permit with the details of the car and I went on my way. This is their set up – I then had several hours driving down a road I know to be horrendous, the main Delhi – Jaipur road and after avoiding the camels, carts, cows and crap divers I made it to Jaipur. I came here to see again a place that hasn’t really been covered in reports, Jantar Mantar. I like it for what it is – and I’ll at some time do a proper write up but for now you can try and guess what it is from this one photo –
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Post by bjd on Nov 9, 2014 15:16:23 GMT
A ski jump with steps? And a door that has to be opened just in time?
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 9, 2014 15:46:40 GMT
The thali consisted of – Gatta curry - gram flour dumpling in yogurt gravy Aloo pyaz - potato with onion gravy Shahi paneer - paneer (cottage cheese) and tomato based spicy gravy Missi roti – gram flour bread with chilli, garam masala and other spices Plain paratha –pan fried whole wheat dough Jeera pulao – rice with cumin Dal fry – cooked lentils fried with spices like cumin, mustard seeds, red/green chilli, onion and garlic Boondi raitha — tiny balls of fried gram flour (chickpea flour) in spicy yoghurt. Papad – also known as poppadam in the UK Raw tomato, cucumber, radish, onion.
Cost 200 rupees, about 2.60 euro/3.25 usd.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2014 17:25:30 GMT
Quite a few places in Paris now serve proper thalis in the metal trays, so I am extremely interested in the details of what you ate. Of course a thali in Paris has no more than about 6-7 elements and costs 9-10 euros. Naturally, there are more luxurious versions but the simple ones are already more than I can eat.
I am making some raita tonight and you have reminded me that I am all out of poppadams -- I generally buy the pepper version, which really challenges beginners.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 9, 2014 17:47:06 GMT
In Amman I can only buy the pepper ones anyway. Much to the disappointment of the kids who only like the plain ones. I'm heading out in a few days to Gujarat, or at least that is the tentative plan, and that area is renown for its thalis.
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Post by mich64 on Nov 9, 2014 18:56:34 GMT
My guess for the photo is a guard post?
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Post by questa on Nov 9, 2014 22:31:06 GMT
I can hazard a guess...are you in a park-like area in Jaipur with reminders of the "Golden age" around you?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2014 3:44:56 GMT
I cheated. I know what it is.
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Post by questa on Nov 10, 2014 9:21:28 GMT
onlyMark
May I post another couple of pics of the mystery place? I have some of the gathering of little ones too. I don't want to steal your thunder...tell me when to post
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 10, 2014 10:46:51 GMT
questa, I will do a report on the place another time. Could you add them to there? They would be a welcome addition rather than getting lost in this thread. I'll remind you when I post it.
For anyone still puzzled, it is an observatory and the photo is part of a sundial there, accurate to 2 seconds, they say.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 10, 2014 11:05:13 GMT
They say India is a land of contradictions. All I can say is that yesterday I battled down a busy main road for several hours trying to avoid all and sundry whilst maintaining a high level of concentration. Today, I about bored myself to tears driving down a virtually deserted smooth dual carriageway for a couple of hours half hoping for a bit of traffic to vary the routine. The road looked like this – Though it seems the boredom caused a loss of concentration in more than one person – I suspect it happened last night. One truck would have parked opposite the junction, probably without lights or usually they weren’t working. The other truck moved too far left to go around something turning right, then hit the parked one. I then drove to the town of Bundi to have a look at a couple of places, the architectural style of which I’ve only ever seen in India. I can stand being corrected if I’m wrong. A report will follow in due course. Bundi is a town a little off the beaten track though does have a few tourists. After visiting one of the two places above I stopped for a drink in a shop nearby. The owner asked me if I liked that place. “Yes, it’s fine” I said. “But a little dirty?” he asked. I agreed, “Yes, a little dirty”. He continued, “If you think it is then you don’t understand India”. “Oh I think I do. You think it is normal. Doesn’t need cleaning and looking after”. “Not really, no”. “Then maybe you don’t understand what tourists want to see”. I drank up, wished him good day and left. Anyway, the town, castle/palace and area look like this. A few random shots – Long day driving tomorrow, past Udaipur and up into the hills a little. It’ll be more or less just a night stopover on my way elsewhere.
