My final day in Worcester included a visit to the magnificent cathedral—where King John of Magna Carta fame is interred—and tea at Greyfriars before boarding the train for Paddington Station in London. Worcester Cathedral Massive church bells line the entryway to the cathedral, which dates to 640 CE, the time of the Normans. Monks trained here, King John is buried here, and the church played a role in the Civil War, with Charles I using a tower to observe the
Read moreOn a beautiful but cool Monday morning, I traveled with Robert and Sally to their weekly volunteer assignment for the National Trust at Croome Court. History of the Estate The house and the church sit in a landscape designed to gradually reveal itself. The property, mansion house, church, and outbuildings are owned by Croome Heritage Trust, and leased to the National Trust, which operates it as a tourist attraction. The National Trust owns the surrounding parkland, which is also open to the public. The
Read moreOn Tuesday, Robert, Sally, and I visited the Severn Valley Railway for an all-day, steam-powered trip between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth. I was the happy kid hanging out the window, feeling the wind in my face, and smelling the coal smoke as the train wound its way through 16 miles of greenery along the Severn River and some of the most picturesque railway stations I’ve ever seen. Memories of Sherlock Holmes and Watson and years of affectionate stories about the British
Read moreAfter he spent some time in the north and surfing in south India, Gerald Smith—my partner and traveling companion in Mahe—wrote an appreciation about our host, Rathnakaran, and some of the work we did together. Here’s what he said: Mr. Smith’s Blog Post.
Read moreThis is the London of my dreams: Double-decker buses, iconic phone booths, the Underground, McVitie’s digestive biscuits. London feels so different and serves as a good adjustment between where I’ve been and home (I’m seriously tempted to stay longer). As usual the stress of traveling impacted my arrival, what with heavy bags, a heat wave, and crowds at the train station. I checked into the YHA London St. Pancras (a hostel), got settled Thursday night, spent Friday morning getting organized,
Read moreHow did I get here? A plane from New Delhi last Thursday, the Underground, and a train from Paddington Station in London brought me to Worcester, England, a town in the Midlands noted for the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie by Oliver Cromwell in 1651, scene of the first and the final battles of the English Civil War. Seeing England and witnessing such a wide swath of history are goals I’ve held since high school days. It’s a dream come
Read moreThere is so much to do in Jaipur that I opted for some tourist-y activities to get a feel for the city. On Monday, I scheduled a day-long tour through RTDC, a government agency. It meant going to the train station to sign up but I found the process refreshingly simple. A guide assembled the group, we walked through the streets, boarded an air-conditioned bus, and left. The day, however, was incredibly long and hot. It began with a stop
Read moreI had a marvelous two days in the desert riding a camel and sleeping outside. It was a civilized adventure, supervised by two real camel drivers who set up a complete camp kitchen, including propane burners, two meals, and sleeping pallets in a stone structure on a hill in the desert. At the same time, it was peaceful and put me in touch with the “real” India and myself. My host, Hiteshwar at Vijay’s Guest House, arranged the trip in
Read moreMy final day in Bikaner found me more comfortable with the people and still acting the tourist. It remained hot. At Hiteshwar’s suggestion, I rode a tuk-tuk to the Junagarh Fort, which dates from 1589 CE. The fort is full of artifacts of the Rathore dynasty of Bikaner. An earlier fort in this same place was taken by Kamran Mirna, the son Mughal Emperor Babur, in 1534 but only for one day. The fort contains palaces, temples (both Hindu and
Read moreI forget that someone reading this blog might not know exactly where I am. So, on Saturday, 20 July 2019, I find myself in and around Bikaner in the state of Rajasthan, India. Bikaner is about 500 kilometers (311 miles) from New Delhi. The train takes about eight hours to make the journey; driving takes about nine hours. As I write, it is 101 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius). A water bottle is my constant companion. I’ve found that showers are
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