Tea (meant to be placed on left for cool effect)
Tea 2
Rain Chai
(on right for failed cool effect lost on top photo)
samishaFriday, March 27, 2009
Fancy w/Tea (not to be fancy)
Tea (meant to be placed on left for cool effect) Tea 2Rain Chai
(on right for failed cool effect lost on top photo)
samisha
Bolsheviks Strike Back!!!
Don't live off of a guide. Now I've heard it, and I'm sorry to say I'm guilty of saying it, but travelers are religious people that believe whole-heartedly in the Bible. Not The Bible, but something just as thick, usually...Lonely Planet. I'm speechless now, fingers trembling, half-expecting doomsday in denying Lonely Planet the status of king of kings - but, hush now, Lonely Planet doesn't get it right half the time. Yikes. Ignore its generosity in deflating lackluster guesthouses' high-season (let alone low season) room prices for the economy admittedly changes. Ignore its inability to program distances within the correct area-code after all the Earth moves. Ignore its peculiar lust for detestable food for tongues vary person to person. Even ignore the "stamp" those damn recommendations do to humble minded business men (let's call it the 20% price hike) because every man needs to eat his bread...but come on Keralan backwater houseboat tour a thing to do before I die?!?!?! "Worth every darn rupee"?!?!?! Lonely Planet humble yourself.
It's hard to throw your back to a top 20 activity in the world's most honored travel guide, but it's harder to stomach throwing money into the stagnant waste of Keralan backwater. I'm being dramatic. On a tight budget, when you spend big you expect big. The Keralan backwater tour took place upon one of the many rice barges converted into beautifully furnished houseboats. We took the chance on a 24hr tour expecting a tour rivalling Marlow's slip into the insanity of Africa. Well maybe no diamond scout to rescue, but wilds, jungle's wilds. Instead of little Mowgli's running to shore eyeing the oddity of a couple of albino's we got a rather open crowd of homosexual Indian ravers. Instead of uncharted waterways of a unique adventure we were passed by day tour trips in a motorboat and I heard more traffic on the backwater than in Delhi. We even spotted men constructing another houseboat for like suckers. I wanted tigers jumping from the bush, not flamers dropping their pants. Oh, did I mention we traveled 3km in 24 hours?
Complaining aside, the experience was pleasant enough, quaint, not adventuresome and yes my ego is aching. The rooms on board were nicer than any guesthouse we've stayed at. The food was tasty and fresh. I understand that no motor on the boat limits distance, but the two men (bow and aft) with 30ft bamboo poles, known as punters, looked healthy enough to distance us the promised 15km. The aforementioned, punters, were our main outlet of entertainment. They gracefully wave those poles left to right, gently shoving them to the bottom of the river, there-by being our source of...momentum, if that's what 3km in 24hrs can be described as. All above aside and the sweltering jungle heat/humidity forgotten, I spotted some nice water fowl and even braved a top floor jump into the "water". I'm alive. It didn't help that the two people we paired with were spouting their complaints for tea conversations. We always drank tea. We always entertained negativity. Houseboating the backwaters of Kerala is pleasant enough business I suppose, but I recommend the writers of Lonely Planet to find some life and not worry about changing their Depends.
7 hour public bus from the mosquito sanctuary known as Fort Cochin (they did have an area of town called Jew Town and, yes, Jew Street ran down the middle of it. No I'm not kidding and yes it happened to be the only place we went to where budget travel wasn't possible and the bloodsucking mosquitoes clouded our vision. Gentilian conspiracy? joking!)
Now after that bus ride we found ourselves in the southern mountains in tea town, Munnar. More my style. I never knew what tea fields looked like, but imagine rolling mountains covered in 3ft high bushes. Sounds pretty lame. I assure it's not. Rather amazing, actually. Misha and I were with our happy friends for this part too, but here we found more pleasantries, though notably less tea drunken...hmmm, funny, right? Every day at around 3pm Munnar welcomes in monsoon like rain for nearly an hour and the display is breathtaking. We first found shelter in a travel agency. There a man with the bright idea of selling chai by motorbike arrived with poncho and we drank tea. Very nice. The full day there we decided on ignoring the rickshaw/tuk-tuk drivers guaranteeing us the best sights to see for a cheap price for our own hiking tour. We made way to the aptly named view point, View Point, and some hidden waterfalls. Nice hike, we even roughed it, by semi-illegally tramping the paths between those precious tea plants on some rich guy's plantation. Sticking it to the man is what I do. Sure the angry farmer had a word for us when we escaped the mazes after 5 hrs, but it was some dialect in Hindu and we were too tired and and ignorant to care. We didn't kill any plants but I did have half a mind to get a fire going and brew some fresh tea...no kettle, dammit.
