Everyday, every minute, India rocks your beliefs about the way the world is supposed to operate. The words of my shaman teacher float though my mind constantly. "Be open to outcome, not attached to outcome" seems to be the only way through preconceived notions, opinions and attachments. Yesterday I had two distinct experiences that dragged me through the spectrum of tears, frustration and Indian culture.
Situation #1: Tiger, an Indian shop owner, invited Gerdien and me in for chai. He was a young guy and had lived in Europe for a few months so his English was quite good for he was able to engage in a complex conversation. As a sociologist, Gerdien is really observant of the people in the places we visit and I really appreciate this about her. We'd both noticed a relative "shortage" of disabled people in Rajasthan (as opposed to some other regions we'd visited) and she'd also noticed very few mentally ill people on the streets. So she asked him and thus began the conversation that was to make me cry.
"Indians don't need to have mental institutions because our families take care of us. If someone in our family or village is sick or has problems, we all take care of the problem and support each other." He talked about the loneliness that he witnessed in Belgium and he sees in American culture too. He commented that westerners are seemingly more concerned with having the latest things than in supporting our own families through difficult times like aging and sickness. Gerdien asked about medication for depression and if it's a normal prescribed remedy for a common ailment. "No! We take the person into our house and take care of them until they are well. We have no need for medications. We have family." He talked about how so many young Indians idolize western life, and he's concerned that the western way of treating our families will follow suit.
The conversation just rocked me...it's a way of living, being and caring that they have for each other. And it's their culture. How different would our world be if we all lived like this?
Situation #2: We made a reservation to tour the prestigious Lake Palace in Udaipur. We were to arrive around 5pm, have a tour and then watch the sunset. (If you have ever seen James Bond's Octopussy, then you're familiar with Udaipur and the Lake Palace. It's stunning!) So at 4:15 we begin making our way to the boat jetty to catch the small ferry to the island retreat. The conversations we have go something like this:
"It's that way. But if you go this way it will cost you 80% less." (That boat doesn't go to the Lake Palace.)
"You have to go to the Palace Museum to get the boat. You have to buy a ticket to get into the museum to get the boat." (My contact at the hotel did not mention a ticket or a fee so I'm skeptical.)
"The Palace Museum closes at 4:30 so you can not get the boat." (The website says that boat runs 24 hours.)
"You have to phone the Lake Palace and tell them that you are coming so you can get on their security list." (I've done that.) "You have to call them." (I've already done that.) "You need to call them before you buy the ticket." (The ticket that they are unwilling to sell me because it's after 4:30).
I get frustrated, fueled by my first cup of coffee in months, and call my contact at the Lake Palace again to tell them that I'm having a difficult time getting through security. He says, "You only need to go to Bari..." and then silence. My phone battery dies. I try to start it so that I can get the number at least before calling back from the office where I'm sitting, but the phone won't boot.
Next, we're told we don't need to buy tickets but we have to stop at the security office. Like so many Indian offices, this one has eight men sitting in a small room and only one is at a computer. He's busily looking at some Hindi writing on a logbook that looks at least 20 years old trying to answer my question. He gets an email so he's reading it, then the phone rings - at least 10 times - and he finally answers it while all the other seemingly not busy men don't even wince. Then his cell phone rings so he now has two phone conversations going simultaneously (all in Hindi so unfortunately I can't understand them) and I assume he's trying to get my passage through the gate. He hangs up the phones and pulls out the "Security Ticket" book that I assume we're waiting for. He writes the pass, though it takes him another five minutes to sign the ticket as the phones start ringing again and, again, he is the only one in the room interested in touching a phone.
With our pass finally in hand, he tells us with a typical Indian hand gesture using the back of his hand, "Go there". "Where?" I ask. He does it again. "Will you show us?" (at this point it's been an hour of frustration and the thought of getting lost makes me want to scream). He does it again. Finally I grab the arm of the nearest security guard and say, "Please show me where" quite adamantly. And he does. And I turn and offer him a "Namaste" with hands in prayer pose.
Peace. Indian style.
After all of that, we did make it to the Lake Palace and WOW! It is a remarkable old maharaja's palace that was converted to become a hotel in 1962. It's got 17th century splendor and 22nd century prices.
We have three cocktails each. For India.
