Travel by Brian, Accommodation by Kayleen

My much travelled and well researched ‘travelling companion’ had mapped out our intended itinerary for two months in the north of India.  This included pre registering for train booking as a foreigner, in itself a month long, back and forward, process.  He had also sourced the accommodation websites for searching, reviewing, selecting and booking hotels and guesthouses along the way.  And thank goodness he did, because it still managed to consume a great deal of our time and energy; accessing WiFi, accessing reliable WiFi, accessing Indian Rail website (at times suitable to them), negotiating payments online, telephone confirmations, reconfirmations and multiple SMS’s.  But overall we made it to all our planned destinations, using multiple means of transport, and stayed in all our chosen ‘lodgings’.  Some sage advice here:  Having two of us undoubtedly made this happen.  Without prior planning or consensus we fell into an ‘easy’ working relationship, the title of this blog:  Travel by Brian, accommodation by Kayleen.

Our circumambulation of north India took us from Delhi to Amritsar, then Dharamshala (Naddi), Manali, Mandi, Shimla, Dehradun, Clement Town (Mindrolling Monastery), Rishikesh (Tapovan), Haridwar, and back to Delhi (Gurgaon).  We then looped to Agra and Jaipur, a quick overnight back in Delhi, before Hyderabad.  Our last leg was to Bangalore then Mangalore, with an odd route via Mumbai, before the ‘homecoming’ to Manipal.  And this is how we did it.

Delhi to Amritsar - Train 2nd Class Seating

Pre booked and allocated seating.  This is the only way to travel by train in India.  There are only a certain number of seats allocated for foreigners, of course at a premium price and for no different level of service ... but there is a ‘senior traveller’s’ discount available.  To my amusement, not his, this ensured Brian was always the ‘plus one other’ on our bookings.  The sacrifices of budget travelling.  Constant cabin service and comfortable if not luxurious seating. 

The Grand Hotel Amritsar

Brian had actually preselected this hotel from Make My Trip.  I was yet to sync in to Indian travelling mode.  Close to the railway; literally walk out, cross the split in the road and turn right.  No need for a cycle or auto rickshaw, but you still need to run the gauntlet of the touts.  Our room was functional if a bit dark, and the bathroom was just okay.  Water, water everywhere in these wet rooms.  It’s the Indian way.  I learned to ask for an extra towel, straight away, to satisfy my need for a bathmat ... and in the interests of safety on the ever wet and slippery floors.  The hotel is in the hubbub but really quiet inside plus less dusty.  Built around a central courtyard with the outside restaurant at one end.  Ask for a ground floor room and enjoy.  The Grand was probably once very grand and for a first stop it was introduction to budget hotels and hotel restaurant food and service in India.  The staff was genuinely supportive and helpful in booking the major Amritsar sights ... Next stop Himgiri, Naddi/Macleodganj

Government Bus

From the Amritsar Bus Station to Dharamshala.  Sounded straightforward enough, even with the eight hour travel time.  This was my first local bus experience.  If you are looking for point to point, pristine conveyance, this is not for you.  If you are looking for cheap, efficient, social and sensory, it is.  From the first grind of the gearbox, through every bump of the tired shock absorbers, to the last scream of the non padded brakes, the local buses keep on delivering.  Be prepared for the frequent stopping for pickups anywhere and everywhere, the constant slamming of the doors to hold in the throbbing crowd of passengers after one or ten more have been admitted, and the dust.  At the end of this first trip I spent an exorbitant amount of time in the shower, scraping fingernail full’s of grime out of my skin with every bath and shower product I’d brought with me.  A lesson for next time:  Take a scarf or bandanna to soak from your water bottle, and wrap around your mouth and nose to breathe through.

Our journey didn’t end at the Dharamshala bus stand.  A fortunate few of us were directed to the ‘local’ bus for another 25 minute ride to Macleodganj.  Truly how much more local was this going to get?  I was just glad it was dark as we swung around Himalayan foothills on roads no self-respecting bus should attempt.  Deposited at another bus stand in the dark, we somehow landed a taxi for the last five kilometres up the ever decreasing road, at an ever increasing slope, to Naddi ... only to be faced with the stairs to the guesthouse.

