Twice around the world in 40 days

[RooFlyer]

This is the Joanna Lumley piece that inspired me to go: (I may have embedded it with the sound turned down - there is sound, irrespective of the annoying subtitles ...)

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1548607655161874

 

[RooFlyer]

Most of the other caves here are variations on a theme that I saw at Ajanta ...

A Buddhist monastery, looking not unlike an unfinished modern apartment block from the front (although no concrete here ..).



Its Cave 12 IIRC, and has prayer halls, kitchens, a refectory and sleeping cells, excavated about 700 AD. Most of this was plastered and painted originally.





Cave 10 Vīśvakarmā, is a Buddhist chaitya or cathedral/prayer hall, c700 AD. Again, fake wooden beams on the roof carved out of the rock.




Cave 5, a Buddhist monastery with a very large excavation as its central area. This couple occupied the centre of the area for over 10 minutes. He'd take a few pics of her, then they would debate those, then they would take a few more , etc etc ... oblivious, or maybe contemptuous of, the half dozen of us waiting on the side to get a shot without them in it. Me being me, I final lost patience (after 10 minutes, mind you) and decided to take some photos right behind where the woman was then posing. They got the message and moved on. Honestly, its a static grey background, the light isn't changing, so just how many combinations of camera settings do you need to try?

 

[RooFlyer]

Last stop at Ellora - via some of those 'eco busses' - were the caves excavated by the followers of Jainism in the 9th and 10th centuries, which is an ancient religion in India and you can read about it here: Jainism.



The temples have a lot in common with the Hindu caves, but in detail the stories and figures represented are quite different. Immediately obvious is that the male central figures are often portrayed naked, and females have bared breasts.


A feature of these cves are the magnificently carved pillars. The room below is crowned by a large lotus flower.






In the next pic, note the birds and fruit-bearing mango above the seated figure.



Back on the filthy eco-busses to the area surrounding the caves site, which as you'd expect is seething with stalls and traffic. This poor old banyan tree was struggling. There is an OK café there and we had a late lunch, and returned to Aurangabad.

 

[RooFlyer]

Drove back to Aurangabad where the Lemon Tree had previously agreed to let me have a room for an hour to have a shower before my evening flight. Good stuff.

The driver came back and took me to the airport, arriving at 6:30pm for an 8:30 flight. Bit of a mistake. First x-ray bags, then check in, then sit around for abt 1/2 hour waiting for security to open. Not a busy airport ... I think both Air India and Jet Blue fly in and out twice a day, within 1/2 hour of each other. On the TV was a local CNN panel program, where the guests were just full on screaming at each other.



Security opened, then mistake #2. Went through, feeling peckish and a bit thirsty. Argh!



Again, note the terminal Just a big shed with aircon, glass walls and a solid floor. Functional and not too expensive I think.

Boarded OK on time. By the time I got to my seat, I had gone through 2 x ray points plus was wanded twice and had my BP checked 4 times, all by uniformed Army types.

I was in row 4 this time, Air India A319. Flight was much fuller; another snack box with a very ordinary sandwich.

 

[RooFlyer]

Arrived BOM no probs, got my bag OK. I was off to the Oberoi! This was one of my several 'luxury' nights on the trip. I booked it via my 'Virtuoso' accredited Travel Agent, and the rate included upgrade, lunch for 2 at their good restaurant, fruit, flowers, late check-out etc.

The other possibility was the Taj Palace, which looks to be THE place to stay, but the cost higher than the Oberoi, with no extra amenities and it would be in their outlier tower, not the 'palace' part. After staying at the Oberoi and sticky-beaking in the TP the next day, I decided that I made the right choice!

I could have arranged a approx. A$60 Oberoi car beforehand, but decided they were getting enough of my money, so I decided to get a A$16 taxi.

