Older, wiser and far more worldly

It's been precisely one month since Kerryn and I were basking in the fires of the Indian summer. We've noticed coincidentally or otherwise, that a number of close friends have expressed a very keen interest in visiting the vivaciously vibrant and vastly spiritual sub-continent, so we've decided to compile a short list of 20 of the most important lessons that we've learnt.

Lessons learnt during our 3.5 month epic adventure

1.   Just because it’s on the menu, it doesn’t mean that it’s available (i.e. on most occasions you will need a plan “B” ready to go).

2.   There’s no such concept as queuing in India, rather a “line” resembles more of a rugby scrum.

3.   When the waiter says, “it’s just a little bit spicy,” he really means that your dinner will burn you from the inside-out into a cinder.

4.   You don’t have anything on your face, starring is simply a national Indian pastime.

5.   Women are made of glass in India, they can’t expect any acknowledgement. Taxi drivers and hoteliers alike address Deep only to be responded to by Kerryn.

6.   Take a nose plug into any public toilet, trust me…

7.   The purest air in the world is found near Mount Everest, though there isn’t a whole lot of it.

8.   Mathematical rule of shopping in India: quoted price divided by 3 = real price.

9.   If a tuk-tuk driver asks if you want to visit an independent carpet shop and you say “no,” you will still end up going there.

10.   Don’t trust camel drivers to cook your dinner in the desert. Kerryn’s belly will attest to the results of failing to adhere to this rule.

11.   Dancing is reserved for men. As is holding hands.

12.   Flights leave early or not at all without any warning or notice. Never expect it to leave at the scheduled time.

13.   The smallest denomination of currency in India is the lolly. One and two rupee coins are in short supply so gum or lollies are used to pay back the smallest change.

14.   There’s no personal space in India, anywhere. Be prepared to get well acquainted with your fellow travelers armpits when using a local train.

15.   Just because a fish is brilliantly coloured, it doesn’t mean that it won’t chase you all the way back to shore. Kerryn was less scared snorkelling with reef sharks in the Maldives than with the Titan Trigger fish.

16.   In Indian airports, one's bags will be scanned 3-4 times while in Nepal one will be frisked about 43 times. Even the janitor will scrutinise your boarding pass.

17.   Nepali and Tibetan locals are amongst the happiest and friendliest that either of us have ever encountered.

18.   Yak butter is like Aussie thongs – it can be used everywhere! Yak butter is widely used as a type of candle wax in monasteries as well as common Tibetan favourite – yak butter tea.

19. Never trust a monkey. He may be trained to steal the sunglasses off your face.
20. Two lanes have sufficient space for at least 3 vehicles. Don’t waste your money on rollercoasters, a trip through India and Nepal will get that adrenaline flowing.

With those hot tips in mind, we'd like to say a very big thankyou to all our friends and family for your lovely support during our adventure abroad. We really do hope you've enjoyed reading our blog as much as we've enjoyed writing and photographing for it.

A Slice of Paradise

Sea, sand and seclusion – just the remedy for the mind, body and soul after a fast paced epic adventure through the Indian sub-continent. Kerryn and I had not anticipated that our three-and-a-half months abroad would eventually lead us to the isolated tropical haven, better known as the Maldives but fate intended us to relax, recuperate and rest for ten magical days.

From the spectacular sapphire blue skies that swathed the crest of Mount Everest all the way down to the mesmerising cocktail of serene turquoise ocean, bleached white sands and luscious green palms of the tiny island of Helengeli, in the North Male Atoll in the Maldives – our odyssey was reaching deep into its final chapters.

It was only a couple of shorts skips from the mayhem and scorching May summer heat of New Delhi that lead us to the Male International Airport, unsurprisingly a whole lone-standing island in itself. Fittingly, we observed a local grounds-keeper busy at work near the terminal entrance – dozing during the humidity of the tropical afternoon within his wheelbarrow. If life was this easy-going for the locals, we believed that omens boded well for our little “getaway”.

A sleek looking sea-plane greeted us on the other side of the airport island and we were soon soaring over the play mat of tiny islands dotting the most glorious array of shades of blue that filled their spaces. Our home for the next ten days measured no more than 800 metres in length and 80 metres at its widest. Encircling the slither of milky sand and dense greenery was a crust of coral reef. Only six narrow channels allowed access to boats and snorkelers alike. The edge of the magnificent house-reef fell away into a royal-blue nothingness but accommodated an enchanted amalgamation of subsea flora and fauna. Fish encompassing every colour of the rainbow, coral that better resembled bushes from an alien world, inquisitive sea turtles and even the odd manta ray and white-tipped reef shark all called the house reef as home. Bi-daily snorkelling, as we would soon find out, would become our only form of exercise – the rest of the time would be spent doing a mixture of nothing and very little.

