Sponsored child visit

Through World Vision Australia I have been sponsoriıng a child in Southern India for several years. My fiırst trip to India was with the intention to visit her but never eventuated, this time I was determined to meet her so applied to arrange a suitable date. I was excited when it was confirmed, but never actually thought about the impact it would have on me. I decided to leave the visit to the last part of my trip and Im so happy that I made the effort to get there.

I had an early morning start to catch the train to the meetiıng point - bleary eyed and sitting in the dark at 4am at Coimbatore train station waiting and waiting in the spot the young boys from my hotel left me and my bags, it never occurred for me to look up along the platform rather than assume that the train would pull up in front of me. 6am came and went and there was still no sıgn of my train - this is India right? They even post on the train website the average lateness of the particular trains each day so I really didnt think much of it - that was until my World Vision contact text me to see where I am, when I told her the train still hasnt come she told me it had arrıved and they cant see me - thats because I was still at point A! So thankfully they got the driver to drive two hours to get me and drive back :) oops! It appears that the train only had a couple of carriages and was already sitting at the other end of the platform when I arrived so no wonder I never saw it leave.

I was greeted by the World Vision contact outsıde the train station with a lovely bunch of flowers - setting a precedent for the day ahead. We drove for an hour and then stopped for breakfast. In Southern India breakfast in a local restaurant was an experience. We entered - I was of course the only Tourist for miles as we were headed for the Tea Hills of Tamıl Nadu. We sat in the crowded restaurant and instead of a plate they place a rectangular banana leaf on my table. There is the infamous stainless steel cup with water and as I sat with my guides I watched them sprinkle water on the leaf and smooth it down wıth their hand to make it stick to the table, so I followed suit. Then a man comes out carrying 4 steel mini buckets each filled with curry - onto the banana leave they are scooped and then out comes the Thali bread and something like a white dough ball. Everyones eating with their hands as is tradition with me being really the only person to have the curry dripping down my arm. Some of the local women eating recognised the male guide with us and cam to learn who I am etc. It turns out my male guide works on the ground in the village where my sponsored child is from so all the locals know him as he helps them - it was really beautiful to see how much creditability he had with them.

So we kept drivıng for another hour up into the tea hills along windy mountain roads and amazıng greenery. Late 2009 there was a cyclone which caused landslides cuttıng the village off to Coimbatore town. I could still see the damage - lucky there were not many injuries.
So fınally we arrıved to the town centre and I had requested to find a store that I could purchase sports gear for the kids since I couldnt fıt the cricket set and balls I had back in Australia into my bag. Dont thıng of Rebel Sport - it was more like a local store and you couldnt actually wonder through, you had to specify what you wanted and they would bring the selcction to the counter. In the end I bought a few hula hoops and skipping ropes for the kids and was told its best to give sweets to the parents - which to be honest at first I really struggled with because I thought food like rice etc would be more practical for a family in need. But then when I thought about what they were saying, its a cultural thing just like taking along a bottle of wine to someones house when they invite you to dinner or like sweets when visiting the Greek relos.

My heart was racing when they pointed out her village on the mountain side - it was so green and the village was maybe 20 corrogated iron roof and brick homes. When we pulled up at the foot of the stairway leading up iınto the village, all the women and children were waiting at the bottom iıncluding the male village representative to welcome me officially. They placed the red tikka in dust on my forhead and I was given a sweet to eat. I was really suprised by this unexpected attention and found myself choking up. There were so many people and the World Vision representatives introduced me to my sponsor childs parents, sister etc. They lead me up the stairs as I anxiously searched faces trying to work out if any of the little girls around me were infact my sponsor child that just looked different in real life. Then I saw here standing on the stairs up ahead - even more beautiful than her photos and looking much taller and growing into a gorgeous girl. She was holding a flower lei - a traditional welcome gift for all formal occassions in India and beautifully smelliıng from the Jasmine flowers used. I wanted to give her a huge hug and kiss but we both felt awkward as everyone stood there watching us.

I was then lead further up the stairs to her family home a one bedroom and attached kitchen for which my sponsored child, her two sisters and parents live. It was really hot in the room from the iron roof and heat outside oh and the fact that everyone from the village was trying to squeeze into this one room to watch their first ever World Vision visitor. I was given chai and biscuits which I knew was an expensive treat for them to offer to made sure I showed my appreciation. Everyone just stood and stared it was really awkward and all I wanted to do was rumble her and let her know how happy I was to finally meet her face to face. We were both very shy. She looked so much like her mum then so much like her dad - amazing I know!
Then she opened the only cupboard in their home and pulled out a clear bag in which she had every letter I had ever sent her! I was really happy to see that she received these.

I was then taken outside and further up the path to a covered area where th formalities began. A speech from the village elder welcoming and thanking me for the visit. I was then treated to dances by the women from the village and some of the younger girls also. Jasmine flowers were also pinned into my hair so I know looked like a typical Southern Indian girl with my plait.

I presented the children with their community gifts and then was asked to make a speech - wasnt prepared for that one! I really wanted to cry - not because it was sad or that there was poverty, just that I couldnt beleive I was there with her and I finally met her parents. Again I was presented with more flowers and was then taken to another nearby village part of my sponsor childs project to attend their International Womans Day celebrations. I was suprised to learn I was their guest of honour and asked to say some words to the women about IWD - I semi panicked then thought to myself.... Now what would Angelina Jolie say :) More flowers were presented and more chai and biscuits consumed - I was so full!

Ive heard lots of peoples sceptisism about child sponsorship and whether the money actually is spent where it is intended and I can comfortable and honestly say yes it does. Its not to that one child but to her community and as you may have heard educate a women and you educate a village. These women are given access to important health information and the next generation of girls are given a chance to be educated and understand the importance to secure a job rather than just procreate. They learn how to say no to domestic violence and realise they can speak up and protect themselves - that its not acceptable to be tolerated. These projects are educating a whole community on how to create a safer and healthier village for themselves and future generations - they are being given the opportunity to move forward together for a better life for all. After meeting all these wonderful people I am really happy with my decision to support World Vision and will continue to do so. I also learnt that the majority of World Vision sponsors are from Australia and this made me really proud. If you have wondered if it makes a difference my answer is yes - whats 40 dollars per month? There are also many volunteer projects they are keen to welcome Australians to do so check it out and know you are doing something so special not for just one person, but a whole community.

After this beautiful experience there was no better way to conclude my India 2010 trip on such a special high. If you have been thinking about India do it now whilst there are not too many tourists - there are already too many but as people become braver it will become busier and in my opinion loose its authenticity. India is a place I hope to keep visiting for the rest of my life and one day take my own family there.

Next blog.... Singapore

Hardiwar - March 2010

So after "finding" myself in Rishkesh it was time to move further down the Ganges stream to Hardiwar. As I promised myself on that scary bus ride up to Rishikesh, I forked out the 750 ruppees (as opposed to the 10 rupee bus ride) to get my own driver to take me the 1 hour drive back down the hill from the rear of the ashram - rather than carrying that cursed backpack 4kms across rocks and the unstable Ganges bridge. The car was the "Ambassador" its like the Volvo of India I say - not because of the driving but more the fact that they are known as solid tanks that never die!

We took the back mountain road from Rishikesh to Hardiwar and it was really beautiful forest and fresh air - I now was transported to Switzerland :) The road follows the Ganges as it winds its way down to Hardiwar and the water continues with its strong current and crystal blue waters. We even passed a park reserve that is said to home several tigers - like a kid I had my head hanging out the window as we sped past and I was determined to spot a wild tiger - alas no Tigger!

Only our final descent down the last hill into Hardiwar I was taken back by the sight that greated me - thousands of tents just like a refugee city! As I mentioned in my previous blog, my timing was perfect for the major Kumbah Melah festival! After my last post quiet a few people asked me what this Kumbah Melah is all about as you had seen some mention on the news of the worlds largest gathering of Hindu pilgrims - sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner but here's the low-down on Kumbah Melah 2010. So every 6 years there is what is called the "Ardh Kumbh Mela" - at the last one held in 2007 there was apparently 17 million pilgrims who rocked up for this - yes 17 MILLION Hindus!!! So every 9 or 10 years there is what is known as the "Maha Kumbah Mela" (great one) - the last was held in 2001 and attracted 60MILLION Hindu pilgrims - making it the largest gathering in the world according to Wikipeadia! So this is what I was walking into - :) My sister says she hates crowds so I guess she wont feel like she missed out on not attending this one hey?!

The deal is that is is held over a few months- this time it was Jan - April and by the time I reached Hardiwar 40 million people had already passed through! It works on auspicious bathing dates so they are the ones to avoid and I missed it by 3 days so the crowds were still pretty strong. Apparently its held at different locations according to the position of Jupiter and the Sun and is considered the most sacred of all pilgrimages for a Hindu to attend. The thing I was most scared of was the 000's of naked Sadhu's I had been warned to steer clear of - and I mean naked. I saw a few and they kindly bent over in front of me to take a dip in the ganges - thanks for the view!

