| In my capacity as the UK Director of
| |
| | or urgency to be somewhere at a certain
|
| Operations for One World Tours Limited, I
| |
| | time (apart from us of course!) so many
|
| am often asked about the destinations I
| |
| | people tolerating one another it was
|
| have been to and how it all began in the
| |
| | incredible.
|
| first place. 10 years ago I embarked on
| |
| | I had recovered a little after having
|
| my second trip around the world and I
| |
| | something to drink and was as excited to
|
| suppose you could say that this is where
| |
| | see eagles flying around in the sky. I
|
| it truly all began. Here is my first
| |
| | watched as people threw bananas to the
|
| experience of India.
| |
| | wild monkeys in the same way as we feed
|
| I thought that visiting the Seven
| |
| | the ducks back home.
|
| Wonders of the world in eight days would
| |
| | Everywhere you looked people were making
|
| be a fun and challenging thing to do.
| |
| | good use of all the resources around
|
| Having decided with my sponsors the
| |
| | them. Once we had broken free from the
|
| airlines and a chain of leading
| |
| | towns I had a chance to take notice of
|
| world-wide hotels it was decided that the
| |
| | the countryside. It was fascinating to
|
| Seven Wonders of the World were the Taj
| |
| | see the Indian ladies with huge loads
|
| Mahal, the Great Wall of China, the
| |
| | balanced on their heads whilst carrying
|
| Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Golden Gate
| |
| | their babies in their arms. It was a
|
| Bridge, The Empire State Building, Sydney
| |
| | wonderful thing to experience and would
|
| Opera House and the Pyramids of Egypt.
| |
| | have been perfect if only it wasn't so
|
| This would notch up a staggering 42,000
| |
| | difficult to breathe. Seeing the way that
|
| miles in 8 just days.
| |
| | life was lived in India made me realise
|
| The first of my many flights was on
| |
| | what a bunch of whingers we are in the
|
| schedule and I left Heathrow at around
| |
| | west!
|
| 10.25pm on the 17th of February. I was
| |
| | We were only 11 kilometres from reaching
|
| handed my overnight package by the
| |
| | the Taj Mahal when we experienced a huge
|
| stewardess and given a meal. It didn't
| |
| | traffic jam that even the psychopathic
|
| take long before I drifted off to sleep;
| |
| | driver could not get me through! He had a
|
| I had deliberately got myself up early
| |
| | few frantic words with one of the locals
|
| that morning to ensure that I would be
| |
| | and informed me that the road was blocked
|
| able to sleep on the first flight. I
| |
| | due to the fact that two ministers were
|
| awoke half way through the flight feeling
| |
| | visiting the area.
|
| incredibly nauseous but that was down to
| |
| | Ashok did a sharp U- turn and tried to
|
| the anti- malaria tablets more than
| |
| | find an alternative route. Unfortunately
|
| anything else.
| |
| | there wasn't one and we had to wait
|
| It wasn't long before I arrived at Delhi
| |
| | patiently in the queue like everyone
|
| airport and in order to continue on to
| |
| | else. The driver had driven his socks off
|
| the next stage of the journey I had to
| |
| | to get me to within an 11-kilometre
|
| find out how much a taxi would cost to
| |
| | radius of the Taj with time to spare, and
|
| take me to Agra and back. There were
| |
| | for one horrible moment it looked as if I
|
| plenty of transport kiosks whose
| |
| | was not going to get any closer. It was
|
| occupants frantically beckoned to me in
| |
| | an awful shame because he had risked our
|
| order to persuade me to use their
| |
| | lives along with those of the others we
|
| services. The first one that caught my
| |
| | passed along the way, including the
|
| attention offered me his "top of the
| |
| | animals! He must have felt the same but
|
| range car", which included air-
| |
| | wasn't that easily defeated. Not long
|
| conditioning. I gladly accepted this as
| |
| | after I finally arrived at the first
|
| it worked out at half the price I had
| |
| | major landmark of the trip! Ashok dropped
|
| expected to pay. I was then told
| |
| | me off and said that he would find
|
| apologetically that this car was not
| |
| | somewhere to park and allowed just 15
|
| available and was offered the next best
| |
| | minutes to take photos etc. I paid the
|
| thing at a cheaper rate, still with air
| |
| | entrance fee; the equivalent of 75 pence,
|
| conditioning. Apparently this car was not
| |
| | received a free key ring and made my way
|
| available either and this went on until I
| |
| | to the Taj, ande had my bags searched by
|
| was finally offered their cheapest car of
| |
| | the guards.