I was extraordinarily pleased to discover that the island was serviced by a reputable and efficient scuba-diving company that would scratch an itch that I’ve had for quite a while. It hasn’t been since Greece in the middle of last year that I’ve enjoyed sipping on compressed air while exploring a wetter type of wilderness. I was not to be disappointed – toasty 29 degree water was to be found  down at 30 metres, which meant that the aquatic life remained just as vibrant and numerous as at the surface. White-tipped sharks lurked in the deep blue as the group of scuba-divers descended down an underwater cliff-face. A stiff current reduced the work load as we ducked in-and-out of the vast caverns found etched into the living wall of vivacious coral and its inhabitants. Huge black snapper and many lobsters made these caves their homes and were not afraid to get up close to observe the bubble-blowing intruders. As we ascended at the completion of the dive, I noticed a majestic sea turtle feeding off top reef, blissfully unaware that it was under keen observation.

Much of our time was spent relaxing under a palm tree in our deck chairs enjoying a fresh ocean breeze and sipping on delicious fruit cocktails. This was interspersed with frequent snorkelling escapades as Kerryn and I reconnoitred every inch of the house-reef. To Kerryn’s displeasure, the house-reef was home to plenty of Trigger Fish. These are no ordinary tropical fish mind you, they are prone to defending their nests with a vicious tenacity usually only seen by larger sea creatures. The islands notice boards made mention that should such a situation arise then the best solution is to show the Trigger Fish your fins. On more than one occasion, I found myself choking on the wake of Kerryn’s escape. So fast was her straight-line overarm that I would suggest Olympic freestyle might in fact be her true calling in life. Rather ironically, Kerryn remained exceptionally calm when a small white-tipped reef shark came within a few metres of her during our snorkelling safari.

Such was the level of privacy that our fellow holiday makers were barely seen during the day. Each beach-side bungalow had its very own private beach area that provided a level of serenity that Kerryn and I had longed for during our time in India. At dinner time, all the couples congregated in the large open, sand-floored, buffet restaurant. On one occasion a barbecue dinner was presented on an open section of beach under the brightly speckled-roof of the stars. It quickly became clear just why the Maldives is regarded as the honeymoon capital of the world.

Other than the largely Swiss and German patronage, thousands upon thousands of crazy crabs, rock crabs and sand crabs adorned all corners of the island during the dying hours of the day. A walk along the beach in the evening became a hazardous exercise as the minefield of scattering crustaceans fled at the golden glow of torch beam.

We left our tranquil, turquoise water world with relaxed bodies, rejuvenated minds, soothed souls and sand between our toes. The ten blissful days came and went like the footprints we left in the sand only to be swallowed up by the incoming tide. We have only a few more sweat-laden days to endure in the Indian capital before we can share all our new experiences with our beloved friends and family back home.

Namaste.

--Sandeep Fogarty

The Circle of Life

Varanasi, a sacred Indian town known as the gateway to death due to its religious ties to the holy Gangas was surprisingly teeming with so much life and vitality.

This renowned city is the final resting place for many spiritual Hindus who opt to be cremated on the river banks, their ashes washed away by the flowing current. This is a place where life and death merge into one. Children bathe in the blessed waters in an endeavour of escaping the stifling summer heat. To their right a traditional cremation ceremony takes place as the river lapse at the feet of a dead man’s body.

 Every evening thousands of people venture outdoors to watch the sacred Aarti ceremony, which takes place when the setting sun melts behind the Gangas. This is a unique event, which honours the ancient river Goddess, Ganga. Hundreds of boats carrying foreign tourists pull into the banks of the river each evening, as flower offerings and candles are placed into the holy waters.

Unfortunately due to its international appeal, touts are always on a look out to rip off unsuspecting tourists. One local man, who befriended Deep during the Aarti ceremony said it was disappointing that such a sacred event could be marred by local people trying to make an extra buck. But after four months of travelling throughout India, Nepal and Tibet, we had begun to learn the tricks of the trade and were increasingly desensitised to the haggling and persistence of the touts.

