Friday, July 22, 2011

total cost for the trip

500 - cash exchanged in sg
250 - cash exchanged in india
110 - atm withdrawal in india
90 - extra cash
54 - visa
240 - airfare

total tally of 1244 sgd

for those who want a rough guide on the costs

cheers

Thursday, July 21, 2011

The burning ghats where u see the two temple towers where corpses are burned

Cremation site of the buddha in kushinagar

Along the ghats of the varanasi on a boat

The ghats of varanasi

Manikartika ghat the most holiest place to get cremented in varanasi

The cool guys in varanasi

Me rupert from england and francesco from italy

The dharmekh stupad where the buddha conducted his first sermon

Inside the main mahaparinirvana temple with the statue of the buddha

In parinirvana posture

Kushinagar the place where the buddha moved on to nirvana

The actual spot where the buddha passed on into mahaparinirvana.. The back stupa contains the relics of the buddha

The triple arch at the entrance of kushinagar

Trian is running extremely late in the middle of the night and in front of me is a railway child

Abondoned by family , caste and living below the poverty line these kids are living like there is no tomorrow.

Not suprising as india have got lots of people living under the poverty line. Its surreal just sitting and waiting in front of these homeless kids and in another way a wakener for me yet again.

And my trian is the only one which is late and I paid tatkal seat at extra 200 rs for it.

For the uninitialed tatkal seats are premium emergency seats whichare only released 24 hours the trian starts. They may be purchased from gov railways its offices or authorised agents.

One gentlement even told me he once paid 1000rs for a tatkal ticket omg

Waiting for the trian in front of the poor sleeping boy in purple pyjamas now.

........... God bless

Sonatalai Railway Station mid way back

Sonatalai Railway Station
Madhya Pradesh
http://m.google.co.in/u/m/B9I3gF

One of the asokan pillars left at the mahabohdi temple

Dun ask me what those people are doing ask me directly but the people are throwing coins on top of the pillar. Yup I missed mine heeee

Ps

A good perspective

GPs

Different stupas that stood the test of time

DPs

The stab which marks the spot where the buddha gained his nirvana

Ps

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Sonatalai Railway Station mid way back

Sonatalai Railway Station
Madhya Pradesh
http://m.google.co.in/u/m/B9I3gF

In hinduism buddha is the 9 reincarnation of vishnu

No wonder they revere the buddha so much

The burning ghats of the varanasi

The main burning ghat is the manikatika ghat and was there for a while with all the burning in place.

The burning was really intense chocking up my throw and displayed in full view of the public.

Apparantly the burning ghats are managed by doms or the untouchables and the people who comes are relantless.

As much as 20 bodies or more can be burned at the manikartika ghat and the smoke is really strong. Different wood is used and the most expensive wood is the sandal wood.

The fire have to be taken from the eternal fire of siva which have to be taken to light up the fire.

Different burning pits are for different caste and profession. The top upper levels are for politicians and soldiers. While children pregnant ladies and holy man do not get burned as they are pure and they are tied to a stone and the river ganga flows it away. A really interesting and poigant process i must say.

Even at my hotel i can smell the burning which is very close to the burning ghats.

Coupled with a hot day and also lots of people around with a hospice by the back of the temple where people are waiting to die with or without their family. It is truely a process where we truely see the cycle of life.

Now i get an irritated eye and a stuffed nose from all the smoke.

Rightly called the city of shiva indeed

The burning goes on and on

The burning in the ghats goes well onto midnight and it seemingly never stops.

Praying chanting and all the sounds from the temple never stops. A really humbling sight i must say.

People from all over bathing washing and playing in the river. It sometimes seemed just too real that a single river may support all these activities.

Also forgot to add that people who are bitten by cobras also do not get burned as they believed that the poison of the cobra is holy and the person will instead be washed away by the river ganga.

As im writing the ghats are awash with smoke and prayers even at night.

Taking in my kf and taking the sights and sound and the choking smoke.

Simply amazing

Monkeys on rooftops

The monkeys in varanasi is surprising cool and placid. No monkeying around and no harressing people with food. Kinda surprisingly tame I must say.

Also nevertheless very wattchable with their whole family drama acted out in full rooftop view.

