In the morning we woke up at nine'o clock for a nice breakfast and the happy faces of the hotel staff.
After this it was out the door with our tour guide Anu who would take us to two palaces and on to the train station, this turned out to be more eventful than we thought. So after drivng for an hour and a half through countryside and towns, we stopped in at an old deserted shop for the restrooms and a place to stretch our legs, moving onwards we covered another great distance before briefly stopping in front of a train crossing.
During this time our driver got out of the car and bought some cucumbers, while this was happening I was told about this person who renounces his family and some other worldly things, so he moves around homeless begging for food.
When the driver got back in the car he asked if we wanted some so I said yes, he washed it, then we dipped the peice of cucumber in a mix of Himalayan pink rock salt, chilli and black pepper, I found out too late that I was supposed to only take a little bit of the mixture and sprinkle it on top. Although there was too much salt it still tasted delicious and I would advise you try it at home, all you need is some form of salt, chillis, pepper and of course a cucumber. After again a short drive we stopped for lunch where I watched them make Naan from a tandoor oven.
We carried on to our first stop, a Ghost town of Palaces called Orchha. Overall the trip was very interesting, learning about the different rooms and the paintings in eg. there was a pool in one of the forts/palaces which over it was a swing where the queen used to swing on whilst the others swum. There was a harem and fragrant pools.
But, there were two things that happened at the trip that to me were really quite interesting let me tell you how the story goes. "When we first arrived at the first fort (both are on the same site) when we walked through the doors the guide brought to our attention two wasp nests and one bee hive that sat under two covers poking over the side of the fort.
Anyway we carried on, so, when I was walking inside the fort I found it cold so I came out, I realised the great photo opportunity everyone else was missing, I went up onto a platform in the center of the court-yard and tried to take a panoramic photo,
I finished it hopped down expecting to carry on when a Japanese lady came up to me and asked our guide if she could get a photo, so before I knew it I was being positioned here and there by an (no offense) elderly woman so she could get a photo to show her friends. I was quite embarrassed but also thankful in a way because that had never happened to me before. So, moving on, I was becoming more and more wary about the the amount of wasps and their size, we continued and just before we were about to leave. (I feel something down my shirt, it flutters I freak I hit my chest and then) "ah, ah, aaaahhh!"(slightly overreacting but still understandable) it's pretty obvious but if you haven't figured it out a wasp stung me. I take off my top and only then to people see the wasp on my chest, it flys off quite content with itself and I'm there in a lot(this time I don't exagerate) of pain, thankfully, quite a lot the people there know what to do so my guide pulls out the sting and takes off the ring on his finger, circles the place where I was stung over and over - then one of the guards pulls out a tiny tube that looks like toothpaste (which I later understand to be full of calcium) and our guide takes some, rubs it on my chest, and to be honest it works, it really works, it may look like a third nipple but it works.".
On the way out one of the people casually collecting tickets stops me, grabs my arm and pulls my top open where the sting is, started whispering some words quickly, waving his hand outwards of my chest as if smelling a soup before serving it, at small intervals blowing on my chest I'm guessing to rid it of the evil spirits (It was pretty awesome.). The pain is still there but it sure helped. For the rest of the time at the fortresses I was quite timid and frankly I still am. The wasps are not like New Zealand wasps - they are much bigger!.
After this it was out the door with our tour guide Anu who would take us to two palaces and on to the train station, this turned out to be more eventful than we thought. So after drivng for an hour and a half through countryside and towns, we stopped in at an old deserted shop for the restrooms and a place to stretch our legs, moving onwards we covered another great distance before briefly stopping in front of a train crossing.
During this time our driver got out of the car and bought some cucumbers, while this was happening I was told about this person who renounces his family and some other worldly things, so he moves around homeless begging for food.
When the driver got back in the car he asked if we wanted some so I said yes, he washed it, then we dipped the peice of cucumber in a mix of Himalayan pink rock salt, chilli and black pepper, I found out too late that I was supposed to only take a little bit of the mixture and sprinkle it on top. Although there was too much salt it still tasted delicious and I would advise you try it at home, all you need is some form of salt, chillis, pepper and of course a cucumber. After again a short drive we stopped for lunch where I watched them make Naan from a tandoor oven.
We carried on to our first stop, a Ghost town of Palaces called Orchha. Overall the trip was very interesting, learning about the different rooms and the paintings in eg. there was a pool in one of the forts/palaces which over it was a swing where the queen used to swing on whilst the others swum. There was a harem and fragrant pools.
and three levels of steps to accommodate the mode of transport you used to come to the palace - horse, camel or elephant
But, there were two things that happened at the trip that to me were really quite interesting let me tell you how the story goes. "When we first arrived at the first fort (both are on the same site) when we walked through the doors the guide brought to our attention two wasp nests and one bee hive that sat under two covers poking over the side of the fort.
Anyway we carried on, so, when I was walking inside the fort I found it cold so I came out, I realised the great photo opportunity everyone else was missing, I went up onto a platform in the center of the court-yard and tried to take a panoramic photo,
I finished it hopped down expecting to carry on when a Japanese lady came up to me and asked our guide if she could get a photo, so before I knew it I was being positioned here and there by an (no offense) elderly woman so she could get a photo to show her friends. I was quite embarrassed but also thankful in a way because that had never happened to me before. So, moving on, I was becoming more and more wary about the the amount of wasps and their size, we continued and just before we were about to leave. (I feel something down my shirt, it flutters I freak I hit my chest and then) "ah, ah, aaaahhh!"(slightly overreacting but still understandable) it's pretty obvious but if you haven't figured it out a wasp stung me. I take off my top and only then to people see the wasp on my chest, it flys off quite content with itself and I'm there in a lot(this time I don't exagerate) of pain, thankfully, quite a lot the people there know what to do so my guide pulls out the sting and takes off the ring on his finger, circles the place where I was stung over and over - then one of the guards pulls out a tiny tube that looks like toothpaste (which I later understand to be full of calcium) and our guide takes some, rubs it on my chest, and to be honest it works, it really works, it may look like a third nipple but it works.".
On the way out one of the people casually collecting tickets stops me, grabs my arm and pulls my top open where the sting is, started whispering some words quickly, waving his hand outwards of my chest as if smelling a soup before serving it, at small intervals blowing on my chest I'm guessing to rid it of the evil spirits (It was pretty awesome.). The pain is still there but it sure helped. For the rest of the time at the fortresses I was quite timid and frankly I still am. The wasps are not like New Zealand wasps - they are much bigger!.
After this we were driven to the train station where we had to quite sadly say goodbye to our great guide and quite knowledgeable guide Anu.
This was our luggage porter who carried our bags up and over four platforms to our train platform. He wouldn't let us help (or anyone else) as he wanted the tip money for himself (which was only NZ $2 equivalent).
There were some interesting sights on the platform while we waited....
Right now I am on the train as we speak. I suspect I am going to go to bed and have a good night sleep.
See you tomorrow.
This was our luggage porter who carried our bags up and over four platforms to our train platform. He wouldn't let us help (or anyone else) as he wanted the tip money for himself (which was only NZ $2 equivalent).
There were some interesting sights on the platform while we waited....
Right now I am on the train as we speak. I suspect I am going to go to bed and have a good night sleep.
See you tomorrow.
Joseph Hewson
Hello Film Star can I have your autograph! How many photos did the Japanese young! lady take??
ReplyDeleteYou are taking great photos and keeping up the great commentary too. You may be cold when you get home though as its still wet here. We hope you are eating well and safely too as you still have lots to see. Keep well