Namaste India!!!

Day 49 – We’re in India! I have 15 minutes before my group leaves for Jaipur and I’m all set with my newly exchanged 1700 rupees which were conveniently exchanged aboard the ship this time around. It definitely makes me more away of the perception of wealthy Americans when I saw my $40 USD turn into 17 100 rupee notes! I am so excited to see this place!

India is indescribable. From the moment our bus left the port area the difference was evident. Buses and trucks sped wherever they wanted to go without regard to lanes or other traffic. Small cars skirted around them while multitudes of people on bikes, scooters, vespas, motorcycles, and auto rickshaws darting in and out of the traffic. Add in the people crossing the street like a human game of Frogger multiplied by thousands of miles of road and you have a small taste of the craziest street conditions I’ve ever seen! On our drive to Chennai’s airport we passed what we suspect was the world’s 2^nd largest beach. It was the widest swath of sand I’ve ever seen that seemed to stretch on for miles along the road. There were several fishing boats and nets while structures that looked like cloth draped over a ribbing of wood dotted the beach. There were also wild goats EVERYWHERE! The weather was very muggy and grey and it is easy to feel how hot it must get here when the sun comes out.

We were quite concerned to find that our buses were mosquito infested! As soon as we entered and sat down they seemed to come out of the cushions and curtains and begin their assault. So it begins I suppose…

We finally got to the airport about 45 minutes later and were bused to our Airbus A-320 for our flight to Delhi. It was the most uncomfortable flight I’ve had in recent memory! The seats did not relcine at all. No not just that they didn’t really move… We’re talking a plaque on each seat which read “Non-reclining seat” On top of that the seats were jammed so close together that I literally had my knees wedged between my seat and the one in front of me! There was also no video equipment and ALL meals and beverages (including water) needed to be purchased. Not that I like to complain but I can’t have this trip sounding like it’s all paradise!

After a little over 2 hours our bumpy ride terminated in Delhi where there were buses waiting to take us to the Hotel Ashok. For this hotel I give SAS high praise as it is a fantastic world-class 5 star hotel! Some people even lucked out enough to have a suit, though I was not one of the lucky ones and instead shared a queen bed with another guy my size… We had a fantastic dinner with all kinds of assorted authentic Indian cuisine. I tried a little bit of everything so this will be the first true test of my stomach! There was a fantastic dessert called Gulas Jamon, which resembles a doughnut hole and tastes like one that has been soaked in honey and sugar.

Afterwards Mandy, Taryn, and I saw another group of SAS people arrive including my extended family “parents” Jono and Lisa and also Kait, both Saras, and Jackie! By my approximation there are just shy of 300 SASers in this hotel tonight. Talk about group rates! They will be giving us a wakeup call at 0400 tomorrow so that we will all be aboard the buses to depart at 0515 to go to Agra and the Taj Mahal! Tomorrow night we will be staying at a hotel in Jaipur. As I sit here in my hotel room watching BBC I finally am starting to truly feel like a world citizen as I actually know the places, people, and issues that are in the news on the world stage now. I am definitely smitten by the travel bug.

Day 50 – India is unlike anyplace I’ve ever been. It has not been anything like I’ve ever seen in the movies and it is a confusing and overwhelming place to try to describe to one who has not personally experienced it. This morning we awoke very early and boarded buses to a train station. When we arrived at the station we stepped off the buses into what can only be described as utter chaos. There were hundreds of people riding bicycles, walking, laying under blankets in the dirt and on the floor of the station while frantic honking filled the air from the stream of buses, cars, and rickshaws that only half seemed concerned about hitting you on their way through.

The train brought us to the city of Agra, where we happened to run into Kate and her indy group. Only on SAS would you randomly run into someone you know in a train station in North India. Our purpose in Agra was to see the Taj Mahal and after a quick stop at another nice hotel for breakfast we headed out. Agra and India itself is a land of constant clash and sharp contrast. It is not unusual to see a new looking car skirt around a corner crowded with people, goats, stray dogs, new motorcycles, cattle, camels, and a sign advertising 10 mbps broadband internet. Houses range from tin shacks and cloth tents to upscale town homes and privately fenced retreats.

The walk from the drop off point to the actual Taj consisted of a journey down a tree lined dirt road amidst swarms of vendors who attempted to persuade you that they are giving you an amazing unbeatable deal on a snowglobe, a box of elephants (15 for 100 rupees!) a pack of postcards, or in one odd case a whip. Making eye contact or saying no thank you is a mistake and immediately results in the vender stepping up his or her efforts. Most even offer their wares for something you’re wearing. Even my wristbands would easily have gone for a small statuette of the Taj.

