The Crucible: 12 Days in India - Trip Report
Jul 20th, 2006 | 08:24 PM
#21
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,098
Likes: 0
Gosh but this is a <i>really</i> good read. I've never wanted to visit India but now...well...now it's on the <font color="blue">maybe</font> list.
That description of the Taj...hmmmm.
>>>>><font color="green">Any woman just randomly seen with a guy would be assumed to be a prostitute. Why else would she be with him right? <font color="indigo"><i>And if you ask me I just might tell you a funny story off the record. </i></font></font><<<<<
O.k. wayne...I'm asking!
That description of the Taj...hmmmm.
>>>>><font color="green">Any woman just randomly seen with a guy would be assumed to be a prostitute. Why else would she be with him right? <font color="indigo"><i>And if you ask me I just might tell you a funny story off the record. </i></font></font><<<<<
O.k. wayne...I'm asking!
Jul 21st, 2006 | 07:20 AM
#23
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 0
oh yes, the food issue is going exactly where you think it is...
As for the off the record issue. I actually had to struggle yesterday to remember it.
How I ended up buying the rugs. Let me try to explain it quickly, and try to remember it right after four years.
The first day I went in and looked I liked the three rugs I pointed on in the link. They were crazy high. Let us just say $1000 each. I walked away saying I needed to think about it. (which they hate).
Later, the next night, after seeing the Ganges in the morning, while I was resting at my hotel, one of the workers from the shop showed up. He told me (<font color="PINK">Cue music</font
he was new at the shop and really needed to make a sale. He told me to name my price. After going back and forth I said I wanted all three for $1000. he said he could do this, but I had to do it tonight and we had to wrap up the rugs for shipping.
So we walked a few streets down to his shop. It was daerk and closed. He actually turned on the generators and set some tea boiling. One of his minions showed up and helped wrap up the three rugs into two tight bundles.
He wrote outside on one bundle (the one with 2 rugs) "1 rug for $1000". He then said we would go ahead and ring up 3 for $1000. Tomorrow when I come in I should look at the marking on the outside and get angry and start walking out. This would be a big show for the boss. The boss would let him throw in the second bundle, thinking I was getting 2 rugs for a different price, say $1400.
The worker I dealt with said he could draw up a fake receipt, just so his boss would see. I would just sign it. Boss would walk away and worker would give me all copies.
<font color="BLUE"> The details are very close to that and to be honest I am a bit sketchy, but bottom line the deal included fake receipts, trick packaging, me putting on a show for the boss, sneaking into the store in the middle of the night and more. This may be a scam they really pull on tourists. <i>Wouldn't the boss look for the second receipt when he does the books?<i>
The bottom line is I LOVE the rugs and I am happy.</i></i></font>
And hey JAGIRL India should move up on your list!
As for the off the record issue. I actually had to struggle yesterday to remember it.
How I ended up buying the rugs. Let me try to explain it quickly, and try to remember it right after four years.
The first day I went in and looked I liked the three rugs I pointed on in the link. They were crazy high. Let us just say $1000 each. I walked away saying I needed to think about it. (which they hate).
Later, the next night, after seeing the Ganges in the morning, while I was resting at my hotel, one of the workers from the shop showed up. He told me (<font color="PINK">Cue music</font
he was new at the shop and really needed to make a sale. He told me to name my price. After going back and forth I said I wanted all three for $1000. he said he could do this, but I had to do it tonight and we had to wrap up the rugs for shipping.So we walked a few streets down to his shop. It was daerk and closed. He actually turned on the generators and set some tea boiling. One of his minions showed up and helped wrap up the three rugs into two tight bundles.
He wrote outside on one bundle (the one with 2 rugs) "1 rug for $1000". He then said we would go ahead and ring up 3 for $1000. Tomorrow when I come in I should look at the marking on the outside and get angry and start walking out. This would be a big show for the boss. The boss would let him throw in the second bundle, thinking I was getting 2 rugs for a different price, say $1400.
The worker I dealt with said he could draw up a fake receipt, just so his boss would see. I would just sign it. Boss would walk away and worker would give me all copies.
<font color="BLUE"> The details are very close to that and to be honest I am a bit sketchy, but bottom line the deal included fake receipts, trick packaging, me putting on a show for the boss, sneaking into the store in the middle of the night and more. This may be a scam they really pull on tourists. <i>Wouldn't the boss look for the second receipt when he does the books?<i>
The bottom line is I LOVE the rugs and I am happy.</i></i></font>
And hey JAGIRL India should move up on your list!
Jul 21st, 2006 | 07:52 AM
#24
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 0
<b><u><i><font color="ORANGE">Day 7—Agra Fort (and the Runs)
</font></i></u></b>
It was still dark when I woke up. I tried to sit up. OWWW!!!! There was a sharp pain right in the center of my stomach. “Uh-oh!”
Without getting too biological and graphic, things were not good for the next few hours. I was supposed to go see the Agra Fort with Sonny in the morning. I finally opened that bottle of Pepto-Bismol that I carried to Cambodia last year and never needed. I dragged myself down to breakfast and had lots of hot tea and lots of water.
Sonny was waiting in the lobby for me at 10AM. He took one look at me and said I should go back to bed and we would make the trip in the afternoon. I collapsed in the bed. Within a few minutes Anurag called. I think everyone in the travel company was hearing that I was sick and were starting to panic. I told him I wasn’t horribly sick and I was sure I would feel better in the afternoon.
I wasn’t feeling totally better in the afternoon , but I wanted to see the Agra Fort and there was no way I was going to lay around for a whole day. So like a trooper, I poured myself into the car and we were off.
Construction on the Agra Fort was begun in 1565 by Emperor Akbar. It was first and foremost built as a military structure and imperial city. There are 2.5km of double enclosure walls that are 20m high. Akbar built the fort primarily with red sandstone. When Shah Jahan took power he made the fort into a palace. There is lots of evidence of his handiwork; white marble buildings replaced many of the sandstone buildings.
When Aurangzeb overthrew his father, he imprisoned him in a section of the Agra Fort. From his gilded prison, Shah Jahan could look longingly at his creation the Taj Mahal, but he could never again visit it... until his death. Aurangzeb entombed his father next to Mumtaz.
After the fort, I went to a clothing store and found some cool outfits for some of the women in my family.
Sonny dropped me back at the hotel. Tomorrow was going to be a full day driving to see Fatehpur Sikr, the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary and ending up at Ranthambhore.
I went to the observation deck at the Mughal Sheraton and sat down and started at the Taj in the distance. In the foreground were houses and apartment buildings in Agra. Women hung their clothing out to dry. Kids flew kites.
