Post-India

It has been a week since we left India. Janet and I stayed in Canterbury for two days decompressing, since our flight on British Airways took us through England, and now we are in Spain for 5 weeks. My time in India has made me aware of and appreciative of many simple things, like the ability to communicate fluently with others, the orderly flow of traffic and calmly crossing the street safely, cool spring weather, (not sweating continually) and green landscape, bus schedules and punctual transportation that runs smoothly (and having your own seat/space), overall cleanliness and much less trash and pollution, the abundance and often times excess of food and products (the supermarket is still a little overwhelming for me), drinking water from the tap without having to worry if I am really tasting chlorine or just imagining the water supply has been treated somehow for the public safety, and the general ability to blend in as a normal person (not being a celebrity-like foreigner everywhere I go, with so much special attention).

With some rest and relaxation, and the ability to engage in physical exercise again, I have begun to recuperate from the physical toll my trip exacted on my body (although I don't know if my daily breakfasts of chocolate croissants and assorted pastries is the best diet for this recovery). When I left Los Angeles I weighed between 175-180 lbs. When I weighed myself for the first time here in Spain my weight had dropped to 157. I think I also endured a parallel emotional ordeal, although without the ability to measure it dramatically. I removed the auspicious red cord one of the temple priests tied around my wrist and that Hindus typically wear for protection from evil and I have also finished my week of taking post-malaria zone medications without exhibiting any symptoms, so hopefully this means I am free of the parasite! Janet also seems to be doing fine, having lost 5 pounds during her India ordeal. She has recovered completely from her extreme digestive issues and is doesn't have malaria or swine flu or TB or any other nasty tropical disease (just a slight cold).

I enjoyed my 10 weeks in India and feel like I really got to know some of the experiences the sub-continent has to offer. I always felt very safe and welcome; the Indian people treated me very well - like a special guest. I now realize that my spartan way of living and traveling might have been a little too intense for Janet and my dad on their short three week visit (this is reinforced every time I hear my dad recount his India stories to his friends here in Spain emphasizing all of the hardships he endured) and that I should have tried to incorporate some of the conveniences available, but seven weeks of trying to adopt a simple Indian lifestyle made me oblivious to these amenities. Luckily we all survived despite a couple of nasty bouts with digestive track illness, and I think even my dad appreciates the closeness to the Indian people and special insights made available from our attempts to experience the country the normal Indian citizens know.

As for post-India plans, Janet and I will be serving in Peace Corps Mozambique starting in the end of September, supporting the education sector. I think the summer heat of India will have been good training for the tropical weather, although most of the conditions of infrastructure will likely be less developed in this poor African nation. We started our own Peace Corps blog (janetandluc.blogspot.com), although it won't get interesting until we actually depart for Africa. Until then we will be in Spain, and then starting in July back in California for the summer.

It has been fun keeping a blog of my India experiences; thank you for reading and sharing in my experiences!

Last Day in India

We are back in Delhi, which means we are back to the heat (and it is really hot!), the pollution, excessive honking, general crowdedness, mosquitoes (especially at the evening sound & light show at the Red Fort in Old Delhi, near the swampy sewage infested Yamuna river; hopefully none with the malaria parasite!), raw sewage everywhere, overly persistent hawkers/autorickshaws, and everything else that comes along with a metropolis in the developing world. Still, despite it all, we feel a little reluctant to leave tomorrow (but only a little reluctant, we will definitely leave, Janet has been fantasizing about chorizo and green salad for the past week!). We spent the day trying to finish up last minute business, like purchasing some gifts (although most gifts seem to be female oriented, sorry males), taking Janet's camera to the camera hospital (supposedly its fixed now after replacing the power supply board), sending postcards of the Taj Mahal (luckily they sell these in every city in India!), visiting the largest mosque in India (where Janet had to wear a bright orange muumuu since she was "inappropriately" dressed), and making various trips to the national museum (dad, in an absent-minded moment, left his fancy progressive lens glasses at the audio guide desk, but we recovered them). Some of us wanted to have Indian food for our last meal, some of us (aka Dad) specifically wanted to avoid said cuisine. We compromised and had Indian for lunch and pizza for dinner. We just sent dad off to the airport from the pre-paid taxi stand, and tomorrow it will be Janet's and my turn for a 4:30AM trip across town for Indira Gandhi International Airport. Next stop London Heathrow (don't worry, we will try not to breathe in the airport to minimize the potential exposure to swine flu). Janet and I will try our best to find Indian food in Canterbury (but fish and chips sounds really good right now!).

Himalayas part II

We were reluctant to leave Shimla, such a clean and enjoyable city with cool cool temperatures, but after a delicious breakfast in our lodge terrace overlooking the valley we were off for Dharamsala. We had reservred seats on a semi-deluxe bus to make the 10 hour trip a little more comfortable, only to find out that our bus had been canceled; the transport corporation was willing to transfer our seats to the ordinary bus and all the adventure that implies. The trip took us through beautiful mountain scapes and green river valleys with beautifully terraced slopes on a one lane road (one lane total, not one in each direction) and stopped in every single village on the route (much to the frustration of Janet). We almost left her behind at one of the stops since she decided she needed to visit the ladies room only after eating an icecream and debating whether she had enough time or not for several minutes (luckily the busdriver was understanding and agreed not to leave me wifeless). Like always, the bus was crowded; my dad held a baby on his lap for a portion of the ride. Luckily we had seats the entire way, and the high altitude temperatures were still relatively cool, even in the valleys! I had to eat all of the various products we have bought that nobody likes, like the mint flavored patato chips and various other masala concotions. Finally we arrived in the small mountain village of McLeod Ganj (the part of Dharamsala where the Dhalai Lama/Tibet in exile community lives) only to find every other foreign tourist already there, and every hotle booked. Luckily, after a nasty encounter with a very rude tout, a dreadlock freespirit rave promoter guided us to some nearby, but hidden, Tibetan guesthouses - just perfect for us weary travelers. Dharamsala's temperate clime is equally as pleasant as Shimla's (we even had some rain this morning!) and the views of the Himalayas are even more amazing. The Tsuglagkhang temple complex, home to Avalokitesvara, the many armed living incarnation of compassion, is full of vivid murals depicting the Tibetan Buddhist cosmovision. There was also a mandala doing the same thing in sand. People bring offerings to the gods, both money and cookies (it seemed like Avalokitesvara's favorite is Oreos). There is no shortage of Free Tibet merchandise in this town, and we have eaten plenty of delicious Tibetan food (Janet has a new favorite, fried momo's - dumplings) and the streets are packed with monks in red robes (and some westerners temporarily adopting the garb) most using tennis shoes and cell phones. We attempted to use internet phone to call our moms for Mothers' Day, some got actual conversations, others got messages. Tonight we dined at a rooftop Tibetan eatery with beautiful views of the sun setting on the Himalayas! Tomorrow we have one more day in the mountains and then we're off to Delhi (and the sweltering summer heat) for our last couple of days of India.

