Birds do it, Chandelas do it

After the smell and dirt of Varanasi, our short 35-minute flight brings us to Khajuraho, a small town of 20,000 inhabitants. Before we expore the erotic temples we decide to clear our lungs from the pollution and lingering smell of burning bodies from Varanasi on a jeep safari at Panna Tiger Reserve, a half hour journey from Khajuraho. Sadly no tigers spotted but lots of exotic birds, deer, monkeys and our own private jeep, full of "jungle love".

The Kamasutra carvings that swathe Khajuraho's temples are among the finest temple art in the world. Legend has it that Khajuraho was founded by Chardravarman, the son of the moon god Chandra, who descended on a beautiful maiden as she bathed in a stream. The Chandela dynasty built the temples, many of which originally rose from a lake, and survived for five centuries before falling to the Mughal onslaught. Most of the 85 temples—of which some 25 remain—were built from AD 950-1050. Why all the sex? The best explanation is that these tantric images are a gratification of the baser instincts - one way to transcend the evils of the world and achieve enlightenment. Physical enjoyment and yoga are seen as equally valid in this quest for orgasm, er, rather, nirvana. Hope you're inspired!

Once up close the exquisite carvings come to life. At first glance, romance blooms.

But it doesn't take long for the action to heat up. Watch your back!

Can you figure out what's going on below?!

There's limited transport options so we're forced to rent a private van to reach the town of Orchha (meaning Hidden Place), smaller than Khajuraho with just 8,000 people. Orchha is one of India's most fabulous Mughal heritage sites but mercifully free of development making this a hassle-free, relaxing stop. Founded in 1531 it was the capital of the Bundela kings and is full of beautiful temples, fortresses and cenotaphs, commemorating Orchha's historic rulers.

Makeup, hindi-style.

Tim researched hotels and found the Amar Mahal, a wonderful discovery at just $75/night. Better still, we are the ONLY guests so they give us an executive suite poolside.

This incredible temple view was take from the loo window. We spend a lot of time in the loo.

After the luxury of private cars we thought we needed to see how the "other half" travelled and boarded the Taj Express train from Jhansi to Agra—not as romantic as it sounds. The air-conditioned coach was OK and a bargain at $8/ticket for the three hour journey. Agra is "agra"-vation, not a must-see destination and with little to offer but with one exception... the magnificent Taj Mahal. We tried to be the first tourists before the sun rose at 6 a.m. but the pollution was so bad our views of the Taj were as blurry as our eyes. Still, absolutely stunning and as magical as the books tell you.

A "wow" moment—we REALLY were there!

Holy Cow!

We can't resist one last photo of the stunning Annapurna mountain range. This one of Manasa on the left and Peak 29 on the right was taken from the window of the plane on our flight from Pokhara, Nepal back to Kathmandu.

As we arrive in Varansi, India, the highway gives way to the narrow streets of the city until our car can go no further. We go on foot, dodging cow pats, the last few streets which are no wider than a motorcycle. Then we emerge on the Man Mandir Ghat at our hotel located 50 feet from the Ganges River—now reputed to be the world's most polluted river. The air quality isn't much better.

Rules of the Road: here's how it works. Keep driving at a constant speed; never slow down but never accelerate; always go with determination; puja (pray) to Shiva. Tata trucks take precedence, then 4x4s, smaller cars followed by bigger cars, auto rickshaws, pedal rickshaws then pedestrians. Somewhere in the middle is the new means of transport for the upwardly mobile in India—the motorcycle. Drivers use their dexterity to move with the traffic and dominate where they can. Then comes the sacred cow, confused and always moving slowly BUT never hit or kill one or you're in big trouble. Incredibly the system works most of the time but it's a constant stream of near misses and game of chicken. The horn is more important then the brake.

The brilliant colours of the women's elegant saris are in stark contrast to the dusty, dirty colours of other locals on the streets.

On our first evening we attend the Ganga Fire Arti where young Brahmin priests perform age-old prayer rituals with conch shells and burning braziers accompanied by drummers while children hawk candles for tourists to light and set adrift on the river. It's a surreal experience with tourists co-mingling with pilgrims from all over India.

