Incredible India

The wild ride to India has not ended. I'm not sure just where to start the tale, but part of me would like to start at the present to explain that India hasn't quite left me or vice versa. Upon returning to Japan, the cleanest place on earth, Michelle, Jamie and I were still not feeling up to par. I believe that we all had it in our heads that as soon as we stepped out of India we would be cured. That wasn't the case and cured of what you might ask. The bug that is living inside us is more serious that we thought. It turns out that our adventures have stopped for awhile since all three of us are locked in our houses under quarantine for a couple of weeks. One might say that it is the work of the paranoid Japanese or perhaps we caught the next closest thing to the bird flu. (only kidding) Actually the Japanese Health Dept. does not mess around and imposed this quarantine after our test results returned from the doctors showing we were positive for shigella. Anyway, besides from going stir-crazy in my shoebox, I feel the walls closing in on me each day, I am getting things checked off the to-do-list. I will keep you updated on the health situation but until then here is the summarized story of my journey across India.

After escaping the blizzard of Niigata, we jumped on the next plane to Taiwan. The blizzard is not an exaggeration since we barely made it to Tokyo due to the closing of the Shinkansan and roads the morning of the flight; luckily we headed out the night before! We had less than a 24 hour stop over in Taipei which actually turned out to be a relaxing start to the trip. We snooped around the night market, ran around the city to the memorial, shopping center and then back to the airport. Overall, Taiwan impressed me for what it was but a day was sufficent. In a few words or less, I have to say it is a cheap version of Japan. Oh, missed one important highlight to the trip thus far; China Airlines is great! With personal TV screens and a vast selection of movies we were looking forward to the 7 hours flight onwards. (You have to remember that our TV/Movie selection is nonexistent in Japan)

Megan in Taiwan

Emerging into the customs line was the beginning to our Indian experience. As always you feel a sense of security so to speak inside an international airport but as soon as you are released you are on your own. No problems through customs, getting backpacks, exchanging money (fast fact: did you know you can't obtain Indian rupees outside of India?) but as soon as we stepped out of baggage claim the overwhelming calling and persistence begging started. We had hoped to stay the night in the airport hotel because our flight to Calcutta was at 7:00 am the next morning yet our plan didn�t pan out. We lost our street smarts and got suckered into a deal that was a pure scam. With the overload of senses, your head just starts spinning and logical is buried inside. Well, our wonderful driver "Lucky" did get lucky that night because he ripped us off at a so called four star hotel. The four star hotel had a price tag of what we would pay in the states for a room and let me tell you that it wasn't four star quality. At least we all learned from our mistake.

Let me go on by explaining the situation of getting to this hotel. Our driver was wearing a ski mask. Lucky was telling us all about his girlfriend (yeah, right) in the states as we were speeding through red lights (praying not to die). Lucky was searching for hotels while Jamie and I left Michelle in the car with our backpacks and the masked man. To top it off the fog was as thick as soup. Our hearts were definitely pounding a few times (Grandma, please keep in mind that the number of physical crimes are 1/3 or less than the states). Finally, safe in our hotel room we took a deep breathe before we had more company than we knew what to do with. It seems as though that at any Indian establishment there is a 1 to 1 ratio of customers and staff. When requested extra blankets we found 4 men delivering one blanket, 5 men trying to figure out the lack of hot water (common problem) and 3 more bring us bottled water. A bit creepy in the beginning so the chair went against the door and the lights off for the night.

The next morning we woke 3 times in hopes that the fog would lift so our plane could be in flight for Calcutta. Our 7 am flight soon turned into 10:30 but nevertheless we were on our way. We had a friend (the kind you have never actually met but knew each other well enough by continuous email connection) that was meeting us at the Calcutta airport. He once lived in Calcutta for 4 months before becoming an English teacher in Japan so his insight to the country and city was extremely helpful.

