that_same_errant
Anthony Marris Joined: July 10th 2007
Logged in: October 20th 2010
Logged in: October 20th 2010
Travel Blog Posts
Sunset from Harshavaradhana
So, once, again, it's been a long time since I made an effort to make an entry here. I wish I could say it's because I've been too busy, but the truth is I simply haven't done anything new and exciting in a while. I'm still in Calcutta, but I have had a couple of exploits since last time, and I do have some pictures to share. My first little trip involved about three days spent on a boat (each way) in order to get to the Andaman Islands, which were brilliant. It was admittedly kind of a whim, but I had a really great time, and I'm definitely glad that my impulsiveness led me there. Like most good stories, that of my trip to the Islands begins with a party on the roof of the ... read more
I'm not sure if Calcutta already has a motto or not, but if it does have one, it should definitely be "the show must go on." I've been here for nigh on three weeks now, and if I've learned one thing in that time it's that the indomitable spirit of the Bengali people is formidable. Come Hell or high water, nothing will ever destroy the spirit of these people, and I have a literal example to offer in order to make this point clear. On one of my first days here, a certain group of people in the city decided that it was a good idea to hold a two-day longbandh, or strike, in essence. It's a difficult thing to understand, let alone explain, but suffice it to say that a large enough crowd was unhappy ... read more
Stuart Lane
Well, most of you probably already have heard that Kathmandu was kind of a bust. Long story short, I had some trouble finding something to do during the day- that is to say- I found nothing to do during the day. So I packed up and left. However, I really did have some fun and met some great people here and there. One thing that I really want to write about is this experience I had in the wee hours of the morning on one of my last days there: One of my more subdued nights in town yielded a couple of interesting new friends. I was sitting on the roof with my guitar minding my own business when I heard some voices coming up the stairs. They belonged to a couple of fellow travelers- Michelle ... read more
Border Closing Ceremony
“I think I’m going to Kathmandu. That’s really, really where I’m going to. If I ever get out of here, That’s what I’m gonna do. K-k-k-k-k-k Kathmandu. I think that’s really where I’m going to. If I ever get out of here, I’m going to Kathmandu.” Triumphant Return to the Cyber World Well, it’s been a while, but with a little encouragement from the parents, I finally got around to posting another entry. You may want to hunker down with a cup of tea or something though, because I have a feeling it’s going to be a long one. Right now I’m sitting in a Cyber Café in an unbelievably crowded part of Kathmandu. But a lot has happened since Manali: I traveled from South India by plane to Amritsar via Delhi, where I took care ... read more
Kanniyakumari
Well, it's officially past the two week mark since I started my trip, and I think I'm definitely getting better and better at this traveling thing. I'm beginning to feel almost at home no matter where I am. Speaking of where I am, I am sitting in a "cyber-cafe" in Kollam, the gateway to the Keralan backwaters. The trip from Pondicherry yielded several new friends, and we decided that we'd pool our money to rent a houseboat for a couple of days. I can say without hesitation that this was the single best decision I have made so far, with the exception perhaps of my decision to come to India in the first place. First I met Birte and Christian, a couple from Germany that I rode on a bus from Pondicherry to Madurai with. They're ... read more
Leopold Cafe
So I finally made it here last night, after a grueling week of on-and-off travel. Here's how it went: I flew out of New York on Monday evening, just after it got dark. My neighbor on the plane was an elderly Russian woman whose husband teaches Political Science at Brown. She told me about a tea that I could drink that would help keep mosquitos away, but I can't remember what it was. Oh well. After I arrived in Bombay, I stayed (against my better judgement) at the first hotel that was pitched to me. I was exhausted, so I would have settled for anything, but in retrospect, I wish I had thought more carefully about it. It was overpriced, cramped, and the service was... well... non-existent. It was air-conditioned though, so I took a nap, ... read more
So here I am, less than two months away from my departure. One might think that I'd be growing increasingly anxious as the date approached, but thanks to a constant stream of disappointing events, I find myself not being able to contain my excitement and zeal for my trip, and can certainly find no reason to be apprehensive about it. I need to make myself remember to call the Department of Health so that they can hook me up with some anti-malarial drugs. I've been told that they cost upwards of $7 per pill here in the U.S., but less than $1 in India, and to take my perscription on the road with me so that I can get the bulk of what I need upon arrival. Can anyone confirm this little tidbit of advice? Malaria ... read more
