So, its been a while since I posted. Sorry for the delay. Things are going good here; we are getting ready to wrap up. But Sunday night we got a nice treat
Some of our Indian friends here invited our whole team over for dinner. So about 5 PM we loaded up and went to there house, where we sat around talking and having a good time. Then someone got the idea that we should go up on the roof because there was more room. That was a good idea, but then someone found the boom box and started the dance music. So naturally, everyone had to join in and things pretty soon were pretty crazy. After we were worn out from dancing someone found a stick, so we decided to teach the kids how to limbo. This was great excpet for the fact that its hard to beat a kid who is 3 1/2 feet tall at limbo when you are 5' 10" There's just a little unfair advantage there. After limbo, the food started coming out. And when I say food I mean a feast. I mean, I know there were 27 of us there, but it was a ton of food. After my 3rd plate full, I finally managed to convince them that I was full, and then we had desert. Twice. Our friends had made desert, and we had taken a cake because one of the kids had passed a big school test. So by the time we were done I thought I was going to have to be carried back to the car. Oh, and there were still leftovers. It was just a great time hanging out with some friends that I will really miss when I head back to the States.
Then yesterday we had a great day. We pretty much met non stop with guys all day, and had some great conversations. We have more meetings today and tomorrow before we finally wrap up. I really have a hard time believing that I have been here 6 weeks already, and that in four days I start home. This has been a crazy wild adventure that I'll never forget.
Again, sorry for no pics, but the internet out here doesn't like posting them. I'll have them up as soon as I get home.
Till Next Time,
Josh
Monday, May 31, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
So That was a Little Different
So my friends and I got a unique opportunity the other day. We all got invited to an Indian village wedding. Since this would be a little different, and culturally very Indian, we all said yes, of course. So a couple weeks ago, we all went down into the bazaar to buy Indian cloths. The guys all went shopping for Kurtas and pajamas (think a knee length long sleeve shirt, and super baggy pants) and then to complete the outfit we went to a shoe shop and bought pointy toed shoes. We had already been warned that most people at the wedding would probably be dressed western style, but if you're going to draw attention anyway, why not go all out right?
So last Thursday we all dressed up Indian style and loaded up to head to the wedding. I drew the straw to ride on the back of on of the bikes. The only problem was that no one said that it would be an hour and a half ride out there, so by the time we arrived, I was sore! We were early, but there were still some people there, and immediately cameras started popping out everywhere. I felt like we were getting mobbed by the paparazzi. It was really quite strange. I mean, isn't this someone else's wedding?
Finally, we went over tho the big wedding tent to watch the arrival of the groom and his party which was quite entertaining, since it was accompanied by a band and lots of people dancing. Then it was time for lunch. Since everyone here is very hospitable, and I guess they figured we couldn't fend for ourselves, we went back in the house and they served us lunch. Very traditionally Indian, but very good.
By the time lunch was over we could hear the music, which meant it was time for dancing. Bad Indian Dancing. There was kind of just a mosh pit up in front of the speakers, so they guys were sort of just expected to jump right in. Fortunately for someone like me with two left feet, sticking up one arm and waving it a little, then repeating with the other arm counts as dancing. Only then did I figure out the hand motions. We were all dancing to a Gurdwali drinking song. Wonderful! I'm sure this looks awesome! But apparently seeing all the white guys dance was a hit for everyone there. And then the music broke. I think all of us were glad for the break. In the meantime, we all sat down and played some Indian children's game that is something like patty-cake, except that when each person was eliminated they had to dance. So obviously, after about 30 seconds, we had drawn the whole crowd Good times. Good times.
By this time, everyone had taken their pictures with the bride and groom, so it was time for the ceremony. A lot of people left, but we stayed to see something very different than anything I have ever seen. Overall it was a very long, hot, fun, entertaining day. I am really thankful to Prem for inviting us to experience something very different.
I have pictures to post up, but unfortunately I can't put them up from out here at my hotel. I will have them up as soon as I can, so check back for them soon.
Till Next Time,
Josh
So last Thursday we all dressed up Indian style and loaded up to head to the wedding. I drew the straw to ride on the back of on of the bikes. The only problem was that no one said that it would be an hour and a half ride out there, so by the time we arrived, I was sore! We were early, but there were still some people there, and immediately cameras started popping out everywhere. I felt like we were getting mobbed by the paparazzi. It was really quite strange. I mean, isn't this someone else's wedding?
