Friday, May 27, 2005
Home Sweet Home
We're home. We were met at the Frankfurt gate and whisked to our connecting flight in a special bus but our luggage was not afforded the same courtesy. No big deal, they've said they'll deliver it to us at home tonight.
Ah, it's good to be home. To take a shower and not feel sweaty ten minutes afterwards, eat one of our favorite meals, drink a big glass of milk and sleep in my own bed. We're up a little early this morning (five thirty) but it's nothing another good night's sleep won't cure and then this jet lag thing will be nipped in the bud for good.
I don't really have any parting words yet, no great summary of what was what, what kind of impact this trip has had. That will take some time I guess, to process the crazy ride of the last four weeks. I will say this, I'll miss all the naan.
Until the next trip (we're talking about a wine tour of France)...
Ah, it's good to be home. To take a shower and not feel sweaty ten minutes afterwards, eat one of our favorite meals, drink a big glass of milk and sleep in my own bed. We're up a little early this morning (five thirty) but it's nothing another good night's sleep won't cure and then this jet lag thing will be nipped in the bud for good.
I don't really have any parting words yet, no great summary of what was what, what kind of impact this trip has had. That will take some time I guess, to process the crazy ride of the last four weeks. I will say this, I'll miss all the naan.
Until the next trip (we're talking about a wine tour of France)...
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Weekends on Palolem Beach
Our waiter at breakfast mentioned that there was a cyclone overnight down in Kerala. We haven't seen any ill effects here other than the waves are a little rougher today and the power went out a few times over night and this morning. The power going out is not unusual though, we've had blackouts in almost every city we've been in India, the power supply just cannot meet the demand of a billion people.
We've down to our last few rupees because in this small sea side town no one can cash a traveler's check on the weekends. Fortunately, unless we've indulging in the catch of the day (last night it was battered Kingfish with mashed potatoes seasoned with fresh cracked pepper, a rare treat compared to the fine powdered pepper they usually offer) an entire meal for two can be had for about five dollars when the same at The Glory of India on 4th ave costs about forty. Our shortage of funds isn't dire, it just means I'll have to wait till tomorrow to buy that bag I've had my eye on.
I may have to buy the newspaper today though. I've already finished The Da Vinci Code and am well on my way through a book of Dahl short stories. That brings us to end of the books we've bought or brought leaving me with nothing for the next couple of days. The bookshops here are few and far between. I guess I'll have to just stare lovingly at Lee until Tuesday ;)
We've down to our last few rupees because in this small sea side town no one can cash a traveler's check on the weekends. Fortunately, unless we've indulging in the catch of the day (last night it was battered Kingfish with mashed potatoes seasoned with fresh cracked pepper, a rare treat compared to the fine powdered pepper they usually offer) an entire meal for two can be had for about five dollars when the same at The Glory of India on 4th ave costs about forty. Our shortage of funds isn't dire, it just means I'll have to wait till tomorrow to buy that bag I've had my eye on.
I may have to buy the newspaper today though. I've already finished The Da Vinci Code and am well on my way through a book of Dahl short stories. That brings us to end of the books we've bought or brought leaving me with nothing for the next couple of days. The bookshops here are few and far between. I guess I'll have to just stare lovingly at Lee until Tuesday ;)
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Palolem
Imagine yourself a perfect day. Mine varies based on mood but mostly consists of sleep (not a single alarm clock in sight), good food, good weather, good books and good company. I seem to have found myself all of the above on Palolem beach.
Last night in a restaurant right on the beach we savored meaty prawns the size of golf balls slathered in garlic butter. We may just have seafood every night this week, the daily catch around here seems to always be lobster, prawns, kingfish and tuna, plenty to choose from.
I have a pet dog here too. She came up to me on the beach having just gone for a little swim and happily sat down to be pet. I named her Reema (after my childhood friend from across the parking lot) and shortly after she lay herself down between us on our blanket, much to my delight and Lee's dismay.