As I watched the sun go down slowly behind the Taj I thought about Shah Jahan. <i><font color="BLUE">Who was he really? A barbarian who murdered his family to consolidate his power? A visionary whose love drove him to build one of the greatest buildings ever made? A heartbroken old man, imprisoned by his son, pining away for the memory of his true love? </font></i>
And what of this Mumtaz Mahal? Her memory has inspired millions, yet we know so little of her. This beautiful woman of India, whose greatest triumph would come after her own death. Like a specter she hangs over us. Shah Jahan and Mumtaz, even death couldn’t keep them apart.
</font></i></u></b>
It was still dark when I woke up. I tried to sit up. OWWW!!!! There was a sharp pain right in the center of my stomach. “Uh-oh!”
Without getting too biological and graphic, things were not good for the next few hours. I was supposed to go see the Agra Fort with Sonny in the morning. I finally opened that bottle of Pepto-Bismol that I carried to Cambodia last year and never needed. I dragged myself down to breakfast and had lots of hot tea and lots of water.Sonny was waiting in the lobby for me at 10AM. He took one look at me and said I should go back to bed and we would make the trip in the afternoon. I collapsed in the bed. Within a few minutes Anurag called. I think everyone in the travel company was hearing that I was sick and were starting to panic. I told him I wasn’t horribly sick and I was sure I would feel better in the afternoon.
I wasn’t feeling totally better in the afternoon , but I wanted to see the Agra Fort and there was no way I was going to lay around for a whole day. So like a trooper, I poured myself into the car and we were off.
Construction on the Agra Fort was begun in 1565 by Emperor Akbar. It was first and foremost built as a military structure and imperial city. There are 2.5km of double enclosure walls that are 20m high. Akbar built the fort primarily with red sandstone. When Shah Jahan took power he made the fort into a palace. There is lots of evidence of his handiwork; white marble buildings replaced many of the sandstone buildings.
When Aurangzeb overthrew his father, he imprisoned him in a section of the Agra Fort. From his gilded prison, Shah Jahan could look longingly at his creation the Taj Mahal, but he could never again visit it... until his death. Aurangzeb entombed his father next to Mumtaz.
After the fort, I went to a clothing store and found some cool outfits for some of the women in my family.
Sonny dropped me back at the hotel. Tomorrow was going to be a full day driving to see Fatehpur Sikr, the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary and ending up at Ranthambhore.
I went to the observation deck at the Mughal Sheraton and sat down and started at the Taj in the distance. In the foreground were houses and apartment buildings in Agra. Women hung their clothing out to dry. Kids flew kites.
As I watched the sun go down slowly behind the Taj I thought about Shah Jahan. <i><font color="BLUE">Who was he really? A barbarian who murdered his family to consolidate his power? A visionary whose love drove him to build one of the greatest buildings ever made? A heartbroken old man, imprisoned by his son, pining away for the memory of his true love? </font></i>
And what of this Mumtaz Mahal? Her memory has inspired millions, yet we know so little of her. This beautiful woman of India, whose greatest triumph would come after her own death. Like a specter she hangs over us. Shah Jahan and Mumtaz, even death couldn’t keep them apart.
Jul 21st, 2006 | 07:54 AM
#25
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 2,098
Likes: 0
that sounds like a scam that would happen in a craft market in Jamaica!
Have you passed gard's toilet i.q. test on the other board? Perhaps your upcoming <font color="indigo">"food issue"</font> made you...uuhmm...pretty intimate with toilets for a while?
I was actually thinking about going on a mission trip to India for three weeks in September this year...until I saw the video (<font color="red">and the traffic!!</font and started the research.
What can I say...I veeery slooowly backed away.
quot;>
I shall now read your Day 7 report.
Have you passed gard's toilet i.q. test on the other board? Perhaps your upcoming <font color="indigo">"food issue"</font> made you...uuhmm...pretty intimate with toilets for a while?
I was actually thinking about going on a mission trip to India for three weeks in September this year...until I saw the video (<font color="red">and the traffic!!</font
and started the research. What can I say...I veeery slooowly backed away.
quot;> I shall now read your Day 7 report.
Jul 21st, 2006 | 08:45 AM
#27
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 0
<b><font color="ORANGE"><u><i>Day 8 — Fatehpur Sikri, Birds and Much Driving </i></u></font></b>
The next morning I felt far from great, but definitely much better. I checked out of the Sheraton and got in the car with Sonny and Rajendar. Today was going to be 8 hours of driving and touring and a couple of hundred kilometers. We would drive about 35 km out of town to see the “ghost city” Fatehpur Sikri. We would tour there, then we would drive on to Bharatpur to see the Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary and National Park. From there we would drive to the Ranthambhore Tiger sanctuary.
Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of the Mughal empire from 1571 to 1585. It was constructed by Akbar the Great to be his perfect city and nearly perfect it is! The Mughals were so ahead of their time in technology and architecture. Fatehpur Sikri was built mostly of red sandstone with incredible carvings. I can’t even begin to detail it all. When Akbar died the city was abandoned. It turns out that despite being so amazingly planned, they forgot one tiny detail: the area was plagued by water shortages and no matter what ideas his engineers tried, they couldn’t keep a supply of water coming into the city. <font color="BLUE">You would think they would check for water before building a multi-gazillion dollar city!
</font>
At this point we said goodbye to Sonny. Rajendar and I began our long trek together. We left Agra behind and the state of Uttar Pradesh and crossed into Rajasthan. Like driving between states in the United States, we could feel the culture change. The roads and the air turned very dusty and then we soon began seeing… <font color="GREEN">camels</font>! There were camels being ridden, camels towing carts and camels at the sides of the road.
Eventually we reached Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur. This area used to be a semi-arid region that would fill with water during the monsoon season only. The maharaja of Bharatpur diverted water from a nearby canal so that water would stay in the park and soon vast numbers of birds began to settle there. The maharaja did this so that he would have birds to hunt. <i>Isn’t this just like man? Set up a great nature park, so that you can shoot everything!</i>
Now, no hunting is allowed in the park and over 354 species of birds have been identified in its 29 sq km including Siberian cranes, herons, egrets, geese, owls, kingfishers, etc. The only downside is the best time to see birds is October through February, and this was April. About 5% of the birds that are usually there, were around. So the thirty minutes we stayed in the park consisted of the guide telling me <font color="BROWN">“Well what you <u>would</u> see here ..”</font> So I bought tons of postcards with pictures of birds and got back in the car.
The deeper we drove into Rajasthan, the more we lost modern conveniences… like asphalt. To say the roads were bumpy and bad is like saying that the center of a volcano is a tad warm. And then it began… a strong wind started blowing, kicking up huge swirls of dust. Then lightning started crackling in the sky. Hour after hour our tiny vehicle snaked through tiny dustbowl covered towns.
Finally, finally, we reached the Ranthambhore area. The dust and lightning were whipping furiously. I walked into the lobby of the Ranthambhore Regency and it was in darkness. The storm knocked out the power. Nevertheless they took me to my room. The room had a nice kinda’ rustic charm to it. However, I did have an issue. One tends to have an issue when one’s room is <b>eight trillion degrees</b>!
