First Tour Arrives in the North East!

The first tour arrived in Delhi on Friday. On Sunday they flew to Guwahati and drove on to the Eco-camp, where I met them on Sunday evening. The trip has been going well so far, everyone's in good health and all enjoyed the tour of Delhi as well as the Delhi guesthouse. The eco-camp however was a particular favourite at this point, a contrast to the hustle and bustle of Delhi and a lovely comfortable place to relax and takes walks in the countryside, everyone agreed.

I accompanied the group on the first stage of their drive towards Tawang and had the satisfaction of seeing their expressions and hearing their gasps of astonishment at the spectacular beauty of the jungle of lower Himalayas of Arunachal Pradesh. The lush thick greenery and the clouds nestled in amongst them, I had forgotten myself just how spectacular they were. I left the group as they headed on to Dirang in the very capable hands of C.K., their guide for the next few weeks. Bon voyage!

- Dave

Days 41, 42, 43 and 44: Majuli, Lakhimpur and Tezpur

So I rented a bike for the final day in Majuli and rode out to Uttar Kamalabari Satra in the morning, about 5 kilometres away from Garamur, the village we stayed in. This was a smaller Satra with about 100 monks. I was given a very friendly welcome and some tea, then shown around by various monks, being passed on like a baton. When I reached the central prayer hall they were just starting their prayers so I was ushered in to join them, and we sat in a semi-circle around the monk with the heavy cymbal. The monks chanted and clapped, and I was amazed with the range of sounds that came from the cymbal - deep, soothing and entrancing. When one section would end, a voice would come from the other end of the hall, leading the next section to which a chant was replied from our semi-circle. The whole thing was very beautiful and I felt very privileged to be able to participate, carefully watching how I timed my claps. I spared them my vocals! I was intending to cycle on when the thunder in the not too distant sky dictated I return. But I was not quick enough and the rain caught me. It was funny passing the locals cycling with their umbrellas and already being soaked through I started to enjoy the rain, and do a little singing of my own. Those that passed looked at me in wonder, possibly wondering where I'd escaped from. The rest of the day was spent reading outside the cottage, being brought tea at regular intervals. This research can be tough at times!

The next morning it was time to leave. This was a bit of a rough journey, a shared jeep, a ferry, a bus, another ferry and another super-crowded bus with only standing room, and not even that as I had to tilt my head to stand up straight. The road was pretty bad and my head hit that roof on plenty of occasions. When I finally arrived in Lakhimpur, I met up with our operator from Itanagar and we went through the plan we had for the itinerary and a few other issues. He was happy, and made a couple of more suggestions too that we will have to look into. Then it was dinner and bed.

Yesterday was a lazy day in Lakhimpur, eating, reading, relaxing, watching the Last King of Scotland on an Indian Movie channel. I did check out the cobra temple. It's not quite as exciting as it sounds, just a temple with a kitschy cobra coiled around the spire.

Today the plan was to go to Guwahati, so after an early breakfast and shower I was on the bus. I was told the whole trip would take seven, maybe eight hours. After seven hours we were in Tezpur, and it was two o' clock. Knowing there were at least another four hours to Guwahati, and it would be dark by then, I decided to stop in Tezpur to see what was happening for Holi, the festival of colours, one of India's biggest and best loved. Within minutes I was set upon by a gang of unruly middle-aged gentlemen who covered me in powders of every hue, then giggled and posed for photos!

In the hotel I just met some employess of Grameen Bank, co-workers of Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize winner from 2006... who are looking to set up a similar micro-credit scheme in Assam. Very nice and interesting guys. They've just gone for dinner but I have agreed to talk to them some more later on.

Tomorrow on to Guwahati, a little business to take care of there, then fly to Delhi, take the Delhi tour that Rahul has hopefully organised for me, and then back to London. It all seems to have happened so quick!

