Desert Oasis

We arrived in Jaisalmer on February 18th to a miniscule airport in the desert. Our hotel was an ancient, labyrinthine building and our room admired the timeworn fort perched on a narrow plateau. The furry-eared receptionist informed us that it was the week of the Desert Festival and the events were free and open to everyone, featuring such events as a turban-tying race, moustache competition and camel polo. The atmosphere of the town was relaxed and rhythmic with a feel of pervasive history.

As we explored the town the first evening, we saw traditionally-dressed men with their heads wrapped in turbans or scarves and women with traditional jewelry and nose rings. As we walked, bulls wandered through the streets and vendors were selling food and fabric. After wandering for a bit, we had lunch at a haveli (a northern Indian or Pakistani private residence, which in Jaisalmer are mostly stone with incredible ornate carvings on the outside) on a veranda which looked like something from Indiana Jones. Then we arranged an overnight camel safari before finding the best chai(delicious tea) and thalis (set meals sampling several dishes served with bread and rice) in town.

The following day was Matt's 24th birthday, so we both slept in late. After running several errands, we tried and failed to see part of the Festival, then had a moto-rickshaw drive us around to several famous havelis and up into the historic fort. We ambled for a bit through ancient alleys and accidentally beautiful sights (kids playing cricket in front of a temple, brightly painted front doors set in timeworn stone walls, and dozens of shops displaying bright jewelry and fabrics). Then Matt had a chance to talk to his girlfriend before dinner and festival fireworks.

The next day, we were up early and packed, heading to the Dedansar Stadium (a large expanse of sand with a wall on two sides, a hill on another, and several tents set up with chairs to watch the events) for several festival events. There were a few thousand people attending the festival, ranging from desert nomads to VIPs from all over India and world tourists scattered throughout. People were sitting under tents, buying snacks, listening to bands practice, hiding from the scorching desert sun, admiring the beautifully-decorated camels, and strolling the grounds. Eventually, the program began and we saw wrestling competitions, camel decorating contests, camel polo (Matt's favorite, especially after we narrowly missed elephant polo in Nepal) and a camel race (my favorite). The camel race did NOT consist of men on camels racing from point A to point B. Rather, it began with several men standing behind a line in their underwear. When the starting gun fired, the men ran 10 yards to their dhotis (wrap pants) and shirts, and rushed to get dressed, then they ran another ten yards to a cloth which they tied into a turban, next they had to run to saddle pads and carry them to their camel, then run back and grab the saddle itself and carry that to the camel. The man who got dressed, saddled up, and up on his camel first was the winner. To see a video of this thrilling race, please click here.

After a bit of the festival, we headed back to town, hopped in our arranged Jeep and headed out to meet our camels in the desert. We arrived in the middle of nowhere to a small hut where two men and a boy were sitting in the shade. The boy came right up and introduced himself, saying he would be our camel safari guide. I giggled and humored him, only to find out five minutes later that he was he was our guide and the only one who spoke English. Hussein and our elderly camel-tender, Metan, had us (after the all-important glass of chai) hook our bags to the saddles and climb onto our camels (mine was named Jodah) who then groaned and stood up jerkily. The next few hours were spent bumping along in the saddle, wrapped up from the sun, through villages and scrubby flatlands, and eventually into dunes.

When we reached the prescribed location, we all dismounted our camels and Metan and Hussein set up camp while Matt and I explored the dunes as the sun set. We spent the next several hours chatting with Hussein, drinking chai, running around the dunes, and singing to each other around a campfire in the sand. It was a beautiful evening and a wonderful sleep under the stars.

The following morning, we had breakfast, brushed our teeth and talked to the camels before travelling again (to see the groggy wake-up video, please click here). We were plodding along for a few hours before we came to a small village where Hussein had us dismount and enter the compound. We met a dozen kids and several adults, all in traditional garb. The ladies did not want to be photographed, but they wore quarter-sized nose piercings, and large, silver jewelry, and they dressed in colorful saris. I am certain that - besides more advanced wells and portable cooking gas tanks - they live the same way as their great-grandparents, gathering animal dung and brush for fires and raising goats for milk, meat, and money. After a lovely visit and some chai, we headed back out on the camels, eventually arriving at the Sam sand dunes. At the dunes, we bid a find farewell to Hussein, Metan and our camels and struck out to find the focus of the final day's festival events.

