Sorry for the delay in updating, but Paris has been so nice and relaxing, that I haven't been motivated.
First, we had a wonderful Christmas here. Since much of Paris was closed, we spent the day walking around. We went to the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, walked down the Champs Elysee, and around the Louvre. All firsts for me. Since we stayed in an apartment in Paris, we were able to save cash by shopping at the store and eating in most nights. We've been indulging on pain du chocolat and croissants every morning, cheeses, wine, pate and fois gras...it has been a little decadent. Very wonderful.
It will be interesting to see how all of the memories shake out a few months from now, because I always love the thing we just did the most. Right now, Paris is the highlight of the trip for me. Then again, it's hard to compare Paris decadence to Delhi squalor.
Today we are headed off to Amsterdam for New Year's Eve. We will then be in London on the 4th preparing for the final flight back to the US on the 6th.
I hope all is well.
Ted
Photos
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Civilization
Just a quick update...
We finally made it onto our flight from Delhi to London via Vienna. We had a "nice" visit in Vienna from 3am to 7am. Those hard wooden benches were difficult to sleep on, but we managed.
We landed in London early on the 21st and proceeded to Erin's friend CJ's (from Cornell) house. It was great to stay with a real family and not in a hotel for the first time in weeks. We even made it out to a London pub for trivia night. We found out that we don't know a thing about British trivia or pop culture. We did, however, come in second to last. A couple at our table from New Zealand brought up the rear.
Yesterday we got on the Eurostar express train for Paris. After arriving at about 5pm, we crisscrossed Paris on the Metro first to find our hotel, then to go get the keys to an apartment we'll be staying in, then on to a dinner party held in Erin's honor. Unfortunately, we were quite late to the party, but it was fun to have dinner with the family that Erin was an exchange student with when she was in high school. Delphine was her host and in attendance were her partner Christoff, their son Victor, her two sisters (Claire and Madelind), Claire's husband and their Mother. While I understood only a fraction of the conversation, it was a great time. Certainly interesting to try to answer questions from a bewildered French family about why exactly Bush won office again. No anger or resentment, only curiousity.
Today we moved out of our hotel and into the apartment that a friend of Kirsten's lives in. He is in the states for the next couple of weeks, so we can stay for free there. It is in Saint Germaine, which is a beautiful neighborhood right in the heart of Paris. We walked a couple blocks away for our cafe au lait before heading along the Siene, toured Notre Dame, and Christmas shopped in a number of charming stores. We haven't even been here for 24 hours yet. I can't wait to see what the next several days will bring.
We are about to go and meet Erin's cousin Scott who lives in Amsterdam and will be with us for much of the next two weeks.
We hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas. We are thinking about you all.
Ted and Erin
We finally made it onto our flight from Delhi to London via Vienna. We had a "nice" visit in Vienna from 3am to 7am. Those hard wooden benches were difficult to sleep on, but we managed.
We landed in London early on the 21st and proceeded to Erin's friend CJ's (from Cornell) house. It was great to stay with a real family and not in a hotel for the first time in weeks. We even made it out to a London pub for trivia night. We found out that we don't know a thing about British trivia or pop culture. We did, however, come in second to last. A couple at our table from New Zealand brought up the rear.
Yesterday we got on the Eurostar express train for Paris. After arriving at about 5pm, we crisscrossed Paris on the Metro first to find our hotel, then to go get the keys to an apartment we'll be staying in, then on to a dinner party held in Erin's honor. Unfortunately, we were quite late to the party, but it was fun to have dinner with the family that Erin was an exchange student with when she was in high school. Delphine was her host and in attendance were her partner Christoff, their son Victor, her two sisters (Claire and Madelind), Claire's husband and their Mother. While I understood only a fraction of the conversation, it was a great time. Certainly interesting to try to answer questions from a bewildered French family about why exactly Bush won office again. No anger or resentment, only curiousity.
Today we moved out of our hotel and into the apartment that a friend of Kirsten's lives in. He is in the states for the next couple of weeks, so we can stay for free there. It is in Saint Germaine, which is a beautiful neighborhood right in the heart of Paris. We walked a couple blocks away for our cafe au lait before heading along the Siene, toured Notre Dame, and Christmas shopped in a number of charming stores. We haven't even been here for 24 hours yet. I can't wait to see what the next several days will bring.
We are about to go and meet Erin's cousin Scott who lives in Amsterdam and will be with us for much of the next two weeks.
We hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas. We are thinking about you all.
Ted and Erin
Monday, December 20, 2004
Gary's Summary
Let's get my heroic 5 AM swandive into a pool of black street sludge in the creepy Delhi train station out of the way first. Ted failed to give the correct version of the truth.
It would have been easy for me to accomplish this feat if it were simply to save a life. I did it to save a seat. Sending Ted & Erin running frantically ahead to scout out the available seats on the morning express to Agra was a good decision. Had I gone first, the two of them would have had difficulty keeping up. I laid back only for security purposes, for I am the patriarchal guide -- it is my duty. Noticing Erin had decided not to follow instructions by setting a pace much too fast and dangerous for her, I did what I had to do. I took the plunge. Fearing injury, I led with my face. I chose a spot which might draw the most attention under the circumstances. The ink-like oozy substance in the puddle made a magnificent splash. The liquid therein had not been displaced since the days of Rudyard Kipling. Upon hearing the inevitable commotion, my loyal daughter-in-law acted exactly as I expected she would. After an obvious, albeit short, internal debate -- forge ahead or give assistance? -- she darted, almost immediately, to my aid. The plan worked.
Now for the truth. Did I take the heroic plunge just to save a seat? No. I did it for medical science. Unknown even to my fellow travelers, it was an opportunity to allow entrance through my open wounds several important substances into my body for their eventual passage from India and through my lower intestinal tract upon my return from the third to the second world. I was able to smuggle with almost no detection several forms of bacteria, viruses, amoeba, and parasites for further study upon my return. After three intense days in my home lavatory, my studies are complete.
Highlights of my dreamlike stay in India: The Plunge, The Communal Haircut in Mandawa, The Taj Mahal, The Taj McMall, and Old Delhi.
Further and more accurate details of The Plunge will be added as imagination matures and memory fades.
For those interested, and for family members, photos of The Communal Haircut will be available upon request. (Family members of course need not request, for they will be provided ad nauseum at holidays, weddings, and funeral parties.)
The Taj Mahal was every bit as magnificent as Ted described. I cannot improve on his account. The memory burned in, though, will forever be the ride there and back and the Star Wars Bar Scene outside its gates. The structure itself is breathtaking.
I'll hold on my summary of the Taj McMall, a catchall term for several of our shopping excursions, until Ted & Erin & I get our stories straight. Again, these will be provided at the aforementioned family gatherings. (As a study guide, see Apocryphal.)
For me, my lasting memory of this incredible country will be Old Delhi. One man told us the population in India will double in the next two or three generations, overtaking China in numbers. Where will they fit? Congestion is not the word to describe what we saw. We need another word. It's like going back to the time of the ancients, adding a few motorized vehicles, sickening-sweet odors of urine & burning cow dung, and all through the city electrical cables thick as your arm draped like dozens of boa constrictors across wooden poles bending from the weight. Walking the streets gives you the feeling of not moving as individuals but as part of a huge almost liquid mass. Eyestrain comes from looking to & fro catching sights challenging your brain & tugging at your heart. Somehow, though, everything works in a way. Everyone is busy doing something. Loitering of the kind seen on the darker streets of Seattle, Denver, or Cincinnati isn't evident. People look bewildered, sad, and sometimes happy all at the same time. But they don't look sinister. We didn't feel threatened. I can't remember witnessing a truly angry exchange in all of India. Gone there are the frequent malicious hand- and arm-gestures we're accustomed to here in large-city traffic. Also absent were signs of traffic accidents. We might've heard one ambulance, and saw very few police. India is at once the most dysfunctional and most functional place I've ever seen. Dysfunction is everywhere. The smell alone is a constant reminder. The numbers of bodies ambling along everywhere staggers the imagination. Raw sewage trickling along with you as you walk, and garbage piled here and there for the sacred cows' personal smorgasbord provides other usable objects for street people to turn into commercial items of some sort at the most primitive level.
I can't wait to return.
