Tokyo

Tokyo was a very different experience than Kyoto. We arrived at the airport and took the train into the bustling city center. We got a little confused finding our hostel, but once we got checked in, we were right at home and ready to explore. We found a café near us that served great cheap eats, and the people there were very friendly. Some of the other customers smiled and welcomed us as we entered the shop. We had a great bowl of noodles and then headed across the street to visit the local temple.

The road to the temple was closed to traffic and was lined with souvenir shops. Shops selling snacks, chopsticks, golden waving cats, kimonos, kites, tea pots, etc. filled stalls in the classic Japanese style. It was a crowded boulevard with foreign and local tourists, and school groups dressed in uniforms wanting to interview tourists to practice their English. We completed an interview with a group of giggling school girls and helped them spell our answers in their notebooks. After a few hours of sightseeing we called it a night and turned in early. We had made a new friend, San from Thailand, and we all planned on heading out early the next morning for a full day on the town.


Our second day in Tokyo was a full one. We started out early with a trip to the Tsukiji Fish Market. The market is open every day from 6-9 am and is the largest fresh fish market in Japan. All the fresh catch from the day is sold to local restaurants and private buyers, and people line up early to get the freshest stuff. The market also is home to some great sushi restaurants, and people line up for sushi breakfast. We joined the crowd and ate a huge platter of sushi. I have never had sushi for breakfast, but I have to say that this was some of the best sushi I have ever eaten!

We left the fish market at 9 am, and found that none of the surrounding shops were open until 10. We went into a local coffee shop to kill time and plan our day. From there it was off to the Sony Building, where they show all the latest developments in personal electronics. Leon was in heaven! We spent hours looking at floor after floor of cameras, camcorder, computers, music players, and video games.


We left the Sony Building and ventured out into the surrounding area, known as the Ginza area. The Rodeo Drive of Tokyo, Ginza is full of high-end designer shops and expensive salons. While not exactly friendly to the backpacker budget, I had a good time window shopping and getting caught up on the latest fashion trends. (Payback for all those hours Leon made me feign interest in electronics.)


On our final day in Tokyo, we headed back to explore the local temple in more detail. This time we met a group of Japanese university students who offered to give us a tour to practice their English. The tour was great because it gave us a better understanding of the rituals that accompany a traditional temple visit. They explained to us to proper procedure for washing your hands and mouth before entering the temple, the traditional offering of 5 yen that you make upon entering the temple, and the correct method to offer prayers. They also showed us how to get our fortune from the booth outside the temple. They explained that you keep a good fortune with you, and if you get a bad fortune then you tie it to a post outside the temple to leave your bad luck behind you.
By mid-afternoon we decide that it was time to leave Tokyo behind us. We took the train back to the airport, and had one last meal before our marathon flight from Tokyo to Buenos Aires. We really enjoyed our two weeks in Japan, and wish that we could have seen more. Maybe one day we will return, with more time and a bigger budget!

Kyoto

Once our rail pass ran out, we decided to explore our base town of Kyoto. Kyoto is a fairly large city, and it took us several days to explore the different neighborhoods. The first day we went to downtown Kyoto, which is the main shopping district of the city. The main streets Shijo-Dori and Sanjo-Dori are lined with large department stores and small boutiques selling clothing, tea pots, fans, chopsticks, and other specialty items. The Japanese are very fashionable, and the shops both carried traditional clothing and the latest runway fashions. You could find all the major American clothing stores, plus some local shops which used traditional Japanese fabrics. One store in particular caught my fancy. It was called Raak and was filled with hand-dyed Japanese fabric. The scarves came in different sizes and could be folded and tied to create purses, bottled water holders, gift wrapping, etc. I decided to purchase one and went into the store ready to buy. Unfortunately, the store clerks were less than thrilled. English is not widely spoken in Japan, and I don’t speak Japanese. As soon as I walked into the store, the clerks ran in the opposite direction and an intense discussion began over who was going to have to help me. Finally a girl timidly walked over and helped me choose a scarf. It was a bizarre feeling, walking into a shop and feeling like a leper. In most countries the tourists are welcomed with open arms for the revenue that they generate. Japan, though incredibly beautiful, is not particularly tourist friendly. I don’t expect people to speak English, and I always try to learn at least a few phrases in the local language, but Japan was a struggle.

Another day we did a walk around the area known as Southern Higashiyama. This part of the city is older and has some beautiful traditional architecture. There are winding cobblestone paths and a couple of beautiful shrines. It wasn’t uncommon to see women dressed in the traditional kimono walking the streets completing their daily errands.

The shrines in this area are amazing. They sit on the edge of the city, and walking through the gates you feel as though you are transported miles away. All at once you find yourself in a peaceful environment surrounded by nature. They are always crowded with tourists and locals, but the feeling of serenity is stronger than the push of the crowds.

We also used our days in Kyoto to sample some traditional Japanese dishes. Ramen noodles were a favorite, and were much better than the Top Ramen that I lived off of in college. Tempura was tasty, and of course there was the sushi. For a quick lunch we found a local restaurant that served inexpensive bento box lunches. The only thing that we were not a fan of was soba noodles. I love pasta, but the soba noodles, made from buckwheat, just tasted too much like health-food for my taste. The thing that surprised me the most about the food here was the lack of vegetables. At home, Japanese food is a lot of steamed vegetables, whereas in Japan, the food was mostly meat and rice or noodles. Vegetables were rarely seen and were expensive to add. Even at the grocery store, you were unlikely to see the wide selection of produce that is available to American consumers.

After ten days in Kyoto, it was time to head to Tokyo. We had an early flight on Japan Airlines, and left our apartment at 5 am to catch the train that would take us from Kyoto to Kansai International Airport. Unfortunately, we didn’t realize that the subway in Kyoto doesn’t start running until 6. We walked out to find the streets deserted and no trains running. Nothing like running 2 km with 16 kg of weight on your back to wake you up! We arrived out of breath and just in time. It was off to Tokyo!

Kobe

On our second day in Japan we decided to visit the nearby town of Kobe. The train ride was about an hour long and we arrived in Kobe just in time for lunch. While Kobe is famous for their beef, the price of Kobe beef in Japan was a little outside our budget. Instead, we followed the advice of our Lonely Planet and stopped at an “atmospheric place” called Kintoki that is “popular with locals”. We were not expecting that it would be only locals. You know that classic scene in Westerns were the stranger walks into the bar and the music and talking stops and everyone just stares at the newcomer? That was basically what happened. We walked in, and the whole restaurant simultaneously stopped and stared. There was no English menu and we weren’t sure how to go about ordering. There were several dishes laid out on a counter near the kitchen. The dishes were lined up in rows and had prices at the top of each row. We finally figured out that we could walk up to the row and grab what we wanted. We chose a plate of tempura and a plate of vegetables to share. Both were good, but we were still hungry. We saw the woman at the next table eating a bowl of rice with chicken and egg that looked delicious, but that wasn’t on the table of food. We got our waitresses attention and pointed to the bowl of rice indicating that we wanted to order that. She brought us more green tea. We pointed again to the bowl of rice. She brought out one. We decided to just share and eat a snack later.
From there it was off to the Hakutsuru Brewery and Museum. The Brewery offers free tours of the museum that explain both the traditional and modern methods of making sake. We got a little lost finding the museum, but there were a couple of very helpful locals who kept us on track. We arrived at the museum just in time to take the tour, which was very interesting. Unfortunately we arrived after the sake tasting area had closed. We bought a couple of things from the shop and headed back to the center of town.
Kobe doesn’t have a lot of sights, but we did explore the local China Town area. It pretty much looks like the China Town that they have in Boston, New York, Bangkok, and every major city throughout the globe. There was a fantastic little tea shop, with dozens of loose-leaf teas from China and Japan, but after an hour of wondering we bought some dumplings for dinner and headed home.

