India part 2

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do I like it here??
1 Apr 2004
Kochin, India



Pauline left a message here siad she couldn’t decided I like India or not from what she had read here. Ok...what could I said?!? Perhaps a typical answer...I like it and I hate it! But it was quite true. Do I like it here??? Try to got an early bus to Kochin, but people just kept telling me the 11:40 bus is the best bus....the Best Bus?? In India?? Taxi drivers said so, rickshaw drivers said so, bus drivers said so, Satish said so...and Chris(the english guy stay in the same cottage)brought it too, so...guess I will gave it a try and wait 2 more hours for the BEST BUS!!! And...it turn out nothing but the same as what I had before, unless by my super luck I had been ride on BEST BUS for the last 3 weeks! My air-con, big soft cushion, tv hi-tech bus’s vision had been shatter. In fact it was just an old and not so old bus with a 3 seater on one side and a row of 2 seater which was barely fit for one on the other side. What made this bus special I do not know, the BEST BUS??? I just waste 2 hrs!! Do I like it here??? I took the 2 seater side and could felt the matel work of the seat striking at my butt, people milling in and no chance for choosing another seat, in fact it might all cause the pain on the ass or even worst. When we rolled out from the bus stand we were already 20 mins behind schedule. The BEST BUS!!! Do I like it here?? There was time when the bus getting so full and a big Indian squeezed beside you in the 2 seater, while the bus was roaming in hi gear cut around a curve, the elbow with a sharp edge would strike my rib and a body would pressed on my left shoulder while my right side was cut into the metal frame of the bus’s window. Couldn’t move since my knee was stuck with the back panel of the seat in front. Do I like it here?? The bus then stop long time in the bus stand with no reason under the hot sun. Squeezed tight in my seat, sweat like pig, hawkers rush in, fruits, drinks, lotto...wer-whe-wahe...and that was when the chain reaction began. All sound no matter what...became a drill to my ear drum, a begger came to the aisle, I tried to look out from the window to avoid him, but he just kept pushing my arm and elbow, then another woman banging on the side of the bus under my window, kept wailing...know what...another begger! I became the center of attention which I hate the most. Every eye contact became hatred even it was sympathy or friendly. I kept darting from eye to eye, staring back with anger. Hell...why shouldn’t the bus just move on!!! Eventaully we were back on the road again, the sullen mood still dominated. No no..no...I could felt the man sat next to me wanted to talk to me, no no...I wasn’t ready for these “come from? Name please?” conversation yet, at least not now, not in this stage. I pretend to sleep, but someone touch me on the head and told me to closed the curtain, as a woman was sick 2 seat in front, a stream of white drops was flying across the window in front of my eye, ai-ya...why she had to be on this side of the bus!!! Curtain was down and it was dark and hot with no wind, god!!! Do I like it here??? Yeah...there was time like these, but 4 hours later after unloaded my pack in the hotel, cold shower, fresh and clean out on the street, I was new. I began to answer back “China, Tam” in a playful way, returned thank you with a smile. Yeah....I guess you were right. I don’t know if I like it here or not. It just kept changing from day to day, moment to moment.