-Dave

Days 38, 39 and 40: Sibsagar and Majuli

It's a quarter to ten in the evening and I just realised it's Paddy's Day when I checked the date to write this blog. Woops! It's easy to lose touch with the outside world out here. Anyway Happy Paddy's Day to anyone reading, no Guinness this year but did have some rice beer earlier. Otherwise I will have to content myself with some Kila on my speakers.

So Sibsagar was nice enough without being mind blowing. The main Shiva temple is pretty impressive with a 33m high dome and a line of sadhus (India's spiritual wanderers) as you enter. The market was quite colourful too, otherwise there was not a lot to see or do. So yesterday I left for Majuli, the world's largest river island in the middle of the Brahmaputra, again on public transport. One bus, another bus, then a very overcrowded ferry (for 2 hours! This is some river!), and finally a taxi the last 7km over potholed roads to arrive at the accomodation of choice, some traditional style bamboo huts. That said there wasn't exactly much in the way of choice but this place is nice, bamboo everything, but electricity, hot water available and mosquito nets. After a tasty Assamese dinner, I arranged for a jeep to take myself and a French couple, who have been on the road for 15 months, to explore a little. They were the first foreigners I had seen for a week. The lodge owner also agreed to be our guide.

So this morning after breakfast we hit the road. Majuli itself is very picturesque, full of rice fields and smiling faces. The first stop was Auniati Satra. A satra is like a monestary for Vaishnavism, a branch of Hinduism where Vishnu, particularly in the incarnation of Krishna, is the main focus of worship. This satra has 400 monks, who were very friendly and happily posed for photos whatever they were doing. After visiting the living quarters and the prayer hall we went to a Shiva Baba next door, which was essentially a very small room with an extermely wiry old man (ninety we were told) with hair that was matted and several times his length sat surrounded by piles of fruit, a basin of milk, ganga (marijuana) and his chillum (an Indian pipe). Apparently he subsisted merely on fruit, milk and ganga! He blessed people who came and they supplied him his three essentials. We were told that he didn't allow photos but when our guide asked he agreed so you will be able to see what I mean soon enough!

From there we visited a mask worshop, where we were shown how the masks used in the dramas performed here are made. Next we visited a village where everyone was involved in the production of pottery urns, and they showed us again the process involved including heating them en masse over a great fireplace, where people took turns to keep watch. Then we went for lunch in a nearby Derry village (no connection to the city in Northern Ireland that I could fathom). The Derry are one of the tribes from Majuli, and the people again were very friendly and the food was very tasty, and served with rice beer. After lunch we visited one more village, this time a Mishing village, where one young child turned and fled when he saw me, and could not be consoled by his amused mother for quite some time. Tired after a long day we came back to relax for a while, then had dinner and showed the French couple some photos of Arunachal, which I believe has now sneaked into their planned itinerary! Ok bedtime, goodnight.

-Dave

Day 28: Kaziranga

Had a bit of a lie in today... woke up at 6am, as we were off to Panbari Forest Reserve, the home of the hoolock gibbon (a rare primate) and other wildlife. Entering the forest is out of bounds at the moment, but as the forest guards hadn't turned up as yet, our enthusiastic guide sneaked us in. The forest floor was decked with leaves of all colours, the air thick with humidity and the sound of birds was overwhelming at times. However, before long we caught a glimspe of the gibbon. A female gibbon had recently been introduced to the forest to help boost the dwindling gibbon population. We didn't get to hear their peculiar cry, but nonetheless there was a thrilling moment when it hung from the tree and stared down at us for a few seconds. Our excellent guide tried in vain to show us some other monkeys, so after 4 hours of walking we headed back to the hotel where we had a much needed 'brunch.

Since we were so pleased with the guide we headed on with him to the Western Range of Kaziranga in the afternoon. The terrain was mainly grassland and soon we saw herds of deer drinking from the vast pond along with wild elephants and buffalos. The highlight was the rhino stand off we witnessed. One rhino appeared to taunt another rhino which was partially submerged in the water. He suddenly emerged from the water and both rhinos then engaged in a heated stand off. Initially they growled at each other, stared at each other in silence and then the male chased the female into the thick bush. After ten minutes we were about to head off, and then they suddenly re-emerged running out of the bushes. Believe it or not, this was part of their mating ritual! Finally the male conceded defeat (for the time being) and returned to the comfort of the water. There was also a heartstopping moment when we thought we could see a tiger perched on its haunches by the roadside, but that proved to be a false alarm, and turned out to be some grass! The jungle can play tricks on your eyes at times (honest)!