Nara

The next day we were up early and headed to the train station. We had to decide to make the most of our rail passes and we were off to the nearby city of Nara for the day. We found the train station without any trouble, and the trains to Nara were clearly marked on the board. On the platform we waited with the other passengers to board the train. Unlike in other countries where those waiting form a crowd and then mob the door when the train arrives, the Japanese mark where on the platform the doors will open, and form two neat lines. The trains are very fast and smooth in Japan, and it is interesting to look out the window as you travel and see how developed the country is. On the two hour ride from Kyoto to Nara I didn’t see a single break in the development.


When we arrived in the city we decided to do the city walking tour suggested in our Lonely Planet. We started up the main road to the first pagoda, located in a peaceful city park. We had heard about the deer population in Nara, but we were surprised to find them crowded in the city park. We were even more surprised by their behavior. Men on lunch break would sit in the park, surrounded by deer. People would purchase deer snacks from park vendors for 100 yen (about $1) and feed groups of deer. Deer would wonder outside of the park, down the sidewalk, and across the street, following people who had fed them and wanting to be petted. It was bizarre!


After spending some time checking out the pagoda, and of course, the crazy deer, we headed to the next stop on the tour, a large Buddhist Temple. The road to the temple was filled with tourist and school groups and lines with shops selling tea pots, chopsticks, fans, and other traditional Japanese gifts. Then there were the deer. Hundreds of them this time. They would wander up sniffing your pockets for food and searching for affection. I didn’t have any deer food, but apparently by Lonely Planet looked good enough. One deer tried to eat it while I was reading the temple description to Leon!


The temple is guarded by two carved wooded warriors that dominate the entry arch. They stand at least two stories tall and look as though they might spring to life at any moment. The pictures we took really don’t do them justice, as there is a chain link fence in front of them, but it was by far some of the most life-like sculpture I have ever seen.

We continued in to see the temple, the largest wooden building in the world. Stepping through the gates you can easily forget that you are in a city. All you see is the temple, the beautifully manicured gardens, and a background of mountains and spring forest. Inside the temple is just as peaceful. The wooden architecture creates a feeling of warmth and calm, and the large Buddha that fills the room only adds to the sense of peace. Two more wooden warriors guard the inside of the temple. They aren’t as big as the ones at the gate, but the carving was just as spectacular, and this time there were no fences obstructing the view.




Behind the Buddha (which is huge!) there is a wooden pillar with a hole through the bottom. The story is that the hole is the same size as the Buddha’s left nostril. Those who can pass through the hole are destined for enlightenment. Of course we had to try it! Leon went first and despite his broad shoulders wiggled through so fast that the picture I took was nothing but a blur. Then he convinced me to try. I put both arms through first like he had instructed, making my shoulders smaller. Unfortunately there was no way to make my hips smaller and I got stuck. Leon was laughing, the Japanese tourists were snapping pictures and giggling, and I was flailing my arms. Leon pulled me the rest of the way through, and we were a big hit with the locals.

After the temple it was a hike through the forest to find a nearby Shinto Shrine. Called the Kasuga Taisha shrine, the entrance is lined with hundreds of stone lanterns; each a little different from the last. It is incredibly peaceful and you feel miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city that lies less than a mile away. We left the shrine with aching feet and walked back to the train station for the two hour commute back to Kyoto and our beds.

Hello Japan (Installment 1)

Our trip from Bangkok to Kyoto was uneventful and relatively short. Normally short is good, but it was an overnight flight and so more time would have been nice. We arrived exhausted after only a couple hours of fitful sleep. We collected our luggage, exchanged our money and headed for the train station that would take us from the airport to Kyoto. We decided to buy the four day Japan Rail Pass, which was a much better deal than buying individual train tickets, and then started the long journey to our new digs.
The airport express took us from Kansai International Airport to Kyoto in about an hour. From there, we had to change to the metro and then walk about 15 minutes to our furnished apartment. Since we were planning on staying in Kyoto for ten days, we decided to stay at a furnished apartment rather than a hotel or hostel. We thought that would offer us some privacy and a chance to save some money by cooking some of our own meals. We had no trouble finding the place, and the owner was there waiting to show us the space.
It was a traditional Japanese style apartment. There was a small kitchen, a bathroom, and a living room area. The loving area was covered in the traditional tatami matt style, and there were two fold out beds for sleeping on. There was a small coffee table for eating and working, and floor pillows to sit on. It’s a good thing we got used to sitting on the floor so much in India!
Once we had thrown down our backpacks it was time to head out for some food, but first we needed some cash. No problem, the apartment owner assured us that there were ATMs on every corner. Unfortunately in Japan, they use a different ATM network than any other country in the world, and most ATMs do not accept non-Japanese cards. Two hours and seven banks later, we finally had some cash. By then our serious lack of sleep had caught up with us, so we bought some ramen noodles from the local 7-11 and slurped them down before crashing on the floor.

Back in Bangkok

After our excursion in to Laos, it was Back to Bangkok. Our first visit to Thailand’s capital was not quite normal, what with the New Year and the protesting and all, so we were looking forward to getting another look at Bangkok. We decided to try a different part of town, and opted for a hotel in Siam rather than near the backpacker haven of Khosan Road. We had a hard time finding the place (our taxi driver did his best to understand our poor Thai and it took three tries before we ended up at the right hotel), but once we were there, it was a whole different Bangkok.
Siam is the heart of Bangkok’s shopping district, and what a shopping district! I have never seen so many big malls so close together. The major intersection closest to our hotel had a shopping mall on three of the four corners. All were at least 6 stories high and had a huge number of stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues. All of the malls were connected by skywalks and the Bangkok Skytrain (for those malls further down the street) so you never even had to go out onto the street. You could just go straight from one mall to another without ever opening your umbrella even during the rainy season.
This area also houses all the comforts of home, and we used our time here to get all those things we had been missing. Leon ate at Burger King at least three times. We went to the cinema three days in a row, and even went bowling! Leon was patient while I perused the goods at Jimmy Choo, Chanel, Tiffany’s, and Michael Kors (come on it’s been months since I have seen a fashion magazine!).
After a week of comfort we were ready to move on to the next adventure. We were headed to Osaka, Japan and were ready to reimburse ourselves in Asian culture. Konnichiwa Osaka!