Calcutta was an interesting city to say the least. It was definitely flooded with the homeless begging for food or money each time you walked down the streets. The city itself was crumbling due to the lack of maintenance and the work was extremely slow because everything is done manually since it is cheaper than machine work. The new even looked ancient because of the dust and pollution that encompassed the city. The highlights of the time in Calcutta were having tea on the street with some of Daniel's homeless friends. His continuous outreach towards people is amazing and we shared in his good heartedness by having a cup of tea with 6 begging women and their babies. When you sit on a street corner and put yourself in their day to day routine you definitely feel fortunate.

Christmas Eve!

Calcutta has a vast amounts of different modes of transportation and each quite an experience. The bus system was interesting and I am thankful that we didn't hop on at the busy time of day when bodies are slammed against one another. Christmas day was a celebration through out the city. I don't believe I have said Merry Christmas or shook so many people's hands more times in my life than this day. It was Sunday as well so everyone was filling the streets, parks and stores. Since I have been living in Japan, this over populated island for a year and half, I don't think that the continuous swarm of people in India was notice as much as I would of thought. We attended a local church Christmas morning where the children sang and listened to a short sermon. It was all quite chaotic compared to our services but lovely to see the Christmas spirit delivered to the less fortunate people of Calcutta. We spent the day in the park where we ended up not getting a moment to ourselves since every child and adult were begging to wish us a Merry Christmas. We even played tag and had a chat with a group of 10 year olds which were quite brilliant and enlightened for their age. Christmas night the streets were filled with people; so many that one could barely navigate them and finally we had to start saying "no pictures" please. It was a Merry Christmas.

Private vs. Public Parks

More highlights to our first days in India had to be the paan spitting attempt. After seeing red juice everywhere through out the streets of India, Daniel explained to us that this was 'Indian chew" remains which definitely turned our stomachs. And weren�t we luck when the next thing we knew, Daniel was buying 4 paan leaves for us to chew and spit! There is very little tobacco involved and also a tree leaf and some herbs with an indescribable taste. It is certainly a mouthful and we couldn't help but gagging while laughing so hard at our first attempt at this phenomenon. No thanks but at least we tried to understand the addition.

One night after coming back from our day looking around town, one of the women that is a regular beggar on the street near our hostel approached us. We had talked with her several times prior to this but this chat she explained that she needed rice for her family. She had a house full of children and nothing to put on the table, we told her that we would discuss it and let her know. After dinner, we came to her and offered to take her to the corner market to buy some rice and corn meal. Now, this began a real uproar on the block. About 5 more ladies with children followed us begging to give them the same. It was the most difficult situation because $3 could easily buy their families rice for a couple days but where do you draw the line. You simply can�t feed everyone on the block because more will continuously come. It is as if you are opening your heart but closing it off to others at the same time; a difficult situation that leaves you feeling exhausted and in the end discourage that you didn't give more to those in need.

While in Calcutta we decided that it would be important to volunteer our time to the Mother Teresa House. People come for months at a time to work with individuals less fortunate. It is a wonderful cause and a heart moving experience. We worked at the women's psychiatric home and conducted daily chores such as hand washing all laundry and dishes. As I sat down to talk to a few of the women, a crippled 20 year old held my hand while she told me that she had been there for 2 years and was certainly much happier there than on the train tracks. Although a personal challenge, I am happy that I had this experience.

Oh, the next experience wasn't the most appealing and stuck with us the rest of the trip. We ate something somewhere that definitely didn't settle with us well. After sitting in the nicest hotel in Calcutta , our personal escape from the streets, and using there facilities for about 2 hours we decided we could all make it back to our hostel. Near death that night, we finally made it through the 24 hours with the worst food poisoning in our lives. (believe me I will spare you the details). Complete with upset stomachs, we managed to hop on the overnight train to Boyd Gaya to see the holy place of Buddhism.

