India.....WOW

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I'm at a loss for words....
I'm not quite sure how to describe this country accurately. and depending on the day, my opinions and feelings will change drastically! But I will try my best to describe for you the experiences I have had in these past 6 weeks in northern India.
It's safe to say, it has brought out every emotion I have. sometimes, all in one day! I can be angry, disgusted and shocked all at once and it can quickly turn to feelings of joy, awe and appreciation.

So far, I have visited 12 cities in the northern half of the country, taken 11 buses, 6 trains, 4 jeep rides and 14 rickshaws just to get to these cities! And they were all worth it, each city was completely different. From the landscape to the people to the culture, everywhere I go is unique....as if the long train rides crossed borders of countries, not just provinces within India. I have encountered people from so many religions, I have trouble keeping up with all of their customs. Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain, Bahai....to name a few.

To describe all the 12 cities I've visited might be more than you can stand to read and i can stand to write....so i will try to summarize the highlights for you! The trip started in Darjeeling, where I visited a tea plantation and sampled famous Darjeeling tea. I also rode the "Toy Train" which is a small steam train built in the 1800's that travels along the mountain top throughout the province. It's really just for fun though, because it's slower than running! From there I took a 12 hour train ride to Varanasi, the holiest city in India and the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. My experience upon arriving is worth telling! Since the trains book up really fast (and backpacking makes it hard to make schedules and book ahead) I could only get on a train that arrived in Varanasi at 1 am. Usually there are trains and buses that arrive in the morning or daytime that make it easier to find accommodations, since things in India tend to close by 10 or 11 pm. So, I was advised by locals and other backpackers to stay in the train station waiting room until daylight, when it would be safer and easier to take a taxi to a hostel. Luckily for me, I met an older Canadian couple who had pre-booked an expensive hotel that picked them up at the train station. Taking pity on me, they agreed to take me with them to their hotel. When we arrived, I begged the night man to let me sleep in their lobby until morning, because i refused to pay $50 for a room! He allowed it but woke me up at 5 am and kicked me out! So i found a taxi and asked to be taken to a cheap hostel. My luck, they are all in tiny lanes too narrow for cars. So the driver stopped and pointed to a lane and told me to walk about 20 minutes through it. But since it was only 5 am, it was still dark and i refused to walk alone. so i told him to take me somewhere on the main street. Of course, this hotel was more than i was willing to pay and having less than an hour until sunrise, I didn't wanna waste $20! That might sound like nothing, but when I spend $2 most nights, it's hard to part with so much money for a room that wasn't even nicer than what im used to! So, once again, I begged to be allowed to sleep in the lobby, until 6 am when I could finally get a room at a hostel, where I paid only $1.50 per night!!!! That was my crazy experience of scamming a free night by sleeping in expensive hotel lobbies!!
Varanasi is the city that the fortunate Hindus go to, to die. Upon their death, a big funeral procession takes place in which the bodies are carried on a stretcher through the city, down to the Ganga, dipped in and then thrown on heaps of burning wood. It takes a few hours, but when bodies are cremated in Varanasi (as opposed to anywhere else in the world) Hindus believe they it will end the cycle of reincarnation. I stayed away from the river...enjoying it only from the ghats (steps leading down to it throughout the city) or a boat because it is the dirtiest body of water in the world. since it's holy to Hindus, they use it for everything...bathing, washing their cows...you name it!
In the days following Varanasi, I visited the beautiful Taj Mahal, where foreigners are charged a $17 entrance fee while locals pay only fifty cents! And I saw a golden temple....the most holy place for Sikhs. Upon arriving in Dharamsala, I was told the Dalai Lama would be arriving within the week to give teachings. Of course I had to stay for the occasion. And it was incredible seeing him and hearing him speak. He giggled like a boy and smiled constantly and spoke of living life peacefully and compassionately. What an amazing man! Since Dharamsala is where is lives in exile, there is a large Tibetan community in the city. I learned more about Tibetan history and the situation in which Tibetans live today under Chinese rule than I know about my own country! Hearing what these people go through....having to endure imprisonment for protesting the sterility of their women and walking 46 days through the himalayas to escape the horrible life there, made me wonder how the rest of the world ignores their misfortunes. The Chinese government does a great job of covering up how they've mistreated Tibet. But I'll give you a more detailed description in person....I dont think this blog should become a free Tibet campaign! Waiting out the week, I discovered there's lots to do in the small tourist town, including attending a by-donation Buddhist philosophy class and volunteering to teach an English conversation class, where you just talk to locals studying English. I also took a Reiki course, so if anyone is curious about the magical healings of reiki....look not further!
Next i went to Rishikesh....the yoga centre of the world. I spent a week at an ashram, doing yoga twice a day (I actually woke up at 6am to do yoga!!!) and eating the healthy vegetarian diet that was served. To my surprise, I really enjoyed the food and continued to eat Indian dishes after I left. From there I spent 2 days in crazy Delhi, before heading to the province of Rajasthan (If you're wondering why you don't see any pictures until this point, its because a f*%cker at an internet cafe broke my memory card and lost all my pics from the past month!!! I'm not bitter or anything!!!)
From there i took yet another train to Rajasthan, which is like a country within itself. The colors here are indescribable. Just imagine a melange of every color you know, in everything!! buildings, cars, murals and then of course clothes and shawls and everything you can buy is splashed with color. I have a hard time imagining what ill think of the colourful shawls I've bought, back in Montreal. But its hard not to love them, when they are at every street corner and draping every local woman.
The province extends all the way to the Pakistani border and from the city Jaisalmer, I took a camel safari through the desert, to within a few kilometres of the border! We visited local villages and cooked fresh chapatti and veggies over fire. I even made a few chapattis myself! We slept under the stars in a sand dune....no tents so we could see shooting stars as we were falling asleep! 2 of the girls from the trip had plans to visit a local family they were introduced to in Churu....a small, non-touristic town, so I went along with them. Until now, it has been my favourite time in India. I had the chance to spend time with a traditional Indian family and tour around a local village, not touched my tourism and commercialism. We were actually the main attraction! wherever we went, we gathered a following of local kids and some grown men!! They would just follow us down the street and watch us!

