The Itinerary: First Leg - Delhi to Kathmandu

Here's a more specific description of the route I'll be taking through Northern India and Nepal. I'll be arriving in Delhi a few days beforehand to recover from the 24-hour journey to get there, adjust to the time difference, and explore the city a bit. After this first leg ends, I plan to travel independently in the Kathmandu Valley to take in Newari villages and views of the Himalayas before continuing on to Bangkok.

Delhi - Kathmandu, 4/4/09 - 4/18/09

Day 1 Delhi
New Delhi, the capital of India is one of the most historic capitals in the world and three of its monuments- the Qutab Minar, Red Fort and Humayun's Tomb - have been declared World Heritage Sites. It offers a multitude of interesting places and attractions to the visitor, so much so that it becomes difficult to decide from where to begin exploring the city. In Old Delhi, there are attractions like mosques, forts, markets and other monuments depicting India's Muslim history. New Delhi, on the other hand, is a modern city designed by Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. Tree covered wide streets with many roundabouts are notable in New Delhi. Home to many government buildings and embassies, as well as Rashtrapati Bhawan, the one-time imperial residence of the British viceroys; India Gate, a memorial raised in honor of the Indian soldiers martyred during the Afghan war. Further out in the southern suburbs you will discover more history including Humayun's Tomb, said to be the forerunner of the Taj Mahal at Agra; the Purana Quila, built by Humayun, with later-day modifications by Sher Shah Suri; Qutab Minar, built by Qutb-ud-din Aybak of the Slave Dynasty; and the incredible lotus-shaped Bahá'í House of Worship.

There are a number of outstanding museums worth visiting including the Craft Museum, National Gallery and Birla House (Ghandi Smirti) and Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum.

Day 2-3 Jaipur
Leaving the chaos of the capital New Delhi, we board our early morning Shatabdi train, considered India's fastest and most prestigious train for our journey to Jaipur, known as the Pink City (approx 4-5 hrs). Jaipur was first painted terracotta pink by Maharajah Sawai Ram Singh in 1853, to celebrate the visit of Prince Albert.

During our stay in Jaipur we visit the Amber Fort clinging to the surrounding hills. To get to the fort we have the option of an elephant ride, jeeps or walking. We also visit the amazing City Palace with its fine collection of textiles and costumes as well as the Hawa Mahal or Palace of the Winds. This famous building is in fact only an elaborately carved facade built to enable the purdah ladies in the zenana to watch the goings-on in the street below without being seen.

There are so many things to do in Jaipur. You may want to head out to the nearby village of Sanganer to see blue pottery, hand made paper or hand block printing. Or you may want to discover more of the wisdom and history of the Mughals by wandering around the Jantar Mantar, an observatory built in the 1700's. Or you may just want to sip a cocktail in any of the luxuriously converted palaces, now operating as 5 star hotels. And of course a visit to a Bollywood film is a must and there is no better place than the spectacular Art deco film house - the Raj Mandir.

Jaipur is one of the most important centers in the world for gems and jewelery and cutting of small diamonds and also a great place to buy block printed textiles, blue pottery and hand made paper. There are many shops selling these items and some wonderful markets in the Old City selling more traditional items such as mojari, Rajasthani slippers. If buying gems or jewelery please take caution as there have been several instances of scams where fake jewellery has been passed off as real.

Day 4 Agra
Travel by early morning train (approx 5 hrs) to the Muslim city of Agra, site of India’s most famous landmark, the Taj Mahal. Visit this icon of Mughal architecture either early in the morning or late afternoon for the best light. We ride one of the ubiquitous cycle rickshaws to visit Taj Mahal and Red Fort.

The Taj Mahal was constructed between 1631 and 1654 by a workforce of 22 000, the Taj Mahal was built by the Muslim Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his favourite wife, Arjumand Bano Begum, better known as Mumtaz Mahal. Mumtaz had already borne the emperor fourteen children when she died in childbirth, and it is the romantic origin of the Taj as much as its architectural splendour that has led to its fame worldwide. Actually an integrated complex of many structures, the Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, itself a combination of Islamic, Hindu, Persian and Turkish elements.

