I'll be spending Christmas eve.. on a sleeper bus to Agra :(

From India Dec/08

Lord, almighty! How i miss not being home for Christmas. There, I said it. I confess: there's nothing like celebrating my birthday with friends in Brussels and then spending two days with both sides of the family - the mouthwatering food, the old wine, the entire family, being all together.. Gosh, how i love that stuff! Oh, well.. Next year i'll surely make up for my absence! It's a promise.

I want to thank everyone for their lovely mails. I only received one sms (Ine and Michiel were the lucky ones). Some people wrote me that they tried to sms or call, i'm sorry if you couldn't get through, the connection on my mobile comes and goes in Udaipur. Maybe there's also too much (international) traffic in this period. I dunno. In any case, I wanna give everyone who did (attempt) to text, call or write me a super big hug! I'm so grateful to you all. Heartfelt thanks.

From India Dec/08

A quick update of what i've been up to these last days. From Pushkar i moved on to Bundi, another lovely Rajasthani city with its beautiful palace, fort and old city walls. Bundi, however is a bit different from most other places, like Jodhpur the majority of the city is painted blue to ward off the mosquitoes. In Bundi i met up with Nicolas, a proudly unemployed guy about my age from Ardeche. We met back in Amritsar and had been trying to meet up again for a week or two, so we both relished finally seeing one another again. That first evening sitting on the rooftop just chatting away till late at night (1 am ;=) was quite a blast. The next day we walked past Nawal Sagar Lake and the 'erstwhile luxurious summer palace of Sukh Mahal' where Rudyard Kipling stayed and supposedly found some inspiration for a number of scenes in 'Kim'. Then on towards Khshar Bagh, an abandoned plot of land walled off and watched over by an errand guard, who just as we were planning to climb over the wall took us along and unlocked the gate. Hiding inside were more monkeys and the most beautifully sculpted cenotaphs of the kings and queens of Bundi, each ruler wanting to outdo their predecessors.

From India Dec/08

Next i went to see the city palace (not as impressive as Jaisalmer but nice) and we had dinner with two girls heavily into yoga, massage, ayurvedic medicine and on their way to Goa to teach some classes there, that i met back in Pushkar. Afterward we took the train to Udaipur, spending half of the journey in the 'luggage room', where there were no smelly feet or Indians hassling us. 'On the road' stuff, with the door flying open once and again, the landscape whizzing past, 'comme dans les westerns' - to quote Nicolas.

From India Dec/08

The next days we met up with the Australians (Jacob, Tim and Cam) i also met in Amritsar (some days before Nicolas arrived), and with their friends Alex and Owen, an identical twin, also from Melbourne. Quite a different approach to traveling altogether: a lot more partying! Which was brilliant, especially when you're in such welcoming company. Too bad they had to catch a plane to Goa and we couldn't celebrate my birthday together. Which was a damned shame. Bit of heart breaker that.. Damn you, Jacob! ;=) But we had loads of fun all the while we were together, sure enough.

From India Dec/08

So, yesterday, my birthday, i just spent wandering around town some more with Nicolas and meeting Alex for a while along the way to sunset point, which was nice. But just as those last days with Rosie, the British girl i traveled along with to Haridwar and Rishikesh, again with Nicolas - yesterday and today - i find myself in the company of someone who just can't stop complaining about India, people, little things that annoy them, nonstop, quoi! And when you say something, no matter what, in no time they start aiming their negativity at you as well. God, how tiring! So, in the end i just shut up and sorta try to steer them/their discourse to less troubled waters. A near impossible job, that! Really makes one think how awful such complaining is to be around, and if i made my fellow human being suffer much of the same. Hope not. Jeez! The horror, the horror! :)

From India Dec/08

So, yes, we (Nicolas et moi, Alex didn't have the money to come along) did go to a fancy restaurant yesterday night, lovely surroundings (the batteries of my camera were down so no pictures, might get some later on this afternoon). But except for one dish: nizami handi, a real specialty made with (semi)dried vegetables, the food wasn't that special. Oh my! There i go - complaining as well. Contagious, i better watch out. Therefore, i'm getting on a bus to Agra (+14h) and from there to Bruno's ashram (another 5/7h) so i can at lest spend Christmas eve in loving surroundings. And so i can say goodbye to Bruinoogje before he heads off to more temperate climes (i.e. Belgium).