I thank Ted & Erin, my wonderful life-long traveling companions, for sharing a small part of their incredible journey, which of course is just beginning. Merry Christmas to all who tune in. If you're Jewish, Happy Chanukka and good luck for another year of deciding which is the correct spelling of your holiday season. If you're Muslim, know that we know not all of you are radical wierdos intent on doing us in, and thank you for the small part of your land I've managed to see and for the small number of fine families I was able to at least greet & smile with while there. If you're Hindu, good luck and may your Bollywood flicks be ever so sappy and wonderful. If you're any other religion, happy holiday or happy unholidays to you, and know that religions that seperate us are not of God. We all must be brought together in spirit, or we cannot survive. We all must travel in whatever way we can -- if not by train, then in mind and heart -- but if by train, count on me. I'll take the plunge & save you a seat.
It would have been easy for me to accomplish this feat if it were simply to save a life. I did it to save a seat. Sending Ted & Erin running frantically ahead to scout out the available seats on the morning express to Agra was a good decision. Had I gone first, the two of them would have had difficulty keeping up. I laid back only for security purposes, for I am the patriarchal guide -- it is my duty. Noticing Erin had decided not to follow instructions by setting a pace much too fast and dangerous for her, I did what I had to do. I took the plunge. Fearing injury, I led with my face. I chose a spot which might draw the most attention under the circumstances. The ink-like oozy substance in the puddle made a magnificent splash. The liquid therein had not been displaced since the days of Rudyard Kipling. Upon hearing the inevitable commotion, my loyal daughter-in-law acted exactly as I expected she would. After an obvious, albeit short, internal debate -- forge ahead or give assistance? -- she darted, almost immediately, to my aid. The plan worked.
Now for the truth. Did I take the heroic plunge just to save a seat? No. I did it for medical science. Unknown even to my fellow travelers, it was an opportunity to allow entrance through my open wounds several important substances into my body for their eventual passage from India and through my lower intestinal tract upon my return from the third to the second world. I was able to smuggle with almost no detection several forms of bacteria, viruses, amoeba, and parasites for further study upon my return. After three intense days in my home lavatory, my studies are complete.
Highlights of my dreamlike stay in India: The Plunge, The Communal Haircut in Mandawa, The Taj Mahal, The Taj McMall, and Old Delhi.
Further and more accurate details of The Plunge will be added as imagination matures and memory fades.
For those interested, and for family members, photos of The Communal Haircut will be available upon request. (Family members of course need not request, for they will be provided ad nauseum at holidays, weddings, and funeral parties.)
The Taj Mahal was every bit as magnificent as Ted described. I cannot improve on his account. The memory burned in, though, will forever be the ride there and back and the Star Wars Bar Scene outside its gates. The structure itself is breathtaking.
I'll hold on my summary of the Taj McMall, a catchall term for several of our shopping excursions, until Ted & Erin & I get our stories straight. Again, these will be provided at the aforementioned family gatherings. (As a study guide, see Apocryphal.)
For me, my lasting memory of this incredible country will be Old Delhi. One man told us the population in India will double in the next two or three generations, overtaking China in numbers. Where will they fit? Congestion is not the word to describe what we saw. We need another word. It's like going back to the time of the ancients, adding a few motorized vehicles, sickening-sweet odors of urine & burning cow dung, and all through the city electrical cables thick as your arm draped like dozens of boa constrictors across wooden poles bending from the weight. Walking the streets gives you the feeling of not moving as individuals but as part of a huge almost liquid mass. Eyestrain comes from looking to & fro catching sights challenging your brain & tugging at your heart. Somehow, though, everything works in a way. Everyone is busy doing something. Loitering of the kind seen on the darker streets of Seattle, Denver, or Cincinnati isn't evident. People look bewildered, sad, and sometimes happy all at the same time. But they don't look sinister. We didn't feel threatened. I can't remember witnessing a truly angry exchange in all of India. Gone there are the frequent malicious hand- and arm-gestures we're accustomed to here in large-city traffic. Also absent were signs of traffic accidents. We might've heard one ambulance, and saw very few police. India is at once the most dysfunctional and most functional place I've ever seen. Dysfunction is everywhere. The smell alone is a constant reminder. The numbers of bodies ambling along everywhere staggers the imagination. Raw sewage trickling along with you as you walk, and garbage piled here and there for the sacred cows' personal smorgasbord provides other usable objects for street people to turn into commercial items of some sort at the most primitive level.
I can't wait to return.
I thank Ted & Erin, my wonderful life-long traveling companions, for sharing a small part of their incredible journey, which of course is just beginning. Merry Christmas to all who tune in. If you're Jewish, Happy Chanukka and good luck for another year of deciding which is the correct spelling of your holiday season. If you're Muslim, know that we know not all of you are radical wierdos intent on doing us in, and thank you for the small part of your land I've managed to see and for the small number of fine families I was able to at least greet & smile with while there. If you're Hindu, good luck and may your Bollywood flicks be ever so sappy and wonderful. If you're any other religion, happy holiday or happy unholidays to you, and know that religions that seperate us are not of God. We all must be brought together in spirit, or we cannot survive. We all must travel in whatever way we can -- if not by train, then in mind and heart -- but if by train, count on me. I'll take the plunge & save you a seat.
Confirmation...
On our last day in Delhi, we took it easy. With a flight at 2:20am on Monday (Sunday night), we had some time to kill. We lazed around the hotel, watched TV, went shopping for some last minute gifts, etc... We tried to go see a movie at around 6, but it was sold out so instead we enjoyed a lazy dinner and some shopping for books. When we exhausted all of our options, we went back to our hotel to wait for a cab to take us to the airport at 11pm....three hours early, plenty of time.
As we walked into the terminal with all of our bags and bewildered expressions, we see a departure screen with our flight number that says, "Now boarding" and a scheduled departure time of 12:10 am!! We hurried around the terminal looking for the Austrian Airlines desk to get some information, but were informed it had already shut down for the night. After exhaustive conversations with unhelpful Delhi airport security guards, we finally found a red-jacketed Austrian Air official. He basically laughed at us and told us to go home, there will be another flight the next night at 12:10. All flights apparently had been moved earlier due to fog issues. He was shocked we didn't know, "the change occured as of the 15th of December". "Didn't you find this out when you called to reconfirm your flight 3 days ago?", he asked as we stared at him with a look that said, "No shit we didn't call or we wouldn't be here now, would we?" Although all we said was, "No". To add insult to injury, he said that because we are on an award ticket, we may not be able to make any changes either. That got us into a bit of a panic...
We booked ourselves back into the Claridges hotel at about 12:30am. We were both feeling embarassed and sick at forgetting to reconfirm our flight. Neither of us even considered it. It made me feel a little better to look on the back of my United Airline ticket jacket and read "United Reservations do not need to be reconfirmed", but I guess we should have known better anyway. When we got into our room, we tried to contact United Airlines to find out our options. Of course the Delhi office was closed for the night and the US numbers are all toll-free, unless you are international and can't call a toll free number. First we called United in the UK. They told us that we are screwed and by missing our flight, we forfiet the remainder of our ticket since no changes can be made to a reward ticket once travel begins. Now that made us panic even more.
We immediately went to the internet desk at 1am and started pricing tickets to get us home, even considering that we may be stuck in Delhi for three weeks waiting for an open seat over the holidays, possibly missing out on the European leg of our adventure. We found a flight leaving early today for about $1300 one way each. Not bad we thought...
As a last ditch effort we found an international number for United in the states. After waiting on hold for about 20 minutes, I finally found someone to talk to. She said it was at the sole discretion of Austrian Airlines as to whether we could fly standby on the flight the next night. Nothing more United could do. But she did say that our next leg from London to Seattle "shouldn't" be affected by this.
After a couple of fitful hours of sleep we raced to the Austrian airlines office in New Delhi to plead our case. We both agreed that crying and begging were appropriate. After a brief exchange, a couple of tense conversations with people behind the desk where all we heard was a bunch of hindi and the words "No changes allowed", the woman smiled and said "I can confirm you on tonights flights for no charge" We must have said thank you fifty times...
A tense night, feelings of stupidity and embarassment, and two, long, very expensive international phone calls later.... Now we are waiting around for our 12:10 am flight to Vienna and then London. It's about 4:20pm here now, I think we'll leave soon for the airport...just to recomfirm....
