How Did I Get Here?

September 20, 2009. How did I get here? It all started when I began drinking beer at a bar called Valhalla on the Rice University campus. It was there I met a Grad student from India. He happened to be going home to India around the same time I planned to go. His friend wanted to make a trip to the Himalaya. Neeraj asked if I was interested. Here I am. It’s amazing where beer drinking can take you sometimes…… I’m trekking in the Himalaya and just happen to be on a Sikh pilgrimage.

I’m currently in the village of Ghangharia situated a little over 10.000 feet and intend to visit a place that’s sacred to Sikhs. To get to Ghangharia it’s an hour by jeep from Joshimath to Govindghat where the trek starts. From there it’s an 8 mile mostly uphill hike. I didn’t realize the significance as a Sikh pilgrimage as I was more under the impression that the Valley of Flowers the big attraction. I was hoping to find a relatively quiet path to a sleepy village but it’s quite the contrary. The trail proved to be very busy. The only way to get to the village is my horse or foot and there were plenty of horses and people, Turban clad men chanted Satnam Whae Guru as they walked. Horses carrying people and supplies passed frequently going up and down the well maintained path. Very steep mountains rise on all sides for thousands of feet with the taller glacier clothed peaks in the distance. I walked with Neeraj and Ankur all the way up. We took our time with and stopped at makeshift tea houses along the way.

When we arrived in the village of Ghangharia it was bustling with Sikh pilgrims and places were filling up fast. I settled on a very basic hotel accommodation for $8.50 USD. It has a toilet, running water and electricity from 7pm to 10pm and 4:30am to 7am. Everything is pretty rudimentary but it works. Noise is a factor as I listen to Sikhs chat in Hindi and pots clang in the kitchen below while the generator roars out back but it doesn’t seem to bother me. Tomorrow I’ll hike up into the Valley of Flowers. A Himalayan mountain valley where mountains rise above 20.000 feet.

Culture Shock

September 20, 2009 – One week into my Indian Odyssey…. For a westerner traveling in India all I can say is,,,,, it’s Intense! One moment I’m loving it, the next moment I’m like, “Get me the Hell out of Here!” India is all about culture shock. The first week for me has been a roller coaster ride of feelings and emotions. I’ve seen beautiful things. I’ve seen ugly things. I’ve had good times. I’ve had bad times. All this goes without saying that I’m still adjusting and have only seen a small portion of India thus far. So, what do I think as of now?….

As I’ve said before India is a land of many contrasts. There is so much spiritual beauty, incredible history, interesting sites etc. etc. but there are also a lot of things that are not so pretty. Firstly, it’s very dirty everywhere by Western standards. Some places are better than others and if you’re willing to spend a little extra money you can get a pretty nice hotel room. That’s about the only way to escape it without heading up into the high Himalaya. India is by far the dirtiest place I’ve ever traveled and sometimes it can be hard to just find a little bit of clean space. You really have to be careful with food and water which is always an issue. Poverty is everywhere and at times heart wrenching. I’m really affected by the poverty and I don’t think I could ever get use to it. It’s everywhere and in your face. Anyone who thinks there’s poverty in America is sorely mistaken!!!! I know its all relative but imagine just one example. Families living under dirty tarps on a sidewalk next to busy streets in Delhi. Actually, you can find families living under dirty makeshift tarps and ramshackle corrugated tin homes just about everywhere with garbage all about not to mention human waste. The toilets on the streets of Delhi look as though they have never been cleaned once. Nobody uses toilet paper here. The left hand and a cup of water are just fine…Should I go on????.