With the power being out, there was no air conditioning. There was a small generator that allowed us to turn on lights in the room, but that was it. I tried opening the windows but the wind was whipping so much that I had to keep it closed.
And to think after the death on the train I was planning on calling this trip <u>The Crucible</u>. Upon seeing The Taj, I decided that name was too strong. Now again The Crucible seemed perfect! All that mattered to me was that the dust storm cleared up in time for us to see tigers tomorrow.
I walked down to the dining room, where there was enough power to have some nice food. A few locals came in and did a small dance for us, well OK it was just me until a couple came in a half hour later.
The staff was very, very, very, very, <b><i><font color="PURPLE">very</font></i></b> helpful. Every time I put down a glass or even a fork someone refilled the glass or offered to put more food on my plate. I guess someone told the manager that there is some guy out there with two cameras snapping pictures and writing things and he decided to make sure I couldn’t write that the service was bad.
By the time I got back to my room the air conditioning was back. Two of the local tour directors Satish and Sudhir stopped by and made sure I was OK. We chatted over a bottle of whiskey. I joked with them how interesting India is. This was the second time that someone showed up with a bottle of whiskey. <font color="VIOLET"><i>What happened to all that religious piousness?</i></font> They told me that anything that happens in America happens in India. It just happens behind closed doors. On TV and in Indian movies you see highly manicured women in skimpy outfits jiggling around, but you NEVER see that on the streets. That is the life they want to live, but can’t. How funny.
I called it an early night. <b><font color="ORANGE">Tomorrow the safari!</font></b>
The next morning I felt far from great, but definitely much better. I checked out of the Sheraton and got in the car with Sonny and Rajendar. Today was going to be 8 hours of driving and touring and a couple of hundred kilometers. We would drive about 35 km out of town to see the “ghost city” Fatehpur Sikri. We would tour there, then we would drive on to Bharatpur to see the Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary and National Park. From there we would drive to the Ranthambhore Tiger sanctuary.
Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of the Mughal empire from 1571 to 1585. It was constructed by Akbar the Great to be his perfect city and nearly perfect it is! The Mughals were so ahead of their time in technology and architecture. Fatehpur Sikri was built mostly of red sandstone with incredible carvings. I can’t even begin to detail it all. When Akbar died the city was abandoned. It turns out that despite being so amazingly planned, they forgot one tiny detail: the area was plagued by water shortages and no matter what ideas his engineers tried, they couldn’t keep a supply of water coming into the city. <font color="BLUE">You would think they would check for water before building a multi-gazillion dollar city!
</font>
At this point we said goodbye to Sonny. Rajendar and I began our long trek together. We left Agra behind and the state of Uttar Pradesh and crossed into Rajasthan. Like driving between states in the United States, we could feel the culture change. The roads and the air turned very dusty and then we soon began seeing… <font color="GREEN">camels</font>! There were camels being ridden, camels towing carts and camels at the sides of the road.
Eventually we reached Keoladeo National Park in Bharatpur. This area used to be a semi-arid region that would fill with water during the monsoon season only. The maharaja of Bharatpur diverted water from a nearby canal so that water would stay in the park and soon vast numbers of birds began to settle there. The maharaja did this so that he would have birds to hunt. <i>Isn’t this just like man? Set up a great nature park, so that you can shoot everything!</i>
Now, no hunting is allowed in the park and over 354 species of birds have been identified in its 29 sq km including Siberian cranes, herons, egrets, geese, owls, kingfishers, etc. The only downside is the best time to see birds is October through February, and this was April. About 5% of the birds that are usually there, were around. So the thirty minutes we stayed in the park consisted of the guide telling me <font color="BROWN">“Well what you <u>would</u> see here ..”</font> So I bought tons of postcards with pictures of birds and got back in the car.
The deeper we drove into Rajasthan, the more we lost modern conveniences… like asphalt. To say the roads were bumpy and bad is like saying that the center of a volcano is a tad warm. And then it began… a strong wind started blowing, kicking up huge swirls of dust. Then lightning started crackling in the sky. Hour after hour our tiny vehicle snaked through tiny dustbowl covered towns.
Finally, finally, we reached the Ranthambhore area. The dust and lightning were whipping furiously. I walked into the lobby of the Ranthambhore Regency and it was in darkness. The storm knocked out the power. Nevertheless they took me to my room. The room had a nice kinda’ rustic charm to it. However, I did have an issue. One tends to have an issue when one’s room is <b>eight trillion degrees</b>!
With the power being out, there was no air conditioning. There was a small generator that allowed us to turn on lights in the room, but that was it. I tried opening the windows but the wind was whipping so much that I had to keep it closed. And to think after the death on the train I was planning on calling this trip <u>The Crucible</u>. Upon seeing The Taj, I decided that name was too strong. Now again The Crucible seemed perfect! All that mattered to me was that the dust storm cleared up in time for us to see tigers tomorrow.
I walked down to the dining room, where there was enough power to have some nice food. A few locals came in and did a small dance for us, well OK it was just me until a couple came in a half hour later.
The staff was very, very, very, very, <b><i><font color="PURPLE">very</font></i></b> helpful. Every time I put down a glass or even a fork someone refilled the glass or offered to put more food on my plate. I guess someone told the manager that there is some guy out there with two cameras snapping pictures and writing things and he decided to make sure I couldn’t write that the service was bad.
By the time I got back to my room the air conditioning was back. Two of the local tour directors Satish and Sudhir stopped by and made sure I was OK. We chatted over a bottle of whiskey. I joked with them how interesting India is. This was the second time that someone showed up with a bottle of whiskey. <font color="VIOLET"><i>What happened to all that religious piousness?</i></font> They told me that anything that happens in America happens in India. It just happens behind closed doors. On TV and in Indian movies you see highly manicured women in skimpy outfits jiggling around, but you NEVER see that on the streets. That is the life they want to live, but can’t. How funny.
I called it an early night. <b><font color="ORANGE">Tomorrow the safari!</font></b>
Jul 21st, 2006 | 11:17 AM
#28
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 0
<b><font color="GOLD"><i><u>Day 9 — Ranthambhore: The Kingdom of Tigers</u></i></font></b>
There was a knock at my door at 5AM. It was pitch black outside. One of the hotel workers brought me coffee and cookies. I handed him some rupees and then I saw <b>it</b> again. <b><font color="RED">“It”</font></b> was this weird head-shaking move that some Indian people were doing. I didn’t remember seeing it before Rajasthan. But now it seemed like lots of people were doing it while I was speaking to them. It might have been a simple mannerism or it could have been this guy’s way of saying <font color="BLUE">“You stupid jerk, I bring you coffee at 5AM and that is all the tip you give me?”</font> Whatever.