Bangkok Part 2

Laos

The trip from Thailand to Laos was our first real overland border crossing, and we weren’t really sure what to expect. The book had warned of long lines, red tape, and possible bribes so we were a little nervous as we approached the border. Instead, the whole process was relatively easy. The Mekong River marks the border between the two countries, and two small towns on either side serve as the immigration check points. We arrived in Chiang Khong (the Thai side) by bus, took a taxi to the Thai immigration office where they stamped us out of the country. Then we walked down to the river and took a long boat across the Mekong to Laos. Once on the Laos side, it was two passport photos and $35 for a visa. The whole process took less than an hour.
We found ourselves in Houai Xai for the night, which is literally a one street town. Fortunately we found a nice hotel with a great view of the river, and a local restaurant which offered good food at cheap prices. The next morning, we prepared for our long journey to Luang Prabang. The best way to get there from Houai Xai is via slowboat down the Mekong. The journey takes two full days, with an overnight stop at the halfway point of Pakbeng. The boats don’t stop, and there is no food on board, so we grabbed, a quick breakfast, some sandwiches for later, and headed down to the docks to get a seat on a boat.
The slowboats are exactly that, slow. For the first few hours you can sit, relax, and soak up the beautiful scenery. When you picture Southeast Asia with the steep mountainous terrain, the rice fields, the farmers and fishermen with their cone shaped straw hats; Laos is what you are picturing. It is amazing, but after a few hours it all starts to look the same, and you realize that you are sitting on a hard wooden bench on an over-crowded boat and you have 4 hours to go before you dock for the night. You try to make the best of it by reading, sipping on some Beer Laos (which is the only thing they sell on the boat) and talking to your neighbors (all tourists even though you’re on the “local” boat).
Day two was even worse than the first. The first day there were two slowboats carrying tourist down the river. On the second morning there was one boat; same number of people. Leon and I snagged seats up front on the floor, which ironically was more comfortable than the wooden bench seats. The second day was also two hours longer than the first, and since there was no excitement to get us through the first few hours like there had been the first day; it was a really long day.
Luang Prabang made up for the crazy boat ride. It was incredibly charming with Buddhist monasteries dispersed among French colonial architecture. The streets were lined with fabulous restaurants serving local, French, and fusion cuisine and shops selling local crafts. The south end of town had a huge night market where local vendors would sell the fabrics and wooden bowls that Laos is famous for. In the morning you could wake up early and watch the hundreds of local monks make their morning alms route. The locals line the streets and sit with steaming hot rice which they offer in handfuls to the monks passing by. The owner of our guesthouse asked me to join her one morning, which I did. The line of monks seemed never-ending and the rice burnt my hands, but the experience was something that I will never forget.
From Luang Prabang it was off to the town of Phosavon to see the mysterious Plain of Jars. Our journey to Phosavon was eventful. First we found seats on the local bus, right across from a nice Irish couple. We were just getting settled in when three men clambered onto the bus with a motorcycle. Where were they going to put a motorcycle on a bus? Apparently, right next to us. They tied the bike in the aisle between our seats, meaning that to get up for any reason, we had to climb over the bike. The drive was mountainous and the roads were curvy. The driver seemed to think that he was Speed Racer, and took over turn with squealing tires. I felt pretty sure for most of the morning that we were either going to fly off the mountain, or that I was going to get sick. All the tire-squealing took its toll, and we ended up with a flat tire and a lunch break. An hour and a half later we were back on the road. The driver, now trying to make up for lost time drove even faster this time, stopping every two hours to get out and inspect the tires to avoid another flat.
Phosavon was an interesting look at the history of Laos. First there was the Plain of Jars, the mysterious stone urns located around the city. No one is completely sure who put them there, or what their purpose was. They have only recently begun to study them. Up until five years ago the area was considered unsafe due to the large number of unexploded ordinance left from the Vietnam War.
The war history of Laos was also interesting. I don’t remember learning a lot about the Vietnam was in school, and I was shocked to discover the impact that the war had and is still having on this developing nation. Laos was actually the most heavily bombed country during the Vietnam War. The Viet Kong used Laos to travel from North to South Vietnam, and America bombed Laos in an effort to stop the flow of traffic. Millions of bombs were dropped on the country and approximately 30% of them remain as unexploded ordinance. Hundreds of children and farmers are still killed and injured every year by bombed that were dropped during a war that ended before I was born.
The Plain of Jars sights have recently been cleared, and as a tourist it is interesting to visit. You have to be careful to stay on the clearly marked paths, because the area off the path hasn’t been cleared. We saw a groundskeeper mowing the lawn around the sight and we both thought, “You couldn’t pay me enough to do that job! Every sweep of the mower could be your last.” It gave us a glimpse of the fear that local farmers face every day plowing their fields. The children actually search out the bombs because the scrap metal is valuable. All through the town you see shells being used as BBQ Grills, fence posts, wind chimes, etc. It is crazy, and sad.
After Phosavon it was time for a lighter mood. We headed south to Vang Vieng, a town that is known for having a backpacker party atmosphere. We rented tubes and floated down the river, enjoying the relaxing vibe. The river bank is lined with bars, and the proprietors throw out ropes to pill you in for a drink or snack. It reminded me a little bit of Beach Weekend in college, and was fun for a day. After a few days of pampering in a nice hotel, and enjoying the beautiful views, it was time to move on. We headed for Vientiane and the Thai border.

Laos

Chaing Mai

Chiang Mai was one of my favorite cities so far. We arrived in the city late afternoon and found a guesthouse located in the old part of the city. The original city was built with walls and a moat for protection. While most of the wall is no longer standing, the moat is still present, and we were only a few blocks away from the old eastern wall, which is now a great place for an evening stroll. After we got settled in, we decided to head to the night market for some dinner.
The night market is a must see in Chiang Mai. Every evening the streets are filled with vendors selling designer and knock-off clothes, jewelry, cosmetics, luggage, shoes, accessorize, electronics, crafts, you name it. There is also rows of chairs where you can plop down for a traditional Thai massage if your find yourself weary after hours of bargain hunting. If you need to refuel while shopping, there is a food market, within the larger night market where you can sit down for some freshly prepared local cuisine, and that’s where we found ourselves on that first evening in town.
Leon wanted seafood, so we found a restaurant that looked busy and grabbed a table. The menu was huge and the selection of fresh fish available was overwhelming. We watched as the locals lined up to carefully select their fresh crab have the critter weighed, and then choose the method of preparation. While I usually like to try to local food, I just don’t have the heart to look my food in the eye before I eat it, so we skipped the crab and we went from some Pad Thai and some yellow curry. The food was delicious and reasonably priced, and we walked off our meal strolling through the rest of the market.
The next day we decided to walk around and see what activities Chiang Mai had to offer. We grabbed some brochures from the hotel lobby and headed to the local coffee shop for a treat and a planning session. We decided to do an activity called Flight of the Gibbon. We had read about it on TripAdvisor and after making the decision to sign up it was time to shop around for the best price. Like almost everything in Thailand, we found that the price for Flight of the Gibbon was negotiable so we started hitting up the local travel agents to see who could get us the best deal. We found a good offer and arranged to be picked up from our hotel the next morning.
Neither Leon nor I is a morning person, so our six o’clock pick-up came really early. We were the first to be picked up, so piled into the back of the van and settled in for the hour long drive out to the Flight of the Gibbons. We filled out our paperwork and release forms, and then went to get fitted into our flight gear. We were each given a harness and helmet, and were told how to use the different clips on our gear. Then it was off to the first platform.
Flight of the Gibbons is a zip-line experience through the rainforests of northern Thailand. You experience the forests from the point of view of the gibbons, and the money goes to help protect their habitat. We zipped through the 18 platforms with our group, then put our feet back on the ground and did a hike to the top of a local waterfall. Then it was a traditional Thai lunch, and back home. We met some great people on the trip, and ended up having a night on the town with our new Nepali friend, Muna.
Chiang Mai was great, and we spent four nights soaking up the city. The temples, the shops, the restaurants all made for a fun-filled couple of days. Unfortunately, the visas in Thailand don’t leave you a lot of time, and it was time to head across the border. We left to continue our journey north into Laos.

Chiang Mai

The Journey North

We left Krabi and took a VIP bus north to Bangkok. From there it was a ride across town in a shared taxi that we called the Bumpy Bus of Bangkok. They crammed 12 people plus luggage into a minivan and headed through town at high speed. The roads were bumpy and each bump sent every passenger flying up off the seats. Fun for me, but misery for Leon, who being much taller than the other passengers was sent crashing into the ceiling at each bump.
After winding our way through the northern bus station, we found the bus to Ayutthaya and managed to hop on just as it was pulling out. From there it was a quick 90 minute journey north to the historic Thai city. We found the P.U. Guesthouse, a charming place with a quirky name, and settled in.
Ayutthaya provides an interesting look at ancient Thailand. Ruins of the past are nestled in the midst of the modern city, and you never know what you might discover on a walk down the street. We visited the highlights of the town, sampled some of the local street food, and checked out the goods on offer at the local market. After two days of exploring, it was time to move on, and it was just a couple hours north to the town of Sukhothai.
Sukhothai is a UNESCO heritage site and has an amazing old town with a large collection of old Buddhist temples. We stayed in the new town, at a local guesthouse. We had a little cottage to ourselves, and a beautiful garden that we shared with four turtles, one cat, three kittens, and lots of fish and birds. It was incredibly peaceful and the family who ran the house was incredibly welcoming.
After resting the first day, we decided to spend the second day exploring the ruins. We took a local bus to the old section of town. Unlike at home, the local bus in this small town was a pickup truck with benches that lined the bed. Locals piled on with huge baskets of fruit and sacks of grain, and it cost less than a dollar for our 30 minute ride across the city.
When we arrived at the UNESCO site, we were surprised at the size of the area. We decided to rent bikes to explore the ruins and the park like surroundings. The weather was perfect, the skies were blue, and we were charmed by the serenity of the temples and the monks in their saffron colored robes.
The small towns were charming, and offered us a different view of life in Thailand. The further north we went, the more stunning the scenery, and we were excited to head to the northern capital of Chiang Mai. We had heard from others that it was a beautiful city, and we were about to see for ourselves just how right they were.