With a lighter brown shade below and a darker brown wist up and a red face they look almost to be blushing at you

Also the thing with the monsoon is that it is fully blowing in and we get half times of wetness and hotness

Phew

Chewing tobbacco in india

Chewing tobbacco in india have always been an interesting fact.

In the first time. I saw some indias split something like a red split out of their mouths. I wonder what that is and then realised it is actually tobacco.

No wonder india is almost smoke free and everyone is actually chewing but not smoking it which is a good thing.

But because of tobacco chewing, you can virtually see lots of red split on the walls of many hotels and alleyway.

Now I know what kind of decoration is that

Sweating bukets in varanasi

Having a short quick and hot day and I must say its very hot here in. Varanasi

Hotter and also much more confusing with the winding ghats I have to move through but its really interesting close quaters I must say. Fantastic. !

Lots of korean chicks here and they are really fair and I wonder what are they doing in the sun.

Looks like its korean season now. However on my way I also met a really nice india new dehki grad and also a lady from shanghai trying to get away from it all. However im quite surprised that she didn't agressively bargian hard enough most prob she just came from heavenly nepal to earthly india.

Hopefully the sun will set and people will be suffering less on the slivering heat.

But it was a good trip down sarnath though.
Surprised of many one girl and many girls group around though. Girls are now the peeps travelling.

Things have really changed

In the buddhist chinese temple

Staying in the buddhist chinese temple with a monk who speaks english. Oh thank god.

Sarnath is a really great place to relax but the weather today is really burning hot for a lack of a better word. Everything seems to be hot but a temporary quiet retreat from the sun in the nice archea musuem of sarnath will really break the heat thanks to the strong aircon.

The museum boosts the original 4 headed lion of asoka and also the wheel of law which is the pride of indias national symbol and its printed on the flag too. However only a few pieaces of the wheel extists and they are reconstrcuted in the best posssible way.

In the museum there are scruptures of buddha from the early periods of different empires. The best being from the gupta period and also some greek inspirated ones.

Also the other most impressive one is the giant umbrella which is used to shade the statue of the buddha which is 4 meters long.

The usual tourist hassle and bussle exists but considering that it is so near varanasi and also a major pilgrim site , it is as tranquil as it can get.

Arrving in the off season but with the relantless heat and rain can sometimes take a toll.

Corruption in your face in india

Was in sarnath and I felt something amiss when things didn't turn or work out the way it is and then it hit me corruption.

Feeling it first hand how procedures are not followed due to corruption it hit me again and again that corruption is eveywhere and some things you will not see but some things you see it very well

It amazes me how corruption occurs and I must say that it is in really bad taste and method.

What a day

Sarnath where the wheels of the dharma is turned

Upon reaching sarnath, there is a clam in it and people are very relaxed about it

Though just 10 km from the city of varanasi. Sarnath is a little town by itself and quite quiet. Reached at night and went straight to the chinese temple and was greated by the keeper and also the abbot in charge.

As it was night fall I was abit apprehensive about it but thinking that it is very near to varanasi. I thought it must be ok.

Today is a new day and a must visit will be the deae park.

Met some travellers on the trian too. A girl from shanghai who is on a 6 month trip and another fellow indian who is on a business trip.

Sarnath will be my last part of the trip so needs one more lumbini to finish up on the circuit. Which I will prob do as a whole of nepal

Almost like a place laid back in time

Kushinagar have got only a few restaurants and also a few good eateries.

People are relaxed but we can see that many new developements are coming up and people here seemed to have a certain resistance to change.

Things are moving I must say too slowly to develop the place and people are making a big fluss about changes.

No wonder this place is really just starting up and have got minimal developments.

Just hanging around at the same places and not doing anything in this small town where the buddha passed on is still not a bad ideal anyway.

Hot lazy days ahead

Friday, July 8, 2011

Lost caucasion man in india

There have always been lots of success stories of men who losst their way in life but came back strong ala steve jobs.

But how about men who have totally lost themselves in india.

There are at least one such man that I saw who is stumbling down india state by state. This man looks like he have actually losst himself to whatever he is looking for.

Not surprising that people who went to india to find themselves either lost themselves or manage to reclaim themself. Really a play of win it all or lose it all.

