All good things must come to an end.

My last day here has arrived. I can't say I want to leave- but at the same time I do miss my family, friends, and beautiful homeland. And Canadian beer. I know that if I had the oppurtunity to, however, I could spend years of my life exploring this vast nation and all of its wonders. I've met people who do this in fact- people who are many years older than myself and have done very little else than travel the world and have a good time, which is a big part of why I want to come home. A debate I commonly had with myself on this adventure was "is travelling a good use of time". Now, at the end of my trip, I can say that I believe it is, when done in moderation. I think it is more important- particularily at my point in life- to be more focussed on developing skills and making yourself useful than it is to be galavanting around the globe. I think that coming here taught me many things, that will help me later in life- and I also had an amazing experience. I will give an example of one of these lessons. In India, the vast, vast majority of people are not well off (this may shock you), and they have to work hard to survive. Many of them (most of them, really) rely on their skills and work ethic to survive, not to get rich or impress anyone. For example; carpenters here make 200 RS per day (5 Dollars). Now, going home to a very comfortable, prosperous nation, I recongnize more than ever that there are people who float through life working mindless jobs or living listless lifestyles (ie travelling all the time), which lulls them into a false sense of security. If anything were to ever jeopardize their current situation, say economic collapse or something along these lines, they would be in a very tough predicament. People here know that their livelihoods are always at risk, and work very hard to do their best at them and make themselves useful. This is a lesson I am very grateful for. Also, I learned that everyone I know back home is rich. Absolutely filthy rich. Kids working summer jobs at a grovery store could make an average family's monthly income in a single shift. It is still something I cannot fully grasp- all I can gather from it is that I, and I should think everyone reading this, is extremely fortunate to be as properous as they are. Life is very, very hard for some, I would say most, people. An idea I had before coming here was to, as I worked my way through carpentry schooling and beyond that, gain experience and help people out by volunteering my skills to NPO's building shelters in less developed nations, and I think that this is something I will do. Aside from the obvious humanitarian side of it, it would (more selfishly) give me a chance to see the world, while not "wasting time". That's about all I have, and I guess I'll draw this blog to a close now. In a couple days, once I'm back on Canadian soil, I will upload my pictures to an online gallery, and post the link here. A little visual aid never hurt. Thank you for reading,

Nick

Coimbatore Express

My last day in Mumbai was uneventful. I read a book and walked around admiring the architecture of the city- it really is quite impressive around where I was, but you can tell that it's a showcase city. No rickshaws allowed downtown and all the streets are very clean- not quite the India I've grown accustomed to! I kind of missed the din and chaos to be honest- it's a whole lot more interesting than Western brand name stores and clubs. My train to Bangalore left at 1030 at night, and I got to the station I needed via local metro. That was crowded, to say the least, and everyone laughed as I struggled to shove through the crowd with my big bag. All those metal mosh pits were good practice for that trip, actually. For this journey (Mumbai-Bangalore), I was forced to book an upper class berth, as no sleeper was available (I did this about a month ago). I got into my berth of 4 seats, and was the only one there. I decided to lock the door, as every 30 seconds I was disturbed by some sort of vendor. I was very tired, and unintenionally fell asleep, which would be the cause of much stress an hour later. Apparently, another passenger of my berth got on, and I didn't hear the knocking. The crew had to unlock my window with a screwdriver to get in, and I awoke to 4 random Indian guys yelling at me. When I say random, I mean that they didn't work for the railways, and they weren't even in the same compartment as me. They were from a different berth, and came to yell at me for the purpose of winning the respect of the rich guy who I had so barbarically barricaded out of his bunk of oppulence. These guys were all in my face, yelling at me that I was now disturbing everyone on board (they were the one's shouting, not me), and after a while I started yelling back and was preparing for the worst. I explained that I had never taken this class before and would apologize to the gnetleman I'd locked out, and also told them that they could piss off because it was none of their business, they were just kissing ass. Then the guy I had locked out came in- I apologized to him immediately, but he continued to guilt trip me. He was a senior citizen, quite well off, and because of my selfish actions had to sit in an air conditioned booth that wasn't his own for 10 minutes. I decided enough of this; told the guys at the door to chello (get lost), and told the old guy that I had apologized already and that I was done talking to him. Bit akward from that point on, but the funny thing was the train people didn't say a thing about it! Anyways, that was a stressful start to an otherwise easy journey. Now I have a day and a half to kill in Bangalore- a very Westernized city- and I really don't know what to do. They have a decent bar scene here so I guess I'll go for a beer tonight and talk to some locals and foreigners- whoever's around. That's all for now, folks.

Nick

Mumbai

The train ride to Mumbai, although about 28 hours, was actually quite comfortable as I had my own bunk, and it flew by in no time whatsoever. I arrived at abut 4AM, and killed a couple hours just sitting in Colaba, waiting for the city to wake up so I could find a place to stay. Colaba is a really trendy neighbourhood- Western style bars and retail stores line the quaint streets. It's actually quite boring. I decided to use the day to see Dharvadi, the massive slum made famous by that movie; Slumdog Millionaire. I failed in my first attempt to find it, but I happened to meet a local who does unnoficial tours of the town, and we headed out there. It's pretty amazing to see the way these people live- several million folks like in these narrow alleyways, with a few thousand sharing every toilet. The remarkable thing about this neighbourhood is that it generates 700 million dollars of revenue annually- virtually all from the recycling industry. People reuse cloth and fabric, rework leather, and collect tonnes and tonnes of all sorts of garbage and plastic to earn their living. It was an impressive sight for sure- I wish I had more time to understand their way of life a little more. After the slums I took the metro to marine drive and just watched life go by on the cities' scenic drive. It would have been really nice if the sea didn't have such a wretched smell, but all that sewage has to go somewhere. After returning to the hotel, I met some folks going out to a local bar, Leopold's (sight of a bomb blast in 2008). The bar was really expensive, so a few people went to find another one while me and a couple guys got a road beer and headed home. The rest of the night, a few hours actually, were spent in a bull session. I'm staying in the dorm, and somehow was on the wrong end of a deal that I had no say in really (being the last one in), which left me on a bunk with no matress. Steel bars and some plastic mesh were my only comfort. In summary, all I really did yesterday was take it easy and try to get a taste for what life is like in this city. I think I succeeded in this, but it really is a big city, so I don't even know. I had a good time at least. I really wasn't feeling writing today because of my lack of good sleep, but I felt compelled to try. Train tonight to Bangalore...ashort 24 hour jaunt. Now, I have to find some chai. I promise my next post will be better, please forgive my ineptitude this time around.

