Namaste, all!
I realize this will be arriving a bit early, but I wanted to send out some love to all of you in celebration of Thanksgiving (as it is actually the night of for me).
Being here in the noisy, polluted (yet still somehow tropical and beautiful in the paradoxal way that India is) city of Trivandrum awaiting our flight to Goa tomorrow morning, I can't help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude....for the opportunity I've had to experience all of the wonders of travel, to meet such an array of amazing people on the way, and to have such a solid group of extraordinary friends and family members to return home to next week.
...yup, that's right.....NEXT WEEK! I suppose I'll shamelessly admit that I have officially run out of money, and have to cut my trip short by 2 weeks. Typical, right? :) Although I'm actually finding it a bit of a blessing in disguise, as I will still have a full week to laze on the beaches of Goa before I head home. I've been fighting off a nasty cold for the past week or so, and the wear and tear of travel is definitely starting to take it's toll, so I think my return will be timely and highly anticipated on my end. If I'm lucky, maybe I can still catch a few scraps of leftovers from Thanksgiving.....................who am I kidding with my brothers and their appetites! :)
Anyhow, folks, I thought I'd keep this email relatively short and leave you all with some of the things I'm greattful for after traveling around India for 3 months:
-First and foremost, my family for being so supportive of my seemingly senseless dreams and ambitions, and moreso for inspiring me to pursue them with abandon. Each and every one of you is a blessing in my life, and I would surely not be who I am (and certainly where I am) without all of your love and support. I can't wait to see you.
-My friends of every history and calibur...I can't help but look at this list of people who I've been boring with my ridiculously long emails and think how fortunate I am to have such a group of extraordinary people to call my friends. You all embody qualities of beauty and greatness that have touched my life in so many different and profound ways, and I feel infinitely proud to have you in my life. Hearing from you all throughout my travels has kept me sane and grounded and I can't wait to come back and share all my crazy stories with you all (and hear what you've all been up to).
-The people I've met on my travels...from the kids at Ramana's, the other volunteers who became my dear friends, my travel partners, my Lotus House family, my Vipassana co-survivors, the beautiful Israelis, Kristin, and all the other wonderful people who came into my life a bit more briefly...I feel so lucky to have met you all, and hope that we will stay in touch. You will always have a home in California (or wherever I may be).
-The opportunity to travel.....being here in India I have met so many Indian people who are so awestruck by Western tourists. They bombard you with questions that seem, at first, a bit invasive, asking about your quality of life back home, how much money you make, your family, how much it cost you to come to India, etc. They ask about where you've been in India, and once you delve a bit deeper into the conversation, you will - more often than not - learn that they have never even left their hometown, let alone their state or country. They talk about how they could only dream of visiting the Western world to see what life is like outside of the chaos of India. We are SO lucky to have the opportunity to travel the world and experience life in other countries and cultures that are so vastly different from our own. It is an experience that only opens one's eyes to the diversity of human life around the world, but ultimately reveals the oneness of humanity. I urge all of you to take advantage of this opportunity to whatever extent you can. It really is a gift unlike any other.
-The comforts of the Western World.....while traveling is a blessing, it also helps reveal just how lucky we are back in the States (or other Western countries), and how our standard of living is truly exceptional. Some simple things we take for granted that I am right now sorely missing include hot water, drinkable water, grocery stores, peanut butter, real cheese, vegetables other than tomatoes/cucumbers/onions (that's all they have here), spring mattresses, washing machines and DRYERS!!!!!!!!!!, traffic laws that are actually enforced, hot tubs (best invention EVER), higher education, power that stays on the whole day, the ASPCA and other animal rights activists, accessible immunizations for deadly diseases, Whole Foods and Trader Joes, sushi, personal space, ice, margies, smoothies, air conditioning, tofu, Shirley Wongs, good Mexican food, gyms, El Coyote Fridays, Cat & Fiddle nights, and all the other little day to day things that we roll our eyes at that really aren't all that bad at all.