At last we came through a great gate and before us the pale white marble spires of the Taj Mahal came into view! The Taj is absolutely incredible to behold with its grandeur accentuated by the hand made carvings and inlays of semiprecious stones in its walls. The Taj was built by an emperor as a show of love and took 22 years in the 1600’s to complete. The marble had to be moved brick by brick from farther away places before being constructed using a type of superglue made from a recepie passed down the generations of families by only their male members. It seemed to surreal to actually be standing in front of such an incredible monument that had stood for so many hundreds of years!

After the Taj we went back to the hotel for lunch and then made our way to Agra fort. The imposing walls of this old brown fort also served as a prison for the emperor who built the Taj in the 17^th century when he was overthrown and imprisoned by his power hungry son. As a last cruelty the Taj Mahal is clearly visible from the cell.

After the fort our bus began the long (6 hour) journey to the pink sandstone city of Jaipur. Along the way we stopped at another old building or rather collection of buildings known as the Ghost City. It was a place that onces served as the emperor’s capital until he fell from power and it was abandoned to the ages.

While leaving the city me and two other girls were walking along the road a bit behind our group when we were swarmed by children. One of the girls took out her camera and the kids went insane trying to get her to take their photo. After a few photos they would not leave us alone. They really wanted my hat and wristbands but I was afraid of what might happen if I only gave things to a few of them. Though quite impeded we made it back to our bus only a few minutes behind the rest of our group.

I also had an odd experience before we left the city where a well dressed man approached me and told me he was also a student who was studying the Koran and wanted to practice his English by showing me another area of the fort that was suspiciously on the other side of the fort from our group and out of sight. Fortunately, I remained suspicious and returned to the group where later I found out that he had given the same story to a few other people and our guide explained that they were up to no good and likely would have expected to be paid for their “tour” at the least and robbed me at the worst. Such is the nature of India I suppose.

Back on the bus and nearly 2 hours into the drive, we came upon an oasis in the form of a weigh station that sold American snacks. So I wound up with Oreos and Pringles! 4 hours later we finally arrived at the hotel for another fantastic dinner! Afterwards I went up to the 7^th floor where about 10 of us had a beer (Kingfisher – an Indian beer) on top floor open air bar! India is always foggy and smokey so the view was somewhat dampened but it was still a great atmosphere! In the morning we will arise decently early at 0545, in order to head to a fort where we will be riding elephants at 0700!

Day 51 – This morning we headed out early to a nearby fort where there are elephant rides up a winding path through the fortifications of the palace winding up the mountain. Apparently the place has 90 elephants of which each can make 10 trips up the mountain with 2 riders each time. Fortunately our group was among the first 1800 and after about an hour wait where Mandy and I met some other Americans in line we were riding an elephant up a mountain in India! The view from the top was spectacular as there is a second mountain with a wall winding up the side and the two mountains frame a small valley town that was shrouded in the early morning fog. The only annoyance was that our elephant driver would not stop hounding us for a tip after the ride even though our guide had already tipped for all of our group. Needless to say he was not happy that I was ignoring him and he gave me the evil eye as he roade his elephant out of the square where he dropped us off.

The fort was quite impressive and provided excellent views of the valley Ater leaving the fort we went to the palace of the Maharaja. All of the old buildings here are so impressive and the walls and construction seems to hold so many stories. After that we went to a textile factory where they taught us how Indian carpets are made. The highest quality carpets feature 475 knots per square inch!

Next up was a market which was an incredibly memorable experience. Crossing the street felt like a rite of passage as the traffic does not slow down in order for you to cross, they simply honk to inform you they will be driving through and that you had best move or you will be run down.

As I had already bought marble souvenirs in Agra, I did not feel like buying anything else and so headed back to the bus with Grant, Mike, Lowe, and Rachel. The bus was parked across the street from a large park where several groups of young Indians were playing cricket. The five of us walked over to the fence surrounding the park and immediately drew attention. Grant managed to get a few swings in with the cricket bat but they threw the ball at his head ending the game… The two girls were immediately surrounded and started getting harassed so I escorted them out of the park and they went back to the bus.

I went back out a few minutes later and Mike and I talked (or tried to talk) with a huge group of the adolescent Indians. It was an interesting experience as some of them were very friendly and in broken English expressed great interest in us being from the States. While others were saying things to us and about us that we could not understand but that they were all laughing about. This gave me the distinct impression that they were mocking us. They also wanted me to wear Mike’s sunglasses as apparently they thought I looked like the WWE wrestler The Big Show as they kept calling me that and trying to get me to take off my shirt!

Eventually one of them had me hop on his bike and we rode up and down the block to the cheers (or jeers?) I have to admit I had a moment of panic where I wondered if I would be coming back from this bike ride, but my driver kept asking if I wanted to turn around and did so when I asked. Before too long we made our way back to the bus where another small boy told us that we had been hanging out with the “naughty children” who apparently were Muslims.

Finally, I wound up back on the bus wondering what had just happened; whether I had been appreciated or ridiculed and how these children would tell the story of the Americans at the park.

