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Jaisalmer Camel Safari Begins
2007-09-15 15:57:00
From My Recent Journey In IndiaJaisalmer, January, 2007We wake up bright and early and head to the outer gate of Jaisalmer Fort to begin our adventure. I'm not sure if I'm more excited to be going on this trek or if I'm just thrilled to be warm for a change. Did I mention that we have been freezing to death in India since we arrived? This man beside me is our Jeep driver. He's taking us to the starting point of our Safari . You pay extra to get this ride, but it means you start in the real desert instead of spending your first four hours just getting out of town on your camel. My Camel 's name is 'Journey' so I feel right at home with him as my traveling partner. The name: just a coincidence? I think not... Camels are the strangest looking creatures. I can't believe how small Aw looks on that beast. i call her Mighty Mouse because she doesn't shy away from anything. The driver says to get on and she gets on. Not bad for a woman who likes to dress in designer clothes...

How To Find A Camel Driver
2007-09-14 15:55:00
From My Recent Journey In IndiaJaisalmer, January, 2007The reason people come to Jaisalmer is for the Camel Safaris. This is the route we signed up for. It cost us 650 rupees per day plus another 100 rupees each to have beer and chicken with our meals. I'll have some tips for you when we finish the safari. You have to always be thinking of the next part of your journey in India. You can't just hop on a train or bus. You have to decide a few days ahead where you are going next and buy the tickets. I have a view from here that looks over the town from this restaurant in the Fort. I might look impressive to Aw as I pour over these documents but if she know what my family knows; that I have virtually no sense of direction and have only got this far in India by dumb luck, she would be panic. But I'm the MAN. I am supposed to know my way around. Here's a desert riddle for you. 'Why did it take Moses 40 years to bring the chosen people to the Promised Land? Answer: Because even ...
More About: Driver , Find

Jaisalmer Shopping
2007-09-13 15:52:00
From my Journey in IndiaJaisalmer, January, 2007After a good sleep in in Jaisalmer Fort, we head out to do some shopping. There are many shops inside the walls of the fort itself. This is Mr. Yogi. He buys patches from gypsies and then makes them into these pieces. I think he was selling this wall-hanging for about 500 rupees ($13 Canadian). He has travelled all over the world and lived in Europe for many years. I really like the Camel bags. The workmanship is very nice. I bought one myself. It cost 550 rupees ($15 CAD). This is the man who makes them. Here's a little trivia about camels. They are worth the same alive as dead. You can buy a camel at the auction for about $300 CAD. Our friend here owns a great second hand book shop. He was playing some modern Hindu music when we walked in. Aw loved it and he burned a CD of the music for her as a gift. I mention this because it is so refreshing to meet someone here who does something without expecting anything in return. We s...
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Jaisalmer Fort
2007-09-12 15:49:00
From my recent Journey in IndiaJaisalmer, January, 2007Okay, first, a confession. Lonely Planet says not to stay here in this 500 year-old fort. The sewage system is slowly flushing away the foundation and will eventually destroy it. So the first promise I make to myself as I arrive is: NO MORE PEEING! Three days is really not that long a time if you have discipline. Now on with the story... Here is the entrance to the Fort . It's the only ancient fort in Rajasthan that still has people living in it. We are let off here and walk up the steep sloping entryway to the inner sanctum.We come to one of the highest points in Jaisalmer Fort. It still has it's canons but I don't think they work. You can see the desert city behind Aw. It's a typical desert area; hot in the day and cold at night. There is very little vegetation here. What I love, is to think that a person looking out from here 400 years ago, saw a very similar sight to what we see now. For Aw, this isn't such a big de...

Welcome To Jaisalmer
2007-09-12 15:46:00
From My Recent Journey In IndiaJaisalmer, January, 2007WARM AT LAST, WARM AT LAST, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY WE'RE WARM AT LAST! Our Guesthouse is in the nine hundred-year-old 'Jaisalmer Fort'. It's the only Rajasthani fort still occupied. Finally after so many days of being so cold, I was here in this 28 degree desert climate.