 Due to the intense heat which hit you like a wall of fire when you walked outside, we were only able to explore this unique city in the early hours of the morning or late afternoon. Everything you need to see here features along the Ganga river banks. One day we spent a few hours exploring the labyrinth of hidden walkways as large brick monuments tower from above.

One thing I would like to mention is despite everything we have seen and experienced along our travels, the most heart breaking for me has been the street dogs, which despite their outward appearance, I have grown to love. On our second last day in Varanasi, I met a little puppy which I named Rosey. I saw her watching life pass her by from the upper steps of a temple near one of the Ganga ghats. I walked over to her and was upset to see her skinny skeletal frame hunched over in fear as I approached. Tears welled in my tears as I saw how exhausted she was, slowly dying of starvation. A holy man yelled from afar, that the dog was close to death and to just leave it alone.

For those that know me, I have a very soft spot for dogs and was quite angry by the man’s lack of compassion, though like Deep stated, with a country ravished by poverty, a single starving puppy was not a high priority. Even though the rice, chicken and water I gave her might not save her life, I hope that it gave her enough strength to see another day.

The entire experience of Varanasi and been emotionally moving, being so close to death and suffering. When I walked away from Rosey, tears falling down my cheeks, we came across a newly born calf walking with its mother through a candle lit path. A coincidence, I think not, just my reminder of the cycle of life.

By Kerryn Anker

Captivating Chitwan

The stifling heat of the savannahs and the distant call of the wild elephants was our warm welcome to Nepal’s Royal Chitwan National Park.

A winding dirt road past vast green pastures, lead us through a small village to our hotel. It seemed absurd to Deep and I at first that we were situated in the very heart of this renowned wildlife sanctuary, buffalo grazing outside our hotel window and yet daily life continued as per usual for the town's people, who would dodge a herd of elephants walking down the main street and not blink an eyelid.

Our four-day wildlife adventure allowed us to get up close and personal with many animals, you normally only get the opportunity to see behind a glass wall at Australia Zoo. So to experience a real jungle safari, with our vantage point from the top of an elephant was a dream come true for both of us. Walking through the national park on this enormous creature, our eyes remained peeled for any sign of wildlife, in the hopes of spotting a rare Asian Tiger or rhino. After a few minutes walking through the dense jungle we were soon surrounded by the calls of nature and the faint squeals of excitement from foreign tourists who didn’t quite grasp the concept that to see a wild rhino, you needed to remain silent, otherwise the only one they would see was on a mural in the hotel reception. Silence has been a godsend for us after two months travelling through the hustle and bustle of India.

Thousands of tourists from all over the globe flock to this part of the world in an endeavour of getting a glimpse at a wild beast though as we soon learnt it really is a game of luck and being in the right place at the right time. On our second day in the national park we began our day by paddling down a fresh water river in a traditionally made canoe, spotting the odd freshwater crocodile sunning itself on the bank. After our canoe ride we ventured into the jungle as wild deer bounded past as at record speed. Everywhere you looked, the jungle consisted of some form of wildlife or rare species to be marvelled at.

One of the highlights of this trip was our visit to the elephant breeding centre, the second biggest of its kind in the world. We were fortunate enough to see two curious baby elephants who walked right over to Deep and I, demanding a good old back scratch. They walked up and down the fence that separated us from them, lapping up every bit of attention they could get.

By the afternoon, the jungle heat had taken its toll on us and we were led to the river bank where fully grown elephants waited for us to join them for bath time. This was an extremely unique and exhilarating opportunity, climbing on to their backs as they splashed us with cold spurts of water from their trunks. It was the perfect way to cool down after a day trekking through the jungle.

By day four, we had walked, cycled and rode an elephant around the entire national park and were even lucky enough to see a rare glimpse of a wild rhino bathing in the river. One of my fears when venturing into the national park was coming in contact with a hairy jungle spider. I made Deep check our room from top to toe, making sure there wasn’t one hiding in the bathroom. Luckily it wasn’t until we were leaving the national park that I saw one in the hotel restaurant, I guess he just came out to bid us farewell.

By Kerryn Anker

Picturesque Pokhara

It took an overcrowded local bus in stifling heat to get here, but the picturesque town of Pokhara was well worth the journey.