By 5:30ish I was riding in a huge vehicle they called a canter, which was basically a 20 person jeep. The best times to spot a tiger were the early morning and late evening, when the temperature is coolest. The air was chilly as we entered Ranthambhore National Park.
Ranthambhore was originally the hunting ground of the Maharaja of Jaipur. (There they go with the hunting again!) The remains of an amazing thousand year old fort sits on a large mountain overlooking the park. Also there are ruins of palaces, gates and other buildings. The park area encompasses nearly 152 square miles (392 square kilometers). The landscape is a breathtaking mix of dry grassland, hills, mountains, lakes, watering holes, jungles, rocky ridges, open valleys, thick forests. For a relatively small area, the park has a rich diversity of fauna and flora - species list includes 300 trees, 50 aquatic plants, 272 birds, 12 reptiles including the marsh crocodile & amphibians and 30 mammals.
After several days in dusty crowded cities, breathing fresh air out in the open was a wonderful change of pace. We slowly drove up winding roads. The driver and his two helpers scanned the area in search of the tigers. Unlike the lions in Africa who sit out in the open, tigers like to remain hidden. There were plenty of places for them to hide. We saw tons of deer, antelope, huge families of monkeys and gorgeous birds. This alone made it worth the trip.
At about 6:45 AM the driver stopped and quieted us. He pointed to a brushy area a few hundred yards up the side of a hill. We strained our eyes and then we saw it: <font color="RED">a huge tiger sleeping in the grass</font>. We all gasped in wonder. This wasn’t the zoo, where they were kept in a tiny cage to pace back and forth uncomfortably. It wasn’t the circus where the animal would be forced to jump through rings of fire. The tiger was doing what all those big cats do best, absolutely nothing. <i>Hey, how much would you move if you weighed 500 pounds? </i> We stared for about 15 minutes. At one point the mighty beast lifted it’s head, looked around and then decided there was no real reason to move from the spot it had, so it went back to sleep. Eventually we moved on, thirsting for more.
As the sun came up and it started to get warmer, we knew our chances for sightings were finished for the morning. We would go back out in the late evening. But we were psyched! We saw a tiger!
I went back to the hotel and took a nap. I finished the Pepto-Bismol. My stomach was just about better. Sudhir stopped by. He was so thrilled that I saw a tiger my first time out. It took a lot of pressure off them. Often guests come to Ranthambhore and go on safaris for days and don’t see a single one. They leave the park angry, like the tigers should plan a schedule around them! Now that I saw one anything else was gravy. Sudhir arranged for me to take the afternoon drive in a small jeep. They are more mobile and can go places the big canter can’t. Usually they had to be reserved months in advance. I had lunch at the dining room, where the very, very, very, <font color="RED">very<b><i></i></b></font> helpful staff was wonderful once again.
By 4ish I was in a jeep with a British couple, a driver and a guide. Once again we drove and admired the beautiful scenery of Ranthambhore. I saw more monkeys and deer than I could imagine. This guide had the most amazing eyes. He could spot an owl, hiding in a hole in a tree a hundred feet away with no binoculars. Our goal was to hit a lot of the major watering holes. In the evenings the big cats would need to drink and that was our best chance of spotting one.
We were in the last few minutes of the afternoon safari when we heard loud screeching noises from birds and other animals. The guide told us that was the alarm code that the animals send out when a tiger is moving. <font color="GREEN">“Attention K-Mart shoppers there is a big huge tiger moving in aisle nine, anyone who doesn’t want to get eaten move your bootie!”</font> Then we heard some guttural groaning noises. It was the tiger call! The guide said it was a male and a female, it was mating time. They were behind a large rock and it seems like they were finding a place to settle in. We watched and waited but they never came out. (Hey would you? It’s mating time!
)
We watched the golden sun slowly set behind a palace in the middle of a lake. Deer, birds and crocodiles mixed together. I watched tiny ripples in the water. A feeling of real peace came over me. We drove back to the hotel. Tomorrow I had another long drive, this time to Jaipur. But there was a growing tingling in my body. I needed one more safari to spot another tiger. After the morning safari we could leave Ranthambhore. Sudir arrange for a final drive in the morning. I went to sleep smiling.
There was a knock at my door at 5AM. It was pitch black outside. One of the hotel workers brought me coffee and cookies. I handed him some rupees and then I saw <b>it</b> again. <b><font color="RED">“It”</font></b> was this weird head-shaking move that some Indian people were doing. I didn’t remember seeing it before Rajasthan. But now it seemed like lots of people were doing it while I was speaking to them. It might have been a simple mannerism or it could have been this guy’s way of saying <font color="BLUE">“You stupid jerk, I bring you coffee at 5AM and that is all the tip you give me?”</font> Whatever.
By 5:30ish I was riding in a huge vehicle they called a canter, which was basically a 20 person jeep. The best times to spot a tiger were the early morning and late evening, when the temperature is coolest. The air was chilly as we entered Ranthambhore National Park.
Ranthambhore was originally the hunting ground of the Maharaja of Jaipur. (There they go with the hunting again!) The remains of an amazing thousand year old fort sits on a large mountain overlooking the park. Also there are ruins of palaces, gates and other buildings. The park area encompasses nearly 152 square miles (392 square kilometers). The landscape is a breathtaking mix of dry grassland, hills, mountains, lakes, watering holes, jungles, rocky ridges, open valleys, thick forests. For a relatively small area, the park has a rich diversity of fauna and flora - species list includes 300 trees, 50 aquatic plants, 272 birds, 12 reptiles including the marsh crocodile & amphibians and 30 mammals.
After several days in dusty crowded cities, breathing fresh air out in the open was a wonderful change of pace. We slowly drove up winding roads. The driver and his two helpers scanned the area in search of the tigers. Unlike the lions in Africa who sit out in the open, tigers like to remain hidden. There were plenty of places for them to hide. We saw tons of deer, antelope, huge families of monkeys and gorgeous birds. This alone made it worth the trip.
At about 6:45 AM the driver stopped and quieted us. He pointed to a brushy area a few hundred yards up the side of a hill. We strained our eyes and then we saw it: <font color="RED">a huge tiger sleeping in the grass</font>. We all gasped in wonder. This wasn’t the zoo, where they were kept in a tiny cage to pace back and forth uncomfortably. It wasn’t the circus where the animal would be forced to jump through rings of fire. The tiger was doing what all those big cats do best, absolutely nothing. <i>Hey, how much would you move if you weighed 500 pounds? </i> We stared for about 15 minutes. At one point the mighty beast lifted it’s head, looked around and then decided there was no real reason to move from the spot it had, so it went back to sleep. Eventually we moved on, thirsting for more.
As the sun came up and it started to get warmer, we knew our chances for sightings were finished for the morning. We would go back out in the late evening. But we were psyched! We saw a tiger!
