Heading up to north India

Bikaner

I am writing this in Vashisht in Manali, I could see snowy mountain from the cafe where I am staying. A lot of green, peaceful atmosphere, less hustles, and slow life style. So I haven't touched blogging for almost a month now and I have to remember all those past days. Shit shit shit... Well, in Bikaner, I did camel safari and spent a night in desert. The trip was one of a kind that have to do it. Its awesome but, it is also depend on people who you travel with and what kind of guide you get, plus what they do with the tour, like food and smoke, even drinking. It doesn't matter actually about how much you are paying... I spent 1200R a day and it was ok kinds... I heard awesome story about camel safari and they spent about 700R a day. So it is just depend on luck or friends recommendations.

Anyway, after the camel safari tour, I moved to another place and explored the town. There was a huge fort in this town as well, but 300R for entry and I was again traveling myself so I skipped it. In my guest house, there was nobody so that I did more of editing of my videos.

I went to the rat temple by a local bus. That was the feature of the town I guess. I never seen anything like that. It looks like a nice temple from a distance, but as I walked in, the smell of rotten food and shit and some sort of disgusting that I can not even express in here... filled up the atmosphere that I could feel with my skin of my face. And then, so many rats are running around, I mean soooooo many. They don't even scare people so some times they did run over my foot. And I could see the rats so close that I could see their eyes starring at me, nails, and all detail of hair they have. Woo fu fuf fu... that was horrible... But the local people worship the rats and feed them, and treat them like gods. Yep, the culture is really hard to understand most of the times.

I went to post office on the next day, and this is also quite interesting experience. I found the post office easily and I just wanted to send a letter and some tea to Japan. The letter was fine but the tea... I was expecting at the office that they have some boxes or some sort of envelope that I can buy and pack them and send. But they had nothing... So I had to go to some shops to pack it. But not many people speaks English in this town and took me a half hour to find this book shop. Then they said that I have to rap up with cloth. I could have done that faster and better but they took my tea and started to sawing. Took them more than an hour, in this hot weather... in between many Indians... in a busy shop. They some times pass around the sawing responsibility to others in terms of taking care of lots of customers. Then, I didn't have enough cash on me... So I went to find some ATM but most of them didn't work. I walked around for another hour for finding ATM. Took me whole day for sending a package and that was my day.

I explored the town next day but there weren't much to do there...

Amritsar

There wasn't sunrise yet, with the yell of people asking about rickshaw I woke up in a bus. Bus ride always make me tiring. Had a cigarette and a chai, got on a rickshaw and found a cheap hostel, and straight fallen down to bed. But then the extreme heat did wake me up within couple of hours. Then I hit the street. There is the golden temple in Amritsar. I walked in the one of the most extreme street to get to the temple. I hate Indian drivers. I say they are worse than Vietnam traffics. In Vietnam, traffic is crazy but the drivers are good enough to avoid pedestrians but Indian divers are always try to run into people. Fuckin shity traffic. In contrast, the golden temple was really peaceful and nice. It is surrounded by water and white buildings. Entrance was free, and there is free food to serve for everyone as well. The food was really nice, probably it was one of the best that I had in India. Apparently, they make over 10,000 meals a day for 24 hours. I have seen the kitchen and it was really chaotic. A guy stirring a massive pot, A MASSIVE pot, hundreds of people are washing and throwing dishes that make crazy noise, and tons of chapaty is on hot plate making a nice smell. The place was really fun. I walked into the golden temple, there is musicians playing music for all day long and a guy was reading huge book and the decolation of the wall and the inide are really nicely done too.

One of a night, I stayed in the temple. There are free space to stay for all people. All the Indians are sleeping on the floor, squeezing each other. The view of hundreds people laying in such a area is quite interesting. We stayed in a dorm where all the foreigner stays, there some beds and we also squeezed in the bed as well. Interesting experience.

