India Day 20: "Another Adventure Comes to a close"

India Day 20: "Another Adventure Comes to a close"

It's hott. Ben and I wake up to a sweaty, dirty, and angry Calcutta. It's our last day and I only have 2 items on my agenda relax and shop. Unfortunately, this is the hottest day of our trip. Within minutes of being outside Ben and I are saturated in sweat and struggling to breath in the hot and humid air. I prodded Ben out because I have a few items I want to buy that I passed on while traveling thinking, "I've seen these in every city. They're bound to have them at our final destination." And oh, how I was wrong. It turns out that Calcutta isn't exactly a tourist spot as much as true Indian city peppered in deprevity and decadence. All of the bazaars, shops, and venders we visited only sold useful items for everyday Indian living. Damn! And to top it off, I believe as the mercury rises so does the propensity to swindle foreigners as all of our taxi drivers charged 3 times the regular rate. Luckily I had Ben who pointed out that this bad experience seems to occur on the last day of any long journey. With that we retired to an A/C restaurant and enjoyed some good food as we watched the cities salutary chaos occur outside. We then fled back to our hotel for some beers and TV. Ahh, relaxation. After an uneventful cab ride to the airport we had a hiccup. Ben could come in the same door as me because we're taking to different flights. So I gave him a quick hug and sent him down the way towards his door with the promise that we'd find each other after we get our tickets. I checked in and was all set to go to my gate (I leave 4 hour ahead of Ben). So I wondered down to his counter and didn't see him. I then caught sight if h still outside! He was having issues because you cannot get into the actual airport without a ticket. I had mine on an email on my iPod. Ben was trying to show the guards his but it wasn't working. He looked frustrated. I asked if there was anything I could do and he waved me off and told me that he would meet me at my gate if he could. He then stormed off in search of a printer and I went to my gate. I'm about to get on my 24 hour flight and I haven't seen him. I'm not too worried because he has 6 hours to fix any issues before his flight. I'm now in Germany and I will write one last post about India in a few days. Thanks for reading!

India 18 & 19: "Our Calcutta from another motha"

India 18 & 19: "Our Calcutta from another motha"

Yesterday was a lazy day. Ben and I relaxed at our hotel for most of the morning. The only way out of these mountains is via a shared jeep (12 people)

and Ben and I had sat in the miserable backseat for too long, so this trip we claimed the front seat. The only problem was that Ben had to straddle the gear shift.

This meant that everytime we shifted into 2nd or 4th Ben got a little 'helping hand' (I think he REALLY enjoyed our 3 hour trip down the mountain). We then raced to the train station to find out that  our tickets weren't valid. Ugh! So we cross the city to the bus station and book an A/C sleeper bus instead. Whew! 

Well, a relative 'whew', it was a 15 hour ordeal that involved Ben and I sharing a 3' wide sleeper mattress

in the cramped upper segment of the bus. It was a restless night, imagine tryin to sleep inside a pinball at the national pinball competition during an earthquake. Side to side, sudden and hard stops, accelerating (most likely 2 wheeled) turns around unseen obstecles, all miserable but the worst were the bumps, sometimes sending us a full foot into the air before slamming down again on the not-so-soft mat. Every time it happened, though our sleepless hysteria, we couldn't help but laugh. They were tight quarters, Ben and I avoiding spooning at all costs and missing our partners back at home with every waking moment. Just when we thought our bladders would burst and after the 3rd late hour we arrived in Calcutta. Exhausted and hot we barely managed enough energy to get to the hotel to crash. Then we woke up I time for our nicest Indian dinner yet. Only 1 day left in this trip. If anyone needs anything from India let us know now!

India Day 17: "Himalayan trek"

India Day 17: "Himalayan trek"

It's 2:30am and my alarm sounds. I reach and hit snooze. Ben groans and asks what the time was and then "is your clock still set at Katmandu time (15mins later than India)?" We're elated to have an extra 15 mins to sleep. Today we set out on our 16 mile Himalayan trek. Next we met our taxi driver, who seems to excited to be up this early and we set out towards the trailhead picking up our guides along the way. Ben was upset that we had to hire a required guide to takes us up the mountains, we aptly named them 'Furpas' (as in the other products found in India such as foakles and Folex). As we ascended there were still worrisome clouds in the sky but a radiant sunrise lit the sky in a tie-dye of purples, reds, blues, and oranges. We kept ascending.  Ben "mountain goat" Rosenfeld climbed around nimbly up the first part of the trail which entailed nearly 1000ft in just under 2km. I, on the other hand, sweatily huffed and puffed like a pregnant woman in her 20th hour of labor (though, to my credit I out hiked both our guides!). We were able to hike above the first set of clouds to a heavenly site were we witnessed clouds pouring like water over mountains and through valleys. Again, The most beautiful place on earth. As we cleared the pine forest the scenery changed to low cut grasslands comparable to what I picture the Highlands of Scotland to be. Rolling green hills terminating violently over steep mountain faces that give way to profound valleys, were again splayed before us. After our initial leg the trail softened and the views started melting away in to the rolling cloud banks until we found ourselves hiking through the clouds themselves. We stopped at a few rural houses for tea and checked out some colorful Hindu/Buddhist shrines along the way. For lunch we stopped at a local's house and Ben and I sampled some homemade items such as fermented liquor,

 some sort of easy gum, and some other foods that are hard to describe. We out-hiked our guides, when they would ask to stop and rest Ben and I would

exchange proud smirks. We were able to catch a glimpse of the world's 4th highest peak through the clouds. On the way down it started raining. Our guides didn't want to hike but Ben and I pressed on. Serene views all around.  Oh! I forgot to mention the leeches! Apparently in this region there are 'grass leeches'. We were told to be weary and in fact we saw many! Mostly on cows but our guide found one on his pants. Anyways, we made it back down squished in the 12 other people into a land rover and bounced uncomfortably back to Darjeeling. After returning to our hotel famished and exhausted we crashed. Tomorrow we take off for Calcutta so you may miss the next blog.  