The meditation and prayers that went on at the Mahadbodhi Temple will never be forgotten. Pilgrims from Tibet and Nepal were there meditating for hours and hours at this famous temple. This is where the Buddha himself found enlightment under the bodhi tree. We spend a few hours on the grassy lawn admiring the sounds and sights around us. Really one of the most fascinating things I have ever seen. At this point in the trip we still were feeling quite ill so our bargaining techniques were great! When shopping if they weren't going to give us the price we wanted we simply looked the other way and immediately the price dropped.

Meditation at Boyd Gaya

We moved on to Varanasi which is the city were most of the action on the Ganges occurs. Mark Twain famously described it as �older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together.Our hotel was a gem with antiques filling the rooms and stairwells and a wonderful roof terrace that over looked the Ganges. We could have stayed there forever! Early the next morning, we were up before for the sun could rise and walked through the ghats, steps, along the Ganges. We wanted to start upstream and float down so we could get a complete picture of the holy river. Cows and cow patties were up and down the river. Not only is the cow holy but also its patties. People spread them out to dry so they can use them for fuel; definitely an interesting site. We witnessed people bathing, drinking and praying in the water. As we walked through some of the liveliest ghats it seemed as if the city came to life because of the river. It was an amazing sight. Enormous piles of wood occupied two ghats that are used in cremation. That morning a body was being taken to the river for funeral services. Men were everywhere and the burning of the body was about to begin. After cremation the ashes will be spread in the Ganges. We were told that there is a constant burning of bodies 24-7 and under the age of 10 are just disposed into the river without cremation.

As we floated down the Ganges, it seemed like a National Geographic pictorial . Truth beholds that most of the trip I thought I was in a documentary. In the early morning, most individuals were doing their daily laundry in the river. At this moment, our boat driver explained that all the hotels do their laundry at the Ganges as well. Our hearts started beating suddenly because hours before we gave our dirty laundry to our hotel. We were certain we were going to see it being beaten against the pavement and hung to dry by the cows. As soon as we were off that boat we ran to the hotel in search of our laundry. They just smiled at us and hearing that it all goes into the washing machine was the best news of the day! Not that I have anything against Hindu religion but I am not so sure about washing my clothes in it.

Can you see our laundry?

New Years Eve was a celebration that might be on the top of the "have you ever" list. For example, have you ever been chased around the dance floor by swarms of Indian men? Have you ever discoed with a man wearing a turban? Have you ever been 24 and not had a drink on New Years Eve? And have you ever formed a congo line wearing 90's prom hats and a room of drunken Indian men? It was a good time I have to say despite the sickness I was feeling at the time. Happy New Year 2006!

Oh, almost forgot about our yoga session which was actually quite wonderful. We did breathing techniques that prepare you for physical yoga. Our instructor was fabulous and explained every point of the routine so we fully understood the value and essentials of it. Once finished in Varanasi, we took an over night train to Agra, the home of the Taj Mahal. If you were wondering about the trains they are a piece of work but the 1st class sleeper train is quite good and similar to that of Europe. No problems and we actually met a nice Japanese couple that were honeymooning.

Agra had to be one of my favorite stops because of the amazing monuments we visited. It was also a small town and we began to become familiar with our surroundings there. The first day we headed to the Fatehpur Sikri. It was a community entirely made of sandstone build in 1571 which was not only impressive but absolutely gorgeous. It was abandoned when there was a lack of water only 14 years after it was built. After dodging every soul that wanted to be our tour guide, and I do mean every person on the street, we escaped inside to find it peaceful and relaxing. *Funny moment: there was a large concrete type basin, that was over 20 feet wide and probably 15 feet deep, over the forts walls and there were two man standing there. He claimed that he would jump into this basin filled with water for a rupee or two. His words were "It's my business!' Quite odd we though and began thinking of all the bizarre �businesses� we have seen on this trip. For example, the flip flop shoe shiners, the song and dance girl on the train and the shoe organizers at the temples entrances are all there to make a living. Our anger was starting to get the best of us when we were literally chased between the car and the courtyard to buy postcards, anklets or a thousand other trinkets they have on hand. Overall the visit was wonderful and we then headed back to Agra.

