I just discovered these videos by Rick Mereki. It took 3 guys, 44 days, 11 countries, 18 flights, and 38 thousand miles to create these short films. Pretty creative! Watching them I feel the need to start planning another big trip...
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The journey home...
Planes, boats, and automobiles...
Our journey home began at 7am Monday morning, catching the ferry to the airport. I had some anxiety about how this was going to pan out with my foot, but Kelley and Kate were fantastic helpers and I managed it without a problem. At check in, I was offered a wheel chair. I was mortified to be wheeled around, but it was nice not to have to hobble. My other leg muscles are getting a workout.
We took off for Sri Lanka, which I am intrigued to make a future trip to Sri Lanka...add that to the travel to do list! Again, I have to note how impressed I am with Sri Lankan air. Their planes are all new and clean, and service is fantastic.
After a layover, we were off for Delhi. Delhi has a nice airport, but some things are just a bit strange. Since we didn't book our flights all together we had to go through immigration and check-in all over again. The guy at immigration was a bit confused with what we were doing, so it took some time to explain and get through. The check-in part was another hassle. We went up to departures and had to pass through a security check point to enter the departure check-in. He asked us for our tickets, but clearly we didn't have these since we hadn't even entered the check-in area. Luckily, Kelley and I had print out itineraries and were able to pass through. Kate, however, had a bit of a struggle but finally found her confirmation on her phone. So then we proceeded to walk a couple feet to another guarded entrance, where we were stopped and had to go through the same process. Mind you, the other guard was in visibility. It made no sense why we had to do this again. And this time around I had a bit of a struggle but finally made it through, as for Kelley and Kate, they had to go find someone with a printout of all passengers and show it to the guard (this happened when we were flying to Male too, but not as many checkpoints). I know it's good they are trying to be secure, but some of this could really be streamlined! Efficiency doesn't appear to be a strong suit! If you find yourself traveling to Delhi, make sure you print off all your tickets first.
After all that frustration we were able to take advantage of Kate's dad's airline status and chill in a swanky lounge. This worked out well since my flight was two hours after Kate and Kelley's. I was able to catch up on free internet, and enjoy a cocktail before my fifteen hour flight back to Chicago.
Over 24 hours of travel, and three modes of transportation, the trip has come to an end....SAD FACE!
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Our journey home began at 7am Monday morning, catching the ferry to the airport. I had some anxiety about how this was going to pan out with my foot, but Kelley and Kate were fantastic helpers and I managed it without a problem. At check in, I was offered a wheel chair. I was mortified to be wheeled around, but it was nice not to have to hobble. My other leg muscles are getting a workout.
We took off for Sri Lanka, which I am intrigued to make a future trip to Sri Lanka...add that to the travel to do list! Again, I have to note how impressed I am with Sri Lankan air. Their planes are all new and clean, and service is fantastic.
After a layover, we were off for Delhi. Delhi has a nice airport, but some things are just a bit strange. Since we didn't book our flights all together we had to go through immigration and check-in all over again. The guy at immigration was a bit confused with what we were doing, so it took some time to explain and get through. The check-in part was another hassle. We went up to departures and had to pass through a security check point to enter the departure check-in. He asked us for our tickets, but clearly we didn't have these since we hadn't even entered the check-in area. Luckily, Kelley and I had print out itineraries and were able to pass through. Kate, however, had a bit of a struggle but finally found her confirmation on her phone. So then we proceeded to walk a couple feet to another guarded entrance, where we were stopped and had to go through the same process. Mind you, the other guard was in visibility. It made no sense why we had to do this again. And this time around I had a bit of a struggle but finally made it through, as for Kelley and Kate, they had to go find someone with a printout of all passengers and show it to the guard (this happened when we were flying to Male too, but not as many checkpoints). I know it's good they are trying to be secure, but some of this could really be streamlined! Efficiency doesn't appear to be a strong suit! If you find yourself traveling to Delhi, make sure you print off all your tickets first.
After all that frustration we were able to take advantage of Kate's dad's airline status and chill in a swanky lounge. This worked out well since my flight was two hours after Kate and Kelley's. I was able to catch up on free internet, and enjoy a cocktail before my fifteen hour flight back to Chicago.
Over 24 hours of travel, and three modes of transportation, the trip has come to an end....SAD FACE!
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Left my heart in the Maldives
I'm writing this post as I am on my last leg of a long trek home. Currently, I have 7 hours left into my flight from Delhi to Chicago. It's been approximately 24 hours since we began the journey home from Male. I'm feeling a bit bittersweet about this trip coming to an end. I'm excited to get home to do laundry, visit a doctor for the foot, and properly catch up with some people. After that I would like to teleport back to the Maldives and make that my permanent residence. My mind is racing on business ventures and opportunities to make this happen.
It was really hard to say goodbye to the boat crew. They were a fun group of guys, who really had a pride in their country and it's offerings. They did a great job sharing that with us. I kept trying to persuade the boat crew to let me stay and join the crew. One of the crew guys, who I like to call Smiles (he always had a giant smile and fun giggle), offered me a room in one of the storage compartments. Sold!
I think another reason it was hard to say goodbye is because of the group we had. Between the five of us we really had a great dynamic, with no drama at all. I walked away from this trip with some new friends and look forward to having boat reunions in the future.
For those considering a trip, the boat safari is the way to go. It is loads cheaper than the resort, and you get to see & do so much more. It was also great to learn about the country from the guides. They were very knowledgeable about the history and the best spots to go for various activities. Many of the resorts you have to pay extra to do the activities and dining, which was all included in what we had paid for the boat at a better rate. The only additional charge we had was booze, which really wasn't as bad considering it was a week's worth. It's the route to go in my opinion.
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It was really hard to say goodbye to the boat crew. They were a fun group of guys, who really had a pride in their country and it's offerings. They did a great job sharing that with us. I kept trying to persuade the boat crew to let me stay and join the crew. One of the crew guys, who I like to call Smiles (he always had a giant smile and fun giggle), offered me a room in one of the storage compartments. Sold!
