Incredible India

My new 'buddy', Momo, a rickshaw driver in Varanasi. We are both the same age, but coming from completely different backgrounds. When I am travelling, I often wonder what it would be like if I had to trade places with some of the people I meet. Switch me with Momo right now. Help! The thought terrifies me, yet this man gets thru his day allright. One of man's best attributes is adaptability. This trip has pushed and pulled my comfort zone quite a bit...but always with the background thought that I can return to my life as I wish.

It will take me a long time to sort out all my thoughts of my visit to India. I am so glad that my trip has worked out this way. Cannot imagine an RTW trip that skips over such as astounding place. I was only in 4 places (Delhi, Agra, Fatehpur Sikri and Varanasi), but even with such a light visit, I am still in shock.


DELHI
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The airport was a physical shock. There is a pre-pay area outside, but it is mindblowing to a newcomer. The little cab was easily from the 50's and the brakes made only of metal. Every person in India that I had $$$ dealings with (as a tourist, this is always a high percentage) either lied to me, tried to move me to thier advantage, mis-directed me and/or ripped me off. My hostel was only 8-10 kms from airport, but buddy couldn't even find main street within .5 km of my place. Also couldn't read/speak English. Took 1.5 hrs to arrive at hostel after midnite. My adventure pretty common one. Hostel was open and had cold beer, so all was well.

Hooked up with Adam and Owen the next day (and enjoyed my time so much more). We all liked to walk and a crowd is so much easier with all the hustlers. We took an auto-rickshaw into town...another mind-blowing trip. Traffic in Delhi (or any big place in India) has to be experienced. My description would be tame.

The food in India is always good. I had so many great meals everywhere I went. We were lucky enough to hook up with Claire on day 2 and after a few forts and mosques, ended up at a big Couchsurfing meetup that lasted until 4:00 AM. Walking the Muslim quarter during suppertime muezzin call was very cool.

Trying to find and use travel services sucked up some serious time. Lying locals, mis-directs, closed shops, down internet, lying agents, booked trains, you name it, mucho obstacles. Was the toughest part of visiting. The hustlers not that big of a problem.

Kids begging was a problem. In the streets, in the rickshaws. There is no good answer here. Some kids I gave money, most I didn't. With the kid hustlers, if they had a good patter and a sense of humour, they got $$ from me. Treating all the hustlers with a sense of humour worked well, very few were actually aggressive and usually only in very high-traffic area. With some of them, after a few exchanges of banter and perhaps a few firm "no"'s, there might even be some friendly chit-chat.

AGRA
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We took the day train to Agra. The little hotel we stayed at in Agra was within sight of the Taj, as you can see from the picture. We got up early to make sunrise at the Taj. Thus was easy, as the muezzin boys started about 5:20 AM and were quite loud and long-winded (20 minutes). It was very surreal.



FATEHPUR SIKRI
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In the afternoon, a bunch of us, including 2 CDN girls and a Brit, took a local bus (an amazing experience all in itself) about 40 kms to Fatehpur Sikri (abandoned Mughal city). I actually sold some postcards to the local hustler kids (a longer story). I liked this town a lot. There was a local festival going on. Sitting on the bus waiting to return to Agra, I was buying beer (another longer story) and having it passed thru the window to share with other backpackers. Two of the girls missed their train and stayed with us for the night (3 beds, 5 people, again a longer story).



VARANASI
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The overnight train to Varanasi was a bit of a nightmare. Countless extras in the train car, security was a problem and I was fighting the trots. Looking up from your spot and seeing the hallways and floors jammed with locals at 3:00 Am, it is time to start praying that you won't have to attempt a bathroom run.



I went to Varanasi to the see ghats and the burning bodies. The ghats were very cool. I spent a few days wandering up and down, chilling on the steps, playing chess with the locals, humoring the hustlers and generally enjoying myself. The alleyways that ran parallel were a lot of fun as well. Burning bodies don't bother me, but the dogs running about and fighting, the goats eating the flowers off the pallets, the kids laughing and playing, the general mayhem of the place just freaked me out.

INDIA
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India is not an experience you can describe with a bunch of flowery words, however well-placed. It is agut-wrenching (literally) and mind-blowing experience. I wish that i had a videocam attached to my head for about 60% of the trip. Everyday, I saw things that blew the circuits in my head, even tho you get pretty blase to a number of sights, new shit just keeps coming up.



I now know why India gets in people's blood. The experience is so powerful and so unique, it is like a drug (with a lot of side-effects).

Oddly enough, the place works. Traffic works, even with those million of potential mishaps that occur on a daily basis. The people are maddening and loveable, friendly as all get out and will do their best not to say "NO" to you, even if this means lying.

Incredible India. F&*^%ing Incredible India!

India 2010