the golden temple

last night Dave and I got back from the mini-adventure within our adventure... we took a series of trains from here to Amritsar to see the Golden Temple, the holiest site for the Sikh faith... it was 48 hours on trains [4 in total, from 11 - 13 hours each] two layovers in Delhi [one 8 hrs long in the day, the second 4 hours in the early morning] and 10 hours in Amritsar...

the other team members had a day of work, a hike and bbq, and a day of relaxation -- they thought we were a bit extreme to spend so much time traveling for so little time at a site... especially since neither of us are Sikh...

but I would do it again.

life is stunningly short and a chance like this might not come my way again.

the Golden temple has been around for a long time, it received it's guilding less than 100 years ago -- it now houses the latest incarnation of the guru for the Sikh religion [embodied in a book rather than a person]. the temple complex is freely entered, by guest and child and believer alike. we arrived [after breakfast and a bit of washing-up at a nice hotel] about 9 am -- the english tour was to be at 10:30 -- we decided to go in early and then go back through with explanation.... we looped the pond, went through the temple with the crowds, did a quick jaunt through the museum -- with a bit of gore like graphic paintings of war and photographs of martyred believers... when we went back to the information desk at 10:30, they said "no tour for 2", and walked us through a booklet about the complex...

we could have stayed in the area for free, been fed for free [I didn't know that I could keep it down, David is not fond of Indian food! so we passed on the experience], thoroughly enjoyed people-watching, were the recipient of "PLEASE let me take my picture with you" and some young people wanting to practice their English... and soon after 1pm we decided we had done everything we came for... so chose a restaurant to have our last "proper meal" before the return home.

I had a lasagne that was truly unique -- random mix of noodle styles, vegetables like the tiny corn you would expect in chinese food, mainly spiced with chili seasoning, and LOTS of white sauce on top [about 1/2 the vertical height of the casserole dish it was served in] -- it made me laugh.

then it was back on the train.

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today we biked out and I worked on the kitchen again. Raj was teasing me that it's now become Bea's Kitchen -- they'll ask me permission before they use it! so many of us have worked on it, but I do have a special affinity for it being competed, and I really like Chetan, the worker who is assigned to the project -- he complimented me today on my concrete finishing technique -- I guess a lot of practice helps!!! [we were putting in the angle iron which will hold up the corregated tin roof -- drilled holes in the newly prepared walls and floor, filled with wood, then drove a screw through the angle iron into the wood... then plaster the gap between the angle iron and the wall with cement]

the person who came to the internet cafe with me is done, so I'll sign off for now...

here's to just a few more days of biking -- I'm starting to have the stamina for it, but my knees are whining -- we'll work this week and part of next, then it's off to the desert for camel treking.

physically I'm feeling better -- have completed an extended course of antibiotics, so think whatever bacterial goo I'd caught has left the organism -- still tentative with what I eat, but no longer feeling like someone kicked me in the gut and not tied to thinking about where the next restroom or bush might be needed -- so I'm taking this reality quite happily!!!

grins, b

weary I am...

I'm in the midst of a course of antibiotics [decided this round of travelers' diarrhea is unpleasant enough to treat it] -- three people hurling in the last 24 hours -- we now have only one team member out of 11 who has not been ill -- some have had a couple of rounds of complaints...

some of it is the heat and that we are not used to working in it -- the rest is likely hygene of ourselves and the water/food -- it is truly an unremittingly dirty place.

we were talking on the bus ride in that we are far more settled in the realities of the experience. For instance:
- we often don't even comment on a smell unless it is truly rank.
- we've gotten far more forward with saying no to beggars.
- we have become more cynical about some situations
- we have become more grateful -- kindnesses and simple luxuries like a toilet are especially apprecitated...............

We went to the Jodhpur fort over the weekend -- VERY impressive -- the largest and most ornate fort/castle/museum I think I've ever seen... it was humorous to see one of the rooms decorated with oversized christmas tree decorations -- they said that it was a treat from the western world that was used in place of the mirrors that were traditional.

tomorrow night we are planning dinner out at the Maharaja's Palace [current residence, high-class restaurant... perhaps our most expensive meal here]

we decided to extend our time in the Thar desert to 2 nights -- originally only one... but the amount of time actually on a camel will remain just about the same... right now that seems so far off, but I'm sure we will arrive at that part of our itenary before I know it.

think that's all for now. hoping for a happier gut and a sense of humor by the time I post again.

