(Wild)Life in India

It feels like I'm living in an exhibit at the zoo here, I am surrounded by wildlife. A family of peacocks live in my garden, and i can hear them calling to each other. There are dogs wandering between houses, and lizards both inside and outside. (I can hear the geckos clicking at night, which means they're somewhere in my room but I don't know where. It takes some time before you trust that you're not going to wake up to one crawling on you.) We also have our share of less pleasant creatures, including spiders, scorpions, rats and ants (both of which I've had the pleasure of having inside my house already) and of course, monkeys. It really is a treat to walk through and have peacocks fanning their tails out every day. It almost feels normal at this point because it happens so much, but we all know this is not the case. In fact, I wanted to go look at the full moon on my roof last night (roofs here are flat so you can walk on them), and I went up the steps only to find a brood of peacocks sleeping there already! I wasn't about to disturb them--not yet sure how vicious they are compared to the monkeys.

Don't believe whatever Disney or Aladdin told you; monkeys in India are not cute. They're vicious, full of diseases, and will attack you. I walk everywhere with a slingshot so I can shoot them if need be. Seriously! You get a group of them blocking your way (like i did on my way down the mountain this week-I thought I was going to either die of rabies or be stranded up there) and you have to back away and hope they move along, unless you shoot them. Not to kill, but just to scare them off so they'll get out of your way.

It takes some getting used to, opening your curtains in the morning and seeing a face staring back at you through the screen, but monkeys are not shy.

Something that takes some real getting used to is the ants. They are everywhere. And they can smell food from a mile away, literally. So you have to keep all your food either in the fridge, in sealed glass containers (they'll chew through plastic) or in a dish with water underneath, since they can't swim--yet.

We left one grain of rice on the counter after dinner the first night, and there were THOUSANDS of ants the next morning. They made a steady stream through the kitchen counter and out the front door. 

We had to return some groceries that our delivery man brought that we hadn't ordered, so we left them in a burlap bag on the porch. The next morning, the ants had bitten a hole through the bag, through the packaging on the cookies, and there were only crumbs left. They just swarmed the entire area. It is so disgusting, I really have to try to not lose it when this happens. I hate the way they move! 

It happened again today when I left a bag of cashews in my backpack. I went to retrieve them for a snack and pulled out an ant-infested bag instead. My backpack is currently in the freezer until I can be sure they're all dead. At least they haven't come in the bedroom yet. Then I really wouldn't be able to sleep at night. I already have nightmares every time I come here of waking up to my entire body covered in ants...ahhhh I get the creeps just thinking about it! 

Luckily my obsessive compulsive cleaning habits are paying off, and we've managed to minimize the infestations. It is a content battle, though, and it makes you paranoid--every time I have an itch somewhere my mind instantly assumes it's an ant and it's so much worse.

That's another thing about India-everything is bigger here. The bumblebees, the butterflies, and the insect bites (exhibit A):

I have no idea what bit me but I'm still alive so it can't be that bad, right?

Varanasi, Vara Not So Nice

Hey folks. Was in Varanasi for the past three days with limited Internet so I'll write a recap when i can. Long story short: I hated it. Not sure if I'm just sick of being ripped off because I'm white, or having random people take secret photos of me, or the city itself was the problem. I'm so over it. ANYWAYS. Just wanted to let ya know what's up.

The Taj in 24 Hours

Travel day: Jodhpur to Agra. We took a 12 HR train ride today so we could get to Agra at night, stay over, and be up to see the Taj at sunrise the next day. We literally sat there for the entire day, so not much to write about. When we got out of the train station, many drivers came up asking if we needed a ride (as usual) and one guy was particularly friendly, so James agreed to go with him. I try to stay out of these decisions since I think it'd compromise james' ability to bargain down the price. We asked how much, and the driver said "no problem. I take you first, then you pay as you like." Big mistake. He was super friendly, and told us about all these hotels he knew for a good price, but we knew they do this and have commission deals with the places they mention, so we told him had a reservation at the first place on our list and went there to check out a room. India 101: never book ahead until you've seen a room. There are no assumptions here, including standards of cleanliness.

Turns out the place we wanted was full, and we didn't really know many other places, so we agreed to go look at this place the driver suggested. James went inside to look, and I stayed in the car with the luggage and driver. It was fine for a while, but James was gone for a long time and the driver started getting creepy, telling me about his workout plan and flexing his muscles. Thankfully, James came back shortly after to say the room was fine-we were only here for one night- and I took my bags inside. The driver had been trying to convince us to hire him for the day tomorrow to take us to all the major sights, but we knew his price was obscenely expensive so I let James decline for the both of us. I headed inside at a good moment apparently, because the driver got extremely upset. It didn't help that James paid him 100 rupees for the ride from the station. Sorry buddy, but if you didn't quote a price ahead of time and say "as you like", sometimes you're gonna get tourists who actually know what things cost. Can't scam us, we've been in India too long!