I think another reason it was hard to say goodbye is because of the group we had. Between the five of us we really had a great dynamic, with no drama at all. I walked away from this trip with some new friends and look forward to having boat reunions in the future.
For those considering a trip, the boat safari is the way to go. It is loads cheaper than the resort, and you get to see & do so much more. It was also great to learn about the country from the guides. They were very knowledgeable about the history and the best spots to go for various activities. Many of the resorts you have to pay extra to do the activities and dining, which was all included in what we had paid for the boat at a better rate. The only additional charge we had was booze, which really wasn't as bad considering it was a week's worth. It's the route to go in my opinion.
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Sunday, September 11, 2011
Yachting adventure in the Maldives...broken toe and all
We arrived at Male airport about three in the morning, after some flight delays in Sri Lanka. I must note, I was rather impressed with Sri Lankan airlines. They had the planes with humidifiers, free alcohol, and food on both flights. Although, I don't know why they woke us up, and gave us our food for an hour flight from Sri Lanka to Male at 2am. It was left uneaten, as we went right back to sleep.
When we arrived at the airport we had to have our luggage scanned as there are strict rules about what can be brought into the country, including alcohol, & religious idols. The Maldives is strictly Islamic. You can only be a citizen if you are Islamic. Kate and Kelley both bought decorative sandstone Buddha heads in India that were confiscated. Luckily, they'll be able to pick them up on the way out.
The Male airport is on it's own island, so we had someone from our hotel pick us up and ferry us to Male, the most populated island. I was pretty excited to have someone waiting with my name at arrivals. It's weird, but I have always kind of wanted that. We crashed once we got to the hotel and spent the next day exploring Male. Male is a clean, cute, safe island town. Interesting note, no alcohol is allowed on Male. Our hotel did have mocktail hour.
We were woken the next morning to beautiful views of crystal blue water and island resorts. We sat on the back deck and enjoyed a delicious breakfast (all meal have been great!). Then we assumed sun bathing position on the front deck as the boat set off. I had to pinch myself once or twice to realize I was actually in this amazing, exotic location. At one point, while we were cruising, we approached a group of dolphins. It was pretty amazing to watch them jump out of the water and swim along the boat. The water was so clear that we could see them really well, an unbelievable site.
We arrived at our first stop for the day, where we snorkeled. Again, I just can't quite express how unreal it is that I am here and witnessing this amazing marine life. Witnessing it, made me question why I never pursued my dream of being a marine biologist when I was younger. Although, there are still some marine creatures that I thankfully did not see that freak me out (sharks). But the stuff we saw was pretty awesome. There were so many colorful and exotic fish; neon blue and yellow striped fish, turquoise and purple fish, iridescent glowing fish, orange polka dot fish, and so many more (pictures taken don't quite do it justice). We learned that the coral had once been brighter, as the Maldives have suffered from bleaching in the last few years. It was still pretty amazing, if you ask me.
Our day ended with more delicious meals, sun bathing on the front deck, and then followed by a sunset swim off the back of the boat. This place is seriously unbelievable. It was hard to believe I was swimming in the middle of the crystal blue Indian ocean, with maybe one or two deserted islands near by, and an amazing sunset into the ocean! Yeah, going back home was looking more and more unappealing!
The rest of the trip was spent laying low on the big boat, reading and sun bathing. At least the foot injury happened towards the end of the trip, and I got to try out all the activities, with the exception of body boarding. I guess I'll have to come back next year and try that out. Nahu did tell us to come back. I've had an incredible time in this exotic paradise (contemplating a way to move here) that I will return to the Maldives again sometime.
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When we arrived at the airport we had to have our luggage scanned as there are strict rules about what can be brought into the country, including alcohol, & religious idols. The Maldives is strictly Islamic. You can only be a citizen if you are Islamic. Kate and Kelley both bought decorative sandstone Buddha heads in India that were confiscated. Luckily, they'll be able to pick them up on the way out.
The Male airport is on it's own island, so we had someone from our hotel pick us up and ferry us to Male, the most populated island. I was pretty excited to have someone waiting with my name at arrivals. It's weird, but I have always kind of wanted that. We crashed once we got to the hotel and spent the next day exploring Male. Male is a clean, cute, safe island town. Interesting note, no alcohol is allowed on Male. Our hotel did have mocktail hour.
We were woken the next morning to beautiful views of crystal blue water and island resorts. We sat on the back deck and enjoyed a delicious breakfast (all meal have been great!). Then we assumed sun bathing position on the front deck as the boat set off. I had to pinch myself once or twice to realize I was actually in this amazing, exotic location. At one point, while we were cruising, we approached a group of dolphins. It was pretty amazing to watch them jump out of the water and swim along the boat. The water was so clear that we could see them really well, an unbelievable site.
We arrived at our first stop for the day, where we snorkeled. Again, I just can't quite express how unreal it is that I am here and witnessing this amazing marine life. Witnessing it, made me question why I never pursued my dream of being a marine biologist when I was younger. Although, there are still some marine creatures that I thankfully did not see that freak me out (sharks). But the stuff we saw was pretty awesome. There were so many colorful and exotic fish; neon blue and yellow striped fish, turquoise and purple fish, iridescent glowing fish, orange polka dot fish, and so many more (pictures taken don't quite do it justice). We learned that the coral had once been brighter, as the Maldives have suffered from bleaching in the last few years. It was still pretty amazing, if you ask me.
Our day ended with more delicious meals, sun bathing on the front deck, and then followed by a sunset swim off the back of the boat. This place is seriously unbelievable. It was hard to believe I was swimming in the middle of the crystal blue Indian ocean, with maybe one or two deserted islands near by, and an amazing sunset into the ocean! Yeah, going back home was looking more and more unappealing!
The rest of the trip was spent laying low on the big boat, reading and sun bathing. At least the foot injury happened towards the end of the trip, and I got to try out all the activities, with the exception of body boarding. I guess I'll have to come back next year and try that out. Nahu did tell us to come back. I've had an incredible time in this exotic paradise (contemplating a way to move here) that I will return to the Maldives again sometime.