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Post by onlyMark on Nov 11, 2014 11:58:03 GMT
For most people it wouldn’t be a problem in India. What wouldn’t? Parking. Yep, car parking at a hotel. I have a car, I drive to places, go to a hotel and park up for the night. Then have a walk round if possible in the general area. One of the criteria I have for booking a hotel at the moment is that a) I can get to it with the car and b) I can park there reasonably securely. I book hotels initially for the first couple of nights and then see how I feel and do it as I go. The hotel in Bundi I stayed in last night was booked in advance from home, hence I’d done a bit of research on it and seen that they offer “free on-site parking”. What a load of bollocks. I found it up an alley that was maybe just wide enough for a small car and parking anywhere near was hopeless. I’m sure you’ve walked down the town street chock a block with all sorts of life, stalls, shops and transport, those who have been to India and many Asian countries. It was one of those. I fought my way down and fought my way back and then had to park up about 400m away. Just to clarify that I don’t mind walking. I don’t mind hotels without parking, I don’t mind carrying my rucksack with me as it only weighs about 8kg anyway. It is a first world problem for sure, but I despise deliberate misleading information. As I entered the hotel I spoke to the owner who was manning the reception. I told him I have a reservation and gave my name. He looked at me with just my small rucksack and asked, “Where are your bags?” “I only have this. It’s all I could carry. The rest are in the car” I replied.(I don't really have any more. I just wanted to be awkward) “Where is your car?” “Up by the palace, it’s the only parking place” “Why hasn’t your driver brought them?” “I am the driver” “You are the driver? Then who…..?” “There’s only me, I am driving, there’s no-one else” “What happened to your driver?” “I don’t have one, I haven’t had one and I don’t need one” “He could have brought your bags………” (Touché!) Me – “You advertise you have parking on-site, clearly you don’t” Him – “Yes, we are very sorry, we keep meaning to change that” Me – “Don’t concern yourself, when I write a review I’ll be sure to mention it so that others don’t make the same mistake I made in trying to get my car down here” Deuce. Then I was shown to a room on the ground floor. As the hotel is an old building, called a Haveli (“Haveli is the term used for a private mansion in India and Pakistan, usually one with historical and architectural significance. The word haveli is derived from Arabic haveli probably through Persian hawli, meaning "an enclosed place.") I didn’t expect much as generally the rooms are basic but the ‘public’ areas are made for show. Here’s a little of what it looks like – And this is the view I had from the restaurant last night – I discovered I didn’t have any hot water, the electric heater didn’t work. I mentioned it and was given a room on the second floor. I then had hot water but no pressure. It took nearly an hour to fill a bucket (no shower head in the room) but by that time the water was cold again. Because of the building type the rooms don’t have windows facing outside. In fact I didn’t have any windows at all apart from a very small one filled with an extractor fan in the toilet. However, between my bathroom and the next one the walls fall short of about a metre from the ceiling. This had been filled with a cheap bit of insecure perspex. All I can say is that I hope the couple next door start to feel better soon and get over their ‘Delhi Belly’. Anyway, I retraced my steps back to the car this morning, 6.30am, as I like the early Indian mornings and drove away. Today has been a mix of good and bad roads. I’ve driven about 8 ½ hours with a couple of breaks for food and fuel and ended up a little off the normal route again as I’ve slipped up a bit of a mountain to see what was here. On the way up I came across a forum pissup that I wasn’t told about. I stopped, introduced myself and I can now put some names to faces. On arrival at this hotel I was asked to fill out a registration form. No problem and nothing out of the ordinary, apart from the extent of the information needed – including my mother and father’s names. Then the receptionist told me they must take a photo of me. Why? I asked. To be told it was now the regulation. I said that never before in any country and not in the last few nights here has that happened. He said that he does all the registration now online and the form needs a photo. Others maybe not do it online. So, I said, before now, I fill out a form, you fill it out also and there is a paper copy. You also fill out a registration register. Now, we do the same but you then have to transcribe all this to an online form also and include a photo because when you click ‘send’ it won’t send without the photo attached. He replied in the affirmative. Actually he replied by giving the Indian affirmative head nod which is quite confusing to us westerners. So, it seems that some Indian authority has managed yet again to add a layer of complication and ‘paperwork’ to what is already a bad enough system. The British have a lot to answer for, that’s all I can say.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2014 12:35:26 GMT
Send your driver out for a box of carbon paper. You'll probably be needing it.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 11, 2014 15:40:42 GMT
Mark!! I am even more convinced than ever, that India would be the very last place on earth I would want to see. It is not for me. I know you have been several times and I am at a complete loss as to what you find attractive. In my mind it's simply a shit-hole. Have you anything to convince me otherwise??