There was a period of over an hour, as we waited with the crowds, when the camel races were postponed due to blowing sand. At last, the wind calmed and we saw several groups of camels race each other over a quarter mile. The onlookers were concentrated around the finish line, and at the finish of every race, many had to run for safety to avoid being trampled by the speeding camels whose momentum refused to allow them to stop. We spent time with the crowd in the dunes and watched the concluding ceremonies under the light of the full moon before heading back to town in the Jeep.

The next morning in Jaisalmer, we were up early to make the most of our last hours in the lovely town. Matt and I headed up to the fort together but then split up to indulge our individual agendas. I wandered through the alley shops, testing the local vendors to find a bedspread at the right price (if you've been reading, you're aware of my unaccountable sadness when I was unable to purchase a bedspread of tribal cloth in Thailand). The state of Rajasthan is famous for its beautiful fabrics, with contrasting patterns patched together, complemented by embroidery and sewn-on mirrors. Eventually, I found the perfect one and forked over the cash before running around to see the Jain Temples, then meeting up with Matt, grabbing a moto-rickshaw and flying to Jodhpur, then Delhi. In Delhi, we took an overnight train and were delighted to share our cabin with a mother and her five-year-old, both of whom spoke English. We talked for hours with the mom and played with the little one until it was time to sleep. When we woke up, we were in Bombay.

The pictures in this post are: sunset camels in the dunes, a winding alley and shops inside the fort, boys dressed up to perform for the Desert Festival, my boy Jodah, me and the group trudging through the desert, a windswept dune, the sun setting, the post-sunset colors over the dunes, me and Jodah under the moon (depending on your display, you might not be able to catch this one), beautiful children, myself (looking like a dork) with Metan & Hussein and the camels, Desert Festival crowd (please open this picture and have a look at the crowd stretching up onto the dunes) , and my new prized possession.

Varanasi & Bodhgaya

Matt and I had heard a few tales of woe about travelling in India before we arrived in the country, and a few more specifically about Varanasi. The town's backpacker nickname is "very nasty" and our first taste of it was just that.

We hired a pre-paid taxi upon arriving at the Varanasi airport since pre-paid tends to be more reputable and safer that hiring a driver at random. Still, the driver tried to charge us for "parking fees" then repeatedly told us that our hotel was very expensive and he would take us to his, "no problem." When he stopped the car in the city to let his friend get in with us, it was the last draw. Matt had been feeling under the weather and hadn't slept well in several days and politely shoved the driver's friend out of the car and loudly scolded the driver who stopped messing around and took us to our hotel, but not before asking for a tip.

Since all of the decent hotels were booked full, after numerous phonecalls we had to settle on an empty, run down apartment. The hotel staff tried to overcharge us for the room we had booked, but eventually they relented to the price we had agreed upon. I spent that day poking around the town while Matt laid in bed resting and trying to recuperate. (I even bought him a cheap watch for his birthday. since we NEVER have time apart, this was a golden opportunity and we needed a watch anyway, but now he's started wearing one he had in his pack, so I have no good present afterall) We stayed at our mediocre hotel and accomplished very little that day.

The following day, we were finally able to reserve a room at our desired hotel. While re-packing our belongings to move, we realized our cell phone was gone; we had either misplaced it or someone with sticky fingers decided it was theirs. We gave up on it and hired (overpaid) a rickshaw to take us to the ghats, where we were dropped off in an alley, then had to follow a child through winding backstreets to our new hotel. When we arrived, it was 2pm and they had already given away the "reserved" room since I had specified on the phone that I would arrive at 1pm. AAAaaaahhhh! Finally, Matt and I took the only room they had available, for $5 a night, with shared squatter toilets, and shared cold showers. Then we had a late lunch, which was pretty delicious, and things began to improve.

After our meal, we took a boatride (video) to explore the holy Ganges River (spelled Ganga and pronounced gahn-gah in India). The Ganga is sacred to people of the Hindu faith and it possesses many powers. Bathing in the waters can cleanse you of your sins and having your ashes placed in the waters can send your soul to Heaven. Despite the river's importance, it has innumerable sewers, agricultural toxins, and city water runoff emptying into it. But the Ganga is called the "Holy Mother", and the water is so sacred that people rinse with it, bathe in it, collect it, and even drink it. And certain bodies, which for spiritual reasons may not be cremated, are frequently placed in the river in their entirety.

"In Varanasi, India's most sacred city, the coliform bacterial count is at least 3,000 times higher than the standard established as safe by the United Nations world Health Organization, according to Veer Bhadra Mishra, an engineer and Hindu priest who's led a campaign there to clean the river for two decades." (Smithsonian, 2007)

Though we were in Varanasi for several days, we were trying to absorb local culture more than to visit tourist sites. Though I might not effectively put in to words all that we accomplished, we did see alot of Varanasi and came to really admire it. We made some traveler friends (Justin and Erika) from NYC while we were in town and had dinner with them three nights in a row. The third day was spent exploring the town by wandering the back alleys and main streets. If you have time for a 30 second walk, please check out this video.