Nick

The Mighty Ganga...

...is absolutely filthy. That said, I just swam across it with a bunch of people from my guesthouse. More on that in a bit. Last night I drank a beer, met some folks, and generally took'er easy. No street brawls. This morning I met a Dutch guy, and we seem to be on the same page so I showed him some cool spots, and we explored a part of town that is new to me. Upon returning to the base (our guesthouse), a group of people, some who I chatted with last night, brazenly announced "We're swimming across the Ganges, whos with us?!?!". Being a 19 year old male, I jumped at the oppurtunity. With us went 2 boats of spectators- about 8 swam. Upon reaching the far bank, we found corpses and bones. A perfect, sunbaked skull had watched us approach. Swimming back was really beatutiful though- temples and ghats of this ancient city as far as the eye could see as we swam through the sacred river. Great experience. Upon completing our mission, everyone rushed for the showers...understandably. I really am not putting too much effort into this post as my mind really isn't into it now- maybe I'll elaborate later. Let's see...it's about 3pm here, my train to Mumbai is at 11, and it's a 30 hour behemoth. Thankfully I have a comfortable sleeper class seat booked, and am doing a book swap, so I'll have some good entertainment. 7 days left!

Varanasi again

I'll start this post by saying that I really like Varanasi. I've met a few people around town (vendors, shopkeepers) who are actually really funny people that I can share a chai and BS with, and it's a ridiculously interesting place. When I crossed the bridge and saw all the ghats and the life swarming them, all the temples and traditions unfolding before my eyes, it occured to me that this place has remained unchanged for thousands of years. Sure, there are mobile phones and internet cafes, but the way of life for the average Veranasian has remained the same. The industries (silk, brass) have been going strong for millenia, and this is the absolute epicnetre of a damn near timeless religion. Looking out over the cremations today (story about that too!), I tryed to comprehend how many people had been reduced slowly to ash and then thrown into the Ganga's currents- countless. This place bends time, or so it seems. Took a tabla lesson yesterday (tabla is an Indian hand drum set), and then another one today. I'll be having one tomorrow as well- and once I return to Canada and have established myself on the job front, I'll be ordering a custom set from these guys. It will cost me a fraction of the cost of one in Canada, and I know it will be of good quality. The shop where I study is very relaxed- I even went there just to hang out and have a tea tonight. My next story takes place at the burning ghat. Photos of the cremation are thoroughly dissaproved of, but I decided to be sneaky and just pop the camera out of the side of my pocket and grab a snap. I wasn't sneaky enough, and a man saw me. He claimed to be a worker at the ghat. Anyhow, he started telling me that "I have made a mistake, but I make donation; no problem". I asked him what would happen if I didn't make a donation, and he replied "Big trouble, I tell everybody", and motions to a bunch of dudes standing below. He was trying to threaten me into giving him money, and I didn't really want to play that game. I told him I wouldn't pay, and he repeated big trouble...blah blah blah. I had a feeling he was bluffing, but not wanting any bullshit I pulled the old "let me go get my wallet from my hotel" routing. The schmuck totally fell for it and I walked away, with photo, no ruppees, no problem. I talked to a few locals about the incident, and they informed me of a few things. First, all these touts want is money for some drug habit (whatever their choice may be), and little money, if any, goes to the hospices. Secondly, I found out that if I paid "the boss" about 300 RS, then I would be able to take a picture. (The boss, I presume, is Shiva). Anyways, long story short, I got a photo of the cremations, and saved 300 ruppees. Spent the rest of the day shopping for my friends back home and playing Tabla. It's so hot during the day here (45 C), that my proposed photo project never came to fruition, but I think the one that I did get should make up for it. Tomorrow I am back on the train (A quick 30 hour jaunt to Mumbai) in the evening, and I'm thinking about heading to Sarnath again, as Budha's birthday celebration is taking place.

Patience is a virtue

So, some bigshot dude got assassinated in Darjeeling, and there was a strike. By bigshot dude, I mean a leader of the Gorkahland movement (seperatist movement in North West Bengal). It was in full public view at an assembly, and the city was in shock. NOTHING was open, except for a few hotels (my favourite included), and some street vendors. I spent the day just wandering the ghost town, drinking tea and hoping I'd be able to get a jeep to Siliguri the next day. Success! I got my jeep, and thus began the most trying 24-ish hours of my trip (to this point). I had no train booked to get from Siliguri to Varanasi- the strike made that impossible. Not willing to let so trivial an affair hinder my plans, I simply strolled on into NJP Station and got me a 143 Ruppee(3.50 CAD) Second class ticket for the 730 km journey. Now, before I go on I would like to say that I am very happy that I roughed it like this- it gave me an appreciation for what long journey's for the average Indian folk are like. At the same time, it was a trying experience. I didn't have a seat the whole time- all 18 hours- and I got about 4 hours sleep. I was wearing Darjeeling clothes- so jeans and a T, but the jeans became the bane of my existence as the sun rose this morning. A man shared some food with me, and in return I gave him a sip of wine...only to go to the bathroom and have him pound half the bottle. I was thoroughly pissed, for lack of better words, but there wasn't much I could do other than condemn him to existence as a street goat in the next life. I didn't get the chance to buy water often- and when I did I didn't buy enough. It was great, really. The Indian people really do have a very high tolerance level for this kind of thing- uncomfortable settings, and being in them for extended periods of time. Anyways, upon arriving I caught a Rickshaw into town, got semi lost, found my hotel, and had what was definitely one of the three most refreshing showers of my life. Got a couple days to kill here before heading to Mumbai- and I have a project I'm tackling tomorrow that involves photographs- which will all be posted online. That's all I got for now, as I am thouroughly fried.