I have been really trying to observe the culture here and understand it....after 2 months I've barely scratched the surface! One Indian man said he's from here and even he doesn't understand all the quirks of the indian people...so I had no chance! but I'm trying! here are some more things Ive discovered:
One common thing about the whole country are the animals....anywhere you go, you will see streets lined with stray dogs, cats, cows, rats and donkeys pulling carts! In some places there are even elephants and camels roaming the streets.
Another thing I have noticed that doesn't change throughout the country, is the noise! For those of you that know me well, you know that I hate loud noises....well, this was not the country to visit for peace and quiet! For that, you have to venture far out into the desert or the mountains! There is no concept here of noise pollution. It extends to every aspect of life. And locals don't seem at all bothered by it.....It's as if everyone is hard of hearing so no one notices how much noise they are making! No matter where you are there are always vehicles on the rode. Even in small villages where there are no cars, there are rickshaws, motorbikes and bicycles with bells. Everyone honks their horns....all the time. whether its because a sharp corner is ahead or to say "get out of my way" or "I'm passing you" or a simple "hello." They honk at us tourists all the time just to say hi. Most buses and some motorbikes have horrible high-pitched jingles as horns. These are the worst. And vehicles don't seem to notice that it deafens pedestrians!
Then there are the cell phones. Everyone has one and they all have mp3s and speakers. For the benefit of the people who cant afford them (i would assume), people walk around blaring Hindi music from their phones. They do this on the street, on the trains, at restaurants....anywhere they please. Even if I don't like the music, I have no choice but to listen....they play it at full blast! One vendor saw my ipod and asked where the speaker was. I almost felt selfish explaining to him that it doesn't have one, that the ipod is for my enjoyment only! I didn't even bother trying to explain that in my culture it is considered rude and obtrusive to play loud music in public!
Another constant is bells, located in most temples. I'm still not sure why, I'm assuming in some way they are supposed to bring luck because people seem to ring them every time they pass them. I take trains and buses to go from city to city and often they last over night. Most people sleep through the night, but there are always those that stay awake. You can count on them either to speak to other awake passengers, or to talk on their cell phones. And when they talk, it is at a regular decibel. There is no whispering in India! so, those who can't sleep through their neighbors conversations get to listen to them! to me, it is noise, since I do not understand the language!
And alas....the animals. So maybe this is not so much the fault of the culture but its just another factor adding to the noise. Cows yell (I would say moo, but its far louder than a simple moo) and dogs bark....constantly. I had to move hostels in Dharamsala because I was staying near a dog who barked all night long. After 3 sleepless nights, I figured I was on his turf and no locals seemed to mind enough to stop him. So it was either get used to it or move! All of this would be considered rude and disturbing the peace in Canada, but in India, it is all considered normal.

But I guess this is just more proof that this country isn't big on privacy. I guess with a population of over one billion, that would just be silly to expect. Privacy can't be expected anywhere. In my hostel room, the employees walk in whenever they feel like it. On the bus, people squish 5 on a 3 person seat, sitting on top of each other is a necessity of life. There is no such thing as.....this bus is full! There is always room for 8 more and their luggage!