:) b

work project, day one

I know I briefly posted yesterday, but since the opportunity has presented itself, I'm going to take advantage of it.

we have taken the bus in from Mandore to Jodpur -- found a cafe with a generator, so we are not as dependent on the power. [India does not have enough electricity, so they schedule outages in this area to compensate -- they schedule once a week what the outages will be on the following week...]

everyone recognized that we were wrecked after the ride yesterday, especially in the heat. our alternative is to bike out one day, store the bikes at the site, and return the following day [that will be brutal -- long ride, uphill, windy, after we have worked... sigh]

today we took transport to and from the site. we hauled rocks, made weak cement to mortar them together, and started the walls for a simple kitchen in the courtyard. their current kitchen is a primative lean-to style, with a grass roof... we will be constructing a stone kitchen with a low-fuel stove and a tin roof [at least I think that is the plan]... not always clear when you ask a question what the answer really is.

other little teams also put together some of the tables/benches that we are going to put in the classrooms, and started to chip away at the sandstone roof of the building to install an electric fan. Not every classroom will get a fan, but the ones that make the most sense for the community to also use after-hours for a type of community center.

Lordi is one of the larger villages in the area -- panditchi is a designation for the district -- there are about 180 houses, most with extended families. 250 students are registered, but not all of them are attending regularly. They expect that as some kids go home to talk about us being there, more students will come.

The school is 30 years old. it is a series of rooms with a balcony surrounding a courtyard. there is a cistern, a few trees, and an outdoor urinal/toilet. right now the kids sit on the floor. one classroom is outside on the ground. they are considering adding another room to the end of the building so that they have another classroom available.

The primary work of the village is agriculture, driven by the monsoon. They also care for domestic animals for milk and breed camels/sheep for wool and to sell the babies.

Today I learned the word for the bowl that is pretty ubiquitous -- tangari -- they use it as a measurement [for instance, the concrete is 10 tangari of sand, one tangari of cement] I think it might be a proper souvenier for me -- I would use as a coffee-table bowl or something... my colleagues are convinced that I'm a bit odd!

David and I are thinking we would like to go to the Golden Temple -- that too is a bit odd... MOST of the time would be on a train, but I'm thinking it would be perhaps the only chance I would have to go.

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stay well and happy. know that I think of you often and feel like I've popped down a rabbit-hole. grins, b

Lordipanditchi village

Today was our first day on the project sight. after a long hot bike ride, we were greeted by the ENTIRE village, and perhaps some neighbors -- certainly the royal welcome... had school students lined up on the road saying in call & response "you are" and "welcome" -- they were curious and friendly. We were dotted, fed, given a string on the wrist, shown the local reservoir [one of the few villages with a stable water supply] -- then taken by camel and camel-cart into the village proper.
The elders met under a tent and prepared opium for us... it was offered and our polite response was to dip our right-hand ring finger into the palm and touch our forehead. The elders consumed the water and snacks with us, then some speeches, then a tour of the school.

and then a ride back in mid-day head uphill, with a headwind... I was truly wrecked, and ended up putting my bike in the jeep for 1/2 the trip home... 2 hours later and filthy, we were back at our guest house.

I think we will split the week and not bike every day. because it is so hot, we worry that we arrive unable to actually work. to that end, need to pop back to our evening work meeting.

power is often off in the afternoons here, so it may be difficult to continue -- perhaps the weekend.

:) b

Jaipur

this might be a shorter post -- we have a tight schedule and lots to do today

I have found a type of shopping I truly treasure -- not the tourist stuff, but the practical things -- sandwich bags, gloves, laundry soap, cotton balls... I had the luxury of Sam, a personal tempo [motorized rickshaw -- holds 3 w/o packs, 2 w/] guide I paid by the hour... he looked at the list from the group and took me to the places I needed to go and told me about how much was fair if I needed to barter... yes, I was spoiled, and knew it. @ the store I asked for cotton balls and they brought a wad of loose cotton... I said to remove makeup and they brought out a selection of makeups... finally, he said "you come back" and let me behind the counter!! and as I browsed I found things not on our list that I didn't pass up -- NUTELLA & digestives!!! I was embarrassed to get to the checkout and not have sufficient rs -- no problem -- left the bags and Sam took me to get funds and return for them.

