vBloga collection of my notes and thoughts…

I’m currently looking to book a train ticket from Varanasi to Agra in India. The cheapest option is to book directly through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) website. The Man in Seat 61 has an excellent guide on train travel in India. A must read if you are considering purchasing train tickets in India.

For the most part, the process of registering an IRCTC account works fine. I did have an issue with the SMS verification, but managed to complete it successfully after repeated attempts. The following are my observations based on my limited experience with the process:

• I have a UK mobile number and the One-Time Passcode (OTP) arrived within seconds when it did work.
• The OTP code never arrived when viewing the site in English. The first time I received the code, was right after I switched the language to Hindi. If you have used the English version of the site sufficient times, the Hindi version has all the buttons and links in the same layout.
• Keep the OTP verification popup open while waiting for the code. The first time I received the code, I immediately logged out and logged back in after switching the language to English, and the code was rejected. You do not need to understand Hindi to know good and bad.
• There may be a time delay before the system will send another SMS verification. After my mistake with the first OTP, I did not receive any SMS messages despite multiple requests, even in Hindi. I did receive a second OTP after waiting several hours before attempting the verification process again, in Hindi.

Hopefully this may help you, but I may have just gotten lucky.

Latvia is my first experience of Eastern Europe. I have been meaning to visit the region for quite some time, but never had the opportunity to do so; unlike Western Europe which I have mostly covered through work. Latvia is known for its lovely Christmas markets at this time of the year. Riga, the capital of Latvia, is also the place where the tradition of decorating Christmas trees first began.

Latvia felt really foreign to me on the first couple of days; probably because of the language. I wasn’t sure what common words like iela (street), laukums (square), pils (castle), grūst (push), and vilkt (pull) meant. However, most locals in the tourist areas speak good English.

We spent most of our time visiting the Christmas markets and sights in Old Riga. Armed with free maps, which are plentiful, we easily covered the old town on foot. I’m not one for museums, but did enjoy the Christmas festivities and stunning architectures.

The public transport in Riga is cheap and reliable. We used the public buses and trams to get to and from the airport, as well as to visit sights that are further away from the city centre; such as the Latvijas Etnogrāfiskais brīvdabas muzejs (Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum). The open-air museum is an 87 hectare piece of woodland by Jugla Lake, showcasing historical architectures and items from the various Latvian regions.

Having covered most of Riga, we decided to venture out to Sigulda for a day, by train. There are no English train announcements, and many train stations/stops are not signed. However, Sigulda is a major station, and many people disembark there. If unsure, the ticket inspectors onboard the train should be able to speak English.

The bobsleigh and luge track in Sigulda, which plays host to international competitions, offers visitors the chance to experience a bobsleigh ride. Unfortunately for us, there was a competition that weekend, which meant the rides were not available. Other than the track, Sigulda also has old castles and nice green sceneries. We chose to walk from the train station to Turaida Castle, on the other side of the Gauja River. It was fairly straight-forward to get there following the map obtained from the Information Centre at the station; except for the final kilometre where you actually had to walk along the main road. While it was an enjoyable walk, it may be advisable to take the bus instead if you’re short on time.

This was one of those ‘where can we go with our air miles?’ trip. It was the Spring Bank Holiday, and the options were fairly limited. We ended up picking Stavanger. Unbeknown to me, it was also Whit Sunday, a national holiday in Norway. This meant the town was very quiet, with some businesses working reduced hours, or not at all. Fortunately, the ferries and buses to Preikestolen were still operating.

Preikestolen, also known as Pulpit Rock, is the primary reason we chosed Stavanger. It is a steep cliff, rising 604 m above the Lysefjorden. We completed the round trip from Preikestolen Fjellstue, the starting point of the hike, in around 5 hrs; including the time we spent taking photos, and our picnic in the rain.

The trail is mostly a steady climb, with several flat sections along the way. The path is in good condition, and reasonably well marked. It would be difficult to get lost with the ant line of hikers, all heading the same way. Though, this can sometimes result in a bit of a queue, especially in the narrower sections. If you would like to avoid the traffic, starting earlier in the day should help. Care is required at the top of the cliffs, as there are no safety barriers to spoil the natural beauty of the site.

The scenery was gorgeous. Even though the weather wasn’t on our side, it was still an enjoyable experience. It was raining on and off, and we found ourselves in and above the clouds at times. Every now and then, we were treated to clear skies, and fantastic views of the surrounding valleys, and fjord. The cool fresh mountain air was a treat. The experience would definitely have been better if the weather was nicer. However, if you can’t wait for fine weather, it’s still worth chancing it.