Yoksum

Got a jeep into Yoksum (West Sikkimese Village) on the 18th- it wasn't a very long journey in terms of distance(80) , but timewise it took me about 8 hours- such is the nature of the roads in these parts. I was sweating, because I had very little cash on me, and all 3 ATM's were broken in Jorethang, the town where I changed jeeps. Jorethang is a lot bigger than Yoksum, so I was somewhat convicned that my stay would be shortened to one night, just because of the unavailability of cash. To my immense relief, there is one place in Yoksum that does change travellers cheques, and I have been able to enjoy what is a truly amazing place. The first night I arrived here I met 2 Canadians (From Surrey, as a matter of fact), and one New Yorker who were all buddies. They became my running mates for the last few days. They were in high spirits evidently, and kept ordering rounds of whiskey. Not wanting to be left behind, I matched them every shot. I was the only one not hung over the next morning, but that's neither here nor there. Looks like I've inherited my mother's drinking ability. The next day (once everyone had recovered), we took off for a swim in the river, about 45 mins. walk down a trail. It was pouring rain, but nobody complained... After our very cold swim, we departed on an hour and a half walk back up to town. It was dark by the time we arrived, and thus ends the first day. The next day the two Canadians took off, and it was just me, the New Yorker, and a British couple left from our original group. The following day, we all decided to hike up to the oldest monastery in Sikkim (45 mins. uphill). Now, my shoes were absolutely soaked from the day before, so I resolved not to wear them. Turns out there are lots of tiny leeches on these local trails, for whom my feet make excellent targets. I must have picked up 25 of the little bastards on our trip. After the monastery (bit of a let down), we decided to continue on the trail, and found ourselves in a tiny village names Song (I think). In Song, we found a local woman who ran a homestay, and she made lunch for us. Lunch consisted of fresh-out-the-garden boiled new potatoes, with a sauce made from some local herb (similar to Cilantro), ground up chili peppers, and garlic. Absolutely decadent. From the village we trekked home. I resolved to buy flipflops the next day. After an uneventful dinner and evening, I simply went to bed, thinking I would leave the next morning. Upon waking, however, I decided that I didn't want to spend much time travelling; the landscape wouldn't be changing too much from place to place in my range, and I resolved to stay.This was a good decision, I think. I spent this day hiking about with the New Yorker (named Cullen, for future reference) , no destination in particular. We really are in the jungle here- just walking around the paths is incredible. We resolved to do the Kechapori (spell check) Lake trek the next day. The next day (aka today), we tackled the trek, leaving about 7:30 in the morning. We had a one hour break at the lake, and arrived back at Yoksum about 4:30 PM. It was many kilometres, up and down, and was a really great experience. This is the absolute greenest place I have ever been in my life. On the way back, two dogs followed us all the way from the lake to Yoksum. They received biscuits as a reward. The lake itself was a letdown- it was chock full of ignorant Indian tourists, and was congested and loud. Nothing compared to the serenity of the hike. Tomorrow I am bound for (hopefully) Darjeeling. However, some political leader was assasinated there yesterday, so the city is a bit of a mess at the moment. I have to pick up a train ticket there, so hopefully jeeps run there. If not, I'll figure out my transport somehow- this is an adventure in itself. Yes, I will be careful. I think thats all- I'm really tired right now after a long day of trekking and a 6:30 rise- tomorrow will be 5:30. Awesome...