As we walked into the terminal with all of our bags and bewildered expressions, we see a departure screen with our flight number that says, "Now boarding" and a scheduled departure time of 12:10 am!! We hurried around the terminal looking for the Austrian Airlines desk to get some information, but were informed it had already shut down for the night. After exhaustive conversations with unhelpful Delhi airport security guards, we finally found a red-jacketed Austrian Air official. He basically laughed at us and told us to go home, there will be another flight the next night at 12:10. All flights apparently had been moved earlier due to fog issues. He was shocked we didn't know, "the change occured as of the 15th of December". "Didn't you find this out when you called to reconfirm your flight 3 days ago?", he asked as we stared at him with a look that said, "No shit we didn't call or we wouldn't be here now, would we?" Although all we said was, "No". To add insult to injury, he said that because we are on an award ticket, we may not be able to make any changes either. That got us into a bit of a panic...
We booked ourselves back into the Claridges hotel at about 12:30am. We were both feeling embarassed and sick at forgetting to reconfirm our flight. Neither of us even considered it. It made me feel a little better to look on the back of my United Airline ticket jacket and read "United Reservations do not need to be reconfirmed", but I guess we should have known better anyway. When we got into our room, we tried to contact United Airlines to find out our options. Of course the Delhi office was closed for the night and the US numbers are all toll-free, unless you are international and can't call a toll free number. First we called United in the UK. They told us that we are screwed and by missing our flight, we forfiet the remainder of our ticket since no changes can be made to a reward ticket once travel begins. Now that made us panic even more.
We immediately went to the internet desk at 1am and started pricing tickets to get us home, even considering that we may be stuck in Delhi for three weeks waiting for an open seat over the holidays, possibly missing out on the European leg of our adventure. We found a flight leaving early today for about $1300 one way each. Not bad we thought...
As a last ditch effort we found an international number for United in the states. After waiting on hold for about 20 minutes, I finally found someone to talk to. She said it was at the sole discretion of Austrian Airlines as to whether we could fly standby on the flight the next night. Nothing more United could do. But she did say that our next leg from London to Seattle "shouldn't" be affected by this.
After a couple of fitful hours of sleep we raced to the Austrian airlines office in New Delhi to plead our case. We both agreed that crying and begging were appropriate. After a brief exchange, a couple of tense conversations with people behind the desk where all we heard was a bunch of hindi and the words "No changes allowed", the woman smiled and said "I can confirm you on tonights flights for no charge" We must have said thank you fifty times...
A tense night, feelings of stupidity and embarassment, and two, long, very expensive international phone calls later.... Now we are waiting around for our 12:10 am flight to Vienna and then London. It's about 4:20pm here now, I think we'll leave soon for the airport...just to recomfirm....
Friday, December 17, 2004
Resting up...
After the whirlwind that I last reported, Erin and I decided to try to stay at our hotel, The Connaught, for one more night while figuring out what to do next with the 4 days left before leaving for Europe. We went to the desk and argued with the manager to let us stay one more night, but he wouldn't budge despite our offers of baksheesh (bribes) to stay. Funny really, because we hated the hotel, the managers, the room, the restaurant, the neighborhood, really everything about it.
Upon learning that we would need to find another hotel, we went to the travel agent to try to figure out what we could possibly do within a few hours of Delhi for the weekend. Our dream would have been a flight to a tropical beach and stay in a cheap, but luxurious hotel. Surprisingly, there weren't very many options. The best option we found was to take a train then a taxi for a total of about 9 hours to a town called Khuarjato for a stay in a hotel that looked like a nice holiday inn, but had a lot of interesting temples with Karma Sutra carvings. Since we couldn't leave until Friday (this is Thursday), we decided to book a room at a pretty nice hotel in Delhi, the Claridges. We had high hopes for the Claridges and thought that at a minumum we could spend the night before embarking on a nine hour journey.
When we opened the door to our room we were nothing short of blown away. Instead of small, dingy rooms, threadbare carpets, hard beds, rotting bathrooms, formerly white (now grey) towels found in most hotels, we were greeted with pure luxury. A big, clean room with a sitting area, down comforter, beautiful bathroom, soft pillows and soft robes in the closet. Heaven! We sat down to take a nap and watch a movie on HBO at about 2pm and finally emerged for breakfast this morning at 9am! I actually slept from about 7pm to 7am without really stirring!! Our first stop before breakfast was the check-in counter where we asked to extend our stay for two more nights eliminating any plans to go on a nine hour journey. We are relieved and excited that they will allow us to stay another two nights. After all the adventures the past few weeks, a good modern hotel is exactly what the doctor ordered. It's more expensive than other options, but worth every last cent.
We are going to waste away the next few days shopping, dining, exploring, sleeping and seeing movies. We have already seen Ocean's Twelve and the remaining English language movies in town include The Incredibles, Bridget Jones and Shark Tales...I'm sure we'll see them all. Beyond that, I have no idea what we will do.
We leave Delhi on Sunday night (Monday morning) at about 2am and head for London. After a couple of days in London we take the train to Paris on the 22nd where we will spend Christmas. Hopefully there will be more updates before then, but you never know, I might go for another nap this afternoon and not wake up until Sunday...
Ted and Erin
Upon learning that we would need to find another hotel, we went to the travel agent to try to figure out what we could possibly do within a few hours of Delhi for the weekend. Our dream would have been a flight to a tropical beach and stay in a cheap, but luxurious hotel. Surprisingly, there weren't very many options. The best option we found was to take a train then a taxi for a total of about 9 hours to a town called Khuarjato for a stay in a hotel that looked like a nice holiday inn, but had a lot of interesting temples with Karma Sutra carvings. Since we couldn't leave until Friday (this is Thursday), we decided to book a room at a pretty nice hotel in Delhi, the Claridges. We had high hopes for the Claridges and thought that at a minumum we could spend the night before embarking on a nine hour journey.
When we opened the door to our room we were nothing short of blown away. Instead of small, dingy rooms, threadbare carpets, hard beds, rotting bathrooms, formerly white (now grey) towels found in most hotels, we were greeted with pure luxury. A big, clean room with a sitting area, down comforter, beautiful bathroom, soft pillows and soft robes in the closet. Heaven! We sat down to take a nap and watch a movie on HBO at about 2pm and finally emerged for breakfast this morning at 9am! I actually slept from about 7pm to 7am without really stirring!! Our first stop before breakfast was the check-in counter where we asked to extend our stay for two more nights eliminating any plans to go on a nine hour journey. We are relieved and excited that they will allow us to stay another two nights. After all the adventures the past few weeks, a good modern hotel is exactly what the doctor ordered. It's more expensive than other options, but worth every last cent.
We are going to waste away the next few days shopping, dining, exploring, sleeping and seeing movies. We have already seen Ocean's Twelve and the remaining English language movies in town include The Incredibles, Bridget Jones and Shark Tales...I'm sure we'll see them all. Beyond that, I have no idea what we will do.
We leave Delhi on Sunday night (Monday morning) at about 2am and head for London. After a couple of days in London we take the train to Paris on the 22nd where we will spend Christmas. Hopefully there will be more updates before then, but you never know, I might go for another nap this afternoon and not wake up until Sunday...
Ted and Erin
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
A Long Journey
Well, it's been a long journey since I last typed a message on here. When I last wrote, we were in Jaipur getting ready to head to Mandawa in the Shekwati region (though you heard from Gar in between).
We stayed in a beautiful 150 year old haveli in Mandawa with an open courtyard and rooms that probably haven't changed much in 150 years. It was amazing. The first night we had dinner on the rooftop with a fire, local dancers and candles all around. It was very romantic, me, Erin....and my dad.
When we went to bed we could hear chanting and music coming from the mosque down the street. Erin remarked at how enchanting it was to fall asleep to the rhythms of India. At about 1:30 am, we were a little annoyed as the rhythms continued, blaring louder than when we first fell asleep...at 2:30 we were getting a little pissed...at 5am we were resigned. When we awoke, or rather got out of bed, we asked the man at the front desk what was the cause of the all night blaring. He said there was a party and assured us it was a one night event and wouldn't occur the next night. Well...it did. All night chanting and blaring music. I think Gar said he fell asleep at 7am when his alarm went off.
