#84 Took another little trip

Where am?  At my friend’s home, 20 minutes walk from the hospital

How am I?  Great. Enjoying every minute.

So I decided to travel with my friend, Eileen, that she is going back to CA on January 31^st. We went to Amritapuri for one night, she owns a flat there and I stayed with her. Then we went on to the beach resort community, Varkala, and I only stayed one night. Eileen is still there. She is friends with the owner of the Guest House which was voted #1 with Trip Advisor. See for yourself:  http://www.tripadvisor.in/TravelersChoice-Hotels-cBargain

Now I have to tell you, a while back I was asked to go to Trip Advisor and rate the place as a favor to Eileen and the owner and I chose not to do it.  If you can’t say something nice about someone or something, don’t say it at all, right?  But I actually like my own room at the Guest House at the hospital better than I like the hotel. I’m more comfortable. The hotel is nice, and the owner does bend over backwards to treat you well, but it does not have hot water showers! So if I want a cold shower I can get that at home at the hospital.  So that is why I am hanging out at my friend’s home right now. While Eileen is away, her roommate doesn’t like to be alone so I stay in their guest room WITH hot water showers. Sweet deal. 

When I come back to the US I will never take anything for granted again. I consider myself so blessed to have been born in the USA with freedoms, opportunities, enough food to eat, clean water to drink, public transit you can take without feeling your life can end any minute! (I just reread this sentence and I remember riding the NY Subway sometimes thinking my life could end in a minute! But that was not because of the equipment but the passengers that rode it!)  

But I can also say I am so grateful to have lived here for this time, especially as the time is running out I am appreciating every last minute. 

I had to travel from Varkala by myself since Eileen stayed behind. The first train (Eileen recommended I take two trains and to change after an hour) was just as Eileen predicted… only more than I can express! I grew up in NY and I know packed trains during rush hour, but with the crowd trying to get on this train was WAY beyond anything I ever saw. And the train was about to leave and I had paid for it so if I didn’t get on, I wasn’t going anywhere!  I had thought I would get on the Ladies Only car but it was the very last car on the train and there were so many people there that I couldn’t see a door. I hurried back up the train platform looking for a car that was not a sleeper so there would be seats. As the train started moving I jumped on the train and settled in for the one hour ride standing in the entryway by the door. I found a little space behind the door where my backpack fit and I put it there for protection and also so it wouldn’t trip people as they got on and off the train. I leaned against the wall and held on to whatever I could find to hold. The hour passed quickly and when I got on the next train, it was a local passenger train and was relatively empty. There were two other women sleeping lying down on the seats in my compartment so I took the single seat next to the window. It was pleasant just watching the countryside as we passed. 

Some H.S. school girls came on and took the next compartment. It was fun watching them as all children act the same. Two shared the earplugs of a headset so they could listen to the same music. School children all wear uniforms here in India so that’s how I know they were students. The students and the one of the sleeping women got off and a woman with a little girl got on with her Mom (the grandmother) and there was an older man who I wasn’t sure if he was with them or not. When the second sleeping woman got off I found out he was with them and the four of them took over the compartment. The little girl was so sweet that by the end of the trip, she was blowing me kisses and I returned them to her. 

The sun was setting and I got to see a beautiful sunset. And as we passed the villages I also got to see their life process. Indians are extremely spiritual/religious. All the auto-rickshaws and taxis have small alters inside with their particular belief system. Muslims would have Arabic writing but sometimes it is in English and they have written By the Grace of Allah. Christians have pictures of Jesus and Mary, sometimes a rosary hanging from the rear view mirror. (My Mom had one herself so I’m used to that!)  But the Hindi have a cornucopia of deities: Krishna, Shiva, Lakshmi, etc. And they have lights around them that flash colors, and sometimes incense sticks burning. What is really amusing are the “hybrids”, with a combination of two religions!  There's the statue of Krishna and the Rosary.

And there is a centuries old custom of lighting an oil lamp outside the doorway at sunset. I asked about it and I got several answers: to chase away bad spirits, to welcome Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, and to ,,, I finally just Googled it and here’s the answer: Light symbolizes the absence of darkness, grief & unhappiness. Almighty's divine grace is spread all over the house by lighting the lamps.  That makes sense but it was very interesting to see all the houses that had lamps lit. The ones that didn’t could have been Muslim or Christian, and as we got closer to the big cities, there were not as many. Away from the Ancestral Homes I guess customs aren’t followed as strictly.

So I’m at the house today all by myself. Both Eileen and her roommate are away. I have a hot shower waiting for me, and a fridge full of food and cold drinks. The electricity keeps going on and off but they have a backup system that trips over when the power goes.  It makes a sound that I know it has changed over.  Oh the luxury of it all!

Wishing you a wonderful life wherever you are.  Enjoy.

Love,

Marie

#83 Items I find amusing

Where am?  In my room at the Guest House

How am I?  Comfortable but needing to work at keeping cool.   It’s starting to warm up here.