Ayuthaya and Sukothai

Krabi

Our trip to Krabi wasn’t quite as smooth as our previous bus trip. This time we took a private bus instead of a government bus. The fares were cheaper, and we soon discovered why. Though the seats were nice and comfortable, there was no bathroom, which makes a 6 hour bus ride seem really long. There was also no food, although they did stop at one of their restaurants so that you could give them more money to eat their food. Instead of going straight through to Krabi, the bus would stop along the way, picking up and dropping off local passengers, extending the journey by two hours. When we finally arrived in Krabi, we were ready for dinner, a shower, and a good night’s sleep.
The next day we went down to breakfast and asked at the hotel about local sea kayaking trips. We had read in our travel guide that the area was known for kayaking and it was something that we were both interested in trying. Our hotel had brochures from all the local companies so during breakfast we read through them and decided on a full day trip with kayaking in the morning and snorkeling in the afternoon. We booked the trip for the following day, and then went out to explore the town.
We found a great little local place for lunch. The local places tend to have the best food and the best prices, but they don’t usually have menus and the ones that do don’t have menus in English. Our method is to find a spot that is busy, look at what people are eating, and when we see something that looks good, point to it. The locals find it very entertaining that a couple of farang (foreigners) are interesting in eating the real local food, not the westernized versions that you often find at the larger places in town.
After lunch we walked to the bus station. Not wanting to get stuck on a private bus again, we wanted to book our ticket at the government station a few days in advance. Our book said that the station was 4 Km away and we thought it would make a nice walk. We got a little bit lost along the way, and 4 Km turned into 5 or 6. When we finally arrived at the bus station it was 6 pm. We walked up to the ticket window only to have it shut in our face. Apparently we would have to come back tomorrow.
We took a taxi back from the bus station, and when we were dropped off we were greeted by the hotel manager. Our kayaking trip for the next day had been cancelled due to weather. A huge storm was expected to hit the coast, and they were predicting rain for the next five days. Bummer! Undaunted, our hotel manager suggested a company that ran half day kayaking trips in an inlet about an hour away. The inlet would provide protection from the storm. We were disappointed to miss out on the snorkeling, but we still wanted to try to kayaking, so we agreed to the half day trip.
The next morning our guide picked us up at 8. We rode around and picked up a few more kayakers, and then headed about an hour north towards the inlet. They gave us coffee and tea while we filled out paperwork and got fitted into our life jackets. Then we settled into our kayaks and off we went. It took awhile for Leon and I to get used to paddling together, but we devised a system that worked and then we were really moving.
The scenery was spectacular. All around us these huge limestone cliffs rose out of the water, creating a pathway for us to paddle through. After about an hour of kayaking we were through the cliffs and into a mangrove forest. The going here was a little rougher. The mangrove forests are very dense and you have to manuvere your paddle around the branches above the water and the roots below. It is easy to get caught on a branch and tip. The passage ways are very narrow and there are a lot of sharp turns. Along with the challenges, the mangrove forest also brought some pleasant surprises.
There are two types of monkeys that live in the forests near Krabi. The gibbons are small, black tree dwellers. They rarely come out of the trees, but fly through them singing. We were lucky enough to see one swinging over our heads. The long tail macaws are much more social. They came down to share our snack of fresh pineapple and watermelon. One hopped aboard our guide’s boat, and then swam to our kayak to get more fruit and some fresh water. He helped himself to Leon’s water bottle, and then caught a ride on the front of our boat to the edge of the forest, and then hopped off to join his family.

Krabi

The Beach

We took an overnight bus from Bangkok to Koh Pha-ngan. In India, our experience with buses had been less than pleasant, but we had been assured that the buses in Thailand were “five-star all the way” so we decided to give it a go. We arrived at the bus station a little later than we planned, and didn’t have time to grab a meal before boarding the bus. We were hungry, so we made a quick stop at the bus stop Dunkin’ Donuts and took some pastries to go.

While I wouldn’t call the buses five-star, they were pretty nice. We were greeted at the door by the bus stewardess, who looked just like a 1950s airline stewardess with her little uniform and hat. She showed us to our seats and we settled in for the journey. Shortly after we left, she started the movie; a ridiculous French film that I couldn’t bear to watch. Halfway through the entertainment, it was juice boxes and boxed lunches. In the morning, we were given moist toilettes and coffee to wake us up before transferring to the ferry. The cost of the ferry was included in our bus fare. We spent the three hour journey roaming the deck to enjoy the view and napping in the comfy seating area. All this for the bargain price of $21 per person. Greyhound could take some lessons here.

Our hotel in Koh Pha-ngan was the perfect beach retreat. We had a secluded bungalow with a front porch that overlooked the pier. A hammock provided the perfect place to read a book or enjoy the spectacular sunsets, and a kitty that we named Honey came by every morning and evening to sit with us.

Our first day in Koh Pha-ngan we went to visit sunset beach, famous for the monthly full moon parties. The sand was white and soft, and the water seemed almost too perfect to be natural. The water was crystal clear blue, warm, and had not a single wave. We laid out an enjoyed the sun, with an occasional dip in the clear waters.
The next day in Koh Pha-ngan we went on a longboat trip around the island. Our first stop was a waterfall. We landed on the beach, and hiked about 1km to the falls. There was took a dip in the cool waters and climbed to the top of the falls to enjoy the spectacular view. Our next stop was Bottle Beach, a pristine area that can only be reached by boat. The remote island has no roads, and it is possible to lie on Bottle Beach as the only visitors. We were supposed to end our trip with snorkeling at Ko Ma, but a huge storm forced us to turn back. We hurried through the torrential downpour, huddling together to try and keep warm and as dry as possible. The rain stopped just as suddenly as it started, and we stopped at a nearby beach for snorkeling. Then it was home for a buffet of green curry, yellow curry, and sweet and sour vegetables.

Our fourth day on the island, Leon and I rented a scooter to explore the island. We had originally planned to head to Ko Ma for some snorkeling, but winds were high and the waters were rough. Instead we decided to explore the few roads that exist on the island. We found a great local restaurant, and saw some prawn farmers hard at work. It was interesting to see the local villages scattered between the areas that are dominated by the tourist industry.
Having seen the entire island, we decided to head across the country to see the Andaman Coast exploring the north. We found a bus the Krabi that left the following morning. As we boarded the ferry, we were relaxed, revived, and ready to explore.

Koh Pha-nagn

Bangkok Dangerous???

Our flight to Bangkok was only 4 hours long, but we still arrived exhausted. Our flight left Mumbai at 4 am, meaning a sleepless night. We couldn’t wait to find a hotel and settle in for a day of rest before exploring a new country. Here’s what happened instead…

Despite our fatigue, we managed to find an ATM and a pre-paid taxi to take us from the airport into town. The guesthouse that the book recommended had clean, albeit small, rooms at a good price. We threw our stuff down and stepped out to grab some food before hitting the sheets. There was a wealth of food options right outside our door, and we settled on the noodle bowls that a friendly old woman was selling. We weren’t sure at first what to order, but the woman pointed, indicating that we should choose a type of noodle, a type of meat, and then sit down. Each bowl of noodle is served with a spoon, a set of chopsticks, and four condiments for seasoning; red chili, vinegar with peppers, fish sauce, and sugar. We experimented until we found the perfect blend of spices and then dug in. A delicious meal for under a dollar. So far, Thailand was looking good.