The walled palatial city of the Red Fort, was first taken over by the Moghuls, at that time led by Akbar the Great, in the late 16th century. Akbar liked to build from red sandstone, often inlaid with white marble and intricate decorations, and it was during his reign that the fort began changing into more of a royal estate.

However, it was only during the reign of Akbar's grandson, Shah Jahan (who would eventually build the Taj Mahal) that the site finally took on its current state. Unlike his grandfather, Shah Jahan preferred buildings made from white marble, often inlaid with gold or semi-precious gems, and he destroyed some earlier buildings inside the fort in order to build others in his own style. At the end of his life Shah Jahan was imprisoned in the fort by his son, Aurangzeb. It is said that Shah Jahan died in Muasamman Burj, a tower with a marble balcony with an excellent view of the Taj Mahal.

The fort was also a site of one of the most important battles of the Indian rebellion of 1857, which caused the end of the British East India Company's rule in India, leading to a century of direct rule of India by Britain.

Time permitting, visit I’timad-ud-Daulah, also known as the ‘Baby Taj’ - it was built before the Taj Mahal by Nur Jahan, queen of Jehangir, for her parents and was the first Mughal building to be faced with white marble and where ‘pietra dura’, (precious stones inlaid into marble) was first used.


Day 5-6 Orchha
Today we travel by train from Agra to Jhansi before jumping in a tempo, a large type of auto rickshaw to the picturesque town of Orchha (approx 4 hrs). We spend two days enjoying the peaceful rural charm of this riverside town. Sitting on the banks of the Betwa River, Orchha is the perfect antidote to the chaos of India’s cities. Experience a piece of the ‘real’ India, one that will likely change your image of this diverse country.

A typical, small Indian town, Orchha owes its popularity to an architectural heritage bequeathed it, by its history as the oldest and highest in rank of all the Bundela states. Orchha dates back to the 16th century when it was founded by the Bundela chief Rudra Pratap. In the early 17th century, Raja Jujhar Singh rebelled against the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, whose armies devastated the state and occupied Orchha from 1635 to 1641. Orchha was the only Bundela state not subjugated by the Marathas in the 18th century. Hamir Singh, who ruled from 1848 to 1874, was elevated to Maharaja in 1865. Maharaja Pratap Singh (born 1854, died 1930), who succeeded to the throne in 1874, devoted himself entirely to the development of his state, himself designing most of the engineering and irrigation works executed during his reign.

In 1901, the state had an area of over 2000 sq. mi, and population of over 300 000, warranted a 15-gun salute, and its Maharajas bore the hereditary title of First of the Princes of Bundelkhand, all hard to believe as you wander the sleepy town as it appears today. Eventually, Vir Singh, Pratap Singh's successor, merged his state with the Union of India on January 1, 1950.

With our local guide, we explore some of the many temples and palaces spread along the river and surrounding countryside, including the town’s imposing 17th century fort, Chaturbhuj temple built on a vast platform of stone, and the numerous cenotaphs that dot the landscape. Remember to make time for the evening puja ceremony between 7pm and 8pm - at the Ram Raja Temple.

We also visit Tarragram, a unique paper making plant, set up to assist tribal women from the area. All the paper is made from recycled clothing and wood pulp.

Then you will have free time to hire a bicycle and head out into the countryside, a great opportunity to meet some locals. Or simply relax and stroll along the banks of the river.

On the evening of Day 6 we return to Jhansi and take the overnight train to Varanasi (approx 13 hrs).

Day 7-8 Varanasi
We arrive in the morning at Varanasi, the quintessential Indian holy city where millions of Hindu travel, for pilgrimage, to worship, to mourn or to die. Walk the narrow twisting alleys, poke around some of the literally hundreds of temples and shrines, and experience the energy of the dawn rituals of bathing and burnings as you float past the numerous ghats of the River Ganges.

The legends, myths and aura surrounding Varanasi led Mark Twain to famously remark. "Benaras is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together".

