Incredible INDIA - anything is possible
Hello, the final installment.
Please take the time to read it.
India is a beautiful girl who is covered in dust, she’s a little bit hectic, crazy and always in your face when you first meet her. But as you get to know and understand her you really begin to enjoy her and see her true beauty. But don't be surprised if she stabs you in the back one day.
It’s very much a love hate relationship, every minute it changes.
Some of what is talked about may put a negative image in your mind of India, but it is truly the most fascinating place I have visited and well worth going to. These are my views and opinions and your experiences may (will) differ.
I came to India for numerous reasons:
1) to explore the temples and religious buildings
2) see the way the British used to control the country
3) see the Taj Mahal
Haha fuck that!
I came to:
1) Play street cricket
2) Catch a train in rush hour in Mumbai
3) Go into the slums
4) Eat as much curry as I possibly could
5) Ride a Royal Enfield
Some facts about India:
Its huuuge. Bigger than you think. Home to over 1 billion people. There are 23 official languages and over 1000 regional dialects which change from village to village. The main religion is cricket, closely followed by Hinduism, and then I would take a stab and say Muslim next. Being such a big country it has varying climates, its snows in some places, has deserts and tropical rainforests. Temperatures can drop into the negatives as well as scorch above 50 degrees. It has beaches right up to tall mountains of the Himalayan Range. Its extremely cheap, especially public and private transport which makes it easy to get around.
I'll break into some sub topics as I'm going along.
This is just really a small snippet of what I did. Every minute in India is full of weird and interesting happenings.
Back to it:
Entering India following the Nepal debacle, I would go on to find the public bus stand, the 'private' buses seemed so shady. It was suppose to leave at 3pm, as 4.30pm rolls around the engine gets turned on. 5pm we are off. With no tourists stupid enough to travel this late at night it was myself rolling solo. Locals are surprised to see me, everyone battles with the language barrier. But I get introduced to the most popular Indian question: 'are you married?' This would go on to drive me mental over 4 weeks. The bus driver was a good natured guy with a fabulous moustache; the moe is so common here. Everyone is sporting one. On the 11 hour trip to Varanasi I would get exposed to Indian hygiene. Nothing beats watching a man sneeze into his hand and go on to make your naan bread. My first India meal, of course I ate it. The effort of explaining why I didn’t want his sneeze juices in my naan would have been far too much.
Its huuuge. Bigger than you think. Home to over 1 billion people. There are 23 official languages and over 1000 regional dialects which change from village to village. The main religion is cricket, closely followed by Hinduism, and then I would take a stab and say Muslim next. Being such a big country it has varying climates, its snows in some places, has deserts and tropical rainforests. Temperatures can drop into the negatives as well as scorch above 50 degrees. It has beaches right up to tall mountains of the Himalayan Range. Its extremely cheap, especially public and private transport which makes it easy to get around.
I'll break into some sub topics as I'm going along.
This is just really a small snippet of what I did. Every minute in India is full of weird and interesting happenings.
Back to it:
Entering India following the Nepal debacle, I would go on to find the public bus stand, the 'private' buses seemed so shady. It was suppose to leave at 3pm, as 4.30pm rolls around the engine gets turned on. 5pm we are off. With no tourists stupid enough to travel this late at night it was myself rolling solo. Locals are surprised to see me, everyone battles with the language barrier. But I get introduced to the most popular Indian question: 'are you married?' This would go on to drive me mental over 4 weeks. The bus driver was a good natured guy with a fabulous moustache; the moe is so common here. Everyone is sporting one. On the 11 hour trip to Varanasi I would get exposed to Indian hygiene. Nothing beats watching a man sneeze into his hand and go on to make your naan bread. My first India meal, of course I ate it. The effort of explaining why I didn’t want his sneeze juices in my naan would have been far too much.
Subtopic 1: Hygiene: If you use hand sanitiser in New Zealand bring a shipping container with you. You are going to need a lot. Don’t expect much to be clean. You can read into that. Just go with the flow. A bit of dirt never hurt anyone.
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| No need of toilet paper - use the spray bottle instead |
Subtopic 2: Marriage
Ok, arranged marriage. A westerners worst nightmare, it seems to be portrayed as horrible yet I now actually rate the system. It’s what goes down here and it’s a hard topic to tackle. So the parents of the groom effectively choose a wife for their son, at a very young age. I've met people that were as young as 15 when they were married. Back in the day a dowry was paid by the daughters’ family to insure when she was married to the son of another family she wouldn't financially drain them. This is now illegal in India. And it’s obviously beneficial to have a son, as with in many cultures as you will loose your daughter to another family and they cannot support you in old age. Sex determination is illegal in India for this reason. An old insult I read is to tell someone, “may you have ten daughters and may they all marry well”
Ok, arranged marriage. A westerners worst nightmare, it seems to be portrayed as horrible yet I now actually rate the system. It’s what goes down here and it’s a hard topic to tackle. So the parents of the groom effectively choose a wife for their son, at a very young age. I've met people that were as young as 15 when they were married. Back in the day a dowry was paid by the daughters’ family to insure when she was married to the son of another family she wouldn't financially drain them. This is now illegal in India. And it’s obviously beneficial to have a son, as with in many cultures as you will loose your daughter to another family and they cannot support you in old age. Sex determination is illegal in India for this reason. An old insult I read is to tell someone, “may you have ten daughters and may they all marry well”
Not being sexist but India is still a very much male driven society. On the streets, on trains, in public places I would take a guess and say 75% are male. Of course this is all changing, as it is in many developing countries.
But modernisation of this arranged marriage way of life is changing, especially in the cities. The son may now have a range of girls to choose from, and daughters may have a range of boys to choose from.
But these will be from the same caste system, as mentioned in the Nepal section:
The castes are: Highest: priests, teachers. Next: warriors, rulers. Next: Merchants, farmers, peasants. The untouchables with sounds pretty cool buts it’s the opposite: polluting jobs, street cleaners, undertakers.This could be a big call, but the outlook is pretty grim being born as an untouchable.
You can never leave this class, even if you win Lotto 10 times in a row including Powerball.
But these will be from the same caste system, as mentioned in the Nepal section:
The castes are: Highest: priests, teachers. Next: warriors, rulers. Next: Merchants, farmers, peasants. The untouchables with sounds pretty cool buts it’s the opposite: polluting jobs, street cleaners, undertakers.This could be a big call, but the outlook is pretty grim being born as an untouchable.
You can never leave this class, even if you win Lotto 10 times in a row including Powerball.
Now the system actually works, the parents always have the children’s best interests at heart. Like if my parents were to choose someone I could probably say 9/10 I could cope with them, I may not love them. But at the end of the day you are only here to reproduce and that's the way Indians see it.
Because you look at the western way of doing it and all the trouble it causes. It’s too easy and divorces are common leading to financial and family breakdown.
If you have a child and you aren't married you are beyond fucked! That's the biggest No No.
Back in the day, if your husband died, you were cremated alive with him (so I am told)
They are surprised I'm not married, even more surprised my sister isn't married, blown away that I don't live with my brother or my parents. Weddings are huge here, 500 - 1000 come. Everyone you know, every family member. They are expensive to. Gifts must go to everyone one, even the in laws. They run for up to 7 days.
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| Kites Kites Kites. Varanasi loves kites |
So on this 11 hour ride the driver would proceed to get lost in every town we passed through. It actually became rather comical as he was doing a 10 point turn in the huge public bus down some narrow street in the middle of the night. Eventually he went on to rip the bumper off on a curve. Outstanding driving performance. At 2am it was no longer funny. Constantly stopping to ask Policemen on late night patrol, army men, the one rickshaw driver who was up at this crazy hour when everyone else is fast asleep, truck drivers how to get out of the town.
With no one speaking English we arrived in Varanasi, however no one could communicate this with me. I sat on the bus for 30min as everyone stumbled over their words but eventually one guy was able to get out the word Varanasi and point to the ground. It all made sense. It was nice they all had my back.
With no one speaking English we arrived in Varanasi, however no one could communicate this with me. I sat on the bus for 30min as everyone stumbled over their words but eventually one guy was able to get out the word Varanasi and point to the ground. It all made sense. It was nice they all had my back.
4am - no idea where I was. As mentioned in the Nepal post I went into India blind. I had done no research apart from getting an email from a guy I met in Cambodia and some scribbled notes from an Australian guy. With only the name of one guesthouse saved to my phone, no map. Nothing. I was off to a good start.
Turns out the name Kashi Guesthouse would be rather common, and there were 5/6 in the city.