I think I was really lucky as to me it felt like any other populated Indian city but with a few extra naked sadhu's running around. I stayed at the Hotel Jewel pretty much 2 blocks from the train station - I think they forgot my booking as he quickly went to make my room whilst I waited outside and I so loved the old soap from the previous guest in the shower, dirty floors and need I mention the toilet! Thankfully being a germophobe stuck in India I had my Pine O Cleen wipes - thanks mum - so I got to work and cleaned everything. Oh and I had to tie my sari up in the bathroom window because the staff would sit there for a smoke and could look right in and see me on the loo and in the shower - nice but that's India for $30 actually I think I was getting ripped! Best ever AC and jet powered fan though and of course a TV with all my favourite bollywood tunes - yeah!

After dumping my stuff I was famished and decided to brave the crowds and look for this Big Ben restaurant that I saw down the street and recalled Lonely Planet recommends. Yes I agree it was brilliant to sit in AC comfort in a a fishbowl and watch the world go by, but they too looked back at me and you could see them comment how many foreigners were all in the same location - time to go!

Just before sunset I took a cycle rickshaw down to the main ghat where the major Aarti ceremony was taking place that night. The city was in military lockdown everywhere as there were just too many people to control. My cycle rickshaw was only allowed to drop me around 2km from the ghat so I had to walk the rest of the way, but there were so many people I just followed the crowd. The second I stepped down to the ghat there was just so much to see - I really was like a kid in a candy store and was going "snap Jap haapy". My senses were peaking so I decided the best thing I could do was find a step on the ghat amongst some of the pilgrims and watch the people parade. Wow I could have sat there for days!!!! Where to look.... the amazing sunset, the pilgrims placing their offering of flowers and candle as it floats with the current down the ganges, the slum kids in the ganges who tie themselves to the railing so the current dosent pull them down stream whilst they hold a pane of glass and place this at the top of the water looking for valuable offerings that they can take back out of the Ganges!

Let me tell you about this crazy scene... a man walks down to the stairs of the ghat says a prayer and throws a roll of Indian Rupees that he has "cleverly" wrapped in a piece of leather and tied twine around the roll of cash - he finishes his prayer and throws it into the Ganges!! We are talking a poor country with this guy throwing cashin into the Ganges as an offering - its humbling but mind blowing at the same time, especially considering two minutes early two men said a prayer and threw in a 100 rupee note and those kids with the magnifiying glass.... he dives in and fetches it in front of the guy!!! As you might have guessed the Indian guy chased him and clipped him one across the head, cursed him, said a prayer and threw it back into the Ganges whilst glaring at the kid to make sure he didn't do it again!!!

As sunset was fast approaching I decided to stroll further up along the river to work out where the Aarti would be held - easy enough just look for the 000's of people already parking themselves for prime position. Security was getting everyone to pack up like sardines and sit rather than stand - all a little to claustrophobic at that moment for me so I kept strolling. All sorts of preparations were taking place kind of like the absolutions a Muslim does before prayer - that's what appeared was happening. Parents had their babies held down by relatives as a barber seated on a flattened cardboard box on the floor with this super sharp blade shaved the babies head - as you can imagine the babies are screaming their heads off. Men were also sitting cross-legged on flattened boxes getting haircuts, trimmed moustaches and faces shaved - these were not barber stalls my understanding is that it was all their "cleansing" ritual before taking the holy dip. The barbers and flower offering sellers were making a roaring trade! There were even children roaming the crowds selling plastic sheets to sit on, but wait these sheets are taken from the printing machines of food factories - I saw Maggi noodles, CC's - all those foil packets before they are made into packets and are still part of the sheets from press - cracked me up!

As more people appeared to be descending onto the ghat for the start of the Aarti, I decided it was time to scout for my spot and take rest, thing was I really didnt want to sit just incase there was a surge and I got trampled on or if I did start feeling claustrophobic, then I could make an easy exit. See that's the problem right there, the word easy! This is India, nothing is easy :)

(OK delicious sweets and curries are!) So I found my spot where it appeared those around me didnt want to sit either - perfect. Ten minutes later the "Aarti police" as I called them in their official blue uniforms and "donation" book came and screamed at us telling us to sit, so reluctantly we did.

So this Aarti police... I had read that if you want to give a donation you give it to them and they give you a receipt, rather than encouraging begging etc. Except if the charity collectors in Australia adopted the Aarti polices collection methods, I think charities would be rich, rich, rich! Let me set the scene... so they get you to sit so no-one can move, you are trapped and thoughts of using the toilet is not an option, then they have you so they start pacing back and forth like an army general barking orders that as a pilgrim you should be making a donation, what kind of Hindu dosent support the organisation that pulls this together and allows this event to take place, 5 rupees - you cant afford 5 rupees?! This abuse seriously went on for an hour and it was happening throughout the crowds - there were several of these guys tag-teaming so just as you sighed releif that the headache was leaving the next guy came over and started and if you caved and gave money you were a national hero. My head killed and based on principle of how they were doing this I made sure I made no eye contact and refused the "donation under interrogation" (im so making a heap of t-shirts with all these sayings!)

Aside from my migraine, I became aware of a Indian man just behind me on my left who couldn't seem to stop staring at me and every little photo I took - more on him later though.

So the Aarti was finally starting and it was like they had just opened a new slide at Wet n Wild on the Gold Coast! People go into the Ganges for dip - men in their undies, women in their saaris and Sadhus some naked but most in their Sumo style g-string! The bells started ringing and two men holding a brass burner with huge flames blessed the crowds - the heat from the flames so bad there was a nominated guy there with a bucket of water to keep pouring onto the burner holders hands and face so I'm assuming he felt less pain! Some families took their children or elderly to the priests for blessings and then it was all over just like that! Being non-Hindu, I definately enjoyed the spectacle in the lead up to the Aarti more.

So back to my friend behind me, peering over my should- ok so he wanted to look at my photos or was he eyeing off my camera? So as the crowds got up and I took the emergency brace position from any wondering hands that see a foreign girl and like to grope - luckily I managed my second crowd incident free (Jaipur was obviously my friends faults for being blonde and blue eyed! ;) So as I start to move with the crowd this guy and his friend start following me, I know because I did the mandatory Hollywood weave and chase technique - around the corner and they were right behind me again. So usually all you have to do is turn, look them in the eye so they know they have been spotted and being embarressed they leave you alone - not the case with stupid and his friend. Second time I raised my voice so everyone around would hear and see - they back off a little but catch up later. This went on for 10-15 min and my patience was out so I stormed up to a policeman who was standing next to the military guys, grabbed his stick, turned raised it and my cursing voice to the two stupids behind me and boy you should have seen their faces! Actually mine would have been interesting too because I didn't even know what I was doing until it was too late - the police and solider jumped at me then saw the two guys I was aiming at and they took over my cursing for me. I apologised profously to the police man and gave him back his stick - they couldn't stop laughing at the crazy foreign woman that just lost it. Needless to say I didnt see those guys for the rest of the night. After that I strolled around the bazaar, ate some dhal and rice at an over-priced AC franchise that looked like an Indian version of McDonalds. I headed back down here the next day in the daylight to take some last pictures and send off a little prayer of my own down the ganges. So when the publish the final headcount of Kumbah Mehla 2010 you can include me :)

Next blog Hardiwar to Dehli on the toot toot.....

Rishikesh, India - March 2010

So this town was never on my original plans to travel too and to be honest until I read an article about the Kumbah Mela in nearby Hardiwar around the time I was to be in Amritsar, I had never even heard of either place. Again my trusty old Lonely Planet filled me in on how to get there and that it's littered with ashrams, yogis, sadhu's and people wanting to "find themself". As I said on a postcard to mum - I dont think I will ever find myself as I have too many personalities to find! :)

So checking into Niketan Ashram that I had found in my Lonely Planet and researched their very comprehensive website. The site states that everyone is allowed to stay at the Ashram but you must follow the rules and make a donation. Thing is that their "donation" comes at a set minimum amount of 500 rupees per nite. That's fine just dont call it a donation!

I was greeted by a friendly older Indian lady and young Indian guy on the front desk. As I mentioned in my previous post I was already exhausted from what seemed like the never-ending journey getting there. After paying upfront, the young boy wheeled my bag over to the sleeping quarters. I remembered it said on their website that under no circumstances are you to tip anyone working there, you can make an official donation at the desk and be issued with a receipt instead, so I was relieved that this was one of the few times in India that someone was helping me with my bag and not expecting payment.

Now if you are like me, I always wondered what an Ashram would look like? Honestly I pictured a heap of Hare Krishna's floating around in orange robes clanging their finger cymbols away (I actually love them so am not taking the mickey out of them too much!) but instead you are confronted with something that felt more like a university campus - in the sense that the grounds where quiet spread out, there was military security, lots of communal meeting rooms, park benches and beautiful gardens. Unfortunately for my timing there was a heap of pavement construction during my stay so it didnt seem quiet so tranquil in the gardens as I tried to tip-toe through setting concrete without splashing it on my new white yoga pants - failed! - they were covered within 3 minutes of putting them on!

So I really didnt know what to expect with my room - I was expecting basic and I thought its more dormitory sleeping that anything, however there were blocks of units that had their own show and toilet and 2 single beds. It was infact very spacious, had a locking cupboard and the worlds noisiest fan instead of AC but it wasn't needed so that's fine. My showers hot water system never gave me the luxury of a hot shower during my stay - needless to say I conserved great amounts of water there.