Disaster! I exited the terminal on the wrong level and no taxis evident, only a sea of touts, looking for people to prey on, just like me. I sort of knew I had to go down a level, but the exterior elevators were a massive scrum. Can't go back into the terminal ... what to do? Fortunately, there were a couple of guys there, well dressed and not looking like touts. I asked for help. Yes! They are airport employees, there to help 'lost' arrivals just like me. When they found out I was going to the Oberoi, one of them went off and got the Oberoi meet-er (I didn't know anything about him). Mr Oberoi offers me a car (not a hotel one) at A$45, but, a little embarrassed, I stuck with my taxi choice. (The PEOPLE they let into the Oberoi these days! )

So he takes me down a level, to the pre-paid taxi counter (I would never have found it) - he stood in one queue while I stood in the other, bought my ticket for me (my rupees of course) and put me in a taxi. Gawd bless him - I have him a good tip and singled him out on a very specific Oberoi post-stay survey. Cost of taxi into town was 850 rupees (vs the 650 I paid to the airport going out). 200 rupee difference was all of A$4.

Out of the airport at 10pm, abt an hour after leaving the plane.

Taxi driver did what the 2 previous drivers should have done - ask if I wanted to take the Sealink expressway. Toll all of A$1.40 and it cuts out maybe 10-15min of traffic (so 50 min trip rather than 65min-odd).

Sealink is a causeway/bridges arcing across a small bay/the sea. Wide freeway, little traffic at this time of night.



Arrived at the Oberoi - but when we were waiting for the security gates to open, I noticed 'Trident' plastered everywhere. I asked the driver (who spoke not much English, but understood me), if this was the Oberoi. He asked the gate guy - yes.

Nope. Got inside to the lobby and again, seeing 'Trident' but not Oberoi. I asked someone. This used to be the Oberoi, but now the Trident Hotel - you have to go up those stairs to the Oberoi. Oh well, at least they wouldn't see me arriving in a shabby old taxi.

Oberoi very impressive. Did an in-room check-in, which I dislike. But great room, lots of little touches, such as carafe of chilled water (yes, I see the reflection ), macaroons, fruit etc. Oh, and a 5:30pm late check-out the next day

 

[drron]

Hopefully no complimentary E.Coli with that AI sandwich!

 

[RooFlyer]

No, all clear on that front drron .. in fact no problems the entire trip.

I got up at the outrageous hour of 8am the next day - normally I'm out and about early to avoid crowds at the key tourist spots, but the main thing on the agenda today was a (almost) free lunch at the hotel's best restaurant - one f my Virtuoso benefits.

View from my room - much as I expected, 'harbour glimpses' only; I think they use free upgrades to shunt people into the undesirable rooms in the higher class ... but no complaints from me! The Oberoi is at Nariman Point, the other side of the peninsula from the Taj Palace, and at one end of the arcuate Back Bay.



Brekky was excellent, except for the coffee, which in India was uniformly awful. I asked for and am sure I got fresh milk, but it didn't do much good. LH pic is the Champagne Lounge and RH pic is looking down on the lobby area, later in the day. Oberoi again wins over the Taj Palace. I went over to the TP later in the day, hoping to buy a particular book, and the equivalent space there was a zoo.



Outside, onto Back Bay. there is a road around the curve of the bay, known as 'Queen Elizabeth's necklace' at night. In the RH pic, the Oberoi is the lower, middle of the three nearest towers. 21 stories high; the Trident (old Oberoi) is the taller white building.



Streets in the vicinity - you couldn't call them quiet, but very green and not quite so frenetic as elsewhere in the Fort area. RH pic is the Oval Maidan, with the university beyond. Several games of cricket on, but its low 30s and humid! This used to be the wastelands outside the old British Fort.



Further on, I came to the headquarters of the Western railway. not as grand as its competitor I showed before, but not bad. The loco on display is a YP class steam loco, built in 1969 - yes, 1969. Last ran in 1998. Who's our railway expert ... @BAM1748 ? Is that fairly late for a new steam locomotive? I couldn't get any closer due to the ever present gate guards. Wouldn't let me an inch inside the gate to take a photo!!

 

[RooFlyer]

Back to the hotel in time for lunch at the top-notch Ziya restaurant at the hotel. Although I like my food, on trips where I'm by myself I don't lash out on gourmet tucker much - its not the same without someone to share it with. But as I said, this was included (except for grog, tips and taxes), so I intended to make the most of it.

As it happens, when I checked in, they said lunch at the Feeni restaurant, which is their 'ordinary' one. I ignored that, as my Virtuoso reservation was definitely for Ziya, but so I wasn't stuck with a megabucks bill at the end if they refused to honour the Virtuoso side of things, I pointed out as I sat down that this was an included lunch.