Singalila Ridge

Alright, so my story this time begins the day before I began my trek. I met an American dude named Dan and we decided to go about exploring Darjeeling for a day. Both of us were in the market for Kuhkuri's (traditional knives of the Gorkha people), so we checked out a few shops and whathaveyou. After lunch we decided to take a hike on a road into the surrounding hills, with the intention of finding a tea plantation to have a fresh cup at. We walked for about half an hour, until we met an elderly Gorkha gentleman on his way to the market (in Ghoom, about 8 km from Darjeeling.) We talked for a bit, and upon mentioning our quest for the knives, our friend told us to come with him- he would take us to a blacksmith where the knives are made. Not only was this really cool, but we ended up saving a few Ruppees on our purchases. While in Ghoom, we checked out the oldest Budhist monastery in these parts- it was actually really peaceful and relaxing. Coupled with the immense, overbearing fog outside, you can really get a sense for where this whole "Nirvana" business came from. After enjoying the monastery for a bit, and satisfied with our blades(there's a contrast for ya) , we headed back into town by flagging down a jeep. The rest of the night consisted of a helluva BS sesh- I only listened rather bemusedly mind you- as it turned out that most of the people in our lodge were expert political analyzers. Especially after a few beers, but that is to be expected I guess. I had trouble falling asleep, which isn't unusual here, as I am always pretty excited for the next day's adventure, but this night was particularily tough. The Singalila Ridge trek awaited me in the morning. I woke up, had a breakfast, and walked on down to my jeep. The jeeps here are unbelievably crowded, and I gotta say I kind of hate them, being 6'2 and all, the cramped jeep experience is not an all around enjoyable one. Anyhow, we set off from Manaymhajang, destination Tumling. It was cloudy all day, so no mountain views, but the immediate scenery and tranquility were very enjoyable, of course. Mountain pastures and prayer flags dominated the landscape. After arriving in Tumling, about 3 oclock, I hiked up to a mountain cemetary- kinda creepy with the clouds and all. Oh, I took lots of pictures too, so no worries. Had a simple dinner, then hit the sack. Tumling is officially in Nepal too, which is kind of cool, all the people in Darjeeling and the surrounding villages identify themselves as Nepali. As a people, I really like the Nepalese. They are friendly- everyone is referred to as Sister or Brother, and hospitality is something they take pride in. Although there were other trekkers on the route and in our lodges, I usually hung out with the guides and porters. Very good company, and I figure that I spend enough time with white people back home. At about 4:30 AM my guide shook me awake. "The view is clear" he said. Watching the sunrise over Kanchanchunga (3rd highest peak in the world) was something. It is quite a formidable piece of rock, so say the least, and the sunrays turned the snow golden. Yes, there are pictures. After a few more hours' sleep we hiked to Kaliphokari- about 14 km's or so I believe. No views there, but I did get a chance to sample the local brew (called Tongba- made with fermented millet seed, amongst other things, and served hot). Really, really delicious- similar to beer but really not comparable to anything. Also, the locals make a wine out of the rhododendron flower- of which I am bringing home a bottle. Good stuff. The next day, from Kaliphokari, we headed to Sandakphu, the high point (3,600 M) of our trek. Bitterly cold, and I was not really prepared for it, but I enjoyed it anyhow. It's really hard not to now that I think about it. In the morning from Sandakphu one can see Kanchanjunga really really clearly- it literally commands the northern horizon. To the West was Everest- far away so not so impressive, but I'm not complanining. In Sandakphu I found out that there was a strike of the jeep drivers in Darjeeling- meaning my trek had to be extended by 2 days. Just my luck. From Sandakphu was a 10 km downhill grind (somewhat tough on the knees), through a mainly jungle trail. Our destination was Gurudum, a tiny mountain forest village; an absolute haven. The people here were so so friendly, and they take a lot of pride in their home. The result? Well kept gardens on a stepped mountainside. Awesome. The tongba was good, and the momos (think of them as Tibetan perogies) were unbelievable. I ate about 30 of them, and along with my tongba I had a good sleep indeed. The next day was easy- 4 km through jungle to Shrikhola. Shrikhola means Mr. River (says Amir, my guide), and it did not dissapoint. There was a swimming hole a litteral stone's throw from my hotel. The water here is glacial fed, and at 2000 metres...it's cold. Really cold, but also uncomparably refreshing. I spent about on hour hanging out on the rocks with some local dudes about my age, all daring each other to different feats, etc. Spent the evening at the local watering hole with the guides and locals, drinking another brew, called Chaang, and Rhododendron wine. I drank responsibly, but most of the guides left good and drunk. It was rather funny watching these people who have spent their whole lives in the hills tripping about on the path like American sightseers. Our next spot was Rimbek- final stop. Short 6 k hike, rather level, and that was that. Enjoyed the town by day, enjoyed a tongba by night. Also, one of the other groups brought a guitar, and I spent some time trading metal riffs with a couple Gorkha dudes. I thought that was pretty cool. Today was a bumpy four hour jeep ride back to Darjeeling, and so ends my tale. I really can't describe the scenery- I'll let my photos do that. Gotta get a Sikkim permit today, and book my train back to Varanasi. Hard to believe there's only 2 weeks left.

Darjeeling

After my last post I had some dinner and crashed- but the good nights sleep I so sorely sought was not to be found. Turns out I had chosen to stay at an Indian hotel- ie one that caters to Indian tourists. It was LOUD...people yelling and banging about until 12 at night, then right back up and at it first thing in the morning. No running water either, and as a result I decided to switch hotels. After springing out of bed to see what was sure to be an amazing view, only to be greeted by a wall of cloud, I ambled on 5 minutes down the road and found a winner. My new lodge is exclusively for foreigners with a cheap restaurant, a couple of guitars, and better rates. Had tea in the restaurant while plotting my next move...whenever I arrive places I usually spend a good chunk of the first day sorting myself out and setting plans up, as well as exploring the city. After surveying many agencies, I settled on one to organize a trek of the Singalila ridge (lower portion). I leave tomorrow morning, and the trek is 5 days long. It is supposed to yield great views of some of the highest peaks this planet has to offer, and the rhododendrons are in bloom. Really excited for this one. After that I simply wandered...checked out some Gurkah knives...drank too much tea, and met a few people back at the lodge. Had a good jam with a guy from Australia, and then went to bed. It's cloudy again today, but the day is young and I'm thinking of heading to a tea plantation to play the civilised English gentleman that I most certaintly am not. This will be my last post for about a week- I'll be back in civilisation on the 15th or 16th. After that I am probably going to head into Sikkim and do another shorter trek. Thanks for reading

Nick

32 hours later

Left my hotel at 11 AM yesterday to catch a 1 PM train that was 2 hours late. It was delayed for an additional 5 hours, so my 16 hour train ride was stretched to an ardous 23 hours. I'm sure glad I bought a good book (Catch 22) before boarding. Upon arrival in Siliguri, I got in a shared jeep that took me to Darjeeling. The views were incredible, can't wait to see them in the morning. It's raining up here, and rather cold. This is to be expected at 2000M. There are many Nepalese here, and so far I've found them to be a very friendly people. There is a bit of a seperatist movement it seems, signs are everywhere, but it is of no concern to a transient visitor like me. The roads here are INCREDIBLY steep, I won't try to describe it- I'll use photographic evidence. I reckon once I get home, in conjuntion with this blog I will set up some sort of photo-bank online that people can look at. This added dimension will help y'all see what I'm seeing. Anyways, I don't really have much else to write- I'm a bit fried from the travel and I haven't had a good hearty meal in a couple days...so that's where my mind is right now. This place is renouned worldwide for its tea, so I figure a nice cup with my meal is the only suitable course of action. Tibetan food has a good reputation too- and on that note I will sign off.