From India Dec/08

Well, a very, very merry Christmas to you all!
Loadsa 'cacao deprived & more than just a lil' xmas/homesick' luv,
-hx.

Back in P-P-Pushkar / You don't know how lucky you are, boy..

From India Dec/08

And... we're back in crazy ol' Pushkar, which is now so quiet and relaxed. Amazing what a difference a Mela festival/camel fair makes! :) They're digging out the lake now, cleaning up the place with bulldozers and cranes. Yup, the big Pushkar make-over, i guess..

From India Dec/08

Met up again with Bruno and Karolien this morning. Came into town with a direct 'luxury' bus, which of course dropped us (Gerome, very relaxed, amply pierced and tattooed guy from Nancy and me) off at the bus station in Ajmer, but we were supah-doopah lucky in having a bus leave for Pushkar in the next 15 minutes. The roads being pretty deserted at 5 something in the morning, our driver didn't mind showing off his rally driving skills, which were damn fine - though a bit scary when speeding into blind turns, dippers flashing happily.. :)

From India Dec/08

Would have loved to stay a bit longer in Jaisalmer. Brilliant place. Absolutely fascinating to walk around town and to be surrounded by those splendid havelis and to see new houses, hotels and hostels being erected with the same/similar traditional balconies, overhanging canopies and other ornamentation.

From India Dec/08

And just as i was walking up to the bus station i ran into Cam, one of my Australian buddies, who i hadn't been able to reach since they had run outta credit on their mobile. Gonna try and meet up with them in Udaipur in a couple of days..

OK, suppose now is about as good as any time to report some more on what we did in Pushkar 'bout a month ago..

From India Nov/08

Remember having a good time running along with Bruno and meeting up with some of his friends from back when he spend half a year in Pushkar. Also greatly enjoyed having a bit of time to sit, hang around and read (AFTh. 'Advocaat van de hanen' - superieure beschrijvingen, af en toe beetje gezochte/degoutante beeldspraak, maar fascinerend boek, zeer zekerst ;=).

And erm.. Apart from going to the Camel Fair..

From India Nov/08

..and having a general stroll or two, three around town, we only once got up early in the morning to have a look at the procession of pilgrims bathing, brass march band and protesters carrying Hindu inspired political signs all included in the mix.

From India Nov/08

Oh, and on the eve of the full moon, the proper time to have a dip and wash away one's sins, or say, accumulation of bad karma, and to receive blessings outweighing the regular everyday Pushkar dip by a 1000-fold (not bad, ah? :) - on that very moonlit night we did a-mix with pilgrims many and pushy. Verily we did, get slightly trampled, nearly slip and have a dip ourselves, shake many a stranger's hand till the sun arose and away we went heading back to snuggle up nicely in our warm bed shared with big butch Bruno, the rugged outdoor mensch/creature.

From India Nov/08

That evening Radee arrived just as we were getting ready to head for the bus to Agra. The bus, however, was so incredibly uncomfortable that after a couple of hours we all (excepting three utter outdoor nutters ;=) decided to just spend the night in Jaipur and continue our journey in a proper sleeper bus the coming night.

From India Nov/08

Wandered round Jaipur's many bazaars, past it's palaces and the odd grand observatory of old, in an all together enjoyable, though be it a bit short day.

From India Nov/08

The bus for once arriving as scheduled, we had all the time in the world to go and watch the sun rise from the opposite river bank. And after visiting the Taj Mahal (free entrance, but a maddening 750rs for a complimentary water bottle and compulsory shoe protection kit;=) and Agra's Red Fort..

From India Nov/08

From India Nov/08

From India Nov/08

..we only needed to board another auto riksha, train, bus (which took forever and was being driven by an absolute madman, who had a ball crashing full throttle into potholes, consequently catapulting the back seat, being us, towards/into the roof) and finally, a mini van (which we managed to fill up as the proverbial sardines) to get to Bruno's and Radee's ashram.

From India Nov/08

Enough for now.