With no sleep for two nights in a row, we packed up to make the trek to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Just prior to getting into a car for the 9 hour drive, we decided to call around in Agra and find a hotel. Of course there were no hotels available anywhere in Agra. We could either stay in one for $10 a night of $450 a night. We all agreed that the $450 version would be better....too bad we can't afford that though, so we reserved the $10 version. As we were loading into the car, the driver informed us that he wouldn't take us all the way to Agra. Only to Jaipur and we would have to find another car there. Somehow, in a split second, the three of us agreed that perhaps it would be better to go straight to Delhi and go to Agra as a day trip from there. In five minutes, the owner of the hotel found us a new driver and we were on the road to Delhi. It was a strange turn of events.
In the five minutes spent finding a new driver, we were able to call hotels in Delhi and book two nights at a hotel that had two available rooms. Apparently this is the height of the tourism season and rooms are hard to find, but we found one.
After sitting in a small bumpy car for about 7 hours we arrived in Delhi. Our driver was visibly nervous as we approached Delhi, and had to stop and ask people every two kilometers if we were going the right way. At one point we even loaded a 14 year old boy into the car to help with directions for awhile. After arriving at our hotel, the driver informed us that it was the first time he'd ever driven to Delhi. Luck us.
The front desk at the Connaught hotel in Delhi informed us very matter of factly that all three of us would share one room. It was the only option. So here are three tired, grumpy, dirty people looking for some peace, quiet and a hot shower only to be told there is only one room. So we were shown two different rooms that we could share. When we argued that we would take both of them and we wouldn't share...they relented. They gave us two other rooms. So not only was there more than one room, there were 4, but we were told to share? Then they said we could only do one night. More hateful looks from us and they relented again. Why does it have to be so difficult?
We got settled in our rooms after a nice dinner out and rested up for a trip to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal. Erin and I set our alarm for 4:55 in order to meet Gar in the lobby at 5 in order to make it to the train station for a 6 am express train to Agra. I think Gar was in the lobby waiting at 4:55.
The Delhi train station is a mob of people even at 5:30am. Of course all of the ticket windows were closed that early, so a man who said he was an official told us we could rush across the street to a foreign tourist booking office to buy tickets for the train, but we had to hurry. So we took off running, me following the guy, Erin and Gar following behind. We jumped over sleeping people, around beggars and touts, over curbs, between auto rickshaws, around cows, suddenly they guy stopped and we looked back for Erin and Gar. We lost them around the corner. When we doubled back, we found Erin helping Gar wipe dirt and mud off. Apparently he tripped and did a five point landing in a pile of what could only be shit. He was covered on the right side in black muck, including on his face. Of course we were still trying to rush to buy the ticket and make sure he was okay at the same time. We finally made it to the booking office, where we could see a two bloodied knees, and a thoroughly soiled pair of pants and shirt. Fortunately, he was okay.
Once settled in the office, we learned that the train was sold out. All that rush for nothing. After a little debate, we agreed to rent a car to take us to Agra for the day and bring us back. It would be a 4 hour drive each way, so we all agreed to pay a premium for the nicer, bigger Toyota four-wheel drive rather than the piece of shit yugo like car. The sales guy kept pushing that we are paying for the better service with the nicer car as well. We paid and waited for the car...it finally arrived and we were taken downstairs....only to be greeted with a littl piece of shit yugo like car. The fuckers (I use this term loosely to those "service" people throughout our trip) tried to scam us...again. We put up a fight and they relented and brought us the good, big Toyota car. Finally. We went back to the hotel and cleaned Gar off then loaded back in the car for the ride to Agra.
We finally made it to the Taj Mahal in the mid-afternoon, just before sunset after a tour of the Red Fort in Agra as well. The Taj was nothing short of magical. When I walked through the gate to the classic view we've all seen of the Taj, it took my breath away and gave me goosebumps. I was worried that I'd be underwhelmed, but I wasn't in the least. The beauty, the scale, the engineering, the color, the setting, the gardens, the people... amazing. Pictures don't do it justice, but now we have the requisite picture of the three of us in front of the Taj Mahal as the sun is setting with a perfect reflection in the reflecting pool...amazing.
Our first stop today was the chemist (or pharmacist) because, without going into too many details, my stomach issues have persisted. After all my jokes before we left about getting a little dysentery to lose weight, it happened. I haven't been to a doctor, but all indications are that I contracted amoebic dysentery. More annoying than anything, but now I have all the proper meds that were recommended in the books. I haven't felt bad, just spent a little more time in the bathroom than I'd prefer. I'll keep you posted, but I think I'll be fine.
Now we are back in Delhi showing Gar around before he departs tonight after a whirlwind trip of India. Erin and I aren't sure what to do after Gar leaves tonight. We are investigating our options today. We are hoping for warm, tropical, cheap and convenient, we'll probably settle for warm, tropical, expensive and a pain in the ass.
Talk to you soon.
Ted
We stayed in a beautiful 150 year old haveli in Mandawa with an open courtyard and rooms that probably haven't changed much in 150 years. It was amazing. The first night we had dinner on the rooftop with a fire, local dancers and candles all around. It was very romantic, me, Erin....and my dad.
When we went to bed we could hear chanting and music coming from the mosque down the street. Erin remarked at how enchanting it was to fall asleep to the rhythms of India. At about 1:30 am, we were a little annoyed as the rhythms continued, blaring louder than when we first fell asleep...at 2:30 we were getting a little pissed...at 5am we were resigned. When we awoke, or rather got out of bed, we asked the man at the front desk what was the cause of the all night blaring. He said there was a party and assured us it was a one night event and wouldn't occur the next night. Well...it did. All night chanting and blaring music. I think Gar said he fell asleep at 7am when his alarm went off.
With no sleep for two nights in a row, we packed up to make the trek to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. Just prior to getting into a car for the 9 hour drive, we decided to call around in Agra and find a hotel. Of course there were no hotels available anywhere in Agra. We could either stay in one for $10 a night of $450 a night. We all agreed that the $450 version would be better....too bad we can't afford that though, so we reserved the $10 version. As we were loading into the car, the driver informed us that he wouldn't take us all the way to Agra. Only to Jaipur and we would have to find another car there. Somehow, in a split second, the three of us agreed that perhaps it would be better to go straight to Delhi and go to Agra as a day trip from there. In five minutes, the owner of the hotel found us a new driver and we were on the road to Delhi. It was a strange turn of events.
In the five minutes spent finding a new driver, we were able to call hotels in Delhi and book two nights at a hotel that had two available rooms. Apparently this is the height of the tourism season and rooms are hard to find, but we found one.
After sitting in a small bumpy car for about 7 hours we arrived in Delhi. Our driver was visibly nervous as we approached Delhi, and had to stop and ask people every two kilometers if we were going the right way. At one point we even loaded a 14 year old boy into the car to help with directions for awhile. After arriving at our hotel, the driver informed us that it was the first time he'd ever driven to Delhi. Luck us.
The front desk at the Connaught hotel in Delhi informed us very matter of factly that all three of us would share one room. It was the only option. So here are three tired, grumpy, dirty people looking for some peace, quiet and a hot shower only to be told there is only one room. So we were shown two different rooms that we could share. When we argued that we would take both of them and we wouldn't share...they relented. They gave us two other rooms. So not only was there more than one room, there were 4, but we were told to share? Then they said we could only do one night. More hateful looks from us and they relented again. Why does it have to be so difficult?
We got settled in our rooms after a nice dinner out and rested up for a trip to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal. Erin and I set our alarm for 4:55 in order to meet Gar in the lobby at 5 in order to make it to the train station for a 6 am express train to Agra. I think Gar was in the lobby waiting at 4:55.
The Delhi train station is a mob of people even at 5:30am. Of course all of the ticket windows were closed that early, so a man who said he was an official told us we could rush across the street to a foreign tourist booking office to buy tickets for the train, but we had to hurry. So we took off running, me following the guy, Erin and Gar following behind. We jumped over sleeping people, around beggars and touts, over curbs, between auto rickshaws, around cows, suddenly they guy stopped and we looked back for Erin and Gar. We lost them around the corner. When we doubled back, we found Erin helping Gar wipe dirt and mud off. Apparently he tripped and did a five point landing in a pile of what could only be shit. He was covered on the right side in black muck, including on his face. Of course we were still trying to rush to buy the ticket and make sure he was okay at the same time. We finally made it to the booking office, where we could see a two bloodied knees, and a thoroughly soiled pair of pants and shirt. Fortunately, he was okay.