cool at last

We are in the hill station (mountain resort town) of Shimla. It was built by the British, so it has a very European feel, and served as their summer capital while they ruled the sub-continent. We totally understand why the British would want to flee the summer heat after several weeks of scorching 100+F weather down on the low plains. At over 2000 m above sea level, the tempertures are extremely pleasant here. The entire city is full of Indian honeymooners and families enjoying a break from the sweltering heat plus beautiful views in every direction, including glimpses of the not so distant Himalayas. Janet found us some sweet rooms in the old YMCA (built in 1920). Our room has windows with amazing views looking out over the valley. The first thing we noticed was no ceiling fan and several blankets on the bed (we still have not even used sheets, in the always hot lowlands). We hiked to the hilltop temple dedicated to Hanuman (the Hindu monkey god), all the while keeping vigilant with our monkey sticks for any actual monkeys, which are known to aggressively steal food or sunglasses from visitors. We enjoyed not sweating and the delicious taste of non-polluted air and the presence of vegitation. The entire city is built on a steep incline, so its a hike just walking around, but its a very pleasant way to pass the time since motor vehicles are banned from most of the major streets. We also sampled some local delicacies, including momos (Tibetan dumplings) and Janet's favorite coconut flavored peanut brittle (my dad is still craving pizza, so we might have to visit the local domino's). Getting here, like most travel in India, turned out to be quite an ordeal. We took a 1:30pm bus from Jaipur to Delhi, thinking we would have plenty of time to connect with the 9:25pm Shimla bus, but since it took over three hours just to cross the capital city in some truly horrendous traffic, we just missed our overnight bus. Luckily, at the same moment, a super luxury AC bus covering the same route (which we had tried to book on-line but was totally full) was just pulling out. I accosted the driver on the exit ramp and he told us that they coincidentally had three cancelations, so they took us aboard. I think my dad and Janet really enjoyed the taste of luxury after weeks of ordinary class buses.

Jaipur

having paid our respects to the Taj Mahal and thus dulfilling the one mandatory part of our trip, we were off to jaipur on another long and hot and crowded busride, which Janet managed well thanks to some special meds my dad brought from Spain. we have decided that Jaipur, the so-called Pink City is actually more of an ochre or terra-cotta color. My father has especially enjoyed the covered arcades and the orderly street grids in the old city (so uncommon in this country). A visit to the City Palace taught us about all the glorious Maharajas that have ruled this region, courtesy of an audio-guide included in the 300 rupee admission fee. Particular emphasis was given to the maharajas prowess in polo. For some reason my dad was craving non-Indian food, and since our team was feeling some general home-sickness, we induldged in a visit to McDonald's, were Janet ordered a McMaharaja Mac - the Indian equivilent of the Big Mac, sans the beef obviously (they used spiced chicken patties instead). the fries were exactly the same. While within the shelter of the AC eatery a sudden monsoon like downpour drenched the city, leaving everything muggy and stinky. Tomorrow we are giving up on the sweltering lowlands and fleeing towards the promise of cooler weather in the northern Himalayan foothills. we'll say hi to the Dalai lama if we see him.

poor Janet

Our Taj Mahal plans were delayed due to Janet's major bout of digestive tract issues; luckily she was able to recover in our little hotel room (despite periodic power outages depriving her of the much necessary ceiling fan), gaining enough strength to make it the next day. We suspect it was something in the mango lassi (milkshake) she drank the night before, but here in India there are too many possible disease vectors we could potentially blame to know for sure. We may or may not have pictures of our visit to the Taj since the camera fell last time we were downloading data from it and it hasn't functioned regularly since. Regardless, our sunrise rendezvoux with India's great monument is indelibly recorded in our souls. Although the mouseleum is fairly straight forward, we spent hours just sitting and staring at it, enjoying the cool morning (the slow pace fitted Janet's still weakened state). The 750 rupee ($15, the most expensive site in the country) entrance fee now includes bootie-like shoe covers so there is no need to take your footware off or expose it to would-be slum dog millionaires. There is also an elaborate water purifier that dispenses the most delicious water I have tasted in this country! Even in the off season, the large grounds quickly filled with tourists from all around the world (including several large groups from japan) and many Indian families enjoying summer holiday. Everyone seems to want to take their picture in the same spot to get the best view of the icon in the background. ps- Janet is doing much better now

Taj Mahal

After another long day of travel and all the inconveniences that entails in a place like India, we have had our first glimpses of India's iconic monument. Our hotel overlooks the Taj so we decided to have dinner at the roof-top restaurant to enjoy the views, but all we got was a beautiful silhouette since the marble masterpiece is not illuminated at all like some of us were expecting. The bustling city of Agra (pop 1 million +) is the opposite of our previous days visit, in the peaceful town of Orchha (pop 8,000). We all enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere there and the relatively non-polluted air and water (although the river was still too dirty for swimming, but at least it did not reek of sewage like the river waterhere in Agra). Orchha was full of giant temples and palaces, which took all day to explore (withlots of climbing). In the everning we attended a special Rama celebration in the main temple. We did not know what to expect, but at exactly 8pm, after half an hour of mass chanting, the large silver doors opened revealing the Rama image and a rush seized the large crowd, alnost suffocating Janet against the gate (she is fine, a large police officer helped her escape). Janet has convinced us to see the Taj at first light (6AM) to beat the crowds and heat. Luckily we are within walking distance of the entry gate!

Successful Travel

We finally made it to Khajuraho, thanks to a newly innagurated rail line opened in 2008 (so new it did not appear in our trusty Lonely Planet guidebook) since interstate bus service has been temporarily suspened for the election season (unlike in the US people do not all vote on the same day here; elections are spread out over a month in the larget democracy in the world). We all agreed it was worth the journey. This small village hosts several sets of spectacular temples set in peaceful grassy gardens, and since its the peak of hot season we had the world heritage site nearly to ourselves. We tried to stay cool in our underground hotel room, but unfortunately the mosquitos were lurking there for us and kept us up during the night (luckily we're all taking anti-malarials, even me, despite my no medicine general policy). We are now in the small town of Orchha which is hosting over 2,00 pilgrims for the monthly rama festival. We took the local train, which stopped far too many times for Janet's liking. The group of men next to us played bridge the entire way, non-stop, for over six hours, throwing the cards with much gusto on every play. A bus full of election officials and heavily armed national security forces took us the last 6 kms from the train station to Orchha town center free of charge, to my great relief, since the local taximan was trying to gouge us for 150 rupees ($3, but the fair price would have been less than $1). People are feeling healthy, but we are still having periodic bouts of heat zombification. We are trying to stay hydrated (Janet and I drank over 10 liters of water just on today's train journey).

Bus Odyssey

We've left Varanasi behind and the tourist route as well (judging by the size of our entourage and the amount of stares and marked decline in scams). Our goal was to reach the temples of Khajuraho - after two days of travel we are still not there. The big mistake was trying to take the bus instead of the train, but at the time of decision making we didn't have enough accurate information to judge the situation. As we now know, the state buses in UP (Uttar Pradesh) are terrible (I could see the road beneath us through a large hole in the plywood floor only partially covered by a piece of flattened tin can under my chair) as are the roads. The heat continues to stiffle and the cramped and crowded confines of the bus amplify the effect; sometimes it is unclear if you want the window open or closed because the air that enters only scorches your face. The other passangers have all been very friendly. They even tried to get my father water when they saw him waving his bottle out the window (but they didn't understand the concept of purified water). We are currently spending the night somewhere out in UP and it looks like we'll still have trouble making it out to the site tomorrow, despite it only being 65 kms, since the connecting train only runs on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, and there are no public buses. My father said it was possibly one of the toughest days of his life, especially since he is having some digestive issues (ironically, since he has only been drinking bottled water).

