Friday 26 October 2012

Ahmedabad

Our train journey to Ahmedabad was long. We were in second sitting, and weren't actually together, but after a lot of pointing etc we managed to swap with a man and sit together. The seats were very hard and cramped, so after 9 hours we were pleased to get off. Although our sweets we bought from Mumbai helped us not think so much about the train.

Our first view of the city wasn't a good start. It was a confused mass of noise and people trying to take us to hotels, even though we explained we had one. One guy wouldn't leave us alone, and I got quite annoyed at him and was quite rude, Andy said he looked very angry, as Ahmedabad isn't too keen on women's rights, and I don't think a women would have ever spoken to him like that.

The traffic here was the worst of any city we have been too, much worst than Mumbai. I had to close my eyes at some points because we would be sitting across a lane of traffic in a rickshaw, with a bus coming towards you, showing no sign of stopping! Luckily nothing bad did happen! I would not want to drive on Indian roads.

We got to the hotel which was, to put it lightly, a crap hole. We had been worried as after we booked they sent us the terms and conditions, and it said if you were posing as a couple, you had to be able to prove it. Now we were worried that it might apply to us, (even though were just friends) and we might be rejected from the hotel.  Luckily thus wasn't the case (might be a rule just for Indians).  The room itself was dirty, and revolting.

In the morning we got up late and went to train station and managed to book a train to Udiapur. We were so happy we managed to do it! The way of booking tickets in India is very werid and confusing.

We then went to a mosque but women were not alowed inside! So we left for the one thing I was actually excited about doing in Ahmedabad, Sabarmati Ashram, which is the ashram that Mahatma Gandhi set up.

The ashram was very peaceful and had a small collection of his personal items, and his room was set up how he had, had it. There was also a museum bit that was about his life, which was very interesting. The strangest bit was a letter he wrote to Hitler, asking for peace!

We then just relaxed in our room until it was time to get our train, and had a lovely time doing nothing!

Once we got to train station, we had to wait a few hours for our train. Andy left me at one point and when he came back I was surrounded by s crowd of people all wanting to look at me! Once he came back they all left.q Ahmedabad was definitely the place we got stared at most. I guess because no westerners go there. We only saw a handful of westerners the whole time we were there. I found the best way to combat being stared at was to wave and smile back, and then they would do the same, so it was a nice exchange!

So that was the end of our time in Ahmedabad! Yay!

2 comments:

  1. Sounds horrid Steph just as well you only stayed one day there x

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  2. Yeugh that hotel sounds terrible. Lucky you were moving on so quickly x

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