JUN 21, 15 .. THREE WEEKS IN INDIA ..

I just spent three (3) full weeks in India.

I left Hong Kong late in the evening on Tuesday May 12th and returned in the mid-morning on Thursday June 4th. Doing 'the math' I was there a full three weeks with a travel day on each side of the three weeks. 

For some reason this three week visit to India was such a 'blur' that I sit here wondering what exactly did I do? Where did three weeks disappear to?  What on this good earth did I do in India for three (count them) whole weeks?

So this Post is basically for both Patti and for myself. It is and it will be our own memory jogger. IF YOU just happen to enjoy it I will really be pleased.

Some photos you have already seen on dot net and many are new.
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May 12th in the evening .. Off I go to Hong Kong Airport .. First Class on the train ..

It is NOT the eye glasses (see the below photo) but the two tweezers that caused me fits in security.  I show my eyeglasses to remind myself of how small the tweezers are! Long story short I had to:

(1) throw away my two little tweezer buddies or (2) I had to leave the secure area in the Hong Kong airport .. go to Jet Airways .. get in line for check-in .. and finally check them as checked-baggage. Then start all over again with the security check-in process. I opted to 'save-the-lives' of my two tweezers!

When I showed up at Jet Airways with my two tiny tweezers the attendant said .. with some amazement .. 

"You want to do what Sir?" .. "Check these tweezers?" ..

AFTER I checked the tweezers through as checked baggage then I re-did the security process. What an adventure!

I flew from Hong Kong to New Delhi on May the 12th .. I was in Jet Airways economy class and it was (well almost) like business class. Because I had two seats to myself .. I had so much room at the bulkhead it was like my very own little 'cabin'.

Here are several reasons that I can think of as to why I have spaced-out the entire visit.

During my three weeks in India I encountered temperatures as high as 47 Celsius (118 Farenheit). People were dying from the heat! For this reason I was not able to run-flat-out at maximum speed(s). Most days were really an effort in survival.

I always totally forget 'jet lag'. It is 2-1/2 hours between India and Hong Kong. That .. to some extent .. also slowed me down .. at least during the first week.

Am I? Could it be? That my 78-years are catching up with me? I am finding that travel-in-general is becoming more tiring than invigorating. Coupled with heat and jet lag and my age I feel lucky I survived it all! 

Since I am counting-days .. My first two days in New Delhi were totally committed to getting settled in India.

I checked into the New Delhi YMCA about 2 o'clock in the early morning of May 13th. I have been staying at the New Delhi YMCA .. on and off .. since November of 1990!

Over the years ..oh-my it literally took YEARS ..  I watched this lovely YMCA swimming pool being constructed and finally put into good use!

It is always a bit-of-a-project to get my India cell-phone service up-and-running. This process was my top priority on my first full day in New Delhi. 

At the YMCA I also enjoyed a wonderful visit on May 22nd with my friend Raj who I have known since 2008 and his family who live North of New Delhi. We all enjoyed a great buffet meal. It was special because Raj's children had never experienced a buffet.

So there went two (2) days.  Flying into India and doing some busy-work took my 'available day-count' down to nineteen (19) days.

Then .. figuratively speaking in terms of 'what-did-I-do' days .. I shot-myself-in-the-foot spending my energy to then immediately move from the YMCA to the Hotel Capital Residency. This 'shot' a full day. 

I moved from the Y because the Hotel Capital Residency is a 5-minute walk from the New Delhi Railway Station. For this reason it is vastly more convenient for me to catch a 6AM train to Agra Cantt from the Hotel Capital Residency because I actually go to the train station about 5:15AM.  Had I stayed at the Y it is either a long 30-minute walk from the YMCA to the railway station or it involves the hassle of hiring a taxi or auto rickshaw. Neither of these two options are good in the dangerous dark of the early morning.

The Hotel Capital Residency.

Notice the 'greenery' up on the roof.