-Finally, I'm thankful that our country seems to be taking some positive steps forward with the outcome of the recent Congressional elections. It definitely eases my mind a bit to return home knowing that there may be hope of stopping the powers that be from wreaking more havoc on the world. The newstands here are just as full of headlines about the elections, and even the rickshaw drivers ask me about it almost every day. It's scary to think how much of an affect we have on the world at large, but empowering to know it may be possible to turn things around and hopefully make a POSITIVE impact going forward.
Anyway, folks, I guess it was a bit longer than expected, but nonetheless...Happy Thanksgiving to you all. I love you all, and can't wait to see you soon. And to those of you I won't be seeing soon....much love to you wherever you may be!
Much love
Cass
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Mass Email - Paradise Found
Namaste all...
Well, I am now more than 3/4 of the way into my journey, with less than a month left in India!! It's quite hard to believe, as it seems the time has flown by, but at the same time, I feel as though I have lived a lifetime of experiences throughout my travels.
Arriving in the south was exciting, as this is the "vacation" part of my trip, but also a bit bittersweet to know that I am on the last leg of my travels, and already have so many warm memories to look back upon.
My time in Kochi was short but extremely positive. On my first day there, I met several very nice people with whom I shared some traditional Keralan ceremonies, as well as some traditional Keralan meals. One of the girls, Kristin, an adorable young woman from Australia (who has been living in the UK for the past 4 years) and I became close friends very quickly, and after spending a few days exploring Kochi together, we decided to take a 10 day trip further south down the coast together to spend 2 nights at Amma's Ashram, and the remainder of the time in Varkala Beach, and then fly up to Goa on the 24th.
Kochi (aka Fort Cochin) was a very peaceful ("shanti shanti" as they say here in India) small town located close to the Ocean with quite a few smaller islands off the coast (which, unfortunately, I never got a chance to see). It was the perfect combination of a small town feel with amazing tropical weather, complete with swaying coconut trees, colorful birds, fresh fish to eat, and the most incredible tropical storms that hit every night like clockwork for about an hour, lighting the town with flashes of lightning and sending thunder echoing down the alleyways. The town was small enough that one could walk around safely without getting lost, and tended to run into the same people every day, which is nice when traveling alone. I stayed at this small, family-run homestay called Wilson's Homestay, and quickly became very close friends with Wilson's mother and their "servant," Asha. I would spend hours in the mornings with them, helping them make breakfast, helping them with laundry (which is quite a task in India, let me tell you) and talking to them about anything and everything we were able to communicate between my lack of Hindi and their lack of English skills. They, like most of the women I've found here in India, were absolutely magnificent people with such warm hearts and an openness unlike any found in the states in most cases. They cried when I left, and begged me to write and send them photos of the 3 of us that I had taken with my camera. A beautiful time..
Kristin and I caught a taxi to Alleppey, a town about an hour south of Kochi, where we caught our backwater ferry the next morning to take us to Amma's Ashram. The 6 hour backwater ferry ride was surreal, as I felt I was drifting through a picturesque postcard or National Geographic documentary. Kristin and I talked about how easy it is to become desensitized to the beauty around us, as it really is quite unreal, yet all encompassing. We watched as incredibly-constructed bamboo houseboats drifted past us, tourists waving as the Indian men steered the boat along with very long bamboo rods they used to push from the bottom of the rivers. We caught snapshots of people's lives as we passed homes, schools, towns, women doing laundry, people bathing, workers in the fields, and children screaming from the shores asking us for pens.
We stopped halfway for lunch at the only building constructed on the land we were passing which was a restaurant apparently run for the sole purpose of feeding ferry passengers. They served us all traditional Keralan dishes on banana leaves....a huge pile of rice, several curries, a fried fish, and a quarter of a pineapple....all of which we had to eat "Indian style" with our fingers, which was interesting to say the least. The food was delicious though.