|
| all, which by this time I would have
| |
| | I was very impressed by the stunning
|
| agreed to anything. The driver of this
| |
| | creation of love that stood before me,
|
| particular vehicle was summoned and
| |
| | definitely the stuff that fairytales are
|
| flatly refused to take me saying that it
| |
| | made of! I was aware that I did not have
|
| would not be possible to get to Agra and
| |
| | too much time so quickly set about taking
|
| back in time to get me to my next flight.
| |
| | photographs of the beauty before me in
|
| It was beginning to look like I was not
| |
| | order to satisfy the publicity
|
| going to get to visit the very first
| |
| | requirements for my sponsors.
|
| Wonder on the list! The taxi drivers of
| |
| | I had designed a banner, which was to be
|
| this particular kiosk told me that I
| |
| | photographed at each of the locations.
|
| should try a different kiosk, which is
| |
| | When I unfolded it in the grounds of the
|
| exactly what ended up doing. I was told
| |
| | Taj Mahal I was told very abruptly that
|
| that there was a driver willing to
| |
| | banners were not acceptable and that the
|
| attempt to take me the 300 miles in about
| |
| | guards at the front gate should have
|
| 8 ½ hours for the price of £130 (GBP).
| |
| | taken it away from me. Someone did show
|
| I did not really have choice and was
| |
| | me somewhere that I could hold the banner
|
| still £70 better off than I thought. We
| |
| | up in order to take a quick photograph
|
| were whisked off to meet our driver for
| |
| | but I declined agreeing that I should
|
| the day and the man that would hopefully
| |
| | respect their wishes, as I was a visitor
|
| make it possible for us to reach our
| |
| | of their country. The banner gave a brief
|
| first Wonder of the trip.
| |
| | outline of the trip and advertised the
|
| It soon became very apparent that if
| |
| | sponsor's names but they weren't to know
|
| anyone was going to get me there and back
| |
| | that it could have been a political
|
| in time it would most certainly be Ashok,
| |
| | statement for all they knew. I also
|
| the driver. I was barely three minutes
| |
| | couldn't risk getting into trouble so
|
| from the airport when he started honking
| |
| | early on in the trip!
|
| his horn like crazy. At first I thought
| |
| | I took enough photographs to prove that
|
| this was a sign of aggression as is
| |
| | we had been there, along with a duplicate
|
| customary in our native country. I truly
| |
| | set in case the first ones did not come
|
| believed at one point that I was going to
| |
| | out and then one more lot for luck! The
|
| die in this foreign country due to manic
| |
| | sun was beginning to set and it gave
|
| way that Ashok handled the car. Where
| |
| | everything around that wonderful orange
|
| ever possible he drove like a man
| |
| | glow, a fitting end to a brief but
|
| possessed reaching speeds of up to 120mph
| |
| | memorable experience.
|
| in some cases. This of course made me
| |
| | As promised Ashok was waiting for me and
|
| very apprehensive for the first hour or
| |
| | guided me back to the cab. A throng of
|
| so of the journey, my underpants taking
| |
| | brown -faced children begged me to
|
| the full impact of my lack of faith!
| |
| | purchase their wares. They surrounded me,
|
| There did not appear to be any rules and
| |
| | I found it a little overwhelming to say
|
| regulations where driving in India was
| |
| | the least. I was not sure if we had
|
| concerned, Ashok seemed to make up his
| |
| | enough money to complete the trip at this
|
| own rules as he went along. Hitting bumps
| |
| | moment in time so I couldn't afford to
|
| in the road at speed saw me bashing my
| |
| | give away one penny of what I did have so
|
| head on the roof on more than one
| |
| | I kept having to refuse them. Their
|
| occasion. I remember commenting aloud on
| |
| | prices dropped with every step that took
|
| the effects this was having on my
| |
| | me closer to the car until I was being
|
| backside and Ashok laughed saying that it
| |
| | offered beautifully printed T-shirts for
|
| was good exercise.
| |
| | around 70p each. They flocked around the
|
| Well it soon became apparent that honking
| |
| | car hoping for a few pence that I really
|
| on the horn was a way of life and a way
| |
| | didn't have, until Ashok drove off. It
|
| of getting people to pull out of your
| |
| | was very humbling.
|
| way. It didn't seem to matter if a road
| |
| | Did I mention that the journey to Agra
|
| similar to our own dual carriageways were
| |
| | was an experience never to be forgotten?