Palolem is lovely and is turning out to be the much needed rest from the rest of India. Certainly, there are Indian people here and they are as baffling as in the other parts but here we seem to co-exist with them rather then live at their mercy. We've both been smiling a lot more.
What will tomorrow entail? Perhaps a chocolate croissant for breakfast again? Will it be a Pepsi or a Limca with lunch? Maybe I'll finish reading The Godfather and move on to The Da Vinci Code?
Last night in a restaurant right on the beach we savored meaty prawns the size of golf balls slathered in garlic butter. We may just have seafood every night this week, the daily catch around here seems to always be lobster, prawns, kingfish and tuna, plenty to choose from.
I have a pet dog here too. She came up to me on the beach having just gone for a little swim and happily sat down to be pet. I named her Reema (after my childhood friend from across the parking lot) and shortly after she lay herself down between us on our blanket, much to my delight and Lee's dismay.
Palolem is lovely and is turning out to be the much needed rest from the rest of India. Certainly, there are Indian people here and they are as baffling as in the other parts but here we seem to co-exist with them rather then live at their mercy. We've both been smiling a lot more.
What will tomorrow entail? Perhaps a chocolate croissant for breakfast again? Will it be a Pepsi or a Limca with lunch? Maybe I'll finish reading The Godfather and move on to The Da Vinci Code?
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Back to Mumbai (and back to blogging)
We've been busy, being a little sick (with mild colds and the runs) and squeezing in the required sights in some undesirable stops by arriving on a morning train and leaving the same night... Leaving no time free for journaling.
Varanasi was awesome, mostly because we took the advice of the guy at tourist information desk at the train station and signed ourselves up for a guided tour, sticking pretty close to our rather nice hotel otherwise. Aside from a close call with a rather scary looking monkey only inches from my face, we made it out of Varanasi unharmed and took the train to Agra.
Having completely mastered India's complicated train schedule and reservation system (I'm thinking of opening my own travel shop for foreign travelers), it hadn't occurred to either of us that perhaps we should verify if the Taj Mahal was in fact open. Lo and behold, we train it in to town with plans to see the Taj and high tail it out to Jalgaon six hours later only to find it closed. Yes, closed. The Taj Mahal closes. We did the best we could, walking around the outside, getting some good pictures but it wasn't quite the tour we were hoping for. It did give us some time to see another mosque/mausoleum known as The Baby Taj which was pretty nice.
The Ajanta Caves at Jalgaon were impressive, as was the forty five minute public bus ride with little indication of where to get off or if it was even going in the right direction. I enjoyed the Ellora Caves at Aurangabad (the next day) far more, having finally got my bowels under control. Also, instead of getting involved in another public transport ordeal we hired an autorickshaw to take us out there and wait while we toured, a brilliant idea and it turned out to be a rather nice ride.
There a parts of India that are jaw-droppingly beautiful, this part (the middle south?), has me gazing out the window in wonder most of the time. Tonight we board the train to Goa to spend five much needed, much longed for days on one of the worlds most pristine unspoiled beaches. The plan is to find ourselves a beach hut (seriously) and swim and read all the illegally reproduced novels we intend to buy on the streets of Mumbai today. I'm hoping some deliberate tanning will even out the sun induced freckle mustache I've been sporting for the last couple of weeks. Everyone in India has a mustache, but I've had mine long enough.
One more thing...
Happy Birthday Lee!
Varanasi was awesome, mostly because we took the advice of the guy at tourist information desk at the train station and signed ourselves up for a guided tour, sticking pretty close to our rather nice hotel otherwise. Aside from a close call with a rather scary looking monkey only inches from my face, we made it out of Varanasi unharmed and took the train to Agra.
Having completely mastered India's complicated train schedule and reservation system (I'm thinking of opening my own travel shop for foreign travelers), it hadn't occurred to either of us that perhaps we should verify if the Taj Mahal was in fact open. Lo and behold, we train it in to town with plans to see the Taj and high tail it out to Jalgaon six hours later only to find it closed. Yes, closed. The Taj Mahal closes. We did the best we could, walking around the outside, getting some good pictures but it wasn't quite the tour we were hoping for. It did give us some time to see another mosque/mausoleum known as The Baby Taj which was pretty nice.
