The magesty of Triund

Our Journey and Unforgettable Adventures in Triund India

Environment, Festivals, PlacesLeave a comment

I’ve been home for a week now from Triund and my legs still hurt. What’s worse is that my heart aches to go back. I think I may have left a part of me behind in those Himalayan Mountains. Triund does that to a person. It’s an experience you will never forget, and here’s why.

I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating. The most beautiful places in India are the hardest to get to. Triund is a perfect example. Triund is basically a small camp area, about 10,000 feet up in the Himalayan Mountains. To get there, you have to first reach the town of Mcleodganj, India, then you must hike 9 kilometers straight up a mountain, which is why my legs still hurt.

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Making Friends in India

The One Word from a Hater in India That Sent Me over the Edge

CultureLeave a comment

You know that old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”  Well, that’s bull shit!  The wrong words, at the wrong time, can be emotionally devastating. Even those of us that are often considered strong and independent have our breaking point. I’m no exception. As embarrassed as I am to admit it, I recently had one of those moments when just one word from a hater sent me into a tail spin that lasted for days.

 

It hasn’t been easy adjusting to all the cultural differences in India.  The fact is, as much as I try to learn and adapt, I’m still an outsider here.  I’m reminded of it every day when people stare at me like some sort of monstrosity or don’t understand what I’m saying. Even if they do understand me, they often don’t understand my intent. I am constantly misunderstood and judged. It has been far more difficult to make friends here than I ever imagined.  I have finally managed to make a handful of friends, but it’s still a huge challenge to try not to offend each other or misjudge the other person’s behavior. I have been trying very hard to not be overly sensitive to such things, but the other day a hater said something to me that felt like a punch in the face!  Here is what happened. 

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The Beauty and Splendor of Udaipur, India (City of Lakes)

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Udaipur is in the state of Rajasthan and is a popular romantic destination. We flew IndiGo Airlines which is one of the domestic choices for flights within India. A quick hour and $100 USD for the ticket and we were there.

 

Lake Pichola

We checked into our quaint little hotel called Mewar Hevali, which cost only about $30 USD per night. It was colorful and comfortable and just about half a block from Lake Pichola.  The first thing we did was sit down on the guard (stairs going down into the lake) and just take in the sounds and beauty of the picturesque scenery.  I can tell you that after being in Delhi, the sights and sounds of a lake, along with the blue sky, moved me to tears. We watched a woman wash her laundry in the water and a couple of people came down to bathe.  I saw a small fishing boat with two fisherman checking their nets. Later that evening we watched the sunset from a rooftop restaurant called the Rainbow Restaurant. It soon became our favorite place for Masala Chai Tea and Poray (pronounced Poor Awe). It’s a southern Indian rice dish made with flattened puff rice and spices. So good!

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Celebrating Gandhi’s Birthday in India

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October 2nd is Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday and a national holiday in India.  This year I had the honor of being in India on the special day known as Gandhi Jayanti.  Unfortunately I was feeling under the weather (literally, the pollution was getting to me) but I celebrated it anyway by watching the movie Gandhi on cable television and by following the other celebrations throughout the city.

The India people call Gandhi Bapu, which means father in Hindi.  He is considered the father of the nation, and for very good reason.  Few people have had such a profound influence on a nation as Mahatma Gandhi has on India.  He championed the resistance against Britain for independence and after decades of peaceful protests resulting in imprisonment, cruelty and genocide of the Indian people, the nation finally was granted independence on August 15th, 1947. 

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