My ramblings from travelling - bit of festivals that I go to (roll on summer-big smile), maybe a bit of running as despite my bad habits I have been told "Clare you're an athlete now!!!"
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Time for a change
I'd just like to say haven't abandoned this blog - spent so much time on here the last 2 years just wanted a break.
The big news is that I am attempting to sell my house in the "current climate" - just got thinking that we put so much money into places we live in and then to put it bluntly we either die or the government makes us sell them to pay for some dodgy care in a OAP home - it's a bit diff if you have kids or someone - been here nearly 14 years in this house, in total 20 years on this estate so I need a change and I have always had the "wanderlust" - had a few people come round and an offer not that far off the asking price but then they couldn't get the finance - which is a bit frustrating - but I'd really like to go over to the continental way of living renting and moving on - it was the livestyle that I was born to...
Still running but it's embarassing - had so many coughs and colds this winter that I've not been able to train - the last good race I had was at Magor last July with a 55 for a 10k - today in the cross country I wasn't last but I finished like an "asthmatic pit pony" (to quote Auf Wiedersehen Pet - my fave prog ever) and was still suffering when we landed back in Cardiff.
Anyway couple of photos from Liverpool - Matthew Street Festival last August:
The Lambanana Photos - Sergeant Pepper and Chorley on the ears!!
And a couple Jimmy Cliff videos from Glastonbury - just wish I had not drunk so much red but then again I wouldn't have been such a cheeky monkey and got to the front...
Not the greatest - and that's weeding out a lot of floor but they are Hollywood masterpieces compared to what I saw on you tube - and I think the wooing you hear is me - big smile - was a good night............
Been a while but the last month or so I've been knee deep in DIY and running - the first I hate but its a means to an end as if want to rent this house its gotta be done - so now I've severely sore battered hands from scraping carpet tiles off the floor and painting but I'm getting there - the plan is to rent this place or sell - then head off again - it's time and as I always think we only have one live so you have to go for it.
Running wise not as quick as I used to be - but I still don't do so bad and I'm hoping to do a half marathon this month mainly cos its part of the East Wales champs and currently I'm lying in 4th place in the 40-45 category - it's only due to attendance but I had a good run in a 10k back in July and narrowly missed out on a medal - I am a bit of a Paula Radcliffe regarding medals so many 4th places........
Festival season - WOMAD was as ever brilliant - so much camping space, new bands that I'd not heard of that were so ace and 4 days of sunshine which made a change - anyway my favs were Dengue Fever, Space Caravan (edit seven monthslater its Speed Caravan-my weird name dyslexia does kick in sometimes) and Rachid Taha and what is so great about WOMAD is that you are able to get down to the front, get autographs and if you go to the workshops ask questions - anyway few photos ........
The crew - Holly, me, Simon and Martin (part of the crew from Glasto 87 with his Santana T-shirt that we defaced with autographs of the tribute band at Cropedy-not a happy bunny with that)
Liz (Holly's mum), Holly and Martin
The famous WOMAD flags Peter Gabriel - it was really strange last year when he did a set I was expecting someone looking a bit like this to make appearance -
Confusion did abound but then you don't realise sometimes how the years go by - 1986 - just like yesterday to me - but I have to say he could have stayed a bit longer for autographs - there wern't that many of us!
Childrens Parade - which is so great as it's a festival that kids are involved - there have been times when I've been really edging to go to the Tibetan flag making session but then realised I needed a small child to take along - I'm sure there is a market out there for adult crafty stuff!
Two photos of the band Dengue Fever - their music is based on Cambodian sixties music with a Calfornian psychedelic influence - cosmic and they were really cool - the top photo is Zac Holtzman with Chhom Nimol (vocalist) - this is their my space bit of the internet - check it out:
and my fav song - Chhom comes from Battambang where I nearly went once (check out Magic moment on the Tonle Sap from 2005-06) -just ran out of time sadly.. .Tiger Phone Card
Anyway more of Mr Adams (whose name I constantly get wrong - weird form of dyslexia in that I constantly refer to him as Adrian James!) - t'was a cool way to spend a Sunday afternoon chilling:
Rachid Taha - last night of his tour doing one of my fav's "Rock the Casbah" - bit of camera shake on this.