Below are a few photos 'up-on-the-roof'. It is very nice up there.

It is a surprise to find such serenity up-on-the-roof when you see the chaos on the street that the Capital Residency faces in the Paharganj District of New Delhi.

I would be safe in saying that ONLY experienced INDIA and savvy WORLD TRAVELERS would stay in the Paharganj District.

BUT IF YOU LOVE INDIA .. THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY FACES OF INDIA! .. WIMPS AND SISSIES NEED NOT APPLY !  OH CAPTAIN BEHAVE!

Now let's all go inside of my Hotel Capital Residency.

The Lobby Area .

This hotel is clean and very acceptable. The cost in Indian Rupees is RS 600 (overhead fan) or RS 800 (overhead fan with real genuine air conditioning) which is either US $9.44 or $12.59 per day.

Oh my .. YES ALWAYS YES! This is not negotiable! I sit NOT squat.

There is even a small balcony you may step-out-onto.

Dad it is 47 C or 118 F out there! SHUT THAT DOOR DAD! You are indeed paying the 'big bucks' (US $12.59) for A.C.

And lastly .. THE MAN at the front desk .. Shivam ..

Take one (1) more day off my trip to India for the above hotel re-location and my 'available days' are at 18. Right up-front .. my first three (3) days were pretty much busy work. Not a lot of tourist activity by yours truly.

THANK YOU 'ZILLA!  I can always count on you for another excellent question! 

I DID NOT GO DIRECTLY TO THE HOTEL CAPITAL RESIDENCY FROM THE AIRPORT AND SKIP THE YMCA COMPLETELY BECAUSE IT WAS 2AM AND PAHARGANJ IS A TRICKY AREA TO NAVIGATE AT THAT HOUR. I SAID TRICKY NOT DANGEROUS 'ZILLA.  THE AIRPORT TAXIS ALSO KNOW THE YMCA AND ITS LOCATION BETTER THAN THE PAHARGANJ DISTRICT.

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Now to the Indian Train trips I made during this visit.

Over the course of my three week (21 day) visit I made four (4) individual train trips between the cities of New Delhi and Agra Cantt. Each trip was an adventure in and of itself !

May 17th ..New Delhi to Agra. A visit in Agra. 

May 21st .. Agra back to New Delhi. A visit in New Delhi.  

May 28th .. New Delhi back to Agra. A final visit in Agra. 

June 1st .. Agra back to New Delhi. 

AS I SIT HERE DOING-MY-PROCESS .. I CAN SEE WHY I GOT FATIGUED. GULLIBLE I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU ENDURE THE PACE YOU KEEP ON YOUR TOURS!

'ZILLA ..  I DID NOT DO JUST ONE TRIP TO AGRA BECAUSE NEW DELHI IS MUCH MORE INTERESTING AND MUCH MORE FUN TO BE IN. THE HOTELS IN NEW DELHI ARE VASTLY BETTER IN TERMS OF REAL AIR CONDITIONING NOT A WATER EVAPORATION UNIT (SWAMP COOLER) THAT I HAVE IN AGRA CANTT. I ONLY WENT TO AGRA CANTT TO DO ONE THING .. SEE JEEVAN LAL. I DID NOT WANT TO SPEND MY ENTIRE TRIP IN AGRA CANTT. 

I have combined the four train trips into the below photos.  

For me a train trip involves two days! The first day of each of the four trips was occupied with my checking out of my hotel room(s). Upon arriving (the second day of the train trip) I had to re-establish myself in a new hotel room. It did not actually take me a full day to pack-up my things .. Practically speaking however each train trip occupied 2 days .. My travel day as well as my arrival day. 

Here is the math. Four (4) train trips times 2 days invested in each trip means that just the travel between New Delhi and Agra Cantt occupied EIGHT (8) DAYS of my 21 (three weeks) day visit.

This takes me from 18-days available down to 10-days available to 'do things'.

