India! - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Nazggul · 05-01-2007, 07:09 AM

If you'd like to see some shots of a recent trip I took to India have at it...there are almost 1,000 though! I actually cut that down from 2,200.

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There is a ton of photos so here’s a short synopsis and a link to relevant photo’s for each. Hope some of you find it interesting. We also have a few sound clips which are really interesting. Let me know if you want me to send them.

Day one, walking tour of Bangalore…won’t try that again… Lounging in the botanical gardens. We were more of an attraction than anything there. “You, American, Money?” a group of three kids asked us.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsK- (32 pics)

Day two, driving tour up to the palace of Tipu Sultan, the last major leader to resist the British. Also stopping at a Christian church and school, a hindu temple (known to us as the “temple of seared feet” since we literally blistered our feet walking to it), some huge hindu bull, and finally the palace.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsLY (23 pics)

Day three work and dinner out in Bangelore.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsL6 (1 pic)

Day four work and travel.

Day five, perusing the sites of Kochi, a small fishing village on the south western coast. Spice packing warehouse, drying yard, tea, several temples (at this point we were still impressed by the temples…)

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsME (32 pics)

Day six, exploring the sleepy backwaters of Allepey. If you want an experience, shed all inhibitions and get an authentic Ayurvedic massage at a real pharmacy. VERY strange experience. We ran into yet another Hindu temple and celebration with a group of amazing kids. That night we stayed in a homestay, the back room of someone’s home.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsMm (41 pics)

Day seven, Departing early we rented a houseboat to lounge around the backwaters. Amazing seeing the life of the rice farmers up close and personal. Very humid…Very hot. We also rented a small canoe for a side trip into some of the smaller canals. Again, we met a bunch of amazing kids that all had this strange fascination with wanting a pen. “One pen please!?” is what we heard anytime we saw a kid. One actually tried to swim out to the boat to get one.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsNA (70 pics)

Day eight, we drove south toward Varkala stopping along the way at a snake temple and another ancient palace converted to a museum. Amazing to think the women were never allowed to leave it or be seen in public. It was quite small…

Day nine, beach, another Hindu temple and celebration. This was the only place we were able to see an authentic Kathekali (sp?) dance. Also, we were forced to do our own laundry as facilities were few and far between. Ask me sometime how 24hrs actually means 48 in Hindi. J Oh, and the only time you will ever see me with a goatee.

Day 10, beach.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsNi (40 pics)

Day 11, off to Delhi, travel day. Once in Dehli we actually tried to go to a small train station to buy tickets to Agra the next day. Ha, what a scene. Sorry, no pictures of that.

Day 12, Agra, the “Baby Taj,” the Red Fort, the Taj more amazing kids. A horribly uncomfortable train ride back.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsOM (145 pics)

Day 13, Dehli. Crowded, dirty, incessant and persistent touts. An assault on the senses from the moment we arrived. That night we took the overnight train to Ramnagar in the North. Arrived 5 AM.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsOu (5 pics)

Day 14, after sleeping for about 3 hours we had some breakfast and coordinated a way into the heart of the Corbett Tiger Reserve to Dihkala. We drove in for 3 hours and safari’d another 3. No tigers. Accommodations could only be described as “squalor.” Some pics of our ”bunkbed” accommodations. Don’t even ask about the bathrooms and the showers…

Day 15, more driving, wildlife viewing and waiting. No tigers.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsPI (118 pics)

Day 16, we had enough, we hopped a bus and headed farther North. Haridwar the supposed spiritual capital of the region. We actually started traveling as a married couple here. On the banks of the Ganges we walked about throughout the market and bathed our feet in the sacred water. We again had to do our laundry in the buckets provided in the bathroom. Desperate to be clean from the time in the reserve and a 6 hour bus ride.

