Darjeeling

Darjeeling is the "quintessential hill station", its cooler temperatures (afforded by its 6000ft elevation) and mountain setting explaining why the British summered here to escape the rest of India's oppressive heat. It looks a bit like someone spilled a town down a lush green mountainside, and planted a bunch of tea trees around it (yes, tea does grow on trees). We spent the last week in Darjeeling (our last week in India) and had a most enjoyable time, though tinged with a bit of frustration...
You see, despite being in prime position to view the Himalaya to the North and West, we saw none of it. Clouds, bloody clouds, obscuring our precious mountain views, the main attraction for us really. Don't get me wrong. As I said, we enjoyed Darjeeling. But imagine going to King's Island and discovering that all the roller coasters are closed for the day. You could still, theoretically, have an enjoyable time: swinging on the viking ship, driving the antique cars (I love those things), eating coneys and ribs and ice creams galore. But it just wouldn't be quite right, would it? What's King's Island without riding the Beast? You'd be frustrated, your longings unrequited, right? Well that's what it was for us in Darjeeling. Frustrating. We went to the Zoo (saw red pandas; they're cute), walked the towns meandering and often steep streets, visited the Himalayan Mountain Institute, and enjoyed some fabulous Tibetan foods, like MoMo's and WaiWai (I guess they like to eat things that you say twice). But, alas, no mountains...frustrated...until the last day.
We awoke ready to head down the mountain (to sleep closer to the train station and escape the cold, temperatures in the 30's and 40's F), ready to accept our fate of leaving without so much as a glimpse of peak from town. But when we looked out our window, lo and behold, a clear sky (no cloud, bright sunny day) and, could it be... a mountain! We rushed out the door to the nearest viewpoint (where previously we'd only imagined peaks through the pillowy clouds), and before us stretched a snowy cirque of Himalayan peaks, with massive Mt. Kanzchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world at 26,100+ ft, most prominent of all. It was a wonderful and rewarding sight, as if the mountains came out to reward our patience and bid us farewell.
A lovely, laid back, mountain town in the West Bengal(who dey)Hills. Everything about Darjeeling was refreshing: the cool, thin air, the friendly locals, the lack of touts and stalls preying on foreign tourists, the proper pizzas at the italian/french bakery. All in all, Darjeeling was wonderful to us.

Back in Delhi now, all set to fly to Paris tonight (talk about culture shock). It's almost December... Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving (no turkey for us, but a whole tandoori chicken)... in a few short weeks, we'll be coming home!

Incredible India, that's what the brochures boast and so far our experience would not dispute this claim. Incredible, literally beyond belief, can have both positive and negative connotations. India is clearly a country of contrasts, from the sights (beautiful countryside vs. dusty, polluted cities) to the sounds (the rhythm of traditional music vs. incessant pleas from the begging masses) to the smells (the soothing aroma of chai or the savory smells of Indian food or the ever present, fragrant nag champa incense vs. the all-too-frequent wafts of human waste on the street). It is a land of extremes that takes you from exhilirating highs to sombering lows, at one moment lifting your spirits, at another knocking you down. An Irishman we met put it this way: "One minute, you'll have the biggest smile on your face. The next, all you want to do is escape from the bloody place..." Incredible India, indeed.