Nick

Sarnath

Took a rickshaw this morning to Sarnath, about 10 km out of town, the site of Budha's first sermon. There is a huge monument to him with intricate carvings all around the bottom, although some appear to have been smashed off, which is a real shame. I was the only white tourist around, which surprised me but was kind of nice too- there was a general lack of visitors at this site. There was an attatched "zoo" of sorts to this monument, and it was absolutely appaling. They're ganga crocodile was swimming in filth, sickly green water full of garbage, with a land section comparable to a vacant lot. The birds were kept in dark coops with no real good ledges or entertainment, and there seemed to be general lack of care put into the whole operation. I don't see the point of even keeping this zoo at all really. Anyways, my rickshaw driver took the liberty of dropping me off at the wrong spot, but I knew this before I even got out of the auto, and had a good time wandering new streets. Once it was apparent the alleyways would never see me back to my humble lodgings, I simply found my way to the river and wandered back along the ghats. After posting yesterday I found a music shop, and the guys in there were really nice. I tried some tabla and sitars, and just talked to the owners for a bit. I asked them where to get a good lassi (yoghurt drink), and one offered to show me, as he had business to take care of thataway. So, after grabbing a lassi, he asked me to help him carry a couple of sitars back to his shop, so I went with him to the post office and did so. I'm glad I did- today when I walked past the shop I was greeted like an old friend, and got to muck about with the instruments again, not to mention getting a great tip on a cheap place for thali (rice platter). Did yoga today...don't really know what to make of that. It was a good stretch and mild workout, but all of the esoteric aspects of it that I've heard so very much about were lacking from my endeavor. Granted, I only did it for an hour, but I personally feel much more focussed and renewed after a class of Aikido, thank you very much. I think I'm going to go to bed early tonight, maybe watch the sun rise on the ganga tomorrow. I have a train to catch at 1:30, and the more I can sleep on the train the better. It arrives at about 5:30 AM. Well, I've found my favoured chai vendor here and I think an afternoon cup is calling me. Last night I went at about 9 PM for a cup and had a very good conversation with a retired Hindu man, who also happened to be a self proclaimed man of Science. Amongst other things we talked about the burning ghats, tradition, social tendencies, Hindu values, and a little bit of sacred geometry (see; Golden Ratio). Whether or not the "secrets"he imparted on me were true, he was still a very interesting man, and it was very nice to have a conversation with an Indian that didn't end with a sales offer. So...yeah, won't be posting tomorrow, but rest assured my next one will be a good one. If you told me 3 months ago I'd be on my way to the Himalayas, I wouldn't have believed you.

Nick

Varanasi

After breakfast this morning, I was on a mission to get a camera. About an hour and a half later, this mission was accomplished, and now there will be photographic evidence of my exploits. Anyways, Varanasi is one big maze of a town. There are a few main streets, and simply finding these from out of the labyrinth of alleyways is a challenge. After a few hours, however, I have started to catch on to where certain things are, and navigation has become pretty enjoyable. The most interesting thing I saw today was easily the cremations- unlike ANYTHING you can see back home. I was buying a paan last night (paan is a little back of betel and sweeteners wrapped in a leaf, I eat them after meals), and while the guy was making it, a funeral procession walked past. I turned around to see a corpse being carried by on a bamboo stretcher- I was the only one to do a double take obviously. This town sees 200-300 cremations per day, it really is no big deal to the locals. At the site I was lectured by a guide on cremation ceremony, history, etc. The guide claimed to work at a hospice right by the ghat where poor people come to die- this really is of utmost significance to the Hindu faith. Photos of these ceremonies are forbidden for obvious reasons. After watching these proceedings for a while, I decided to wander and book my next train. Many people try to sell you things here or lure you into shops (mainly silk or oils), but I've also had many whispered proposals for "good hashish". Usually these guys don't give you trouble, but one guy kept following me today. After about 5 or 6 denied requests, I told him to "chello", which basically means get out of here, in a slightly rude way. He took offense at this, but got the message. My next move as it stands is further northeast- to Siliguri by train on Friday. It's a 16 hour journey but I don't mind- it's the last step before the real Himalayas! From Siliguri I am immediately going to Darjeeling, which is a famous hill station. I found a restaurant today that offers daily Indian Classical Music concerts- so I think I'll attend that. I actually played a Sitar today- it was similar to the guitar but is in many ways very different. Either way, it's a beautiful instrument. Tomorrow I am going to check out the spot where Budha gave his first sermon. That oughta be a trip in itself. That's all I have right now,

Nick

God Damnit

I just wrote a post and then the computer crashed. Anyways, take two. I left Goa yesterday at about 4 PM, catching the bus into town. It was all locals on the bus, and the 30 odd km journey took over an hour. I was in no rush though, and didn't mind the added time as the bus stopped at seemingly random intervals and made plenty of detours. I got into the Margao train station about an hour before my train arrived, and had no problem finding my berth. Using my backpack as a pillow, I slept for most of the 10 hour journey. My wakeup call in Mumbai was a street kid tapping my foot. After giving him a few ruppees and bananas (which he shared with his mates). To wake up, I grabbed a chai from a street vendor, then hailed a cab and made my way to the Mumbai airport. I arrived 5 hours early for my flight, not to mention the hour an a half it was delayed. No worries though, I simply read and researched my future destinations. Arriving in Varanasi around 5:30 PM, little did I know that my adventure for the day was only just beginning. See, my guesthouse (Shanti guesthouse), is very well known and is very well tailored to backpackers needs (cheap rooms, internet, restaurant, etc). As a result, several other guesthouses of inferior quality have popped up using this name. My cabbie (didn't speak a word of English) decided to take me to one of these pseudo-Shanti inns. So my predicament was being 1.5 km away from the real deal, in a very busy town with narrow streets, where 95 percent of the signs are in Hindi. It was a bit unnerving at first, but nobody hassled me, and after asking a few very helpful vendors I finally stumbled into the real Shanti. It was such a relief to pay for my room and go up to the rooftop restaurant- it's always a breath of (figurative) fresh air when you find these little chill out spots in the beehives that are Indian cities. The restaurant overlooks the Ganga river, and I can spot countless temples from its view. The hotel itself is right behing a cremation ghat- I'm at the dead center of the Hindu universe it seems. Goa was a great time and all, and I had many friends there, but after seeing that view and knowing whats out there, I know that moving on was the right choice. I can't wait to go exploring tomorrow- and I'm getting a camera. That's about all for now, I'll probably post again tomorrow with lots of cultural insights and what have you.