I learned of Antoni Gaudí while visiting Barcelona last year. A highly admired architect, his works are both beautiful and functional. For instance, when designing the interior patio for Casa Batlló, he accounted for the loss of natural light towards the lower floors by making the windows progressively larger, and using wall tiles of lighter tones. The end result is rooms that are well lit by natural light on all floors, and a wall that appears evenly coloured.

We originally only planned to visit Casa Batlló, and Sagrada Familia; but having seen them, we decided to visit Park Güell as well. We didn’t get to visit La Pedrera that time, but did see it from the outside. All these places are within easy reach in Barcelona, and should not be missed.

We saw these cute postcards in Stanley Market, Hong Kong earlier this year. They cost HKD 25 each. While not exactly a travel postcard, it is a nice option for the more crafty recipients. The idea is that you send them the postcard. When they receive it, they can peel off the printed fabric, cut out the shapes, and sew them together. It took me several hours, over the past few evenings, to put the cow together. Admittedly, it is easier than I expected.

Most modern day visitors to London will tell you that the London Bridge is nowhere near falling down, and that it is solid, sturdy, and plain. However, the bridge actually has a very long and interesting history.

One evening, while in Agia Napa recently, we dined at the Sage Restaurant. It was a lovely restaurant with nice food and atmosphere. The front of house is managed by a very friendly maître d’hôtel, who seemed to know all the people around. Just before we left, after realising that we were from London, he sang London Bridge is falling down and told us a little story about the bridge—that the old London Bridge was bought by an American and is now in the United States.

At the time, we weren’t sure whether he was joking. Nevertheless, it piqued my interest. A quick research on the internet revealed that it is true. The old London Bridge was close to falling down, and was eventually replaced in 1831 with the new London Bridge as we know it today. The old London Bridge was sold, dismantled, shipped, and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, where it still stands today.

I’m currently on my way home to New Zealand. A 10 hour layover in Singapore Changi airport. A chance to do some duty free shopping, and to grab some much craved Asian food; though currently tethered to a free charging point. 13 hours of flying down, another 9 hours to go.

I’ve been living in London for the past 20 months. Alas, my visa is close to expiring, and is therefore time to head home to apply for a new visa. This means a journey halfway across the world. Life would be much simpler if the UK immigration rules do not stipulate that I can only apply from my home country. However, rules are rules; and it is one that I was well aware of. I just was not expecting to stay in the UK for so long that I would need to get a new visa.

This trip does give me a chance to catch up with family and friends, as well as to explore the new post-earthquake Christchurch. When I left, much of the city was still cordoned off; but from what I have heard, businesses have started moving back in to the city.

100% – fully charged. Time for a break.

As much as I could use a snooze, and with a free snooze lounge in sight, I just could not bring myself to sleep in public. Especially, when there is no one to watch over my belongings. That, and the fear of missing my flight. Therefore, it is back to more writing. Thankfully, the bright sunny sky is keeping me wide awake. It is a balmy 28 degrees Celsius outside. Some temporary nice weather while I move from chilly British summer to cold New Zealand winter.

5 hours to go, and I’m looking forward to my Singapore chicken rice lunch/dinner. A must have whenever I stop by Singapore. I would eat it now except my tummy is feeling somewhat confused. The flight from London served lunch around 3 pm UK time, and the next meal was breakfast at 7 am SG time, with a fruit snack in between. I then fed myself another breakfast at 10 am SG time. So, when is the next lunch time?

Time for a free foot massage.

Ouch. But it is a good, hard massage. It’s an OSIM uPhoria Warm. There are several modes to choose from including relax, energise, high heels, toning, reflexology, sleep, sports recovery, and senior. It does come with the following caution though, amongst others.

Please consult your doctor before use if you are pregnant or menstruating.

Sounds like a very serious massage. Having used up my recommended 15 minutes of massage, and having had a wander around on foot, I am confident that it has not done any harm. Now, if only there is a full body version of this available for free.

Goes have Singapore chicken rice at Singapore food street @ T3.

Contented. This is now a good, successful layover. Currently lounging in the MTV corner, cradled in a single seater couch with inbuilt speakers. Songs from yester-years. Was going to chill in the free cinema, but it is currently screening Frozen which I have already seen.

Time to sign off for the day. The wifi access has been great. Expect more posts in the next few weeks. I have a photo assignment to complete.

Though probably not the most authentic experience, I’ve managed to tick off several desert experiences today. Dune bashing, camel riding, and sand boarding, checked! I’ve also managed to try shisha, which I’ve been meaning to do for some time.