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2014 16:11:27 GMT
Oh, I disagree, tod, I am loving Mark's adventure! (The forum members remark was a bit low, though. ) It looks like a stunning country and I would love to go, but I don't think I could drag my husband along. His stomach rebels at the slightest provocation.
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Post by tod2 on Nov 11, 2014 16:17:31 GMT
Oh his adventure is very interesting Lizzy - I just cringe to think I would have to cope with all the crap they put you through at hotels etc. Gawd, living in Africa is bad enough but compared to India it seems like a paradise. Sorry Marky - poo, you know I am in admiration of your efforts!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2014 16:29:11 GMT
I'm fascinated by places that have marks of continual habitation over thousands of years. My head explodes even in Europe when I see things that are centuries old, I would be dazzled in India. I know that the west coast of North America has thousands of years of habitation but very little remains; nature had a way of consuming things so quickly.
The bureaucracy sounds astounding Mark, complicated even further by the digital age.
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Post by lola on Nov 11, 2014 16:33:32 GMT
Amazing and really fun report, oM. I'm the one in the middle.
I love the conversations. You should have had your manservant/valet heat water for your bath.
Also love the tax booth. That's what our gov't offices would look like if the belt-tighteners had their way.
I'm going to guess it's a very fancy pedestrian bridge.
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Post by bjd on Nov 11, 2014 17:17:48 GMT
I'm with Tod here -- I enjoy reading about Mark's adventures and seeing his photos, but India has never tempted me as a destination and this doesn't make me change my mind.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2014 17:38:23 GMT
Oh, I have survived trips to India, Pakistan, Ethiopia, etc. and I am a total and complete wimp. Most of these trips were before the internet, so it wasn't even possible to get up-to-date warnings about things since even this year's "2015 edition" paper guidebook was generally written at least 3 or 4 years ago. Mark could have easily chosen an Indian trip that would not alarm any of you, but that is not his travel style. Have you forgotten his African adventures as a tour leader?
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Post by mich64 on Nov 11, 2014 18:30:45 GMT
The hotel does look very nice it is too bad that they do not put as much importance/effort in providing hot water, proper plumbing or heat.
Before leaving on our recent holiday I went so far as checking the area around our Hotel choices on Google Earth (this is available where we went on holiday) so I would be familiar when we approached and indeed we never got lost this trip. I know part of the fun of traveling is sometimes getting lost so you can see things you were not looking for, but the older I get, I admit to losing that part of my enthusiasm when on holiday. Cheers to those who still have it.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 11, 2014 18:39:57 GMT
My most distressing discovery when I began to travel around Asia was that many (cheap) places do not understand why anybody would want a window in their hotel room, and they are genuinely surprised when you say that you must have one.
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Post by htmb on Nov 11, 2014 18:46:50 GMT
This is fascinating, Mark. Thanks for keeping us updated in "real time." I'm looking forward to hearing more as your journey progresses.
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