Varanasi

The ghats (riverside temples) that line the entire river in Varanasi are truly full of energy at sunrise. I made up my mind to get up early and take a plunge into the holy river (despite the pollution problems) alongside the thousands of Hindu faithful. Unfortunately, a half decomposed monkey corpse greeted me at the waters edge and I lost all my enthusiasm for bathing (thus forfeiting the washing away of my past life's sins, but it was just too gross). We're having an amazing time in the holy cityjust walking up and down the river and exploring the labyrtine streets (especially dad!). Visual stimulus is everywhere, and peoplewatching opportunities abound, from dreadlock hindu brahmins dressed in saffron robes to dreadlocked European travelers decked out in puffy world clothes. We even saw the making of a new episode of GlobeTreker (a backpacker travle video guide) - the host kept running up the ghat steps trying to get his closing lines out without laughing "This city is so much more than I could have expected. Varanasi has taught me its ok to die, so I've got to go, I have a lot of living to do." Along side the spiritual and cultural wealth of Varanasi is a more annoying side consisiting of endless offers to visit local silk shops (which dad did), charter boats to ride up and down the river (which we did not do), ayruvedic massages, or buy any number of products in local shops, along with the more straightforward begging and deliberate misinformation and assorted scams. We also had a small mishap: Janet stepped directly in a large fresh cow patty wearing her sandals, right in front of the crowded police station corner (to the amusement of all). The nearby water pump was dry, but luckily the brahmins at the local teple could direct her to a running tap to clean her foot. Dad keeps us all entertained with his very particular shopping habits (he fixates on random items which he must have; he's already filled the handicraft bag he purchased with assorted gifts). Overall, Varanasi is a magical place (especially in the morning and evening when temperatures are bearable), but even relaxing in our room, we still had a view of the river thanks to Janet's willingness to walk out on inferior and overpriced accomadations!

city of light

We are in the holy city of varanasi and it is very hot! Pilgrims come from all over the country (and world) to bathe in the holy Ganga, despite the pollution issues (none of us have bathed yet). It is an especially auspicious place to day, and we received a short lecture describing the cremation process in detail from one of the locals. There is a lot of atmosphere to soak in just walking up and down the streets of the old city and the river ghats (temples with steps leading into the river), but also a lot of attention from locals trying to sell goods and services. The rikshaw touts are especially frequent and persistant (they don't appreciate our efforts to walk, eventhough we explained we had just been on a train for 13 hours and needed to streatch our legs). Dad has enjoyed purchasing random objects, like a prayer bead necklace, a bag, a scarf, and other various items. The trip to the silk workshop was particualarly entertaining since they dressed my father up in a sary after Janet refused to participate.

Our team is complete!

My father arrived safe and sound near mid-night and we were already off and running seeing sights in Delhi this morning. Jetlag hasn't been an issue so far, and I am enjoying showing Janet and my dad how to use the public bus (despite my dad's requests to use the auto-rickshaws) and find quality eats in the street market. Today we happened upon a particularly good all you can eat lunch for just 25 rupees (50 cents); we were all impressed with what the Indians can cook up with such minimal facilities (a stove, a fan, and a few tables and benches, and an improvised tandori oven made out of a cement covered oil drum, all under a canvas roofing). Tonight we are taking the overnight train for Varanasi (it will be a nice introduction to the rail system for my dad and Janet), although we have all already decided not to bathe in the Holy Ganga (Ganges River) as we have read that it is extremely polluted.

Delhi

Janet has arrived in Delhi, safe and sound. She even figured out how to take the bus from the airport into the city showing off her traveler savvy. We toured the old city and spent time relaxing in the grassy gardens catching up on everything that has happened during the past 50 days. Janet didn't seemed too phased on her first day of India, maybe its from all of her experiences from different places around the world. We have been strategizing on ways to avoid sickness from food or water vectors. We saw lots and lots of Gandhi memorobilia (including his dentures and his juicer). Next arrival is my dad, sometime tonight. We are keeping our fingers crossed.

Golden Temple

The Golden Temple is an oasis of peace within the hectic city of Amristar (and within a hectic India!). It is such a beautiful place that I took at least 40 pictures from different angles and in different lights (the Indian visitors were also taking plenty of photos on their mobile phones). the temple itself sits in the middle of a pool of water so clean, even I bathed in it. The shrine houses the Holy Book of the Sieks and the most important site for that community. Pilgrims come in great numbers, and the city has a host of communal facilities to accomodate them, including massive rest halls and kitchens. As I consider myself a pilgrim in this land, I also utilized these communal facilities (its like belonging to an ashram, they have very strict rules to keep the place holy, including a ban on all smoking and drinking, which is fine by me). Seik guards, dressed in saffron colored robes and armed with spears and swords enforce the code. Holy men continually read from the scripture which, accompanied by music, is broadcast throughout the precinct via loudspeakers. I have spent hours just walking around the temple and listening to the melodious sounds, just absorbing the spirit of brotherhood and love that dominants this place. despite the current tranquility, the city has twice witnessed great carnage within the last century. In 1919, the British open fired on a crowd of peaceful protesters, killing thousands, and reigniting the Indian independence movement (basically the Indian version of the boston massacre) and more recently in 1984, a massive goverment crackdown with tanks and heavy firepower on Siek seperatists who had occupied the Golden temple in their attempt to agitate for an independent homeland resulted in great destruction of the monument and loss of life. Today that is all part of history and contemporary visitors just enjoy the beauty of this special place. Tonight I am taking another overnight train back to Delhi to await the arrival of my wife and father. Oh the joy!

Punjab

After a brief stay in the capital city of Delhi, and the inevitable overwhelming feelings that accompany the first introduction to India's megaopolis capital, I am now in the Punjab. This is the chapotti basket (bread basket) of the country, fields of wheat (often harvested by hand) dominate the views from the trains and buses in stark contrast with the semi-arid wastelands of the Rajastani deserts. The people here wear a different type of turban than the brightly neoned colored, haphazardly wrapped, bulbous headdresses of Rajasatn, preferring more subdued hues and tightly wound orderly looking wraps. My goal was to visit some of my friends (from the India/Pakistan teacher program I ran in the summer of 2007 at UCLA) in this region, and despite not having a mobile phone (which people still find very hard to believe here) I was able to meet up with two of them. It was very fun staying with families, interacting with children and grandparents and great-grandparents, and spending time with their ordinary weekend activities. This involved eating plenty of Punjabi specialty dishes; each family wanted to fatten me up before my wife arrives later this week (although this did end my over 40 days of vegetarianism in the country, as the Punjabis enjoy eating meat dishes). During the summer heat siestas (mid-day naps) are common on the weekends after a big lunch, luckily my summers in Spain have trained me well for this. Usually people go out in the evening when the temperatures cool off. Activities include strolling by the lake, riding the escalators at the mall (people just enjoy the air conditioning rather than actual shopping, except for the all chicken McDonald's and KFC, which were doing brisk business), weddings (now is the season, and wedding tents and parties can be seen throughout the cities, at times causing big traffic jams), watching cricket on satellite TV (unfortunately for security reasons the Indians have to play their season in South Africa), visiting local temples (we toured the holy stockyard and feed balls of gooey animal feed to the cows in order to redeem the sins accumulated in past lives), and even a trip to the Indian version of Chucky Cheese, were the kids enjoyed trying to win as many tickets as possible with various carnival style games. It was great to be with friends and see how ordinary families enjoy life activities not so differnt from my experiences with my own family.