Poof! I am now down to ten (10) days (2 days spent arriving into New Delhi and 1 day moving into the Hotel Capital Residency in Paharganj combined with the 8 days on the train trips) .. I will call them free-days .. on my three week trip.

Here we go ON THE TRAIN TRIPS.

The New Delhi Railway Station (NDRS) is 'hallowed ground' for me! So many great and grand adventures over the past twenty four (24) years have begun from the NDRS.

A few photos of the interior of the four Shatabdi Express trains I traveled on. All fully and effectively air conditioned.

I love .. I mean .. I LOVE EATING ON THE TRAINS ..

Just for the fun-of-it .. below shows you a photo of the crowding that many of the average Indians experience on their train trips.

NO! NO! NO! 'Zilla .. there is NO air conditioning in their cars. As you can see in the below photos their cars are open to the elements.

In first class I have space to put my luggage overhead and out of the way. There is little space for the average Indian train traveler to stash their stuff.

JUST STUDY AGAIN THE CONDITIONS BELOW .. WHERE DO YOU PUT YOUR STUFF? .. UNDER THE SEATS IS WHERE ..

AND REMEMBER .. OUTSIDE OF THE OPEN WINDOWS IT WAS 47C / 118F .. HERE ARE YOUR REAL ROAD WARRIORS!!

Just a few 'memory joggers' of the views-out-of-the-windows on the daytime train trips between New Delhi and Agra Cantt. I say daytime because two trips were early morning and two were during the dark hours.

Below are the fully air conditioned cars. The windows are sealed from dirt and dust and the weather elements.

Obviously each train trip involved a lot of time spent in the two (New Delhi and Agra Cantt) Railway Stations. 

It is always exciting when the train (often FINALLY) arrives.

The above is my wrap-up on the trains for this visit to India.

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As I wrote previously .. THE ONE AND ONLY REASON I made this trip to India in the first place was to visit my friend Jeevan Lal in Agra Cantt.

I did NOT go to Agra Cantt to see the Taj Mahal. I went to Agra Cantt to see Jeevan Lal. 

HOWEVER I DID VISIT THE TAJ MAHAL ON MAY 30th DURING MY SECOND TRIP TO AGRA CANTT.

Jeevan talking to Patti on my cell phone.

Jeevan with his two sons .. Vikas (left) and Mohit (right). I have known them since they were youngsters.

In December of 1990 Jeevan made Mister India Bag you see here.

Jeevan with his younger brother Sanjay. I knew Sanjay when he was still a young teenager.

Jeevan with his nephew Youg who was Sanjay's son. Several years ago Sanjay suddenly (instantly) dropped dead while on a hiking trip with Vikas leaving Youg with his mother.

I wrote a Post on dot net MAY 19th about Youg. Our interaction was certainly one of the most special moments of the three week visit to India. If you want to re-visit this Post click onto the below 'link'.

http://babakaps.net/?cat=160

Don't fall over Gullible or Andrej .. I actually got a link to post here on blogspot.

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May 17th and I have arrived in Agra Cantt from New Delhi. It is time to check into my Hotel Pawan.

 Messrs. Mussrat Hussain (left) and Rakesh Kummar (right) who ARE the movers and the shakers of the Hotel Pawan. Wonderful gentlemen in all respects. 

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Other than visit with Jeevan Lal .. what else did I do on my first trip to Agra Cantt? .. This is a problem because there is not a lot for me to do in Agra Cantt.

One activity I do pursue is writing post cards. I found time to write one hundred and ten (110) post cards during this trip. At about fifteen (15) minutes per post card this translates to twenty seven and one half (27-1/2) hours. Then add thirty (30) minutes a day walking to the post office to mail them.

I also spent at the minimum four (4) hours a day on-line primarily writing dot net Post. 

I saw a lot of sacred cows everywhere all the time.

'Zilla trust me .. IF sacred cow watching was one of my main activities here in Hong Kong .. I would be out of Hong Kong in one very short New York Minute!