Hassles, noise, and people everywhere make it very difficult to get around. If someone approaches you all friendly on the street, they can’t be trusted. Scams abound. There’s nothing easy about getting anywhere and I’ve had the good fortune of an Indian friend helping me out. It’s just difficult no matter what. The noise is constant in the villages and cities. It’s pounding. You can’t imagine it unless you’ve been here. Again, the extra money for a nice hotel room is your best chance for a little peace and quiet. Life is hard in India and everything is intense…
So, why am I here? I guess I just wanted the experience and let me tell you, I’m having one heck of an experience! That’s the attraction. Everything is so incredibly different. I mean, Everything! No need to fly off in a rocket ship for an out of this world experience. Just come to India. It will boggle the mind. I’ve barely begun to figure it out. Don’t get me wrong. There are many beautiful things to see in India. That’s why I’m here in the first place. It will be interesting to see what my take on things is after a couple of more weeks. I’m still culture shocked with a little over 4 weeks to go in this crazy challenge I’ve put upon myself… I think if you can travel on your own in India. You can travel anywhere. I‘m already thinking about that sleepy little village called Bangkok where I’ll be returning to when I complete my adventures in India…

Packs of Monkeys

September 19, 2009 - Packs of monkeys running along the road. Women in Saris stacking rocks upon their head for transport. Just a couple a couple of sights while on a hair raising 10+ hour bus ride from Rishikesh to Joshimath well into the Himalayan foothills. Not to mention, spectacular views.

On Friday Neeraj and I met up with his friend Ankur at the Delhi train station to begin our trip to the mountains for trek into the Valley of Flowers. From Delhi it was a 5 hour train to Haridwar then a short bus ride to Rishikesh where the plains, mountains, and Ganges converge. It’s also where Ankur’s mother lives and where the Beatles wrote much of the White Album when visiting the Maharishi..

The mountain valley is said to be home to over 300 varieties of flowers. Peak season is July and August but that’s also the time of the monsoon. The road frequently closes due to landslides and washouts so visiting during the peak season can be difficult. Our plan is to visit the Valley anyway as well as hike up to a Sikh temple known as Hemkut. Just being in the Himalaya is reason enough to go..
Our bus tickets cost 250 rupees a piece. A little over 5 dollars. We checked the bus first before buying tickets because we had heard that the drive up could be pretty exposed along steep mountain sides. We were satisfied with what we saw so we made arrangements for the 6am bus. When we arrived at 6am we were surprised to see that members of the Indian Army would be riding with us and a couple of them were carrying rifles. I asked them what they were doing and they said they were going to the mountains to do some trekking. The bus took off on time and it wasn’t long before we made way into the Himalayan foothills. Mountains by anyone else’s standard. Packs of monkeys ran alongside as we passed through a forested area. Up we climbed and the road turned to dirt and narrowed in a few sections that only allowed 2 or 3 feet from an airy edge. I quickly got use to it and noticed our driver was very attentive which helped put my mind at ease. Also, I’ve already surrendered to the fact that I’m in India. A little further down the way I noticed women nicely dressed in saris stacking rocks upon their head. We paused for a break and a village. Instead of just going into the bushes to relieve myself I sought out a toilet. It was western style urinal. Not a good idea. I quickly realized it wasn’t hooked up to anything and that I was pissing on my boots. Best to stick with the bushes or Indian squat toilets. Back on the bus and I spied more monkeys along the road. They’re pretty creepy. As we climbed further into the foothills the views became more and more impressive. After about 10 ½ hours we arrived in Josimoth and checked into a place for the night.

Delhi

After a relatively quiet stay in Greater Noida it was time to dive into the heart of Delhi. For my first couple of days in India I’ve had it quite easy thanks to the hospitality of Neeraj’s sister and brother in law. I am ever grateful for their generosity which included an airport pickup, a place to stay, and excellent home cooked traditional indian food. Not to mention, good company. It has made for an a easy start in a country that can be very difficult to travel.