We spent a significant portion of the fourth day at the train station arranging a trip to Bodhgaya, before returning to the river for a walk along the ghats. That night, a large portion of the young male population were partaking in rowdy, colorful, religious devotions (puja) involving pop music while frantically dancing through the streets, following an icon of Vishnu.

The following morning, we were walking through the alleys loaded with our packs on at 4:30 AM and there were a surprisingly number of people awake, brewing their tea, brushing their teeth and otherwise beginning their day. We successfully caught a rickshaw and got to our train platform in a hurry before discovering the train as delayed for an hour and a half. We met some other travellers and chatted with them for ages while drinking numerous cups of chai.

After a long wait and a longer train ride, we arrived at our stop and caught a rickshaw to our next town which was lovely. The Sakumuni Buddha achieved enlightenment in Bodhgaya around 500BC and it has become one of the most famous Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the world. The utter devotion of the people in the town is inspiring and the town itself was beautiful and relatively calm. For some odd reason, all the children want to speak with foreigners to practice their English and we made many young friends while we were in town. Unfortunately, there are an inordinate amount of beggars because Buddhists believe you can improve your karma by giving, so the beggars know to come to this pilgrimage site.

The Mahabodhi complex is the main religious site in town, containing the Mahabodhi Temple and a Bodhi tree grown from a cutting of the original, under which Buddha became enlightened (to investigate further into the religion, please check out the BBC website on the topic). The first evening during lunch, we met a few little boys who wanted talked to us about our country, our ages, cricket, school, etc. Many children spoke to us while we were around, but these children from the first evening kept criss-crossing our path and we returned many times to their family's tea shop. There were about a dozen people in the family and all the kids were filthy but adorable, they spoke good English, and they never asked us for anything except to come by the shop.

During the days we spent in Bodhgaya, there was a chanting ceremony taking place and monks from all over Asia were in town, dappling our vision with orange, red, yellow, and mauve . If there are people in this world striving too attain enlightenment and a perfect peace, then that kind of peace must be a possibility. I particularly adore the child-monks, with their young faces and serious expressions who make me want to run and hug them. The chanting during the festival was so rhythmic and coming from so many people simultaneously that it had an amazing power. We spent at least twenty minutes sitting cross-legged outdoors riveted to the sounds, trying to absorb some of the passion that these monks were chanting with. It was almost as if they didn't have to speak the words for us to hear them.

The second day, we explored more of the town, seeing temples built be people from every country or region in Asia, with their own architecture. The straight lines and golden deer from Tibet, the golden, pointed temples from Thailand, and the dragons and sweeping rooflines from China served as a Buddhist review of our trip. Right at sunset, we came around a corner to find a giant Buddha statue with the sun setting behind it. We admired the rainbow of colors while sipping chai (we've become chai addicts on this trip and it's so cheap and delicious, I can't seem to find a problem with it yet). The third day we spent a couple morning hours on Valentines Day conversations before wandering around in town, strolling about the outskirts, checking out the lotus pond, (during this afternoon Matt caught a goat. Please check the link to his blog on the right to see pictures) going out of our way because the president's motorcade was coming, and spending time with our adopted family. The last evening in Bodhgaya, we sat down with our family for a while and handed out some hygiene items and a couple issues of Newsweek, learned some Hindi song lyrics, and generally chatting before it was time to get a moto-rickshaw back to the train station.

The following morning, we were back in crazy Varanasi. We had a chance to catch up on a bit of sleep, do some laundry (please check the video), wander around and get lost, finally locate dinner, and finally put some good time into the Delhi blog post. The following day was ridiculous. We hopped a flight and arrived in Delhi with too much time before our next flight to stay in the airport, but not enough time to go anywhere else. When we arrived, we picked up our bags and went searching all over for an internet cafe (Matt has a great picture of the two of us in a crowded, crumbling alley pushing the luggage cart that we borrowed from the airport). Frustrated and unsuccessful, we returned to the airport dragging our cart and resorted to pleading our case to the airline representative. She gave us passes to the airline lounge which turned out to be a bare, public restaurant. But I only know that because I searched for it out of curiosity. You see, when we accidentally showed up at the fancy lounge by accident, lugging our bags, completely frustrated, we must have looked quite pitiful because the receptionist there let us stay, though she turned many others back out. There, we found delicious finger food, plush couches, free internet, and all the tea we could drink.