India Day 16: "The most beautiful place on earth"

India Day 16: "The most beautiful place on earth"

Wow. And, wow again.

This is the most beautiful place I have ever seen and we can't even see half of it because of the clouds. Ben and I slept in this morning then walked around to find a guide to take us up the mountains tomorrow. We were able to secure a guide for a 20 mile hike tomorrow. We're a bit nervous because the weather here has been cloudy and rainy but supposedly we are going to hike above the clouds at 3 am to watch the sunrise over Everest! After setting up our trek we set out to hike through the misty tea fields. Gorgeous! Rolling hills of green as far as the eye can see. The weather is perfect. These fields are spectacular as they dive off 100 ft faces and tea gatherers can be seen stooped over plucking leaves and tossing them in baskets behind them.

We also toured a tea factory and learned that all the different kinds of tea green, white, and black are all made from the same tea plant. They only differ in there oxidation/fermentation processes. Crazy righ?! We then walked back through the lower villages receiving stares and "hellos" to our hotel. But before we could get there we were forced in doors by a downpour. Yes, the Rosenfeld brothers forced in by a little rain. The coffee shop we ran into was perched high over a cliff and we got to watch the whole storm reek havoc on the valley below. Cool. Well off to bed for our 3am hike. Wish us luck.   

India Day 15: "Domestic Traveling"

India Day 15: "Domestic Traveling"

Today we are bound for India. We got to the airport early and were astounded by what we saw. Goats, cows, chickens, all prodding around a half build building. After a quick security massage we're in. There were no electronic billboards and most of the announcements were in Nepalese. We manage obtain our boarding tickets which are little slips with advertisements on them. We pick our own seats when we board, apparently. Security to the gate consisted of a nod from a very bored looking uniformed person. They DID have Wifi routers but no internet connected to them. We the filed on to old busses to be ferried out to our aircraft. No safety coddling here, I almost ran into the stationary prop after ducking under the wing. Yikes. Ben and I scurried because we wanted seats on the left side of the plane to catch a glimpse of Mt. Everest. We were all settled into our small flyin mobile and we started to taxi to the runway when we noticed that we were turning around. "Ladies and gentlemen" chimed a barely distinguishable voice over the intercom, "we have just learned that our destination airport is still closed. Please exit the plane for 10 minutes before we resume takeoff."  The incredulous look on Bens face made the whole ordeal worth it. We all exited the plane and walked back to the bus, but before the last person climbed in they called us back to the plane. I guess someone called and reminded our airport that their 1 of 2 daily flights would be landing as scheduled, daily... Sadly the small Nalepese airlines was more customer friendly than most US airlines. While we flew we saw it!! Everest! A

mazingly, poking up from the clouds and level with our plane.

 After landing we bused to the border and were the only ones to walk across the mile long bridge, separating both countries. It was a fun experience and we felt like backpackers crossing a remote mountainous border. 

Our drive up to Dargiling is one of the most beautiful trips I've ever taken. Pictures don't do it justice. 

We start going through a huge mountain pass though we don't go through it we start ascending the mountains. Up and up, three hours in fact, all up hill. We are going OVER the mountains only they don't end. Several false peaks, roads along ridges, and entire towns built on the steep slopes. We are again awestruck. It is cool and green up here and as we continue to climb we are above the rain storm that had been following us. Mountain faces appear and disappear amongst the floating heavens.

The moist air begins to thin noticeably up here at 7,500ft. Up and up we go, our jaws open the whole way. In the history of me, I've never seen a place so beautiful. Breathtaking, absolutely breathtaking. We arrive at our destination late, it's an Indian resort town with steep and narrow streets. The town is situated on a ridge that drops off precipitously on both side. If one miss stepped, they could literally fall for an eternity. It's raining and foggy, no, we're in the clouds, a welcomed change from the stifling heat. We are able to find a nice hotel and pray for clear weather tomorrow to see the sights.   I wish everyone could experience this place. 

Nepal Day 14: "Raging Rivers"

Nepal Day 14: "Raging Rivers"

What a great day! Ben and I awoke after a great hard sleep last night and we were picked up at our hotel by our rafting group. This would be our 20+ rafting trip but this one would be much different then the rest. For starters, Ben and I would be the only foreigners on the trip. While everyone is conversing and giving/receiving instructions, Ben and I would remain gleefully ignorant of what was happening. We left at 7am and the "3 hour trip" took almost 5 hours (given Nepalese time), but we finally were able to sample some of Nepal's beautiful scenery.