James came inside and relayed this development to me, just as the driver walked in behind him, past the check in counter, and into the hotel restaurant, where he also works. SHIT. we spent half the night terrified our food was poisoned, and the other half waiting to hear the lock on the door turn. I definitely checked to make sure my limbs were still intact the next morning. Lesson learned: be very wary of drivers that seem too nice, because they probably are.

We woke up at 5:30 am to make it to the Taj Mahal for 6 am, when it opens for the day. 750 rupees for entrance is highway robbery, but I guess that's what a Wonder of the World costs nowadays. After dodging the annoyingly persistent guides trying to get our business, we headed to the entrance. Since this was the main attraction and the whole reason we came to Agra, we had packed snacks so we could stay for most of the day. Of course food isn't allowed, and there's no signs to indicate this. Thatd be too efficient. There were storage lockers a 5 minute walk away, and I was not about to waste perfectly good granola bars. I peeled a banana on the way over, only to come face to face with a particularly aggressive looking monkey who was staring me down. I attempted to deak him out, but he bared his teeth and growled, so i hurled said banana in the opposite direction and booked it. I arrived at the storage room only to find out it costs money. Of course. Out of principle, I refused to pay, and ate my granola bars sullenly as I made my way back to the entrance. Bureaucracy...

We finally got into the grounds and began walking when I caught my first glimpse of the domed roof sparkling in the distance. I'm rarely awestruck, but the Taj has to be up there with one of the most incredible things I've ever seen. It's so perfect, it doesn't look real. It looks cartoon-I felt like I had stepped into the world of Aladdin or something.

For those of you that don't know, the story goes something like this: after the Shah Jahan's wife Mehmtez Mahal died giving birth to their 14th child, he was heartbroken. He built the Taj Mahal as a memorial to her. It took twenty thousand workers over 33 years to build the structure. When his son grew up he overthrew the father and imprisoned him in Agra Fort across the river, where the Shah was forced to look at his creation every day until he died there.

After we exhausted our photographic options at the Taj, we got tired of the touristy atmosphere (if it was this crowded at sunrise, I shudder to think of what it must be like during peak hours), so we decided to check out the Agra Fort. My dashing good looks awarded me free admission for being 14 and under, so we wandered around there for a bit, but it wasn't very impressive, especially having seen the fort in Jodhpur and the Taj itself.

We saw signs for a golf course so we decided to check it out. How cool would it be to play 9 with the Taj in the background? Unfortunately, Indian logic proved too much for us to handle, and we decided a thousand rupees plus a mandatory caddie, and no left-handed clubs (I'm difficult, I know) was not worth it.

We pretty much exhausted our options for activities in Agra at that point--it really hasn't got much to offer other than the Taj, so I'm really glad we only spent one day there. I got some postcards and we hung out at a coffee shop, writing while it rained outside. We had dinner at Pizza Hut before catching our first overnight train to Varanasi, where we're spending the last three days before flying to Nepal.

Zip Lining Over Mehrangarh Fort

After a morning of sightseeing on a blistering hot day, we headed to lunch, and keeping my streak alive, ended up at McDonald's. After a quick dip in the pool at the hotel, James and I split up to do our own thing: he wanted to check out some gardens he read about, and I decided to do the zip line course at the fort.

I made it there just in time for the last group at 5 pm, the sunset course.After an encounter with a turtle and a practice run, I was ready to go.

There were six lines total, and it was just epic. The most amazing views of the fort as I flew through the air, high above the walls, watching the sun set on the Blue City. Fun fact: they shot scenes from the upcoming Batman movie at the Fort, so look for it when it comes out! Apparently they turned it into a vampire castle or something...spooky. It was a great way to end my time in Jodhpur, and it was one of the highlights of my trip so far. Now I can't wait for bungee jumping and white water rafting when I get to Nepal!

Jodhpur: The Blue City

Travel day: 8 HR train from Jaipur to Jodhpur. Went sleeper class which is the lowest, and no AC. It was uncomfortable but at least we had the cabin to ourselves. A little alarming to have beggars coming up to you the whole time though. Arrived in Jodhpur at night and went to the first hotel on our list but it was booked so they sent us around the corner. Got a Rs 2750 room for 1500. Day 1 in Jodhpur: we only stayed one day here so we wanted to make the most of it. We went to the Mehrangarh fort in the morning, which was an extremely imposing fortress built High on a hill, overlooking Jodhpur. It was quickly obvious why it was called the Blue City. We went inside and bought our tickets, which included an audio guide. Really interesting stuff; this is one of the only forts in India that was never captured. There is a massive gate built around a corner so elephants couldn't build up speed to ram it open.