Very sad moment -taking down the camp on the Monday morning - it's an awful feeling "post traumatic festival disorder" as I call it - with me it can last a few weeks especially if its a great one like this years's Womad was.
Right that's it for the moment - hoping to go through some of my Glastonbury stuff though I have to say WOMAD is so much better for seeing the bands - apart from Jimmy Cliff this year I never got a sniff of getting close to the stage - just too many people and does take so long getting between the stages.
View from the minaret of the Jamu Masjid mosque - with Red Fort in the background.Old Delhi
India Gate
Me by India Gate
Okay that's the last of the India photos - finally I can't believe after over 18 months I've finally finished - (three times as long as I was there!!) I'm still hoping to go back later in the year but in the meantime hopefully I'll have some postings over the next few months about my running and the festivals I've been to.........
Just a quick message to wish everyone happy Solstice - didn't go to Stonehenge this year as it was a bit cloudy last night (I know lightweight) but I didn't think it could better the gorgeous sunrise that I saw back in 2005.
Bit of bad news re my computer as it has now gone to computer heaven - the lads at work in IT who were most impressed with my computer talk about silver hedgehogs falling off mother boards said it isn't something straightforward so I could end up shelling out a lot of money to try and locate the fault. Hoping to splash out on a new laptop next month so the photos will have to wait till then as a) the library (where I am now) have disabled all the cd drives b) work blocks this site and c) the photos were on my comp and I hadn't done a back up for ages - lesson learnt there - thankfully I still have them on my camera - sometimes there are benefits to not being organised.
Off to Glastonbury this week - and the weather's not looking too bad there were a few suns on the Metcheck forecast for next weekend (not the most reliable site in the world) - so I'll reserve judgement till I've seen Countryfile tomorrow. Running wise I've been training quite a bit - but amazingly not lost a pound you would think running 20+ miles a week would make some impact - getting a bit quicker but still not back to the glory days of 2005 and finished 13th in a ladies race last night (and there wasn't just 13 runners!!!!). It was quite surreal and I did get a bit panicky after almost a mile downhill that I was in 8th place - I've never been that well up a field before unfortunately I did drop back a bit when we had to climb back up the hill but I'm still pleased with result - so I think I would be probably have a chance of glory and accolades if I could find a totally downhill Ladies race which for some strange reason seem a bit thin on the ground.
Right off for a mooch round Milletts at frying pans - exciting I know - but some girls like going clothes shopping with me it's camping shops - which means I end up with clothing older than some of my work colleagues and a shed full of camping equipment.
The next few days were spent chilling in Srinagar - I don't know maybe I was tired but I always end up in Kashmir at the wrong time of year - all I can say there are some beautiful gardens and its just nice to see big family groups enjoying them - picnicking and chilling. Took a shikara over to Nishat Bagh one day and it was completely diff to when I was last there in March - the flowers were so pretty and vibrant - had my hands painted by one of the young girls that do accost you but I am well up for that - got a bit told off by this Hindi lady who said I was washing it off too quickly but it's quite difficult walking around with baking henna hands - the urge to pick is quite strong!
Nishat Bagh - this time with flowers!
The old shikara man who took us across the lake certainly earned his money - bit of haggling to get it down to price I thought was fair but in the end I paid him what he wanted in the first place - bargaining to me it's something you have to do and as I once said to one shopkeeper "it's India - you expect it, I expect it - so we've got to make some kinda of effort" - (though it should be noted that this line of thought doesn't tend to go down too well in some random charity shop in Yorkshire - in my defence their copies of Nat Geo were well overpriced and I was buying 3 - so I tried!) - as long as you don't get into extreme bargaining it's cool. One thing you do notice in Srinagar is that in places it is like time has stood still - it could be still 1969 spec on Dal Lake - a houseboat named after the first man on the moon Neil Armstrong and there were others that had quaint names that harked back to an earlier time.
Left Srinagar on the Wednesday as I wanted to visit the waterfall at Aharbal - the only downside to this plan was that involved a couple of nights back at the Hotel Sub in Anantnag. Happy was there to greet us (joking!!) and I was shown an even more rubbish room than before - the penthouse with the TV was already occupied - never mind bit more prepared in the beer department this time which Happy must have had a sixth sense about as he turned with a glass - personally I would have told him to shove off but Nazir said it was better to give him some as he could if he felt like it pop over the road to the police station - I'm not sure if alcohol is illegal but it's not something that is advisable to be caught with!!