Nick

Plan B

So, after the whole "Dehli is going to be bombed" fiasco, I have a new plan. Instead of flying to Dehli to get North, I am taking the train from here (Goa) to Mumbai. Unfortunately, the train leaves at 7PM and arrives at 5 AM, so I won't get a chance to appreciate the scenery. From Mumbai I have a flight to Varanasi booked. I'm extremely excited to go to Varanasi- it is the holiest place in all of Hinduism. It's funny- I'm going from total beach party culture to a town where Hindu's go to die. Bit of a contrast there. Anyhow...after a morning spent in travel agencies canceling flights and booking trains, I ended up going kayaking. We checked out some mangroves, and saw...crabs climbing trees. I never knew crabs could do such a thing, but there you have it. Highlight of my day. Really though, it was qutie a laid back day and I am glad to be hitting the road. I think traveling alone is the way to go, it gives one a certain freedom that I can appreciate. Oh, and I'm buying a new camera tomorrow, so don't worry; there will be photos. Huge thunderstorm last night...like right above our little cocohuts. It rolled in at 3am, and upon waking today we discovered coconuts and palm fronds everywhere...my whole hut was shaking in the wind. That's about all I have for you's today, it's 930 AM here and my train is at 7PM, so I reckon my day will consist of hanging around for the last time with all my friends. It's really quite something- of all the people we met and did some activity with in Hampi, 5 are here now...all staying in the same hut complex. It's like a tropical trailer park community. I'll end this post on that note.

Nick

Not going to Dehli don't worry

Booked my plane today. I tried to get a train but had no luck, I'm going to get one for my return South. I think the train from Dehli-Bangalore will be amazing- I will see the land develop and change....over 48 hours. I'm basically using Dehli as a gateway to the North- from there I'm going to Hardiwar, then Rishikesh, then to an as of yet undecided location. Dylan is going to Mumbai with a few buddies we met, so it looks like I'll be flying solo for a bit. It doesn't worry me though- most of the travellers we've met are doing this, and India is not a very dangerous country. Anyhow...yesterday I was travel planning all morning, then in the afternoon we got an AWESOME game of beach soccer going. Indians and foreigners alike were all playing and the game got quite intense. There was a kid of maybe 11 years of age playing- really just anybody who wanted in. Eventually, of course, the Canadians took the liberty of scoring the winning last goal. At night we simply ate dinner and then went to a beach bar and talked to people. Met a girl from Victoria- there were 4 Victorians in that bar! Go figure. Anyways, as you can see life isn't too exciting here, and that's why I want to leave. Hopefully I'll have a good story tomorrow.

Nick

Day 3 Palolem

Yesterday afternoon I started to get a little worried...Goa is great and all, but it's such a tourist spot. If I wanted to crash out on a beach for a week, I'd get some Cuba package; in short I feel like I'm wasting valuable time. So, after some mental deliberation and conference with fellow travelers, I've found a solution. We really want to go North, but the travel times are absurd...by bus or train, that is. So, my plan is to fly out from Goa to Dehli in a day or two. It'll save me travel time, won't cost much, and will thrust me into what is, from all accounts, an absolutely incredible land. So, now that that's settled, here's what I did yesterday. I went for a swim after posting, then decided to go beach searching, and rented a scooter. Dylan hopped on the back, and we bombed out into the countryside, finding a nice dead beach about 20 km away. After just enjoying the serenity for a bit, we simply meandered about on our scooter, until the muffler conveniently fell off. Yes, it just fell off. No, we weren't doing jumps/wheelies/doughnuts. After a makeshift repair job, we got back and the scooter rental dude was actually quite easygoing about a refund. Satisfied with the day's adventure, we found our buddies and actually decided to buy a soccer ball. Today we're starting up a big game of beach pickup, which I'm rather excited for. The weather today is overcast and windy, and the temperature is actually quite nice. Alright, gotta go for a swim.

Nick

Palolem Day 2

After posting yesterday we went for a swim in the Arabian Sea. The water is so warm, the waves are a decent size (4 feet or so for the big ones), and it's just so nice having the beach literally on our doorstep. We had beer after the swim and kicked it...everybody was tired from travelling and being up since 5AM. After being lazy we went for one more swim, then trekked down the beach for a dinner. Funnily enough, our Scottish buddy from Hampi is here too, and so he's joined our posse. Coincidentally, he met a guy from Victoria here, who joined us for dinner. This guy just finished the carpentry course I'm going into at the same college! Small world eh? I had tandoori chicken for dinner- absolutely fantastic. The chicken gave me great energy for today as well. After dinner we sauntered on down to a bar (2 for one beers!!!!!) and hung out. Dylan and I played the Scot and Brit at pool for beers- we lost but it was close. Don't worry Canada, redemption shall be ours tonight. Today we slept in, and I just had breakfast. I've been getting kind of frustarted with the amount of sitting around and talking that's been going on here- I really want to get out there, so that's what I'm doing today. I know everyone just wants to kick it on the beach, but I'm not here long enough to drag ass really- not during the daytime at least. Anyways, today the agenda is swim-explore the next beach- kayak- beers. It's already one oclock and my breakfast should be digested by now, so I'm going to head out. Thanks for reading,