I dumped my stuff and filled my empty water bottle with the complimentary filtered water at the end of my corridor - again more excitement as this is the only stay so far in India that I have not been buying 3-4 bottles of water per day! I checked the schedule as the main purpose you come to an ashram is to relax, find yourself, attend meditations and yoga sessions. There was a yoga class on in a couple of hours, followed by lunch at 1pm - if you dont like routine then ashram's are not a place you come. A typical day at the Ashram is:

6am yoga

8am breakfast

11am yoga

1pm lunch

3pm yoga

6pm arti ceremony

7pm dinner

8pm meditation

I managed to find a store selling cheap white clothes for yoga - I later discovered the pants where Indian pyjama pants hence the sideways glances and giggles from Indian ladies in shops around Rishikesh. Yoga class was interesting to say the least - the ashram instructions were quiet specific about not being late and wearing white, so I was a little nervous that I was 5 minutes late already. I managed to find the yoga hall in the huge grounds of the ashram and had to creak the door open and sneak in. I was really suprised and honestly disappointed to see that the yoga class was being taught by a Canadian women clearly not of Indian decent - not to mention she was wearing a white turban with a diamond clip on the front. After managing mentally to get past that came the struggle that rather than the usual soothing vocal tones of a yoga instructor, this teacher seemed hell bent on making this class more like a yoga bootcamp and was yelling instructions and "motivational" comments similar to that of the U.S. army - not exactly what I had in mind. I had never ever experienced a class like this at all - I later learnt this was Kundalini yoga and started to see many of the students that follow this style around Rishikesh - all foreigners wearing blue kaftan uniforms with a Seikh looking logo and turbans - I was really disturbed by this and felt I'd come across some new cult wiping the states and surrounding countries.

I must say that aside from the students of this style and their strange uniforms that resemble the guards of the Golden Temple at Amritsar - Kundalini yoga really seemed to have some benefits. It felt like it was infused with some Pilates poses so my abs were actually getting a work out - I just didn't like the yelling in the background by the instructor and the weird chants I had to repeat at some points.

In the middle of my class I happened to be facing the student to my left and realised that I knew her from the dance school in Pushkar as we had regularly seen each other and said hi in passing. She caught my eye and we shot each other a smile, after class we spoke and I was relived to know that she too didn't appreciate the teachers boot camp style instruction.

When you are travelling alone for long periods in a foreign country and particularly somewhere like India, a new friend can really affect the daily happenings of your trip. For example, my intention after that class had been to eat lunch at the Ashram since it was included in the room fee and then just crash as I was exhausted. Instead my new friend convinced me that the lunch at the Ashram wasn't all that nice and she was rebelling against their strict schedule of you must eat at this time. Instead she took me to a little restaurant nearby that specialised in delicious and so cheaply priced Southern Indian cuisine and then she took me on a tour of Rishikesh that extended into a 4 hour expidition across to the otherside which was a few kilometer's good walk, that I simple would not have had the motivation to do on my own that day.

What amazes me about Rishikesh and it was certainly the first thing that caught my attention, is the blue and clean looking water of the Ganges and the strong current that it flows. There's a brilliant BBC documentary on the Ganges that I saw back in Australia and I do remember them showing footage of the flowing Ganges from Rishikesh but you just dont realise its power until you are there. We found lots of people and bathing Sadhu's along the riverbank resting on the boulders, so we decided to soak up some of the beautiful sun and mountain fresh air alongside Mother Ganga as they call her. I had read to reconsider swimming in the Ganges as the current was super strong and dangerous, so I just settled for rolling up my pants and walking in knee deep - it was chilly and so "norsca fresh" as I called it. I washed my face and felt suddenly relaxed.

Now I'm sure that many of you have head about how dirty the Ganges is particularly in pilgrimage areas such as Varanasi, bodies of the deceased are cremated and their ashes are deposited into the river. Let me assure you that is not the case up here - Rishikesh is near the start of the Ganges so it's super clean and I would consider swimming there had it not been for the current. There is actually a big tourist trade happening in Rishikesh now with people white water rafting - that's not something I had ever been interested in the past, throwing my life in the hands of the rapids just dosent excite me as much as a stroll through the bazaars of India - but I considered it here. If I had more time I probably would have done a rapids tour and also trekked into the Himalayas as there were quiet a few tours starting from here - again something that had never interested me previously and something that I had reserved for hardcore adventurers - maybe I was finding myself or at least opening up to new opportunities!

In front of the Niketan ashram that I was staying at every evening at 6pm they perform what is known by the Hindus as "aarti" its a ceremony using fire and I personally think at its grandest in Varanasi. Being my first night I went down for a wonder and there were many Indian pilgrims who had obviously come to Rishikesh to take part in this ceremony at such a holy site. Some people told me that many of the Hindu visitors attending the Kumbah Mela back in Hardiwar were coming to Rishikesh for a day trip and to attend the ceremony also since they were so close.

At dinner that evening I had my first experience eating at the Ashram - nothing too exciting to report just felt like an American high school cafeteria - there was table spread with vegetarian dishes - you took a metal dish and a scoop of each and sat quietly on the floor at these little individual almost TV dinner tables but they were on the floor. There is a big sign in the room saying to observe silence during dinner as all food has been blessed etc but neither tourists or Indian pilgrims paid any attention.

I noticed one lady who had been in my yoga class earlier that day and she was one of those people that do something and go all the way. What I mean is, watching her you could see that she was there definately to find herself spiritually and by the looks of it she had - well at least she seemed to beleive she had. At dinner she was probably the only one who sat in silence and prayed before eating and I felt at any minute she may gravitate into the air from her seated pose on the floor. I know I'm mean - if she was Indian I wouldn't even have noticed, but she just seemed to be trying so hard to do the whole ashram thing.

After dinner we attended the meditation - to both our dismay it was the same boot camp instructor - I considered making a run for it, but thought I would attempt an open mind and see where it took me. So again I found myself chanting something that certainly didn' t sound Hindi - it sounded like a fictional language like they made for Lord of the Rings - only the people in the "circle of trust" seemed to know the words to the jibber. We did all sorts of breathing exercises which I will admit were quiet good, it was the sound effects that I could see a few people about to crack up laughing. We did one chant for about 10 minutes, over and over it sounded something like (change your tone to a deep monster like pitch)...

"mmmmmm jiiiiiiyyyaaaaaaa shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr froooooaaaaaaawwwwww cha. Chinnnnnyyyyy maaaaaaaaaaaaa diiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiyava..."

I felt like I was on magic mushrooms. Finally my one hour of vocal vibrational massage as I called it was over and my friend and I along with a few of the other ladies all shot each other knowing glances of what we had just survived. Being me, I couldn't shut up any longer and told my friend how the teachers meditation voice reminded me of this evil sounded monster voice I was awoken to in Padang Bai on the East coast of Bali at 4am when they were starting a prayer ceremony mimicking the gods. Meditation complete!

Of course on my last day there we did manage to find a brilliant yoga class at an Ashram down the street from ours - brilliant is an understatement - I keep thinking about heading back in September just to attend his class. This class was taught by an Indian guy -not so personable, but his class was packed and he was brilliant. He unlike Bootcamp master of Kundalini, had a soothing voice that I had to strain to hear and all of us just pretty much played Simon Says to know what move to do next. Granted this class was also Hatha yoga, which I was more familiar with and found both relaxing and effective. We were doing backbends and moves that I was doing for fun as a kid and never imagined my body could still do so many years later. Oh and did I mention this class along with all the flies that attached themselves to our everymove only cost $2.50!

To describe Rishikesh, I would say it reminded me of Kathmandu minus the madness - more "norsca fresh". The town had more Sadhu's than normal as many of there were again there due to the nearby Kumbah Mela. To be honest I have only ever seen Sadhu's beg tourists for money, so I was very suprised when it was either one morning or afternoon I saw many Indian Hindu's buying food and going along distributing it to the various Sadhu's in equal rations - made me kind of feel bad for always looking past there money as purely a target for tourists.

Next blog.... Hardiwar and the Kumbah Mela 2010 pilgrimage!

Travelling Amritsar to Rishikesh - India March 2010

At the train station for my late night departure from Amritsar to Hardiwar then onward to Rishikesh, there was the usual scene of transitors or perhaps some homeless people sleeping on the platform concrete floors with grey blankets, endless families of all castes and their children eating and drinking hot chai waiting for the train. Amritsar station didn't have any tvs blaring the latest Bollywood filmclips, so I was a little bored. After an hour of staring at the the rats running a muck in and out of various holes in the platform walls and the local store guy throw his store's rubbish onto the train track my train finally arrived.



Another goods night sleep from the rocking of the train and befriending yet more locals and answering their 50 million questions about "what is your good name?" "Which is your place?" "Are you married with children?" "Who is travelling with you?" pick a lie, any lie - that is always my answer - never say as a woman you are travelling alone, never confirm where you are staying, you are always married and your husband is always going to be waiting at the next station for you as he was there on business and you are on holidays :)


So I arrived into Hardiwar and knew that my mission was to find the bus station to take a public bus 1 hour up to Rishikesh - Yoga capital of the world and where the Beatles shacked up and smoked god knows what for one of their albums.