We went to Pakistan and Indian border ceremony while we stayed in the temple. It was kind a weird. They played some Indian pop music and suddenly all the woman started to dance. Its like a street festival and the army guys do some crazy marching. Amritsar was really cool place to hang out but nothing much to do.

I was going to further north but I caught up with nice people and heard about place called Dahransara then we headed to east from there together.

Mcleod Ganj

The bus was filled with all foreigners, I have never seen so many tourist in local bus in India. The place is over 3000m above the sea level, as fur as we go, the air gets colder and cleaner. Fresh chilled wind was blowing in to face, nice chat with all travelers and good feeling about next place gave me the wonderful journey.

On the bus, I was talking to a Canadian girl Jeni sitting behind me. She was kind of harassed by the Indian guy sitting next her. That was horrible. And the bus ticket inspector came in. She hasn't paid for the bus ticket yet but not intentionally. Then she was accused for 1000R fine. But there were many tourist in the bus. We all got together and argue with this shittiest inspector and convinced him it wasn't her fault which is true but the whole argue was quite a fun.

We arrived in the town after the sunset. The place is also full of tourist but its got nice atmosphere. We were walking around the town to look for some guest houses but it was really expensive, so then me, Jane Rob and Shane all from Canada got shared room but it was really fun. As soon as we arrived, we got some beer and a bottle of whisky and we made some musical party in the room. Jane knows most of the songs I play so it was really fun to jam. Then we went to eat some dinner, on the way back, we met these guy just got out from a bar. And they saw our guitar, started to sing loud and hit the street for party out. We were singing on the street till two or three in the morning. Yep, I love this place.

Next day, while had a lunch, we played some card game called 500. It was really interesting game. I really want to play it again but it was really difficult rules that I can not remember now...

In the afternoon, we headed to waterfall, swam a bit but the water from snowy mountain was really freezing so that we just hanging out around the water for the day.

We went to a Japanese restaurant in the town and it was quite impressive for the Indian standard food. Also there were some Japanese people are working in the restaurant.

Jeni fixed my dread hear while we watching The Social Network. Then we had a rest.

Next day, I had a shopping day for on my own for the day. We caught up in the night for drink and had some awesome jam session again.

Stayed in Bakso next day but I had terrible tummy troubles in the afternoon. But I head out to Vashisht for climbing in the night. I still regret that I stayed such a short time in Dahransara. I am in Manali now and planning to go back within couple days.

Old Manali

It is freaking freezing here in Manali when I got there. It was about 5 in the morning. The sky was gray, little bit of shower and there was no way to go up to the Vashisht in that time. With lack of choice, I went up to Old Manali for the night with some people. Got myself a jacket still regret that I spent so much money for that but it was really cold. Its been a couple of weeks past and this place getting warmer each day that I don't need the jacket anymore and have to send it back to Japan now... Coz anyway, I like it.

Vashisht

Here I am, sitting in the porch of my guest house, writing a diary of the past lazy day of my journey. But one of the most exciting incident that killed my interest of traveling around india is that I got a ticket to go to London. It started with a message from J Ridley that lived together in Melbourne for couple of month, offering a work in London as a cook. First, I was bit worried about visa and expenses but the work was in the Glastinbury festival. Sweet as!!! It is the biggest fest in UK and I really wanted go someday. He's offering a pick up from airport and place to stay and most importantly free ticket to the festival. Again, SWEET AS!!!

To comfirm and get myself the ticket, I had to stayed in the internet for days. But finally now, its settled.

Anyway, that was my early days of Vashisht.

I had to move some places in terms of expenses and shitty owners. But I found myself a comfortable and cheap place “50R a night” with nice people.

Vashisht is a town surrounded by snowy mountains all around and lots of green forest with bit influence from Tibetan culture. That makes this little town so peaceful. It is quite disgusting but it has a hot bath to relax as well. I don't have shower due to cheap rent so I go there everyday. Its also bit chaotic with all those tourist but its worth it.