Kochin
2 Apr 2004
fort kochin, India



Gonna do some correction here, in Kochin I could get a good and fast intenet connection for only Rs15/hr. Somtimes...cheap dosen’t mean no good!!! Kochin is a nice city composed by Fort Kochin where most of the histroic site located, and the main land part call Ernakulam where act as a commercial area with many big banking corporations, shopping center and restaurants, and the main bus and train station located. Together also with couple of islands, that the combination of the Kochin area. Almost everyone came here for Fort Kochin, as it still carried strong European touch, villas and mansions with red tile roof, only the setting was surrounded by tropical plantations. The Chinese nets seem to be the main attraction where tourists like to came to catch sun rise and sun set. Early morning you will see local fishermen came to shore with their day catch for the transaction, counting and weighting, by-stander pointing this and that, gave their own commets on which and what. hawkers came with push bike carried a container with coffee and tea, busy in handing out small plastic cup to the customers while the sun was rising slowly behind over the eastern horizon. By the afternoon line of tables would be set on the sandy shore where sea food could be order, as people watching the red-pink sun dropped into the ocean. And all through the day the fishermen will operated the chinese net, which I think are more a show and for exhibition, to let us know how the net work I guess. Went to see the Kathakali dance performent one afternoon. Kathakali dance is originated in Kerala and is exclusively dance by man, it tells the epic battles of gods and demons mostly. The show start at 18:30 by the performers began their makeup by 5. It was interesting to see the preparation of it with the hindu music in the background. 4 performers set or lay on stage, putting varicolored to their face by themself or the others while camera was clicking from different angle by us...tourists!! the dance performed with no conversation, story told by facial and eye expression, hand movement and accompanied by drumer and background vocalist. Although we couldn’t really understand the story, but the vivid color faces and the facbulous costume were attractive. As I could see the people around were quite satisfy with the show. Went to a local restaurant near the boat jetty with Chris, which mostly patronize by labour workers and drivers, and they got an english menu! We went through it and Chris order masala dosa...typical!! and I took egg dosa. “sorry, no egg dosa!” “but why?” “No...you can have parotha, chapatti...but no egg dosa”. Didn’t understand why but thought there was no point to argue, perhaps they are running out of egg! So I order parotha but then realised it wouldn’t came with the basic 3 colors sauce as they serve with dosa. Took the menu again and spot “beef”, but what actually caught my ege was the price, only Rs10/dish. Why not!!! So I signal the waiter and try to ask his advices, which I pointed at the menu “beef roast” and hold out my thumb up “good?” or again pointing with one hand “beef fry” and again thumb up “good?” the waiter replied with the swinging of his head “good””good” and walk away satisfactory, and moment later 2 pates of beef landing on my table with a complacent smile of our waiter. Wordless but...why not! It was only small dishes. So...beef roast is beef with curry sauce and beef fry is dry fried beef with no sauce, they both taste good though. Half way through our meal the electric power cut session began in this part of town. That was Kerala, every town facing this problem, to avoid the over loaded power consumption in one time, they divided the town in different sections, and power cut off accordingly in different hour during the night, no wonder I saw generator in almost every shop. I told Chris if this same thing happened back in the old day in HK, people would slipped out of the restaurant without paying the bill, as we discussed...”shall we..???” then the room was lit up by gas lamp already. Shit...we just miss the opportunity! Light was on but no fan, it was hot and my shirt was soak with sweat. I swallow the last piece of beef fry before we left, it taste so good with the raw onion! I bid goodbye to Chris as he will off to a wildlife sanctuary tomorrow. Might catch him up later since our travel route are quite similar. I find myself picking at my teeth on my way back to the guesthouse, which I hadn’t the need since I’d start my journey in India, and suddenly I realised I had my first meat in the month...tonight!

jew town
3 Apr 2004
fort kochin, India



Jew town!! No other country would dare to name a sector in its city a Jew town. But in India...word combination could mean something totally different and could be forgivable with laughter. Here had a synagogue dated back to the 16th century. Paintings illustrated the history of the 1st Jewish arrival in Kerala can be seen in the synagogue, but there wasn’t many jewish people live in Kochin now. Paid my Rs2 fee, walk through the openning with a sign written something like “please keep silence and no photo” . it was a small hall with high ceiling, center stage surrounded by chinese white floor tile hand painted with willow-pattern in blue. Old fashion ceiling lamps and fans, the setting seem harmony, perhaps the most obstructive objects were the 2 quartz clocks on each side of the wall, and an Indian guide explaining to his guests in French loudly and then encourage them to took photo under his own permittion. Another site in the Mattancherry neighbourhood is the Dutch palace. Where many ancient hindu murals on displayed. In between and around the 2 buildings are many crafts, antique and souvenir shops. I would like to walk into these shop and had a tour, but the hard sell yelling and those eagar look, like a tiger on a sheep, I better walk on without even a look from the outside. I saw many tourists did the same as me. Why shouldn’t those shop keepers just sit there, flash a smile with perhaps..a nod, it would be a far more welcoming sign, perhaps people will then venteur into the shop, at least I will!

ayurvade
4 Apr 2004
fort kochin, India



Finally met Santosh in India. He sought me out last year through internet before his trip to China. But we wasn't able to met up last year. Since then we kept contact until now I had my trip in India. Santosh, about 30 year old with height almost rach 2 meter. His family live in a small village about 50km from Kochin, they had an old Kerala house which turned into a homestay for tourist. The main reason for our meeting was to arranged an ayurvade treatment which I like very much to try for an experience, beside...it might heal my shoulder and back pain. But I had been put off by the 2 week minimum treatment, which finally bargain down to 10 days. A tall guy came to pick me up with his small scooter this morning, a funny sight! He drove me to a treatment center near Aluva. Doctor Sarathy newly start this little treatment center, she used to work for another big center and now got one for herself. A 2 storey house with a small courtyard in front of the house, some rooms downstair for local and 2 rooms with 3 bed for tourist upstair, I knew nothing about ayurvade, only watch a program about it on tv. No time to do the searching so I will only trust Santosh in it. I was bit disappoint about the accommodation as they couldn’t even provided with a private room. Surprised to met 2 singapore old women there, having their last day in the center. Said they were recommented by doctor friend from home, and it dose reduce their back pain after 2 weeks treatment. So... with these good word, guess I would give it a try and start my ayurvade experience from tomorrow then!