The first item I wanted to tell you about was what I found when I came back to my room earlier this week.  I went to a friend’s house to celebrate his birthday and after dinner and celebrating at his house we would have to take a auto-rickshaw back home. We really had a good time sharing a bunch of beautiful French pastries we bought at a fancy bakery at the mall. Yummmm, but I got distracted from my topic. So after the party which I knew would be late we arranged for me to sleep over at my girlfriend’s house that she has an extra bedroom and this way we could share the auto. It’s starting to get really difficult finding an auto rickshaw lately. 

Then the next day we found something to do and the next day again so for three days I stayed in her guest room. It was fun. The next day we finally left her house and walked back to the hospital together and that’s when I found what I found in my bathroom.  A poor little gecko had fallen into my toilet. I don’t know how long he was in there, it could have been 3 days, but he just couldn’t get out.  I tried to help but he was so panicked that I decided to lay the toilet brush in a position that he could climb up it and get out.  I walked away and when I checked later he wasn’t in there. So from now on, I don’t leave toilets uncovered and I’m telling my friends not to do that either. That would have been so sad so I’m glad I was able to rescue him.

Last night the same friends, continuing our birthday celebrations (one’s BD is Dec 30^th and the other is Jan 22^nd) we went out for dinner and a movie, but in reverse.  Movie was American Hustle which showed at 4:30 and then we had dinner. We went mainly because it was in English and then that morning I read that it had Oscar nominations. My girlfriend checked the reviews and one of the most critical websites – Rotten Tomatoes – gave it a rating of 93%. Very good!  But even with that info, I was so impressed that it was excellent. I found it more entertaining than The Life and Times of Walter Mitty. So I highly recommend seeing it.

So today is January 19^th, I leave in ONE MONTH!!! 

Another amusing item is a going away gift my girlfriend gave me.  I now have two pills, individually wrapped Albendazole tablets, to take when I get back home.  Yes, folks, I have to De-worm myself.  I feel like a puppy.  I have no symptoms but she feels very strongly about it that she had a problem when she went back one time and she has lived here in India for 4 years now.  She is also a Microbiologist so I respect her opinion. I could take it in Australia but if I go on to Taiwan, I think I could be re-infected so I will wait until I am Home Sweet Home and do the one pill.  She says I’d know if I need to take the second pill.  How’s that for a parting gift!

I feel very blessed that I really have been very healthy here, except at the beginning when I had the adjustment to the climate. It is my usual reaction to environment changes, sinus/pulmonary/coughing.  But in less than 2 months I was adjusted and never had a problem again. Lots of people get sick here so I was most fortunate.

That’s all I have got for you today. I’ll write again when I think of more stuff. Enjoy your life.

Love, Marie

#82 Keeping myself busy

Where am?  In my room at the Guest House at the Hospital.

How am I?  Happy but certainly busy with all my new technology.

Hi Everyone,

As I told you I ordered a new tablet, a Google Nexus 7. It’s arrived and I am going to have to play with it to learn how to use it. Nothing comes with instructions anymore. They just think you’re going to know how to use it by osmosis, or from the grandchildren I’ve been told. I don’t have grandchildren so I’m used to the old fashioned way of reading the book. But digital things don’t have books. 

Even my camera had no book!  There was a disk that I uploaded to my computer but you can’t take your computer with you while you’re out taking photos!  Oh yeah, now the phones are miniature computers so you CAN take it with you. Well I can’t.

However, on the same day that I got the call that my Nexus had arrived to pick it up, I got a new phone.  It was a surprise to me, believe me. What happened was I have been thinking about my phone and what to do when I get back to the US. I had a “dumb” phone, not one of those Smart Phones. So I’m in the auto rickshaw with my friend doing errands, going shopping when she mentioned that she needed to buy a phone for a young Indian man she has kind of adopted. AND IT HITS ME!  Buy myself a new phone and give my old phone to him. So I told my girlfriend and the next minute we’re at a shopping complex that sells nothing but phones and accessories for them and I’m picking out a phone. 

Didn’t want an iPhone, and the Samsung was too expensive too, but I found a Lenovo for under US$ 75 and I got it. A Smart Phone that I put into a bright pink case to protect it and also to help me keep track of it. You can't miss seeing this bright pink phone case. Two days later and I still don’t know how to use the darn thing. My fingers are too big that when I push the letter I, I get an O. and for N I get a M. 

Another friend asked if I had called her and I didn’t know I did. She sent me a msg and I answered "Not Intentionally".

So now I have to learn two new pieces of technology before I leave India. But the phone will come in handy in Australia, and other places, including the US when I get home.

Meanwhile I went to lunch today and I don’t know what it was that I ate – obviously a curry – but afterwards I needed to drink a cold Lemon drink to cool off my mouth. And even as I am typing now, the skin on my right hand is still stinging. We eat with our hands here and whatever hot chilli was affecting my mouth, is also affecting the skin on my fingers. It could be worse, right? Ha Ha

I think I’ll close for now and post this. If there are any questions or things that you want to know about India, please email me and let me know.  We’re getting down to the last days so speak now.