We rise at 5:30 a.m. to hire a rowboat along the ghats of the Ganges in the magical early morning light. It's a strange mix of pilgrims bathing in the river while tourists gawk and take photos. The hour-long ride takes us from Asi Ghat in the south to Manikarnika Ghat, the cremation ghat.

In all the colourful confusion some still manage to sit quietly and meditate in front of the Holy River.

Our boat guide explains that hotel laundry is washed in the Ganges. Sandi panics and asks him to hurry back to the hotel as she had dropped her laundry off to be done that very morning and wants to save her expensive Italian undies... but alas, it's too late. She is HUGELY relieved and pleasantly surprised as later that day she spots a washing machine in the hotel and the laundry is returned looking fresh and fragrant.

It's hard to believe during the monsoon season the Ganges River level rises 25 feet up to the level of the bottom windows of these buildings in the photo above.

Relaxed, away from the bedlam on the riverbank along the Ganges ghats.

The cremation ghat operates 24 hours a day with approximately 150 bodies burned daily. There are many types of wood used, some more expensive than others, depending on the wealth of the family. Sometimes families cannot afford to purchase enough wood and the body in not entirely consumed by the fire—not good as body parts are often spotted floating by on the river! The smell of burning flesh fills the air day and night. Our hotel, the Rashmi Guest House, is just 200 meters upwind which led us to this...

Not our best look but the best $4. we ever spent! Our masks cause much amusement for the locals as we pass by in our auto rickshaw.

Early morning boatloads of tourists replay our experience from the day before. We're now heading to Khajuraho, Orchha and finally Agra where we will meet our driver guide for a 15-day tour of Rajasthan.

Om Mani Padme Hum

On a flight from Paro, Bhutan to Kathmandu, Nepal then connecting via a Twin Otter for spectacular views of Mt. Evererst, Sagamatha, in the Himalaya to Pokhara, here we cuddle (see photo below), at 6 a.m. without java, on Cloud 9. The view of the Annapura Himalaya from Sarankot is almost a religious experience. From Dhaulagiri Mountain to the west at 8167 meters to the perfect pyramid that is Machhapuchhare (Fishtail) Mountain at 6997 meters and the rounded peak of Annapura II in the east at 7937 meters the vista is stunning.

We've been in Pokhara, Nepal's second largest city, for two days chillin' with the trekkers to the meditative beat of "Om Mani Padme Hum" which reverberates from shops everywhere. Compared to the chaos of Kathmandu, Pokhara is a laid-back haven surrounded by incredible views of Himalayan mountain peaks. We hire a rowboat to float across the serene lake of Phewa Tal and hike up to the tranquil Peace Pagoda built by Buddhist monks to promote world peace and are about to head to the Fishtail Resort to order appetizers and lay by the pool. From the short time we've been here we see Nepal is a land of yaks and yetis, stupas and sherpas, some of the best trekking on earth and the closest thing that backpackers have to Disneyland. A place we would definitely come back to. Enjoy the photo montage.

Tomorrow, October 16th, we fly to Vananasi, India. We'll try to post again after Agra sometime in the last week of October.

Dragons, Dharma and Dzongs Part 2

Clinging to the rock 10,000 feet above sea level is the Taktsang Monastery (Tiger's Nest), Bhutan's most venerated pilgrim sight. We ascend for two hours up 3000 feet from the valley floor. The monastery was built to commemorate Guru Rinpoche, the second Buddha, having meditated in a cave here for three months in AD620. This sacred, spiritual site moves us deeply as we gaze in awe at the unbelievable feat of human engineering and stunning landscape. It is the highlight of our trip to Bhutan.

Chillies drying on the roofs of local houses are a common sight in Bhutan.

Our trusted guide and driver, Tandin and Phuentsoh wear their male traditional clothing called a "gho" daily as most men do here. Many thanks to them for taking such good care of us and special thanks to Kenchu, the owner of Snow White Tours & Treks, for her perfectly planned itinerary and going the extra mile for us. We are wearing the shirt and shawl with pride—thank you Kenchu!

Little boys play in the rice fields.

This little girl can't resist joining in the fun.

Anyone recognize this beast? It's a Takin, Bhutan's national animal. Canadian moose meets Jimmy Durante. Tim says no one but old Americans will know who Jimmy Durante is. He's basically a famous, funny, dead guy who had a really big shnozz.

