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 [View with PicLens] 1234567► As I rode Dehli city bus 729 towards Indira Gandhi International airport crammed in aisle amidst the crush of humanity that is Indian public transportation, I was excited at the prospect of seeing my sister, Karin, and brother-in-law, Jeff, after nearly a year away. I had just completed nearly [...] 12/5/2007, 12/10/2007 to 12/11/2007 | India , Madhya Pradesh  [View with PicLens] 1234…678► While Varanasi may be the most famous and holiest of India’s riverside cities, there are a number of venerated places along India’s extensive network of rivers. I made my way to three of these revered cities in Madhya Pradesh, stopping first at Ujjian, and then Maheshwar, and Omkaheshwar. In [...] 12/5/2007 to 12/9/2007 | India , Madhya Pradesh  [View with PicLens] 1234…101112► The collection of villages now scattered across the Mandu plateau sit in the shadow of a deserted capital dotted with ruined mosques, palaces, and tombs. It was once a capital and fortress of a Muslim dynasty that ruled the area during the 15th and early 16th century. Today it [...]  [View with PicLens] 12► Few tourists make there way to the town of Jhalawar in the southeastern corner of Rajastan. I was stopping to break up the journey to province of Madhya Pradesh and to check out the 10th century sun temple in nearby Jhalrapatan. However, what I’ll remember from Jhalawar was not [...]  [View with PicLens] 123► Kota is the big city in the area, for this reason most tourists don’t do much here other than hop on a train. I made a day trip into the city to check out the city’s palace and look around. I walked around some of the back streets picking [...]  [View with PicLens] 1234► The small town of Hindoli gets only a fleeting mention, if any, in guidebooks. It lies 30 minutes by bus north of Bundi on the edge of large reservoir. While certainly not the most spectacular town in Rajastan, it’s a pleasant picturesque town with more of a village feel. [...]  [View with PicLens] 123► The Bundi festival extended to a few neighboring towns. The Rajastani tourist office in Bundhi was using the festival as an occasion to try to develop the tourist industry in these towns by organizing a free bus tour. I went along with 8 other tourists to town of Kasherai [...]  [View with PicLens] 123► Images from the Deepans (ghee lamps) that took place around the town.  [View with PicLens] 1234…789► There were far fewer western tourists at the festival in Bundi than at the more famous Pushkar fair. The relatively small number of tourist meant that the 20 or so foreign tourists who were there were given the “royal” treatment. On the first day of the festival there was [...]  [View with PicLens] 12345► After leaving Pushkar, with the rest of the crowds at the conclusion of the fair, I spent a half day in Ajmer before heading on to the town of Bundi. Ajmer is a Muslim pilgrimage town, the site of the tomb of an important Sufi saint. For me it [...]  [View with PicLens] 123► Desert sunsets are always nice; add some camels, and it’s hard to put the camera down. Here are few of my sunset pictures from Pushkar.  [View with PicLens] 12345►  [View with PicLens] 1234567► In addition to the camel trading there were a number of cultural programs and events for tourists as well as locals. Among the most photograph friendly events (basically because they took place during the day) were the “spiritual walk,” (essentially a parade consisting of carts, dancers, musicians, and, of [...]  [View with PicLens] 123456► It’s a long way from the mountains of Nepal to the deserts of Rajastan in western India. That distance feels quite a bit further when you are riding on an 8 hour bus from Kathmandu to the border having just come down with a case of diarrhea. I was [...] 9/24/2007-9/31/2007, 11/6/2007-11/16/2007 | Nepal  [View with PicLens] 12345► Kathmandu and the surrounding towns and temples in the valley are great place to wander around and take a few photos. Here are a few I took during my stay there. 9/24/2007-9/31/2007, 11/6/2007-11/16/2007 | Nepal  [View with PicLens] 123456► I must have liked Kathmandu because during each of my stays there I seemed to stay longer than I expected. Checking out of the Hotel on each occasion, I had to recount the days, thinking, “Wow was I really here that long.” I suppose that is mark of an [...] 11/9/2007 | Nepal  [View with PicLens] 123► Patan like Bhaktapur is another of the old cities of the Kathmandu valley, closer to Kathmandu than Bhaktapur it has been nearly swallowed up by the expanding capital. But it remains not quite as crowded as and a little quieter than its bigger neighbor. This makes for the city [...] 11/4/2007 to 11/6/2007 | Nepal  [View with PicLens] 1234…678► Bhaktapur is a beautifully preserved old city outside of Kathmandu. Many people visit Bhakatpur as a day trip from Kathmandu, but I had heard it was nicer to stay overnight there, so I switched buses in Katmandu and move right on to Bhaktapur. Coming all the way from Gorkha, [...] 10/26/2007 to 11/3/2007 | Nepal  [View with PicLens] 123► I was happy to get back to Pokhara, rest, and eat, after 25 days of walking. My shoes were in tatters, my cloths stunk (even more than usual), and after all but sprinting down from the base camp in a mere one and a half days, my knees where [...] 