day 26

We went to kangra today and stayed there overnight. It took 1.5-2 hours to get there on the bus. About 10-15 mins after getting thre, it proper monsooned rained it down. all the roads turned into rivers and we were all drenched. we stopped off at the nearest cafe, which took us a while to find and stayed thre until the rain had stopped, like an hour later. We were so wet we had to take out coat, shoes and socks off at the door. After that all we wanted to do was get dry, so we tried looking for a hotel. When hotel owners see white wet people, the prices go up. We went in a few places and all were charging extortionate prices to stay, and in the end we had to settle for a room that was 200rupees altogether (there were 3 of us) this is relatievly cheap so we were happy. The room was disgusting though. The paint was mouldy and peeling off, the bed linen was stained, the sheets and pillows were satined, the 'Indian' bathroom was just a hole in the ground and it stunk, and it didnt have a tap. But beggars cant be choosers! We left our things there and went off for an explore of the town. there is a 1000 year old fort nearby which we wanted to visit. The hotel owner told us to pay 30-40 rupees each for a taxi/tuktuk...and every driver we saw was saying 100-200 each, so in the end we risked getting a bus to a place where we thought it was near. Luckily on the bus, a woman tapped me on the shoulder asking if we were going to the fort, and to get off at such a stop, which was good, as we wouldnt have known. She also got off at the stop and gave us directions which was also helpful as there were no signs. On the way there, there was suddenly the sound of gunfire. we were all like what on earth is going on, as no-one semed scared on the streets. It was like being in Afghanistan! but then after about 5mins of solid shooting, we approachde some men playing paintball in the street. Why in the middle of the main road, in the daytime, i do not know. By the time we got to them, all remained were colourful men. At least it wasnt real gunfire! The fort was really nice, and there was a museum there which had lost of old bits of stone. That too ws a rip off as an Indian citizen would have got in for 5 rupees, but a tourist had to pay 100. I got some nice picturs. Luckily the day was a lot warmer and brighter then. Afer that we went to the market and the temple in the town which was good, it was really busy. We then found a decent ish looking restaurant for tea, and i had mushroom chowmein which was quite nice. After that it was dark, so we had to get back to the hotel. It wasnt great! I wore my mac over my pjs as i didnt want any part of my skin touching the bed. I must have slept about 2 hours. i kept being woken up by the sound of traffic, tv, people talking, and in the morning, someone heaving. Also the fan and the electricity had stopped working, so in the morning we knocked 20 rupees off our bill for the inconvenience.