The day that we saw the Taj Mahal was one of those perfect days; where despite the little aggravations, it will be a day never forgotten. We woke up at dawn and began the morning off right using our bargaining techniques to obtain a rickshaw. The morning was brisk while we walked up to the mist covered Taj Mahal. People began piling in the entrance to get a seat for the awakening of the monument. The gardens were beautiful that surrounded the marble giant and as the light filled the sky it's shape became more distinct. We took numerous photos and then explored the inside and surroundings of the building. It is simply incredible how this wonder of the world was built for love.

After a long breakfast filled with great conversation, we headed back to the hotel for a short nap and while doing so we met a great rickshaw driver who ended up being our personal driver for the rest of our time there. He had a great outlook on life which he shared with us openly. He answered a few question about the society for us such as arranged marriage and education which was all fascinating. The day continued with a tour of Agra, a stop at the Red Fort where I was approached by a man who was selling leather whips. At this point, I was tired of the constant "no, no"(ignoring them) and flat out "leave me alone because I don�t want to buy it!� gig so I reverted to "ok, you explain to me why I need a whip and I will listen". So, the three of us all got whip lessons in the middle of the street, were told that we could hang it on the wall for great decoration and we definitely needed this leather horse whip! Yeah, good persuasion but no thanks! However, we did get some great laughs out the situation.

Jamie with the Whip

The sun was beginning to set so our rickshaw driver drove us to the river bank across from the Taj. There a boy and man with a camel all set to take tourists like us on a ride with the Taj in the background. Michelle and I hopped on and let me tell you riding a camel is probably one of the most uncomfortable rides of your life. Again, a few laughs were had and especially when Jamie attempted to mount the saddle but slid halfway off. One of the funniest things were the children that surrounded us on our camel journey. They all hoped to get a picture taken and meet the foreigners.

Oh, then we got a glimpse of the most incredible hotel in Agra. This was our second mission on the trip; visiting all the 5 star hotels in India but this one topped it all. It was absolutely beautiful and knew we needed an entrance ticket for admission but we walked in with our flip flops, day packs and t-shirts. At dusk we enjoyed a drink on the veranda which had a magnificent view of the Taj. A true Kodak moment.

Before dinner, our driver did pull out the "I want to take you to a great carpet shop" line which you have to be stern with or you will never make it to any desired location. But since he was so wonderful we sucked it up and visited his friend, ' the inspiring carpet man'. As he showed us his work and then carpet after carpet he stopped and began explaining this life values, beliefs and inspirations with us. At such a young age, he had such a good heart, a positive view and a personality that I will never forget. I know he was a salesman but it was more than that; it was what he truly believed in that he shared. Well, I ended up walking out of there with a rug which is beautiful! We all celebrated by opening a few beers on the gorgeous Persian rugs and toasting to life! The day ended and will never be forgotten�..

Cheers after my Persian Rug purchase

Back to Dehli we went and by this time our stomachs were still on the fritz but we were trudging through. After hours in traffic to find our hotel we began to wish that we were back in Agra with small roads in and only bicycles that slowed you down. Delhi has millions of people and that became very obvious to us when we began exploring the streets. The first night we decided to dine at TGI Friday's but ended up not being able to choke much down. The next day Jamie was feeling very under the weather but somehow managed to ride around with us on our morning tour of the city. We saw a few beautiful monuments and were surprised how clean Delhi was; perhaps something to do with it being the capital. That night we decided experience the Indian movie theaters with a viewing of King Kong.

Shopping was our middle name the last day in Delhi! We shopped until we dropped and while doing so meet a few Indian men that would have married us that day; at least we got a few good bargains from them! The trip ended with a slightly delayed flight but an incredible experience overall!