Once settled in the office, we learned that the train was sold out. All that rush for nothing. After a little debate, we agreed to rent a car to take us to Agra for the day and bring us back. It would be a 4 hour drive each way, so we all agreed to pay a premium for the nicer, bigger Toyota four-wheel drive rather than the piece of shit yugo like car. The sales guy kept pushing that we are paying for the better service with the nicer car as well. We paid and waited for the car...it finally arrived and we were taken downstairs....only to be greeted with a littl piece of shit yugo like car. The fuckers (I use this term loosely to those "service" people throughout our trip) tried to scam us...again. We put up a fight and they relented and brought us the good, big Toyota car. Finally. We went back to the hotel and cleaned Gar off then loaded back in the car for the ride to Agra.
We finally made it to the Taj Mahal in the mid-afternoon, just before sunset after a tour of the Red Fort in Agra as well. The Taj was nothing short of magical. When I walked through the gate to the classic view we've all seen of the Taj, it took my breath away and gave me goosebumps. I was worried that I'd be underwhelmed, but I wasn't in the least. The beauty, the scale, the engineering, the color, the setting, the gardens, the people... amazing. Pictures don't do it justice, but now we have the requisite picture of the three of us in front of the Taj Mahal as the sun is setting with a perfect reflection in the reflecting pool...amazing.
Our first stop today was the chemist (or pharmacist) because, without going into too many details, my stomach issues have persisted. After all my jokes before we left about getting a little dysentery to lose weight, it happened. I haven't been to a doctor, but all indications are that I contracted amoebic dysentery. More annoying than anything, but now I have all the proper meds that were recommended in the books. I haven't felt bad, just spent a little more time in the bathroom than I'd prefer. I'll keep you posted, but I think I'll be fine.
Now we are back in Delhi showing Gar around before he departs tonight after a whirlwind trip of India. Erin and I aren't sure what to do after Gar leaves tonight. We are investigating our options today. We are hoping for warm, tropical, cheap and convenient, we'll probably settle for warm, tropical, expensive and a pain in the ass.
Talk to you soon.
Ted
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Gare the Patriarchal Guide Here
Negotiating traffic in Jaipur is a bit like finding Nemo in the Star Wars bar scene. Ted & Erin & I squeezed butt to butt to butt in our motorized rickshaw with room for only one butt. Our driver, an old old man about three months younger than I, needled his way through the maze of bicycles, motorscooters, donkey carts, camels, the occasional but very visible elephant, and a gazillion small cars with sewing-machine engines and horns never in the off position. We entered our first round-about Wednesday morning and emerged sometime Friday night just in time to get in line at Asia's swankest Hindi theater where we drew quite a crowd of children who wanted to touch us and giggle.
Now we're in Mandawa in the Shekwati region, which of course is Hindi for we-have-no-clue-where-we-are. The highlight here came last night when Ted & I took turns getting haircuts in a streetside barbershop, again drawing a huge crowd of onlookers wanting to touch us and giggle and make humorous remarks at our expense in a foreign language. We giggled back knowingly.
This morning after an omelette and yet another cup of Nescafe we took turns getting a massage by the minister of misery who insisted on crunching us repeatedly against the cold hard wooden table in complete and total nakedness which here is not something to consider as odd. No worries here about which parts go which ways. My parts for example went every which way but the way Sahib wanted them to go.
Ted & I ducked in here to escape our ubiquitous guides who wish only to get us into their fathers' shops and take hundreds of rupees for their efforts. We wait now for Erin to emerge from the massage chamber so we can forage for more Puri Banghi, Hindi for last night's leftovers rolled in Nan which of course is a Hindi burrito.
For the reader's edification, Indian men wear towels on their heads for convenience, just in the off-chance a hot shower might be working. This is a rare occasion, but when it does work one can be sure the lights won't. Your choice is to have half a hot shower in the dark or a cold shower also in the dark. Dark is the natural state, as is cold. Hot is unusual and short-lived, although it does last long enough to soap up your hair. Exactly long enough.
Women wear saris of red and blue colors not found in Gap. They carry heavy objects on their heads, children in one arm, and a vegetable garden in the other. Men smoke.
G
Now we're in Mandawa in the Shekwati region, which of course is Hindi for we-have-no-clue-where-we-are. The highlight here came last night when Ted & I took turns getting haircuts in a streetside barbershop, again drawing a huge crowd of onlookers wanting to touch us and giggle and make humorous remarks at our expense in a foreign language. We giggled back knowingly.
This morning after an omelette and yet another cup of Nescafe we took turns getting a massage by the minister of misery who insisted on crunching us repeatedly against the cold hard wooden table in complete and total nakedness which here is not something to consider as odd. No worries here about which parts go which ways. My parts for example went every which way but the way Sahib wanted them to go.
Ted & I ducked in here to escape our ubiquitous guides who wish only to get us into their fathers' shops and take hundreds of rupees for their efforts. We wait now for Erin to emerge from the massage chamber so we can forage for more Puri Banghi, Hindi for last night's leftovers rolled in Nan which of course is a Hindi burrito.
For the reader's edification, Indian men wear towels on their heads for convenience, just in the off-chance a hot shower might be working. This is a rare occasion, but when it does work one can be sure the lights won't. Your choice is to have half a hot shower in the dark or a cold shower also in the dark. Dark is the natural state, as is cold. Hot is unusual and short-lived, although it does last long enough to soap up your hair. Exactly long enough.
Women wear saris of red and blue colors not found in Gap. They carry heavy objects on their heads, children in one arm, and a vegetable garden in the other. Men smoke.
G
Saturday, December 11, 2004
Jaipur
We now write from Jaipur, a relatively big city of 2.3 million in the middle of Rajasthan. Erin and I spent all night on a train to get here in the best class seats available. We were on both sides of an aisle on the top level of a three-tiered bunk bed all night. The ride wasn't bad, other thn the guy in the middle bunk had a snore that powered the whole train. Thank god for ear plugs.
When we got to Jaipur we met my dad at the hotel as he arrived on a whirlwind tour through New York, Istanbul and Delhi. His eyes were the size of saucers at the third worldness of India. We proceeded to cruise all over Jaipur squeezed into a rickshaw made for 10 indians or 2 Americans. We managed three...barely. For all of you who know my dad, you will know that where he goes, so goes his camera. He lived up to expectations and captured all of Jaipur in the first day.
I, unfortunately, missed out on all of yesterdays adventures because the stomach bug finally got me...or perhaps the undercooked chicken or street food I ate. Fortunately, our $25 a night nice hotel had HBO...so it was just like being at home.
According to the stories I heard, Gar and Erin had a good time with all the touts and beggars in Jaipur who tried to sell them stuff by turning the game around on them. Gar kept trying to sell Erin's hat to people...needless to say they were confused with the turnabout. It must have been fun, because they both giggled when they returned.
After finally feeling better last night, we went out for an american night out. We went to McDonald's for dinner, where we had chicken big macs and the McCurry Pan since they don't serve the revered cow in Indian McDonalds'. We topped that by going to the largest cinema in Asia to catch a Bollywood flick. It was of course in Hindi, but the melodrama and dancing were so thick that we had no problem understanding the story. The most amazing part was the stares we got in the lobby from everyone. We were quite the center of attention.
In other big news, while Gar napped on a couch at a carpet store, Erin negotiated our way into a beautiful new rug from Kashmir to adorn our living room. We went to about 10 different stores over the last few weeks, saw hundreds of rugs, and were told hundreds of stories about the best ones. Finally we found one we both loved and bought it. Very exciting...now we just need to figure out how to get it home. We got a discount by not having them ship it...now we'll probably double the price mailing it home. They did, however, fold it into a nice burlap suitcase for us.
Well, the taxi is here and we are off to the Shekwati region for a few days. More to come soon.
Ted
When we got to Jaipur we met my dad at the hotel as he arrived on a whirlwind tour through New York, Istanbul and Delhi. His eyes were the size of saucers at the third worldness of India. We proceeded to cruise all over Jaipur squeezed into a rickshaw made for 10 indians or 2 Americans. We managed three...barely. For all of you who know my dad, you will know that where he goes, so goes his camera. He lived up to expectations and captured all of Jaipur in the first day.
I, unfortunately, missed out on all of yesterdays adventures because the stomach bug finally got me...or perhaps the undercooked chicken or street food I ate. Fortunately, our $25 a night nice hotel had HBO...so it was just like being at home.
