Solo Weekend!

On the weekend of June 28-30, the group decided to do solo weekend traveling. I chose to go to Junagadh, a small and grimy city about 8 hours south of Ahmedabad. I arrived quite early in the morning, and after getting lost for a bit, made my way to my hotel. A quick nap later, I decided to poke around.

The guide books described it as “void of tourists,” and I found this to be nearly true; there was consequentiall almost no English, or English speakers, and I saw only one other white person during my three day venture.

While eating lunch (with Harry Potter), another girl (the other white person I saw) was sitting in front of me. She whispered an “I’m so sorry,” and tried to get up, but the waiters insisted we sit together. This was a rather fortunate event, as we were able to spend several meals together over the next few days.

After lunch Rosanne and I visited a few temples, and then ventured to the fort in the Old City. There were several stepwells, caves, temples, and walking paths inside the fort. Unfortunately, we seemed to be a major attraction as well; we were followed and photographed by a group of about 30 enthusiastic, non-English speaking Indian children and adults.




The next morning I woke up early to hike Mount Girnar. The mountain is traversed by hundreds of pilgrims each day, famous for its 899 temples.





It is literally all steps, which are kindly numbered to remind you of how far you have (not) come.



I had a bit of trouble being followed (in the sense that the party, of often more than 15 people, would stop and start along with me, all the while staring at my every move), but after a few grumpy looks managed to hike alone and stop occassionally to enjoy the scenery. Unfortunately, it was quite foggy, and at times my scenery ended a few feet in front of me.


(my "view")


However, the temples were absolutely beautiful, and it felt great to be active for the morning.


I made it to approximately step 7,000 and decided to turn around (at this point it was quite foggy, and beginning to rain).



I returned to a big meal, a long nap, more snacks, and then the bus ride home.

Mount Abu!

Two of Marc’s friends joined us for a weekend in Mount Abu, a popular destination for tourists and Indians in Rajasthan. Kunal and Amiraj were both about nineteen years old, studying engineering in Ahmedabad. Amiraj brought his driver, who spent the weekend with us. After a long morning journey, we stopped for food at the base of the mountain. They insisted we would get quite sick from the drive, so we didn’t eat much. Though no one actually did get sick, the ride was quite roller coaster in speed and twisting. After a particularly high-speed close call with a bus, Kunal turned to me and asked, “Have you ever seen Final Destination?”

After a quick nap at the hotel, we called the brother of Jayeshbhai. He was busy during the day, so recommended a friend to take us on a trek. After lunch, we climbed a beautiful mountain in search of bears. We didn’t find any, but he did spot a mongoose. It felt great to be active again, and the views were absolutely stunning.



That night we visited the lake, apparently dug by the fingernail of a god, and paddle-boated around the lake. We then grabbed beers, thalis, corn roasted with chili pepper and lemon, some ice cream, and headed off to bed.

The following morning we woke up early to meet Kiranbhai, Jayeshbhai’s brother, who took us on a second morning trek. We went through a small cave as well! He then took us to the Gujarat Mountaineering Institute (though still in Rajasthan); his wife is the president. Kiranbhai then took us to his home for breakfast, and pictures of his recent Himalayan trek. Part way through his presentation he received a call for help in regards to an unwanted snake in someone’s yard. He dashed out of the room calling to us to follow. We literally ran after his motorcycle, and arrived in a grassy yard. After some smacking around in the grass, he pulled a snake up with several short metal poles. He passed it back and forth between his hands until it was calm, and then let us touch and hold it.

After lunch we visited a Jain temple filled with extraordinary carvings, and then headed back to the hotel for a quick nap. On the way, we passed a man unconscious in the middle of the road, on a particularly treacherous bend portion. The five in our group yelled for the driver to stop, and the others yelled at him to keep going. They explained to us that we could get in trouble with the police if we helped a man who had been drinking too much, and also that it was his fault for lying in the road. We were insistent we should do what we can to potentially prevent his premature death, and also any accidents that would be caused by his presence in the road. The argument got quite heated; while I by no means project their belief system on all of India, or those who are well educated or wealthy, it was discouraging peak into the minds of these two boys.

Nick, Catherine and I decided to stay an extra day, so said goodbye to the others that night. On Monday, we met with Kiranbhai to discuss our upcoming adventures in the Himalayas. Afterward, we went on a quick hike up a nearby mountain, before grabbing a bus to head home.