I went back to the hotel and took a nap. I finished the Pepto-Bismol. My stomach was just about better. Sudhir stopped by. He was so thrilled that I saw a tiger my first time out. It took a lot of pressure off them. Often guests come to Ranthambhore and go on safaris for days and don’t see a single one. They leave the park angry, like the tigers should plan a schedule around them! Now that I saw one anything else was gravy. Sudhir arranged for me to take the afternoon drive in a small jeep. They are more mobile and can go places the big canter can’t. Usually they had to be reserved months in advance. I had lunch at the dining room, where the very, very, very, <font color="RED">very<b><i></i></b></font> helpful staff was wonderful once again.
By 4ish I was in a jeep with a British couple, a driver and a guide. Once again we drove and admired the beautiful scenery of Ranthambhore. I saw more monkeys and deer than I could imagine. This guide had the most amazing eyes. He could spot an owl, hiding in a hole in a tree a hundred feet away with no binoculars. Our goal was to hit a lot of the major watering holes. In the evenings the big cats would need to drink and that was our best chance of spotting one.
We were in the last few minutes of the afternoon safari when we heard loud screeching noises from birds and other animals. The guide told us that was the alarm code that the animals send out when a tiger is moving. <font color="GREEN">“Attention K-Mart shoppers there is a big huge tiger moving in aisle nine, anyone who doesn’t want to get eaten move your bootie!”</font> Then we heard some guttural groaning noises. It was the tiger call! The guide said it was a male and a female, it was mating time. They were behind a large rock and it seems like they were finding a place to settle in. We watched and waited but they never came out. (Hey would you? It’s mating time!
)We watched the golden sun slowly set behind a palace in the middle of a lake. Deer, birds and crocodiles mixed together. I watched tiny ripples in the water. A feeling of real peace came over me. We drove back to the hotel. Tomorrow I had another long drive, this time to Jaipur. But there was a growing tingling in my body. I needed one more safari to spot another tiger. After the morning safari we could leave Ranthambhore. Sudir arrange for a final drive in the morning. I went to sleep smiling.
Jul 21st, 2006 | 12:48 PM
#29
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 0
<b><font color="PURPLE"><i><u>Day 10 — Ranthambhore to Jaipur</u></i></font></b>
At 5AM I was up for the final safari. By a little after six we were at it again, driving through the wilderness of Ranthambhore, searching for one last shot at glory. I was back in one of the huge canters. They arranged for Rajendar, my driver, to come this time. For more than 2 hours we sat by every watering hole, every spot of high brush. The guides were trying their hardest. The excitement pulsed through our bodies. I sat at the edge of my seat, straining my eyes, looking for the orange stripes hiding somewhere in the brush.
We reached a spot of really tall brush. Three other jeeps, filled with people, were already there. The guides all conferred, they felt certain that a tiger was somewhere in the brush. So we waited, and waited… and waited. NOTHING. The other three jeeps left. Our guide told us five more minutes. We eyed the grass. After 10 minutes nothing. He signaled the driver, time to head back. He started the engine. <font color="RED">Suddenly several birds screeched: <b>ALARM CODE! Tiger Moving!</b></font>
The driver spun the huge vehicle on a dime and drove to the far end of the grass. He shut off the engine. The driver signaled us to be quiet. We looked at the edge of the grass.
<font color="RED"><b>BEHOLD!
</b></font>
A few dozen feet from us, A huge tiger slowly walked out of the grass, it was a female and right behind her was a male! <font color="GREEN">All breathing in the canter stopped.</font> The two of them casually strolled across the field, unaware or unconcerned about our presence. This is what we came here for and I can’t even begin to explain to you the awesome joy of the next sixty seconds. My camera and video camera were snapping like crazy. They didn’t do anything special. A man in tights with a chair and a whip wasn’t going to come out and make them climb on a chair or anything. The two, probably the amorous pair from yesterday, sauntered and skipped over rocks, perhaps part of their mating ritual. (<font color="BROWN">HER: After last night you didn’t even call! HIM: Sorry honey I was out hunting for food.
HER: You still could have found time to call, yak yak yak…</font Then they disappeared into the small brush. Everyone in the canter looked at each other with smiles of satisfaction, almost in a spiritual way. 
<font color="BLUE">Man makes a building of stone and marble and he says “It’s magnificent! It’s amazing!” God makes <u>a living breathing tiger</u> and HE says, “It’s good!”</font> Nuff said. ><
We rode back to the Ranthambhore Regency like a victorious army returning back from battle. It was as if God himself had smiled at us. \/ Soon news of our triumph spread throughout the hotel. I showed the video to workers in the dining room as I had one last meal. (<i>Hey there goes that head move again!</i
Rajendar and I left Ranthambhore. He was thrilled to have finally seen a tiger in his life. With very few words we shared the excitement of this bond.
The road to Jaipur was much, much smoother. But it was still about a four hour drive. By early afternoon we entered the large pink gates of Jaipur, <font color="PINK"><b>“the Pink City”</b></font>. Jaipur was founded by Maharaja Jai Sing (1693 – 1743) who was known for being a great warrior, but an even greater astronomer. The oldest part of Jaipur is the north-east section of the city while the new parts are in the south and the west.
In 1876, Maharaja Ram Singh painted the old city pink to welcome the Prince of Wales. It was a fascinating contrast as we drove the car through crowded bustling streets lined with pink everywhere!
I checked into the Trident Hotel. My final hotel was perhaps nicest of them all. The floor was a wonderful tiled black marble. From the room, there was a magnificent view of a lake with a palace in the center of it, just across the street!
One of the highlights of all the trips I have taken is finding the local congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and meeting my local brothers and sisters. Before leaving I contacted the Indian headquarters and they told me there were congregations in Delhi. However, I had no time in Delhi to meet up with anyone or go to a Kingdom Hall. In Varanasi, Agra and Ranthambhore, there were no Jehovah’s Witnesses whatsoever. But I was given a contact phone # for a sister in Jaipur. I talked on the phone with Shaguntala “Gunta” Peters and arranged to meet with her tomorrow evening after my touring was done.
I curled into bed and dreamed of tigers.
At 5AM I was up for the final safari. By a little after six we were at it again, driving through the wilderness of Ranthambhore, searching for one last shot at glory. I was back in one of the huge canters. They arranged for Rajendar, my driver, to come this time. For more than 2 hours we sat by every watering hole, every spot of high brush. The guides were trying their hardest. The excitement pulsed through our bodies. I sat at the edge of my seat, straining my eyes, looking for the orange stripes hiding somewhere in the brush.