Gentlemen, start your engines ... Actually, I was a bit slow. there as a magnificent decorative plate when I sat down, but it was replaced when they brought the menu.



The view. Pappadums and garlic naan with various dips, and amuse bouche of I forget ... but it came with papaya juice.



Entrée of prawns in a spicy sauce (not too spicy) and a crab topping. Mains of red snapper and various Indian accompaniments. White was a decent Sula Wines sav blanc from near Nashik, NE of Mumbai. Wouldn't have expected it, but there you go.



And now dessert. Just mango. If you are like me, if you get a fantastic ripe mango, you end up with juice and pulp all over yourself as you peel and then slice it, and end up gnawing on the 'pip' to get the last flavour out of it ..

Well, this mango was just unctuous. Ripe, juicy, just sitting there to be plundered. Didn't last a few minutes.



The full bill was 'only' A$127, but it could have been double that, if I chose the most expensive items and had some more wine. My share abt A$20 (grog and tax).

Happy with that, I went for a swim in the pool (I had late checkout at 5:30pm .

Pool was only average, but I noticed that the pigeons on the adjacent tower were very interested in the small cascade beneath them, and swooped down, in spite of the anti-pigeon spikes.



Clever birds had found a nice source of cool water behind the spiked area, sheltered from almost everything.

 

[RooFlyer]

My flight to CMB wasn't until 8:30 pm, so I left the Oberoi at 5pm, politely declining their hotel at abt A$60 and asking for a taxi (I think they might have blacklisted me now). We drove along the waterfront and some great scenes of people enjoying themselves along the promenade, and there's even a beach at the other end.



Back across the Sealink tollway - hang the A$1.40 cost . Funnily enough, there are multiple signs saying 'no photographs'. Can't figure out why!


Had to happen. We hit a traffic jam - the first real jam I encountered in 4 trips back and forth to the airport. Luckily it seemed to clear after abt 10 mins of crawling, so we soon arrived at BOM T2, International. Bit of a shock as the departures forecourt was packed (it was practically deserted the last time).

 

[AisleSeat]

Thoroughly enjoyed reading through your trip report. Great photos, especially all the cave artwork in India.

 

[RooFlyer]

About 10 min queue to enter the terminal (ticket checks). Then to Sri Lankan Biz check-in, to find three agents trying to sort out a couple's apparent issues; two are on the phone ... Good grief, save me from these people! Fifteen minutes wait to get them checked in. I check in in abt 3 mins flat and get invite to GVK lounge.



Then to security (international this time, not domestic I used before). I went to join the obvious security queue and the entry checker said 'use the business queue' and pointed to the right. I went down there a long way, and found nothing. maybe he meant the right AFTER I went past him. No, he tells me its "down there".

Well, I went maybe 100m and around a corner, completely unmarked, I found a security point which I gathered was the Biz security point. Very slow. EVERYTHING out and on the trays (quite different from the domestic security). Then wanded and patted down. Then some guy writes details from my BP into a leger. This is India, after all, IT capital of somewhere.

Then, I got asked by some lady at a kiosk "Lounge invitation?" yes, I said - and she then proceeded to check it and stamp it. Why I asked? "Pre check". Sheesh! Its a bloody lounge invitation!

Biz immigration line - 2 agents and a crew one. The crew one does nothing when there are no crew to process. Lots of hand writing of details and one person gets led away after 10 minutes in front of the agent. And the couple who had issues at check-in are also having a long stint at the immigration counter. Hope they aren't on my flight!!

Finally into a massive shopping area. I find the bookshop to see if they have any books on Mumbai and the temples I saw.

Ummm ... no.



To the GVK lounge -there are two of them, in each of the terminal wings. Great lounges - a spa (paid), good food options, lots of space - and they serve HUGE G&Ts. I settled in.





TV was 'interesting'. These two doing the evening cricket show, and this guy ... well ...





I suddenly saw that boarding was close, so I hightailed it to the gate, making the rookie mistake of not checking on the inbound flight. Arrived at the gate to find no aircraft. That's a give-away. I asked the gate agents what the delay was and why it wasn't posted. "We just did it - ATC delay to inbound aircraft" they said, and sure enough, TripIt chirped a 30 min delay. After grumpily pointing out that the airline would have known about this delay at least 30 mins ago, I returned to the lounge. Oddly, I was directed to a downstairs lounge this time - as "this one is the First Class Lounge - downstairs is Business Class". Hmmm - it wasn't an hour ago - I guess they open up the lower one and restrict the upper one when it gets a bit congested.