ayurvadic treatment
5 Apr 2004
aluva, India



“Sir, would you mind to put it on?” a loin cloth which made up with a piece of bandage and string. A minute later I walk into the treatment room with my first G-string T-back!!! Dianny and Dargath, too young to be the expert, will see me through the whole treatment for the next 10 days. we start the 1st part with some sacred powder rubbed on the temple of my head while whispering some unknown mantar, followed with herbal oil on my palm and sole. A long black table, more like a shallow sink with a trench around 4 sides. Laid myself onto the sink and they began to applied oil on me, the first time I had man with hands all over me, I wasn’t used to that, honesty I wasn’t really enjoy it, it more like having a bath by someone rubbing soap all over you. But for a medical treatment, I guess I should got over it and just closed my eye, try my best to relax. I always find myself turning face up and down, rolling from left to right on the slippery table. Hands slided smoothly up and down my oily skin, stroke along with the application of oils. Said it would improves blood circulation, removes obesity and pain in the body, relieves fatigue and so and so...! the 2nd part they will use a small sack of herb soak with heated medical oil patted on my body, somethimes the sack was too hot that cause me scream, “no problem, sir!” was the answer, yeah right...sure no problem with you, I was the one who got burn! Again...turning and rolling this side and that side, and Dianny was busy in his stamping work on me. Finally after 90 mins and I heard he said “it was finish, sir”! actually the day treatment had finished, the rest of the day are for relax and resting, also there will be medicine to take in between meals, the basic rule was to avoid direct sun bath and exercise, so I better stay indoor in the center, but the problem was nothing much you can do here, luckily the had the tv connected on the 2nd day, and I could spend the time playing with the remote control!

a day of life in the center
6 Apr 2004
aluva, India



The day would start at 6 o’clock when Dianny brought me a super bitter herbal drink “for you, sir!” what a way to woke up with this tear squeezer! 6 o’clock...what would you do? Went back to sleep wasn’t a bad choice, at 7...seem like a minute ago...another maid would woke me up “sir, your coffee!” I guess it was time to got up then, the sun was just over the tree line out from my window, and soon it would became too hot that I would mostly hide inside my room. Breakfast would be serve at anytime...depended on what time the cook arrived, normally I got my idly dosa around 9, then the day treatment would began. Same procedure with my Japanese sumo outlook bathing by 2 Indian boy on a slippery strange looking operation table, then I would took a quick nap after the massage. The thali style lunch would came to the dinning table in the corridor, time would be around 1:30 then, the land outside was baking and the radiated heat stream through the window, rain drop of perspiration rolling down my face and my shoulder while I was spooning the rice mixture with my fingers into my mouth, I was getting more skillful to eat with hand now! The perpandicularlly sun was right on top of the building, no one dare to venture outside. I would read my book or newspaper, play with the remote for a while, until I could see the tree’s shadow outside our building reach the other side of the street, then I would took a stroll around in the village or walk to the nearest town for internet. I would came back to the center until the sky turn dark, took another shower before the rice porridge dinner arrive, as usual...the power cut off would happened half way during the meal, and the candle light dinner began, light would back on after 30 mins, the sound of the ceiling fan resumed. The rest of the night I would searching for any interesting channel on tv. Bed time could be at any moment as my own choice. Boring yes it was! But time dose lapsed forward without any difficulty, as suddenly I was answering the door and got myself a tear squeezer...again!!!