We returned to the excellent Jupuri Ghar, enjoyed a superb Assamese meal fit for 6 people and then lumbered off to bed... tomorrow is another early start for the next Northeast state, Megahalaya, dubbed the 'Scotland of the East'... so maybe haggis on the menu, or maybe not!

- Rahul

Day 27: Kaziranga

The earliest start of the trip so far. 4:15am out of bed for the 5am elephant safari... we really are dedicated to our work! We gave our driver a bit of a roasting for turning up 30mins late, but nevertheless managed to join the other safari goers 'on time'. Having settled into our seats atop this great creature, we strode through the thick elephant grass and it wasn't long before we spotted a deer that had been killed most likely by a tiger, but it had long gone. It made me wonder how in the times of the Raj, the British rode these magnificent beasts and almost shot the tiger and other wildlife into near extinction.

Further ahead we came face to face with the fabled unicorn rhinoceros, named as such because of its solitary horn. All the elephants closed in and there was a momentary standoff when the rhino refused to be bullied away. Just when the rhino started to charge, the guard fired a blank and it ran off. We saw more rhinos as well as herds of swamp, hog and barking deer, recognisable by their distinctively loud bark.

After returning to the lodge for breakfast we headed out again for the morning jeep safari, where we rode in an open top around the Central Range of the National Park. This place is a haven for bird lovers and we could see why, as it felt as if we could hear each of the 500+ species in the park. We spotted more rhinos, elephants, deer and a monitaur lizard. We tried in vain to search for the elusive tiger, but it evaded us this time. The landscape varied throughout the ride, sometimes lush green tropical-like vegetation, to open grasslands thick with elephant grass and watering holes where thirsty animals would gather.

We were staying at the well-known Wild Grass resort today, and the dining hall and veranda conjured up images of a bygone colonial era. Later in the evening local girls performed traditional songs and dances to the hypnotic melody of Indian drums and flute. A great way to cap off what had been yet another action-packed day.

- Rahul

Day 26: Potasali and the road to Kaziranga

We woke up this morning at the ungodly hour of 5.30, and were out walking in Nameri National Park by 6. Our guide led us to the river and two boatmen rowed us across the river where we walked for about 2 hours. It was a bird watchers haven, the air thick with the sound of bird calls. We also came upon a wild elephant half hidden in the tall grass, as well as several Sambar (a white-tailed deer), some Hornbill, and on the walk back a tree full of Langurs (long-tailed monkeys). We could also hear some Barking Deer through the thick forest.

After an excellent breakfast at the immensely impressive Potasali Eco Camp, we hopped back in the jeep briefly and headed off for our float down the river in a dingy. The weather yet again was fantastic, and we floated down the river for a couple of hours before stopping off for lunch. Our boatmen produced a rice sack full of veg, rice, pots and pans, and collected firewood. From this they managed to cook up a fantastic meal, with 2 main dishes, a salad, and rice. We ate on the river bank, shaded from the sun by the dingy propped up by the oars, and felt like kings. After lunch we floated down another half hour or so, said goodbye to our boatmen and were off to Kaziranga National Park.

We arrived in Jupuri, a place related to Potasali Eco camp, and straight off we could see that the same careful touch had been applied there. After checking out some other accommodation, we settled on Jupuri as our first choice, though we found some more than reasonable alternatives. Tomorrow we will get up at 4.30am for an elephant safari, where apparently the elephants do a pincer movement to enable us to see the unicorn rhonos. I really can't wait!