Nick

Goa

Hey everyone. Sorry for the delay, I had a sick day a couple days ago but thankfully it was only a day. I went out climbing in the morning, felt a little sick, then threw up my breakfast. The rest of the day was spent drinking plenty of water and sleeping, but 24 hours later I was just fine. Went up to the monkey temple 2 days ago (via scooter), with a few friends. In our group of 6 people, there were 5 nationalities (Canadian, American, Welsh, English, Indian) represented. Pretty awesome if you ask me. At the monkey temple (which is atop a mountain), we went into a little shrine to Hanuman; the monkey god. Inside the shrine, a monk (ey??) conducted a little ceremony with bells and incense etc, then called on us to, one by one, go up and do some breathing exercise with the incense smoke. Tima went first, then I went up, and by doing so apparently condemned myself to a future life as a cockroach. See, the incense was in this little room with the guru, and there was a step to this room. I put my foot on the step while performing the motion, and as a result got an angry grunt and was denied the sugar and honey that everyone else got. This was actually quite funny to me. In my head, I was thinking "Look, man. Do I look like a Hindu? No, didn't think so. So why not just be a little forgiving if my prayer technique is sloppy while I try to appreciate your way of life?". This showed to me some sort of insecurity in the man. Anyhow, the next morning (yesterday) I went climbing with Tima and a couple other friends, then chilled for a few hours before catching our 5:00 train to Goa. Our travel companion for the time being is a Brit we met in Hampi named Rob- helluva funny guy. Anyways, it was 12 hours travel and then another hour on the bus, but we're finally here. The train wasn't so bad- I slept most of the time, and read my book (a Hindu epic, the name of which I will post later). Anyways, we just had breakfast, and are ready to enjoy the beach! I'll be more frequent in posting now.
Nick
PS: Check out www.ilovemyliferightnow.com It is the website of the marketer for Pilsner beer who gave us the flag, and we're featured. Check that site as well for updates, fyi our friend from Bristol (Dan) is the one holding the flag. Pilsner ftw!

Ergh

Dylan spent a little too much time in the sun yesterday, and as a result he wasn't feeling tip top this past 24 hours. This meant that today consisted of a whole lot of nothing- just running him water etc, hanging out with travelers, playing a game called Karan board...really exciting stuff. However, I already have climbing lined up with my buddy Tima, a local, and we will be joined by 2 girls. One is from New York, and one is from Wales. It'll be an early start (6:00 AM), but mornings here are my favourite part of day. Huge spider in my room last night- bigger than anything back home. I walked in and just got that feeling; there's a spider in here. No worries though, my Canadian instinct kicked and caused me to wrist shot the little bastard out of the door with a stick. Creepy nonetheless. Nothing else to report really- play with the pet dogs of my guesthouse, these dogs are some of the healthiest I have ever seen. White teeth, clear eyes, loads of energy, and very friendly. Other than that, nothing new to write. I'm getting tape on my hands tomorrow; the missing patches of flesh won't be getting any better soon hahaha. Not too much new to report, we're going to stay put until Dylan is FULLY recovered, so looks like a few more days in Hampi. Although I do want to hit the road because of my limited time, I can definitely think of worse places to be stuck...

Nick

Happy Hampi

Day 2 here started lazy- I had a big breakfast after a good 10 hour sleep and we generally just lounged about chatting with other guests in the lounge. At noon a couple friends of ours moved over from across the river, and are now staying at our lodge (they are from Scotland and England, by the way). In the afternoon we hiked off into the boulders around the river to find a little swimming hole, along with companions from LA and England. They were poorly equipped for the trek and had a hard time making it, but they did alright in the end. After basking in the glory of the river for about 10 minutes, a piercing "WHAT THE F*!& IS THAT THING?!?!! GET OUT OF THE WATER" (Coming from Dylan), sent us all scrambling the shore. Turns out it was a water snake, contrary to my initial thought of "Shark!!!!"...hahaha. Anyhow, after this I returned to Hampi alone to go bouldering with a friend of mine who lives here. 3 British girls and our two previously mentioned friends came with. My Hampi friend is an incredible climber, and showed us some proper routes. When I said bouldering was hard earlier, I didn't really mean it...now my hands are shredded (literally), and my forearms feel like pieces of wood attatched to my elbows. Thankfully, the girls all have great cameras, and took some awesome shots. I've added them on facebook, so the shots will be available for all my fanbase to see hahaha. After bouldering we watched the sunset from some rocks, and came back to home base for some well earned grub and beer. I will go out bouldering again tomorrow with tape on my hands and a renewed vigour- this is the funnest sport I've tried for quite some time. The lifestyle here is nice- meeting lots of people, being active during the day, good food and whatnot at night, and then a blog post, reading, and BED! We must move on soon though. We don't know exactly where to, but it will be on the coast (Goa likely). Anyhow, I'll have more adventures to post tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

Nick

Hampi- first proper day.