10/23/2007-10/26/2007 - | Nepal  [View with PicLens] 123456► After Poon Hill I was trekking on my own, heading off towards Annapurna Base Camp. In the area right around Poon Hill there had been muggings in the past, and not wanting to have a repeat of my episode in Tibet I kind of hung around other groups during [...] 10/19/2007 to 10/23/2007 | Nepal  [View with PicLens] 1234► We moved a little slower through this section not because of weather this time but because Tom developed blisters on his feet. The slower pace was not a problem as it allowed us to spend a little longer in Tukuche sampling the various brandy flavors at the local distillery [...] 10/17/2007 to 10/18/2007 | Nepal  [View with PicLens] 12345► Arriving in Muktinath was a welcome change after two days at the rather rustic High Camp. Noting on our arrival that there was a lodge in town called Hotel Bob Marley, there was really no other place to stay given that my Canadian trekking companion was even sporting the [...] 10/14/2007 to 10/17/2007 | Nepal  [View with PicLens] 12345► From Manang, the second time (courtesy of my snow blindness and need for sunglasses), we took two days to hike up almost 1500 m to High Camp at nearly 5000 m {16,500 ft}. High camp is a couple of lodges at the foot of the Thorung La pass the [...] 10/10/2007 to 10/13/2007 | Nepal  [View with PicLens] 12345► From Manang we deviated off the typical circuit route to visit Tilicho Lake. At 4914 m (over 16,200 ft), and depending on your definition of a lake, it qualifies as the highest lake in the world, a title which seems to be clamed by a number of high altitude [...] 10/3/2007 to 10/9/2007 | Nepal  [View with PicLens] 123456► For the longest time, I had wanted to come to Nepal and hike the famed Annapurna circuit. When planning my journey I had tried to time my arrival in Nepal for the best possible time to do the trek, just after the monsoon when the air is clear and [...] 9/22/2007 to 9/24/2007 | Tibet  [View with PicLens] 1234► After living on instant noodle soup and going without a shower for 10 days, arriving in the town of Saga with a choice of restaurants and most importantly public pay hot showers, was a welcome sight despite its grubby Chinese buildings. We had no trouble with the authorities this [...] 9/19/2007 to 9/21/2007 | Tibet  [View with PicLens] 1234► After the Kailash kora, we went to Tirthapuri hot springs and monastery associated with Padmasambava, the Indian guru who brought Buddhism to Tibet. Traditionally it is were pilgrims bath after the kora, my travel companions had visions of soaking in a warm pool fed by the springs, I was [...] 9/17/2007 to 9/19/2007 | Tibet  [View with PicLens] 1234► According to Tibetan Buddhists completing the kora (walking) around the sacred Mt. Kailash rids one’s self of the sins (negative karma) accumulated over a lifetime. It’s a bit tougher than walking in to a confessional at your local Catholic Church, but then again Tibetan Buddhism is not a religion [...] 9/13/2007 to 9/16/2007 | Tibet  [View with PicLens] 12345► I decided to play by the rules for my journey out to western Tibet and the sacred Mout Kailash, home to the Hindu gods, a pilgrimage destination for Hindus, Tibetan Buddhists, and tourists alike. The Chinese government tries its best to make the pilgrimage to this most sacred of [...] 9/1/2007 to 9/12/2007 | Tibet  [View with PicLens] 12345► I’m always a little worried when I return to places I really enjoyed, not wanting to spoil those memories. So it was with a bit of trepidation that I road train on the newly completed rail line from Golmud to Lhasa, and the trepidation was not solely because I [...] 9/9/2007 to 9/10/2007 | Tibet  [View with PicLens] 1234► Eager to begin the trek and not knowing how long the first day would take us we left Ganden with out really exploring the monastery. However, it was one of the only major monasteries in the area that I did not visit on my first trip and having seen [...] 9/5/2007 to 9/9/2007 | Tibet  [View with PicLens] 1234► As of September 1st “the powers that be” here in Tibet (i.e. the Chinese Government) decided that it would now take 10 days to get a permit for Mount Kailash instead of the previous 3 days. Having been to most of the attractions around Lhasa on my pervious trip [...]  [View with PicLens] 123► Upon reaching the provincial capital of Xining from Xiahe, I decided to head out along the Hexi corridor, a valley between the Tibtan plateau on the south and the mountains of the Gobi desert on the north. The geography forms a natural channel leading out of China to the [...]  [View with PicLens] 1234567► The city of Xiahe, in China’s Gansu province, is home to the massive Tibetan monastery of Labrang. I had timed my arrival to coincide with a festival on the 20th of August. There were a lot of pilgrims performing the kora, circumambulation, around the monastery. The monastery was one [...]  [View with PicLens] 1234► The small Tibetan town of Langmusi straddles the border between the Chinese provinces of Sichuan and Gansu. It has become a popular stop for tourists traveling between these two provinces via the Tibetan plateau due two the two monasteries in town and the surrounding jagged mountain landscape. Of course [...]  [View with PicLens] 123► From the small Tibetan town of Langmusi seven of us from the hostel I was staying at headed over to the nearby town of Maqu for another horse racing festival. Unlike the races at Litang and Yushu, they had a circular 1 km long track at Maqu. There was [...] [View with PicLens] 123► I arrived in Hongyuan just before 9:00 am, a starkly ugly city, especially in contrast to the beautiful scenery that passed by my window on the bus ride into town. But I had known that the attraction here was not the city but rather the grasslands and nomads that [...]  Chenyang, China Entries in pdf format from my travels in China when I was still emailing my Travel Journal. The Bridges of Dong County pdf Gaoding: Baiju Srikes Back pdf Zhaoxing: The VIP dinner pdf Miao villages: Basha and Xijiang pdf Tagong: A night with the nomads pdf Ganzi: [...] 5/8/2007 to 6/30/2007 | Vietnam  Chau Doc, Vietnam Entries in pdf format from my travels in Vietnam when I was emailing my travel journal. Chau Doc: gateway to the delta pdf Markets on the Mekong pdf Ben Tre pdf The city with two names pdf Hitting the coast: Mui Ne to Nha Trang pdf [...] 4/22/2007 to 5/8/2007 | Cambodia  Mondulkiri, Cambodia Entries in pdf format from my travels in Cambodia when I was still emailing my Travel Journal. Mondulkiri: Twilight of a Gold Rush pdf Cambodia Pictures pdf Phnom Penh pdf Phnom Penh in Pictures [...] 2/28/2007 to 4/22/2007 | Laos  Kong Lor cave, Laos Entries in pdf format from my travels in Laos from when I was still emailing my Travel Journal: Arriving in Laos pdf Trekking in Muang Long pdf Muang Sing pdf Phongsaly pdf Ou Tai pdf Pictures with captions: Phongsaly pdf Muang Ngoi Neua pdf Kids: Nong Kiew and a [...] 3/8/2007 to 3/12/2007 | Laos  Phongsali, Laos pdf version of this post with pictures The most Northeastern region of Laos which sticks up in to China like a thumb is known as Phongsaly. This mountainous, sparsely populated, and among the most remote regions of Laos is a melting pot of cultures. Chinese, Lao, and a multitude of tribal [...] 3/6/2007 | Laos  Akha Woman, Muang Sing, Laos pdf version of this post with pictures I explored Muang Sing for a day on this fine piece of biking equipment, rented for 2 dollars a day. The shock on the front fork is for cosmetic purposes only. I was pleasantly surprised it held together [...] 3/2/2007 to 3/5/2007 | Laos  Akha woman, Muang Long, Laos pdf version of this post with pictures I went to the town of Muang Long in search of some off the beaten path trekking. The small town of Muang Long, or perhaps a better description is overgrown village, is two hours along a dirt and gravel road past [...] 2/28/2007 to 3/7/2007 | Laos pdf version of this post with pictures On crossing the border into Laos, I learned a very important lesson for anyone traveling in Laos that is: “There is no hurrying in Laos.” This is one of the countries major appeals making it a great place to relax; since there isn’t really all that much [...] pdf version of this post with pictures Mengla was intended to be a just a brief stop over on the way to Laos I had rather low expectations after reading the description in the guidebook. The highlight is the road to the town about 50 km from the Chinese border with Laos. And the [...] pdf version of this post with pictures Xishwangbanna is the region where China meets Southeast Asia. In the far south of Yunnan province the region hugs the Chinese border at the point where Laos and Burma meet. This area was long ruled by the Dai people, related to the Thais. A relation that is [...] pdf version of this post with pictures As I prepare to leave Yuanyang behind me I must say I haven’t been disappointed. It was a great place to start out my trip. It was my first destination, the previous places really not being more of transit points. It’s been a little over a week [...] pdf version of this post with pictures With the onset of the Chinese New Year I was planning on moving on from Yuanyang especially after my hotel owner informed me that he was shutting down for the Holiday and I had to leave. However, the bus to the next town I was heading was [...] pdf version of this post with pictures I was out on a morning walk with no particular destination in mind which I find tends to work best here in Yuanyang. If I try to find something in particular I often fail but when I’m not looking for anything I invariably find something. This morning [...] pdf version of this post with pictures Sitting atop a ridge in the mountains of southern Yunnan province lies the hill top town of Yuanyang. It’s about a seven hour bus ride south towards the Lao border from the provincial capital of Kunming, but it couldn’t be further from the metropolis of shinny new [...] 2/5/2007 to 2/10/2007 | China pdf version with pictures It’s amazing how fast things are changing in China. Nowhere was I struck by the truth of that statement more than on my return to Guangzhou nearly eight years after I first visited the city. I recall writing the first time I was in Guangzhou that I couldn’t believe a [...] | ||||
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