My five days on Perhentian Island were much needed and very much enjoyed. After cranking through the scuba course, I took a day to walk to to a gorgeous beach. Having seen the beach from one of my dives, I thought that the walk would be easy. Over an hour of climbing rocks in my sandals in the mid-day sun proved otherwise but left me on a white sand beach all on my own. Soaked in sweat, I read in the shade and enjoyed the solitude and rest, taking occasional dips in the clear blue water.
Too tired to take the rock route back, I walked through the jungle, dodging massive spiders but making much better time with a nice cover of shade. On my last day on the Perhentians, I took a snorkeling trip. The first stop had us swimming with Black Tipped Reef Sharks. Our second stop had us swimming among thousands of brightly colored fish. Our guide would give us a small nibble of bread and in minutes it would be ripped apart by out tiny swimming companions. Our third stop was all about sea turtles. It wasn't quite the same as the others however. The water wasn't as clear and the turtles were FAST. The boat would circle around until a turtle was spotted and tourists from three tour boats would jump in and give chase. One chase was enough for me and I stayed in the boat to keep my pinched feet out of my too tight fins. Stop four brought us to a light house. We took turns jumping 35 feet from the top into the ripping current below. The spot was beautiful but it took serious energy just to swim in place. One jump from the lighthouse pulled my bauxite bracelet from my wrist and sent it to the coral below. The Arabian Sea stole my ring and the South China Sea has my bracelet. The experience is worth the trade but it's still a bummer.
A boat to a bus to another bus to a 22 hour train to a took took brought me to the super fancy hotel at which I'm writing this entry. A hung out for a few hours before Megan arrived. We've had a great time wandering and enjoying an early celebration of her birthday. We are sorting out plans for the rest of the day and the days to come. We will meet Cheri and her sister tomorrow and then go to bathe tigers and ride elephants shortly thereafter. Sharks, sea turtles, tigers and elephants are helping me stay pre-occupied as my business school dates approach. One and two weeks from response deadlines from Duke and Michigan respectively. Eek!!
Love to all.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Changing gears
I left India with a wide variety of new experiences under my belt. I loved the country (many travelers either love it or hate it) but was ready for the next leg.
Traveling solo again, I flew to Singapore and met two Ghana RPCVs from a few years before my own service. Cheri met the couple in December and they offered a place to stay. I didn't know what to expect but met thepair and their Siberian huskie at a mall on the very efficient MRT line. They brought me to their house and right up to the 24th floor. The elevator opened to a beautiful house, covered by a nice ex-pat work package. It was a very nice place to relax (especially in an expensive city).
I spent two days reading, hanging out by the pool and relaxing. I did laundry in a machine (shrunk some trousers in the dryer) and the three of us went to a Chinese New Year parade. I learned the different routes around their neighborhood. We seldom went outside, walking in air conditioned malls and hospitals instead of enduring the heat and humidity. Though strict, and likely because it's strict, Singapore seems to be a nice place to live. The city is clean and safe. There are signs for $500 fines for drinking water on the subway or $1000 for riding your bicycle where you shouldn't. I learned that when getting caned, you can choose the long cane, getting bigger scars but less immediate pain or the short cane, getting smaller scars but far greater pain. I am happy that I don't have to choose.
From Singapore, I took the MRT to a bus, across the Malaysian border to an overnight train. The train put Indian trains to shame, I had a small mattress, a pillow, a sheet and a curtain to close out the light. I slept great!! I woke up, got a taxi, got on a speedboat and came to paradise.
Feeling antisocial, I threw in my ipod while on the speedboat. The combination of warm air, good music, high speed and surrounding smiles made me feel really great. I had a smile on my face the whole time.
On Perhentian Island in the South China Sea, I have seen 6 foot lizards, massive spiders and beautiful surrounds. I'm on my third day of scuba certification today. I spent a total of ninety minutes under water yesterday, learning what to do when I lose my regulator, when I run out of air, when I lose my mask etc. It's really great and I'm looking forward to the day. I will meet Megan in Bangkok on Feb. 28. Until then, I'm chillin here.
Love to all.
Traveling solo again, I flew to Singapore and met two Ghana RPCVs from a few years before my own service. Cheri met the couple in December and they offered a place to stay. I didn't know what to expect but met thepair and their Siberian huskie at a mall on the very efficient MRT line. They brought me to their house and right up to the 24th floor. The elevator opened to a beautiful house, covered by a nice ex-pat work package. It was a very nice place to relax (especially in an expensive city).