- Dave

Day 25: Bomdila to Potasali Eco Camp

Having checked out of Bomdila, we set off on our journey to Potasali (Assam), only to find out that yet another strike was taking place in Assam, so all major roads were closed in Assam were closed until 5pm. That gave us some extra time to stop off at Sessa Orchid Sanctuary where a very friendly and enthusiastic old forest ranger led us into this hidden tropical forest off the main road. It reminded me immediately of the rainforests of South America - full of lush greenery, towering trees, flowing streams and the sound of birds and other wildlife. We were called back after venturing too far, as apparently leopards and tigers prowl the area!

We reached Bhalukpong at around 12pm and waited around for a further 3 hours until a police vehicle escorted us and a convoy of other vehicles into Assam. After 20km we turned off for Potasali Eco Camp, and immediately we were struck by the character of the place. Our accommodation was one of eleven tented bamboo structures furnished with sturdy low-lying bamboo beds and an ensuite bathroom. As it was approaching sunset, we wandered into the nearby fields where we saw local villagers herding their cows as the sky turned a crimson red followed by a fading pink.

Ronny, a local Assamese guy, runs this place and came across as a very charasmatic and knowledgable person loaded with all kinds of helpful information about the area and how best we can organise our tours. We had a fabulous dinner and some beers in the outdoor dining area, where we stared in amazement/disbelief at a group of dedicated birdwatchers flocked around a table comparing notes on the birds they had spotted that day. We ended the night by the bonfire, contemplating the adventure tomorrow holds when we go for a 6am jungle walk followed by rafting and lunch with the boatmen.

- Rahul

Days 23 & 24: Tawang and the road back to Bomdila

Yesterday we were due a relatively lazy day, starting at about 8.30, but just after 7 we realised we were in for a beautiful day. The view of the monestary from the room inspired us to brave the cold and so we headed back up to the monestary, where we casually wandered around, admiring yet again the monestary and its incredible setting before walking slowly back to Tawang. There was not a cloud in the sky. In the afternoon we just wandered around Tawang, every corner revealing another spectacular view. Hopefully we should have a link to some photos up in about a week so you can see what I mean. In the evening, after an excellent meal at our favourite hotel so far, we sat around the fire in the kitchen and chatted, people coming and going continually.

Today after breakfast we set off for Bomdila. The weather was a repeat of the previous day and the views were simply breath taking. I won't elaborate, I'll let the photos do the rest. Coming back over Sela Pass proved even more difficult than our first passing. The first time our jeep got stuck in the snow myself, Rahul and a guy who works on the roads managed to extract it, but the second time more manpower was required. So from the truck that was following us a mini-army jumped down, and we pushed/lifted the car to safety. Not before we were half-frozen to death by swirling icy winds though.

We stopped again at Sela's little hut restaurant for very much appreciated noodles and tea, and an even more appreciated fire. Once we had defrosted, we set off again and within an hour we stopped again, and sunbathed for half an hour! It was roasting, still being high enough to feel the full strength of the sun. We reached Bomdila at around five and found accomodation that surpassed our previous find, this one being in the grounds of Bomdila monestary, a great setting with very clean rooms decorated in the monestary style, and a balcony view of Bomdila and the mountains beyond. We watched a little of the evening prayers before dinner, and I'm now writing by candle-light as Arunachal's electricity situation has struck again. However from our balcony I can see a sky with more stars than any other I have ever seen.
Tomorrow we will head on to Potasali Eco Camp in Assam, and bid a sad farewell to Arunachal Pradesh. For now!

- Dave

Day 22: Tawang

Woke up under three layers of blankets, scarf and woolly hat... there's no doubting how cold it is here! We started the day at the stunning Tawang Monastery, perched majestically on a cliff edge overlooking a bowl of snow-capped mountains. Unfortunately we had missed the Buddhist Losar Festival, but the monastery was still adorned with colourful decorations and various offerings from devotees. We had a brief tour of the museum which contained artefacts brought over at the time of the Tibetan migration to India, some of which dated back over 500 years. We also caught a glimpse of the young Buddhist scholars reciting various prayers and the national anthem at their outdoor assembly.