I had couple of days of hiking up to waterfall from he town and the waterfall is really impressive. On the way to the water fall, there is a guest house and I met some Japanese people and had some conversation about traveling.

I met some climbers and now I have been climbing around the town.

I met Lore and Hana from Belgian in a cafe, they told me about a music festival in Kosal and they were doing the bike ride so I jumped on the back of Lore's bike and head to Kosal for the music. She has driven for two days and I was the first person who got on her back of the bike. Especially in the street like in India with full manual bike on dozy street up and down, turns left and right sharp with stupid traffics. As I am writing this diary now so you know we survived. But the bike ride was awesome. Riding down between the beautiful valley, a beautiful weather and lovely Belgian girls, that was fun. The party was better than I expected. We had to walk through the muddy forest in the dark with no path. We sneaked some Vodka and local whiskey, listened to trans music in the forest, dancing and jumping. It's been a while I had a such night. But the party was stopped by the polices by 10pm. They came up with sticks and yelling that “polices your friend, go home now, I can help you”. That was quite weird but we had some fun. The village is also quite sweet. Small and pretty. On the way back of bike ride, the bike run out petrol twice, middle of the nothing. First one I did hitch for some help. There were nice Indians who gave me a lift to gas station. Second time was already in Vashisht so I just gave back the bike.

I had couple more days of climbing day around the town with Marcus from Switzerland, another Marcus and yan from Germany and Lore. It has been a pretty nice days.

Most of the night in here, we always go to the same restaurant and hanging out with same people that reminds me the day in Hampi lifestyles give me the atmosphere of family like.

We had couple of jam sessions as well but I miss the chemistry of the Hampi music sessions.

Anyway, we had a Japanese food night, Korean food night, and we just chat about us a lot. Not much drinking or drug has been going on between us so I felt so healthy after all.

One the last day, we went to Solang again and for last climbing. I have made two problems that I haven't been able to climb so that made my Vashisht journey satisfied. I had this feeling of achievement and kind of grown up filled my mind and I was good to go to Bakso. I said bye to all people that I met and left Vashisht with Elyse and Lore. I miss that place now and I appreciate the people who hanged out with me and support for my climbing days.

 

India trip Rajastan

Udaipur

Here I am, again stuck in the middle of nowhere on the way from Mumbai to Juipur pissing on the street as always of journey, wondering how would it to be a female traveler. After about 20 minutes of break the bus went into highway, the sun was falling, the journey was steady... then BANG!!! With this crazy noise and dust of rubber flying in the air, one of the tyre of the bus punked and the bus lost the control for a while and stopped. Bit of upset and relief circling around my brain for a while and got off to the road. I felt death in a moment but all the Indian seems to be relaxed as if its usual. We got off the bus and some of the passenger started to talked me friendly where am I from and all. Then I got offered this nice liqueur ... and snack ... of India and had some nice chat about Indian arts and culture. He is a broker of Indian art knows about Indian and British arts well. The bus driver took the punked tyre off within 20 minutes and we kept on going the bus ride. But the worst thing is that I drunk half litter of alcohol so I need piss now...

Now I am having a coffee at a cafe listening to cows screaming and noisy bike on side writing my blog. It is amazing how dusty in India that my lap top has been dusty all over by the black sand.

I walked around this beautiful town for 4 hours about yesterday. Udaipur town has lake and there is a very expensive hotel in middle. It is gorgeous, mysteriously floating in the middle of the lake that makes me want to stay for a day. But not this time... There is so many up hill and down in this town also the curves. The figure of the building according to pathway, color of the wall and clothing and noise of drums and something makes this town so unique.

I met Luisa and Miran that I have met in Hampi in the town had a dinner together at their guest house called Lal Gao Guest house or something. They had very nice balcony with awesome view. I had couple of drinks and smoke with them and night flew.