Himgiri Naddi

From The Grand, Amritsar to Himgiri.  A bit of a trek to get there.  Bus to Dharamshala, then local bus to Macleodganj, and auto to Naddi.  Arriving after 8.30pm, dinner in the restaurant no problem.  Room was a bit damp and musty, but that's probably the altitude.  Downstairs room facing the courtyard meant we woke to beautiful clear snow capped mountain views every morning.  Nice little meditation platform in the morning sun and sitting on the verandah having breakfast under the gaze of The Himalayans was the highlight.  From here to higher up ... Apple Bud Cottages, Manali.

Semi Deluxe Overnight Bus

After the government bus experience last time, we thought we’d step up for the overnight trip, further into the mountains.  A small and expectant group of ‘tourists’, we gathered at the bus stand, only to be told by some whisper that the bus was leaving from ‘top side’.  We schlepped up the flights of stairs and beheld our short wheel based mini bus; the sort that conveys day tourists across sand dunes and like terrain.  Backpacks hoisted onto the roof and tied down.  Seats taken and we’re off on a wild ride through the night of a thousand switchbacks.  Thank goodness for meditation and mindfulness.  The end of the ride cemented our ‘love of a good bus stand’.  A GoogleMaps mislead lap of the block in the early hours at 6 degrees, brought us back for another look at it.  The moral of the story:  Never doubt that at any time and anywhere in India, there will be someone, in something, prepared to transport you somewhere ... for Rs/ 200.  The lesson:  Always screen shot your destination address and map prior to embarking on any travel leg.

Apple Bud Cottages Manali

From Himgiri, Naddi overnight bus and we then arrived by auto rickshaw at Apple Bud Cottages at 3.30am.  Driver wakes manager. "No problem ma'am.  That is my job."  And this was the non forced attitude of all the staff.  The interaction with the chef and all the hotel boys was friendly and inclusive.  The best Aloo Gohbi of the trip.  Apple Bud Cottages are a little way out of the city centre, a few kilometres and Rs/50 auto rickshaw, but still close enough to access everything you might need or want.  This part of Manali, with its surrounds, scenery and architecture are reminiscent of the Swiss Alps.  We settled very quickly into the rhythm of the cottages.  Next stop, The Royal Palms, Mandi.

Private/Government Bus

From the Government Bus Stand, the only discernible difference with this intermediate level bus was the price.  At about 3 times the local bus price, it was exactly the same service and comfort level, stop start journey and passenger density.  That’s it really.  It did the job.  Lesson:  Always scope out the exit bus when you first arrive at the bus stand.

The Royal Palms Mandi

Arriving from Apple Bud Cottages, Manali, the burning question was, ‘Do we have a reservation or not?’ Yes, confirmed emailed.  No, by telephone and not a room in the city.  Maybe let's try direct.  Yes, of course sir.  Arrival, clearly no record, a choice of rooms anyway.  Booking with MakeMyTrip was problematic here.  Not sure how or why, or what to suggest as a work around, except for perseverance.  As to The Royal Palms; great location on one corner of the sunken bazaar.  An easy walk from the bus station and indeed we didn’t need to engage transport at all during our stay.  It was at the higher end of our budgeted daily amount, and while it was clean and neat, it didn’t offer anything outstanding.  The entertainment was trying to get the hot shower to work.  Multiple attempts and numerous helpers and I finally gave up.  Interesting room numbering saw us with Room 404 on the 2nd floor?  Oh and WiFi only in the foyer and not consistent was not so pleasing.  Mandi, however was a surprise once we found our way; The Hotel Rajmahal Palace, the Temple at the top of 390 steps (but who was counting) and Mehindi for Karwa Chauth.  Time to take the bus to Hotel Sangeet, Shimla.