Thing was Kumbah Mela was one - I thought if I came outside the auspicious bathing dates it was be quiet - ha ha ha. I arrived to full military force absolutely everywhere, Sadhu's absolutely everywhere and just masses of people. Thankfully there were also ramps everywhere so I could wheel my bag around and try fake confidence that I knew where I was going. When lost, my bet is always military as there are always being watched and it just feels safer to ask them for help. So of course being the only foreigner in sight amongst a sea of Hindu pilgrims here for a festival that takes place once every 10 years (yes I am special or stupid one of the two) I had all eyes on me, not to mention all touts swarming my way for "rickshaw" "hotel" "tour guide" I confidently brushed them all aside and once they disappeared I approached a soldier and asked him for directions to the bus station to Rishikesh - using his gun to motion me out the gates and "5min walk" away I continued thinking to myself this is India - ask at least 3 people - so another couple of soldiers confirmed his direction was correct but I would have to get a rickshaw to the bus station and it should be only 25 rupees - problem I am a foreigner and I get a special tourist price.

So I kept rolling along their footpath past the info booths for Kumbah Mela registrations and found me a rickshaw guy - there were none to be seen at first but I decided to roll in the direction along the main road (not as suicidal as it sounds) and hopefully one will pull up along side me - sure enough one did but he wants 250 rupee (remember its 25) so I laughed and with a determined look on my face that I didn't care if I had to walk the how many ever kilometers to the bus off I set - he caved and agreed to 25 ruppee :)

Literally it was a 5 min ride down the street and he pointed at a old silver bus that was starting to pull out from the curb bound for Rishikesh. I ran over and tried to get on the bus but the steps were so high I couldn't lift my bag up and no-one around me inteded to help. I felt something in my back ping and I lost my balance as the bus driver lost patience and pulled away - I banged the door and yelled out hoping to grab the attenion of someone nice on the bus and luckily and ancient man who didnt look like he could lift a pen, let alone my bag got the bus to stop and pulled me and my bag aboard. Luckily there was a seat left a couple back from the door and I had my bag in the corridor. Now let me explain this "bus" to you - once upon a time I am sure it was a fine machine but this aged tin box with wheels belonged in a metal scrap heap! It grunted for the entire hour and our hair-raising experience is made all the while worse with both the neck braking speed of the driver, the cursed look from the conductor that he couldnt fit on more passengers due to my bag blocking their way and the need for all my fellow passengers (most Sadhu's or extremly poor villagers) keeping the windows closed and these windows painted blue, orange or red - I decided in the end that was a good thing that I couldnt look out as I might have been sick.

They continued to cram more people on and my bag was being pushed further down the aisle with my little old stick man determined to stick up for me and hold onto my back which everyone is really kicking to get past. The speed that we travelled for that one hour up the windy mountain roads to Rishikesh made me keep having flashes to all those buses that fly off the cliffs in South America killing hundreds of people - I was definately in panic mode for the entire 60 minutes and constantly working out how I would get through the emergency window fighting all these men as we submerged into the ganges.


Finally we arrived in Rishikesh and I promised myself that regardless of how much the trip back down to Hardiwar was - I was paying coming back. My life was worth more than 40 rupee. So the bus station in Rishikesh is just a dirt carpark at the back of town - a few rickshaw drivers are there and no-one else around so your bargaining dosent get you too far. I was also informed that he could only take me so far to my Ashram as apparently rickshaws cant cross the bridge - I just agreed because I was mentally and physically exhausted. Along the way my rickshaw driver saw another tourist and decided to pick him up without asking me - I was annoyed as I knew he was making double the money when we should be paying the share amount, but in the end this driver did me a huge favour picking up this guy - again another guardian angel to help me out.


So the driver pulls up and says the other tourist is going the same way as me and will show me where the ashram is. I reluctantly agree and rip my bag as I try to pull it out from the back of the rickshaw.

I must say and this is rather ironic, typically when I travel I'm not into talking to other travellers, usually only the locals which is silly I know as I could get tips from them but I think I have seen too many tourists behave appallingly so I think its better to avoid them then be associated with them. Turns out, he was a Jewish American writer/hippy that had been in Rishikesh for the last 3 months writing a book on social behaviour for kids back in America - personally I think he had too much pot or fresh mountain air! But hey this guy was a lie saver - I thought the ashram was a simple walk across the street - try 3-4km along a rocky path (which meant he kindly helped carry my bag as I couldnt roll it), up 2 flights of stairs and then across the most scary unstable metal plank bridge floating on these balloons in a rapid flowing ganges!!!
It was the craziest walk ever and I cant beleive that the rickshaw driver was just going to dump me there and point me in the general direction! I never would have walked that way alone towards a river with no-one around - let alone across it. Once across the ganges his ashram was right there but he assured me that mine was a further 5 min walk straight ahead then right at the Shiva statute. Thankfully he was right but to be honest it had been so mentally exhausting to get this far I felt like throwing my bag in the ganges by then and sitting on the floor next to the sadhu's and crying! I knew I was close so persisted then finally after the help of yet another soldier I found the entrance the the Niketan Ashram.

Next blog..Rishikesh and the yoga madness.

Bus ride Jaipur to Pushkar - March 2010

Getting from Jaipur to Pushkar should have been a lot easier but this is India and you sign up for adventure and pushing the boundaries when you agree to come here. To buy intercity bus tickets in India you can get a rickshaw down to the bus station a couple of days before and you are sorted. Being the internet lover that I am, I decided there must be an easier online way of booking tickets (sometimes bargaining with the rickshaw driver then trying to work out where and how to buy your bus tickets and who to trust is all too much).

So I found one of the few online booking sites here in India that accepts international credit cards - makemytrip.com. The sight is easy to navigate around and even shows you a floor plan of the bus to let you choose which seats you want - wow! I paid my 60 rupee (under $2 for a 3 hr bus ride) for a sleeper on a non-AC bus. Non-AC seems to scare most tourists that I have met here that swear by Deluxe buses only - they charge a special "tourist price" and lump you on a bus with other foreigners so all the touts are waiting when you reach the other end. My non-AC "Indian" bus has huge what I call suicide windows, that as the bus pulls up at a stop (not sign posted of course just a random petrol station) the locals are there selling Pani (water) and pass them up through these windows so as to not slow the bus down with passengers getting off.

My sleeper was a perfect idea, it meant I could take on my painful huge backpack and have it on the end of the sleeper (a single bed) and not have to stress if anyone is in the hold of the bus rifing through my things. So my sleeper was airy with the huge windows and a curtain and sliding door that locks me out from the rest of the bus - I didn't feel the need to shut the door since I had the curtain, I invited trouble didn't I. So about 20 minutes into the trip, I'm dosing off to sleep with my Bollywood tunes on my ipod and I feel someone shove my foot out of the way and then she sits her butt on one of them anyone. I could only assume that she said she needs to sit there until they sort out her seating problem as I could see her husband arguing (or is that just talking in India?) with the conductor. So as I annoyed as I am at her tone with me and her lack of a polite excuse me expression, I decide to let her sit there for a few minutes until things get sorted.

So after about 10min she starts trying to get comfortable and pushing her way back on the seat - and further still onto my feet. I realise sh probably isn't getting off anytime soon so decide my feet will suffer to ensure that she is as uncomfortable as I am in the hope she gives up and finds her seat. I'm trying not to "sweat the small stuff" but for the next hour I can feel myself psyching up to tell her to move or pay half my ticket if she wants the seat - yes little miss principle strikes again. Just as I've worked out what I'm going to say she leaps off and with her husband and they are leaving the bus. Problem solved.

Arriving into Ajmer - which Lonely Planet says is a 13km bus ride away from the main bus station and only 10 rupees. Sounded easy enough right? What they fail to tell you is that not all buses drop you off at the "main bus station" so in my case I was dropped off randomly and am trying to haul my 27kg+ back pack off the bus - struggling down the stairs with about 20 men all screaming for my business so because no-one was either helping more nor moving out of my way, I shoved my backpack towards them - they moved :)

You know sometimes when you are trying to think and people keep talking to you and they won't stop and you have to tell them to be quiet so you can think? Well at that moment whilst I was trying to get my bearings and work out where the bus to Pushkar left that's what I needed - them to be quiet so I could look and think - yeah right! So I walked off like I knew where I was going and like my bag was only 1kg - it was all dirt so I realised I was going to have to use it as a backpack - again easier said than done. They are all crowding around me shouting, I'm saying "no thank you" and squatting with my day pack on the front as I try to gracefull put this damn curse of a backpack on without stepping on my salwar kameez top as I get up AND trying to find the strength in my thighs to get up without tipping backwards and giving these men the satisfaction that this woman is going to need our help. I did it but I felt like I nearly burst an artery in my brain.

