Seriously scared the hell out of my soul right now.
I should have listened to friends back home to have a travel companion in India.
Its a huge challenge to do this country alone.
I'm not sure if i could go on alone but its such a waste to stop now since i know i won't be traveling much after this.
Oh My Buddha! Oh My Shiva! Oh My God!
Show me light!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Sunday, July 18, 2010
City of Joy...
I woke up in the middle of the night 2 nights before to answer nature's call.
Having read Shantaram, i took a peek out the window to the road.
Indeed, there are people sleeping on the pavement by the road.
Some of them i recognize as the rickshaw people.
I could pick up traces of their humble place at night during the day time at some locations.
Yet, life goes on for them. Its a hard knock life for them.
The shops... is all so small n tiny.
Yet, they make full use of it to every inch of it.
Eating at traveler cafe is really expensive compared to normal local standard.
I end up having my meals by the friendly roadside stall.
Its so much more delicious.
The stall may look like a ramshackle shack but they maintain quite hygienic surrounding.
Even if its not, just close one eye!
Spits.. its everywhere. Its their culture.
With paan n what nots.. its just normal for them.
Just take it as a training of your reflexes. hahahaha
Stares.... neverending of them. Its still fine with me.
I stared back at them n smile.. :)
Metro (subway) - its only 4 - 8 Rupees depending on the zones that you traveled.
Woo hooo! Cheap cheap~!
Moving to Gaya tonight by train and then will continue by rickshaw to Bodhgaya.
Can't wait to experience the much connected Indian Railways.
Having read Shantaram, i took a peek out the window to the road.
Indeed, there are people sleeping on the pavement by the road.
Some of them i recognize as the rickshaw people.
I could pick up traces of their humble place at night during the day time at some locations.
Yet, life goes on for them. Its a hard knock life for them.
The shops... is all so small n tiny.
Yet, they make full use of it to every inch of it.
Eating at traveler cafe is really expensive compared to normal local standard.
I end up having my meals by the friendly roadside stall.
Its so much more delicious.
The stall may look like a ramshackle shack but they maintain quite hygienic surrounding.
Even if its not, just close one eye!
Spits.. its everywhere. Its their culture.
With paan n what nots.. its just normal for them.
Just take it as a training of your reflexes. hahahaha
Stares.... neverending of them. Its still fine with me.
I stared back at them n smile.. :)
Metro (subway) - its only 4 - 8 Rupees depending on the zones that you traveled.
Woo hooo! Cheap cheap~!
Moving to Gaya tonight by train and then will continue by rickshaw to Bodhgaya.
Can't wait to experience the much connected Indian Railways.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Mother Teresa: We trust in one another by accepting each other as we are.
That was on that small lil' board with daily quotations by Mother Teresa.
It hits me. How true is it?
Is that what love is all about?
I think i'm getting it today. No more awkwardness in the ladies hall.
Its like... you got the move going.
And then i realized how many of us volunteers have pass through the hall.
The residents were quite helpful to point out what you could do.
It was kinda hilarious at some point.
By choice they are not pathetic if they can help it.
Some of them are well enough that they just need little help from you.
Even some who can't seem to stand up and walk, will crawl themselves to the bathroom to answer mother nature's call.
Dignity still settles within them, no matter what state they are in.
I salute them...
It hits me. How true is it?
Is that what love is all about?
I think i'm getting it today. No more awkwardness in the ladies hall.
Its like... you got the move going.
And then i realized how many of us volunteers have pass through the hall.
The residents were quite helpful to point out what you could do.
It was kinda hilarious at some point.
By choice they are not pathetic if they can help it.
Some of them are well enough that they just need little help from you.
Even some who can't seem to stand up and walk, will crawl themselves to the bathroom to answer mother nature's call.
Dignity still settles within them, no matter what state they are in.
I salute them...
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Nirmal Hriday Khaligat
We arrived at khaligat at 2.35pm by cab from the Tourist Railway Office in town.