Close Encounter of the Bovine Nature

Jaipur is notoriuous for congested streets and trafic of all kinds (auto, animal, and human). In a narrow street a cycle-rickshaw zipped dangerously close and in atempt to evade it I jumped straight into the path of an onry bovine. Understrandably upset, this mad cow picked me off the stret with a major headbutt. Luckily her horns were nothing like her toros bravos cousins in Spain or I would have a major scar to match my little brother's hernia souvenir. The corner posse of men drinking chai (Indian tea) quickly mobilized and got their sacred animal under control before I could suffer any damage, and other spectators quickly came to ensure my safety and inspect my body (don't worry, no injuries to report!). Maybe it was karma for all those delicious hambergers I've eaten in the past, but I have ben meat free here in India.

Barefoot College

Well, I'm back in civilization (which means pollution, noise, and traffic, but also access to the internet) after three days in the peaceful village of Tilonia, where I stayed on the Barefoot College campus, which is powered entirely by solar energy and meets its water needs with rooftop harvesting (my kind of place!). It was a difficult place to find, especially since the mid-day train service to the lacal station has been canceled (I had to ride on top of a jeep to cover the last 11 kms), but the Barefoot College is full of amazing sustainable Deevlopment programs. I got to meet a group of barefoot solar engineers in training, 35 rural illeterate women from seven African nations all learning together how to electrify their villages using the power of the sun. I still don't understand how they learn without any languages in common. Their motto is learn by doing. I had an opportunity to use my rudementary French with the women from Senegal and learned that they miss fish and that Indian food gives them indigestion. I also got to participate in a children's parliment, with youth from around the region discussing how to resolve issues they face in daily life, like teachers using corporal punishment unreasonably, low caste families exclusion from using the village water hand pump, and child labour, all while seated on carpets under a large tent with the entire community watching. I also visited a night school; 8 determined young ladies who after a long days work attending buffalo and goats or hawking tomatoes in the market, spend their evenings sitting on small mats around one solar powered lantern studying basic literacy in a small farm courtyard, with family members snoring in the background while sleeping on the outdoor beds and the cow continually chewing on the students' sories while they wrote on the large slate. They made me teach one segment on the spot; I told them farm animal names in English and made them guess the name in Hindi while I acted them out (they thought it hilarious to see a foreign visitor acting like a monkey). I felt like I was in Peace Corps again; the education workers really made me feel appreciated as they asked me to come back and stay with them for a month next time. It was an abrupt transition to the urban Jaipur, the Pink City, but I'm hoping I'll find its charm before I have to rush off to Delhi and the Punjab to meet up with my Indian teacher friends from the summer program I ran at UCLA in the summer of 2007.

No Easter in India

Its always nice to be with family and loved ones on special holidays. Unfortunately here in India there is no Easter, but I am missing you all very much!

Dancing Luc

Today gets two posts. On my way back down from the hilltop I decided to find some food. Using my streetsense I found out the best deals were at the bus stand, 25 rupee (50 cents) all-you-can-eat thalis (meals consisting of chappoti - tortilla like Indian bread - and various dals or curries, sometimes with rice and dessert). However, on my way, as usual, I was stopped various times by locals to sit and talk, sometimes over chai (tea). The locals speak more English in this part of the country, so my conversations have been a little more verbal. This time we started talking about dancing, and my conversation buddy gets excited and insists I must come with him. I explain I need food, but he assures me this won't be a problem. As we are walking down a narrow street, I wonder what I am getting myself into. Next thing I know it, I am sitting next to the groom for wedding pictures and videofilming. I felt a little bad for crashing this rural India wedding, but I soon realized that it was a community affair with people coming and going, plus they would not let me leave. There was food, served in an imrovised wedding patio converted out of the street with carpets under a canopy of blinking lights. And there was dancing, with me being the main attraction I soon found out. Music was provided by a small band featuring drummers and brass instruments, complemented by a mobile DJ, basically a cart decked out in chrome and lights with a synthesizer and microphone powered by a diesel generator. I just tried to imitate the moves I've seen on the various Bollywood features I've watched, and everyone seemed to enjoy. People even started waving 50 rupee bills over my head (I'm not sure exactly what that means). Only the men danced and the interactions were very energetic and playful. After about an hour I wanted to get away so as not to keep my host family up too late at the guest house, but people kept dragging me back. At one point the groom mounted a decorated steed and the event transitioned into the mosque for a ceremony; I took advantage of the lull to escape before the music trapped me again. Back in my room the water was out, but uckily we could fetch some from a nearby well for a cool refreshing shower. I wish I could get a copy of that wedding video, I am sure it would been cery amusing to watch!

Bus Days

When you are traveling, there are days you spend a lot of hours on the bus; today was one of those days. We journeyed on a brand new concrete multi-lane highway, but since we stopped in every single village along the way, it still took us about nine hours to cover the approximately 200 kms. It was fun cruising down the newly inaguarted expressway with nothing but the occasional motorcycle or goat herd for traffic, but our old bus maxed out at a speed of about 50 kms/hr even under these ideal conditions. The police sat next to me for the trip so they could practice their english. They had problems trying to store their old wooden barelled rifels, and finally tied them to the seat in front of us. Some of the passengers thought I was under custody, but my friends clarifyed the situation. We shared groundnuts (as they call peanuts here), Indian cucmbers (with salt+chili), icecream (they make it with no electricity, just a bucket of cream in a bucket of ice with salt, just like in boyscouts). and all kinds of fried treats. The policeman sitting next to me is getting married in a couple of weeks, and I told him how excited I was for him and how my wife is arriving in a couple of weeks. I really enjoyed observing the Rajastani countryside, with its hills and valleys, and arid landscape interspersed with fertile irrigated lands. I felt sorry for having to leave behind some impressive fortresses, but you can't see everything! The men here where all white except for extremely colorful turbines, and the women wear equally colorful soris. Just before arriving to my destination, the small town of Bundi, the bus overheated. I thought it was game over, but luckily there was a ground pump nearby, so a couple of men jumped off and collected enough water in buckets for our radiator, and we were on our way.
The medival town of Bundi, with its huge palaces and relaxed lanes lined with blue hued homes was a lovely stop. I hiked up to the hilltop to spend the afternoon exploring some of the abandoned mahals (palaces). It was just me and the monkeys, awesome views, and tons of ruins to explore, with lots of towers to climb and underground tunnels. Some more people trickled up in time for an impressive sunset. What a perfect afternoon!

