39. Explore the Chittorgarh Fort

Meera Temple, Chittogarh Fort

We explore a portion of Chittorgarh Fort on bus and foot.  Fascinating mix of 5 centuries of Rajput rule.  Abridged version of the Forts history is: win some, lose some, Moghuls (Akbar) won in the end and emptied the whole Fort.  The slightly longer version includes a lot of immolation of the women and children.

38. Sip a drink looking at the Lake Palace

Jag Niwas from Jag Mandir

We sip cool drinks at the Jag Mandir (Pleasure Palace), looking through to the Jag Niwas (Lake Palace).  The lake is so low we can almost walk to it, due to a minimal monsoon for 5 years.  A glimpse of how the maharajah and maharani lived, (and still do) we see a fine vintage car parked in front of the section of the palace where the current maharajah is in residence (we know this because all the fountains are turned on) and there are a lot of stuffed tigers watching us eat lunch.

37. Travel on the Palace on Wheels

Palace on Wheels

We are greeted at the Palace on Wheels with flower garlands, cool drinks, a scarf (for me) and matching turban (for Simon) and an indian band playing.  Our cabin is a perfect (tiny) picture, in which we unpack in shifts.  Our coach captain and assistant, Umesh and Santosh, wait on us hand and foot.  Each morning begins with breakfast in the salon, followed by sightseeing (loads of history) in smaller groups and shopping, lunch in majestic palaces turned hotels, some more sights and shopping, back to the train for dinner and drinks, before crashing into bed to sleep in the train as it moves to the next city.  Peak highlights include stunning sari’s in every street, Jodhpur Fort and the Rajput/Jain/Art Deco Palace, and Project Ever-Green (revenge on the train-spotters).

40. Gaze across the Lotus Pool at the Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal across the Lotus Pool

The Taj Mahal was glorious!  My memories include stunning white marble, huge towers and dome, thousands of smiling colourful (sari’s) tourists, overbearing hawkers at the gates, thorough security, and shoe socks to preserve the marble.  Interesting fact is the echo inside the dome lasts 14 seconds (and Simon’s voice is really loud).   Obviously everyone (perhaps) knew this was the culmination of my 40 things in 40 days, and to capture the moment the  tour group (2 photo’s) and 3 Indian families (3 or more photo’s each) acted as paparazzi.

36. Search for tigers from the top of an elephant

Tiger Tops, Chitwan National Park

I found elephant trekking beats walking and driving.  Just point and march through the forest, over trees, up and down steep inclines, across marsh and rivers.  We saw many one horned rhino, deer, bird life, Gour, and a huge tiger footprint (Simon got to see a tiger later in India).  We amble back to the hotel which is silhouetted by a beautiful sunset over the hills.

35. Buy gifts for home in Thamel, Kathmandu

Mandala shop, Thamel, Kathmandu

Shopping in Thamel, Kathmandu was great fun.  Bargaining back and forth but once a transaction is concluded (successfully or not) the shop keepers were great conversationalists.  International currencies are universally accepted.  I paid for the painting in this shop with a combination of Euro, Australian Dollar, and Chinese Yuan, then received Nepalese Rupees in change – easy!  We arrived on New Years day, and the locals are partying in a big way.  Durbar Square was packed to the roof.  All the generators are on, all the discos competing, every narrow street is filled with people, cars, rickshaws, and speeding motorbikes – hair raising.  Another fun aspect is the random, unmapped, unsigned streets to navigate, all fun.

34. Wander the streets of Lhasa

Potala, Lhasa

Lhasa, Tibet is a delight!  We encountered friendly smiley faces, and no scams.  The paper work pre trip to get into this place was incredible, the security checks constant.  And my surname (a first name last and a boys name) caused serious questions.  Our guides were fantastic.   We really enjoyed the tour of the Potala Palace, with more stairs of course.  Pray flags fly on every high point, roof and mountain.  In 5 colours; blue sky, white cloud, green water, red fire, and yellow earth.  The air was clear and dryly crisp, so beautifully clean.  At the Potala a singing group of govt workers pounded concrete, another group horsed around while cleaning the ancient Buddhist texts, while pilgrims beamed at our smallest smiles.   Simon ate yak burger, as you do. 

33. Gaze across the Terracotta Warriors

Terracotta Warriors, Xian

We missed the train to Xian, but sorted a hotel and plane at the last minute.  There are 8 stations in Beijing.  Xian was the centre of the Qin dynasty, which unified China close to what we know it as now.  Qin = Chin(a) .  The 8,000 warriors go forever, include foot soldier, kneeling archer, standing archer, cavalry, officer, and general.  It took 720,000 people to build the tomb over almost 40 years.  The Emperors tomb is not open as it’s filled with mercury and the paint will age with air exposure (especially Xian air – thanks to Australian coal).  Way back then they had a way to mix gold and silver into one metal, an art since lost.

32. Snack at the Night Market on Wangfujing Street

Snacks at Wangfujing Street

Wangfujing Night Market has available skewered ready to be fried and eaten; scorpions (still wiggling on the stick), sea horse, starfish, silkworm, beetle, whole squid, chicken, pork, beef, and tofu.  We had tofu balls,  noodles, and toffee strawberries (like toffee apples).  Ate with live Peking opera renditions from the roof above. 

31. Visit the Forbidden City

Outer Courtyard, Forbidden City

The Forbidden City appears very large but strangely empty.  The buildings are wooden, and built higher than any others are struck by lightening often.  When fire razedthe buildings, whole trees from the other end of China were brought in as new pillars.  There is a large hill with views across the City which is man made from the dirt excavated from the moat surrounding the City.  Our Hutong (courtyard hotel) nearby in Beijing is wonderfully quaint with gurgling fountain and finches for good Fen Shui.