Varanasi

Its been a while since i last updated this, so il give you a breif run down of my last 2 weeks i guess. I think i gave you a little insight into what rishikesh was all about, and since then i took a train from there and ended up in Varanasi. For people that don't know, Varanasi is to the Hindu's what the Vatacan is to the Catholics, or Mecca to the Muslims....Its a place where pilgrams make a treck to, to bathe in the Ganges river (which happens to be one of the most polluted bodies of fresh water in the world, completely toxic) and "wash" (again don't know how washing in polluted water works) away there sins. Most pilgrams goals, is to die in Varanasi, thus having there souls cleansed by the ganges river and allowing the circle of Karma and reancarnation to be stopped and being able to go to heaven peacfully...All in all its a very intense place in the world to be. The whole city really focus's around the ghats (google it if you don't know) where the bathing and the burning of the bodys take places. The "burning Ghats" are the places where the bodys of the Hindu's who are "lucky" enough to die in Varanasi (and be able to pay the crazy amount of money for wood and other fee's) are creamated. Its probably one of the few places in the world that will forever be impritinted in my memory for the rest of my life...Suffice to say that few places actually make all five of your senses work in overdrive at once. Its really a place thats to hard, and would take way to fucking long to explain properly to anyone.. i didnt really take any photos becuase its a very holy place and i could have had the shit kicked out of me if i did. You just have to respect a place like that, and what it means to the people who beleive in what it represents. I could describe it for hours to anyone that would (and will) listen to me go on about it and if you really want to find out a little more than what i told you, Wikipedia it.
Ok since then, i was in serious need of a holiday from indian travel....its been a long trip to do by yourself and i really needed some beach time. So i took a train to Dehli (which was 8 hours late, dont ask me how a train can be that late, because from what i can comprehend train tracks dont really have anything that can be fucked up on them) and from Dehli i caught a very cheap, and totally empty flight to Goa (the tourist industry is getting killed here thanks to those attacks in mumbai and the bad economy) and am know on a beach. I caught a ride from the airport with a group of young people who work for the British embassy in Afghanastan and were on a week long holiday and on a seriuos mission to get as drunk as possible in the van on the way to beach. I don't think night clubs and alchohol are really a huge part of life in Kabul...anywase they got me fucking wasted (im not sure if i mentioned this but i had'nt had a drink since the 5th of november) and wow the took me out and i was destroyed. Ya a wicked story but thats all thats suitable for blog material. Now im in Agonda beach which is about 12 k north of the place i was last hanging out in goa and the place is deserted.. theres only about a 5th of the people here that there is supposed to be at this time. Ive got a beach hut for like 7 bucks a night and ya life is really good at the moment. Theres a really cool mix of people hanging out on the beach (as well as serious lack of Euro or Israeli trance heads, which is nice becuase you can drink a beer without feeling like your going to have a seizure from the horrible music) and some great bars as well.
This will probably be the last time i update this thing, becuase il be home in 5 days so i hope whoever read this enjoyed it and il see you at christmas time. If cam reads this or glen hansen (or hansen actually) tell them that we should go to the mountains the day after i get back..i fly in on the 18th at 5 15 pm so i hope that someone is there to pick me up...mcfalls.
love steven

Question

Hey i saw that Allen posted something on my blog, and id like to get in touch with him i just deleted his email address by accident and i suck with computers so i can't figure out how to even find his blog.
Allen or Allens mom (becuase i saw you posted a comment) could you please send me your (or your sons) email.... Im back in mumbai some time in the near future so hopefully we can meet up...
ya thats all, i go to Varanasi tommorow which should be really cool