Just an interesting sight that I noticed

Kushinagar a low quite town always getting ready for prime time

Upon arriving in kushinagar. It was always a new sensation to breathe and feel a new place. The town is quite off the main artilery roads of india and unlike the others. I may be called a back water town.

If not for being famous for the place where thr buddha passed on and where he was cremeted.

This small town is really sleepy and looks not primed yet for primetime. Always looking forward to be a major attraction with new projects coming up and people are alway waiting for this town to be a major site of visit.

Many projects and upgrades going on the town is also companioning for the dalai lama to come and do more preaching and lectures and it is also pulling the crowds by trying to build the worlds biggest sitting buddha called the maitrya project

Now being the summer season and temperatures hitting feverish temperatures the only people coming in is me , local indian tourists and also the occasional tourist from thailand etc.

Also quite intersted to know that many more expensive hotels , the royal residency and the lotus have all closed. Very intersting and they seemed to be only open in oct where most big bucks western and asian tourists come.

Most impressive is the burmese mosnastary which towers upon the town by the main gateway which caretaker was sleeping and I wasn't able to get accommodations there and then there is the vietnam and chinese temple. Japan sri lanka and also the thai temple which is also undergoing renovations.

The temple where the buddha pass on is located on an open field and I must say the place is quite hot with the summer heat and such but the mount where the buddha was cremated is quite shadely but that is quite far off from the main town and at least 20 mins walk.

Coming here is a completely different feeling and I must say its more isolated then I thought

Lost caucasion man in india

There have always been lots of success stories of men who losst their way in life but came back strong ala steve jobs.

But how about men who have totally lost themselves in india.

There are at least one such man that I saw who is stumbling down india state by state. This man looks like he have actually losst himself to whatever he is looking for.

Not surprising that people who went to india to find themselves either lost themselves or manage to reclaim themself. Really a play of win it all or lose it all.

Just an interesting sight that I noticed

Kushinagar a low quite town always getting ready for prime time

Upon arriving in kushinagar. It was always a new sensation to breathe and feel a new place. The town is quite off the main artilery roads of india and unlike the others. I may be called a back water town.

If not for being famous for the place where thr buddha passed on and where he was cremeted.

This small town is really sleepy and looks not primed yet for primetime. Always looking forward to be a major attraction with new projects coming up and people are alway waiting for this town to be a major site of visit.

Many projects and upgrades going on the town is also companioning for the dalai lama to come and do more preaching and lectures and it is also pulling the crowds by trying to build the worlds biggest sitting buddha called the maitrya project

Now being the summer season and temperatures hitting feverish temperatures the only people coming in is me , local indian tourists and also the occasional tourist from thailand etc.

Also quite intersted to know that many more expensive hotels , the royal residency and the lotus have all closed. Very intersting and they seemed to be only open in oct where most big bucks western and asian tourists come.

Most impressive is the burmese mosnastary which towers upon the town by the main gateway which caretaker was sleeping and I wasn't able to get accommodations there and then there is the vietnam and chinese temple. Japan sri lanka and also the thai temple which is also undergoing renovations.

The temple where the buddha pass on is located on an open field and I must say the place is quite hot with the summer heat and such but the mount where the buddha was cremated is quite shadely but that is quite far off from the main town and at least 20 mins walk.

Coming here is a completely different feeling and I must say its more isolated then I thought

Monday, July 4, 2011

Stomach upsets and such

Have been having lots of upsets due to too much food and also too much gassy drinks. Oh man what a way to start the week.

Varanasi is one word hot hot hot

Varanasi a modern holy city.

Went on the fantastic ac3 trian to varanasi and the air conditioning sure didn't disappoint .

Reached and wass greeted by an array of people on the streets and I must say it was not that too difficult as I must say that varanasi is very well set up for travellers

Looks almost like a new and upcoming city. That place radiates live and action.

Went to a guest house and was greeted by a few and I took my chance and went for the guy with the cheapest rates .

Apparrently there were a few places there and this was the old yogi lodge. Nice place but lots of climbing and yes I missed a step and landed on my knees arhhh it really hurt and the sound is terrible when it hit the floor.

Arhh now my knees are hurting and hope it doesn't affect my travels I must say.