On the way, the bus screeched to a stop. Several passengers jumped off, to join a small crowd just off the side of the road. After several moments, the crowd parted and a man emerged with something wrapped in a blanket. He brought it to the bus, and explained that it was an owl that must have been injured. He assured us that he would bring the owl to the hospital and that they would make him better…

First week in Ahmedabad, and trip to Udaipur

Ahmedabad was quite unlike the other cities we visited. Nick’s use of the phrase “less sinister” seems to fit well: unlike Bangalore, Mysore, and Mumbai, Ahmedabad has relatively few beggars or aggressive street vendors. The East side of the city, or the Old City, has a strong Muslim influence. There you can find meat and eggs, but also beautiful mosques. The west side of the city is far more industrialized, and predominantly Hindu.
Our neighborhood, Satellite, is quite “posh” as the locals/real estate agents call it. We live across the street from a cinema and mall, and there is a McDonalds, Subway, and Dominos, all within walking distance. We are a fair distance from the old city and my office, each about 30 minutes away. In my commute, I pass through the more built up areas, but also enter into the northern part of the city. There is hardly any English in these neighborhoods, and I usually pass several camels on my way to work.
During our first week in Ahmedabad, we spent a fair amount of time dealing with real estate negotiations, getting settled, finding our way around, and eating. With regards to the latter: a fancy, multiple course meal in Ahmedabad costs all of a few dollars. In turn, we have eaten out almost every night. There are several main types of restaurants: a thali venue involves one all you can eat meal. Many different dishes are served in small round tins, all placed on a larger tin with dressings, snacks, and breads in the middle. Fortunately there is an excellent thali restaurant located across the street. The first time we visited, we were the only customers in the restaurant, and in turn had about fifteen waiters hovering to fill our dishes as soon as we finished. In typical fashion, they insisted on serving us even after we claimed to be full. Afterward they gave us a tour of their kitchen and asked us to sign their guest book (picture below).
Typical Punjabi food is what is mostly found in the states: vegetable (and sometimes chicken!) curries served with rice and roti or nann. Southern food (my favorite) includes dosas and idlis: dosas are giant fried pancakes filled with potatoes and spices, served with a coconut chutney and soup. Idlis are cakey/grainy patties served also with chutney and spices.
I visited Gramshree, where I would be working, for the first time on Tuesday. Gramshree is a women’s empowerment organization, working locally with women in Ahmedabad but also in surrounding rural areas such as Kutch. The clients are taught embroidery techniques, and organized into working groups. Understanding the many responsibilities that women hold in the house, Gramshree’s model allows the women to start and finish the pieces on their own time, working from the home. Group leaders meet regularly in the office for quality and design checks. Each client is outfitted with an ATM card, and instructed how to use it. This keeps their earnings in their control, instead of cash, which could be spent at the husband’s discretion.
The office is an incredibly busy place; there are women working it seems in every corner, and the members of the office take on tasks such as giving the women advice on embroidery, dealing with finances, advertising, marketing, helping lost volunteers such as myself, and working also with the partner organizations of Manav Sadhna and Seva Café. They are all incredibly kind and helpful, particularly because of the language barrier (though as Jayeshbhai always reminds us, there can be no language barrier if everyone is speaking the language of love).
On Thursday night we headed to Udaipur, a night train away in Rajasthan (few of Chris’s friends from UNC were working there for the summer). We arrived quite early in the morning. After breakfast and some shopping, we headed to the old palace in the city.


Unfortunately Udaipur’s famous lakes were mostly dried up, and there was much talk of the impending monsoon (a trend for the next several weeks). After a big thali lunch and some more shopping, we headed back to the hotel.



That night they hosted a big party on the roof of their hotel. Many of their local friends came, and we enjoyed good food and a great dance party. Among others, there was a recent Duke grad, and several other university students from the United States.
The following day the Udaipur group needed time for some work related things, so the four of us headed out to explore. Unfortunately we were told that the Floating Palace (the main tourist attraction in Udaipur) was inaccessible because there was in fact no lake, and in turn, no boats.

(so we found elephants instead!)

We found a lovely hang out in the city and spent much of the afternoon there; after a quick dinner we headed to the train station back to Ahmedabad.

Goa to Mumbai to Ahmedabad!

Trip to Vagator
We took a cab from Palolem (in the South) to Vagator in the North, in hopes of a bit more night life and a visit to the famed Anjunta Market. The ride proved extraordinarily long and hot, and the roads incredibly, and dangerously, narrow. With a bit of trouble we found the hotel and grabbed our first American style meal.
At the beach, the locals quite enjoyed my atire, or lack thereof, and I was frequently caught off guard by up to twenty or so Indian men staring and taking pictures of me. They disappeared almost immediately after I put on a sarong. I began to ask for rupees, which also discouraged their pictures.