Delhi is intense. So much going one everywhere. It’s total sitmulus overload. Although utterly overwhelming at first, its hard not to find it extremely fascinating. Neeraj and I arrived late morning via bus. We then took the metro to the New Delhi train station and sought out the area of Paharganj and Main Bazar for budget accomodation. We arrived at Main Bazar via bicycle rickshaw and made our way on foot throught the congested tightly packed streets lined with shops, vendors, and various modes of transportation pushing through the crowds of people. With the abundance of accomodation options we decided to check out a few before making a decision. A sikh hawker, hoping to make a commision, convinced us to allow him to show us a couple of hotels. It’s not ucommon to be approached by charcters like this and it’s usually ok to see what they have to offer. Just don’t fall for the hard sell if you don’t like a place. The two hotels he showed us were actually ok but one in particualar wasn’t very secure. We then shook of the sikh and referred to my Lonely Planet guidebook Eventually we found the right place. For a about $16 USD I have a reasonably clean room with air condition, private bathroom, and hot water shower. After sorting out accomodation we hit streets for the Red Fort.

The Red Fort was built in the mid 1600’s by Emperor Shah Jahan when Delhi was ruled by Mughals. The architecture is mostly muslim oriented but barrows some Hindu, Budhist and even Chinese characteristics. Neeraj hired a very nice older Indian gentleman who offered himself as a guide. He proved to be a good one. The actual fort covers a fairly large area that includes various buildings and large barracks built by the British during their rule of India. The original fort is comprised of sandstone and marble buildings accompaniend with gardens and reflection pools. The buildings still retain a large amount of beauty but everything is in a great deal of disrepair. All of the buildings seem to be a shell of what they once were. The gardens are no longer lavish and all of the reflection pools are empty. However, by walking amidst the grounds you can get a good idea of how grand it once was.
After touring the Fort Neeraj and I parted ways. He went off to meet friends for the evening but planned to join up with me the following day. After one more night in Delhi we'll catch an early train on Friday for Rishikesh to visit the lower Himalaya….

Delhi - Photos

Just Another Day - In The Land of Contrasts

Neeraj wanted to meet with a friend in the evening so we hopped on local bus. At first there was ample room but after a couple of stops the bus was packed. An attendant made his way about collecting the 10 rupee fare (20 cents). I observed the scene outside as best I could from my standing position. The streets were lined with vendors, cars, rickshaws, bikes, cows, garbage, fresh fruit, people everywhere, with lots of noise and weird smells. Passengers pushed and shoved getting on and off the bus. A young boy, about 10 years old, clothed in t shirt and dirty black pinstripped pants hung partway out the door. The view outsid everybit third world. In a nation that plays a large part in modern world economy you would hardly know it by obesrving the masses. That is, unless, you step into a shopping mall.

India is a crazy land of contrasts. Amidst a sea of people living in 3rd world conditions there are shopping malls just like the kind you find in America. Step into a mall and you might as well be in Iowa except everyone is Indian and ladies are clad in saris. There are bars, restaurants, and shops selling just about everything you would expect ot see in mall. Have dinner at TGI Fridays and follow it up with a ice cream cone. Don’t forget your Reebok shoes or latest and greatest electronic gadget before you leave. While Neeraj visited his friend I walked around and checked things out. It all seemed strangely out of place.

After time in the mall we stepped back outside into rush hour madness. Neeraj negotiated with a bicycle rickshaw to take us back to the bus stop. It was dark and about 7:30 pm. We got on the rickshaw and the driver peddled straight out into the middle of the busy road facing into traffic. As he peddled straight into traffic, headlights from oncoming cars reflected off thick the thick dust filling the air. Oddly, it seemed perfectly normal and neither Neeraj or I seemed concerned about it. Eventually he made his way over to the other side of the road and craftily negotiated a gridlocked section. A little ways further we were deposited at the bus stop. The bus stop was utter chaos. For a western traveler new to India it’s a downright impossible situation to figure out. Neeraj appeared to understand the system so we waited awhile. We eventaully gave up and decided an auto rickshaw was our best option. Neeraj neogoitated a good price and we were on our way. Of course the driver was’nt exactly sure where he was going but we figured it out that he didn’t know. With a few stops and shouts for directions we found our way back ok. Going to a from a mall has never been such an adventure. Incredibly interesting but exhausting. For everyone else? It was just another day...