A Conversation you'll no doubt have if you travel india

There are a few very (i mean very) repititive conversations you'll have with indian people while your travelling in this country. Most of them happen on trains, buses, or in taxi cabs. At first there totally interesting and they hold your attention span, but after about the 30th of each conversation (beleive me these happen twice a day if your on the move) they start to get a little old and a little boring. This is a "tecnique" i use to sort of minimize the length of conversation becuase after a while you'll begin to know which conversations are the one's which will last a whole squished and hot journey if you don't end them quick. Actually its sort of a defence mechanism againts boring conversation you could say.
This is the first example and easily the most common conversation i have (ive had probably 40 variations of this since ive been here)
This usually happens on a bus or a short train ride and usually it happens with a person who speaks scattered or broken english. You can usually understand them easy enough but it takes a little time and they have to talk slow...also theres about 3 or 4 other men or women watching you and listenening while this conversation is happening (depending on how crowded the bus or train is). The man (becuase odds are women wont strike up a conversation with you) is usually accompanied by someone and he's usually the better of the two with english.
Indian: which country ?
Me: Im from canada
Indian: O, canada (turns and says something in Hindi to his freind, they smile and laugh) Canada very good country, very cold ?
Me: Yes very cold
Indian: How cold?
Me: At home right now maybe minus 10 to minus 15
Indian: O, soo cold (turns and says something in Hindi - probably about how cold it is and makes shivering motion to his freinds - they all laugh and look with disbeleif then he says ) here it gets maybe 10 to 12 degree's (he's no doubt wrapped in a blanket (of course this depends on the time of day/type of journey) then proceeds to ask me) Canada a rich country?
Me: I guess, canada is very different from india... (im trying to kill the topic of wealth quickly and he most likely gets the point, this teqnique has taken a while to master, ive seriously spent hours explaining how my house has 3 floors to a group of men - big mistake)
Indian: Whats your name?
Me: Steven
Indian: Im "so and so" and if he's with a close freind he will usually introduce them aswell
Me (very politely, but in a somewhat dismissive way (knowing this could go on for a while and odds are im not in the mood. You see once they know your name your in for a whole stack of predictable questions): Nice to meet you (shaking there hands)
Indian: Are you married?
Me: No....im young still in canada to be married, again very different country (trying to kill topic, again perfecting the technique)
Indian: You have girlfreind?
Me: No, no girlfreind either
Indian: Why no girlfreind (laughing and talking to his freinds after asking me question)
Me: I don't know....... im still young?(again trying to kill subject)
Indian: How old?
Me: Im 23... (bull shit but this is an age that usually will work to settle the dispute of how old i am between them (becuase they think i look really old for some reason) and will put to rest why im so far away from home at such a young age. Again perfecting the technique)
Indian: You work in India?
Me: No, im a traveller, backpacking around seeing the country (i show him my backpack then say) very beautiful country.
Indian: You work at home?
Me: No, im a student (well going to be a student...agan eisier to kill the topic)
Indian: What do you study? (after turning around and telling his freinds that im a student)
Me: I am taking the courses i need to get into buisness school (its true, i think)
Indian: O' buisness very good, (tells freinds then asks) Buisness and what major? (most indians im having this conversation with are around the ages of 30 to 50..i think... and are very well informed about the world and the way education works no matter what there caste or apperance)
Me: Buisness and marketing major (this will put to rest the topic of my major and most likely satisfy there questions as to what i do at home and the whole topic of school)
Indian: Ooo, You christian?
Me: No im a catholic.. (this completely puts to rest the religion issue, never tell an indian you dont beleive in god or that your agnostic. Dont use the Buddhist thing either becuase odds are there more well informed on the subject then you are becuase of the close relation to Hinduism)
Indian: So christmas?
Me: Yes, like Diwali..but in Canada in winter.
Indian: Yes, here too (excitedly)
Me: (by this point im really hoping to end this conversation quickly, you might think of me as rude right now, but beleive me it gets very tiring after a while awnsering the same questions over and over again. And the other thing is your travelling in what is in all odds a small and un comfortable seat on a train or bus so your patients is low) Yes..... ( i begin to put my headphones in without taking my i pod out of my bag, dont ever take an i pod touch out of your bag, they'll go nuts and insist on seeing it. Its totally innocent and truly there just curiuos but still you never know....and it could be a while till you get it back. Then i proceed to take my book out and say) Nice meeting you "so and so" im going to read know (politely but dismissively then shake his hand)
Indian: Ok (pulling out mobile phone) you have mobile?
Me: No, not with me (usually my only mistake and a fatal one at that)
Indian: O in canada? Whats number?
Me: (FUCK) Umm its 1780 913 9530....its lont distance and you need to dial from land line...(again huge mistake, this could lead to a whole explanation of area codes and phone numbers in canada with 10 digits)
Indian: O ok.... (telling his freinds in Hindi) You have paper or pen?
Me: Yes (knowing this will end conversation sooner than later)
Indian: Ok my mobile is "number" and dial # for outside "state"
Me: Ok thank you "so and so"....(trying to go back to my now open book)
Indian: When good time to call?
Me: Ummm im home 18 of december (knowing/or thinking the odds of me getting a call are low and the odds are that this guy just wants my name in his contact list to show to his freinds)
Indian: ok i call you maybe January "certain day" ok?
Me: Ok sounds good, nice talking to you (now more dismissive)
Indian: Ok Nice meeting you too, freind steven (and showing me my digits in his phone)

This conversation like i said before is very common and happens with a wide range of people here. Odds are the Indians are just curuios about you becuase your the only white person on the bus/train and there just trying to kill time to. Although the conversation is completely harmless, it can get on your nerves quickly for the reasons i explained above and i now probably have about 10 new phone numbers saved in my "contacts" in my ipod and another 10 written on the inside covers of books.
I dont know why im posting this, its just sort of a funny part of travelling when your by yourself and im sure people have experienced the same thing many times before me. I really think the whole conversation takes place just so they can get my phone number in there contact list, although about half the conversations end without the cell phone being brought out. Again you may think of me rude for trying to be dismissive, but Indians are very nosy, gossipy people and will proceed to ask you question after question without taking hints if you dont play the conversation right...beleive me after a while you realize which conversations are worth having and which are going to be endless.
love you all
steve