Welcome to Rajastan

On the walk from the train station to the lakeside I saw more foreigners than during the entire time since I left the coast. Rajastan is the land of kings, full of castles, palaces, mountains, and deserts, so it attracts plenty of visitors. There is also no lack of espresso bars, rooftop resteraunts, internet cafes, massage parlors, sightseeing guides, snicker bars, toilet paper, all kinds of handi crafts and souvenirs (some of them quiet beautiful), and anything else Indians have learned a tourist might want. Its not that I'm complaining, being perceived as a walking $ is part of the travel experience, but I have been spoiled so far traveling in the less touristy parts of the country. It is beautiful here in Udaipur: the air is fresh, the sky is blue, and eventhough the lake is more like a glorified puddle during the dry season, there are still scenic enough views of the island palace/hotel where James Bond's unfortunately named Octopussy was filmed (although I don't think its worth the $450 minimum per night!). I arrived on the overnight train from Amdavad (8 hours). I was on the waitlist for a sleeper berth, so luckily enough people cancled their tickets, or it would have been a very long night squeezed into second class!

Everyday India

Even in exotic India life can be ordinary, so forgive me for neglecting my blog. I have been working hard the past week interviewing people involved in the sustainable development community and trying to get my dissertation proposal finished (I have spent almost three hours a day in the planet-cyber typing away). I also attended an all-day conference with delegates from all around India to make recommendations to the national delegation to the United Nations meeting in New York on drought and desertification. Unfortunately we spent a lot of time debating which were the best words to use in certain occasions (at times to an absurd degree), but that's Indian democracy for you. The most contentious issue involved including language on population stabilization or omitting mention of it (in the end we deferred the decision and then never got back to it). The best part was the lunch feast, but unfortunately for me, as in most all-you-can-eat situatgions, the meal ended with a slight belly ache. We got a brief respite from the summer heat (which means temperatures in the low 90s) but the thermometer should break 100 again today. I still haven't had to use anykind of cover for sleeping (except for once on the coast when there were to many mosquitos to turn the fan off and the temperature cooled at night) and I have had no problems drying my laundry, even at night. It did rain for about ten minutes, the first precipitation so far during my journey. I am finishing my stay in Gujarat today with one last interview and then heading off to Rajastan on the overnight train (hopefully I get a spot in the sleeper car, I was fourth on the wait list). I am also contemplating getting my face shaved, but every time I try to go in the barber shop I chicken out when I see how fast they move that sharp blade around the neck area.

Holy Pilgrimage

I decided to make another escape from the big city for the weekend to the rural village of Champaner (pop. approximately 3,000). The area has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, with huge mosques and fortifications from its glory days as the regional capital now abandoned in farmers' fields. Nearby is the holy mountain Pavagadh, with an important shrine to Mahakali located on the very tippy-top. Little did I know that my outing coincided with the last day of the lunar month Chaitra and a massive 28 day celebration dedicated to the godess. When I desembarked instead of encountering the bucolic scenes I expected I was greeted by hundreds of buses and thousands of pilgrims. In the mass confusion I could not find the one hotel in the region where I had planned to spend the night, so I decided to tackle the mountain carrying all of my earthly posessions in this hemisphere with me. A month ago this would not have been challenging, the hike is about as strenuous as Hinniger flats back home (about 3 miles and 2,000 feet elev. gain only lined entirely with vendors, think of the approach to La Bufadora in Ensenada, Mexico and you get some idea) but my muscles have atrophied while in India, and my caloric intake has been well below the 2,000 daily recomendation (in the previous few days I had only eaten about 15 bananas, a medium bag of toasted beens, a few slices of cocmut, a couple of samosas, and a mango milk shake) reducing the amount of blood and muscle sugar stores available to me during the ascent. I did have plenty of water to stay hydrated during the cardio intensive exercise, but I felt exhausted and even contemplated stopping to rest, but I kept going to the top. All the while, throngs of pilgrims were engaged in the same quest, decked out with red flags and headbands, and carrying coconut offerings. After visiting the shrine and sitting on top of the temple to enjoy the spectacular views, I felt completely refreshed, physically and spiritually. This made my descent easy, and the aerial views allowed me to orient myself and find my lodgings, no problems. I was the only non-Indian participating in this mass event and I was invited to a communal feast that evening in a huge colorful tent set up in the bus yard. I was placed in a prominent location so all the pilgrims could watch me sit on the carpet and eat the large plate of food with my hands. They taught me their godess' slogan, and each time I mispronounced it I got big cheers. The pilgrims kept encouraging me to eat more, so I had about three dinners (I was very hungry at this point).

Day Off

I needed a little break from the daily grind in the big city, and since I didn't have any interviews scheduled, I took the day off and took a long bus ride south to the holy mountaintop temples of Shatrunjaya. It is the most important pilgrimage place in the world for Jains, with over 1,000 temples. Reaching the mountaintop involves over 3,000 stone steps (nearly 2,000 ft) which is quite a sweat in the mid-day heat of summer, but the views and peaceful environment made it all worth it. One of the temples was undergoing extensive renovations; the crew of plasterers and chislers were very excited to see a foreigner amidst the pilgrims and started beckoning me up onto the make-shift bamboo scaffolding. I quickly inspected the lashings using my boyscout skills and determined they could probably sustain my weight, and climbed aboard. Soon I was surrounded by about twenty young men who knew about 15 words in English amongst them which put together with the approximately 10 words in Gujarati I have picked up didn't give us much wiggleroom for verbal communication. We still managed to spend about an hour up on the rafters using each of the words we knew in as many possible ways and improvising with charades and sounds. They thought the funniest part was when I offered to take any of them back to the United States with me if they could squeeze into my backpack. As the sunset, I walked back down all of the steps and through the small town, stopping various times to sit with the locals and drink chai as I told them about how great Obama is compared to Bush (they all seem to love Obama as well after his tough talk to Pakistan).

I think the pilgramage boosted my karma because upon my return (on the 5am bus) I was finally granted the interview with the Center for Environment Education, which I had been working on for the past ten days!

Life in Amdavad

I have been in Ahmedabad (aka Amdavad, lots of cities here have two names, which can be confusing) for an entire week now. Staying in the same location has given me the chance to form some routines andgetto knowsomeof thelocal people. There is the banana vendor (I buy 10 rupees of bananas every day, but after some serios deliberation on his part I always receive a different number of fruits, 6, 8, 9, 12, Ihaven't been able to figure out hismethod yet, size, quality, color, time of day, random?), the PlanetCyber staff (they see me a lot since I have been trying to finish some of my dissertation proposal work and to stay in contact with all of you), the husband and wife breakfast team who serve me the Indian version of french toast (with jalapeno sauce), the hotel crew (who all find it amusing that I take a shower at the end of the day instead of the beginning), and the samosa vendor next door who always tries to convince me to eat two pieces instead of one, to name a few of the people in my daily life here. I have also seen a lot of the streets and neigboorhoods of this city. This morning I was in the far side of town checking out some very elaborate and old wells (which are now completely abandoned like so many historic relics in India). A priest living nearby invited me into his home (the local temple) for tea and tomatoes with rice puffs. Wetalked for about an hour. his family's situation was obviously very humble, but he was so happy to shae with a foreigner. I feel privilidged to have experienced many special moments like this while in India.
I continue working on my research here, but have hadsome mixed results. The last couple of days I conducted two really nice interviews with some people doing some interesting development work (unfortunately I'm not sure if the material is totally relevant to my research questions, but I think I can make it work). Itsa challenge though working around peoples schedules, especially with summer starting here and minimal access to means of communication.

