Just a taste of some of the transport options in India

These really are just a few of the enormous number of resourceful ways that India’s 1.2 billion population move themselves and goods from a to b. Few snaps from the road.

The little donkey can take loads through the narrow lanes of Rajasthan
The little donkey can take loads through the narrow lanes of Rajasthan

No doubt there are whole books devoted to decorated Indian trucks
No doubt there are whole books devoted to decorated Indian trucks

Horn Please
Horn Please

head on with a bovine beauty.
head on with a bovine beauty.

A well looked after camel will give 20 years of service.
A well looked after camel will give 20 years of service.

For a seriously heavy load opt for a pachyderm
For a seriously heavy load opt for a pachyderm

Cycle rickshaw ride through the Delhi spice market and lanes
Cycle rickshaw ride through the Delhi spice market and lanes

Delhi street
Delhi street

School girls going home
School kids going home

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These vehicles, called Jugaad (meaning thrown together or hack), have to be seen to be believed.  Seat a wooden box, wheels from 4 different vehicles, engine a water pump.
These vehicles have to be seen to be believed. Seat a wooden box, wheels from 4 different vehicles, engine a water pump.

This contraption  sputters between the villages of Rajasthan.
This contraption sputters between the villages of Rajasthan.

If decorations could power a vehicle - then these things would fly.
If decorations could power a vehicle – then these things would fly.

Up a river somewhere

Don’t be goin’ to Goa at Christmas… the place is packed, teaming with tourists. Unless… you go up a river somewhere. We found a beautiful restored old Goan house up a river, on an island, in a village, at the end of the lane. Tranquillity.

Calvim house - all ours for a couple of days
Calvim house – all ours for a couple of days

Perfect place to play music.
Perfect place to play music.

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The village had many abandoned houses and this odd back lane bar.
The village had many abandoned houses and this odd back lane bar.

Audrey jumped off just after this photo and opted to ride with Nick and I.  Despite the worry on Lucinda's face, we had a gorgeous ride through the Goan countryside.
Audrey jumped off just after this photo and opted to ride with Nick and I. Despite the worry on Lucinda’s face, we had a gorgeous ride through the Goan countryside.

With two motorbikes we took the family of five to a local waterpark.
With two motorbikes we took the family of five to a local waterpark.

This pic is taken BEFORE Ethan and I took the electric boat into the weed infested shallows and while arguing over the wisdom of this we managed to break the steering and had to be rescued by fellow boaters.
This pic is taken BEFORE Ethan and I took the electric boat into the weed infested shallows and while arguing over the wisdom of this we managed to break the steering and had to be rescued by fellow boaters.

Christmas = beach

We celebrated Christmas day with an enormous buffet breakfast, then hanging out on the beach in Goa, including a banana boat ride for the whole family (thankfully there are no photos of this experience). Ethan invested some of his Christmas money in great beach experiences, including jet skiing on his own for the first time, and para-sailing, naturally.

Cavelossim Beach in South Goa
Cavelossim Beach in South Goa

Ethan heading out first time on his own
Ethan heading out first time on his own

Too much fun
Too much fun

That's Ethan up there.
That’s Ethan up there.

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Lucinda aka 'Charlie's angel'
Lucinda aka ‘Charlie’s angel’

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Doughnut rides, also lots of fun.
Doughnut rides, also lots of fun.

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Father and son
Father and son

A Goan Christmas

The kids were gutted that we wouldn’t be sharing Christmas with all our wonderful extended family in Australia, so we went out of our way… to Goa in fact… to give them a great Indian Christmas.

The kid's suite in the Holiday Inn Resort.  Bunk beds, bean bags and life sized bears!
The kid’s suite in the Holiday Inn Resort. Bunk beds, bean bags and life sized bears!

The Christmas Eve buffet stretched all the way back to Pune and included every possible cuisine and some very creative decorating.
Yes. This is a chicken band diorama.
Yes. This is a chicken band diorama.

Fruit canoe
Fruit canoe

Christmas kids
Christmas kids

The kids woke up to their Christmas stockings (smuggled from home) and lots of cards and presents from family, plus the ones that Lucinda made.
Lucinda's pretty cards
Lucinda’s pretty cards

Christmas night we wrote our wishes onto a paper balloon and watched it float over the Arabian Sea.
waiting for the paraffin wax to light and warm the air in the balloon
waiting for the paraffin wax to light and warm the air in the balloon

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Audrey wished for 5 unicorns.
Audrey wished for 5 unicorns.

Merry Christmas x

Paper Christmas Stars
Paper Christmas Stars

Dinner with Prakash

When I asked each of the kids the highlight of their 12 days travelling around Rajasthan, Delhi and Agra. Camel rides, elephant rides, safaris and the Taj Mahal all rated a mention… but the best thing of all? Being invited to dinner at our driver Prakash’s home.