Rishikesh

Right now im hanging out in the state of Uttaranchal, in the small city of Rishikesh, which is right on the Ganges river. This place is absolutely amazing as far as scenery goes, its alot like the interior of british columbia i guess and i dont know its just a really nice place. Its dubbed the yoga capital of the world as well so its got a crazy yoga, ayerveda health scene as well. The town is super cool and is seperated by these two suspension bridges that god from district to district over the ganges. Really cool and i defintly throw some photos up. On one side of the river, theres no rickshaws or taxis allowed either so its just an amazing little walking market place with all these cool temples and ghats. Overall Tons of spiritual seekers and lots of beautiful temples and scenery to go along with it. Im staying at this really nice little guest house, up in the hills above the town area of Laxmhan Jula, pretty well you can walk anywhere here and i dont know its just a really cool place. Theres a yoga studio right behind my guest house which has drop in classes 2 times a day which ive been going to quite frequently and ive made my way north of the city to hang out on the sandy beaches of ganges, which are amazing. The water is freaking cold tho, and there was alot of nude old hippies around that im pretty sure were tripping out on acid (atleast i hope they were) so it was a little weird of being there by myself. I was thinking of checking into a yoga ashram, which is where you study and meditate for like 10 hours a day but i decided it might be a little to intense and i like what im doing know. I met some cool people at the guest house im at (Jess and knowl, there irish) and i think were going to go white water rafting some time in the near future. Other than that life is good and again (i know ive said this like 10 times before) this place is really to amazing and beautiful to describe, totally a place you have to experience to appreciate. The people are totally freindly and so - not in your face- aswell. Which is a total change from agra and rajasthan. Ok well life is good and il update this again with some pictures soon or if i have anything i need to say that havent said already. The terrorist shit thats happening in Mumbai is crazy, its scary to think that i was actually at all those places that they hit like a month ago and im going back there in about 3 weeks to catch my flight home. The media here is having a feild day over it to, its absolutly everywhere...i just hope they get this under control by the time i get there...which im sure they will its just a bit freaky.
steve

Random photos of last few weeks/ months maybe

Ok heres some photos ive taken over the last few weeks, my camera's been glitching so ive only got some photos of the taj i can post....

the taj is seriuosly soo fucking amazing, i know why the call it one of the "wonders of the world" its honestly (not to sound corney) breathtaking...o and theres the photo of the worlds largest turban, not as cool as the taj but still cool. i guess. The photos of the wall of flowers is the life cycle of the lotus flower that plates the whole inside walls of the taj, actually insane, becuase the whole thing is marble. Then theres me in some place i cant remmember but its a good photo

Update

Ok so since the last time i updated this thing alot has happenend for me. First thing is that i left Jeslaimir (feeling still not 100%) and ended up in Pushkar for the remaining 2 days of the "world" famous camel festival. The festival was crazy, so much visual stimulation and people its ridiculous. Snake charmers, kids dressed up like hindi gods, camels dressed up like people, people selling camel fair nessecities everywhere (sabers, lassi, snakes, fruit, camels) and just tons of people. It wasnt the greatest experience for someone not feeling that well but i made due and just tried to take as much in as possible. I was in pushkar for almost a week and the day after the camel festival i registered into a introduction yoga course and this guys yoga studio about a Kilometer out of town (far away from the madness of the festival, which lucky for me ended very abruptly and everyone left town quick). From the point i started yoga on, everything just seemed to click. I went into the class with an open mind and really having no idea of what i was doing. The guy who taught it was named yogesh yogi (haha) and he was a Babba (which is like the highest form of yogi (pretty well babbas sit in the himalyas and meditate all day and are at the highest form of yagic practise)) turned family man in pushkar and had this amazing yoga studio. The guy would teach us (me and this english women named robin) yoga twice a day for an hour and a half (once at 8 in the morning and then at 4 in the afternoon) and then after each session give us a lecture on meditation and the different types of yoga. Il try not to get to into detail about what he taught but heres the stuff that i really took out of it. Yoga is more less a way that a person balances there body physically. Meditation is the way a person balances their mind. Together they form a balance of both, and let you the person practising these things lead a mentally and physically healthier life. Its all under the "Ayurveda" way to life, and all in all this guy just taught me alot and i think i took alot from the course. Yoga is definitly something im going to keep up with, becuase it just makes you feel so good afterwards its to hard to stop once you started. Dont, worry anyone that thinks im going to come back a crazy yoga hippie, its just a lot of these practises i find could really help me as a person and they definitly help you examine who you are and where your going in life. Again i dont no what the point of me explaining this is, it just was a great experience and i would recommend a trip to india to study a bit of yoga to anyone at any age who finds themself lost. Ok well now im in Jaipor, which is the capital of rajasthan and im stuck here for 3 more nights. Its not that great of a city to be stuck in, its big, dirty, and expensive and really doesnt have alot to do in it that i havent already done or seen other places. im going to try and see james bond tommorow with robin who comes into Pushkar by train tonight. so ya thats been my last little while in India. I hope home is good to whoever is reading this and carolyn told me it hasnt snowed yet, which is good for some and bad for snowboarding which i am thinking about non stop at the moment. I have to say i havent taken a photo in about a week so il get on that over the next little bit. Im headed to Agra after this, to see the Taj Mahal for a day then im going north to a national wildlife conservation to try and see a tiger in the wild. Should make for some cool photo ops.
love steven

