Well I did end up going to India for a month - beginning November to beginning December. I didn't keep this blog updated though as I was just plain lazy and I only went for a month.

I arrived in Delhi and took a flight to Varanasi to see the river Ganges - where people bathe in the dirty polluted river to cleanse themselves spiritually and where they cremate people as well.

I then headed to the Taj Mahal and then onwards into Rajasthan - Jaipur, Jodhpur, Jaiselmer, Udaipur. Managed to stop off in Goa for a few days before heading to Mumbai for my flight home.

India is a fascinating place full of a rich culture. The country for me was probably the biggest cultural shock that I have had. Cows, dogs and people everywhere! The place never sleeps. There is also a fair amount of poverty and lots and lots of people sleeping in the streets.

Altogether I had a brilliant time and would like one day to explore the south of the country. The place is just so huge to cover.

Attached are a few photos from the trip.

So this is going to be the last post for the moment.

After leaving Durban I headed into the Drakensberg mountain range where I spent a few days. This is a really picturesque part of South Africa and has some great hiking on offer as well as nature.

I spent one morning / afternoon horse riding, the first time ever. Yes I was aching afterwards and icing parts of my body. I also spent a day hiking to the second highest waterfall in the world (although at this time of the year it is but a dribble).

All in all I had a good time in South Africa although it is not the most backpacker friendly country I have been to as the distances are big and you really need a car to get around and take advantage of the country. Also the problem of security but that I have already mentioned.

So the year has come to an end, well nearly. I have just been to a wedding in Madrid for 4 days and am off to Koh Samui in Thailand for another wedding in a weeks time for 10 days....

I have roughly counted the flights and places I have stayed at and I believe that after Thailand I will have taken:

45 flights and stayed at over 100 different places in 12 months

3.75 flights per month and staying at each place on average 3.65 days!

Have a look back from time to time as I may go to India for a month in October. we'll have to see.

Bored.

There doesn't seem to be that much happening in South Africa. I had to hang around in Cape Town for an extra week to go shark cage diving due to the bad weather. The cage diving was good though.

Due to the bad weather I didn't do much apart from sit inside and watch tv. There was no point going on any tours to Cape point or wine tours as I had already done them all with the family.

I shot off to PE (Port Elizabeth) the day after the cage diving basically because I couldn't stand the 14 hour bus ride. PE was ok I guess. I went to the casino and won and then came out with 85 rand less than I went in with :( The weather wasn't great either and very windy. I hired a car and went bungee jumping for a day. I thought it was closer than it was, a good 2 hours away from PE. Everything seems to be far from everywhere, a bit like Australia.

Bungee was good and then I took another flight to Durban. Been here 3 days now and could have really by-passed the city. Durban has a, how can I say it, "unsafe" feeling. It's not advised to go out after dark unless by taxi, (neither is PE in fact), and just has a bit of a run down look to it.
It makes a change from the other places I've been to where the streets are full at night with a good and friendly vibe to it. Even the "safety" marshals on every street corner in Cape Town doesn't instill confidence. A shame really as SA has the potential to be a great place.

In a hostel at the moment in Durban. Should have really looked at the Lonely Planet beforehand really "muggings and pickpockets are a problem around the beach esplanade and some central areas, particular care should be taken around Point Road...", so where am I staying, you got it, Point Road. Also says "Many areas including the centre and beach front are potentially dangerous especially at night and central Durban becomes a ghost town as people head to the suburbs for entertainment."

Heading off to the Drakensberg Mountains tomorrow for a day or two before going back to Jo'Burg to catch my flight.

All in all, should have spent more time in SE Asia rather than South Africa. Funny as I though SA was going to be fantastic....

Oh yes, can probably show the picture of the motorbike accident I had on Easter Island as have now told the parents! Two stitches in the knee, cut up hands, elbow and hip. All bandaged up like that for my birthday and Christmas. Big up to Joanna though who took great care of me in Sydney. Pity I couldn't take advantage of the surfing lessons that she had fixed up for me by her sisters boyfriend!!

The World's Highest Commercial Bridge Bungy Jump at a whopping 216 m high!

The first photo is the transport we had to take to get to our tents on the private safari. Modern Technology at its best!

A small clip of the Huey in action

Two pictures from the Cango Zoo, two pictures from the ostrich farm where we stayed and Clint Eastwood in his new safari hat

My parents and brother came out to see me in South Africa for 10 days. It was nice seeing them after the time spent travelling and we set off to visit the surrounding area of Cape Town together.

We stayed in Constantia, Cape Town for 3 days, visiting among other things Robbins island (where Mandela was imprisoned), Cape Point (where the two oceans meet), a little of the wine route and Simonstown where you can spot penguins. Unfortunately the cable car up to Table Mountain was closed the whole time for repairs.

After Cape Town we headed off on the road in the direction of Mossel Bay.
The first night we stopped off at Montagu, on route 62. It was only a pit stop but the place was nice enough, even if it had been stuck in a time warp from the 1960's :)

The following two nights we stayed at Oudtshoorn on an ostrich farm. There we visited the Cango Caves, a zoo and visited the working ostrich farm we were staying in.

After that we headed off to a Botlierskop private game reserve for a night to go on a safari. It was a nice place and we got to see many animals but unfortunately no buffalos...

On the second to last day we shot off back to Cape Town so that my bruv and I could go up in the ONLY Huey helicopter in the world allowed to take civilians. It was no ordinary ride as the pilot took us on a simulated combat ride skimming over the tree tops, performing radical manoeuvers. Very good fun!

First photo is from Robbins Island with Table Mountain in the background