Leh:
My first stop in India was Leh. When I told that to a couple Indians at the airport, they weren't sure where that was. It seemed like they hadn't heard of it. It makes sense, given that India is such a large country. But also since Leh is in the very far northwest region of India, in or near Kashmir (I'm still not sure which is accurate).
Leh is isolated, surrounded by mountains for miles and miles. It is also ringed with monasteries. It's a desert region, except that it's at over 11,000ft, so it's super cold when you're not in the sun. Sleeping was sometimes difficult, as there was not heat (rarely any electricity at all). But I had some really warm blankets.
Leh was incredible. Very chill, in part because tourist season was over and there were not a lot of people around. Most everyone I met was extremely friendly. The hostel was a family's home, with 3 children, and they were really cute. It was wonderful always having young laughter and smiles around :-)
I'm finding the same scenarios repeating themselves with each city/town. Again, I met a wonderful group of friends who had so much insight into places I plan on going. Again, the food was so cheap and amazing. And again, seeing the variety of cultural expressions is thought-provoking. This was particularly interesting in an area of conflict, where armed guards are always present, though they want to know you and take pictures with you. The people of this area are Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim. Yet they seemed to blend together in a way that worked just fine. More acceptance than mere tolerance.
On a less deep note, speaking of repeating adventures, I rented another motorcycle. I road the most beautiful road I've ever seen, possibly with the exception of the 1 in California, though they're so different its hard to compare. Mountains split by a long river. Riding up to around 14,000ft to visit a secluded Buddhist monastery, of the Tibetan tradition. Lots of paintings and deep chanting that sounds almost sinister when it rings in unfamiliar ears. It was perfectly monotone. The French guys I rode with (met them randomly at the gas pump and decided to tag along) also tried to describe how it made them feel, but it was something none of us could express in words (English, French, or Spanish!)
Delhi:
Today I left the mountains behind, escaping the freezing nights, and am now bathing in Delhi's heat, around 90 degrees. Too hot for me! It's so hard to find that middle ground...
As soon as I landed and started walking to the part of town where I knew I'd find a hostel, I got conned into a rickshaw (I was being paranoid anyways - this guy was reeeally good to get through that barrier I put up). And of course he took me where HE wanted me to go - to his friend's travel agency - rather than my intended destination. On the surface, it looked legit. It wasn't too far from where I wanted, they gave out free maps, and it had "Government of India" written on the front. It was advertised as tourist information. So what the hell, I went in. People were friendly, initially. Gave me free info, offered me free hotel help, etc. They even offered to help book my train tickets, which I've heard are infamously difficult. So I accepted. Then he dropped the price for 4 trains: $312. What?! No way. I could FLY to all those places for that much. And I told him so. He disagreed. We looked it up, and I was right. So then he started taking down the price. I was already getting a bad feeling in my gut, and that confirmed it for me. I walked. And then found a hostel that booked it all for me for around $45. Yep. That's including their small commission. Worth it for me. Glad I went with my gut. Everyone who travels always repeats that: when in doubt, go with your gut. Hasn't failed me yet. I have a good gut. But it would be better with some chipotle in it...ahh I miss chipotle! But that's another story.
Saw some sights, avoided the same old people peddling one thing or another. And now am finally catching up on this blog.
I'm leaving on an overnight train to Varanasi tomorrow, one of the holiest cities in India. Should be fascinating. I believe it's also where the Buddha attained enlightenment. Maybe I can grab a small leaf off that aged tree :-)
My first stop in India was Leh. When I told that to a couple Indians at the airport, they weren't sure where that was. It seemed like they hadn't heard of it. It makes sense, given that India is such a large country. But also since Leh is in the very far northwest region of India, in or near Kashmir (I'm still not sure which is accurate).
Leh is isolated, surrounded by mountains for miles and miles. It is also ringed with monasteries. It's a desert region, except that it's at over 11,000ft, so it's super cold when you're not in the sun. Sleeping was sometimes difficult, as there was not heat (rarely any electricity at all). But I had some really warm blankets.
Leh was incredible. Very chill, in part because tourist season was over and there were not a lot of people around. Most everyone I met was extremely friendly. The hostel was a family's home, with 3 children, and they were really cute. It was wonderful always having young laughter and smiles around :-)
I'm finding the same scenarios repeating themselves with each city/town. Again, I met a wonderful group of friends who had so much insight into places I plan on going. Again, the food was so cheap and amazing. And again, seeing the variety of cultural expressions is thought-provoking. This was particularly interesting in an area of conflict, where armed guards are always present, though they want to know you and take pictures with you. The people of this area are Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim. Yet they seemed to blend together in a way that worked just fine. More acceptance than mere tolerance.
On a less deep note, speaking of repeating adventures, I rented another motorcycle. I road the most beautiful road I've ever seen, possibly with the exception of the 1 in California, though they're so different its hard to compare. Mountains split by a long river. Riding up to around 14,000ft to visit a secluded Buddhist monastery, of the Tibetan tradition. Lots of paintings and deep chanting that sounds almost sinister when it rings in unfamiliar ears. It was perfectly monotone. The French guys I rode with (met them randomly at the gas pump and decided to tag along) also tried to describe how it made them feel, but it was something none of us could express in words (English, French, or Spanish!)
Delhi:
Today I left the mountains behind, escaping the freezing nights, and am now bathing in Delhi's heat, around 90 degrees. Too hot for me! It's so hard to find that middle ground...
As soon as I landed and started walking to the part of town where I knew I'd find a hostel, I got conned into a rickshaw (I was being paranoid anyways - this guy was reeeally good to get through that barrier I put up). And of course he took me where HE wanted me to go - to his friend's travel agency - rather than my intended destination. On the surface, it looked legit. It wasn't too far from where I wanted, they gave out free maps, and it had "Government of India" written on the front. It was advertised as tourist information. So what the hell, I went in. People were friendly, initially. Gave me free info, offered me free hotel help, etc. They even offered to help book my train tickets, which I've heard are infamously difficult. So I accepted. Then he dropped the price for 4 trains: $312. What?! No way. I could FLY to all those places for that much. And I told him so. He disagreed. We looked it up, and I was right. So then he started taking down the price. I was already getting a bad feeling in my gut, and that confirmed it for me. I walked. And then found a hostel that booked it all for me for around $45. Yep. That's including their small commission. Worth it for me. Glad I went with my gut. Everyone who travels always repeats that: when in doubt, go with your gut. Hasn't failed me yet. I have a good gut. But it would be better with some chipotle in it...ahh I miss chipotle! But that's another story.
Saw some sights, avoided the same old people peddling one thing or another. And now am finally catching up on this blog.
I'm leaving on an overnight train to Varanasi tomorrow, one of the holiest cities in India. Should be fascinating. I believe it's also where the Buddha attained enlightenment. Maybe I can grab a small leaf off that aged tree :-)
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