photos of jeslaimir

il try to keep it short

Ok so a breif summary of the last week since i updated this. I went to Jeslaimir, a beutiful city in north east india thats surrounded by the desert. I spent a day wandering the city and checking out the fort thats right in the middle of it. After that i joined up for a 4 day 3 night desert safari, where a company takes you and a group of random travellers in a jeep out into the sand dune filled landscape about 60 k away from the city. The safari was going great although riding a camel 5 hours a day loses its appeal after about half a hour. like i said the safari was going good til the second morning when i woke up and instantly knew i wasnt feeling well. As the day progressed i felt worse and worse until i told the guide i had to get out of the desert and to a hospital becuase i felt like i might die. I dont remmember anything over the next 48 hours except the little bits which il share with you. I pass out in desert and wake up in the back of a jeep thats ripping through the desert as fast as it can to the hospital. I wake up in the hospital. Then i wake up in a strange room with some random guy patting down my head with a wet towel and a doctor beside me. I guess i have some sort of infection of the intestine? i think ? Anywase a man, whos brother owns the safari company has been nursing me back to health in the family guest house. His name is Sharif and has helped me so much i really cant repay the man properly. The guy litterally checked on me every hour over the first two days i was in the guest house and supplied me with anything i needed. Im feeling better today and walked down the street to this internet cafe. my condition haha, has been improving steadily and il leave for my next destination- pushkar- on the 12th. Il get into more detail next time about what happenend, or maybe i wont actually i dont know, im trying to forget anything bad that has happenend to me at all, while im here so ya thats it. Il post some photos from the last little while over the next few days. Im going to try and stay away from the computer over the next month so, if you have any question and are one of the 5 or so people who read this haha, email me becuase il try an check that every week or so. Actually i dont know il try and update this atleast once 10 days or so. To try and sum up how im feeling il use a quote from holden cuafield that ends the catcher in the rye, "Its funny. Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do you start missing everybody."

i dont know

Its really crazy how the shittiest day can turn out being one of the best of all in the end. I woke up today knowing full well that my plan to try and make it to Pushkar (for the Camel festival) was going to be tough (for to many reasons to list properly, mostly it has to do with that 200,000 people converge on one place for 5 days). After being fucked around by a few so called travel agencies, not finding a hotel room for a price even near reasonable, and with no real idea of where i was going to go next, on top of not having a hotel room anymore (having checked out of my hotel in Udaipor) and lugging around my backpack for about 4 hours, i got lucky.

Its truly amazing how luck works. I walked into a little shop down the block from my hotel for a bottle of water. The guy inside saw i was upset and really on edge, so he decided to ask me what was up, without trying to push on to me some useless object he had for sale in his shop (this my friends, is fucking rare in India). After telling this guy about what shit i had been through in the morning and having a crazy realization (in front of him) that i was totally lost and out of ideas in a country thats on the opposite side of the world from my own he told me (calmly) to tell him, where and what i wanted to do next if the camel festival didn't work out. By the way, every convince store in a resort city is a internet cafe, drug store and travel agency all compiled into a 12 by 12 foot room. The guy understood what i was going through (with the stress of Indian travel) and told me - if i would like of course - that he could sit me down and give me some advice (free by the way, truly fucking rare) about traveling Rajasthan, and the rest of north India, if i would like. Considering his shop was empty, and i was out of ideas i took him up on the offer and he walked me through a bunch of places and things i should see over the next month. Over the next hour, the guy pretty well walked me through how to time manage my trip, with booking trains and buses in and out of cities and towns i wanted to go to. This completely went against my whole game plan, which was winging the whole fucking thing from the start, but i trusted this guy and he completely understood what i was going through, because he was in all honesty helping me first and foremost. He was completely sincere and upfront about costs and commissions (on tickets), showed me the prices of trains and buses on the official websites, and totally helpful with listening to what i wanted to do in different areas (along with giving me his own advice on what to do, see and experience there and the amount of time he would take if it were himself that was traveling there). Pretty well, in about the course of an hour this guy had booked my trains and buses from city to city (with tickets and complete itinerary of course) for the next month. I end up in Varanasi, on the 3rd of December. This was a total relief and weight off my chest, knowing for the next month, i have the stress of booking my transportation out of the way and a whole route mapped out for the total cost of around 120 dollars. Il see how this all works out in the end, but it really feels good to know that my time and transport are managed accordingly over the next month, because - take my advice here (at least anyone who plans on traveling this country at a young age and on a budget - this is probably the hardest places in the world to go a distance of 100 km. Nothing here travel wise is like north America, nothing is set and nothing ever works out the way you picture its going to. Something always happens (for good or bad) and the trip is always interesting but it kicks the shit out of you after a while and im glad as hell that i have this next month figured out. After that, the guy called up his friend and got me a hotel for a good price right up the street (after being told by my previous hotel that i had to pay an extra 200 rs if i wanted my room back and all the other rooms in the area were full).