We walked out on to the main road to find a new SIM card for the cell phone, and found a 7-Eleven right around the corner. How convenient! While Leon was checking out the SIM card selection, I was checking out the street, and what was the first thing that I spotted when I looked out the front door? A 7-Eleven! There was another one right across the street! Yes, 7-Elevens are in Thailand what Starbucks is in America. They are everywhere. There are two inside the Bangkok bus station.
The other thing that we noticed on the street, were vendors, dozens of them, selling nothing but water guns. We had read on the plane about the Thai New Year celebration called Songkran. Traditionally, the festival is about cleansing and honoring your elders and it is celebrated with a ritual spraying of water. We set off down the street, smiling at the vendors and giggling as small children shyly sprayed their guns at us before hiding behind their parents. As Leon put it, it was little squirts from little squirts. Nothing to be afraid of. Then we rounded the corner, and a kindly old woman wished us a happy new year before dumping a bucket of water over our heads. We were drenched, and this was war!


We made a beeline back to the hotel room (dodging water the whole way) to put away anything valuable, then headed out to buy waterproof wallets and super-soakers. One block from our hotel, we found Ko San Road and the heart of the Songkran celebration. We joined the crowd of revelers roaming the streets. Everywhere there were people spraying water guns, or smearing mud (another ritual apparently). Vendors lined the streets selling food, drinks, mud, and water gun refills to keep the party fueled. After a few hours of playing, we went back to the hotel, wrung out our clothes and finally slept.

The second day we headed out for another day of celebrating with the crowds. We put on our clothes, which were still a little damp from the day before, grabbed some fried rice and entered the fray. We walked for blocks and as we neared the center of town, we looked up to see a plume of black smoke. We stopped to ask a local man what was happening. He told us not to worry, it was the red shirts and it was under control. Unaware of the political situation that was unfolding, we thought he meant that it was a controlled fire put on by the fire department; just part of the celebration. Still, something seemed off, so we turned and began walking back the other direction.

A few blocks later, we stopped for a beer on a busy patio. We struck up a conversation with some British girls and were having a relaxing afternoon when we were interrupted by a tourist with a loudspeaker. She said that she was interpreting for the police, and had been instructed to tell all foreigners to head back to their hotel rooms. It was unsafe for us to be on the streets, and the police would be by shortly to close the bar. Leon and I looked at each other nervously, downed our beers and prepared to leave. Everyone else at the bar acted as though nothing had happened. The British girls told us about the protests, and said that such announcements are common. They assured us that we weren’t in any danger, the police were just following procedure, CYA. We decided to be safe and move closer to our hotel. If there was no problem, then no problem; but if there was a problem we would be close to safety.


We stopped into the guesthouse and asked the owner about the protest. “Don’t worry. You safe.” The news on the television was in Thai, and from what we have heard pretty censored, so we decided to check the internet for stories about what was happening in town. The NY Times was showing the damage on the front page, and it turns out the “controlled fire” we had seen earlier was a burning bus. We logged on to the State Department website, and filled in the Embassy form to notify them of our location and contact information, and decided that it was time to get out of Bangkok. We bought bus ticket to Koh Pha-ngan that left the following evening.

Our last day in Bangkok, we wandered the area near the palace. The palace itself was closed for the holiday, but the amulet market just outside the walls was open and we spent hours looking for the perfect ones. Next to the palace is a center for Buddhist Education, and they were having a festival for Songkran. Food vendors and craftsmen from all over the country had gathered. We walked around sampling the culinary delights and learned about the traditional celebration of Songkran. We also got a chance to see the famous reclining Buddha (the world’s largest) before heading back to the hotel and away from the city.


It was interesting to be in Bangkok when we were. Between the Songkran Festival and the protests, our visit to the city was hardly normal. Strangely, we didn’t feel like we were in danger in Bangkok until we left. Even then, we thought that the news reports sensationalized the situation, and made things seem more dangerous that they were. We will return to the city before we leave Thailand, and I am curious to see the differences.

Bangkok

Good-bye to India

Our last train ride in India certainly wasn’t our best. We left Jaipur at 2:40 in the afternoon. More than 17 hours later, we arrived in Mumbai. While the long rides are never fun, this one was especially tough. It came at the end of a long two weeks, and the sleepers cars were all sold out. The only available tickets that could get us to Mumbai in time for our flight out were in the chair car. It was all night, in a cramped chair car with the lights on. We arrived at our hotel tired and more than a little grumpy. We were fully prepared to spend the next 36 hours hiding in our room, counting down to our departure. Instead, a little magic happened as we walked through the door.
A scout was waiting outside our hotel. He worked in the pictures, and he was looking for some westerners to stand in as extras for the latest Bollywood film. The scene was to take place in Las Vegas, and he needed some people to look like they were enjoying themselves in a casino. They would pay for transportation, our meals and would pay us 500 rupees for the experience. How could we pass that up? We joined the group of tourists who had agreed to participate, and piled into taxis on our way to super-stardom.
Filmiji Studios isn’t exactly Universal, but the experience was fun. There were 10 westerners total, 5 Americans, 2 Swedes, 1 Canadian, 1 Brit, and a Dutch girl. Upon arrival at the studio, we were shown into a dressing room. We were provided with costumes, hair and make-up, and then sent to the set for our first scene. It was a bar scene, and we were all supposed to stand around with drinks in our hands looking like we were enjoying a night out on the town. It took them about three hours to shoot us from all different angles. Finally, they were satisfied with the shot, and we took a break for lunch.
After lunch we had some down time. It would be a few hours before they would need us again, so we just lounged in our dressing room, and watched as they filmed other scenes for the movie. At about 6 they needed us again. This time we were audience members for a spectacular Vegas show. The show portion of the scene had been filmed earlier, so we had to look at the camera, and pretend we saw something amazing. This time we got it right after only three takes. This acting thing isn’t so hard…
We changed back into our normal clothes, and headed back to the hotel. It was after 11 when we arrived, and we were running on only a few hours sleep. I was done for the day, but somehow Leon and Rachel found the energy to make it out for one drink with our fellow extras. They arrived home late, and we spent our last day in India, sleeping in. Our flight for Bangkok left at 4 am, and it would be another sleepless night. As we rode to the airport I think we were all a little sad. As excited as we were about our trip to Thailand, we all loved India. We weren’t sure what to expect when we arrived, and we weren’t sure how we were ever going to spend three months in such a strange place. Over the course of three months we fell in love; with the beautiful scenery, with the delicious food, and with the people, who open their country and their hearts so willingly to the thousands of travelers who come seeking knowledge, spiritual clarity, or just a good time. I hope that one day I will return to India, but for now it’s good-bye India, hello Thailand.