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Saturday, September 3, 2011
Delhi Round 2
Funny how driving into a city the second time around has a whole new feel. It's more comfortable and welcoming. When I first arrived from the airport that first night, I had some mixed emotions. Though I had read up on the city, and talked to others that had visited, it was a bit scary and overwhelming. It was not like any other city I had ever visited. This second time around it was more familiar and there was a new ease to the city. I was happy to be back.
We began our morning with yoga once again. Shanna, our instructor, chatted with us for a bit at breakfast and provided some more recommendations for the day. We were pretty excited when she asked about having dinner with us that night. She invited us to a members only restaurant that had the same chef as our hotel. Ironically, it was in the same establishment as the American diner we stumbled upon at the habitat center.
We saw the Bodyguard, which had just come out. Vishnu seemed so excited to go to a movie with us, and we were pretty excited too. Though there weren't any subtitles we were able to figure out the plot line with little confusion. I have to say Bollywood movies are pretty entertaining. I really enjoyed the singing and dancing. Couple of interesting things about going to the movies in India. One, there is intermission. Two, mobiles ring and people answer their phones in the middle of the movie. Three, you enter through metal detectors and purses are searched, sneaking snacks and cameras in are not allowed.
Vishnu dropped us off and we were very sad to say goodbye. We took one last picture with him. It was funny when the photographer started to take the picture, he wasn't quite sure how to work the camera, and had it facing him. We could see his face enlarged in the view-thru. We corrected him, but it would have made a funny/cute picture. Hopefully, Vishnu will keep in touch.
Our final day was spent with morning yoga and some quick shopping in Old Delhi. Shanna guided us to this fantastic oil shop. I got my jasmine oil! Then we went through kilnari market (the wedding bazaar). Beautiful sparkly saris. Then it was off to the airport for the Maldives!!!
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We began our morning with yoga once again. Shanna, our instructor, chatted with us for a bit at breakfast and provided some more recommendations for the day. We were pretty excited when she asked about having dinner with us that night. She invited us to a members only restaurant that had the same chef as our hotel. Ironically, it was in the same establishment as the American diner we stumbled upon at the habitat center.
We saw the Bodyguard, which had just come out. Vishnu seemed so excited to go to a movie with us, and we were pretty excited too. Though there weren't any subtitles we were able to figure out the plot line with little confusion. I have to say Bollywood movies are pretty entertaining. I really enjoyed the singing and dancing. Couple of interesting things about going to the movies in India. One, there is intermission. Two, mobiles ring and people answer their phones in the middle of the movie. Three, you enter through metal detectors and purses are searched, sneaking snacks and cameras in are not allowed.
Vishnu dropped us off and we were very sad to say goodbye. We took one last picture with him. It was funny when the photographer started to take the picture, he wasn't quite sure how to work the camera, and had it facing him. We could see his face enlarged in the view-thru. We corrected him, but it would have made a funny/cute picture. Hopefully, Vishnu will keep in touch.
Our final day was spent with morning yoga and some quick shopping in Old Delhi. Shanna guided us to this fantastic oil shop. I got my jasmine oil! Then we went through kilnari market (the wedding bazaar). Beautiful sparkly saris. Then it was off to the airport for the Maldives!!!
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Jaipur - the pink city
We had a little change of plans and left Agra a day early to head to Jaipur. Agra was nice, but there wasn't a whole lot to see outside of the Taj. So we set off for the pink city.
We arrived in Jaipur around six and went straight for our hotel. When we walked in, there was an immediate weird vibe. We were finally taken to our room by the hotel manager, Erik Williams. There was just something about him that screamed creepy used car salesman. After they dropped off our luggage we evaluated the price and the lonely planet book to realize we were getting ripped off. Luckily there were similar hotels recommended by LP, just down the street for more than half the price. We viewed a couple and made a switch. We were pretty pleased with our decision. We ended up in a quaint little place, and they even had a Dachshund running around the courtyard. That sealed the deal for me. See you later Erik Williams!
BK, our guide, then took us to Jantar Mantar (means instrument of calculation). This was an observatory with several sun dial sculptures. This was pretty interesting, especially the sun dial sculptures, arranged for the 12 zodiac signs. All the zodiac sculptures in sight of your own are said to make good partners for you. So, for Kelley and I - the Sagittarius twins - Leos, Scorpios, Virgos, and Libras would all make good partners.
and there was a pretty sweet ceiling with gems. It was funny how he kept pointing out weapons saying, "come, don't look at the weapon but see these stones in the handle."
The afternoon heat was pretty hot and we had seen a good deal, so we decided to head back to the hotel for lunch and relaxation. We did make one stop at a gem wholesaler first. They showed us how they cut and polish the stones, which was pretty cool to see. Then we drove back through the old city, also known as the pink city, a cute little town. We kept passing this beautiful building when we drove through, called Hawa Mahal. It was a pink sandstone, honeycombed building with stain glassed windows. I managed to get a few good pictures from the car. The more we drove through Jaipur, the more I grew to like the city.
Day 2 in Jaipur, we packed our bags up to go back to Delhi with a stop at the Amber Fort first. We rode elephants up to the top, and explored the fort on our own this time. My favorite thing at the fort, other than the elephant ride, was the Jai Mandir (hall of victory). It's this hall with intricate mirror designs in the ceiling and walls. Beautiful! We wandered a bit more and then ventured back to meet Vishnu. Of course as we were leaving there was a street performer with a cobra. By this point in the trip, Kelley and Kate were getting good at helping me avoid the sight of them. Chills just thinking about it.
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We arrived in Jaipur around six and went straight for our hotel. When we walked in, there was an immediate weird vibe. We were finally taken to our room by the hotel manager, Erik Williams. There was just something about him that screamed creepy used car salesman. After they dropped off our luggage we evaluated the price and the lonely planet book to realize we were getting ripped off. Luckily there were similar hotels recommended by LP, just down the street for more than half the price. We viewed a couple and made a switch. We were pretty pleased with our decision. We ended up in a quaint little place, and they even had a Dachshund running around the courtyard. That sealed the deal for me. See you later Erik Williams!