Finally, we went over tho the big wedding tent to watch the arrival of the groom and his party which was quite entertaining, since it was accompanied by a band and lots of people dancing. Then it was time for lunch. Since everyone here is very hospitable, and I guess they figured we couldn't fend for ourselves, we went back in the house and they served us lunch. Very traditionally Indian, but very good.
By the time lunch was over we could hear the music, which meant it was time for dancing. Bad Indian Dancing. There was kind of just a mosh pit up in front of the speakers, so they guys were sort of just expected to jump right in. Fortunately for someone like me with two left feet, sticking up one arm and waving it a little, then repeating with the other arm counts as dancing. Only then did I figure out the hand motions. We were all dancing to a Gurdwali drinking song. Wonderful! I'm sure this looks awesome! But apparently seeing all the white guys dance was a hit for everyone there. And then the music broke. I think all of us were glad for the break. In the meantime, we all sat down and played some Indian children's game that is something like patty-cake, except that when each person was eliminated they had to dance. So obviously, after about 30 seconds, we had drawn the whole crowd Good times. Good times.
By this time, everyone had taken their pictures with the bride and groom, so it was time for the ceremony. A lot of people left, but we stayed to see something very different than anything I have ever seen. Overall it was a very long, hot, fun, entertaining day. I am really thankful to Prem for inviting us to experience something very different.
I have pictures to post up, but unfortunately I can't put them up from out here at my hotel. I will have them up as soon as I can, so check back for them soon.
Till Next Time,
Josh
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Human-Powered Ferris Wheel
After a really hard week of work last week our group got a little vacation this last Saturday. After language, we all loaded up in several taxis and headed up to this little tourist town that sits on top of the first line of mountains outside the city. It was really fun to get away for a little while, especially somewhere that was about 20 degrees cooler than it has been down in the city. I mean it gets hot back home, but I'm not used to 107 as early as May.
Anyway, I digress. After getting up there, we went to this little roadside cafe where they serve great pancakes. That's right, pancakes for lunch! And they were wonderful. After lunch, since we were in a tourist place, we had to go play the part, so we went down to the bazaar and found some souvenirs. They also had a Baskin Robbins, which started calling my name, so I decided to try it. I didn't think you could mess up an Oreo shake, but apparently by adding buffalo milk to it, it is in fact possible to make Oreo's taste funky. Right before we left though, we found the gem of the day. A human-powered Ferris Wheel. It could just barely seat everyone from our group, so we piled on and let the fun begin. It took 3 guys to get the thing spinning, and then one guy to keep it going. It really does look like a man in a hamster wheel, but when I say this thing was moving, it was fast!
It really was a fun ride. Afterwards, we all loaded back up, and were treated to a beautiful sunset over the hills on our way down the mountain. It made the perfect end to a long but fun and relaxing day.
Till Next Time,
Josh
Anyway, I digress. After getting up there, we went to this little roadside cafe where they serve great pancakes. That's right, pancakes for lunch! And they were wonderful. After lunch, since we were in a tourist place, we had to go play the part, so we went down to the bazaar and found some souvenirs. They also had a Baskin Robbins, which started calling my name, so I decided to try it. I didn't think you could mess up an Oreo shake, but apparently by adding buffalo milk to it, it is in fact possible to make Oreo's taste funky. Right before we left though, we found the gem of the day. A human-powered Ferris Wheel. It could just barely seat everyone from our group, so we piled on and let the fun begin. It took 3 guys to get the thing spinning, and then one guy to keep it going. It really does look like a man in a hamster wheel, but when I say this thing was moving, it was fast!
It really was a fun ride. Afterwards, we all loaded back up, and were treated to a beautiful sunset over the hills on our way down the mountain. It made the perfect end to a long but fun and relaxing day.
Till Next Time,
Josh
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Eco Key?