I paid AED 290 to join a half day desert safari to the Al Khatim desert, organised by Emirates Tours & Safari LLC. The price included pick-up and drop-off from any Abu Dhabi accommodation, the desert experiences listed earlier, as well as food and drinks at their desert camp. Dinner was served under the starry night sky, followed by some belly dancing.

The best part of the experience will have to be the dune bashing, where we went on an exhilarating ride up, down, as well as sideways in the dune covered sandy desert. The vehicle of choice for the task seems to be the Toyota Land Cruiser. We were travelling in a convoy of around a dozen Land Cruisers. The drivers showed off their skills in manoeuvring the vehicles along seemingly ridiculous paths, tracking the ridges of the dunes, and then rolling head on or sideways down steep slopes. The ride was exciting, yet pleasant. I guess that’s a testament to our driver’s awesome skills and the suspensions on the Land Cruiser.

The camel ride was designed to be an ‘I’ve done it’ experience. I got to hop on a camel for a tiny loop beside the camp. To be honest, it was good enough for me.

My attempt at sand boarding was rather dissapointing. Sand is not as slippery as snow. That, coupled with my poor weight placement on the snowboard means I can stand on the board, with it pointing straight down on a slope, without it moving at all. Try that on snow and I would fly down the slopes. Well, that just means I will have to have another go at it in the future. I would even try to make it an overnight desert experience. It has also motivated me to plan a snowboarding trip to the ski slopes of France before the winter ends.

A bientôt, France!

Crossing the roads in Cambodia can be a real challenge for the uninitiated. As with many south east Asian countries, where motorcycles are the primary mean of transport, the traffic can appear chaotic. Motorcycles have a tendency to snake through traffic, sometimes on the wrong side of the road. Even cars do that; and the oncoming traffic tends to just navigate around them, instead of demanding their right of way. This means that you constantly have to keep an eye on both directions when crossing the road. On one occasion, I saw what happened at an intersection when the lights turned. It was like watching a very fast-paced chess game, where all the pawns from both sides try to advance, some going straight while others turning, all at the same time. Somewhat miraculously, there was no accidents.

If there are lane markings on the roads, it means absolutely nothing. The number of lanes is determined by the width of the vehicles that are currently there. So if a two laned road can fit three vehicles, it is effectively a three laned road, and you should treat it as such. Occasionally, if there is usable space on the side of the road, an additional lane or two will form. The traffic in Cambodia seem to know to self-organise in order to fully utilise the road.

On my bus ride from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, the bus driver was tooting the honk as though he was playing whack-a-mole. Accept that it’s for your safety. Other than the honking, the Mekong Express service was good. The bus itself was not as modern as what I’ve imagined; but it’s clean and the air-conditioning worked flawlessly. They provided a complimentary bottle of water and some light snack for the 7 hour journey, with a break halfway through for the passengers to grab a bite, and stretch their legs. There was also an English speaking bus attendant onboard to keep you informed, and assist you with anything you may require.

I wasn’t expecting the bus ride to take as long as it did. The flood damaged roads, and the peak season traffic may have added to the travel time. There is an express boat option that will get you from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh in 4 hours. Perhaps you should consider that. The boat ticket is more expensive than the bus, but it should be a smoother ride than on the pothole ridden roads. Neither option, as I understand it, have much view along the way. The bus travels through small towns and along fields, but the scenery gets repetitive after an hour or so.

I was in a tuk-tuk on the way to the killing fields, when I saw this motorcycle with three people on it. It appears the mother was driving, with the teenage son in the middle, and the younger daughter in the back. The odd thing was that the girl was holding a black bag in her hand with the arm stretched straight up the whole time. It took me several minutes before I figured out that she was actually holding a drip bag for her brother. Such is the way of life in Cambodia.

The motorcycle has well and truly proven its worth in many situations. The tuk-tuk being one fine example. By adding a cart to the back of the tuk-tuk, it can comfortably carry up to four passengers in the cart. The power to weight ratio is obviously compromised, as I observed earlier when my tuk-tuk was struggling up an overpass. However, it works well in most instances. The tuk-tuk trip to the killing fields is the only tuk-tuk ride I regretted. Sections of the road from Phnom Penh was badly damaged by recent floods, and consequently I was eating dirt half the time. Many stalls on the side of the road sells face masks for this exact reason.

I have seen another variation in Cambodia, where a more powerful motorcycle is attached to a larger cart, effectively turning it into a mini bus. The passenger seats, which are basically narrow pieces of planks, are cramped so tightly together that practically every inch of space is utilised. I have seen at least a dozen people fitting in on one of those.