I spent two days reading, hanging out by the pool and relaxing. I did laundry in a machine (shrunk some trousers in the dryer) and the three of us went to a Chinese New Year parade. I learned the different routes around their neighborhood. We seldom went outside, walking in air conditioned malls and hospitals instead of enduring the heat and humidity. Though strict, and likely because it's strict, Singapore seems to be a nice place to live. The city is clean and safe. There are signs for $500 fines for drinking water on the subway or $1000 for riding your bicycle where you shouldn't. I learned that when getting caned, you can choose the long cane, getting bigger scars but less immediate pain or the short cane, getting smaller scars but far greater pain. I am happy that I don't have to choose.
From Singapore, I took the MRT to a bus, across the Malaysian border to an overnight train. The train put Indian trains to shame, I had a small mattress, a pillow, a sheet and a curtain to close out the light. I slept great!! I woke up, got a taxi, got on a speedboat and came to paradise.
Feeling antisocial, I threw in my ipod while on the speedboat. The combination of warm air, good music, high speed and surrounding smiles made me feel really great. I had a smile on my face the whole time.
On Perhentian Island in the South China Sea, I have seen 6 foot lizards, massive spiders and beautiful surrounds. I'm on my third day of scuba certification today. I spent a total of ninety minutes under water yesterday, learning what to do when I lose my regulator, when I run out of air, when I lose my mask etc. It's really great and I'm looking forward to the day. I will meet Megan in Bangkok on Feb. 28. Until then, I'm chillin here.
Love to all.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Days in Mumbai
Having slept on a luxury overnight bus from Goa to Mumbai, Cheri and I were immediately latched onto by a persistent taxi driver. Insisting that we didn't want a taxi, we lugged our bags back and forth on the sidewalk while figuring out where to go. The bus told us that we were being let off at the closest stop to Colaba yet those around us were telling us that we were 25km away from Colaba.
A friendly young onlooker removed his headphones and decided to help us, enduring the subsequent scorn from our leach of a cabbie. We got in a taxi, got to Colaba and paid less than half of the original quoted price.
We had read in our guidebook that hanging around Colaba is a good way to land a gig as an extra in a Bollywood film. We didn't know where we were supposed to hang out but didn't need to worry about is as we were approached before getting our bags out of the taxi. Two more approaches during the day made it apparent that any young westerner would be approached as long as they left their hostel.
Conflicting schedules meant that Cheri and I would go as extras on different days. I had business school interviews Tuesday and Thursday while Cheri flew to Delhi on Wednesday.
I got back from what I felt was a better than average interview and rested for most of the remaining day. Cheri came back after a 14 hour day with stories of her red sequined bartending outfit from her day on set. The next morning, I rushed around, trying to get packed and moved into a new room while saying goodbye to Cheri before getting to a meeting point around 7:15am. Ready to give up on Bollywood, things came together at the last minute and I was off to my big pay day of 500 rupees (about 11 US dollars).
Most of the day consisted of sitting around in odd costumes. I was in a ripply burgundy silk shirt with a huge collar while others were in odd vests, short skirts and more. The group of 40 plus extras varied from 19 year old bearded Swedish hippies to petite girls you might think would be Hollywood extras or actresses. We sat, were fed, jumped around for 20 second takes as four of Bollywoods biggest stars romped around on top of a bar. I sat in the background as a choreographed dance roared around me. For the last scene, I had to dance on a stairway next to a 5'3" Swedish guy and a baby faced Finnish dude. I feel self conscious dancing with a girl while drunk in a dark bar so dancing under bright lights with dudes on stairs while wearing a floofy shirt with a camera rolling was a bit outside my comfort zone. Many takes were needed and a lot of attention was paid to my area of the shot. The director and her assistants kept asking for energy and at one point yelled "the white guys just can't move!" which I hope referred to the spastic redhead on a platform behind me and not to myself.
It turned out to be a great day and more than half of us went out for a beer afterward. We had people from Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Holland, Germany, Austria and the US chatting over beers and travel stories in a restaurant that had me dragging my ear on the short ceiling.
Today, I came back from my final interview with no travel companion, no business school work to do and no more dancing. I fly to Singapore tomorrow and will wait the next few weeks for replies from business school.