We've seen a lot in our short time here thus far. Upon arrival to the capital city of Delhi we were eased into the country by Mr. and Mrs. Raj Duggal who treated us as though we were their own kids. They fed us scrumptious Indian food, being sure that our stomachs could handle such food. Introduced Jij to the surprising sophistication of Indian Whiskey. They arranged our first big travel endeavor for us and truly made us feel welcome in their country.
So on to Jaipur, capital of the tradition-rich state of Rajasthan and known as "the pink city" (the maharaja had the whole city painted a uniform pink to welcome a visit from Prince Albert). Here we were "taken in" by another family the Aroras. They taught us the sanskrit phrase of "a ti tee devo bhava" which means "guest is god". They didn't just talk the talk, but they also walked the walk. We felt very comfortable at their house, enjoyed very much our time there and were very well taken care of.
We were lucky enough to stumble across the "Camel Mela/Fair" in a town called Pushkar. Here people from all around come with their camels, clad in decorative headpieces and saddles. It's a livestock trading fair along with a religious festival...imagine the Minnesota State Fair combined with a Billy Graham revival where everyone is dressed in their brightest, most traditional attire.
After the camel fair, we headed for some tranquility to Keolondeo Ghana National Bird Sanctuary. Here we reunited with bikes and peddled around marshlands to the songs of painted cranes, kingfishers, parakeets and such. Staying in Bharatpur, just outside of the Sanctuary, put us in good position for a day trip to Agra. The town is a pit and spending any longer than a day there would have been unbearable. An hour was nearly too much for us with the bombardment of touts, beggars, and offending smells. It's a wonder that such a place can host one of the most magnificent monuments on this planet...the Taj Mahal. So, we spent the evening in awe watching as the glowing sunset seemed to illuminate the massive marble monument that sat before us.
Then back to Delhi to enjoy some wedding festivities. And festive they were. You've seen it on t.v., they aren't exaggerating. It was a truly extravagant event (and long, lasting into the wee hours of the evening), from the brides attire, to the horse that the groom rode in on, to the band, the massive spread of food, the colorful decor, and most of all the dancing.
We are now gearing up for a 30 hour train ride in the morning to Darjeeling. There we will drink tea and sit, staring at the some of the tallest mountains in the world including the tallest of them all...Mount Everest. We'll let you know how the tea is when we return.

A big thank you to Nisha and Neelam Malhotra for arranging our stay with their family. Shokreea to Mr. and Mrs. Duggal and to the Arora family. Ham Watis Atay (we'll come back).

A Final Note of Gratitude To Our Dear Friends in SE Asia

To Thailand: Kop kun ka/kawp mak mak

For the beautiful beaches, the climbing, the markets; for fantastic foods, bustling Bangkok, and, best of all, a warm place to feel at home (thanks Ginger, Jana and Lisa).

To Cambodia: Ow kun

The Temples of Angkor were magnificent. The roads were bumpy. Driving was stunningly scenic (if you're into rice paddies and water buffaloes). The people were welcoming. And the bicycles... Brilliant.

To Vietnam: Cam on

For: high quality accomodation at very affordable prices; ESPN Asia; Hoi An Tailor Shops; Pho; Water Puppets; Train Rides; Halong Bay by Junk Boat; Lakes in Hanoi; traffic; Bia Hoi; Masala Dosas.

And Last, but certainly not least, to Laos: Kop Jai Lai Lai

To Gina and the Novotel, for accomodating our poshie tendencies.
To our travelling companions, Jana and Ginger, for who you are.
To the gorgeous landscape, for taking our breath away.
To Dramamine, for taking the edge off the windy bus rides through majestic mountain passes.
To Vang Vieng, for facilitating all our aquatic adventures.
To Jai Dee, for facilitating all our lao lao adventures.
To the Organic Farm, for hosting us during a pleasant afternoon bicycle ride.
To the French, for introducing good coffee and fresh baguettes to Lao.
To Luang Prabang, for lazy days and night markets.

And one more thing...

Thank you so much to all of you, our friends and family, for reading this blog, for thinking of us and for checking up on our travels. It's a long trip we've been on, so far away from home, and it's nice to know that you're all back there following along with us.

Love,
Jij and Claire

PS We'll be home soon...

WE'RE IN INDIA!

More news to come when we have more time. Pictures to accompany the posts. We're happy, having fun, looking forward to the Indian wedding festivities that we will be attending in the days to come!