So everyone knows that the new thing now-a-days is 'Going Green.' Well, when we moved into our hotel last weekend, which will be our home for the next month, I found a new twist on this idea. An Eco Key. What exactly is an Eco Key? Well, when we went to leave the room, we noticed that our key was in this little holder by the door. Convenient, I thought. Well, when I pulled the key out of the little holder, all the lights went out. But, because this is India, it might have been a funny coincidence I thought. So I put the key back in the holder, and voila! the lights came back on. So our hotel is contributing to saving the environment by making sure that we turn out our lights. Fortunately, our A/C is not wired into this thing, so it does stay on, except for the 12 hours a day when we are running off the backup generator.
Overall though, this place is pretty nice. Meaning, I have stayed in worse places back home for a lot more money. And the restaurant is really good, and cheap (within our food budget). One of the craziest things though is just how bad me and my friend Daniel stick out. Except when our friends come to visit us, we are probably the only white people in 20 miles around. And I am learning every day that just being a small out of the way place in no way means that it is quiet. Twice now in a week I have been woken up at 430 AM to the sound of horns honking. Now why do you need your horn at 430 AM? I have no idea. But they use them here like there's no tomorrow.
For all that, its a nice little place and we are enjoying our time here. We have started our work, and so far it is going well. We will just have to see what the next few weeks hold in store for us.
I don't have the ability to upload pictures from the internet cafe here, but hopefully this weekend when I am in town I can update this with some pics.
Till next time,
Josh
Overall though, this place is pretty nice. Meaning, I have stayed in worse places back home for a lot more money. And the restaurant is really good, and cheap (within our food budget). One of the craziest things though is just how bad me and my friend Daniel stick out. Except when our friends come to visit us, we are probably the only white people in 20 miles around. And I am learning every day that just being a small out of the way place in no way means that it is quiet. Twice now in a week I have been woken up at 430 AM to the sound of horns honking. Now why do you need your horn at 430 AM? I have no idea. But they use them here like there's no tomorrow.
For all that, its a nice little place and we are enjoying our time here. We have started our work, and so far it is going well. We will just have to see what the next few weeks hold in store for us.
I don't have the ability to upload pictures from the internet cafe here, but hopefully this weekend when I am in town I can update this with some pics.
Till next time,
Josh
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Theres Always a Bigger Mountain
Surely there is not always a bigger mountain? Well, where we went hiking it sure seemed like it! I just returned from a 4 day trek with my friends Eric, Prem, and Travis up the Ganges River Valley from Gangotri to Gaumukh glacier which is the source of the Ganges. It seemed like all 300 km of the drive, and all 36 km of the hike, every time we turned a corner, there was a bigger mountain. It was something incredible to see. The road we took winds along the cliff faces above the Ganges for about 200 km before we even reached Gangotri, so we were treated to some spectacular views of the river and the snow covered Himalayas.
After stopping in Uttarkashi to pick up our passes into the national park, we continued up the road until we found a nice little hotel in Darsil to spend the night. Mom, you would be so proud of our deal. The room cost us 150 rupees per person ($3.75 American). See, I learned from the best :) The next morning we headed up the road the last 25 km to the park, where we loaded up our packs and started walking. It didn't take long for us to notice that the altitude was going to be more of a killer than we thought. We started hiking at about 10,000 feet, with our final destination coming in around 14,000 feet. Our plan was to hike 14 km (about 9 miles) the first day up to Bhojwasa, where we heard that the Lal Baba's Ashram was open.
I think we all still look happy in this picture because we had only hiked about a half a kilometer. Later, these faces would definitely reflect the fact that we were beaten senseless by the lack of air at this altitude. As we started hiking though, we were treated to some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. The trail is literally carved out of the side of the mountain and across rock slides several hundred feet above the river. The constant beautiful views and the constant sound of the river really do make it a picturesque setting. So we hiked, and hiked, and hiked for what seemed like forever.
After about 9 km, we reached Chirwosa, where this picture was taken and rested for awhile. We almost stopped, but we knew if we were to reach Gaumuhk the following day, we had to make it to Bhojwasa the first day. However, about 20 minutes after setting out, we were enveloped in a near blinding snow. Let me just say that the combination of cold, snow, wet, and altitude was not the most pleasant thing that I have ever experienced.
After two and a half hours of the most miserable hiking I have ever done, we rounded a corner in the trail and were blessed by the sight of Bhojwasa sitting down in a little bend in the river valley. I don't know that a few metal and concrete buildings have ever looked quite so good to me.