As we drove through steep mountainous twists and turns, still avoiding paired

semis racing in the opposite direction, the mountain-scape blasted into sight. It was almost perfectly reminiscent of Avatar's Pandora, with terraced farming, clouds both above and below, and lush green forest blanketing everything.   It was misting which enhanced sense of magic in the air. We arrived at our site and waited around for another hour as our disorganized group inflated 1950s rafts that looked as though they had been used in a previous war. I must admit that Ben and I were skeptical as our guides dropped us off at the wrong location and had to reload everyone (plus gear) on the bus to head out to the correct spot. We were the only experienced rafters as well as the only swimmers in our group. Nonetheless Ben and I made it fun by splashing other boats and inciting a competitive spirit between the groups. We had a young group which made the trip very fun. We kept playfully hassling the guides and eventually our own guide decided to flip our boat!! Ben and I were calm about it, even excited but the other 7 passengers thought they were all going to die. So Ben "Mr. Bean!" became the hero of the day by helping the girls out from under the raft and pulling them back into it. I swam out and collected paddles and panicked breakaway non-swimmers. Another thing I love about this country, zero concern for safety. No one in this boat can swim? Sweet let's flip the damn thing. We all managed to get back into the boat with our paddles and everyone cheered. From then on we were a tight-nit group. We flew courageously through treacherous rapids, laugh in the face of widow-maker eddies, and cheered as we careened over waterfalls. Phenomenal and I even impressed the whole group by being the first to jump from the "tall rock". By the end of the excursion we were all taking photos and laughing about people who tumbled out, clobbering each other with paddle handles, and genuinely enjoying each other's company.   We left just as the sun was setting over the mountains.. It's times like this that I feel the Universe is truly conspiring in my favor, unrelenting serenity. We got back late this evening and crashed. Flight back to India tomorrow. On Yeti air.... Fitting. 

Nepal Day 12 & 13: "Nepal"

Nepal Day 12 & 13: "Nepal"

Sorry for skipping a day but Ben and I were enjoying the  fun filled world of chicken buses. We had decided to go north to Nepal and enjoy some cooler weather and beautiful mountain ranges. Only, because Nepal is just recently out of turmoil they do not have good transportation. We opted for an advertised 16 hour bus trip up to Kathmandu which turned out to be a 24 hour chicken bus with 20 min stops every 30mins. There was no A/C, the roads were horrendous (I will never complain about road construction again).

The pot holes were as broad and deep as canyons, giant semis everywhere and when they broke down, they did so in the center of the roads. There were remnants of old catastrophic crashes, again left in the middle of the road way, probably as a casual reminder to those currently alive and driving.   This topped my list of worst bus rides ever. The seats were designed for 5 foot people, everyone on the bus wanted to play their own music and did so with there cell phones, all of the cars on the road had air horns. When we would stop they flipped on high beam overhead lights and made sure everyone was up. I had no place to rest my head and at one point dozed off while seat and almost broke my nose on the chair in front of me when we slammed on the breaks to avoid a semi and not skid off the side of the mountain. It was a common occurrence to suddenly jolt awake and elbow someone in the face or ribs. I cannot stress enough how "fun" 24 hours on one of these buses is. Also it rained and soaked us halfway through. Ugh. But! And far more importantly! We are in freak'n Nepal!!! Cool weather, nice people, and white water rafting awaits. 

Today we arrived at 4 am very groggily made our way to the hotel area and woke up some poor inn keeper by shouting through a gate. He was very kind, as all the ATMs were still closed and he told us to "go to sleep, we'll handle all this in the morning." Ben and I nearly cried. We slept in till 11am had some lunch and booked our rafting trip for tomorrow.   So excited. Sadly, Kathmandu doesn't have much to offer other than good lassi and the cool ex-pat Indian staying at our hotel. We did climb up to enjoy Mt. Everest (see photo).

Also, our hotel is in this little  sanctuary or eye-of-the-Kathmandu-hurricane.   Tomorrow we raft, then "reggae Saturdays"  downtown, then we fly back to India for some more outdoor adventures. See you out there!

India Day 11: "The Ganga"

India Day 11: "The Ganga"

The train was smooth. Ben and I slept more or less like babies. Finally we came across someone chatty, a cute newly graduated Indian girl on her way to work at Tommy Hilfiger. This was significant for two reasons, the first is that not many Indians freely chat in English with us and second she appeared to be modernized in dress and manner. It was refreshing to chat with a young person and get their perspective on India. We also became friends with a group of traveling Spaniards. We had chatted with them at our last hotel and we ended up at the same hotel In Varanassi. We arrived 2 hours late but welcome to Indian time. As we stepped off the 80 degree train we were greeted by a balmy 118 degrees and 1 million bustling commuters. There was something magical about navigating through the streets of the oldest (longest inhabited, ~1200 BC)

city in the world. Streets ranging in sizes from 4 lanes to barely wide enough for my shoulders. It was a whirling blender of people, animals, vehicles, sounds, smells, and dust/smoke. It had been described to us as "one of the most blindingly colorful, unrelentingly chaotic and unapologetically indiscreet places on earth."  I don't know how, but we managed to find our hotel through the intricate city labyrinth that would leave even a lab rat scratching his head.