After all that was settle and done with, i smoked a sheesha and sat on the deck of my hotel with a really cool man from south India as we watched the sunset from a roof top bar. If you check the photo i posted below, you can see how amazing the sunsets are here. The truth is that the photo doesn't do it justice and my long explanation of it wont either, so read it if you like but know that you have no clue. At around 5:30 the sun becomes a red circle right above the horizon then slowly (and i mean slowly, sunsets don't last like this in canada)the sun goes below the horizon. After that, theirs a sort of greyish, blue mist that engulfs half the sky and the moon appears right above your head. At this point the lake, looks still and birds (hawks particularity) are contrast unbelievably with the horizon. The sky then - over the next half hour - turns from blue to a deep, dark orange then to a foggy tint of yellow, contrasted by the darkening sky that surrounds the moon above you. Stars begin to appear, and at this point all the lights from the buildings surrounding the lake turn on, and the water looks like its dancing when boats make ripples as they glide throughout the lake. There are chants from a mosque across the lake, and at this point Lake Pichola (which is what im watching the sunset over) and the Palace that sits on it, looks so pristine that the scene could actually be out of a fairytale(not wanting to quote lonely planet but its true). At around 6:15 the mountains in the back ground look like waves against a light purple sky and you look directly up, to see the moon completely surrounded by stars. Really an amzaing experience, of course a bit of hash helps the cause but all in all a truly "zen" moment aunty jocelyn.

This is what makes everything on this trip worth while. You can have the shittiest day (or week) for that matter and then all of a sudden someone decides to help you. And not "help" you as in try and sell you something and get as much money from you as possible, i mean actually help you, and you realize that once again the world is good and everything for the most part will work if its supposed to. That sunset puts everything into perspective and makes this whole trip worth while. It completely reinforces that if you can walk through the shit on the streets, deal with garbage, turn away beggars, stand the heat of the day without dying and most of all, put up with seeing people everywhere that have less money to there name than you have in your pocket you can after all see the true beauty that this country possesses. Thats all im going to rant about today, im sure none of you have any idea of what point i was trying to make, truth is i dont know what point im trying to make. Maybe its that the world would be a far better place if everyone appreciated kindness more and took the time everyday to watch something simple happen and see the true beauty that takes place within it. Wow this is good hash

udaipor photos

The royal palace at night

on the lake

this picture really does not do justice to how unbelievable the sunsets are

cool photo?

A very comphrensive look into traffic in udaipor. as you can tell its a very organized affair

Divali

Divali is like indias equivilant to christmas( i think i said that before). Its a time where families get together and celebrate, theres flashing lights everywhere(becuase it is technically the festival of lights), people are freindly and always wishing you happy Divali and of course, children insist on blowing off fire works at 8 in the morning in the middle of busy streets and continue doing the same thing all day until the adults get involved (with there own bigger fireworks) at around sun down. Last time i updated this i was in mumbai trying to get out. It took me a few more days but im in Rajasthan now in the city of Udaipor. All the trains were booked so i ended up taking a 20 hour bus ride which was the craziest thing ever( i think ive said that before). The bus company that ran this particular vehichle, packed the bus full, then the driver took handouts for people to get on the bus and insisted that they sit on the floor or find there way into a compartment to sleep. To much detail to get into about what went on while on the bus, il just put it in terms of numbers. There were 16 sleeper compartments (10 single and 8 double) and 16 seats on this bus (meaning a maximum compacity of 42 people) and when we got out at the last stop i counted 84 people, il be it about 1/3 of them children, get off the bus. The worst part is that i had a sitting seat and not a sleeper compartment. Pretty much i hugged my bag for 20 hours and tried not to let the kids sleeping under my seat distract me to much by constantly looking and grabbing at my ipod or book or anything i had in my hand with the upmost curiosity. The more i told them no, the more they grabbed. They evidently thought that me telling them no(in a uptight voice) was funny, and the more they did it the more they laughed til the point i ended up laughing with them. There was one other tourist on the bus with me, a spaniard named David. He was smart and got a sleeper compartment and im sure his ass doesnt hurt 3 days later from being so squished in a seat you loose all circulation in your legs. When we got to Udaipor myself and him found a hotel and hung out til i passed out at 8.