How NOT to Travel By Train
2007-09-11 15:41:00
From my recent Journey in IndiaJapiur Inida, January, 2007We finish our tour in Jaipur. Our new friend, Salim, helps us map out a loop for the route in Rasjasthan. We were going to take a Deluxe Sleeper Bus to Jaisalmer but there were no berths available so we signed up for the Train instead. We arrive in the dark and wait....And it is COLD...damned cold. We were asked if we wanted an air-conditioned sleeper. Why should we want an air-conditioned train when we're already too cold? Well, the answer is: because otherwise you have a train full of leaky windows that push the freezing air over you all night. Mom, you remember that little sleeping bag I bought in Kitchener just before I left? It has saved our bacon so many times I can't even count. This is one of those nights. the berths are very narrow ; like sleeping on a plank or a stretcher with a thin foam cover. I can barely sleep at all. I give the sleeping bag to Aw and I put the only thing I have left; a single co...
More About: Travel , TRAI

Jaipur Jewelry Or Else
2007-09-10 15:33:00
From my recent journey in IndiaJaipur , India January, 2007 We are on an Auto Rickshaw tour in Jaipur. Part of the deal is that we are 'invited' to look at some silver jewelry. Our driver gets a commission for bringing us here. If we want to buy; okay. Just look; up to you. The jewelry is beautiful and the craftsmanship is great. We're not really in the mood to shop but for some reason, these guys have a way of making you WANT to buy. They make us an offer we can't refuse and we leave with a few nice rings.
More About: Jewelry

Jaipur MacDonald's
2007-08-15 15:12:00
I was trying to do a story on McDonalds in India. I wanted to see how it compared to other countries. But as I started taking photos, this employee began waving his arms madly and telling me to stop. I guess their prices are a National Secret. What I wanted to show you you is how a company that specializes in Beef products, can run a successful business in a country that doesn't eat beef. The secret is Tofu; and it's delicious.
More About: Jaipur

Collision Of Cultures
2007-08-14 13:32:00
From my recent Journey in IndiaJaipur India, January 13 2007We climb to an upper courtyard in the Maharajah's Palace. We look through a 500 year-old window opening to this view of downtown Jaipur. Here's what we see.This is India in a nutshell. If you can figure out which lane is which on this road, you're doing better than me. It's chaos. I'm not joking when I say that you cannot drive on the road unless you have a working horn on your vehicle. And you want to get from here to there? That is just an act of will.
More About: Cultures , Coll , Collision

Jaipur Palace
2007-08-08 03:24:00
From my recent Journey in IndiaJanuary 13, 2007 Jaipur , IndiaWe have arrived in a very different place in India from the sights of Delhi and Agra. We hire a driver to take us around to see the city on this very hot day. We are in the State of Rajasthan; the land of Kings. Here in Jaipur, this is the original Palace of the Maharajah. The whole 800 year-old Palace is decorated with art like this. The attention to detail is amazing. This palace is about 500 years old.The Maharajah was fascinated by the stars and had a garden observatory built with many sundials and measuring devices to study the sky. He was inspired by Galileo and Copernicus. This device is made from marble and precious inlaid stones. The whole garden looks like a brainiac's version of a theme park. This entryway is made from semi-precious stones inlaid in Marble. Peacocks are a Royal symbol in Rajasthan and they live wild around the State. We keep running into Koreans here in India. We met these students on...
More About: Lace

Jaipur Lunch
2007-08-01 14:12:00
From my recent Journey in IndiaJaipur India, January 14, 2007The key to eating in India is to look for a lot of people in one place and eat there. We find this tiny shop full of people, so we head in. The chairs and tables are plastic. The decor is stark. The people are enjoying themselves. We sit down and these two students come in and join us. They are excited to meet us and they help us order. I give one of them my camera and he takes this video of us having our first authentic (very delicious) Jaipur lunch.
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King Of The Elephants
2007-07-31 15:22:00
From my recent Journey in IndiaJaipur India, January14, 2007This is the magic of India. You can be in the most modern setting and then suddenly be transported back in time to the age of King s.We're walking around Jaipur, near the palace, when suddenly we see a very well dressed elephant with his driver, ambling around the square. There is a family beaming with pride as they ride like Royalty atop this beautifully decorated animal. At the end of the ride, the elephant carefully lowers himself down to the ground so they can get off.The driver signals me to come closer and I walk up to him as Aw takes this photo. He wants 100 rupees for me to have this picture taken. I give him 30. Every picture like this has two stories; The event, and the negotiation.