Next stop was Ptso lake which is situated at an altitude of 14000 feet... our jeep only made it part of the way there, so we ditched the driver and our 'guide', and walked on for a few kilometres in the snow. Despite our best efforts it seemed to be further than we had thought so reluctantly turned back. Nevertheless it was just incredible to be out in the mountains surrounded by snow-covered trees and occasional prayer flags waving in the chilling wind. The 'genuine' North Face jackets seem a bargain now, even if some of the feathers seem to be popping out already! From there we proceeded on to Ani Gompa, a small nunnery also quaintly situated in the mountains.

After breaking for lunch (veg chow chow, which was the best lunch of the trip so far), we visited the birthplace of the 6th Dalai Lama and then stopped off at the very impressive War Memorial commemorating the Indian soldiers who had lost their lives in the 1962 Indo-China War. The time was 4:45pm and a bugle sounded followed by the lowering of the Indian flag as a 'salaam' to those who'd sacrificed their lives for this great nation. Even more humbling was the fact that the same ritual is carried out everyday by serving troops all over India.

- Rahul

Day 21- Dirang and the road to Tawang

Finally we have reached our most far flung destination, Tawang, home to the 2nd largest Buddhist monestary in the world, only superceded by the one in Lhasa, Tibet. Unfortunately it was getting dark as we arrived so we haven't yet really had a chance to see the town or the monestary, though in the fading light we could see the monestary out of our hotel room window so we are hoping for a nice view in the morning.

Yesterday, on paper, was not a great day. Our trek suffered various misfortunes - overcast weather, our inability to contact the real guide, the failure of the monkeys we hoped to see to appear and the fact that the "guide" we did use was the closest to a monkey we got to see! He was clueless and had to stop everyone we met to ask for directions. Nonetheless it was nice to get out in nature and walk through the forests for a few hours, and get some exercise ahead of today's drive.

This morning we started off at about 7, after breakfast. We drove slowly through the heavy fog. Then suddenly there was a clearing and the sun came out revealing stunning mountain scenery. Peaks appeared above a sea of clouds, snow-capped mountains behind the colourful Buddhist prayer flags that hung between trees. The fog came and went as we drove, hiding, then revealing stunning pine tree forests clinging to the mountain sides. Towards Sela Pass (4400m) our car struggled through the ice but we made it to Sela Pass, where our imitation North Face jackets came into their own... it was damn cold! We stopped in a little hut restaurant (the only one there) and joined a group huddled round the fire. It was very cosy, and we had some tea and noodles.

From there the road meandered down through the valley. We got stuck in the mud at one spot but thanks to some locals managed to extract ourselves and were headed on towards Tawang. We stopped briefly in the very picturesque village of Lhou for tea and a wander, then on into Tawang where we are staying in a very nice little hotel. Tomorrow we leave here at 7.30 to catch the morning prayers at the monestary.

-Dave

Days 19: Bomdila to Dirang

First stop was the bazaar in Bomdila for some emergency shopping. This was probably our last chance to purchase warm clothes before Tawang. We each bought North Face jackets. Somehow doubt they are genuine as mine has a special pocket designed for people whose right hand bends backwards, but nevertheless it's warm!

Only a 90min drive from Bomdila, Dirang lived up to its hype. Our hotel is perched on a hilltop overlooking Dirang Valley... this is Monpa territory, where the people mainly follow Buddhism. We walked around Old Dirang which is a very picturesque village with an old fort set amongst the hills and a small river intersecting it. Feeling a bit peckish, we went on to New Dirang, which had a good selection of small village shops. After wandering down to the river we headed back to the hotel, which has easily been the best we have stayed in. It felt like a place for fellow travellers, and this was also the first time we had come across groups of other foreigners, one group being a team of hardcore birdwatchers from the US.