Fortunately for us, the Baba, who is a guy that lives up here year round providing food and shelter to people hiking up here, had an open room so we were able to drop our gear and dry off, then warm up with a nice cup of chai. After paying the small fee, we joined everyone for dinner, where we discovered there were actually about a dozen other foreigners there besides us. And dinner was quite an experience. We had rice and dahl, which is pretty standard Indian fare, along with subsy (vegetables). The only problem is that the subsy was so funky, even our Indian friend Prem didn't know what was in it. We just didn't ask, didn't want to know, and were thankful that it didn't make us sick. After a much more comfortable night than we would have had in a tent, we were treated to a beautiful sunrise over the mountains towering around us.
Since we decided that we would stay at the Baba's the following night, we decided to do the last 4 km up the glacier light, only carrying one pack with snacks for lunch. That way we could go up, hang out for a bit, and then head back down early, before it started snowing again.
The sign on that rock says that we are passing 4,000 meters altitude (13, 400 feet) and as you can see the glacier in the background, we have not even gotten up there yet. When we did arrive though, the view was breathtaking. The glacier itself is probably about 500 feet of vertical sheer rock wall, with a cave in the bottom that the river just flows right out of. I don't think all rivers start quite this way, but it is pretty cool to see.
This is our group shot. to give you an idea of the scale of the glacier, we are still over half a kilometer from it in this picture. After taking some really cool pictures, we headed back down toward Bhojwasa, because we could see snow being blown off Shivling peak above us, and also clouds starting to roll up the river valley.
We just beat the snowstorm back to the Baba's, and spent an afternoon in the if not warm, then at least dry shelter of our room trying to sleep off the whipping that the altitude put on us. The next morning, we packed up early and headed out, determined to make it back to Gangotri by noon so that we could head on back home.
I think it's safe to say that as tough as the uphill trek was, the downhill ride the whole way was enjoyable. the scenery was just so beautiful, I have never seen anything like it. Plus, on the way up, we didn't realize when we left the treeline, but as we approached Chirwosa, we could see the trees just appear out ahead of us. It was a really cool and comforting sight.
All in all, it was an awesome trip spending time with some awesome old and new friends. By the time it was all said and done, we had hiked about 23 miles in just a little over 48 hours, and seen and experienced one of the most remote and beautiful places on our planet.
And now the hard work begins. The rest of our team arrives in town today, and we start orientation. After the next few days of training, we will get out to our locations and start our primary mission. I will update as soon as I can
'Till next time
Josh
After stopping in Uttarkashi to pick up our passes into the national park, we continued up the road until we found a nice little hotel in Darsil to spend the night. Mom, you would be so proud of our deal. The room cost us 150 rupees per person ($3.75 American). See, I learned from the best :) The next morning we headed up the road the last 25 km to the park, where we loaded up our packs and started walking. It didn't take long for us to notice that the altitude was going to be more of a killer than we thought. We started hiking at about 10,000 feet, with our final destination coming in around 14,000 feet. Our plan was to hike 14 km (about 9 miles) the first day up to Bhojwasa, where we heard that the Lal Baba's Ashram was open.
I think we all still look happy in this picture because we had only hiked about a half a kilometer. Later, these faces would definitely reflect the fact that we were beaten senseless by the lack of air at this altitude. As we started hiking though, we were treated to some of the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. The trail is literally carved out of the side of the mountain and across rock slides several hundred feet above the river. The constant beautiful views and the constant sound of the river really do make it a picturesque setting. So we hiked, and hiked, and hiked for what seemed like forever.
After two and a half hours of the most miserable hiking I have ever done, we rounded a corner in the trail and were blessed by the sight of Bhojwasa sitting down in a little bend in the river valley. I don't know that a few metal and concrete buildings have ever looked quite so good to me.
Fortunately for us, the Baba, who is a guy that lives up here year round providing food and shelter to people hiking up here, had an open room so we were able to drop our gear and dry off, then warm up with a nice cup of chai. After paying the small fee, we joined everyone for dinner, where we discovered there were actually about a dozen other foreigners there besides us. And dinner was quite an experience. We had rice and dahl, which is pretty standard Indian fare, along with subsy (vegetables). The only problem is that the subsy was so funky, even our Indian friend Prem didn't know what was in it. We just didn't ask, didn't want to know, and were thankful that it didn't make us sick. After a much more comfortable night than we would have had in a tent, we were treated to a beautiful sunrise over the mountains towering around us.
