The Scruffman Chronicles: The Scruffman in India and Nepal
Feb 4th, 2010, 02:03 PM
#24
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I have been checking in still also. I work with children from India so Scruffman's adventures help me see the country from afar.
Best of luck on the interview tomorrow. If you get the job it will help you out until you can find the "right" job again. Keep us posted.
Best of luck on the interview tomorrow. If you get the job it will help you out until you can find the "right" job again. Keep us posted.
Feb 4th, 2010, 02:52 PM
#26
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My only son (and only child) trotted off to the UK one summer when he was 19 for six weeks. He went alone. His father and I were freaked that he had no traveling companion. I told him to call me each week (at which request he sniveled). He DID phone and after he returned, we had a phone bill of $567!!! He returned a changed young man --- much more confident in himself (but he did admit that he wished he'd had a buddy with him). Good luck in your job search!!
Feb 4th, 2010, 03:17 PM
#27
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Happy and interested to read of his observations of India, and to hear that he is headed to Goa, and then further South before an upswing north.
Too bad about Africa, but I've no doubt he'll get there sometime in his future. He will have the benefit of this trip to see and appreciate that adventure in a different way.
Too bad about Africa, but I've no doubt he'll get there sometime in his future. He will have the benefit of this trip to see and appreciate that adventure in a different way.
Feb 4th, 2010, 07:56 PM
#28
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Artsnletters: I'm following you too, and of course, your darling Scruffman, our fodorite ambassador
I wish you the best for the job interview, and I hope the job lasts only til you get one your REALLY like.
I wish you the best for the job interview, and I hope the job lasts only til you get one your REALLY like.
Feb 5th, 2010, 07:54 AM
#29
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To those of you who have written me privately, thank you and I will back to you this weekend. As I'm sure you can imagine, it's been a difficult couple of days, but I appreciate hearing from you.
Feb 5th, 2010, 09:41 AM
#30
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Arts-my 27 year old son just returned from a two year work experience(doing microfinance and finance) in India and it did change his life in many ways. He had spent a year in Delhi and then a year up in Dehra Dun (5 hours north of Delhi).He loved living and working in India-for me it was a very difficult two week vacation visiting him?
I hope that he stays healthy while there and enjoys the amazing food and culture!
Best of luck on the job situation?
I hope that he stays healthy while there and enjoys the amazing food and culture!
Best of luck on the job situation?
Feb 5th, 2010, 05:12 PM
#34
I wonder if India is ready for this snowball, which has picked up devotees in the North America forum, then in the Europe forum, and now India.
All the best to Scruffman ... I so envy his experiences
... and Artsnletters: this saga-snowball you've created is so entrancing ... it shows a wisdom and ability that hopefully will quickly find you ensconced in a new job
All the best to Scruffman ... I so envy his experiences
... and Artsnletters: this saga-snowball you've created is so entrancing ... it shows a wisdom and ability that hopefully will quickly find you ensconced in a new job
Feb 8th, 2010, 08:24 AM
#36
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This will tell you something about the Scruffman: I got an e-mail from him saying, I haven't heard from you for three days, I'm afraid something's wrong, did you lose your job? There are several times when I didn't write him for a week or more, so it can't be that. He's just uncanny.
The interview seemed to go well. I will hear in a couple weeks.
Kerouac, did you say something to him about writing me? I'm getting much more detailed reports ever since your dinner.
More coming soon.
The interview seemed to go well. I will hear in a couple weeks.
Kerouac, did you say something to him about writing me? I'm getting much more detailed reports ever since your dinner.
More coming soon.
Feb 8th, 2010, 10:05 AM
#37
I did not tell him to write more to you, but I think I may have impressed upon him the incredible value and importance of maternal support. I think he already understood that, but maybe he understands it even better now. 
Feb 8th, 2010, 11:57 AM
#38
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I loved every minute of the US and Europe stories and now am happily waiting for more details from Asia!