From there we headed to some kind of hotel/really fancy house, that was hidden behind some rundown looking shops. It was absolutely gorgeous with Arabian styled architecture, a beautiful pool, and a man and small boy playing traditional Indian music in the clear moonlit night. The food, as has been my experience in India, was again excellent. After dinner we headed back to our hotel with the knowledge that we would be waking up at 0130 to leave at 0200 for our bus ride back to Delhi. As it was so late already, Mandy, Vanessa, Ashley, Vicki, Larissa, and I just relaxed and watched Derailed, which happened to be on in English.

Day 52 – This morning we packed into buses at 0200 and began our 5 ½ hour journey back to Delhi. Due to an unfortunate scheduling mishap we had to cancel our day sightseeing Delhi and instead will be taking a morning flight back to Chennai and the ship. We will be getting back 12 hours earlier than our original itinerary. One day I shall have to return and actually see Delhi as I’m sure it is equally as fascinating as Agra and Jaipur. At about 0500 the buses stopped at a restroom station where it was quite amusing to see dozens of bleary eyed college students stumble off the buses and form a large line that silently filtered through the restrooms.

At around 2030 we finally arrived at the airport rushed through security to catch our 2115 plane which was unfortunately again on the same uncomfortable budget airline we had on the way out. Luckily I was exhausted enough that it passed fairly quickly. By the time we made it back to the ship it was already 1400 in the afternoon. I still find it quite difficult to convey what this experience has been like, but the afternoon was spent reuniting with our shipmates and trying to share our stories and experiences. We are all bound together by an experience that was shared yet received differently by each of us. Being so wiped out and overwhelmed by the experience of the past few days and the hour growing late I elected to stay on the ship and relax for the evening.

Day 53 – For our last day in India we decided to stay in Chennai and check out the markets and a large mall called Spencer’s. So Robyn, Kate, and another Kate, and I took a rickshaw to the mall called Spencer’s. A rickshaw ride in India is an experience in and of itself. I thought the time I spent riding around in a bus in traffic was intense but the rickshaw experience made the bus ride seem like a Sunday drive. In the rickshaw you intimately experience the bumpers and tailpipes of the traffic around you and you witness first hand just how close these drivers come to colliding with each other in the chaos that is driving in India. A few minutes and a lot of adrenaline later, we were dropped at an open air market. It was another intense experience. Aside from the usual constant pressure from the peddlers, there was a little girl that couldn’t have been more than 4 who took me by the pinky while she begged me for money and then pointed longingly at a rack of fruit as we passed by. The thing that makes it so difficult is that as much as I want to help I know that at that moment there are dozens of other sets of eyes watching to see if I bring out money at which point they would aggressively pursue us for still more money. Also many times the child does not benefit from them or else has them trained to bring the money to them. I wish there was something more I could do.

After we finished with the market we went to Spencer’s a western style shopping mall. We shipped around for a while before a very confusing thing occurred. We were on the 1^st floor of the shopping mall when suddenly a few shop keepers came running and shouting down the hallway outside. In seconds all of the shopkeepers sprang into action shooing customers out of their stores, stashing away all their outside merchandise and quickly slamming shut the steel garage door-like gates to protect their shops. The security guards depicted an air of heightened alert. The owner of the shop we were in told us there was a problem upstairs and that we should leave.

From overhearing a few of the other shopkeepers and a security guard we ascertained that apparently two shopkeepers had some kind of disagreement on the second floor that was apparently serious enough to close the whole mall to essentially close down.

Afterwards we caught another rickshaw back to the ship to meet Kait and have lunch. After reenergizing Kait, Kyle, and Megan joined us and we went to a place called City Center with the hopes of catching a Bollywood movie. Unfortunately we arrived at a bad time and the movie we wanted to see was sold out and the only other movie showing at the time was in Tamil and had no subtitles. We then elected to call Spencer’s and see if whatever issue that had occurred had blown over. They reported that it was fine to come back. I’m still not sure exactly what happened at Spencer’s. The SAS rumor mill began turning about it immediately after returning to the ship, and I’ve heard that it was either a gang battle, a gun standoff, or a child beating that was forcibly stopped. The rickshaw driver thought it was a fire while his colleague seemed to think it had been a bomb.

At the mall we were assured by the staff that it was safe to return and that everything inside the mall was back to business as usual. I still can’t get used to the fact that it is possible to barter in the mall. After I made a few productive purchases and after a few hours, Kyle and I made our way to our established meeting point with the girls. We waited half an hour past the time we had agreed to meet before making the realization that we were waiting at the wrong entrance! Luckily the girls had gotten tired of waiting for us and had just gotten something to eat to pass the time. So Kyle and I did the same (though I must admit we buckled and went to a non-Indian restaurant) and before long found ourselves on the last rickshaw home. So that was India…