Lush rolling mountain ranges meet the fresh water lake shore, with trendy upmarket restaurants and cafes lining the main street. Pokhara is definitely a hub for international visitors who begin their trekking expeditions here. The town also offers a vast spectrum of activities from white water rafting and paragliding, to the simple pleasures of hiring out a row boat and exploring the many Buddhist temples (known as a Stupa) on the shore front.

This is exactly how Deep and I past the time, paragliding one day from the mountain tops to cruising down the lake the other. Our welcome to Pokhara began with a severe thunderstorm, including some heavy hail. Through the drizzle of rain we saw the outline of the lake, though it wasn’t until we woke to sunshine the next day that we saw why this town was a hot spot for holiday makers.

 After enjoying the highs that Pokhara had to offer with our paragliding experience one our second day, we decided to experience a bit of the night life that evening. We were pleasantly surprised by the array of musical talent the locals provided with a number of pubs and bars offering live performances. But it wasn’t until we ventured into a Nepali night club that we were really given the local experience.

To all my girlfriends back home who know how hard it is to drag a man on to the dance floor, well this place is the opposite. The men love to get their dancing shoes on and dance to…. remixes of Taylor Swift.

On our last day in Pokhara, Deep and I decided to relax and unwind by hiring out a row boat on the lake. Half way around the lake is a mountain climb to a Buddhist Stupa which overlooks all of Pokhara. From the shoreline it didn’t look too far, though two hours later we made it to the top, gasping for air. That’s right we are the couple who are meant to be conquering Everest Base Camp in a few short weeks.

 So we left behind Pokhara with wonderful memories and plenty of beautiful photographs. We now embark on our two week trek though Nepal so will be out of action from the blog until we return. We look forward to sharing our trekking stories with you all then.

By Kerryn Anker

Through the thick smog you find the real beauty.

Only three days in Nepal’s capital of Kathmandu and already the pollution is so intoxicating to our lungs, we are literally gasping for some fresh mountain air. With an estimated population of 700,000, it has been quite surprising to Deep and I that a city surrounded by the Himalayas could be so smog infused.

Kathmandu was always just going to be our base for our trekking expedition to the Annapurna conservation area, in central Nepal, though I must admit through the murky haze there has been some specks of beauty. The town centre is lined with stores filled with a colourful array of scarves, woollen socks, hats and jewellery and I was definitely in my element here.

The Buddhist temples and hill top shrines are breathtakingly stunning, laced in gold and Tibetan prayer flags. Though the stand out of this city for me was the people, who would continually greet you with a smile, offer assistance at every corner and not seem to want anything in return (this was a completely foreign concept for us). It hasn’t just been the men, the women are just as friendly wanting to know everything about us including where Deep and I met and whether our relationship is a “love based relationship” or an “arranged relationship.” We couldn’t help but laugh when we were asked this question by our taxi driver.

Even though we both don’t practice the Buddhist philosophy, monks were more than happy to explain their way of life, their prayers and meditations. Despite the cloud of thick smoke surrounding this city, you don’t have to dig too deep to find the pure beauty of the people. Deep and I hope that this is a sign of times to come on our travels through Nepal.

We are now off on our trails through the hills of the Himalayas and will hopefully update you in a week.

By Kerryn Anker

Off the beaten track

The hilltop town of Mcleod Ganj is one of the most picturesque and fascinating places we have seen during our travels through India, with its raging rivers deep in the valleys to the snow-capped Himalayas which tower from above.

McLeod Ganj is situated in the Himalayan foot hills north of the main city centre of Dharamsala. This town is quite unique as it offers both an Indian and Tibetan experience with hundreds of Tibetan refugees having fled from their country in the late ‘40s in an endeavour to escape Chinese persecution. Colourful Tibetan prayer flags are hung from the cliff tops, store fronts and rooftops providing blessings to the town and the people living there.

 

The air is crisp and fresh, with the smell of Tibetan momos now replacing the rich aromas of Indian spices. Despite the fact that we are still in India, you could easily be mistaken for being in Tibet, with shaven-headed monks walking the streets towards the Dalai Lama’s residency and the Indian presence now close to non-existent.

 

Deep and I spent close to a week exploring the hill tops, winding roads and alleyways of this town, as well as the surrounding villages. We spent an entire day uncovering the Buddhist philosophy by visiting Tibetan villages, monasteries and the Dalai Lama’s residence. Unfortunately we missed seeing him by only a few days. We also got the opportunity to explore the school where Deep went for a year when he was eight years old.