We reached a spot of really tall brush. Three other jeeps, filled with people, were already there. The guides all conferred, they felt certain that a tiger was somewhere in the brush. So we waited, and waited… and waited. NOTHING. The other three jeeps left. Our guide told us five more minutes. We eyed the grass. After 10 minutes nothing. He signaled the driver, time to head back. He started the engine. <font color="RED">Suddenly several birds screeched: <b>ALARM CODE! Tiger Moving!</b></font>
The driver spun the huge vehicle on a dime and drove to the far end of the grass. He shut off the engine. The driver signaled us to be quiet. We looked at the edge of the grass.
<font color="RED"><b>BEHOLD!
</b></font>
A few dozen feet from us, A huge tiger slowly walked out of the grass, it was a female and right behind her was a male! <font color="GREEN">All breathing in the canter stopped.</font> The two of them casually strolled across the field, unaware or unconcerned about our presence. This is what we came here for and I can’t even begin to explain to you the awesome joy of the next sixty seconds. My camera and video camera were snapping like crazy. They didn’t do anything special. A man in tights with a chair and a whip wasn’t going to come out and make them climb on a chair or anything. The two, probably the amorous pair from yesterday, sauntered and skipped over rocks, perhaps part of their mating ritual. (<font color="BROWN">HER: After last night you didn’t even call! HIM: Sorry honey I was out hunting for food.
HER: You still could have found time to call, yak yak yak…</font Then they disappeared into the small brush. Everyone in the canter looked at each other with smiles of satisfaction, almost in a spiritual way. <font color="BLUE">Man makes a building of stone and marble and he says “It’s magnificent! It’s amazing!” God makes <u>a living breathing tiger</u> and HE says, “It’s good!”</font> Nuff said. >
<We rode back to the Ranthambhore Regency like a victorious army returning back from battle. It was as if God himself had smiled at us. \
/ Soon news of our triumph spread throughout the hotel. I showed the video to workers in the dining room as I had one last meal. (<i>Hey there goes that head move again!</iRajendar and I left Ranthambhore. He was thrilled to have finally seen a tiger in his life. With very few words we shared the excitement of this bond.
The road to Jaipur was much, much smoother. But it was still about a four hour drive. By early afternoon we entered the large pink gates of Jaipur, <font color="PINK"><b>“the Pink City”</b></font>. Jaipur was founded by Maharaja Jai Sing (1693 – 1743) who was known for being a great warrior, but an even greater astronomer. The oldest part of Jaipur is the north-east section of the city while the new parts are in the south and the west.
In 1876, Maharaja Ram Singh painted the old city pink to welcome the Prince of Wales. It was a fascinating contrast as we drove the car through crowded bustling streets lined with pink everywhere!
I checked into the Trident Hotel. My final hotel was perhaps nicest of them all. The floor was a wonderful tiled black marble. From the room, there was a magnificent view of a lake with a palace in the center of it, just across the street!
One of the highlights of all the trips I have taken is finding the local congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses and meeting my local brothers and sisters. Before leaving I contacted the Indian headquarters and they told me there were congregations in Delhi. However, I had no time in Delhi to meet up with anyone or go to a Kingdom Hall. In Varanasi, Agra and Ranthambhore, there were no Jehovah’s Witnesses whatsoever. But I was given a contact phone # for a sister in Jaipur. I talked on the phone with Shaguntala “Gunta” Peters and arranged to meet with her tomorrow evening after my touring was done.
I curled into bed and dreamed of tigers.
Jul 21st, 2006 | 11:36 PM
#32
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 449
Likes: 0
Wonderful report, we've been thinking about visiting India for some time now but were always put off by the fact that independant travelling is very difficult if not impossible in India. Everywhere we've been we've always hired a car & driven ourselves even in places where it wasn't advised such as Thailand & Sri Lanka. The main reason being that my husband suffers from travel sickness if he isn't driving. However after reading this report I definitely don't want to miss India & I'm sure we'll get round this problem one way or the other, I'm even thinking about this October we had been planning Argentina or Brazil but India is looking more & more inviting by the minute.
Jul 22nd, 2006 | 06:29 AM
#33
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
Wayne - what an amazing report, you really know how to spin an interesting tale! I am going to India for the first time in January so this is really exciting to read. Except for the part about the belly ache.... I love that you had the opportunity to have some experiences with locals, what a special way to get away from the tourist beat. Your description of taking pictures with the little girl Ashi was particularly moving. When I visited Cambodia last year, taking pictures of the small children and showing them the pictures on my digital camera was on of my favorite experiences. I can't wait to keep reading.
Question - How do you change the colors and fonts in your trip report? This definitely adds to the reading enjoyment, as you are really able to emphasize your points?
Question - How do you change the colors and fonts in your trip report? This definitely adds to the reading enjoyment, as you are really able to emphasize your points?
Jul 22nd, 2006 | 06:17 PM
#34
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 0
Chelsea2,
<*B*><*PURPLE*>Just remove the asterisks, and no spaces to make this text bold and purple<*/B*><*/PURPLE*> Bottom line
<COLOR>the text</COLOR>
B = Bold, I = Italic, U = Underline
--------
<b><u><i><font color="PURPLE">Day 10 — Ranthambhore to Jaipur
</font></i></u></b>
After a morning workout and breakfast I met with my guide, Mr. Eugene Pram and we headed for the Amber Fort. Eugene was an older gentleman, unlike all my earlier guides who were around my age or a little older. In certain ways he reminded me of my own father. Being with Eugene gave this section of the tour a unique sense of dignity and calmness. I knew I was in great hands.
Construction of the Amber Fort and Palace was begun in 1592 by Maharaja Man Singh, the Rajput commander of Akbar’s army. The fort sits magnificently on a hillside overlooking a lake. We rode an elephant up the hill and entered the fort. Once again I spent hours being amazed at man’s handiwork. Yes the whole vacation consisted of this feeling, yet it never got old for me. From the outside, the fort had a standard rugged imposing look. Yet on the inside there were marble hallways lined with delicate mirrors and jewels.
After the fort, Eugene, Rajendar and I had lunch at a local restaurant called Indiana. We then went to a jewelry shop. I also stopped at a newsstand and purchased a movie magazine only available in India. An Indian doctor that Mary Ellen works with wanted this magazine from her homeland.
We then went to Jantar Mantar, the royal observatory which started construction in 1728. When you walk into the outdoor complex, you see an interesting collection of weird looking sculptures. However, each item is actually a carefully designed scientific instrument. These instruments perform functions like measuring positions of stars and planets and the zodiac. The grounds contain several magnificent sundials. Eugene showed me how to use one of the dials which works by reading the shadow cast by the movement of the sun. Without looking at his watch Eugene told me what time it was <font color="GREEN">within 20 seconds</font> and was correct! As he explained the purpose of each instrument, it was amazing to see how ahead of their time they were.
We then went to the city palace complex which included several museums and other interesting buildings. Finally we went to the last store. I bought a tie for my new father-in-law and an outfit for myself. I returned to the hotel and cleaned up.