Semi Deluxe? Bus Mandi to Shimla

Another bus stand another semi-deluxe bus, whatever that may mean.  This time we had reclining headrest seats, a bus with suspension and what was largely a straight through run.  Bags were stowed safely in the luggage hold for RS/10 each.  This was to date, and would become overall, by far my favourite bus choice.  Not so sanitised as to be removed from the journey, yet comfortable and gentle enough to enjoy the unfolding landscape and communities.  These Semi-Deluxe level buses stop at fortunate roadside dhabas where you get to eat fast, friendly and fantastic food.  Don’t worry about the appearances.  On the whole these places are clean, cheap and some of the best food we had anywhere.  Lesson here:  Old bus stand, new bus stand, government bus stand, deluxe bus stand?  Often one and the same, but not always.  Be prepared to negotiate the next leg.  In Shimla this meant a local bus to the old bus stand.  People crawling over me half in the aisle and four deep in other peoples’ luggage.  The local bus stopping to pick up more passengers and shoe horning them in to break some unknown world record.  The end of the journey was thankfully on foot, as we traipsed after a porter, zigzagging up the side of the cliff that is Shimla.

Hotel Sangeet

From Royal Palms, Mandi to Hotel Sangeet, Shimla.  Winding up the pathway to the end of The Mall, a porter carrying both our back packs, the neat white facade of Hotel Sangeet greeted us with open arms.  The staff were exceedingly helpful with my series of mini disasters: water bottle spilled in bag ‘Don’t worry ma’am.  We will mop it up.’ And my hiking boots having had an unfortunate meeting with dog pooh ‘Yes we will clean them for you ma’am.’  I waited in the foyer, which also serves as the restaurant, its transformation complete with table cloths and fabric napkins, along with excellent food.  My husband looked at the rooms and chose the top one.  Yes that level is 97 steps from street level and there is no lift, but Hotel Sangeet is located at the quiet end of The Mall and you need not engage transport or the tourist lift for the duration of your stay.  Attention to detail was noticeable.  The hotel attendant who showed us to our room, returned to make up the bed with a top sheet, a never repeated item at any of our other locations, plus 'Do you want clean towels ma'am?' was a question I were asked more than once during our four night stay.  Shimla:  So civilised.  From here we went to Lakshmi Guesthouse, Dehradun.

Semi Deluxe Overnight Bus

Our previous Semi Deluxe Bus was so heartening, we had prebooked at the New Bus Stand on the same, for the overnight trip from Shimla to Dehradun.  A little different in that it was a speedy trip along all but empty night roads, in the company of a troop of monks headed back to Mindrolling Monastery, where we would be in another week.  The entertainment on the bus was provided by Brian, who rigged a meditation shawl to secure his seat back in the upright position; the mechanism had tired and retreated to recline on some previous journey through the sub continent.  A memorable stop at a tea stand at 2.30am, accompanied by a toilet stop, “How did you enjoy that, honey?” ... “It really depends on how long you can hold your breath!”, and we were in Dehradun and being herded out into the night at 3.30am, some 3 hours earlier than we expected.  The ever present auto game ensued and the winner conveyed us to our guesthouse, where we prepared to camp in the driveway til light ...

Lakshmi Guesthouse

Hotel Sangeet, Shimla to Lakshmi Guesthouse, Dehradun.  Again, we had tried to book on MakeMyTrip but the International Credit Card precluded this.  Going direct to the Guesthouse website and speaking direct to the Manager/Owner was invaluable.  Just be aware Lakshmi now have two guesthouses; the original in town, and the new one a few kilometres out of town on the way to Mussoorie.  After some initial confusion on our part, we did get to stay in town, which suited us on this occasion.  For a getaway and hiking you would perhaps consider the ‘new’ guesthouse.  As for our stay, we arrived 3.30am prepared to wait outside til sunrise.  On hearing the auto deposit us, one of the hotel staff came out and let us in.  ... And then we met Dinesh.  What a the gem1  General everything man and cook, translated fruit and vegetable names and provided cooking tips, arranged a massage for 'my husband', transport, toilet paper and much more.  He knew someone for everything, and always fair and reasonable.  “No cheating on the laundry.”  “What would you like for dinner, ma’am? I am going to the market.”  There was a plethora of staff, administered by a gentleman we referred to as ‘The Godfather’, and orchestrated by Dinesh.  Lakshmi is attentive but not in your face.  We had a big clean room and bathroom with five towels, everything worked, and our sun porch for yoga, sitting, reading, eating was great.  One more thing.  Don’t forget the shoeshine man who comes everyday and sets up in the driveway.  Please do it!  Next we set off for the Devaloka House at Mindrolling Monastery, Clement Town.