Since we decided that we would stay at the Baba's the following night, we decided to do the last 4 km up the glacier light, only carrying one pack with snacks for lunch. That way we could go up, hang out for a bit, and then head back down early, before it started snowing again.
The sign on that rock says that we are passing 4,000 meters altitude (13, 400 feet) and as you can see the glacier in the background, we have not even gotten up there yet. When we did arrive though, the view was breathtaking. The glacier itself is probably about 500 feet of vertical sheer rock wall, with a cave in the bottom that the river just flows right out of. I don't think all rivers start quite this way, but it is pretty cool to see.
This is our group shot. to give you an idea of the scale of the glacier, we are still over half a kilometer from it in this picture. After taking some really cool pictures, we headed back down toward Bhojwasa, because we could see snow being blown off Shivling peak above us, and also clouds starting to roll up the river valley.
We just beat the snowstorm back to the Baba's, and spent an afternoon in the if not warm, then at least dry shelter of our room trying to sleep off the whipping that the altitude put on us. The next morning, we packed up early and headed out, determined to make it back to Gangotri by noon so that we could head on back home.
I think it's safe to say that as tough as the uphill trek was, the downhill ride the whole way was enjoyable. the scenery was just so beautiful, I have never seen anything like it. Plus, on the way up, we didn't realize when we left the treeline, but as we approached Chirwosa, we could see the trees just appear out ahead of us. It was a really cool and comforting sight.
All in all, it was an awesome trip spending time with some awesome old and new friends. By the time it was all said and done, we had hiked about 23 miles in just a little over 48 hours, and seen and experienced one of the most remote and beautiful places on our planet.
And now the hard work begins. The rest of our team arrives in town today, and we start orientation. After the next few days of training, we will get out to our locations and start our primary mission. I will update as soon as I can
'Till next time
Josh
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
My New Indian Family
It's been a busy crazy time here since I last posted, which I guess might explain the long absence. We have some great friends over here, and last Saturday night we had them over for dinner and just a fine time hanging out and laughing and dancing: Indian style. According to Prem, in order for someone new to join into the group they have to dance. I don't know whether he was pulling my leg or not, but either way, my two left feet just had to join in. For those wondering, there are no pictures of me, but there might be some video hiding on my camera somewhere. . . . Below are some pictures of our good time:
This is the whole group, all of Prem's family, along with Courtney, Lindsey, Eric, Travis, and myself. Needless to say it was a little crowded in the small living room. But that didn't stop the fun!
After this great time it seemed that nothing could stop the fun, and I guess I was partially right. My friends had to travel back to Delhi, and since we couldn't get train tickets, we just got a taxi. We were supposed to leave Sunday night at midnight and they would have us there by 8 AM on Monday. Well, we didn't count on a taxi experience that was something like a cross between NASCAR and Times Square at New Years. Lets just leave it at what was supposed to be a 7-8 hour ride only took us 5. And I didn't sleep a wink. Fortunately, we did arrive safely. Oh, and for those who think that summer has not arrived yet, you should visit Delhi. That might be one of the hottest, driest, dustiest places that I have ever visited. I think the high got up to 107 or 108 yesterday, and a sign said it was still 99 at 9:30 PM last night.
But to make up for it, we leave in the morning for a nice little getaway. Eric, Travis, our friend Prem, and I will be leaving tomorrow to go up to Gangotri to trek to the Gamukh glacier, which might be better known as the source of the Ganges River. And the weather will be completely opposite of Delhi. As far as we know, the highs are forecasted for the upper 30's with a slight chance of snow. We will be up into the real Himalaya Mountains by that time, and should hike starting around 10,000 feet right up to around 14,000 feet at Tapovon, which will be one of our overnight stops. We are all looking forward to this trip before the rest of the team arrives.
Because of this, it will be a few days before I will be able to post back on here, but when I am back I should have some spectacular pictures to share.
Till next time,
Josh
This is the whole group, all of Prem's family, along with Courtney, Lindsey, Eric, Travis, and myself. Needless to say it was a little crowded in the small living room. But that didn't stop the fun!