I just got a rickshaw driver to take me to the Ganges River (Holiest River in India) where I knew there would be something. 4am the streets of Varanasi are something else. I saw more homeless than I have ever seen. People sleeping everywhere. It blew my mind as I sat there saying 'Holy fuck' as we drove through the deserted streets. We got close to the Ganges and the driver pointed down some steps and left. A heavy fog had set in, very heavy. It’s the middle of winter and India does actually get cold. There are even ski fields in India by the way. This heavy fog, mixed with darkness limited visibility to a few metres, as I stepped over homeless people and down to the Ganges.
A few people were wandering around, there were a few signs for guesthouses up in the allies, so I attempted to try get into one. Sadly all locked up.
I went back to the Ganges and befriended a boat driver/homeless man/no idea what he does. In his vague English he warned me not to go back into the unlit alleys. People walk around with guns and knives mugging people at these hours.
Ok, so I had been awake for 24hours, so I did it.
I slept with the homeless. In India. Only for a few hours waiting for the fog to clear.
But I did it, and what a great start to India. Living a life of luxury.
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| First nights accommodation in India. Isn't it just fantastic |
Cut a long story short I found a guesthouse really easily once the fog had cleared at 7am in the morning.
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| Varanasi - Ganges River |
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| Pilgrim bathes in the Ganges River - Varanasi |
Varanasi: the craziest place in India. Life and Death rituals carried out in front of your very eyes.
Varanasi boarders The Ganges River, or Mother Ganga. The holiest river in India if not the world.
Varanasi boarders The Ganges River, or Mother Ganga. The holiest river in India if not the world.
"Fortunate are the people who reside on the banks of the Ganges"
I'll start upstream:
Open Cremation of the dead. (Photography is strictly prohibited for this ritual)
Bodies are carried through the streets of Varanasi on bamboo stretchers by chanting family members and down the Ghats (stairs leading to the river) where they are dunked in the holy water of the Ganges. They are then placed on specially arranged wood with the correct amount chosen through weighing the body. There are numerous types of wood, each with a different value. Traditional boats sell it on the banks. Rich people buy more expensive wood. A family member walks around the body 5 times, removes the sheets from the bodies face and proceeds to light the wood on fire. The body will take about 2-3 hours to fully burn down. Even during monsoon season the wood will still burn. Holy wood. As the sheet burns off you see the exposed body and often a limb would slip out away from the flame. I watched a few of these happen from dunking to ash. It’s absolutely amazing, it’s been done for thousands and thousands of years. I saw more bodies than most would see in a lifetime. There was always someone getting cremated at all times of the day.
"Knowledge without College, Burning for Learning, Cremation for Education"
What he is getting at is all the small things don't matter, all that matters is life and death and great deal about life can be learnt by observing.
Sure some will be repulsed by this, but its life and religion in India. You have to get amongst.
Sometimes you may be asked to donate a few dollars by the family to help pay the wood costs.
Watching nature’s television (fire) while it consumes a loved one is a great way to remember them. Families it looked liked are sharing stories and none are depressed or crying about the loss.
The reason is that being cremated on the banks of the Ganges automatically sends you to "Nirvana", or heaven.
Bodies that don't fully burn down and tied to special stones and sunk in the middle of the river.
Women and Children don't get cremated; they only get the stone and sunk.
The reason is that being cremated on the banks of the Ganges automatically sends you to "Nirvana", or heaven.
Bodies that don't fully burn down and tied to special stones and sunk in the middle of the river.
Women and Children don't get cremated; they only get the stone and sunk.
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| Main cremation Ghat. Manikarnika (Google Image - no photography was allowed) |
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| Ghats - Varanasi |
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| Washing on the Ghats - Varanasi |
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| People from all over the country enjoying the Ganges |
As you walk 100m down the river you will pass 10 people pissing and 2 people shitting on the banks. There will also be a few cows doing to same. Your nostrils soon become accustomed to the smell of urine.
100m more. Numerous pilgrims are bathing in the water, people are drinking it, washing in it. Taking containers of it to use later for cooking, drinking or further bathing.
And repeat this cycle for 1000m more.
It crazy, but the water is surprisingly clear, there has never been an outbreak of serious disease. I put my hand in and a strange feeling takes over your body. It truly is a Holy River.
100m more. Numerous pilgrims are bathing in the water, people are drinking it, washing in it. Taking containers of it to use later for cooking, drinking or further bathing.
And repeat this cycle for 1000m more.
It crazy, but the water is surprisingly clear, there has never been an outbreak of serious disease. I put my hand in and a strange feeling takes over your body. It truly is a Holy River.
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| Holy men and locals |
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| Talking cricket.. funny that |
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| Small cremation ghat, bit of a badass for taking a photo. |
Here I would come across my first game of street cricket. Indians love cricket. I found a new passion for it here. They love that I was from New Zealand and used to play cricket and my yarn that Brendon McCullum lives 5 houses down from me in Dunedin.
This game of street cricket was full on. 11 aside. Scores kept. We played on the Ghats. Not just any ghat, a cremation ghat. So the odd body would be carried over the pitch much to the disgust of the local players as it was a disruption to the game. As I mentioned people piss everywhere here, apparently because so many village people flock here they have no idea what a toilet is, so they do as they do in the fields. The ball is soon drenched in piss, picking up the piss covered ball was something else but it cricket and the game must go on. A decent crowd gathers as a white guy is playing their beloved cricket. My batting spell produces a solid cover drive for 4 and my bowling spell takes 2 Indian scalps, including the remove of leg stump from my solid medium pacers.
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| Warming up for the 3 hour street cricket game, the wood piles behind are for cremations. Cremations were happening to the right down on the river bank. |
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| Women dry their sarees on the Ghats - Varanasi |
Get to Varanasi if you ever get the chance!
One thing I am still guttered about is that I missed going to Kumbh Mela in the neighbouring city of Allahabad. This festival cycles between 4 towns, every 12 years it’s in Allahabad which is generally the biggest. 2013 was a extra special year where due to lunar arrangement this one happens every 144 years. Once in a lifetime. So what is Kumbh Mela. It’s a small gathering where people bathe in the waters of the Ganges. Small gathering in India, no that is a joke.
Actually it is the biggest gathering of humans on earth, with the 2013 pilgrimage expecting 100 million people over 51 days, and on the major bathing day 30 million will cycle through the Ganges.
Make sure you research festivals before you go, accommodation obviously booked out years ago for anything remotely decent. A shame. So gutted.
Subtopic 3: Beetle Nut and Spitting
Beetle Nut/Paan is a 'stimulating, psychoactive preparation of betel leaf combined with areca nut and/or cured tobacco. Paan is chewed before spitting or swallowing'Its crazy how many people are chewing this, its gives you cancer, turns you mouth blood red/black and ruins your teeth (The dentist was not impressed) So you buy these little packages wrapped in leaf for a few rupees. Or make your own. Indian have the highest use rate in the world, and Varanasi was the place where I saw the most people do it. It turns your saliva red and you spit out. There are blood red stains on every wall.
After chai (tea) is the 2nd most common thing I got offered, and tried once which you must. But not really for me. The nut is rock hard.
And Indians just love spitting, everyone spits. I have no idea why? Constant clearing of throats occurs. Its dangerous walking the streets as someone does the blind spit behind them.
I would go from here to catch the train to New Delhi. Going anywhere if you roughly know how long it takes tell the driver you'll pay him 50 rupees more if he does it under a certain time. This can turn the most boring rides in the rickshaw into pure excitement. My Varanasi driver took it to the next level driving his rickshaw into the back of others en route to the train station. He earned his extra $1.
All I knew about the trains was the 1.20min clip from Slumdog Millionaire. Its a pretty solid representation of what goes on. The only thing false about this is riding on the roof.
All I knew about the trains was the 1.20min clip from Slumdog Millionaire. Its a pretty solid representation of what goes on. The only thing false about this is riding on the roof.
Subtopic 4: Trains.
This is possibly the most amazing system in the world. Indian Railways transports 25 million people a day, yes a day. It employs 1.5 million people. Has 115,000km of track. It’s ridiculously cheap. And all the tickets for the whole country are booked through a computer system that runs on a pre Windows 95 operating system. How it all works continues to amaze, how anything works in this country will blow your mind.
I travelled as much as I could via trains and the ones pictured in the clip are exactly what I went on and the classes I travelled in. You can hang out the doors as well which is nice when it’s hot. Safety is for pussies, it your fault if you fall out.
Sadly riding on the roof has now been banned. But inside the train it’s a moving community. I was in 2nd Class for every train. There is Air Con Classes 1, 2 and 3. But Non AC 2nd class is so much more fun, if you dare to ride it. You are with the locals and they love it. Sometimes there would be 10 people in my open bay firing question at me on all topics as I tried to explain the Western world and all the wonders it holds.