Practically walked all the way from Sudder street to Fairlie place.
Am not sure how far is that but it seems quite long.
Maybe i am just too busy savoring the many different sights of Calcutta.
So many things to see.. i wish i could stay there for an afternoon and just simply digest every single thing.
My lack of vocabulary just makes it difficult to describe it.
Spent 2hours inquiring about our onwards train tickets, we skipped lunch.
So we went for food searching given that we still have tiny lil' bit of time.
We got lots of touts from locals trying to guide us to the famous Kali Temple next to Nirmal Hriday Khaligat.
This place is like a slum.. there doesn't seem to be any proper restaurant around.
Lucky i got some arrowroot biscuits last night. And so we snacked by the road waiting for time to report in.
As we went in to the building, silence befall the hall.
The facade look so classic. Yet, the smell of antiseptic greets me well.
I guess its a must yeah?
On the left hall is for Male and right hall for Female.
We first have to wash our hands and put on an apron.
The guys that been volunteering for a few days went to work straight.
Being the new arrivals, we were clueless on what to do and sitting idly just kills our senses.
So, we went to the female hall and talked to people.
Its weird at first because its chicken and duck talk.
That was really awkward.
As time goes by, that seems to be a good thing to do. Regardless... its about being there.
I often smile and shake my head a bit when i seriously don't have a clue of what they are saying. That seems to be working fine.
Subsequently, the sister came down and sort of brief us on what to do and all went fine.
The centre seems to be a little bit overwhelmed with volunteers but we somehow manage to find 'something' to do.
Its not easy. Seriously. Its not.
Trying to communicate with them more effectively, i tried the many different hindi/tamil that i know.
The best was when i told Sangeeta: "Kuch kuch Hota hai" - Sharukh Khan..
AND WOW! she start singing the song and i hummed along..
It was really great..
There's medication and dinner to be served in the afternoon and also helping some of them to do some exercise.
Its hard to describe. At some point while massaging Asha's arm, i started to hum the songs that i know.
Somehow, i don't know why my eyes welled up with tears.
But its not good to be so. So forced my tears back and continue humming Asha to sleep.
If only time permits for me to volunteer at other centres..
Have yet to visit Mother's House, tomb and room...
Practically walked all the way from Sudder street to Fairlie place.
Am not sure how far is that but it seems quite long.
Maybe i am just too busy savoring the many different sights of Calcutta.
So many things to see.. i wish i could stay there for an afternoon and just simply digest every single thing.
My lack of vocabulary just makes it difficult to describe it.
Spent 2hours inquiring about our onwards train tickets, we skipped lunch.
So we went for food searching given that we still have tiny lil' bit of time.
We got lots of touts from locals trying to guide us to the famous Kali Temple next to Nirmal Hriday Khaligat.
This place is like a slum.. there doesn't seem to be any proper restaurant around.
Lucky i got some arrowroot biscuits last night. And so we snacked by the road waiting for time to report in.
As we went in to the building, silence befall the hall.
The facade look so classic. Yet, the smell of antiseptic greets me well.
I guess its a must yeah?
On the left hall is for Male and right hall for Female.
We first have to wash our hands and put on an apron.
The guys that been volunteering for a few days went to work straight.
Being the new arrivals, we were clueless on what to do and sitting idly just kills our senses.
So, we went to the female hall and talked to people.
Its weird at first because its chicken and duck talk.
That was really awkward.
As time goes by, that seems to be a good thing to do. Regardless... its about being there.
I often smile and shake my head a bit when i seriously don't have a clue of what they are saying. That seems to be working fine.
Subsequently, the sister came down and sort of brief us on what to do and all went fine.
The centre seems to be a little bit overwhelmed with volunteers but we somehow manage to find 'something' to do.
Its not easy. Seriously. Its not.
Trying to communicate with them more effectively, i tried the many different hindi/tamil that i know.
The best was when i told Sangeeta: "Kuch kuch Hota hai" - Sharukh Khan..
AND WOW! she start singing the song and i hummed along..