We arrived at Amma's Ashram around 4, and were amazed to see that it was an ENORMOUS highrise in the middle of miles and miles of coconut trees, rivers, and the ocean on the western side. It was quite an impressive facility, and the atmosphere was quite a bit to take in, as over 2000 devotees live there, walking around in their bleached white saris. There was a huge temple in the middle, surrounded by buildings housing visitors, as well as many shops, cafes and support centers. We had to do "seva" (service) in order to stay there, so we ended up doing dishes in the Western cafe and meeting some very nice (but very fanatical) devotees from around the world who had been living there for many years. We spent the rest of our time meditating, and watching the sunsets from our 15th floor view looking out over the ocean which lay a mere 300 feet in front of us. It was spectacular.
Yesterday we departed Amma's and arrived here in Varkala Beach, which is truly Paradise Found. We are staying at an oceanside guesthouse hidden among coconut trees with perfect little balconies facing the ocean, and absolutely everything we could possibly need within a stone's throw of us (restaurants, yoga centers, a German Bakery, internet, a beauty center for pedicures, massages and facials, shops, tailors, and most importantly a private beach along the legendary North Cliffs of Varkala). Today it has been raining all day, impeding our beach time, but making for a perfect opportunity to sit out on our balconies watching the ocean and catching up on some reading. Tomorrow I start a 3-day cooking class at one of the restaurants next door where I learn how to make traditional keralan thalis (which we sampled last night and are AWESOME)! I'm really excited to stick around here for a week or so before heading to Goa, and I'm even toying with the idea of staying for 2 weeks, and spending my last 2 weeks in Goa rather than having the extra week to leave open. We'll see, though...one never knows what will happen....the joy of traveling. :)
For now, I am soaking up the paradise around me, and enjoying my final days in India, awaiting what will come along next....
I hope everyone is well at home. It was great talking to some of you the past few days. I can't wait to get a chance to see you all in a month or so.
Much love,
Cass
Well, I am now more than 3/4 of the way into my journey, with less than a month left in India!! It's quite hard to believe, as it seems the time has flown by, but at the same time, I feel as though I have lived a lifetime of experiences throughout my travels.
Arriving in the south was exciting, as this is the "vacation" part of my trip, but also a bit bittersweet to know that I am on the last leg of my travels, and already have so many warm memories to look back upon.
My time in Kochi was short but extremely positive. On my first day there, I met several very nice people with whom I shared some traditional Keralan ceremonies, as well as some traditional Keralan meals. One of the girls, Kristin, an adorable young woman from Australia (who has been living in the UK for the past 4 years) and I became close friends very quickly, and after spending a few days exploring Kochi together, we decided to take a 10 day trip further south down the coast together to spend 2 nights at Amma's Ashram, and the remainder of the time in Varkala Beach, and then fly up to Goa on the 24th.
Kochi (aka Fort Cochin) was a very peaceful ("shanti shanti" as they say here in India) small town located close to the Ocean with quite a few smaller islands off the coast (which, unfortunately, I never got a chance to see). It was the perfect combination of a small town feel with amazing tropical weather, complete with swaying coconut trees, colorful birds, fresh fish to eat, and the most incredible tropical storms that hit every night like clockwork for about an hour, lighting the town with flashes of lightning and sending thunder echoing down the alleyways. The town was small enough that one could walk around safely without getting lost, and tended to run into the same people every day, which is nice when traveling alone. I stayed at this small, family-run homestay called Wilson's Homestay, and quickly became very close friends with Wilson's mother and their "servant," Asha. I would spend hours in the mornings with them, helping them make breakfast, helping them with laundry (which is quite a task in India, let me tell you) and talking to them about anything and everything we were able to communicate between my lack of Hindi and their lack of English skills. They, like most of the women I've found here in India, were absolutely magnificent people with such warm hearts and an openness unlike any found in the states in most cases. They cried when I left, and begged me to write and send them photos of the 3 of us that I had taken with my camera. A beautiful time..