Actual Slumdogs come on the train and sell everything imaginable. Peanuts, children’s books, pens. You can get things repaired. New soles on your shoes, new zippers for your clothing. I plan to bring a shipping container over of broken zips, these guys were giving good rates. If you are interested send me a letter.
There is probably some Slumdog doing open heart surgery on one of the trains somewhere. You also get beggars, which I won't go into much at the moment. These are all unofficial workers. The official ones sell Chai, a variety of food, cold drinks etc.
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| Clean 2nd class carriage |
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| 2nd Class Sleeper, not everyone's cup of tea. But is the real India |
If you come to India never have train tomato soup, I got told I was the first westerner to ever have it. Locals are like 'wtf' when you yell out the whallah to have some. I now know why.
One sound on the train you will come to love or hate is the recognisable wail of a chai wallah.
"CHAI CHAI Garam CHAIII" - (Tea tea hot tea)
Its the best experience, you can sit and watch the world go by as you go through the most amazing scenery and through towns and cities where whole communities live on the rail tracks. There is people shitting on the tracks, playing cricket next to the tracks. It’s all go. It’s a smooth trip as well compared to the slow and bumpy roads. Usually runs on time. Only once was my train 3 hours late, but still not as bad a hearing across the speaker in the station. "The Shiva Ganga Express is running 18 hours late, we are sorry for any inconvenience caused"
The rail system as mentioned provides 1.5 million official jobs, but so many other as mentioned survive from it unofficially. People collect coal that has fallen off the coal trains to sell or use for cooking, train stations are a city within a city. Full of sellers, homeless, hustling slumdogs and the general public. Taxi and rickshaw drivers hawk around the stations.
But with the trains there is no announcement to which station you are coming into. So you either have to constantly look out the window or hope a local speaks English and knows. You can go off your arrival time, but if your train is running late it won't be correct, and on rare occasions the train may run early.
A stop in the middle of the night is the worst, you just hope you get off at the right place.
Lots of people I know got drivers to take them around, if you want to experience the real India – 2nd class training is the only way to do it.
Though if it is hot 2nd Class becomes a moving heat box, I experienced this once down south, and it wasn’t that hot. Over 30’ would be absolute hell.
The Indian Government has allowed a tourist quota to be available for the popular trains, these only become available 2 days before the train departs.
If a local misses a ticket, they can purchase an unreserved ticket meaning they have no seat but can still ride the train. So you often get people sleeping in the passage ways between carriages. But most go in the unreserved carriage, oh how I would have loved to go in one of those, but they are jammed packed. A 12 hour trip in that would be an experience and a half.
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| Hands down the worst conversation of the trip from this guy. I got a explanation of how he fathered 9 children with all the details. |
Subtopic 5: Rubbish-Pollution
On my first train ride I met some hipster Koreans.
They broke clean green myself down. "In India everything goes out the window"
I believe I counted less than 10 public rubbish bins in 4 weeks. Here what you do is you litter. It’s hard to do at first but soon enough my plastic bags, tin foil containers, cups, chip wrappers are out the window. That's what you do here, I'm not saying I enjoyed it. But if you don't the next person will.But there is a reason for this: in Indian there is a huge unofficial workforce involved in recycling. Absolutely anything of any value will be eventually picked up and turned into precious rupees. Street cleaners need you to litter to have a job. The most valued item is the plastic water bottle or drink can. Gift one to the run down slum dweller and it’s like they have just won a million dollars. I would often save my bottles and hand gift them rather than throwing on the ground.
Even with all this, there is rubbish covering the entire country. Only 10 or so years back everything was wrapped in newspaper or banana leaf, cups were made from clay. Now it’s all plastic, and the country cannot keep up. Watching young children just discard rubbish on the ground is sad, there is obviously no education on saving the environment.
Waterways are so polluted they have gone past the colour black into that oily blue colour. This is of major concern as Indian still is an agriculturally based country and one of the biggest rice producers in the world.
On my first train ride I met some hipster Koreans.
They broke clean green myself down. "In India everything goes out the window"
I believe I counted less than 10 public rubbish bins in 4 weeks. Here what you do is you litter. It’s hard to do at first but soon enough my plastic bags, tin foil containers, cups, chip wrappers are out the window. That's what you do here, I'm not saying I enjoyed it. But if you don't the next person will.But there is a reason for this: in Indian there is a huge unofficial workforce involved in recycling. Absolutely anything of any value will be eventually picked up and turned into precious rupees. Street cleaners need you to litter to have a job. The most valued item is the plastic water bottle or drink can. Gift one to the run down slum dweller and it’s like they have just won a million dollars. I would often save my bottles and hand gift them rather than throwing on the ground.
Even with all this, there is rubbish covering the entire country. Only 10 or so years back everything was wrapped in newspaper or banana leaf, cups were made from clay. Now it’s all plastic, and the country cannot keep up. Watching young children just discard rubbish on the ground is sad, there is obviously no education on saving the environment.
Waterways are so polluted they have gone past the colour black into that oily blue colour. This is of major concern as Indian still is an agriculturally based country and one of the biggest rice producers in the world.
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| All rubbish, just your usual urban river |
So my train was going to New Delhi, when I think New Delhi I think warmth, a city of opportunity and fun. Oh god I got that so wrong. New Delhi is horrible, dreams shattered. I can see why people flock here to try make it big but fail. Its filthy, it was cold, I nearly got scammed within 20min. You can often tell if you like a place within the first hour I find, I gave it an hour. And walked back to the train station to book at ticket out of there which would be leaving the following day. I decided to visit the so called 'sights' of Delhi. They are rather boring. Biggest mosque in Asia got 1min of my time.
The sentence 'Once you have seen one temple you have seen them all' holds very true. I decided to get a rickshaw tour because I was bored. Waste of time. He took me to the spice market. I was thinking of the place with all these beautiful bags of spices laid out, people happily going about business. No it’s a dirty road with depressed people carting around rice bag sized bags of spice on their backs in the mud. It seemed that 95% of people I met in India disliked Delhi.
If you ever go to Delhi the tourist train office is on the 2nd floor of New Delhi station. Touts will do everything they can to get you to buy tickets from them. It’s either closed, moved, burnt down, never existed. The lengths these pricks go to. I think I have the swag now where they know not to fuck with me, but they still try.
I booked a train ticket to Rishikesh to catch up with 2 friends.
If you ever go to Delhi the tourist train office is on the 2nd floor of New Delhi station. Touts will do everything they can to get you to buy tickets from them. It’s either closed, moved, burnt down, never existed. The lengths these pricks go to. I think I have the swag now where they know not to fuck with me, but they still try.
I booked a train ticket to Rishikesh to catch up with 2 friends.
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| My Rickshaw driver |
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| New Delhi School Bus |
Now Indian is a place if you are slightly weird or still a hippie in any way you will be floating around here. You meet the most interesting people. It may seem like I'm alone all the time but I seem to always be with someone random who will pour their life story out me, or explain how the world works. Whether it be for a few minutes, a few hours or a few days.
This train ride would be no exception:
Argentinean meditation instructor with a degree in music composition who followed a philosophy called 'Advaita Vedanta', it is very simple and easy to follow and learn as it explains life, but the moment you think you know it all you are back to the start and you understand nothing. It’s interesting. He was extremely jet-lagged was suppose to be staying in Delhi but hated it as well, so his chat was twisted from his tiredness.
And an English girl, 17th trip to India. Carries 3 bags, clothes, one with a duvet and one with cooking appliances. She exports hippie clothes to the UK from here and Thailand and makes a killing and travels the world for 10 months out of the year, also a follower of 'Advaita Vedanta'
Both really have no idea what they are doing or where they are going. 'Maybe I go Iceland after India' says the Argentinean.
If I could pinpoint the most interesting 4 hour discussion in my life, it would be with these 2.
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| Rishikesh |
I would catch a rickshaw with these guys for the 30min ride to Rishikesh which was simple enough, once you have sorted out money. Ok people never have change here, will drive you crazy. Always carry exact change.
You think this ride would be relatively problem free.
Drove by 3 weddings...English girl "don't look, don't look", of course I'm going to look. And a guy 98% dead on the road after a fresh motorbike crash.
Rishikesh is the home of Yoga. And is a very spiritual place on the banks of the Ganges again. Other activities include meditation. It’s the middle of winter however so not many tourists around which is nice. To get to Rishikesh you have to walk over these huge suspension bridges to the other side of the river. First night I stayed in an Ashram, which is a place of meditation. It’s like a cult, pin drop silence between the hours of 9pm and 6am, and 1pm-3pm. I checked out the next morning and moved in with the 2 friends who also couldn't stand the Ashram scene.
