Final post

Since I'm back in the States now, no real reason to continue this blog right? Seems silly. Therefore I will just say that after having the foods I missed (including sourdough bread, Mexican, family's spaghetti) I'm ready to return to Asia. Alas, I don't think I will be back in the near future (ie the next couple years). Oh well, c'est la vie.

Today I dropped off the family suburu to get some work done on it. I got some french toast at a popular breakfast place nearby- Momma's Royal Cafe. Afterwards, I walked down to BART. While doing so, an AC transit bus drove by. I saw it pull over to a couple stops to let passengers off and pick some up. It made me sad. The process was so clean and straight forward. I nostalgically recalled the beat-up Dhaka buses with the dudes banging on the sides, calling out the destinations of the buses. It is much more entertaining that way.

I then thought, "well Sean, you hated walking down the streets because of the lack of sidewalks and all the obstacles in your path." True. But then I thought, "How many times did i long to be walking in Oakland, or anywhere in the USA when I was in South Asia? Not one time." I might have been a bit unhappy, but the craziness overcame the frustrating parts of the experience. That was true for many aspects of life over there. So it goes.

So now I prepare to move down to San Diego and start my studies at UCSD. The biggest reason I'm in this program is to make it easier for me to live and work in Asia. This trip has served as a reinforcement of that goal.

I guess that's it. woo hoo.

Damn you united, damn you!

My first leg of my trip back to CA was supposed to be SIN to HKG at 6:45 this morning. Because I am a cheap bastard sometimes, I decided to take a late subway train to the airport last night, and just hang out at the airport until check-in started at 3:45 AM. Well I had a nice surprise when I arrived at the airport: my flight was cancelled. Sweet. Of course no United employees are at Singapore airport at midnight, nor anytime before 3:30 AM. As a result, I had a fun time hanging out.

Now you've probably heard what a great airport Changi is. Well here's the thing: all the cool stuff (free internet, movies, a pool, showers, etc) is in the transit area, ie beyond check-in and immigration. the only thing remotely cool in the front area of the airport is the 24 hr food court where you can get beer. Speaking of beer, that is another thing I like about East Asia: beer is so accessible. Not to sound like an alcoholic or anything (I didn't have a beer at the food court, but I was considering it I admit).

Anyway, once the United people showed up, they told me I would be taking a cathay pacific flight to HKG, then taking United to SFO. Here's the prob: I now leave SIN at 10:30, shortening my time in HKG to 4 hours, and therefore preventing me from carrying out my original plan of taking a quick trip to HKG harbor. bastards.

Adios India, Hello Singapore

Yesterday got up at 4:45 to catch taxi to Delhi's airport (Indira Gandhi International in case you were curious about the name). Taxi turned out to be a mini-van. Driver decided I needed one last reminder of what I don't like about India and asked for a tip. Apparently he wasn't content with 20 rupees, so I just left it on the car seat and bid him good-bye.

Delhi's airport is, to be blunt, a dump. The Economist always whines about how bad India's infrastructure is. During my travels through the country, I thought, "Well for a poor country, it isn't THAT bad. I've seen worse." I also saw numerous highway projects and other infrastructure construction, so at least the Indian gov't is aware it needs to do something. Part of that work is a bit of remodeling of the Intl. terminal at IGI. They should just build a new terminal. It is ugly on the outside and inside.

On the other hand, Jet Airways, the airline I flew to Singapore, is great. I paid about 70 bucks more to use them instead of Air India. Best move I've made on this trip. You have your own little private tv screen that has video and music on demand. It didn't have quite the video selection Singapore Air or some of the big players have, but its video screens were the clearest I've ever seen on a plane. The food was some of the best airline food I've had, and the service was great.

Jet is starting Mumbai-NYC service on August 5th (via Brussels) and is hoping to have a Mumbai-San Francisco (via Shanghai) service sometime next year. That would be pretty sweet. Good luck Jet.

And now I'm in Singapore. I had a pleasant surprise when I got off the tram taking me from Terminal 1 to T2: my former co-worker Wee. She had asked when I was arriving here, but I wasn't sure if she was going to meet me. When I came out into the arrivals hall and didn't see her, I figured she wasn't going to. It just made the post-tram encounter that much more of a surprise.

From there, we went to my hotel, called Sleepy Sam's. I have to say it is one of the more "posh" budget places I've ever stayed. Quite stylish. It is just down a bit from Sultan Mosque, the most famous mosque in Singapore. Highly recommend it if you need a budget place here (25 Singapore Dollars for dorm room). Had a decent shower for the first time in ages. I feel so clean right now.

Today's plan: go to the zoo! shop! eat! yes, the quinessential Singapore experience- well the last two at least.

Final Days in India and Delhi

Since I had two days to explore Delhi, I decided to devote one day to New Delhi and one day to Old Delhi. Well actually it turned out to be half days for both. Yes, I am the ambitious, go out and see everything type. Right.

