The madness in India never stops

I don't know how my month in India has gone by so quickly, but here I am, about to go to Africa!  Continuing from where I last left off, our adventures proceeded through Rajastan stopping off at Jodphur (the "blue city"), Udaipur (the "romantic city"), and Jaipur (the "pink city"), before heading to other states within India. Following Jaisalmer, I was quite exhausted, so Jodphur was a nice rest stop, and ended up being a pleasant surprise!

After a solid morning nap, we ventured around the city, which was a little scary at times, but funny to look back on. Near our guesthouse, there was a clocktower,which had a market surrounding it, and it was busy from day to night, full of both locals and tourists. From there, we walked to the old city, to see if it was indeed a "blue city". The views were beautiful and most of the buildings were in fact blue! By mid-afternoon I wasn't functional and had to return to our guesthouse for a ciesta!

By the next morning we were on the road again, heading to Udaipur, about to stay at the same place for three whole nights, which was a first! We were able to be innovative and do all of our laundry in a tiny trash can in our room.

Udaipur was a nice, mellow city, and I can't say that I did much there but relax and consume incredible lassis and street food! We walked around, saw the main palace, and best of all, took an Indian cooking class! This was our third cooking class of the trip, and we made the most amazing food with our wonderful instructor! I can't wait to show off my skills back home!
                  

From Udaipur, we were off to Jaipur to celebrate one of India's most famous festivals, Holi. Holi is basically a holiday to welcome the spring by throwing bright powders at everyone in sight and dancing! The day before Holi was the Elephant Festival, which was a huge parade of dressed up elephants, music performers, and games! It was a blast and a perfect kickoff to this massive national celebration!

     
The next morning, I woke up, got on my Holi gear (a white t shirt and white pants), filled up my water gun, and gathered my green and pink Holi powders! Literally within seconds of stepping off the grounds of our hotel, we were ambushed by Jaipur's vicious street kids!

We frantically sprinted down the street to escape from them, which was quite a battle! We ended up going to a Holi celebration put on by the Indian government given that we had heard of the dangers of women being around drunk Indian men on Holi! The event was amazing, andit included free music, food, drinks, t- shirts, and holi powder. It was a blast! The ritual is for two people to smear powder on each other, as a way to be blessed.So, we were indeed blessed by dozens and dozens of people. My face and clothing probably had about 15 layers of Holi powder on it! After the celebration, it took me a few washes to get all of the color out!

       
       

On the afternoon of Holi, we had to catch a 17 hour train to Varanasi, so I was very relieved that I could rinse off before that train ride! We stayed at a guesthouse that was right near the burning ghat, which is where people basically go to die and be cremated. At the ghat, you literally just see at least five bodies lined up in beautiful decorations, waiting to be cremated, while you can see another five bodies already burning. While I thought I would be nauseated by seeing this, I surprisingly wasn't, as it is apparent that it is an honorable and beautiful ritual for Hindu's.

The following morning we did a sunrise boat tour of the Ganges River, which was nice and tranquil.  We passed by all of the ghats, seeing many people bathing in the holy ganges and witnessing the many traditions that take place at this site.  It was definitely worthwhile!

We ended up wasting most of our day figuring out how to get to our next destination, Khajaraho. We ended up leaving Varanasi a day earlier than planned to head to Khajaraho, grounds of the famous Kama Sutra temples and carvings. The carvings were the most intricate that I have ever seen at such an ancient temple and some of the carvings were indeed shocking, and quite amusing! A day in Khajaraho was plenty, as the vendors were very annoying and it only took a couple of hours to see all of the temples that we wanted to see.

Before heading back to New Dehli to catch our flight to Mumbai, we had two days to rest up in a nice little town called Orcha. It was very peaceful, and we managed to do a nice nature walk, although I can't say I did much of anything else here but watch tv and sleep!

Being back in New Dehli was interesting, given that it was our first stop in India two weeks prior. We were eager to leave New Dehli and head down south to Mumbai! While our original plan was to do three days in Mumbai and three days on the beaches of Goa, we scratched that plan and decided to spend all of our time in Mumbai.  I absolutely loved the city! With the spread out streets, rich cafe culture, beachside location, and all of its sights, Mumbai turned out to be my favorite city in India.  We definitely had quite a variety of experiences in Mumbai! Our first couple of days were spent sightseeing and walking around the beautiful city.  It was refreshing to be in a more modern city, which meant that people didn't stare at you as much as most places in India!