There was a dread-locked Canadian with his backpack and guitar also looking for the bus to Pushkar so we agreed to work it out together and I was secretly thinking I have someone who can help with my bag if needed - cheeky cheeky. So everyone is telling us that there is no bus to Ajmer, instead to go with them somewhere?? I ignored them and walked off determined to find a rickshaw that would drive me to obviously another bus stand wherever on earth that was. I kept getting told 200 rupees and I would laugh and walk off - 10 rupees is what Lonely Planet said for the bus 13km away! Finally one agreed to 10 rupees each and we then realised we weren't moving until they filled this rickshaw up with locals - around 8 of us inside and 2 hanging out. The driver kept yelling at me to hold my backpack so he could fit more people - thinking of comforts sake I conveniently didn't understand what he was talking about, 8 people were more than enough. Eventually we pull up in a busy area and the driver points to a small bus and says "Pushkar" as I'm stepping off the bus a guy grabs my backpack and says "you want to go to Pushkar" - clutching my bag strap I ask him how much and which bus as I could see they were all fighting for my business - 20 rupee later and I got him to agree to carry my bag to the bus and across the road we went. The bus was a third of the council/government buses around the world so technically that should comfortably seat 20 people? Ha Ha I stopped counting at 77! They found this spot in the rear extirior of the bus and managed to squeeze my bag in there and it took 3 men to push the door closed on my bag :) and out of no where he pulls out this key the size of an A4 page saying "no worries mandam bag is safe".

It took about 30 min to go the 13km distance through the mountains to Pushkar from Ajmer. i chuckled because at one point through the sharp mountain bends I felt like we were in the Afghan mountains (yes another dream). I knew we were close when I saw my favourite (not) huge Pushkar monkies running a muck on the towns outskirts.

We pulled into a huge dirt carpark - the bus station and piled out the bus. I had read that you can get a guy with a kind of fruit cart to push your bags to your hotel - he found me and offered to push me and my bag for 20 rupees. The fruit seller ladies had a bit of a chuckle looking at this silly foreign woman sitting ontop of this cart with my bag. The guy seriously had chicken legs and sticks for arms, I have no idea how he found the strength to push me the 1km or so to my hotel. We arrived at a huge fortress gate of my hotel in Pushkar.

Next blog... Pushkar

Holi 2010

Holi Holi..... the most colourful festival on earth! So the day after the Elephant Fair is Holi festival, its always held at the start of summer to say bye to Winter and celebrate good harvest (again so I have been told).

In the week leading up to Holi, all the local stores have a table out the front selling either little bags of coloured Holi dust or you buy it by the grams from the pyramid of coloured dust they have made. They also sell water pistols as you not only throw coloured dust, but now the thing that the kids love to do the most is mix the coloured dust with water and spray it at people on Holi day.

So we woke Holi morning - felt like the excitement of Xmas day and got into our "Holi clothes" that we bought especially to be ruined by the dust. At 9.30am we headed up to the roof of our homestay as we had agreed to play Holi with the family before we headed off to the project co-ordinators house to play Holi with her family and the rest of the volunteers. When we stepped out onto the rooftop we started to laugh as we saw the father and their guests all covered in yellow and orange dust and just casually sitting their eating special Holi sweets (that we made the night before). The visitors stood up and wished us a happy Holi and then took great joy in showing us this is how you celebrate - again the gentle approach with one thumb mark pulled up our forehead then a cheeky clapping of a handful of colour on both our cheeks - let the games begin!

From the safety of the roof we were able to observe the madness on the street below - neighbours coming outside with trays or bags of colour to "bless" each other. Just think of the neighbour you have always hated and use Holi as an excuse to seek the ultimate revenge and it would be considered a blessing! Kids were running mad with their huge water pistols spraying at everyone and everything in their path - including cars driving past with open windows!

Our driver came to pick us up and take us to the house we were to celebrate at and have lunch - we were told its not safe to use public transport on Holi Day and I have to say I am very happy we listened as it was madness on the roads. I couldn't stop laughing when I saw an old grandmother in full sari sitting on the back of a motorbike elegantly but covered in bright pink Holi dust along with her driver. This scene was repeated our entire trip - to the point where we pulled into one residential area and there all these men in their white kaftans and pants covered in the multi coloured dust and walking behind our car so they almost looked like zombies - I would have photographed it except that the windscreen was so dirty the camera couldn't focus.

Sitting in the car we all agreed that the rest of the volunteers were probably waiting for our arrival and hidden in the garden to attack us with colour. As we pulled up we had other concerns - a street full of kids came running towards the car waiting for us to get out so that they could get us. As the car was a van cheekily I told the girls to run out the right door and as they became the bait, I jumped out the left door and ran in through the main gates ha ha. Lucky for me the other volunteers were nowhere to be seen and were still in bed!

We met grandma and grandpa who own the homestay and grandpa was already covered in multi colours - I took a photo as it was very cute. They were getting visitors all day and the same routine would pan out - the oldies would arrive in their whites holding a tray of colour and would gently bless each other by wiping some on each other's face and then when the young one's would arrive they would start using the dust and move onto the water holi which we all concluded we hated as it was cold and the colours wouldn't leave your skin.

It was definitely agreed that dust Holi leave much nicer colours on your clothes than the dark purple/black that appears from mixing all the colours with water. When we finally got all the volunteers together we decided to try taking on the kids in the neighbourhood - I even had military precision strategy that two of us call them up the laneway and once they are all up our end, that the others come from around the back and lock them in - terrible I know!

Somehow we realised that some of the young boys were using car grease and wiping it on people's faces??!!! Suddenly water seemed so innocent.

The daughter of our co-ordinator had her male "friend" turn up and we watched our own Bollywood film unravel infront of us - all we could smirk is "friend sure he is" they were sickeningly romantic taking turns at attacking each other with dust and ignoring everyone else. I thought it was funny that that grandparents sat watching knowingly that another marriage is on the horizon soon!

Our driver was taking us back home when we were hit by a car from the rear - we all jolted forward but no one hurt- the crazy man who hit us, no doubt drunk on Holi day looked at us, smiled and drove off! In true Indian style our driver smiled and said "No problem" hopped out of the car and inspected the damage, laughed and off we drove. No number plates written down or exchange of details - you own a crap car so who cares!

So we enjoyed a delicious Indian lunch, ate even more sweets and got to take part in a crazy festival of colour that could only be compared to the tomato throwing festival in Spain. Incredible India!

Jaipur: Theatre & English projects

My last day of the projects here in Jaipur are now here - 3 weeks seemed like it may go forever initially but somehow suprised me this last week and I find myself trying to back track as there is so much that I didn't get to do in my time here. There are still so many tourist sights that I haven't gotten around to seeing, but with my last few days now I am not feeling too bad for not doing them as I was using my time in a more helpful way I hope.

I was lucky enough that I was able to experience two projects on this trip - 1. the theatre workshops at a public school and 2. teach English at a local slum school. Like India, both were on total opposite ends of the spectrum to compare. Without a doubt my favourite project was at the slum school - approx 40 children split into 3 groups across two rooms. They have no school desks, they sit on concrete flooring with dirty vinyl tiles and only a thin blue rug between their bottoms and the cold hard winter floor. Everyday their 3 teachers work with them to cover a detailed syllabus in order to prepare them for their upcoming district exams in the 2nd week of March, which determines if they will move up a level. Two classes are in the same room - 4 & 5 year olds then 5-7 year olds. It appears at this school it is more according to their ability rather than their age requiring them to be in a particular grade.

One thing that really I found hard (and they certainly don't complain) is that they sit there on the floor cross-legged from 8am until 1pm everyday - no desk, so when they are copying from the blackboard into their notepad they have only their bumpy school bags to lean on or some have this one A4 blackboard that I think they do math, to lean on. The older children in the 2nd room at least get to lean on these mini collapsable metal tables.

A few days into teaching at the slum school and I noticed the children had the tiniest lead pencils that they were writing with. At first I thought it was just that they couldn't afford new pencils and later I was told they start the day with a new pencil then keep sharpening it all day! I didnt beleive it until I saw it with my own eyes - I would be teaching then have a crowd of kids from the other class next to the blackboard sharpening their pencils at the "sharpener bay" as I called it. I started being the pencil nazi and checking the sharpness of their pencils before allowing them to sharpen, in a bid to save their parents pencils!

Alot of the children didn't even know their own birthdays - not that it's not celebrated in India - but I was suprised when most of the children didn't know their birthdays when I was teaching them months of the year. My older class was beautiful - so enthusiastic and excited about their Western teachers. One day we did a class on "greetings, manners and ordering" (ha ha me teaching manners!) so rather than death by black board, I decided to get them all up and pretend walking on the spot - it went something crazy like this.... OK so what do you say when you wake up in the morning? Good morning mummy, good morning daddy - then we grab our school bag and we start walking to school... we see our auntie and we say good morning auntie.... we are thirsty so let's go to the lassi wahla "good morning, I would like a banana lassi please - thank you" so we are walking again and oh we are hungry... "Good morning I would like one Kachori please (like a samosa but have like spicy risotto looking rice inside and you have mango or mint chutney with it - its popular for breakfast). So this little scenario continued for around 10-15min with the kids and I marching in class, them repeating everything I say like parrots and all of us giggling our heads off.

