They say the number eight means great wealth, good luck and all that positive vibes as also taught in Feng Shui. Though I'm not really that superstitious but I love this number anyways. :p
The initial plan was to travel with Alid, a good friend of mine from Indonesia and we were suppose to have this competition on whose itinerary was the best. I actually worked hard on mine so that the places I wanted to visit were on it. Guess it paid off (or Alid got lazy in planning his own version, haha) that my itinerary won without much protests. Hahaha.
And I later believed that this star itinerary of mine also attracted another traveler from Indonesia to join us! *gushes with pride* This was maybe my best planned itinerary yet! I was also highly influenced by another travel blogger of Philippines who just came back from India. Her famous blogpost on her own experience getting harassed in India during Holi heightened my survival instincts for this India trip. But actually, I was getting worried if Alid was the protector type. Thankfully, god planned that we had THREE other protectors as well during this trip. :)
Day 1 - Touchdown at Kolkata International Airport
It was Alid's and I first time in meeting up with Suntea and also with Addy (Jakarta), Yayan and Mukhlis (Batam lads). We weren't going to travel together but every little moments we had together always meant something fun and a blessing. So only Suntea, Alid and I were together until the end and here were our itinerary. India at that time was peaking at 50 degrees during daytime.
Day 2 - Darjeeling
Day 5 - Ganges River at Varanasi
Thus I end my short entry on my most recent India trip in May 2013 that covered five cities in 8 days. If I'm extra hardworking, I might blog about my personal experience in each city. But that will be much, muchhhhh later.
Till then, happy traveling!
The initial plan was to travel with Alid, a good friend of mine from Indonesia and we were suppose to have this competition on whose itinerary was the best. I actually worked hard on mine so that the places I wanted to visit were on it. Guess it paid off (or Alid got lazy in planning his own version, haha) that my itinerary won without much protests. Hahaha.
And I later believed that this star itinerary of mine also attracted another traveler from Indonesia to join us! *gushes with pride* This was maybe my best planned itinerary yet! I was also highly influenced by another travel blogger of Philippines who just came back from India. Her famous blogpost on her own experience getting harassed in India during Holi heightened my survival instincts for this India trip. But actually, I was getting worried if Alid was the protector type. Thankfully, god planned that we had THREE other protectors as well during this trip. :)
My India trip was made more awesome with Addy, Yayan, and Mukhlis as our extra protectors. :) |
It was Alid's and I first time in meeting up with Suntea and also with Addy (Jakarta), Yayan and Mukhlis (Batam lads). We weren't going to travel together but every little moments we had together always meant something fun and a blessing. So only Suntea, Alid and I were together until the end and here were our itinerary. India at that time was peaking at 50 degrees during daytime.
- Board overnight sleeper class train from Kolkata to New Jalpaiguri (10 -12 hours)
Day 2 - Darjeeling
A quaint town up near the Himalayas. |
- The train arrived late to NJP by two hours! hahahaha!
- After the train ride, we rode a shared jeep (have to wait till it is full before they take off) up to Darjeeling, costing us 200 rupees per person and takes around two to three hours to reach. It was a damn bumpy ride!
- Stayed for a night at some guest house that has free wi-fi. =P
- Nothing to do during that day as all the stores and restaurants were closed due to some political chaos earlier on that day. T__T
Day 3- Darjeeling Sight Seeing!
- Read this here -->> Alid's post
- We left Darjeeling to NJP to catch our train to Varansi at 17:15 pm. This time it was an overnight sleeper class ride that took around 14 hours to reach Varanasi. Muahaha!
Day 4 - Varanasi with Padhaaro Greeter and Couchsurfing Host
- Reached Varanasi at around 9 am and taken a sort-of mini van to our CS host named Arihant.
- Read more of our Varanasi experience here --->> Alid's post (I'll bliog about mine later. haha)
- We also had the pleasure to meet up with Mr Gaurav who gallantly showed us around Varanasi via auto-rickshaw. You guys can arrange for a local greeter at this website http://www.padhaaro.com/ and it's for FREE!
- Watched a spiritual event called Gangga Arte near the ghat Dasasmawedh. Said to be held every evening at 7pm.
- That night was spent at an Indian wedding which Arihant brought us to. I "accidentally" videotaped Alid showing his Indian moves here. Hehehe.
The young and vibrant Gaurav at Ram Nagar Fort. |
Morning activities at Ganges River. |
- We took a boat ride at Ganges River and watched the sun go up. (alid's version)
- After that we traveled to Sarnath, a holy place for Buddha as this was the place where Gautama Buddha held his first teachings.
- Left varanasi for our next train ride to Agra at 17:20 pm. This time it will take us around 13 hours to reach Agra. :)
Day 6 - Agra with Addy
Picture credit to Suntea featuring the four of us on our Agra trip together. |
- We got hold on to Addy by dropping by his hotel and ringing his room from the receptionist desk. Haha. We didn't have any working phone at that moment. Luckily Addy was still there!
- Hired a non-air-conditional car to take us to Fatehpur sikri which we successfully came in using local fares!! Then to Taj Mahal but only two of us succeeded. And lastly to Agra fort where all of us failed.
- This Agra trip marked the most adventurist and daring trip ever for trying to scam the entrance officers that we were locals. haha! Though sadly we weren't 100% successful. :)
- It was only a day trip and that night we had to catch a train to Jaipur via the 20:10 pm train.
Day 7 - Jaipur with Hussey
- The train was horribly LATE!! And we didn't have no way to inform our couchsurfing host in Jaipur that we;ll be arriving late by almost 2 hours! I felt horrible!
- Reached Jaipur at almost 3 am.... but thankfully Hussey was still there waiting for us. Almost cried with joy when he showed up. :)
- Hussey brought us sight seeing around Jaipur as he now has a legal license as a tour guide and it was for free. We only paid for transport.
Alid and Hussey enjoying the view of Jaipur from above at Tiger Fort during sunset. |
- We enjoyed a sunset at Tiger Fort and later enjoyed a dinner of Nasi beriyani with another of my friend, Tanveer.
Day 8 - Back to Kolkata and then Malaysia
- We had to catch an 8:20 am local flight via Indigo from Jaipur to Kolkata. The flight took only 2 hours ++.
- Stayed at the airport until our afternoon flight back to Kuala Lumpur. haha.
- Suntea was going to continue her India trip without Alid and I.
- Reunited with the Batam lads and Addy. :)
Reunited at Kolkata's international airport. Hehe. |
Till then, happy traveling!