Mumbai with Swarthrahit kids:
After two days in Vagator, we took a bus to Mumbai. The woman with whom I shared a bunk was quite cuddly, and she and I spooned for most of the night. After checking into our hotel, I called up some friends I had met several years earlier on the Swarthrahit trip through Andover. They took us out for lunch and coffee, and then taught Nick and Chris how to play cricket.



That night we ate out at a high end noodle bar in the city and tried out a club called Polyesther. It was comically American, complete with a light up floor and wrestling on the television…
The next two days were spent exploring Colaba, famous for its craft markets, visiting the Taj and Gateway, and eating at Leopolds Café and Bar (an important site in Shantaram, which is one of my favorite books!). We headed out Sunday night for Ahmedabad by train.

Day XI: Arrive in Ahmedabad
Monday morning we meet Catherine at her hotel in Ahmedabad, and then began negotiations of our new home. We are by no means roughing it, but the convenience of its location, and luxery of private rooms and big areas for dancing are much appreciated. It also has a great balcony overlooking the city…
The negotiations with the landlord and real estate agent took roughly six hours. People had described Indian business procedures in this way, highly personal and filled with anecdotal discussion, but I hadn’t quite anticipated this. We discussed the details of every part of the renting process, as well as his various health recommendations (most memorably describing how he only drinks soy milk… as in, he does not eat solid food)...

In case of emergency

My phone number is 91 9638 222 948. Would love to hear from people (free for both of us if you call using skype!) Please remember the time difference!

Some pictures!

Hampi- view from the hill




Lakshmi, the elephant, before giving me a blessing



Temple of music (Hampi)



Nicky arrives!


Elephant Stables in Hampi


A woman giving me her baby on a bus


A very patient vendor who let me smell nearly every scent in his perfume shop

First week

Hey guys! Sorry for the delay in writing! Here's what's been going on the past few weeks...

Day I- Chaos in Bengaluru (Wednesday)

Chris and I made it! After a very long flight (who knew India was so far away?) we successfully met up and made our way down town. After leaving our belongings at a train station, we ventured to a local market. This was definitely an immediate jump in, and proved to be a bit overwhelming; vegetables and spices were everywhere, as well as strange looks to the two of us. We took refuge in a small restaurant, and then at the botanical gardens.

The gardens were a strange mix of local history and bizarre American pieces. We were most surprised by the images below, particularly the immediate juxtaposition of the seven dwarfs and the famous statue

Afterward we checked into our hotel for a long nap. “Off the beaten path” was a far understatement, and it took us quite a while to find the place. Our biggest challenge was crossing a 5 lane road (the term “lane” used quite loosely); we ended up hiring a rickshaw driver to take us across for 10 rupees… Hopefully we would get more street smart?

In the evening Chris’ friend’s cousin, Ram, took us out to dinner with his girlfriend. They were incredibly kind and hospitable, even making sure we got home safely after the meal. It seems everyone here is ready to bend over backward for a guest, and as foreigners, it is like we are guests to everyone.

Day II- Trip to Mysore (Thursday)

We boarded our first train in the early morning. It was stunningly beautiful to watch the Indian countryside go by. We passed miles of slums by the tracks. Children and adults stopped to watch us go by, usually standing on mounts of trash or by their homes. The track side also passed as a bathroom...

We checked into our hotel in Mysore, quite different from the quaint cottage in Bangaluru. A springy Indian man nearly buckled under the weight of our bags, but managed to slide down the banister on our way to the room. We ordered a Southern style thali to the room (for which we were never billed); Chris enjoyed it all, including the sour milk that came with it.

Then off to the palace! Many families seemed more interested in us than the attraction itself; we realized by the end of the summer that potentially hundreds of Indian families would have our pictures on their computers, or maybe even their mantel pieces. Aside from the few older gentlemen, who I began to refuse, most of the photographers were children who were curious about our skin color. Still not well adjusted to the time zone, we fell asleep early…

Day III- Hiking and bizarre (Friday)

We got an early start (the one benefit to our prolonged jet lag) and decided to hike up to Chawmundi Hill. The supposed thousand-step trek felt a big longer than that, but gave us spectacular views of the city.