Handprints on the wall are from the wives of the Maharaja who were devastated when he died and threw themselves on the wall. The opulence and detailing that went into the construction of the fort is staggering.

It got a little overwhelming at the amount of people there--Indians don't share the same concept of personal space that we do in the West. Furthermore, I'm apparently a novelty item to them. They enjoy taking my photo for some reason...some ask, but most just point their cell phone conspicuously at you and click away. I just want to know why...is it because I'm white? Or do they think I'm Taylor Swift on vacation?

At the fort, in the astrological wing, I got my palm read by the palmist in residence. Kitschy, I know, but it was fun! (if he's right, I will get married twice, end up doing something in the arts but make no money at it til I'm 28 and not famous til my 40s, and die of heart failure at 85-86. We shall see about that!)

After the fort, we walked down the road to the royal Cenotaphs, which are memorials for all the maharajas that lived in the fort at one time or another. White marble contrasts beautifully against the red rocks upon which they are built. a href="http://backpackkat.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/20110824-044401.jpg">

Jaipur: The Pink (and Boring) City

Today we headed out to see some sights in town, and find out why Jaipur is known as the Pink City. Turns out the entire old city was built using red sandstone--pretty simple explanation. You can really see it in the marketplace but that's about it. Underwhelming. We started off with Iswarat, basically a watchtower in the middle of the city. It had great views of Jaipur and our guide was particularly knowledgeable, so it was a good start.

Me and our guide at Iswarat

Then we went to the tourist trap that is City Palace--I don't think I took more than a few photos here, because aside from a textile museum, there isn't anything to see. LAME!

The coolest thing about City Palace

Next was the Hawa Mahal, which was slightly better but nowhere near the Amber Fort. After that, we hit the Bazaar in the Old City, and just walked around. Last, our driver took us to a place called Vishnu Gems because I mentioned I wanted to look at silver jewelry and he told me not to buy it in the market, cause you can't trust the quality there. I kind of went on a bit of a shopping spree, but I knew that was the main thing I wanted to buy on this trip--clothes take up too much space in my bag. And they kept feeding me chai tea, what could I do?

Tonight a girl came and gave me my first tattoo!--Henna, that is. Did you really think I would get something that visibly permanent on my arm? AS IF!

Tomorrow we're taking the train to Jodhpur. I'm sad to leave this hotel because it was so great, but excited for some, well, excitement. Blue City, bring it on.

Dirty Delhi and Train Travel

In India, two important things to know: 1) people will always try to rip you off, and 2) the hotel never looks like the pictures. We arrived at the airport in Delhi just before midnight. Our hotel was the only one we actually booked ahead of time, since we did not want to be going from place to place looking at rooms in the middle of the night. After we failed to connect with the hotel pick-up that was supposedly sent for us, we opted for a pre-paid taxi. My travels have shown me so far that these are generally more expensive than negotiating with a driver, but only if you know the proper value for the ride you're taking. We were quoted anywhere from Rs 250 to 400 for the exact same ride, so we were immediately suspicious of negotiating this when we didn't know how far away the hotel was from the airport.

We arrive at the hotel we booked and it is in a seedy area of Delhi that I would not want to be in during the day, much less at night. The room was dingy and the bathroom smelled like mothballs, but we were only there for about 6 hours--we had an early train to catch the next morning.

Train travel in India is a unique experience. I'm not sure if it was the lack of signs anywhere, the throngs of people sleeping on the platform, or the wafting aroma of excrement coming up from the tracks because, oh yeah, the train toilets are just holes in the floor of the car. So whenever people use one, it comes out on the tracks. Lovely. This attracts rats, which are scurrying everywhere. We had help buying our tickets from a man I was working with at the charity in Shantimalai, and thank goodness, because there is no such thing as a line in India, as I may have mentioned before. We had to find our coach number and then our bunks inside, which, in a rare shining moment, actually turned out to be nicer than I expected. The train station probably set my expectations so extremely low, they could only be exceeded.