Sitting on the banks of the River Ganges, you can contemplate what it means to be in Varanasi, the oldest continually inhabited city in the world, dating back thousands of years. The culture of Varanasi is deeply associated with the river Ganges, its reigning deity Lord Shiva and its religious importance; the city has been a cultural and religious center in northern India for thousands of years. Or wander through the Old City with its maze of narrow alleyways full of small shops and stalls. Perhaps you could visit the monasteries and ruins of nearby Sarnath, the site of Buddha's first sermon.

During our stay we take boats out onto the sacred Ganges River, both for sunrise and sunset. For the evening boat journey we enjoy a candle flower ceremony accompanied by sitar and tabla playing.

Day 9 Bhairawa/Lumbini, India-Nepal Border
Leaving Varanasi we travel by private vehicle (approx 7 hrs) to the Nepalese border. Crossing at the border town of Bhairawa we then continue on to the great Buddhist pilgrimage center and birthplace of the Buddha, Lumbini.

Lumbini (Sanskrit for "the lovely") is the historical birthplace of Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism, who lived between approximately 563 and 483 BCE. Lumbini, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is located 25kms east of the municipality of Kapilavastu, the place where the Buddha grew up and lived up to the age of 29.


Day 10-11 Chitwan National Park
Leaving Lumbini we travel to the UNESCO World Heritage Chitwan National Park (approx 4-5 hrs). Known as the Terai Tarai ("moist land"), the landscape you travel through today is a belt of marshy grasslands, savannas, and forests at the base of the Himalayas. The Terai zone is composed of alternate layers of clay and sand, with a high water table that creates many springs and wetlands; the zone is inundated yearly by the monsoon-swollen rivers of the Himalaya.

The Terai-Duar savanna and grasslands form an eco-region that stretches across the middle of the Terai belt. They are a mosaic of tall grasslands, savannas and evergreen and deciduous forests; the grasslands are among the tallest in the world, fed by silt deposited by the yearly monsoon floods. It is this eco-region that is home to the endangered Indian Rhinoceros, as well as elephants, Bengal tigers, bears, leopards and other wild animals. Much of the region has been converted to farmland, although both Royal Chitwan National Park and Royal Bardia National Park preserve significant sections of habitat, and are home to some of the greatest concentrations of rhinoceros and tiger remaining in South Asia.

Arrive Royal Chitwan National Park (RCNP), the oldest national park in Nepal. Established in 1973, it became a World Heritage Site in 1984. Within its area of 932km², the Royal Chitwan National Park is home to at least 43 species of mammals, 450 species of birds, and 45 species of amphibians and reptiles including sambars, chitals, rhesus monkeys, and langurs.

Until 1950 the Chitwan Valley was a hunting reserve for big game. Happily, today tourists come only to spot wildlife, rather than shoot it, and the park offers some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in Asia. Along with our guides, we ride an elephant through the national park (safari is approx. 2.5 hours). We also visit the nearby elephant breeding center. There will also be free time to go on a canoe ride or to enjoy a spot of bird watching.

Day 12-13 Pokhara
Travel from the plains to the mountains by bus (approx 5 hrs). Nestled in a tranquil valley at an altitude of 827m, Pokhara is a place of natural beauty. The serenity of Phewa Lake and the magnificence of the fish-tailed summit of Machhapuchhre (6977m) rising behind it create an ambiance of peace and tranquility.

Pokhara lies on a once vibrant trade route extending between India and Tibet. To this day, mule trains can be seen camped on the outskirts of the town, bringing goods to trade from remote regions of the Himalaya. The enchanting city has several beautiful lakes and offers stunning panoramic views of Himalayan peaks - creating the ambience that has made it such a popular place to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. Relax in a café, hire a boat and float around the lake, or shop for Nepali and Tibetan souvenirs in the endless stalls and shops.

The most stunning of Pokhara's sights is the spectacular panorama of the Annapurna range. We travel out to Sarangkot (1592m) only 5 kms north east of Pokhara for a spectacular sunrise of the surrounding mountains (weather permitting). The walk back down through farms and forest to Pokhara is wonderful and takes between 2- 2 1/2 hours.