Tomorrow is our first proper full day trek... the plan is to go to Sangti Valley which has a yak breeding centre, small villages, apple gardens... how we get there, we don't know yet, but we'll figure it out in the morning.
Night night.
- Rahul

Day 18 Bhalukpong to Bomdila

So on to Bomdila. After the officer required to let us cross the border finally arrived, having apparently had too much to drink the night before at some local festival and thus needing a car to come to collect him, we were back in Arunachal Pradesh. This side however is quite different. Instead of Doni-Polo and jungle, this side is charachterised by Buddhist temples and prayer flags. The scenery too is quite different, the forests are more sparse, there are more birds and there is definitely a more serene atmosphere. We even spotted some form of jungle cat before it scampered up a bank and disappeared into the forest.

We stopped at a couple of impressive temples before Bomdila and visited Shergaon, home of the Sherdukpen tribe but there was not really much to see though people were friendly, and we were met with looks of wonder. We arrived quite late in Bomdila and after trying a few hotels, finally found a nice one with an excellent restaurant. It's pretty cold here though as we are at around 2600 metres, so we will have to buy some more warm clothes tomorrow, particularly for the route to Tawang, which runs through Sela Pass, at 4400 metres. Tomorrow we will look around Bomdila and then move further north to the supposedly very scenic Dirang.

- Dave

Days 16 & 17: Itanagar and Bhalukpong

It was Arunachal Pradesh state day (Feb 20), so went down to Indira Gandhi Park for the cultural event in the morning. At first we were standing way back in the crowd unable to catch a decent view of proceedings. We then went to the VIP entrance, explained we were intrepid entrepreneurs looking to promote the state, and suddenly we were whisked to the front with the journalists and photographers! All of AP's tribes performed their native dances and then we bought a few local souvenirs from the exhibition stands. It was a very nice event. The afternoon was a bit of a write off since everything was closed, and in the evening we met up with Aruna and Komkar again to discuss business. We are really confident that we can work really well together, but the finer details are yet to be ironed out.

Today was an early start. We stuck with our reliable driver, and met up with Aruna and Komkar again, before starting the next leg of our journey. The drive was very good... plenty of nice scenery, without being too spectacular, mile upon mile of tea estates, and lots of busy market life on the roadside. The contrasting landscape between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh was never more apparent than when approaching Bhalukpong. Having driven for 4 hours along flat road, we could see the silhouettes of Arunachal's imposing mountains across the state border. We're staying at the very impressive Bhalukpong Tourist Cottage, which has fantastic views of the river and mountains.

Tomorrow it's onwards through more villages to Bomdila.
- Rahul

Day 15 - Itanagar

A pretty good day. We slept late, until 9, that felt good, then after some Internet frustration (half an hour to log into Google), we met with the operator and used their much faster Internet. From there we hit the museum which had exhibits on all the 26 major tribes of Arunachal, their dress, their customs and their homes. It was fantastic to be there with Aruna as she had such detailed knowledge of the tribes. The sheer quantity was a bit overwhelming and it was hard to believe that this all comes from one near-forgotten Indian state.

We looked at some of Aruna's photos of the tribes when we got back, then had some food and discussed the plan for the next leg up to Tawang in Western Arunachal. We leave the day after tomorrow as there is a student union strike tomorrow - protesting about the governments lack of action in the face of Arunachal students being forced into terrorist activity by neighbouring Nagaland terrorists - which unusually means that the roads will be closed until 5pm.
-Dave

Day 4: Itanagar

Now in Itanagar and there have been some positive developments. Yesterday and again today we have had a few meetings with our first choice operator in the region - comprising Komkar and his wife Aruna - and they have been very good on the whole. They are very experienced and come across as very competent. They have both been in Europe for some time and are also used to westerners. They are also involved in projects to maintain the local culture and their general business practices come across as matching with what we hope to do too. Our planned itinerary they also felt was a good one, and they helped us to organise a jeep and driver for the next week to ten days to discover the loop of Ziro-Daporijo-Along, where we should encounter a whole array of tribes. There is not a lot to see in Itanagar but it is pleasant enough for a stop off and we found a very friendly new restaurant with a local owner who was particularly happy to see an Irishman in the region for some reason! Aruna and Komkar brought us there and they seem to know of good places. The food was excellent.

