I've Gone Goan, gotten sick, and brought in the new year in New Delhi

Its been over a week since I have posted, and what week its been. Packed with unexpected adventure and craziness as only India can serve up...
So, as I had planned back in October, I returned to Goa to hang out with Sid for Christmas and New Years. I arrived a few days back after some time in Gokarna.
I met with my friend Amy, we did a day in Bangalore and then down to Kanyakumari. Kanyakumari was a totally different Indian experience. There were many tourists and pilgrims and a few foriegners but this city is buzzing. The streets are packed and everything is alive. This is really different from Gokarna. This is a vibrant but relatively sleepy town. There are lots of foreign tourists, most of whom are trying out the spiritually inclined aspects of Indian lifestyle. There are a slew of middle aged european men who have taken to the baba lifestyle like its going out of style. This means lots of long dreaded hair, big beards, red skirts and hashish smoking. But it is a beautiful site. Right on the coast in Karnataka there are three unbelievable beaches. The town is lively - there are lots of beads and clothes to buy, dosas to eat and so on. It was a short but very sweet visit. I ran into Peter (one of the sweedish boys from Hampi) and met lots of new and very lovely people.
But here in Goa, things are quite different. Hanging out with Sid is just generally hilarious. I have never met anyone like this guy. He is rarely up during the day. He drinks like a fish but never seems drunk. But we have been having a blast. Also, his parents are in from out of town and between the two of them I have access to a wealth of information on traveling in India, especially the north (where I am headed next).
Sid's friend, Edson called up on my first day in Goa and asked if I could help him out. He works with a website that lists clubs and parties in India. They are doing the PR and promotions for a huge music festival in Goa called SunBurn. He asked for help with promotions. So, it was my job for 5 days to hang out in a yellow jeep and hand out flyers and Kindfishers. I got payed too - not badly either. I made about 250$cdn which goes a long way in India. However, I blew 3000rupees going scuba diving on my last day, which proved to be disasterous. We went to a very chilly pool to learn our scuba skills (how to adjust a mask, use the air tank, etc). From the freezing pool we went to the warm sea. Once we went to descend for our dive, I had a lot of difficulty eqaulizing (that is when you pop your ears to adjust to the underwater pressure). My left ear would pop, but my right wouldn't resulting in a pain and pressure on my right side like a knife in the face - absolutely awful. I had to come up wihtout seeing anything. I tried ocne more, and I could do it the second time but the visibility wasn't great. Anyways, by the time we got home I had chills and a fever, my stomach was in knots. I literally slept for 19 hours adn woke the next day in time for a 32 hour train to delhi. I slept the whole way to delhi. The train ride was really cold, and I struggled to keep warm even in jeans, a sweater, scarves a fleece and a blanket. India is cold - who knew? So, i arrived in New Delhi to my friend Moodrika (who I met with Darius when I met Sid in Goa). She took me home. We spent new years in her living room drinking tea and watching a bollywood new years spectacle show! It was perfect. I got a great nights sleep, finally, and now I feel much better on January 1. I spent the morning drinking coffee, reading the paper, relaxing and soaking in the incredible Indian hospitality.
With only 2 weeks to go on this afventure, I have a lot to pack in. I am off to Varanasi to see Julian Baker (my old neighbor in Montreal)! He's been living in Nepal, we haven't seen one another for about 2 years and we are going to meet for a 'coffee in Varanasi'. How hilarious.
Its weird to start thinking about the upcoming month as it now includes home, parents, Markian, olympics, snow and generally a completely different lifestyle to what I have been experiencing here. Its a little trippy. It isn't as difficult to imagine as it was trying to imagine India before I came, but as usual the future is still full of unknowns. Exciting unknowns.
Traveling on my own, sans Darius, has proved to be really different. For one, I have barely spent time in guesthouses. Between sleeping on buses and trains I have become quite adept at finding people to stay with. Indian hospitality is truly amazing and I am quite comfortable enjoying it; I also feel inspired to take a chapter from the book of 'Indian hosting and hospitality' as these people really know how to make an out of towner feel welcome and comfortable.
Well, until next time...