This was by far my most comfortable hotel. It had a very bohemian hostel feeling that overlooked the infamous Ganges River. The spirituality of this place is palpable. For how horrifying it was to see how unclean the river was it was much more gut wrenching to see thousands bathing, washing clothes, and yes, drinking straight from the river! Ben and I were teeming with excitement to get started so we headed out at the hotter portion of the day to walk the Ghats (long stretches of steps leading down to the water. Many are used for bathing and washing clothes but several are "burning Ghats" where bodies are cremated in public*). Pilgrims come to the Ghats to wash away a lifetime of sins of cremate their loved ones. It is a particularly auspicious place to die, since expiring here offers 'moksha', liberation from the cycle of birth and death, making this city the beating heart of the Hindu universe*.  Sadly, nothing was happening and the Ghats were all empty as we walked the main 2 Km stretch. Along the way I dipped my feet in and Ben and I debated swimming.  We were told (of course at the end of our trek) that nothing happens until around sunset which was starting now. We decided to head back towards our hotel which was located near one of the main 'burning Ghats'. What a sight..  Wood venders

with 3 story stacks of split lumber, smoke, and finally as we approached the rivers edge, burning bodies. It is too hard to describe this surreal scene and I didn't feel right photographing it so I ask that you do and internet search because it is jaw dropping. We were told that they burn up to 130 bodies daily. 

Ben and I needed something a little less heavy so we sought out the "best lassi place in town", the Blue Lassi.

Lassis are like fruit milkshakes but made with sour yogurt instead. This place, owned and operated by the same family for 80 years, blew out gustatory minds. 

We then set out for attempt number 2 along the Ghats. Every book, traveler, and Indian who told is to see the city at sunset was right. Magical. The banks transform from baron to a whir of colors, sounds, and incense. Due to the heavy pollution the sun becomes a giant looming globe of yellow to red bathing the city's banks in gold. Ben and I wondered awestruck along the waters edge attempting to ignore the dozens of hawkers, beggars, and the occasional snapping/hissing cobras. Finally as the sun

settled below the hazy horizon and we were admiring the craftsmanship of some boat builders we managed to haggle a neat price to be ferried up and down the

Ganges to see the evenings offerings. This was perhaps one of the best happenstance excursions we stumbled upon. We pushed off from the shore and floated along with hundreds of other boats and floating candles down to one of the main Ghats where a spectacle unlike anything we've seen before was taking place.

10 colorfully decorated priests were main-staged near the rivers edge performing a synchronized fire dance ritual in front of an enormous crowd. There was drumming, bells, chimes, and Hindu chanting saturating the air.  The sensational part was that Ben and I watched this entire production from our boat, tied up with 100s of other boats floating just off the shore filled to the brim with onlookers (because we obtained our boat late Ben and I had a barge-of-a-boat to ourselves). 1000s of onlookers everyone in bright colors ignited by the ritual candles and flames and enveloped in deafening drumming and bells. This whole experience made my head swim and nearly converted me to Hinduism. So beautiful and spiritual. Afterwards we walked back in the dark to our hotel listening the he roar of the city from the quiet banks. We had a cool beer atop our hotel and prepared for our next leg. Speaking of which, I forgot to mention that we are taking a detour up through Nepal!! By the time you read this we will already be crossing the border via 24H chicken buses. Ugh. Wish us luck. 

India Day 10: "Villages and Vacations"

India Day 10: "Villages and Vacations"

Last night Ben and I decided to take a brief intermission from our Indian dining and went to the popular local Italian restaurant. We we're given a very romantic candle lit rooftop seat overlooking the bustling street below. Two observations; this little remote village erupts at night. Where there once stood a desolate and dusty road beneath and unforgiving sun, now is over run with cars, motos, venders, and villagers. My second observation was quite spectacular. While dining on our naan pizza, we noticed a significant increase in bird sounds. As we look up to the tree(s) behind us we noticed thousands of parrots crowding the branches and hundreds flying in droves to join the already saturated trees. Our waiter explained that at 8am and 8pm everyday "we have the sound of birds." It was fun seeing schools of birds flocking to this set of three trees. There must have been about 10,000 parrots!

Today we were woken by our morning yoga instructor. "Too young to sleep so late!"he chimed through the door as we scrambled to see that the time was 7am (we had requested a 9am session). We groggily followed this 61-year-young gentleman to the large terrace of our hotel and rolled out some mats. It was a funny and productive session. Let me just state that what the Rosenfeld brothers lack in flexibility we certainly make up in tenacity. 

Next, our friendly tuk tuk driver picked us up for a private excision through the outlying temples and his village. Now this gentleman spoke 5 languages and is a home owner (more on this in a bit). We saw a few more delicately carve temples and listened to some very-excited-to-have-anyone-out-this-far guides talk about their little temples (even if only 10% was understandable English). But the capstone of this tour was when Raj took us to his parent's home and we got to look a family pictures and meet his parents while sipping traditional chai tea. Raj was awesome! We were able to ask all manner of questions about Indian/Hindu culture. We learned that there are 4 classes in India/Hinduism from the most elite (Ramans) to the untouchables (), and most rural marriages are still arranged by the families, and that one cannot marry outside of one's class. This meant that you were born into your class and can never change nor can your children. We were taught a great deal more on these cultural intricacies but I do not want to bore my already limited audience. Raj the took us around his village, "the oldest village in the state". He took us to his "own personal house. Not parent's. Not brother's. Mine." He was very proud to have saved enough money to by and build a house on his own. Needless to say, our touring around with Raj was a great interlude into day-to-day rural Indian life.

Next Ben and I, somewhat delirious from the extensive heat, decided to take an intermission at the pool located in the luxurious Radissan Hotel.

