India - Part 1

India is not for the faint of heart, so it is fitting that India is where I met Dean and Kelly on the final leg of their journey. It's hard to believe that eight months ago I was sitting on a bus and waving to them out the window as I left Ao Nang after spending a couple of weeks with them soaking up the sun in Thailand. While I went back to Vancouver to slave away at my office job, the two of them were living the dream - and before I knew it, they were leaving Myanmar to meet me in Bangkok. I'm not really sure what we expected, but suffice to say our arrival in Delhi was one to remember. Yes, the streets were dirty and noisy, crowded and chaotic. The three of us were a little in awe and instantly in love. In three short weeks, we ate more naan than I ever thought possible, and avoided more cows in the street than we did people asking us "rickshaw, madam? Boat, sir?" while we politely declined and continued on our way navigating the hectic streets that resemble petting zoos crowded with vendors, animals and people. Dean would stop and pet, feed or just visit with all the dogs we passed by. I've never seen anything as impressive as the forts of the major cities of Rajasthan, or the glow of the Taj Mahal against a grey sky, or anything as adorable as a goat in a sweater.

Kelly and Dean will take it from here. I had an unforgettable, hilarious and  inspiring time with the two of them, and am envious that they will continue on to explore this amazing country without me. Here's to India, and to the remainder of Kelly and Dean's journey!
                                                                                 -Brenna Quaas

 A shock to the system. A sensory overload. With it's noises, smells, chaos, striking colors and distractions. Intensity that will make even the most well versed traveler feel overwhelmed.When it came to traveling to India, we knew that leaving home and heading straight here may have been a recipe for disaster. Our laid back, calm, clean lifestyle at home is the exact opposite of how Indians operate India. After traveling for 9 months and feeling fairly desensitized we felt ready for India.The streets here are full of cows, goats, sheep, pigs, water buffalo, monkeys and dogs, often out numbering the people. The smells of the outdoor urinals permeate your nose and leave you gasping for less fowl air. Sweet shops are located on every second block and often have a large line inside them, frequently visited by us.  Hot chai bubbles in pots and fresh popcorn pops in woks along many streets. The food is tasty and flavorful and many of our meals are accompanied by thick pieces of buttery naan. There is never a shortage of people who are willing to chat, usually in order to lure you into their shop. There is always the few who try and get your attention, with their witty catch phrases such as, "visit my shop and give me a chance to rip you off" or "come inside and see my shitty shop." Unfortunately, their lines usually just make you laugh out loud as you continue on your way, without a lucky sale for them. There is the very present reality of the different 'castes' of people. Those in higher castes evidently are much more wealthy than those in the lower. Some of the poorest of poor live here and we don't think any visitor could say that the begging done by men, women, children and even babies doesn't pull at your heart strings. There are too many people to help and the general rule for most travelers is to not give money to individuals. Instead find a charity of sorts and make a donation to them. That being said, there is usually one or two faces a day that will leave a lasting impression and you can't turn away without giving a few rupees at least.

Just a normal stroll down a street.

A typical Indian meal. Thali.

Our journey began when we met Brenna in Bangkok and flew together into Dehli. We spent 3 days in Dehli, slowly dipping our feet into this very new, very exciting and chaotic culture. We spent a day walking and gawking, a day in a car touring the main attractions and a day in a auto rickshaw seeing what we had missed the day before. We rang in the New Year on the roof of our hotel, watching fireworks burst in the sky above us. We had fun in Dehli (unlike many other tourists) but we were excited to get out of the big city. We decided to do something we had never done before. We hired a car and driver for 2 weeks to take us through the state of Rajistahan. This was a convenient and efficient way for us to see a lot in the time we had with Brenna. Our journey with our driver, Feroz, started with us departing Dehli and heading towards Jaisalmer.

Outside the Red Fort in Delhi.

Jaisalmer- The city was founded in 1156. It sits below a large sandstone fort. It is a remote city, but is one of Rajasthan's biggest tourist destinations. We had a great time wandering the streets stocking up on Indian attire and eating apple pie at a local bakery. The main attraction in Jaisalmer is the camel safari that is offered through every second shop. Of course, this was the main reason we went as well.

Jaisalmer Fort from a distance.

Colors of India.

Getting prepared for the desert.

Some sweet children we came across during a stop in a local village.

Camel Safari- Probably one of the most memorable and painful things we have done on this trip. We were ambitious in our planning and had originally thought we would do a 2 night, 3 day safari. After some more logical thinking and discussion we decided 1 night, 1 1/2 days might be a better option. About 30 minutes into our ride, we realized it was the wisest decision we could have made. The word comfort should never be used in the same sentence as camels. They are so uncomfortable that near the end of the first day Kelly had to get off and walk to the camp. As uncomfortable as the ride was, it was unforgettable. We had a great guide. His first priority was taking care of the camels. He cooked our meals and entertained us with his singing in the evening. We slept on mats on the sand. We woke up to a hot cup of chai and the sun rising over the dunes and to our camels munching on twigs from the bushes around them.

Kelly and Johnny Walker...the happiest camel.

 

Brenna and Rocket

Waking up for the sunrise in the desert.

Saying goodbye to our guide Percas and our camels.

Jodhpur- We only spent 1 night here but it was enough to see the sights. The Mehrangarh Fort sits above what is knows as 'The Blue City', a city which really is blue. Traditionally, the blue signified the home of a Brahmin. But now it seems all the people that live there have taken part in the ritual of painting their houses. It is also said that the blue repels insects. Whatever the reason to the beautiful color, seeing it from the massive majestic fort really was amazing.

