Hello all!
I know I haven't been posting much, it's hard to find reliable internet cafes.
I am spending christmas in Goa, today. it was 39 degrees, clear skies, beautiful, and laurel and i celebrated by going parasailing and sitting on the beach with a little swimming. It was very nice.
I have to admit, i am getting a little homesick. I was chatting with mum on the phone last night and she was telling me about all the festivities and the preparations for dinner and stuff, and i got a little teary eyed.You find out how much you take for granted when you're not there for things like christmas. Mind you, it's nice being in a hot place, but i would almost forego the hot weather for just the one day with the family. I never thought i would say it, but i actually miss doing the christmas chores, because i know they result in a lovely meal with the people you care most about.
I'm glad i get to spend the holidays with Laurel, though. We're really having a fabulous time together, we get along so well. With our weird quirks and dorky jokes, we make the perfect pair. :)
I miss everyone lots. We had a phenomenal christmas dinner last night - a mixed tandoori grill with curries and rice and salad. it was the best meal we have had so far i think.
Goa is fabulous. Very different drom delhi. You can wear a sundress and get oggled at probably 75% less. Lets be honest though, we're still in India, there is an inevitable amount of oggling that will go on. It's very laid back, very relaxed. No one is in a rush to do anything. The architechture here is very neat, you can definitely see the influence of portugese imperialism. Interesting!
The people here are very kind, but both Laurel and I are having a hard time letting our 'Delhi Guard' down. You can never tell if someone really means 'hey how are you' or if they have alterior motives. In delhi it's always the former, but in Goa we have found that the people here are just genuinely interested in how you are.
We are constantly getting mistaken for English. That is the first question we're asked as soon as we hit the beach. Actually, second. "Would you like a nice sunbed!?" "No" "Where are you from? England!?" "No" Pretty much the extent of the beach conversation. The food here is really tasty. Lots of curries and rice. DELICIOUS! i am worried i am going to be a food snob (moreso than i am now, if thats possible) when i come home. Everything here is so flavourful. I can understand why so many indians find other types of cuisines flavourless.
We leave here in two days. We're back in delhi for one night and then we are going to take a train to the city of Amritsar, which is the Seik capital of the world. They have the Golden Temple, which is the 'hub' so to speak of the whole religion. Very cool. HEre's a link. :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Temple
After Amristar we are heading up to Dharamsala for a couple days - really looking forward to it.
I think it is safe to say i have the travel bug. I want to travel the whole world. It's crazy, I mean i have always said i want to travel, but after taking a big trip like this you start to understand what traveling does to you - how it can change your whole outlook on life, and shape the person that you are.
Hope the christmas season is treating everyone well, hope everyone is relaxing and taking it easy. I know my hardest decision i made today was whether i wanted a fresh lime soda or a sweet lassi. Tough tough tough.
Lots of love to everyone. I don't know if i will be able to post again, so if not, happy new year! I hope that this year turns hopes and dreams into reality for everyone!!
LOVELOVELOVELOVE!!
Monday, December 25, 2006
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Recap
Hello all!!
I realized (after a slightly frantic, to say the least, phone call from my parents) that i may have left off on a scary note. Just so you know, everything is fine. I survived the scary rickshaw ride and learned a lot from it. It was a horrible thing to happen, but i am glad it happened. I learned never to talk to the rickshaw drivers. I also learned that I am capable of standing up for myself in less than favourable situations. I yelled at him a fair amount and didn't let him leave like he was proposing. I am quite proud of myself for that.
Anyways, all scariness aside, things are absolutely fabulous. I am having the time of my life. Last night we went dancing all night and then for chocolate cake at 5 in the morning. It was outrageous. We've done lots of shopping, lots of little markets and stuff - so much fun! We went to the spa yesterday, which was an oasis. Tomorrow, Laurel's landlady's niece and I are going out together. She is from Delhi originally, but goes to boarding school in the UK, but she is back for christmas. So she knows her way around, i'm quite looking forward to it.
Tuesday I am doing a nine hour bus tour to all the sights, Humayans Tomb, the Red Fort, the India Gate - it should be really interesting.
Then on Wednesday we are off to Goa!! I'm really excited, from what i have heard Goa is going to be a lot of fun. We might come back a bit early so we can do a couple more short trips: Amritsar, Dharamsala, and mayb Jaipur, before I leave.
On a sad note, it doesn't look like i am going to be meeting the Dalai Lama, he's not going to be there when we are. BUt that's life i guess. I"m not too upset. It would have been nice, but i am sure that I will find a nice Tibetan monk to talk to instead who can provide me with some insight into life.