Showing posts with label women traveling india. Show all posts
Showing posts with label women traveling india. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Thar She Blows: An Indian Desert Experience
Taking a three day camel safari through the Thar Desert of Rajasthan we knew was a risky undertaking. We'd been warned...snakes, scorpions, moody camels, sunburns, bad guides, stomach ailments, boredom were all listed. But Gerdien and I wanted three full days, off the tourist track and not with other tourists so we went looking. The first person we met when looking was Sobhu, with Shera Travels (dial his India mobile 96727-63833). He runs the Temple View Guest House in Jaisalmer and just happened to be returning from the market with an armful of vegetables when we paused outside near his sign which was advertising "Honest fair pricing."
Sobhu charmed us with his gentle kindness and sweet smile. He was not pushy like so many other wallahs we'd been meeting, and showed up pictures of camping under the stars on the sand and small desert villages. He talked about the chapatis he'd make us for lunch and dinner and the ample supply of fresh fruit and bottled water he'd bring. And his prices were indeed beyond fair (about $75 each for the experience including tips.) So we signed up, risks and all, and put our trust in this man who promised to keep us safe above all else.
We began at what can only be called a desert house. It was isolated for miles and miles each direction and there were two goats and one cow outside. The mama was churning goat butter and making ghee while the three adorable children found delight in my camera, despite their shyness. It was built with dung, was open to the elements except for a small covered area and included everything they needed to survive. The youngest boy, maybe 4, walked right up to our camels and seemed to know how to touch them. It was crazy to see such a small child not be afraid of such a large animal!
The day began with clouds and a nice breeze. I even had to wear a long sleeve shirt to keep warm (maybe 60 degrees with wind?) A good omen for our travels they said. (They is Sobhu, our guide, and Puna, our camel driver). We lunched (vegetable curry and chapati) at a simple sandy spot with some shade as the sun had made an appearance with a vengeance! It'd gotten downright hot. And it was here that I stumbled upon an amazing fossil as well, worth $100 to the locals at least. It's got at least 10 three dimensional plant impressions in one 4" x 5" piece. It's stunning! Needless to say, it's coming home with me.
We camped that night with sunshine and more stars than I've ever seen. Sobhu took us on a night camel ride. The camels were very obedient and massively enormous, so the simple and frequent task of getting on and off was cause for frequent fits of laughter. And riding was a bit like riding a horse, but more awkward. Because of the hump the saddle is always slightly leaning forward creating an experience where holding on is very important. After the first hour, we had to get off and walk for two hours, to stretch our aching legs! Subsequent days got easier on the legs and harder on the back, but no major episodes of pain to report, thankfully.
On day two, the day started with sunshine but around lunch time when we were desperately hot and dying to find a shade tree to dine under, Sobhu - himself a man of the desert - announced that rain was coming. It seemed impossible to believe since there had been a three year drought until the past summer. And it's not the rainy season.
First the wind came. It felt like a welcome relief and we happily ate our lunch feeling a bit cooler than the 100+ degree temperature we'd been experiencing that morning. Then the sand storm came. Interesting for me, but dreadful on Gerdien's eyes and contacts. So we faced away from the sand and waited for what was next.
Then the rain came and the guides darted up and called after us to come quickly. They'd built a quick makeshift shelter with a plastic tarp that covered our things with room for us to hide too. It provided an awesome experience for us to experience the desert! The boys sang desert songs to us, and we sang whatever we could muster and both knew the words of. They loved hearing our songs and voices and kept asking for more.
Then we ran out of songs. What to do? Play Truth or Dare, of course! The dares included running out in the rain, from the safety of our tarped abode, and doing kartwheels, dancing, and even farting. Everyone laughed so hard and soon enough the rains were gone. Sunshine appeared from behind the clouds and we watched the weather move across the desert sky quickly. Sobhu emphatically said that we were a blessing to the desert and brought good luck to all the people of the desert. It was a nice vision and I didn't question it. :-)
Right after the storm passed we finally left our lunch spot, albeit about 2 hours late to make our camp for that night. The guides rode together on one camel in front and tied our camels behind theirs. After about five minutes of walking my camel, Papu, got spooked and tried to buck me off. Completely caught off guard I had a hard time holding on and my grip kept coming loose. Of course I screamed and Sobhu, who'd promised to keep me safe at all costs watched in horror for what was probably two seconds, before shouting a command for the camel to stop. I'd been bucked at least three or four times, and was one buck away from falling nine feet to the hard packed rocky desert floor and landing on my head and getting danced on by an obviously angry camel. I don't want to think about what could have happened. But I was safe, thank God, Buddha, Shiva and all else involved in the miraculous recovery. I rode the rest of the day on the back of Sobhu's camel Rocket, who thankfully didn't show his speed to me for which he is named.