LAOS: Part III

Vang Vieng

Two became four and off we went, Jana, Ginger, Jij and Claire, on the public bus to Vang Vieng. After an extremely scenic, minimally bendy, four hour ride we reached the little backpacker trap of Vang Vieng. Vang Vieng is an active town, you might call it the Interlaken of Asia, an outdoor adventure destination. So, in true form, we did just that...outdoor adventures. We rented bikes and toured around the town, visiting surrounding villages. We had lunch at an organic farm known for its mulberries and silk worms. The food was fantastic, the view from the restaurant was also great, set right on the river that we would be kayaking down the following day. We watched as the local children headed to the river for bath/swimming time. Jij and Jana went down to the river, being the teachers that they are, to interact with the youngsters. The children couldn't get enough of seeing their pictures on the digital camera.
The following day was kayak touring day. A full day tour, the typical touristy thing to do. So there we were again, joining the herd, ready to be told what our every move would be for the next 8 hours. This time we were set loose on the river, with our broken helmets on (for safety), some of us suited in life jackets, the rest in the hands of buddha. We paddled to a village where we had a wonderful caving experience. The caving experience which was advertised as "tubing through a cave" turned into slithering on our bellies, some of us lucky enough to have flashlights in the dark, dark cave, through tight nooks and crannies just fit for the typical Thai or Lao sized person. I don't think they take into account that we westerners are giants. Anyhow, an hour of slithering through wet darkness with spiders and creepy crawlies was not quite the "tubing through a cave" I was expecting. None-the-less we survived it and are surely better people for it!
The flying fox came next! A rope swing and zip line perched high above the river. The only pre-requisite to using the flying fox is that you purchase a beer before going. Claire and Jana were the first girls of the day to successfully complete the rope swing. It was fun, sanook!
More paddling landed us back in Vang Vieng as the sun set behind the surrounding mountains. A truly spectacular scene.
A free cocktail party rounded out the day and segued into an adventurous evening. The night ended with local bar owner Jai Dee taking us to a locals hangout so that our Canadian muscician friend Martin could play pop favorites (accompanied by Jij's rice pot percussion.)
And that was Vang Vieng.

LAOS: Part IV

Luang Prabang

As the mini bus rounded it's last of many bends, we piled out, carsick, groggy and relieved to have arrived in the beautiful town of Luang Prabang. With Jij having spent some time here already, I had a picture in my mind of what the little town would be like. Along with that image came a lot of excitement and anticipation. So, there I was giddy and galavanting amidst my three groggy travel buddies who were suffering from the effects of dramamine (medication to help prevent motion sickness). It was a bit difficult to keep up the giddy act around that crew so I joined in the moping. It was in that fashion that we found a place to call home for the next week.
A few hours spent recovering and regrouping from the ride put everyone in prime form for Luang Prabang's feature attraction...the Night Market. This would prove to be the beginning of our nightly addiction, you could call it a sport, of bartering for "good price for you, good price for me" textiles. Afterall, you can't leave Laos, they won't permit it :>, unless you purchase their unique, beautiful textiles. They are well known for their handywork and do, indeed, produce very nice quilts, pillow cases, aprons, wall hangings and more. Needless to say, Jij and I left with very stuffed backpacks and an overflow bag each! We have now upgraded to rolly suitcases (call us posh, I don't know!) so we can no longer be put in the ranks of dirty backpackers!!
Our time in Luang Prabang was very slow...laid back and mellow! We ate lots of bread and drank some quality coffee thanks to the French influence. We explored a wat or two, spent an afternoon at a waterfall, but our time was mostly consumed by eating, shopping, and wandering by the Mighty Mekong River!
Life's rough when you Live on Vacation.

Part I: NOVOTEL

Two shoestring travelers transformed upon landing in Laos. Poshie 1 and Poshie 2 emerged. For those of you who aren't familiar with such terms...a poshie lives the good life, enjoys luxury, the finer things. Poshies don't stay in common guesthouses on the common backpacker circuit with common backpacker types. They prefer more pampered environs... and in Vientiane it doesn't get more poshie than the NOVOTEL HOTEL.

When at the Novotel, one doesn't have to haggle for the price of the room or ask "Fan or Air Con?" or inquire if the rate includes hot water. No need to hike the many stairs to view a room, it isn't necessary to feel the mattress, look it over for bugs and check to be sure the bathroom is equipped with toilet paper, and if we're really lucky, soap! You see, poshies have connections, poshies know people. And luckily for these poshies, we new MS. GINA!

Upon entering the Novotel (deja vu), we immediately asked to see Ms. Gina, whom Jij had met on his first visit to Laos with his parents. While we waited for her to see us (Ms. Gina is a busy lady), the bell hop treated us to a refreshing glass of cold water. (He would later top this feat with a fancy glass of lemonade, complete with floating lime.) Ms. Gina emerged down the hall and was very happy to see us, demonstrated by her giddy gallop to hug us hello. We then enjoyed the comfort of the posh lobby as we conversed with Gina, catching up as poshies do. With lemonades empty, we moved on to our first buffet experience. Gina treated us to the amazing spread and afterwards, with our posh bellies filled, we headed to our room for some well earned rest.