Snake Charmers And Snake Oil
2007-07-26 15:19:00
Jaipur, India, January 13, 2007This story is from my Journey in IndiaIt's hot and sunny for our first day in Jaipur. We start our day with a trip to the the Maharajah's palace. As we enter the Palace grounds we see some unusual things. This snake charmer is adamant that I should wrap his cuddly cobra around my neck for this photo but I graciously decline. You can tell by the distance Aw is from me for this photo that she isn't a big fan of snakes either. I kept motioning her to come closer and she just kept shaking her head. The only real danger here is the 'charmer' himself. He expects money for this little show. And we are not going anywhere until he gets it...'as you like'.
More About: Snake , Harm , Charm , Char

Meeting Salim In Jaipur
2007-07-25 03:37:00
Jaipur India, January 14, 2007This story is from my recent Journey in IndiaJaipur is our first stop in our tour of the desert State of Rajasthan; home of the Maharajahs. We have just come off an eight hour bus trip, bouncing over broken gravel and concrete roads. It's getting dark as we arrive. I have learned to use my 'Lonely Planet' book to find hotels in each new city so that we won't get ripped off. But then a man approaches us and offers us a room for 300 rupees. He shows us a brochure and it looks ok so we agree. It's located on a grimy street but the hotel itself is good. So now we're staying at The Hardik Hotel. Salim is the manager and makes us feel very much at home. We need a friend after the way we felt chewed up by Agra. Aw is an accountant but she is also a chef and she misses Thai food very much, so Salim invites her to cook some of her own meals while we're here. He manages this hotel and does most of the cooking. He works eleven months a year and only ha...
More About: Jaipur , Meeting

Leaving Agra
2007-07-22 15:10:00
Agra, India; January 12, 2007This story is from my recent Journey in IndiaExploring Agra has been a very satisfying and tiring experience. After seeing the Taj, Mannie, our auto rickshaw driver, wants to take us to some more places but we say no. Now comes the part I have been dreading. This morning when he begged us to let him be our guide in Agra, he said: "You are my guests" and "As you like". Well, he was okay but we found we had to reign him in a lot during the adventure. Mannie kept trying to take us to tourist emporiums and we kept saying no. And when we insisted he stop heading to the next one, he would give us an aggravated look of disappointment to show us that his 'guests' were not doing 'as he liked'. At the end of the day we think his services are worth 400 rupees and the trip from the train station to the hotel, another hundred. I pay him 500 rupees ($15 CAD). He argues that it is not enough but I hold my ground. When he realizes I'm not going to budge, he finall...
More About: Ving , Agra , Leaving

Remember Now
2007-07-20 03:58:00
The lesson I keep reminding myself of is: we are all Travelers all the time. I have traveled so much in the last three years that I don't see things as a 'Canadian' anymore. I try to keep my eyes open and get out of the way of the experience.Melbah and I are out looking at a construction project here in Waterloo. We happen to drive by this park and without talking, she pulls the car over and we go for a walk. This view is as beautiful as the Mountain regions of Chiang Mai Thailand, or the Islands of Halong Bay, Vietnam. And it's right here, right now. But then we hear the sudden blast, like a fire extinguisher and realize there are three hot-air balloons being inflated right across the street. One of my dreams is to take a flight in a balloon one day. We stand in a crowd and watch as this balloon begins to rise up. We all give a collective cheer as it lifts off the ground and disappears into the sky.Life is so magical. 'Remember' I keep saying to myself, like a mantram; 'Be H...

The Irony Of The Taj Mahal
2007-07-16 15:00:00
We follow the throngs of people pouring through the entrance to the huge courtyard to the Taj. Aw and I look at each other like two kids heading into a candy store. We are grinning with anticipation. We walk through the entrance and there it is. It is the most magnificent structure I have ever seen. It rises up like a dream castle in the distance. The Taj is so big that it is deceptive to look at. It seems far away and very close at the same time. You can see Aw waving to the camera here as we approach the mausoleum. It's hard to convey just how gigantic this structure really is. And it's all solid marble. the Taj is a wonderful love story. The Ruler of this part of India; Shah Jahan, loved his favorite wife so much that when she died (after bearing him about fourteen children...ouch... missed her so much that he hired two thousand craftsmen to design and build this monument to his Queen. It took twenty-two years to complete it . When they were done, he ordered their th...
More About: Irony , Taj Mahal , Iron , Mahal