It was really great..
There's medication and dinner to be served in the afternoon and also helping some of them to do some exercise.
Its hard to describe. At some point while massaging Asha's arm, i started to hum the songs that i know.
Somehow, i don't know why my eyes welled up with tears.
But its not good to be so. So forced my tears back and continue humming Asha to sleep.
If only time permits for me to volunteer at other centres..
Have yet to visit Mother's House, tomb and room...
Monday, July 12, 2010
The different spectrum of life
So.. i was back in KL for 24hrs and off to fly off to Calcutta (Kolkata). Had loaded up on all my favorite food (McChicken, pisang goreng, cempedak goreng, yong tau foo, nasi lemak, nasi briyani and goodies from Japan), let mum have a glimpse of my very tanned self and got sent off to Calcutta by my lovely cousin and sista.
Long Q to check in as AirAsia have it system maintenance. I'm not sure why but my guts told me there is a possibility of flight being delayed.
True enough, after waiting in futile for boarding call, they announced that flight delayed till 2.55pm (actual flight - 2.30pm).
Greaaattt... gonna arrived India in the early evening. Not really keen on it. Dun wanna be a victim of touts in a new country.
With all the travelers that i met and have their fare share of experience in India. I think, i am well prepared. Also the book - Shantaram, help me loads. Thank you friends!
Nevertheless, i am still excited and scared at the same time.
But i am very lucky to have met 3 other travelers on board. We were heading to the backpacker street - Sudder Street and that gave us a very good hand at bargaining for a taxi to town.
First official day in India.
Well, i never thought i will surrender myself and volunteer at Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. Just go with the flow....So i went with my Irish and Hong Kie friend to the briefing.
I start tomorrow doing the afternoon shifts from 3pm-5.30pm till Sunday.
I chose to care for the destitute s in Khalighat.
Its a new challenge. I will embrace this lifetime experience.
Walking through the streets towards Mother's house, i devoured myself with the life of Indians here.
Have you seen those rickshaw man? They practically pull you around town BAREFOOT!
Its not the best transport to take but there's still business. Some would pull 3 adults in one rickshaw.
Then again its not the rickshaw that we saw on TV. They have big round wheels. Big as in the height slightly above my waist! So you could see the passengers sat so high up there.
I would love to have a view atop that rickshaw.
Communal water taps (those that ceased to appear in developed country) gawked at me.
Brotherhood bathing in the public with their dothi. I so wanted to take a picture but its rude isn't it?
The small jam packed alleys and more smaller than ever a shop next to the staircase still is a business to the locals.
All space upfront is of many different shops fighting for your attention.
Buses.... they are colorful and creative. Emergency door became emergency gate and driver door is still driver door. Fascinating...
Am not sure if i could get this all in. Its so amazing!
Bought my first dozen of bangles! ITS RAD!
Can't wait for tomorrow. To balance up my Karma.
An excerpt i stumble upon during my bisy body self.
For a minute, i thought of the person who put this up.
Then again, its all history and i will not let it affect my holiday.
I won't deny that its not part of Mich Odyssey.
Nevertheless, the unpublished posts deleted, the stories not told and not to be mentioned ever again. The truth will one day triumphs all.
Life goes on for me.
Life, in fact, is bitter-sweet isn't it?
That's why i love dark chocolate.
Till my next posts... i hope i could pen down all my experience volunteering here in Calcutta under Mother Teresa's vocation.. .
Long Q to check in as AirAsia have it system maintenance. I'm not sure why but my guts told me there is a possibility of flight being delayed.
True enough, after waiting in futile for boarding call, they announced that flight delayed till 2.55pm (actual flight - 2.30pm).
Greaaattt... gonna arrived India in the early evening. Not really keen on it. Dun wanna be a victim of touts in a new country.
With all the travelers that i met and have their fare share of experience in India. I think, i am well prepared. Also the book - Shantaram, help me loads. Thank you friends!
Nevertheless, i am still excited and scared at the same time.