I love India I hate India I love India I hate India

India is a crazy place. It literally pulls you in every direction - emotionally, geographically, ethically and intellectually. I spend my day wavering between loving and hating this place, which is a strange way to feel.
India seems to embody an astonishing spectrum of life. Before I left, our neighbor told me that you could literally see life and death in the streets of India. I didn't really know what she meant at the time. Life and death? What is that a metaphor or some kind of extreme statement to get your point across? No, its a literal translation for in the morning you see babies, on the sidewalks clinging to their mothers and you actually wonder how they will ever make it in life. And I have also passed people laying in the street and I wonder how close to death they are. And then there is everything in between from women in burkas to others in short skirts and strappy sandals. Old men on bicycles and others riding spiffy motorcycles. Some people are absolutely reject religion, most adhere to some kind of religion (or a blend of many) and sometimes you see pilgrims traveling the country to sacred sites, or Sadhus who have renounced the material world and wonder naked, mediating in caves and living a completely different lifestyle. In any given day I go from loving to hating India.
For example....
I love India because here this place gives me an appreciation for the kind of life and education that I have.
I hate India because it makes me feel a little helpless about the fact that so many people are disenfranchised from certain important things in life, such as education.
I love India because it is so beautiful - the landscapes, beaches, flora, fauna, wildlife, sunsets/rises and even the gritty cities are really breathtaking.
I hate India because there is trash everywhere! People throw plastic, cellofane, paper, just about everything out the train windows, out car windows, the streets, rivers, streams, sidewalks and even some beaches always have garbage. Its a problem.
I love the smells of street stalls cooking samosa, juices, bel puri and other amazing delights.
I hate the smell of urine, trash and the 5pm daily burning of garbage that also permeates the air.
I love the food. Its absolutely incredible. I have had some of the best food in my life here... and in Sri Lanka of course. Can't get enough spice!
I hate that no one has figured out how to get proper water filtration in the place - adding of course to the plastic water bottle waste.
I love Indian hospitality. I have been welcomed into people's homes, shops, and conversations. So many people are welcoming and are genuinely interested in why I am here and are so passionate about how much there is to see and do here.
I hate that some people have really strong misconceptions about foriegners. It seems that we are thought to be wildly wealthy. So many rickshaw drivers, shop owners and travel agencies are trying to squeeze you for outrageous and totally unfair prices.
I love that this place makes you think about spirituality. I haven't really experienced a place where people are so welcoming about their religious practice. It feels nice to be so openly included in a morning puja at a temple or welcomed into an atmosphere into which you are clearly not acustomed.
I hate that there are many Indian men who think that because I am a woman that I am a) something to gawk at b) an idiot who needs to be told what to do c) someone not really worth listening to.
I love India because it is fascinating. There is so much variety. Even in its extremes, there is everything in between. India can be so warm and welcoming and it is also so frustrating (every once in a while it is infuriating). There is so much to offer about culture and tradition, about fashion and art, technology and creativity. Its hard to sum up sometimes and even more difficult to articulate.
I guess as I am starting to look back on the past 2 months and look forward to the next one, I have realized a lot about my own personality and culture and how it blends, influences and is shaped by being in India. Everything that i have seen, from ancient ruins, to devastating poverty and environmental craziness to beautiful kind people to bus rides, food, etc - there is something about BEING here. It takes you so fully out of your element and forces you to think about all of your concept in life; what I am grateful for, what I hope to help change in this world and what inspires me are all at the forefront of my mind while I am here.
To conclude this vague and perhaps esoteric entry, lets talk some facts. Where am I again? Specifically, I mean - back in Bangalore. From Mysore I tried to get to Pondicherry, but the place ws totally booked up - do you believe it? I am so glad I called ahead to check! So, I gave Amy Letts (for those of you who don't know, we met in Goa and went to Hampi together) a call and we decided to meet up in Kanyakumari. This is the southern most tip of India and is the place where the Indian ocean, the Arabian sea and the Bay of Bengal converge. The sunsets and sunrises are spectacular. Gandhi hung out here and it is a popular pilgrimage site, hosting one the many important temples of India (devoted to the Virgin Goddess). While we spend a lot of our time in a tarvel agency trying to figure out how to get out of there, we did some beautiful site seeing and strolling through the town. Now we have a day in Bangalore (after a 14hr sleeper bus) and tonight we'll get on yet another sleeper bus to Gokarna. I'll leave from there back to Goa for Christmas and New years. How I ever get out of Goa (in any kind of affordable fashion anyways) is totally beyond me. The next stop will be Varanasi, potentially, if I can handle the 42 hour train trip. We'll see how I fair. Somethign else I am realizing about this fine country. It takes a bloody century to get anywhere, and not because of distance. The roads are just so crazy no one moves very fast. For example: Took a bus from Madurai to Kanyakumari. Distance in Km = 222. Time it took: 8.5 hours. You do the math but I think we can all agree.... India is crazy!