Anyway, Munnar was great for further whetting my appetite for Darjeeling - bigger, taller, more tea. We ended up there because the animal reserve we planned to go to was closed due to some "fire" but it was a great detour and a happy end to a rather unpleasing Keralan experience.
One interesting bit of info, Kerala is the only place in the world where socialism is practiced successfully. Yes, the Democratic country of India hosts the happily Socialist state of Kerala, a Socialist government elected Democratically of course...I don't know how it works.
After 24hrs of public buses we ended up in Hampi and I'll write about the samisha downfalls of that, shortly...
It's hard to throw your back to a top 20 activity in the world's most honored travel guide, but it's harder to stomach throwing money into the stagnant waste of Keralan backwater. I'm being dramatic. On a tight budget, when you spend big you expect big. The Keralan backwater tour took place upon one of the many rice barges converted into beautifully furnished houseboats. We took the chance on a 24hr tour expecting a tour rivalling Marlow's slip into the insanity of Africa. Well maybe no diamond scout to rescue, but wilds, jungle's wilds. Instead of little Mowgli's running to shore eyeing the oddity of a couple of albino's we got a rather open crowd of homosexual Indian ravers. Instead of uncharted waterways of a unique adventure we were passed by day tour trips in a motorboat and I heard more traffic on the backwater than in Delhi. We even spotted men constructing another houseboat for like suckers. I wanted tigers jumping from the bush, not flamers dropping their pants. Oh, did I mention we traveled 3km in 24 hours?
Complaining aside, the experience was pleasant enough, quaint, not adventuresome and yes my ego is aching. The rooms on board were nicer than any guesthouse we've stayed at. The food was tasty and fresh. I understand that no motor on the boat limits distance, but the two men (bow and aft) with 30ft bamboo poles, known as punters, looked healthy enough to distance us the promised 15km. The aforementioned, punters, were our main outlet of entertainment. They gracefully wave those poles left to right, gently shoving them to the bottom of the river, there-by being our source of...momentum, if that's what 3km in 24hrs can be described as. All above aside and the sweltering jungle heat/humidity forgotten, I spotted some nice water fowl and even braved a top floor jump into the "water". I'm alive. It didn't help that the two people we paired with were spouting their complaints for tea conversations. We always drank tea. We always entertained negativity. Houseboating the backwaters of Kerala is pleasant enough business I suppose, but I recommend the writers of Lonely Planet to find some life and not worry about changing their Depends.
7 hour public bus from the mosquito sanctuary known as Fort Cochin (they did have an area of town called Jew Town and, yes, Jew Street ran down the middle of it. No I'm not kidding and yes it happened to be the only place we went to where budget travel wasn't possible and the bloodsucking mosquitoes clouded our vision. Gentilian conspiracy? joking!)
Now after that bus ride we found ourselves in the southern mountains in tea town, Munnar. More my style. I never knew what tea fields looked like, but imagine rolling mountains covered in 3ft high bushes. Sounds pretty lame. I assure it's not. Rather amazing, actually. Misha and I were with our happy friends for this part too, but here we found more pleasantries, though notably less tea drunken...hmmm, funny, right? Every day at around 3pm Munnar welcomes in monsoon like rain for nearly an hour and the display is breathtaking. We first found shelter in a travel agency. There a man with the bright idea of selling chai by motorbike arrived with poncho and we drank tea. Very nice. The full day there we decided on ignoring the rickshaw/tuk-tuk drivers guaranteeing us the best sights to see for a cheap price for our own hiking tour. We made way to the aptly named view point, View Point, and some hidden waterfalls. Nice hike, we even roughed it, by semi-illegally tramping the paths between those precious tea plants on some rich guy's plantation. Sticking it to the man is what I do. Sure the angry farmer had a word for us when we escaped the mazes after 5 hrs, but it was some dialect in Hindu and we were too tired and and ignorant to care. We didn't kill any plants but I did have half a mind to get a fire going and brew some fresh tea...no kettle, dammit.