BK, our guide, then took us to Jantar Mantar (means instrument of calculation). This was an observatory with several sun dial sculptures. This was pretty interesting, especially the sun dial sculptures, arranged for the 12 zodiac signs. All the zodiac sculptures in sight of your own are said to make good partners for you. So, for Kelley and I - the Sagittarius twins - Leos, Scorpios, Virgos, and Libras would all make good partners.
and there was a pretty sweet ceiling with gems. It was funny how he kept pointing out weapons saying, "come, don't look at the weapon but see these stones in the handle."
The afternoon heat was pretty hot and we had seen a good deal, so we decided to head back to the hotel for lunch and relaxation. We did make one stop at a gem wholesaler first. They showed us how they cut and polish the stones, which was pretty cool to see. Then we drove back through the old city, also known as the pink city, a cute little town. We kept passing this beautiful building when we drove through, called Hawa Mahal. It was a pink sandstone, honeycombed building with stain glassed windows. I managed to get a few good pictures from the car. The more we drove through Jaipur, the more I grew to like the city.
Day 2 in Jaipur, we packed our bags up to go back to Delhi with a stop at the Amber Fort first. We rode elephants up to the top, and explored the fort on our own this time. My favorite thing at the fort, other than the elephant ride, was the Jai Mandir (hall of victory). It's this hall with intricate mirror designs in the ceiling and walls. Beautiful! We wandered a bit more and then ventured back to meet Vishnu. Of course as we were leaving there was a street performer with a cobra. By this point in the trip, Kelley and Kate were getting good at helping me avoid the sight of them. Chills just thinking about it.
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Thursday, September 1, 2011
Wondrous Monument Built for Love - The Taj Mahal
colors at sunrise.
My number one goal was to purchase a sari before heading to the Taj. I really wanted a picture in front of the beautiful structure, embracing the Indian culture. Luckily, there were some shops within our hotel grounds that weren't terribly expensive. I also was able to work out a deal with the kind man. Success!
Alarms went off at 5am, and we actually spent some time doing make up and coordinating decent outfits since these pictures most likely would be framers and potential holiday cards. At 5:30 we set off to meet Vishnu and our guide (included with the fee for hiring a driver). Kelley and I were both pretty excited to see this magical wonder of the world.
One funny thing we saw, as we rode the bus to the entrance, was a mama pig and four baby pigs running along the street. Not sure what they were running after, but they sure were the happiest pigs, running with zeal. It made me think of 4 little pigs going to the market.
After making our way through security we reached a courtyard at the North end of the tomb. Our tour guide (unfortunately forgot his name, as I had one thing on my mind - seeing the Taj) began explaining the structure and history. I was getting a bit frustrated and impatient as I wanted to actually enter and see it, I sort of was half paying attention. I did catch a few things. The reason it's the structure of love, is because the emperor had the monument built as a memorial for his wife, who died giving birth to his fourteenth kid. We entered at the north end, which I believe the heads are faced north in the tomb. He also explained that there are Quran verses inscribed on the gateway, and the inscription is larger on the top. The gateway is built with red sandstone. He explained some of the Mughal empire. He also talked a bit about the illusions of the Taj, and that It took about 22 years to build with many artisans involved.
After walking through the gateway, our guide pointed out some fantastic photo opportunities and we snapped away. He sat back as we took our time getting all the shots we wanted. I got my sari picture, Kate got her super hero cape shot, Kelley got her handstand photo, and we even introduced India to planking. We took a couple cute pics on the VIP bench (remember I'm famous in India) where Princess Diana was filmed. The guide then suggested doing some pics to highlight the illusions of the structure - we got some crazy height jumping pictures, and we were so strong we could hold the monument with two fingers.
It was just amazing to see this structure made of all white marble glistening in the sunrise. At some angles, there appeared to be some sparkle to the design. The colors at sunrise were pretty fantastic. The other thing that was really cool, especially since we all live in big cities, is to see this beautiful building with nothing but a blue sky and no other skyscrapers. It was so peaceful and serene.
Our guide told us that the four minarets, at each corner of the marble platform that the Taj sits on, are slanted outward in the event that if any happens they won't fall on the Taj. Also, they are half the height of the Taj, and it does not appear that way. One of the many illusions.
Looking closely we could see many gems and stones in laid in the marble. Inside were two replica tombs (the real ones are a floor below). There was supposed to be a third, but the son of the emperor never ended up there due to an estrangement with his father. I guess he imprisoned his father when he became emperor. Around the tombs were some intricate filigree marble designs. Our guide also pointed out a gem in the boarder that would glow when a light was shown on it. That was pretty cool. I forget the name of the stone and will be doing some googling with better internet. He pointed out a few more illusions of the structure. As Kate said, it's ironic that the structure of love is full of illusions.
It's pretty amazing to think of all the thought and design that went into the Taj.
One last interesting fact, the monument is all held together with tree sediment and egg yolk. Apparently this was a super glue during this time. Amazing that it is still holding it up today!
At lunch later that day we were showing Vishnu our pictures from the Taj and he was telling us about his future wife. We asked if he has ever been to the Taj. He told us that as an Indian you can't go until you are married (this could have been a lost in translation thing, but it's what we gathered from the convo.) He and his wife will see it once they are married. I thought that was interesting.
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Tuesday, August 30, 2011
We're on to something...
We have been continuously talking about how great it is that we basically have two different vacations in one; first a week in India, followed by a week in the Maldives. It's like a surf & turf vacation. We also all agree that we make excellent travel partners, as we are all pretty easy going with similar travel styles, and have some similar travel to do list. Our travel to do lists mostly includes visiting the places that are said to become non existent (hit up Kilimanjaro last year, covering the Maldives this year), and because of this, we have decided to start a travel club - The Surf & Turf Travel Club. There are already discussions and plans in the works for future destinations. Next year is looking like Uganda to see the gorillas (another thing that will soon become nonexistent), followed by Tunisia. So lots more blogging to look forward to.