On the road to Anantnag - passing through the saffron fields at Pampore
The journey to Aharbal was great - this was right out in the sticks at the foot of Pir Panjal mountain range. We changed taxis in Kulgam and the taxi guys were well into me taking my own cab for a handsome price - now there could be one train of thought that I'm tight - but it did use to frustate me in S E Asia when they used to herd all foreigners into the same van much prefered getting the odd local bus - so they were a bit perplexed when I got into a taxi with the locals. Arriving in Aharbal you could see they were gearing themselves up for when the tourists do come back to Kashmir - a new cafe and toilet block were being built (for the moment the nearest big bush had to make do) and a new government resthouse had opened last year. It really is a lovely place as its where the mountains start - lots of pine trees(?) and a big waterfall - which from what I gathered was a bit of death trap and to be honest I'm not surprised the path down to it was fairly ropey and me not being blessed with the greatest balance in the world was not a great combination.
Nice chill out at the cafe in town (in the loose sense of the word) - everyone came and sat round our table as we waited for the bus back to Kulgam - as usual I couldn't understand most of what was said though you usually found at some point the conversation always got round to mobile phones. The only complaint I had with the bus was the amount of decoration the smiling driver had hung across the window - everytime we hit a bump I got a face full of tassles and flowers - but apart from that and a minor bump with a lorry it was great ride through the small villages and orchards of this beautiful corner of Kashmir. Back in Anantnag a most sorted tea at the cafe in Wasir Bagh Park was had before finishing off the last of beer - thankfully no sign of Happy with his glass!
It was bitterly cold the next day as we stood waiting for the jeep to Jammu to fill up - I was feeling pretty rotten as I'd caught a real bad cold - it had been threatening for a couple of days but chose today to hit. Lovely sunny day as we headed off down the valley - I did my cute act at the checkpoint (yes - no guide and no contribution to the Chrissy party was asked for). One thing I did notice on the way back down was the number of bus crashes - one really bad one with the remains of peoples possesions strewn along the side of the road - not nice but I have to say I am lot more calmer as a passenger on Indian roads than I am back home eventhough I'm sure it's more dangerous - really weird!!
Lorries crossing Panthal - J & K Highway
Dusk was falling when we arrived in Jammu - and it was a bit of a nighmare finding a hotel that was reasonable and with C forms so just decided to book an overnight bus to Delhi. This was quite sorted apart from the one toilet stop we made about two hours north of Delhi in the early hours of the morning - got off the bus to greeted with the sight of a hundred blokes all having a pee by the side of the road - lovely - I was supposed to traipse across a field with all eyes on me to go behind some hut - twas a bit crabby about that because a) I never like to go too far from the bus on a pit stop and b) I wouldn't have known where to look on my return journey!!
Arriving in Delhi (rather desperate for the toilet!) we were greeted by a gaggle of overexcited rickshaw drivers all anxious to take us to Paharganj - took something of a mammoth effort to get someone to take us to Jama Masjid which you could see from where the bus dropped us off - would have walked but I don't think my bladder would have held out so I put up with the overcharging!! I'm curious why more foreigners don't stay in this area of the city because I thought it was great - totally sorted immaculately clean hotel for not much more than Paharganj (Bombay Orient- just by Entrance 1 Jamu Masjid if anyone is interested) and really lively streets with great food - the downside was it was a bit of a hike to the beer shop up on Chandni Chowk (I know me and my beer shops).
So it was a cool two day stopover in Delhi before my flight - managed to get down to India Gate - one very kind auto rickshaw driver stopped and offered us a lift there for 5r from the metro station - too cheap and my instincts were right "did I want to go on a tour of Delhi (with compulsory visit to shopping emporium of my choice)" - exit left one not very happy driver still he does hold the record of giving me the cheapest lift in India which I'm sure he was dead chuffed about. The other place we went to was Jamu Masjid - the largest mosque in India I think - managed to get in without paying for my camera (only foreigners have to pay which I do find bad - not everyone is the same) the guy in charge of admissions wasn't totally convinced I was telling the truth and followed me in - but I just thank my baggy trousers and in truth I was running short of the readies by then. The courtyard was huge - apparently it's large enough to accommodate 25,000 worshippers at a time - and from the minaret you are allowed to climb you could see great views over Old Delhi and it's maze of streets - but what did strike me was the clothing the other western tourists were wearing - okay it wasn't Ibiza but I thought mosques were a bit more stricter re bare arms etc whilst me like a plank was sweating away under my yak shawl - just found that strange.
