I Love You Madame
So I finally did it, I cracked. I’ve had a few (very few) mini-freak outs in the last 5 ½ months – the odd dirty look, or “what’s your problem?”, a few angry comments and a bit of throwing my arms up in the air but not a full blown freak-out, the girls-going-to-explode-and-she’s-taking-India-with-her sort of freak out. Most of the time I take everything in stride…its good character building. I don’t know what it was…maybe it was the hour late train (which is actually quite on time as far as trains to Delhi are concerned) or not recognizing that I was stressed from the whirlwind weekend. Maybe it was the prepaid auto man telling me there was “No pre-paid mam”. Or Mr. PrePaid Automan turning his head ignoring me when I logically point out he sold a ticket to my friends ahead of me (and the Indian behind me). Or maybe it was his buddy in the booth grinning at me as he rearranges his dick through his pants and hikes up his pants further up to his armpits. Maybe it was the fact that it was raining for the first time in 4 months and I was wearing a very heavy cotton long skirt that was now soaked with Delhi Dirt, rainwater and sewage up to my knees. Maybe it was the 20 or so men around us asking us if we want a taxi cab (to which we always reply “Nahi or nahi taxi cab or mujhe taxi chahiya nahi hai” which they ignore and keep asking. Their presence brings another 10 or so men (because, well, 20 or so men around a bunch of foreigners must mean something exciting is going on so they have to take a look). To make a long story short while desperately trying to bargain down a very rude and nasty auto driver from the exuberant price he started at. Some other man comes up and kindly asks if he can help. Through a rain soaked head I just look exhausted at him, turn back to the auto driver (who promptly says 50 rs. as soon as we make eye contact) I turn, throw-up my arms and scream “I hate this country”. Ethel calms me and tosses me into the next auto that comes along. The poor tall lanky tanned man who happened to speak English drives calmly as I periodically snap at him for how auto drivers treat solo foreign female travelers “I’m sorry mam for how others have treated you”.
This weekend…I’ll give you a brief update. I traveled again. We keep going to these “off the beaten path” sorta places. This weekend was Sanchi and the Bhimbetka caves. Sanchi held some beautiful Buddhist stupas unlike anything I’ve ever seen before from Ashoka’s rule.
Sanchi itself was a small village-y town with house drawn rickshaws and merchants unsure of how to deal with tourists. We traveled down small village roads stopped for 30 hour for a huge flock of lambs and their Shepards to pass, smiled at the women carrying wood to Udayagiri caves (interesting Jain and Hindu rock caves).
Lastly we visited 12,000 year old (that’s right twelve thousand year old) rock paintings of people and animals in Bhimbetka.
The trip was whirlwind but wonderful. Most of our time was spent on local city-to-city buses (partly because we kept taking the wrong buses everywhere we attempted to travel) watching the green fields bumpily go by and trying to talk with burka clad Muslim women and small smiling toddlers. It’s a great way to see India. If you’re wondering about the title. Some young lad sitting infront of me on the bus wrote this on his hand and put it so I would read it. It was actually quite nice…very bollywood and much more enduring then a pinch in the ass.
To conclude this long entry I would like to reaffirm that I love India but I guess everyone (even if they’re trying to be calm) cracks sometime. I realize I love India but I need a break (and my adventure in Bangladesh does not count as a vacation from India) as such, as soon as I find out my loans are deterred for another 6 mnths I’m heading off. Please vote on the choices. Largely it’s between Thailand and Beijing. Both are places that I’ve vowed to see as soon as possible. Thailand just because and Beijing because I’ve lived in China but still have never seen the Great Wall! Here’s the pros and cons for Thailand : pros - dirt cheap, sunny and cute boys. Cons – will be traveling to Thailand in July with a friend so why waste money now? Beijing : pros- great wall, forbidden palace, (!!!!) Chinese food, a real break from Indian culture, probably my last chance in a looong time to see it. Cons – expensive and far away. I could also do a 10 day vipassana meditation session... O.k. please vote on the poll attached. (I’m weak and can’t make my own decisions)
Love,
3 Comments:
Hi, how are you doing now that you have blown all the frustration out of your system. Sounds like I would love to see you go to Beijing. This is a chance in a lifetime. Would someone go with you???? Mom
Hi, how are you doing now that you have blown all the frustration out of your system. Sounds like I would love to see you go to Beijing. This is a chance in a lifetime. Would someone go with you???? Mom
As I said in your 'poll', there are bound to be times that are frustrating, but really you need to take advantage of where you are. Think of it this way, would you ever come back to India to see these places? I assume maybe not, but I am sure that you would come back to go to China and perhaps a few other countries. What ever you decide will be the best decision for you.
Thinking of you.
Joanne
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