Back to the trip at hand. This has been quite the experience so far. First, I haven't laughed this hard and this much in a long time. My abs are sore! Second, I discovered I have another twin in this world. Kelley (she is one of Kate's college friends, whom I met for the first time on this trip) and I are basically the same person. Makes sense since we are both Sagittarius. Third, I have become a pro at bargaining...don't mess with me! Fourth, India is HOT! The Ruwe genes have come out to play and I have been a hot sweaty mess! Fifth, I'm still famous in India! Lastly, street vendors, & beggars can become a bit overwhelming! They LOVE us and are ready to try to "cut us a deal". They continue to try to talk us into whatever product or service they're offering, no matter how many times we say no. I've gotten over my feeling of being rude for ignoring or becoming short pretty quickly. I've had to get very stern a few times, and in some instances it worked, and some not so much. It's become quite humorous...it is what it is...this is India.
A recap of the last few days:
Sunday, we all managed to wake up at 2am wide awake. Too early to accomplish anything, we snuggled in the big bed and watched YouTube music videos and Kate's favorite transvestite British comedian...funny stuff. Once it was a normal hour we discovered breakfast on the patio and ended up reading out there for a few hours. It felt very Julia Roberts/Eat Pray Love...remember I am famous in India! Kate, our ring leader, sorted out our plan for the day and we set off.
First stop, check out the Imperial Palace Hotel, a swanky establishment we wanted to try for lunch and a cocktail. It was a beautiful, luxurious hotel and smelled amazing. I will be buying some Jasmine for my apartment. After getting snubbed by the concierge, we decided to go to a lonely planet recommended place for lunch. Again, felt like Julia Roberts (apparently I'm on a JR kick)in Pretty Woman when she was turned away on Rodeo Drive...Big mistake Imperial Palace, Huge! The LP restaurant suggestion was delicious, much better choice! From there, we walked to Old Delhi, witnessing some teens playing cricket in the alley along the way. That was kind of cool to see. Sort of reminded me of playing games with the neighborhood kids as a child in Uruguay.
Old Delhi is definitely more of what I had envisioned India to be like. New Delhi is modern with British influence, a bit more spread out. Old Delhi is crowded, with a lot of street markets and vendors. I became overwhelmed pretty quickly with the heat, honking of horns, cars and tuk tuks squeezing by, and vendors trying to lure you in. We did find a pashmina store where I mastered the bargaining technique; basically walk out until they accept your price.
As the rain began to roll in, we went to a rundown hotel roof deck for some mango lassis (a common fruit yogurt based drink) and watched the storm. It was cute to observe little children playing and dancing in the rain on their roof decks.
Monday morning, we had arranged for yoga in the hotel garden. Again, a very Julia Roberts zen moment. The yoga instructor was this really intriguing lady, whose life I kind of want live. Apparently she was an American raised in Kashmir. She had moved back to the states with her parents at the age of 17. She followed in her mom's footsteps and studied yoga. The hotel owner, a family friend, offered her a job to run the yoga spa that they plan to add on to the hotel and she moved to Delhi. I'm now considering taking up yoga.
After breakfast we had arranged for a driver to take us to Agra and Jaipur versus dealing with the trains. We had the cutest driver, Vishnu. I don't think we were his typical clientele. He seemed a bit nervous when he picked us up, but he quickly warmed up to us. How could you not?!? We even got him laughing with us a few times, once to the point of tears and he had to walk away from the table to gain composure. He also was really excited to tell us all about his fiancé. We're supposed to call her tomorrow and tell her how great Vishnu is, because he is pretty awesome! It was great too, because he helped us out when the waiter tried to get us to pay more for lunch. It made me sad to think where he must be sleeping when we are staying in such nice hotels. Even if we tried to pay for him to get a room in our hotel they wouldn't allow it. The caste system is definitely evident.
More to come on the Taj Mahal and Jaipur!
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Back to the trip at hand. This has been quite the experience so far. First, I haven't laughed this hard and this much in a long time. My abs are sore! Second, I discovered I have another twin in this world. Kelley (she is one of Kate's college friends, whom I met for the first time on this trip) and I are basically the same person. Makes sense since we are both Sagittarius. Third, I have become a pro at bargaining...don't mess with me! Fourth, India is HOT! The Ruwe genes have come out to play and I have been a hot sweaty mess! Fifth, I'm still famous in India! Lastly, street vendors, & beggars can become a bit overwhelming! They LOVE us and are ready to try to "cut us a deal". They continue to try to talk us into whatever product or service they're offering, no matter how many times we say no. I've gotten over my feeling of being rude for ignoring or becoming short pretty quickly. I've had to get very stern a few times, and in some instances it worked, and some not so much. It's become quite humorous...it is what it is...this is India.
A recap of the last few days:
Sunday, we all managed to wake up at 2am wide awake. Too early to accomplish anything, we snuggled in the big bed and watched YouTube music videos and Kate's favorite transvestite British comedian...funny stuff. Once it was a normal hour we discovered breakfast on the patio and ended up reading out there for a few hours. It felt very Julia Roberts/Eat Pray Love...remember I am famous in India! Kate, our ring leader, sorted out our plan for the day and we set off.
First stop, check out the Imperial Palace Hotel, a swanky establishment we wanted to try for lunch and a cocktail. It was a beautiful, luxurious hotel and smelled amazing. I will be buying some Jasmine for my apartment. After getting snubbed by the concierge, we decided to go to a lonely planet recommended place for lunch. Again, felt like Julia Roberts (apparently I'm on a JR kick)in Pretty Woman when she was turned away on Rodeo Drive...Big mistake Imperial Palace, Huge! The LP restaurant suggestion was delicious, much better choice! From there, we walked to Old Delhi, witnessing some teens playing cricket in the alley along the way. That was kind of cool to see. Sort of reminded me of playing games with the neighborhood kids as a child in Uruguay.
Old Delhi is definitely more of what I had envisioned India to be like. New Delhi is modern with British influence, a bit more spread out. Old Delhi is crowded, with a lot of street markets and vendors. I became overwhelmed pretty quickly with the heat, honking of horns, cars and tuk tuks squeezing by, and vendors trying to lure you in. We did find a pashmina store where I mastered the bargaining technique; basically walk out until they accept your price.
