First Day in India!

Well I made it. After a long flight (14 hours) I arrived at the New Delhi Airport. It was 98 degrees at 10pm. So hot! Big difference from Crested Butte.
I took a government taxi to my hotel, as these are supposed to be more reliable. But as I had heard happens regularly, the driver tried to take me to like three different places before I finally convinced him I already knew where I wanted to stay. Taxi drivers often do this as they get commission from hotels if they bring people there.
My hotel (Hotel Relax) is very nice, but I didn't get to do much relaxing. I slept for a couple of hours and was then woken by dogs and beeping horns followed by chanting from the mosques broadcasted throughout the entire city with loudspeakers- its really neat. I got up and walked around to try and find breakfast. It is pretty hard navigating around here, as the streets are very narrow and winding, but I found a nice rooftop cafe that pretty much opened up for me since I was there at six in the morning. I ordered a couple things off the menu and 20 minutes later 3 platters of food come out. It was very good, but I could barely eat half. I felt bad because the cook worked so hard, and they don't have to go boxes here.
On my walk back to the hotel the streets are more crowed. People, bicycle rickshaws, and brahman (?) cows clog the streets. I was walking past this one cow and he turned his head suddenly and nailed me right in the stomach (he had horns). The locals had a great laugh about that. Everyone is very nice here. I haven't talked to too many people, and most of the other tourists do not speak english either, they are mostly Europeans. I haven't run in to another American, but this makes it seem a bit more of an adventure. It is very diverse here. I am sooo glad I chose to go to India!!!
Well you will hear more from me and see more pictures but this is all I have for now, not bad considering that it is 8 in the morning on my first day!

Breakfast at the Rak International Rooftop Cafe


Muslim school below the Rak International

Is this the way back to the hotel?


See the guy waking up on the roof top, many
people sleep on the roof tops and in the streets.

Lone cow (there are many more)

View at breakfast

Rooftop of Hotel Relax

Delhi to Jaipur

The rest of my day in Delhi was wonderful. I took a taxi to see Sarah Traweek's friend Sachin. The taxi ride was a new experience, the roads in India are filled with a million cars, taxis, auto rickshaws (3 wheeled gas run carts), bicycle rickshaws, motorcycles, and scooters. No one uses the lanes and everyone honks there horns constantly. At first it seems like chaos but it is actually strangely efficient. More lanes are created, there is constant movement, and honking the horn is actually used for communication rather than expressing frustration.

Sachin and I walked around a couple of local markets in the area and had lunch. It was great to have a friend in a new place, and someone to talk to. I returned to my hotel in Paharganj, and fought off the urge to take a nap. I figure that I'll kick the jet lag faster if I force myself to be active all day so I can then sleep during the right hours. I walked down the main bizarre, a very busy street with many shops and cafes. I think it is pretty obvious that I am a new arrival so I just walk quickly to avoid all of the shop keepers from trying to lure me into their stores.

I only slept a couple of hours, I woke up at 3:30am and couldn't go back to sleep. I checked out of my hotel at 5am and took a bicycle rickshaw to the train station which was already busy with local travellers. Luckily I was able to navigate to the correct platform and find the right car waiting area. The train arrived and everyone scurries on board with their luggage and in a matter of minutes the train is gone. I was sitting next to an Indian woman and her young son, they were very friendly but spoke no English which was ok with me because I was memorized by looking out the window the entire time. Along the tracks leaving New Delhi there are miles of shanty towns, people living in tents made from what looked like trash. In addition many of these people were doing their morning business right beside the tracks just watching the train go by like it was nothing. It seems that certain things like this are not kept private like they are in the US. There is no shame in doing what everyone does.

Four hours later I arrived in Jaipur also known as the pink city because of the pink stone wash on all of the buildings. When I walked out of the train station I was swarmed with rickshaw drivers wanting to give me a ride. I kept walking and found a driver that was not hassling me and asked if he would give me a ride to my hotel for 10 rupees. He agreed and we were off. My driver was very nice, and told me a lot about the city and the people. I liked him so much I asked him to come pick me up the next day at 8:30am to take me to a couple of places I want to see.

My new hotel, Pearl Palace, is very cool. I went to the rooftop cafe for lunch and had REAL coffee, which can't be found everywhere you go in India. I met two girls that were also staying here, one from Mexico and the other from Washington DC. They were very nice and I ended up joining them that afternoon to check out the old city palace and observatory. It was nice to have company and someone to take pictures of me (having t

rouble uploading pictures from this computer). After a long hot afternoon of walking around the city, we came back to the hotel and had dinner. Not long after a thunderstorm came through and it poured rain all evening which was great because it cooled off a lot. All of the locals were very excited as it never rains here. Jaipur and Rajasthan are desert regions that have been experiencing water shortage for many years now.