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| Cooking course |
Rishikesh is just a nice chiller place, we did a cooking course (curry expert now) but the highlight was sneaking into the abandoned Ashram that the Beatles meditated at during the 70's run by the Yogi Maharishi Mahesh. With barbed wire and high walls impossible to scale, we paid a local homeless man $2 to take us in through a hole in the wall he knew about. In here was other world. Building being taken over by the forest, every single one abandoned. It would compare to a huge luxury resort in a forest just getting left to rot. There would nearly be 1000 rooms, meditation cells and halls in numerous different building.
Stumbling across the 'Beatles Art Cathedral' was the highlight. An abandoned building full of art work, graffiti, and hippie phrases all done by a group of backpackers.
Well worth getting in there, even though we got caught at told to leave. ‘Oh sorry we met a local man who said it was fine to enter’ Ignorant tourists
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| Homeless legend |
I would leave Rishikesh to catch a 6am, 10 hour train all the way across to the Taj Mahal. There is nothing like getting up at 4am and walking the streets past all the homeless. It’s dodgy, but the main issue is not getting stabbed, shot or robbed. It’s UCS. Unilluminated Cow Shit.
Sub topic 6: Cows
Cows of course are sacred under Hindu beliefs which means they are everywhere. And no beef is available in the majority of India. Killing a cow is a prison sentence. There are cows in the middle of New Delhi. 13 times bigger than Auckland population wise. Imagine seeing a group of cows walking down Queen Street in central Auckland. It’s just plain weird. But traffic swerves around them, they are so used to traffic, noise and people that are pretty chilled out. Have no idea what they eat. It’s amazing seeing rush hour traffic come to a halt as a cow wanders across the road.
They shit where ever they want though, which just further ads to the mess and issue with no illumination.
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| Just a standard scene you see everywhere, rubbish and cows |
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| Urban cattle |
I met some nice guys on the train, had been ordered to move 1000km for work. They showed me their letter from the company along the lines of: "Please move to here by the 25/1/13 otherwise we cannot guarantee you a job"
Leaving their families and children behind. It’s tough here. With a billion people and a shortage of good jobs everyone is hustling to get money. I met a guy who catches a 3 hour train in daily to New Delhi to work at the bank. He spends more time on the train, than at work. The lengths people go to make those rupees.
We would discuss numerous things over the 10 hours. How big is New Zealand, the climate, where it is in the world, marriage, the state of India's test bowling attack for the upcoming match against Pakistan.
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| One of the many many people I rode on the trains with. Ripped crouch as well. This was one of the men been ordered to move to a new location for work, away from his family and home. |
They also dropped the hardest question on me: I was listening to my iPod at one stage, and they wanted me to play them a Western song, make that a New Zealand song. India has little music variation and these guys were from a small village. Something to give them an idea about New Zealand and Western music.
I choose Scribes, Not Many Remix.
Jokes, I won't tell you what I chose, because some will not agree. But if you had to choose one song to represent the whole of the western music available what would you choose?
My favourite Hindi song, pause your Macklemore bullshit and have a listen..
Its from one of the big Bollywood movies.
Its from one of the big Bollywood movies.
Taj Mahal, it situated in a city called Agra. Its common knowledge the only highlight is the Taj. You want to get in and out of this city as fast as you can, do a day trip if possible. Through poor planning I had 2 nights here! 2 nights. Agra is a dump. The first day I didn't go to the Taj I saved it up, but went through the slum/poor neighbourhood area as I walked home. Some kids were keen for a yarn and wanted to sell me some sweets. I declined. But carried on talking to me. Then shit got out of control, soon they realised I had dollars.
Jumping all over you, hands in pockets, fruit thrown at me as I jitted. Close call. Luckily nothing taken.
If one of these kids got anything, you’re screwed. No way of chasing them in their area. It’s a maze of alleys, side street and broken buildings. If you get anything stolen in India 99.99% of the time you will never see it again. Ever.
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| The kids that turned nasty very quickly |
Taj Mahal. Yeah sure it’s a wonder of the world, but you see it plastered over everything so when you get there you feel like you have seen it already. Mix that with the 750 rupee entrance fee (Indians pay 25 rupees) and yeah.
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| Taj Mahal |
You have to see it, sure it’s the main attraction. There is a 10 second window when you finally see it and it like 'Holy shit I am actually here', once that's over, it’s another temple.
Maybe that is just me though, I have never really been into my temples.
Its good fun watching all the Indian strike lame poses in front of it though.
It is an architectural and building masterpiece, everything is symmetrical and lines up with the gates and wall, yet they never had modern instruments when building it.
And the secret to its beauty is the location
A wide river flows behind it, so you only have blue sky in the background.
Its 'a painting on the horizon'
If you have watched Slumdog Millionaire, sadly its not a crazy as that with kids running around stealing your shoes. Security is tight. But I wish it was still like how it used to be. Makes it more interesting.
Its good fun watching all the Indian strike lame poses in front of it though.
It is an architectural and building masterpiece, everything is symmetrical and lines up with the gates and wall, yet they never had modern instruments when building it.
And the secret to its beauty is the location
A wide river flows behind it, so you only have blue sky in the background.
Its 'a painting on the horizon'
If you have watched Slumdog Millionaire, sadly its not a crazy as that with kids running around stealing your shoes. Security is tight. But I wish it was still like how it used to be. Makes it more interesting.
Now another nightmare trip. 7am train Agra - Delhi, stop over for 8 hours Delhi to some buzz out place I have since forgotten, then half an hour rickshaw to Pushkar, in Rajasthan. Arriving at 3am. You may ask why I end up with such horrible times and journeys. India is big as mentioned, I want to see as much as possible and I never booked any travel more that a few days in advance so always got put on the trains no other tourists can be bothered with. I just chatted to these girls in my bay on the first train. They spoke alright English, seemed to be from a reasonable family and the little girl loved her new white brother.
I tried to teach them how to play Doodle Jump on my Ipod touch, but India is not ready for gyroscope technology yet.
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| Making friends |
The Delhi stopover was spent doing negative, apart from acting like a fresh traveller and telling the odd Tout I was after a cheap hotel and train tickets. Their face would light up with dollar signs in their eyes.
Then I would walk away, give these bastards a taste of their own medicine.
I met a family on the next train. The mother told the kids, 'to go practise their English with the gora (white person)' I was like 'what a bitch' but they turned out to be the best family. Let me share their 3 course meal they brought onto the train, constantly giving me glasses of coke. Taking photos of me.
Then they all want to add you on Facebook. My advice is just say you don't have it. Otherwise the whole of India will add you, no shit.
Then they all want to add you on Facebook. My advice is just say you don't have it. Otherwise the whole of India will add you, no shit.
The little kid in the yellow was the brightest young kid, at age 10 or 12 he was asking whether New Zealand was a democracy, he talked to me about currency conversion. His dream is to be a doctor, I think he has what it takes.
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| Smartest kid in India |
Intermission: Olly's Travelling Fan Club
I was popular in India being light skinned, some people are just spell bound when they see someone who isn't Indian. Whenever someone would ask for a photo I would get one as well. I only started doing this late in the trip. But wish I had done it more.
On that topic and not being racist in anyway but India popular culture is forcing the image that white is better. All the movie stars are light skinned, face whitening cream advertised on TV, if you get passport photos they will whiten your skin on photoshop. It really puts pressure on people to change.
Rajasthan seems to be everyone's favourite region, there are lots to see and do and you feel like you are in the real India. All the women are dressed in traditional sarees of bright colours with gold woven through them.
The saree/sari is such an elegant timeless piece of clothing. Truly beautiful.
If you ever get to Rajasthan the one thing that stands out is the beauty of the women here. I'm not saying they are 'hot' or anything. But from an aesthetical point of view nearly all could be models. It’s rather nice as well that all throughout India the highest caste people obviously have the money, but not the looks. And vice versa for low caste people.
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| Beautiful ribbon seller - Jodhpur |
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| Standard Rajasthan women, with amazing jewelery |
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| Family I yarned with, kinda made the little kid cry. |
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| Google Image but its common to see women of this beauty, but I'm not going to ask for photos. |
That is just my observation.
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| Pushkar |
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| Pushkar Lake |
Arriving at 3am I had done this rough ass job booking accommodation for the first time. I had emailed saying all good if I bowl up at 3am, he replied saying yes. Then I emailed back saying Ok, I’ll be there tomorrow at 3am. He never checked this email. Classic mistake.
Roll up to this place, tired as. Locked up, jump the fence. Everyone is asleep, realised I have blown out.
I find a guy sleeping on the rooftop, most places have flat roof tops because it gets so hot in summer they all live up there. I gave him the fright of his life.
But just crashed on the yoga mat because turns out rooms were full. Didn't have to pay for it though. Bonus. Still gave him $2 the next day though because I'm a generous boy.