Then, on our third night, we were eager to appear in a Bollywood movie as extras! With a salary of 500 rupees (about $11), which is a fortune for an average days work in India, we were put into a bus with about 20 other backpackers and headed to Bollywood!  After getting our wardrobe, we had our hair and makeup done before heading to the set to do the scenes. It was an amazing experience! I loved seeing how movies are made and all of the tiny details that go into making a film! We didn't finish shooting until after midnight, but we were treated great and had tons of food waiting for us when we finished our scenes! It was definitely up there on my highlights of India list!

On one of our final days in Mumbai, we did a tour of Dharavi slum, which is the largest slum in Asia. It was very fascinating, considering that so much of Mumbai's exporting business occurs within the slums.  Our tour guide did a great job the functions of Dharavi slum .

After 5 nights of staying in an area of Mumbai called Colaba, which I loved, we headed up north near the airport to the ritzy part of Mumbai and splurged on a hotel at Juhu Beach. I can't say I took advantage of the beach much, as I was so content being in an air conditioned room, getting my final fix of tv before Africa!

So, I must say, India has been purely insane. There have definitely been both good and bad times here, but it is a place truly unlike anywhere else. It has pushed me to my limits, but, in the end, there is no doubt that I have come out of here a much stronger person.  It is truly impossible not to be impacted by this crazy country! I am definitely ready to leave India, but it has left me with so many memories!

As for now, I cannot wait to face my final continent on my 9 month journey: AFRICA! First stop, Masai Mara to meet up with my mom and then onwards on a safari and more crazy adventures!

Farewell SE Asia...Hello Shocking India!

My final days in southeast Asia were absolutely perfect. We were spoiled with our complimentary accommodation at the beautiful Viengtai Hotel thanks to our honorary Thai family. Additionally, I managed to see some sites I missed along the way! To make it brief, my three days in Bangkok were spent attempting to relax and brace myself for India! I saw the Grand Palace, which I missed the first time around due to food poisoning and it was definitely a must see for Bangkok! Additionally, I saw the reclining Buddha, which is basically the most massive Buddha to hit this earth, stretching roughly 46 meters long! Despite being completely "templed out", these were some essential sites for Bangkok! And, tomake it more interesting, I saw these Buddhist temples on the Chinese New Year so the places were a complete zoo!

But, for the most part, I found myself wanting to stay in our hotel as much as possible, indulging in the luxuries of bathtubs, AC, and satellite tv that I had been missing out on throughout my travels in SE Asia! As all good things must end, so did my time in SE Asia, but it was such an amazing experience! Although you probably won't be able to see the details, I pride myself on my route map that I drew along the way, which includes the 22 spots that we spent at least a day in throughout the journey:

So, many of our friends that we met along the way warned us to be prepared for the chaos and madness of India. Let me just put it out there that nothing can prepare you for India! Especially being plunged straight into New Dehli! We arrived late at night and I thought I was going to die on the way to our hotel...the taxi driver was completely manic, swerving out of control between the traffic! Although getting to bed late, we woke up early, eager to explore the city. To say the least, we got many "welcome to India's!" our first morning. Our morning was spent among all locals, getting the full on experience of dodging scammers, cow shit, and cheeky young men (one teenager nearly gave me a heart attack when he came out of nowhere and pinched me on the cheek). At first we were enjoying the chaos of New Dehli but then it got so exhausting. It seemed as though everyone was trying to scam us...it is a hard feeling to not be able to trust anyone!

I needed a mental rest after a few hours of being in the city!  Once I recovered, we went to one of the city's main sights, Humayuns Tomb, which was very beautiful. Overall, my first day in India was great, especially because of the delicious street naan, samosas, and chai!

Day 2 in India was spent seeing the National Museum in the morning and then heading back to New Dehli train station to catch a train to Agra, for the famous Taj Mahal! To our luck, the trainwas delayed six hours and the last thing I wanted to do was be endlessly hassled by everyone, so I escaped to the rooftop of our guesthouse, turned on my ipod, and just took a deep breath! There ended up being a beautiful flock of birds flying above the guesthouse, which was very soothing!

