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Chai It Out

One week and several chais later, I think I've started to acclimate. For three or four days things just didn't feel right. I knew I was in a most different place, but I just could not for the life of me get into a swing. Then I realized, "Wait a friggin second! I am in India! And I haven't had a chai tea yet!! Of course." So that very night I went to the rooftop cafe of my guest house and ordered a chai.

Now, finally the cultural storm has calmed slightly, and having spoken with several travelers I've probably been through the worst, especially in regards to the rickshaw vultures(everyone agrees Agra is the worst). Don't get me wrong, things are still nutzo, but I can breath a little bit.

The city I traveled to after Agra is called Pushkar, and is a holy city for Hindus. The Lonely Planet marks it as a city for travelers to relax and unwind. Even though I had only been in India two days I was ready. I've discovered something in my travels. I'm not sure it's a universal rule or specific to the traveler, but for me personally I never really connect with a place while on the beaten path. So even in this small town of relaxing, I decided the best thing to do would be to rent a bike for 50 cents a day and take to the country side.

The bike was a single speed cruiser, not really made for a rough, sandy country road, but do-able. I biked several kilometers along the base of a mountain ridge pausing only for a water break and the occasional tractor/truck to pass which had a system of alerting bikers by blaring Indian music which can be heard seriously for miles. To my left workers would be carving away at sections of the mountain for rocks (which the track-pimp mobiles would transport to town) and to the right grazing cattle and desert fields.

At the end of the ridge you top a little hill and discover a beautiful village, green, productive, and filled with squawks of wild peacocks. The children would pour out into the streets to ask for rupees and "school pens" or any other kind of handout you were willing to part with. They also unanimously ask you for "picture". Initially I thought this was their trick to obligate you to pay them a rupee, but after assuring them I wasn't handing out rupees, they still insisted on pictures. Then as soon as the camera came out, as if instinctually, every kid in the village came to the street, started jumping and screaming and asking/pleading me to take their picture. One particular kid convinced me it wasn't for money when after taking a picture, I turned the camera to show (NO Touching!) and as soon as this young boy saw himself smiling back, was simply overcome with happiness. The kind of smile and clapping you might expect from a person who just won the lottery.

Eventually after convincing the kids to let go of my bike, I worked my way back to town, where I dropped off my bike and hiked the mountain overlooking Pushkar for sunset. A lovely day that ended with dinner and chai on a rooftop cafe. Not just nice, but the first time I felt connected with this distinct land.

That night I traveled again by overnight bus to Udaipur. This time not with so many children but a fetaled Indian man who nestled up to my side--the sleepers were sold out so I took the not so relaxing or reclining chair seat. Udaipur is a much larger city next to a much larger lake, and very fitting for a Bond movie...say, uh, Octopussy (filmed here). I walked the city, explored the old city palace, and avoided the street vendors best I could. However, today's highlight was meeting a young boy on the street after school who invited me into his tiny house/apartment where I met his family who could speak a lick of english, and stared at each other over what else? Chai tea.

Today's event was cooking. Yep, another cooking class. Would you believe that I didn't even like curry before I left for my trip? Now I'm sitting with an old man and lady on the floor of their kitchen learning every kind of Indian dish I can. That and chai of course. When it was all said and done I had learned(I mean was shown) something like 13 dishes and a great technique of holding a bowl with your feet so you can mix with your hands.

Now in a few hours I'm off to the Jaisemer desert where I'll try my hand at camel trekking.

posted by Travelin' D @ 1:04 AM