As the rain began to roll in, we went to a rundown hotel roof deck for some mango lassis (a common fruit yogurt based drink) and watched the storm. It was cute to observe little children playing and dancing in the rain on their roof decks.
Monday morning, we had arranged for yoga in the hotel garden. Again, a very Julia Roberts zen moment. The yoga instructor was this really intriguing lady, whose life I kind of want live. Apparently she was an American raised in Kashmir. She had moved back to the states with her parents at the age of 17. She followed in her mom's footsteps and studied yoga. The hotel owner, a family friend, offered her a job to run the yoga spa that they plan to add on to the hotel and she moved to Delhi. I'm now considering taking up yoga.
After breakfast we had arranged for a driver to take us to Agra and Jaipur versus dealing with the trains. We had the cutest driver, Vishnu. I don't think we were his typical clientele. He seemed a bit nervous when he picked us up, but he quickly warmed up to us. How could you not?!? We even got him laughing with us a few times, once to the point of tears and he had to walk away from the table to gain composure. He also was really excited to tell us all about his fiancé. We're supposed to call her tomorrow and tell her how great Vishnu is, because he is pretty awesome! It was great too, because he helped us out when the waiter tried to get us to pay more for lunch. It made me sad to think where he must be sleeping when we are staying in such nice hotels. Even if we tried to pay for him to get a room in our hotel they wouldn't allow it. The caste system is definitely evident.
More to come on the Taj Mahal and Jaipur!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Things I Learned in India - Day 1
- Lanes appear to be optional and not required....there were maybe four to five rows of cars and mopeds in a three lane road. One could reach out and touch the passenger of a neighboring car, we were that close. "Pardon me, but do you have any Grey Poupon"
- Merging, regardless if cars are there or not, is common...hence the optional lanes.
- Traffic in the states is nothing compared to here...I could never drive in this city because I would be too tense.
- Women tend to side saddle on the back of mopeds...not safe in my opinoin (Kate witnessed an accident last time she was here because a woman's sari got caught and she was thrown off the moped)
- When stopped at lights, children go in the middle of the street to beg for money, tapping on your window and performing with back flips and twirling hats with nuts (reminded me of slum dog millionaire)
- Apparently hats that have twirling nuts are entertaining.
- Leave the bargaining to our ringleader, Kate!
- I really like chai tea in India (have never liked it in the states)
- Apparently I'm famous...I was stopped early on to have my picture taken with randoms. Then noticed several Indians filming us as we were exploring.
- No is optional to the street vendors...they don't leave you alone!
- Cassette tapes are still in...Henry, our driver, (whose name is really Rakeesh, or something like that. For whatever reason I kept thinking it was Henry) pulled one out and had to
manually wind it up with his finger to provide us with some punjabi tunes.
- I am definitely still afraid of snakes, as I ran off when a street performer whipped out a cobra behind me. Still quivering over that cobra!
- Loud farts in public are no big deal...walking up to Lotus Temple, an old man ripped the loudest fart so nonchalantly.
- It's okay to reverse about a mile back on a highway at night....this definitely happened when our taxi driver missed the turn for our hotel....
Today's events included:
- Breakfast an all American diner, where they played some classics from Johnny Cash and other old big hits. I know, I know...an all American diner in India, but we wanted a good breakfast to start the day and it was by where we were going. We had to ease in our first day.
- Wandering the beautifully landscaped Lodi Gardens. We saw a butterfly garden, some bonsai trees, and crumbling tombs from the 15th & 16th century of Sayyid and Lodi.
- Walking through markets.
- Henry picked us up in a rickshaw and took us to the India Gate, where there is a war memorial and tomb from the unknown soldier. We could see the president's house through the statue/towers.
- We visited Safdarjang's tomb; a beautiful Mughal architecture from the 18th century
- Henry took us to some Indian shops for pashminas, saris, rugs, jewels, teas. I was a bit overwhelmed by the sales people. Kelley and I left the bargaining to our ring leader, Kate. She was a pro.
- Finally had some traditional Indian food for lunch/dinner. Delicious and not too spicy.
- Stopped at a temple, called the lotus temple, which is a Baha'i house of worship. This was a really beautiful structure of white Greek marble panels on the pedals. There were 27 pedals with nine pools surrounding.
- Merging, regardless if cars are there or not, is common...hence the optional lanes.
- Traffic in the states is nothing compared to here...I could never drive in this city because I would be too tense.
- Women tend to side saddle on the back of mopeds...not safe in my opinoin (Kate witnessed an accident last time she was here because a woman's sari got caught and she was thrown off the moped)
- When stopped at lights, children go in the middle of the street to beg for money, tapping on your window and performing with back flips and twirling hats with nuts (reminded me of slum dog millionaire)
- Apparently hats that have twirling nuts are entertaining.
- Leave the bargaining to our ringleader, Kate!
- I really like chai tea in India (have never liked it in the states)
- Apparently I'm famous...I was stopped early on to have my picture taken with randoms. Then noticed several Indians filming us as we were exploring.
- No is optional to the street vendors...they don't leave you alone!
- Cassette tapes are still in...Henry, our driver, (whose name is really Rakeesh, or something like that. For whatever reason I kept thinking it was Henry) pulled one out and had to
manually wind it up with his finger to provide us with some punjabi tunes.
- I am definitely still afraid of snakes, as I ran off when a street performer whipped out a cobra behind me. Still quivering over that cobra!
- Loud farts in public are no big deal...walking up to Lotus Temple, an old man ripped the loudest fart so nonchalantly.
- It's okay to reverse about a mile back on a highway at night....this definitely happened when our taxi driver missed the turn for our hotel....
Today's events included:
- Breakfast an all American diner, where they played some classics from Johnny Cash and other old big hits. I know, I know...an all American diner in India, but we wanted a good breakfast to start the day and it was by where we were going. We had to ease in our first day.
- Wandering the beautifully landscaped Lodi Gardens. We saw a butterfly garden, some bonsai trees, and crumbling tombs from the 15th & 16th century of Sayyid and Lodi.
- Walking through markets.
