Life is the path you beat while you walk it

The above words of wisdom by poet Antonio Machado somehow describe our journey, we think. The route that we actually have travelled (bottom of this post) differs ... quite a bit from the one we initially had in mind (see first post of September). Erlend says this is only good, as it shows that we have indeed travelled where we really have wanted to go. Making a plan does not mean that it has to be kept all the way but that the NOW always invites new opportunities, he says. Trond accords. Here in Calangute, Goa there are still no huge hotels. Add to it the effects of global recession and you get a very quiet, easygoing atmosphere that suits us at this point. Our nervous systems have no doubt taken a beating by traveling about by trains, cars, motorbikes and three-wheelers. In about two weeks we return to Scandinavia from Delhi. Until then we may as well remain here. Here is why:

Calangute Beach, Goa

So long.

The updated map that shows where we actually have traveled, click on it for a closer look.

Robbed at gunpoint

We were robbed twice on the day actually. The first one was kind of ... sweet. We were shopping for water near the Yamuna river at Vrindavan on Wednesday when the shopkeeper suddenly pointed to Trond's spectacles and said something in Hindi about being careful and monkey. In a split of a second something very fast grabbed the spectacles off Trond's nose and they were gone. High up in a tree outside of the shop a monkey showed them off and even took bite of one of their tips, as to inform us both of the potential barter item -- food -- and what would happen to the specs if we did not get the drift. Then the men there went through their routine and threw up bisquites to the animal who landed the specs gracefully into the hands of a person on the ground from about 7-8 meters up. Apparently this sort of thing is very common in Vrindavan and elsewhere, the monekeys are very shrewd – and do you know the people there are taking after them, the guy who threw up food to the moneky also wanted money from us!

Monkey-bitten, still usable

The second robbery was more sinister. It took place a short while later when we had wandered bit along the very peaceful banks of the Yamuna onto a particularly charming area where there were only a few cows and occaisonal some herdswomen. Suddenly two men popped out from behind shouting that they had "moneyproblem" with one of them producing something that looked like an old pistol to us and pointed it towards us. Trond thought it must be a fake and started to quarrel with them. The man without a gun, who looked a bit strong, searched Erlend's pockets and took whatever money he found there and a neck silver chain. The man with the gun and Trond got into a physical squabble and a shot was fired directly at Trond from some five meters. Either it missed or the gun was fake but Trond got worried that they also may have knives. So he too gave up whatever money he had but refused to let them have the mobile and passports. By now the robbery had lasted a few minutes and it seemed the robbers were satisfied with the cash they had managed to extract so they started a retreat into a nearby village and went on to to run. We ran after them and they again pointed the gun at us so we decided to leave it there.

Between robberies on the banks of Yamuna

Afterwards we proceeded to a nearby police station only a few minutes away to file a report. They took Erlend on a bike down to the river to determine where the incident had taken place. On way the sub-inspector halted a few times to beat up taxi drivers who carried too many passengers with them. He had a large stick whch he used most actively for that purpose. When this devoted policeman finally reached the river much nearer to the city than where the robbery actually had taken place he promptly decided that the spot where we had been robbed was outside of his geographical jurisdiction. He simply let Erlend off the bike and adviced him to take the matter to another station accross the river and told him to walk back on foot to the police station where Trond waited. We then decided it was better for us not to trouble the police with the matter. The only useful thing we got from our visit to the police was an information from a guard there who said one should walk in a group of at least four or five persons when visiting the Yamuna river in these places, never go alone or only two as it is a dangerous place. But we had not seen any posters or notices about it and the hotel personel also did not warn us when we had asked them about directions in the morning.

Well, we are safely back in Delhi now frm where we will fly to Goa tomorrow. When visiting Singapore and Malaysia earlier we rested very well and thoroughly enjoyed the tropical climate and environment. The island of Pangkor in Malaysia had dreamline beaches where we swam; the rest of it was easygoing, most and beautiful and cheap. Back in Singapore we could relax with margiis and even go for a tremendous morning walk in a particularly rolling natural area at the highest point of Singapore, very nice before returning to India. So long.

Silent witnesses

Post Varanasi

Varanasi (Benares, Kashi) is an ancient town with a rich spiritual history. It is said that if you die there you will not need to be reborn and a dip in Ganges there will earn you the same. But to tell you the truth, Ganges looks so much more inviting much further up, north of Rishikesh where we were earlier, than at Varanasi these days. On the whole we were not enchanted. The pressure on foreign tourists is just huge here, there isn't a place where you are left in peace for touts who want to take you to hotels or into their shops. Then the annual Mahaotsva music festival that we had been looking forward to. But we found it wasn't up to our expectations; mediocre musicians, singers and dancers. The quality was so much more better at the annual Soorya festival in Thiiruvananthapuram in Kerala the month before, from what we could understand. But that is only our poor understanding.

Anyway, after six eventful and momentous weeks in many parts of India we took stock -- and left for Malaysia where we are now; in sweet Ipoh north of the capital Kuala Lumpur (KL). Today we visited the Gua Tempurung cave, which is really awesome, the biggest cave in these parts of the world. It was a huge experience of what nature is able to create, an immense internal mountainous world. Try to see a video on YouTube or go to the homepage.

On Monday Nov 9 we visited the Batu caves outside KL. That was a big spiritual experience, a fantastic natural temple in the form of huge caves with various internal domes. Most probablyHindu mystics have meditated there since ancient times and these days there are South Indian temples and observances there. Breathtaking! Once upon a time the India Reich stretched down South East Asia to include Thailand (Siam is a localized form of Shyam Desh which means "The Land of Krishna"), and all the way down to Singhapur ("Lion City") and beyond. All you people who travel to Thailand, beware if you meet the king there because he will speak with you only in Sanskrit. Now, today the Chinese have made their definite stamp on Malaysia, where they conduct much of the business of everyday life, while the Malay people are taking care of govt. and municipal administration; that's what we've been told anyway.

Malaysia is soooo green and fresh and well kept. The roads we've seen are better than Scandinavia's and it is a pleasure to travel here -- so much less stressful than in India, which is really a difficult country to move in mostly due to the acute overpopulation and lack of govt. control, or should we say interest, in ordinary peoples life and circumstances, most probably.

Tomorrow we will visit the island of Pangkor, which is a coastal resort, and stay there a couple of days before returning to Singapore, where we flew in from Delhi, to return to India next week.

Oh, for those of you who are interested in pure vegetarian food we forgot to mention one thing: In these parts of the world we get delicious pure vegetarian food at Chinese Buddhist vegetarian restaurants. They are everywhere and they don't mix onions, garlic and eggs into their preparations. We only have to choose dishes without mushroom -- and it is a feast every time! With lots of lightly woked greens and other veggies, steamed, fried and what not tofu, mock duck, sweet and sour pork, fish, etc., everything vegetarian and very TASTY in all sorts of sauces of various colors and hues! The selections of fresh fruit drinks and other delicious sentient fluids are also overwhelming. Nice kitchen! The Indian restaurants here in Malaysia and in Singapore are also much better at our kind of food than those in India itself, we find. Here the Indians really listen and prepare properly, while the standard in India has gone down much in recent years. Most restaurants in India who advertise "PURE VEGETARIAN" are not at all pure and offer non-veg as well. The lowest point came in Chennai where we were attracted by a posh looking establishment advertising "Jain food" which is really the epitome of pure vegetarian food in India. But what we were served there was full of onion and garlic. So we had to scold them for both degrading the noble Jain tradition as well as not respecting our humble wishes, and ended up with something a bit poor after having had to wait for some time more.

So long.