At the top was a small village, and hundreds of tourists who come to worship at the temple there. Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the crowd, I decided to sit outside while Chris experienced the chaos of our first temple. Though I attempted writing, I was approached by many, many children and families who wanted to chat and take pictures. Though most were quite bold in asking questions and taking my photo, others just walked by and pointed and giggled.

At one point a man ran screaming from a house. He was throwing himself on the ground and yelling, and a large crowd developed to watch him. After a few minutes a woman joined him, slapping herself and also wailing and crying. I imagine someone loved had passed away; this explicit expression of emotion is supposedly common in India. I found it remarkable, and oddly beautiful, how feelings can be freely expressed in physical manifestation.

We walked down the beautiful hill, and then grabbed a bite to eat. With some time to kill before our overnight train ride ahead, we decided to attempt purchasing a cell phone SIM card (the mobile itself purchased the day before). We stopped at one of the many stands on the side of the road marked “airtel” and bought one quite easily. However, shortly after it stopped working. What followed was a crazy adventure that took many, many hours and even more rickshaw rides. Fortunately, our rickshaw driver (Raju) stayed with us for the entire day and helped us navigate. His extreme kindness reminded us of this well-known characteristic of Indian culture, and also helped us to forget the sleazy nature of many of our encounters during the day with salespeople.

We ventured through the famed Mysore bizarre, filled with spices, silks, and even an aromatherapy store! I made several purchases. A very, very kind boy who was working at a perfume store allowed me to sample nearly every smell. He told me all about his shop, his dreams of becoming a doctor, and even gave me a parting gift (some incense).

We caught the night train to Hubli, which would then connect to Hospet. A little crunched and hot, we were in transit until the following day…

Day IV: Arrive at Hampi (Saturday)

We got to Hampi by bus. I sat on the ground by my pack, and a woman with an incredibly adorable baby came to sit next to me. I was surprised that the family wanted me to hold their child; I don’t think that I would see a stranger on a bus and ask them to hold my year old baby. Of course, the mother asked if I was married and if I had kids, and when I said no to both, why not.

Hampi was absolutely gorgeous. Giant boulders piled on top of each other in strange formations surrounded the community. It was markedly quieter than the other places we had been, and there was much less haggling and selling; unlike the cities, vendors took “no” for an answer.

Our hotel was so beautiful that we decided to stay an extra night. The rooftop restaurant showed us the whole landscape. After a quick break, we went exploring. I had thought I would be up to renting a scooter bike, but after a quick test ride decided it was not quite my thing. Chris got one, and I met him at the Royal Center by rickshaw. There we visited several temples and the Elephant stables.

After explored together, Chris decided to ride his bike around the area, and I sat to write for a while. In the two and a half hours in which he was gone, I wrote only a sentence. Group after group of Indian families came to say hello, ask me to hold their children, and ask me to take their photographs (on my camera??). One girl even gave me her phone number and asked me to call and say hi. They loved my attempts at Hindi, and though communication was quite difficult we managed to get our thoughts across.

David, a long time India traveler from England, joined me toward the end, and Chris and I invited him to dinner. We met up at the Mango Tree, a restaurant overlooking the lake. It was absolutely beautiful, and delicious, and we spent quite some time sitting and chatting there. He had been working in Delhi and traveling since December.

Day V: Explore Hampi (Sunday)

We got an early start. I decided to get a tour guide, and met him at the restaurant. Lauren, also from London, decided to join me. We started off at the main temple. Lakshmi, the elephant, gave us a blessing (a pat on the head) for a rupee. So cute! The guide, Basava, told us all about the stories behind the idols, as well as the prayer rituals followed by the visitors. We then took a hike up behind the temples to look at the rock formations and other temples. According to Basava, there are over 2000 temples in Hampi. He took us to some of his favorite spots off the beaten path, and then treated us to chai at a small hut by a river. We then walked back to meet the boys for lunch (who had been motorcycling/hiking around).

In the afternoon we rode a small boat (a perfectly round upside down dome, made of bamboo and plastic tarps) over to the musical temple. This completely stone structure had thin pillars that made noise when tapped. He told us where the dances had been, where the royalty sat, and what the inscriptions meant. We then walked through the marketplace; it was hard to imagine the now desolate rock structures supporting a colorful and lively bizarre some hundreds of years ago. We wrapped up the day watching the sunset over the present day market.

