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Published: February 3rd 2006
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Our Indian visa expires in 28 days and with all of South India and the Golden Triangle yet to be covered, we're starting to feel a pinch. It's hard to squeeze the whole of India in a span of 4 weeks so we're troubling over the itinerary. There's a game show I once saw on the Food Network called Market Madness or something, where contestants are given just one minute to make a mad dash around a grocery store to procure their pickings of supermarket booty. So the dilemma is always, Should I go for the big-ticket items like shrimp or Grey Poupon that are normally out of my range (in this uninspired analogy, these inaccessible big-ticket items refer to the Taj Mahal, forts of Rajasthan, nightlife of Bombay) or stock up on the more practical items that I'm certain to enjoy like animal crackers and beef jerky (laid-back beaches of Goa, Kerala). Quite the pickle (which of course would fall under the category of practical items), but we intend to work it out somehow.
So Havelock was great for the week but we gotta keep keepin' on, so we're hurrying back to the mainland. Only problem was we hadn't
reserved the boat back to Chennai and we ended up having to stay in Port Blair for another 5 days (I guess it's not so bad to be stuck on a resort island). Getting a ticket for the ship can be a real summumabitch. Indian bureaucracy is like a woman on her period-- unpredictable, impossible to understand, and sometimes it's just altogether a messy situation (well there goes my female readership). Processing offices don't open when they say they will, employees will read the paper and eat lunch in front of you while you wait for them to finish (not unlike the slags at the Brooklyn Tow Yard-- you spiteful bastards!), and though people do keep an orderly line 'for the most part', you still have a few of the jackasses who play dumb and walk to the front of the line to peruse the signboard, only to nonchalantly slip right in at the last moment. The whole ordeal is expected drop frenzy so there's a healthy police presence to keep things in order. But when it runs amiss, and it will most certainleedoo, the police brutality is OBSCENE-- no guns, no pepper spray, just a heavy, head-boppin' rattan cane
to thump the mess out of ya if you makes trouble. A few shoving matches naturally transpired and the Hit Parade commenced-- with jowels dripping, the club kids came in a-bashing with such abandon the LAPD would've been proud. It's a bit stressful but a bit of bribery, or blonde hair and a feign of ignorance, MIGHT get the guards on your side who will then shuttle you to the front. Carolee was just so lucky and once she secured our tickets we were at ease to enjoy the remaining 3 days in Port Blair.
Got a motorbike again, but this one not as reliable as the Honda Hero we sported in Havelock. Most of the first day I tore up my ankle trying to kickstart it until it finally conked out and I had to roll it to a shop. When I asked the mechanic how much the repair would be, I braced for the usual non-consensual liberties that the Pep Boys take with me at home but the guy said only 20 rupees (50 cents!). I could've hugged him right on the spot had it not been for his greazy exterior and the fact that he was a large, extremely gruff man. So with fully functional bike in hand, we headed out of the confusion that is Port Blair. The first day we went out to Wandoor which is an hour SE of town and the next day, Chidya Tapu, an hour SW. Both were ravaged by last year's tsunami so we chose not to swim with all the litter strewn about. But we were privy to some fantastic views off the shore. We took a ferry across to Ross Island which was once deemed the "Paris of the East" in its headier days when it was settled by the British upper-crust. But with an earthquake in the 40's and a takeover by the Japanese during WWII it went through a stage of irreparable decay. Now it's just plain eerie to visit the dilapidated colonial mansions and churches which are fast becoming swallowed up by massive tree roots. So the island dance comes to an end. We'll be rushing through the sub-continent over the next few weeks so will hopefully have greater tales to tell (to those who choose to continue to read the blog).
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Shanna
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Your day sounds much better than mine!
It's 8pm and I'm still in the flippen office! I have had the day from "HELL" and you know what kind of day that is cause you've been there! I need a vacation like NOW. I told Larry I want to do this trip and he thinks I'm NUTS! I guess when you get back you'll need to convince him!!! XO