Namskar India....
Somehow I've grown to quite like Dehli this time around, and managed to get an unofficial city tour from my frantic last minute admin worries today. The air is still dirty and it's now getting seriously hot, but the commotion and craziness doesn't seem as oppressive now.
I left Manali on wednesday, which was the first proper action that requires mental and physical energy I had managed in a fortnight. I should mention that Before I left I composed the original entry on this blog for this week, but the computer was obvious affected by my laziness as it died just as I had sincerely and emotionally summed up my first Indian Experience, so if this version sounds contrived, it's because it is a bit.
Since the last entry I have failed to see Terminator 2, but apart from that achieved a few things in Manali. Although the majority of the time was spent bumming around with new mates and trying Nepali cuisine (the rice wine is nice at the time, but has violent retribution the next morning). The relaxed 'shanti shanti' atmosphere of Manali was just what I needed before heading back to the capital, for the first time in india I had time to think and reflect, and properly get to know people and learn about the various cultures in the Himalayas (I also left knowing a lot more about Harry Potter than I used to). While Jaisalmer buddy Joy was around we did a fair bit of exploring, finding beautiful waterfalls and orchards and visiting a bizarre hindu temple which has been carved into a big tree. On the second week I spent a lot of time with a group of Nepali lads, and a drug addled austrian known only as Musli, who I'll hopefully be seeing at Christmas in Goa, along with their close buddy Nenah Cherry. On that note I acquired another random claim to fame while discovering the obscure little mountain village of Bhang. I met an Indian guy there called Schwell (I think) who claims to be Ricky Martin's secret lovechild. I'll send a photo of him out so you can judge for yourselves, but he was twenty six and although I don't know Ricky Martin's age (I'm not a closet fan, honestly!), and my maths is at Key Stage zero level, I don't think it quite adds up.
Sadly, apart from walking around the hills and meeting people I cou8ldn't take advantage of all the outdoor activities that Manali is known for, mainly because most of them only commence next week, the beginning of the high season. I tried to sort out paragliding and Rafting (snow trekking was possible but too expensive this time around) but there's no demand right now so I generally practised my own favourite activity, bumming around talking rubbish.
It was sad leaving there, but I arrived in the capital feeling healthy and refreshed (but not awake enough to remember to pick up my phone before getting off the bus, I think it is now somewhere in the state of Punjab).
So, tommorrow I'll be flying to Bangkok, it's a five hour flight which is piddly compared to the average bus journey I'm now used to. I think I've got everything sorted and although lack of funds is forcing me to cut the trip short, and I haven't made any plans apart from watching Star Wars, I'm really looking forward to being in Thailand before I have to start working again.
In spite of this, I can't help feeling very sad to be leaving India. After having a wonderful final month in Himachal Pradesh I don't feel too bad apart all the fleeting visits I made to other parts of the country, but it has made me hungry to get back here as soon as possible. Before I came here I knew of several people who always come back to India, and I could never really understand this as there are so many amazing places in the world to see, but now I understand completely. This place is like a continent, every individual state is so diverse and different from it's neighbouring states that I don't think there's enough time in the world to experience it all. While sitting alone on rooftops or wobbling around on long bus journeys I made several different itineraries for my next trip, but I realise that it'll change a thousand times when I get here.
It's going to be very sad leaving tommorrow, but I've got the memories and will always come back to see the family here. I'm going to miss the Indian Sunsets, the crazy people and the weird, unexplainable 'magic' of the place, but to quote the immortal words of the Great Shakin' Stevens: "I'll be Back!"
I left Manali on wednesday, which was the first proper action that requires mental and physical energy I had managed in a fortnight. I should mention that Before I left I composed the original entry on this blog for this week, but the computer was obvious affected by my laziness as it died just as I had sincerely and emotionally summed up my first Indian Experience, so if this version sounds contrived, it's because it is a bit.
Since the last entry I have failed to see Terminator 2, but apart from that achieved a few things in Manali. Although the majority of the time was spent bumming around with new mates and trying Nepali cuisine (the rice wine is nice at the time, but has violent retribution the next morning). The relaxed 'shanti shanti' atmosphere of Manali was just what I needed before heading back to the capital, for the first time in india I had time to think and reflect, and properly get to know people and learn about the various cultures in the Himalayas (I also left knowing a lot more about Harry Potter than I used to). While Jaisalmer buddy Joy was around we did a fair bit of exploring, finding beautiful waterfalls and orchards and visiting a bizarre hindu temple which has been carved into a big tree. On the second week I spent a lot of time with a group of Nepali lads, and a drug addled austrian known only as Musli, who I'll hopefully be seeing at Christmas in Goa, along with their close buddy Nenah Cherry. On that note I acquired another random claim to fame while discovering the obscure little mountain village of Bhang. I met an Indian guy there called Schwell (I think) who claims to be Ricky Martin's secret lovechild. I'll send a photo of him out so you can judge for yourselves, but he was twenty six and although I don't know Ricky Martin's age (I'm not a closet fan, honestly!), and my maths is at Key Stage zero level, I don't think it quite adds up.
Sadly, apart from walking around the hills and meeting people I cou8ldn't take advantage of all the outdoor activities that Manali is known for, mainly because most of them only commence next week, the beginning of the high season. I tried to sort out paragliding and Rafting (snow trekking was possible but too expensive this time around) but there's no demand right now so I generally practised my own favourite activity, bumming around talking rubbish.
It was sad leaving there, but I arrived in the capital feeling healthy and refreshed (but not awake enough to remember to pick up my phone before getting off the bus, I think it is now somewhere in the state of Punjab).
So, tommorrow I'll be flying to Bangkok, it's a five hour flight which is piddly compared to the average bus journey I'm now used to. I think I've got everything sorted and although lack of funds is forcing me to cut the trip short, and I haven't made any plans apart from watching Star Wars, I'm really looking forward to being in Thailand before I have to start working again.
In spite of this, I can't help feeling very sad to be leaving India. After having a wonderful final month in Himachal Pradesh I don't feel too bad apart all the fleeting visits I made to other parts of the country, but it has made me hungry to get back here as soon as possible. Before I came here I knew of several people who always come back to India, and I could never really understand this as there are so many amazing places in the world to see, but now I understand completely. This place is like a continent, every individual state is so diverse and different from it's neighbouring states that I don't think there's enough time in the world to experience it all. While sitting alone on rooftops or wobbling around on long bus journeys I made several different itineraries for my next trip, but I realise that it'll change a thousand times when I get here.
It's going to be very sad leaving tommorrow, but I've got the memories and will always come back to see the family here. I'm going to miss the Indian Sunsets, the crazy people and the weird, unexplainable 'magic' of the place, but to quote the immortal words of the Great Shakin' Stevens: "I'll be Back!"
posted by Martin O'Neill at 6:16 AM
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