Kristin and I caught a taxi to Alleppey, a town about an hour south of Kochi, where we caught our backwater ferry the next morning to take us to Amma's Ashram. The 6 hour backwater ferry ride was surreal, as I felt I was drifting through a picturesque postcard or National Geographic documentary. Kristin and I talked about how easy it is to become desensitized to the beauty around us, as it really is quite unreal, yet all encompassing. We watched as incredibly-constructed bamboo houseboats drifted past us, tourists waving as the Indian men steered the boat along with very long bamboo rods they used to push from the bottom of the rivers. We caught snapshots of people's lives as we passed homes, schools, towns, women doing laundry, people bathing, workers in the fields, and children screaming from the shores asking us for pens.
We stopped halfway for lunch at the only building constructed on the land we were passing which was a restaurant apparently run for the sole purpose of feeding ferry passengers. They served us all traditional Keralan dishes on banana leaves....a huge pile of rice, several curries, a fried fish, and a quarter of a pineapple....all of which we had to eat "Indian style" with our fingers, which was interesting to say the least. The food was delicious though.
We arrived at Amma's Ashram around 4, and were amazed to see that it was an ENORMOUS highrise in the middle of miles and miles of coconut trees, rivers, and the ocean on the western side. It was quite an impressive facility, and the atmosphere was quite a bit to take in, as over 2000 devotees live there, walking around in their bleached white saris. There was a huge temple in the middle, surrounded by buildings housing visitors, as well as many shops, cafes and support centers. We had to do "seva" (service) in order to stay there, so we ended up doing dishes in the Western cafe and meeting some very nice (but very fanatical) devotees from around the world who had been living there for many years. We spent the rest of our time meditating, and watching the sunsets from our 15th floor view looking out over the ocean which lay a mere 300 feet in front of us. It was spectacular.
Yesterday we departed Amma's and arrived here in Varkala Beach, which is truly Paradise Found. We are staying at an oceanside guesthouse hidden among coconut trees with perfect little balconies facing the ocean, and absolutely everything we could possibly need within a stone's throw of us (restaurants, yoga centers, a German Bakery, internet, a beauty center for pedicures, massages and facials, shops, tailors, and most importantly a private beach along the legendary North Cliffs of Varkala). Today it has been raining all day, impeding our beach time, but making for a perfect opportunity to sit out on our balconies watching the ocean and catching up on some reading. Tomorrow I start a 3-day cooking class at one of the restaurants next door where I learn how to make traditional keralan thalis (which we sampled last night and are AWESOME)! I'm really excited to stick around here for a week or so before heading to Goa, and I'm even toying with the idea of staying for 2 weeks, and spending my last 2 weeks in Goa rather than having the extra week to leave open. We'll see, though...one never knows what will happen....the joy of traveling. :)
For now, I am soaking up the paradise around me, and enjoying my final days in India, awaiting what will come along next....
I hope everyone is well at home. It was great talking to some of you the past few days. I can't wait to get a chance to see you all in a month or so.
Much love,
Cass
Friday, November 10, 2006
Mass Email - Flying Solo in Kerala
Namaste all!
Ahhh...the life of a traveler....how it can change like a gust of wind....and so it has!
It has been many days and even more adventures since I've last written, so I suppose at least a synopsis is due.
Raydene and I spent about 10 days in Jaipur which, to me, was just a bit too many. Jaipur was an amazing city, but very large and extremely chaotic. We did, however, manage to do most of our Christmas shopping there, as it is the shopping capital of India (so we've been told), specializing in jewelry, clothing, shoes, fabrics, you name it. We also met some very interesting locals, a few of whom Raydene has become very close with. We used these connections to get good prices on jewelry, and - more importantly - to score some motorcycle rides to some more remote areas of Jaipur and outside the city. There were some amazing temples and forts in the surrounding hills which provided for some very scenic drives, idyllic sunsets and awesome photos.
After our over-stayed welcome in Jaipur, we ended up catching a ride on the back of the motorcyles of two rickshaw drivers we had befriended from Jaipur to take us the 3 hours to Pushkar, where we were to catch the famous Camel Festival. Despite having to spend most of the drive there slapping my drivers hands away from my leg and various other body parts, the drive was actually really amazing. We ended up leaving a bit late, which made for a perfect arrival into Pushkar, as we caught the sunset with the desert wind in our hair and the enormous, bright, red orb sinking slowly into the distant desert mountains. I reached for my camera to capture this scene, but decided to opt for a mental picture instead, as a photo could never capture the full gamet of the moment. It was, however, one of my favorites.