Auto

We’d travelled on numerous autos, but this was our first change of location auto.  Only seven kilometres out of Dehradun, Clement Town is really an outer suburb.  It is mini-Tibet and the location of Mindrolling Monastery.  Should have been uneventful, until the dust storm circled in, followed by the huge drops of rain which became mud as it swirled into our open auto.  All over in a few minutes though as we recalibrated on the bus stand, and arrived in the shadow of India’s largest Stoopa.

Mindrolling Monastery

Lakshmi Guesthouse, Dehradun to Devaloka House, Mindrolling Monastery, Clement Town.  After scurrying behind a relay of monks to the Reception/Cafe at the back and right of the main monastery, we met our man Nanch, and were shown our room.  Trapezoidal shaped, with a clutch of monkeys out the back.  Single beds with super doonas.  A TV with three working channels out of 200, all in Hindi and all the same.  And once we were shown the switch to flick, the shower was amazing.  Welcome to Room 307.  ... Oh, and the honey pancakes at Norjin Vegetarian Restaurant downstairs.  This time Brian had food envy, especially considering his Tibetan Tea - salty and sweet and milky, all at the same time.  The Monastery was clean, peaceful and easy ... and just right for my meditating Buddhist boy.  For me ... the next stop beckoned ... Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram, Rishikesh.

Government Bus

This was another short relocation leg and the government bus it was.  Eventful for two reasons.  First was Brian’s inadvertent loss of a much mentioned Longines’ watch.  Attachment issues here?  Second was a detour through Dehradun ‘International Airport’, in the midst of a flurry of cleaning and rock painting activity for the pending arrival of Charles and Camilla.  Of course there was the now mandatory tout run for autos at the bus stand at Rishikesh.  Too many rupiahs and missteps around and about Tapovan later, and we unloaded at Anand Prakash Ashram.

Anand Prakash Ashram/The Hermitage Hotel

From Buddhism to Hinduism: Mindrolling Monastery to Anand Prakash Ashram.  Meditation in the morning.  Yoga asana classes at 6.30am and 4.00pm.  Time for walking, journaling and being.  Sattvic meals three times a day.  A yogi’s dream.  Nothing more to say other than, Anand Prakash Ashram for smaller, quiet, restorative, nurturing, food, Vinyasa style yoga, energy, Ganges and Himalayan prana, shelter, oh and Yogi Yum Yum’s, who is a person not a cafe, for healthy, organic snacks, and pre-ordered smoothies for breakfast.

In conjunction with this we must give special mention to The Hermitage Hotel, which is the spillover accommodation for the ashram.  It is right next door.  You can see the yoga rooms just across the lane from there.  Ravi, the Manager made this hotel: service, coffee, information.  Great roof deck for washing, reading and extra yoga.  We had the ground floor room next to reception which availed us of WiFi in our room!  Big plus!  The room was very well appointed.  Lots of towels, regularly changed.  Two ceiling fans, never used of course, but blades perfectly positioned for synchronous rotation.

For me this was all about the yoga!  The discipline says Brian!  Back out into the world and we headed down the Ganges to Haridwar and Hotel Har Ki Pauri.

Share Auto

The plan for this transport was walk to the top road, share auto to the Rishikesh bus stand and government bus to Haridwar.  As with most things in India, or maybe everywhere if you let yourself go with it, the actuality was a little different.  Walk to the top road.  Check!  Share auto to bus stand?  “Auto to Haridwar!  Rs/300 both of you.  1 hour.”  What?  Regroup.  ‘How bad can it be?  The bus is dusty anyway and we don’t have to detour, stop, wait ... about the same time, price.’  “Okay.  Get in, honey!”  In the company of locals, cows, camels, elephants and the ubiquitous dust we rattled along the main highway in our three-wheeler.  Har Ki Pauri is the name of the waterway where seven tributaries meet the Ganges to create the super holy concourse.  It is also the name of the hotel I’d chosen.  Trust the locals to know the location, but not how far the walk is.  Deposited at one end of the watercourse Har Ki Pauri, we trekked ‘200 metres that way’ for about 2 ½ kilometres, to the Hotel Har Ki Pauri.