My sleeper bunk on the train

6 hours later and we arrived in Jaipur, also known as the Pink City. I had read about this place called Krishna Palace on wikitravel, so we decided to give it a shot. They offered free pick-up from the train station, so we were already off to a good start. We arrive and it is quite literally an old palace that has been converted into a hotel. They showed us a room, which was pricier than the website said, but then offered us a cheaper room on the roof--it was the only one up there, so it was very quiet. Lots of stairs, but I could definitely use the exercise. I'm so happy we took it. This place turned out to be the best hotel we've stayed in. Large rooms, AC, marble everywhere, wifi that actually works in the room (most places tell you they have it, but it only works in certain areas like the lobby, which makes skype kind of awkward). The staff was friendly and helpful, arranging the rest of our train tickets and hiring a car for half a day to show us some of the sights in Jaipur.

At the Amber Fort The afternoon we arrived, we went to see the lake palace and the Amber Fort, which is on the outskirts of town.We were too late to go inside but walked up as it's on a hill and looked around. Great views of the city from here. It looked like whoever built this fort tried to also build India's response to the Great Wall of China. That's all we had time for before it got dark, so we headed back to get some rest. Jaipur may be the Pink City, but it's not the most exciting city on the planet.

See? Great Wall of India!

Lake Palace in Jaipur

Indian tuk tuk bargaining 101

State where you want to go. 1. "Good Price." This is the initial price you will be quoted. Never accept it. (I.e. 100 rupees.) 1a. Counter with half. (ie Rs 50)

2. "Indian Price." The Good Price minus ten percent. Never accept it. (ie Rs 90) 2a. "Very Good Indian Price." This is the Indian Price minus another ten percent. This will continue a few more times, depending on gap between your original offer.

3. Walk away--this is your most powerful bargaining tool. They know just as well as you do that there are 20 other drivers who will take you where you want to go, and they can't afford to lose your business. ("No, then I find someone else")

4. Wait for them to call you back. Restate your original offer. (Rs 50) Wait for them to grudgingly accept.

5. If you feel bad, know that you're probably still paying more than what locals would for the same ride.

First Tattoo in India

Domestic Travel Day

Travel DayDay 6: Wed. August 17 It's strange to think that even though I had two flights totaling over 2500 km and an ocean, I stayed in the same country. Today we flew from Port Blair to Chennai, and had a layover during which we discovered two things: a fantastic mall that really makes you forget you're in India--I had KFC for lunch, which was the closest thing to McDonald's, so my quest can stay alive; and apparently duct tape is a banned substance in carry-on luggage. But only from Chennai. In Port Blair you're allowed to have it. From there, we flew to Delhi, where we will basically just crash for the night and are booked on the 8:20 am train to Jaipur. I think it's for the best we don't stick around in Delhi, as the government is sort of imploding at the moment. But on a scale of One to Libya, it's at a solid Egypt. So I think we'll be okay for the moment.

Seasickness and Port Blair

Andaman Day 5: Tues Aug. 16.Today we checked out of Emerald Gecko and took the 9 am ferry back to Port Blair, where I discovered I have an innate ability for violent seasickness--it was not a fun ride. We were the only white people on the boat both times, which is a really strange feeling. I had gotten used to strange looks from people in Tiruvanammulai, where I was for the past few weeks before this, but in other cities, it takes some getting used to again. People will just sit across from you and stare at you. They don't say anything, they just stare. Or, if you're an army officer at the gate, you tell me I have a nice face. Thanks...as opposed to what, exactly?

We hadn't booked a hotel in Port Blair yet, so we took a pre-paid rickshaw to one of the properties suggested in my guide book to check out the rooms. Our driver tells us of his affinity for WWE and the Undertaker. Reminded me of that scene in Eurotrip where they end up in eastern Europe and they have just gotten Miami Vice on tv...a little behind the times. Wrestling is so 1999...I think. Or never. Shocking fact, I'm not a big fan. Naturally, he takes us to the wrong resort, but we decide to check it out anyways. The bedroom was seedy yet livable for one night, but the bathroom looked like they pulled it straight out of the swamp. Much like dating, this is an absolute DEALBREAKER.

Moving on, we checked out a place we passed on the way to the first one, Sinclairs Bayview, and it was much better, albeit more expensive. James bargained down to Rs 2100 from 3500, so we took it. We just wanted to be comfortable before our long travels the next day, and this place had airport transfer, internet (although that's debatable with the connection speed, it was like dial-up all over again...on second thought, maybe they ARE stuck in 1999...Michael J. Fox, where are you!), and free breakfast.

After getting our bags, the rickshaw driver tried to get us to pay him extra because it took about an hour for this whole process--but isn't the whole point of a pre-paid taxi that you don't have to pay at the end? It's not our fault he took us to the wrong place first, and if there was an extra charge for waiting, they should have told us at the stand where we paid. I felt bad for him, but it's kind of not our problem--we can't just give him money because he feels like he deserves more, not with pre-paid.