Anyway, Munnar was great for further whetting my appetite for Darjeeling - bigger, taller, more tea. We ended up there because the animal reserve we planned to go to was closed due to some "fire" but it was a great detour and a happy end to a rather unpleasing Keralan experience.
One interesting bit of info, Kerala is the only place in the world where socialism is practiced successfully. Yes, the Democratic country of India hosts the happily Socialist state of Kerala, a Socialist government elected Democratically of course...I don't know how it works.
After 24hrs of public buses we ended up in Hampi and I'll write about the samisha downfalls of that, shortly...
Saturday, March 21, 2009
I need a starbucks!
India is incredible! India is Fascinating! India is adventure! Jealous??? .... Don't be :)
India is of course all of these things, and being here feels like one of the greatest times of my life, but like all great things in life there is a price. And it seems only fair and funny to bring all of our family and friends on the inside loop of what that price entails.
So for all you blog fans siting at home wishing you were here with me on this dream vacation in paradise... please read and laugh about the following tortures I have suffered through in order to continue my journey!
The Train:
The 15 hour train ride from Goa to kerala was the inspiration for this blog subject. Sam and I choose to take the 2ND class sleeper train with no A/C. We didn't go for the more expensive a/c version because it was a night train and with the breeze it would probably be too cold. So our seats were not the best but also far from the cheapest version, so I expected something something half decent. Now many of you know, and many of you will learn that I don't do well in confined spaces... anxiety attack here I come! Keep this in mind!!
So first we waited for the train which was late by an hour and some, and then had to run with our huge backpacks and purses/etc over this crazy bridge because the train decided to come into a different track then we were told, DUH - why didn't I just run across all the train tracks instead like all the locals, then I wouldn't miss the train...
Anyways.. after all that I was ready to put down my stuff and relax. Sadly it was not to be because literally the train that we walked into looked like cell block number 5. This is when my Jewish princessness kicked in and literally the sight of this smelly, HOT, small, weird cubicle with half bed half seat devices with one small window and one small fan from 1968 almost brought me to tears. This was to be my home/ trap for the next 15 hours??? And at this moment I thought "I need a f'in STARBUCKS' - Ha! THen I looked over at Sammy and he is smiling away as usual, "Yeah Mish we got the top bunks!" He says with a grin. GREAT! It is true they are considered the best seats because the bunks are actually stacked three on top of each other and the lower ones resemble when the Japanese tourists slept in the armoire in that Seinfeld episode. But still these upper bunks are FAR far far from luxury. HE ;)
I guess they wouldn't be that bad actually if we had a separate place to put our luggage. BUT the sections are SMALL, and worstly the theft on these trains is HIGH. So your bag actually ends up taking up most of your seat while you try to sleep in a ball in the corner holding our valuables in between your thighs to protect them.
Sammy actually constructed this insane bag/chain/ lock/ device that made our bags fairly difficult to get to, but we had heard so many horror stories about tourists loosing their things I could think of nothing else. So I spent the entire night holding my purse with my teeth trying to sleep... I did manage to fall asleep a bit every now and again, but kept being woken up by vivid nightmares or shivers.
We take this malaria medication that has a reputation for messing with your mind and it gives you crazy dreams that feel so real, I basically dreamt the same thing on repeat all night...
"The train is stopped and somehow SaM got himself locked in this weird wooden cage, so I had to drag him around in a cage searching for our stolen passports and bags in a pile of huge piles of garbage."
The shivering came from open door right beside my "bed", Ya they just have wide open doors on the Indian rail way.... ummm Kinda windy??? hehem - dangerous too I guess ;). I shouldn't complain I had a towel for a blanket ;)
Besides that everything was ok I guess... I mean the washroom smelt like death vomit and we were right beside it the whole time, but no biggie ;) I avoided the latrine for as long as I possibly could, but it was at a time of the month where the washroom was not optional... if You know what I mean - it was GROSS :( he!
I guess It sounds like I had a fairly miserable time... but strangely I didn't. Situation like this are fairly normal in this crazy place, and Sammy did buy me a surprise toblerone for breakfast! YEAH - I am so easily amused!
BUt it has to be said it one of many experiences so far that have left we craving a hot shower, the movie channel, and a starbucks!
So next time you are wishing you were here with me, ask yourself this... Could you handle it???
Think mosquito bites galore.... poop pretty much Everywhere, like in every single place, various illnesses... along with just some general craziness that is too special to explain.