Still looking for work gloves for the project period -- may try today, but festival in the afternoon [drumming and some shops closed... so could be a challenge for tomorrow morning] Already our time is short, since we leave by bus to Pushkar tomorrow afternoon.

I have completed the last arrangements for this assignment [accommodations] and will be getting a new job tomorrow -- don't remember what -- we will rotate through the assignments for the 1st eleven weeks, and then chat about the remaining.

After the morning shopping trips, we went together to a textile factory -- I was like a kid in a candy store!!! -- I looked at scarves and fabric by the yard -- and of course I had expensive tastes!!!! before I knew it, HOURS had passed -- one other shopper was about as gung-ho as me, and the guys were a fair bit mental -- needing a book or some other distraction since it had long since lost it's luster!!!!!! I ended up choosing some sari cuts to use as yard goods -- they were cheaper by the metre than if I had bought individually -- meant I had to pass on the jacquards but I told myself once I left it wouldn't matter what I didn't buy.

For me, I bought men's ready-made outfits -- they tried to tell me delicately that none of their ready-made goods would fit me -- "Indian women not your shape" -- so 2 men's outfits w/ sleeves to be shortened, 2 full outfits tailored, and one additional trousers... should work for the trip and my personal souveniers.

One person has been seriously ill, but is recovering with the help of Cipro[sp?]... several of us are "delicate" -- eating plainer food and looking for the availability of a rest room regularly. I think it is our bodies getting used to the spices and the water and the dirt.

I don't think I talked of the sleeper train coming here, so will do so briefly -- I think they are going to be fine, although a bit tedious when 18hrs long [this journey was 5 1/2 -- although it started 2hrs late so it seemed a fair bit longer]. This time I was on the bottom, near a window, and could look across to an open door. Our group leader Andy was quite nervous when I went near the door, and I know he'd never allow a roof-top journey [as he said at dinner last night, he already cares about us enough this week that he will do EVERYTHING in his power to keep us well and happy] I should write more about Andy... perhaps in Mandore when I have a bit more time.

For dinner last night we went to Indiana -- a restaurant/dinner show with traditional dancing -- other people took pix -- I was famished and headachy, so decided to just focus on sitting and enjoying the meal. thankfully one of the things I bought were cashews and almonds -- we will likely distribute today and then if any of us are light-headed while we wait for a meal we will be taken care of.

I think that's all for now. I haven't been reading my prior posts, so I am sure there are bits to be filled in, and so much that I am learning, all at once... still a bit chaotic but getting better and more expected... yesterday I learned the variations of no -- from polite to very rude -- I'm willing to start out polite, but when they are persistent it is reasonable to be more abrupt... yesterday I was pinched when I didn't give. Andy says no to all but the lepers -- when the children are taught this, they don't go to school and they don't ever want a proper job -- Sam blames their parents.

Agra, day two

We got up early and watched the sun rise over the Taj... will go back that general direction to watch the sun set. when you see it up close, you realize what a truly stunning amount of skilled labor went into the flowers and Koran script which is marbled over interior and exterior of the mausoleum

Did you know that their remains are not actually on the main level? The Taj has a basement level, also of marble, but not white... it is not open to the public.