Small Mishap

Some college youth really wanted me to play with them out on the cricket field. It was already getting dark, and the pitch was a little uneven, and there was some gravel . . . the end of the story is I don't think I'll have a shiner, but part of my face is scratched up. No permanent damage, just some superficial scrapping, nothing the neosporine I brought won't fix. I went out to the ancient port city of Lothal today (2500 BC, part of the Harappan early Indus civilization). Unfortunately there is not much left to see, but just being out in the fresh country air enjoying nature and the agricultural activities was a welcome relief from the frenetic pace of the city. I meet a group of four pharmaceutical workers (who are preparing for a USFDA audit) and they invited me to lunch and wouldn't let me pay for the tractor ride to the railway station or the train ticket home. They were very excited to meet a foreigner; they claimed that tourists to India tend to avoid Indians and that I am the first visitor they had been able to talk and share with. Later, on the train, the family sitting in my crowded compartment got very excited that I was visiting their remote part of the state and made me eat Indian sweets and coconut. Then finally walking home through the park I meet up with the sporting college fellows who got me into my small accident. I think they felt bad for coersing me to play because they brought me ice and chai afterwards to make it up to me. So today I was getting lots of special attention, which has been true throughout the country. People are so excited just to meet me and converse with the very limited vocabulary we share. I feel very special to be here.

Some daily goals in India

1-Every day I wake up with the same goal: Do not get hit by any kind of motorized vehicle today. So far so good on goal number one.

2-Stay hydrated, I always have a bottle of water in my back-pack, and only once so far have I completely depleted my stores (on an overnight bus ride). Luckily drinking water is readily available here.

3-Avoid sketchy situations, again so far so good. My dodgiest spots have been fake friends; people here are really friendly in general, but sometimes people just approach me to get me to buy something or to later demand money from me. Usually I can sense this coming, but I don't want to get too paranoid. Today an over aggressive saleswoman pretended to want to shake my hand, then grabbed me and stained a henna "OM" onto my palm and proceeded to demand 15 rupees (no rupees were rendered).

4-Remember to treat everyone with human dignity, even when situations would make it easier to act otherwise (see above anecdote). Some people's situations really are desperate.

5-Eat food. This is easy enough, but its hard to make healthy eating decisions as mosty the readily available eats consist of some sort of fried dough, and with going all veg, its hard to get protein. I think I am slowly growing skinnier as I deplete my fat and muscles for reserves for energy.

6-Find time to relax. Sometimes this is hard in a country of 1+ billion people.

7-Spend some time thinking about my friends and family. This is no problem, I think of you all the time.

Gandhi Ashram

Gandhi's simple home reminded me of my house in Honduras, thick mud-brick walls, tile roof, and shiney cement floor. As I sat in the shadey compound grounds I thought of how much I love peace and I reflected on how lucky I have been to enjoy such a peaceful existence here on this earth. I felt a strong desire to commit my life to pursuing peace in whichever capacities I am able. However cherished this inspiring experience was, my peacefulness was immediately assaulted as I left the ashram gates by the hecticness that is India. Every extra loud beep-beep of the buses, or noxious gulp of black air, or site of children playing with trash in a squatter camp, or the overaggresive tactics of the street merchants, dissapated my sense of peace until by the time I returned to my small room I don't know if there was much left. Despite all this, I like to think that inside of me, and inside of us all, there is always peace, sometimes life's distractions just make it a little harder to find!

What a journey!

Covered in dead skin, sunscreen residuals, and salt from multiple days of evaporated sweat, it seems like days since I have been in a bed or even a horizontal position. I haven't eaten anything that can't be grabbed from a bus window. I feel like I crossed an entire continent. Just a few days ago I was sitting on a remote tropical beach surrounded by lush palm forests and jungle, breathing the refreshing sea breezes - now I'm fresh off a 14 hour bus ride, sweltering in a semi-arid desert zone (like southern California in the summer) in a huge city (Ahmedabad, pop. 4.6 million) along with all of the concomitant hecticness, noise, and pollution. Its not the kind of place I would chose to spend a substantial amount of time, especially with all the other temptations India has to offer, but I have my research to do (if I can finally get access to my organizations). Plus, most places have their charm - just some you have to look a little harder than others to find, but look at LA, we all love it and lots of people can't seem to find it's charm when they first arrive!

Extreme Travel

After over 24 hours of travel, I am almost at my research site. One more overnight bus should do it (I think). I had a four hour layover in Goa and had to see both old Goa and new Goa, it was hectic. I made it all the way up to Aurangabad, over 1000 kms in one day (that's a lot for India considering the transport options). I am taking a short break here to see some sacred cave temples and check e-mails, and then I'm off again.

Tropical Paradise

What a perfect day! The setting here at Gokarna is ideal, a small town full of religious pilgrimage sites right on a sandy beach. A series of volcanic cliffs seperate another four beaches all within walking distance. With nice sunny weather and sea breezes I spent the entire day alternating between hiking and swimming and resting on the sand or in temples, eating fruit and snacks. To end the day, I just watched the sun set from a panoramic perch high above the sea and sand. I really wish you all could have been here to share it with me!

This was the best way to end my tour of South/Central India. As some of my blog followers have gently reminded me, the whole purpose of my journey to India was to get some dissertation research done, so this is the Southern terminus of my trip. As I lay under the fan in my bungalow attic room tonight, I will plan a quick (quick in terms of India!) route North towards my field sites.

Where the sand meets the surf

I was feeling a little homesick, so I decided to head for the beach hoping it would remind me of Santa Monica and good times. I started out at dawn - a short bus ride, a missed train, a long bus ride, an even longer bus ride, one more short bus ride, and a short walk later (also 12 hours and $4 later) I am standing in front of Om Beach; oh the joy! I just sat watching the sunlight disappear, walked through the shore surf, and enjoyed the moment after such a long day. There is no Bay Watch, and the water is a lot warmer and the air a lot more humid, the swells way mellow, and the vegetation tropical - but its the same basic concept, the ocean meets the land and people are having a good time! And the best part is you can actually swim in the water because its not extremely polluted!

Executive Summary

It has been almost two weeks in India now and I wanted to make a post updating everyone on what I have been doing and seeing in this time.