Hotel Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar

The Hermitage Hotel, Tapovan to Hotel Har Ki Pauri.  Another MakeMyTrip arrival.  Do we have a room or not?  Lesson:  Always screen shot your reservation date and price details, and ask about service tax included or not.  Another hotel another room to see.  This time I did the steps to decide which room.  Although I didn’t notice the shape of the room, the standard deluxe with an extra 2 square metres for only Rs 200 more, was my choice.  The 2 square metres, Brian pointed out, were a sort of triangle off to one side of the bed, but it provided light, air and space to move around, plus a water view from some floors.  Our experience was on two floors:  It was easier to change rooms than fix the shower.  Unfortunate as we started off on the second floor in a beautifully clean room with the view, but no shower, and ended up two floors up, same spot with not so much view, room not quite as clean, but a shower.  Attachment and sacrifice.  “A lift - you can't go past the lift,” says Brian, although I did, except once for the experience.  A word of caution for all hotels here.  Steps, steps, everywhere steps.  Marble, slippery, often wet, more often dusty.  Be careful.  Back to Hotel Har Ki Pauri specifically, the kitchen boys were a treat with their slogan t-shirts, orders written on the chef of the day’s hand, and competition ludo at the next table ...  Food was great, as we had come to know in these hotels, and the introduction to Soam Papdi, was well, life changing.  They shared their newly acquired box with us one evening after dinner when we ordered coffee.  One more thing of not while we were there it was perhaps post Diwali spring cleaning, because all the curtains were being taken down, and washed ... and ironed.  Nice touch.  Next stop for us would be Om Villa, Gurgaon.

Train 2^nd Class Seating

Another early start in the dark on a cycle rickshaw for the train from Haridwar to Delhi, well some suburb of outer Delhi.  A comforting feature of pre booked train travel in India, is the passenger list posted on the side of each carriage.  Always good to see your name after the sometimes vague booking process.  This time facing seats on the side, with a curtain, pillows and blankets ... but no breakfast service.  Oh well, Delhi by lunchtime.  Or maybe not.  Arriving at Nizamuddin Station and of course choosing the wrong side to exit, meant back up and over the platform and all those stairs.  Out the other side and the touts swarm.  Lesson here:  Know how far and how much it should cost, and stand your ground, plus have an option.  We went for the option and eventually through the kindness of a stranger, caught a bus and two trains (the second one separately when the doors closed between us and Brian waved goodbye to me still on the platform) to MG Road, then an auto, again following that Lesson, to Om Villa.  Phew, and it’s only 3.30pm!

Om Villa Gurgaon

Hotel Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar to Om Villa, Gurgaon.  I would leave this one to Brian as it’s his favourite hotel to stay in, in Delhi; borne out by the owner declaring, "Your husband is not just guest.  He is family."  But writing these reviews from home here in Manipal now, he’s in full Professor mode and I’m, well in writing and settling mode.  Located in a quiet suburban street, Om Villa is an easy walk to the Metro, shops for supplies, banking or meeting friends as we did.  By far the biggest room with the most features, including a fridge, we experienced.  The room was serviced everyday:  towels, bed made, just like a real hotel should be.  And the roof was a clean open space for my yoga practice each morning.  When in Delhi ... stay in Gurgaon, especially Om Villa.  Now we are going to Love Kush, Agra.

Volvo Deluxe Bus

So we finally got to book the famed Volvo Deluxe Red Bus for the short trip from Delhi to Agra.  Famous ‘last words’ from Brian as we ‘seamlessly negotiated’, a lift, the Metro, then an auto to Serai Kale Kahn International Bus Stand and scored chai and Chapati for just Rs/10 each, before boarding our real Volvo conveyance.  “That was our best transition yet, honey!”  Then we were held up as various locals tried to wrangle unbooked seats, while others flagged down the by then already late leaving bus because they hadn’t anticipated the Delhi traffic.  Really?  At this point Brian is becoming more convinced he’s turning Indian, as we are now seasoned enough with haldi, jeera and chilli to get that!  Finally on our way and hooking down the toll way all is going smoothly, both the bus and the schedule, when not 30 kilometres out of Agra, we stop for a 30 minute rest stop.  I totally fail to see the logic in this.  Of course in the time taken stopping we would have been in Agra!  Some confusion about when to ‘get down’ and we were ejected into the dusk, or was that just dust, for the auto dance and then the relief of spotting our hotel looming out of the mist.  Or was that dust again?