Back to mumbai, the city was good to me this time around. The more you hangout in a place the better it gets and i saw and did some things that i really enjoyed and im hoping to go back there before i leave. I met up with Allen and he took me and showed me around a area of the city i hadnt been in with some of his exchange freinds (over a couple of days). After a few days of hanging out with Allens multi Euro crew of exchange students, one of his freinds family offered to take us (myself, Allen, and the Jens(the kids family)) to a firework celebration (for Divali of course) at the very, very posh Indian National Cricket Center (or something like that) which was like the glenora club on steriods but with a cricket feild. I was in shorts and a t shirt with my backpack haha. A little under-dressed you could say. The fireworks went well and Jens's(i think thats how you spell his name) family was really nice and way too hospitable. After they dropped allen and i off for dinner with Allens host family, and they took us to a really good restraunt with really spicy fish masala. Again very nice people and way to hospitable. After that Allens family dropped me off in Colaba again and i figured id walk across the street and down the block to a popular pub to end the night off. In the pub (called Cafe Mondegar) i ended up running into a couple that i talked to the night before when i had a question about the taxi services in mumbai. They considered themselfs new wave indians haha, meaning they were engaged(not arranged marriage), the guy Harun is muslim and his girlfreind Mila (or something like that) is catholic. They were in there late 20's and both were university grads with good jobs and Harun had lived in Toronto for a year going to school at UofT. They welcomed me over to there table and 2 hours later i was wasted. Indians don't let there guest pay for anything, and some how i was these peoples guests and they insisted on taking me down the road to a really really expensive night club for there freinds birthday party. Becuase i was there "guest" i coudnt turn them down and some how i got into a place where guys were wearing Italian suits, in my shorts, t shirt and back pack. haha. I dont no and i couldnt guess at all how this happenend. Indian night clubs, or atleast this one was wild (except i was the most non covered up person there) and the music was so bad i couldnt stop laughing. I think i ended up talking to one of Indias biggest Sikh Hip Hop stars Haha. I think one of Haruns freinds had his limo driver take me to my hotel, but yeah again i dont know at all how any of this happenend. totally a day to remmember. Im writing now from Udaipor, and this place is truly amazing. Il tell you about it next time and post some photos of the lake.

Hampi photos

Cool doorwayYou cant see it but im on top of a pyramid

This was the place the Hampi empire stored there elephants

The lotus temple, not a bad looking building

Im sideways, but you can see the crazy details put into all the buildings

From Hampi to Hell

Hampi is a freaking cool place. Its something thats hard to describe, its more of an experience thing but il give u a little detail anyways. First of all myself and Stefan (my german freind) got a tip to stay at this hotel called Mowgli, across the river from the main temple and town of Hampi. The place was really chill, full of cool people and had probably the best nightime bar ive seen at a hotel. again to hard to explain but il try and post some photos. I only got to spend two full days in hampi, one of which Stefan, myself and a couple (an italian named Franco and his irish girlfreind Elaine) rented scooters and scootered around to most of the major ruins. The scenery and the ruins them self were fucking amazing. Smoke a little bit of hash and the place was about as cool as it gets. Nuthing but good vibes. I left the morning after the scooter expedition, on a bus to a city called Hubli (which is a major train hub for the intirior of the southwest). K buses in India are like everything else here, expect the unexpected and dont think that your getting anyplace quickly. The ride was only supposed to take 3 and a half hours with 6 stops. It took about 5 and a half hours with over 20 stops. I had no clue what was going on so i just read the whole time. When i got to hubli i had to get my way to the train station and from there i was lucky enough to talk to the head of train bookings by accident, and with a little bit of a cash handout i got my self onto a first class rail car when the train was completely booked. On the train i decided to get some of the nice looking somosas that were being sold in between stops. Bad idea, about 4 hours later (the train ride took 15 hours) i was in the bathroom with a horrible case of food poisining.
All in all a horrible train ride and one im trying to forget. I got off the train in mumbai and got a taxi to a hotel. Most taxis in the city should cost a maximum of 50rupees for a distance of about 3km (which is just over a dollar canadian). When picking a taxi up anywhere, don't let the guy handle your luggage unless hes supposed to (limosene) and dont get into a taxi when there is another guy (a freind of the driver) in the front seat expecially at 5 30 in the morning when the streets are quite.Bottom line i could give the guys a huge handout or get jumped. I ended up paying about 600rupees for a 30 rupee taxi ride. Not good.
Im now hanging out in Mumbai again at a decently priced hotel. Its still way to expensive and the city is crazy because of Divali (the hindu festival of lights) or the Hindi christmas. What ever you want to call it, Indians like to drink at this time of year and that is sight to see. I met up with Allen Fallis last night, and he took me out with a bunch of his exchange student freinds. They were all pretty nice kids and i think il try to meet up with them again. Im trying to get north to Rajasthan as quick as i can but its tough becuase all the trains are full til around the 29th so i might have to stick it out in mumbai through Divali, which would be fucking nuts. Il post some photos if i can.

Photos 2

sunset over Mandarem Beach
The cows of the once hippie paridise vagator beach, plus lots of garbage
Beach hut veiw
Palolem sunset
Awsome self potrait, il start trying to get people to take photos of me from now on

