India in Fast Forward

We survived our trip to Cochin! That was easily and by far the most grueling "vacation" I have ever (and hopefully ever will) take. 25 hours on the train there. 25 hours on the train back. We went to three different towns: Mannar, Alleppey, and Cochin. The shortest drive we had between any one of them was 2 hours. We drove 5 hours to get to Mannar, 7 hours to get to Alleppey, and 2 hours to Cochin. That isn't counting our site-seeing time! Regardless, everything was beautiful... even if I personally would have planned the schedule a bit differently! The mountains were stunning and SUCH a relief from the heat. We took a boat ride through the backwaters of Alleppey that was so great! I thought about moving there for a minute but in the end decided to continue my trip. Cochin was a bigger city so I didn't love it quite as much but the fishermen's nets were interesting to see and it was nice to be close to beach. I don't have much energy left to be descriptive and due to an unfortunate series of events I am not able to post pictures quite yet. We just got off the train about an hour ago so we are repacking, showering, and relaxing for a few hours before we head over to the airport and off to Nepal!!!! I cannot believe that my time in India is already done. It went so quickly! All three of us are so excited to get to Nepal. I think we are all ready to leave incredible India (especially Liz and Mark! poor dears need a break). This country is amazing and definitely worth experiencing. I personally would recommend NOT coming to the desert plains during the summer, but you live and learn =).

Our friend Barry who is meeting us in Turkey spent some time in Nepal and was able to set us up with some Nepalese friends of his who own a guest house there. We've been emailing back and forth and they sound so wonderful and so hospitable! They will be meeting us at the airport and taking us out for a traditional Nepalese dinner. Our tentative schedule is to stay in Kathmandu for the first two nights then go trekking for a few days, and hopefully see Everest before heading to Turkey. I can't wait!!! I hoping either Buddha or the Dali Lama will have some insight on what to do with my life. I'm also hoping to make some headway in freeing Tibet while I'm there =)

To close, I scribbled some notes on the train about my experience. I was writing just to seal some of the images in my mind before they slipped away, as they so often do. But on second read, I think it might be my first slam poem. Emily, please let me know if you think HBO would be interested in me performing it! Haha! Here we go:

Watching India in fast forward (and sometimes on pause) as our train covered India from Hyderabad to Cochin. Hot, crowded, noisy with a toilet that is little more than a hole onto the tracks (hold on, don't slip). Bunk beds stacked three high that are a little over five feet long. Bruised hips from sleeping on the hard vinyl. A closer grip on the cultural differences highlighted by a polarity of thought on personal space and sanitation. A complete lack of concern toward the roaches running along the floor of the train. A feigned indifference to the multitude of beggars shaking their hands from their mouths toward you. A double take at the transvestite/hermaphrodite men in sari's who seemed almost as happy to elicit shock as to accept coins. The colony of boys running from car to car sweeping the floors with their shirts for coins, some with a gleam of mischief in their eyes as they gathered between cars. Like the true Lost Boys of Peter Pan. I almost expected a trouble making leader to emerge although I'm unfortunately sure that their lives don't lend to the joyful innocence. Sweat beading and dripping off me. Dirt collected under my nails. Biriyani, biriyani, biriyani. Lights out and everyone sleeps except faithful Naveen who stays awake to watch the bags. Sleep interrupted at each stop. Breezes and sunset. Breezes and sunrise. Biriyani. Biriyani. Biriyani and start again. And stop again and start and stop and sweat and nap. And read. And watch as India moves by in fast forward. Plains to grass to mountains to sea. Villages hide under banana trees with thatched roofs and bright paint. Political flags and posters everywhere with party symbols to serve the illiterate. A hand, palm forward. A bicycle. Battery torch. A seat in the open doorway over the tracks to catch more wind for some relief from the heat. It feels like a blow dryer on the highest setting. Drink more water but thankfully don't need to use the "bathroom" many times. Somewhat thankful for dehydration for that! Drinking cups and cups of sweet coffee from vendors with low, loud, gravely voices that pace the aisles. 5 rupees to help balance the heat outside and the heat within as I sip my coffee. 25 hours later to arrive so tired, so hot, so dirty with only 5 days before we do it again.

Namaste on my last day in India.