Also eating and waiting for the food. I must say the food is quite normal and also nothing special. However I must say my knees are still hurting arhhh

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Noise as a way of life

I love how noise is always a way of life in india. However noise which may make you feel alive may also irritate us the other hand.

Right now someone is trying to blast music in the restaurant which is counterproductive.

Car horns on the other hand is a differrent class by itself. The loudest horns are those that are the school buses. They take horns to a new level I must say. Once there was this yellow school bus that upped every horns ever on the road and almost made me deaf and I thought that I am immune to the horns . I was wrong.

I must imagine the ear of the buddha where the places he preached must have been quiet tranqient places though I must say that the cities should equally be noisy but not with modern hi tech noise that made making noise that easy.

My hat goes to those people who have a high tolerence of noise

State of gov run hotels in bihar

Its strange that when you are in a government run hotel in bihar ,

It always seems that the building looks ready to be abandoned
The rooms are somehow made into offices
People are always lying on the comfortable main sofa in the lobby.
People are always walking on the alleyway like an office.
Lights are alway on off mode unless you request it to be on
There is always something dismantled or burned out in the floors of the hotel
People are always very relaxxed and no sense of urgency
People are always looking at me with fish bowl eyes like im an alien.
The restaurant looks like it needs new lighting as it is very dark but still kudos to the ac which is very strong
Still most gov hotels are way too far from all the tourist districts

Noise as a way of life

I love how noise is always a way of life in india. However noise which may make you feel alive may also irritate us the other hand.

Right now someone is trying to blast music in the restaurant which is counterproductive.

Car horns on the other hand is a differrent class by itself. The loudest horns are those that are the school buses. They take horns to a new level I must say. Once there was this yellow school bus that upped every horns ever on the road and almost made me deaf and I thought that I am immune to the horns . I was wrong.

I must imagine the ear of the buddha where the places he preached must have been quiet tranqient places though I must say that the cities should equally be noisy but not with modern hi tech noise that made making noise that easy.

My hat goes to those people who have a high tolerence of noise

State of gov run hotels in bihar

Its strange that when you are in a government run hotel in bihar ,

It always seems that the building looks ready to be abandoned
The rooms are somehow made into offices
People are always lying on the comfortable main sofa in the lobby.
People are always walking on the alleyway like an office.
Lights are alway on off mode unless you request it to be on
There is always something dismantled or burned out in the floors of the hotel
People are always very relaxxed and no sense of urgency
People are always looking at me with fish bowl eyes like im an alien.
The restaurant looks like it needs new lighting as it is very dark but still kudos to the ac which is very strong
Still most gov hotels are way too far from all the tourist districts

Patna

Pataliputra and the capital of bihar and the ashokan and mauryan empire. This is where the people go to and where it is the most busiest.

Nearest site is in vaishali and the people are overflowing here.

One deduction I have deduced is that the more cows here. The more in development the city is. So you may take it with a pinch

Patna the british name and most commonly used name is the capital of bihar. Bihar meaning from vihar or monastary.

Patnas is fast becoming a major city but it development is outpacing the standard of living little boys and girls are still pacing the garbage circuit and capitalist class and social class are coming in for a clash.

People here however are getting more educated and it can be seen very clearly from the shopping malls coming up.

The most two famous sights is the goldgar or the canary where the britisj built it to counter famiane in the city itself which was most luckily not needed to be used at all.

The museum have got lots of oddities and also a part of the relic of the buddha which was unearthed in sarnarth

Like any typical indian city in the monsoon. Its been very very wet indeed and it really feels like singapore but much more of the extremities.