Pushkar was an incredible city, and I fell in love with it immediately. Raydene and I stayed at seperate hotels, as she had come with a "male friend" of hers from Jaipur, and I opted to stay out of such affairs. Therefore, I spent our 3 days in Pushkar happily exploring the city on my own, and ended up meeting some beautiful Israeli travelers my age with whom I became very close and spent the majority of my time. It was a bit surprising, as most of the Israelis in India (of which there are MANY) tend to travel in groups and not generally interact with other backpackers, so I was pleasantly surprised to meet these 4 people who were open to (and actually prefered) travelers from other countries. We did a lot of exploring around the outskirts of the city, and managed to catch the famous sunsets on the lake every single night.
Pushkar is a rather small city which is centered around a small lake (thought to be a teardrop from one of the Hindi gods...I can't remember which). It is a holy city, so many people come to bathe in the ghats surrounding the lake, and during the camel festival (which is actually just a sideshow of a sequence of holy days) the pilgrims seemed to appear tenfold. Every night at sunset people would gather around the lake, as local men banged on drums, as if to welcome the setting sun to its rest behind the desert hills. During the festival, candles were lit on the steps around the entire lake, making for a picturesque scene as bathers and tourists basked in the warm glow reflecting off the water. These sunsets were some of my most cherished memories of my trip thus far.
On my last night, before leaving on my 10pm bus, my friends and I decided to climb one of the nearby hills to catch the sunset from the top. The walk took us about an hour, as we stopped quite often to take pictures and admire the view that became increasingly breathtaking as we climbed higher and higher. At about halfway, an old Indian woman with eyes that sparkled more than her bright blue sari smiled and grabbed my hand, and we walked together in silence for the rest of the climb, helping each other up the steep stone stairs that led to the temple at the top. She did not speak a word of english, so we did little more than smile at one another, but the gesture spoke volumes and it was one of the most beautiful connections I've felt.
We reached the top and hiked out past the temple to the cliffs looking West over the barren desert. The 5 of us, and one solitary sadhu, sat on serperate rocks in silence as we watched the sky turn red, and then violet as the sun dissolved into the dusty desert sky. It was spectacular, and a perfect farewell to my Israeli friends and to the magical city of Pushkar.
Our bus arrived in Jailsamer (eastern Rajasthan, about 200km from Pakistan) in the morning and we arrived at our hotel in time to eat breakfast and take a swim in the pool outside our door (a coveted luxury). Jailsamer was a quaint town with a beautiful but typical Rajasthani fort, but I dont think either of us felt a connection with the city like some we've felt with other cities we've visited, particularly in the north. We aquiesced to the tourist stereotype and decided to take a 2 day/1 night camel safari. The 10 hours or so spent on the camels were probably some of the most painful and uncomfortable I've ever experienced, but the desert scenes were unparalleled. We watched the sunset from the Sam Sand dunes, and I truly felt that I was in a National Geographic special, seeing the vastness of the windblown dunes (complete with dune beatles, which I got a kick out of) and watching yet another fantastic sunset in the desert. As we were riding into our camp, I looked east and saw a HUGE, red orb in the sky. I was confused, having just watched the sunset and having ridden through the dark desert for about an hour since. Then it suddenly occured to me that it was the night of the Purnima (full moon), and that I was, in fact, witnessing a moonrise that I couldn't have possibly dreamed up. Despite my sore ass, I rode in complete awe the rest of the way to camp.
We spent the remaining couple of days relaxing by the pool in Jailsamer, and then departed by bus to Amedhabad to catch a flight to Mumbai, and then on to Kerala (down south). I had gotten food poisoning the night before we left, so the 12 hour bus ride was not very enjoyable for me, but I was feeling better once we arrived in Mumbai, and we spent our 6 hour layover running errands and taking a brief tour of the city (which very closely resembles Miami in climate and surroundings). On the drive back to the airport to catch our connecting flight, Raydene and I decided that we were ready to part ways, and I continued on to Kerala on my own. The initial feeling of being alone in India once more was admittedly a bit unnerving at first, but once I got on the plane, I felt overwhelmed with freedom and excitement of the prospects of being on my own to do as I choose for the remaining 5 weeks.