But none of these experiences compare to our adventure in the forest, a few kilometres out of a small village called Nadi. We decided on our last day in Mcleod Ganj to go for a walk to the river just below Deep’s old school. We began our journey just after lunch with our picnic bag and rug in hand. After a gruelling two-and-a-half hour trek through dense forest and a steep dirt track we made it to the river.

 

As the sun began to set we both came up with the bright idea that it would be a lot quicker to follow the river upstream than to walk back the way we came. At first it began as an exciting adventure, clambering over large boulders, making bridges across the raging river with rocks and tree branches. Though the further we went the more strenuous and dangerous the trek became. In some sections the river was moving too fast for us to cross so we had to trek up the side of the mountain on all fours.

It wasn’t until we could see the sun slipping from the sky that we started to realise we were running out of time in the race against the light. I tried to climb a large rock to get up the mountain side though I slipped and came crashing down into the water. When I look back now I can’t help but laugh at my stupidity, though at the time, falling into that freezing cold water was quite scary. Luckily Deep had a spare jumper in his bag which was quickly replaced by my soaking wet top. We decided to give up on following the river and head up the mountain side.

I’m not trying to be all Bear Grylls here, but there was no track to follow, nothing to cling on to, just a sheer cliff face and a decreasing amount of day light. Half way up the mountain we saw the lights of the hotel on the main road and we began to feel a lot more confident that we were almost there. However by this point we had completely run out of all day light and began the difficult task of blindly making our way to the top.

After hobbling on a sore knee and being cut from head to toe by tawny bushes, we finally made it to the main road. I have to say, I have never been so scared in my life and am extremely grateful to my amazing partner Deep who step-by-step helped me up the mountain, staying positive the entire way. I didn’t think I would have quite the adventure that Deep and I had that day, but the funny thing is we both said we wouldn’t take back the experience. Bring on Everest I say. (Just a little note to my parents, please don’t worry, next time we go on a trek, we will take an experienced guide with us).

By Kerryn Anker

Monkey Madness in Serene Shimla

At the foot of the Himalayas features the quaint township of Shimla, renowned as the summer holiday capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh.

Shimla is the largest and most well-known hill station in India as it was originally “discovered” by the British in the 19^th century, who used it as their summer holiday haven. The original presence of the British men and women is evident in the colonial style architecture of the buildings throughout town.

 

I had no expectations of what Shimla would be like, other than the fact that the temperature would drop considerably compared to our journey through Rajasthan. Our trip from Haridwar took 9 hours by car up a long windy road, leaving behind the plains for the mountain tops. We arrived at 1am in the morning and quickly got inside our accommodation, away from the evening chill. So when morning came, the view and beauty of the township, cascading down the hill side was a sight for sore eyes.

It has been an adjustment getting used to the stares and comments from the locals, though this was amplified in Shimla as less westerners come here. I knew that staring was common in this country but the lengths people go to, trying to see what Deep and I are up to is hilarious. We had one man earlier on in our trip, who stood right in front of our faces at a train station and despite us staring back, he didn’t budge.

Anyway back to the beautiful, unique township of Shimla. Once a small village, Shimla has grown into a trendy place, with upmarket brand named stores and restaurants. We were amazed at the structure of the town, with the main shopping square continuing all the way down the hill side. You can literally spend hours walking down the winding road with no end to the array of colourful stores.

One of the popular things to do in Shimla is to venture up to Jakhu Temple, also referred to as “Monkey Temple”. An incredibly large statue of the monkey god Hanuman, towers above the town and is surrounded by real life monkeys, ironic, I know. Now previously on this trip, Deep and I have had wonderful encounters with playful, friendly monkeys, though these monkeys were clearly not taught to play nice. I just have to say that before I came on this trip I told Deep I had a slight fear of monkeys, fearing that they will jump on me and claw my eyes out (a slight exaggeration, but you understand the point I’m making). As we arrived at the temple a monkey jumped onto my back and stole my sunglasses off my face before scurrying up a tree. He then spent the next 10 minutes trying to work out what they were and ended up just chewing on them.

 

I was able to get the glasses back but had to give money to a local man who retrieved them. It was as I was handing over the money that I realised I’d been scammed, by the man and the monkey.

Aside from our monkey encounters, Shimla has been a wonderful travel destination, offering panoramic views of the hillside and satisfied my shopping addiction for now.

By Kerryn Anker