Loadsa 'Pushing our luck in Pushkar' Luv,
-hx.

In Jaisalmer, a fairy tale kinda place - straight outta a thousand and one nights..

From India Dec/08

Imagine an old city with gobsmackingly pretty city walls and defenses, an absolute gem of a fort and plenty of Havelis, ornately decorated residences, all lusciously carved out of golden sandstone. Welcome to Jaisalmer, a place i find hard not associate with Aladdin & co.

From India Dec/08

From India Dec/08

Arrived here very early morning after yet another freezing cold train ride (have remember to buy a woolly hat and a blanket, maybe). Think i'll be staying here another day or two.

From India Dec/08

In comparison Bikaner..

From India Dec/08

..was 'alright', this, however, is the real deal.

I cannot upload any pictures to this pc, so i'll add them next time. Oh, but i have added caption to the following pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/hanzuman/IndiaNepalOct08

Loadsa 'messed-up-sleeping-pattern' luv,
-hx.

A quick word from 'Semi-Enlightened' monkey capital Rishikesh

Right, another quick one today..

From India Dec/08

Finally left Amritsar and the Golden Temple behind and i am now in Rishikesh, 'yoga capital of the world'. :) Not that i've already jumped in and have started stretching-breathing-humming-buzzing like i should, sadly none of that stuff. :( But i had a great day wandering round the place, next to the river bank. Met some more Ozzies and sorta locals: two Sadhuesque guys; one from Agra, the other from Assam. Ah, and a very nice, bit older Italian guy from Milan, who spoke no French, English (or Hindi for that matter) whatsoever and who was here with a friend of his who's completely into Krisha and has been coming here on and off for some 30 years.

From India Dec/08

Yesterday and the day before i spent in Haridwar, one of the top seven holy cities of India, and home to the next Kumbh Mela in 2010, a religious festival that goes on for some months and draws a couple of millions of pilgrims. (There's also the Maha (Great) Kumbh Mela, held in Allahabad, and that one drew 100 million celebrants in 2001. Nearly makes the annual haj to Mekka look like a smallish pilgrimage, doesn't it? :)

From India Dec/08

Haridwar is also home to a hilltop Mansa Devi (a wish-fulfilling goddess) temple which you can via a cable car. The way to the cable car is lined with prasad/souvenir (food/flower offerings used in religious ceremonies) stalls and souvenir/prasad stalls. Once off the cable car, the way to and from the temple is lined with all sorts of food stalls, two cafeterias and more prasad and souvenir stalls. Great fun, walking up to a Hindu temple and feeling like entering a theme park.

From India Dec/08

From India Dec/08

OK, gotta close off. Tomorrow i'm taking the bus back to Haridwar and a night train to Bikaner, Rajasthan. There'll be meeting up with my three favourite Ozzies and a couple of friends of theirs, even more Ozzies! Woooha!!!

Loadsa 'semi-enlightened' luv,

-hx.

Singh is King!

From India Nov/08

Woohaaah! Things sure are alright at this end!

From India Nov/08

Spent my first night and day at the Golden temple complex and, i gotta say, i'm mightily impressed by how well the Sikhs run this show. Everyone's allowed in as long as you take your shoes off and cover your head (and a hankie'll do, no sweat :) and in addition: they offer free accommodation, free food, water and chai round the clock. Donations are appreciated, of course.

From India Nov/08

So today i was finally able to spend a proper, full afternoon going over the notes for the theater play i'm writing for Arnaudje. Sweet bliss, being able to just sit, read and work as the pilgrims pass in front of me. I think i might hang around and spend another couple of days here, enjoy my good Sikh hosts pampering me and get some proper writing done.

