So, I spent this week on a marathon of travel with work. I was off - grid most of the time so that is largely the reason for the lack of correspondence.
I must say, that the travel I did this week was some of the most rigorous and uncomfortable I have ever done. I believe I have now experienced the worst bus ride of my life - yes, it even tops the chicken filled, hot as hell, dirty shit boxes I took across Costa Rica (holler to my cousins!). To be fair, the trains in India are actually quite nice and an easy, cheap way to travel around the country. The over-night trains are particularly good since they allow you to sleep the whole way (not the most comfortable sleep in the world - but, not too shabby either.)
The buses are a whole different story. I spent 4 hours on Wednesday morning of this week (mind you 5 AM - 9 AM) sitting in a seat that rattled so much I felt like I was on top of a jack hammer. For four hours my teeth chattered, my head bobbed and my ears bled as I chartered across India. It was so loud I could not even hear my Ipod at max volume.
The trip went something like this: Monday night overnight train to Rajamundry we work from 9 AM to 9 PM...get dinner plus 4 hours sleepTuesday morning up at 4 AM to catch a 4.5 hour bus to Vijayawada...work from 10 AM to 9 PM, same schedule but up at 5 AM to catch a train to Nellore.Work in Nellore Thursday until 8 PM. Take dinner to catch a train back to HYD at 9:30. Overnight train and back in the office Friday morning! It was intense!
But, I guess the reason I write this post is not to complain about my travel - I am actually estatic to have had the opportunity. The work and travel was intense but I got to see parts of India I may never reach again. There are so many photos I wish I could have taken but most of these sites were viewed through a window-pane (train or bus).
On the bus ride I got to see the sunrise over rice patties and palm trees. I saw the most beautiful flowers and trees. For the first time in India I saw real open space, it didn't smell and there was not honking every second (except for the bus itself).
In large, I saw a part of India which I think is very important for everyone to see. The part that wasn't filthy or crammed and clamouring with people. Yes, there was still abject poverty but it was mixed in with green, wide open spaces. Perhaps it is because of my own background that I appreciated this so much, but it really was breath-taking. This trip for the first time I began to fully appreciate the phrase Increadible! India.
I guess, perhaps the greatness comes from the vastness of this country where both the highest and lowest peaks in the world exist. There is so much diversity and it changes so quickly.
During this trip I also had my favorite drink of India thus far: Lime-Soda water (I don't remember the official name) basically they take fresh squeezed lime juice and mix it with soda water and sugar but it is YUMMY.
A few other realizations I have had about India:
1) There is a deep love for sugar here. Everything that can have sugar added to it has sugar added to it unless you specifically request otherwise.
2) There is a deep love for air-conditioning here. India does not do air-conditioning half-way. If it is on, it is ON. Seriously, half the time there is air conditioning I am freezing to death. Moderation is not of high value here (so far as I can tell).
3) There is not a deep love for coffee (which is pretty typical outside the US but so sad....:(
4) Pedicures are pointless...I refuse from this point forward.
5) There is great oral hygiene in India, people are always brushing their teeth..seriously! Everywhere you go you see someone brushing their teeth.
6) There are lots of sauces...which I kind of like. You get a little buffet at every meal.
7) Indians have a deep dislike for raw vegetables. In fact, all vegetables are cooked to within an inch of their life. The first thing I am having when I get back is a salad. I eat lots of RAW vegetables in my house behind closed doors so no one knows. Ha!
That is all for now. On a side note I broke down and bought a geiser which allows me to have hot showers...I hate being cold.
More soon.
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Are there different varieties of Chai? You don't mention it, maybe it isn't the drink of choice in that part of India? I have been making my own chai now for a few years, and really love that tastey spicey sweet flavor.The scent of Cardamom is just yummy! I use Maple syrup to sweeten mine! (:
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