The pictures in this post are: the holy Ganga River, daily activities at the ghats, a sign reading "fortunate are the people who reside on the banks of Ganga" painted among filth, vendors selling bangles and other necessities, a busy row of Varanasi's famous silk stores, monks participating in the chanting ceremony at the main temple in Bodhgaya, the main temple at sunset with a golden Buddha statue glowing inside (zoom), and the family who Matt and I befriended and won't forget.

Delhi and Agra

Matt and I arrived in Delhi during the wee hours of February third. Mr. and Mrs. Ericson (the parents of my dear friend, Katja) welcomed us into their home and we fell fast asleep until noon. When we finally emerged, the Ericson's unofficial-family-member / driver, Sanjay, showed us the highlights of New and Old Delhi including stops at the Jama Masjid and the Red Fort. The Jama Masjid is the main mosque in Old Delhi, and it was prominent, but the market outside was what really drew my attention. It was bustling with vendors and patrons bundled up with colorful scarves and saris looking for the perfect deal. In the air, the summons of vendors mixed with the call to prayer being broadcast from the mosque (video). Returning home after our day of touring, Mr. Ericson took us to dinner at a South Indian restaurant. The food was unlike any that I've tried before and I'm looking forward to time along the coast to try these savory dishes where they originated.

The following morning, we were rattling down the rails on a train to Agra. Matt and I have picked up a habit of phoning hotels immediately before arriving in the city instead of a day or two in advance, and we need to remedy this habit right away. We called from the train and wandered for about two hours inquiring in lobbies before finding a decent, available hotel room. The only activities we had time for that night were dinner and a haircut for Matt (in an alley shop with a dull, grade-school scissors) before bed.

We were outdoors before the crack of dawn the following morning to see the sun rise on the Taj Mahal. It was chilly, but we had a great view, and after maneuvering some inconveniently-placed decorative flowers, we had a tripod spot as well. The sunrise was gray and hazy but still magnificent, as it unveiled the massive marble monument. We wandered around the grounds for hours, in awe of the architectural masterpiece in front of us.


The central building was amazingly detailed, with ornate flowers cut from precious and semiprecious stones embedded in the translucent white marble around all edges of the walls. There were also latticed marble panes and Arabic script engraved above the entrance. The Taj was built by Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum in tribute to his favorite wife and is widely considered one of love's greatest masterpieces. The single detail that renders the building non-symmetric is his own tomb, which is located just to the side next to hers which is much larger, and in the center of the main room.

We spent ages admiring the main building and all of the surrounding structures, architectural elements and landscaping. It was an absolutely breathtaking area and every detail could be scrutinized and appreciated. I must have spent at least 20 minutes just staring at the multitude of stone flowers. Although the shape of many were similar, the grain of the different stones provided each with its own identity and the contrasting colors of the many crystals made each stand out. (the interior picture was taken secretly since they're not allowed, so it might be fuzzy. to see the individual stones, enlarge the other shot)

After reluctantly withdrawing from the Taj, we headed to the Agra Fort. The fort has existed in its current position for over a thousand years, but did not achieve its status as an architectural masterpiece until after it was rebuilt for King Akbar in the 1500's. When his grandson, Shah Jahan (of Taj fame), had the throne years later, the Shah converted the fort into a palace. Shah Jahan's usurping son later commendeered the fort and imprisoned his father in a room with a clear view of his beloved's mausoleum. Like many of the tourist sites we have visited in developing countries, this was another where you can touch everything, nowhere is off-limits and you're free to wander wherever you want. The only area we didn't thoroughly investigate was in the outer courtyard where we were turned back by a furious monkey who wanted Matt's Coke.

Following the fort, we headed to Akbar's Mausoleum where we were greeted by a strange array of hosts (video). The mausoleum was beautifully constructed and although not as massive or highly detailed as some of the other structures we had seen, the internal paintings were an incredibly colorful and intricate. When we had investigated the sight for awhile, we met a mother and son outside and traded a pair of toothbrushes for some pictures and nonverbal conversation. Then it was time to take a tuktuk the train station and head home to Delhi.

The following day, we headed to the National Museum, which was spectacular. The most interesting section was from the Harappan Civilization along the Indus Valley (wiki). The civilization flourished five thousand years ago and had technological advancements that are lacking in many developing areas today! First of all, the cities were constructed based on urban planning and they had plumb bobs which show attention to construction. They had water storage systems and wastewater drainage and they cultivated crops. Clay children’s toys have been found from the areas and there is evidence of extensive international trading.