But i am very lucky to have met 3 other travelers on board. We were heading to the backpacker street - Sudder Street and that gave us a very good hand at bargaining for a taxi to town.
First official day in India.
Well, i never thought i will surrender myself and volunteer at Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity. Just go with the flow....So i went with my Irish and Hong Kie friend to the briefing.
I start tomorrow doing the afternoon shifts from 3pm-5.30pm till Sunday.
I chose to care for the destitute s in Khalighat.
Its a new challenge. I will embrace this lifetime experience.
Walking through the streets towards Mother's house, i devoured myself with the life of Indians here.
Have you seen those rickshaw man? They practically pull you around town BAREFOOT!
Its not the best transport to take but there's still business. Some would pull 3 adults in one rickshaw.
Then again its not the rickshaw that we saw on TV. They have big round wheels. Big as in the height slightly above my waist! So you could see the passengers sat so high up there.
I would love to have a view atop that rickshaw.
Communal water taps (those that ceased to appear in developed country) gawked at me.
Brotherhood bathing in the public with their dothi. I so wanted to take a picture but its rude isn't it?
The small jam packed alleys and more smaller than ever a shop next to the staircase still is a business to the locals.
All space upfront is of many different shops fighting for your attention.
Buses.... they are colorful and creative. Emergency door became emergency gate and driver door is still driver door. Fascinating...
Am not sure if i could get this all in. Its so amazing!
Bought my first dozen of bangles! ITS RAD!
Can't wait for tomorrow. To balance up my Karma.
An excerpt i stumble upon during my bisy body self.
For a minute, i thought of the person who put this up.
Then again, its all history and i will not let it affect my holiday.
I won't deny that its not part of Mich Odyssey.
Nevertheless, the unpublished posts deleted, the stories not told and not to be mentioned ever again. The truth will one day triumphs all.
Life goes on for me.
Life, in fact, is bitter-sweet isn't it?
That's why i love dark chocolate.
Till my next posts... i hope i could pen down all my experience volunteering here in Calcutta under Mother Teresa's vocation.. .
Monday, July 5, 2010
DSLR sickness...
I've contemplate very much to whether bring my EOS400D on my odyssey.
Here's the thing. I only got basic lens.
Even if i would've bought a semi-professional lens, i think i would be
obssessed with taking a great picture.
And thus it brings no values or any exciting stories to home.
It would be wiser to bring if i have master the skill of the DSLR.
Such is the case for that 'Asian-skin' guy who sat beside me at the
Thanh Long theatre.
We are there for the ever famous Vietnamese water puppet show.
Throughout the show, all i can hear is 'click-click-click' beside me.
I seriously wanted to ask him to sit back and relax.
He's obsessed with getting a clear shot.
Every shot/shots he took, he would review n check its sharpness.
At some point he irritates me but in the end i just laughed it off.
He's getting good picture but didn't get to enjoy or appreciate the
art and performance of it.
I don't care. I enjoyed the show.
I think they are brilliant!
You should go! USD3 for 1hr show - worth it!
Here's the thing. I only got basic lens.
Even if i would've bought a semi-professional lens, i think i would be
obssessed with taking a great picture.
And thus it brings no values or any exciting stories to home.
It would be wiser to bring if i have master the skill of the DSLR.
Such is the case for that 'Asian-skin' guy who sat beside me at the
Thanh Long theatre.
We are there for the ever famous Vietnamese water puppet show.
Throughout the show, all i can hear is 'click-click-click' beside me.
I seriously wanted to ask him to sit back and relax.
He's obsessed with getting a clear shot.
Every shot/shots he took, he would review n check its sharpness.
At some point he irritates me but in the end i just laughed it off.
He's getting good picture but didn't get to enjoy or appreciate the
art and performance of it.
I don't care. I enjoyed the show.
I think they are brilliant!
You should go! USD3 for 1hr show - worth it!
thoughts
so i didn't fell off bike even with the crazy moto traffic in vietnam.
