Back in Delhi, India

July 16, 2005

We are again now here in Dirty Delhi. And although I
welcome the change, from little town to big city, this
place is DISGUSTING, although I don't know if I
should expect any thing different. Here the worst
part is that the guesthouse's standard of clean is....
that they have none. So we are staying in a shit hole
as well. It's been raining everyday so the
temperatures are much cooler, thank god, but the
streets are full of water and shit. It's much harder
to watch where you are stepping while trying not to
get hit by a rickshaw, bike or step in cow shit. The
rickshaw driver's here really try to cheat you and
will charge you twice or three times as much for a
ride. Yesterday the rickshaw driver said he had a
meter, which is rare, and he put it on when we got in.
He said it would cost us around 100rs anyway, but we
insisted on the meter. While he was driving and
talking to us I watched him put his hand under the seat
to unplug the meter. The meter went off and I
complained. He then hit the meter and said oh, it's
not working. We got out of the rickshaw and walked
back to where he had picked us up. Now I am sitting
in the internet cafe and some Indian guy is belching
away I am just waiting for some one to rip ass. Last
night in our guesthouse, they use incense here to
cover the smells, they were burning some and it seemed
like right in our room. I covered my mouth but
Antonio was sleeping and about 10mins later got up to
throw up. I think the overwhelming smell made him
sick. I think since we are at the end of our trip we
are tolerating less and less. I am looking forward to
getting home. Although I have enjoyed the experience
I would only recommend it for the strong stomached.
Today some friends arrive and I am grateful that some
one else can make decisions and haggle over prices.
Antonio likes to let me do most of it, and it wears
me out. Tomorrow, if we can get a train, we will go
to Varanasi. I have looked into Yoga classes there as
well. I am excited about moving around more and
changing scenes. It is more interesting and also
makes the days pass by quicker.
So I think I have ragged enough about this place.

Udaipur, Bundi India

13 de Julio, 2005

Ayer nos fuimos de nuestro oasis en el desierto a un
pueblo pequeño, Bundi. Los últimos días en Udaipur
hicimos todo lo turístico que no habíamos hecho en la
semana que estuvimos allí. Durante el día vimos dos
toros en la calle pelearse y todo el mundo corriendo,
OLE! Los toros se llevaron todo por delante
incluyendo motos y puestos de fruta. Al final se
metieron en una tienda de 4m2 y al parecer la
destrozaron por completo. Al final salio un toro y el
otro se quedo dentro (para pagar los desperfectos).
Por la noche nos hicimos unos amigos Indios en la
trastienda de una tienda de licores, que es donde se
hacen los mejores amigos. Nos llevaron por el pueblo
por la noche en sus motos enseñándonos sitios
indios. El día siguiente cogimos un autobús y
luego un tren hasta Bundi. Creo que éramos los únicos que
compraron billetes pero no tuvimos asientos de todas
las formas. Nos metimos a empujones todos, como 30,
en un compartimiento de 5m2. Nosotros tuvimos suerte y
cogimos una esquina y nos sentamos encima de las
mochilas durante 4 horas, pero había otros que
tuvieron que quedarse de pie. Parece que a los indios
no les importa que les traten como animales.
Bundi es un pueblo muy pequeño pero siguen cabiendo
todas las vacas, jabalís, monos, perros, burros y
demás animalitos. El domingo llegan los
refuerzos, unos amigos españoles, con el vino lo que nos dará un soplo de aire
fresco.

Pushkar, India (Español)

25 de Junio, 2005

Por fin un mensaje en espanol.
Ahora estamos en Pushkar, en Rajasthan. Es un pueblo
muy pequeño al borde de un lago. Hay un montón de
"Ghats" donde los Indios se bañan, lavan la ropa,
asean, y se cepillan los dientes. Es un sitio sagrado
entonces no hay drogas, alcohol, carne, ni huevos.
Pero siempre hay drogas en India. Hay galletas
"especiales", bebidas de yogurt, lassi's, también
"especiales". Todo con un poco de hashish añadido.
No me sorprende porque aquí todo el mundo fuma hashish,
turistas e indios.
Nos hemos quedado en un Guesthouse donde tiene una
piscina y hemos hecho unos amigos Chilenos. Nuestro
Guesthouse es como estar en un Cortijito. Desde
nuestro balcón se ve una montaña, un templo, pavos
reales, jabalíes, vacas (por supuesto), perros y demás
animalillos que no vemos por la noche. Al final aquí
tampoco hay curso de Yoga porque es temporada baja y
todos los Guru's han ido al norte. Vaya! Nos
quedaremos aquí disfrutando de la piscina un par de
días mas y luego iremos a Bundi. Es una ciudad nada
turística y por lo visto con mucho encanto.