I never know how to finish my trips bit difficult - it was hard saying goodbye to Nazir as we had become good friends and he had shown me so much of the people and countryside of Kashmir and up in Spiti and Kinnaur earlier on in the trip something that I know on my earlier trips to S E Asia was missing. I think that is why I love India so much (well I have spent most of my adult life with an obsession about going there) - okay it frustrates you believe me - but you travel with the people who live there and not in some cocooned 4 by 4 with other foreigners - if you want a bus/train ticket you sort it - in S E Asia its too easy to let the hotel do it. The saddest and hardest things I had to deal with would be the scarecrow children and the disabled people which in some cases you knew if they had been born in the western world something could have been done for them - I do think though after a time you do become immune to certain extent to the filth and poverty which I know must seem uncaring but when you are faced with it everyday it just becomes the norm - India is changing but I'm not sure the changes will reach everyone.
On that note I'll sign off - next posting my final photos and maybe some idea of what I'm doing next - once I've made my mind up that is!
Well I looked when I last posted - 4th of March so much for my one post a week - been in the wars a bit since then - celebrated my 30 several birthday with a curry and I have noticed it doesn't taste quite the same as before I went to India - getting picky I know. Running wise I took a tumble a couple of weeks back - quite spectacular as I was going down hill at the time and as the pavement headed towards me "this is gonna hurt" crossed my mind - landed on my wrist and have a lovely scabby knee which are still giving me probs. Anyway good news wise after weeks of saying I'm not going to Glastonbury cos of blah de blah - madness it didn't sell out which to me is a good thing bit of a return to the old days of strolling in to HMV the week before - I bought a ticket - not bothered about the headliners just hoping there will be a reduction in the camping chairs that I quite often nearly break my neck on (where did all the blanket people go!!) and nutters who complain that I'm blocking their view of the stage - I'm only 5' 5" and a bit - jeeps the number of pine trees I've been stood behind in my time at concerts and just thought that's life - crazy!!
Anyway back to India and where I left off in Srinagar last October - not much more left to go - but plenty of photos.....
Thursday 25th October
As much as the hotel was great - the price wasn't too hot and cos I'm "a bed is a bed" kinda girl (though the hotel Sub Standard in Anantnag was pushing this theory) ended up checking in back at the Dal View where I stayed back in March - it was really nice as the guys remembered me and made me feel real welcome. Best place to stay on the Boulevard as most places were charging twice as much for a room with a balcony overlooking the lake and you had the added advantage of being just upstairs the local branch of the J & K bank.
Afternoon was postcard time as I was well behind in my postcard sending duties - which sounds easy enough but trying to find some wasn't that easy. And don't get me on the stamps - accidently ended up in this room at some immigration place - masses of security before I was told wrong building - easy mistake to make as the actual post office wasn't much different with barbed wire and bunkers.
More fireworks on the lake in the evening which was really pretty and the most sorted meal of paranthas and Shimla mirch at the Punjabi dhaba next door - totally sorted.
Friday 26th October
Up early today to catch a jeep to Gulmarg - India's famous ski resort and home to the highest and longest cable car ride in Asia - bit gutted on the bus when the guy next to me told me the Gondola was closed for maintenance as it takes you up nearly 13000 feet on the shoulder of Afarwat Peak - from where you can I think you can see over in to Pakistan as Gulmarg is quite close to the Line of Control.
Never mind - next time though I'm not too sure how I would be on a cable car as I can be severly iffy heightwise - as my sis has said on a few occasions I have a tendancy to "show myself up" if heights are involved. Saying that I've coped with the dodgy roads and it was quite a climb up from the valley to Gulmarg through some really beautiful woods.