After we teach theatre at the public school from 9-11am each day we have our autorickshaw guy drive over to the slum which is in the city. Its surrounded by a huge concrete wall and a few main gates, Puran walks us in through the slum to the school which is a simple brick room divided into two, with a tin roof that heats up the place to a hot box even in winter by lunchtime. You can actually smell the rubbish from the slum as it obviously heats up but I got used to it and noticed the amount of flies and mosquitoes in our classrooms more than anything. I taught a few children's lymrics that I could remember from my day's in childcare and the kids loved them - especially the one about a frog and the catchy game called duck, duck, goose. One day we joined two of the groups together - the toddlers and class above them - we played duck, duck, goose and the kids loved it - the giggles were beautiful as we know that education in India is very strict and fun just does not come into it. So one tiny little girl gets up to chase her friend and her skirt is just too big for her, so she is holding it as she runs bare foot (they all take their shoes off outside the room) around the circle. So we were all having a giggle as she looked hilarious trying to run and hold onto her skirt - next thing she accidentally drops the skirt infront of everyone and is standing their starkers! The children and teaches broke into fits of laughter and we quickly ran to cover her and tried to get order back in the room, but they were too cute as one boy is lying down pounding the floor with his fist giggling and gasping for air!

The slum itself really is a maze of concrete boxes that are just one room on a dirt floor with corrugated iron sheet for a roof held down by old tyres and rocks. Some people have their doors open as you walk past so you can see that there is a family of 3/4 living - eating, sleeping in this room. Showers are by bucket either up on the side of the street or infront of their door - boys in their undies, women in their saari's etc. Toilets.... well when we arrived yesterday there was a little boy squating on the side of the road outside the slum fence finishing his number 2 right there - that was a little too confronting but their bathroom is anywhere outside the house.

There is one area that we walk past each day in the slum that has several men, women and children sorting through huge heshin sacks filled with rubbish - they are being paid jack all to sort through these piles - newspapers get uncrumpled and tied with string in piles, plastic bottles together (yes I always crush mine in every country so that they can refill them) I feel bad for them as I walk past, but I always make a point to say Namaste and their faces ligt up that someone from a different "caste" is recognising them and addressing them as human beings that they deserve.

I find it really hard to decide what to do to help - I know there are people in the world saying what can I do and as per my post in Bali, I truly beleive that every drop makes a huge impact. This project in the slum is breaking down a wall between slum children and the outside world. These children at a young impressionable age are able to see that they are worthy of an education or someone's time - that they can talk to Westener's - our classes are giving them the confidence and the language knowledge to be able to hopefully create job opportunities for them when they are older - not to mention the fact that we are giving them to right to dream about a job out of the slum - more of a chance than their elders perhaps had.

I was talking with our project co-ordinator about the sheer amount of homeless people I saw sleeping on the streets coming back from Agra at 1.30am on Monday morning. I have never seen anything like it - a main road in Jaipur just lined with hundreds of people sleeping on the pavement with a lone blanket pulled up other their heads - on a freezing cold morning! I asked if the government or any charity organisations run anything like a soup kitchen or St Vincent's offereing a bed and meal etc she said that the worst thing they could do in India is to give hand outs as it will just be expected - instead one group has started offering them food at approx 9 rupees a dish to encourage them to work and earn their feed. I understand this concept and why it's important, but I just really struggle to see them sleeping in the street or children not in school begging for money at the lights instead - it's just wrong that humanity got to this point and I can't see out for them. I know that education means future and in India that is one thing that they are really placing a huge emphasis on with the children and uni students at the moment - education. I guess this is their only chance and it will be really interesting to see where India is as an economy 20 - 30 years from now with this next generation that are growing in a Westernised world. I really hope things get better for India, it has such history, culture, tradition and family values that the rest of the world could really learn from.

Sorry for making this a heavy one - the kids have really touched me and I hope to see them at the end of the year if I come back again. Namaste!

Udaipur for Valentine's weekend 2010

Trains are the lifeline of India and obviously aside from the fast and easy to use airline system, its my preferred method of transport in India on a budget. Although they have a dedicated website for booking your train tickets http://www.irctc.co.in/ here in India understanding all the abbreviations is like learning a whole new language! Thanks to the assistance from a combination of my Lonely Planet guide, the IRCTC website and some other sites I found through google, I managed to work out that the WL letters I keep reading every time I was trying to book our tickets to Udaipur - it means there are no seat available that can be confirmed and you are on a waitlist if someone cancels which apparently is often. I later found out that if you do book these tickets the time the train is due to depart your name will be posted on a list that is glued to the outside of your train carriage - half of which are ripped because everyone is grabbing it to find their name whilst the train is still moving.


So as you can imagine I wanted to know that if I was making the effort to pack, book a hotel and get to the train station at 10pm at night I was on that damn train! So luckily we were recommended a travel agent and told that in India money talks and if we pay them a commission of 250 rupees he would get us a confirmed seat on the trips we needed. We parted with the money and were given a ticket that has computer printing but again said WL but he had handwritten our "confirmed" seats and carriage.


So off we headed with our trusty auto driver to the train station on Thursday night for our 10.20pm train which ended up being 2.5 hours late - thank you I got the worst cold ever from sitting on that damn concrete floor :( My last trip to India I remembered the whole finding your train carriage and walking in the train station quiet daunting, so this time I was mentally preparing myself in the auto of what we had to do.


Arriving at Jaipur Central was not that bad and there was even a huge board that had the daily train timetable hand-painted in both Hindi and English. We looked for our train number, time and what platform and then headed in. As we were walking along a little boy of around 7/8 years saw my lady bettle head pillow strapped to my backpack and came to have a pat - at that moment a security guard watching screamed out at him and slammed his big stick onto the concrete, which sent the little boy running and gave me an almighty fright too! In a way we thought well thats comforting that security guards are present and clearly watching whats going on. We found our platform then sat on the floor for the next 2.5 hours observing train life in India.


A random old guy came up and started chatting so we did the mandatory we cant see you or hear you stare hoping that he would go away as he was a little scary. Some boys nearby saw and called him away from us and then he staggered their way - the boys motioned to us that he was drunk and they tried to get rid of him but he just came back our way. Then out of no where comes another security guard in his khakee coloured felt looking uniform, mandatory moustache and stick and screams at the man dragging him away and bashing him with the stick around the corner. It was all a little scary and everyone just sat and stared - minus the bashing part we were impressed the security guards seemed to be keeping an eye out for their tourists which was greatly appreciated.


Finally our train arrived and we prayed we knew what we were doing - the sign overhead change to our train number and then would alternate between this and our carriage number as per our travel agents handwriting on the ticket. We climbed aboard the mad rush and realised that our seats were apart on opposite ends of the carriage - nothing we could do so we took them and waited for someone of the ticket guy to look at our dodgy tickets and kick us off. As our tickets were for "2nd AC" the carriage was ok - each berth had 4 bunks - 2 up, 2 down. Mine was up - so up I went and made my bed - they give you two sheets and dodgy old brown blanket and a pillow (that was far more comfortable than the sack at my homestay!). So the ticket man came along with this huge dot-matrix printed list - pages of A3 size, he takes your ticket and marks you off. A huge sigh of releif as he marks us off no problem. Then the lights went out in the cabin - yes I dont think I could handle it back home, but you have no choice here - and everyone went to sleep. To be honest it was the best night's sleep we have both had since arriving, except for the generous love of the AC vent that helped make my headcold worse.


We arrived into Udaipur station at 10am and everyone departed the train - we werent sure if the hotel had sent someone to pick us up as we didnt confirm so we thought lets get a rickshaw. I chose the most trustworthy face in the crowd (hilarious - trust and rickshaw usually are not suited for the same sentence in any country) he agreed on 50 rupee and we thought great because the hotel told us 250 rupee. Then as we walked off we saw the guy from the hotel holding up a sign with my name "Ms Kat" - damn - so off we went cursing ourselves for the overcharge but not letting it bother us too much.


Udaipur - the city of love - India's most romantic city that is frequented apparently by many of the stars of Bollywood for their honeymoons - just not that weekend that I could see! So we stayed at the Krishna Sri Niwas Hotel - a family run establishment that I would highly recommend for anyone wanting a nice stay in this city at a reasonable price. The location was on Lal Ghat within walking distance of most of the towns main attractions. I saw town as in comparison to Jaipur, this is pretty. Of course you will always have deafening car horns, mad drivers etc but it's a maze of lane ways you can walk up and down the hills to the little markets, City Palace, restaurants and Ghats.


We spent much of the first day exploring around town and me not feeling so crash hot so I was trying to con as many of the juice guys on the street as possbile to do me a fresh lemon or orange with no ice. We found the lovely Papu Juice's who promised no ice or water and even had the peeled oranges in the fridge which was a true winner in comparison to everyone else. We were lucky to be in town for the long weekend of Shiva celebrations, so watched the locals come up to do their pooja's at the main temple. It was interesting to observe - we sat inside the temple beside a group of old ladies in saari singing at the top of their voices to the shrine at the front of the temple. On my right there were a huge group of men all chatting and socialising and the old ladies were scolding them I am guessing for their talking and not singing perhaps? The men seemed to get annoyed so all got up and left - I thought it reminded me of Greek church - except perhaps the old ladies too would be gossiping instead of paying attention or singing their praises.

