Archives for 31 October, 2006

My brother has sent the following email to my parents: Hi All, This will be just a quick email as I’m writing on a dodgy old computer(think our old computer before I put the extra RAM in) and I’m afraid I’ll lose all the info before I get to send the email…….. This is my first travel email for quite a while so it’s time to reacquaint yourselves with the diet of unfinished sentences, obscure analogies and spelling that appears in no (English) dictionary. Anyway the trip has gone very well so far although thanks to Helen’s input the pace has been fairly hectic….arrived in Delhi, was barely over the jetlag when I was taken out for a look at the famous red fort and walk around the market in the Muslim quarter in old Delhi. The red fort was impressive with mosques and palaces and stuff. One problem with Delhi is that it is full of beggars and people trying to sell you stuff you don’t want (although I managed to accumulate enough of the latter in Ireland without any pressure). The problem in Delhi is getting stuff you do want, beer would be easier to find in Chicago during prohibition, junk food and ready meals are easier to find in our (new) fridge at home. All in all the place is tough going but not as bad as Helen makes out (that would not be possible). Next day we flew to Nepal, had a look around the city, we saw temples full of monkeys (not sure how this would work in St. Agustine’s [local church in Cork]). Continuing the tour (think American tourist in Europe pace but in a country with no infrastructure) we went down to the jungle area in the south of the country for a 2 day safari. We were staying in a beautiful lodge in the middle of the jungle, very atmospheric place, I felt like a British Explorer from the 19th century, all I was missing was the shotgun and hip flask. The views were spectacular but the wildlife took a little patience, we were hoping to see the elusive tiger, but we found him deserving of this adjective….. however we did see rhinos up close [father reading over my shoulder pshaws, ‘no rhinoceroses in India’, though you would think that Dan might know, if he got up close], crocodiles (the good ones i.e. herbivores [really, a herbivorous crocodile?]), deer (only in the distance, funny to think you try to avoid them in the Phoenix park and pay good money to see them in Nepal.) All in all it was a brilliant experience. From there we left for Pokhara, (Mum I think I saw the atlas in the drawing room) and that’s from where I write this email. Helen is flying back to Delhi on Friday morning and I’m going on a 6 day trek in the Annapurna mountain range, will report back afterwards.