From hippies to hampi

The clapping stopped as the woman waited for one of the people in our berth to look up at her and hand her bills to add to those she had tucked between each of her manicured fingers. However, we were all averting our gaze and waiting for her to walk on down the aisle. Suddenly I felt her hand touch my head and I looked up to find her long nails stroking a strand of my hair. "Ohhh is this real??" the hijra asked as she continued to run her fingers lovingly along the strand. I replied with a huge grin that hes it was, and no I did not have to dye it to achieve my color. I thanked her and she walked off down the aisle. Hijra's are the third gender in India, they are men who dress as women or were born as hemaphrodites. They are believed to have the ability to curse or bless you and based on this superstition are payed off by Indians when they are encountered on trains or the street. They are also frequently forced to work as prostitutes and dancers in bars. This one we encountered on the train clearly has good taste in hair.

Most of our travel in India has been via train our bus. Although it can take up to two days to get somewhere the overnight trains have offered the best opportunities to see the country and meet other Indians who travel with us. It can also be very uncumfortable. My trip from Alwar to Delhi required me to curl up next to becky in the top bunk with our bags since their were people sitting in the aisles, crammed into all the other seats, and even riding atop the train. Luckily the sleepers I have taken with Kara and Meredith have all been relatively comfortable. The only annoyance being people who carry on loud converstations at 2 am and the chai wallahs who start walking through the train at 6 am screaming, "CHAAAIIIII, CHAAAAAIII, GHARAM CHAI!". I have quickly come to loathe these men for waking me up so many mornings.

Since my last post Meredith, Kara, and I have taken a train to Goa, a bus to Hampi, and trains to Mumbai and Darjeeling. We spent three days in Goa at Arambol, one of the towns on the ocean that is known for its ability to attract hippies ever since the 60's. As soon as we arrived and began walkingfrom the bus stop we noticed a distinct difference from the other places in India we had been to. Although most of the shops are still boarded up because of the monsoons, the ones that were open offered dreadlocking, flowing tunics in absurd patterns, and wonderfully artistic bongs. Arambol was great because of the opportunity it provided to lie on the beach between the frequent 20 minute bursts of rain (scandalously clad in a bikini, GASP!!), and it also provided some very entertaining people watching. One night we went to a restaraunt offering a jam session where we listened to one dude compose a song by repeating "Jah" at a variety of tones. Amazing. I think he has been living in Arambol probably since the 70's.

The best part of our time in Goa was definitely renting mopeheads for a day that allowed us to drive to the various beaches and explore the small roads through the Goa's countryside. I would never drive anywhere else in India, but the streets are relatively traffic free here and motor bikes offer an amazing way to exlore an area.

Next we hopped a HORRIBLE overnight sleeper bus to Hampi, a world heritage site where you can wander around the ruins of an ancient city from the 1300's. It is absolutely incredible to see the carvings of Hindu gods and religious stories that are still clearly visible in the stone temples, palaces, and markets that made up the city. We spent the entire day wandering around the ruins and by mid-afternnon we headed over to the Hanuman temple across the river. To do this we had to cross in a coracle. Imagine a woven fruit basket. Now enlarge this so that it is big enough to fit three motocycles and ten people very snuggly with a few men holding oars to paddle. Add a bit of tarp around the outside and this is what we looked like crossing the river. I did not think we would make it across, but Indian transport generally seems to exceed my expectations for what is safe and reasonable. We stopped at a small village restaraunt for some delicious idli and sambar before heading up the 570-some steps (we counted) that lead up to the hanuman temple. There are tons of monkeys (since Hanuman is the monkey god), plenty of entertaining sadus (Hindus who have given up all worldy possesions), and overly excited Hindu pilgrims. Plus the view from the top was incredible. Hampi is scrattered with enourmous boulders that are piled into large mountains and surrounded by rice patties and ancient ruins. It was incredible.

We hopped in a coracle back across the river and walked quickly to another temple to try and see it before dark. It was beautiful to see as the sun was setting but as we were leaving we realized we could not find our way back along the path with our one small flashlight. Thankfully, when we decided to return to the temple the guards were still there. We were walked home by four of them who all lived in Hampi.

After two days we were back on a train for a day and a half to make it back to Mumbai for a flight to Kolkata. We have two more weeks in India and are planning to see West Bengal and Sikkim before we leave.

Welcome to India Miss McCormack

The train from Ernakulum in the south of India to New Delhi in the north takes two days. That is alot of time spent reading, contemplating whether you want the pao bhaji the random man walking down the aisle is hawking, and day dreaming about how much you wand to strangle the two year old of the family in the berth next door who keeps screaming. This also offers an opportunity to watch the landscape of India turn from bright green jungles packed with coconut trees, spreading to incorporate rice patties, and then finally melting into the flat dry landscape that surrounds Delhi.