London - In retrospect thinking about London what satnds out most is how orderly and clean the city is compared to anything in India! Plus the weather was so cool!
Mumbai - I really loved the Marine Drive in the evening, with the cool sea breezes and everyone out walking or sitting and relaxing. I also took a boat tour out to Elephant Island where monks carved temples out of the rock and was solicited to play as an extra in a Bollywood filming (although I was unwilling to commit an entire day to the effort).
Pune - I got to stay with a group of MBA students Imeet on the train and get insights into the aspirations of young Indians. They all want to be rich and have cars and travel to the US. I had to ride on a motorcycle through crazy traffic (now I know why Peace Corps bans this form of transportation!). Unfortunately we spent a lot of time watching action movies, fixing computers, and taking naps.
Hyderabad - Another mega-city, with a lovely hilltop temple and planetarium/science museum with Griffith Observatory type views. The old town is a huge Muslim street bazaar with a Mecca Mosque capable of accomodating 10,000 worshipers.
Bidar - A chance to get away from the big cities and walk a huge deserted fortress inhabited only by wild peacocks.
Bijapur - Dominated by a large faux Taj Mahal, which they claim is the largest space enclosed by an unsupported dome (the acustics are incredible, you can hear your hand clap echoed at least 12 times); best of all, you can climb up on top, spectacular views! This town has a serious Muslim population, which had mixed feelings about my participation in the Hindu Holi celebration.
Badami - An incredible medeaval mud brick town in a cliff setting surrounded by many many temples. I love this place!
Hampi - Where I am writing right now, the epicenter of India backpacker culture (see earlier post).

Magical Vortexes

It seems like every country has a city or place where a special kind of traveler converges. The kind that isn't necessarily interested in the historical or cultural value of a place, but more in an extra chill vibe, being far away from everything, and really living life. Places like Antigua Guatemala, Granada Spain, or Cuzco Peru seem to attract these kind of people. That place in India is Hampi. I knew it when I saw the abundance of dreadlocks, people wearing world clothes, all the Che Guevara paraphernalia, and many budget accomadation options. The foreign element has overwhelmed whatever local culture existed, and now every available corner or shop is busy trying to hawk trinkets or book travel arrangements or prepare pizzas and hamburgers. Its a magical place to be, with all the pluses and minuses of tourism.

Things found in abundance in india (and not found)

Waste: all kinds, especially plastic bags and bottles, but also vegetable waste, rotten fruits, peels, and leftover plant parts from the market, animal waste and human waste (all over the place).
People
Autorikshaws
Muslims: I don't know if its just the regions I have been in, but there are many Muslims here, lots of green flags, crescent moons, beards, kuffis, very loud prayer calls, and mosques. It is the country with the second most Muslims in the world, but I wasn't expecting this much visibility.
Noise: especially street noise, lots and lots of honking (or horning as they say here)
Traffic
Pollution: even in the countryside, the water and air is almost unbearable (physically and emotionally)
Temples: I have seen at least sixty in the past two days.
People selling things: anything or service imaginable!
Mobiles (as they call cell phones)
Motorcycles: especially the Honda Hero
Colors
Pigs: I don't understand this one, muslims don't eat pork and I haven't meet a Hindu who claims to eat pork?

Things I have not found so much of here
Internet: I thought India was cyberland, but its hard to find, even in the cities.
Opportunities to swim: every body of water so far has been way to polluted, even for me.
Urban green areas: Every open space is a dump, except for the very few 'gardens' which are usually found at national monuments and are maticulously cared for by an army of sicsor wielding garden attendants. Indians love these green spaces and come to the monuments just to relax on the grass.
Toilet paper: I don't think it exists here.
People speaking English: at least more than a few stock phrases and words.
Meat: I don't mind though, the 'veg' options as they say are awesome.
Non-Indians: So far the regions I have toured have very few white people. maybe its low season or maybe I'm just not in the popular areas. I am sure when I tour the big sites in the north we'll find more non-Indian visitors.

My conversations in India

People do not speak much English in the places I have visited so far. therefore, most of my conversations have been short. Here is a typical example of approximately 75% of my verbal interactions with the locals:

Indian Person: Hello (or if they're trying to impress me 'Hello my friend')
Me: Hello
IP: Waz yur name?
Me: Luke (Indian person is confused because they think I said the word 'look' which sounds identical to 'Luke' to them)
IP: Where you from?
Me: USA, America
IP: Ah America (or sometimes 'Obama!')
M: Yes
IP: Married?
M: Yes (then I show them a wedding picture of me and Janet)
IP: so beautiful

This is usually the part where my Indian conversant runs out of phrases and starts speaking to me in Hindi. After my confused look they realize I cannot understand anything they have said. At this point I usually say 'nice to meet you' and go on my way. I have this same conversation about 25 times a day.

Most people I have meet so far are just excited to talk to a foriegner (I don't think the areas I have visited so far get many non-Indian tourists, I have only seen a handful of white people so far). About 10% of the people are trying to get something out of me. They will insert lines like "what is your national coin?" which enevitably leads to "show me a dollar." Luckily I don't fall for this trick. Sometimes someone (especially street children) starts off asking for rupees or chocolate or something else, at which point I have to redirect the conversation by asking them their name or where they are from.

In some of the smaller cities I have visited I will sometimes see the same person again, at which point they will say 'look' or 'USA.' Another 15% of the people can actually speak a decent amount of English, and they want to know about what I do as a profession, where I am studying, why I don't have any children, how many countries have Ivisited, what salary does a teacher in the US make? Females rarely speak to me, I think it is taboo, so most of my conversations are with men and children. Even if people cannot say many words in english, they often want me to just sit with them and relax.

Holi Encore!

Apparently people love celebrating Holi here and just can't get enough with one day. This time around I was not spared. I got hit by a drive by Holi while on the bus into a medium sized town in the Indian countryside. Next, a group of four friendly chaps painted my face red while I was walking to a local monument. Finally, a large mob of revelers spotted me and in an excited frenzy placed me on a stretcher and covered me in flowers and branches as they carried me through the town beating drums and chanting loudly. Apparently it was some sort of honor. With a large crowd watching, the local news came and filmed me for their eveniong broadcast. They finally let me go after making me breakdance in the middle of a large circle of onlookers. Some bad news, this indian body paint is potent stuff; my face is still bright pink after two showers!

Cyberabad

I am in Hyderabad, one of the new IT hubs of India. I just walked down a street with at least 60 cell phone dealers and 100 motorcycles. Everyone who is young and can speak English or use a computer is working in the technology sector and buying or upgrading their cell phones. Indians love their cellphones (people are very surprised I don't have an Indian cell phone eventhough they know I don't live here). Eventhough a starting salary is only about $200 a month, that's enough to live the high life here. hyderabad has so many new posh shops, resteraunts, and clubs sprouting up all up and down the main drag. Its very bright at night. Right next door is old Hyderabad, where you can see old-school manual labor, like people fixing the soles of shoes, or pounding metal on an anvil, or hand stitching sekwens onto sori material. That's India for you, everything is available and everything is right next to each other.

Walking in India

Walking is a difficult task in this country. The sidewalks or other areas designated for pedestrians are often usurped by microenterprises, motorcycleparking, sleeping people, or have been converted into toliet areas. Consequently, everyone walks in the street. There are not many cars, but their is a constant flood of three wheel autorickshaws, motorcycles, and buses. Everyone honks incessantly. Honking is not rude here, people drive so erratically that you need a audio heads up as to where everyone is. Crossing any kind of street is very dangerous, like a highstakes version of Frogger. Firstly, people driving on the left side of the road is a little confusing, but that aside, traffic never stops. You must wade into the current to make it to the other side. Major intersections are stressful or street crossing at night or people driving against the flow of traffic. Luckily there are many pedestrians, so I try to tag along with a group instead of crossing solo.