- Henry picked us up in a rickshaw and took us to the India Gate, where there is a war memorial and tomb from the unknown soldier. We could see the president's house through the statue/towers.
- We visited Safdarjang's tomb; a beautiful Mughal architecture from the 18th century
- Henry took us to some Indian shops for pashminas, saris, rugs, jewels, teas. I was a bit overwhelmed by the sales people. Kelley and I left the bargaining to our ring leader, Kate. She was a pro.
- Finally had some traditional Indian food for lunch/dinner. Delicious and not too spicy.
- Stopped at a temple, called the lotus temple, which is a Baha'i house of worship. This was a really beautiful structure of white Greek marble panels on the pedals. There were 27 pedals with nine pools surrounding.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
All my bags are packed...
I'm ready to go..
This time tomorrow, I will be approximately 5 hours into my flight with 9 more to go. I've got my kindle loaded with books, a couple of magazines, researched American's movie selection, packed some benedryl in my carry on, & secured a seat that is in a row with 5 empty seats. I'm not worried one bit about this flight. I actually think I will keep myself pretty occupied if I'm not sprawled out, asleep, on those 5 empty seats (I felt pretty smart about looking into that and making that seat change).
Crazy, that this India/Maldives trip is finally here, after over a year of planning. Like one of my coworkers said, "today must feel like Christmas Eve for you,"and it sure does. It will be hard to sleep tonight with the excitement of the trip.
Somehow this week just flew by, and here I thought it was going to totally drag. Luckily work was a good steady pace of busy, tying up loose ends. In fact, things seemed a little too smooth, as I left work today (unlike the fire drills I left when I went to Africa). I'm hoping I still have a job when I return!!
After stressing for the last couple of weeks about what to pack, I finally think I'm all set. I've been a bit stressed because everything I read about India says to dress conservatively as a woman, you'll get a lot of stares (One of my coworkers told me to already expect a lot of stares being a tall blonde girl, great). Dressing conservatively wouldn't normally be a problem, but it is expected to be hot & humid this time of year (did I mention it's the tail end of Monsoon season). As some of you know, I don't tolerate heat well and was lucky to receive some sweaty genes from the fam! This should be interesting. I did finally settle on some wardrobe choice though. I'm just going to have to tough it out, I guess. I ended up packing some long skirts, tank tops and short sleeve shirts. I plan to cover up with the many scarves and pashminas I intend to buy there, as they are known for their textiles. I'm also hoping to buy some traditional Indian Saris and Salwar Kameez (tunics and gauchos). The books all say wearing traditional Indian attire leaves a positive impression and you can get it relatively cheap. When in Rome...
So what exactly am I going to do when I get there. Well, I'll land approximately 24 hours after I take off. We've secured a hotel in Friend's Colony, New Delhi from 8/26-8/29. While in Delhi we'll wander around and explore the markets, gardens, tombs, forts, & monuments. It's up in the air at this moment. I plan do to do more research on the flight, and we'll make more definitive decisions once we all arrive. From Delhi, we'll head to Agra 8/29-8/31. Agra is the home of the Taj Mahal and we are planning on doing a sunrise tour, which should provide some amazing pictures! There was talk of also doing a day trip to Keoladeo National Park. Once we are done in Agra, we'll be exploring Jaipur from 8/31-9/2. Again no definitive plans here yet, but I would like to check out the Amber Fort. After that we head back to Delhi where we'll spend one more night, and then it is off to the Maldives via a short layover in Sri Lanka.
While in the Maldives, we will be boarding the Manta Charter (pictured), which will be our home for the next week. Our agenda consists of scuba diving, snorkeling, testing out surfing, games (yes, there are talks of bringing twister) sun bathing, and relaxing! I'm just hoping I don't run into any sharks scuba diving. After hearing about the Seychelles shark attack, I'm a little freaked out! Although, Google maps does show a good distance between the two islands, so I feel a little at ease.
Stay tuned for more adventures...
I'm leaving on a jet plane...don't know when I'll be back again....
This time tomorrow, I will be approximately 5 hours into my flight with 9 more to go. I've got my kindle loaded with books, a couple of magazines, researched American's movie selection, packed some benedryl in my carry on, & secured a seat that is in a row with 5 empty seats. I'm not worried one bit about this flight. I actually think I will keep myself pretty occupied if I'm not sprawled out, asleep, on those 5 empty seats (I felt pretty smart about looking into that and making that seat change).
Crazy, that this India/Maldives trip is finally here, after over a year of planning. Like one of my coworkers said, "today must feel like Christmas Eve for you,"and it sure does. It will be hard to sleep tonight with the excitement of the trip.
Somehow this week just flew by, and here I thought it was going to totally drag. Luckily work was a good steady pace of busy, tying up loose ends. In fact, things seemed a little too smooth, as I left work today (unlike the fire drills I left when I went to Africa). I'm hoping I still have a job when I return!!
After stressing for the last couple of weeks about what to pack, I finally think I'm all set. I've been a bit stressed because everything I read about India says to dress conservatively as a woman, you'll get a lot of stares (One of my coworkers told me to already expect a lot of stares being a tall blonde girl, great). Dressing conservatively wouldn't normally be a problem, but it is expected to be hot & humid this time of year (did I mention it's the tail end of Monsoon season). As some of you know, I don't tolerate heat well and was lucky to receive some sweaty genes from the fam! This should be interesting. I did finally settle on some wardrobe choice though. I'm just going to have to tough it out, I guess. I ended up packing some long skirts, tank tops and short sleeve shirts. I plan to cover up with the many scarves and pashminas I intend to buy there, as they are known for their textiles. I'm also hoping to buy some traditional Indian Saris and Salwar Kameez (tunics and gauchos). The books all say wearing traditional Indian attire leaves a positive impression and you can get it relatively cheap. When in Rome...So what exactly am I going to do when I get there. Well, I'll land approximately 24 hours after I take off. We've secured a hotel in Friend's Colony, New Delhi from 8/26-8/29. While in Delhi we'll wander around and explore the markets, gardens, tombs, forts, & monuments. It's up in the air at this moment. I plan do to do more research on the flight, and we'll make more definitive decisions once we all arrive. From Delhi, we'll head to Agra 8/29-8/31. Agra is the home of the Taj Mahal and we are planning on doing a sunrise tour, which should provide some amazing pictures! There was talk of also doing a day trip to Keoladeo National Park. Once we are done in Agra, we'll be exploring Jaipur from 8/31-9/2. Again no definitive plans here yet, but I would like to check out the Amber Fort. After that we head back to Delhi where we'll spend one more night, and then it is off to the Maldives via a short layover in Sri Lanka.