Roll up to this place, tired as. Locked up, jump the fence. Everyone is asleep, realised I have blown out.
I find a guy sleeping on the rooftop, most places have flat roof tops because it gets so hot in summer they all live up there. I gave him the fright of his life.
But just crashed on the yoga mat because turns out rooms were full. Didn't have to pay for it though. Bonus. Still gave him $2 the next day though because I'm a generous boy.
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| Camel boy |
So I moved Guesthouses in the morning and wandered Pushkar with 2 Swedish guys, a Brazilian girl and a German who were all staying there. The German turned out to be the most useless person when it came to directions. He would get lost if you told him to turn around and walk back down a street. Constantly reading his map. Pushkar is tiny but contains the only temple in the world dedicated to one of the 3 Hindu Gods. Once again, just another temple.
These scam artist ladies walk around, dressed in traditional clothing, it catches your eye and all you want is a photo of them. They know this, and ask you to take a photo. Then they ask for money. Fuckers.
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| 2 Otago University Marketing Graduates made this sign for this poor women. |
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| Fruit and Vege sellers - Pushkar |
Today is the day when 2 things I saw really hit me about poverty in this country.
- A begging blind women attempting to feed 3 toddlers, one crying, who then got up and wet herself
- A child with a serious case of conjunctivitis (infected eyelid)
Sub topic 7: Poverty.
It’s everywhere! 1 in 3 malnourished children in the world, 35% below the poverty line, 650 million in poverty, and 350 million in serve poverty. A third of the world’s poverty is found in India.
You just get so use to it, that you begin to turn a blind eye for it. Beggars are everywhere, with everything that could go wrong with the human body on full display. Leprosy, missing limbs, missing eyes, blind people, burnt hands, elephantitis, skin diseases, malnourished children. Leprosy is the worst, the visual effects are that tissue loss occurs mainly on the figures and then begin to shorten and deform.
I feel I didn’t even see the worst of it.
They are at every place where there is enough people to make a living, train stations, footpaths, on the trains themselves. If I was to give out a few rupees to everyone who begged for it I would be broke very quickly. The cities is where most of the begging happens. Families and children are either born into poverty or come to the city in search of better jobs and are forced into poverty.
They are at every place where there is enough people to make a living, train stations, footpaths, on the trains themselves. If I was to give out a few rupees to everyone who begged for it I would be broke very quickly. The cities is where most of the begging happens. Families and children are either born into poverty or come to the city in search of better jobs and are forced into poverty.
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| Beggars - Varanasi (This line of beggars goes 100m up the road) |
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| Baby on a street in Mumbai, I did some babysitting while the mum was hustling in traffic |
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| Google Image - Example of street kids that hustle in the traffic |
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| Kids I met in the slum |
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| Google Image - Example of what you are constantly faced with. WBC -Women Baby Combo |
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| Slum kids I met in Jaisalmer. Minus the 2 smiling, the eyes of the others tell a story of poverty. |
But there is nothing you can really do, if you come here and think you can be superman and save everyone from poverty (which I often think I can do) you are dreaming. It is a sad reality.
It’s painful to turn and stare into the innocent eyes of a little child in dirty clothing and bare feet, who delicately tugs at your arm as only a child could do as they ask for rupees or food using hand gestures. Young women carry around babies with flies all over their face in serious need of medical attention or food. It’s horrible.
All they seek is a little bit of sympathy and hope they can make a living from it.
It forces people to live in the worst circumstances. On the streets covered in a rug if they are lucky. It’s considered good if you actually get into a slum.
If you watch Slumdog Millionaire you will know that some people are physically deformed on purpose to make money. Break a child’s bone for example and that will increase earning potential on the streets. It’s strange when you see the exact same injury on 3 people, with the exact same bandages, wrapped the same style, begging in rush hour traffic, at intersections in the same area. Were their fingers all burnt together causing them to fuse into one lump of flesh, or was it by chance. You decide...
It forces people to live in the worst circumstances. On the streets covered in a rug if they are lucky. It’s considered good if you actually get into a slum.
If you watch Slumdog Millionaire you will know that some people are physically deformed on purpose to make money. Break a child’s bone for example and that will increase earning potential on the streets. It’s strange when you see the exact same injury on 3 people, with the exact same bandages, wrapped the same style, begging in rush hour traffic, at intersections in the same area. Were their fingers all burnt together causing them to fuse into one lump of flesh, or was it by chance. You decide...
Birth control doesn't seem to be used, so big families are the norm. There are not enough jobs in India to provide everyone with a stable income further adding to poverty problems.
But some are making huge profits. I call them beggars with PhD's in begging. A lady was kicked off the trains I heard, she was making a million rupees a month begging. More than your white collar job.
If every bay in the train gave a beggar 5 rupees which they usually do, there are 10 bays per carriage, and some trains have 20+ carriages. And people get on and off all the time at each station. If you begged on a 36 hour train there is money to be made. Lots of it.
Then there are those that aren't beggars but doing the dirty jobs. Rubbish collection, street sweeping, toilet cleaning, shoe polishers and repairers. There are even people who can clean out your ears for you.
Another one of the sites I saw which really shows you how desperate some people are were the slum kids at the train stations searching for coins and recyclables. On the trains all toilet waste goes straight onto the tracks, a train may be at a station for 30min or more. Human waste compiles there, people at the station piss on the track, little children with help from their mothers shit on the tracks. All this mixes with diesel and oil from the trains that runs into the gutters filled with rats and dead animals. Watching a kid put his hand into this black filth up to his elbow searching for anything of value in the depths of the gutters sums up desperation. It is unlikely he will wash that arm all day.
Coming here make you appreciate just how lucky we are in New Zealand. There is really no government help for those is poverty.
From Pushkar I went to Jodphur. Home of the iconic blue painted buildings and a fort. I was on a local bus again with a girl from Hungary. Who I thought was alright, but her constant complaining eventually forced me to book a ticket out of the city without her. Even though we were going to the same place afterwards. The place we stayed at was $2 but even still. "I think I should have some money back for my room as there may not be water" "Madame our city is surrounded by a desert and water is out of our control"
Bitch please, get a life. Some people are so attached to their western comforts.
I like travelling as you can do what you want if you don't like someone. You just leave them. You don't have to worry about what they think as you will never see them again. May sound rough but if it happens to you, you will understand.
My proudest moment on this matter was when I called someone out in the Kathmandu Airport back in Nepal. There were 7 tourists on the plane, we had our own line to get stamped into the country. This older American/German pushed in blatantly. "Fuck off mate, get to the back of the line", it’s so nice calling people out with no consequences.
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| Heena painting |
Today is the day where I would decide to never go to another temple or fort again. LonelyPlanet Guide books and Tripadvisor always wank on about temples and forts. Fuck them.
The main attraction in India is the people and just day to day life.
Jodphur does have a fort, but it’s just like any other centauries old fort, it may sound like I'm being spoilt little brat, but if you come to Asia ever you will fully understand "Once you have seen one temple/fort you have seen them all"
So I went up to the fort for the view over the blue city, It said $5 on the door. I walked all the way up. I'll splash out. Sure it’s nothing, but it’s a lot in India. That's a day wage for some people. So you have to be relative.
That $5 dollars gave me my worst nightmare, one of those lame audio guide tours. I listened to one out of 33 things as I walked around the palace in the fort. As I exited, I realised $5 was for the palace, going around the wall of the fort was free. FML
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| Jodhpur |
I did get asked to star in a Bollywood movie here, but sadly I had already booked my bus ticket! So gutted, I'm a drama expert. They often need westerns to fill little roles here and there.
In Jodphur I met a guy who had his life changed due to one person writing a small section in Lonelyplanet about him. The omelette man. This guy used to make all sorts of food but some backpacker back in the day loved his omelette and wrote a snippet in LonelyPlanet about how good they are.
Now this guy goes through 2000 eggs a day making omelette after omelette at his original stall.
The cheese, butter, masala omelette is to die for. Less that $1 as well.
He has books full of tourists notes to him.
I think I wrote. "Came all the way from New Zealand for an omelette, worth it"
So gay, but hey.
For the rest of the day I just played street cricket with kids behind my guesthouse, good times. I taught a few how to bowl properly. Cricket is a rich mans sport here if you wish to play above the street cricket level. The coaching, the equipment all costs and is well out of reach financially for most.
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| Cricket game, I'm up on the roof after smashing a '6 and out' up there |
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| Team New Zealand |
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| Jaisalmer |
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| Holy Men - Jaisalmer |
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| Jaisalmer |
Then it struck, after 2 or so months. Even though I had left Delhi.
Mother fucking Delhi Belly.
This would cripple me for days. Squat toilets became an Afghan war zone after I exited them.