We stepped of the train the same day that Meredith flew into Delhi on a late night flight. She arrived well prepared with only the bag she had carried onto the plane because her backpack did not make it with her on the connecting flight. However, she bravely wore the same outfit for the three days it took for her bag to arrive without complaint.

The three of us spent a day wandering around in the unbearable heat of New Delhi and then hopped onto the metro to visit Old Delhi for the famous Paratha Walli Gulli. This requires that you weave your way through the overwhelming and crowded streets of the old city. The street is more like a narrow winding alley that actually looks like it dead ends which is why we passed it several times. When you round the corner though it opens onto about six shops that are all crammed with large tawas, pans, and various other somewhat worn looking kitchen equipment used to make amazing parathas, chutney, and subzhee. Parathas were created in Delhi, they are bread stuffed with just about whatever spicy delicious filling you can think of, rolled flat, and then lightly fried. Amazing. Probably the best paratha I have ever eaten, and well worth the heat and confusion it took to find it.

Kara and Meredith made good use of their time in Delhi by visiting the Taj Mahal. I opted to meet my friend Becky in Alwar to witness her do her thing interviewing nurses at a sterilization camp... Bit of a long story but I basically missed going to visit the Taj again to learn about forced sterilization in Rajasthan and be offered the opportunity to watch a man get a vasechtomy. After that activity we hopped a VERy cramped train back to Delhi. There were twenty people or more riding on top of the train alone when it pulled in. I need to stop buying second class sleeper tickets even if it is cheaper.

Kara, Meredith, and I met up again on the train on the way to Aurungabad in Maharashtrah. From there we made train trips out to Nassik and Ajanta. Nassik is India's wine country and we went to Sula Vineyards and got to do a tasting and take a tour of the vineyard. Much better than I expected I have to admit. In Ajanta we visited the Buddhist caves that were carved into a mountaintside and have the most incredible paintings and scultpures in them. After that we were back on another overnight train back to Mumbai where we spent a few days before heading to Goa.

KARA-la: Land of the coconuts!

We have spent the past week or so (I haven't been keeping very close track of the days because it still feels nice not to have to know what day of the week it is) in Kerala. This is at the southern tip of India located on the western coast. We took a train for a day and a half down from Mumbai. Although it was a long time to be sitting the views out the window were incredible. I kept myself busy by getting up every so often to poke my head out the door of the train car to try and snap photos, but don't worry mom I was still bein really safe the whole time, I promise. Despite all my attempts nothing managed to capture the deep green coconut trees stuffed between rice patties, rivers, and florescent painted houses with red tiled rooves.
We got off the train in Kochi and stayed for three days. Kerala has an incredibly eclectic mix of cultures that have left their mark here because the tip of India has been a trading site for thousands of years. As a result the state is home to Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and even a small group of Jews, each group formed hundreds of years before through trading routes established in places like Kochi. I wanted to go see "Jew Town" so we rented bikes to ride over to the other side of Kochi. Kara's bike was rickety and a bit too big but she bravely wobbled her way through the congested streets anyways. We wandered around Jew Town to check out the spice stalls, which were the original form of trade that brought Jews to Kerala. Sadly, there are not many Jews left in Jew Town anymore, most of them have moved to Israel. One of the primary reasons given is a lack of suitable spouses. I guess it might get a little incestuous if your neighborhood has had the same families in it since 70 C.E.
The next day we did the classic tourist trip down the backwaters and took a tour through some of the villages to view, "traditional life in Kerala". Although it was beautiful and wonderfully relaxing I have trouble being shepherded around all day from one staged photo-op to the next, its a bit to much like treating people as zoo exhibits. The backwaters are also sadly not as pristine as they once were. India does not have the best waste management, only 30% of the country has access to proper sanitation and the rest goes into rivers. As a result the backwaters provide an opportunity to spot two types of Kingfishers, the bird, and also empty beer bottles with the same name.
Needing a break from the pollution and grime of the cities we took a bus up to Kumily and Periyar National Park. It was such a welcome relief when our bus had climbed far enough into the Ghats that the air cooled of and became considerably cleaner. We spent one day trekking through the park with a few of the park workers. We were given large cloth sacks to cover our legs since the most common wildlife in the rainy season tends to be leaches, ugh. It was worth it to be surrounded by mountains and jungle. We saw a cobra, monkeys, and a few other animals, but none of the tigers or elephants that are also found in the park.
The rest of the time we wandered around to the tea estates and spice gardens found all around Kumily. We were caught in our first extended monsoon rain walking up a road to a spice garden. T has been a dry year so we have been lucky that this was the first downpour that truly drenched us, although I am sure this is not very lucky for those who depend on the monsoon rains. The rain tends to last for about thirty minutes and starts quickly with a few fat drops and then a torrent that feels like the sky is pouring a bucket of water onto your head. By the time we reached the spice plantation my pants and even underwear were soaked.
After enjoying a few days of actively engaging in nature (to make Richard Louv of, Last Child in the Woods, proud) we headed back to Kochi to make it in time for our cooking class. This was taught by Leelu, who gave us recipes for four delicious vegetarian and one fish dish. Plus we got to eat the meal afterwards. That was the best part. Keralan food has tons of coconut oil, fresh coconut, fresh curry leaves, and delicious spices. Kerala to me has been defined by the delicious whiffs of frying coconut oil I get walking down the streets. I think it might be my favorite Indian food, although this is hard to say. After our spice garden tour I am actually able to identify some of the fresh spices. By the end of this trip I plan to compile a recipe book from cooking classes from each country.
Right now we are waiting for the rain to let up before we run some errands. It has poured all night and we head out on a two day train journey from the tip of India to Delhi in the north to meet Ms. Meredith McCormack!