Prakash especially adored Audrey - his 'beautiful daughter'
Prakash especially adored Audrey – his ‘beautiful daughter’

Big comfy car full of snacks and drinks
Big comfy car full of snacks and drinks

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Prakash, his wife and 3 children, plus his parents and his brother’s family live in a three room home in old Jaipur. His family have a farm 30kms away and Prakash’s three boys all go to school in Jaipur, an opportunity Prakash didn’t have out in the village.
Prakash, his wife and 2 of his 3 sons in their room
Prakash, his wife and 2 of his 3 sons in their room

We arrived with a box of sweets in hand and went up to the roof. Great view of the mountains and old city. After papadams and drinks Ethan and I were taken downstairs to dress up in traditional Rajasthani clothes. Ethan borrowed a son’s kurta and turban. The pants were too large, so they wrapped a dhoti elegantly around his legs. Prakash’s mother, wife and niece dressed me in a wedding sari. Including heavy gem encrusted necklaces and bangles and a tikka. Ethan and I then posed on the family’s bed for pictures, before changing back and going up onto the roof for a delicious vegetarian dinner.
Ethan in traditional Rajasthani dress
Ethan in traditional Rajasthani dress

Posing in Rajasthani wedding sari and bling
Posing in Rajasthani wedding sari and bling

Prakash’s grandfather lived to 105 years of age and only ever rode a camel. We sincerely wish Prakash and his family a long and prosperous life and thank them for opening their home and hearts to us – a gift we couldn’t have anticipated.

Flirting with fate and fireworks

Picture this… Nick purchases a truckload of Indian fireworks, skyrockets and crackers at Diwali, hides them in a wardrobe and bans the use of naked flame within a 50 metre radius. Now Christmas is imminent it’s time to start celebrating. We load up the children’s arms with fireworks and head downstairs onto the street. The street hums with Saturday night activity, pedestrians, rickshaws, scooters and expensive cars (we’re in Koregaon Park after all).

Fireworks ready to go.
Fireworks ready to go.

Armed with an empty beer bottle to stand the rockets in, a packet of matches and armfuls of Indian fireworks in a busy Indian street. What could possibly go wrong?!! Hilariously – no disaster befell us. The highlight was one of the skyrockets going spectacularly awry and flying sideways up into the apartments, crashing into an open balcony and exploding. Of the 100 balconies it could have crashed onto… this was ours!!! We ran upstairs… somehow the washing and windows are all unscathed. Time to call it a night 🙂

If you would like to get an idea of just how unreliable Indian fireworks are, check out the flight path on this one we launched out of a beer bottle gaffer-taped to the balcony!
Flightpath of the demented skyrocket

Check out these vids. When you hit the ‘play’ button it may take a moment to load. Parental Guidance is recommended (but not always applied) and please don’t try this at home 🙂






Rajasthan locks

The doors and locks in Rajasthan are often very beautiful and very old. Burmese teak studded with brass. Cut glass door handles.
Very decorative padlocks. I could fill an album just with photos of doors… but I’ve exercised some restraint.

How beautiful is this lock?!
How beautiful is this lock?!

Huge Burmese teak door studded with brass that were opened only on feast days. The small doors were the usual way.
Huge Burmese teak door studded with brass that were opened only on feast days. The small doors were the usual way.

Ganesh, present above every doorway, is also the remover of obstacles :)
Ganesh, present above every doorway, is also the remover of obstacles 🙂

Cut glass door handles on our room in Jaipur
Cut glass door handles on our room in Jaipur

Unlock the god to enter your home
Unlock the god to enter your home

Haveli heaven

Warning: There are a lot of photos in this post. The havelis of Rajasthan were the mansion homes of wealthy merchants the majority of which are now in a state of graceful decay. They are lavishly decorated with frescos and massive Burmese teak doors. These mini palaces were built as recently as the 1920’s, but now line near deserted streets in dusty towns and villages. We stayed in a converted haveli called Vivaana, in a village near Mandawa. Beautiful.

Outside of our accommodation. Note the camel :)
Outside of our accommodation. Note the camel 🙂

Inside was pretty nice too!
Inside was pretty nice too!

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Inside courtyard at Vivaana
Inside courtyard at Vivaana

Pool was freezing cold, but that didn't stop the kids.
Pool was freezing cold, but that didn’t stop the kids.

Vivaana
Vivaana

Letting Ethan lounge on my bed.
Letting Ethan lounge on my bed.

Kids' bed
Kids’ bed

Visitor outside our window
Visitor outside our window

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Inside of haveli before renovation.  Walls are blackened from kitchens and oil lamps.
Inside of haveli before renovation. Walls are blackened from kitchens and oil lamps.

Place to hang the washing
Place to hang the washing

Small businesses have opened in the sides of some disused havelis, like this barber shop.
Small businesses have opened in the sides of some disused havelis, like this barber shop.

Common to see awning, signs and paintings over the top of the haveli artwork and businesses like this laundry.
Common to see awning, signs and paintings over the top of the haveli artwork and businesses like this laundry.

Check out his steam iron!
Check out his steam iron!

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Massive Burmese teak doors, studded with brass.
Massive Burmese teak doors, studded with brass.

frescos
frescos

Europeans as part of the frescos
Europeans as part of the frescos

Modern inventions were often included in the fresco decorations.  In some cases people's heads have been scratched out subsequently.  A form of religious vandalism.
Modern inventions were often included in the fresco decorations. In some cases people’s heads have been scratched out subsequently. A form of religious vandalism.

A Rajasthani puppet show on the lawns, while up on the parapet a peacock poses.
A Rajasthani puppet show on the lawns, while up on the parapet a peacock poses.

Lucinda: We took a sneak peak at this haveli, restorations were underway.
Lucinda: We took a sneak peak at this haveli, restorations were underway.

up under a door way
up under a door way

Vivaana doorway
Vivaana doorway

Welcoming bugle
Welcoming bugle