The largest sun dial in the world

Snake charmer

After dinner we chatted in the common area for a while but I was very tired and went to bed. I think I'll sleep more than a couple of hours tonight....can't wait for tomorrow!

Around Jaipur

Today was wonderful, I finally slept normally and feel well rested. The rain cooled the air and cleared the smog a little bit (Jaipur has over 4 million residents). My rickshaw driver, Mahammad, picked me up at 8:30 as planned and I told him that I wanted to go to the Bapu Bizarre to shop. I did a pretty good job packing appropriate clothes (must be very conservative) but there are better clothing options here to keep as cool as possible (and look cool) for a minimal cost.

The Rickshaw

The bizarre was not open until 10am so Mahammad suggested that we go to his friends factory that produces and exports Jaipur's famous block print textiles, silks, and antique tapestries. We arrived there and I got a tour of the factory called the Soul of India. It is run by a man named Sonu from Delhi who started the company to aid in the prosperity of Indian women by providing them work opportunities. Sonu showed me some of the many things the women make, and I bought a beautiful silk block print duvet cover and a mirrored tapestry. I also got some new clothes that are beautiful and functional. They shipped a few the other things home for me and I threw in some of my old clothes that I won't be needing. It was great, I went shopping and my bag got lighter!

Sonu, his daughter, Mahammad, and me

Afterwards we stayed and chatted at the factory with Mahammad, Sonu, the workers and Sonu's daughter. We drank chai and played the board game Snakes and Latters. It was so fun! I felt like part of the family rather than a tourist. In addition Sonu told me about a friend of his from England that regularly brings students to learn about block printing from the local women. I told him of my plan to organize a service learning trip- if only I could include Jaipur in the itinerary!

Later that afternoon, Mahammad and I continued to drive around Jaipur. I didn't feel like I was on a tourist path once, it was great! He showed me some palace ruins (I was the only person there) and then we drove up to the top of a ridge that overlooks Jaipur. There is an old fort up there that is inhabited by monkeys and peacocks. There were a few Indian families up there to watch the sunset, but that was it. On the way down, Mahammad let me drive the rickshaw, operated similarly to a motorcycle. Apparently, I didn't use the horn enough. Everyone smiled and laughed at the sight of me driving, it was hilarious!

The palace ruins

Elephant in the midst of usual traffic

The camels are used to hall carts and are lavishly decorated

At the Tiger Fort overlooking Jaipur and the Lake Palace

I definitely had a wonderful day in Jaipur. Tomorrow I move on to Ajmer (a two hour train ride) and then take a short bus to Pushkar, an Indian pilgrimage site in the desert. I feel I've seen so much already, I can't believe my trip has only begun!

Pushkar-Rajasthan

Pushkar


The tail end of a wedding procession.

Pushkar is a small town outside of Ajmer that is a Hindu pilgrimage site. There is a lake in the middle of this desert town that was supposed to be created when Brahma dropped a lotus flower from the sky to kill a demon. Now many people travel long distances to bathe in the holy lake. In addition there are over 500 temples in the area. My hotel is awesome, it is an old restored Haveli mansion that is like a fortress on the outside with a big open air, four story courtyard in the middle. Many buildings are designed like this to keep direct sunlight from heating up the place through outside windows.

The Seventh Heaven Hotel

The first morning I woke up at dawn and hiked up a long flight of stone steps to the top of a hill to visit the Savitri temple. At the beginning of the climb, a man wouldn't leave me alone and wanted me to pay him to be my guide. He was very persistent, so I just smoked him on the climb up (still have the high-altitude advantage). He finally gave up. When I reached the temple at the top of the hill it was beautiful. The sun had risen and their were great views of the town and the desert.

View from Savitri Temple

Later that day, I walked around the market and made a donation to the Pushkar lake in exchange for a prayer from one of the many priests and some rose petals to throw in the lake. The priests are very pushy and once you do this they tie an orange string around your wrist and are not bothered again. This and the experience alone was worth it.

The Market

For the sunset, I decided to ride a camel in the desert (might as well- when am I going to get to do that again). It was very cool. It was also neat to see the rural communities around as well. Afterward, the gypsy family who owned the camels invited me into their house for a home cooked Rajasthani dinner. They were so nice, all of the children from the neighborhood came over and wanted to dress me up like a Rajasthani women. It was hilarious! We all laughed and did our best to communicate, it was great. The food was excellent considering that it was all cooked on a fire fueled by dried cow patties. I learned how to make chapatis (Indian flat bread) on the fire and how to milk a goat which was then used for chai tea. They insisted that I come over for breakfast too. I thought to myself, if I make it through the night without getting sick I'll come back. I had no problems, so I went back for breakfast too.

Me and Ali Baba




I don't quite have the technique down.

Chapatis (Indian flatbread), dal (spicy lentils), garlic curry, olives, rice, and beans masala.

They put a bindi on my forehead and a red line which means I am married.

Soni (mom) showing me how to wear a sari.

