Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

On September 18, 2015September 14, 2015 By Rick McIn movies, travel, travel IndiaLeave a comment

… the sequel to the 2012 sleeper hit film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and features an ensemble cast consisting of stars Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Tina Desai, Lillete Dubey, Maggie Smith, Celia Imrie, Rajesh Tailang, Ronald Pickup, Dev Patel and Richard Gere.

Gere was a good addition to the fantastic cast.

But this is Maggie Smith’s film. She’s excellent.

Click PLAY or watch a trailer on YouTube.

It’s near impossible to match the magic of a surprise hit with a sequel. This was about as good an attempt as possible. I enjoyed the film and hope for a third.

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel has received mixed to positive reviews from critics.

… Rotten Tomatoes reported a 62% approval rating, based on 149 reviews, with an average rating of 6/10. …

On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating, the film has a score of 51 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating “mixed or average reviews”

Ladakh Marathon, India

On September 15, 2015September 14, 2015 By Rick McIn health & fitness, travel, travel IndiaLeave a comment

The 4th Ladakh Marathon ran Sunday September 13th.

I tried to register in person on the 12th. And was turned down. Told they already had 4000 registrants. But went to watch the start anyway, just for fun.

In past years (we heard) the start was atop the Peace Stupa.

A runner from Bangalore and I climbed the steep stairs in the early dawn light, both feeling the altitude.

We were wrong. The start was actually down below on the other side of the Stupa.

The full marathon drops down to cross the Indus river. Then climbs up to Stok – the green patch under the mountains. The Dalai Lama spends a lot of time in Stok. I’ll start my trek there.

And they’re off.

I’d estimate about 1000 runners. Perhaps 4000 total were registered, counting all the local students that didn’t actually turn up. 🙂

Still, it was an impressive sight.

ladakhmarathon.com

cycling Khardung Pass, Ladakh

On September 14, 2015 By Rick McIn best bike rides, cycling, travel, travel India

Cycle high, sleep low. The best way to acclimatize to altitude. 🙂

… Khardung La is 5,359m (17,582ft) … The summit signs incorrectly claim that its elevation is in the vicinity of 5,602m and that it is the world’s highest motorable pass. …

Still … it’s bloody high.

Normally cold and windy, on September 14th when we were there it was sunny and mild. The Gods are smiling on me of late.

It’s 39km from the Pass back to Leh. Entirely down hill! 🙂

Dangerous? Nah! They have safety precautions in place.

Summer Holidays is the company that pioneered downhill mountain biking out of Leh.

My day trip only cost about $25. No fancy support vehicle. They pile the bikes on a jeep.

It takes about 2 hours to drive up the mountain on switchbacks.

There are plenty of slow downs as vehicles inch past one another.

Landslides and washouts are common. Heavy machinery (driven by men) and small hammers (driven by women) make repairs.

Glorious.

acclimatizing to altitude in Leh, Ladakh

On September 12, 2015September 12, 2015 By Rick McIn health & fitness, travel, travel IndiaLeave a comment

Flying from sea level to Leh at 3524 metres (11,562 ft), it’s strongly recommended you rest for at least 3 days. To acclimatize.

I recall doing exactly that after flying in to Lhasa 3,650m some years ago.

Instead I decided to register for the Ladakh Half Marathon. … What could go wrong?

Luckily for me they turned away my last minute US$35 registration. With nearly 4000 runners already signed up, I was one too many.

I’ll acclimatize at least 3 days before hitting the trail. After all. 🙂

arrived Himalayas

On September 11, 2015 By Rick McIn hiking, travel, travel IndiaLeave a comment

I flew north out of Delhi over the Himalayas. Leh in sparsely populated Ladakh is in the rain shadow, not affected much by monsoon.

This is one of the very best hiking destinations in the world in September. Spectacular arid, jagged mountains.

I’ll walk the most famous trek for sure – Markha Valley. Perhaps another after that.

I’m staying at Hotel Chube for the first 3 nights. Will likely leave my luggage there when I go off trekking.

Everything fantastic so far. Bright sunshine. Warm weather. Gorgeous vistas. 🙂

travel the world … cheap

On September 4, 2015September 2, 2015 By Rick McIn travelLeave a comment

… Regularly staying in hotels is the fastest way to drain your budget. But what’s worse, hotels isolate you. While you might be cozy in that fancy bathrobe, you will be insulated from the best parts of travel — the locals, the culture, the way of life of real people, and other travelers. Many hostels provide comfortable places to sleep, shower, and use Internet, while allowing for genuine interactions with locals and other travelers. Camping in the wild is always great, and really makes your budget go a long way. But camping is a great option in many urban locations as well. Campgrounds are common even in the world’s busiest cities, and many hostels have space for campers, too. …

Do It Now: How To Ditch Your Life & Travel The World