I've fought off the Cambodian cramps, the Thai trots, the Loose Laoations, the Malaysian Magma.
But Delhi Belly turned my iron stomach into cheap Chinese plastic.
It’s the worst thing you can have. Always factor in a day or 2 extra, because you will get sick.
I had been a vegetarian in India, not by choice. But there is no other option. It’s hard to find meat. Beef is nonexistent, pigs eat all the human shit, so if you want to eat someone else poo, get some pork. And chickens just don't seem to be around.
So it’s really just down to spices, bad hygiene during food preparation and probably my very very limited hand-washing. My reasoning, they will just get dirty again. But there is no point trying to avoid it. It’s India, go with the flow.
From Jodhpur I would head to Jaisalmer, right on the Pakistan border. If Aladdin was real he would live here. A desert town with a huge sandstone fortress. So cool. My favourite city.
It’s like Iraq that we see on the news so often. Dusty, plentiful rubbish, concrete buildings and Muslim orientated.
Here the main attraction is to do a camel safari. Everyone said do one.
I did one, novelty wears off after 1 minute, 13 seconds. But it’s still alright if you are into gay shit.
Mother fucking Delhi Belly.
This would cripple me for days. Squat toilets became an Afghan war zone after I exited them.
I've fought off the Cambodian cramps, the Thai trots, the Loose Laoations, the Malaysian Magma.
But Delhi Belly turned my iron stomach into cheap Chinese plastic.
It’s the worst thing you can have. Always factor in a day or 2 extra, because you will get sick.
I had been a vegetarian in India, not by choice. But there is no other option. It’s hard to find meat. Beef is nonexistent, pigs eat all the human shit, so if you want to eat someone else poo, get some pork. And chickens just don't seem to be around.
So it’s really just down to spices, bad hygiene during food preparation and probably my very very limited hand-washing. My reasoning, they will just get dirty again. But there is no point trying to avoid it. It’s India, go with the flow.
From Jodhpur I would head to Jaisalmer, right on the Pakistan border. If Aladdin was real he would live here. A desert town with a huge sandstone fortress. So cool. My favourite city.
It’s like Iraq that we see on the news so often. Dusty, plentiful rubbish, concrete buildings and Muslim orientated.
Here the main attraction is to do a camel safari. Everyone said do one.
I did one, novelty wears off after 1 minute, 13 seconds. But it’s still alright if you are into gay shit.
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| Jaisalmer Desert |
There are cool shops, and places to stay inside the fort but I stayed outside the fort. After chatting to one of the young women who turned out to be my age selling bracelets. She also brought me a chai with the minimal money she has (I hit her back triple what she paid for the chai eventually) because I was obviously offering good chat. I decided to buy one of her bracelets cause I felt sorry for her. She was poor, and had two little kids.
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| The kids |
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| Bag of chewing tobacco in her hands. Both have a mouthful |
I visited the next morning as well and just played with the kids. Then I got the call up, the invite I had been waiting for since I had been in India.
"Would you come to my home for dinner with my family?"
"Yes please!"
And that night I got into the slums of Jaisalmer.
Walking out through the back blocks of town, people obviously thought I was lost and telling me in Hindi to turn around. I don't speak Hindi but through emotion reading they were saying that.
Her 'house' is a homemade elevated stretcher thing with a tarpaulin over the top, and a few blankets.
She has one plastic bag with all her prized possessions, mainly photographs. Amazing to see old photographs of her family, her as a child etc. I had a late lunch so just had a Chai from an unwashed cup. Good chai.
It was interesting to see people live in such unbelievable circumstances. No government help but her and the children seem happy. I wasn't too impressed that the children had chewing tobacco. But hey she can't read the English writing on the package saying 'tobacco kills'. That's life. That's India.
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| My slum family. Both 22 years old, worlds apart |
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| The house |
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| Little dusties |
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| The home |
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| Next door neighbours |
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| Still smiling |
From here 3-4 day train trip to Goa, or 7 hour bus 5 hour flight. Yeah 7 hour bus, 5 hour flight sounds better. I flew out from Jodhpur airport. Tightest security. 3 metal detectors, patted down 4 times. Passport checked 3 times.
But when I got to Mumbai for a brief stopover I realised I had been carrying a screwdriver in my carry on since I left New Zealand that was forcefully removed from my bag. Well done Christchurch, Melbourne, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Jodhpur airports your scanners are obviously working well.
But when I got to Mumbai for a brief stopover I realised I had been carrying a screwdriver in my carry on since I left New Zealand that was forcefully removed from my bag. Well done Christchurch, Melbourne, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Jodhpur airports your scanners are obviously working well.
Now India is no holiday, but if you want a holiday Goa is the place to come. Reasonable beaches, laid back, good night life.
On the way from Mumbai to Goa in the airport I had the smallest small world situation go down. There was an Indian guy next to me, one of the billion. He was talking to his girlfriend about going to Goa. Being the stinge that I am, I jumped in and was like, 'Hey want to share a taxi when we get there?'
Ok what are the chances that:
- He lived in New Zealand
- Went to the same high school
- Went to the same intermediate
- Knows where my house is exactly
- Has an aunt who lives on the street next to mine
Yes that just happened, blown away.
Goa was settled by the Portuguese back in the day, but in the 70's hippies arrived. India and Nepal were really the last places they got to, and they loved in due to the endless supply of weed, sunshine and relaxed law enforcement
So it still has that vibe, flea markets, and chillers everywhere.
“swaying palms, white sand beaches and sparkling waters”
Goa is India's premier beach location. Westerners love it because of the above, Indians love it because some would have never been to a beach and there is a endless supply of beautiful Russians and Israelis for men to perve at.
It is also where Trance music stills lives, with parties happening every night. Anjuna Beach being the hotspot
Accommodation blowout 2.0 would force me to spend the night with a local family in their house. Had no idea it was going to be that busy!
It’s called Asterix and they only allow groups under 3 people, so lots of solo travellers which is good. People from all over the place. English, German, Holland, Norway, Canada, American, Australia to name a few. I did jackshit here apart from going out, there were churches and forts but I have learnt my lesson.
I had some cool as Aussies in my dorm, fresh out of Perth.
Turns out Nek Minnut just hit Australia, and they are rocking it hard. Classic.
First night we went to Club Cubana. India's apparently best nightclub. It was awesome, not going to lie. Feels like I was in Hollywood or some place fancy. It was ladies night the biggest of the week. Girls get in free, guys pay $12 or something. But with that $12 comes free drinks all night. And not just 2 per person at a time, as many as you could get your hands on. Super strong as well. Out of the 40 or so people at the backpackers only 6 didn't come so was a good crew there.
Tons of Russians, they love Goa, some places menus are only translated in Hindi and Russian. Russians are plain strange. It just seems they are stuck in the 90’s, rather unattractive men and with absolutely banging Anna Kournikova looking girls. I can speak Russian now, my pick up line was saying Breeviate, which means 'damm you are fine',
Na it just means Hello.
But god I have to learn me some more Russian.
Hungover next day of course, Trance party that night.
Trance parties are pretty full on but dance skills are not required.
You really need to put your mind in another world.
I left Goa after that, didn't come to India to do stuff I could do in Monkey Bar.
So left for Hampi
Hampi is the goooooods.
Most amazing landscape, if you are into rocks and geography book at flight.
My English isn't good enough to describe it so I'm going to let Google do it for you.
"The area is simply stunning and you will be in awe of the millions of boulders surrounding the area. However, within this arid landscape lies a little oasis with lush palm, banana, and mango trees nestled near the river."
Thanks Google.
I'll let the photos do the talking.
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| Hampi |
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| My bed in paradise |
I stayed at the hippiest place here, there are places for people who think they are hippies, and then there are real hippie places. Shiva Chillout area, or something along those lines was what it was called. The real deal. I just slept in the common area for 4 nights for $2 along with the majority of stinge hippies, cold shower with a bucket if I could be bothered. People would get their guitars out at night and strum away. Ever night at sunset there is also a drum circle up on one of the hills. This is the place to be.
In Hampi I bumped into one of the girls I had met in the middle of no where in Laos in December 2011. Both having no idea we would see each other here again. Small world once again.
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| Laos 2011 reunion - one serious about the reunion, one not. |
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| Sunset on the hill |
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| Don't take elephant photo, meh. Got a blessing from him with a tap of his trunk on my head. |
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| Not mountains, all boulders |
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| Most scenic hair dressing place in the world |
I rented a shitty little moped to go drive around and check the boulders out. One of the areas I stumbled upon had a guy meditating. He had been going for 10 days so far, out of 21. Looked like he was dead. Who knows?
I also ticked another thing off my to do list, ride a Royal Enfield 350cc motorbike.