Until next time

Time, time, time

I have some of it - time that is. And I'd like to think I have been using it well. Now that I am all a lonesome in India, with no real plan I have been taking sight seeing far more seriously. Along with long leisurely walks. I must have walked all day today, and yesterday, but its been pretty nice.
I met up with a chap who was on the same bus as me from Kannur to Mysore. He is really sweet, and quite quiet, but great company. So, we went to the Palace yesterday, which was really amazing. You sort of walk through, like cattle to marvel the epicness of the architecture. They really know how to do 'grand' here in India. It was a shame that you couldn't take photos inside, but I probably would have used a whole memory card there. We stayed for the light show outside also. But as we walked back, something caught our eye - lights, and what looked like a carnival... we decided to check it out.
I asked the man at the gates what it was and he replied that it was "everything! And everything fantastic!". Entrance was 10rupees so we went in. And he was not lying. The first part was this incredible bazaar- with some of the gaudiest jewellery and textiles I've seen - but they had everything from DVDs, to religious groups seeking new practitioners, to books, clothing, kitchen supplies- literally everything. Past that was a theme park. Gambling games, cotton candy, popcorn, kiddie rides, and anything else you could imagine was there. They even have astrological robots; a flashing, buzzing little spaceman that tells you your horoscope if you put on earphones. I was so happy we ventured in. The best part was that we were really the only foriegners in the place - which always makes for a more exciting experience.
Today Matt and I ventured up to Charmundi Hill. I was hoping for some amazing view from the top, but there didn't seem to be any kind of lookout as such. Instead we were ushered into the Hindu temple. We walked the circuit and stood by, however awkwardly, as people offered coconut, flowers and oil to the goddess. I have never felt as much of an outsider and while I am grateful for the experience, I might rethink entering a temple during offerings again. Or maybe I'll feel more comfortable the second time around. Amazingly, no one really seems to mind that we're there - I suppose its a feeling of really having no connection to what is happening on a spiritual level for everyone else that makes it such a strange (and admittedly uncomfortable) experience.
I was also able to go the market this morning. Mysore has an incredible bizarre, enclosed from the streets and outside traffic. It smells incredible- lotus and jasmine fill the bizarre halls, and there is a faint smell of cilantro to the air. It is really beautiful. Of course, everyone wants to stop and ask "where are you from?" "How long have you been in India?" "how many days in Mysore?" and so on. And everyone wants you to see their stall of incense or oils. One boy followed me around trying to sell me some bell anklets. I told him I'm not interested (which is also code for 'I am interested, I just want a lower price'). So, he started at 200rupees for each anklet (they come in a pair). I kept walking trying to ditch him and it was amazing what happened. He went down to 50 rupees for the set. Well, the offer was too good to give up. However, by the end of the transaction i am not sure who got the better end of the deal - I didn't even want them! Now I have some really noisey jewels for my feet!
So, the plan is to leave tomorrow. Off to Pondicherry. I am pretty excited to see this part of India - apparently it is like France - but in India. Maybe i can even get some fois gras - although I won't count on it.
It is really strange to think that Christmas is just around the bend. It hit my pretty hard today as I sweated my way through the afternoon sun, getting yet another sunburn on my nose that it is December (and the second week at that). Its amazing how easy it is to forget that when there are no christmas songs, no bells, no trees with lights or gingerbread cookies baking in the oven.

Well, until next time.

My how things can change.

The alternative title to this post was going to be "A little bit stupid + A lot Lucky= Elizabeth Callahan"