People here have been very friendly and welcoming though not a huge anmount of English is spoken. The only negatives so far are that it seems accomodation in Arunachal is very basic, and costs are more than other parts of India and more than we had initially expected. We will figure out this more as we continue around the region.

Tomorrow we leave for Ziro, which is at a higher altitude, and from what everyone tells us is a "very cold place"! Ziro is where the Apatani tribe leave, a tribe characterised by tatoos and nose-plugs for the women. After talking to Aruna and Komkar we decided it was best to rent a jeep and driver so we could stop off at various tribal villages which would have been too difficult were we to try to do it by public transport. From here we will most likely have no internet or mobile coverage until we get back to Itanagar.

Day 3: Guwahati to Itanagar

Today the plan was to get to Itanagar one way or the other. We considered bus, train and helicopter, but as we were told the pilot's mood is temperamental, we decided a sleeper train would be the best way of getting there despite the 9 hour journey. Train travel in India is often the best way of observing Indian life and the vast swathes of colourful land in this intensely diverse country.

The Arunachal Express surprisingly doesn't go from Guwahati so we had to catch a train to Rangia (1 hour)... there were no seats in general class, so we ended up in the military carriage, and soon got chatting to a serviceman from Kanpur, who had been serving in Assam for the past few years. We arrived into Rangia shortly after 1pm only to find out that the new scheduled time for the Arunachal Express was 7:15pm! Rangia is a small village with only a few stalls. We quickly located the only Punjabi restaurant opposite the station (Restaurant Sher-e-Punjab). After eating, we found out what travel writing was really about... sitting in the back of a simple village restaurant typing away on a laptop! We spent the next 3-4 hours finalising the structure of the website and putting together content. It was actually hard work! The site will hopefully be up in the next few weeks.

We hoped to get a sleeper, only to find out that there was only one sleeper carriage, instead of the normal three... the sleeper carriage was packed but 4 guys were great and offered to sit instead of sleep to accommodate us. So far everyone has been incredibly hospitable and been genuinely interested in our endeavours to make this region better known. We had the odd altercation with the ticket inspector, and were occasionally woken up by the sound of vendors yelling everything from 'garam chai' (hot tea) to 'joota polish' (shoe polish). At around midnight some guys disembarked, so we were finally able to collapse on the hard slabs that were our beds for the remainder of the night. Neither of us got any real sleep and arrived at 4.30am at Harmuty train station, a small non-descript village close to Arunachal Pradesh... we waited there for an hour along with other passengers until the first sign of light and then trotted off with our luggage along with the others, as if on an early morning military exercise. It was fascinating to see the other side of this booming country... the sound of waking roosters and the silhouette of village huts and cows roaming the dusty streets. From the main road, we finally caught a shared jeep for the 10 minute trip to the Arunachal Pradesh border.

- Rahul

Day 2: Guwahati

Ok so after the first full day in Guwahati we have made some headway. We found an excellent hotel, and after a longish meeting with the manager we came away with a very good feeling about the place - very nice rooms, restaurant, breakfast area, a very impressive lobby, with a glass elevator... and generally an impression of competence and a friendly vibe. We were not able to stay there tonight as it was full (we could see why), but we will definietely stay there on our way back. After that we headed to Kamakhya Mandir, a temple complex out of town, where we got to observe the temple rituals. It was a very colourful affair, and the Pandit that led us around was very friendly. There was a positive bustle about the place. We also witnessed some pigeons being sacrified and saw the blood of many pigeons and goats that had been sacrifcied... it was quite overwhelming.

From there we headed to Uma Mandir on a boat across the Brahmaputra. It was a little disappointing, probably because of the impressiveness of the previous temple complex. We headed on to Kalarshatra, a park a bit further out of town with various cultural exhibits and a little toy train. We did not have time to stay for the light and sound show that is the main activity of the evening, but hopefully on the way back we can catch that. Tomorrow we will take the train to near Itanagar and then a bus from there. It's an 11 hour train ride but thankfully its a sleeper so we should arrive early on Friday morning. On to Arunachal!