Love Kush, Agra

Om Villa, Gurgaon to Love Kush, Agra.  ’Thank goodness’, was my thought as the relieved auto driver, and Brian, spied our hotel as we tracked down Fatehabad Road.  And ‘thank goodness’ went for everything at Love Kush.  From the ever present doorman (smiling and saluting), to the boys on reception (always enough English and Hinglish), to the cooks in the roof top kitchen (first coming to our room to take our order, then setting up a table on the roof for our own ‘private’ restaurant and calling us when our food was ready).  I’d chosen Love Kush as a bit more of a higher end treat (though hardly exceeding the budget), because this was after all, Agra the City of Love.  My first impression, in the foyer, was ‘This is the cleanest place I’ve been in since I left Burleigh.’  The second impression, in the room, was, ‘This is just like Rydges, South Brisbane.’  Needless to say everything worked.  Yes, we really could walk to The Taj, when we could see what direction to go through the ever present haze.  There is a real beans coffee shop about 200 metres up the road, and two Udupi South Indian Restaurants for the always great dosa and vada lunch treat, within easy walking distance.  Now is a good time to mention, I created a spreadsheet and we rated all our hotels on various criteria.  Although others had quaint and sometimes nice features and memorable moments, Love Kush topped our list.  From here we went to Hotel Shalimar, Jaipur.

Volvo Deluxe Bus

Yes, we went with the Volvo again.  This time however, once we found the Deluxe Bus Stand, a shed under a tree in front of a hotel, down the road from the common bus stand, all was well.  Poached eggs on toast, no butter, and a pot of masala chai, no sugar, in the hotel restaurant while we waited.  What more could a girl want?  A straight through trip to Jaipur, and a real 300 metre walk to our hotel.  Lovely!

Hotel Shalimar Jaipur

From Love Kush, Agra to Hotel Shalimar, Jaipur.  Chosen for its price and location, Hotel Shalimar is excellent value for money, with the standard but very good restaurant menu of equal value and just 300 metres from the bus stand, our arrival and departure point from Jaipur.  The stand out feature for me was being greeted by a lady on reception!  As a foreign traveller, I had not realised how important this was to me as a woman until now.  Having someone to ask for directions to the pharmacy.  Being offered a collection instead, and then a chaperone, when I indicated I needed to go myself, was nurturing.  Bumping into her on the stairs and having a woman to woman conversation was priceless.  Aastha and her husband own the hotel.  Having purchased it a few years ago in a fairly run down state, they are a good way through the refurbishment.  A refurbishment that is using good quality fixtures and fittings and utilising Aastha’s feminine aesthetic and attention to detail, evidenced in the room we stayed in.  Although the room was small, probably due to the constraints of original construction, it was beautifully decorated.  From the painted ceiling detail to the framed embroidery above the bed and the soft side lights, Hotel Shalimar was indeed a haven.  The service was prompt and attentive.  I hope this was the level everyone received, and I think it was, observing interactions in the foyer.  Brian and I both highly recommend Hotel Shalimar and will take our guests there when we return to Jaipur.  We now travel to Delhi then transit to Hyderabad and Hotel Ashoka Klaasic.

Volvo Deluxe Bus

One last bus stand, and it will be all trains and planes after this.  ...and of course this time we nailed it; pre booked bus, external terminal scouted when arrived, ‘get down’ point negotiated with conductor and driver for exit at the end of MG Road just metres from our overnight stay in Gurgaon.  Even with the major traffic jam created by one of many ‘diversions’, where without prior warning, vehicles are hurtling towards us on our side of the divided carriageway and our bus took the 4WD route, we arrived in relative good time, avoided touts and walked to our stopover at Amit and Shweta’s in Gurgaon.

