WOW! This place is everything I imagined, but still amazing and confronting to see! Crazy traffic, scooters and motorbikes, terrible infrastructure, both the rich and the poor and people, people, people everywhere.
We jumped on a pre-oragnised bus at the airport, and with our hosts Marc and Rasesh we headed to our first hotel. The pride hotel was very nice, and we didnt really get a taste of India till we jumped on the bus and headed out of the city south towards Mysore. It was Sunday morning but the traffic was still horrific, and it took over 4 hours to travel 150km. It is horrible to see how some of these people have to live in tents and tin shacks, and we can only imagine how they survive in the monsoonal season with all the rain. Our host Rasesh explained some of the history of India, and how as a country they are so young, but the population growing at such a HUGE rate, that it is impossible to keep up with the infrastructure (housing, roads, sewerage, electricity etc), leading to the problems that we were seeing.
Rasesh also talked about the religions, schooling, unemployment, health, politics and more. It was a great to have a host to introduce us to India, and be able to ask all the questions!
Once out of the city we could see the first of the small agricultural plots, that many farming families are surviving on. There was rice, corn, sugarcane and some small horticulure plots. Most farms between 2-5 acres, with all the produce traded on a local market for other produce. We stopped at one sugar farm 'production', but that was all we were able to see today.
When we arrived at Mysore, we visited a historic palace, which was really cool. No pictures as we werent allowed to take Camera's in. Tommorow, Monday, we will head further south and start some Ag visits.
Picture below - outside the palace there were markets and hawkers galore. These guys literally chased us to the bus and would not give up. Some of the guys relented and brought some 'quality' Indian produce.
This is the sugar production unit, they are heating the sugar sap to make itinto little sugar cubes. 2 guys sit there all day, one stoking the fire and the other stirring the pot.
Our first Indian lunch stop. Most of us have brought 'travelan' for the stomach so all fingers are crossed! The food was SO good though, heres hoping my stomach agrees!
One of many markets and peoples houses on the side of the road as we travelled on the bus
Our crew on the bus, a very comfortable one and plenty of room.
We had dinner at our hotel last night, with more delicous food and some local kingfisher beer which was also very delicous! Bit scared to go for a run in case of getting lost, so just some situps then time to start the day! Tooraroo
We jumped on a pre-oragnised bus at the airport, and with our hosts Marc and Rasesh we headed to our first hotel. The pride hotel was very nice, and we didnt really get a taste of India till we jumped on the bus and headed out of the city south towards Mysore. It was Sunday morning but the traffic was still horrific, and it took over 4 hours to travel 150km. It is horrible to see how some of these people have to live in tents and tin shacks, and we can only imagine how they survive in the monsoonal season with all the rain. Our host Rasesh explained some of the history of India, and how as a country they are so young, but the population growing at such a HUGE rate, that it is impossible to keep up with the infrastructure (housing, roads, sewerage, electricity etc), leading to the problems that we were seeing.
Rasesh also talked about the religions, schooling, unemployment, health, politics and more. It was a great to have a host to introduce us to India, and be able to ask all the questions!
Once out of the city we could see the first of the small agricultural plots, that many farming families are surviving on. There was rice, corn, sugarcane and some small horticulure plots. Most farms between 2-5 acres, with all the produce traded on a local market for other produce. We stopped at one sugar farm 'production', but that was all we were able to see today.
When we arrived at Mysore, we visited a historic palace, which was really cool. No pictures as we werent allowed to take Camera's in. Tommorow, Monday, we will head further south and start some Ag visits.
Picture below - outside the palace there were markets and hawkers galore. These guys literally chased us to the bus and would not give up. Some of the guys relented and brought some 'quality' Indian produce.
We had dinner at our hotel last night, with more delicous food and some local kingfisher beer which was also very delicous! Bit scared to go for a run in case of getting lost, so just some situps then time to start the day! Tooraroo
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