Wow! So this is how the other half lives. Ben and I enjoyed the guilty pleasures of a cool pool and curbside beer delivery during the hottest portion of the day.

Now this is a vacation (as Ben states, "all for the price of an American dive bar."). We were pleasantly surprised by a cohort of large monkeys, about 10-15, who swept the grounds in search of food. Ben attempted to get close and was violently warded off by the larger of the group, an impressive 4' angry looking male bearing his pearly vicious whites. I must admit that when they saw me charge forward, shirtless with arms raised they must have recognized one of their own (and a dominant one) and grumpily meandered away. 

India Day 9:"Erotica"

India Day 9:"Erotica"

Sorry about missing yesterday but not much occurred in Delhi. We walked for a good 5-10 miles visiting the famous spice and cloth bazaars as well as India's largest mosque but all were closed😒. But as per Ben's adventurous spirit we tried our hand at the New Delhi metro. To tell the truth, for all of the rot in the city, for all of the buildings toppling into shambles, their metro was lovely! Spacious, cool, clean, efficient (well minus the 50 person deep lines to obtain oneway passes) and cheap. We milled around the streets and happened upon a golf bar that served hookah.

We stretched out our legs, relaxed with our double apple hookah and tried to understand the not-so-subtle complexities of cricket (we're still clueless). We the. Caught the train to Khajuraho (place of erotic statues). The train was again not our favorite part of the trip. Ben and I were separated and I got to sleep between a screaming baby, a snoring woman, and Chatty Cathy couple of men. Ben had a small child jumping up and down on this metaphoric head all night. We pulled in to our destination which was quite clean and nice. Our tuk tuk driver was friendly and offered (for a price) to take us around tomorrow. 

After settling into our hotel we set out for the ancient temples of erotica. Again, we were not disappointed. There were over 7 pristine Mayan-like temples spread strategically over a broad well maintained garden space. As we neared our first temple, the extravagant architecture and minute sculpture detail became vividly apparent. Majestic and ardently erotic sculptures depicting raging orgies and ferociously tantric figures in passionate, yet impossibly acrobatic positions.

Noteworthy, literally. Other statues depicted beastiality  with curious Hindu gods/goddesses looking on. Believe it or not this is not the birthplace of Kama Sutra.

These statuses were created under the Tantra belief, that "intense static sexual connection is the true path to God". In fact, this sculpture does not suggest a new and fun sexual position but rather a form of mantra to "come" closer to God. We wondered around this incredible place taking in the scenery (and notes). We left feeling quite satisfied and exhausted. 

After traversing the dusty streets under boiling heat. We retired to our hotel where we found solis in cool beers and even cooler A/C. I opted for another massage. Who can turn a $7 hour massage.  Funny, this guys mentioned that he also does haircuts and shaves😒....  What a great day. Stay tuned for more. 

India Day 7: Delhi Ho!!

India Day 7: Delhi Ho!!

Sadly, this is to be Miche's last day in India. None of us can believe its only been one week! It feels as if we have been adventuring for months. Anyways, because Miche is leaving late at night we opted to cram as much India into one day as possible. Starting with an early morning romp around the great, Taj Mahal. Again, I find myself at a loss for words. Here before us was a symbol/structure that we have seen in books and have heard about our whole lives but never in a thousand years could have imagined seeing with our own eyes (and it didn't disappoint).

It is bigger than you have imagined, it stands alone commanding the surrounding area more than you've imagined, and when viewed near sunrise there is a quality of effervescence that plays on your vision adding a sense of serenity beyond imagination. We milled around the grounds drinking in the rich history and often finding ourselves awestruck and staring over the shining white marble domes

(each man hating a little this impossible bar set by a wealthy sultan for his beloved). We shed ourselves of our shoes and entered this sacred place feeling the cool marble on our feet and touching gem-laidened marble walls while admiring the spectacular symmetry and care given to each nook and cranny. Finally we left, hearts satisfied at seeing one of the WORLD's greatest treasures. 

Next we rushed to the train station to catch the next train to Delhi. Unbenounced to us the only spots left on this 3 hour ride were in second class, on the shelf beds. Allow me to paint a picture of this experience for you. We are in the center if India, at the peak of the hot season, in an all metal train packed to the gills with people and children who do not share our American views on personal space. Luckily, or so we thought, we could escape from the bowels of the floor seats and seek refuge in the top bunks, but as the train pulls away we quickly realize our mistake.

The top bunks are situated 3 feet from the roof of the train cars, which are all metal. It was like riding in an oven set to top side broil. I thought Miche was actually going to die. Our waters turned to hot teas, our clothes drenched in our own sweat, and the train's delay continually growing, there was no end in sight. But we made friends with the local children and survived, barely. Over Miche's final hours we saw Delhi's red fort (not as spectacular as Agra's) which made us appreciate Agra's fort. We swam through bazaars, shopped, and had a few more beers.

We then said goodbyes to our faithful travel companion as he set out for the airport. 

Miche, thanks for all the meals, rides, and tours. You helped make this one of the most spectacular vacations/graduations ever! I would travel with you anytime. You will be sorely missed. Travel safe!  