Movie Magic

Jaipur

Jaipur is known as the “Pink City”. The story goes that the old city was originally built with cheap materials due to a lack of funds. To cover up the shoddy work, the whole city was painted pink; every wall, every building. Though the city underwent repairs in the late 19th century, the pink color remained, and the old city it still easily recognizable by the rose colored walls.
We only had one full day in Jaipur, so once we settled into our guesthouse we headed straight out for lunch. At the restaurant, we met a British traveler, Claire. She was traveling alone and we invited her to spend the day exploring the city with us. We negotiated a rickshaw, and found our way to the pink city walls.
Our first stop was a bizarre one. In the early 19th century, the king of Jaipur had an interest in astrology. It was widely believed at the time that astrology could be used as a tool to predict everything from wars, to auspicious marriage days. Because of this belief, the king built a park with a number of tools designed to track the movements of the stars so that people could use this information to chart their astrological course. The park, and the tools are still standing within the walls of the pink city. While they are no longer used to predict wars, the tools themselves are remarkable accurate a tracking the movements of the heavenly bodies.
We wandered around the bazaars for a few hours, seeing the city palace, and some famous observation sites throughout the city. As sunset approached, we found ourselves in a rickshaw again, this time heading out 3 km outside of Jaipur to see the “Monkey Temple”. The Monkey Temple is a series of temples in a narrow ravine on the outskirts of town. Though some of the temples are still in use, the area is now more famous for the monkey population. Nearly 5000 monkeys live within the temples in the ravine, and they are the reason that most tourists visit the area. A vendor outside the temple gates sells peanuts and other treats which you can give to the monkeys who live inside. For those of us who live in a country where monkeys are only found in zoos, it is an incredible experience.
The monkeys are very used to people, and will romp and play only a few feet from where you are walking. We purchased some peanuts for the monkeys from the vendor outside. We started out by throwing them on the ground, but soon found that the monkeys will come and take the peanuts right out of your hand. They are very gentle, and will hold your hand while they use their second hand to stuff as many peanuts as possible into their cheeks. Once they are stuffed, they will shell and eat the peanuts one by one, just the way that we would.
We took our time passing out a pound of peanuts, and then we rode back into town. We had a leisurely dinner, and then walked Claire back to her hotel. On the way home, we stopped for a treat; Baskin Robbins! The next day we had a brutal 17 hour train ride, but we found our trip to Jaipur to be not only short but sweet.

p.s. our pictures from Jaipur were killed by a horrible virus.

The Venice of India

Rajasthan was not on our original itinerary, but as we travelled around India, the locals told us that no trip to India would be complete without a visit to the famous northwestern state. We searched our book and it listed Udaipur as one of the most beautiful cities in the country, so after another overnight train ride, we found ourselves with four days to spend in the “Venice of India”.
We were lucky on arrival to meet a local rickshaw driver named Billu. He offered us a fair price for a ride into town (usually you have to haggle to get only slightly ripped off) and patiently drove us to a few hotels to check out options. We settled on the Panorama guesthouse, a small, family run hotel with quaint rooms and a rooftop restaurant overlooking Lake Pichola.
After settling into our rooms, we set out on foot to explore the town, and find a post office. We wandered through the cloth markets, the produce market, the spice market, and the oil market. We walked down a side street where vendors were making fresh potato chips, sold for 5 rupees a bag and women were sorting huge barrels of chilies so hot you could smell it.
As we found to be the case in most of India, the people in these markets were friendly and welcoming. They happily posed for pictures that we took of them, and explained the local crafts. The spice vendors explained to us the different types of fresh tea leaves available at their stalls. Leon, stopped at a local electronics repair stall to have a pair of headphones fixed. He was told the repair would be five minutes and would cost 10 rupees, but while we waited wouldn’t we please sit down and have a glass of chai and tell about our travels? We met local families, and made new friends, and at the end of the day we wandered back to our hotel, charmed with Udaipur.
The next day, we decided to take a tour of the city with our rickshaw driver, Billu. For a set price of 550 rupees ($11) he would drive the three of us to all the major sights in Udaipur and anywhere else we asked to go. He took us to the “Milk Lake” where the locals go to bathe. Then we took a boat ride to a park that sits on a small island in the middle of a lake. After that, it was off to another park, this one built for the Royal Princesses and their handmaidens to enjoy. We ended our day at the Monsoon Palace. The famous palace, built in 1883, was built high on a mountain overlooking the city. The royal family built it as a summer residence, with the thought that they could spend the monsoon season there, looking out over their kingdom. Unfortunately, just before the palace was completed, they realized that there was no way to pump water to the palace. Construction was stopped, and no one ever lived there. Still, the nearly finished palace sits, high on a hill, surrounded by a wildlife sanctuary. The view from the top was spectacular, and a perfect way to end our day.
Our third day in Udaipur was also busy. I got up early to get an acupressure massage. It was excruciatingly painful, and unlike any massage that I have ever experienced, but I left feeling exhilarated and relaxed. Next up; an Indian cooking class. The owner of our hotel offered cooking classes taught by his wife in their home. We had picked the menu the day before, and now it was off to learn how to cook a full Indian meal. The three of us crowded into the kitchen and learned how to make chai, vegetable kofta, mixed vegetable curry, raita, vegetable fried rice, potato pakora, chapatti, and galub jamon. After the lesson, we ate all the food, and we left with full tummies and happy hearts.
On our final day in Udaipur, we went to see the City Palace. The palace was once the home of the royal family of Udaipur, but was now a museum. The exhibits explained the history of the city, and gave an image of royal palace life into the modern age. After the palace it was lunch, and some errands before catching yet another train. This time we were off to Jaipur, our last new city on our journey through India.

Udaipur

Agra

Our journey to Agra was exhausting. We had left Corbett National park on a 10 pm sleeper train and managed to grab a few hours of sleep before we arrived in Delhi at 4 am. We then had to pile into a rickshaw and journey across town to a different train station to catch our 5:30 am train to Agra. Three hours, and a short nap later, we found ourselves in Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. We were exhausted, but there was not rest for the weary. It was Thursday morning, and since the Taj is closed on Fridays we had only one day to see one of the great wonders of the world.
Off to the hotel, quick breakfast and shower, and then away we went. I knew that I should feel tired, but between the chai and my excitement at seeing the Taj I was buzzing. We picked a hotel that was only a few blocks from the Taj Mahal, and the walk there filled me with anticipation. You can’t really see the Taj as you approach due to the surrounding wall, but you know that you are getting closer as you walk down the street loaded with souvenir shops.
The ticket for the Taj Mahal is expensive by Indian standards, 750 rupees ($15) for foreign visitors. When you are used to paying less than that for a hotel room, the price seems exorbitant, but once you have seen it you realize that it is worth every penny (even without the free bottle of water and shoe covers that you get). Locals pay much less, about 15 rupees, which is a common practice in India. It keeps the national treasures affordable for the locals and still provides the government with enough funds to maintain the monuments.
Security is tight at the Taj Mahal. Visitors aren’t allowed to bring in much, no large bags, no guide books, no outside food or drink. Everyone must pass through a metal detector and a personal search before entering the sight. One you walk through the security check point, you find yourself in the outer courtyard. It is a large square courtyard with four gates, three leading out to the city, and one leading in to the Taj Mahal. You still can’t see the Taj from here, and by this point the anticipation was overwhelming. We walked toward the north gate, and through the arch of the wall, you see your first glimpse of the tomb.
The Taj Mahal is a monument to love, built by a maharaja for his favorite wife after her death. It is made entirely of marble, with semi-precious stone inlay. The building itself, and the grounds are perfectly symmetrical, and the complex is meant to represent the paradise as described in the Koran, with rivers of milk and honey. The building glows in the light of the sun, and the perfect symmetry and tranquil atmosphere give the place the feeling of another world. It was so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes. The story says that the Maharaja was so consumed by grief that he dedicated years (one source said 13 another 20) and millions of rupees to building the final resting place for his beloved wife. His son, outraged at the money that was being spent, ousted his father and imprisoned him in Agra fort, a few kilometers up the river and the king spent his last days staring out the window at the wonder he had built. It is romantic, and tragic, and you feel those things when you are there.
We spent three hours admiring the intricate carvings and stone inlay work. We wandered through the building, and sat in the gardens soaking up the feeling of being in a place so magical. It was late afternoon, and we were hungry and tired, but I left with tears in my eyes, glancing over my shoulder for one last look at something I never thought I would see.
We decided to leave from a different gate than the one we had entered to explore a different neighborhood, and the feeling of peace and happiness was immediately shattered by the crush of vendors that greeted us as we left the gate. We found ourselves surrounded by a mob of young men trying to lure us into their shops. We fought our way through to the end of the street and found a rooftop restaurant serving a lunchtime thali with a view of the Taj. We filled up on rice, a chickpea curry, and dal and then headed back to our room for a little rest. The next day would bring another train ride and we needed all the rest we could get.