early check out
11 Apr 2004
aluva, India

An old english woman arrived couple days ago, a big heavy set I guess she weight over 180kg. She had went to the big center in town but find it was dirty and run down, nothing was like what she had read in their web site. Then someone suggested she came to our center. I guess she didn’t like here at first but agree to gave it a try as the cost here was far more cheaper then the big center. She complaint a lot about this and that but I supposed she just had a bad day. Because few days later when she got along with the people here and knew the place was new, then she gave a lot of constructive opinions to the doctor about how the westerners would like to had for services. Francis is half engish and half french, teaching english in France for the last 20 years, married to a communist husband and had 2 sons now in collage. She was funny and talkative, came here for her allergy probelm and would like to lose some weight, I hope she would get what she wanted by the end of the treatment. We both came to the conclusion that this place need a lot of improvement, a schedule or program for each patient for their day arrangement; a person who took care and design what sort of diet for each patient; a bedside table and lamp for reading at night; a sitting room and a library; background music during treatment; a computer room, gym; swimming pool... woah!!! After 5 days, instead of body stamping, they switched to pour warm herbal oil onto my body, it was smell like week old chicken soup.... with coconut favour!!! Wonder why they didn’t made it smell a little more pleasurable, together with a man hand swimming all over my oily body, I couldn’t really enjoy it, my body was so tense all through the massage. I talk to the doctor after a week if I could check out earler than 10 days, as there wasn’t any sign of improvement in my shoulder, and I wouldn’t think there was much use for the massage on my reluctant body. Beside it wouldn't do much justic to his boys while they were trying their best to gave me massage, everyday the boy asked me how was my shoulder? Was the pain released? I could see the disappointment from their eye when I gave my negative responed because of my own lousy incongruity. A local man was leaving from this center after 2 weeks treatment, one side of his body couldn't move when he check into this center, and today... he left here with his wife and daughter, walking out the gate with a happy smile on his face. Should I really gave it more time??? No...I guess I should leave, I was just not used to this kind of massage.

into Karnataka
14 Apr 2004
mysore, India

paid the Rs7773 for the 7 days treatment, what a strange figure! why shouldn't they just told me 8000 or something. a mixed feeling as well, it seem like a large number but it was actually a small amount for a treatment if...it dose heal. but I guess I had spend it for nothing! left the center early yesterday morning. the prison as Francis like to call it. because there was metal bar on every windows, where we used to stand in the corridor, arms out through the bar to caught the freeze air which was 5 degree lower than inside. yes...we felt like prisoner here and now I was free again! choose Calicut for a stop over place before Mysore. a busy little town, it was full of people prehaps because of the easter holiday, but I could see there was so many shops in town, I guess they got busy everyday. couldn't find any interesting thing to do or see in this town, asked the local what they had to offer here?...couldn't name more than 1 site for tourist, all they will tell you is to go the beach. strange thing was I find many lodging and tourist home in town, and they were all full(took me an hour to find one had room available), wonder what people came here for??!!! only thing I like about this place was eat cheap and no hassling from touts. set out for Mysore this morning, bus ran through the weatern ghat winding up the 1000m mountain, great view from the top but the road was so narrow, we had nearly got accident more than 3 times, cross the border from Kerala into Karnataka, the Deccon plateau was a big flat land, road are straight and good, farmer working on the yellow land, ox-cart rolling slowly seem like backward when we speed on. arrived in Mysore in the heat of the day. 1st time in my trip I had check in a place which was mention in the LP book. too tired to walk to look for more option as this room I now had wasn't that bad and it wasn't expansive as well. in fact...as I went out after the welcome shower, I find out my guesthouse was the best bargain in this price range! compare with Calicut...Mysore seem quiet(many people might refused to beleive), the walk of life here was in between the bus station, the fruit market and the palace. I just wondering blindly in different direction as I wasn't plan on doing anything. will see what the schedule for tommorow when I got down to read the book tonight. so far...Mysore seem quite ok to hangout for a few days, at least I find this internet place for 15/h.