Day 17, Our first Ashram…sort of. We only stayed one night. Participated in a very strange Yoga class the next morning and generally relaxed. Our yogi insisted on taking a picture with me.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsPq (35 pics)

Day 18, we’d have stayed longer but the place was booked. Up the river we went to Rishikesh and Swarg Ashram where The Beatles wrote most of the White Album. This time we stayed at a *real* ashram and caught the evening fire ceremony. They do it every night at sunset and it lasts for about 2 hours.

Day 19, another day about Rishikesh and Swarg Ashram. This – is where all the European hippies go. We spent much time arranging the rest of the trip and swatting at flies. We opted for rafting and trekking.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsQS (61 pics)

Day 20, Rafting the Ganges. Yes, our guide flipped us on a class 3+ rapid. It was actually quite fun…

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsQw (13 pics)

Day 21 through 24 Trekking to Chandershilla Top, 4,000 meters (13,123 ft.) and about 30 kilometers. Some of the shots show us at the start of the trek looking off into the distance at the summit we were targeting. The trek was amazingly beautiful. The higher we got of course the colder and the more snow we had to deal with. Coming back down was the easy part. Slip on your rain gear and slide down on your butt! Fantastic sunset that night. The next morning we started back, 7 hour car ride back to Rishikesh, overnight bus to Delhi arriving at 5AM, 9:30 AM 10 hour flight to Munich followed by the last leg from Munich to San Francisco, 11 hours. We traveled from 9:30 PM San Francisco time to Sunday evening at 6:30 when we finally touched down in SFO.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsRW (250 pics)

The Summit and the decent.

share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsR0 (99 pics)

Amazing.

kurty[B] · 05-01-2007, 07:17 AM

Fantastic, haven't had time to go through too many of the photos, but sounds like you had quite the itinerary while there. Delhi being an "assault on the senses" is an understatement.

I hope I can make it back to India and spend much more time in the Himilayas. Thanks for sharing.

acostello · 05-22-2007, 01:29 AM

Lovely - Thoroughly enjoyed it.