On to the next leg.
Love to all!
First pictures in a while. From Goa and Mumbai. My new suit in the hostel hallway
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Still tingling
Udaipur offered more relaxation than I knew I needed. At no point in our trip were we not negotiating plans in order to mak a specified train time. Sure, we missed some of those train times but we have been working with some cushion. In Udaipur, we got to rest on that cushion.
On the morning of our first full day in Udaipur, we attended an 8:30am yoga class near our hostel. We met a nice fellow American after class and he told us about an amazing Swami who held an evening yoga class overlooking the beautiful lake. We made it to the class, had another 90 minutes of great stretching and awe led by Swami Sudhir (look him up on YouTube.
The next day, we went to Swami Sudhir for morning and evening sessions, stopping to have my measurements taken for new suit between.
After three full, wonderful days in Udaipur, we left more limber, more rested and with me carrying a great suit. We spent a night in Ahmedabad without being much impressed and then we boarded our 20 hour train to Goa!
We bought tickets ten days in advance yet had to share one sleeper berth. The trip was relatively uneventful. We managed to steal naps in berths while they were unoccupied and when the time came, we squeezed into our shared birth as others slept on newspaper beds and strewn across aisles. I felt lucky and surprisingly well rested when we arrived to the gorgeous state of Goa a bit after 6am.
Once we were finally able to check into our hostel, we headed to the beach and stayed at the beach. A nice Indian dinner and a nice sleep got us back to normal. Unfortunately, when I took a quick dip in the Arabian Sea, the ring that I've worn non-stop for over six and a half years left me. I found a similar ring at a Tibetan art fair but it's definitely not the same.
Today, Cheri and I rented a scooter and drove 30km to a spice plantation. We got a tour from a charismatic guide, learning about various spices that nobody could guess from seeing them in plant form. Even a good whiff kept us stumped in certain situations. I haven't driven a scooter since my days in Newport in 2005 but it came back pretty fast. Newport had nowhere near the number of huge trucks passing on two lane highways though. This trip was INTENSE!! I was cautious and conservative but couldn't help but feel a little rattled at times.
After making it through the 'Accident Prone Zone' areas we actually ran out of gas. It was my own fault as I inaccurately figured how long we would have with our non-functioning fuel gauge. Within minutes, Cheri was getting help on one side of the road while I had offers for help next to the scooter. One motorist gave us a few ounces of petrol so that we could make it to the next station. Full of laughs and gratitude, we made it off the highway shoulder only minutes after two moto-riders slid into a median. I am happy to be away from the scary traffic.
We leave on an overnight bus for Mumbai tomorrow night. I will have a little over 24 hours to rest up before interviews at 11am and 3pm with Duke and Michigan business schools respectively. Fingers crossed. I only hope my words will sound as great as my new suit looks.
Love to all,
On the morning of our first full day in Udaipur, we attended an 8:30am yoga class near our hostel. We met a nice fellow American after class and he told us about an amazing Swami who held an evening yoga class overlooking the beautiful lake. We made it to the class, had another 90 minutes of great stretching and awe led by Swami Sudhir (look him up on YouTube.
The next day, we went to Swami Sudhir for morning and evening sessions, stopping to have my measurements taken for new suit between.
After three full, wonderful days in Udaipur, we left more limber, more rested and with me carrying a great suit. We spent a night in Ahmedabad without being much impressed and then we boarded our 20 hour train to Goa!
We bought tickets ten days in advance yet had to share one sleeper berth. The trip was relatively uneventful. We managed to steal naps in berths while they were unoccupied and when the time came, we squeezed into our shared birth as others slept on newspaper beds and strewn across aisles. I felt lucky and surprisingly well rested when we arrived to the gorgeous state of Goa a bit after 6am.
Once we were finally able to check into our hostel, we headed to the beach and stayed at the beach. A nice Indian dinner and a nice sleep got us back to normal. Unfortunately, when I took a quick dip in the Arabian Sea, the ring that I've worn non-stop for over six and a half years left me. I found a similar ring at a Tibetan art fair but it's definitely not the same.
Today, Cheri and I rented a scooter and drove 30km to a spice plantation. We got a tour from a charismatic guide, learning about various spices that nobody could guess from seeing them in plant form. Even a good whiff kept us stumped in certain situations. I haven't driven a scooter since my days in Newport in 2005 but it came back pretty fast. Newport had nowhere near the number of huge trucks passing on two lane highways though. This trip was INTENSE!! I was cautious and conservative but couldn't help but feel a little rattled at times.