Gunta Peters and her husband came by to pick me up. We went to her home, where she also has a room that doubles as a Kingdom Hall. There are <font color="GOLD"><b>eight</b></font> Jehovah’s Witnesses in the entire city of Jaipur which has about 2 million people! Sister Peters’ experience is listed in the 1978 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses. After a few hours of visiting and spiritually upbuilding each other, Gunta arranged for her neighbor, who had his own auto-rickshaw, to take me home. She arranged for me to give him 80 rupees (45 rupees = $1) to take me home.
Soon we were puttering along in the man’s vehicle… very slowly. The smell of diesel fuel was choking me.
I could swear people <i>walking</i> were going faster than us.
<font color="BLUE"><b>“Oh well whatever, as long as this thing doesn’t break d----"</b></font>
In the middle of a crowded hellish street, the auto-rickshaw came to a stop. UNBELIEVABLE and yet totally believable. While the gentleman pulled the engine apart & fiddled with spark plugs, lots of people came up to us and offered their “help”. But eventually he got it started and we made it back to the hotel.
Officially the tour was done and tomorrow I would head back to Delhi and fly home. But Eugene arranged for me to see the Jaigarh Fort tomorrow before I was to head back. I packed my things. The next 48 hours would be a whirlwind of touring, driving and time changes. Then there would be the greatest dread of all: <b><font color="RED">flying with AEROFLOT Airlines again</font></b>. <i>At least I got to see the Taj Mahal before I died.</i> :'(
<*B*><*PURPLE*>Just remove the asterisks, and no spaces to make this text bold and purple<*/B*><*/PURPLE*> Bottom line
<COLOR>the text</COLOR>
B = Bold, I = Italic, U = Underline
--------
<b><u><i><font color="PURPLE">Day 10 — Ranthambhore to Jaipur
</font></i></u></b>
After a morning workout and breakfast I met with my guide, Mr. Eugene Pram and we headed for the Amber Fort. Eugene was an older gentleman, unlike all my earlier guides who were around my age or a little older. In certain ways he reminded me of my own father. Being with Eugene gave this section of the tour a unique sense of dignity and calmness. I knew I was in great hands.
Construction of the Amber Fort and Palace was begun in 1592 by Maharaja Man Singh, the Rajput commander of Akbar’s army. The fort sits magnificently on a hillside overlooking a lake. We rode an elephant up the hill and entered the fort. Once again I spent hours being amazed at man’s handiwork. Yes the whole vacation consisted of this feeling, yet it never got old for me. From the outside, the fort had a standard rugged imposing look. Yet on the inside there were marble hallways lined with delicate mirrors and jewels.
After the fort, Eugene, Rajendar and I had lunch at a local restaurant called Indiana. We then went to a jewelry shop. I also stopped at a newsstand and purchased a movie magazine only available in India. An Indian doctor that Mary Ellen works with wanted this magazine from her homeland.
We then went to Jantar Mantar, the royal observatory which started construction in 1728. When you walk into the outdoor complex, you see an interesting collection of weird looking sculptures. However, each item is actually a carefully designed scientific instrument. These instruments perform functions like measuring positions of stars and planets and the zodiac. The grounds contain several magnificent sundials. Eugene showed me how to use one of the dials which works by reading the shadow cast by the movement of the sun. Without looking at his watch Eugene told me what time it was <font color="GREEN">within 20 seconds</font> and was correct! As he explained the purpose of each instrument, it was amazing to see how ahead of their time they were.
We then went to the city palace complex which included several museums and other interesting buildings. Finally we went to the last store. I bought a tie for my new father-in-law and an outfit for myself. I returned to the hotel and cleaned up.
Gunta Peters and her husband came by to pick me up. We went to her home, where she also has a room that doubles as a Kingdom Hall. There are <font color="GOLD"><b>eight</b></font> Jehovah’s Witnesses in the entire city of Jaipur which has about 2 million people! Sister Peters’ experience is listed in the 1978 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses. After a few hours of visiting and spiritually upbuilding each other, Gunta arranged for her neighbor, who had his own auto-rickshaw, to take me home. She arranged for me to give him 80 rupees (45 rupees = $1) to take me home.
Soon we were puttering along in the man’s vehicle… very slowly. The smell of diesel fuel was choking me.
I could swear people <i>walking</i> were going faster than us. <font color="BLUE"><b>“Oh well whatever, as long as this thing doesn’t break d----"</b></font>
In the middle of a crowded hellish street, the auto-rickshaw came to a stop. UNBELIEVABLE and yet totally believable. While the gentleman pulled the engine apart & fiddled with spark plugs, lots of people came up to us and offered their “help”. But eventually he got it started and we made it back to the hotel.
Officially the tour was done and tomorrow I would head back to Delhi and fly home. But Eugene arranged for me to see the Jaigarh Fort tomorrow before I was to head back. I packed my things. The next 48 hours would be a whirlwind of touring, driving and time changes. Then there would be the greatest dread of all: <b><font color="RED">flying with AEROFLOT Airlines again</font></b>. <i>At least I got to see the Taj Mahal before I died.</i> :'(
Jul 22nd, 2006 | 06:28 PM
#35
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 0
<font color="OLIVE"><b><u><i>Day 12 — Jaipur and Back to Delhi</i></u></b></font>
In the morning we went to the Jaigarh Fort which is further up the same mountain that the amber Fort is perched on. It was built in 1726 by Jai Singh. Since the fort was never captured, it is extremely well preserved. The fort was built with an incredible system for containing rain water and purifying it. If the fort was under siege, those inside could stay for years before going dry. The fort also had what it claimed was the largest canon on wheels in the world. The canon has a firing range of 22 miles. It was said that the soldier who aimed and fired the canon had to volunteer to <u>give up his life because the kickback would kill him</u>. (<i>“Hey what’s the 401K package with this job?”</i>
)Finally, in the afternoon, it was time to say goodbye to Eugene. I had a 5:35AM flight out of Delhi. The plan was to drive back to Delhi, about a 6 hour drive, let me get dinner somewhere and then drop me at the airport at midnight and I would hang out there for 5 hours! Before checking out of the hotel, I contacted a Jehovah’s Witness family in Delhi, the Roy family. They wanted to meet me before I left and said they would make dinner for me. Rajendar and I got into the car and left Jaipur behind.
It was almost 10 PM before we ended up in Delhi at the Roy home. Brother and Sister Roy awaited, as well as their daughter, their son, his wife. It was so exciting to meet them all. It was also sad that our time was so short. They talked about the Witnessing work in Delhi and the challenges that they faced. At times there has been great hostility, yet Jehovah’s work marches forward.