Over looking the "Blue City"

Ranakpur-There wasn't much here except an oasis of quiet from the hustle and bustle of most places in India. Our driver recommended us to stop here so we took his advice and spent 1 night. Here we visited one of the most famous Jain marble temples in India. It really was beautiful and serene. We relaxed in some much needed sunshine and took a tour around a pristine lake with about 10 guides under the age of 10. :)

Inside the Jain Temple.

Look closely. What animals do you see??

Dean with just a few of our tour guides.

Udaipur- Known as 'The White City' is said to be the most romantic city in all of Rajasthan. It sits beside the beautiful Lake Pichola and is surrounded by hills on every side. We spent our time wandering the small alleys, getting massages and taking in a traditional Indian dance show. Unfortunately, the fog rolled in for most of our time here and we were unable to do many of the sight seeing trips that involved beautiful views from the hills and the lake.

Sun setting in Udaipur.

Inside our haveli hotel.

Pushkar- Arguably our favorite stop in Rajasthan. We probably could have got stuck in this small enchanting town for a few days had we not been on a schedule. It seemed like we weren't the only travelers that felt this way either. It's a popular Hindu Pilgrimage town and many devout Hindu's visit at least once during their life. The town surrounds a holy lake that is said to have appeared when Brahma dropped a lotus flower. The lake has 52 ghats on it. One of the most famous being the Gandhi Ghat or Gau Ghat, where Gandhi's ashes were spread.

Pushkar in the evening. Beautiful.

The ghats of Pushkar.

 

Brahmin Priest giving us a blessing.

Baby cows love bananas.

Jaipur- 'The Pink City' We had planned our arrival here to coincide with the annual kite festival. It was a sight to see as almost every roof top dawned many people, of all ages, flying kites high into the sky. Thousands of kites covered the horizon and as the day ended and night began, the festival finished with a magnificent firework show. Besides the kite festival, there were many sights to see. Perhaps the most striking was the Amber Fort just outside the city limits. It was one of the most grandiose forts we visited and it sat on a hill over looking a lake. In fact, you can still take an elephant from the bottom all the way to the top and through the gates. That is if you have the money to spare.

Amber Fort

We got some henna.

Monkey Temple. Very beautiful temple tucked in the rocks.

Yes!!! That is a COBRA!!!

Saying goodbye to our driver Feroz!

Agra- We said a sad goodbye to our driver Feroz here. Left to continue our journey on our own, with public transport. Something only Dean was really excited to do. Despite hearing how horrible the city was, this was one place that has been on our list of places to see even before we left Canada. Why? The Taj Mahal!! The city itself leaves much to be desired. But the allure of the beautiful and majestic Taj Mahal was enough alone. We were so excited to see it that we almost forgot to get our change at the gate and then got in the wrong lines before the security check. The massive amount of tourists didn't seem to take away from it's splendor. It's a lot bigger than we had imagined and is as stunning as we had hoped for. We did our best to squeeze our way into the prime spot for photos. The weather had been foggy, grey and cold but we didn't let that stop us. We bore our cloth booties given to us at the admission gate and followed the crowds inside. There we saw the tombs of the Queen it was built for and the King who built it. The walls are beautiful and covered in a floral inlay with precious and semi precious stones. We spent a few hours taking it all, then went for lunch at a restaurant over looking it (just to get in a few more glimpses).

 

 

This family really wanted their photo taken with us.

Cousins touching the Taj Mahal.

Khajuraho- We took a 10 hour night train ride from Agra to Khajuraho. We were only there for a 14 hour break before we boarded our next 13 hour train ride to Varanasi. Although we didn't spend much time there, Khajuraho is recommended as 1 of the top 20 experiences to see in India according to the The Lonely Planet guide book. Most well known for it's famous Kama Sutra temples. We have no pictures to share from here :) 

 Varanasi- Varanasi doesn't hold back. It doesn't suger coat or hide its secrets down dark alley ways. Out in the open, the transfer between the recently deceased and being spiritually released from the body takes center stage. Walking along the Ganges we saw our first burning ghat. One fire, with three more about to start. The flame that lights all fires here comes from an eternal flame that is 5 centuries old. Spiritually, the river is believed to release trapped Hindu souls from the cycle of reincarnation. We were being told about the traditions and beliefs when we looked at a fire and what was thought to be a log, was actually a persons face. Only men are allowed at the funeral. The women, for two reasons, aren't allowed. One being it's believed that if tears are shed around the burning, the soul will not leave. The second being that it was only 28 years ago that Sati was practiced. The practice of the wife climbing atop the pyre to light it and die with her husband. The older man who explained so much to us still remembers the haunting images and sounds. There are three burning ghats, one burns 24 hours a day, its estimated around 200 bodies are cremated a day. People come from all around India to die here. There are 5 type of people who do not get cremated, but are rather tied to a large rock and dropped into the middle of the river. These people are believed to be already clean and pure- Sadhus or Holy men, children under 9, pregnant women, people bitten from Cobras, people with leprosy. Along with the river being a holy place, it is also for day to day uses such as laundry and bathing. Something that seemed so strange to us. We saw some things here that we have chosen not to share in the blog. They will be forever in our memories though. It really is a place unlike anywhere we have been before. Surely it has left a lasting impression on us. Good or bad, we are not sure.

People do their best to keep the pups warm during the cold months.

Nightly ceremony that happens along the river every night.

Boat ride down the Ganges River.

 

Manikarnika Ghat. 24 hour burning Ghat.

From Varanasi we are heading south. Yes, you are right, we are wearing the same clothes in all the pictures. We need a change from the cold and dreary. We are in search of warm weather, sunshine, beaches and tigers. We can't wait to see what else India has in store for us.