The men in India are of a different breed from anywhere else in the world. On the one hand, they're sweet and helpful and interested in anything you have to say. on the other, they are all horny little bastards (sorry if anyone reading this is Indian....don't mean to offend you!) Unfortunately, their image of white women is somewhat skewed as most of them have only ever seen a white girl in porn. not being told otherwise, this makes them think every western girl is a pornstar who's just itching to get fucked! unfortunately for me, this means they feel free to touch me whenever and wherever they wish, since they cant imagine how i would be opposed to this. and if i give any man the time of day....something as simple as 2 minute conversation, he immediately thinks he has a chance and usually gets angry with me when i walk away....which i always do!! adding to this stereotype is the fact that most men are seriously sexually repressed as there is no dating in this culture....just arranged marriages. so young boys do what they can to get off. this extends to any sort of affection, which is why you also see men everywhere holding each other. they walk hand in hand or with their arms around each other. its not sexual, but any affection will do!
Traveling alone has been better than I could have ever expected. I meet so many new people every day and can decide on a whim to go somewhere I've never heard of! I am loving the independence and the opportunities sit has brought me. despite what everyone else seems to think, India is a fabulous country for a woman to travel alone. You simply have to be aware of the young men because they see a woman alone is an opportunity to grab something! The only time I notice having a companion would be helpful is on the public transportation. Local Indian women simply don't travel alone. So the men get excited at the opportunity to rub up against me on the seat, which to me isn't sexual and I probably wouldn't notice it if it happened on a city bus in Montreal. but when a 40 year old man sits next to me on a bus here and inches closer and closer, i perfectly aware of what's going on in his mind! I still don't get how his leg touching mine can be at all gratifying but like i said, any affection will do! so now I've learnt to keep at least a foot between myself and any Indian man!! Actually, this has brought to my attention one of the big differences between the rich and the poor in India. the rich, well educated boys are always polite and keep their distance, while the lower caste men who apparently never learnt manners tend to be more aggressive! Again, I hope this hasn't offended anyone. as a disclaimer I would like to say, this is solely based on my own experiences and observations and is not claiming to be the truth about everyone in the country...just the people I have encountered!!
The shopping in India is the best in all of Asia. You can find anything you want and for a fraction of the price anywhere else. I usually only buy a few souvenirs here and there....here I had to buy a second duffel bag to fit in everything I've bought in the past 2 months. From duvet covers to jewelry to handmade journals...everything here is gorgeous and cheap! And the act of shopping here is always an experience. basically, i have to just come up with a price i will be happy to pay before i even enter the shop, because prices are given at random. they are never written down, just told verbally and every customer is given a price based on what they look like. i have been to the same shops and bought the same things as European men and have paid 10 x less than them! thank god i look like a poor backpacker!

The amazing thing about this country is that i never know what to expect. I am constantly surprised by the things that happen. I can never predict how my day will turn out. I can have a plan for the day and then meet someone at breakfast who will completely change it! But, most of the time I am just confused. Every local has mastered the head wobble....it's where they have a whole conversation with you by simply bobblying their heads from side to side like those bobble head toys. Nobody likes to use words in this country. I can ask anything, from "Which way is the train station" to "how much does this cost" to "are we on main street right now" and to all of those questions they can answer with the head bobble. It means "yes, no, i don't know and i understand what you're saying" and a million other things but i never know which answer they are giving me. i am constantly confused!
Indians have this custom to affectionately call each other sister/brother or aunty/uncle, depending on whether they are talking to someone their age or older. And when they meet someone new, they immediately call them friend. It took me a few times of hearing it to realize when they say "you're from Canada, oh I have a very good friend there" that they actually mean, a Canadian man came into their shop once and they talked while he bought something and now they are best friends, even though they will never see each other again! This means that the second I walk out of the store, I just became the new friend they will now talk about...I have millions of friends in India!!
The whole country is like one big paradox...parts of it are extremely modern, new technology is everywhere, there is an elaborate railway system, yet most old buildings are falling apart, have never been renovated, are in bad need of paint jobs and the streets are crowded with roaming animals! Many times I have walked down narrow streets, big enough for traffic to go only one way. Yet it goes both ways....somehow and is full of new SUV's, old local buses, motorbikes and then donkeys and sometimes camels hauling carts with wood, rice, hay....you name it! There are men wearing bell-bottomed pants i an only imagine were manufactured in the 70s, women in colourful saris and then people in jeans and t-shirts.
The road rules here are like no other country's....mostly because as far as I can see, there aren't any rules. I'm still trying to imagine what a driving test involves....most likely it goes like this: step 1: where is the horn? step 2: here's your license. I don't think they ever learn how traffic works or to stay 1 car length behind or what the mirrors are for, never mind what a blind spot is. They swerve into the next lane to go around a cart being pushed by a man on foot. not that any lanes are ever identified anyways. it really is just a free-for-all. In traffic, every car will honk. They have no idea that the road is blocked by a cow, they just know that they are in a line of cars and don't want to sit there anymore! Indian drivers are super impatient. Rather than drive behind a slow-ish driver, they will hold down the horn and find a way around. But in the end, Ive developed extreme respect for anyone who dares to drive in this country. As aggressive as Montreal drivers are, we got nothing on the Indians....I would never attempt it! The driving does make crossing the street here rather impossible. There are no stop signs and basically everyone has the right of way. if a car approaches a main street, he doesn't have to yield to the traffic, he just thrusts his car into it and honks. which means there is never a brake in traffic and you can never tell who will stop at an intersection. so basically, you just have to go, like they do and walk around the cars or run like a madman with your arms flailing about, because they won't think twice about hitting you!
The thing that has surprised me the most about India, is how much I love the food. I was expecting to hate it and eat rice and pizza for 3 months. But it turns out, there is so much more to Indian food than I knew. The menus at these restaurants are so extensive, i still haven't had a chance to try all the dishes! But the ones I have eaten are all delicious. Usually they're too spicy for my taste, but I have slowly been getting used to that and the fabulous flavours more than make up for it. I have already bought a cookbook and spices so that i can come home and make my own authentic Indian meal!