Agra

Elephants and tigers and bears, oh my!

We took a flight from Calcutta to Delhi, and then from there we took an overnight train to Corbett National Park. We arrived at the train station at 4:55 am, exhausted, but ready for adventure. We were met at the station by our friendly guide, Mohin. We stopped for a quick glass of chai, and then continued on to the hotel to settle into our room and rest before our day’s adventures. At 11, Mohin came to get us and took us for a walk through the outskirts of the park to the banks of a local river. A school group was there doing wilderness activities like repelling and river crossing. We watched them for awhile before heading back to get lunch. We ate a light soup and salad meal, and then went to meet our ride for our first forest safari.
Our first trip into the forest was an elephant safari. Our ride was a 36 year old elephant named Kanchan and her handler. Four of us rode on her back, sitting sideways on a saddle. Her handler sat in front of us on her shoulders. To board the elephant we had to walk up a set of stairs to a platform, and climb on. Once everyone was safely aboard, we set out into the forest.
Kanchan plodded slowly through the forest, following a path that was familiar to her. She seemed unaware of our excitement, stopping every so often to grab a snack off a nearby tree branch. Meanwhile, we were looking around us anxiously, searching for signs of the elusive tigers that inhabit the area. We had heard stories before we left about the man-eater who had been trapped only two months before after killing a local villager, and our guide told tales of handlers who had been pulled right off of their elephants by the mighty cats. We searched the bushes, and caught our breath at every sound, half hoping to spot a tiger, and half afraid to. Our guide taught us to listen to the screams of the monkey, who spot the tigers from the treetops and then warn the other animals to be on the alert, and we walked past the bones of deer that had been dinner for one hungry animal. We spent two hours in the forest, and without spotting a tiger. We were disappointed, but only slightly. We had so much fun riding Kanchan, and at the end of our tour she let us pet her, which we all thought was adorable.
Our second day began with a 5 am wake-up call. We quickly got dressed and piled into the resort jeep. Today we were going to drive further into the park on a jeep safari. We stopped at the park gates to fill out our admission paperwork and pick-up our guide/tracker. It wasn’t long before our guide yelled excitedly for our driver to stop. We all got out to look at his find, fresh tracks from a male tiger! Something was close by. Now we were awake. We were searching the trees with our binoculars looking for clues. There were plenty of spotted deer (referred to as tiger food by our guide), a wild boar, loads of monkeys, and even some wild peacocks. We crossed a river, and then we stopped again; another tiger print, this time from a female. We stopped to listen carefully. We heard the sounds of the monkeys and the peacocks, and then all of a sudden, from far away, a roar! It was incredible! We didn’t see the tiger, but we knew that he was there, and probably saw us. That was enough to send shivers up my spine. We spent nearly three hours searching the forest before calling it a day and heading back to town for a late breakfast. We spent the day relaxing and enjoying the peace and quiet provided by the country side and the fresh air (a rarity in India). We had a train at night that we take us back to Delhi and then on to Agra. It was going to be a long couple of days.

Corbett

Calcutta

I admit, none of us was particularly looking forward to our stay in Calcutta. We had been warned that it was large, dirty, overpopulated, impoverished, and had nothing to see, so our plan was to stay just long enough to find a way out. Instead the city defied all of our expectations. We found a reasonably priced hotel, in a cute little area of town. There were loads of cheap, tasty restaurants within walking distance, and any service that you could require; internet, laundry, passport photos, etc.
We spent most of our time in Calcutta, catching up on planning and taking care of trip business. We needed to book our next few rail tickets, purchase new SIM cards for the cell phones, do laundry, etc. and we left only the final day for sightseeing. When we did finally get around to leaving our charismatic neighborhood, we found the greater city to be clean and easy to get around. Calcutta has the only Subway system in India. It was cheap, clean, and efficient on par with the systems that we had seen throughout Europe. There was a large central park area, where the local residents gathered for walks, picnics, and pick-up cricket games. We visited Victoria Monument, an impressive structure with a museum documenting the history of India under British rule, and St. Paul’s Cathedral.
We stayed in Calcutta for four days, and though there weren’t many tourist sites, per se, we found Calcutta to be a lovely modern Indian city. It was large. It was crowded. There were areas were the poverty was heartbreaking, but it was nothing like we thought it would be. Once again, India managed o surprised us.

Kolkata

A Taste of Family Life

Our train ride from Hyderabad to Bhubaneswar was 23 hours, and we had plenty of time to get to know that people riding around us. Sitting across the aisle was a young Indian man and his mother. They struck up a friendly conversation about our travels and we talked to them for awhile. Nearing the city, we began to look in our guide book to find a hotel to stay in. Our new friends took notice, and insisted that we stay with them instead of spending money on a hotel. At first we demurred, saying that there was three of us and we couldn’t possible impose. They were persistent, and we finally agreed, although we were still feeling hesitant. Ferida, the mother, called home to let her daughter-in-law know that guests would be arriving for dinner, and before we could protest any further is was all arranged.
We took the short trip from the rail station to their home, which was a lovely 3 bedroom flat near the center of the city. They were a small family, just five members. Ferida’s husband had died of cancer the year before, leaving her with their two sons, Mispa and Salman. Mispa’s wife, and their maid Mousy also stayed in the flat. They had us put our bags into the guest room, and fed us a meal of biryani. It was our first home-cooked meal since South Africa, and it was delicious! Eager to please, the boys took us to meet their fried, Raju, and the five of us went out to explore Bhubaneswar at night. It was a Friday night, but the city is small, and there isn’t much to do except head to the mall, so that’s what we did. After a couple hours of checking out the local “hot spots” we went home. It was dinner time, and even though we had just eaten a few hours before, we couldn’t refuse the tasty meal.
Staying with the family gave us a unique opportunity to see the social structure of the home, which is quite different from ours. Women in India are very much respected and appreciated, but gender roles in India are still very clearly defined in a way that doesn’t exist in American these days. Of course as guests, these gender roles didn’t apply to us, and we were treated with the utmost respect and care. Meal times were strange for us because of the eating order. In America, everyone sits down to dinner together. While the host is usually responsible for preparation and clean-up, it is not unheard of for guest to help out in these areas. During our stay with the Khan family, there was a distinct order to the food service. As guests, we were served first, by the sons. Once we had finished eating, Mispa, the oldest son would eat, followed by the women and Salman. This felt very awkward to us, and after the first two meals, Mispa began eating with us at our invitation, but the woman would always eat last, and often not until we had gone to bed for the evening.
The sleeping arrangements were also strange. In America it is standard practice for guest to sleep in a guestroom/office, etc. or even on the couch. Rarely does a member of the family give up their room. In this case, Leon and I were given one room, Rachel another, and the five members of the Khan family slept in the remaining room together. Again this seemed awkward to us. The one room was plenty large enough for the three of us, and we tried insisting that we sleep this way, but they refused, saying that they wanted to give us our privacy.
Our first full day in Bhubaneswar was a Monday, and Mispa took that day off work so that he, Salman, ad their friend Raju could show us around. They took us to the Sun Temple, the most beautiful temple in the state of Orissa. Though centuries old, the temple was in pristine condition and the carvings and gardens were well worth the long drive. After our trip there, we went to the large Buddhist Temple that sits on a hill overlooking the city. The view from the top was spectacular. Our final stop was the caves near town. Nowhere near as large or impressive as the Ellora caves, they did provide a nice place to sit and watch the sunset over the city.
Our second day in Bhubaneswar, the boys took us to the zoo. I was hesitant to go, because I was unsure of what conditions would be at a zoo in a developing country, but curiosity and manners led us to go. We packed (or rather the ladies packed) a picnic lunch for us, and we enjoyed our meal in a shady park in front of the zoo before walking to see the exhibits. The facilities were not up to the standards that one sees in an American zoo, but they weren’t as bad as I had imagined either, and there were noticeable efforts to improve the animal welfare.
After three nights in Bhubaneswar, we were ready to move on. We loved staying with the Khans, but we didn’t want to overstay our welcome, and our time in India was coming to a close quicker than we had thought possible. We boarded the train to Calcutta (with another packed lunch) and headed even further north.