Alright, the other night we met a few people, one of whom is a guy from Bristol, England. He's been our running mate the last few days, and we have done quite a bit. For starters, we went scambling up a mountain of boulders upon which is a temple to the Hindu deity Matanga. The climb was quite exerting and exciting, we hopped from rock to rock like the monkeys that live there. From the top we watched the sunset and enjoyed a masala (spiced) tea. I had actually decided to climb the hill alone that morning, and an elderly Hindu worshipper insisted on giving me a "Bidi" dot (you know, the red dot between the eyes), which was the cause of much irritation as the powder mixed with my sweat and ran into my eyes. I would make a poor Hindu. Anyhow, we (us and Dan, our buddy) decided to watch the sunrise from the same place the next morning (aka today). We woke at 5 and made it to the top for 6, the sunrise was absoulutely spectacular, and a monkey stole my water bottle. Even after I gave it a banana! The nerve of some people (well...almost). After that we all rented scooters and a motorbike, got a couple friends on the back (dude from England and a 30 year old Kiwi), and took off to an absolutely amazing place. It is called the waterfall, but the waterfall is underground. What we encountered was miles of rocks laden with big swimming pools, an absolute paradise. Jumping in the water is so refreshing when you're in 42' C heat. The landscape looked absolutely alien- unlike anything I've ever encountered. OH, I dropped our camera on the mountain today, so I guess I'll be buying a new one. Damn. After the swim, we dropped off the 2 other guys and took off into the country sides on our scooters. What a blast that was, sharing the road with cows and goats. We also took some Indian children for some laps around a parking lot, they were so thrilled to be able to do this. Also, children are absolutely ecstatic to have their pictures taken. These simple pleasures and opportunities bring a degree of delight to these kids which I have rarely seen back home. Really changed my perspectives in some ways. Anyhow, me and Dylan moved across the river tonight (Joan, you know what I mean) to cheaper rooms and better access to climbing and new terrain. Our place is very laid back, staff are super friendly. And yeah, that was the day. Best I've had so far here and now I'm ready to CRASH! Been a long day. Tomorrow I'm thinking another temple, rock climbing, and whatever else comes our way. Our plans are so loose- the "waterfalls" weren't even on our radar til an hour before we left. Oh, I got a wicked tan today. It was threatening to burn but it's mellowed (yes, Mom, I'm wearing sunscreen).
Cheers
Nick

So, after a fun filled 30 hour hospital visit Dylan is finally back at a functioning level, and we can begin to enjoy Hampi. He had a stomach and throat infection. The hospital was funny, we were treated very well but it was not as sanitary as back home (derrr), there were needles lying on the ground by the wastebasket etc. Thankful to be out of there and that Dylan is healthy again. It's hot here. I went out climbing the other morning for 2 hours, and is bouldering ever hard. I made it up a few rocks though, and its incredicbly fun. You pull yourself up, look around, and Oh!; there's a temple hundreds of years old. It's really no big deal :p. Saw a scorpion last night! We met some chill guys from Ireland, Bristol, and Sydney, and were enjoying tea with them when an Indian lady pointed it out, crawling under a tile. A few Indian men picked up the tile and crushed it, but not before we got a peek. 6 inches of "get that thing away from me NOW!". Glad we saw that. Met some cool Indian guys my age, we're gonna go climbing with them today, and one of them is the son of a couple who run a (cheap) guesthouse, so we're migrating today. Bus ride was easy- slept the whole way. I'll post again tomorrow with more on this town- there's so much to see and do here.

Cheers,

Nick

Uninteresting update

Back in Bangalore, our bus leaves in 5 hours so I had a bit of time to kill. Gonna be a long one, but worth it no doubt. Train was interesting today, I spent most of the time talking to 2 professionals from Bangalore. They told me many things about the Indian scoiety, shedding a bit of light on the caste system amongst other things. Really quite interesting, but I don't want to post about it at this time. Thunderstorm in Mysore was, in a word, awesome. Big forks split the sky. Lately I've been asking for spicy dishes, its such a treat to have such flavourful food. Lots of beggars but I've found that the best way to deal with them or anyone else trying to get your money is to ignore them. Maybe I wrote that alrady, I can't remember. We've found that the best rates on rickshaws is to use the meter- what one guy told us would cost 150 RS cost 65R. Lets see...Hampi tomorrow! So excied to be getting out of the congested cities.

MYSORE

Left on Friday for the town of MYSORE on the train. Pretty awesome ride, hung out the side doors and whatnot like a freebird haha. This city's nowhere near as big as Bangalore, but its still busy. There are more people trying to get our money here, and getting them to F!*% off is a valuable skill. Yesterday we went to an incense factory, and bought some incense from Mr. India 1982's son (go figure). The smells are just incredible. Foodwise there is lots of rice and rice pancakes, I just had curry for lunch and neither of us has touched meat since arriving. Today we climbed a mountain (bushwacking for a bit, real harcore stuff), found some caves, and visited a temple atop the mountain. I have pictures so I won't try to describe it. We are celebrities here, we sit down for 5 minutes and everyone is shaking our hands etc. Lots of pictures are being taken, don't worry. Anyways, we're going to HAMPI as soon as we can, depends on train availiability. So far weve been accused of being Chinsese(whilst wearing a Canada shirt) , Australian, and German. Rickshaw's are fun, being a part of the mighty traffic flow is an experience all its own. No major ailments yet, awesome.

Cheers
Nick

Bangalore Proper Post

Oh my Shiva it was hot today. Spent allday wandering around, bought a little camera, went to what MIGHT have been a gay bar (called NASA pub, waiters dressed as space captains...but then again it IS a different culture.), and drank litres of water. Lesson of the day; don't haggle with vendors unless you actually want to buy the item. Dylan got cursed out, and we got one poor fellow from 800 Rs for a pair of shades to 100Rs...and we didnt want them to begin with. Oh well, no harm done. Theres garbage everywhere and to cross the street you just have to dodge traffic (a LOT of traffic)...fun times. Stray dogs everywhere. One instinct says pet them, another one says avoid rabies. Food is amazing here, and we are going to MYSORE tomorrow, gonna hike a 1000 m hill to a temple, then Hampi on Sunday. Train trip tomorrow! I'll post likely tomorrow evening...

Cheers,

Nick

Day 1 Bangalore

Flew into Bangalore last night, crazy city during the day...crossing the street is an adventure in itself. Pretty hot but not unbearable. Time's running out at the e cafe I'm posting from, I'll go more in depth tomorrow if I can, but I'm hopping on the train to Hampi, so this may not be an option.

Just fyi, the title of this sarcastic; I'm not a hippy and I'm not going to become one with the Universe. Alright, so it begins. Flying out in 3 hours.

Made this blog

Leaving in a week!