I wrote a lot of post cards. My walks to the beautiful Agra Cantt Post Office was a daily highlight!

So .. what I ask you all is a little walk in 47 C or 118 F heat anyway?

I also did a lot of posts on dot net (http://babakaps.net) while I was in Agra Cantt.

Do you all see them .. look closely above .. two little 'mischief-makers' peeking out at me? 

Hello Girls!

I do have some fun!

And OH YES .. I did eat in Agra Cantt .. 

South India Thali plates in Agra Cantt .. Um-m-m-m-m Good!

 Oh just one more photo Dad? Aren't I lovely Dad?

Well Dad! You gave her some photo coverage! What about me Dad?

Lord I am salivating!

A QUICK ASIDE .. I WONDER IF I PUT MY MIND TO IT .. COULD I FIND SOME SOUTH INDIAN THALI MEALS IN HONG KONG .. 

And why NOT? A little room service ..

Oh Come On Akhilesh .. We all have seen you SMILE ..

You have to realize that I go-back-years with many of these kind and gentle folks!

Oh No .. That was-not-it for Agra Cantt .. I will return for the May 28th to June 1st grande finale further below.

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On May 21st it was back to the Big City for Bobba Caps and the Traveling Bobbseys! 

New Delhi!

EEE-YOW-EEE .. McDonalds and Chocolate Brownie Blueberry McFlurrys..

IF AGRA CANTT HAD THESE IT WOULD BE A TAD MORE FUN ..

And for good measure a CHOCOLATE-ON-CHOCOLATE McFlurry! GAD - ZOOKS ! .. OOPS I JUST 'DATED MYSELF' ..

What an absolutely delightful mess the above Chocolate on Chocolate McFlurry beauties were!

Connaught Place ..

Action IN THE HEAT .. 47 C or 118 F ..

Real Singapore Rice Noodles in New Delhi .. 

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On May the 28th it was pack-up-the-Bobbseys and head back South to Agra Cantt for my last visit on this three week trip .. 

Hello TOUGH COOKIE .. How can I not take a second look at you?  You will never know how much you touched me you little TOUGH COOKIE .. Will I see you again and will I recognize you next visit? You young ones grow up so fast ..

I was not able to connect you to the below street children. 

However you all are in the same neighborhood in Agra Cantt ..

 On my second visit .. May 28th to June 1st .. At my Hotel Pawan .. I met my very own Cricket Team ..

THE RAJASTHAN ROYALS !!

Ah YES .. MAMA CHICKEN MAMA FRANKY HOUSE ..

Can this be correct? Singapure (DON'T YOU LOVE THE SPELLING OF SINGAPORE?) Noodles in Agra Cantt at MAMA FRANKY HOUSE ?

And to wrap-up this Agra Cantt visit .. 

YES .. OH YES !! ..

I paid Mumtaz Mahal a visit .. 

Be it 47C or 118F  .. I was WELL FORTIFIED with a full 1 Liter bottle of Electral Treated water ..

Here we come Mumtaz .. For a very short visit ..

For a visit of over two (200) hundred photos of Mumtaz and the Taj Mahal please go to the below link or just scroll down when you reach the bottom of this Post!

http://bobbacaps.blogspot.hk/2015/06/jun-10-15-taj-mahal.html 

Well that is that for Agra Cantt on this visit ..

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Back to New Delhi on June the 1st. 

Out and off from New Delhi bound for Hong Kong on the Red-Eye flight June 3rd arriving into Hong Kong at 8AM the morning of June 4th ..

Whew .. No wonder this three weeks just slipped away on me. 

In closing I must give Patti a pat-on-her-back for a lot of help proof-reading this and for her valuable suggestions throughout this Post. I must admit that several times I got-lost and needed Patti's assistance to find my way back-on-track ..

So I will sign off with ..

Much Joy .. Cap and Patti ..