We walked around Port Blair in the afternoon, and went to the aquarium, which was very basic, but for Rs. 5 it was a good detour. I learned to identify many of the species we saw snorkeling, which was great.

After giving up on the tragically slow internet available only in the lobby of the hotel, I headed back to the room to watch a mixture of Bollywood classics and brutal B movies that are for some reason extremely popular in India--Anaconda 2: Trail Of Blood may be the worst film I've seen, yet somehow it made it all the way over here and I'm still not famous. Maybe I need to rethink my career path.

We finally settled on The Alamo (great movie by the way), and in the process of getting ready for bed, I discovered something moving in my backpack. I froze apprehensively, waiting for this thing to reveal itself. Get ready for it, a COCKROACH was in there. I screamed and James went to work dismantling my luggage, pulling out one bra after another, looking increasingly uncomfortable, until he found the critter and captured him with a teacup. MacGyvered. And this is supposed to be one of the nicest hotels in Port Blair. I guess that's the trade-off: you either get isolated beach paradise but sketchy accommodation at best (like what we found here), or you get bathed in the lap of luxury, but you have to bribe fish to come near you (in the Caribbean). Luckily we were only there for one night before a long day of travel.

Snorkeling Elephant Beach

Our beachAndaman Day 4: Monday Aug 15.

We woke up to a gorgeous sunny day, so we knew we had to take advantage. I decided on a lazy morning on the beach, while James went back to the jungle for some more hiking. In the afternoon, we hired a boat to take us to Elephant Beach for some snorkeling.

Lazy morning on the beach

The calm before the boat ride After a hair-raising speed-boat ride over (seriously I thought my life was over, I was going to get eaten by a salt-water crocodile after being pitched out of the boat), we reached the beach. Completely deserted, we had the entire coral reef to ourselves to explore. Once I got used to hearing Darth Vader in my ear everytime I breathed through my mouthpiece, I got down to business.

There is no way to look good in a snorkel mask, Exhibit A. Simply put, it was indescribable. Sorry, Dad, but it puts the reefs in the Dominican to shame. Spiny sea urchins stick up through the crevasses in the masses of coral, while countless fish of all different sizes and colours swam around us. I wish I had an underwater camera so I could have captured some of it. Crystal clear water, illuminated by the sun, you could see every last detail. The colours! Oh, the colours. I couldn't believe some of these fish were real--they were too vibrant to be true! I was a little scared at first that they would think I was food, too, but even when I was surrounded, they never touched me. Part of why it was so amazing is that it was deserted. In the Caribbean, the guides have to bring bread to lure the fish back to where the tourists are treading water, hoping for a glimpse of a few species. Here, there's nobody. It really feels like you've stumbled on this incredible treasure that no one else knows about yet, and that's really special.

Showdown with a crab

We walked along the beach to dry off a bit, and encountered several dead trees and a particularly ornery crab--photos were necessary. A storm rolled in quickly after that, so we had to hightail it out of there. I really thought we were going to get hit by lightning on the way back--the clouds were getting darker by the second and being in open water when that happens is just terrifying. Can you tell I'm not a sailor?

Jungle Trekking

Andaman Day 3: sunday aug. 14. It was cloudy this morning, so James and I drove up the coast to this elephant trail we found the night before, and decided to hike through the jungle and see where it led. I hung in there for a couple of hours, but eventually I reached my mosquito quotient for the day. After that, we headed over to beach no 7 to catch the (legendary?) sunset but were promptly escorted off the beach by two armed guards: apparently the beach closes at 5 pm everyday. No reason given. SUSPICIOUS. So all those guidebooks that say come to Havelock for this sunset need to be rewritten...cause you can't see it even if you want to!

We did, however, stumble upon Barefoot, the best resort on the island (according to Tripadvisor, with prices to match). We kicked back, had a beer there and played foosball in the lobby. Dinner, however, was out of our voluntary price range, so we came back to Rony, our usual and new favorite spot, for dinner.

The moon is incredible from our beach--I've never seen it so bright, but it makes the whole ocean sparkle. Cameras can't do it justice, but to give you an idea, here's a quick photo. Impressive.

Best Beach in Asia?

Andaman Day 2: Sat. Aug. 13.

I woke up at the crack of dawn this morning (I did go to bed shamelessly early) and had Nutella pancakes on the beach. Did I mention we have our own private beach? Not sure if this is due to it being the off-season, general lack of visitors, or it actually being private, but we are reaping the benefits.
Our beach

I went to take an open-air shower, and when I got out, my legs suffered a sudden onslaught of painful burning--it felt like someone was sticking a thousand knives into my skin at once. No visible reaction, just clearly something in the water trying to convince me to fully embrace my backpacker status and not shower for the next four days...that's what the ocean's for, right?