As it happens, the lower lounge was identical to the upper one as far as I could see (including a spa), but was less crowded. Oh, two bars here - only one upstairs. TKWIA; more G&T for me.

Boarding came up on the screen, but I checked FR24 and the inbound had just landed, so I went to the gate abt 20 mins later. Our gate was just warming up security for yet another BP check by the military; and adjacent gate was boarding.

 

[craven morehead]

About 10 min queue to enter the terminal (ticket checks). Then to Sri Lankan Biz check-in, to find three agents trying to sort out a couple's apparent issues; two are on the phone ... Good grief, save me from these people! Fifteen minutes wait to get them checked in. I check in in abt 3 mins flat and get invite to GVK lounge.

View attachment 127855

Then to security (international this time, not domestic I used before). I went to join the obvious security queue and the entry checker said 'use the business queue' and pointed to the right. I went down there a long way, and found nothing. maybe he meant the right AFTER I went past him. No, he tells me its "down there".

Well, I went maybe 100m and around a corner, completely unmarked, I found a security point which I gathered was the Biz security point. Very slow. EVERYTHING out and on the trays (quite different from the domestic security). Then wanded and patted down. Then some guy writes details from my BP into a leger. This is India, after all, IT capital of somewhere.

Then, I got asked by some lady at a kiosk "Lounge invitation?" yes, I said - and she then proceeded to check it and stamp it. Why I asked? "Pre check". Sheesh! Its a bloody lounge invitation!

Biz immigration line - 2 agents and a crew one. The crew one does nothing when there are no crew to process. Lots of hand writing of details and one person gets led away after 10 minutes in front of the agent. And the couple who had issues at check-in are also having a long stint at the immigration counter. Hope they aren't on my flight!!

Finally into a massive shopping area. I find the bookshop to see if they have any books on Mumbai and the temples I saw.

Ummm ... no.

View attachment 127856

To the GVK lounge -there are two of them, in each of the terminal wings. Great lounges - a spa (paid), good food options, lots of space - and they serve HUGE G&Ts. I settled in.

View attachment 127857

View attachment 127858

TV was 'interesting'. These two doing the evening cricket show, and this guy ... well ...

View attachment 127859

View attachment 127860

I suddenly saw that boarding was close, so I hightailed it to the gate, making the rookie mistake of not checking on the inbound flight. Arrived at the gate to find no aircraft. That's a give-away. I asked the gate agents what the delay was and why it wasn't posted. "We just did it - ATC delay to inbound aircraft" they said, and sure enough, TripIt chirped a 30 min delay. After grumpily pointing out that the airline would have known about this delay at least 30 mins ago, I returned to the lounge. Oddly, I was directed to a downstairs lounge this time - as "this one is the First Class Lounge - downstairs is Business Class". Hmmm - it wasn't an hour ago - I guess they open up the lower one and restrict the upper one when it gets a bit congested.

As it happens, the lower lounge was identical to the upper one as far as I could see (including a spa), but was less crowded. Oh, two bars here - only one upstairs. TKWIA; more G&T for me.

Boarding came up on the screen, but I checked FR24 and the inbound had just landed, so I went to the gate abt 20 mins later. Our gate was just warming up security for yet another BP check by the military; and adjacent gate was boarding.

View attachment 127861

Would it be fair to say you are drinking Bombay Sapphire RooFlyer ?

 

[RooFlyer]

Since my status was OW Sapphire at the time, what else

 

[JohnM]

His hand luggage is now well overweight since the bookshop....

 

[RooFlyer]

His hand luggage is now well overweight since the bookshop....

Well, you know I'm much into higher education and research ...

Anyway ... there was a bit more delay in boarding, and we pushed back at 9:50 abt 75 mins late - which is going to put us into CMB after midnight, so a late arrival at the hotel, too.

BOM-CMB is an A320; J is 4 rows of 2-2; 3A has my name on it. Recliners only for this 2.5 hr journey.



I discovered the reason for the delayed departure - the couple who had 'issues' at both check-in and immigration were on my flight PDB was Pipers Heidseick, served with some cashews, a great product of Sri Lanka.. good crew, nice greetings, asked if anything else needed, English and Sri Lankan newspapers offered.