Taj Security
2007-07-14 18:16:00
We were warned by Joanmarie not to go to the Taj Mahal. She told us it was too dangerous. Saddam Hussein has just been hanged and there was a riot 2 days ago right here in front of the Taj. The Muslim community is already furious with the bigoted approach the Bush administration has taken with their community as a whole but the way the trial and execution was carried out has put a lot of Muslims over the edge. We have checked the local reports and decided to take the chance of going there anyway.Mannie, our auto rickshaw driver, lets us off in a congested roadway and points us in the direction of the Taj. I share a moment with a cow eating garbage on my way down the lane. Aw and I relax and enjoy this walk, knowing this is a once in a lifetime experience.I always pictured the Taj being on a hilltop so that it could be viewed like a palace from miles around, but it's not. It's inside a giant compound. This is the entrance. We buy two tickets for 750 rupees each ($50 CAD total), whi...
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Teasing Us In Agra
2007-07-13 04:46:00
Mannie, Our auto rickshaw driver takes us to the Agra Fort which was built by the same builders as the Delhi Fort; Shah Jahan , four hundred years ago. It would cost us 400 rupees to go inside ($12 CAD) so we grab a couple of snapshots and move on. We have one day to do this town and then we are off on the train, so we have to keep moving.The driver takes us to the 'Baby Taj' It is made with the same skills and materials as the regular Taj but is much smaller. We feel like we're being teased all day because we know what we really want to see. I have to admit I am more interested in all the monkeys running around the grounds.Manni drives to a site across the river from the Taj. It's a dream world in the distance that we glimpse everywhere we go. Shah Jahan began construction of an identical Taj next to where Aw is standing. It was to be done in black marble, but he was never allowed to finish it. I'm glad we have this driver to show us places like this. We wouldn't have been ...
More About: Teas

Agra-Vation
2007-07-11 05:43:00
We take the five hour train from Delhi, south to Agra , the home of the Taj Mahal. The train is dirty and the weather is cold as we arrive but now it's starting to warm up. This place feels like a city that time has forgotten. The people walk around in filth, going about their day-to-day routine, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings. We booked out Guest house from Delhi, yesterday. When I called to check the rates, the clerk told me it was twelve hundred and fifty rupees a night ($45 CAD). "Lonely Planet says it's only 450" I said. Without missing a beat he replied: "yes, all right. We can give you a room for that amount." Everything is negotiable in this country. When we arrive at our Guest house, our driver insists on being our guide for the day. "What should we pay you?" I ask. "As you wish" he replies. "You are my guest." This becomes an ongoing saying in India. When Aw and I hear this, we instinctively lock eyes and give each other a grimace. It's not a good idea in I...

Cold Train To Agra
2007-07-10 05:12:00
Delhi India, January 11, 2007This story is from my recent Journey in IndiaI'm really not as tired as I look...well okay I am this tired. We drag ourselves out of our Delhi Guest house at 4am this morning to catch the 5:30 train to Agra ; the home of one of the most famous structures in the world; the Taj Mahal. In fact it's so famous I consider skipping it all together. It just seems so cliche' to see it. We are giving ourselves one day to do the Taj and then move on. We booked a second class train for this five hour trip. The other choice was '3A.C.' (3rd Class Air Conditioned) but we are so cold here in Delhi that 'air conditioned' just seems wrong. Besides, how cold can it really be inside the train? VERY COLD! The windows are very leaky so when the train is moving, we get a constant rush of frigid air. It's about five degrees at best and it feels colder. There just isn't anywhere to go to get warm on this train. I am so glad I brought this hoodie to India. Without it I...
More About: Cold , Train , TRAI

Honk Your Horn In Delhi
2007-07-07 01:01:00
Just in case you haven't heard enough honking horns in Delhi , here's a video to make it clear to you. Imagine driving every day in traffic where horns are used every minute of every day. They never stop. There are no rules. You just find a way to survive it. I have such incredible respect for those of you who live in this city and keep your sanity.
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Bicycle Bliss
2007-07-06 04:46:00
Squiddy, Melbah and Mikee got me a bike for my birthday. It's great. Finally I have a way to start exploring Waterloo on my own. It's about time I stopped living in denial and face the fact that I'm really here in Ontario. Melbah, Lamb and I take an inaugural trip to Lamb's school to ride around and play a little tennis. Then we head off into the woods to see some of the forest paths. Construction is good exercise but I love the aerobics I get from traveling the open road. Next I have to find a bicycle club to join for some weekend rides. If there's anyone in the area who some ideas for Sunday rides, just send me an email. Now back to the open road.
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Driving In Delhi
2007-07-01 15:00:00
Delhi India, January 9, 2007This is the insanity we call Delhi traffic. If it's a 4 lane road that means there are five or six cars all competing for the lanes. To get ahead, you aim for a hole and go for it. The scariest part is when you realize that Arun is constantly on his cell phone while he drives us through this madness that is Delhi traffic. (see movie) there are always honking horns all the time. It's how people communicate on the road, like Vietnam. You cannot drive a vehicle in Delhi if you don't honk your horn. It's not anger. It's how you communicate your intentions. You can see in this video the way cars just look for a hole and go for it. And right in the middle of it all, some guy decides to back up. It's incredible and it's the way of life every day.
More About: Driving , Delhi , Ving