The ROOM: Carpeted (nothing in Asia is carpeted), teak furniture, down comforter, soothing sage green walls. All the western conveniences, really. espn, marble counters, bathtub, sewing kit, shower cap, talcum powder to boot (all those things a commoner might never use, but who knows when a poshie may need to sew her skirt or powder his bum). An oasis in the arid landscape of Asian accommodation.

Each time we came and left, the doormen opened both doors. Poshies can't be bothered with such menial tasks. Poshies are always greeted with a wai (hands placed prayerfully together, usually around eye level, transitioning into a bow), a sabidee (good day), and a smile.

A big thanks to Ms. Gina for allowing us to enter the poshie lifestyle. Gina, it was great to see you and hear your stories. Kop Jai lai lai lai lai.

LAOS: Part II

Jana and Ginger

We hate waiting, even in the relative luxury of our room at the Novotel. Call us impatient. We sometimes are.
"What time is it now?"
"What time did we agree to meet?"
"What do we do if they don't show?"
The imagination runs wild when you're just sitting. Waiting.

Phone rings and our hearts leap. They're here.

We descend the stairs to the lobby where we greet our friends, who've been graciously introduced to the poshie life with lemonades.

Jana and Ginger, our teacher friends and hosts in Bangkok, on holiday from The American School, are here. Here in Vientiane, at the Novotel, ready to embark on a week in Laos. And so it began...

After traveling for so long, just the two of us (Bill Withers) we had adopted, honed if you will, a successful strategy with which to approach the traveling game. We were now faced with the challenge of integrating two more people and their respective trael styles into this strategy. This challenge turned out to be no challenge at all, as the merger proved to be more than seamless (if there is such a thing).

True, we each had very individual goals:

Ginger was there for the shopping, envious of the countless woven goods she'd seen other travelers return from Lao with. She was determined to go home the opposite of empty handed.

Jana really wanted to practice speaking her Thai, despite the fact that Lao people don't speak Thai; they speak Lao. Never mind. She also wanted to learn the fine art of not getting ripped off at markets in Southeast Asia.

Jij was hungry and just wanted something to eat.

And Claire, well, Claire simply wanted to enjoy being in Laos (how appropriately Buddhist of her).

These individual goals, instead of hindering the group seemed to somehow make the group stronger, resulting in some unspoken group goals; exploring the natural beauty of the countryside, enjoying the unnatural kindness of the lovely Lao people, Laughing a bit too much, buying even more in the markets and drinking Beer Laos more still.

Claire and I have worked with a great many groups and all groups form a sort of group identity characterized by its best moments. Our identity was best characterized by our nightly progressive dinners, sampling the best of as many restaurants as we could find; Our River adventure, kayaking, caving, and especially rope swinging ("It's just water.") in Vang Vieng; Our night out on the "town" with Jai Dee, featuring special guest Martin, an upper-middle-class man's Jack Johnson; sharing everything: food, water, cameras, batteries, laundry detergent, tuk tuks, menthol nasal inhalers; and best of all, TEAM SHOPPING (I pity the old Lao lady that has to haggle with not one, not two, but four of the likes of us. They were no match for the "One Dollar" opener.)

But every team also encounters its hardships, and we were not immune. Had it not been for Ginger's bold leadership, we we may not have made it out of that Vang Vieng cave alive. At the Organic Farm Cafe, we had a run-in with an obnoxious woman (from America, of all places. imagine that...)who Claire astutely described as "a piece of work" (to her face). Worst of all, Jana's bike was stolen from the outside of a temple in Luang Prabang. And, in a country with no insurance, she was responsible for replacing it. Mai chok dee (Bad Luck). Such a setback could have been fatal to lesser travellers. But not us. In fact, Jana was able to delicately negotiate a very fair deal for all parties involved. Everyone was happy.

And so it was, our time in Laos with our travel buddies Jana and Ginger. We love Lao and loved having friends to share it with...

BESTEST EvER: SARAH HALE!!!