The shopkeepers and street hawkers in Udaipur seemed to get it when you said you were just looking which is just not normal for India! All day we walked past temples watching the locals come to pay their respects. Outside the temples are ladies with baskets of garlands in white and yellow of the marigold flowers just like they use for weddings. The locals were buying them and taking them in. At the main temple in town the stair case leading up was like a gauntlet of poor ladies with their stainless steel cups or bowls with a rupee inside shaking furiously as we walk past asking for our money. There was a heap of beggers also around the temple and so many that made me think of Slum Dog Millionaire - its like they have the token beggar sterotypes pimped out everywhere here.... the ones with blindness who had their eyes burnt (that freaks me out), those missing a leg or two, the old ladies, the kids with a rent a baby - its true after a while you become desensitized which I think I am at if they are out on the street. Actually this morning in Jaipur (sorry changing location for a second - this girl of around 12 years probably had the worst ever acting skills we have seen so far, once she saw her "sad" face was falling on deaf ears, she mumbled a few disgruntled words in Hindi and stormed off!

So back to Udaipur - that night we went up to the fort nearby to see a dance and music showcase of traditional Rajistahni folk dances. I had seen it all last time but its set in such a beautiful outdoor castle in the evening that I was really happy to see it again and this time made sure that I hung back to arrange a private dance class for the next day.

After the show we went hunting for a restaurant that our Lonely Planet guide made sound ok and from what we saw the food variety was not too exciting. We found our friend Papu down at the juicebar and he gave us directions across the bridge to the restaurant - everything was all light up with coloured fairy lights across the bridge, krisha chants blaring out of temples and one that we walked past even had a DJ and lighting system going off out the front!

Eventually we found the restaurant and it blew us away - what a gorgeous, super romantic, cosy and picturesque restaurant - one of my best in India so far. It's called Ambria and is situation at the back of the heritage hotel called Amet Haveli on the waters edge with spectacular views of the Lake Palace and opposite fort. The food ranged in price from 100 - 250 rupees per dish ($2.50 - $6 approx) and was to die for. I haven't eaten meat since arriving in India this trip so thought now is the time as it had a huge list of delicious Rajistani curries. We orderd a mutton Rajistani curry and a chicken curry, basmati rice and garlic naan along with a fresh lime soda. They had alchohol here but I'm not really a fan when I travel alone - even though I do like India's Kingfisher beer on a hot day. The ambience of the restaurant was fantastic - its all outdoors set under one massive old tree with candles on every table, a waiting area complete with a fire pit and live tabla and sitar musician - I was in heaven just needed my date instead of my female volunteer colleague! We rolled out of there very content from an amazing night that cost us $25!!!!

Next day we visited the city palace which was amazing - not to mention the massive stage they were setting up for a wedding this week with an expected 1500 + guests. There was one courtyard in particular that I just loved - it was made from sandstone and had trees and was surrounded by India's beautiful Mughal style archways that I would kill to have at home, plus what used to be a pool in the middle of the courtyard with lots of Lotus flowers chiseled into the sandstone. I really beleive that Royal families of today are getting ripped off when you see castles like this!

Later that afternoon I had my private lesson with the leading lady of the show we had seen the previous night. I arrived at 5pm outside the fort and was told to hop on the scooter with this young boy of around 15 who was driving me to her house - yes I sat Indian style with my legs both to the left even though they expected me to sit foreign style - it's just not pretty!

I met my teacher - in her 50's and unmarried - is this a professional dancers curse? Every successful dancer I know is unmarried or failed marriage - I know success comes at a price but really???? So she taught me a traditional folk dance all about the costumes you put on a camel - sounds odd but it was beautiful. If I can work out I will post it to my blog as I did video it. She was so sweet she even dressed me in a traditional costume when I danced it for the last time so I could feel like the real deal. I loved how each move I did correlated to the words and the tiniest hand actions meant things like sewing pearls, the ocean, my camel etc. I discussed the idea of coming back in Sept or Oct and studying with her to learn the balance the pot dances on your head and also the symbols dance - lets just survive this India trip first!

We had dinner at another hotel on Saturday night but it just didnt compare to our first night there so we promised that since the next night was our last and also Valentine's Day we were going back to Ambrai's! Sunday morning I had arranged with the owner of our gorgeous hotel to have a cooking lesson as she has made a purpose built kitchen where she conducts lessons - now this is my second "cooking lesson" when I travel and I think I have a new addiction - eating was always there but I really love learning how to cook different style foods and she gave us a great lesson on Indian spices. Its been creeping into my head that I would love to be able to own a little hotel with such a set up of course including dance classes for the guests! I'll have to perfect some dishes though! :) in class I made my first Chapati, Aloo Gobi (cauliflower and potatoe mild curry), Masala Chai and Paneer Masala. Then after our class we got to enjoy our cooked meals up on the hotels beautiful rooftop overlooking the Lake Palace - there was 5 of us in the class.

For the first time on this trip I went shopping and bought two gorgeous paintings in Udaipur as the city really does have some talented artists. So I bought one painting of an old Rajisthani man in traditional turban with his big moustache - it's very cool and the other one of the traditional miniture Maharajah style paintings with the scene of the prince going to the palace with his guardsmen.

All up we had a fantastic time in Udaipur both loving our hotel, the city, the food and people - we really didnt want to come back to our homestay but know its all part of the experience.
Another update coming soon about how the projects are going and our trip to the Taj Mahal this weekend! Namaste!

Day 4-6 Jaipur - Rajasthan school project

It's been a couple of days since our project start now and I think we are just getting into the rythymn of things. Monday morning was our orientation at the Jaipur city co-ordinators house after we dropped off one of the other volunteers at their local public school which they teach at. We were told about local customs, dress, expectations etc but nothing about essentials like where to buy water, setting up SIM cards, ATM's, transport and the fact that there is a public holiday on Friday - this is India you are supposed to live for the day ;)

So we arrived out our school later that afternoon to meet the children that we will be teaching for the next few weeks - they are in 4th and 5th standard as its called here - ranging from the ages of 7-9 years. We had the theatre co-ordinator with us so we could get an idea of what she expected of us with the kids over the next few weeks. The kids speak great English and were very sweet with their chorus of Namaste as we entered the room. We did a heap of theatre games with the children to get them moving, projecting their voices and just overall building their confidence.

We were a little suprised that we are actually at a private school for this project as our understanding is that we were to be teaching theatre to children from slum areas - so not too sure what's going on there. I have put in a request to work with the slum children also as I heard about a program where you can go in and teach English to them rather than theatre.
Now that I know I teach theatre at this one school 9-11am each day I am hoping to be able to also go across to the slums and teach English 12-2pm so am meeting this evening with the manger to see what we can do.

The two classes are both very sweet and really enthusiastic. Yesterday morning we arrived to see all the children lined up outside for their morning assembly - they were adorable! Then as they walked past us into their rooms they filed past one by one and clasped their hands to bow their heads and say namaste. Then one very sweet girl came up to my feet and in the hugest sign of respect in the Indian culture she knelt and touched my feet for blessings then her chest and said "Namaste Madam - Good morning to you" I wanted to cry and this created a repeat action from the next few girls who also wanted to do the same. I've seen enough Bollywood movies to know how special that is hence why I got really emotional about it (that or I'm just a big girl!). Class went extremly well again with numerous games and a chance to really bond with the kids.

Today I took my i pod along and we spent the morning using music and movement to "explore different ways of conveying emotion" yes in other words I got to do Bollywood dance with the kids. The teachers have spent the last few days during our class peaking their heads out of their room to see what we are exactly doing with the other children, the principal told us today that the kids have been going home raving to their parents what they have been doing and parents have been rining up very happy. I think the teachers are curious (like most Indians) as to why I am dressed as a Punjabi girl but clearly not Indian but I think they really appreciate that I am trying to speak Hindi and dressing conservatively. Today definately threw a spanner in the works when this white girl was teaching the kids Bollywood dance moves to all the latest Hindi tunes - one teacher came out and said she wanted to join us and the kids got a real kick out of hearing me name dropping their countries top actors and how to act like them. It was a brilliant morning.