So New Delhi... I strolled around Connaught Circle, checking out the variety of shops and whatnot. I got a sandwich at subway. Shame on me- I know. I then headed down a tree-lined street called Janpath. It wasn't too exciting. Janpath led me to Rajpath, which was a bit more impressive. It was Delhi's Mall pretty much. At one end was "India Gate" which is India's version of the Arc de Truimphe. It was built by the Brits in honor of the Indians who died in WW I fighting for the British. At the other end of the mall is the President's house. It makes the white house look like a joke; to say the complex is grandiose is an understatement. I should note that the President in India is like our VP: pretty much powerless. Right nearby was Parliament, which might have been quite pleasant, but it was pretty hard to get close to it. I suppose that is what happens when a building is attacked by terrorists (as it was a few years ago). I am pretty sure Bangladesh's parliament building is more impressive though. Congrats Bangladesh, you better India in one way at least.

And today Old Delhi. I was there for about an hour. Old delhi doesn't look so old. I felt like I was in old dhaka, except without my friends. In other words, I found it to be pretty dumpy and not worth exploring except for a) the red fort b) the Jama Masjid (pictured above).

I approached the mosque in the wrong direction. As I was walking down the street, and the mosque came into view, I thought, "This is the largest mosque in India?? This is a joke." Alas, by the time I walked around the entire place, I realized I had come in from the side. Gates 1 & 2 made the mosque look that much more impressive. The stairs leading up it were packed with people and the mosque itself was filled with guys just chilling out.

After exploring the mosque, I decided I wouldn't find any other better highlight of old Delhi, so I headed back to the Metro. I should note that the Metro sells ticket cards that you can quickly scan at the turnstiles, and your fare is automatically deducted. this is pretty much universal in asian metro/subway systems these days. WHY THE HELL ISN'T BART DOING THIS?? Well it just started last spring, but it is in a trial run. Bloody India, a country with a yearly GDP per capita of $3,800 (according to the CIA) has a city with a more advanced subway system than one of the most cosmopolitan metro areas in the USA. It's a disgrace. Oh, and of course my cellphone worked on the Delhi subway. Does it underground on BART? At about 4 stations in SF, that's it. well done BART, WELL DONE. OK, let's get back to Delhi shall we?

Following my brief tour of Old Delhi, I headed back to Connaught Circle to grab some dinner. I've been to McDonald's, Subway, so what does that leave? KFC! Just kidding, I didn't go there. No, I went to a restaurant called the Banana Leaf, which serves south Indian food. Before tonight, I had never had South Indian food. Well if tonight's meal is average (or even slightly above average) for south indian food, I have to say it some divine stuff. Why the hell didn't I try this stuff earlier?? I had a masala dosa with a coconut sauce and some type of chutney on the side. Fantastic stuff, best Indian food I've had in this country. I also had a chocolate shake, which was quite tasty as well. Great last meal to have in India, I can tell you that much.

Following that, I hung out in the actual circle of Connaught. It has a number of small lawns, trees, bridges going over some small bodies of water, and a sitting area. Quite pleasant place to spend on a warm evening. I just hung out there for about an hour people watching. I really do not think there is any country better for people watching than India. There such a wide range of people that one can pass the time quite easily just looking at everyone else walking by. The best place to do it is in a railway station. I think everyone should do that at least once in their life- seriously. I guarantee you it will be one of the most memorable experiences of your life.

Anyway, I knew that after a bit, someone would want to talk to me. This time it turned out to be a student of tourism who graduates next winter. After chatting to him for a bit, I decided I should bid him adieu and check my e-mail to make sure I have a place to stay in Singapore.
And I do. staying at a place called Sleepy Sam's. I will be sleeping in a dorm room. Haven't done that since Bangkok.

So tomorrow morning I'm saying adios to India. I am honestly a little sad to be leaving. It would be fun to explore it a bit more. I will try my hardest to return in the future and explore the south (and that was a decision I made before tonight's dinner).

That's all for now.. Oh, some Indian dudes have just whipped out tall beers here at the internet cafe. Sweet!

During most of my travels, I have been alone. I generally don't mind and its upsides include following my own plan and not having to care about anyone else. Also, I am more "accessible" to locals. While I cannot be certain, I have a feeling more locals have approached me because I am alone. If I had a companion(s), people would feel more shy and intimidated to approach. I know I have had a couple experiences here that many other travelers have not had. While I would like to think it is beause I am special and skilled, I am pretty certain my solitude- and perhaps my friendly demeanor- is the root cause (yuck, that's a favorite term of my former supervisor, God help me). I also tend to go with the flow and see where things lead me; well on this trip I have at least.

Anyway, the one part I hate about being by myself is eating. I hate eating by myself in a restaurant. I have done it many times but it still isn't any easier for me. Supposedly one gets over a fear after doing it over and over. That hasn't happened for me in this case. Here is the problem: every restaurant presents a new fear for me. That is, if I go to a restaurant and feel reasonably comfortable, I can go again and again to that one restaurant with no problem. That is part of the reason I had a restaurant "rotation" in Yemen, and went to a couple select ones while living in Korea.

