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Tuglakabad |
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Bombay Sunset
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1982-12-22 -train to Agra: see the Taj Mahal and the remarkable abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri -both lived up to their reputation.Stayed at the Mayur Hotel Complex. (I usually don't do travelling in such a grand manner
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Taj Mahal |
1982-12-26 -train to Aurangabad (staying at the very nice Ashok Hotel ) :
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Night Train to Manmad Junction |
1982-12-28 -train to Bombay: (staying at the Bombay International Hotel) with many inebriated holidaymakers from the Gulf States. Saw the Gateway of India, the Victoria Museum and Colaba Causeway. This is an Impressive City on a spectacular site.
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Bombay University |
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Goa Cathedral |
1983-01-05 -took 3 trains to get to Hospet -stayed at the mellow Malligi Guesthouse and visited the mighty ruins of unfortunate Hampi - a town which had been efficiently sacked by the formidable Delhi Sultans in no half-hearted way.
1983-01-06 -train to Bangalore -a neat and modern city. Soon to become famous as the home of phone call centres for technical services worldwide.
1983-01-08 -train to Arsikere and then staying at the Hotel Ashok in Hassan. Visited the overwhelming Belur and Halebid temples built in the "extravagant" style of Middle India. Lots of naughty scenes of spirited Hanky-Panky, but beautifully carved and miraculously preserved. (sounds like buying Playboy magazine to read the stories !)
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Happy Saddhu |
This is an easy place to be in -and the vegetable chops make a great breakfast.
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Gardiner with Poppies |
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Reliving the Age of the Raj |
1983-01-15 -returned to the plains via the steam rack railway to Madurai and spent quality time at the Hotel Pandyan -it was a sensational trip through spectacular mountain scenery. I have never forgotten it -ever!
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Southerners |
1983-01-18 -train via Villapuram and on to Pondicherry. Visited Auroville with the Aurobindo Ashram. Met up with "Johnny" an Australian from Queensland helping with the dairy at "Fertile" - a farm within the ashram introducing pasteurizing processes with cow milk. He also spent time doing a little schoolteaching for the locals in a school built by the local kids themselves !! I was impressed and enjoyed my day spent here. I wished them well with the good work they were doing.
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Musical Performance |
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School Bus |
1983-10-24 -Flew Air Lanka to Colombo which was at that time a relaxed and very peaceful place, Stayed at the beautiful Palm Beach Hotel in Mt Lavinia. A beautiful beach full of German Holidaymakers and fishermen suspended up on poles in the surf. Good food everywhere (especially at the Pagoda Tea House in town). Colombo seemed so easy-going and "soft-option" after India. War broke out a month after I was there! I had not noticed on any bad vibes around town and had planned to come back asap!Hope to get there again one day.
1983-01-21 -Flew to Bangkok on probably last fully stretched DC8 flying, stayed at the very fancy Impala Hotel and then flew back to Sydney ready to start work again!
Note 1: * The King of England is reputed to have said that he did not know how a king should live, until he visited the Viceroy of India.
Note 2: The toe was apparently bitten of by an excited devotee some time back!
Note 3: I have yet to scan most of the negative colour photos taken on this trip and will post them at a later date. There were some good shots amongst them but time has done some damage unfortunately!!