Delhi Rickshaw Ride
2007-06-29 02:58:00
Delhi India, January 7, 2007This story is from my recent Journey in India.Aw and I are six kilometers from the Tibetan Settlement where we're staying here in Delhi. A skinny man in a woolen cap indicates that he will give us a ride in his rickshaw. Aw gives me a dubious look. "Too far Stevie. Cannot." He doesn't speak any English but he is smiling and insists that we sit in his rig. "How much?" I ask. He indicates with his fingers 'fifteen rupees'. Oh my God, he's telling us he will take us on that fifteen minute ride for the equivalent of fifty cents Canadian. Aw is still doubtful. "Both?" she asks, pointing back and forth between herself and me. The man nods his head vigorously and indicates that we need to sit in his rickshaw. So off we go. It's chilly out today and as we ride we can feel the cold wind on us. I would never have thought Delhi would be this cold. It's around zero today and we don't have the proper clothes to really stay warm so we hunker down and hang on fo...
More About: Delhi , Ride , Shaw

Saying Good Bye To Ayako
2007-06-26 15:09:00
Delhi India, January 10, 2007Ayako is such a sweet woman. She's always cheerful; even when she's going through stomach sickness in Delhi. Today she must head home from her vacation. She flies from Delhi to Sri Lanka, to Bangkok and then to Tokyo. After that she takes a three hour train trip to her home town in Japan. I have seen you so many places in the World Ayako san and you are like a daughter to me. I wish you much happiness and adventure, until we meet again.
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Happy Birthday To Us
2007-06-24 15:03:00
Waterloo Ontario, June 24, 2007My brother Pete is visiting from White Rock BC and since three of us have our birthdays so close together, Mom decided to have a birthday party for all three of us here in Waterloo. I'm holding the black forest cake with Mike at my right and Pete on my left. (Is that a balloon growing out of my head?) There are a total of 14 family members here, including all the kids. Mom put together a wonderful spread including ham and potato salad and Mike's wife, Lorrie made sushi. Melbah Toasty made her famous chick pea Indian Currie. Since I just got back from India this dish made me feel nostalgic. I even taught my family to do the head 'wobble' that you use when speaking about Indian food. It's great to be part of a family who genuinely like being together and sharing, without feeling any kind of competition; although there is the one bone of contention with the others. They all know (but don't really want to admit) that I am Mom's favorite. Happy birt...
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Why Did the Tourist Cross The Road
2007-06-22 02:59:00
This is a story from my recent Journey In IndiaDelhi India, January 9, 2007Aw and I go for a walk in Delhi. We come to an intersection. We need to get across the street. There are road signs but no one really follows them. It's every man (or cow) for himself. This is a movie of our adventure crossing the road. You can hear Aw coaching: "go-go-go-go-go...go..." all the way across. There are cars and auto rickshaws coming at us from every direction and our only hope for survival is to keep moving.
More About: Cross , Road , Ross , Tourist , The Road

Red Fort Firing Squad
2007-06-21 01:05:00
This is a story from my recent Journey in IndiaDelhi India, January 9, 2007 This is the 'Red Fort '. It was built by the same man who had the Taj Mahal built. As Ayako, Aw and I approach the fort, a smiling Hindu woman grabs hold of me and pins a small Indian flag on my shirt. "Welcome" she says. "We represent the schools of Delhi..." but before she can finish her spiel, I smile back and thank her for the greeting and walk own. She starts yelling: "we want donation..." but I just wave and keep walking. This is the way here in India. Everyone seems to have an agenda. Everything costs money. Even a smile. I am learning to command my own space and not be pushed around by the constant demands on me from so many people looking for a handout. The three of us laugh as we ignore the woman who still tries to get my attention. We pay 200 rupees each ($6 CAD) and approach the entrance only to find there is a soldier pointing a rifle at us. We feel like the guests of honor at a firing squad....
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Delhi Sikh Temple
2007-06-19 01:04:00
This is a story from my recent Journey in IndiaDelhi India, January 9, 2007 Poor Ayako san. She spent yesterday in bed, sick as a dog from remnants of her food poisoning in Varanasi. But she was determined to join us for a day of sight-seeing. The temperature today is about five degrees so she's bundled up and trying to stay warm. This is the Delhi Sikh Temp le . It's the same design as the Golden Temple in Amritsar. it's just smaller. We pick up these head scarves at the entrance. Everyone must cover their head before entering the courtyard.The water in the reflecting pool has been shipped in from Amritsar as well. We see many Sikh men walk into the frigid water in a way similar to a baptism. I admire their stamina. This is a nice place to visit and I like the marble walkway and the design of the temple but I find myself wondering how I will feel when I see the original Temple in the Punjab. As we are leaving, one we put our our hands and have the sacred waters poured over them.