We slept so soundly, long and surprisingly peacefully underneath that stars and with the cool night air surrounding us. Despite my fears all I could feel when the sun went down was peace and happiness. Nothing was going to keep me from the deep dreams induced by the desert.
We had an amazing time, toured several desert family homes, visited a village abandoned 400 years ago because of a marriage dispute, and didn't see another single tourist during our entire journey. It was exactly what we'd hoped for, and more than we expected!
I'm left feeling grateful for the experience and for Sobhu keeping his promise to keep us safe. The desert is vast, powerful and awe-some and it left me wanting more sandy adventures!
Sobhu charmed us with his gentle kindness and sweet smile. He was not pushy like so many other wallahs we'd been meeting, and showed up pictures of camping under the stars on the sand and small desert villages. He talked about the chapatis he'd make us for lunch and dinner and the ample supply of fresh fruit and bottled water he'd bring. And his prices were indeed beyond fair (about $75 each for the experience including tips.) So we signed up, risks and all, and put our trust in this man who promised to keep us safe above all else.
We began at what can only be called a desert house. It was isolated for miles and miles each direction and there were two goats and one cow outside. The mama was churning goat butter and making ghee while the three adorable children found delight in my camera, despite their shyness. It was built with dung, was open to the elements except for a small covered area and included everything they needed to survive. The youngest boy, maybe 4, walked right up to our camels and seemed to know how to touch them. It was crazy to see such a small child not be afraid of such a large animal!
The day began with clouds and a nice breeze. I even had to wear a long sleeve shirt to keep warm (maybe 60 degrees with wind?) A good omen for our travels they said. (They is Sobhu, our guide, and Puna, our camel driver). We lunched (vegetable curry and chapati) at a simple sandy spot with some shade as the sun had made an appearance with a vengeance! It'd gotten downright hot. And it was here that I stumbled upon an amazing fossil as well, worth $100 to the locals at least. It's got at least 10 three dimensional plant impressions in one 4" x 5" piece. It's stunning! Needless to say, it's coming home with me.
We camped that night with sunshine and more stars than I've ever seen. Sobhu took us on a night camel ride. The camels were very obedient and massively enormous, so the simple and frequent task of getting on and off was cause for frequent fits of laughter. And riding was a bit like riding a horse, but more awkward. Because of the hump the saddle is always slightly leaning forward creating an experience where holding on is very important. After the first hour, we had to get off and walk for two hours, to stretch our aching legs! Subsequent days got easier on the legs and harder on the back, but no major episodes of pain to report, thankfully.
On day two, the day started with sunshine but around lunch time when we were desperately hot and dying to find a shade tree to dine under, Sobhu - himself a man of the desert - announced that rain was coming. It seemed impossible to believe since there had been a three year drought until the past summer. And it's not the rainy season.
First the wind came. It felt like a welcome relief and we happily ate our lunch feeling a bit cooler than the 100+ degree temperature we'd been experiencing that morning. Then the sand storm came. Interesting for me, but dreadful on Gerdien's eyes and contacts. So we faced away from the sand and waited for what was next.
Then the rain came and the guides darted up and called after us to come quickly. They'd built a quick makeshift shelter with a plastic tarp that covered our things with room for us to hide too. It provided an awesome experience for us to experience the desert! The boys sang desert songs to us, and we sang whatever we could muster and both knew the words of. They loved hearing our songs and voices and kept asking for more.
Then we ran out of songs. What to do? Play Truth or Dare, of course! The dares included running out in the rain, from the safety of our tarped abode, and doing kartwheels, dancing, and even farting. Everyone laughed so hard and soon enough the rains were gone. Sunshine appeared from behind the clouds and we watched the weather move across the desert sky quickly. Sobhu emphatically said that we were a blessing to the desert and brought good luck to all the people of the desert. It was a nice vision and I didn't question it. :-)
Right after the storm passed we finally left our lunch spot, albeit about 2 hours late to make our camp for that night. The guides rode together on one camel in front and tied our camels behind theirs. After about five minutes of walking my camel, Papu, got spooked and tried to buck me off. Completely caught off guard I had a hard time holding on and my grip kept coming loose. Of course I screamed and Sobhu, who'd promised to keep me safe at all costs watched in horror for what was probably two seconds, before shouting a command for the camel to stop. I'd been bucked at least three or four times, and was one buck away from falling nine feet to the hard packed rocky desert floor and landing on my head and getting danced on by an obviously angry camel. I don't want to think about what could have happened. But I was safe, thank God, Buddha, Shiva and all else involved in the miraculous recovery. I rode the rest of the day on the back of Sobhu's camel Rocket, who thankfully didn't show his speed to me for which he is named.