Lots of love to everyone! Hope all is well at home. My thoughts are with you!!
I realized (after a slightly frantic, to say the least, phone call from my parents) that i may have left off on a scary note. Just so you know, everything is fine. I survived the scary rickshaw ride and learned a lot from it. It was a horrible thing to happen, but i am glad it happened. I learned never to talk to the rickshaw drivers. I also learned that I am capable of standing up for myself in less than favourable situations. I yelled at him a fair amount and didn't let him leave like he was proposing. I am quite proud of myself for that.
Anyways, all scariness aside, things are absolutely fabulous. I am having the time of my life. Last night we went dancing all night and then for chocolate cake at 5 in the morning. It was outrageous. We've done lots of shopping, lots of little markets and stuff - so much fun! We went to the spa yesterday, which was an oasis. Tomorrow, Laurel's landlady's niece and I are going out together. She is from Delhi originally, but goes to boarding school in the UK, but she is back for christmas. So she knows her way around, i'm quite looking forward to it.
Tuesday I am doing a nine hour bus tour to all the sights, Humayans Tomb, the Red Fort, the India Gate - it should be really interesting.
Then on Wednesday we are off to Goa!! I'm really excited, from what i have heard Goa is going to be a lot of fun. We might come back a bit early so we can do a couple more short trips: Amritsar, Dharamsala, and mayb Jaipur, before I leave.
On a sad note, it doesn't look like i am going to be meeting the Dalai Lama, he's not going to be there when we are. BUt that's life i guess. I"m not too upset. It would have been nice, but i am sure that I will find a nice Tibetan monk to talk to instead who can provide me with some insight into life.
Lots of love to everyone! Hope all is well at home. My thoughts are with you!!
Thursday, December 14, 2006
something that sucks
So, i just got back to Laurel's office from Khan market. We went for lunch because she had an hour break. The auto ride over there was 20 rupees, it's barely a five minute ride. We ate lunch and then i looked around for a while, but i started to feel quite ill - the lunch wasn't sitting well. So i decided to take an auto back to Laurel's office. I hailed one down and he said sure! 20 rupees is fine. And he told me he knew where it was.
So i get in, he starts talking to me. Then i realized that all his rearview mirrors that are supposed to be aiding his driving are all pointed towards me, and he is driving in a different way than i came to the market. I asked him where he was going and he replied with a broken 'oh, it's a short cut' or something along those lines. 20 minutes later i ask again. We're on the complete other side of town in a dodgy alley way. He turns around and says to me 'i have to go run an errand. I will be back in 10 minutes' all the while there are about 10 men approaching the auto. I start yelling at him to take me to where i wanted to go, he proceeds in yelling back at me telling me that he'll only be a little while. So i started crying. and then he said 'OKAY FINE! I'LL TAKE YYOU TO JOR BAGH!(which was where i wanted to go in the first place)BUT I'M ONLY GETTING BACK IN IF YOU PAY ME 60 RUPEES" I am close to hysterics by this point to i relent and agree, much to my chagrin. so we drive another 25 minutes, half way through he turns around and says 'are you mad?' i reply with 'what the hell do you think?! of course i am mad! You're ripping me off, this should have been a five minute ride, and i've been in your stupid rickshaw for 45.' and we get three blocks away from the office. I said to him, 'keep driving, it's another three blocks.' and he turns around and said 'no, get out.' I suspect he figured out i was going to the UNHCR building and knew that there were a bunch of security guards outside that would hear me yelling at him. He snatched my 50Rs bill out of my hand and drove away, and i yelled 'that is absolutely rediculous. bad karma' He drove away and i proceeded to break into tears and run into the office into the kind arms of laurel's friends Swasti and Sasha.