How interesting that so many Fodorites seem to be attached to their continents! All you Europe folks who rarely visit the Asia forum -- if you're interested in reading some fantastic India stories you should search on the screen name dogster. Your whole idea of a trip report will be turned upside down!
How interesting that so many Fodorites seem to be attached to their continents! All you Europe folks who rarely visit the Asia forum -- if you're interested in reading some fantastic India stories you should search on the screen name dogster. Your whole idea of a trip report will be turned upside down!
Feb 8th, 2010, 01:12 PM
#39
I agree. I will certainly not disparage the Europe board people, since I am one of them, but their idea of excitement is usually about 20 notches lower than what happens in Asia (except of course for the 5-star hotel organized tour people).
Feb 10th, 2010, 05:02 AM
#40
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<b>The Hippie Life in Goa, with ADD Bookends</b>
Oh my. Greg is just a wonderful person, but he does have ADD, and that can complicate a trip like the Scruffman’s. Twice in less than two weeks.
We’ve been through this once, already, with the ill-fated guitar that he forgot within three weeks of leaving home.
The first part I only found out after the fact. In his rush to make his plane from Milan to Mumbai, the Scruffman left his passport at his host’s apartment. Fortunately, he realized it (apparently at the airport) and she rushed to his rescue, bringing it all the way out to Malpensa. What a great person! And how lucky is Greg?
Well…. Stay tuned.
He’s had no complaints about Goa. <i>”I’m halfway around the world exploring beautiful white beaches dotted with coconut trees and beautiful women … Life truly doesn't suck!"</i>
He’s been staying mostly at Palolem Beach, a somewhat developed beach popular with Israelis, for 250 rupees a night. But, being the Scruffman, he’s found a better deal.
He decided to walk from Palolem to Patnam Beach, a more secluded beach about 20 minutes away on foot:
<i>”Along the path I stopped at a small hut to ask for directions and ended up staying and chatting for a while. They are an older German couple who moved to Goa about two years ago to sit on the beach and play music all day. After a nice jam session I continued my journey and finally reached Patnam. What a gorgeous beach! I jumped into the sea and just floated around for a while before turning around to head back. As I was climbing over a bunch of rocks I noticed an older fellow sitting between the rocks so I said Hi. As it turned out he was from Ann Arbor [Michigan, one of his stops across the US]. We had a really great conversation about books that we had read and life and the universe. I left feeling really inspired.
“The sun began to set as I continued down the beach. I noticed a few people playing guitars and drums so I went and joined in. The sunset was so beautiful I don't have any words to describe it. When darkness fell the others invited me into their place, called the Magic Cinema, and we played music all night long. I ended up staying there in a treehouse (seems to be a pattern) instead of walking through the dark roads with a stick to fight off packs of stray dogs as they go hunting. They offered to let me stay in the treehouse for 50 rupees a night [about $1.25]. They also said that when business is good musicians eat (and drink when business is really good ) for free. Unlike every other place I have been in India, the people in the Magic Cinema really all seem like a family, from the travelers to the people who run it. I think I'll stay here for a little while.”</i>
One of the Scruffman’s favorite DJs will be playing in Goa on Valentine’s Day (!?!?!), so at this time he’s planning on staying that long before heading south. He admits it will be hard to leave paradise to throw himself back into the fray:
<i>“India is dark...profoundly dark... I've been here less than a week and I've already seen some things that have been hard to come to terms with, but only fools (and the rich) come to a place like India to sit on a beach for months and ignore the reality of it all.”</i>
But ADD has reared its ugly head again. As I have feared from the start, the Scruffman has lost his Schwab ATM card. He’s pretty sure it wasn’t stolen, and from the balance in his account that appears to be right. He has another ATM card with him for a different account that will get him by, but it has significant ATM fees, while his Schwab card has none. And he has a couple credit cards too, although that is a <i>very</i> expensive way of obtaining cash.