From India Nov/08

From India Nov/08

And talking 'bout catching up on some long overdue writing.. I'll continue my adventures from whence i last stopped: back in Harni Mahadev. Strange thing how to an outsider a couple of busloads of Indians on a pilgrimage to a religious festival can at first sight appear to be no different from people just hanging around and lounging the day through, maybe helping out in the kitchen or with that evening's show.. Then again, i only once visited the place's temple; was already heading for bed when Bruno proposed to have a look. And to be fair, i wasn't much up for the droning mantras and accompanying DIY jingle-jangle, shake your dish and bangle music making... Let's just say that tired ol' moi can be a bit of a grumpy ol' soul. ;=)

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OK. That was two days ago. I'm still living it up at the Golden Temple. Had an old Sikh explain me and Brieu (a young French guy from Nancy doing a internship at a Tibetan high school) in somewhat mysterious wording and with a good helping of rhetorical flourishes what Sikhism is all about. Yesterday (Sunday, y'know) the temple got far too busy to get some work done. Yesterday afternoon me and some Australian girl (forgot her name) had a look at the kitchen facilities and were shown round some of the restorative works at an old part of the temple which used to house, amongst other things, a prison and which has a four story deep cellar. Afterward together with three Australian guys and three British girls (who were 18/19 and some months out of high school) helped out picking peas out the pods and washing the stainless steel thali dishes. Oh, and walking back from the dining hall to our dorm we were mobbed by a group of youngsters who all wanted to talk, shake hands or take a picture with us, and just then i spotted the young, married couple i'd met earlier that day, this time with their some years old kid. They said that they had been waiting around for an hour to meet me again. Outta the blue! Without having agreed to meet back up or anything, just like that! Amazing stuff. Can hardly describe how that made me feel, let's just say it was an incredibly touching.

And today, i've to admit to being a bit hungover. Went out for a beer in grand company: the three Ozzies (Jacob, Tim and Cameron) and an American (Tyler) and a New Zealander (Mathew) who had both arrived from Pakistan, the stories they had to tell, wow! Pakistan sounds like a blast! (No pun intended :). Jacob being the lovely feller that he is he had to go and order another 5 beers (of between 5,25% and 8,25% ;=) which we didn't succeed in downing all. Safe to say we all had our fair share. And that in a holy city, some minutes from the temple complex, in the middle of a quite deserted street. For shame! :)

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From India Nov/08

But back to Harni Mahadev: one day (could've been a Saturday or a Sunday or any other day, i don't remember) there were a number of wedding ceremonies taking place. Walking past the colourful screens that lined the complex we (Bruno, Karolien, Linde et moi) were invited in, paraded in front of some of the couples, their families and company (often asking me to pose for a picture with them), and ushered along, through huge crowds of pretty frigging ecstatic young boys, who all wanted to shake our hands, pushing and grabbing at us, like one a big human whirlpool.

From India Nov/08

We then were quickly appointed to be the guests of honour, Bruno and me donned with an appropriate turbanesque hat, and taken to the kitchen where safely tucked away and out of the clutches of the crowds we were served a sweet festive meal. The head of the organizing committee explained us that this year 86 couples of the Sonar caste (Sonar people are none to wealthy silver/gold smiths and jewelery makers) got married that same day. For about 100-150 years Rajasthan's Sonar people have their marriages on that particular date as a general cost saving measure. The date traditionally stays the same the location varies. Lucky us, right?

From India Nov/08

Next stop: Pushkar, it's mela and camel festival. Lovely bus ride across the hills separating Ajmer and the desert valley of Pushkar, plenty of grey monkeys and cacti. We stayed at right up close to Pushkar's holy lake in a wonderful backpackers guesthouse/hippy haunt. The first night, since all rooms were taken we slept in the most charming of tents, which i sadly forgot to take a picture of. Oh, well. First impressions: quite a number of our fellow lodgers already had quite a bit too much ganja and looked more than just a bit bewildered.

From India Nov/08

No doubt the constant drone of the various temples, blasting their chanting and/or freaked out distorted electronic organ music at full volume, in combination with the at times slightly hectic hustle and bustle, the continuous swirl of crowds passing and pushing through the somewhat narrow shopping streets that make up most of Pushkar's center, had a hand in them looking so fazed. Ah, Pushkar! Has to be (sorta) unique for housing an organization whose sole function is: sending back young Israelis fresh outta the army who've taken a bit too many drugs and have kinda lost their marbles.

Enough for today. Just this: I'm currently grooving to The Hickey Underworld 'Future Words', absolutely supejb single, that! (Check it out fer yerselfves @ www.myspace.com/thehickeyunderworldmusic).