Trying to connect my way through to varansi and see how it goes from there

Thursday, June 30, 2011

The streets of bodhgaya at night is pitch dark and very eerie indeed

Like a bursting village in the day and a cemetary at night. Bodhgaya is an eerie town after 10 pm. Not a sound or a wishper from the day time loudness. It is a really strange feeling if I must say so

A morning under the bodhi tree

Sitting just sitting under the bodhi tree makes us reflect on life.
People from all walks of life even indians revere this place of a holy man who have seen the way.
Though self stavation may seemed like the way to salvation. I believe that suffering is one of the passage to salvation.
Monks toruists prigrims locals alike are seeking one thing.
The knowledge of life and the key to salvation.
All things equal and all things a reflection of a blink through time.
We pounder the essense of life and death.
We think we ponder we achieve therefore we are human

Last day in bodhgaya

Wounds heal with time and time waits for no man
A mans life is like a healing wound
Burning and scarring with time that pass us by
Like a candle burning out. 
It will come a time we need all part
Something random will come to give us lifes next challenge to come

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Staying in a monastary

I have noticed that many travellers are staying ina monastary and that they are cheap but there are rules in those monasteries so if I do not have a choice then I will stay in those.

But I believe it will be fun living in one and I will have lots of opportunities. Leaving in a guest house isnt so bad either

What a stack of 100 rs bills

The money changer actually gave me a full stack of 100 dollars bill what a spread.... Going to ticken my wallet

Tibetian monastary with the dalai lama

The pond where the snake lord covered the buddha while meditating

In the footprints of the buddha

Under the holy bohdi tree

The steps the buddha took when he first gained enlightenment

On the stab where the buddha gained enlightenment

In the compound of bohgaya

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Fellow traveller american chelsea who sounds european

Bodhgaya temple

A cup of chai

Indian trian teaachings

Great fellow adam from sri lanka

Foodies

Mount where the buddha made his many sermons for many years

In mother teresa tomb in calcutta

Bodhgaya temple

Giant buddha stupa in the southern side of bodhgaya

Thai monastary in bodhgaya

Trian grup

The famous nalanda university where xuan zeng used to teach

The holiest shrine the bodhgaya temple

The hill where buddha did his sermons

Rajgir where the buddha did his most holiest sermons and is the holiest place in rajgir.
Amont that is the first road that the king built to see the buddha preach and the place where xuan zeng first saw the monestary and went towards it

In an indian trian

Nice people and people who appears and disappear

India have always have a way to amaze me and disappoint me.
It have also left something which cannot be discribed in my heart.

Something which all the dirt noise and heat cannot discribe. The pure friendiness of a stranger . The rudeness of one person to another.

I have chosen to take the good memories with me which brings me to thid one incident on the bus in calcutta in bbd barg where I was trying to find where is the housie office and I randomly asked this one gentlement and the moment I ask he jumped into action as though he was anticipating for me to ask.

He brought me down the bus showed me and orientated me and I was catch by surprise by his friendiness. He also threw in a little history lesson that the new democratic gov have just been sworn in and calcutta used to under a ciommunist gov for the last 20 odd years.

He gave me his name card and ask me to call him and showed me his office also pointing to all the historical sites like the synagou built by the persians 400 years ago.

He was a really unexpectedly friendly chap and after all that he greeted me goodbye and went to work

Walking through calcutta you cannot avoid all the reminents of the communist gov. Stalin marx and all the communist crest are sprayed and displayed all around town.

There even is a musuem for it.

Calcutta is really the havanna of cuba.

Old buildings that were kept in its original condition. If it were capitalist the builds will surely be dismantled and rebuilt .

Calcutta cannot be said is in need of a fresh new paint and gov and the people are showing that they are ready for it and priming to go prime time.

In calcutta , the main draw is the victoria memorial ala american capitol and taj mahal mixxed for this concoction of a grand palace for the beautiful young queen victoria built in the southern side of the city ala central park in new york. With lady liberty I assume on the top of the vm really a magnificent masterpiece

Calcutta have also indias oldest metro which one american I met in the city who told me that the tunnel was built by human manual digging. Which of cause is an over exazz. But the metro which has only 1 line sure looks old and you have to hear it . It is non air conditioned at least for the trians. Niceeee

Also in the station I was greeted by a really friendly policeman and at that time I was carrying my backpacking bag I looked ready to move and was stopped and was greeted by his stare first as though I was a criminal and then he smiled and wished me the best in my travels.

There is a touch of innocence in calcuttas police but they looked really serious in their job and at every junction they are all ready to jump into action.

I have never look at police who looked so fresh in their white uniforms

Calcutta have also been the home of famous nataji who together with gandhi moved the independence of india. Gurus like chandragupta who was the gurus of many leaders of india. Also not forgetting mother teresa of calcutta who is one of the most famous figure of unconditional love and affection ever shown by a human being.