On a more tourist note after class yesterday afternoon a couple of us decided to get a autorickshaw into the Pink City (CBD) to go visit the famour Hawa Mahal. On my last trip to India with the tour group we drove past and got a photo of the exterior but never got to go in an explore as with most tours it was all rush rush rush. So thanks to my trusty travel books we found our way in to the beautiful "palace of winds". It has a terracotta facade and beautiful "screens" from which the women of the royal families were able to sit and observe the day to day livings of those outside the palace. There are little wooden shutter windows built into these screens so that the women of the palace could pass or in some cases throw down gifts, notes and food to those below (that's what I read anyway).
Inside the Hawa Mahal was really beautiful architecture and as usual I found myself frustrated that when the technology and knowledge we have now days, we we just cant continue such a beautiful trade and technique in our buildings and homes. I took some amazing phots that as per my usual mission - are so far the shots of the trip (perhaps I need to break this down to shot of the city since I'm away for so long!). One shot was a beautiful old grandmother in saari with her grandchildren exploring the fort - she was a typical Rajasthani tribes woman and looked stunning as she posed for a photo in a Maharaja style temple for her grandkids. I asked if I could take a photo and they obliged willingly - I was so happy with the shot. Then up on the rooftop of this temple - very very high and no safety barriers, I sat there observing life below.. the city is surrounded by these rugged mountains that I can only compare to the images of those I have seen in Afghanistan. Then the square houses with flat rooftops meet the mountains and as you follow the skyline down to the main roads of the city you are greeted with thick Jaipur traffic. Amongst the traffic you can spot all sorts of things and it became a virtual game like "Where's Wally" except it was more like "What the hell can I find in the traffic" ......
1. couple of elephants
2. few cows
3. overcrowded sweatbox bashed up buses
4. too many auto and cycle rickshaws
5. beaten up cars (forget nice cars here)
6. scooters and cyclists competing for space with all of the above
7. humans risking their lives crossing anywhere there is space (that was me all day)
8. monkeys
9. Chai wallahs
10. markets markets markets
Panadol anyone?? Not at all it was heaven - for me anyway! At the Hawah Mahal I scored some great shots of the palace vs the city traffic - such a contrast. Not to mention the crazy monkey that decided to come up and pose whilst I thought about my lack of Rabie shots and them cutting my brain open to see if I really did die of Rabies (that's what the travel doctor told me would happen!!!).
A few of the other volunteers came to meet us at the palace and went to get a Lassi at the main MI Rd, but I decided it was time to break from the group and go it alone - as I always love to do. My mission was to find the dance school so that I could arrange some lessons in the classical Indian dance style of Kathak and possibly learn the Indian tabla. I did after a 2 hour adventure find it and will start my lessons next week hopefully.

The 2 hours that I went missing was something that I will never forget and probably never be able to convey just how amazing it was. I know if I had anyone with me it would never have eventuated that way as being solo seems to open more doors with people here in India when you are a foreigner. I found gemstone polishers on the streets displaying their wares on rags spread out on the dirty footpath, a poster seller of the various apparently 2 million + (??) Hindu gods alongside famous Bollywood stars (Yes I bought 5 posters for 100 rupee to brighten up my room). Somehow I found myself in a chai wallah area that was full of men and normally intimidating but my stubborn self shined through and I was determined to buy a samosa and chai from one of these hawkers. I know you can get pretty sick from these guys if you are unlucky but decided its time to live a little (yes coming to India was simply not hard enough clearly). So I walked up to this old Ghandi look alike in charge of selling the samosa and said "Eek samosa danyvard" 1 samosa thank you - 10 rupees later I had a hot hot samosa wrapped in newspaper in my hands - spicy is an understatement but as I sat there under a old torn blue tarp, with stray dogs around me, an old man in traditional muslim garb to my left and a curious Hindi guy on my right I was glowing. They saw me eyeing off their pot of chai that they were brewing for some waiting orders, so one customer comes over and asks if I would like a chai. I didnt even think about it but before I had a chance to think about my response with a very serious look I raised my eyebrows and flicked up my head - a typical Indian response for yes but perhaps resevered in roughness more for the guys to do. This caused such amusement to the customer that he ran over to place my order and tell the chai wallah what I had done - watching him re-enactment was hysterical and even I started to laugh. Bidding my new friends farewell and trying to make a mental note to remember where they were located I continued down the Johari Bazaar main rd and just as I spotted another elephant walking past in peak traffic, the local mosque started its call to prayer - I sat in the gutter and listened again with a huge smile on my face thinking how beautiful his voice was and envoking memories of my stay in Cairo.

As I walked past an alley way and thought to myself lets see if this is a short cut - I shook my head wondering why I was so confident that I knew where I was going and wasnt letting anyone in my way - then as I turn into this alley way my confidence is rewarded as I discover the entrance to the narrow wedding market - not actually called this but full of things needed for weddings since the season in India is just about to start. Saaris - I was peaking with excitement for the glitter, beautiful patterns, sequins, the hats for the groom, the accessories - if you know me well you know I was in heaven. I was the only none tourist in there so tried to hide as I took photos and observed as women bargained hard for the 10 or so saaris they need to survive wedding season - it was brilliant.

Jaipur is an amazing city so far - like any city you need to be prepared to walk, explore, communicate with the locals in their language and take a genuine interest for what's around you. I can't wait to head back in on Monday as I may have just been invited to my first Indian wedding for the season next Tuesday night which means I need to glam up! This Friday is a public holiday in India so I have been trying to organise transport to Udaipur or any city but its all booked up :( will keep trying my luck and have more news soon.

Namaste!

Day 3 Jaipur - Rajasthan

Sounds like there's a few people joining me on this journey - thanks for letting me know its very sweet to hear and really nice to hear from so many long lost friends. So early yesterday I flew "Spicejet" from Chennai to Jaipur via Hyperbad. I shared my row and kindly donated my window seat (needing some good Karma in India) to a cute old man who started our flight with a Hindu chant for the first 45min. He then out of a crusty old plastic bag (at least he recycles) and wrapped in news paper was a cardboard box containing a "tapas" of Indian vegetarian cuisine. As I continued to read my "Indian Summer" book he offers me a yellow ball and I politely decline - it appears though that Indians too dont understand what no means when it comes to you not eating food. So I took it and ate this sweet crumbly yellow ball - it was ok, not bad....

The flight was around 4 hours - it seems that all of India is on the same timezone which is impressive considering the size. Whilst I remember flying in India is interesting in more ways than one - not sure if I mentioned before but it appears alot of people dont quiet get the concept of locking the toilet door on the plane, so I get my thrills watching this routine take place on flights where someone goes in and dosent lock and an unsuspecting passenger goes up to open thinking its vacant as the sign is still green and... suprise! Ha ha ha cracks me up everytime.

So anyways back to Jaipur - the airports just seem to be getting better on my trips - its so deceiving! Jaipur airport has marble everywhere and outside the chaos begins - similar to Sydney airport you are not allowed to stop to pick up passengers you must park. But here instead of security guards just issuing fines they have a HUGE towtruck with a mega phone and this Rajistani is loosing his mind screaming at cars that stop and keeping his hand on the horn.
Thing is no-one cared less so he screamed more until people did eventually move - I made a mental note to send an email to Sydney airport suggesting they employ some big Leb guy to do the same thing doing happy laps in a fully sick tow truck - ha ha (promise im not being rude I would seriously love to see it happen - it would make the taxi queue at Sydney domestic so much more interesting!)

So I had the driver from I-to-I waiting for me - he was in a beat up old white van and off we went. Straight away I started practising my Hindi that I that I have been studying on my i pod. We arrived in the suburbs around 2km from the Pink City which Jaipur is well known for. Apparently when a previous Maharaja or Govenor (I know big difference) took over they painted the whole city Pink the colour means welcome - and it was to welcome King Edward.
So I'm staying at a homestay as part of the program which means a local Indian family whom I have discovered have blood lines with the Brahaman priests so are very strict Hindu's.

Our host is a husband, wife and 7 year old daughter who live in a 3 story concrete home - its very residential and looks quiet safe and probably well off for Indian standards where we are staying. There are another 2 volunteers here at the moment both from the UK - 18 and 19 years - both first trip anywhere in the world! I feel for them but they appear to be coping ok.

I was a little taken aback at first with my accomodation though - homestay invokes images of a room within a room of the family whom you are staying with right? wrong. We are in the basement of the house which seriously is infested with mosquitos, is so dark and gloomy with no windows, a toilet that doesnt flush so you need to use a bucket and fill it with water to flush it (should I mention that some little buggers just keep reappearing? Too far? sorry!)

The place was filthy - I am a germaphobe (yes I know and I come to India for a 2nd time) so thanks mum for the Pine-o-Cleen wipes I was in there cleaning the toilets, basin and area that is supposedly called a shower but are two tap heads in the perfect position for a washing machine connection! There's now shower head or even tiny bucket to sit with the large bucket to pour water over yourself - so the routine for a shower is as follows....
step 1: turn on tiny wall mounted heater 10 min prior to shower,
step 2: thongs on as its just standing in front of the toilet,
step 3: half fill the bucket with warm water and pour it over yourself
step 4: lather up my trusty shower puffy thing with hospital scrub soap
step 5: refill bucket half way and rinse
step 6: dry yourself with a thin excuse of a travel towel as purchased at Kathmandu
step 7: curse when you drop your undies on the wet floor
step 8: remind yourself its all part of the experience, smile and exit

So the plan is to brighten the room up with some pics and i bought a toxic tin of mozzie spray which nearly killed us, plus we mummify ourselves in the mosquito nets. Dinner with the family is each night at 8pm - she cooked a yummy chaapati and curry dinner last night and I found delicious mango juice at the shop down the street for 25 rupee - after I bought them out of 2lt waters for 15 rupee each. After dinner the family like to go for a walk around the park across the street which is like a super mini Hyde Park for the neighbourhood. It's sweet though that they all value it so very much and it was fun connecting with the little girl as she attempted to teach us to count in Hindi whilst riding her bike.

Breakfast is at 8am as our auto rickshaw driver picks us up to the school at 8.30am - our host has a door bell she has placed downstairs so she presses it in the morning to wake us for breakfast - it's super annoyingly loud and the tackiest tune! Plus there's no need for an alarm here as the street sellers are hawking their phones with horns, bells and megaphones around the neighbourhood by 6am - and I was complaining about the construction workers next door back home!
Tomorrow news on our first couple of days teaching at the various schools and the adventures about the Pink City. Namaste!