According to the stories I heard, Gar and Erin had a good time with all the touts and beggars in Jaipur who tried to sell them stuff by turning the game around on them. Gar kept trying to sell Erin's hat to people...needless to say they were confused with the turnabout. It must have been fun, because they both giggled when they returned.
After finally feeling better last night, we went out for an american night out. We went to McDonald's for dinner, where we had chicken big macs and the McCurry Pan since they don't serve the revered cow in Indian McDonalds'. We topped that by going to the largest cinema in Asia to catch a Bollywood flick. It was of course in Hindi, but the melodrama and dancing were so thick that we had no problem understanding the story. The most amazing part was the stares we got in the lobby from everyone. We were quite the center of attention.
In other big news, while Gar napped on a couch at a carpet store, Erin negotiated our way into a beautiful new rug from Kashmir to adorn our living room. We went to about 10 different stores over the last few weeks, saw hundreds of rugs, and were told hundreds of stories about the best ones. Finally we found one we both loved and bought it. Very exciting...now we just need to figure out how to get it home. We got a discount by not having them ship it...now we'll probably double the price mailing it home. They did, however, fold it into a nice burlap suitcase for us.
Well, the taxi is here and we are off to the Shekwati region for a few days. More to come soon.
Ted
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Sandy success
We are back in the bustling metropolis of Jaisalmer after two days and two nights on camels in the desert. Jaisalmer isn't really a metropolis, but it sure feels that way after a couple of serene desert days.
Our trek started on Sunday morning where we met our fellow trekers at the travel office in the fort in Jaisalmer. Eleven people, including us, were on the trip. There were three people from Australia, two from Israel, two from Spain, and four Americans (though one was a native of India, but lives in SF now). Erin and I were likely the oldest, but most were between about 25 and 28. We left our big bags at the travel office and took off with our small day bags and water. The first stop on the tour was the German bakery down the hill to get some chai and cinnamon rolls.
One breakfast was done we loaded into two jeeps and drove over the bumpy roads for about an hour where we met up with our camels and camel drivers. Quite a sight to see 11 camels sitting in the desert waiting for us. Erin and I figured the only other time we'd each been close to camels was at the Zoo when we were about 10. The best description is that they appear prehistoric with giant muscular legs, huge feet, and the trademark big hump. They all make noises like Chubbakah from Star Wars; that is when they aren't farting, which they do frequently.
Each camel was loaded with a saddle that had three parts, one for the rider, one for the hump and one for the cargo each carried. Each was loaded down with blankets, 5 gallon water jugs, feed for the camels, food, our bags, Dave and Alan's sleeping bags, bags of fruit the guides gave each of us, and everything else we would need. Each camel waiting for us was sitting down on its haunches waiting for us to load up. Once we sat on the camel, it was an awkward dance where the camel stood up first on its back legs, almost pitching us off, then up on the front. Once standing we were seated about 7 feet off the ground.
Once we were all loaded up, the camels started walking. We were given no instructions on how to control them or steer, just given the reigns and the camel knew the way. We trusted our fearless camel driver, whom we were told to call Desert King. He looked like he had been on a million safaris, eaten lots of sand and been abused by lots of desert sun and chain-smoked cigarettes. Only later did we learn that he was 32; he easily looked 50. He regailed us at lunch one day talking about his 6 children, 25 year old wife (whom he was engaged to from the time she was 4 and he 11).
The camels lumbered along in the desert for a couple of hours and literally caused a pain in the ass. After the first leg, I thought I'd try one more leg. About an hour into the second leg I asked Desert King to lower my camel, Sonia Gandhi, so I could begin walking with the five others who had already given up on riding camels. Erin dismounted from Sanjay after the first leg as well. While Erin continued to walk some and then ride some, I walked for the rest of the trip. I probably walked for about an hour the first day, 6 hours the second, and 2 hours today. I guess that would be about 25 miles of desert walking...but it beat the heck out of camel saddle soreness.
We camped for two nights on sand dunes under the stars. The dunes we slept on were about the only dunes we saw each day. Most of the landscape looked like Eastern Washinton or Eastern Colorado, with only a few actual dunes. Nothing like my mind's eye. Desert King and the other drivers prepared dinner each night of rice, chapati (bread) and dal (lentils) that we each ate with our sandy fingers. Then we all sat around a camp fire getting to know each other and listed to the guides sing. Each guide banged on an empty water bottle or a metal plate for rhythm and sang beautiful indian songs. Though one driver also sang a camel driver version of Barbie Girl by Aqua, that was particularly entertaining.
Once dinner was complete the drivers washed the metal dishes by putting a little water on them then rubbing them with sand all over. When no more sand stuck to the wet/dirty parts, the plate was deemed clean; Surprisingly effective.
The rest of the trip was spent enjoying the silent walking, the star filled sky, the hot sun...and farting camels.
Our trek started on Sunday morning where we met our fellow trekers at the travel office in the fort in Jaisalmer. Eleven people, including us, were on the trip. There were three people from Australia, two from Israel, two from Spain, and four Americans (though one was a native of India, but lives in SF now). Erin and I were likely the oldest, but most were between about 25 and 28. We left our big bags at the travel office and took off with our small day bags and water. The first stop on the tour was the German bakery down the hill to get some chai and cinnamon rolls.
One breakfast was done we loaded into two jeeps and drove over the bumpy roads for about an hour where we met up with our camels and camel drivers. Quite a sight to see 11 camels sitting in the desert waiting for us. Erin and I figured the only other time we'd each been close to camels was at the Zoo when we were about 10. The best description is that they appear prehistoric with giant muscular legs, huge feet, and the trademark big hump. They all make noises like Chubbakah from Star Wars; that is when they aren't farting, which they do frequently.
Each camel was loaded with a saddle that had three parts, one for the rider, one for the hump and one for the cargo each carried. Each was loaded down with blankets, 5 gallon water jugs, feed for the camels, food, our bags, Dave and Alan's sleeping bags, bags of fruit the guides gave each of us, and everything else we would need. Each camel waiting for us was sitting down on its haunches waiting for us to load up. Once we sat on the camel, it was an awkward dance where the camel stood up first on its back legs, almost pitching us off, then up on the front. Once standing we were seated about 7 feet off the ground.
Once we were all loaded up, the camels started walking. We were given no instructions on how to control them or steer, just given the reigns and the camel knew the way. We trusted our fearless camel driver, whom we were told to call Desert King. He looked like he had been on a million safaris, eaten lots of sand and been abused by lots of desert sun and chain-smoked cigarettes. Only later did we learn that he was 32; he easily looked 50. He regailed us at lunch one day talking about his 6 children, 25 year old wife (whom he was engaged to from the time she was 4 and he 11).
The camels lumbered along in the desert for a couple of hours and literally caused a pain in the ass. After the first leg, I thought I'd try one more leg. About an hour into the second leg I asked Desert King to lower my camel, Sonia Gandhi, so I could begin walking with the five others who had already given up on riding camels. Erin dismounted from Sanjay after the first leg as well. While Erin continued to walk some and then ride some, I walked for the rest of the trip. I probably walked for about an hour the first day, 6 hours the second, and 2 hours today. I guess that would be about 25 miles of desert walking...but it beat the heck out of camel saddle soreness.
We camped for two nights on sand dunes under the stars. The dunes we slept on were about the only dunes we saw each day. Most of the landscape looked like Eastern Washinton or Eastern Colorado, with only a few actual dunes. Nothing like my mind's eye. Desert King and the other drivers prepared dinner each night of rice, chapati (bread) and dal (lentils) that we each ate with our sandy fingers. Then we all sat around a camp fire getting to know each other and listed to the guides sing. Each guide banged on an empty water bottle or a metal plate for rhythm and sang beautiful indian songs. Though one driver also sang a camel driver version of Barbie Girl by Aqua, that was particularly entertaining.
Once dinner was complete the drivers washed the metal dishes by putting a little water on them then rubbing them with sand all over. When no more sand stuck to the wet/dirty parts, the plate was deemed clean; Surprisingly effective.
The rest of the trip was spent enjoying the silent walking, the star filled sky, the hot sun...and farting camels.