Her stories have touched many and her missionary have always been the ease and care of the terminally ill and sick so they may pass on with dignity. I am proud to say I have been ans made that prigrimage to her grave in the very simple house where she stayed.

The vibrations cannot be less felt and the missionary have always served the people well

However many controvercies have been said about the missionary where it had alledged that it had taken donations from dictators and such and also for teresa pious stand on not using contraceptive. Not a very good practice for a state that have got one of the highest aids and hepititis rate ever. Also for a city being famous for the wrong reasons are not one thing the calcuttans want to be remembered for anyway. Bearing in mind that indias nobel peace price winners have all worked in calcutta at one time or another

However we cannot deny teresas story of compassion which have touched the world over and over again. Her legacy and work will surely go on as humanities greatness human story.

Haha im writing this while im in bodhgaya and sometimes this inspiration to write really comes only after the collective thoughts of a few days.

Will be heading to patna this friday morning and really hope to see the famous patna musuem and also use it as a base hopefully to vashali and kerisaya.

Till then the nexxt post god bless

People and places

Im planning to say 5 days in bodhgaya and I must say this has been a really humbling experience and have met lots of people coming for meditation courses.

Met a couple gitar and ravi who have come from varanasi and is here for a meditation course and they in turn have met some really jovial and wonderful people. It was really fun being with them where they constantly made crude jokes when they were in meditation and such really funny and wonderful people in white meditative robes.

Went around the different temples and I must say the most impressive must be the thai temple withs its reflective arches and shiny fachaes and each very well tendered to.

All the temples are so well respected by everyone even indians pay tribute to the temples.

Still all around alots of beggers were around and at last I caved in and gave at least 15 rupees to that boy. The only reason I gave was his persistance and he was alone too.. One hard decision I had to make which is really hardbreaking.

Also there were lots of begging mothers outside the temple gates those I would like to give but they were too much and plentiful which would make a sticky situation if they were to launched on me together.

Rule is if you want to beg .... Beg alone and in a corner. Or simply be a lone begger

Waliking round temples of bodhgaya.

International organisations all around thr world have built many temples around the southern loop of bodhgaya and i must say its been really interesting to see that so many temples have been created in the holiest land of buddhism .

Really an eye opener but the temples only open at 2pm and im here at 1 waiting at a restaurant and hope that this rain will pass on too

Beautiful bohgaya

Apart from our adventurously ganho driver who drove like the king of the road.

I was appaulled by the beauty of rural bohgaya which have given me new prospecrive.

Countless temples all around and many more that I have not seen peeling away the dust to find the pearl was the real challenge.

People you meet and all the in your face poverty slowly peels off to show u what the place is all about. Self realisation

Been to rajgir and that was where thebuddha spent the most time preaching the middle way. On the exact spot where he preached looked out of the whole 5 hills this was the place where many hold dear as the holiest in rajgir because of the many sermons he held there.

In nalanda , there is the ancient nalanda university still in a state of an archeological survey. I must say it has been a real treat to also know that it is also the place where the chinese monk xuan zeng from journey to the west have gotten to. He taught at the university for 5 years and went on to help solve tribal sectorian disputes with wisedom.

He returned to china to the emporer and spent 14 years translating the texts and also in turn translating the confucius text to sanscript and brought back to india

He died peacefully in yuhua palace in china.

A memorial have been built and I must say its a befitting tribute to a man who have officially introduced and influenced chinese culture with the brand of buddhism he have made

Heading on a long train ride to gaya

Had to book a really long train to bohgaya which is 15 hours which normally takes only 6 hours

Dun ask me how but it is strange what the extra 5 hours are for

Still thats the only available choice last I say

Poorest of the poor on gaya

Upon coming into gaya it felt like india again.

The trians were overcrowded with people who didnt pay

Whole famiies of homeless people on the platforms of railway stations.

People appearing at your seat at random in the trian.

That was really an experience I must say so myself.

The real heartbreaking scenes were replaying all over itselves again and again.

Which makes it even more hard to swollow the poverty these people were living in.