Street Food

Street food here is delicious, varied, and reasonably priced. There is so much fruit to choose from; today I ate bananas and guavas (without salt and chile). I also had some lentil patato stew served in a bowl made from a dehydrated leaf (I love the low earth footprint materials). Fried things are also a street specialty. I've had a fried boiled egg and delicious fried green chiles, as well as all kinds of samosas. People love selling little snack items in paper cones, like roasted garbanzo beans or peanuts or boiled beans with masala. There are also endless opportunities to drink tea or buy special milkshakes, btu I have stayed with my traditional staple, water. Luckily drinking water is readily available here. The city has set up many drinking water faucets and many people provide water as a free service. Everyone here is so friendly and excited to meet a foriegner.

Holy Holi

India is celebrating Holi, the festival of colors. What it seems to my untrained eye is a city wide water fight, only that the water has chemical additives which make it extremely bright. The celebration started the night before with bonfires on every street corner. People burned cow dung decorated with flowers and white sand drawings while chanting and throwing offerings into the flames. People could not explain the exact meaning of the symbolism. The next morning everyone was out on the streets again armed with water bottles, squirt guns, and entire buckets of color. Some people seemed more into this phase of the festivity (children and men) than others (older people and people wearing nice clothes). Unfortunately my hosts made me watch the revilry from the safety of our balcony because the were afraid my clothes would be destroyed with colors. I wanted to take photos of this exciting festival, but I was afraid it was too dangerous for Janet's camera!

Riding the train in India

Everyone knows the stereotypes about riding the train in India; they are all true! Except people riding on the roof, I haven't seen that yet (although my friends here me it happens during the summer). I took a second class car from Mumbai to Pune (approximately 190kms and 4 1/2 hours); I could have paid a few dollars extra and upgraded to a first class car (maybe Iwill consider that in the future). The train originated in Mumbai, so it started out empty for us. As soon as the general seating doors opened a mad rush ensued to grab good spots. I managed to get an actual seat in the scramble, my years of experience with public transit paying off! Others stood in the passageways or sat in the overhead areas which were originally designed for storing baggage. The train already appeared full, but at each stop more people boarded. On top of the travelers. vendors jumped on and off hawking all sorts of food and drink, other more random items, like nail clippers and ballons. Despite the heat and stiffling conditions, everyone seemed in good spirits. Most people could not speak English, but I picked up lots of positive body language. Everyone enjoyed seeing my wedding picture, the passangers passed it reverently around the entire seating area. The man sitting next to me, an MBA student named Sunil, was so friendly he invited me to stay with him while in Pune. When it come time to depart I was a little sad to say good-bye to my new train friends. Disembarking involved surviving a harrowing gauntlet. At least fifty eager would-be travelers standing on the platform rushed the train door as an equally eager number of us would-be train exiters tried top accomplish the same task in the opposite direction. Luckily a stout Indian policeman intervened in the smash-up zone with whistle and batton to part the seas for our departure. Free at last, I enjoyed the ability to move my limbs and breathe the relatively fresh air. A great experience all-in-all, but I might consider upgrading to a reserved seat car for longer rides.

Bombay charm

The city is a little overwhelming at first, but it does have its charm. I spent this evening on the beach and the marine walk. Although the water is too polluted for any kind of swimming, people really enjoy sitting on the sand while the sun sets, enjoying the cool sea breezes; lots of familys and even people in burkas (no burkinis though because of the aweful water conditions). There are plenty of vendors, and some people even set up whole resteraunts on grass mats on the sand. The sidewalks along the breakwater turn into Mumbai speed walking. I think everyone enjoys getting their exercise or social walking in after the sun sets. There are alos plenty of people who just sit on the ocean walls and meet up with friends while eating snacks and hot tea provided by the ambulatory vendors.

This morning I took a ferry out in to the harbor to visit Elephant Island, the site of some ancient cave rock temples. We sailed by lots of old rusty boats and saw the Indian Navy stationed at the old fort.

I also explored some of the non-touristy parts of the city and got lost in a maze of market streets full of lots and lots of people and merchandise of all kinds. I also stumbled upon various religious buildings in the midst of all the commotion, a Hindu temple, a Jain temple and several mosques. The worshipers encouraged me to take off my shoes and participate, but I wasn't sure how. I ate lunch from a vendor who had converted the trunk of his car into a mini-eatery. People were giving me looks to observe how I woul eat with my hands - apparently my style is slightly different than the local variation. I also saw the outdoors clothes washing district, but had mixed feelings about how this has become a tourist activity. I went to the Gandhi shrine at his Bombay house and saw his simple work area. He is an inspiration.

Who wants to be a millionaire?

I am in Mumbai and yes, every movie theater is showing Slum Dog. Being here is a lot like being in the movie. Life is fast passed and action packed, full of sounds and smells and the weather is very warm. The plane flew in right over the slums so I got a good view of the frenetic life down there and the haphazard urban landscape, with sky scrappers rising right out of shanty towns dotted with temples and mosques and with the train tracks right through the middle. I took the urban train all the way in from the airport - it is exactly how you would imagine a train in India with all the passengers running on and off at each stop and fighting over the door so they can lean out and feel the breeze. The weather is very warm; I don't think it will ever cool off! The city sticks right out into the ocean, but there's not many chances for swimming given the extreme pollution in the water. Strong smells are ever present here, most of them unpleasant. The food is plentiful and cheap. Lodgings are low quality, but also cheap. My bed takes up 85% of my room, but at least there is a fan! The architecture in this city is spectacular, but decrepit. The traffic is non-stop, but I think I am figuring out the proper technique for crossing the busy streets. People are everywhere. This is India, the first impressions have not disappointed - it is all those things you imagine! Tonight I will sleep well, after two nights sleeping in British Airlines world traveler class (I don't mind sleeping on the plane, but flying east makes the night time so short!). I miss everyone very much! I wish you could all experience this with me, it is truly awesome!

Off to India

I am reviving this blog after a long hiatus. I originally started to post when I hosted 26 Indian and Pakistani teachers over the summer of 2007 at UCLA for an institute designed to provide professional development and foster greater understanding and conflict resolution for our participants. Blogging was one of the technology components included in the institute, so I learned it along with them. I have not been the best blogger, but I think it will be a good tool to share information, so I am recommitting.

My dissertation research has revived my interest in India. I will be in the country for two months conducting field studies of Education for Sustainable Development in various sites in the Western and Northern parts of the immense nation. My wife and my father will join me for the last three weeks in India and we will try to see some of the fabled tourist sites. I also want to reconnect with some of my teacher friends from the UCLA institute whom I have not seen since they left California.

Its an exciting opportunity and I am grateful things have worked out. Previously in 2007 I was to travel to Islamabad in Pakistan, for a follow-up conference to the UCLA institute, but my trip was canceled by the State Department weeks before my scheduled departure due to the possibility of political unrest and violence.

I love to meet and learn from people who are different than me and experience the food, culture, natural environments, and ways of life of diverse places around the world, so this is a very exciting adventure, but it takes a lot of sustained effort and energy. Hopefully I will be up to the challenge. It will be difficult to be so far away from my family and friends, especially my wife, since we have been married for less than a year. Hopefully this blog will help me feel closer while I am in distant lands.