meeting people
16 Apr 2004
mysore, India

Only 8 rooms in the Parklane hotel, 2 rooms was located down stair in the restaurant area, and I was one of the occupant there, every time I came out from my room, people would look up on me with their open mouth full or half filled with foods, as if I was a rat walk out from the kitchen! The other occupant in the down stair room was Karen, an Irelish girl with an easy going, open mind and funny character, who had quitted her job for this 6 months trip in Asia. My temper had been built up from the last week, I was sick of the HELLO, HELLO way of greeting. I would staring back at them with despite, I became more grumpy, I would scorn them, sometimes I even hit back with a kufu movement on whichever hands that touching me, it dose scare the hell out of them. It was kind of time bomb inside me waiting to explode, guess I need to meet people, but it seem not easy to strike up conversation with others, was it because we are in India? Or was it because people now a day had no trust to each others, always on guard? Blocked all the link with outside to stop hassling? I was walking down the Chamundi hill through the long staircase yesterday, I went out to the side if the cliff for a view point behind some trees. A western couple was walking by when I was just reappeared on the main trail. “Hi” I said but there was no answer, I could felt that they worried…who was this Asian looking guy with a green cloth wrapped around his small round head? Why he came out from behind the tree when they came by? Perhaps I had scare them. They stop walking and pretended to looking at the scenery around, so I pick up some speed and walk on. See…it could turn out a different way if they would just gave a response, and I might had some companies for the rest of the day! After the boring Chamundi hill and the slightly interesting Palace, guess I could leave Mysore tomorrow. But when I met Karen yesterday evening , I decided to stay one more day even there wasn’t really anything I could do here, since I would really like to got some company for a change! I pick out the rail museum, folklore museum and the sandal wood factory from my “to do” list for Mysore and we set out for our trip today. Right…those sites turn out exactly as I had expected…nothing special!!! But our day came out very enjoyable indeed! We had been walk for more than 10km I guess, Karen was a fast walker, somehow I need to switch on my turbo to be able to caught up with her, no wonder we covered all 3 places in less than 4 hours, yeah…we did use the rickshaw from the museum to the sandal wood factory as it was way out of town, Karen did bargain down the fare from Rs50 to 30, unbelievable! No wonder the driver not even consider to wait for us since we sure need another ride back to town, perhaps he thought it doesn’t worth for 2 cheap tourists I guess! We had an interesting day, a lot of laugh, why?? I guess we both need conversation, for the people we did came across on our individual travel were mostly touts, drivers, waters, shop keepers, receptionists etc…, there wasn’t much a conversation, unless if you count “name? Country? How much?” As conversation! See…I didn’t even aware of any hassling today, and I hadn’t done that much coffee/tea break as I usually do when I traveling alone. I was in a easy, peaceful state of mind the whole day. Appetite grew with happiness, we even order double portion for dinner. As Karen like to put it “ we had 2 dinner tonight”! and her strange expression was “I am a pig”, no…she meant she had eat like a pig, not me!!! It gave me a lot of laugh as we Chinese will never comment on ourselves with pig!!! My throat was like sand paper by the evening, I guess I had spoke more than any single word added together from the last month in today. We top up our day with an ice cream which really cemented my stomach. We thank each other for the wonderful day before we bid good night and goodbye as I will start my trip early tomorrow morning. See…it stronger my believe, people we met play a very important part in our travel, faces were the 1st thing came up from our memory when we looking back. A good travel company are very important, it dose made a lot of different. And suddenly Mysore wasn’t that boring as it had seen!

hoysalas architecture
18 Apr 2004
Hassan, India



4 hours away from Mysore is Hassan, a busy little town which built around the central bus station and its market. Around the area had some outstanding Hoysala architecture which was somewhat different from the Hindu temple in style. After drove through many sugar cane field and I arrived here by noon so I could steal the afternoon to visit Sravanabelagola, which is 50km from Hassan. So I just pick a hotel near by the bus station, not bad for Rs90/room with cockroachfor companion!! Arrived in Sravanabelagola an hour later, a tiny village rested on the valley of 2 rocky hills each top with a temple, the main sight was the Gomateshvara statue on the Indrgiri Hill, said to be the highest monolite in the world(17m)!??!? climbed the 600 something stone step was no easy task under the hot sun, it would be painful if I hadn’t brought along with a pair of sock. The view up there was rewarding, you could see the nice setting of the village, the blue sky printed on the water surface of the tank, surrounded by the red roof tile in between the hills, while palm trees challenge the skyline with the village’s houses. Beside the monolite, here actually is the main place for hindu pilgrimage to paid respect of different gods, many shrines kept statues in different names which I couldn’t name any one of them. I made my way back to Hassan after I had scale the 2 rocky hills. Located an internet place charged with a reasonable price, got into the mood to fill in my diary while my finger dancing smoothly on the keyboard, and suddenly …it happened again…the power cut down!!! Shitttt…I was furiousness, banging on the table, it wasn’t even 7 o’clock yet!!! Why didn’t they just installed an UBS, at least it would delay for a minute. Damit!!! After 90 mins of writing and it was all gone. I hate to do the re-write and the mood wouldn’t be the same, but what infuriated me most was they only care about how much I should pay, without even 1 word of apology for what had just happened to me. No choice…paid my Rs35 and walk out in rage! The sky had turn dark already. I walk aimlessly and saw a sign “family restaurant”, what actually caught my eye was the grilled chicken rolling inside the display oven. The anger in my head already replayed by the images of the crispy chicken shinning with golden oil, I had only one intention…eat it!!! I got myself half order and work on it frenzied together with some rice, half an hour later I part with Rs60 and came out from the restaurant a happy man! The gem in the area are the temple in Belur and Halebid, both places are about an hour from Hassan, it was easy to made the detour for the visit. The Halebid temple is only for visit while the one in Belur still function as a worshiping temple. Both temples are typical Hoysalas architecture, they should be squat, star-shaped structures set on a low platform to give them some height. Almost every inch of the building are covered with sculptures, be it gods or goddess, king or emperor, dancers or warriors, animals or demons. If you look closely, you might able to spotted some erotic sculptures which only the class 4 prono movie could compare with, and one might need to be a top class yogi and had a lot of imagination to be able to imitating some of the acts! There was many Indian tourists as it was a weekend, leading by their guide around the building, each guide had a small mirror use as a pointer by the reflection of sun light, bright spot dancing on the wall from sculpture to sculpture, heads tilting with the hand movement of the guide, that was the time I need all my imagination to figure out what the guide had said. It answer could be a 100 miles away in different from my 2 ounce brain! It was easy to be absorbed into these sculptures and forgot able my burning feet. To my surprised these temple are all free entrance. Of course…you still need to paid for your shoe while they were under custody!!!