When I finished eating, they told me they <font color="BLUE"><i>already had a bed prepared for me</i></font> and that I should sleep for a few hours and then head to the airport. What wonderful hospitality! They had known me for only an hour and here they were opening their homes to me in this way. While many parts of India are known for being hospitable, I know that above all reasons this could only happen because of our common faith in Jehovah. At about 3AM Rajendar and I were driving to the airport. It dawned on me at this time how little I really knew about him even though we had spent HOURS together. Almost on cue he said to me <font color="GREEN">“I want to thank you, you have been very good customer to me. Next time you come to India please request me.”</font> We smiled at each other. He dropped me off at Indira Gandhi Airport and I watched his car pull away. The great journey had actually come to an end. I pulled out my digital camera and snapped a few pictures which attracted a crowd of about 20 people who all wanted their pictures taken.
I whisked through customs and soon enough I was buckling my seat belt in Aeroflot flight #536 headed to Moscow.
--------------
<font color="BLUE">Still to come: Day 13 - The flight and the Epilogue</font>
Jul 23rd, 2006 | 08:08 AM
#37
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 0
<font color="BLUE"><b><u><i>Day 13 — The Long Kiss Goodnight </i></u></b></font>
OK, Ok, all this time you have been waiting for the big finale, my return trip on Aeroflot. How would it be? I hate to disappoint you but it was quite uneventful. The trip from Delhi to Moscow was smooth as silk.
I arrived at Moscow customs and had to go through security. The young guy at the desk looked at my information.
<font color="RED">
Him: “Why you are in India?”
Me: “I was on tour.”
Him: “Aaah you are Jamaican. You were on haaaaashish tour?”
Me: “What!?”
Him: “Haaaaaaashish. You were for hashish?”
</font>
Then I realized this idiot was asking me if since I was Jamaican if I was in India for marijuana! What a jerk! I wanted to backslap him back to the Bolshevik era, but I decided using violence was not the answer. I politely told him no I was not there for hashish. And he let me through.
As the plane lifted into the sky, I blew Russia a kiss goodnight. About thirteen hours later the plane touched down at Los Angeles International Airport. Friends were there waiting to pick me up. As I rode back home, that great sense of accomplishment radiated throughout my body. I had survived The Crucible and I felt I was a better man for it. I needed to sit back and think about all that I had seen and experienced. This Journal is as much for me as for any of you.
But first there was this thing about a wedding. Registry, reception, groomsmen, marriage license, limousine, honeymoon, details, details and bills, bills, bills. Hmmm, when is the next Aeroflot flight back to India?
OK, Ok, all this time you have been waiting for the big finale, my return trip on Aeroflot. How would it be? I hate to disappoint you but it was quite uneventful. The trip from Delhi to Moscow was smooth as silk.
I arrived at Moscow customs and had to go through security. The young guy at the desk looked at my information.
<font color="RED">
Him: “Why you are in India?”
Me: “I was on tour.”
Him: “Aaah you are Jamaican. You were on haaaaashish tour?”
Me: “What!?”
Him: “Haaaaaaashish. You were for hashish?”
</font>
Then I realized this idiot was asking me if since I was Jamaican if I was in India for marijuana! What a jerk!
I wanted to backslap him back to the Bolshevik era, but I decided using violence was not the answer. I politely told him no I was not there for hashish. And he let me through.As the plane lifted into the sky, I blew Russia a kiss goodnight. About thirteen hours later the plane touched down at Los Angeles International Airport. Friends were there waiting to pick me up. As I rode back home, that great sense of accomplishment radiated throughout my body. I had survived The Crucible and I felt I was a better man for it. I needed to sit back and think about all that I had seen and experienced. This Journal is as much for me as for any of you.
But first there was this thing about a wedding. Registry, reception, groomsmen, marriage license, limousine, honeymoon, details, details and bills, bills, bills. Hmmm, when is the next Aeroflot flight back to India?
Jul 23rd, 2006 | 08:12 AM
#38
Original Poster
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,448
Likes: 0
<b><font color="OLIVE"><u><i>Epilogue
</i></u></font></b>
So now it is several weeks later, not only am I settled back from my trip to India, I have also just returned from my honeymoon. I am now wearing a wedding band. (<i>“One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them…”</i> ) The wedding was great and so was the time Mary Ellen and I had in Kauai. Now I am trying to settle into the life of a married man.
To all my friends in India thank you for your hospitality and effort. (Please email me if I misspelled your name. [email protected] ) You gave me the adventure of a lifetime. As of this printing, India and Pakistan are on the verge of war. I only hope this clears up so that many more people can have the wonderful time that I had. Despite 2 weeks of incredible adventure, India is still like a mysterious woman that has only revealed a few layers of herself. Who is she?
<font color="PURPLE">
“I am the streets of Delhi. I am the home Gandhi. I am the cows of Varanasi. I am the sacred waters of the Ganges. I am silk saris and hand woven rugs. I am the Mughals, vicious warriors, enlightened artists. I am the overnight trains rolling across the countryside. I am the great lovers Shah Jahan and Mumtaz. I am exotic spices and pungent smells. I am the Taj Mahal, a glorious vision in marble. I am mighty forts and ghost towns. I am mosques in the shadow of Mecca. I am marble carvings, red sandstone, sapphire, ruby and emerald inlays. I am Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Muslims. I am the tigers of Ranthambore, the camels of Rajasthan, the birds of Bharatpur. I am the pink walls of Jaipur and the elephants of the Amber Fort. I am Untouchables, I am Brahmins. But above all else, I am India, and I will be here long after you are gone. "
</font>
The Hazle Journal will return...
</i></u></font></b>
So now it is several weeks later, not only am I settled back from my trip to India, I have also just returned from my honeymoon. I am now wearing a wedding band. (<i>“One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them…”</i> ) The wedding was great and so was the time Mary Ellen and I had in Kauai. Now I am trying to settle into the life of a married man.
To all my friends in India thank you for your hospitality and effort. (Please email me if I misspelled your name. [email protected] ) You gave me the adventure of a lifetime. As of this printing, India and Pakistan are on the verge of war. I only hope this clears up so that many more people can have the wonderful time that I had. Despite 2 weeks of incredible adventure, India is still like a mysterious woman that has only revealed a few layers of herself. Who is she?
<font color="PURPLE">
“I am the streets of Delhi. I am the home Gandhi. I am the cows of Varanasi. I am the sacred waters of the Ganges. I am silk saris and hand woven rugs. I am the Mughals, vicious warriors, enlightened artists. I am the overnight trains rolling across the countryside. I am the great lovers Shah Jahan and Mumtaz. I am exotic spices and pungent smells. I am the Taj Mahal, a glorious vision in marble. I am mighty forts and ghost towns. I am mosques in the shadow of Mecca. I am marble carvings, red sandstone, sapphire, ruby and emerald inlays. I am Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Muslims. I am the tigers of Ranthambore, the camels of Rajasthan, the birds of Bharatpur. I am the pink walls of Jaipur and the elephants of the Amber Fort. I am Untouchables, I am Brahmins. But above all else, I am India, and I will be here long after you are gone. "
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