BUt you should also remember, this blog is all in good fun, and truly I am having a great time, which of course I was reminded of on our glorious train experience when I met a man from Spain that actually got Malaria here! OUCH.
Well Friends enough fun for now... please stay tuned for more of my complaints and amusements, and I hope you are laughing with me.
M.
India is of course all of these things, and being here feels like one of the greatest times of my life, but like all great things in life there is a price. And it seems only fair and funny to bring all of our family and friends on the inside loop of what that price entails.
So for all you blog fans siting at home wishing you were here with me on this dream vacation in paradise... please read and laugh about the following tortures I have suffered through in order to continue my journey!
The Train:
The 15 hour train ride from Goa to kerala was the inspiration for this blog subject. Sam and I choose to take the 2ND class sleeper train with no A/C. We didn't go for the more expensive a/c version because it was a night train and with the breeze it would probably be too cold. So our seats were not the best but also far from the cheapest version, so I expected something something half decent. Now many of you know, and many of you will learn that I don't do well in confined spaces... anxiety attack here I come! Keep this in mind!!
So first we waited for the train which was late by an hour and some, and then had to run with our huge backpacks and purses/etc over this crazy bridge because the train decided to come into a different track then we were told, DUH - why didn't I just run across all the train tracks instead like all the locals, then I wouldn't miss the train...
Anyways.. after all that I was ready to put down my stuff and relax. Sadly it was not to be because literally the train that we walked into looked like cell block number 5. This is when my Jewish princessness kicked in and literally the sight of this smelly, HOT, small, weird cubicle with half bed half seat devices with one small window and one small fan from 1968 almost brought me to tears. This was to be my home/ trap for the next 15 hours??? And at this moment I thought "I need a f'in STARBUCKS' - Ha! THen I looked over at Sammy and he is smiling away as usual, "Yeah Mish we got the top bunks!" He says with a grin. GREAT! It is true they are considered the best seats because the bunks are actually stacked three on top of each other and the lower ones resemble when the Japanese tourists slept in the armoire in that Seinfeld episode. But still these upper bunks are FAR far far from luxury. HE ;)
I guess they wouldn't be that bad actually if we had a separate place to put our luggage. BUT the sections are SMALL, and worstly the theft on these trains is HIGH. So your bag actually ends up taking up most of your seat while you try to sleep in a ball in the corner holding our valuables in between your thighs to protect them.
Sammy actually constructed this insane bag/chain/ lock/ device that made our bags fairly difficult to get to, but we had heard so many horror stories about tourists loosing their things I could think of nothing else. So I spent the entire night holding my purse with my teeth trying to sleep... I did manage to fall asleep a bit every now and again, but kept being woken up by vivid nightmares or shivers.
We take this malaria medication that has a reputation for messing with your mind and it gives you crazy dreams that feel so real, I basically dreamt the same thing on repeat all night...
"The train is stopped and somehow SaM got himself locked in this weird wooden cage, so I had to drag him around in a cage searching for our stolen passports and bags in a pile of huge piles of garbage."
The shivering came from open door right beside my "bed", Ya they just have wide open doors on the Indian rail way.... ummm Kinda windy??? hehem - dangerous too I guess ;). I shouldn't complain I had a towel for a blanket ;)
Besides that everything was ok I guess... I mean the washroom smelt like death vomit and we were right beside it the whole time, but no biggie ;) I avoided the latrine for as long as I possibly could, but it was at a time of the month where the washroom was not optional... if You know what I mean - it was GROSS :( he!
I guess It sounds like I had a fairly miserable time... but strangely I didn't. Situation like this are fairly normal in this crazy place, and Sammy did buy me a surprise toblerone for breakfast! YEAH - I am so easily amused!
BUt it has to be said it one of many experiences so far that have left we craving a hot shower, the movie channel, and a starbucks!
So next time you are wishing you were here with me, ask yourself this... Could you handle it???
Think mosquito bites galore.... poop pretty much Everywhere, like in every single place, various illnesses... along with just some general craziness that is too special to explain.
BUt you should also remember, this blog is all in good fun, and truly I am having a great time, which of course I was reminded of on our glorious train experience when I met a man from Spain that actually got Malaria here! OUCH.
Well Friends enough fun for now... please stay tuned for more of my complaints and amusements, and I hope you are laughing with me.
M.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
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