Oh, and if some one can explain me how to include pictures (from Picasa) in my posts that'd be lovely! (I somehow can't seem to. Hmmm...)

Loadsa 'all inclusive Sikh' luv,
-hx.

Ps: And keep me posted 'bout how yer all doin', ya lazy bastards! You know i (might not) mean you :) Ooops! ..Must be the drunken Australian still wandering round somewhere inside of me ;=) Ta-ra!

The long winded description of an altogether uneventful couple of hours (Nov. 24/08)

So.. What have i been up to these last weeks?

When i last wrote i was heading for Ajmer, near Pushkar, where i was supposed to meet Bruno & co. But they were actually holed up in an ashram in Harni Mahadev (a tiny 'holy' village some kilometers from Bhilwara) where a religious festival in honour of 'Lord' Krishna was being held (including daily four hour long re-enactments of scenes detailing the life of Krishna from the Mahabharata). Interesting trip, that. My train had a bit of a delay (2hs), so i only arrived in Ajmer at 10pm, the next train to Bhilwara was at only at 0.50am (next bus at 1.30am)..

From India Nov/08

However that train was also slightly in delay, arriving at the station at 3.50am. Then after being dropped by the autorikshaw i called Bruno to come pick me up, but his mobile had apparently stopped working.. So there i stood, 5.30am, completely trashed after three days of being stuck on or waiting for the right bus or train. Nice little square, this. Cool black Shiva temple. Hmmm... Luckily, the tea house/juice bars were already/still (?!) open and their owners, an insomniac rickshaw driver and some other Indians wandering about the place pointed me in the 'right' direction.

From India Nov/08

Should i go past or into this monastery lit up like a Christmas tree? Could this be right? Miraculously, i managed to find the right building and Bruno & co's room - right at the first attempt! However, i'd already started walking away when i didn't spot Bruno straightaway. But then i was greeted and motioned inside by a slight, skinny Indian in very elementary Sadhu garb (a Kaupina* and another very basically draped piece of unstitched cloth) with a thick bunch of rastas, who jumped about the place quite ecstatically. (Or was that just me and my sleep deprivation?) 'Namaste! Namaste! Welcome! Welcome!' Hi Radee. First a hug. Then could i finally drop down and crash? But where was Bruno? Goddamn it! There my lil' bastard lay, fast asleep for f*** sake! Lord Almighty! If i weren't so tired i would've strangled him with much glee, lemme tell ya.

From India Nov/08

But instead, he took care of me first. In less than two hours (7.10am i heard someone saying), there he was jumping on top of me, teasing and taunting. Funny business that karma, ah? Impossible to go back to sleep. Instead introduced myself to Silvie (bit mad, great fun, buddy type, kept a travel sketchbook), Philippe (partner of aforementioned, slightly less silly, bang enthusiast, very good at Ayurvedic body cleansing rituals, tho ;=), Linde (vegan and psychology student, twice afflicted - what cross to bear, right? ;=) But a good talker with a great sense of humor! Tho a bit anal marking off her lil' sleeping place and ordering people about, guess she'll kill me for that last remark, so be it :), David (jovial, active fellow traveler, nr1 supplier of bananas) and Karolien (completely enthralled by Radee, his chanting and yoga, fair enough, but her constant inane laughter and high pitched outta key singing - sessions that went on and on, literally, without end - drove me round the bends more than once, 'fraid we'll never be good friends, a good kid, no doubt it, tho).

Prrrff, my brain still lacks a bit of the ol' sleep i suppose, seem to be doing ages putting together the right words. In a day or two i'll report more on being invited to 86 Indian weddings in the same time, the slightly maddening theater that is Pushkar, Bruno's ashram, traveling through Himachal Pradesh and escaping food poisoning walhalla by a hair's breadth in Shimla - lil' hint: never trust old people (with electrical appliances). Okay?

Loadsa luv,
-hx.