India - I have Arrived

I dozed off about half way into my flight to Delhi when I was awoken by an agitated passenger a few seats ahead of me. I had noticed him and some people with his group taking full advantage of the free Scotch being offered by Mumbai based Jet Airways. He was standing facing another passenger and mouthing off loudly in Hindi. When the shoving started I was sure a fight was about to break out at 34,000 feet. Not a very settling prospect considering this was all taking place next to the emergency door exit. Obviously I wasn’t the only passenger getting nervous. At some point he left his seat and drunkenly ran to the back of the plane tripping over his feet while doing so. This made me even more nervous but no sooner had he run to he back of the plane that he returned to his seat and finally a flight attendant intervened. After about 20 minutes or so of Ghandi like behavior by the attendant the situation was brought under control. The drunk, previously agitated passenger, was then given another drink and the rest of the flight was fine with no more problems… As my friend Neeraj says,”Logic doesn't always work in India”.

Upon arriving in Delhi it was very nice to see my friend Neeraj waiting for me outside the baggage claim. He and his brother in law had driven in from the outlying city of Greater Noida. Neeraj is attending Rice University in Houston and I met him a couple of years ago through local running club events. I timed my current travel with his visit to see family back in India. I met Neeraj's brother in law, Amit, for the first time at the airport. We made our way back to his car and into Delhi we drove. In India there are lanes on the highway but driving in them is optional. When passing other vehicles it's considered a courteous gesture to honk like crazy just to let them know you are there. It's not odd to see something like Grandpas tractor in the midst of it all or a guy pushing his food cart seemingly nowhere along the busy highway. Amidst all of the chaos things seem to be working perfectly.

Into and out of Delhi we drove to Amit's home in Greater Noida. It's about 50 km from the center of Delhi and much more quieter than Delhi. Upon arrival at Amit's I met both of Neeraj's sisters and was served curry, chapti, and spice blended curd. All of this I washed down with tap water. I've been assured the water is properly treated by a home filtration system. I have faith it's working properly... I then went to sleep under a raging ceiling fan.

This morning I went for my first run in India after a cup of the best Chai I've ever had. Neeraj and I started at Amit's place and ran along a relatively quiet lane making sure to avoid auto rickshaw's and the like. We then ran past a lost donkey on a busy intersection and onward to other relatively quiet lanes. All the while taking in the atmosphere of a very different kind of place... India... I really think I'm going to like it...

Bangkok

“I’m sorry but the Temple is closed until 12:30. They are praying but there are other things you can see until it opens. I am an official. I can help. Do you have a map?” I pulled out my map and the seemingly sincere Bangkok local took out a marker and started writing all over it. “Have you heard of this? You need to visit…”. He spoke in a thick Thai accent but his English was relatively good as he kindly presented himself as someone who sincerely wanted to help. “It is too far to walk but I can get you an official Tuk Tuk.” A Tuk Tuk is a motorized open air taxi. Kind of like a cross between a three wheeled motorcycle and a golf cart. They are commonly available throughout Asia. The next thing I knew an official looking driver with name badge appeared ready for service. “For 50 bhat, about a $1.50, he can take you to all of these other places and bring you back at 12:30”. Oh, the 50 bhat scam I thought. I read about that in my guide book on the flight over. No thank you I replied. I then walked a mere 20 meters further and found the entrance to the Grand Palace and Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Of course, it was completely open. I later found out how the rest of the scam goes. You get a tour all right. A tour of various merchants that work in cooperation with the driver. The driver gets a kick back and by playing the numbers, the merchants make some sales. All of this is done with friendly, seemingly helpful, smiling faces. I’m not sure if you actually get to see much of the other tourist sights.

