36 hrs in a Tin Can

Mysore - Bangalore - 3 1/2 hrs by train (2 nights and a whole day day)
Bangalore - Delhi - 36 hrs by train
Delhi - Mathura - 3 Hrs by train

(Could 've done the journey Mysore - Mathura - one train less time but train was full) you cant be spontaneous in India - unless you fly.

But My 3AC train journey was not too cold. Included breakfast, lunch adn dinner and afternoon tea (the worst meal of all). 3 adults 2 babies, one child, one young indian couple and a journalist (in my 8 berth area). And lena from Sweden at the other end of the carriage... We got the dog end seats by the doors to the loos - I wont go into too much detail about the stench at certain times of the day...

So glad i didnt travel ordinary Sleeper.

You dont get the beggars and peddlars of everything you can every imagine not needing to buy going up and down the carriage in AC.

Arrived after 2 days feeling fine - surprisingly. But Mathura is the first place i felt completely harrassed by the rickshaw men - every person i passed approached me... Luckily i found a bus and hopped on. too much of an assult at 9am after 2 days on a train..

Then Where's Krishna when you need him - Iskon guest house full (mind you just as well at 600 rs per night) MVT 750 per night (What)... Other places more and more or grimy or full , full, full..... what is this?? Decided if i'm going to have to pay a lot i'll stay at MVT - its v. colonial - with beautiful gardens, very peacful and the room is dark wood marble and blue and white bed linen.

QUick shower and into a rickshaw for quick tour. Bump into Sarva - gives me a tour of Iskon temple and I sit for Hari Krishna bhajans (singing chanting) in the glitsy v. expensive white marble temple - ALl of a sudden a very famous bhajana arrives and the place gets exctatic. All the Indian women dancing. everyone's clapping and singing - it was great to be in it.

Dinner at MVT is all chips n spagetti - but I did get some steamed vegetables so not complaining hurray... bed - the best night sleep i've had since i've been here 8 hrs sleep.

Brindavin reminds me of Varanasi (by the river with the tiny lanes - much cleaner and no people). but round Iskon temple its chaos.

There are no roads here - sandy, muddy sandy tracks and bumps - cycle rickshaws - disturb the colon too much for me so better off walking.

off room hunting again.
I know how joseph and Mary must have felt.


Hari Bol
Radhe Radhe
Jai Sita Ram