I'm here at the internet cafe to have a look at accommodations in Pushkar. I will be calling tomorrow to make the booking... I also thought I would have a look for a rail system map -- look to see if there is a train that would take a subset of us to Amritsar for the weekend [no, not wandering off on my own... and yes,at least one gentleman will be going... not sure who else, but more to follow]

One of the funniest bits is the cutout of a face that David brought -- a friend of his father's who has never been out of England; they keep a web site of his face attached to bodies all over the planet.... We all thought it was great fun, and plan to have this face in every possible situation [similar to the roaming gnome, although when I mentioned it they looked at me as if I had 3 heads]

Tomorrow we leave early for Jaipur -- our first experience with a sleeper train... traveling 6am to noon

Agra day one

it feels like we've been here a lifetime, but perhaps that comes from how different everything is.

my bag arrived intact @ 3:30am Sunday morning with our last team member {who had a different schedule} -- I was unbelievably happy to have a change of clothes and the rest of my things. We have left Delhi this morning on a 6am train -- arrived in Agra soon after 8 and have spent the day as a combination of tour of the Red Fort and a walk/shop excursion.

hoping to have an early evening -- we will get up and be to Agra for sunrise... and perhaps back later. and then we leave the following day.

I'm warm, but I am reminded that it is the "cool" season by seeing people bundled with sweaters/coats/headgear... it seems their blood has thinned.

someone asked me what I imagined it would smell like -- many scents I would do well to forget!!!! [dust & smog, urine, garbage, and dead animals]... ... But also jasmine, spices, and some quite wonderful food. I think you have to deal with the less-than-pleasant bits and treasure the wonderful ones!

I feel the same way about sounds -- it is so incredibly unrelentingly noisy -- when you are in a relatively quiet place, it seeps into your bones...

My job this week is accommodations -- assist the rest of us to get settled when we're checking into a new place... since there are twelve of us, we will look for 6 rooms most of the time, and bunk together in similar clumps I expect... Other roles will be leader, 2nd in command, transportation, security, finances, entertainment, supplies... the roles will rotate on a weekly basis, so it is an interesting process to learn different aspects of our overall needs while we are here.

some weeks some jobs will be more of a challenge -- I would be a bit stressed to have some roles this week, given what we are doing. Accommodations for the weeks we are in Mandore would be a cake walk. Transportation will be rough though, because we are to maintain our bicycle fleet.

a subset of us are discussing whether we should go to see the Golden Temple as a mini-excursion one weekend -- I think the answer is yes, but we have a few logistics to work out. it will be a fast&light experience, but that might still mean 3+ days journey -- night train to Delhi and then a 2nd train out in the morning...

clothes are a challenge -- I will need more warm-weather gear and will continue to look for something cheap that I can work in and not mind if it is wrecked.

tired, but somehow that's OK -- off to wash up some laundry, and then perhaps lie about before we do dinner. some are talking of a movie, but I'm not sure I'm up for that today... especially since I want to be fresh tomorrow.

Delhi

on a slow connection, so will make it brief.

 

alive and well.  not in this time zone, and still not connected with my backpack yet, but hopefully soon! [our trip leader went to the airport in search of it]

 

city is as I expected -- noisy, interesting mix of old and new -- often feel like I'm clueless [perhaps that is a part of why I like to travel -- the sense of how little I know of the world]  for instance, you have to pay to enter and leave the departure lounge at the airport!

 

 

London, in transit

cold -- very poor choice of clothes. humid and windy and cuts to the bone. guess I should have thought about the layover in addition to looking at the 80-degrees and sunny forecast for Delhi.

My checked bag that I agonized over its contents has gone missing. Hopefully to arrive on a subsequent flight TODAY so that it can continue with me. It was only 3 lbs over the requested UK-India limit, and 3 below the US-UK restriction. I could certainly use my fleece, my gloves, my long underwear... surely that is 3 lbs worth!!!! I had to laugh -- so attached to THINGS we are -- the worst-case scenario I'd be without it for a few days... or have to replace it... do I even remember the stuff I finally included?

I was surprised at the SLC gate by a friend who works for Delta... devouring my book of choice and thinking I was anonomous in the universe. It reminded me of one of the many lessons/reminders I expect to have on this experience... so often I think I'm alone, but there are a raft of people that are interested and that care and will give me a hug and wish me a safe trip and ask me if I'm frightened [yes, I am... but excited too... think it is a reasonable combination]

Have kept myself awake most of the day -- walking around and visiting the national portrait gallery. Close to thinking it is time to catch the tube back to the airport and then shuttle to my hotel... a hot bath and a cup of tea sounds like just the ticket! 6am shuttle in the morning, back to Heathrow...

grins, b