I’m currently in Bangkok for a 2 day layover before flying to Delhi, India. The first leg of my Journey was a 13 hour direct flight from Houston to Tokyo which proved to be easier than I thought it would. After a 4 hour layover I flew onward for another 6 hours or so to Bangkok. Going through customs and all was a breeze. I then sought out someone with a cell phone so I could notify the Hostel I'm staying at that I would soon be on my way for a 1am check in. I had success with a phone at a rental car stand. From there I proceeded to an official pay taxi and handed the driver a map and instructions in Thai as to where I was going. I reminded him to start the meter and made it to my location without a hitch.

Booking a budget accommodation, sight unseen, can be kind of a gamble but this time the gamble paid off well. For $18.50 I have a nice clean air conditioned room with bathroom down the hall. The location is quiet and the staff is very nice. A few minutes walk gets me to the Sky Train which allows good access to city.

Yesterday I walked around quite a bit and visited the Grand Palace, Temple of the Emerald Buddha, and Wat Pho with its very large reclining Golden Buddha… Considering my crazy jet lagged state I probably over did it a bit but the sights were quite impressive… Posted September 13, 2009. (Note-I've crossed the dateline and my posts are automatically mis-date by one day. Actual post date is one day later. I have yet to figure out how to fix it).

On My Way To The Other Side Of The World

I'm on my way to the other side of the world. This Blog is about to get a lot more interesting. I fly direct to Tokyo from Houston then on to Bangkok for a couple of days. From there I'll fly to Delhi for 5 weeks in India..... Leaving now....

Planning Continued - Leaving Soon

The planning process has been casual and smooth. I’ve pretty much got my gear together and have made necessary reservations etc.,. By the good fortune of having friends from India, who live in Houston, I was able to book my long distance Indian trains online without a hitch. Many thanks to Pradeep and Neeraj! In India booking a single train use to be an all day process but thanks to the internet it’s really quite easy. The problem with booking myself is that I don’t know the train stations, types of trains, etc. If you have someone help you that knows the system it’s a piece of cake otherwise it can can quite time consuming figuring it all out. A ride on a train can be anything from pure luxury to a totally unpleasant experience so having a reservation is important. Trains tend to book up to 6 weeks in advance. With a little extra money and time a person can book along the way, through a travel agent, but there’s still no guarantee you will get the desired train. I’ll be taking several trains and will be spending 4 nights aboard an AC sleeper at various stages. By western standards prices are extremely reasonable..

For the start of my trip I figured a month in India would be adequate but just yesterday I extended it by a week. A month would be too rushed. Places I’ll visit include the lower Himalaya, Agra, Varanassi, and Rajastan, before heading south and chilling out on the beaches of Goa. Five weeks should be suffice. From there I’ll head over Bangkok and plan the remaninder of my journey through S.E. Asia. After India I expect things to be considerably easier and I’ll travel predominately by bus with loose plans.

I must admit I’m feeling a little pre trip anxiety/excitement. I’ll be stepping a little out of my comfort zone at first but that’s what makes it an adventure. I know after a couple of weeks I’ll figure things out and feel more at ease experiencing the unknown on a daily basis. The great pitfall with short trips of 2 weeks or less is that you don’t really get a chance to settle in and adjust to the traveling/backpacker lifestyle. It takes time to adjust. Especially when visiting totally foreign environments. Heck, it takes at least a week to reset the body clock when you fly to the other side of the world.

In the meantime I’m working out the equipment details. What to take.. What not to take.. it’s kind of funny how I turn into an equipment freak right before a big trip. Otherwise, I could care less about gear…

I’m also putting together my medical kit. I’ll be carrying Doxycycline for anti malarial and Xifaxin in case I get a really bad GI infection. While talking to the pharmacist he said the one thing I’ll need for sure is Immodium. I’m hoping I won’t even need that. I also got a good tip. Somosas are almost always safe. It’s a deep fried pastry type of food that’s usually stuffed with potatoes and Vegtables. I imagine a person could travel all over India on bottled water and somosas!.. LOL!!