So, here I am in beautiful and tropical Kerala!! I am currently staying in Fort Cochin (also known as Kochi) which is an adorable and colorful town, bustling with locals and toursits, and a 5 minute walk from the sea. Having just arrived late last night, I have been spending today exploring the town and getting to know the people in the area. I think I will end up staying here for about a week or so, and then possibly heading south to Kanyakumari (the very tip of India where three oceans converge), and then either back to Kerala or straight up to Goa.
For those of you interested, I have a new cell phone number down here which I'll probably have for the remainder of my trip (unless I have to change it again in Goa).
The number is: 9846898445
for those calling from the US, dial: 001-91-9846898445
For those calling from India, dial: 0-9846898445
I know it's tough for those of you at home, but I would LOVE to hear from anyone, especially being alone. It was great to talk to those of you who called (thank you!), and if you want I can give you a calling card number to use so it's free for both of us (incoming calls are free for me). Or, you can email me your phone number and I'll give you a call.
I hope all is well back home, or in your travels...wherever you may be.
Much love to all
Cass
Ahhh...the life of a traveler....how it can change like a gust of wind....and so it has!
It has been many days and even more adventures since I've last written, so I suppose at least a synopsis is due.
Raydene and I spent about 10 days in Jaipur which, to me, was just a bit too many. Jaipur was an amazing city, but very large and extremely chaotic. We did, however, manage to do most of our Christmas shopping there, as it is the shopping capital of India (so we've been told), specializing in jewelry, clothing, shoes, fabrics, you name it. We also met some very interesting locals, a few of whom Raydene has become very close with. We used these connections to get good prices on jewelry, and - more importantly - to score some motorcycle rides to some more remote areas of Jaipur and outside the city. There were some amazing temples and forts in the surrounding hills which provided for some very scenic drives, idyllic sunsets and awesome photos.
After our over-stayed welcome in Jaipur, we ended up catching a ride on the back of the motorcyles of two rickshaw drivers we had befriended from Jaipur to take us the 3 hours to Pushkar, where we were to catch the famous Camel Festival. Despite having to spend most of the drive there slapping my drivers hands away from my leg and various other body parts, the drive was actually really amazing. We ended up leaving a bit late, which made for a perfect arrival into Pushkar, as we caught the sunset with the desert wind in our hair and the enormous, bright, red orb sinking slowly into the distant desert mountains. I reached for my camera to capture this scene, but decided to opt for a mental picture instead, as a photo could never capture the full gamet of the moment. It was, however, one of my favorites.
Pushkar was an incredible city, and I fell in love with it immediately. Raydene and I stayed at seperate hotels, as she had come with a "male friend" of hers from Jaipur, and I opted to stay out of such affairs. Therefore, I spent our 3 days in Pushkar happily exploring the city on my own, and ended up meeting some beautiful Israeli travelers my age with whom I became very close and spent the majority of my time. It was a bit surprising, as most of the Israelis in India (of which there are MANY) tend to travel in groups and not generally interact with other backpackers, so I was pleasantly surprised to meet these 4 people who were open to (and actually prefered) travelers from other countries. We did a lot of exploring around the outskirts of the city, and managed to catch the famous sunsets on the lake every single night.
Pushkar is a rather small city which is centered around a small lake (thought to be a teardrop from one of the Hindi gods...I can't remember which). It is a holy city, so many people come to bathe in the ghats surrounding the lake, and during the camel festival (which is actually just a sideshow of a sequence of holy days) the pilgrims seemed to appear tenfold. Every night at sunset people would gather around the lake, as local men banged on drums, as if to welcome the setting sun to its rest behind the desert hills. During the festival, candles were lit on the steps around the entire lake, making for a picturesque scene as bathers and tourists basked in the warm glow reflecting off the water. These sunsets were some of my most cherished memories of my trip thus far.