After making it through the 'Accident Prone Zone' areas we actually ran out of gas. It was my own fault as I inaccurately figured how long we would have with our non-functioning fuel gauge. Within minutes, Cheri was getting help on one side of the road while I had offers for help next to the scooter. One motorist gave us a few ounces of petrol so that we could make it to the next station. Full of laughs and gratitude, we made it off the highway shoulder only minutes after two moto-riders slid into a median. I am happy to be away from the scary traffic.
We leave on an overnight bus for Mumbai tomorrow night. I will have a little over 24 hours to rest up before interviews at 11am and 3pm with Duke and Michigan business schools respectively. Fingers crossed. I only hope my words will sound as great as my new suit looks.
Love to all,
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Carepool, carepool, carepool
Arriving late in Allahabad, we were unable to book a train before the ticket office closed. Having had success with a waiting list ticket in Agra, we bought a ticket to Jaipur early the next morning and had a wander around. At the time of our train, we were still on the waiting list and would have to take our chances.
We boarded that 12pm train when it arrived at 1:35pm. With all of the bunks full, we felt out the situation and Cheri finally asked a friendly man about a seemingly empty bunk. The bunk turned out to be occupied but we were told that two people would be departing at the next stop and we would be able to take their bunks. We stashed our bags where space was available, we sat and we waited.
Within minutes, a little girl ten feet away began to poke her head out, disappearing at the slightest semblance of eye contact. This game continued for a while before the girl and her mother came over for an introduction. Apparently the girl had been telling her mother that a dee-dee (big sister) was sitting close and she wanted to shake hands. We joined the pair and sat with mother, father, 5 year old daughter and 2 year old son. We talked about life, religion, America, India, arranged marriages and more. Cheri and I were treated to cookies, chips, Indian food and of course great company.
With the train delay, we weren't scheduled to arrive until 2am. When the time came, we managed to get two berths (mine was not enclosed so I fit much better than last time).
Arriving in Jaipur a little after 2am, we learned that our preferred hostel was booked and we were ushered around by rickshaw until finding suitable accommodation. A few hours at a rooftop hookah bar and many hours wandering the gorgeous bazaars of the pink city allowed us to get our fill of Jaipur. We were off on another late night trip, this time to Pushkar.
We arrived in Pushkar at 1:30am and the first thing we saw was a man drawing a trailer full of hay by camel. The next thing was a mini stampede of a dozen cows. Soon, however, a nice young man brought us to his family guesthouse where we found very inexpensive accommodation for the remainder of the night.
Unsure about how long we would stay in Pushkar, Cheri and I left our hostel with the idea of getting bus times for Udaipur. On the way, we found a signboard for camel tours. Cheri stayed to sort out the camel tours while I continued to the bus station.
When leaving the bus station, I saw Cheri approaching on the back of a motorbike. I joined the motorbike and we settled on an overnight camel trip into a nearby village with our host Kalu. A few hours later, I boarded Ramjes with my ten year old guide Rahul behind me. Cheri boarded Krishna with Papa (I forget his real name) seated behind her. The view was great and the ride not terribly uncomfortable. Several children asked for school pens or rupees but for the most part we were left alone.
My guide Rahul spoke limited Enlish but repeatedly told me "you happy boss, me happy." When we approached tree limbs or plants, he would cautiously tell me "carepool sir, carepool, carepool, carepool." We had a playful game of debating who was the boss of whom with my insisting that he was in charge.
An added element to our trip was the fact that our two male camels were in heat. Without notice, they would explode with a loud gurgling sound (think of an exaggerated version of when your stomach tells you that you've eaten something terribly wrong) and their massive tongues would spew out from their closed mouths. It looked as though they were regurgitating their own stomachs but gave for a good laugh.
Upon arriving at Kalu's family home, we were greeted by grandmother, dog, dancing horse and many goats. After a short walk, several more family members arrived and Cheri and I each realized that we had been desperately craving family time. Watching Kalu's mother Santos prepare what turned out to be maybe the best meal of my life reminded me of Ghana. The joking nature and clear love shared among the family was a real treat and I hope to go back. An Australian business owner joined the group, explaining that she has stayed with Kalu and family for 4 years on and off when she comes for materials for her textile business. She was a clear member of the family and exacerbated the longing for Ghana. Cheri and I both loved and needed this night.