Enjoy yourselves, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing.

Love, Marie.

#81 Getting ready to leave

Where am?  At my friend’s house in Cheranalloor, 20 min walk to the Hospital.

How am I?  Happy.

So I only have 39 days left here in India. And after all this time I still don’t have India figured out!

It’s 9:00 p.m. on Saturday and I’m sitting here on her couch in the living room and there are more fireworks going off outside than you could imagine… picture the 4^th of July in America. Why?  I have no idea.  My girlfriend was searching the internet trying to find if there is some kind of holiday celebration going on and nope… no idea why they are spending a LOT of money on fireworks. Maybe it’s a wedding, or birthday, or who knows what?  It’s India. 

It’s starting to get warmer and you would think it’s winter, it should get cooler but here it is getting warmer.  My friend said it’s because it no longer rains and as it gets drier, it gets hotter. So I will probably be very happy when February 19^th comes.  As I have already told you, I fly to Bali that night, actually it’s February 20^th at 1:10 a.m.  I go by way of Singapore arriving in Denpasar, Bali at 3:00 p.m. Then I stay there for a week leaving Bali on February 27^th and continue on to Perth to see my brother. 

I hear Bali will be in rainy season (which I will welcome) and should bring reading material.  And l will mellow out with massages that cost only $8.00.  Yes, I will enjoy my week there.  

Meanwhile I am getting ready for my exit from India. My computer is on its last leg and is so heavy I don’t want to take it with me but need something to keep me connected to the world for my travel. So after careful consideration I bought myself a new tablet. It’s a Google Nexus 7. I am still waiting for it to arrive (I bought it online) but I saw it in a store nearby and I’m so excited. When it gets here the head of the IT department will hook me up to wifi at the hospital so I can use it and learn how it works before I leave. 

I will be going through all my stuff and send what I don’t need to take with me on the trip back to the US. Sounds like fun doesn’t it?  Three piles – 1) what I take with me (has to be less than 20 kilos or 44 lbs), 2) what I will send back to the US and 3) what I will either give away or store at my friend’s house. I may keep one or two sarees but the rest I will give away to the cleaning ladies at the Guest House I stay at. They need them more than I do and if I come back and want to wear a saree, I will just buy new ones. 

That’s all I can think of and I want to post this so I will end this now.

Be happy and enjoy yourselves.

Love,

Marie

#80 cont'd - Christmas Letter Attachment

Originally on a pretty colorful Christmas Stationary.  The printing was around a wreath.

It’s been a long time since I sent out a letter for Christmas. I just thought it would be nice to reconnect with everyone so to recap what I’ve been up to since I left the US in May, 2012:

·   First I went to Spain and walked the Camino de Santiago.

·      Then I traveled around Spain, Greece, Turkey and the Middle East (Oops, I got stuck in Doha, Qatar, giggles)

·         Then went to India. There I started my volunteer work at the Teaching University/Hospital.

·         Visa limitations made me leave in December – went to see my brother in Australia for 2 months. Then I went back to India.

·         In 3 months my Visa again made me leave India for a month (May-June) and I went on a safari in Africa saw lions. (no tigers and no bears) But I did see rhinoceros, giraffes, leopards, hippopotamus, zebras and lots more!

·         When I returned to India from that, I only had 2 months before my Visa again required me to leave India. So I went to Sri Lanka to get a new Visa. That Visa is allowing me to stay for 6 months so I don’t have to leave India until Feb 20, 2014.

This time I’m not just going out for a few months and return, I am going to leave and start my way back to the States. Since I don’t know when I will be returning to this side of the world, I want to see my brother again in Australia, and I have a classmate in Taiwan that helped me to get my Masters.  She had gotten married and had a baby and I wasn’t able to attend her wedding. So I’d like to stop and see her. And then there are places like Bali, and some of the islands in the Pacific that I would really love to see IF I can put it all together. That’s a really big IF. I want to end my sojourn in Hawaii and see my dear friend there. That’s touching my feet to the US, but not the mainland, yet. I plan on being in CO for June for the wedding of another dear friend’s daughter. These are my plans but I’m sure you heard that “Man plans and God laughs”. Who knows what will happen!

I can report that I am in excellent health. I can see that the years are catching up with me so I don’t push myself when traveling.  I can’t carry heavy luggage or backpacks. I like a bed, not a mat on the floor, and a private room or a toilet nearby during the night. I know I need nutritious food with my vegetarian diet and I am also finding that I can’t digest some foods well now. All of this puts a crimp in my traveling.  But I love it.  So if any of you want to meet me somewhere while I’m heading back to the good old USA – Bali, Fiji, Tahiti, Samoa, you name it, I’m game! – Please let me know and maybe we can travel together, even if it’s just for a week or two.

Wishing you every happy thing this year!  Make it a blessed year.  Love & Peace, Marie