I - IntenseN - Nerve wracking
D - Delicious
I - Intense
A - At times amazing
We're 20 days into our two month trip in India. I spent the first two weeks in a head cold stupor daydreaming of getting on the next plane outta here. I was pretty pitiful. Canuche was supportive and thankfully didn't ditch me at a chaotic bus station.
There are many reasons that India and I have struggled to get along. One of the primary is that my fondest travel endeavor is exploring new places on foot. India gives me the smack down every time I set foot outside. I can't get used to walking on the barely closed sewer cum sidewalk or squishing through the gutter edge of the road. I have practically jumped into Canuche's arms in fright as bus horns blare and in one poor moment burst into tears after a seemingly near death encounter. In another bad momnt I fell into an aggtressive outburst about pedestrian safety directed at a beligerent motorcycle driver. Futile I know, but this country makes me so frustrated. Canuche thinks my yelling rivaled the decibels of the bus horn. In my estimation, Indian towns are 100% walker unfriendly. Walking here is a life threatening, lung toxifying, and often nauseating experience that I manage to do only under duress.
My initially foul relationship with India started to brighten when we had a good QUIET visit with a Servas host in a rural town outside of Trichy on January 11 - 13. That respite helped me kick the head cold but not my dark loathing for India. We decided to try a new tactic and found the least Indian place in India, the hill stations. We refueled our travel batteries in the cool Tamil Nadu mountain town, Kodaikanal, and the exquisite Keralan tea town, Munnar. They we're both beautiful places that gave me the quiet I craved and an opportunity to get out and walk.
Never before has our style of travel; local buses, cheap hotels, walking wherever we go, and meals in local joints, put me so close to my edge. Until India, which easily bumped me over that edge. I think I've clawed my way back into mental balance thanks to the hill stations, the volunteer work that we are doing here in Thrissur, Kerala, and following people's advice to treat ourselves a little better here.
On Sunday January 20th we left Munnar and made our way out of the cool, kind, Western Ghats. The five hour bus trip numbed my mind and butt as we wound our way down into the stifling plains. The trip of 145 kilometers averaged 30 kilometers (18 miles) per hour. The bus was almost as comfortable as a King County Metro bus and stopped about as often (it was, however, significantly more crowded). There was salvation at the end of the journey. We checked into our first three star hotel of the trip, bring on a little luxury! We also met up with a great energetic group of folks from Helena, Montana with whom we'll spend the next week volunteering.
We're all here in Thrissur to volunteer at the Sacred Heart Ashram. The Ashram is amazing. It is a home for people with nowhere else to go. It houses 300 plus orphans, women and children escaping abuse, and people with mental or physical disabilities. The Ashram is run by two incredibly caring Fathers, three nuns and one novice priest-to-be. It is absolutely awe inspiring to see the dedication and compassion of these people. The cooperation of the residents each contributing where s/he can. Our time here is rejuvenating. The Ashram, the Montana volunteers, and interacting with the residents lifts my India pummeled enthusiasm to new heights. With this new energy I can almost envision staying in India for the full two months!
We're working out the rest of travel and future plans now. We hope to spend about 9 days trekking in the Western Ghats, hit one beach town in Kerala or maybe Agonda, Goa, spend a couple days in Mumbai and a couple days in Delhi and then head to London for a visit before popping into New York for a few days to gear up for South America.
You may have heard the rumor that we were plotting to extend our trip. The rumor was true, but after our time in Germany and here in India we've decided not to extend. We're looking forward to South America and we're excited to get back home to all of you and the good life we live there (where a gal can take a walk on a sidewalk with limited fear of death or dismemberment). We're heading to New York on February 29 and then Ecuador on March 4. We expect to come back to US soil around June 30.
The big question for us now is whether to visit Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia or Ecuador, Columbia and Venezuela. If you know those areas, we'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject. We miss you and send you tons of love.
2 comments:
This is one of the well written posts I've read :)
Your words formed a colorful scenery in my mind, however not as lively as you had it when you were experiencing it! ;)
Be Well,
Hey Mercy and Canuche, We are so jealous of your adventures (Rob and Laurie). I (Rob) have been to Peru.
Though you two are more adventuresome than I am, I found that Lima offered very little. Lima is little more than a transfer point for transportation unless you like to look at crowded third world big cities with car repair shanties lining the edge and middle of major roads. In one evening my watch was stolen, we were involved in a rebel demonstration, and my friends credit card was defrauded.
I spent the bulk of my time in Cuzco. I understand the airport is one of the highest in the world for big airplanes. A very exciting approach to landing along a canyon. The town was the Inca religous center pre-Spanish. In-turn the Spanish built beautiful churches on top of the remains of the locals places of worship. Demonstrating the power of the Spanish god. The stone work of the Inca temples used as foundations for the Spanish churches, very cool! Cuzco is also the starting point to take the train to Machu-Picchu supposedly the last location of the Inca's. Some train buffs go there just for the train ride in and out of Cuzco. Due to the steepness of the mountain the train zig-zags it's way back and forth up the mountain. Though the scary part is when they finally get "up-to- speed". Our train began swerving back and forth on the tracks. I was certain we would derail. Cuzco is a great little city.
I've written enough but sufice to say Machu-Picchu is well worth the trouble. Email me if you have any questions. :)
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