India and levitation

Friday, October 28, 2016
Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India
Aurangabad,and the 2nd set of caves, Ellora caves,which I have been so keen to see.
Up early, after a revolting night of The Trots, yes, Ive got Delhi Belly too!
At present, Ive just spent an hour writing a detailed blog of our day, and pressed the wrong button, and my blog disappeared into the mists of time.
Im so frustrated and disappointed, as I had so enjoyed writing it.
We hot footed, more like dragged ourselves, outve our mould trap in Jalgaon,and travelled the 4 hours to Aurangabad ,in a decent private Taxi.
We were rather hesitant to travel by bus, just in case we needed pit stops, which fortunately we didnt need along the way.
It was bliss to travel in a decent car for once, but goodness, if one is on a travel budget, its an expensive way to travel, though it sure would be preferable.
We got to our hotel without a hitch.
Each town,city, is much of a muchness, in India.
The cities ooze out into sprawl, with the shops, huts, homes, all looking the same.
I thought that the Chinese shops sold the same old, same old, but the shops in India take 1st prize.
The street food is also identical, deep fried vetkoek objects, some with potato stuffing, some with chillies, some none identifiable.
We get to our hotel, Martina is wilting by now, and just wants to curl up on the couch in the so called reception area.
I volunteer to see our room.
An enthused, tooth missing little man leads me up to the 1st floor, in an antiquated lift with a sliding grid door, and we exit into bedlam.
He promptly opens up a room, Theres dust, everywhere.
Im standing there,the whining sound of tile cutters in the backgound, amazed at how he can even show me a room in a construction zone.
Seriously?
So I politely refuse, explaining that we are unwell, and need peace, and cleanliness.
Then it dawns on me that he doesnt understand a word of what Im saying, hes bobbing his head from side to side,and is so keen to show me our room, that he fails to comprehend that neither of us understands the other.
 I ,using hand gestures, ask for another room.
Up to the 2nd floor we go, squeak open the lift doors, and the same dust ,tiles and construction greets the eye.
Really amazed by the lack of comprehension of this man as to our needs, I decline the derelict offer.
3rd floor, here we come.
Jackpot! If one could call it that!
Relatively clean passageway, no screaming tile cutter, functioning, mild mould smelling room, with decent beds.
Mr Man is now looking at my face to see whether this pedantic and bloody fussy woman is going to be happy with her accommodation.
Ah, thank goodness, she is.
So with a bigger grin, we go downstairs to collect our luggage, and by now, a thoroughly ill Martina.
Bliss to know that we can stay in one place for 2 days, and just take it easy today.
Im ravenously hungry by now.
But, our hotel is not near anything of interest, and Western food does not exist in our area.
The thought of spicy Indian food on our queasy stomachs,is a thought we do not wish to entertain.
I go downstairs to ask where I can find some bananas, safe food.
No,no they all say, no shops around us, just urban sprawl, but their resident tuk tuk driver is quite happy to take me up the road for some ridiculous amount of money to buy bananans.
Guys, Ive been in India for a short, informative while, and you are all talking shite.
Out I go through the front door, turn left ,and 100 meters away is a fruit vendor.
Yay, bananas,and an apple, my next best friends.
The very persistent beggar at the stall was not!
He followed me almost all the way to the hotel, whining for money.
I buy coke next door.
Back into the hotel, and they all look amazed that I found fruit.
I point to the packet, explain that these are bananas, they ooh and ah, and congratulate me on my find.
Weve only eaten potato crisps and coke, in the last 36 hrs
We relax for the rest of the day.
I can tell you that no matter how much people have explained what Delhi Belly is all about, it doesnt prepare you for the reality.
The growling stomach, the cramps, the realisation, that the vaccines we took, have not worked, the gratitude that a toilet is close by, because ,believe you me, when you had to go, you had to go, trotting into that loo as fast as you can, barely making it, and Niagra Falls aint got nothing on the liquidity and flow of the outcome.
It was like a tap being turned on full blast, and shut off just as fast.
And just as you get back to bed, it starts all over again!!
Hectic!!
And the gas!
How is it possible that one gut can produce so much gas, what was in there producing it, like a smoke stack?
Thus my title: levitation in India!




Photos & Videos

Comments

Jane
2016-11-11

Oh god.. I love your toilet descriptions.. Sense of humour essential in India!

Mrs Cranna
2016-11-12

You are a very brave and adventurous person. You could write a book on your amazing experience ; and expressing yourself so attractively. Ivanka and Ian.

Baron
2016-11-15

Very funny description of the "Indian" experience.
No one has seen banana's before.

Jenni
2016-11-25

Hilarious description, but I have great sympathy for your Delhi Belly, poor you. Am loving your blog full of fascinating facts and the up hill and down dale descriptions of your travels. Definitely, you should be a travel writer! Stay safe and enjoy!

eliesethogersen
2016-11-25

Thanx Jenni. It sure has been entertaining!!
On Friday, November 25, 2016, wrote:

Mrs Cranna
2016-11-27

Wow -- how you suffered ; its the worst;
You will be relieved when you survive all this.
Thank you for keeping us up to date.
Bye for now.

eliesethogersen
2016-11-28

Hi Ivanka and Ian
Yes its lots of fun, and I survived to tell the tale, haha.
I just got some data on a new sim card here in Sri Lanka.
So now I can finish my blog on India and Nepal.
Im loving Sri Lanka.
I have been here 10 days now
Im staying with nice people.
The sea and lovely beach is 5 minutes around the corner from me, I swim
every day in lovely warm water, and have been doing nothing but relax and
eat food.
I am now on holiday!!
Am meeting nice people too.
Yay
Lots of love
Eliese
On Sun, Nov 27, 2016 at 9:34 PM, wrote:

2025-02-17

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