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Published: January 18th 2012
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My first days in India, Pune is about 50km South of Khed I arrived in Pune in the afternoon on 7.12. at the home of a friend, Shashi, who I know from Berlin. On the way to Pune I saw maybe the worst dog so far: it had an open head, the half of its bones were missing so that you could look inside the head. It was wandering around as if nothing would be. Some flies were flying around it and some people were throwing rocks towards it.
Shashi also just arrived there the night before. The family and friends didnt know when he will arrive, it was a surprise for them. Shashi had to acclimate to India, the chaos, the noise and so on, he wasnt used to it any more. He couldnt believe that everybody was horning without any reason.
Since two weeks I had the first shower, great! In Pune I was staying for 2 weeks. It was a pity that Shashi was quite busy because he had to do something for his study, for his fathers firma, organising something for his friends' weddings and of course, visiting all his friends. He was the first time in India after going to Germany. Nevertheless, he helped me much
with buying some stuff, for example a mobile, and so on. I gave my bike to a bike shop for a general checking. I think they havent checked anything except fixing my spokes maybe. But the cycle was clean and my chain was fresh oiled 😊 They were fascinated of my bikle and made thousands pictures of me and the bike.
One day we were at an Indian classical music festival in Pune. It was awesome! We have seen a concert with for guys: flute, saxophone and two tablas (sort of a drum). I think everything was improvised. It was as if the flutist and the saxophonist had a discussion which always ended with a big argument which was mostly finished with a sort of a compromise.
I often accompanied Shashi and his friends. The activities were mostly Cafe, restaurant and again Cafe or bar😊 Some of them also could speak German. In Pune there is a famous Goethe-Institut where you can learn German. There was also a German-Film-Festival were we watched movies. But the first was so boring, that we left after a few minutes. But the other was okay, it was a version of "Cinderella". At
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Shashi is getting German with his long hair ;) first, Shashi wanted to do much bike trips with me, but after he recognized how shitty his cycle is he immediately cancelled this plan... I joined them once in a movie of an alternative cinema, not such Bollywood busters. It was spoken in Marathi so I havent understood anything, but a friend of Shashi explained me the story. I liked the movie, not such crazy, unrealistic, dancing stuff of a bollywood movie. I could agree with the pictures shown in the movie. I could say, yes, so it is looking in Maharashtra, the countryside, villages, the kiosks, the crazy stuff for offering to gods, even the interiour of the houses. Also the story sounds realistic to me. It was a guy who had a dream of a god in the body of a cow. He was running into his village and told everybody of that. The village took this as a chance and told that to the newspapers. And very soon, the village was famous and many visitors came to see the holy cow. And you could see how fast the village was becoming rich. However, the guy with the dream felt not well with this situation, that his dream
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in the middle of Pune, even there is green! was so commercialised but he couldnt do anything about that.
I got much tasty food which was cooked by Shashis mother. And nearly every day something different! I think I gained some kilos during my stay there! It was a pity that the parents couldnt speak good English and I couldnt speak Marathi or Hindi.
Originally we wanted to go to Goa for a few days but there were too little friend who wanted to come with so that the trip was cancelled. Shame! On Monday, the 19.12. I joined the main ceremony of a wedding of a friend of Shashi. It was quite interesting.
My foam mattress has a little puncture so that over night all the air of the mattress is gone. We tried to find a hole but werent successfull. I was surprised how many people have "Mein Kampf" in their book shelves. Shashi also bought one version.
One day I was taking the MP3 player back which still was near Khed, about 55km from Shashis home. It was a great cycling day, without luggage! I think I was about 5 km/h faster than without luggage. The people there just had lunch so
that they invited me to join them. The way back I rewarded myself with listening to music.
I could leave some stuff at Shashi who will take it back to Germany. Thanks very much to you and your family for everything!
On Tue, 20.12. I was leaving Pune heading to Goa. From one sister of Shashi I got some sweets for the way. It just took 10 minutes to get out of Pune. The next morning I found a mouse in my pannier. I dont know how she was getting in there but maybe it was the same mouse I have seen at Shashis home. A guy on the road recommended me to go already in Maharashtra at the coast there are also many nice beaches as in Goa. So I tried this, I headed to Ratnagiri. In one little river I have finally found a hole in my foam mattress. I put a patch on it, but theair is still leaving overnight😞
Just before Ratnagiri I saw the first monkeys which made action along the road. I wondered when the day will come that I will curse them because they steal things of me or so.
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two cousins of Shashi But now, I as glad to see them. In general it was very green everything and many, many beautiful birds, singing and croaking around you. Near to Ratnagiri I was the first time in the Arabic Sea. And that although I already was one month in India!
The days are quite short, at 6 pm its getting dark. And since the roads are often not very good and the traffic is crazy I do not like riding in the dark here. So my riding time is quite short. In the evening I am often bored and I even started to do some maths in the evening. I know, very crazy!
I am often asked for a German coin. Of course, I am not carrying Eurocoins with me anymore. Even if I had some they would be gone quite fast because so many people want to have one. Sometinmes I can satisfy them with a Turkish, Iranian or Omani coin. And I show them a 5Euro note. They sometimes want to exchange one note in Rupees but when I tell them thats more than 300 Rupees they dont want anymore😊
On 28.12. I arrived in Goa. There were
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two sisters, their sons and the mother of Shashi bars and alcohol shops next to each other. In Maharashtra it was quite seldom to see that. I was going to Arambol maybe the last Hippie region in Goa. After Mumbai it was the first time that I saw foreign tourists, a crazy feeling. Many white persons riding on Mopeds and so on. I was there at a beach and drank a few beers. I met a German and a Columbian who also could speak German and we talked a few hours. I was so happy to talk German again that I talked most the time, I think. I was quite hoarse. That night I slept at the beach.
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Bakul
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Hey Fritz..first of all, a belated happy bday.. Hope you are having a great time!! Thats a nice picture u hav put of me n Shash. :) I will soon mail u the one I clicked of the both of u..!! Take care.