Chicka Bow Bow

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Work has been well... interesting!! Still only 1 computer at computer class so not much work being done. Think the girls like that though... they use class as a chance to get together, gossip and listen to music lol. Afternoon work has on the whole been ok but was made even more special when we were invited to visit Anu's, (one of my girls) house for tea which was a great but slightly odd experience.

We trundled up to her house which was in a small courtyard full of little, almost bungalow like houses. Not being too sure which one was hers we hung around talking very loudly in the hope that she was hear us. The houses didn't have doors that we could have knocked on... just curtains and I didn't really wanna walk right into someones house. Luckily she did hear us and we were brought and instructed to sit down in what was a bedroom, come living room area. She switched on the tv then disappeared off upstairs for what seemed like an eternity, leaving Keri and I twiddling our thumbs in tune with the Hindi music blaring on the tv. Eventually she came back carrying glasses of chai and these little spicy rice crackery things that Indians seem to eat all the time. She then went off again leaving Keri & I just sitting there in a rather uncomfortable fashion.

It was then time for the tour of her house... basically it was set over 2 levels with only one big open space on each level. There was no running water, electricity only on the ground floor and a nice outhouse that I think was used by all the houses in their little cul de sac. The ceilings were really low and to get upstairs we climbed up these extremely steep wooden steps with the help of a rope. Imagine that after a night on the town :P Upstairs was where the kitchen was and this is typical of most Indian houses. Again the ceiling was very low and there was one tiny window in which to let light in. Unfortunately it also lets the rain in too. It was, unfortunately raining at the time so we also found out that there were holes in her roof too. Glad I brought that waterproof.

The kitchen is exactly as I'd expected an Indian kitchen to be. There was no running water. Water was collected in the morning in a huge bucket... god knows how they got that up the stairs then used for washing, cooking, drinking etc. They had an open fire and fuel of choice was wood, I can imagine it must get pretty smokey when cooking as the room wasn't ventilated at all. All the spices were kept in little jars stacked neatly on shelves above rows of stainless steel crockery. The dinner table was, of course, the floor which was painted in a strange teal colour that dyed your skin. Now I understand why Anu always has green hands and feet. We sat in the kitchen, waiting for the rain to go off. She took pleasure in force feeding us biscuits... a whole packet of them aswell. And she wouldn't stop until they were all done. Luckily they didn't taste too bad. People here are so hospitable, refusing anything is just not allowed which can be difficult when they're offering you something that's either entirely disgusting or that will make you sick. Another strange thing they do is feed you like a baby. Still can't get my head around that and pray that they've washed their hands!!!

It was weird and slightly uncomfortable as in the kitchen we sat in silence most of the time, with her mum, brother and her mums friend just looking at us and smiling. I think in a weird way they were proud to have 2 white girls sitting in their kitchen. Well that was the impression I got anyways. It certainly was good to see how they live as sometimes walking along the street I forget that I'm in India. Though more often than not that lasts for a mere second, it just takes the honking of a car horn at a cow in the road to remind me.

This week we have spent alot of time wandering the surrounding countryside. We have discovered a little haven by the river, just down the road, which is so beautiful. It's nice just to walk down and hang out there listening to the water crash over the boulders disappearing into the horizon. The sun sets around 7pm ish but dinner is a 7pm so we haven't yet seen the sunset, it would be awesome down by the river. I haven't really been sleeping well... infact at all recently and the other night I lay there thinking that it would be nice to go down there to watch the sun rise. But before I'd even realised, the sun was up and shining!! Well out went that idea. I will do it once before I leave Palampur as it really is beautiful with the mountains in the background etc.

Keri & I also decided that we definately wanted to fly to Goa after our volunteering finished so we set off to the internet cafe to book our flights only to find that they don't accept international credit cards. Pain in the backside. But all was ok, we were reliably informed that there was indeed a travel agent in Palampur who would sort it all out for us. Wayhey we though, that will take all the hassle away from us and will only take half an hour or so. Boy were we wrong.

We set off on the long walk to the main bus stand where we were told the travel agent was just down the road on the right hand side of it. Didn't sound at all difficult but what we failed to realise that we were in India so of course it wouldn't be that simple. We got where we thought was the right place and couldn't for the life of us see anything that resembled a travel agency or even signs for any and that was where the fun began.

We asked strange guy #1 "Do you know where the travel agents is?" And he replied after much hesitation, "Hmmmm... Do you know where the best, most famous restaraunt in Palampur is?". "Ummm no," I replied wanting to ask him whay that was at all relevant. "What is it called?".
"I'm not sure, but it's most famous in Palampur" pondered strange guy, "but just go up the road there about 500m, it's on the right hand side and you can enquire there." He then smiled an walked away, proud of himself for giving us such a help. Or not. How the hell were we meant to know what the most famous restaraunt in Palampur was!!!

So there we were walking back up the road, asking people in every eating establishment we passed "Do you know where the travel agents is?". We were met with many interesting responses. Strange guy #3 told us that it was "Far, far away from here". Great!! Then numerous people said "No, no, no." But yes, yes, yes we protested. We knew it was here, people had been there just last week! FRUSTRATION! By this stage we had asked about 15 people, walked for 3 hours all over town up down round and round to no avail. Then a jolly old guy with no teeth and a weird hat told us to try the hotel up the road. Good shout, I thought, being a hotel and all the'd be sure to know.

Strange guy #17 in the hotel smiled and nodded then ushered us over to the window where he confidently pointed to a teeny tiny little bookshop across the road and said "In there". Keri and I just looked at each other in disbelief. It was blatantly obvious that there was no travel agency there... you couldn't even get in the shop it was so full of books. But he was positive it was there so we gave it a try. I couldn't decide whether or not the guy a) didn't understand the question. b) was crazy. or c) was taking great pleasure in winding us up. I'm thinking c as I'm sure I saw him at the window laughing at us as we were told, no, this is not a travel agent. As if to rub salt in our wounds the lady pointed to the sign and said "Bookshop." That's what we said!!!!!!!!!!!

Eventually we were so exasperated we went back to camp to find someone who could give us better directions. As it turned out we'd been in the right place at the very start, just didn't see it because in true Indian style there wasn't a sign our front that "Travel Agent" It was basically an office in the back of a shop that sold hedgetrimmers and fertiliser and wheelbarrows. How silly of us not to look in there. To be fair it was probably the only place in Palampur we didn't look.

The travel agent turned out to be a great guy though, certainly blessed with the gift of the gab. He regailed us with tales of his school days and his army days and spoke alot about anything and everything. He was particuarly interested to speak to me because I was scottish and he had a love of whiskey. He went on and on and on about it and I didn't have the heart to tell him that I know nothing about and that I hate the stuff so I just nodded and smiled. Alot. And for what seemed like an eternity.

Eventually so much time had passed that office hours had closed so he couldn't call the airline to book our flights but he did say that he would do it asap. Here's hoping he does cos :It's better in Goa... mofo!!" (Mags Healy 2007)

It's like an emotional rollercoaster of epic proportions here sometimes. Everyday i'm angry, sad, happy, frustrated etc and to be honest it's getting a little old. By now I thought I'd be used to it but no... I'm still being caught out.

We did have apple pie and custard at camp again though. I was one happy, happy, happy girl 😊

Ali xx

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Photos

Bindraban
This is the view we have a quick jaunt up the road from camp.