05-01-2007, 07:09 AM	#1 (permalink)
Nazggul Psycho Location: San Francisco	India! If you'd like to see some shots of a recent trip I took to India have at it...there are almost 1,000 though! I actually cut that down from 2,200. -------------- There is a ton of photos so here’s a short synopsis and a link to relevant photo’s for each. Hope some of you find it interesting. We also have a few sound clips which are really interesting. Let me know if you want me to send them. Day one, walking tour of Bangalore…won’t try that again… Lounging in the botanical gardens. We were more of an attraction than anything there. “You, American, Money?” a group of three kids asked us. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsK- (32 pics) Day two, driving tour up to the palace of Tipu Sultan, the last major leader to resist the British. Also stopping at a Christian church and school, a hindu temple (known to us as the “temple of seared feet” since we literally blistered our feet walking to it), some huge hindu bull, and finally the palace. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsLY (23 pics) Day three work and dinner out in Bangelore. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsL6 (1 pic) Day four work and travel. Day five, perusing the sites of Kochi, a small fishing village on the south western coast. Spice packing warehouse, drying yard, tea, several temples (at this point we were still impressed by the temples…) share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsME (32 pics) Day six, exploring the sleepy backwaters of Allepey. If you want an experience, shed all inhibitions and get an authentic Ayurvedic massage at a real pharmacy. VERY strange experience. We ran into yet another Hindu temple and celebration with a group of amazing kids. That night we stayed in a homestay, the back room of someone’s home. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsMm (41 pics) Day seven, Departing early we rented a houseboat to lounge around the backwaters. Amazing seeing the life of the rice farmers up close and personal. Very humid…Very hot. We also rented a small canoe for a side trip into some of the smaller canals. Again, we met a bunch of amazing kids that all had this strange fascination with wanting a pen. “One pen please!?” is what we heard anytime we saw a kid. One actually tried to swim out to the boat to get one. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsNA (70 pics) Day eight, we drove south toward Varkala stopping along the way at a snake temple and another ancient palace converted to a museum. Amazing to think the women were never allowed to leave it or be seen in public. It was quite small… Day nine, beach, another Hindu temple and celebration. This was the only place we were able to see an authentic Kathekali (sp?) dance. Also, we were forced to do our own laundry as facilities were few and far between. Ask me sometime how 24hrs actually means 48 in Hindi. J Oh, and the only time you will ever see me with a goatee. Day 10, beach. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsNi (40 pics) Day 11, off to Delhi, travel day. Once in Dehli we actually tried to go to a small train station to buy tickets to Agra the next day. Ha, what a scene. Sorry, no pictures of that. Day 12, Agra, the “Baby Taj,” the Red Fort, the Taj more amazing kids. A horribly uncomfortable train ride back. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsOM (145 pics) Day 13, Dehli. Crowded, dirty, incessant and persistent touts. An assault on the senses from the moment we arrived. That night we took the overnight train to Ramnagar in the North. Arrived 5 AM. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsOu (5 pics) Day 14, after sleeping for about 3 hours we had some breakfast and coordinated a way into the heart of the Corbett Tiger Reserve to Dihkala. We drove in for 3 hours and safari’d another 3. No tigers. Accommodations could only be described as “squalor.” Some pics of our ”bunkbed” accommodations. Don’t even ask about the bathrooms and the showers… Day 15, more driving, wildlife viewing and waiting. No tigers. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsPI (118 pics) Day 16, we had enough, we hopped a bus and headed farther North. Haridwar the supposed spiritual capital of the region. We actually started traveling as a married couple here. On the banks of the Ganges we walked about throughout the market and bathed our feet in the sacred water. We again had to do our laundry in the buckets provided in the bathroom. Desperate to be clean from the time in the reserve and a 6 hour bus ride. Day 17, Our first Ashram…sort of. We only stayed one night. Participated in a very strange Yoga class the next morning and generally relaxed. Our yogi insisted on taking a picture with me. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsPq (35 pics) Day 18, we’d have stayed longer but the place was booked. Up the river we went to Rishikesh and Swarg Ashram where The Beatles wrote most of the White Album. This time we stayed at a real ashram and caught the evening fire ceremony. They do it every night at sunset and it lasts for about 2 hours. Day 19, another day about Rishikesh and Swarg Ashram. This – is where all the European hippies go. We spent much time arranging the rest of the trip and swatting at flies. We opted for rafting and trekking. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsQS (61 pics) Day 20, Rafting the Ganges. Yes, our guide flipped us on a class 3+ rapid. It was actually quite fun… share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsQw (13 pics) Day 21 through 24 Trekking to Chandershilla Top, 4,000 meters (13,123 ft.) and about 30 kilometers. Some of the shots show us at the start of the trek looking off into the distance at the summit we were targeting. The trek was amazingly beautiful. The higher we got of course the colder and the more snow we had to deal with. Coming back down was the easy part. Slip on your rain gear and slide down on your butt! Fantastic sunset that night. The next morning we started back, 7 hour car ride back to Rishikesh, overnight bus to Delhi arriving at 5AM, 9:30 AM 10 hour flight to Munich followed by the last leg from Munich to San Francisco, 11 hours. We traveled from 9:30 PM San Francisco time to Sunday evening at 6:30 when we finally touched down in SFO. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsRW (250 pics) The Summit and the decent. share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8IaNmzdqzcsR0 (99 pics) Amazing. __________________ "If something has to give then it always will." -- Editors

05-01-2007, 07:17 AM	#2 (permalink)
kurty[B] Sauce Puppet	Fantastic, haven't had time to go through too many of the photos, but sounds like you had quite the itinerary while there. Delhi being an "assault on the senses" is an understatement. I hope I can make it back to India and spend much more time in the Himilayas. Thanks for sharing.

05-22-2007, 01:29 AM	#3 (permalink)
acostello Crazy	Lovely - Thoroughly enjoyed it.