We slept so soundly, long and surprisingly peacefully underneath that stars and with the cool night air surrounding us. Despite my fears all I could feel when the sun went down was peace and happiness. Nothing was going to keep me from the deep dreams induced by the desert.
We had an amazing time, toured several desert family homes, visited a village abandoned 400 years ago because of a marriage dispute, and didn't see another single tourist during our entire journey. It was exactly what we'd hoped for, and more than we expected!
I'm left feeling grateful for the experience and for Sobhu keeping his promise to keep us safe. The desert is vast, powerful and awe-some and it left me wanting more sandy adventures!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Warm and wonderful India
Packing for a trip that takes you trekking to 16,000 feet and then to five-star resorts in 100 degree India is a difficult proposition. That's why I just had to spend $150 to ship 25 pounds of gear home. But the good news is that it opened up a lot of space in my now way-too-empty backpack for the amazing shopping and beauty in Rajasthan. Wow, I'm going to need an intervention soon!!
Warm and wonderful refers to so many things in India...the weather, the people, and the culture to name a few. I was met in Delhi by our local agent for Grand Asian Journeys and I have been treated like a princess ever since. That's both a good thing and a bad thing. It's good because I get to see a side of India that I really didn't get to see on my previous travels. The hotels that I've been visiting are a part of the scouting adventure that I am on to select properties for the tours that I will guide next year in India. And, it's been nice to have a dedicated car and driver to take me from place to place so I don't have to wait for trains and buses etc. The accommodations have been lovely and I've enjoyed every second of it.
Then Gerdien comes. And somehow having a driver/guide just felt like it was removing us from the "real" India or at least the India that we had come to know on our adventure last year. So, after six days getting into the outback of India with our faithful and wonderful driver Anil, we've decided to send him back to Delhi and continue our journey with trains and buses. He brought us back today from our luxury tent experience (sordid details below) and dropped us outside of the Jaisalmer fort. It was the first time in India that I'd put my backpack on my back and walked. And it felt soooo good!! I didn't realize how much I'd missed it.
So more about Rajasthan. It is the state that is due west of Delhi in North India and includes many forts, temples and palaces. It's remarkable in it's beauty and culture. The women look totally different than other Indian women, and I see much less of them here than in other parts of the country. I haven't quite figured out why yet, but all the shop keepers, restaurant workers and people walking through town seem to be of the male persuasion. Curious... I'll let you know if/when I figure out the mystery of the Rajasthani women.
We spent our first night staying in Mandawa, where no trains and only a few tourists stop. It was a blessing to have the driver or we never would've seen this remarkable painted town. We spent just one night here on our quest to get to the desert. The next day we went to Bikaner and spent the day walking through the local markets and didn't see another white face all day. I took lots of photos of beautiful, curious children. It was also a nice town, with an impressive fort - the biggest in Rajasthan, I believe.
The following morning we headed to Jaisalmer, only 30 miles from the border of Pakistan. It is a remarkable city to approach from the desert. It appears like a mirage, a yellow city rising out of the sandstone hill situated in the middle of the Thar desert. It looks like the typical desert city that is usually represented in cartoons. I keep finding myself humming bits from Aladdin, one of my favorite Disney flicks, but I digress...
It's a small town, in India terms. And I like it very much. The bulk of the tourist activity happens inside of the fort (which is about a mile across and covers the entire desert hill). The fort is like a maze with shops and temples on the inside of the walls. It's all built of sandstone and there is so much detail in the architecture. We've made many friends, and continue to be amazed by the warmth of the people.
Last night, for my birthday, we stayed at a luxury tent camp. When we arrived there was a camel waiting for us to take us for a ride out into the desert to watch the sunset. A wonderful gift from our India agent! The camel, named Michael Jackson (to make the tourists laugh, I am sure) was well-behaved and seemingly well loved. As we approached the dunes, the mobs of tourists and tour buses scared me. It felt like Desert Disneyland, which wasn't exactly the experience I'd been looking for. So, our driver walked us past the dunes where everyone stood, to a private hill where we witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets of all time. It is true what they say about desert sunsets! The tent camp was really nice, with a good music and dance program before dinner. At the end of the program, the crowd sang Happy Birthday and a cake was presented to me. My second birthday cake of the trip!