They said 'welcome to india'
So i get in, he starts talking to me. Then i realized that all his rearview mirrors that are supposed to be aiding his driving are all pointed towards me, and he is driving in a different way than i came to the market. I asked him where he was going and he replied with a broken 'oh, it's a short cut' or something along those lines. 20 minutes later i ask again. We're on the complete other side of town in a dodgy alley way. He turns around and says to me 'i have to go run an errand. I will be back in 10 minutes' all the while there are about 10 men approaching the auto. I start yelling at him to take me to where i wanted to go, he proceeds in yelling back at me telling me that he'll only be a little while. So i started crying. and then he said 'OKAY FINE! I'LL TAKE YYOU TO JOR BAGH!(which was where i wanted to go in the first place)BUT I'M ONLY GETTING BACK IN IF YOU PAY ME 60 RUPEES" I am close to hysterics by this point to i relent and agree, much to my chagrin. so we drive another 25 minutes, half way through he turns around and says 'are you mad?' i reply with 'what the hell do you think?! of course i am mad! You're ripping me off, this should have been a five minute ride, and i've been in your stupid rickshaw for 45.' and we get three blocks away from the office. I said to him, 'keep driving, it's another three blocks.' and he turns around and said 'no, get out.' I suspect he figured out i was going to the UNHCR building and knew that there were a bunch of security guards outside that would hear me yelling at him. He snatched my 50Rs bill out of my hand and drove away, and i yelled 'that is absolutely rediculous. bad karma' He drove away and i proceeded to break into tears and run into the office into the kind arms of laurel's friends Swasti and Sasha.
They said 'welcome to india'
dive in head first
Wow, here I am, sitting in a dingy internet cafe in the middle of New Delhi. How surreal.
You count down the days over and over and time seems to go so slowly, until the minute before you have to leave for the airport and you realize this is it, you're going half way across the country. It's very strange.
I leave for Goa on wednesday, and i don't know if i will have time to check or blog before or while i am there. SO i am going to do a lump blog, it will be quite long. Get comfortable, get yourself a drink and prepare to be virtually immersed in the world i have quite recently found myself in!
The flight over here was eventful unto itself. 38 hours is a long time to be travelling, but i have come to the conclusion that i am meant for travelling, because i was barely tired when i got into Delhi. We managed to go out for dinner after my flight came in. It's a sign - i was meant to see the world.
I was sitting in the terminal waiting to board the Calgary to LA flight and was eavesdroping on the guy beside me. His name was Richie and he was on his way to NEw Zealand. I also heard him say he was going all the way to singapore before that. I butted in and introduced myself, telling him that i was going to be in singapore also. We ended up chatting and he was really kind. He was 26 and had travelled everywhere. He was showing me all the visas he had: australia, thailand, korea, india, malaysia, among many others. So we went to our seats and didn't talk for the first flight, but then we met up after we got off the plane. We had quite a while in LA and we got to talking. He was originally from New ZZealand and then moved to calgary 2 years ago. He was going to Sait and working for a naturapath in calgary! (He recognized some of the millions of homeopathic remedies mum sent me off with on the plane as i popped them back!)
Anyways. So we travelled together, it was really reassuring. We went on a tour of Singapore, it was really cool. BY the way, the Taipei airport was the cleanest thing i have ever seen. Ever. it was rediculous. The airline was nice, they fed us really well. Richie and I ended up sitting beside eachother all the way to singapore, it was nice having someone to talk to.
SO i get off the plane. the first thing that hit me was the amount of people. Holy smokes. Think of the most claustraphobic moment you've found yourself in and then multiply it by a million. That gives you an idea of how it is. I got my luggage and met up with Laurel and her lovely friend Sameer (who i think she should marry, he's wonderful)
We went out for dinner, it was to die for. Divine! We had mixed vig, butter chicken and delicious Naan bread.
One thing that takes some getting used to is defaulting to the left instead of the right. They drive on the left side of the reoad, so when they are going down stairs or on sidewalks, they don't even stop for you if you screw up, they either walk right into you or yell. it's disconcerting. But funny.
We went to a bolly wood movie last night, it was hilarious. The difference between westrern and indian movies is astronomical! The dancing, the songs, the bad acting, it'squite funny.
I had my first auto rickshaw experience last nightt. Crazy! They are excellent drivers, but the roads here are so terrifying that the minute you sit down in the auto the hair on the back of your neck stands up. IN laurel's words 'you just have to learn to let go and just don't stress." coming from laurel, what refreshng words! She's so tough! She's so good at bargaining for prices. She doesn't get ripped off anymore.
I am having a hard time with beggars. They are all so young, and i just want to help them all, but you can't, and that breaks my heart. Laurel told me even if you acknowledge them it makes it worse, so you can't even look. I hate it.
This morning i went to Malti's house and had tea with her mum, who is the sweetest lady ever. Laurel wanted me to stay in her house for the first three days just to sleep, but i'm not tired and i want to see everything!! I think she's feeling nervous having me walk around alone, but i've found if i cover my hair everything is okay. I get about half the looks as i do when i have my hair down. So i cover it up. LEave things up to the imagination.
I miss everyone a lot. A big thank you to everyone who sent me on my way with letters for the plane. They made me laugh and cry and love you all even more if that's possible.