Quote from the great book Shantaram: "The Enfield of India 350cc Bullet was a single cylinder, four stroke motorcycle, constructed to the plans of the original 1950s’ model of the British Royal Enfield. Renowned for its idiosyncratic handling as much as for its reliability and durability, the Bullet was a bike that demanded a relationship with its rider. That relationship involved tolerance, patience and an understanding on the part of its rider. In exchange, the Bullet provided the kind of soaring, celestial, wind-weaving pleasure that birds must know, punctuated by not infrequent near-death experiences."
Amazing bike, I'm getting my motorbike license!
From here off to Mumbai or Bombay as it used to be known.
24 hour train, nothing is ever easy.
With a 4 hour stop at a junction station, that has nothing to do at all. A wasteland
I met a cool little family though, the Father brought his young daughter to meet me. We talked about things for a while. And I decided to splash out big time. I got out 45 rupees ($1NZ) and brought the family 2 Corneto icecreams, and chai and pack of biscuits. What a deal!
Now the whole train station wanted something as beggars would come up to me knowing I was generous. Sent most of them on their way with a swiping hand gesture. Even a semi well off guy came up to me asking for money with my reply 'Just because I'm white you think I'm going to unload my pockets for you', he understood none of it, but you get the point. It gets annoying. You can’t be a charity here as mentioned. It rough, but that's what you have to do.
The station is full of music as everyone listens to their Hindi music on cellphones, at full volume.
Or music videos. If I had a rupee for every pixel on their crappy Nokia cellphones, I've would have exactly 1 rupee. How they watch anything is beyond me.
You can't give a shit what other people think here. There is no personal space anywhere in India.
Imagine trying to discuss a private matter in the slums, you have paper thin walls all sides of you. Having any insecurity about yourself is pointless.
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| Gas delivery |
Mumbai or Bombay as it used to be known.
Slumdog Millionaires home town. Good to be here. The home stretch.
Slumdog Millionaires home town. Good to be here. The home stretch.
If you have read Shantaram this place is exactly how he describes, if not read its the commercial capital of India, people are here from all over India and the world. A city that never sleeps with endless activity going on.
It’s actually illegal to mislead tourists or the public for that matter now, so you are within your rights to call the police if you wish to get all serious on it.
The 3rd taxi was awesome, absolutely blasting Backstreet Boys and Mary J Blige in rush hour traffic. You just can't put a price on that, it’s a must do thing, taxi ride, Rush hour, blasting western music.
Mumbai is the best Indian city I went to, it’s developed as India can get (but yes there are still slums), all the wealthy people live here. Bollywood is found here.
"Formerly called Bombay, Mumbai India, is known for its chaotic street scenes. Outdoor bazaars top the list of attractions, for the bargains and the people-watching. Popular waterfront destinations are Marine Drive, where visitors go to watch the sun set over the Arabian Sea, and the carnival-like Juhu Beach"
I had one last thing to achieve here: Catch a train at rush hour. I remember seeing a video as a kid. Back when YouTube was still young and Nokia 2280’s reined supreme. And ever since then I have wanted to do it.
The Mumbai Suburban trains carry 7.24 million a day! 7.24 million!! Oh Em Gee
I did it the very next day. With the help of a businessman, he showed me where to get tickets, and how to do it. We collectively missed 3 trains together because it was impossible to get on. I got on the 4th, but he missed it. A natural pro. I was hanging out the door though, but on.
Trains come around every 4-5 minutes, there will be 8000 on a 1700 capacity train at rush hour and they reach speed of up to or over 100kmph.
So yes, 10 people die a day on average, just on the suburban lines.
The trains run so close together you can reach out and hit people from the oncoming trains that are hanging on the door as they speed past you.
Trains come around every 4-5 minutes, there will be 8000 on a 1700 capacity train at rush hour and they reach speed of up to or over 100kmph.
So yes, 10 people die a day on average, just on the suburban lines.
The trains run so close together you can reach out and hit people from the oncoming trains that are hanging on the door as they speed past you.
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| My local |
Here is my video which became a minor facebook hit. This is not rush hour, and not a busy station. I love the guy barely hanging on obviously telling his friend "shame, I am on the train and you are not"
So here is my instructables on how to do it:
-Buy a tourist pass for as many days as you are in Mumbai, you will want to do it more than once. 5 day pass was a grand total of $3 for unlimited use. You have to line up for a while, any potential space left in front of you will be taken so you must physically be touching the person in front.
-Know where you train will end up and so follow the rough signs and go to the right platform and for the best experience try get on the fast train. A fast train skips stations so is a shorter trip, where as the slow one stops at every station. Taking both I would say you would nearly half your time on the fast. So most people prefer fast.
-There are women’s and men’s carriages. Don't stand right next to groups of women, if the train doesn't stop at the exact location you may have the women’s carriage in front of you, and your chances of getting on drop dramatically as you have to run to a mens one. The moment you see the train, get ready. So much pressure, its like a World Cup Final. It falls silent, people roll their shirt sleeves rolled up, stash their cellphones in their pockets and prepare for the onslaught.
-As the train rolls in those wanting to get off must jump while it is still moving otherwise the surge of people coming on will prevent you from getting off, or people from behind will push you off. There is a crucial speed, if you jump to early you momentum will cause you to fall over, too late you get pushed. (Jumping off a moving train is one of those great moments, feels so cool) It’s all practise makes perfect. Getting on you just go for it. Throw all your body weight at it, any gap, take it. With a rugby background (yeah I'm saying it helps) it’s best to go low, avoiding the arms. Also go side on. Less width to push through.
-This is not the poor people as I thought, these are businessman from the developing middle class, working in banks and finance companies in the central city. If our parents lived in Mumbai most would be on these very trains. It brings out the animal in people. There is just no way you could get into central city areas in a respectable time in a taxi or car during rush hour.
-Once you are on, it’s tight. No personal space at all. Yet people are chilled, reading newspapers. It’s part of their life. But it’s not over yet. You now need to know which side to disembark the train. Either left or right. If you are on the left, exiting on the right it may take a few minutes to push through the width of the train.
Then of course you have to exit at that crucial speed.
Repeat as necessary until novelty wears off. (Roughly after 4 days)
I got up especially most mornings to get down to the local station for it to head into central city for the day.
As mentioned the main tourist attraction in India is people watching, maybe I haven't mentioned that actually. But it is, and train stations are the best place to watch the chaos of life happen.
Outside of rush hour which is at a guess 8am - 11am then 5pm - 8pm, depending on time and station it can be easy as to get on, Sundays are quiet. Quiet Mumbai standards.
Then of course you have to exit at that crucial speed.
Repeat as necessary until novelty wears off. (Roughly after 4 days)
I got up especially most mornings to get down to the local station for it to head into central city for the day.
As mentioned the main tourist attraction in India is people watching, maybe I haven't mentioned that actually. But it is, and train stations are the best place to watch the chaos of life happen.
Outside of rush hour which is at a guess 8am - 11am then 5pm - 8pm, depending on time and station it can be easy as to get on, Sundays are quiet. Quiet Mumbai standards.
These are to perfect videos to represent everything talked about. 1st one shows the number of people you are dealing with, 2nd is a bit patchy but shows people getting off, 3rd is a classic viral video showing the speed. Note the disabled/handicapped carriage is just being used by everyone. It’s sad watching the elderly get shoved around. But that's life in India.
Its Mumbai's premier attraction. So worth it, even just go for a look.
The first thing that greets you out of Churchgate terminus station which is my final stop into town, (I was staying out in the suburbs, a 20min fast train in) is a huge park. People love cricket here, there is always a game going down. On Sundays there will be one game, 10m more another, 10m another. All part of a big BYC (Backyard cricket) competition. Then there will be a proper game with people playing cricket inside the boundary. It’s all over the show.
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| Cricket |
I wandered downtown first day going to one of the biggest open air laundries in Asia. All the hotel sheets, train sheet, government clothing etc are washed here. Only men can wash though for some strange reason. Nothing is coded at all but everything seems to end up where it needs to end up. Once again one of those systems in India which will blow your mind as you struggle understand how it all works. It’s known as Dhobi Ghat, with the locals known as Dhobis. Born here it’s highly likely you will carry on the tradition of being a laundry worker. I paid some kid 20c to take me around, worth it.
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| Dhobi Ghat |
Also went to the other famous sites, Leopold’s Cafe, Taj Mahal Hotel, and Gate of India. Security is once again tight everywhere ever since the Mumbai terrorist attacks in 2008.
I would meet up with a friend later that night, has lived here for 6 months so a true local. After visiting 2 of the most amazing restaurants that of course no westerns really ever go to.
$20NZ for Chicken lollypops, Tandoori chicken, Afghani curry, Butter Chicken curry, a pitcher of beer, bottle of whiskey, countless naans.