Not good

After a few to many nights out on the town in Palolem, i have become ill. Im not sure exactly what i have but its not good and its been going on for the last 4 days. Ive been to the doctor and they have set me up with some medication so will see how that all plays out. I wont get into much detail about what im experiencing but its not cool. The nights out were fun, but i just simply have to stop drinking for the next little while in order to recover. It helps that now im in Hampi, which is regulated liquor by the government. Im sitting in an internet cafe right now at its pooring outside, so myself and my german counterpart (stefan) are soaked. Im glad to be off the beach to. 10 days was more than enough of doing nothing and drinking cheap beer, although i did get some good reading done. The bus ride to hampi was absolute hell though. 12 hours of bumbs in a sleeper stall that could barely fit a fucking 10 year old girl. Hampi is beautiful, the ruins and temples are amazing but the weather is shit today. Ive changed my plan as to where im going after Hampi aswell. Im going to head north to the desert, and hang out in Rajasthan. The only problem seems to be getting there right now due to the Hindu Dawaliwal (or somethign like that) festival which is like christmas time for us. Getting a train back to mumbai is going to be hell, so im going to wing it and worse case scenerio il bus it again. The bus is quicker, and supposbly the "state of the art" freeway from Hampi to Mumbai is really in good shape. haha. So it should make for a smoother ride. Right now Stefan and i are staying in a nice place over looking the river of the ruins. Il try and post some photos from the last few weeks, but the computer im on sucks. Im also not feeling well at all so the experience of the last 5 days hasnt been all that fun. I hope this medicine finally starts to work better or else il probably have to go to the doctor again for blood work. Sorry to make u panic mom, but the medical facilities here seem to be in good shape so what can you do. I looked online and i saw the oilers are off to a 4 and 0 start, which is awesome. Mom please email me the travel agents email again becuase i think i deleted it. I might try and call home at some obscure hour in the next few days so if the phone rings please pick up.
love steve

pictures of mumbai

the gateway to india
The Taj Hotel, surrounded by touts and tourists
A statue in the Fort district
The musuem of Natural History
Me at Chowpatty beach (the water is toxic)

Goa

Ive been in Goa for around a week now and its been a very cool experience to say the least. Il start with the train ride down here. Trains in india like everything else transportation wise. Crazy. The station alone in mumbai (which is the second largest train station in the world) was nuts. Especially trying to figure your way to the train at 11 pm after having more than a few beers. I rode class 3 AC (the only available class) and it was pretty reasonable. Most of the other train riders in my compartement were either travellers or upper class indian people (buisness people/nurses) that were from goa but had things to do in mumbai. The train took 11 and a half hours to get to goa were i got off at the furthest north station in the state called Pernem. From pernem myself and a German women i met, got a taxi to Arambol and each found hotels. I stayed in a town 2 k down the road from Arambol called manderem in a beach hut right on the ocean. From there i relaxed, swam and read on a deserted beach for the day. The next day i rented a scooter for 4 bucks (3 days in total) and explored the surrounding area of north goa. The town of Arambol where i hung out in most, was full of restaurants (all with the same food/liqour and all for the same price) as well as the typical stores lining the streets full of sarongs and other touirist shit. Ive also learned that Goa is Israels vacation place, mostly because they cant get into the rest of the far eastern worlds exotic countries because of religious tensions. Who would have guessed. Well the Israelies all look the same (dreads, sarongs and reek of hash) and make up the majority of the tourists in october becuase its there holiday time. All and all a interesting scene. I met a English guy named Desmond and weve hung out together, scootering around and checking out all the untouched/uncrowded beaches in the region along with some cool temples/churches. One thing everyone should know about india is that the beaches are full of cows, stray dogs, and garbage (atleast depending on the town your in). Im sorry to say, but the paradise of one Vagator beach is no more. Its to freaking dirty. Desmond and i were in the mood for a change so we caught the train on tuesday and went 80k south to a beach town called Palolem.
This place is trully fucking beautiful. The beach is extremely clean, its lined with beach huts and bars, the water is great and the scenery is second to none. Its alot more of a tropical region in the south. The people of goa (the indians) are a lot more laid back and freindly than the people in mumbai. There industry is mostly tourism and if your freindly/respectful they are more than willing to go out of there way to help you. Desmond and I met a German man named Stefan on the bus ride here and weve been crashing in a little hotel in town for 300Rs a night(7 bucks) as well as hanging out the whole time. Both Desmond and Stefan are really cool, really laid back guys and have both travelled alot and have definitly helped me out by teaching me some tricks of the road. They both really enjoy beer to, so we have no shortage of things to talk about once we a few in us. Desmond (24) is a chef and is in goa meeting his girlfreind and family in 10 days to travel the south west coast of india. Stefan (29) is a engineer who was a project managaer with Olympus Cameras but quit to travel the world over the next year. Hes more less doing a Gord Neilson. All in all ive been having an awsome time in Goa, and especially in Palolem (which is full of gorgeuos Swedish women). Were all going to change hotels tommorow and get a large beach hut for us to hang out in for the next few days then i think Stefan and i are going to head inland to Hampi.
This post is probably all over the place so i have to apologize because i have recently aquired beach brain.
Il try to post some photos from my trip so far and im sure it will work this time becuase the internet cafe im in actually has computers that work at normal speeds.