So, I ditched out on the volunteer work. This statement in itself makes me sound like an outrageous flake, if not a horrible person, which is sort of how feel, but it wasn't without good reason, a lot of deliberation and an initial good effort.
Here's what happened:
I arrived to Kerala and got to the town where the group was to meet. The night I arrived I could NOT for the life of me find a hotel with rooms available. I was cursing my inability to get a cell phone in this country. I decided I would have to stay somewhere more expensive for just the night. I found this strange little place and crashed for the night. I was wakened by the owner of the hotel banging on my door. He stood there cheerily and asked about my visit. When did I arrive, what was I doing here, where was I from - the usual - except he lit up when I said I was from Canada. Apparently, his work in off shore catering during the Gulf War had earned him recognition from Canada and he had spent some time in Vancouver for a conference. So, we had a coffee and he drove me to the bus station to meet my volunteer group. As usual for most Indian's I have met, he wrote down all of his contact numbers, including mailing address and postal code.
Then I was off with the group. From Cannanore we took a 30 minute bus to a small town called Parisinikkadavu. Mostly the town consisted of a main road and small temple. It is otherwise well spread out and is largely populated by middle class people; there is an engineering university as well as an ayurvedic medical college in the town also. Then we were given the assignment. We were to work for one hour a day with a group of private school children. Of course, the private school was Catholic, so the kids would be on vacation as of the 14th, leaving us with no kids to work with... they asked us to paint and under the sea mural, and build a paper mache and styrofoam Taj Mahal for a presentation the kids were doing in January instead. This is when I thought to myself that perhaps this wasn't really all that much of a constructive project so much as it was a way to make money from tourists looking to do some good during their vacations in India. So, I thought, I should give this a few days with a hearty attitude and at least see how things go. So I did. And then I left. I returned to Cannonore with the intention of finding a bus back to Mysore where I could figure out my next steps. But the bus to Mysore wasn't for 7 hours. I didn't want to wait there, and I didn't know where to go, so I called up the Hotel guy, Munawar. He was there within 15 minutes. I told him the situation. And then I realized, he could help me. So, I asked for a favor: I need a cell phone. I am now alone. He said he could do this but it would take at least a day. If I did some work for him on his promotions web pages and helped at the hotel he would accomodate me for free. This was perfect.
So, I was off to work, updating photos on his websites, editing menus and so on while Muna found me a cell phone. He let me stay at his home, allowing me an entire floor to myself. He invited his Colonel friends over, and I have to say, I had one of the most interesting evenings chatting with the army over vodka, discussing, of all things, Hijras (those are boys who dress like girls here in India...).
I left this morning and am now back in Mysore. I'll likely stay a few days here until I figure out a plan. Maybe there is another project or NGO to work at, or maybe I need to just be by myself for some time. Either way, I had no idea this would happen, but it feels pretty good. It is exciting in the 'nervous-excited' kind of way too, but I think this will hone my intuition, thinking-for-myself and decision making in a whole new way.

So, until next time...

Oh, also, in case anyone feel like texting internationally... this is my cell number:919745189416

Mellow Mysore

Its Sunday midday, and I have already been to the bus stop to go to Kerala. I was told by three different people that the bus to Cannanore (also known similarly as Kannur) runs at three different times. One person said there is only one per day - at 11:30 at night arriving at 6am. Someone else told me they run every hour on the hour. So, upon my arrival, with my pack in tow, I was told that no, the bus is at 1pm. Another hour and a half to wait. Which is fine. I have a stack of trashy reading ( I am so shamefully addicted to the 'Twilight' series its embarassing - but apparently not embarassing enough to admit to - why am I so cheesey, why?)to keep me busy until I (maybe) get my bus.
So, this is the end for Darius and I. Over Masala Dosa we this morning we discussed how great it was that despite spending almost every waking moment together for the last month and a half, neither one of us tried to murder the other - actually other than perhaps lack of sleep grumpiness, I didn't feel any pangs of aggitation. Maybe its different on his side ;)
I spent the day yesterday in lovely Mysore. This town has a really great vibe and I would say its a 'must-see'on the south India circuit. I wandered through the streets in the morning hoping to make it to the Bazaar (while Darius stayed back due to sleepiness/stomach issues...). A helpful and hilarious guy sort of showed me around and asked if I wanted to go to a beedi factory. For those who don't know, I beedi is an Indian cigarette, but it is rolled in a tabacco leaf and filled with pure tabacco. I tried one once and they are insanely harsh. But there i was, sitting on the floor with probably 10 old men, learning how to roll beedis. They were able to roll about 100/hour. It took me about 20 minutes to get one, shabbily rolled. It was amazing to watch them work. They had a whole system: one guy cut the leaves (that had been dampened so that they didn't crack). These were passed to a few other men in the circle who rolled tabacco from large baskets into little beedis. They are neatly tied with a pink thread and pilled into packs of 25. The pack of 25 sells for 10INR - so I can only imagine how little they are paid. However, these men were smiling and jovial, smoking and drinking chai and happy, it seemed to have a foriegn visitor struggling over what they were able to do with such ease.
I wandered back through the streets. Its a really colorful town, full of cows and more livestock than I am used to seeing, but it is also a relatively muslim town too. I can't tell whether I am getting more and more comfortable in India, comfortable with being different and foriengn in this place, knowing more how to walk and act, and no longer shocked by some of the things I see here. Or perhaps Mysore is just an easier city (that Hyderabad, for example). Either way, its a good feeling to have as I part ways with Darius and set off on my own (hopefully on the right bus).
I'll give an update once I get started into the routine of working with the NGO in Kerala. Until then...