So the Schwab card will have to be canceled and replaced, and of course they’ll only mail it to his (my) US address. <i>However</i>, Mom is not without unexpected resources! I have a friend in Delhi from another travel site (IgoUgo, where I’ve posted my travel writing and photos in the past), and she has agreed that I can mail the new card to her and Greg can pick it up when he gets to Delhi, minimizing the time he’ll have to use the expensive ATM card.
He’s going to have to be more careful for the rest of this trip – I don’t have any more friends on other continents, certainly not in Thailand or Laos!
Oh my. Greg is just a wonderful person, but he does have ADD, and that can complicate a trip like the Scruffman’s. Twice in less than two weeks.
We’ve been through this once, already, with the ill-fated guitar that he forgot within three weeks of leaving home.
The first part I only found out after the fact. In his rush to make his plane from Milan to Mumbai, the Scruffman left his passport at his host’s apartment. Fortunately, he realized it (apparently at the airport) and she rushed to his rescue, bringing it all the way out to Malpensa. What a great person! And how lucky is Greg?
Well…. Stay tuned.
He’s had no complaints about Goa. <i>”I’m halfway around the world exploring beautiful white beaches dotted with coconut trees and beautiful women … Life truly doesn't suck!"</i>
He’s been staying mostly at Palolem Beach, a somewhat developed beach popular with Israelis, for 250 rupees a night. But, being the Scruffman, he’s found a better deal.
He decided to walk from Palolem to Patnam Beach, a more secluded beach about 20 minutes away on foot:
<i>”Along the path I stopped at a small hut to ask for directions and ended up staying and chatting for a while. They are an older German couple who moved to Goa about two years ago to sit on the beach and play music all day. After a nice jam session I continued my journey and finally reached Patnam. What a gorgeous beach! I jumped into the sea and just floated around for a while before turning around to head back. As I was climbing over a bunch of rocks I noticed an older fellow sitting between the rocks so I said Hi. As it turned out he was from Ann Arbor [Michigan, one of his stops across the US]. We had a really great conversation about books that we had read and life and the universe. I left feeling really inspired.
“The sun began to set as I continued down the beach. I noticed a few people playing guitars and drums so I went and joined in. The sunset was so beautiful I don't have any words to describe it. When darkness fell the others invited me into their place, called the Magic Cinema, and we played music all night long. I ended up staying there in a treehouse (seems to be a pattern) instead of walking through the dark roads with a stick to fight off packs of stray dogs as they go hunting. They offered to let me stay in the treehouse for 50 rupees a night [about $1.25]. They also said that when business is good musicians eat (and drink when business is really good ) for free. Unlike every other place I have been in India, the people in the Magic Cinema really all seem like a family, from the travelers to the people who run it. I think I'll stay here for a little while.”</i>
One of the Scruffman’s favorite DJs will be playing in Goa on Valentine’s Day (!?!?!), so at this time he’s planning on staying that long before heading south. He admits it will be hard to leave paradise to throw himself back into the fray:
<i>“India is dark...profoundly dark... I've been here less than a week and I've already seen some things that have been hard to come to terms with, but only fools (and the rich) come to a place like India to sit on a beach for months and ignore the reality of it all.”</i>
But ADD has reared its ugly head again. As I have feared from the start, the Scruffman has lost his Schwab ATM card. He’s pretty sure it wasn’t stolen, and from the balance in his account that appears to be right. He has another ATM card with him for a different account that will get him by, but it has significant ATM fees, while his Schwab card has none. And he has a couple credit cards too, although that is a <i>very</i> expensive way of obtaining cash.
So the Schwab card will have to be canceled and replaced, and of course they’ll only mail it to his (my) US address. <i>However</i>, Mom is not without unexpected resources! I have a friend in Delhi from another travel site (IgoUgo, where I’ve posted my travel writing and photos in the past), and she has agreed that I can mail the new card to her and Greg can pick it up when he gets to Delhi, minimizing the time he’ll have to use the expensive ATM card.
He’s going to have to be more careful for the rest of this trip – I don’t have any more friends on other continents, certainly not in Thailand or Laos!