After this great time it seemed that nothing could stop the fun, and I guess I was partially right. My friends had to travel back to Delhi, and since we couldn't get train tickets, we just got a taxi. We were supposed to leave Sunday night at midnight and they would have us there by 8 AM on Monday. Well, we didn't count on a taxi experience that was something like a cross between NASCAR and Times Square at New Years. Lets just leave it at what was supposed to be a 7-8 hour ride only took us 5. And I didn't sleep a wink. Fortunately, we did arrive safely. Oh, and for those who think that summer has not arrived yet, you should visit Delhi. That might be one of the hottest, driest, dustiest places that I have ever visited. I think the high got up to 107 or 108 yesterday, and a sign said it was still 99 at 9:30 PM last night.
But to make up for it, we leave in the morning for a nice little getaway. Eric, Travis, our friend Prem, and I will be leaving tomorrow to go up to Gangotri to trek to the Gamukh glacier, which might be better known as the source of the Ganges River. And the weather will be completely opposite of Delhi. As far as we know, the highs are forecasted for the upper 30's with a slight chance of snow. We will be up into the real Himalaya Mountains by that time, and should hike starting around 10,000 feet right up to around 14,000 feet at Tapovon, which will be one of our overnight stops. We are all looking forward to this trip before the rest of the team arrives.
Because of this, it will be a few days before I will be able to post back on here, but when I am back I should have some spectacular pictures to share.
Till next time,
Josh
Friday, April 23, 2010
Welcome to India
After a whirlwind half-way around the world trip I have arrived. Sort of. I got into Delhi and got picked up at the airport, which all felt pretty normal. However, as soon I left the airport doors, things got crazy. What was supposed to be a line of taxis actually looked like Times Square at rush hour. The first night, I thought I beat the jet lag, and we headed out to explore Delhi the next day. We found Ruby Tuesday's for lunch, which advertised American Cuisine, but in my opinion, if they don't sell beef, it's not American cuisine.
Taking the train that night to our home city was also quite an adventure. I realized just how lonely it can be to be in a place with thousands of people yet you don't know a word of the language. The jet lag finally caught up with me on the train ride and I only managed 3 hours of sleep. About an hour before we reached our destination, the conductor comes in and starts talking at me in Hindi. I had no clue what he was saying, but after Eric rescued me, it turned out he was trying to put me off at the wrong station. What an adventure.
Since arriving at our destination, I have pretty much been immersed in Indian food and coffee shops, except for last night, when we fried chicken wings and french fries, and watched American idol. Yes, you can watch it here, just 2 1/2 days later than you can see it live in the States.
So far I am having a blast exploring the city on the back of Eric's motorbike. I have also met some really cool people. Coming in I had no expectations so its been fun. Just to give you an idea of the way things work here, I went to take a shower the other night and there was no water pressure. However, we discovered that by turning on both the sink and the shower at the same time, we could get water out of the sink, but not the shower. Just makes me shake my head.
We will be traveling a lot over the next week and half, so I don't know when the next update will come, but I will put one up as soon as I can.
Taking the train that night to our home city was also quite an adventure. I realized just how lonely it can be to be in a place with thousands of people yet you don't know a word of the language. The jet lag finally caught up with me on the train ride and I only managed 3 hours of sleep. About an hour before we reached our destination, the conductor comes in and starts talking at me in Hindi. I had no clue what he was saying, but after Eric rescued me, it turned out he was trying to put me off at the wrong station. What an adventure.
Since arriving at our destination, I have pretty much been immersed in Indian food and coffee shops, except for last night, when we fried chicken wings and french fries, and watched American idol. Yes, you can watch it here, just 2 1/2 days later than you can see it live in the States.
So far I am having a blast exploring the city on the back of Eric's motorbike. I have also met some really cool people. Coming in I had no expectations so its been fun. Just to give you an idea of the way things work here, I went to take a shower the other night and there was no water pressure. However, we discovered that by turning on both the sink and the shower at the same time, we could get water out of the sink, but not the shower. Just makes me shake my head.
We will be traveling a lot over the next week and half, so I don't know when the next update will come, but I will put one up as soon as I can.
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