After the cafe with bit of internet, I went back to the balcony, practiced guitar with spanish girl Karin. Then I went to find some dinner before my another bus journey to Pushkar. I should have stayed in that place for longer but something made me keep on going. So I found one of the rooftop restaurant. The view with sunset was awesome. I have slept for a while and head back to the guest house had some chat with Miran, Loisa and Simon, they seems to come up to Pushukar in couple days so just say bye. Then I am in the bus heading to Pushukar now.

Pushkar

The impression of Pushkar is to me that it is just a touristy small town with lots of rip off and souvenir shops. There is one main street along to a lake. Around the lake, people would give you flower for your happiness or praying and tells you to go to lake but when you got to the lake, there is another man comes close and will show you how to pray in Indian way says its for your family. Then, 500 rupee donation otherwise the pray will be ruined. They will be very aggressive and hussle about the money you should be paying. What a rip off. They will give you the red and yellow wrist band called “Pushkar passport” to show you have done or not.

People are not so friendly either but a week has past easily when I was there.

I stayed in a place called Mama Luna guest house, the owner was really great. He was always high and friendly. 100 rupee a night and massive room with nicest terrase that I hanged out there for hours playing guitar.

Most of the days, I went to same cafe had some chai and falafel, chatting with people that I met in the shop. Staying the guest house practicing guitar or just chilling. Smoking a lot and sit around. The sunset view point up in the hill was nice.

Also, one of the night we had the chance to get some bang lassie in this town. The bang of 50 rupee from a tea shop was just great. We played a card game called spoon but everyone has just too slow to play and just keep on laughing. When we get out of the shop, everything has been closed and quite dark but only street light was flashing the creepy road. My foggy memory of the night fall was surround by these dried out building in the curved road, stared by the big eyed cows without any motion and the silence in between the our laugh through my tensed head. We got back in the guest house and played some tune in my head but some how we have been connected. We talked a lot but could not understand any word of people talking. Everyone asked each other what were you talking just now and your memory will gone soon enough to answer the question. What a night.

Then the week has gone with no time. I have met Alina and Jakob from German then we head to Jodhpur together.

Jodhpur.

Here I am writing this diary on a bus to Jaisamler. On the journey of the India there is always a guy on a bus playing some Indian music from his mobile phone. This time is also the same. The high pitch sound of the female Indian singer voice is penetrating the strong wind and coming into my ear with irritation disturbing my memories of the Jodhpur town.

Well, on the way to Jodhpur, we have met a French traveller Thomas and he joined us together. We have walked around the town for half hour and we found this place called Yogi's guest house. When I was walking on the street, I noticed that in the south, kids ask for school pens but in north they tend to ask chocolate more. Anyway, so we shared a room with four of us but the room was amazing. Big and clean, after searching of guest house and sweating, the shower was one of the moment of happiness. So we all got refreshed and head to the town but not Jakob. He got sick... Well, Thomas, Alina and I head to town walked around the market for the day. The town was quite big but full of nice people and has great atmosphere. When we got into the market, we found this nice tea shop. They gave us some tea and I fell in love with this saffron tea. Its served with Cinnamon, green ... and bit of saffron but the flavor was just great. Usually, I don't do much shopping but I got myself two different types of tea from the shop. Silly me without thinking about luggage but the tea was great.

When we went out to search for dinner, we have met Nico from Swiss. He showed us a place to eat outside of the town. And we found a bottle shop says “English wine and beer”. It was closed but we decided to get some drink tomorrow.

We had a lazy morning next day, but finally, about 1 pm we manage ourselves to get up to the fort on a hill. 300 rupee entrance but it was worthy. I have met Mama, Papa and Amit from Goan corner in Hampi in the fort. That was really funny encounter reminded me the good old days.

The fort itself was rally great. I have never seen such a magnificent fort in any other places. The view from the fort, the town is colored in light blue of the housing and they are winding all around the town. Its huge, its cozy and its got nice spiritual atmosphere. We walked around the fort about couple of hours and enjoyed the view then we went out to the town to find some chicken to eat.