India Day 6B: The Great Red Fort

India Day 6B: The Great Red Fort

In all the amazingness of the last two days we didn't have much time to sit and blog so I will attempt to catch everyone up. Yesterday, we arrived in Agra in the throws of heat, in fact our first meal was up on the roof of our "hotel", under a tin sheet cover... Needless to say, this was the beginning of our true education as to why tourists avoid India in the summertime. To give you an idea of our living conditions we have to forge through goats along a back ally to gain access to our room which included "A/C" (notice the heavy use of quotations here).

The room was for "3 guests" which included a full sized bed. (Emphases on the period).

But, who really cares? We dined with the freaking Taj Mahal as our scenic view!! 

Our first order of tourism was The Red Fort, which in hindsight may be my most memorable portion of this trip so far.. As I write this I find it difficult to put into words the shear sized, elegance, preservation, and aw inspiring this place was. Try to imagine a giant medieval fortress, including draw bridge, moat, 100ft walls, and medieval anti siege architecture, made completely from a deep red sand stone.  Then after gaining access through a series of huge gateways the innermost sanctum is, in stark contrast to the surrounding red stone, all white marble palaces, buildings, and terraces enveloped by lush gardens. Truly jaw dropping.  Next we visited the Southern Gardens to watch the Taj as the sunset, again my sense of beauty as been redefined. And so ended yesterday...

India Day 6 part 1

India Day 6: "Hot as Hell"

Last night we kissed our 5 star luxury palace by the lake goodbye and set out for the train station. I am convinced our tuktuk driver had a death wish as he would take his eyes off the already chaotic nighttime streets to turn 180* in his seat and chat with us about "how much good karma [he] has" right before whirling back around just in time to swerve out of a semi's way, and into a swarm of furiously honking motos, while avoiding a herd of children crossing the street (presumably hemophiliacs). Then while laughing mercilessly he throws booth arms in the air exclaiming "look man, no hands, no vans, no worries chicken curry!!" What??! There is just enough light to recognize that the "street" we are careening down is just wide enough for Miche to reach out and and touch either side yet there is more traffic than LA at rush hour with a hardness of defensive driving whose closest, yet insufficient, comparison are East Coast drivers during a holiday rush.  Our ride concluded with a surreal action movie drift into a parallel parking space, with our driver giggling we spilled out of the mini-death trap kissing the ground with fervor, despite the potential for disease.    

The train ride was uneventful except for the occasional broken wind. We arrived in Agra where it was a balmy 108*!

We sweat it out through the congested streets, and arrived at our less-than-perfect hotel and headed up to the roof for a "quick" lunch. I relinquish the writing to the wordsmith of our group, Miche, to provide due justice to the Taj Mahal.......... Please see part 2. 

India day 5!!

India Day 5:  what an amazing day!! We slept in like kings in our 5 star hotel

and were served coffee and chai in bed. Then we set out to tour India's second largest palace which was nothing short of impressive. The sheer opulence of past and present kings continued to astound us as our hired guide rambled through the intricate history of this magnificent city. There were many photos taken and relics appreciated. Halfway through the day we set sail for the king's pleasure palace (no longer in operation). Emasculate gardens, hand carved rooms, and plenty of concubines, it was a place I could spend my summers. After an hour at the pleasure palace, we returned to the mainland famished.  We found the only vegetarian restaurant in the city and toasted to Rach as we splurged on decadent curries, rice platters, and beer. After lunch Ben and I opted for a 70 minute full body massage while Miche headed out in search if a haircut and shave.  

Now this was an experience, Ben and I were only separated by a curtain and I could hear him laughing and exclaiming "sorry, I'm ticklish". But the real laughter didn't arrive until late in the massage. Our masseurs asked us to sit for the final back rub down and my masseuse proclaimed in nearly perfect English with an Indian accent, "hey man you've got too much hairs on your back and shoulders, you are in very dire need of a good and proper waxing."  To which Ben erupted in laugher, so fierce he struggled to catch his breath. It must have been contagious because we were all in tears for the remainder of the massage. Afterwards Ben and I set out to explore our neighborhood and nearly drowned in the labyrinth of buildings, shops, schools, and temples. We knew vaguely where to go but along the way fell upon a high school cricket game, cows wondering as lost as we were, and Miche! Yes, as we were meandering down a narrow street we happened to look in to a shop and saw a clean shaven and well trimmed Miche sitting in a barber chair enjoy coffee with his new friends. The barber just so happened to be the 3 time defending barber champion of Udaipur. Chai coffee soon arrived for Ben and I and, after much chatter, we left amidst a cascade of salutations. Finally we retired to the tallest roof top restaurant in town to watch the sun set over a hilltop temple. Perfection. Boys on the roof with beers just soaking up the city. Now we are off on a train towards the great T Hall. Wish us luck! And if you are reading this please drop a comment or two to let us know you're out there!!

India Day 4: Miche's 2nd blog

As Nick and Ben plunged into the warm, fetid waters of lake pichola, I was reminded of the opening scene from slumdog mlllionaire when a young boy, locked by his friend in a Mumbai outhouse, plugs his nose and drops into the sewage laden muck below.   

India is a land of contrasts.  As I look out upon the beauty of lake pichola, surrounded by mountains and opulent palaces turned hotels, I see a loveliness fractured at the edges, where tell tale blooms of algae rise from tepid waters like the arms of some deformed Frankensteinian creation to grab plastic bottles, empty bags of chips, toilet paper and other spices and stir them into man's special stew.