After I took some allergy meds and my legs calmed down a bit, James and I headed to Beach Number 7, aka Radhanagar Beach, to check out the alleged Best Beach in Asia, according to Time Magazine. We rented a motor scooter and made the drive across the island, through the jungle. One of the most beautiful drives I've ever taken, actually.
On the drive to Beach No. 7

The beach was gorgeous and not crowded at all, although I think Best Beach in Asia might be a bit of a stretch. Maybe before the tsunami. There was a sign at the entrance warning of the dangerous creatures lurking in the area, which was a bit alarming...I mean, stone fish that you can't see? CROCODILES? I definitely refrained from entering the water. My bronzed complexion is much better suited to soaking up some rays on the beach, obviously...

We headed back to grab some dinner at the resort, when a fellow backpacker let us know about this restaurant down the street that was less than half the price of the resort. We decided to be adventurous, albeit cautious, because we didn't want to get sick. Rony's restaurant turned out to be the best discovery on the island. Huge plates of home-cooked food for dirt cheap. The place is run by a family in what looks like their front porch, and they will cook you seafood they caught that day if you ask them. We saved so much money by making the short trip over from where we were staying, and it was so good!

Almost Thailand

Travel DayAndaman Day 1: Friday August 12th

I left my home in Shantimalai today to embark on a three-week whirlwind trip through India and Nepal with my friend James. Hailing from New Jersey, James is one of my oldest friends. Ever since he saw me frolicking naked in his meadow in Switzerland at the tender age of three, and I laid eyes on that glorious mushroom haircut, we knew this was the start of something special. Twenty years later and we're still on speaking terms, which is impressive. For the next few weeks, we will be traveling together--it'll be interesting to see what having a big brother feels like. I'm annoyed already.
James is doing the hippy chic look now, because he knows he can't get away with it in law school

James and I took a taxi at 3 am in order to arrive at the airport in time for our 10 o'clock flight. Indian airport security is a peculiar thing that seems to defy logic.

For example: I was allowed to bring a 2L bottle of water through without so much as a second glance, but I couldn't put my bag on the security belt without the luggage tag I was supposed to be given at check-in (which was never filled out...so they needed a blank luggage tag. Okay...) Then, when I was boarding the plane, they required these tags to have a stamp (that said something completely illegible, to be given at the same security checkpoint that required the tags...the same checkpoint that DIDN'T stamp my tags). Back through the airport I went for the second time. It just makes no sense.

Then the actual boarding of the plane is another feat in itself. They open 2 entrances at the front and rear of the plane, but don't specify who can get on where. This creates the mother of all traffic jams, because instead of sorting this out on the tarmac where there is room for planes to turn around, it now needs to be resolved in the alley between the seats, which is tough for ME to get through, let alone an Indian lady and her entire family. Of course, most Indians don't understand the concept of waiting in line, and will blatantly walk out and around to the front, completely ignorant of the other 200 passengers waiting to board. But they all do this to each other, so it's a backward system that works for them. For us Westerners, it's agonizing to watch. I definitely stuck out a leg a few times to secure my spot in line, and elbowed my fair share of grandmas out of my way, but it's a dog eat dog world: They know just how small and cute they are, and how stupidly polite Canadians are, and sneak in front, plastering an innocent smile on their face, daring you to do something about it. It's more about the principle, and it's infuriating!

The flight's not so bad; the airport in Port Blair is tiny, and is given to the Indian airforce after 3 pm, which explains all the early flights. We were on a tight schedule--our flight was supposed to land at 12:05, and the last ferry to Havelock Island (where we were staying) was at 2 pm, on the other side of Port Blair. After some difficulty in locating the ticket office, we were on the ferry, en route to Havelock. After about two hours of refrigeration in the ship's air-conditioned belly, we made it. We bargained our way to a taxi that would take us to the Emerald Gecko Resort, where we were staying for the next few nights.

The term "Resort" should be used loosely on Havelock Island--make no mistake, this isn't the all-inclusive Caribbean escape you had on Spring Break. A bamboo cabin not more than 20 feet from the ocean was ours for Rs. 625 a night...about 12 dollars total. It came with an open-air bathroom, which included a parade of various creatures making an appearance on the regular--turning the light on before you go in the middle of the night is CRUCIAL. Being a bamboo cabin (allegedly built using rafts that floated ashore from Myanmar, but I remain skeptical about this), it is not exactly air-tight. The bed has a mosquito net surrounding it, which is fun--it really feels like we're camping, tropical style.