Stay tuned for more adventures...
I'm leaving on a jet plane...don't know when I'll be back again....
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Scuba Steve's got nothing on me...
In exactly two weeks I will be in the air, on my way to New Delhi! This trip has been a plan in the works for just a little over a year. I can't believe it is right around the corner! As the date gets closer, I'm realizing there is still so much to do...one of those things being - Scuba certification!Going to the Maldives, where the reefs and dive sites are supposed to be incredible, I knew I had to get scuba certified, plus I think my travel companions are all certified...I don't want to be left out.
I was holding out on doing this, as the classes in Chicago were kind of expensive and time consuming. I also thought maybe I could get it done while in the Maldives. My wise older brother talked some sense into me and I took the plunge. He brought up a good point that you don't want to spend your trip learning this for the first time, certification requires a few hours of classroom work. He also mentioned that his first time diving was funny with his sinuses, so it's a good idea to see how you feel diving. Thanks for the advice, John!
I signed up for a class at underwater safaris (www.uwsafaris.com). I was very pleased with them, and my instructor, Orest.
Reading my homework assignment before our first class, I was a bit intimidated and overwhelmed with what I had signed up for, but Orest did such a fantastic job. He was very patient, and thorough. He worked with each of us to make sure we were confident on each skill set. My nerves were quickly put to ease that first class, and I really enjoyed each class.
The training is through PADI (professional association of diving instructors), a world recognized certification course (our boat requires PADI certification). The course consisted of four 3 hour classes, with reading material, quizzes, and pool work, where we learned the skills required for the open water dive required for certification.
This weekend I've been completing my open water dive at Haigh Quarry an hour south of Chicago, in Kankakee. Luckily enough, Orest was the instructor leading the weekend open water dive, so that put me at ease moving from the pool to the Quarry. Also, my buddy in class (buddy system is key in scuba diving) signed up for the weekend course, so it was great to have some familiar faces today.
The other unexpected benefit of the dive certification is that I made a few new friends in the city!
One more dive tomorrow, and I will be certified and ready to swim with exotic fishies in the Maldives.
Now that I'll be certified, my mind is already racing with future vacation spots involving diving...Honduras, Australia - Great Barrier Reef, the list goes on...anyone up for tagging along?
Friday, March 4, 2011
Flights are booked
My Travel Itinerary can start taking shape...
I will be flying from Ohare to New Delhi (14hr flight...thank god they just announced the new ipad! Hopefully that will provide some entertainment). We'll be spending about 8 days exploring all New Delhi has to offer. If anyone has any tips, please send my way. Of course now that my flight is booked I will be brushing up on Lonely Planet and other travel guides. I saw some recent pics from another friend's trip and it looks like they did some pretty cool things: elephant rides to Amber Palace, Maharaja Fortress, Taj Mahal (of course), and shopping. I plan to buy a sari, and some pretty scarves. I'm so excited.
After our week in New Delhi, we will then fly to Male through Sri Lanka. Once in Male we begin our boating adventure for the next week. A week of scuba diving and surfing, I can't wait!
I will be flying from Ohare to New Delhi (14hr flight...thank god they just announced the new ipad! Hopefully that will provide some entertainment). We'll be spending about 8 days exploring all New Delhi has to offer. If anyone has any tips, please send my way. Of course now that my flight is booked I will be brushing up on Lonely Planet and other travel guides. I saw some recent pics from another friend's trip and it looks like they did some pretty cool things: elephant rides to Amber Palace, Maharaja Fortress, Taj Mahal (of course), and shopping. I plan to buy a sari, and some pretty scarves. I'm so excited.
After our week in New Delhi, we will then fly to Male through Sri Lanka. Once in Male we begin our boating adventure for the next week. A week of scuba diving and surfing, I can't wait!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Next adventure taking shape...
Woo woo...my next adventure is taking shape!
Last summer I was talking with a well traveled friend, and she mentioned boating in the Maldives with a group of friends, whom are also well traveled, adventurous types. I immediately requested info on this trip. After reviewing the website http://www.wavehunters.com/maldives-surfing/maldives_manta.asp, my deposit was made and my 2011 international destination was decided...the Maldives it is! Now time to research the Maldives....and get scuba certified....
Once the Maldives was decided, I knew I needed to add another destination considering I'm flying all that way. My friend mentioned trekking in Nepal prior to boating, however the trek is like a 20 day thing....I don't think that would fly with work and my vacation policy. Nepal will have to wait for a future trip. Then I began thinking about my "travel to do list", which India is up near the top. Considering the fact that the Maldives is an island in the Indian Ocean, a pit stop in India would make sense, right?!? Turns out a few others traveling with us had the same thought.
So now it's time to begin investigating flight options, which should hopefully be booked by the end of this week/early next week. Our thinking is that we will fly through London, play there for a night or two (some members of the trip live or have lived in the UK) and then fly to New Delhi and explore the Golden Triangle (Agra, Jaipur, & New Delhi) for about 4-5 days, then we will fly to Male. Some of this is subject to change depending on the flight options. We may have a flight connection in Sri Lanka and/or Dubai, which will alter how much time we stay at each destination, and possibly taking advantage of the opportunity to explore these connection locations.
While coordinating flight info. with my friend, she alerted me that I might need to renew my passport since it expires within 6 months of our travel time. Who knew some countries have an issue with this....well now you do! That is my top priority for next steps in the planning process. For those of you who need to know how to do this, here is all the information you might need: http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds82/ds82_843.html
Ahhhhh this is actually happening!!!
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