Manali, India

June 22, 2005

We are leaving Manali tonight on a 10hr bus ride to
Shimla, which is further south and about 6hrs from
Delhi. I am going to miss the view from our balcony
at the guesthouse. We rented the motorbike this week
and went exploring to the mountains, 4000m, and to the
valley. The roads are incredible and the scenery like
no other. The only bad things are the Indian drivers
and the toxic exhaust that EVERY car gives off, which are always

honking and trying to pass you even on the
curves or if they have to stop 500m ahead. They also
try to squeeze two cars thru a one lane area and then
get stuck and end up arguing about who is going to
back up. The exhaust fumes are overwhelming and it is
sad to be in this beautiful mountain area and have to
breathe toxic fumes.
The scenery here is amazing and we have been able to
really discover the area on the motorbike. We were
constantly driving next to the Beas River and there
are many hanging bridges and we even saw people doing
rafting. We drove thru pine tree forests and little
villages with their colourful houses. The women spread
the rice stalks across the roads so that when the cars
pass over the rice pops out, and there is always the ever
present mountains making for an incredible back drop.
We have also seen our fair share of animals, even
though I thought there were only monkeys and cows. In
the last few days we have seen many donkeys, horses
(wild or pony like), yak's, vultures, a rex rabbit,
dogs and surprisingly only one cat and even few snake charmer's

have come to our area of the town.
They usually have a few cobras and one big snake.
Although I didn't want to get to close I did see some
of the show from the restaurant terrace. I have also
seen some men walking around the market area with big
boas slung around their bodies. Another funny thing
we saw was the "double decker bus", not the one we are
used too but more like when the bus is full people
pile on the top of the bus with the luggage.
So tonight we will begin our journey south and stay
only a few days in Shimla and then hopefully catch an
overnight bus to Rishikesh, north east of Delhi in
Uttaranchal. In Rishikesh I am hoping to do about a
week long course in yoga. After we will be heading to
the Rajasthan region, even though everyone says "no,
don't go, it is to hot". We only have vacation in the
summer time so we will have to bare the heat.
So far everything is going really well and we have met
some really nice people. I cannot complain about the
Indian people they have been very nice and friendly.

Manali, India

June 13, 2005

Hello from Manali,
First off I am feeling much better. I should have
gone to the pharmacy before, not wait for a week. But
I am on a treatment and am feeling good.
Manali is awesome. The scenery here is beautiful. We
are in the valley at 2050 meters and with mountains
all around us. There are waterfalls everywhere which
run into the Beas River here. The view from our
Guesthouse is incredible. The town is very green,
pine trees and a river dividing the town. We are
staying in the old part of the town which is more
picturesque and quieter. There is of course your share
of monkeys and cows. But what would India be without
that. We rented a motorbike today, a Royal Enfield
and tomorrow are going to a near town with our new
Indian friend.

Nueva Delhi, India

04 de Junio 2005

Aquí estamos en la India, Nueva Delhi. Este no esta
tan mal. Aquí hace mucho calor, pero es un calor seco
y nada que no hemos visto ya en Arizona. También hay
mucho caos de coches, vacas en la calle, monos en los
tejados e Indios por todos las partes. La comida es
muy especiada pero nuestros estómagos lo aguantan por
ahora. Creo que lo esperábamos mucho peor pero hasta
ahora bien. Seguiremos esperando lo peor y ojala no
venga. Esta noche cogemos un tren al norte hasta el
pie de los Himalayas donde vive el Dalai Lama. El
tren dura 9 hrs y luego hay que coger un autobús de 3
hrs. Seguiremos transmitiendo....