new horizons

 After a long cold train ride we arrived in Khajuraho as dawn was breaking. An hour of tuktuking to our guesthouse. Then off for an explore of this den of ancient iniquity! What a change of scene – away from Varanasi and into the serenity and down-right sexiness of the temples. So much more… Continue reading Sexy Khajuraho – World Heritage Eroticism!

 Sorry to start on such a negative note, but here’s a thing.  It’s a long hard journey by bus, train and road from Kolkata, so we fly. LANDED…After much bullshit and blockade, which almost lead to fisticuffs, with the local tuktuk wallahs, we finally leave the airport, and head towards town. The world-famous,… Continue reading VARANASI-VERYNASTY…..but…with goats

I’ve returned to Kolkata for my birthday and headed back to Park Street where my family were living when i was born. Alas, I couldn’t find our old flat but headed off exploring my old stomping ground. Across the Hoogly River (could be a song title) and under the famous Howrah bridge, we sploshed and… Continue reading Kolkata – birthday boy

Postboxes in Visakhapatanam bus station. Let’s go to Koraput….A gruelling 24 hours of travelling, overnight 3rd class sleeper (fuck!!!) train to Visakhapatnam on the coast, a long hot wait and then a 7 hour bus ride,  turned out to be one of the best decisions I made in India. I totally fell in love with… Continue reading MAGICAL-Hill-tribes in Orissa district.

Continuing onward and upward, into the interior, we whizzed to Hyderabad from Pondicherry Airport on Spice Jet’s finest. Another fairly large city, but with some hidden gems. First day’s walk to the Laad Bazaar. We found a great slum area that night, that turned into our go-to spot, and met lots of the locals. Even… Continue reading Hyderabad? No! Hyderagood!

Bangalore was a bit shite  – bananas!! We headed on the sleeper train to Pondicherry in the Tamil Nadu, for the festival of Pongal. The festival takes place over four days and is the Tamil harvest festival celebrating mother nature. We were there to bomb around on a new trusty steed and see the rice… Continue reading Pondicherry’s Pongal Pots

I came here 25 years ago and find that I still love this city. Busy and laid back at the same time and a real feeling of India. A completely different vibe to the coast and one of the best market areas I’ve come across. Great characters always ready to engage in a bit of… Continue reading Mysore Market Madness

A lot of goats roam the streets in Fort Kochi and a jaunt around the old Chinese fishing nets, early evening was always going to yield some top snappage. Crows everywhere and the most fantastic fish supper waiting on the quayside. A walk to Jewtown (yes-really!) the next morning for a bit of shopping A… Continue reading Fish and goats – Fort Kochi experience

Tuk-tuk fish delivery! A 350 Bullet having been procured, I rode from Kochi down to Varkala as my reintroduction to India. FUCK ME!!! Dust, fumes, scorching sun and thick-thick traffic meant I completed the measly 240km in over 6 hours. I arrived in Varkala absolutely filthy, gagging for a cold beer and a shower (in that order).… Continue reading Red Nets – A Keralan Christmas

A final fling through Cambodia saw me landing in Phnom Penh and alas only staying a night before bombing up to Kratie. I wish I’d seen more of PP as it was an enticing place and I had a great night there. I’d booked into the Arun Mekong Guesthouse, on Koh Trong island, in the… Continue reading Outstanding hats-Cambodia revisited