Guwahati (Assam) – 22nd to 23rd March

Just a short one today.

So, I’ve taken the decision to abandon the quest further South into increasingly hottter and humid-er climes. Or maybe postponing is a better term, earmarked to return at a future point (during December and January). Instead I’ve opted to flee both north and for altitude; within the hills and mountains of Assam – in the very North East of India.

Now despite proclaiming, in an earlier blog, a great Indian railway journey, I did fly. The train option was around three straight days, if not more with stopovers. A prospect which in my current turbulent stomach position did not appeal. The flight took 5 hrs with a 1hr 20 layover in Bangalore airport. I wouldn’t normally mention the airport but it was stunning. With a beautiful inner wooden facade lining the glass structure, and stunning plantings botanical gardens would be jealous of. Oh and did I mention the waterfall! However, maybe best of all I managed to get a decent cup of english breakfast from Costa at my gate. I did admittedly have to be quite involved in the production of which, because they were clueless. Initially he handed it to me black, but had got everything right up to that point. I asked for milk and he proceeded to pour half of the cuppa away and reached for the frothy milk. Quick to interrupt this sacrilegious display I coached him through saving the cuppa, and In the end it was pretty decent.

On the second leg of the flight alone I had to use the bathroom twice. The second time a small queue had formed down the aisle. Now an apparently fairly common trait in India is not getting out of the way even when It’s in your self-interest (and generally a lack of queuing etiquette etc favouring the swarm the counter approach – each to their own). Not at all to say nobody moves, or at least takes a half step or slight lean out the way. But some people will look at you and not move a millimetre. I don’t want to further generalise but these cases appear most common in the smallest of Indians (who aren’t large people anyway). So inevitably these small barriers are brushed aside by my relatively unstoppable force. They seem to be fairly happy with this arrangement.

Within Assam I’m hoping to experience the more rural side of India, well off the beaten tourist track. Given I was the only non-Indian on the flights I think I might have succeeded in this endeavour.

So far the food here has significant Bhutanese and Tibetian influences. I had two firsts last night for dinner: Thenthuk, a Tibetan noodle soup using huge flat noodles more akin to lasagne sheets which was delicious; and Momos, which are veg (or meat) dumplings which come with dipping sauce. You’re about to meet a guy called Philip in the next paragraph, while at dinner I had two Momos, Philip managed eight (on top of our soups).

I’ve teamed up with Philip (40), a half Polish / half Indian guy who lives in Spain. We’re currently heading east out of the city to Kaziranga National Park to hopefully see the Rhinos, Elephants, various Birds, and if we are incredibly lucky a tiger too. After that I’ll have to decide whether to head further East with Philip, or continue on my plan South to see the waterfalls and forests of Shillong / Cherrapunji. One definite advantage of Philip, aside for some good company, is he speaks a bit of Hindu and appears quite extroverted so I can let him do all the talking.

I have until the 3rd to explore Assam when I have a train booked to Darjeeling. So many things are possible – we’ll see…