Bubhanesware

Hyderabad

Our first night in Hyderabad, we walked around the busy Lad Bazaar area. The area is known for having everything one would need for a full Indian wedding, and the shops are overflowing with silk sarees, henna, and jewelry shops carrying bangles and pearls. I bargained for a pair of beaded Indian shoes, and some bangles, which every Indian woman from birth to death seems to be wearing. The area around the bazaar was filled with street vendors selling everything from snacks to underwear and provides for hours of free entertainment. You can walk along the street, examining the wares, laughing at the children trying to sell you school books or the old men insisting that you need a saree for your stay in India. Tiring of the market, we decided to go for dinner, and we delighted to find that Hyderabad had a McDonalds! We were dying to see what the menu of McDonald’s would be in a country were more that 90% of the people don’t eat beef. The big seller here in the McVeggie Combo, which comes with masala fries. The “burger” is actually pretty good, and is something that I would eat at home if our McDonald’s had it. Other than the menu, the Golden Arches was just what you would find at home. There were smiling families, happy meals, and even a children’s birthday party. Ronald McDonald sat out front on a bench for photo ops and you could still finish your meal with a McFlurry.
Our second day in Hyderabad, we took a trip to Ramoji Film Studio. Listed in the Guinness book of World records as the world’s largest film studio, Ramoji is something like a poor man’s Universal Studios. There is a studio tour, which is takes you around to look at the various film sets. Most of the tour was in Hindi, but we got the gist of what was said by looking at the sets. Unlike American movies, which are filmed a lot on location these days, almost all Indian films are made exclusively in studios. Also, the budgets are considerably lower, with the average film budget a mere $1 million, unheard of by American standards. Once you finish the studio tour, there is a theme park area, which has only three attractions. You visit the attractions in order, and are allowed to visit each attraction only once. After the attractions, one which was an eerie copy of “It’s A Small World” we decided to get lunch. We shelled out 99 rupees (about $2) for an all-you-can eat Indian/Chinese buffet. We had just sat down at a table to eat, when we were rudely interrupted by a monkey. He stormed right up to the table; stole food off Leon’s plate, then came after mine. I screamed and pushed the plate towards him. He grabbed a handful and jumped off the table to consume our lunch! Leon was yelling, “Bad monkey!” and I was afraid that he would get bitten. We moved and found a table inside, and finished our lunch. After a long bus ride home, we were exhausted. Another crazy day in India.
Our last day in Hyderabad, we visited the Golconda Fort. A huge fort overlooking the city, we walked for hours through the old ramparts and admired the view from the top. What a beautiful view! We left the fort and headed to the train station to catch the train to Bhubaneswar. We weren’t looking forward to the 23 hour train ride, but we were ready to move on and experience a new city.

Hyderabad

Pondicherry, ma cheri

Pondicherry is a former French colony, and has a distinct French flavor that is lacking in the rest of India. We stayed in the “Ville Blanche” or white town, which is where the French colonials lived. While the “Ville Noir” area of town has a similar look and feel as much of India, the “Ville Blanche” has wide tree-lined boulevards, with French names and locals who still say Bonjour instead of hello. Since we had just arrived from Tamil Nadu, where we ate nothing but thali, the smell of fresh baguettes was a god send. We spent much of the first day lounging in a boulangerie, where we found Wi-Fi and real cappuccino to compliment the chocolate cake. We caught up on e-mails and internet, and planned the next few stops on our journey. At the end of the day, we went exploring in the “Ville Noir. “ We walked the streets, searching for a place to rent some scooters. We went from shop to shop, comparison shopping, and occasionally getting swept up in the impromptu parades that appear in front of the many Hindu temples. We finally found what we were looking for, but realized that we wouldn’t be able to find our way back home, so we hopped in a rickshaw and went back to our hotel for a nightcap and a good night’s sleep.
Our second morning in Pondicherry, I woke up early to get my haircut at the local salon (a bargain at $1.50 including tip), while Leon and Rachel went to pick up two rental scooters. We had plans to leave Pondicherry and visit the settlement of Auroville, located 8 km north of town. Leon had driven a scooter before, but never in the city, and Rachel and I were both a little afraid of learning to drive in such heavy traffic. We decided that Rachel would drive one scooter, and I would ride on the back of Leon’s scooter switching places half way through the day. We tried to look for the roads with the least traffic, giving Rachel time to adjust to a new style of driving, but before long we found ourselves at a major intersection. She handled the traffic well, and we made it safely to the Auroville welcome center.
Auroville is this sort of experimental living community, founded by a French woman named “The Mother” and based on the teachings of Swami Sri Aribindo. It is supposed to be a place where people from all races, creeds, and backgrounds can live and learn together in harmony, in hope of creating a perfect society. I was more than a little skeptical, and was counting on the welcome center to provide some answers. It didn’t. They showed a short video that didn’t give any more information than our guide book. Frustrated, we went to one of the settlements where our friend Chelsea was staying. We were eager to see her, and we thought that since she had been there for a few days that she might be able to provide us with some answers to our questions. We missed Chelsea, but talked to some of the other people staying at her camp. From what I can tell, Auroville is mostly foreign travelers, not locals. They stay for cheap, and work on various projects throughout the community of Auroville. The project that Chelsea was working on was a reforestation project. They have very little contact with the local community, and to me it seemed like people were looking more for an escape from the real world than for a way to change it. We couldn’t find Chelsea, and we wanted to get home before dark, so we got back on the scooters and headed south.
Rachel was driving the scooter again for the ride home, and I was riding as Leon’s passenger. We had switched places after visiting the welcome center, thinking that the peaceful roads in Auroville would provide a good place to learn. Right as I was getting the hang of things, a huge truck came roaring towards my. Though technically the road is not one way, there wasn’t room for the both of us on that road, and the truck’s blaring horn made it clear he wasn’t planning on stopping. I swerved off the road into a puddle of mud, lost my balance, and nearly took out the old Indian women who rushed over to help me. After that I was too shaky to keep driving, so I handed the scooter back to Rachel and continued as Leon’s passenger. On the way home, we had to take the highway, which was a frightening experience. I just closed my eyes and kept listening for the scream of a crash. Amazingly, we made it into the city and through rush hour traffic in one piece.
Thinking out motorbike adventure was over, we got a good night’s rest in our hotel, and the next morning we went down to return the bikes, only to discover that one of the bikes had been stolen! We checked with the hotel to see if they had seen anything suspicious. They hadn’t, so Leon and Rachel rode the remaining scooter back to the rental agency and told the owner about the theft. They told him that they would go with him to the police station to file a report of the theft. After several wasted hours at the station, they returned home. The owner of the scooters was extremely upset. He had no insurance on the vehicles, and was expecting us to reimburse him for the cost of a new bike! We refused, and said that we would pay for our rental, and offer him a small amount for his time and trouble, but that we would not pay for a new bike. He kept insisting that we were rich Americans who could surely afford a new bike, whereas he was a struggling business man and this loss would surely break him. He threatened to call the police if we didn’t give him money, which of course we had no objection to. We knew that the threat was empty, and once he knew that we knew this, he stopped making threats, but refused to leave our hotel. Finally, the hotel managers came out and repeated the previous offer that we had made. He finally left, but he wasn’t happy. Not the best way to end our visit in an otherwise beautiful city.