chitradurga
9 Apr 2004
chitradurga, India

There was no direct bus to Chitradurga, and the station manager kindly wrote me a note in Kannada, which translated literary should be something like “this handsome gentleman would like to made a transit from Birur to Chitardurga”, so I show the note to every uniform guy in the bus station for the right direction. Bus drove through red soil plateau(almost as red as our Yunnan red)along the narrow country road under the hot sun. thing went smoothly excepted the ride from Birur to Chitradurga with a crazy driver and passengers. We actually was racing with another bus on a narrow road, villagers was walking on the side of the road, ox-cart sometimes occuplied 1/3 of the road, and there was many on-coming traffic. Everyone was so excited(excepted some women and me) and urged the driver to go faster. Cynically we saw an capsized bus with its tail ruined badly laying on the side of the road not long after, they did silent for…I guess…a minute! Then…we pick up speed again, crazy!!! Fortunately we arrived in one piece and I made a mental note never ride on a private bus again! Come to Chitradurga to broke up the long trip to Hampi. Nothing particular I would like to do here, but they do have a fort on top of a rocky hill over look the whole area. Instead of paying the outraging USD2 entrance(Rs5 for local), I hike up from another side through the local living quarter into the lower part of the fort, just in time for the sun set.

food poision
20 Apr 2004
chitradurga, India



right...it finally got me...the diarrhea. I was shitting like hell last night, together with a fever that made me shivering the whole night, time move like snail, every time when I went for the rush it was still somewhere in the midnight. I was so weak this morning when I went down stair to asked for help in the reception, the owner arranged a rickshaw took me to a local clinic. the doctor said "food poision" and gave me some pills for the day, and that was it, seem like it was a very normal case for his day. perhaps it was really a normal case in India! but Food Poision??? from what??? I was trying to tracing back the day events...could it be the milk of the coffee???...could it be the noodle???...could it be the pineapple julice???...no idea and ...a mystery! guess I would like to lay down again and hope I would be fit enough to carried on my trip tomorrow.

carry on
22 Apr 2004
Hampi, India

consulted the doctor again for psychological support. "it is normal to have the running feeling, you will get better in 2 days."so...it was better than more pills for me. I made my way to the bustle little town Hospet without much serious problem yesterday, a quick visit to the peeing wall or the ammonia corner, brought a bottle of cold water and just in time to board the bus to Hampi which was completely full. luckly most people got off not long after we took off. and the air began to flow freshly in the compartment. passing the village Kamalapura we began to see temples and ruins, suddenly the images of Angkor came alive. of course it was different, quite different indeed! Hampi is a kind of settlement with houses built around stones and rocks. amazing to find so many guesthouses here, as it was in low season now, you can easily find a room for about Rs100. my stomach was still upset as I hadn't ate anything since yesterday. order myself a vegetable soup and some rice, I felt nausea but I force myself as much as I could spoon into my mouth, I knew I need to eat something...at least! it was so hot during the day, but again I knew I need to lay down for a while even it would became a sweat bed, surprisingly by the evening I could gether up some appetite and ate a whole plate of rice with tomato soup. a good sign! without surprise...the electricity cut off by 9, but dosen't came back until the next day. it was like ants on a hot plate, no way you could get into sleep. I didn't know how I manage to got through some hours and the mozzi came, the favor area...around the ankle and the back of the hand. pak-pak!!! sleep had gone! and the barking of dogs began, its wailing like wolf, drifting in from afar and than bouncing back endlessly, sleep had definately gone!! and daily life began for the locals, the sound of sweeping at their front door, the clinking sound of the water containers which they prepared to collected water from the public tap, and it was...not even 6 o'clock. the biggest achievement today was successed to located a internet place in Hospet, it was outraged price Rs60 in Hampi. came back to Hampi by 5 pm and climbed the Matunga hill nearby, an old riun temple on top and a great view for the area below. it was surrounded by a layer of palm trees seem like outlining its dominion. many ruins could be seen from far to near, spread over on the rocky earth with temples and monuments.