Gaya is in the poorest region of india and also the most dangerous. Where each trian there had a policeman to keep the peace.. Always not a very unasurring sight.

The people also sat beside my bed berth and I was like wtf in the middle of the night at 3am.really a sign that it is not safe to travel at night in bihar in the land of the buddha. What happened to this holiest of place? Feeling like jereseleum again and again

Once in gaya it was a 13km trip to bohgaya the holiest sitw in buddhism where it all happened where one man was awakened to the meaning of life.

A dusty smally dirty town in the poorest and dangerous of the whole region....

Beggers and such

Seen lots of beggers and was overwhelmed by them

However things about beggers and their comparism

Singapore beggers just kneel one corner and stay put

New york beggers casually ask you for change

Indian beggers kneel pull nag run shout pledge at you for alms.

Indian beggers I must say are all in a class of its own

Taking my hat off to the beggers of india who have tested and extended my tolerance level towards empathay

Great city lousy weather

Its been a really wet and terrible day for me as its been raining the whole day non stop. Really taking a toll but im having my favourite jeeri rice and tikpa chicken niceeee

Avoiding yogurt and milk at all cost

Got abit of a stomach emergency last night and well I should have gotten off dairy porduct

Talk about underestimating my stomach potential lol

Afterthoughts

Hot as hell
Every corner smells like urine because people are urinating everywhere
Traffic rules are non existant
The litter bin is everywhere at your convinience
People are rushing to squeeze into every train imagined.
Sewage systems are heywire.
That sounds like my india :)

Cacutta. Medical hub???

Its been a hot day and I must say that my fellow trian mates are there are medical treatment

One man is going for eye surgery
Another for heart
Last for back

Apperantly many south indians are going to the north for better and cheaper treatment

Surprising as I am speaking a boy is kissing my legs and begging for alms . Omg

Its quite interesting that the poorer north is having better medical facilities probably due to its chaotic communist past

Another sweating hot entry

Giving back

I have always been verry heartless when giving to beggers.

I technically ignore them and its not that I dun want to give but its now my mission to at least give some to mothers with babies

At least I know that I will be giving to someone who needs it and also hope that the husband or pit lord does not take away the money .

Too many beggers too little to give.

Time to unload the sweets and pens

5 more hours to cacutta

A sri lankan and a bangalore

Met two amazing people while travelling and I must say it was expectional to hear their stories

First off was a strong old man at 70 who told me all about how he donated his kidneys and all his life stories.

Another was a sri lankan who married a mumbainese and also all his wonderful stories.

Both was fasinationing and really an eye opener to travel with

Germans and india

Met a german who was like in india for the last 6 months and all he did was volunteering farmering in one location.

He was in chennai and was transiting to dehli but could not get the apporpriate tickets. He went to the foriegn tourist booth and was rejected as he was on a voluntary work visa.

Hence we started and I helped him cause he seemed so blur and we manged toget eq or emergency quota tickets.

One blur look from him and I remembered another couple who is german white and muslim. They were really fun people and I must say we really hit it up the moment we met. They were mid way on their journey and were still very energetic throughout.

Haha germans do love india lol

Christianity in chennai

It has always been a fasination of how christianity have always been able to capture hearts and liberlise love to an equal footing

Judging from the number of churches that I see there is really no dening that christianity have captured the hearts of many here in tmail nadu

Religion also is here to stay and india have always been a place where people are still trying to find that meaning in life which makes them happy and satisfied

Not forgetting the number of chrstian tomb its simply amazing.

I have. Always marvelled at the expect where singaporeans are always ready to face any cultural shock as we alreay a multicultural people.

Trian rides

Trians are the quiessential experience in any indian experience

However a summer day trian ride is too hot for a lack of a better word .

Been ssweating for the whole day and girping down tons of water.

Night fall is coming and its getting cooler thank god for the cooler weather.

Learnt a very important word and its puriii which is water in timil lol

Stil a night more to go and will be reaching calcutta tomorrow afternoon.

What a hot start to a trian ride.

Not to say some young girls in the trian are also quite hot lol

Calcutta with bristes on my leg

I dunno what it is but it certainly with my shoes. Giving me lots of problems.

First its the shoes giving me serious bristes not forgetting the rain getting into them.