It is really difficult to find any kind of meat in vegetarian country like India. Then we found this nice looking restaurant with clean swimming pool. The whole chicken was 260 rupee but me and Thomas couldn't wait any longer. As soon as we found the meat, we were done. We shared the chicken but the meal was one of the best thing in India.

We head to bottle shop after and got a bottle of whisky and rum. Back in hostel and we started a whisky party. We stayed at the roof top of Yogi hostel, started smoke some and played some tunes. Had some more whisky and my memory had faded away with good vive.

Next day we head to Mandor garden by a local bus. It was a pretty day of just chilling at a garden. I had a shower from the watering guy from the garden, refreshed my self in the hot evening. All the local people were laughing at me but hey, I'm just a tourist, I will not meet anybody again. Then we head back to town and visit the tea shop and had some awesome saffron tea again and some more. So we just chilled again in the tea shop for an hour about and they convinced me to buy another tea as well. Then the day has fallen. Next day, Thomas, Nico and I left the town to Jaisalmer.

Jaisalmer

It was really hot day of bus trip but I had awesome view of India from the window. Lots of sand and little towns with funny looking housings. Camels and cows on the desert were sniffing around for something. Then we got to Jaisalmer, the small town with the great fort. The only fort, people living in in India. We have met a guy on the way of bus trip and his brother picked us up from the bus stop to his guest house. It was really crapy but we were exhausted so we took it. The toilet was horrible. It was inside the room and the bottom has got a crack and leaking from there. So, it smell like a shit then it makes the room smell shit as well. Anyway, it was late and we were hungry so we decided to make decision tomorrow and eat some dinner and slept.

Next day, I wanted to see the hostels but instead we went up to the fort. Thomas got lazy and he stayed in bed but me and Nico went out. The fort was great. The entrance has got some hustle from the locals selling shit but inside was nice and chilled. I now really regret that I didn't pushed myself to move to the hostels inside... Anyway, we just touring around the hostels and guest houses in the fort and just amazed. Actually, it was quite cheap to stay inside fort as well, like 100 rupee for double room, nice and clean also with very cozy and lovely atmosphere and with awesome views. On the way back to hostel, we met an English girl Phebee and headed find some food together in the town. After the lunch, she went back to fort to look around and Nico and I went back to hostel and grab Thomas and chilled out at the roof top for a while and met Simon and Caroline that I met in Udaipur. They just came back from the Camel safari. They loved the trip so much. Well, then time was to sunset, so we all got together and head to up on the hill. The view was great but I want the sunset to be the other direction. Maybe sunrise would be amazing with fort in the picture. Then some kids climbed up the hill and came to us with speaking little English with little begging smiles. They started to sing for us, asking for picture for us and of course little money. But I don't do charity... I just can not be a nice guy to offer some money even its tiny... Then some spanish people next us took picture with them giving away some chocolate and all, then I saw the little fight over the snack between the children. I just can not be bother looking like that too... Anyway, there were some nice local people that I have met on the hills as well. They are musicians living in the slum just around the corner from the view point ask us to join up for chai and music session. Of course they want to sell their instrument but they were more modest and kind. I like like that. They took us to his house with no doors, no beds, no water, no toilet, no address but surprisingly with TV and they played for us a traditional musics with awesome instrument. Its got beautiful sound. The session went about hours and we promised them to have some dinner together next day. I asked for some chickens and got excited.

We went to a lake in the town and caught up with the local as we promised next day and chilled out by the lake for a while. Then Simon, Calorine, Thomas, Phebee and I decided to visit them at 5pm for the dinner at his house. When we got there, we started to practice the local instrument while his wife and children were cooking. Apparently, its their culture for woman to be quiet while the guest is there... We talked about marriages of india, music and lifestyles. His daughter was just 15 but she already met her future husband. Wow... Then here comes the chicken. Great meal. We gave them about 500 rupee about but for 5 people meal and for all his family. We had a great meal but kids and women were not eating till we finished. That is also weird culture for me... Well, we talked about next day as well but I have ditched it...