Big love to everyone at home. You're in my thoughts and i miss you all!! Send me emails so i have something to look forward to. Love love love!!!
You count down the days over and over and time seems to go so slowly, until the minute before you have to leave for the airport and you realize this is it, you're going half way across the country. It's very strange.
I leave for Goa on wednesday, and i don't know if i will have time to check or blog before or while i am there. SO i am going to do a lump blog, it will be quite long. Get comfortable, get yourself a drink and prepare to be virtually immersed in the world i have quite recently found myself in!
The flight over here was eventful unto itself. 38 hours is a long time to be travelling, but i have come to the conclusion that i am meant for travelling, because i was barely tired when i got into Delhi. We managed to go out for dinner after my flight came in. It's a sign - i was meant to see the world.
I was sitting in the terminal waiting to board the Calgary to LA flight and was eavesdroping on the guy beside me. His name was Richie and he was on his way to NEw Zealand. I also heard him say he was going all the way to singapore before that. I butted in and introduced myself, telling him that i was going to be in singapore also. We ended up chatting and he was really kind. He was 26 and had travelled everywhere. He was showing me all the visas he had: australia, thailand, korea, india, malaysia, among many others. So we went to our seats and didn't talk for the first flight, but then we met up after we got off the plane. We had quite a while in LA and we got to talking. He was originally from New ZZealand and then moved to calgary 2 years ago. He was going to Sait and working for a naturapath in calgary! (He recognized some of the millions of homeopathic remedies mum sent me off with on the plane as i popped them back!)
Anyways. So we travelled together, it was really reassuring. We went on a tour of Singapore, it was really cool. BY the way, the Taipei airport was the cleanest thing i have ever seen. Ever. it was rediculous. The airline was nice, they fed us really well. Richie and I ended up sitting beside eachother all the way to singapore, it was nice having someone to talk to.
SO i get off the plane. the first thing that hit me was the amount of people. Holy smokes. Think of the most claustraphobic moment you've found yourself in and then multiply it by a million. That gives you an idea of how it is. I got my luggage and met up with Laurel and her lovely friend Sameer (who i think she should marry, he's wonderful)
We went out for dinner, it was to die for. Divine! We had mixed vig, butter chicken and delicious Naan bread.
One thing that takes some getting used to is defaulting to the left instead of the right. They drive on the left side of the reoad, so when they are going down stairs or on sidewalks, they don't even stop for you if you screw up, they either walk right into you or yell. it's disconcerting. But funny.
We went to a bolly wood movie last night, it was hilarious. The difference between westrern and indian movies is astronomical! The dancing, the songs, the bad acting, it'squite funny.
I had my first auto rickshaw experience last nightt. Crazy! They are excellent drivers, but the roads here are so terrifying that the minute you sit down in the auto the hair on the back of your neck stands up. IN laurel's words 'you just have to learn to let go and just don't stress." coming from laurel, what refreshng words! She's so tough! She's so good at bargaining for prices. She doesn't get ripped off anymore.
I am having a hard time with beggars. They are all so young, and i just want to help them all, but you can't, and that breaks my heart. Laurel told me even if you acknowledge them it makes it worse, so you can't even look. I hate it.
This morning i went to Malti's house and had tea with her mum, who is the sweetest lady ever. Laurel wanted me to stay in her house for the first three days just to sleep, but i'm not tired and i want to see everything!! I think she's feeling nervous having me walk around alone, but i've found if i cover my hair everything is okay. I get about half the looks as i do when i have my hair down. So i cover it up. LEave things up to the imagination.
I miss everyone a lot. A big thank you to everyone who sent me on my way with letters for the plane. They made me laugh and cry and love you all even more if that's possible.
Big love to everyone at home. You're in my thoughts and i miss you all!! Send me emails so i have something to look forward to. Love love love!!!
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Tomorrow
Made in India. Land of mystery. All proceeds go to children in India.
For so long, the country of India to me has been nothing but a far off land. A place I didn't really know anything about. Now that I am leaving tomorrow, there's so much I want to know about it!!
I'll get in on tuesday night, so I will probably have my first post sometime before the weekend. Thank you to everyone for all the advice, kind words and love you have sent me off with.I really do appreciate it.
:)
Laurel, here I come!!
For so long, the country of India to me has been nothing but a far off land. A place I didn't really know anything about. Now that I am leaving tomorrow, there's so much I want to know about it!!
I'll get in on tuesday night, so I will probably have my first post sometime before the weekend. Thank you to everyone for all the advice, kind words and love you have sent me off with.I really do appreciate it.
:)
Laurel, here I come!!
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