You could just get one curry in NZ with that.
India is cheap, its prices that you feel happy to pay. 1 1/2 taxi - $6, shoes fixed - 50c, Chai -15c.
Anyway my friend would go onto sort me out with a taxi driver (who lived in the slums with Shantaram if you have read the the book)
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| Famous Leopolds Cafe and Mumbai Taxis |
Subtopic 8: Food.
There is obviously curry, but try research what else there is to eat. I’m pretty guttered I didn’t really look into India cuisine much. But there is such a wide variety of foods to choose from, and the tastes change dramatically from region to region depending on what local produce can be grown. A good dish is Thali. It basically is 2 curries, a yoghurt/curd, with naans/rotis all for around $1-$2. So that’s good value with variation. Street food is hit and miss. If it’s busy it’s good. Train food ranges from inedible to alright. I hit nearly everything available on the trains. Worst was stale bread with an omelette with more green chilli than egg. If you want to westernise any curry, just ask for paneer which is cheese. Just tones down the spices a little bit. Naan bread, it’s actually not as common as you might think, most people eat chapatti, a wheat flour and water dough, which is flattened and cooked over a open flame. So pretty much a naan, but healthier and so much cheaper. You are nearly forced to be vegetarian in the North because there just isn’t any meat. Drink of choice: Chai. This is sold everywhere. Its coffee to them, but there is little shacks everywhere making it, and it’s a real art if you watch them make a fresh batch. Usually served in a small cup or glass so you can finish it quickly. Everyone is always going somewhere in India as fast as they possibly can.
Just try everything available to eat and drink, in 3 months across Asia I can count 1 meal that was unbearable, which was served in a highly recommended restaurant. Local delicacies are must: semi formed duck embryo, tea made from butter, fried insects were some interesting things I tried over the 3 month trip.
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| Blurry photo, but this will range from 70c up to $3. Either way its dirt cheap. |
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| Last game of Street Cricket, bowled a ball into a locals nuts. He was not happy and I had to leave. |
The next day I went with this taxi driver called Lax or ‘King of Colaba’ to the slum areas of downtown Colaba and the fish market. 2 places where tourists don't usually go. The slum area of downtown Colaba is right on the waterfront, it’s very small now as slums are being demoed and replace with apartment style accommodation. It is funny having a 20 storey tower for a huge banking firm across the road from a slum.
The fish market was just a usual fish market apart from the dark rooms full of women de-shelling prawns and gutting fish. Looks like hell as they all work on the floor together in near darkness.many people .
From the rich to the poor: we went to look at a 27 storey building. Designed by an architect in Paris with hanging gardens and all sorts of cool stuff. Yet only 4 people live it. When you are Head of the Bombay Stock Exchange that's how you show your wealth. I find here if you are rich, you show it.
There are 3 types of people in India, poor, rich and fucking rich. Though there is developing middle class so I am told.
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| Colaba Slum |
That night I got invited to an Indian Wedding, as you do.
I was with some other backpackers, but we got kicked out by security after he thought we snuck in. Still cut some shapes on the D floor with the bride and groom.
India is always full of surprises
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| Wedding - New Delhi |
Next day I would mission it into one of the biggest slum in Asia. Dharavi. (Also features in Slumdog Millionaire intro, once again have a watch)
Warned not to go, I did anyway.
I've read and heard from people that's it rather safe. Sure people are like 'mate you are at the wrong stop as you get off the train' but I just walked on in. Sadly I didn't take any photos because you straight up look like a knob.
But poverty is pretty bad in here.
I ended up having breakfast in there, a classic Indian meal of an omelette cooked by a 12 year old kid in a bread roll baked fresh in the slum. He was loving serving a tourist. Within 5-10 minutes you could drive around an area with 1 million people in it. The slum is a multi-million dollar economy actually, though the dwellers see little of the money or benefits from it. Recycling of plastics and wood, pottery, and leather making are the main businesses. It’s strange to think this is home to Taxi drivers, policemen etc.
I once again befriended some locals, a rather fat taxi driver whose friends loved it when I called him a spin bowler not a pace bowler due to his weight. High fives all around. Cricket chat, gotta love it. And even met one of the baller mafia style landlords (who features in the video clip) who take rent from the slum dwellers, I pretty much lived on the Slumdog scene.
Then I got in a taxi with them and hooned around the slum, music pumping again.
Great scenes, people flowing in and out of alley ways, whole roads full of people. The slum alleys are extremely dark, everything is built so tight together.
But things are changing, its prime real estate and proper housing is taking over.
That's about the trip over. But its Mumbai, you have to go to a Bollywood film.
Best things, nothing beats a serious film about bank robbery with dances at the most random times.
Went with some people from the guesthouse, when the first dance came on, should have seen the smiles on our face.
Bollywood is big dollars, it also influences what music is listened to. Most if not all Top40 music is from a movie. And if you ever need to Bollywood dance pretend to:
- stamp out a coal/cigarette with one foot
- turn a tap on with one hand
- screw a lightbulb in with the other
I ended up having breakfast in there, a classic Indian meal of an omelette cooked by a 12 year old kid in a bread roll baked fresh in the slum. He was loving serving a tourist. Within 5-10 minutes you could drive around an area with 1 million people in it. The slum is a multi-million dollar economy actually, though the dwellers see little of the money or benefits from it. Recycling of plastics and wood, pottery, and leather making are the main businesses. It’s strange to think this is home to Taxi drivers, policemen etc.
I once again befriended some locals, a rather fat taxi driver whose friends loved it when I called him a spin bowler not a pace bowler due to his weight. High fives all around. Cricket chat, gotta love it. And even met one of the baller mafia style landlords (who features in the video clip) who take rent from the slum dwellers, I pretty much lived on the Slumdog scene.
Then I got in a taxi with them and hooned around the slum, music pumping again.
Great scenes, people flowing in and out of alley ways, whole roads full of people. The slum alleys are extremely dark, everything is built so tight together.
But things are changing, its prime real estate and proper housing is taking over.
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| Auto rickshaws, people, shacks. There is always something to see |
That's about the trip over. But its Mumbai, you have to go to a Bollywood film.
Best things, nothing beats a serious film about bank robbery with dances at the most random times.
Went with some people from the guesthouse, when the first dance came on, should have seen the smiles on our face.
Bollywood is big dollars, it also influences what music is listened to. Most if not all Top40 music is from a movie. And if you ever need to Bollywood dance pretend to:
- stamp out a coal/cigarette with one foot
- turn a tap on with one hand
- screw a lightbulb in with the other
Locals fizz if you know a movie and song or in fact anything to do with their culture.
I would go on to miss my flight out of Mumbai to Singapore. A great way to end the trip. Thanks must go to Singapore Airlines for hooking me a free flight!
Some memorable quotes written on walls and in books:
"Don't ask me how educated I am, ask how much I have travelled"
"Travellers don't know where they are going, tourists don't know where they have been"
"The courageous don't live forever, but the cautious don't live at all"
"There are 3 things an indian can't resist, a beautiful face, a beautiful song or the invitation to dance"
"Regret is self inflicted, always take your chances"
"To live is the rarest thing in the world, most just exist, that is all"
"All wheeled vehicles shall be driven in accordance with the maxim: “To slow is to falter, to brake is to fail, to stop is defeat.” This is the Indian driver’s mantra. "
"All wheeled vehicles shall be driven in accordance with the maxim: “To slow is to falter, to brake is to fail, to stop is defeat.” This is the Indian driver’s mantra. "
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| Where I went: Barely scratched the surface of India |
Female travellers: so many have asked me if it is 'safe', I met numerous girls, even girls travelling solo. And I heard nothing really that bad.
But India has a reputation of being horrible for females for a reason.
There are way around it, be conservative with your dress, wear a wedding ring, or a bindi (that red dot between the eyebrows to show you are married)
I'm sure there is lots on the internet about this matter.
Yeah so that’s India.
India is the most chaotic place but it’s so interesting, it’s not holiday but a real experience. Majority of the people are extremely friendly and are really interested in talking to you. Its a country entwined with religion, extreme wealth, poverty, modern and ancient technology.
Sure it is tough work travelling here but it’s a whole different world and well worth it. You can see from a month I barely scratched the surface of what India has to offer
If you ever come just pack some patience and a sense of humour in your bag and you'll be fine
Hope you enjoyed the blog, give it a ‘like’ if you got down this far. Took me a while to write up this one.
And the big question everyone wants answered, how much?
All up (minus flights) $3500NZ for 3 months. Not bad really.
Flights not included because it all depends on who you book with and what times
And the big question everyone wants answered, how much?
All up (minus flights) $3500NZ for 3 months. Not bad really.
Flights not included because it all depends on who you book with and what times
