Welcome to India: My Trip-Shtick

Welcome to India.

I spent the past month traveling through India, a country that proved to outdo my bipolarity a million fold. Before my trip, I thought I knew what I was into: I had traveled many times before, and had been to South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. I have been to rich countries and extremely poor countries. I thought I had this "travel thing" down. Until India. The country redefined all that I thought I knew, until I was left not being able to define anything at all. It is a country beyond confusion, and left me throwing up my hands in frustration.

This is my travel journal, an attempt to make sense of--or at least reflect on--my experience in India. It is a mix of a simple travel log, strange anecdotes, raw emotions, imaginary stories, reflection essays, photos, and other confused babble.

I spent the month with my friend Nicole, who had been working in India for the past year. Thank you Nicole for being such a great companion. For one month, we covered a lot of ground, and spent countless hours sleeping on trains and busses.

We started our travels in Mumbai, and immediately made our way down to the state of Kerala (see Kovalam), in the southwestern part of the country. In Kerala, we explored the strange city of Fort Cochin, explored the Kerala backwaters, took a safari and enjoyed the serenity of the tea plantations in Wayanad. We then headed North to Bangalore, where we explored the City Market and the lavish nightlife that the Bangalorean elite look forward to each weekend. Off to Hampi, the sacred Flinstones-esque town filled with ancient temples amidst enormous boulders. We then flew out of Hyderabad on our way East to Calcutta (now called Kolkata) where we witnessed the hustle and bustle of the cultural capital of India. There, our friend Madan took care of us and offered much needed refuge in this chaotic city. Then, we took off into the hills of Darjeeling and attempted to see the Himalayas, but it was raining for the entire three days and we were left settling for the incredible Happy Valley Tea Estate instead. As to ditch the rain, we headed back downland to Varanasi, one of the holiest cities in India. We then escaped to the incredibly preserved and beautiful 10th century temples of Khajuraho, where we added a third travel partner to our duo, an American named Ed. After escaping to Delhi, I finally got sick for the first time and struggled to enjoy the hectic charm of Old Delhi. Enter Rajastan, where I explored the palaces of the bountiful Maharajas. Finally, I made sure not to miss the Taj Mahal, which was as spectacular as it is made out to be. I made a quick return to Delhi, where I did away with my caveman beard and explored the train station with a former "street child." After an exhausting month, back to the U.S. Home sweet home.

So enjoy the commentaries, and as I slowly make more and more sense of my whole experience, or am inspired to jot down all that remains nonsensical, I will continue to add to my trip-schtik. But as for now, here is a start...