Bangalore Galore

Oh Bangalore - why do I feel so at home here? Well, it may have something to do with the relative 'western' features of this bustling city. We arrived on December 1st (this is blowing my mind - its already December?) and met up with Meike - the sweet german from Hampi. She and I had one of those fantastic instant bonds so I was really happy to spend some girl time with her. Bless Darius, but I just can't convince him to come dress shopping or go for pedicures with me. So December 2 off we went to get Adrian's brithday present - and I discovered that shopping in this town is incredibly easy. Instead of having to shy yourself away from stalls or worry that you'll purchase something ill fitting or having to spend 20 minutes haggling, this town offers an amazing array of, well, everything!
Meike and I started our day at the spa with a well needed pedicure. Now, I know this doesn't exactly sound like something for us 'backpackers' but honestly, walking the dusty streets in flip flops warrants a foot scrub. The water we soaked in was practically black. I am sure the women who painted our dainty toes were totally disgusted. We followed up the spa with a 20 layer chocolate cake. Thats right, 20 layers. We couldn't actually finish but we did wrap it up for Darius (oh - also, the spoons served with the cake were also made of chocolate!. Going to the spa and eating at a fancy cafe among the affluent and influencial Indian population was a side of this country I have yet to experience, and let me tell you, this place is classy. To experience the extremes of life here is quite exceptional. I think Mumbai had a greater example of extreme wealth and poverty, but even still the disparity between classes here is pretty mind blowing and an issue I am constantly grappling with.
We decided to wander the commercial street area. Here we bustled through winding streets that mostly sold Saris and Salwar Kamis. For about 350INR (thats about $7) you can have a made to measure Indian style pant/dress/scarf outfit made. We chose from an entire wall patterns. I picked out something relatively subdued, but even still, its busy. We carred our materials and followed a young man down the street, turned down a corridor full of stall selling equally bright and colorful materials and went of a set of stars. On the second floor there was a sea of tailors, singers whizzing and whirring, material scraps strewn about. A young man in a fez stood up, promptly took our measurements and we were told that tomorrow morning they would be ready.
The evening proved to be pretty exceptional - in many ways. We made it to Adrian's house, met his lovely parents and went up to a really magnificent rooftop. Potted plants lined the expansive roof, lights hummed around us and the full moon lit up the party. It was really amazing. Adrian had decided on a Barbeque. I realized that BBQing is not a pastime of many Indians as I watched about 6 young men struggle to light the coals. But within a few hours, corn with garlic butter, veggie kabobs and meat skewers were being passed around. This is where I made the fatal error of my night. Curious about the dark aroma of some grilled meat, I decided to try a small morsel. It was good... Until about 5am. I awoke in our delightful hotel room, which resembles a seafoam green colored prison cell, feeling that old familiar feeling. My neck was hot, and my stomach was churning. I spent a while over the prison style hole on the ground of a toilet heaving and wretching. I realize this is a disgustingly graphic description but I am not going to apologize. The point is this: eating is a delightful and deadly activity here. It seems you can eat as much veg stuff as you want, but I say steer clear of street meat, or meat cooked by inexperienced barbequers, no matter how enticing the smell. I'll leave it at that.
Today, feeling exhausted and literally drained, Meike and I picked up our made to measure Indian outfits. It feels a little funny to wear the entire get up, like I am a bit of an imposter but I will be really curious to find out how it is received by locals. The difference I feel when I throw my scarf across my shoulders, rather than around my neck is palpable based on the reaction of people who see me. I think there is a real appreciation to adopt the cultural dress. It seems that I stand out enough as it is, and so wearing something in 'Indian style', whether it is toe rings, bangles, a scarf or a the full dress, softens the relentless staring.

So, our time in Bangalore is wrapping up. Actually all the 'our' and 'we' of my experiences here is also wrapping up. Darius and I will soon part ways. After our time in Mysore we both head to Kerala but to different destinations in the province. I will start a three week volunteer stint with a Field Services and Inter-cultural learning NGO and Darius is headed to Taiwan and then Canada for Christmas. So the proverbial WE will become, just ME. I think I'll be sort of bummed to see Darius off as we've had a really good time together considering the total randomness of our travels together. At the same time, having had 6 or so weeks on the road I have built up some skills and confidence and I look forward to see how I fare on my own. Only time will tell.
Until next time...