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Jaisalmer
Today we are in Jaisalmer which is basically in the desert in the far western part of India. Jaisalmer is yet another beautiful city in India. Since it is in the desert, all of the buildings are constructed out of sand stone. At the center of the city is a hill with a fort built on the top. The fort was first built about 900 years ago and still contains a whole active community of restaurants/cafes, hotels, temples and a museum. From the roof you can see all of Jaisalmer and the sandstone colored flat-roofed buildings.
The other amazing architectural fact here is that since the buildings are of a more carveable sandstone, they are all intrically detailed in beautiful patterns, animals, and other figures. The pictures are amazing (but the internet connections are a little slow to load them here).
Tomorrow we are off on a camel safari through the desert. We are going in a group of no more than 8 people where we walk through the desert for 5 hours a day, each with our own camel, and sleep under the stars for two nights. There will be no tents; we will sleep on mattresses, covered by blankets, right under the stars on top of a sand dune. My biggest fear is the cold. We have sleeping bags, but it gets down to about 50 degrees at night. Hopefully there really are a lot of blankets.
Needless to say, updates will be delayed for a few days while we are bouncing around on camels.
Again, hope everyone is well.
Ted and Erin
The other amazing architectural fact here is that since the buildings are of a more carveable sandstone, they are all intrically detailed in beautiful patterns, animals, and other figures. The pictures are amazing (but the internet connections are a little slow to load them here).
Tomorrow we are off on a camel safari through the desert. We are going in a group of no more than 8 people where we walk through the desert for 5 hours a day, each with our own camel, and sleep under the stars for two nights. There will be no tents; we will sleep on mattresses, covered by blankets, right under the stars on top of a sand dune. My biggest fear is the cold. We have sleeping bags, but it gets down to about 50 degrees at night. Hopefully there really are a lot of blankets.
Needless to say, updates will be delayed for a few days while we are bouncing around on camels.
Again, hope everyone is well.
Ted and Erin
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Transportation
While we have struggled with planes, trains and automobiles here in India, we have seen so many other forms of transportation as well. The most common is the auto-rickshaw (known as a tuk-tuk in Bangkok). It's basically a three-wheeled golf cart with a maniac driver and room for two people in back and a horn apparently hooked to the brake. We take these things everywhere for pennies. This morning we took an auto-rickshaw across town (maybe 5 miles), where he waited for us, drove us back to the city for a mere 100 rupees ($2); i think we may have even over-paid.
More common among the locals are scooters and motorcycles. The men and women who drive these are as crazy as anyone, weaving and bobbing through packed, narrow city streets. I am particularly amazed by the motorcycles carrying capacity. We saw a whole family of 4 riding down the street on one moped. Generally, women riding on the back sit sideways with both legs on the same side of the bike. I really don't understand how they don't fall off.
The more interesting forms include camels, elephants, horses, donkeys, bicycles, push-carts. All of these carry everything you can imagine: bricks, rocks, children, people to work, construction material. It generally seems that the smaller the vehicle the more it carries.
We're scheduled for our first bus trip tonight. It is the super deluxe bus, with a sleeper compartment for an overnight trip. We're hoping it will be okay...afterall we did spend $5 each for the planned 12 hour journey.
Ted
More common among the locals are scooters and motorcycles. The men and women who drive these are as crazy as anyone, weaving and bobbing through packed, narrow city streets. I am particularly amazed by the motorcycles carrying capacity. We saw a whole family of 4 riding down the street on one moped. Generally, women riding on the back sit sideways with both legs on the same side of the bike. I really don't understand how they don't fall off.
The more interesting forms include camels, elephants, horses, donkeys, bicycles, push-carts. All of these carry everything you can imagine: bricks, rocks, children, people to work, construction material. It generally seems that the smaller the vehicle the more it carries.
We're scheduled for our first bus trip tonight. It is the super deluxe bus, with a sleeper compartment for an overnight trip. We're hoping it will be okay...afterall we did spend $5 each for the planned 12 hour journey.
Ted
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Train-ing
The hardest part of our trip so far has been transportation between cities. We have relied almost exclusively on trains thus far. The first adventure was getting from Delhi to Sawai Modhopur. We tried to act tough at the Delhi train station as people in red jackets kept trying to grab our bags. Little did we know that they were licensed porters who are actually very helpful at making sure you are standing in the right place and getting on the right train. We could have used their help; though we didn't in Delhi. Instead, being the only westerners on the train platform we relied instead on walking up to wealthier looking Indians to ask if they spoke english and could point us the right way. Finally, one of them went over and asked a porter who ultimately directed us. Now we trust the porters. A tip of 10 rupees (~25 cents) per bag gets us just where we need to be.
The other lesson is on the different classes of trains. There is ordinary class, which looks just like the movies where there are people smashed in like cattle, first class, AC second class, AC third class, non AC sleeper, two tier compartments, three tier compartments...Regardless they are all packed with people. Though you think you have an assigned seat, there really aren't assigned seats...the faster you move, the better seat you get. We made the mistake of not stretching out on our assigned seats, so others would just crowd in and sit next to us. The smart people stretch out at the stops and act asleep so that no one will sit near them.
On one trip that lasted a mere hour, we paid about $1 for our train ticket and then someone from our hotel helped us bribe a conductor to sit in a first class cabin. We wound up paying about $20 for the first class bunk - all of which went straight into the pocket of the conductor. Erin asked for a receipt -- he looked at me and laughed.
On our trip from Bundi to Jaipur, we bought a ticket for an ordinary train, there was not first or second class. We wound up sitting in a pair of benches with 5 other men for the first part (3.5 hours) of the trip. It was quite crowded. On the second leg, we noticed a first class car on the train, so we just walked into a cabin and sat down. Figuring a twenty dollar bribe would be worth the seat for the next three hours. Turns out we got an honest conductor who sold us the seat for an additional $6. 7 hours on the train, 3.5 hours of which was first class cost a total of $7. I think we're starting to get the hang of it.
The trash in India is amazing as well. While it is a beautiful country, it is very polluted and there is trash everywhere. On the train you could see trash all over the tracks. While waiting between two cars to get off the train, we saw how much of the trash gets on the tracks. There was a stack of food trays near the door to the "dining" car loaded with used aluminum trays, napkins, and other trash. An attendant squatted next to the trays and proceeded to dump the contents of each tray through a crack between the cars, right onto the tracks. Similar in the bathroom on the trains where you look down the hole of the toilet and see the tracks moving by underneath. It all starts coming together....
The other lesson is on the different classes of trains. There is ordinary class, which looks just like the movies where there are people smashed in like cattle, first class, AC second class, AC third class, non AC sleeper, two tier compartments, three tier compartments...Regardless they are all packed with people. Though you think you have an assigned seat, there really aren't assigned seats...the faster you move, the better seat you get. We made the mistake of not stretching out on our assigned seats, so others would just crowd in and sit next to us. The smart people stretch out at the stops and act asleep so that no one will sit near them.
On one trip that lasted a mere hour, we paid about $1 for our train ticket and then someone from our hotel helped us bribe a conductor to sit in a first class cabin. We wound up paying about $20 for the first class bunk - all of which went straight into the pocket of the conductor. Erin asked for a receipt -- he looked at me and laughed.
On our trip from Bundi to Jaipur, we bought a ticket for an ordinary train, there was not first or second class. We wound up sitting in a pair of benches with 5 other men for the first part (3.5 hours) of the trip. It was quite crowded. On the second leg, we noticed a first class car on the train, so we just walked into a cabin and sat down. Figuring a twenty dollar bribe would be worth the seat for the next three hours. Turns out we got an honest conductor who sold us the seat for an additional $6. 7 hours on the train, 3.5 hours of which was first class cost a total of $7. I think we're starting to get the hang of it.
The trash in India is amazing as well. While it is a beautiful country, it is very polluted and there is trash everywhere. On the train you could see trash all over the tracks. While waiting between two cars to get off the train, we saw how much of the trash gets on the tracks. There was a stack of food trays near the door to the "dining" car loaded with used aluminum trays, napkins, and other trash. An attendant squatted next to the trays and proceeded to dump the contents of each tray through a crack between the cars, right onto the tracks. Similar in the bathroom on the trains where you look down the hole of the toilet and see the tracks moving by underneath. It all starts coming together....