If lake pichola, a relatively clean and quaint tourist town, is fractured around the edges, mumbai is broken down the middle.  The train from here to there has a bathroom with a hole in the floor opening directly to the tracks below.  Looking out the window, a sea of trash creates an umbilical cord to the third world which has not yet been severed.  

Mumbai's waterfront has a promenade stretching for miles and miles serving as a respite for millions of people to escape chaos and concrete.  The serenity that I typically feel when gazing out upon the open waters of the ocean was thwarted in Mumbai by my sense of smell and the ubiquitous stench of raw sewage that became strongest near the rivers and the estuaries, where once clear waters, blue like teardrops, have been transformed into some form of monstrous excrement, like Godzilla's diarrhea.

The contrast of people in Mumbai is as evident as the landscape.  Many sleep in the streets and many more in the slums.  As far as the eye can see, ten by ten rooms have been built using cinderblocks and rocks for walls, and tin and tarps for roofs.  These adjoining Swiss army homes stretch into the horizon providing shelter for thousands and thousands of families, servicing as bathrooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and living rooms.  Next to the slums are decaying apartment buildings, arcing their backs to the heavens like some primordial amphibian crawling onto land for the first time.  Further down the evolutionary block, are apartment buildings under construction, holding promise for the human species.  And among a skyline where miles and miles of skyscrapers cast shadows on the slums below, one super structure symbolizes both gloom and hope, and serves as a living testament to the ambition and inequity of man, a 570 foot behemoth with 27 floors. 11 elevators, 3 helicopter landing pads and 400,000 square feet of living space.  This is what $2 billion dollars can buy one family.  It seems as if this home, named 'antilla' should be 2 billion miles from the slums upon which it casts a shadow, but India is a land of contrasts.

In a land of kings and serfs, for my fortieth birthday, I chose to live like a king.  We are staying in a palatial suite with beds that have ornate carved wood frames and a ceiling inlaid with tile.  A daybed in the corner is surrounded on three sides by windows overlooking the lake with enchanting views as far as the eye can see.  We dined on the rooftop of our hotel and were served as sultans while lying on a king sized daybed with views of the sun bleeding into the horizon.  For $80 per night, the cost of this hotel is in stark contrast to the United States.  

As I think of home and the memories I will take back with me, the gut wrenching feeling of looking at the dirty face of child after child living in abject poverty with no chance for education or advancement will remind me how lucky I am to have grown up in a land and environment of opportunity.

India Day 4: Udaipur

India Day 3: The Train

India is massive. Last night we boarded an overnight train on our way to Udaipur. It was late, but Mumbai was bustling with the drop in mercury. In fact, there was a wedding celebration just outside of our hotel. We were keyed into this fact by the seal-bomb-like-explosions on the street dispersed intermittently between drumming and singing. Of course (like my sister before me) when I heard explosions I stepped out to see what was going on, and was immediately engulfed in a crowd of dancing Indians, with an elaborately dressed couple in the center being blessed from above their heads by various crowd members. The air was filled with joy and dancing from all ages. Young persons setting off fireworks as if they were going out of style and in the crowded street no less.  We made our winding way through Mumbai one last time as we headed for the train terminal. Ben booked us on a sleeper train

for the 15 hour ride to Udaipur (A/C, thank god Ben planned ahead!!). It was late, so we slept most of the way. However I enjoyed a true Indian moment this morning; I sat next to my window watching the countryside roll by with a great book in one hand and a hot chai in the other, it felt surreal. 

We finally arrived in Udaipur, India's most romantic city, and it's title is well deserved. Now, I am used to sleeping in some questionable places while traveling super cheap, but this time I am traveling with employed peoples who have chosen (and paid for) a spectacular hotel

that overlooks a magnificent lake. Words cannot express how incredible our hotel is, not to mention that we are the only occupants. After getting settled we walked around this cute little lakeside town and found ourselves on a peninsula sporting a plain temple. There were many locals swimming, bathing, doing laundry, etc in the steps leading into the lake from the temple. While we stood there admiring the spectacle the temple keeper came up to us and chatted about the city, where to go, how much to pay, and even gave us a private tour, which included walking around on the roof with great views! After watching all of the kids swimming I came up with a crazy idea that Ben and I should dive in and swim to our hotel. Ben was a little reluctant to say the least (perhaps because of swimming in contaminated water or the crocodiles the guide books warned us about). Needless to say I talked him into it. I mean, come on, swimming in India!! So we stripped down to our skivvies (much to the chagrin of the locals) and dove in. The water felt warm and amazing. We swam, heads up of course, across the little lagoon to our hotel where we met up with Miche who had carried our clothes back around. Next we retired to our hotel's restaurant for miche's 40th birthday dinner

. As we watched the beautiful sunset the lake became inundated with large birds, which upon closer inspection turned out to be giant bats!! Hundreds of them! Incredible! We ate and drank to our hearts content sharing stories and setting new bucket lists. Miche seemed to be very contented with his birthday. What a day!!

India Day 2 by Miche Hogan

India day 2: (Miche). There were many laughs involving India, Indian food, bathrooms and the "traveler's curse" in the weeks leading up to our departure.  On our second full day in Mumbai, there was bathroom event that took me by complete surprise and has made my fears grow even larger.