Basava is a true entrepreneur. He and his mother support two younger sisters; all three kids are studying at a university, despite their poor upbringing. He is studying business and history, and is torn between the two, but wants to bridge his interests by working for the tourism office in Hampi. He and a friend are trying to start a website, to bring tourists to the area, and hold traditional dance performances in the town. He says he wants to give back to his community, before he begins work somewhere else. He also told us about his childhood: hours of herding sheep with his grandfather and playing cricket in the street…

Day VI: Transit to Goa (Monday)

We took an early train to Goa (supposedly 7 hours, but in reality took over 9). Below our bunks on the train was a lovely Indian couple from Hyderbad. They split their time between the city and beaches, and gladly offered us advice (and to share their window seats!). We passed gorgeous waterfalls as we spiraled down the mountain to the ocean. I then had the idea to take a train to the beach (Palolem).

Goa does not feel much like India. In addition to nearly everything being in English, there being tourists everywhere, and the elevated prices, the area lacks some of the typical Indian chaos (and charm) of our earlier adventures.

This supposed hour-long journey took over two hours, and was extraordinarily hot and crowded. We finally made it to the hut in which we would stay (to our dismay, not air conditioned) and walked along the beach for dinner.

The next morning we slept in and ventured to the beach. Many women tried to sell us their crafts, but we did get to enjoy the relative calm of the beach. In the afternoon I sensed that Nick had arrived and started walking toward our hotel on the beach, and found him walking toward me! Our group was now three… a day of swimming, food, and a long nap for Nick, and then…

More to come!! Love,

Becky

Safe in London!

With a long layover and much time to kill... thanks for all of the well wishes and can't wait to start adventures to share!

4 days to go: Game Plan for Month I

It’s 11:22am and I am just waking up. I feel relaxed, comfortable, cool, and collected. Starting Monday, it is likely that I will not feel any of these things for quite some time. The “cool” part will be the first to go; our new home will average over one hundred degrees. “Comfortable” might be next; though I have been to India once before, I am sure that this trip will present a whole host of new and unfamiliar situations, many of which will make me quite uncomfy. “Collected” and “relaxed” are one in the same for me, usually, and it’s pretty clear that I will have very little collected to make me relaxed over the first two weeks.

Chris and I are embarking on a great train adventure, soon to be joined by Nick, then Catherine, and then Marc. With each member will come a completely different week:

The Chris and Becky week will be for rapid travel. On Wednesday, May 20th, we will arrive to Bangaluru (or Bangalore), a touristy city in the south of India, around 4 in the morning. We will enjoy the city (and some naps) until the following morning, when we will head to Mysore by train. We will be there until Friday night, exploring palaces and markets, and any other surprises it has in store for us. Next will be an overnight train to Hubli, then another to Hospet, and a bus to Hampi, where we will explore ruins (hopefully via bike!). On Monday, the 25th, we will take a train to Madgoan, in Goa.

Then begins with Chris, Nick, Becky week! Nick will meet us in Goa, where we will be for two more nights (until Thursday the 28th). We will spend our days exploring beautiful beaches and the infamous Ajuna market, and our nights enjoying such festivities as the famous “silent raves” of Palolem (think: everyone puts in a headset and dances in silence), and the ever popular (and quite cheap) massages. An overnight train will take us to Mumbai, where we will meet up with one of my old friends for food and exploration. The following day we will travel to Nasik (known for its temples and bathing ghats), and then we will be off to Ahmedabad!

Catherine will meet us there, at our temporarily final destination. Ideally we will move into a fully furnished, air conditioned, five bedroom “bungalow” shortly after arrival, though this is all contingent on the reliability of our real estate agent(s). We will spend this week becoming accustomed to the city, visiting our placements, and catching up on rest after our two weeks of travel.

The following week Marc will join us, and we will all begin full time work. I will be with Gramshree, an organization that supports impoverished women by providing health and education services, business training, and market access. I have been asked to help start a microfinance loan program, and will also be volunteering part-time at a school nearby for street children. I’ve packed several books on what it actually means to start a microfinance loan program, as well as jump ropes for the kids, and am counting down the hours until departure!

Welcome!

Hi everyone!

Thanks for checking out my blog! I will be in India, volunteering and traveling, from May 18th until August 14th. I'd love to be in touch personally, but I know that time and internet access will be hard to come by, so please check out this blog for details on my travels. I'll try to update at least once a week, though it may be easier to write when stationary for more than a day at a time (ie, only the months of June and July). Aside from posting comments, you can be in touch via email at becky.agostino@gmail.com. I'll also have an Indian cell phone, which can receive skype calls, and I will post that number as soon as I buy one in Bangalore (please remember the time difference...). Hope to be hearing from you!

Becky