Usually when I travel in Asia at least a few people tell me they like my noise....what do small nosed Asians know! Today, I heard a new one...one girl said "we have the same nose (the shapes were similar but she didn't have the bump) it means we're lucky." The things these people tell themselves to make them feel better about ugly features!! haha

All in all, the good and the bad (not that there's been much of that), I truly have loved this country. I have just spent Christmas in Mumbai....which they actually celebrate...stores have sales and trees lining the streets are decorated in lights. But too much has happened these past few days to add to this blog...its long enough already. Today, I am start my journey to the south, which is apparently like a totally different country from the north, where I have just been. So I am excited to experience a new India.

I hope I have been able to give you a little taste of my past 2 months. Hopefully I'll keep you better updated in my last 6 weeks!
Happy New Year to you and your families.
Namaste

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Photos

Bahai Lotus Temple in Delhi
A temple where people of all religions are welcome to pray, meditate or just sit in peace.

Namaste
a child being told to say namaste to me....too young to put her hands together herself, her mother is doing it for her!

street cleaning
a man is sweeping the street with an Indian broom. once the garbage is swept to one area, it will be burnt.

Henna
for about 15 cents you can get your hand henna'd on the street, like this girl.

tourist trap!
the one time i paid a kid being forced to dress up for the benefit of tourists....he was just too cute to pass up!

Jaisalmer fort
it used to be the housing area of the king, now locals live there and tourists stay in the guest houses.

Chapatti
making a typical Indian meal of veggies, potatoes and chapatti for lunch during our camel safari. everything was made fresh!

camel-wallah
taking a break from sitting, i lead my camel through the desert.

temple
an old temple with colorful frescoes on all the walls.

veggetable market
a local market.....can you imagine buying your veggies off the floor?

spices and soap
kind of a weird combination!

local tea shop
a chai costs only 8 cents!

local dress
we played dress-up in our hostesses clothes!

The floating Palace
This mansion was built on the entire island...it was actually used in the filming of James Bond's Octopussy.

Comments

[Aunty Karol]

lAll I can say is WOW!!!!!
You are an amazing writer!This blog has blown me away and given me more insight than anyone else that has visited India! Can't wait to hear more. Keep up the fun and education. THis is priceless. Love and missing you,but am so thrilled and possibly jealous o fthe experiences! Happy New Year and continue the journey safely. Love Aunty Karol xxooxx

[mom]

unbelievable and Ithought I knew everything about your trip. Nice hotel lobby sleeping. You are a little too brave for me. You are so funny and it is even the truth that makes it even funnier. You certainly make me want to go there. Elana and I are planning it some day. I hope. Shopping again eh??? but you are doing it for the economy right? I love you and can not wait to see you. Love ya lots mom

[Manish]

Very nice description!!!
This was one of the finest description of India by a foreigner. And yes its true, we Indians, are not very well planned in most of the things we do, but we are all used to it and that is life for us. You will find different colors in different parts of India, and yet you will see the "TYPICAL" India every where. Please write more, so we know, what the world things about us....

[Traveling Jew]

thank you for your appreciation. i really hope nothing was offensive. i do really love india. but it is so different from canada that a lot of things shock me! i will do my best to continue to write my true experiences in your country. please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my experiences.

[millie025]

Your blog is unbelievable, I stumbled accross it and its exactly what I was looking for and you've inspired me and given me the confidence that i can also travel to India alone, as its something ive been wanting to do for a long time! Cant wait to hear more! Amelia xx

[Vicky]

Hi Trish, I just got a chance to catch up on your latest blog. You blow me away girl! How do you get the guts to do what you do?! But most importantly, I will finally have a companion for Indian food, which I adore, and I am sure that I never tried anything close to authentic Indian dishes that you've sampled. So I am really looking forward to you coming back with your cook book! Be safe and come back soon Love, Vicky