photo
23 Apr 2004
Hampi, India



I was still wondering it wasn't a good idea to use DV for this trip. I hadn't made many shots yet, cause I wasn't used to taking video. it was a totally different concept, you took many clips and later edit and built up/ construct a story. but taking picture is you capture the moment and its tell the story. yeah...I miss the fun of taking picture. right...my DV has the function to take photo, but the quality was bad since the resolution is so low. beside...the shutter position wasn't really quite suitable for taking picture with one hand. added it up...it was a bit frustrating when everytime when I check on my day's capture and find it was bluring and out of focus or couldn't really capture the moment that I intended to. I hadn't took many photo so far. or it seem like I had lost the interest to take picture, sometimes I even left the machine in the hotel when I went out. I told myself...after this trip I will go back to my camera.

new technique
24 Apr 2004
Hampi, India



I had built up a technigue to play with the hello-country-name conversation lately. like this morning when I was having breakfast in a cafe, an Indian came in and ask me where from right away, I then started to mention about the weather, how hot it was. but he just throw me back with the same "where from", I igored him and kept on mine and he his..."it should rain last night, wasn't it?...how long they hadn't rain here in the area..." in a very friendly and sincere way. but just not answering his where from! he was dumb found, mouth dropped with stagnant eye, he told me to slow down so I repeated my enquirey slowly and he just look away. I then told him I thought he want to have conversation otherwise he wouldn't came and start with me in the first place. suddenly it seem like nothing had been happened, only quiet and both going back to our own bussiness. see...it work. of course I wouldn't try it on those I detected good intention, anyways...if people are really like to had conversation, why wouldn't we started with weather, life...many subjects. the name-country thing would comes spontaneously during the talk, I never understand why they are so keen on knowing your name or country, and that was all they want. the worst part was after satisfied their own desire, they would just look away or look on the ground, blanked face, tilting their head without answering you even you would like to talk something new. their expression seem like to say " you can excuse yourself now..stupid tourist, I had finish my business with you!!" I will do more practised with this new technique...haaa..hhaaa..!!!

Bijapur
25 Apr 2004
Bijapur, India



after 4 days of rest. but I did made some short walk each day and it was just couldn't hang out too long in the open as the temperature got almost 50 Degree C. guess my body was fitted enought to carried on my trip northward. went to Hospet for the bus. asked a guy in the station and he told me there was no express bus to Bijapur, with this bus here, you go to so and so and change bus to Bijapur, and a young boy got into our conversation and solided the deal said " it was only 40km away and what is you country!" Jesus!!! I was being push into the bus and the man even took the effort to asked the conductor about my situation, of course...they are talking in Kannada, and I doubt he would ask her her name and country!!! so...the conductor came to me and gave me ticket and said"Rs45". I ask her" where will I go to from here?" she just made a movement with her hand up and down with flat had which I took she meant she would take good care of me and I need not to worry. ok than but a minute later an empty bus pull into next to ours, and the conductor in that bus shouting "Bijapur, Bijapur" I was dame! asked the conductor could I switch to that bus with this ticket and she said no. kept telling me that bus will take off at 10 and go the same route as ours. I trying to believe her as that was the only way unless I buy another new ticket but...I was cheap...I guess you all know by now. our bus move on and I wasn't really happy and hope whatever they told me was mostly truth. first we stop in another station about an hour and the driver went for breakfast...20 mins!!! than we stop again after another hour and the driver told us to go for breakfast...another 20 mins!!! finally we got to Ilkal, 80km away after 4 hours...bloody hell!!! but surprisingly from there to bijapur, a 100km away...which only took 2hrs. same straight flat road without any up down hill. crazy!!! Bijapur is an ancient Muslim capital, a lots of old Islamic architectures. went to check out the 2 main sites, the Golgumbaz and the Ibrahim Roza, but I refused to pay the outraged Rs100 while the local only paid Rs5, it was 20 times different. so I admired it from the outside instead, then I turn my attention to the local market, and I discovered something interesting there. the Lamani tribe, the women with a head scarf, hair knotted with decorates, some with huge nose ring, many bangles and rings. their shirt was embroider with many tiny shinning glass plates, emitted with fraugh colors, long pleated skirt with different colour. some men with white hat, and some wrapped with yelloe or red turban, buffalos are painted with whatever color their boss like, yellow, green, blue, pink....just fascinating!!!