Day 14 Kathmandu
Travelling the last leg of the trip through the wild, rugged Himalayan landscape to Nepal’s magical capital and largest city, Kathmandu. For many, simply the name alone is sufficient to conjure up images of temple pagodas, long-haired saddhus in clouds of hashish smoke and the ever-present Himalayas. Kathmandu is all this and more. Sitting in a bowl-like valley surrounded on all sides by some of the highest mountains on earth, Kathmandu has been a crossroads of cultures since hundreds of years before Christ, a tradition very much alive today.

Arrive by bus in the afternoon and we will have a short orientation walk. Highlights in Kathmandu include world-famous Durbar Square, the King’s Palace, the burning ghats at Pashupatinath and Boudhanath Stupa. But more than almost any city in the world, Kathmandu is fascinating at every turn, and some travellers prefer to just wander, seeing where chance, fate or the city may lead them.

MOUNTAIN FLIGHTS
Regular flights are conducted daily from Kathmandu towards the Himalayan Range in the North and East of Kathmandu. The flight generally takes off in the morning and lasts for one full hour. This is the quickest way to get a close look at Mt. Everest, the highest mountains in the world. Other mountains that can be viewed at close range are Nuptse (7879 M), Lhotse (8501 M), Cho Oyu (8000M), Makalu (8475 M) and Kanchenjunga (8584 M).


Day 15 Depart Kathmandu
Early in the morning we will make our last journey together to visit Swayambhunath, the monkey temple, sitting high above Kathmandu city.

Swayambhunath is the most ancient and enigmatic of all the holy shrines in Kathmandu valley. Its lofty white dome and glittering golden spire are visible for many miles. On each of the four sides of the main stupa there are a pair of big eyes. These eyes are symbolic of God's all-seeing perspective. There is no nose between the eyes but rather a representation of the number one in the Nepali alphabet, signifying that the single way to enlightenment is through the Buddhist path. Above each pair of eyes is another eye, the third eye, signifying the wisdom of looking within. No ears are shown because it is said the Buddha is not interested in hearing prayers in praise of him. To reach Swayambhunath you climb 365 steps that lead up the hill and the area surrounding the stupa is filled with temples, painted images of deities and numerous other religious objects.

3 Months of Clothing, Four Ziplock Bags

One of the questions I've been most asked is "What are you going to wear on a trip like this?" At first, I was planning to go ultralight and wear one pair of pants, one pair of shorts, and 3 t-shirts for 3 months. The more I thought about this, though, it seemed ridiculous. I mean, really, one pair of pants??

So, I bought one more pair of pants ;-)

I'll be in the tropics for most of the trip, and it will be very hot and humid. Even Kathmandu, in the shadow of the world's tallest mountains, will be 80+ degrees. I'll also likely run into a lot of afternoon rainstorms in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia, which means I'll need light clothing made of water-resistant and quick-drying materials (basically, no cotton).

Here it is, 3 months' worth of clothing! I usually pack more than this for a weekend away...


Here's what I'm bringing:

• 3 t-shirts (will probably buy a couple more on the road)
• 1 long-sleeved thermal shirt
• 2 basic camisole tank tops
  
• 1 dressier camisole top
• 1 pair of North Face utility pants
• 1 pair of lightweight cotton roll-up capris
• 1 pair of yoga pants (for flights, overnight train rides, etc.)
  
• 1 pair of shorts
• 2 swimsuits
• 1 sundress
• 10 pairs of socks, 10 underwear
• 1 water resistant, wind resistant Columbia shell (not shown)
  

I Get Around...

Southeast Asia is an incredibly diverse place, not least in how people get around. Of course I'll be making use of standard planes, trains, and automobiles as I traverse the continent, but I'll also ride in some uniquely South Asian modes of transport. Here are a few of the standouts:

Tuk-tuks are three-wheeled taxis common in large cities, especially Bangkok. They're small and maneuverable in gridlocked traffic, and can also be a bit nervewracking.



A songthaew (literally "two rows") is a larger taxi, often used for longer distances than a tuk-tuk. It takes its name from the two bench seats fixed along either side of the back of the truck.