Train Overnight Sleeper

Very early next morning and we’re in the car with Amit on strangely quiet streets to our now familiar Nizamuddin Train Station for the Overnight 2^nd Class Sleeper to Hyderabad.  Overnight is an understatement, as it is actually 7am one morning til 11am the next.  There is really nothing positive I can say about this trip other than we arrived.  For more information please read blog post ‘UB14 and SU16’.

Ashoka Klaasic, Hyderabad.

From Hotel Shalimar, Jaipur to Ashoka Klaasic, Hyderabad.  This hotel was chosen for its convenience to Kachiguda Train Station and that was our whole expectation, so it was fulfilled.  But it was trouble from the outset.  The second criteria for choice was the ability to Pay at Hotel, according to MakeMyTrip.  With, not surprising by now, no record of our booking, although we had backed this up with numerous phone calls to the hotel, the manager insisted we pay up front, in cash, the full amount, without even showing us the room.  We were charged more than the documented amount, which I had screen shots of from MakeMyTrip.  The room was dirty and shabby.  The bathroom was particularly bad:  mouldy and smelly.  The basin pipe detached and when the boys came to ‘fix’ it and used the towels to mop up, it took us multiple phone calls, in person requests and until the next morning, to have them replaced.  This was repeated the following day, when I requested clean towels and the same situation ensued.  All while the manager repeatedly asked for email proof of our reservation, which his server wouldn’t receive, so he then required a photocopy, that I was to source ‘across the road, internet cafe, copier shop’, of my phone, which was never going to work.  Every time we came in or out of the lobby he hassled us for this.  The first evening I had stood outside for 15 minutes trying to send to his email and still he was pushy.  Brian finally had words with him about ... well I’m not sure, but we still struggled for towels.  On top of this, there was no room service and the hotel restaurant was not open for breakfast.  Thank goodness the dairy down the road was there and knew how to be just decent and polite.  Also no WiFi.  Hotel Ashoka Klaasic is a classic in the way of ‘Faulty Towers' way, but not nearly as funny.  Near Big Bazaar cross roads, Sweekur Cafe, Panchrathan Vegetarian Restaurant and the Tea Shop, all of which we can’t recommend highly enough, but the hotel only has location going for it.  The rest is up to your endurance should you choose to stay there.

Train Overnight Sleeper

After the Delhi to Hyderabad experience, we tried to scrap this train and fly, walk, teleport, anything to avoid a repeat experience.  We couldn’t book anything else so it was back to Kachiguda Station for a 7pm departure and 6.30am arrival in Bangalore.  The train was marginally cleaner than the last.  The people were exponentially more civil and cordial.  In the end we triangulated a suburban drop off on the Bangalore International Airport side of town, caught an ‘unauthorised’ auto (The driver asked us to pay on the road into the set down area, presumably so that no money was seen changing hands.) and arrived with time to change and freshen up, and have coffee and croissant for breakfast.

Plane SpiceJet

Bangalore International Airport could have been any medium sized airport anywhere in the world, except for the couple of extra security checks.  Still not sure if these are necessary, terrorist checks or just a division of labour to keep the masses employed.  Long queues, but moved fast, plus the check in counter attendant, rearranged our baggage allowance to minimise payment for extra weight.  Important to know that International Baggage Allowance of 30kg has to be compressed into 15kg for Domestic Flights.  Familiarity brings its own comforts and we settled down to breakfast, coffee and the paper before boarding, buckling up and heading for home.  At least we thought so, until it became apparent the flight was going via Mumbai.  We had trained south from Hyderabad to Bangalore, only to fly back north an equal distance to Mumbai before making it to Mangalore.  Well, that’s India.

Car with driver to Manipal

The planes fly into Mangalore Airport, landing on top of the mountain, short, sharp and steep.  After that it’s really like Coolangatta without the witches’ hats to herd the disembarking passengers.  Luggage came out one, two, three and all of a sudden we were outside next to the driver with the sign ‘Dr Brian Purdey + 1’ and driving down the hill and north 40 kilometres to Manipal.