On my last night, before leaving on my 10pm bus, my friends and I decided to climb one of the nearby hills to catch the sunset from the top. The walk took us about an hour, as we stopped quite often to take pictures and admire the view that became increasingly breathtaking as we climbed higher and higher. At about halfway, an old Indian woman with eyes that sparkled more than her bright blue sari smiled and grabbed my hand, and we walked together in silence for the rest of the climb, helping each other up the steep stone stairs that led to the temple at the top. She did not speak a word of english, so we did little more than smile at one another, but the gesture spoke volumes and it was one of the most beautiful connections I've felt.
We reached the top and hiked out past the temple to the cliffs looking West over the barren desert. The 5 of us, and one solitary sadhu, sat on serperate rocks in silence as we watched the sky turn red, and then violet as the sun dissolved into the dusty desert sky. It was spectacular, and a perfect farewell to my Israeli friends and to the magical city of Pushkar.
Our bus arrived in Jailsamer (eastern Rajasthan, about 200km from Pakistan) in the morning and we arrived at our hotel in time to eat breakfast and take a swim in the pool outside our door (a coveted luxury). Jailsamer was a quaint town with a beautiful but typical Rajasthani fort, but I dont think either of us felt a connection with the city like some we've felt with other cities we've visited, particularly in the north. We aquiesced to the tourist stereotype and decided to take a 2 day/1 night camel safari. The 10 hours or so spent on the camels were probably some of the most painful and uncomfortable I've ever experienced, but the desert scenes were unparalleled. We watched the sunset from the Sam Sand dunes, and I truly felt that I was in a National Geographic special, seeing the vastness of the windblown dunes (complete with dune beatles, which I got a kick out of) and watching yet another fantastic sunset in the desert. As we were riding into our camp, I looked east and saw a HUGE, red orb in the sky. I was confused, having just watched the sunset and having ridden through the dark desert for about an hour since. Then it suddenly occured to me that it was the night of the Purnima (full moon), and that I was, in fact, witnessing a moonrise that I couldn't have possibly dreamed up. Despite my sore ass, I rode in complete awe the rest of the way to camp.
We spent the remaining couple of days relaxing by the pool in Jailsamer, and then departed by bus to Amedhabad to catch a flight to Mumbai, and then on to Kerala (down south). I had gotten food poisoning the night before we left, so the 12 hour bus ride was not very enjoyable for me, but I was feeling better once we arrived in Mumbai, and we spent our 6 hour layover running errands and taking a brief tour of the city (which very closely resembles Miami in climate and surroundings). On the drive back to the airport to catch our connecting flight, Raydene and I decided that we were ready to part ways, and I continued on to Kerala on my own. The initial feeling of being alone in India once more was admittedly a bit unnerving at first, but once I got on the plane, I felt overwhelmed with freedom and excitement of the prospects of being on my own to do as I choose for the remaining 5 weeks.
So, here I am in beautiful and tropical Kerala!! I am currently staying in Fort Cochin (also known as Kochi) which is an adorable and colorful town, bustling with locals and toursits, and a 5 minute walk from the sea. Having just arrived late last night, I have been spending today exploring the town and getting to know the people in the area. I think I will end up staying here for about a week or so, and then possibly heading south to Kanyakumari (the very tip of India where three oceans converge), and then either back to Kerala or straight up to Goa.
For those of you interested, I have a new cell phone number down here which I'll probably have for the remainder of my trip (unless I have to change it again in Goa).
The number is: 9846898445
for those calling from the US, dial: 001-91-9846898445
For those calling from India, dial: 0-9846898445
I know it's tough for those of you at home, but I would LOVE to hear from anyone, especially being alone. It was great to talk to those of you who called (thank you!), and if you want I can give you a calling card number to use so it's free for both of us (incoming calls are free for me). Or, you can email me your phone number and I'll give you a call.
I hope all is well back home, or in your travels...wherever you may be.
Much love to all
Cass
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