10 hours bus trip
27 Apr 2004
Aurangabad, India



it was a 10 hours trip to Aurangabad. it was the longest bus ride I had in India so far. I did missed the direct bus at 6am delibriately as it was just too early. so it would came across 3 changing of buses, and it would be a lot of chances to practise my new technique with people. few hours later someone finally came to sit next to me, and a "where from" strike at me with his butt not even on the seat. I ignored him and said I'm fine thank you. he came again and I said why? I'm fine, thank you! and he didn't gave up and I told him why he ask me the same question 3 times, and I'm fine, thank you. he look lost and I told him why Indian want so much to know about the others nationality, he said it help him to understand better our forerigner friends. I said dose it made any different? and he had no answer. he look sad by not able to got my country, and I felt sorry for him so I told him I was sorry, I was having a bad day and I didn't mean any unfriendness to him. by then he was more quiet. luckly he didn't stay on long and left with many of his Indian friend whoes set on the back of the bus. I guess he felt lost face! later another boy venture to sat next to me and started with the same open line. as usual I swith it into weather condition, but he answer it and came again, then I shoot out another line and he replied it as well, he seem to enjoy it and then I told him next time if he want to start conversation with westerner, try not to start with come from or your good name. we all hate to answer this questions...100 times a day! and if you really want conversation, the name and country would comes into the talk easily. oh..he said he was sorry because he didn't realised it, and now he learn. I guess I finally got a person to talk to in a normal way. and we start to talk a bit, I mean mostly was answer and question. I pump him with questions and he gave me an answer, it can only counted as talk! sometimes he will throw in the usual standard question like how old are you, what job I had at home, am I married.... and until he had all those data he went silent again. I was disappointed and when the bus stop in a station, he took the chance to move to another seat said he want a seat with window. It would be better I guess! Aurangabad is a cith spread on a huge area. there wasn't any real center for the town, every cross road act as a gethering place, shop and restaurant congested in the cross road, there wasn't much in between 2 points, mostly are garages or back wall of some buildings. the north east part is the old town and the local market, quite busy during the day. most of the guesthouse are concentration on the area between the bus station and the railway station.

Ellora and Ajanta
29 Apr 2004
fedarpur, India



An hour away by bus is the Ellora cave, group of 34 caves consisted of Buddish, Hindu and Jain style, they are full of sculptures which dated back almost 2000 years ago. The master piece in Ellora is the astonishing Kailasa temple which charge USD$5 entry while the rest of the caves are for free. The whole temple was hewn from 1 piece of rock which took more than 150 years to completed. It covered with sculptures from inside out, every inch of the building!!! There is a trail behind the temple along the cliff which the temple had been chiseling out from, where you can have a good view of the Kailasa from above. As usual?I objected the USD$5 entrance and admired the temple from the outside. I got myself good excuse this time, 1st...it would be dark inside the temple like all the other caves, so I won't be able to see much of the sculptures. 2nd...there was so many Indian tourists, which made the place so crowded and noisy, especially worst while inside the enclosed temple. And today I went to visited another heritage site, the Ajanta which is more further away from Aurangabad, which took almost 3 hrs by bus, and you got off at the road junction to the cave. The only transportation to the caves are the private green bus which you need to walk through a small man-made park, a guard shout at me said "ticket", but it was a Rs5 entrance fee for the park which had nothing to offer but some souvenir shops, and the park is only way to get to the green bus, what a rip off!!! The caves area is another 4km away, ok...I gave in, I wondered if I kept on to my principle, I would end up see India from the bus only! So I paid my USD$5 this time for Ajanta! A nice setting for the caves on the inner curve of the mountain cliff over look the sharp bend of a small river(which is dry up at the moment), I did walk up the hill top from the other side and a good over view of the whole area, but couldn't really enjoy it with all the touts swarm around. The caves here are well maintain, I mean the cleanness, at least there was no oppressed smell, but I was quite disappointed about the paintings that boasted in every guide book doesn't exist , most of them are under very bad condition, colorless. The cold light inside the cave which made it difficult to really see clear of the paintings, not to mention about any imagination could be done since there was nothing for inspiration. Some caves do have beautiful sculptures, but in the whole, beside the nice setting of the area, I would prefer Ellora more than Ajanta. Was it because I had spend 5 dollars unwillingly here???? Fedarpur is the nearest village to Ajanta, so I stop there for the night, "konichiwa, konichiwa" could be hear everywhere, as they took me a Japanese, you can imagine how heavy the tourist industry in this place, even when I told them I am actually Chinese then the guy switch to "Ni Hao" right away, even he could only manage this one greeting, but you can see how fast their mind running!!! Amazing! It wasn't the season here yet, and I can imagine what it would be like when the tourist season arrived. But...it really doesn't worth that much here...personal opinion!!!

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