Guess what?
Guess what?
I sprained my ankle at the flood drain by the side of a curb.
My right ankle.
Old wound resurface.
It feels like double the pain now.
Well, i managed.
I managed to still walk through the crazy traffic in Hanoi.
I had stares from local with a face that translates: what the hell
happened to you?
I must thank my own smart self to check in to a hotel whose owner is a
retired doctor.
Gave me some ointment and perhaps a treatment tomorrow.
Well... Money to spend since i can't be limping to India can't I?
No worries, I will survive.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
From Vietnam with love
for Calcutta.
:)
hope u gals love it!
India!!!
quarters of Hanoi.
INDIA here i come!!!!!!!
trial and tribulations...
it was 6:30am when i board the bus from ninh binh to haiphong.
2.5hrs of journey with the hope that i could get a ferry/hydrofoil to
catba island.
Time of departure was not listed.
I know i paid too much to the hotel to get me to haiphong but what the heck!
Its too early to kick start with xe om (moto) to the bus station.
That never happen.
I signed up for it. I go with the flow.
Thats what my travelling is about anyway.
I gave myself 6mths to be back from my odyssey.
2.5hrs of journey with the hope that i could get a ferry/hydrofoil to
catba island.
Time of departure was not listed.
I know i paid too much to the hotel to get me to haiphong but what the heck!
Its too early to kick start with xe om (moto) to the bus station.
That never happen.
I signed up for it. I go with the flow.
Thats what my travelling is about anyway.
I gave myself 6mths to be back from my odyssey.
A hitch bus on the way to mong cai (viet-chinese border town), a
change of bus to the original haiphong bound bus and a xe om, i arrive
haiphone ferry terminal.
Bought hydrofoil ticket for 200k vnd and departing at 11am for CatBa island.
G
ives me some time to have pho and manage some reading on Shantaram.
oh well.. The hydrofoil was on time and i arrived CatBa island 5 min past 12.
Based on the guide book map, its a small town.
Before the hydrofoil docked, i sighted many mini hotels.
Yay! In my heart as i have many different choices.
I walked and survey around town for about 15min and decided to check
on one hotel for rates to get an idea.
Unfortunately i was informed its full house.
I thought to myself that there's so many choices...
I will have lunch and the search for a place to stay the night.
Went to greet this austrian guy outside The Noble House, asking him
which hotel he's staying and how much is he paying for the room.
I got a best of luck wish from him coz he arrived on Wednesday and
already had a hard time looking for a place to stay for a week. All
hotels in CatBa are booked out since its the viet school holidays!
OMG! I seriously can't believe it!
The guy is staying in a room at a local house - homestay and the rate
is 300k VND per nite!
That's USD15 per nite!
No way!
Its too much compared to the rates in Saigon and Hanoi.
After some conversation, the guy went off to do some rock climbing nearby.
I sat for a while and decided to look for a room.
Seriously... The are all BOOKED OUT!
Even if the have a room, the rate is starting at USD20 per nite and i
even got offered up to USD50!
After 2 hrs of searching and met more foreign tourist, i decided to go
back to Hanoi.
At not so great waterfront rate of USD35/nite,
WTF! I'm not paying that amount for a crappy room.
For the same value in Saigon, i could get a decent room with jacuzzi bathtub!
So i took the 3.15pm bus-boat-bus-bus-moto back to hanoi.
By the time i arrived North Hotel, Hanoi, its already 10pm.
Sweaty, smelly and starving.
I don't really hate vietnam.
Just don't like dealing with vietnamese when money is what the are after.
Afterall, we are tourist.
I like to say hi to the normal viet people.
No money involve. They are genuinely nice to you.
It was a day on public transport yesterday but i'm glad i made the decision.
catBa is not the place to go at this time.
Perhaps i will do Sapa instead.
Heard some good experience.
Its about the same amount of a night of junk boat stay but seems better.
Will have to source out soon.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
corridor
One of those corridors linking palaces while waiting the rain to stop
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