Being Sri Lanka, a complete page of teas; wine list looks OK too.





I chose the vegetarian option and the dessert of 'Gulab jamun on a bed of rabra' (naturally ! ) . Was pleased to notice that the main wasn't a foil-on-top-of-the-dish-and-in-the-oven type (no dried edges). It was good, as was the dessert (I'll tick that one off the list).

 

[BAM1748]

Late yes, Steam had finished operating completely in NSW by 1973 let alone building new ones. China kept building steam until the late 1980's. Victoria had some steam in the 1950's.

Steam had finished operating on major US railroads during the 1950's and in the UK during the 1960's.

 

[RooFlyer]

I usually make some voice notes on my phone of arrival/departure experiences, but none for arrival in CMB, so it must have been OK! One thing I do like about being in J (or better, F ) is being one of the first to immigration, at least from your own aircraft - then only have to do the bags lottery.

As I mentioned, no issues that I recall and I was soon land side and met by the driver of my free hotel transport. I chose the Pledge3 Hotel in Negombo (that's where the airport is .. a fair way north of Colombo), as we would be travelling north in the morning. it was further than I thought - about 25 mins drive, but even though we arrived after midnight, it wasn't a big deal.

Pledge3 is a funny little place. New buildings and nice modern rooms and bathrooms, tucked away on a side street, not far from the beaches on the coast. Seems like I was going to have Marilyn for company that night (I found out that she's in most rooms!). Nice touch here of a box of macaroons in the room, and lots of water.



The rooms are all off on open centre of the place. There's a nice lawn, and pool and breakfast was very civilised.



I'm staying here again on my last night, but before then I have a 6 days, 5 nights private whirlwind tour of a chunk of Sri Lanka.

From Negombo its up to the ancient city of Anuradhapura and staying nearby; then to ancient city of Polonnaruwa, driving down to Sigiriya Rock and staying at a guest house there; climb the rock next morning then to Kandy via Dambulla caves, staying at another guest house; then straight to Galle, where I have two nights in the 'Fort Bazaar', a rather fancy place in the old town, where I shall recover (briefly), sipping G&Ts before returning to Negombo.

 

[RooFlyer]

I am using a private tour run by 'Lucky', recommended to me by @RB and it worked out well, although his skill in extreme tailgating left me gripping the seat a couple of times!

We headed north up the coast, our destination the ancient city of Anuradhapura and my accommodation, the Sanctuary at Tissawewa (map). The roads in Sri Lanka I found to pretty good. Narrow, like in India, but the other traffic not quite as manic. the road surfaces are pretty good - again contrasting with the roughness of the Indian ones.

We came across some sort of footrace - but it being abt 33 degrees and very humid, they can have that for themselves!



These signs got me a bit excited and I expected to be told that it was out of season (which it was), but Lucky pointed out some mega dung by the side of the road and I believed a sighting might be possible (we didn't though).



About lunch time we arrived at the Sanctuary at Tissawewa, near the ancient city. Lucky was unfamiliar with it, but when he saw it, he said 'Oh, its just what used to be called the Anuradhapura Guest House!' Its undergone a reno and gone a bit up market, but its still a nice colonial pile - it was the old British Admin local accommodation. No pool or booze, but the tucker is well regarded, and I was very much into trying Sri Lankan cuisine on this trip.


Quite a nice room; bathroom still 'old' but clean and fresh, so no problems there.



Lunch -all I can remember that it was spicy octopus and really nice.

 

[Milboo]

Glad your stay at Pledge3 was pleasant. It is a quirky little place but it does the job and has an airport transfer!

And glad to hear you’re having a good trip with Lucky. He’s a lovely guy - I don’t remember tailgating!

 

[RooFlyer]

His nephew also takes tours and had borrowed Lucky's larger ?minvan? to take a group, and he got nephew's car, as it was just me. So it may have been unfamiliarity with the vehicle, but wow - he did some shocking tailgating, usually at speeds where you wouldn't have been injured in a collision, but would have been shaken up and a couple of times there was a major jamming on of brakes. I was dying to take a pic of the bus filling the windscreen, but thought it would have been a bit obvious!

I almost said something a couple of times, but held my tongue. It all worked out OK.