The next morning I climbed to a temple on the other side of town, it was a much shorter climb which I was thankful for because my legs were sore from riding Ali Baba the camel. Afterwards I had breakfast with the gypsy family, exchanged addresses (so I can send them pictures I took), and said goodbye. Today I take the train to Udaipur (oo-di-per) although I have really enjoyed staying in Pushkar as it is a much smaller town and everyone has been so friendly. Looking forward to Udaipur though, it is known as the city of lakes.

You can see the Savitri Temple on the other hill across town.

Udaipur

Everyday I am more impressed by this amazing country- the people, culture, and places are just amazing. In addition I have managed to find wonderful guest houses that are relatively unknown- but very cool. I am staying in another restored Haveli mansion. It is run by a very nice couple Carol and Babu and their 5 month old great dane puppy, Oscar. I have an amazing room, but both nights I slept on the roof under the moon- it was awesome.

Hibiscus Hotel

Where I slept

Oscar

The first day I explored the old city, having to navigate through the winding alleys once again. I had lunch at a rooftop cafe and made two more friends. The girl, Rin, was from Alaska and was in Udaipur working as a midwife for a German couple and Kury, from Argentina, was spending a year in India making a yoga documentory. I spent the afternoon with them and we visited a non-profit organization that focuses on rural development. Afterwords we walked around and drank some of India's finest drinks- coconut milk and cane juice with mint and lime. The sugar cane is pressed through a machine and the juice is poured right into your cup- delicious!

View from the Old City

Sugar cane press

Cheers!

Still thirsty?

We returned to the rooftop restaraunt for dinner, and as it turns out it was a very special day in Udaipur- Shiva Day. Everyone in the city was on the rooftops having kite wars. Hundreds of kites were flying above the city- the mission to cut the line of the other kites with the string that is soaked in glass powder. It was amazing- this continued through the sunset.

Sunset in Udaipur

The next morning I met Kury and we rented bicycles. We rode 10 km into the surrounding hills through local villages. Everyone waved and all of the children yell "hello, hello, hello!!!" The experience was wonderful- although very hot. On our way back we decided to stop at this hotel with a pool. We entered and to our delight the pool turned out to be practically an olympic size pool that was pristine- what a treat!

Riding bikes into the countryside

In the hills outside of Udaipur

Later that evening a family invited us into their house for chai. Such a nice family- living in an 8 by 8 room living off of practically nothing. In addition that had a 6 month old baby girl that was very sick. They did not know what was wrong and they could not afford to go to a doctor. It was so sad. And yet they were more than happy to share what they had. One of the girls drew a beautiful Henna design on my hand and insisted on giving me her ring.

The young girls beautiful artwork

The next day before I left for my flight to Goa we went to a local toy store and bought noise makers, tops, and funny pencils for the children of the nice family. We dropped the toys off and could tell the children were very excited- although Indians are very modest about accepting gifts and apparently do not usually open them in front of you. I also bought a special ring for the girl that so kindly gave me hers- it was silver with a bell on it.

The children

I enjoyed Udaipur very much, but now I am off to Gokarna via Goa to meet Arati!

Detour- Mumbai and Gokarna

Traveling to meet Arati in Gokarna did not go quite as planned. The original plan included flying to Goa (connecting flight in Mumbai), staying at the Pancheel Hotel and taking a bus to Gokarna first thing in the morning. The first thing that went awry was missing my connecting flight because of my late Udaipur flight. Therefore I had to stay in Mumbai and catch a new flight in the morning (they almost didn't book me on a new flight).

I had no idea where to stay in Mumbai so I consulted the hotel booth at the airport. Everything was sooo expensive. I stayed in a very run down hotel that cost quadruple what I have been paying for the quaint guest houses. I felt like Tom Hanks in the movie "Big" when he is all alone in the dirty hotel in NY. If any of you have seen the movie "Slumdog Millionaire" (which takes place in Mumbai), the slums exist everywhere throughout the city. From the air you could see miles of slums stretching along the coast.

Overlooking the slums of Mumbai

Slums right next to the runway

The next morning my flight went smoothly and I arrived in Goa. I decided to take a taxi to Gokarna (much more expensive but much faster) rather than the bus to make up time. We headed straight into the monsoon where I was supposed to meet Arati for a weekend at the beach. Once I arrived at the hotel, I was told that my friend had already left (due to the monsoon and the town practically shut down). I decided to stay for the night anyway since I was there already. It poured all night, the wind blew, and the power kept going out (pretty neat experience actually). I had a great dinner at a little cafe downstairs and watched the rain.

Local women delivering fresh spinach to the cafes monsoon or no monsoon

Clamming in the rain

Everyone uses umbrellas even when riding bikes and motorcycles

Waiting for the bus

Bus ride past the flooded fields

The next morning I hopped on a bus to Hubli, where Arati lives and works. Pretty exciting detour if you ask me.