The next day, we walked the colorful, touristy main street of Pushkar before taking an overnight bus to Udaipur. The connecting bus from Pushkar to Ajmer had us picked up by a rickshaw but with no prior explanation, we felt a bit as though we were being abducted or led on a scam mission. Eventually we arrived at our correct bus and got to Udaipur this morning at 5am. I am taking a much needed rest/reorganization day while Cheri wanders the town.
More later.
Love to all
Ira
We boarded that 12pm train when it arrived at 1:35pm. With all of the bunks full, we felt out the situation and Cheri finally asked a friendly man about a seemingly empty bunk. The bunk turned out to be occupied but we were told that two people would be departing at the next stop and we would be able to take their bunks. We stashed our bags where space was available, we sat and we waited.
Within minutes, a little girl ten feet away began to poke her head out, disappearing at the slightest semblance of eye contact. This game continued for a while before the girl and her mother came over for an introduction. Apparently the girl had been telling her mother that a dee-dee (big sister) was sitting close and she wanted to shake hands. We joined the pair and sat with mother, father, 5 year old daughter and 2 year old son. We talked about life, religion, America, India, arranged marriages and more. Cheri and I were treated to cookies, chips, Indian food and of course great company.
With the train delay, we weren't scheduled to arrive until 2am. When the time came, we managed to get two berths (mine was not enclosed so I fit much better than last time).
Arriving in Jaipur a little after 2am, we learned that our preferred hostel was booked and we were ushered around by rickshaw until finding suitable accommodation. A few hours at a rooftop hookah bar and many hours wandering the gorgeous bazaars of the pink city allowed us to get our fill of Jaipur. We were off on another late night trip, this time to Pushkar.
We arrived in Pushkar at 1:30am and the first thing we saw was a man drawing a trailer full of hay by camel. The next thing was a mini stampede of a dozen cows. Soon, however, a nice young man brought us to his family guesthouse where we found very inexpensive accommodation for the remainder of the night.
Unsure about how long we would stay in Pushkar, Cheri and I left our hostel with the idea of getting bus times for Udaipur. On the way, we found a signboard for camel tours. Cheri stayed to sort out the camel tours while I continued to the bus station.
When leaving the bus station, I saw Cheri approaching on the back of a motorbike. I joined the motorbike and we settled on an overnight camel trip into a nearby village with our host Kalu. A few hours later, I boarded Ramjes with my ten year old guide Rahul behind me. Cheri boarded Krishna with Papa (I forget his real name) seated behind her. The view was great and the ride not terribly uncomfortable. Several children asked for school pens or rupees but for the most part we were left alone.
My guide Rahul spoke limited Enlish but repeatedly told me "you happy boss, me happy." When we approached tree limbs or plants, he would cautiously tell me "carepool sir, carepool, carepool, carepool." We had a playful game of debating who was the boss of whom with my insisting that he was in charge.
An added element to our trip was the fact that our two male camels were in heat. Without notice, they would explode with a loud gurgling sound (think of an exaggerated version of when your stomach tells you that you've eaten something terribly wrong) and their massive tongues would spew out from their closed mouths. It looked as though they were regurgitating their own stomachs but gave for a good laugh.
Upon arriving at Kalu's family home, we were greeted by grandmother, dog, dancing horse and many goats. After a short walk, several more family members arrived and Cheri and I each realized that we had been desperately craving family time. Watching Kalu's mother Santos prepare what turned out to be maybe the best meal of my life reminded me of Ghana. The joking nature and clear love shared among the family was a real treat and I hope to go back. An Australian business owner joined the group, explaining that she has stayed with Kalu and family for 4 years on and off when she comes for materials for her textile business. She was a clear member of the family and exacerbated the longing for Ghana. Cheri and I both loved and needed this night.
The next day, we walked the colorful, touristy main street of Pushkar before taking an overnight bus to Udaipur. The connecting bus from Pushkar to Ajmer had us picked up by a rickshaw but with no prior explanation, we felt a bit as though we were being abducted or led on a scam mission. Eventually we arrived at our correct bus and got to Udaipur this morning at 5am. I am taking a much needed rest/reorganization day while Cheri wanders the town.
More later.
Love to all
Ira
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