We spent several hours at the museum and the guards had to turn off all the lights and lock the doors to make us leave. We seem to shut down museums all the time. After a brief wander, we met up with some friends of Matt's at Connaught Circus. They happened to stop briefly in Delhi as an excursion away from their boat while sailing around the world. To learn about their trip and its educational goals, check their website. We ended up having dinner and a couple of beers with them before heading back to the Ericson's house.

The following morning was a bit lethargic, that is to say, the Ericsons have soft beds, hot water, a coffee maker, a laptop, and BBC news on cable. I would like to come clean and say that all of our mornings were a bit delayed by the welcome presence of creature comforts. After our lazy morning, we headed to Qutb Minar, a tower built by the first Muslim leader of Delhi. The tower's immense height (72.5m) and its age (built in the 1100's) are the reasons for its fame, but they're not what I most enjoyed about the complex. Ever since Angkor Wat, Matt and I have developed an affinity for crumbling stone structures and the buildings surrounding the Qutb Minar provided us with just that. Also on the grounds is a pillar, made of 98% pure iron, erected in the Fourth Century AD which has withstood the ravages of time without rusting. It seems to be an anomaly and I was utterly fascinated by it due to my engineering background. But I won't bore you talking about metal poles.

After Qutb Minar, we wandered the grounds of Emperor Humayun's Tomb for a while. It was built in the 1560's AD in the same Mughal architecture which defines the Taj Mahal, which was constructed at a later date. The grounds were so similar that we didn't spend much time before I got bored and began exploring on my own. I found a lovely balcony and shouted for Romeo but was sorely disappointed when he didn't turn up. Alas. Following our explorations, we went out to a lovely restaurant with Mr. Ericson where I acquired a love of sweet raita (basically yogurt) and tasted properly-cooked tandoori chicken which is not at all dry.

The next day, Matt had acquired mild, flu-like symptoms, and we took it easy. Our first stop was the embassy to have a few more blank pages to our passports before heading to amble through more ruins. The Tughlaqabad Fort was a massive project to serve as the third capital of Delhi under king Ghias-ud-din Tughlaq. However, after a dispute with the king during construction, a saint put a curse on the area (the king had mandated that all laborers in Delhi must come to work on his fort, taking many away from digging the saint's well). Within six years, the king was dead and his son had shifted the capital. The area is more or less desolate today and fun to stroll around in, imagining the glory that could have been.

After our strolling, we headed to the State Craft Emporium (a tame substitute for the local markets due to Matt's feeling crumby) which was quite mediocre, before heading back to the Ericson's where we watched a lovely Indian film named, "Lagaan," which I would recommend to everyone.

The following morning, we were up early to bid a fond farewell to the Ericsons and Sanjay before hopping on a plane to Varanasi.

The pictures in this post are: the Taj, me admiring the Taj, exterior stone engraving, interior stone engraving, an angled view of the Agra Fort, the interior paintings of Akbar's Mausoleum, the son we met, ancient columns at Qutb Minar, myself calling Romeo, and the ruins of the Tughlaqabad Fort.

Notes on Southeast Asia

These are some observations I've made while travelling around this region:

(These are quick thoughts, definitely generalizations, and

probably stereotypes. I'm just putting them up here to

give a vague idea of how different life is here.)

Hinduism and Buddhism affect all aspects of life for many people,

• Behavioral norms are governed by religion, such as not patting a child on the head because it's the highest and therefore holiest part of his body.
• Saffron-robed monks are everywhere. They're on public transportation, in fast food restaurants, talking on cell phones, and scattered about your everyday life.
• Most Hindu homes and businesses will have a shrine with religious icons which they will "feed," wash, and pray to everyday.

Silk is for sale everywhere in every shape and form.

You see elephants walking down the side of the road on occasion (there's no other way to transport them!) and in all sorts of religious, historic, and cultural imagery


Feet are dirty and low. Don't point them at people, don't step over anyone on the ground, and don't put them up on anything.

Only in expat homes, upscale businesses, and tourist establishments do you see sit-down toilets. The normal custom is squatter toilets and no toilet paper, just the bidet hose. (remember the story about why we always shake with the right hand?)



Here are some differences solely taking place in Thailand:

• They are centuries ahead of the rest of us. Literally! According to their calendar, the current year is 2551!

• You must remove your shoes before entering any home, most businesses, and in temples. (We only saw this in Thailand while we were in Southeast Asia. Now we're seeing it in India as well, but you must remove shoes in temples in most countries.)