So, today we came back to the town of Jaisalmer where we were offered approximately 24 cups of chai from various vendors (I only indulged in four) while wandering through the fort. The details of our three-day, two-night camel safari have now been arranged and we'll be leaving first thing in the morning for the adventure. We paid a "little more" to ensure that it will be a private experience and not a part of the tourist caravan. I'm really looking forward to the experience, and hoping that there is enough bottled water on the trip to keep us properly hydrated! (I've been assured there will be plenty). After our 90 minutes on the camel last night today I was feeling a little bit sore. Hmmm...hopefully three days will not be two too many and we'll be able to walk when we get to Udaipur on Monday!
Uploading photos continues to be a challenge, so for now my words will have to do. I will attach them when bandwidth permits!
Love,
Pam
Warm and wonderful refers to so many things in India...the weather, the people, and the culture to name a few. I was met in Delhi by our local agent for Grand Asian Journeys and I have been treated like a princess ever since. That's both a good thing and a bad thing. It's good because I get to see a side of India that I really didn't get to see on my previous travels. The hotels that I've been visiting are a part of the scouting adventure that I am on to select properties for the tours that I will guide next year in India. And, it's been nice to have a dedicated car and driver to take me from place to place so I don't have to wait for trains and buses etc. The accommodations have been lovely and I've enjoyed every second of it.
Then Gerdien comes. And somehow having a driver/guide just felt like it was removing us from the "real" India or at least the India that we had come to know on our adventure last year. So, after six days getting into the outback of India with our faithful and wonderful driver Anil, we've decided to send him back to Delhi and continue our journey with trains and buses. He brought us back today from our luxury tent experience (sordid details below) and dropped us outside of the Jaisalmer fort. It was the first time in India that I'd put my backpack on my back and walked. And it felt soooo good!! I didn't realize how much I'd missed it.
So more about Rajasthan. It is the state that is due west of Delhi in North India and includes many forts, temples and palaces. It's remarkable in it's beauty and culture. The women look totally different than other Indian women, and I see much less of them here than in other parts of the country. I haven't quite figured out why yet, but all the shop keepers, restaurant workers and people walking through town seem to be of the male persuasion. Curious... I'll let you know if/when I figure out the mystery of the Rajasthani women.
We spent our first night staying in Mandawa, where no trains and only a few tourists stop. It was a blessing to have the driver or we never would've seen this remarkable painted town. We spent just one night here on our quest to get to the desert. The next day we went to Bikaner and spent the day walking through the local markets and didn't see another white face all day. I took lots of photos of beautiful, curious children. It was also a nice town, with an impressive fort - the biggest in Rajasthan, I believe.
The following morning we headed to Jaisalmer, only 30 miles from the border of Pakistan. It is a remarkable city to approach from the desert. It appears like a mirage, a yellow city rising out of the sandstone hill situated in the middle of the Thar desert. It looks like the typical desert city that is usually represented in cartoons. I keep finding myself humming bits from Aladdin, one of my favorite Disney flicks, but I digress...
It's a small town, in India terms. And I like it very much. The bulk of the tourist activity happens inside of the fort (which is about a mile across and covers the entire desert hill). The fort is like a maze with shops and temples on the inside of the walls. It's all built of sandstone and there is so much detail in the architecture. We've made many friends, and continue to be amazed by the warmth of the people.
Last night, for my birthday, we stayed at a luxury tent camp. When we arrived there was a camel waiting for us to take us for a ride out into the desert to watch the sunset. A wonderful gift from our India agent! The camel, named Michael Jackson (to make the tourists laugh, I am sure) was well-behaved and seemingly well loved. As we approached the dunes, the mobs of tourists and tour buses scared me. It felt like Desert Disneyland, which wasn't exactly the experience I'd been looking for. So, our driver walked us past the dunes where everyone stood, to a private hill where we witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets of all time. It is true what they say about desert sunsets! The tent camp was really nice, with a good music and dance program before dinner. At the end of the program, the crowd sang Happy Birthday and a cake was presented to me. My second birthday cake of the trip!
So, today we came back to the town of Jaisalmer where we were offered approximately 24 cups of chai from various vendors (I only indulged in four) while wandering through the fort. The details of our three-day, two-night camel safari have now been arranged and we'll be leaving first thing in the morning for the adventure. We paid a "little more" to ensure that it will be a private experience and not a part of the tourist caravan. I'm really looking forward to the experience, and hoping that there is enough bottled water on the trip to keep us properly hydrated! (I've been assured there will be plenty). After our 90 minutes on the camel last night today I was feeling a little bit sore. Hmmm...hopefully three days will not be two too many and we'll be able to walk when we get to Udaipur on Monday!
Uploading photos continues to be a challenge, so for now my words will have to do. I will attach them when bandwidth permits!
Love,
Pam
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