|
| full we merely pulled over to drive at
| |
| | Well it was nothing compared to the
|
| speed toward the oncoming traffic, cars,
| |
| | journey back! We did the whole thing over
|
| bicycles camels etc, it was awesome and
| |
| | but in the dark. It appears that you then
|
| will always be the most memorable car
| |
| | use your headlights to get people out of
|
| drive that I have ever experienced. Most
| |
| | the way instead of the car horn! So we
|
| of the lorries had "horn please" painted
| |
| | were driving at speed in the dark with no
|
| on the back of them. Ashok weaved in and
| |
| | headlights for 150 miles. Pedestrians and
|
| out of the traffic, his hand never far
| |
| | animals still littered the roads and I
|
| from the hooter. It was like having a
| |
| | didn't see them until we had passed them,
|
| police escort only without the police.
| |
| | so I can't imagine how Ashok avoided
|
| After the initial excitement of the taxi
| |
| | them!
|
| ride of a lifetime had subsided, I took
| |
| | It was wonderful to see the culture by
|
| time to absorb the scenery from the
| |
| | night. Little street fires lit the faces
|
| window of the cab. There was poverty in
| |
| | of their owners with a yellow hue. The
|
| abundance wherever you looked. Hundreds
| |
| | moon which was also yellow was lit from
|
| of people lined the streets. Cattle
| |
| | underneath.
|
| wandered about like jaywalkers and now
| |
| | On a few occasions I saw hundreds of
|
| and again you would come across a dead,
| |
| | white lights adorning trees and
|
| half- eaten dog, infested with flies
| |
| | buildings, pulsing music accompanied
|
| lying in the road. Victims of Ashok's
| |
| | these scenes; Ashok told me that this
|
| previous drives one assumes! I have never
| |
| | represented "better off," people getting
|
| seen so many people crammed into
| |
| | married. Fireworks announced the success
|
| windowless buses, lorries or trailers
| |
| | of the weddings. About half a dozen
|
| being pulled by tractors. Donkeys pulled
| |
| | ceremonies were happening that I had
|
| or carried loads that took up one entire
| |
| | witnessed that evening so goodness knows
|
| side of the road, while camels took even
| |
| | how many more were going on! We also saw
|
| bigger ones. Everywhere that you looked
| |
| | a less grand wedding happening on the
|
| there were hundreds of people not doing
| |
| | roadside; the grandest thing about this
|
| anything in particular.
| |
| | one was the flower garland around the
|
| The fume filled air was brutal on your
| |
| | young bride's head! It was truly breath
|
| lungs. Diesel fumes choked out of
| |
| | taking to observe the way of life for
|
| vehicles in big black puffs. The humidity
| |
| | these people by night.
|
| and the fumes made your eyes, throat and
| |
| | Ashok got me back to Delhi in good time.
|
| nose sting. I am surprised that I managed
| |
| | We even had a chance to stop at the
|
| to remain conscious! I was not fairing
| |
| | roadside cafe for a cup of tea on the
|
| very well at all. Apart from suffering
| |
| | way. Well it wasn't a café, as we know
|
| from the effects mentioned above I was
| |
| | it back home; it was more like a large
|
| also dehydrating, sweating out more
| |
| | marquee at a craft fair. I was more than
|
| liquid than I could replace. I am sure
| |
| | a little dubious about drinking anything
|
| there are people out there who would find
| |
| | that I hadn't prepared myself.
|
| the whole thing rather amusing as I being
| |
| | I had grown quite used to Ashok during
|
| an intrepid professional world traveller
| |
| | the course of the day and was sorry to
|
| (I had actually visited 108 countries on
| |
| | have to say goodbye to him. He had looked
|
| my previous trip!) who was feeling sick.
| |
| | after me incredibly well and I tipped him
|
| I asked Ashok to pull over so that I
| |
| | accordingly.
|
| could get a drink of water, he agreed but
| |
| | It was 10.10pm (Indian time) when we
|
| it was a good 30 or 40 miles before he
| |
| | arrived at Delhi. The flight to Bombay
|
| actually did. The reason he had waited so
| |
| | was delayed for an hour. I have to say
|
| long was so that we could purchase sealed
| |
| | that of all the planes that we used
|
| water from a reputable source rather than
| |
| | throughout the trip, air India was the
|
| risk drinking something that might make
| |
| | only one I felt really nervous about.
|
| me suffer later.
| |
| | There was quite a lot of turbulence
|
| I was surprised to see raw meat being
| |
| | during the whole flight. I remember
|
| displayed on the roadside, uncovered,
| |
| | forcing myself to try and sleep,
|
| soaking up the dirt and fumes of the
| |
| | reckoning that if I was going to die I
|
| surroundings.
| |
| | would rather be asleep when it happened!
|
| What I noticed more than anything else
| |
| | I forgot to look and see if Ashok was the
|
| was the overall calmness of everyone
| |
| | pilot when we departed from the plane.
|
| around us. There were no signs of stress
| |
| | Thank you Ashok for making it happen.
|