In India, I have learned that daily mental rest times are an essential! Eventually, we made it onto our very first train in India. Not as exciting as I imagined...I was freezing cold and we were dumped into Agra at 1am! Eventually, we found a guesthouse that actually had rooms available, settled in, and got about four hours of sleep before waking up to venture towards the Taj Mahal for sunrise.
We were under the impression that the Taj Mahal opened at 6am, but ended up standing in the freezing cold until 7 when we were let in. Despite all of the photos I have seen of the Taj, nothing can compare to that feeling I got upon stepping onto the grounds of this magnificent site. Additionally, since we got there way too early, we didn't have to share the palace with a zoo of tourists! Everything about the Taj Mahal is so majestic...from the perfect pool reflection to the intricate details on every inch of the temples. It was such a stunning site.

A token Taj Mahal photo

Afterwards, I enjoyed some hot chai and porridge on the rooftop of a guesthouse with a great view of the Taj from the distance. We had a much needed nap after breakfast and then continued on our day by going to the famous fort in Agra. This was another wonderful sight. Once again, the immaculate detail involved in every aspect of this fort made it so cool. To top off our day, we went to a spot across the (empty) river and watched the sunset while enjoying one final view of the Taj Mahal.

Entrance to Agra Fort

   

After one full on day in Agra we were Pushkar- bound. Now, Pushkar was a much needed stop.  Our guesthouse, Hotel Everest, was beautiful, with a wonderful rooftop view, clean rooms, and vibrant colors.

Pushkar was such a mellow, laid back Brahma village with a famous holy ghat (which we found out was bone dry!).  I found it particularly hilarious to watch Julie suffer in this strictly vegetarian town!  My two days in Pushkar were wonderful, filled with yoga, an astrology life report from a famous Naturopath, and a hassle free environmnet! The people in the town were very friendly and the kids were adorable! The alleyways were probably my favorite part of this town, as each building was painted with its own unique colors. If it hadn't been for Pushkar, I may have lost my sanity in India!



Next, we continued westward to Jaisalmer in a prison-like sleeper cell bus!

We arrived to Jaisalmer early, found lovely accommodation (Hotel Renuka), and booked a camel safari through the hotel.  Later in the day we went to Jaisalmer's famous fort, where people actually live.  It was a remarkable site, with really cool fort walls and interesting people! At the fort though, there is the ongoing issue of deterioration, so hopefully it will be preserved for the future! Otherwise, I enjoyed just walking around this desert town, eating some local cuisine, and getting all geared up for my camel safari!

The next morning, I was desert bound, ready to get a taste of desert life. I definitely got all hippied out and I know my mom will be proud of our "hippy" photo to the left. After making a couple of sight seeing stops, we saw our camels, patiently waiting for us! I was introduced to my camel , Raj, and then we were off! After the novelty of riding a bumpy camel wore off, I realized how particularly uncomfortable it is! Nonetheless, it was a beautiful 2.5 hour journey before we stopped in the middle of the desert for a lunch prepared by our camel drivers. After refueling, I was back on Raj, cruising through the desert , enjoying the tranquility and endless landscape ahead of me. We made it to the dunes, where we would be sleeping, before sunset and enjoyed playing around in the dunes and relaxing.

Sunset in the dunes was breathtaking, not only because of the vibrant colors, but also becauseof the pure simplicity of our surroundings!

             

After sunset, we had another delicious meal prepared for us by our camel drivers and soon after made our "beds". Our guides pushed the sand to make a pillow, and we had a couple of blankets laid on the sand for us! At first it was comfortable, but then it became a bit painful! But, the plus side of me waking up every hour was that I got to see the incredible sky, full of stars and the shining moon. Everyone was up bright and early and I was more than thankfulfor a hot cup of chai that was delivered to me upon waking up! Bright and early, Raj and I were off again! It was a bit more painful riding today as I was shockingly sore from the five hours of camel riding the previous day! Eventually, we were back at our pickup site, with the jeep waiting for us! All of the girls in our group took a classic tourist shot before leaving the desert! So, all in all, my little camel safari was awesome, and I highly recommend anyone to do only a 1-2 camel safari, as it can get a bit painful!

Our final day in Jaisalmer was pretty laid back. We visited a famous haveli, which is basically just an extravagant mansion and took it easy! From Jaisalmer, we took our very first night train to Jodphur, known to be the "blue city". As this blog is quite lengthy, I am going to stop here and continue talking about my crazy Indian adventure soon! I am approaching five months away from home and still going strong, but I miss you all!