The problem while traveling, however, is you are always changing locations. You might feel comfy at a restaurant but who really cares because you're adios in a day or two.

What fears pop into my head? If it is a local restaurant (ie no or few tourists frequent it) then I have these fears:
1. The "procedure" fear. Do I sit at a table? Do I order at the counter? Which counter do I order at? This is more of an issue in Malaysia with its ubiquitous food centers than elsewhere.
2. Menu fear. Will they have a menu in English? Do they know any English?
3. Price fear. Will they overcharge me? This happened frequently in Egypt, except there I could read Arabic, and "stick it to them." I know I've been overcharged here in India. They only overcharge you 5-50 cents, but when your meal is a buck or less, that is a big mark-up. Throw in the fact they are taking advantage of your ignorance and you have some unhappy times.

My one fear at tourist restaurants? That I look like a loser since I'm all by myself. It is a juvenille fear, but it is there.

That is why I go to places like McDonald's and Barista, although the former also brings out an insecurity of mine (people will think I'm lame and can't handle the local food). If I had a travel companion, I would never go to McDonald's (but I would go to Barista for its tastey drinks). How does having a companion erase all those fears? Because it is much easier to look like a fool with someone else. Knowing you're not the only idiot around can be very comforting.

That being said, nearly every time after I finish a meal on my own here, I get this gigantic high and feel like I can do nearly anything.

3 lists

While in Manali, I had a lot of leisure time, and came up with some lists.

Reasons I Like Sikhs

1. You can go to a service in temple wearing shorts and a t-shirt and not look like a freak.
2. Men have to cover their heads too.
3. They allow anyone to enter their places of worship (unlike some Islamic countries)
4. Have free food centers, most notably 24 hr service inside the Golden Temple complex.
5. They provide free accomodation to anyone and everyone in the GT
6. They aren't shy about alcohol. In West Bengal and UP, liquor stores were hard to find. Punjab? No problem! They're all over the place. The family I stayed with right outside Amritsar has to be the first hosts I've had that strongly encouraged me to drink at dinner time. When I sipped my scotch and water, the boys shook their heads and said, "punjabis do it in one gulp." Well good for them.

Reasons I Like Punjabi Food More Than Bengali

1. More dairy products consumed. I had yougurt with nearly every meal. Perfect fit with the curries and whatnot.
2. Less rice, more bread. Actually now after a couple weeks in northern india, I am no longer so anti-rice.
3. Use spoons while eating, so hands less a mess after eating.

Ways Asia is Better Than USA

1. Food.
This applies to East Asia, and not so much South Asia. I have never had a bad meal in Thailand. Food that looks awful ends up being delicious. It is just not the quality, but the prices. Even in Singapore and Hong Kong, two places as pricey as the USA, you can find cheap eating centers that serve great food.
2. Transportation
In nearly every country I have been in, buses and/or trains go everywhere and anywhere. Even in India and Bangladesh, it might take forever to get somewhere, but at least there is some type of vehicle that is going there.
3. Their embrace of technology
I'll just leave it at this: it is pretty sad when Indian telecom companies provide more features than their American peers. Granted, I have found Airtel (the mobile phone co. i'm using here) to be a pain and pretty shitty, but it does provide services that American companies don't.

Manali and Delhi

This morning I arrived in Delhi. Back in the heat, pollution, and noise. On the plus side, Delhi has a Metro system that, after one ride on it, seems quite nice. I have today and the next two days to explore it. So far I have gone to Connaught Circle to pick up my plane ticket, gone to Barista (Indian version of Starbucks I guess you could say) and gone to an internet place. Yes, I've really dived into Indian culture today!

Anyway, I found Manali to be quite lovely. I really have no good stories to tell. I hiked here and there, read quite a bit, and just soaked up the cool, temperate weather. The scenery was quite nice too: small rivers with ice-cold water, mountains covered with pine trees, and even some snow capped mountains.

Also, Kullu Valley (that's where Manali is situated) is the first place I can recall where I have seen cannabis growing all over the place. Apparently it is the 2nd biggest crop in the region; apples are #1. Maybe that is one reason why some travelers end up being there for quite awhile. One English couple I met had been there for a little over 3 weeks. In their defense, they were taking a yoga class.

Finally, I found the 16 hr bus ride to be all right. I got a "sleeper" seat which allowed me to stretch out. I think I was able to sleep as well; if not then my energy level right now is quite impressive. My guidebook said I would be dropped off by the New Delhi train station. I, and the other western travelers on board, thought we were close to the Main Bazaar road, which is where most budget lodging is. Therefore, when the rickshaw drivers were asking for 100 rupees, we were quite aghast. since no one was willing to go below that price, I hopped in with two Israelis and went with them to a hotel that they had heard about.

Well it turned out we dropped off in the boondocks of northeast Delhi. Took about 30 minutes before we reached our hotel; I joked to the Israeli girl that she had gotten a better price than we had thought. I should also credit the Israeli couple for knowing about this hotel. I'm paying 250 rupees (little over 6 bucks) for a room with its own bathroom, a tv, and an air cooler. Not bad for central delhi.