Well, I met Jacob and Alina in the town, they came yesterday night and stayed inside the fort. We caught up the the town and they showed us their guest house. It was just awesome. I guess one of the best in terms of location and the view. They have the great view of the town from the window and cozy atmosphere of the Indian housing. Its so big and just 100 rupee. Aw, I missed that. Well, I got a ticket to go to Bikaner tomorrow at 6 in the morning so its not going to happen. We had dinner at his guest house with awesome view and it was one of the best Rajastani food I had in India. From the window of the restaurant, we could see the BHANG shop. Yep, the legend has come back. Apparently it was the only regal bhang shop in the town and we were down for it as the flow. So the story starts with 5 of us went into the shop of bhang then talked with locals. There were some sheesha and cushions but nothing. Its about 4 square metre and around by the plain light brown wall with some pictures of Indian gods on. About a half hour, there were 5 glasses of lassie came down in front of us. We tasted slowly like a wine in the glass, looking at each other with bit of smile says mmh, commenting about the flavour of the nuts and glass, have some water to wash down the thickness of the lassie and puff, then we started to play some card game called spoon. The time has passed nicely but Nico got feel sick, he decided to go back to hostel and he left. Then, we went up to the fort. A place called roof top. The journey to the roof top was really far away. Some Indian yelled me that “Oi Japanese I'm going to kill you~” That creeeeeped me out for a while then sudden other guy came out from nowhere shouted that “ So we have nice restaurant with greaaaaat view”, gave us such a nice laugh. We climbed up the road like donkey with heavy carriage at back. The lighting from the fort shined us into 100 years ago and now we living in the fort on the way back to home. The stairs was really high that we had to crowed up. I got lost in the middle of the stairs and wondered what is going on... then we made it. Jacob and Alina was sitting in the corner of the fort. The view was incredible with them. It was like they were sitting on the flying balcony in a cheap movie with dozzy green screen effect. The back ground of the town was flying around them so fast but I could focus on every single detail of the town, and in a same time, I could see the faces of Jacob and Alina. Phew... I needed to sit down. I sat next the Jacob and he told the story of the port in the desert. The Jaisalmer had a massive port. The light from the town was for all the gar-eon ships to come back safely from their journey. The sound of the wind turned into speed of light, shifting the silence to the weight upon the shoulder. I just sank into the mill of the cushions that I wanted to get out and talk to friends. Then I found this table obstructing my way so I wanted to move it out. Then I time slipped back in the port, listening to the story of the Jacob. Alina was laughing at something, Thomas couldn't move at all but smiling and feeling his bear. It was hilarious but it doesn't make sense. Then I went back into the hole of the circle turning me into the world of joy with no memory and time. The Neverland.

After couple of hours of circular, Jacob has gone. When I found him he was puking on the corner asking for help. No one can move for a moment. And I went up to him with some water to wash him off. And I took him into his room and the party was over. I took Alina down into her room and came back for Thomas. The journey was also fucked though... Then one of a guy from the hostel came up said the restaurant is closed... Party was over but there was one more attraction for me and Jacob. “The terror of the rickshaw back home”. The driver knew we were high, then he drove back for us insanely. The curves, the speed, the bounce were sooooo great. The cows and people were in slow motion but the building was flowing like flight. Then the rickshaw called up the dog with yelling. We felt “oh fuck fuck fuck”. The dog was running right next me ready to jump on to the rickshaw. The barking got louder and closer. When I turned around there were so many dogs running behind us. Then he stop right in front of the door of the hostel. When I looked the outside, the rickshaw guy yelled “OWGH” fucking scared me. But the dog was already away. What a journey. When I got to room, nico was still awake and waking around the room. I wondered what was like to be on the trip for him. But we couldn't speak no more or maybe I just forgot about the conversation.

We missed a bus. I got a ticket to go to Bikaner at 6 in the morning with Phebee and Thomas, but Thomas and I didn't make it...