Our cabin by the ocean

After a delicious meal of Butter Chicken and paratha from Blackbeard's Bistro, the restaurant at the resort, we were absolutely exhausted and went to bed by 8 pm. Fantastic schedule. I'm practicing for retirement. I guess I'm getting a little ahead of myself..I should probably work on getting a job first. But that's neither here nor there. Day 1 in the books!

Off The Map

I've been off the grid for a while. I was in the Andaman Islands for the past few days. For anyone who doesn't know where that is (aka most of you, because I'm a geography nerd and I had never heard of them until we decided to go there), they are a tiny island archipelago in the middle of the Indian Ocean closer to Thailand, although they belong to India. There is only one way to get there, and that's via the single daily domestic flight from Chennai. That should give you an idea of how remote this place was, and as such, there was no internet until I got to Delhi, which is where I am now. So the next few posts are from this past weekend--I wrote them but couldn't upload til now. Bear with me and enjoy me making up for lost time? (I wrote a lot, because I had a wicked time!). ***

Animal Sanctuary

For anyone interested in the work I've been doing with the animals here in India, here is a link to the shelter's website. Have a look!

http://www.arunachalasanctuary.com/index.html

I will be going tomorrow or Thursday to say goodbye, and I'm sure I will be a complete mess after doing so. Puppies really get ya, but injured animals somehow make a special bond that's different. Gotta mentally prepare starting now. Wish me luck.

Me and Vishwa (right), the manager of the shelter--such an incredible individual; I was very lucky to get to work with him

Intro to Mountaineering on Mt. Arunachala

Arunachala, the mountain I conquered (that almost conquered me)
Sweet taste of victory at the summit...spoiler alert: I made it!

Whoever said this climb was easy is crazier than the one who told me it was just a short walk to the Corfu bus stop. I really need to stop taking people's word on this.

I woke up at the crack of dawn (otherwise it gets too hot to climb) and met my friends Simon (German), Shanti (German and American), and James (from New Jersey, who I'm backpacking through India and Nepal with).
Our climbing posse We took a rickshaw from the ashram to the base point by the temple. From there it was straight up. For 2 and a half hours. I really thought I was going to die-- how was I the only one having trouble here? Am I really THAT out of shape? I know I haven't run since I left for my trip but come on Katy, get it together! I was seeing spots and I thought I would pass out any second. It was only 6 am but already brutally hot and hazy. Combine that with lovely asthma lungs and you will have a hilarious (or sad) picture, depending on how you see it.

I'm not kidding about the vertical climb...it's a long way down

We kept going though, and reached the summit at about 8:15 am. It was incredible; just the four of us standing there looking at the world beneath us, wind providing sweet relief from the exhaustion our bodies were feeling.

We did some yoga on the top of the mountain, and then I took a nap. After an hour and a half, we started our descent, which was slightly easier on the lungs but tougher on the legs. I heard somewhere that there's only two muscles in your entire body that will just give out when they've reached a certain point, and one of them is your quads. Mine got pretty close to that point, I'll tell you that much.

We were down in time to have lunch at Ramana Ashram in town, where you sit in these huge rows on the floor, and devotees come around and serve you unidentified dishes onto your banana leaf. You have to cover your plate with your hands if you don't want something, or say "kunjum" which means "little" in Tamil. But they work quickly, so you've gotta watch your leaf like a hawk, otherwise you'll end up with a giant ladle of spicy sambar and you have to eat it (it's considered the absolute worst disrespect to leave food on your plate at the ashram). Once I had my plain rice, curried veggies, and ghee (clarified butter), I tucked in. After I remembered custom there, I had to sit on my left hand so I wouldn't use it to eat--it's considered unclean there and people would be really sketched out if I did. I don't know if you've ever spontaneously tried to use your non-dominant hand to do something that is already difficult, but let me tell you, it ain't pretty. I definitely would not recommend the traditional Indian dining experience as a first date--it's pretty messy. Unless you like to test someone, in which case it'd be hilarious.

After lunch, my roommate Almut (German), James and I went into town to see the elephant. Turns out it has siesta time just like the rest of India. Their hours take some getting used to. Because of the heat, shops and such are open from 8 to 12; close from 12 to 4 for afternoon siesta, and then open again from 4 to 8.

After that, we headed to Birani's, a three story clothing shop. Shopping for clothes in India is a totally different experience. You have a section with fabric and tailors who will make custom garments that don't cost you an arm and a leg. You also have ready-made items, which they keep in boxes behind the counter. You tell them what you're looking for (fabric, cut, size etc.) and they somehow know exactly what boxes to pull out. Everyone is extremely friendly and wants you to walk away satisfied.