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Beautiful Bundi
Today we write from the small, beautiful, off the beaten track town of Bundi. We are staying at a great little hotel, about 12 rooms, right in the shadow of an amazing 400 year old palace of the Maharaja of Bundi. In fact the Maharaja lived in the palace until 1951.
We arrived last night and walked through the bustling, packed village and witnessed a wedding procession through the town. It was unlike anything we've seen. There was a parade of about 50 people led by a wagon blaring a combination of chants and techno/electronica. Following him was a man in a suit doing a crazy dance (reminded me of my uncle Tommy for some reason). After them was the groom riding a burrow. Following the burrow was the bride surrounded by about 30 other women. Wrapped around the whole procession were about 20 young boys carrying poles with two 4' long fluorescent lights each powered by a generator at the rear of the procession. Very different.
Today we got up early and walked to the top of the hill and the entrance to the palace. We were up too early, even Erin, and the palace wasn't open, but we were greeted by about 1,000 monkeys climbing up and over all the walls. After breakfast, we were able to go on a tour of the palace. It was amazing. Apparently it was made of a type of very hard stone that wasn't very carveable. So instead, the entire palace was painted with intricate murals. Most of the murals had weathered away, but there were still several places, such as in the Maharani sleeping area, and the Maharaja sleeping area, where they were still intact. Beautiful, intricate, almost 400 year old murals painted in amazing colors, gold, stained glass and mirrors. The entire palace sits on top of about a 500 foot hill and the views are breathtaking. When standing up top we looked over the town of blue-walled, flat-roofed buildings and could see monkeys running and jumping from roof to roof. The whole place reminded me of an Indiana Jones movie. Amazing.
Tomorrow we are off to Udaipur for about three days. We are getting lots of walking in today before a 7 hour train ride tomorrow.
We hope all are well and enjoyed a great Thanksgiving.
Ted and Erin
We arrived last night and walked through the bustling, packed village and witnessed a wedding procession through the town. It was unlike anything we've seen. There was a parade of about 50 people led by a wagon blaring a combination of chants and techno/electronica. Following him was a man in a suit doing a crazy dance (reminded me of my uncle Tommy for some reason). After them was the groom riding a burrow. Following the burrow was the bride surrounded by about 30 other women. Wrapped around the whole procession were about 20 young boys carrying poles with two 4' long fluorescent lights each powered by a generator at the rear of the procession. Very different.
Today we got up early and walked to the top of the hill and the entrance to the palace. We were up too early, even Erin, and the palace wasn't open, but we were greeted by about 1,000 monkeys climbing up and over all the walls. After breakfast, we were able to go on a tour of the palace. It was amazing. Apparently it was made of a type of very hard stone that wasn't very carveable. So instead, the entire palace was painted with intricate murals. Most of the murals had weathered away, but there were still several places, such as in the Maharani sleeping area, and the Maharaja sleeping area, where they were still intact. Beautiful, intricate, almost 400 year old murals painted in amazing colors, gold, stained glass and mirrors. The entire palace sits on top of about a 500 foot hill and the views are breathtaking. When standing up top we looked over the town of blue-walled, flat-roofed buildings and could see monkeys running and jumping from roof to roof. The whole place reminded me of an Indiana Jones movie. Amazing.
Tomorrow we are off to Udaipur for about three days. We are getting lots of walking in today before a 7 hour train ride tomorrow.
We hope all are well and enjoyed a great Thanksgiving.
Ted and Erin
Saturday, November 27, 2004
Tiger Safari
After three crazy days in Delhi, we decided to head for the hills to go on a Tiger safari in Ranthambore National Park. We are staying at a very cool former hunting lodge of the Maharaja of Jaipur. The national park used to be his private game reserve. We went on three different safaris and saw lots of spotted deer, somber deer, blue bulls (giant antelopes), paraketes, vultures, mongoose, crocodiles, a thousand year old fort on the top of a mountain, but no tigers. We did, however, see a million monkeys, one of which jumped on our truck and tried to steal our driver's hat. All in all well worth the $3 per safari fee.
We are leaving Sawai Modhopur today and heading for Bundi, which is supposed to be a cool town. We are working our way toward Jaisalmer where we will be going on a camel safari for a few days.
Now that we have time and space to relax a little, we've thought about all we learned in Delhi. Such as:
1. How to spell Delhi - D-O-O-K-I-E
2. If you ignore beggars long enough they lose interest and go away
3. Always keep your arms and legs inside an autorickshaw, less they be severed in tight traffic circles.
4. Expect your boogers to be brownish-black and to develop a never-ending cough
5. Too many people, not enough space - expect to constantly be pressed tight to the person in front of you.
6. The only place we've ever been where we love the suburbs. We stayed in Sunder Nagar, a quiet gated community that gave quiet and peace a whole new meaning.
7. Don't let Ted control money or negotiations.
8. Don't let Erin control a map or directions.
9. Thank god we randomly threw a bag of cough drops in the medical kit.
Well that's about all for now. We will try to keep this up to date, but internet access can be difficult. Please leave comments or drop us an email. When we get more time and a better computer, we will load up some pictures from our trip so far.
Ted and Erin
We are leaving Sawai Modhopur today and heading for Bundi, which is supposed to be a cool town. We are working our way toward Jaisalmer where we will be going on a camel safari for a few days.
Now that we have time and space to relax a little, we've thought about all we learned in Delhi. Such as:
1. How to spell Delhi - D-O-O-K-I-E
2. If you ignore beggars long enough they lose interest and go away
3. Always keep your arms and legs inside an autorickshaw, less they be severed in tight traffic circles.
4. Expect your boogers to be brownish-black and to develop a never-ending cough
5. Too many people, not enough space - expect to constantly be pressed tight to the person in front of you.
6. The only place we've ever been where we love the suburbs. We stayed in Sunder Nagar, a quiet gated community that gave quiet and peace a whole new meaning.
7. Don't let Ted control money or negotiations.
8. Don't let Erin control a map or directions.
9. Thank god we randomly threw a bag of cough drops in the medical kit.
Well that's about all for now. We will try to keep this up to date, but internet access can be difficult. Please leave comments or drop us an email. When we get more time and a better computer, we will load up some pictures from our trip so far.
Ted and Erin
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Delhi is crazy!!
Well, we have made it safely to Delhi including a couple of adventures already. The flights were uneventful, though very long. Once we made it to the Delhi airport, we were overwhelmed with the number of people holding signs for others as well as the taxi situation for getting to our hotel. We thought we had it licked when we paid for a prepaid cab and the very nice driver escorted us past the throngs of people, and five wandering bulls in the parking lot to our cab. He was very nice, until he told us he was lost and had to stop for directions to the hotel. Ted, of course, fell for it and went inside, though Erin knew we were about to get scammed. Sure enough, we were about to get scammed. Thankfully we escaped their elaborate set-up where they tried to make us believe we didn't really have reservations. Once we convinced them we wouldn't fall for their game (at least Erin convinced them), they actually drove us to our hotel, where they then got a tongue lashing from the doorman at our hotel who we told about their scam. Ever since, things have been crazy, but good. There are crazy autorickshaw drivers, billions of people, smog, dirt, poverty, heat...and we love every minute of it.
Tomorrow we are getting on the train and heading to Rathambhore National Park for a little relaxation. We'll talk to you more soon.
Ted and Erin
Tomorrow we are getting on the train and heading to Rathambhore National Park for a little relaxation. We'll talk to you more soon.
Ted and Erin
Monday, November 15, 2004
Getting ready!
Well, it's 6:15 am on day one of Erin and Ted's big adventure. We are packed and ready to go.
We will plan to update this blog on a fairly regular basis as we are traveling, so rather than inundate you with email that you may not want to read, you can come here to check out where we are and what we are doing.
Once we turn off the computer today, we will start our long, long, long trip to New Delhi. Today's agenda is to fly from Seattle to Vancouver to Toronto to New Delhi. I believe we land in New Delhi a mere 28 hours from the time we depart.
Wish us luck and have a great weekend.
Ted and Erin
We will plan to update this blog on a fairly regular basis as we are traveling, so rather than inundate you with email that you may not want to read, you can come here to check out where we are and what we are doing.
Once we turn off the computer today, we will start our long, long, long trip to New Delhi. Today's agenda is to fly from Seattle to Vancouver to Toronto to New Delhi. I believe we land in New Delhi a mere 28 hours from the time we depart.
Wish us luck and have a great weekend.
Ted and Erin
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