The day began early when the non-stop honking of our continuous alarm clock grew to a deafening roar in the streets below.   Our cab drivers have hit their horn on average 20 times a minute, and it seems an entrepreneur could do well with a custom horn shop to replace the ubiquitous beeps with an occasional "quack" or a "moo". 

We made our way out onto less unfamiliar streets after a lazy morning, growing more and more aware of the enormity of the city around us.  The skyline, as far as the eye can see, is filled with skyscrapers.   New beasts are bursting from the ground everywhere and it seems as growth is only limited by a shortage of cranes.  As we drove through miles of skyscrapers in one small section of Mumbai, our taxi driver told us they had all been built in the last 15 years to support the textile industry, at least that is what I think he said.  I think it must be like watching New York go through its Big Bang.

The people that fill these buildings come at you from everywhere in every type of vehicle imaginable.  My favorite so far is a tie...watching 14 people emerge from a five passenger microbus, or getting passed in our taxi by a man and a wife riding a one seat motorcycle with a baby between mom and dad and a small kid hanging off the back.  Luckily, dad was one if the few motorcyclists in Mumbai to actually be wearing a helmet.

The people stare at me when I am looking and I stare back when they are not.  I see faces shrouded by every color imaginable and most of them are smiling.  The melting pot of Hinduism , Buddhism, and Islam is fascinating in its diversity and beautiful in its vibrancy.  Bright colors come at you from everywhere and please my greedy senses.  A child wearing a pink and plaid dress and a bright pink hat rests on the lap of her mother, clashing against purple henna pants, a purple and blue striped skirt, a light and dark green patterned shirt, a green, purple, black, tan and turquoise scarf, and a black and gold necklace pressed against chocolate skin.  

The colors come at you from everywhere, But what  caught my eye and captured my heart was a faint silver and black henna embroidery which was barely visible on the sleeve of a woman wearing a black burqa.  Through a sliver in the burqa I saw her dark eyes, radiant against dark fabric covering her from head to toe, revealing an inner beauty of a people to whom I am a stranger.

With the chaos and confusion of millions of people bustling in all directions, we needed a plan in case someone got lost.  'Stop and look for the white guy' was executed to perfection when nick disappeared in the bazaar.  We have seen only a handful of other tourists, probably because it is the middle of the hot season.  After visiting the grand rail station which was built by the British in the late 1800s and gawking at its stunning architecture, I was soaked.  But I only sensed a much richer history to this strange and exotic land on which we travel after boarding a ship destined for elephant island.  The island contained a series of caves which had been enlarged and filled with 30 foot tall statues carved out of rock with elaborate murals chiseled into the cavern walls.  Buddhist monks labored over centuries long past working day and night to pay tribute to gods with statues they would never see finished in their lifetime.  

Sightseeing works up an appetite and we have been fortunate to find some incredible food on which to dine.  Service is a priority and during each meal we have had at least four waiters.   They like to stand close by and stare at you while you eat, so it does take a bit of getting used to.  Nick likes to challenge the waiting staff to very very spicy food which brings me back to the bathroom event that has taken me by surprise and very very fearful for our 15 hour train ride which leaves the station in 1.5 hours.  All quiet on the western front.  Number two has not come to visit.  There have been rumblings, but no major seismic activity.  Quite unusual for me especially considering the spicy Indian food.  Stay tuned....what is life anyway without a bit of adventure?

1st day in India!!

India Day 1: we arrived early this morning at the airport, which was recently renovated and looks amazing. Of course, my bag was one of the last ones off the belt leading to an extra hour stay but it was not that bad. Next we found a pre-paid taxi to our hotel. I have read in several books India being described as "an assault on the senses", even though it was late at night, the smells emanating from this metropolis laid siege to my nostrils. These smells were not necessarily malodorous but rather overwhelming in their complexities.   Ben had neglected to mention our hotel was in ghetto-ish territory,

which made Miche and I nervous as we were dropped off in front of a group of "interesting" fellows and told that our hotel was "around the [sketchy] corner". Luckily, it WAS just around the corner and Ben was waiting in the lobby (a sight for sore eyes indeed)!! After a good night's rest we set out in the early morning, only to discover that Mumbai does not awaken until after 10am. After a brisk walk to unveil our surrounding area, we enjoyed a simple breakfast and then hopped into a taxi headed towards the center of town. Now I have traveled to many countries, and I have experienced impressive traffic before, but nothing could have prepared me for the shear sphincter puckering insanity that occurs on the streets on Mumbai. It is as if there is a Lord-of-the-Flies-mentality on the road, where cars will honk then accelerate towards their street-crossing prey, where fitting as many cars across as few lanes as possible is "sporting good fun", and  honking must be India's favorite pastime. After seeing our lives flash before our eyes (several times) we arrived at our destination the Arch of India, it was crowded and impressive. We walked around the city as the mercury rose until our thirst drove is to seek refuge in a nearby restaurant that just so happen to serve cold pitchers of Kingfisher beer. Ahhh! Heaven. 

Our exploration continued as we visited mosques, street vendors,

and hanging gardens. Finally, after several hours of walking we decided to get some grub and found ourselves at a quaint little cafe where we let our palates rummage through some of India's finest cuisine; red chicken, butter chicken, and chili chicken. Spicy and deliciously  fabulous!!

After this exquisite late lunch we made our way back to our hotel for a much deserved nap, which turned into a 14 snooze (jet lag is a bitch). This is were you find me. Stay tuned for more updates!!