A series of firsts...

As is expected with travel in another country, Kara and I will be thrown into many experiences for the first time. However, in this case I am getting the pleasure of watching Kara's reactions to alot of things I had to adjust to my first time in India. First squatty potty experience, first attempt to eat with her right hand only, and general shock at the masses of people that greet anyone who arrives in a large Indian city like Mumbai. This was also Kara's first shot in the bum and I held her hand and did not blubber at the sight of a needle. Instead I was more concerned with verifying that it was clean, which sort of offended the doctor.

Kara got a little ill her first day and we called a doctor just to be on the safe side. He came, prodded her stomach a bit, asked her about her bowel movements, and proceeded to perscribe her 3 types of drugs and an injection. We did not realize at first what this meant until he asked Kara to roll over. "Are you going to give it to me in my butt?" She asked with extreme concern coming over her face. This fear proved to be correct, as she then was instructed to drop trow and face down on the bed. I clasped her hand and with a quick stab and smack on the cheek it was over.

It seems to be somewhat common practice to over-prescribe medication here as a way to be on the safe side when confronting potential water born diseases. This has the bonus of ensuring that the patient is cured of whatever bacteria or parasite they have swimming aroudn int their system, but also breeds bacterial resistance. Cipero is no longer the pill to pop when you have the poops because the responsible parties who are using you as their host have grown too smart for it. Many travelers will be disappointed to hear that this pill we have all learned to consider a friend can no longer aid us, but this is what happens when it is used to douse every case of indigestion we get. Not to worry there are still many varieties that I am sure I will be picking up at some point or another on this trip...



So three stabs and many pills later Kara is feeling well enough to travel via train down to Kochi, Kerala. This was my second time in Mumbai and unfortunately due to illness there was not much that we did outside of hanging out at Chowpatty beach and scheduling doctor's visits. Mumbai was a helpful city to arrive in since I was there last time I was in India and could navigate Colaba (the area where we stayed) easily enough, finding that the stands selling fruit, used books piled on the street corner, and jewelry vendors are in the exact same place I remember. I am trying to use a bit of my Hindi, and thus far have generated alot of amusement from whoever I attempt to communicate with since my skills don't even rival that of a toddlers yet. It should be enough to help us navigate our way down to Kochi.

Pre-Trip Planning

Here is the official trip schedule. All are welcome and highly encouraged to come join me next year. I am posting my flight schedule so that anyone who is playing with the idea of coming out to visit can begin looking into plane flights for themselves. Kara and I are traveling for the first half of the year in Asia, and Lucy will be joining me for the second half of the year in Bolivia. 

August 18th: Leave Washington D.C. for Mumbai, India

September 20th: Leave Mumbai, India for Kolkata, India

October 7th: Leave Kolkata, India for Kathmandu, Nepal

October 17th: Leave Kathmandu, Nepal for Bangkok, Thailand

November 15th: Leave Bangkok, Thailand for Phnom Penh, Cambodia

November 30th: Leave Phnom Penh, Cambodia for Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

December 16th: Leave Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam for Washington D.C.

January 7th: Leave Washington D.C. for Lima, Peru

*We are taking a bus into La Paz, Bolivia

June 7th: Leave Lima, Peru for Washington D.C.

I'll fill in any planned trips or events as I think of them. For the most part we are deciding what we do when we are traveling. No day by day planned out itineraries for me.