I'M IN: Delhi, India
HAVING VISITED: Gurgaon & Udaipur
NEXT UP: Goa and Southern India
Apologies! Yes, it has been a long time, too long. The good news: I was indeed able to pick up some work the past month. The best news: this means a few more months of travel! The bad news: this left little time for doing as I please. Indians work really hard. The regular work schedule here runs roughly 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., and apparently overnighters are not a rarity. Dad and I settled into a great routine of work, exercise and regular movie viewing. It felt fantastic to stay put for a spell, too - sometimes I just want to set fire to my backpack so I never have to pack or unpack it ever again in a million years. But then sometimes I want to marry it: fickle moi.
Dad and I did manage a long weekend coinciding with a holiday celebrating Durga (a riot grrl goddess with a mad weapons collection) to the lovely city on a lake, Udaipur. We had a few problems getting there as the train we were hoping to take was full due to aforementioned holiday. Dad showed true traveler mettle by agreeing to a fifteen hour overnight bus, which turned out to be surprisingly painless. It didn't take us long to be charmed by Udaipur. There are many large and impressive palaces, including two on islands in the middle of the lake. Our in and out of town touring included a boat ride on the lake, a dance recital and a day trip to visit a Jain temple and the massive Kumbalgarh fort. Our best adventure was surely The Case of the Tuk Tuk That Wouldn't wherein our auto-rickshaw broke down half way up a mountain (time to get serious about that diet). Dad and I then proceeded to climb the remainder of the mountain only to realize that the tuk tuk driver had taken this opportunity to go back to town, leaving us stranded. We managed to thumb a ride back into town, and it's all's well that ends well, but for an hour I was rather perturbed/worried. These emotions were exacerbated by the reaction of the staff at the Monsoon Palace (perched atop the mountain, this is what we went to visit) who insisted in equal measure that it was not possible for us to walk back to town ("No, no, too far.") and not possible for them to call us a cab/arrange other transport ("No cab."). OK? We started walking back to town at which point they offered to call a cab (?!), but we ended up thumbing down a truck who deposited us at the bottom of the hill, free of charge. Money savings all around as the original tuk tuk driver departed before we could pay him, so: score.
Then it was back to work in Gurgaon for a few weeks. Gurgaon is sort of like Cary, NC except more so and not at all. Similarities: both are cities in their own right but really suburbs-on-steroids of the major towns next door, both have nonexistent/poor public transport, both are experiencing rapid and seemingly unstoppable growth and seem to contain but three types of structures: offices, apartments and malls. Well, I guess Cary has a lot of McMansions, too. And a Raleigh suburb is one thing and a Delhi suburb is a stray cow of a different color. Everywhere you look in Gurgaon you see 20+ story buildings under construction with cranes amok. The congestion of auto- and cycle-rickshaws plus motorbikes plus cars, constant HONKing, beggars, shantytowns and amazing level of dust are also indicators that this is India. But then it's not like the rest of India at all, with Marks & Spencer and Lush in residence. Really unusual.
So, the next time you're here I highly recommend stepping in to the Bella Madonna salon for their organic facial. I am not a facial junkie, but I've had my share and this was hands down the best there ever was. The only odd aspect was that it was conducted in a La-Z-Boy, which became increasingly uncomfortable during the back massage portion (there is a reason those massage tables have head holes for when you're tummysidedown). Regardless, well worth it. I was on such a high after this successful beauty treatment that I went on to get a haircut, and this turned out much the same as my Namibian haircut, which is to say badly. Hardcore Coreyography fans might remember that I was boasting of getting a haircut in Turkey. As it turned out I only got a dye job there because I became fearful of the outcome (apparently this is a right and just fear). So this is the first time my hairs have been cutted upon since March. As with the last time I am not sure how things progressed to the point they did, but I take full responsibility. It seemed like this time (and the last time! totally) the stylist and I were really and truly on the same page about what I wanted (one inch off the ends) and yet I am shorn. The bright side is I can probably go another six months without a haircut.
Since completing my work project (a style guide) and Dad's departure late last week I have been staying with couch surfers in the greater Delhi area, having fun while trying to get some errands accomplished. I have ratcheted down expectations to the point where if I can just get one thing done a day I'm ecstatic. Today I managed to buy a train ticket from that same International Tourist Bureau that gave Clare and I such a headache a month back. Similarly there were 12 people outside the station saying the office was closed (it was not) and the office was full of grumpy old men plus the one nice guy (love him!). My destination is Goa one of the places I have most wanted to visit for years and years (not coincidentally it is located beach-side). From there my plan is to visit several places in the South (Kerala, Trichy & Puducherry are currently on the list) before heading back to Thailand. What? Right! Since India borders Myanmar and it's my favorite place I've visited I decided to return. Only it's crazy expensive to fly there from here (four figures expensive, yikes) and Myanmar visas are more difficult to obtain here than there. So it's back to Thailand for me. This is, for sure, a don't throw me in the brier patch situation should you have any doubt.
And beyond this? It's time to get back to work for real. I am looking for a public administration job either overseas or abroad (target cities: Bangkok, Johannesburg, Raleigh, D.C. & Richmond) - let me know if I can send you my resume. And please feel free to pass along any openings you see that look appetizing - no lead is too small to follow up. Who says a major economic downturn is no time to look for work? Well, I think everyone says this but luckily I am still riding my bliss wave and think that this will all work out just fine. Plus my mom has a HUGE attic. And she lives at the beach. So...