Dave

Day one in the North East

Having spent 2 days literally 'chilling' out with my cousins in Delhi... the 'real work' now starts. Early wake up call for the morning flight to Guwahati with Spicejet... we were extremely impressed with the flight and friendly service. As we landed, we managed to catch a glimpse of the greenery and wildlife that Assam has to offer.

Guwahati as a city isn't as nice as I hoped it would be, but then again we knew that this would not be featuring much on our prospective tours. We spent most of the afternoon walking around the city and getting a general feel for the place. The evening was spent checking out hotels, and we were kindly invited for tea at the 'Dynasty Hotel' (the only 4* hotel) in the Northeast apparently! Our hotel is quite close to the mighty Brahmaputra, and we hope to see more of it tomorrow.

Since we are quite tight on time, we have hired a car for tomorrow. There are a few sites to visit, as well as more accommodation.

If anyone has tried to get in touch with us, unfortunately our mobile phones seem to have problems connecting to the local network, so we will be purchasing a local SIM in the next few days.

Until next time...

- Rahul

Arrival in the North East

So, first day in the North East. Guwahati is, well to be honest, not the most beautiful city I've ever been to. Fortunately it wasn't one of our expected highlights. It's kind of dirty, dusty... even a bit smelly. On the plus side we found some pretty decent hotels. Also we spent the day doing chores so we didn't get to see any of the sights. We have organised a car for tomorrow as it looks like being a busy day, mostly because we need to leave for Arunachal Pradesh the day after tomorrow due to the fact that our Resticted Area Permit for the region started today, and so we need to get there sooner rather than later. As it stands we should have 28 days in AP, which hopefully will be enough. The permits are for 10 days and only 2 extensions are possible.
Tomorrow we will finish off our tour of the hotels of Guwahati, and also check out the main sights, as we see them. The main things to see are the "Blood Temple", known locally as Kamakhaya Mandir, the site where Sati, the wife of Shiva, one of the main Hindu Gods apparently left her genetalia to rest! Respecting one of their leading ladies, they sacrifice goats, buffalos and doves to represent her menstrual cycle. The inner sanctum is said to be sticky with sacrificial blood!

Then there is Umandanda Mandir, an island in the Brahmaputra river accesible by busy cruise boats. It is heavily forested and boasts some impressive temples, one or two of which are guarded by polite, and very rare golden langurs, the most loveable monkeys of India.
This evening we found a quaint little bar, and had a few Indian beers and some unexpectedly spicy food, given that Assamaese food is supposed to be bland - by Indian standards.
Tomorrow beckons! First some sleep.

Dave

Delhi

Arrived in Delhi two days ago, and it feels so nice to be back. It's every bit as chaotic and crazy as I remember. Was lucky enough to witness a wedding procession, with its beautifully dressed ladies and intense energy yesterday. Still don't understand how those drummers can keep up their drumming for so long.



We fly to Guwahati tomorrow and then the real trip begins. We are both excited about it.

Dave

The final countdown ...

6 days to go... still loads to do, but confident we'll get everything done in time, even if it means staying up this entire week! Having been a regular visitor to India since childhood, this trip is totally different... exploring a part of India largely unseen by the outside world, which is so unique from the other states in this fabulously diverse country. I'm sure it's going to be a steep learning curve, but a challenge both Dave and I are relishing...

- Rahul

Less than 2 weeks to go till India!

Less than 2 weeks until we go to India, getting very exciting now. I have not been in India since 1999, when I spent 8 months travelling there. It was my first time outside Europe and a huge, and very exciting adventure that really established the traveller in me. This time of course will be in a very different capacity, which makes it all new, and of course the area is one I haven’t been to before, and really looks like a gem. This is my first time writing a blog, so I guess I will just figure out how to do it as I go...

Dave