View from the Khamsum Yueling Temple overlooking the rice fields and Pho Chu River in the Punakha Valley.

Built in 1637 the Punakha Dzong is considered to be Bhutan's most beautiful. Perhaps the most visibly exotic aspect of the kingdom these huge, white citadels dominate the major towns and serve as administrative headquarters of all 20 of the country's dzongkhags and they are the focus of secular and religious authority in each district.

We attend festivals in Wangdue and Thimpu—colourful displays of song and dance celebrated throughout the different regions of Bhutan to teach the rural communities about Buddhism.

Local Buddhist monks enjoy the festivals as much as the tourists. No peeking up that gho.

Anyone for steak? An open-air market in Thimpu, Bhutan's capital city.

Bhutan—a country where buying cigarettes is illegal, where the rice is red and where chillies aren't just seasoning but the entire dish. It's a deeply Buddhist land where men wear a tunic to work, where giant protective penises are painted on walls of houses to ward off evil spirts, a land full of fantastic monasteries, incredible dzongs and undisturbed Tibetan-style culture that sets it aside as the last great Himalayan kingdom. We are delighted to be two of the lucky 20,000 visitors who come here each year. Now back to Nepal to visit Pokhara for a few days before heading back to India. Can you keep up with us?

Dragons, Dharma and Dzongs Part 1

The Magical Land of the Thunderdragon—Bhutan. We've landed in Paro and are very relieved. Paro is reputed to be the world's most difficult international airport to land and take off from. The narrow mountain passes require unique piloting skills, so much so, only Drukair, the national airline with its tiny fleet of only two planes, flies there. En route we saw the glorious top of Mt. Everest rising majestically above the clouds.

Overnight in the capital city of Thimpu then all aboard a new Toyota Landcruiser complete with guide, Tandin, and driver, Phuntsoh, to Palea Pass at a breathtaking 3300 meters high. Sandi strikes a pose in front of 108 stupas, built by the present queen to commemorate a battle victory over the Indians. One hundred and eight stupas are reputed to bring good luck to the 108 joints of the body. Good luck is needed for a hike at this altitude!

A typical Bhutanese meal is big—usually consisting of soup, red and white rice, sauteed fish, sauteed hot chilli and cheese, sauteed potatoes, sauteed beans, sauteed spinach, sauteed cauliflower and NO dessert. Sandi could never live in Bhutan. We are eating two dinners a day—one at lunch and the other at dinner (have to make up for the lack of dessert). Due to the amount of deep frying going on, the average lifespan of the Bhutanese in only 63 years, not surprising since the national drink is tea with yak butter, or should we say, yak butter with tea, aka cholesterol in a cup. Tim takes too long taking this photograph so Sandi tucks into the grub.

As we drive further from the capital we are surprised how grand the farmers houses appear. Many of the houses and dzongs (fortresses/castles) have elaborate paintings on the outside as in the above example. Bhutan has a population of 700,000 and around 90% of the population survive on subsistence farming alone.

The new king has spoken and proclaimed the nations' motto to be "Gross National Happiness" and set this as his major target rather than "Gross National Product". Here's one little cutie following his lead.

The beautiful Bhutan countryside.

Out on a six-hour hike visiting several remote villages we are welcomed by many school kids (in their school uniforms) greeting us in English. Although English is taught in primary school starting at the age of six, we haven't met many children who say more than "bye" and "hi"—usually in that order. Tandin, our guide, seen in this photo, does a great job of explaining the intricacies of Bhutanese culture.

Dzongs are typically built on top of a hill in a strategic position to defend the village. There are many throughout Bhutan dating as early as the 8th century. Trongsa Dzong (above) is more modern, built in the 16th century. Trongsa is a major town in central Bhutan about eight hours drive along an extremely windy and narrow road, the only major road linking eastern and western Bhutan.

Bhutan has a series of cultural festivals that run throughout the year at different times in different regions throughout the country. The purpose of the festivals are to teach the locals about the basics of Buddhist beliefs. Each dance tells a story about what to expect in the afterlife. In Bumthang (not a typo), our hotel provides an evening's entertainment with local dancers and singers. Second exciting installment comin' up soon...