The Beauty and Intensity of Cambodia

To try to sum up Cambodia in words is quite difficult. It is one of those places where you feel at loss for words due to the constant mix of emotions. On one end, I was so captivated by the beauty and infinite landscapes of the Angkor Wat area, feeling wonderfully lost in the intricate details of each ancient site. Then I felt this deep sadness, reminded of poverty due to the shocking history of the nation by the ongoing begging of children. Although I only had 10 days in Cambodia, it was enough time for the country to easily capture my heart. The resilience and kindness of the people, along with the incredible sites and experiences made this country unbelievable.

Our Cambodian journey began in Siem Riep, close to one of the worlds largest attractions, Angkor Wat. We bought a 3 day pass to visit this massive ancient site, but knew we would only have energy to explore it for 2 days. For $4 each a day, we had a driver take us to all of the most famous sites, each presenting itself with its own character. I was so fascinated by every ancient temple, each with its own unique design. This is a place that is hard to describe in words so here are some photos from different famous sites:

After 2 full days of temples, temples, and more temples, I was exhausted and looking forward to a relaxing night. We ended getting a fish massage that was advertised everywhere and it was such a weird feeling.  And no, it was not because my feet are so beautiful that all the fish flocked to me...I think it was because my feet were so dirty!

Before arriving in the nations capital, Phnom Penh, I hadn't heard many things about it so therewere no expectations. I absolutely loved everything about the city. With its nice, wide streets, active parks, beautiful riverside, and endless shopping and street foods, it was definitely the place for me! But as I said in the beginning, there was still a huge mix of emotions. After a day of strolling through this lovely city (including getting my groove on in a public asian aerobics class), I found myself in pure shock and sadness the following day. On our trip to the Genocide Museum, which was an ex prison site during the Khmer Rouge in the 70s, I was shocked by the facts and figures of this terrible time. It was so eery being on the grounds where over 20,000 people died. There were just endless portraits taken of each prison, each having this hopeless look in their eyes. It was also really creepy because with the reflection on each portrait, you could capture a photo that made it look as if they were ghosts still in the prison.

After the intensity of the museum, we heading to the killing fields nearby, where all of the bodies from the prison were dumped. We were all silent as we passed through the area, and I just couldn't believe that two months ago I had no clue that two million people were executed in this country 30 years ago.



After the intensity of what I just saw, it was so weird to once again have conflicting emotions, as I witnessed a stunning sunset over Phnom Penh and then a water show at the central park area.

     

Our last two days in Phnom Penh were spent at an incredible orphanage called SCAO (http://www.savechildreninasia.org/index.htm). 

We came with their request of basic items, such as rice and water, but couldn't help bringing some fun toys for the kids the following day. I had the most amazing time with these children, as they had so much hope for their future despite so many hardships. They were all so loving, and immediately captured my heart. Our first day there was spent just playing with them, as it was their day off from school.

They took us around their small rural town just outside of the city and were very talkative! The next day, we went to help teach at the school run by the orphanage for those that cannot afford an education at the proper school in the area. The kids were all so eager to learn, but possibly more eager to play around with us and take photos on my camera!

                                  

As they said "see you tomorrow", I wish we could have stayed for longer but the journey must go on!

Next stop: Battambong, the 2nd largest city in Cambodia. For the city itself, there was not much going on! While there were several temples to visit, I could not bear the thought of seeing another temple! But, there were some very interesting activities outside the city. On one of our days, we went out to the rural area, first to the killing caves, another important site during the genocide. We had this adorable 13 year old boy that wanted to be our tour guide, so he came along, and was great entertainment and surprisingly shared a lot of solid information with us. The killing caves were intense, but there was a beautiful shrine inside the cave to honor all of those killed there. Further up from the caves was a beautiful view from a temple at the top of the mountain.

      

Later on, we were excited to go to the bamboo trains, which are a very old fashioned way of transportation, but so fun! We took the bamboo train with a badass driver for sunrise and got to see more of Cambodia's beautiful countryside!

       

Our final day in Cambodia was spent taking a cooking class, so be prepared, by the time I come home I shall be a master of southeast Asian cuisine! As my 10 days in Cambodia came to an end, I was sad to leave, but I know I will be back there again!