Arriving in town the pony guys got very over excited when they spotted me - chasing the jeep down the road - they did get the message in the end that I don't do horses after following me round the town on my hunt for a Coca Cola fix. Although I've never been skiing in my life this would be the kind of place I would want to come to learn - more laid back and none of the posing that I assume goes in these fancy resorts back in the west. That said in the summer Gulmarg is a lovely meadow to stroll in (or trot on a pony through) though I think they are missing a trick - there is this huge golf course (another one claiming to be the highest in the world) , pitch and put but no CRAZY golf - well I think it would go down a storm!!!
As it was Friday you could hear the muezzin calling for Friday prayers echoing across the valley but what was really nice in this small place was the most gorgeous Christian church that wouldn't have been out of place in the English countryside as well as a Hindu place of worship. Three religions co-existing in this small place and seeming to get along side by side - I know it is a simplistic view but that's what I felt was going on here.
Saturday 27th October
Today there was a strike in Srinagar - not sure who was striking but there were demonstrations planned for Lal Chowk so it was another day going up the country. Nazir had told me this old story about the River Jhelum disappearing into a hole and coming out in Pakistan the last time I was here - I tried googling it when I came home but the only thing I could find was a confusing story about a snake who drained a lake and a gorge near Barramulla so I wasn't totally convinced we'd find this mysterious hole that went to Pakistan.
Another bus ride out to Batmaloo and then a jeep ride to take us to Sopore near to Wular Lake where the Jhelum flows through - talking to some guys in town they seemed to think the hole was something to do with a hydro electric project near Uri - but as a foreigner I couldn't go to Uri as it was right on the border and in a very sensitive area. To be honest I had no great wish to go and see hydro electric holes - seen more than enough in the Kinnaur valley thank you very much - but it did dawn on me then about the tourist map that I had puzzled over the previous day - all the roads seemed to stop at one point and then start again with a big gap in between. Not some weird road building project but rather when you ask for a map of Kashmir in either India and Pakistan they don't mark the border because even after 60 years of independance they still can't agree on it so you get the whole of Kashmir!
Anyway change a plan we decided to head out to Wular Lake one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia - really nice ride out of town through apple orchards but lots of soldiers by the side of the road. Because of my map confusion I wasn't really sure how far we were from the Line of Control so it did make me a bit on the nervy at times. Walking up to the shrine of Hazrat Baba Shakur-ud-Din Wali which is about half way between Sophore and Bandipura I did get a bit alarmed at the number of chickens that were being carried up the hill - just hoped there wasn't some big sacrifice going on at the top of the hill. From the top really amazing views of the whole of the Lake and thankfully no mass chicken sacrificing - got to admit I did get a bit crabby with the washing as there were no bathrooms and I ended up having to use a tap on the side of this building which meant my feet ended up being dirtier that before I started - still the thought was there!!!
I don't think the people saw many foreigners as I did gets lots of curious looks - and I ended up leaving the prayer room as I totally distracted all the women deep in prayer. One thing I do remember was a family group who had brought their young baby along for its first haircut - it was a real big occasion with sweets being scattered around - from what I can gather in real simple terms is that it brings good luck to the child if his first hair cut is at a shrine.
Headed off down the lake and a long the way managed to rip my trousers real badly - took a tumble down the hill on the loose rocks - good job I had my yak shawl with me as I adapted in into a skirt but it didn't half look a bit daft as witnessed on this video. Anyway here's me doing my best Judith Chambers impression by the lake which was an amazing place as it just felt totally untouched by the modern world:
We were going head on to Baramulla and stay the night there but arriving back in Sopore all the shops were shut - so no chance of me buying some more trousers. Quick tea and toast in the local hotel and twenty questions off this bloke about my marital status - it does get to me from time to time so I started to tell him what questions he should be asking - I know poss they don't get to meet many foreigners but opening questions of how old are you and are you married don't tend to get people off on the right foot with me.
Back in Srinagar it was quite eerie on Lal Chowk - the main shopping street - there had been demonstrations earlier on in the day so the only people around were the soldiers and a dodgy group of men who kept staring at me so it was a case of hot footing back to the lake by rickshaw where things seemed a bit more calmer.
Right hoping to get some more photos on in couple of days - thanks to people who've left me comments - it is nice to know people are reading this and its not just me jabbering like an idiot to myself.