We hit a wall of exhaustion after that, so we headed home to shower and take a nap. Later, we went over to james' place and made mango,banana, and nutella pancakes. So good. I was also introduced to Bananagrams, a game similar to Scrabble but you make your own board. I have a feeling James and I will be playing it a lot on long train rides through the Indian countryside.

It's hard to believe my time here is almost up--it feels like I just arrived, but at the same time it feels like I've been here forever. Thursday night we (and for the next two weeks, we means James and I) head to Chennai to hop a flight to the Andaman Islands (seriously, google it. The pictures will make you so jealous). I'm working on a few posts before then, since I definitely won't have internet in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Catch y'all later.

So I'm Not Invincible

As it turns out (who knew?). I've never had an allergic reaction before (except for being a lacktard, and that incident with Buckley's where I passed out) so I didn't worry about the 6 hour hike through the Indian jungle around the mountain this afternoon. After 14km, I get home and am so excited to take a shower--that's a long hike! Then I look down at my legs and I see angry splotches everywhere...All of a sudden they start to itch, which quickly escalated to pain and more bumps. Then I started getting short of breath. That's when I ran to the doctor thinking something is seriously wrong here.

Turns out there was a plant in the jungle that releases pollen when it's really humid out (like today), and I'm pretty allergic. I was kind of confused because it's not like it touched my bare skin, but apparently the spores will go right through your clothing and there's not much you can do about it.

Currently on India's version of anti-histamines. Hopefully the swelling goes down soon and I will be able to get some sleep.

This country is really putting me through the ringer!

Ps- No pictures included in this post. You definitely do not need to see me looking like Hitch when he eats shellfish (hopefully you get that reference). Just imagine the hilarity. You're welcome.

They Call It Puppy Love

Although I've been pretty busy with various tasks assigned to me within the ashram that I stay in, I found time today to start the project I've personally wanted to pursue while I'm here in India.

Treatment of animals is strikingly different here than in the Western world. There is a dichotomy where certain animals are revered (in Hinduism, it's worse to kill a cow than a human), yet others are left to starve on the streets--can they even be called homeless if they've never had homes?

There is an animal hospital nearby that my mother told me about when she last came here. This general attitude for animals that are suffering in India is why I was so deeply impacted when I first visited the hospital. This place is a little silver lining in the cloud of neglect, and I want to make as much of an impact as possible in the short time I am here.

They take in strays, provide emergency medical care, and find good homes for the animals. They are in financial trouble, because they get very little funding from the government, and one of their biggest private donors just went bankrupt in the US. I donated what I could, but they still need much more. I just hope that the time I spend helping out eases their difficulties in some way.

I got a tour of the facilities today, which includes an exam room, several kennels, an operating room, and various other places for animals to stay. While the majority of patients are dogs that have either been abused or hit by a vehicle, the hospital is also currently caring for a horse, a cow, two monkeys, and some peacocks. They will take anything that is brought to them.

Puppies!!!! There is a brand new litter of puppies brought in last week--the mother had been hit by a vehicle in the street and has a broken hip, so she can't care for her litter. They were falling over themselves trying to get me to pick them up. They're so tiny! I can't wait to see them every day. I also spent some time with a couple of the monkeys currently in recovery--one had a bad skin problem, and the other had a broken back; they're both pretty much healed and will be released to a wildlife sanctuary soon. The third monkey has a ways to go yet, so I'm sure we'll get to know each other better.
My new monkey friends

Seeing some of the injuries sustained by these animals is really tough. Missing an eye, no hind legs, lesions on their skin--this is unfortunately normal in India. It breaks my heart to think of the pain they must have known, but at the same time I'm so happy they are in a place like this where they can get a little TLC--I'd say they've more than earned it.
This dog hasn't got any working hind legs--it's had to learn to walk on its two front ones The manager is going to Bangalore to find homes for some of the puppies, but when he returns on Wednesday he will assign me a specific task to help out with for the next few weeks. I've been told I might assist some of the sterilization surgeries (heavy on the assist--I'm definitely not a veterinarian!) which would be amazing. I got to watch my uncle do a canine splinectomy when i visited his vet clinic in Vancouver this year, and it was awesome. Why can't I be good at science? I would love to do this for the rest of my life!

If it's just feeding and playing with the animals, that's fine with me too--I've got a lot of love to give and these guys deserve it! I'm finally feeling like I'm fulfilling what I came here to do.

I'm also starting a project with the charity that I have been assigned to this week--the animal hospital is strictly volunteer. Well, I suppose they both are, but this project has been chosen for me, whereas the animals are what I do with my spare time. Hopefully I will keep learning even more this week--so far I'm on pretty good pace for a fascinating seven days.