Where has Kurt ended up now?
October 12th, 2008Topic: Adventure Tags: India
Well after a serious infection of writers blog, I have recovered and ready to reveal some exciting updates from my end.
Since my previous post, I’ve travelled past Mumbai, Hyderabad and have now landed in Bangalore.
Some highlights include:
Mumbai traffic is scary. As is their mass public transport system. As I was leaving Mumbai by train from the AIESEC Interns flat towards central, I was caught up in a sea of people, and all I could do was flow with the crowd and hope to get on a train. Thatwas the easier part. As I left the train, I had old men looking at me with buldging eyes and pushy hands shouting go, go GO! I did not understand their urgency until the train came to a stop and the sea became a two way waterfall. Yes, try and imagine that, a sea of people trying to gush out of the train, while another sea tries to gush its way in. Unlucky for them, I have two large bags, one straped in front and one behind, and in a rambo style move, I leap. Yes, LEAP towards the exit of the train to see terrified men trying to scurry out of the way. If freedom ever tasted sweeter, it was after burst forth from this maze that I savoured in it. Now I realize why so much money was spent in Delhi to ensure the same style of mob movements do not occur with their metro. Crazy!I have crazier stories about cab drivers trying to rip me off, but maybe ill save that up and tell ALL of them in one go, since haggling with Cabs and rickshaws seems to become the highlight of all my trips.
Aside from the traffic Chaos, Mumbai was good as usual, aside from the ear infection (i have not had an ear infection since i was 4! yea, got me too.) I got to see the best and worst of the city, dined at Leopolds, ran into Shahid again, ate with the bollywood stars, chatted with some highly articulate beggars, and caught up with great friends. So it was good, but being ill really dragged me down, and it was here that writers block kicked in. The train to Hyderabad seems to have dawned a found energy in me.
I woke up to an AIESEC yelling through the train gates: HEY AIESEC! as the traditional greeting goes world round. The pick up was great, had a blast seeing some of the sites, and getting explained what was what. I was told a saying that they use in Sanskrit, in english the translation is “Guest is God” so i felt like royalty arriving here.
Hyderabad was the PERFECT refueling station, and although I didn’t get to see any environmental projects, I got to catch up with great AIESEC friends, have those deep and meaningful conversations, crazy nights and see some beautiful mughal architecture. That is not the best of it, they had the best tasting Haleem and Biryani I have ever had! Reminded me so much of Karachi, so I got a bit of that homesick feeling while I was there.
Note to self: always book tickets in advance to save yourself from taking overnight buses. Yes sleepless was the word for the 15 hour bus ride to Bangalore, (which should have taken 10-11, are you seeing a pattern?) The minute I arrived, I navigated my way to a meeting which I chaired for the My Choice! Project. It involved experts in the field teamed up with the expat core team making the project happen. I hadn’t even showered, but i got to use the company bathroom, which had a shower. The only problem is that somehow, I ended up getting more petrol on me than water! Im not even joking, as I wish I was, but for 3-4 days afterwards, me, and my clothes smelt like an old gas pump. Not very appealing if you ask me.
Excitement around Bangalore? Let me tell you, here is a place hoping with young people in the IT sector, and crazy kids looking for excitement, and a government that bans dancing, and pubs in general after 11:30pm at night. What do you get? A lot of desperate people, and crazy parties in crazy places. For example: wed night 10pm, we show up at an advertising agency on the main road, climb 4 fleets of stairs and are greeded by drunk employees playing music from a a DJ that look slike the desi-twin of Robin Williams (and who raps about being black) The food is catered, but sausage fest is in abundance. I was disappointed to see none of the party-goers thought it cool to wrap their tie around their head like a bandana. Guess that’s only cool in Canada.
I’ll post some more interesting news bits soon enough, along with some more galleries, so stay tuned! For now, the adventure of Bangalore Continues.
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