The Ajanta Caves at Jalgaon were impressive, as was the forty five minute public bus ride with little indication of where to get off or if it was even going in the right direction. I enjoyed the Ellora Caves at Aurangabad (the next day) far more, having finally got my bowels under control. Also, instead of getting involved in another public transport ordeal we hired an autorickshaw to take us out there and wait while we toured, a brilliant idea and it turned out to be a rather nice ride.
There a parts of India that are jaw-droppingly beautiful, this part (the middle south?), has me gazing out the window in wonder most of the time. Tonight we board the train to Goa to spend five much needed, much longed for days on one of the worlds most pristine unspoiled beaches. The plan is to find ourselves a beach hut (seriously) and swim and read all the illegally reproduced novels we intend to buy on the streets of Mumbai today. I'm hoping some deliberate tanning will even out the sun induced freckle mustache I've been sporting for the last couple of weeks. Everyone in India has a mustache, but I've had mine long enough.
One more thing...
Happy Birthday Lee!
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Back in Kolkata
The rest of India could take a tip (or five hundred) from Darjeeling. It's certainly the Tibetan and Nepalese influence, a slower pace of life, that prevails there. It could also be the clouds and fog, surrounding one comfortingly, slowing one's gait or it could be the hills that demand to be strolled along considerately. Seemingly, no one hurries in Darjeeling except for the long distance jeeps down on Hill Cart road.
Shopping was a joy, as stall minders and shop keepers offered only a hello and then stepped back to let you peruse their wares. Our travel fund took quite a hit there as we stocked up on Darjeeling tea and other souvenirs.
It was an unexpected honour to compare world views and travel tales with our host, Chow, a local man who found us wandering lost looking for accommodation and invited us home. We enjoyed tea and conversation with him that afternoon and the next day and before sending us off back down from the Himalayas was generous enough to show us his prayer room, even unwrapping Tibetan texts on handmade paper from which special mediation sessions with monks invited from the surrounding areas were conducted.
These days are ones that are going to be with me forever, looking at the pictures of the Dali Lama and other Buddhist artifacts in Chows home, sitting in a cafe watching the fog roll in and out over the mountains in the time it takes to drink a pot of tea with Lee, a man I never want to go anywhere without ever again. I hope the pictures we took can do the place justice, I just can't imagine how they will.
Today we're killing time in Kolkata again having arrived on the overnight train from New Jalpaiguri (the train station nearest Darjeeling, about three hours from). We leave for Gaya by train this afternoon.
Lee, happy one-year-anniversary-of-living-together. I love you.
Shopping was a joy, as stall minders and shop keepers offered only a hello and then stepped back to let you peruse their wares. Our travel fund took quite a hit there as we stocked up on Darjeeling tea and other souvenirs.
It was an unexpected honour to compare world views and travel tales with our host, Chow, a local man who found us wandering lost looking for accommodation and invited us home. We enjoyed tea and conversation with him that afternoon and the next day and before sending us off back down from the Himalayas was generous enough to show us his prayer room, even unwrapping Tibetan texts on handmade paper from which special mediation sessions with monks invited from the surrounding areas were conducted.
These days are ones that are going to be with me forever, looking at the pictures of the Dali Lama and other Buddhist artifacts in Chows home, sitting in a cafe watching the fog roll in and out over the mountains in the time it takes to drink a pot of tea with Lee, a man I never want to go anywhere without ever again. I hope the pictures we took can do the place justice, I just can't imagine how they will.
Today we're killing time in Kolkata again having arrived on the overnight train from New Jalpaiguri (the train station nearest Darjeeling, about three hours from). We leave for Gaya by train this afternoon.
Lee, happy one-year-anniversary-of-living-together. I love you.