crazy

I think i touched on this subject last time but mumbai is crazy. Here is a little bit of what ive noticed in the 3 days ive spent in the city so far. Number 1, for sure would be the poverty. I woke up my first morning and walked out of my hotel to be greated by a whole family sleeping on the side walk in front of me. This was around 7 am and granted it was a holiday (so i assume they slept in?) but over the next hour as i walked through one of the most fascinating cities ive been in i was dodging people sleeping on the sidewalks or cleaning themselves in puddles. Pretty crazy shit considering im staying in probably the nicest district of south mumbai. Another thing that you notice pretty immediatly is that mumbai is hot as hell at anypoint in the day and it probably only dips down to around 30 overnight. Simply put i have a new love affair with Air conditioning. The size of mumbai is crazy too. I took a walk on the sea wall last night (like vancouvers) and man the skyscraper landscape is just nuts. The wall was probably 20 miles long and it started at one side of the downtown core and a wrapped around to the other and was in the shadows of massive buildings the whole way. Another thing is that this city is just one huge contradiction to itself. You have slums beside the Bombay stock exchange (indias wall street), Sky scrappers going up beside buildings that are 20 storeys of tarp and erosion, garbage littering beautiful parks, gardens and streets all over the city and finally the poorest people hanging out (or crawling around) in the richest districts. The mentality of people here is also something to take note of, more less everyone in some way is trying to get ahead and they will do just about anything they can to do it. Its hard to explain in words but so imagine the people of mumbai are like a more agressive version of people from new jersey. Horrible, atleast thats how ive experienced the streets. The architecture in the city (atleast in the nice areas) is fabulous, a mixture of tradional hindu or islamic inspired buildings and statues, victorian style museums and government buildings (from the colonial period) and modern buildings being built everywhere. Also being in this city is like being in hollywood (or atleast i think) except its bollywood, theres fancy cars and nice stores and gossip rags all over the place and everyone talks about actors constantly.

Personally mumbai has been a "trip" of an experience. Atleast like i said before ive never experienced anything like it. After shrugging off the poverty and dealing with the heat, you begin to realize the city is like everywhere else. It has its good sides and bad sides, there just more abrupt. The noise is something im not sure il every get used to. Dealing with people has been the most interesting/challenging experience. There just for the most part soo poor, and they look at you like "becuase your white and north american" your rich. Which i guess is true, but when it comes to negotiating a fair price for anything without a price tag on it, there are some real challenges to getting a decent price. Ive been ripped off pretty well about five times, atleast thats what ive realized. The best one was at the train station, buying my ticket to goa. I walked up to the foreigner purchase terminal and had what i thought was a very kind hearted and helpful conversation with a older lady probably in her 50s. I wont get into details but she charged me 200rs extra for my ticket and then proceeded to take another 200rs that i had in my passport when i showed it to her. Touts are another experience in themself. There people that are your "freind" and try and "help" you. Pretty well you can't be freindly at all, or ask them for any help without having to give them any money just to go away. I now just walk and ignore, i don't make eye contact and in some cases pretend i don't speak english well. Other than those things ive learned a ton in this city. I visited the museum of both natural and national history and the audio guided tours and displays were amazing and extremely educational. Im really starting to realize how much of the culture is influenced by religion. Over all ive felt suprising pretty safe in mumbai and rather than a run in with one very unfreindly (aswell as possibly drunk) taxi driver my experience here has been great. Met some cool people, hung out in some really interesting pubs and sheesha bars and saw some pretty amazing shit.
Right now im in goa in a little hippie/indian vacationer resort town in the north called Arambol. Im staying on the beach in my own beach hut for around 19 bucks a night and it is absolute paradise. Lots of euros and world travellers around and the beach/ocean are amazing.
Il tell you about the train ride down next time and describe goa more after hanging out here a few more days. I'l also try and post some photos of mumbai but im in some little shack of a cafe and the computers are like 10yrs old so it might not work.

Mum- fucking - bai

Ok il start off by telling you flying anywhere for a total of 18 hrs sucks. Secondly that Mumbai is just insane in everywhich way. Il give you a breif description of my first day here. I get off the airplane after scenicly veiwing the largest slum in the world from the air. I get into a cab the that would fit into the back of my truck and we then proceed to drive through the "outskirts" of that slum in bumper to bumper traffic for the next hour. Picture a three lane road being used as a four lane and even a five lane road at times, 4 kids on 1 scooter every 2 feet, no one follows any traffic signals along with litterally half the population of edmonton jaywalking through traffic. It was the most horribly entertaining drive ever. So i get to colaba and try an get into a decent hotel, for a decent price. That doesnt happen due to a hindu festival starting in the area tommorow and i end up spluring on the 6th hotel i go into. Im going to get out of this city quick and i hope i can give a description of more than the previous words about the city but im too tired right now. Ok mom this was pretty well for you. So you know im ok and ill be back in touch in the next few days.
Il post some pictures and give a rundown of life in the second largest city in the eastern world some time soon.

Leaving

Hi my freinds and family or whoever ends up looking at this thing which i have created a total of 20 minutes before i leave my house for the start of my trip. Last minute nerve's have deifinitly hit me a bit before i leave so ya i guess im just dealing with that right now. Anywase the whole point of this thing is to document my travels and adventures in india for the next couple of months and i will try to update it regularly when i have the time or oppurtunity. Just to for warn all of you who read this, my spelling and grammar will suck, my stories might be long or short or all over the place soo i dont know how this will work out and what will happen but ill try to do my best. Il try to keep up on posting photos and i just bought an i pod touch so il try and figure that out on the plane. Any of you who know me well know that technology is not my thing at all so it should be entertaining. Feel free to leave comments or to email me if you have any questions or just want to say hi.

maybe il get into why im going to india in some other blog post.