However cacutta with the monsoon coming in is really no joke that the road will turn into a drain for you to soak your leg into.

Missed a few churches and also afew uneventful sites.

Saw this girl at the corner of the church who doesn't sound american but with a soft voice to touch.

Then miracuriously saw her again at another cafe.

Must say that its really been a fatefull day.

Another girl who is there for work and is changing to another place to work back in carolina.

These few days have been a mad rush and hopefully I will be able to share more

Yes also have been to sri aurobino house where it is the place where he was born. An interesting house fir meditation

Touched it before and touching it again beggers

I have seen many beggers and the worst I have seen are indian beggers
A compaism

Singaporean beggers just kneel one side and say put
New york beggers ask you casually for change
Indian beggers stick to you smile shout pull nag at you for change

Something

In the plane

A plane more then half full and lots of empty seats . Two indian workers sitting beside me though I wish they were an old couple who would have a wealth of experience and stories which they could share but nevertheless good lads by the side

Side in a transition mode where I must say the first thing that hit me was the smell of indian cedar. Similiar with the ones used by europeans but much more pungent.

There you go india hit me even before I was there.

Two deliberations as to the choice of lodging. Should I go to chennai central or to egmore which is the backpackers hub.

Still deliberting and wondering what new surprises india may ring to me this time

Zzzz sleepy cat ;)

Two years on

Chennai airport with unsurprising development it really seemed like nothing have changed foe the past 2 years.

Entry is the and buildings and even the tiltes look the same . Quite surprised at how slow the development is which brings us to potential faster development in chennai .

Looks like the only others here is me and a caucasian old lady kkekkeek

1foot out the indian railways

What a hot and really memorable trian trip up to calcutta.

Steaming hot weather
Steaming good trian grubs
Foot out of the trian for a foot suntan
Old wise man who are always there to give advise
Sweating all thw way
Beautiful indian panorama that cannot be experienced else where
A real neeed to go to the toilet but nothing is coming out zzzzzz

Till then this text was texted while im still on the trian

Maybe I should ask the conductor to see for upgrades to ac??

The wide scourced indian plains.
Where every guru seemed to attain nirvarna

Arrived in calcutta and it poured like hell

Omg to calcutta monsoon weather .

First thing in and its the monsoon omg am I drenched dirty tired and hungry

First thing is the accommodation and I spend a leisurely 1 hour to get to it and well the streets are pretty easy to navigate .

Second met a few volunteers from america and hongkong who were fresh and doing missionary work. Must head it to their enthusiasm and also determination. Gave some big brother tips to them too

My calcutta journey just started and hopes that it will be a great one ;)

Monday, June 20, 2011

landed safety in chennai

have some back dated posts but im here in chennai and what a busy day it was !
first and formost

1 . thank god for foreign tourist quota ! - got my sleeper train tickets
2. yes chennai boy are very naughty lol
3. your neighbourhood mama store is still the most trusted and best place to change money
4. most taxi drivers are clueless at exactly where everything is lol
5. dun ever ask an indian on the streets for directions unless he is a gov official
6. yes many magnificient buildings are being built in chennai
7. chennai's metro building is causing lots of jam
8. my public bus uncle drives like he drives a ferrari and he OWNS the road heheheh
9. why can't they keep the power on in hotels lol
10. chennai marina beach is as beautiful as before

this is just my start of the whole adventure and im trying to fantically get wifi !

duhz >)

take care people miss ya !

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Parting shot

Another day for another adventure heeeee

Tiiiger

Indian bengal tiger dun play play

Check in lo

A scence in our warehouse budget terminal lol

Airporty

Checking in and wow to the chennai and jarkarta queue. Zzzz early flight in and a touch of sleep . Hopefully my last minute connections pay off looking at the queue.

One of the risks that I took is the connection with the trians which I booked knowingly too late . Been put on waiting list which is always a risk.

Hope that it pulls through and put me on rac or cnd . The joy of uncertainity a bitter sweet pill ;)

Tomorrow will be a great day to fly

Its since been one and a hlf years since my way back to india. It has always been an inspiration and an honour to breathe see and taste this culturaly and physically potent place

Bless the people of this fantastic nation!

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Sunday, May 15, 2011