Two days on a train

Kieran:

We awoke to cloudy skies, which extinguished our hopes of seeing the Taj at sunrise. Still when we got there, the gloomy atmosphere certainly added something to the experience. The great marble structure seemed haunting against the dramatic backdrop of grey morning fog and cloud.

It hurt our pockets a little to pay 750 rupees (8 pounds) to get in but we didn't think that the Taj would be an exception to the rule that India milks every last rupee they can out of their heritage.

Anyway, we then visited the city palace, which was a little disappointing but maybe it was because it was the last thing we would see in Rajasthan. We got some snacks for the train journey and got dropped off at the station by auto-rickshaw with our rucksacks. Sure enough, the train came and we spent the next 36 hours in a sort of space capsule of a carriage, but a little more like prison.

Luckily, we met an Indian girl on the train who we watched films with on her laptop, so time went a little quicker than it would have.

But now we are in Goa, in a little guesthouse on Anjuna beach. We have acquired a moped, which is good fun and get us round where ever we want to go, and we are gradually slowing down our pace to fit with that of the Beach lifestyle, but its not that easy!

Good news; the beer is cheap, the water is warm, the skys are blue and the palm fringed beaches are endless!

This is where we are staying. http://www.andrewgreen.biz/sunset-bar-restaurant-guest-house-goa.html

Nick:

Train is still cool, but starting to get bored. Bags are all locked up in the bed with me.

Talking to a boy about tigers, is funny!

We can walk round, but there's not much to see, and its not all so clean! The boy is a bit annoying, now trying to teach me Hindi!

He's on my bunk! Everyone in this class is pretty well off though; ipods and laptops; first we've seen.

Food not brilliant, might survive off all our snacks!

He's gone. I told him I was asleep. We've met a nice student girl our age we're chatting with now. Can see out the window now too.... Not much to see.

We would like to visit Hampi, but not sure how easy it is to get to. 'Hope we like Anjuna. If not, we'll move south! Might rent mopeds, that would be fun.

Getting off at Madgaon, then we'll get a taxi to take us up to Anjuna. This be the plan...