I'll be riding elephants on an elephant safari in Chitwan National Park in Nepal, and will probably have several other opportunities to ride them in Thailand and Malaysia. It's not the most comfortable ride, but it is a fun one :)

I'll take several overnight trains in India and Thailand. This was one of my favorite experiences when I visited Thailand in 2002 because train travel was so exotic to me then. It's a lot of fun: in the evening, a porter comes around and flips the regular train seats into a cozy little bunk with clean linens and a window view. I remember sleeping soundly and awakening to sunrise views in a completely different landscape. So much better than a redeye flight in coach!

On the beaches and islands in Southern Thailand, taxis are replaced by longtail boats. They're sturdy wooden boats with an outboard motor attached to the back. As you walk along the beaches, longtail drivers shout, "BOAT BOAT! 10 BAHT!"

After crossing the border into Laos from Thailand, I'll take a slow boat down the Mekong River to Vientiane. Apparently the title is well-deserved, and you're forced to put your feet up and relax... it's a really slow boat!

I'm really excited for an overnight trip on a traditional junk in Vietnam's Halong Bay.

Last but not least, I'm planning to take a ride on Yeti Airlines to check out Mt. Everest and the other tallest mountains in the world when I'm in Kathmandu. I mean, really, YETI AIRLINES?

Currency Conversion - Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

As a kid, I was fascinated by foreign money, and I guess I still am. Our American money is just so boring compared to the colorful, sometimes oddly-shaped and perforated foreign bills and coins imprinted with strange faces, places, and symbols.

Another thing that I find fascinating is currency exchange rates. I was an economics major in school so I understand how and why exchange rates and inflation, etc., works, but I still find it hard to wrap my head around the fact that just one of my US dollar bills will get me more than seventeen thousand Vietnamese dong.

In order to keep on top of what's worth what while I'm out and about, I put together a simple spreadsheet with local currencies and current rates:

3/23/2009	$1	$5	$10	$20	$40	$50
India (Rupees)	50	252	504	1,008	2,017	2,521
Nepal (Rupees)	80	400	800	1,600	3,200	4,000
Thailand (Baht)	35	177	353	706	1,412	1,766
Cambodia (Riel)	4,101	20,505	41,010	82,020	164,040	205,050
Vietnam (Dong)	17,543	87,715	175,430	350,860	701,720	877,150
Laos (Kip)	8,560	42,800	85,600	171,200	342,400	428,000
Malaysia (Ringgits)	3.6	18.2	36.3	72.6	145.2	181.5
Singapore (Dollars)	1.5	7.5	15.1	30.1	60.3	75.4
Indonesia (Rupiahs)	11,516	57,580	115,160	230,320	460,640	575,800

It's fun to think that in some countries, the money in my pocket will make me a millionaire :)

DIY Passport Photos for Super Cheap

As I researched my trip, I learned I'd need about 20 passport-sized photos for visas, visitor IDs, and the like throughout the three months abroad. When I found out that CVS was my cheapest option at $7.99 for 4 passport pictures, I decided my money was better spent elsewhere and decided to make my own. It turns out that this is easy to do. All you need is a camera and an internet connection.

Step One: Take a photo

You'll need a plain, light background (a white wall is just fine). Use your self-timer or borrow a friend to take a photo of you straight on, making sure to include your upper chest and some extra room at the top of the frame. Try to use natural light so there's no redeye or shadows behind you. Remember not to smile - there's nothing funny about passport pictures (actually, it's a post-9/11 requirement).

I took mine using the self-timer option and perching my camera on the edge of my desk at work.

Step Two: Crop to passport specifications and make a contact sheet

Passport photos have stringent requirements for size and head placement in the picture. This would make taking your own passport photos difficult, except there's a great free service called epassportphoto.com that helps you crop your image to US passport specifications (or nearly any other country if you wish). They also create a nifty contact sheet of your picture so it's ready to print.


Step Three: Print your passport photos

Passport photos are 2"x2", which means that, conveniently, exactly six fit on a 4x6" print. I used CVS's nifty kiosk option to print 6 of these. At 19 cents per print, 36 passport photos cost me $1.14. Not bad!