* A sorta loin cloth, which traditionalist Brahmin still wear and which has the added benefit that Sadhus can just pull it a bit tighter when being assailed by sexual urges, great fun that, no? :)

Tomorrow! Tomorrow!!! (Nov. 23/08)

I'll write a proper mail tomorrow. Arrived in Dharamsala at 6 something this morning, after a grueling 10 hour bus ride with no sleep whatsoever and cold, Jeez Louise! Now i'm in McLeod Ganj, the Dhalai Lama's hide out, spent most of the day working quite hard at doing nothing much, just dragging my ol' self about the place. Gonna have some dinner (chowmein, anyone?) now and hit the hay. Till tomorrow.
Luv,
-hx.

A quick word before the internet thingedy place closes (Nov. 20/08)

From India Nov/08

i did it! i broke the code! Unlocked the mysteries of the universe, so to speak.. I.. I.. found a clean place in India!
It's called Chandigarh and it's only 3 1/2 hours (in theory, 5 in reality) from Delhi.
It actually looks frightfully organized in a Western sorta way. Chandigarh, erm... Ow, gotta stop writing, time's up!
I'll try and write a decent mail tomorrow (or the day after, no really, i shall.. hopefully, also include some pictures ;=)
Loadsa luv,
-hx.

Back in Delhi - On our way to Pushkar (Nov. 07/08)

Arrived from Gorakhpur at 6.30, an hour late but for once i rather relished being late. Meant i could just drop of my bag at the cloak room (sounds a lot fancier than the rat infested storage room it really is :=). Had my first banana lassi of the day.. Still looking for a good bookshop to exchange my Nepal guide for an India guidebook, loads of bookstores only open at 12 and my train is scheduled to leave at 11.45..

From India - Nepal Oct/08

So what have we been up to in the meantime? Spending a couple of days in Chitwan National Park. Jungle walk - not that many animals to be seen. A drive with a jeep - spotted some more animals. And a ride on an elephant's back - plenty of wildlife! Especially enjoyed the elephant ride.

From India - Nepal Oct/08

Our 'Super mega bad elefante' was called Shang Shang Kali. Kali being "Shiva's consort in her most bloodthirsty incarnation", also "an incarnation of the tantric goddess Shakti, a pre-Hindu deity linked to the worship of female mystical power". I'm just quoting this off the top of my head, of course. :) Quite a 'bigun' she was too, our 35 year old lass, and thanks to some inspired invocations ('She's a super meany! Evil Queeny! Shang Shang Kali! Rocks the tepee!') and more Shang Shang Kali chanting we won the elephant race and made it back first to the lodge.. Woohoo!

From India - Nepal Oct/08

Also had quite a ball swimming with a rather grumpy elephant earlier that day (the name and age are still a mystery to me since the guy nearly didn't speak any English) but at least i had ol' grumps all to myself, which sure was a treat.

From India - Nepal Oct/08

After the elephant walk time for a goodbye-and-fare-thee-well dinner with my Dutch and the odd Belgian co-travelers. Must say that over the last two weeks i've been quite taken by them. Nice bunch. That morning i had a listen to the cd of Frans, a doctor who also helped me out with an ORS solution during the trekking (back when i could really use some :) Nice record, very basic: two men on acoustic guitar, the occasional vocal/instrumental flourish, a good helping of the ol' life affirming lyric. One of the songs featured the following refrain: 'En altijd de vriendschap als motor', which more or less translates as: 'And always friendship propelling us', which i found rather moving. I'd love to share it with you but i'm afraid i'll be forced to buy the full album first ;=)

From India - Nepal Oct/08

The following day the bus dropped me a little along the way so i could board a bus for Bhairawa and then onto Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. Arrived there just in time for a quick visit and a bit of cycling past monasteries and temples representing the various Buddhist nations and denominations. And then the sun went down and i back to my bit shabby hostel in a rather run down part of town (let's just say i visited some other places in the center - they were charging a bit too much) not too many brick walls among the shanty town shops and tea houses surrounding the hostel. But the dahl bhat/thali the place served was quite brilliant and i had some fun drinking tea with the ever present locals before that.

From India - Nepal Oct/08

Well, must be off - to find me a good guidebook, have me a spot of brunch and catch me a train to Ajmer, where i hope to meet Bruno and co.

Next time i'll include some pics, and who knows i might even have started a proper blog by then.
Let's keep on dreaming, shall we :)

Loadsa luv,

-hx.