Conclusion

I'm back in the United States.


After Rishikesh and making it back safely to Delhi, I spent my last day wandering around the city on foot and autorickshaw. I had a little trouble at the airport on my way back to Beijing (heightened security measures, namely). My apprehension toward taking Ethiopia Airlines was quelled within minutes into the flight. EA is one of the best airlines I've ever flown (the same can be said of India's Jet Airways, which I took from Kathmandu Nepal to Delhi). The food and service were excellent, not to mention a smooth flight back to Beijing, China.

Beijing is .. Beijing. Back at my hotel, I was met with a note at the reception desk:

"Charmaine, I'm in Room 202! I've been waiting for you and I'm hungry!"

A friend whom I met on the Great Wall of China remembered that I was returning in September and made a point to check into my hotel so that we could reconnect one last time before I left for the US. It was so nice to see her again, this time with a month's worth of tales .. some mundane and others exciting, but all life-changing and fun to share with a friend who began the journey with me and was now at its endpoint.

**

Well - this wasn't supposed to be a journey in which I hoped to "find" myself. I think the last place I'd find myself is 5000 miles away from my home. What I did find was competency and aptitude, qualities that I wasn't sure I posessed. Crossing the continent of Asia was no small feat. Speaking to travellers along the way, I heard a lot of "you Crazy American", "You're alone?" "where's your boyfriend?" and "I'd never do what you're doing". Comments like these served more to uplift my spirits than to deter me. For one thing, I never felt completely alone - I think its a little self-absorbed to think that you're ever Alone, (almost) anywhere you go.

While travelling, I learned a few things:

1. Optimism. Finding the silver lining in every not-so-pleasant experience was key. Every day I spent lost was really time spent finding my way around. Every time I was ripped off or charged 20x that which I should have paid was an opportunity to bolster the local economy. And so on. Plus, overcoming obstacles always makes for interesting stories.

2. Trust. Trusting and believing in the kindness of strangers was took me through every day of my travels. Trust ensured that I had enough money for my trip (teaching in beijing), nurtured me in the mountains of Tibet, fed me in Nepal, and .. actually got me into a lot of awkward situations in India. There is so much fear in the world that holds us back and inhibits our ability to see and experience things beyond our normal reach. I found the crazier something sounded, the more inclined I was to close my eyes, take a deep breath .. and fall back, hoping for the best.

3. Smile. A lot of the people I met told me that they couldn't believe how friendly and "smiley" I was. Quizzically, I asked them why I shouldn't be. And I wondered .. this isn't an act or a ploy, I'm not pretending to be something I'm not - Why should this seem out of the ordinary for someone to see? The more defensive you appear to be, the less inclined others are to help and befriend. I don't recommend complete transparency, but not being so uptight and afraid really helps.

4. Organization. Well. Beiing alone necessitated that I know what was going on at all times. Keeping everything in check .. all my travel materials, medicine, etc. Always asking questions, and being very direct and upfront with everyone ensured that I made it from point A to B with relative ease. Then again, when you can't convey your needs in spoken language .. shrugging and conveying a sense of helplessness also seemed to work.

5. Respect. While it seems pretty obvious - the more that is left uncovered, the less there is to discover. As a Californian/Angeleno, I've always been a fan of clothing that is skimpy and bare - and of course, I've played into the culture that professes 'if you've got it, flaunt it!'. In India and Nepal, this isn't the case - and I knew to keep covered at all times. What I found appalling was the lack of respect many if not most Western women had for this custom - Women travellers in tank tops and shorts, bearing their legs and shoulders. I found it very offensive that they would so blatantly disregard the customs of those countries, no respect whatsoever. It also occured to me that this style of dress really shows a lack of respect not just for the local community but for oneself (in my case) - I think its possible to feel far more liberated when you are covered up and leaving more to the imagination of others than when you bare everything you have to offer .. which often amounts to not much at all.

There really is so much to say .. but now I have (my) real life to worry about. Thanks EVERYONE for reading. I found out that far more people than I would have imagined have been reading my blog - I wanted to apologize for being erratic and not being the best writer at times, but .. I guess then I would have been censoring myself. So, again, thanks to everyone for your thoughts and interest in my travels.

But WOW! I CROSSED ASIA. I didn't think I could do it :)

I definitely want to go to Africa next. Stay tuned.

Rishikesh/Haridwar, India

Music School Rishikesh, India

When I arrived in Rishikesh, I was surprised to learn that not only would I be adjacent to the Ganges River .. but nestled between that and the Himalayas.

I think I'm growing tired of the excessive use of superlative that you've probably noticed - its hard to describe the things I've seen without noting that it's all so incredible, and so amazing. Rishikesh relaxing and peaceful - I practiced yoga with a yogi alongside the river - meditated in a makeshift hut in the forest - and sitar lessons!!!!!!!!!!! You'll notice that my knee is propped up in this picture - I'm not sitting properly, as both my legs are supposed to be parallel to the floor. This is a very difficult yoga position known as double pidgeon (i think.. or king pidgeon) - it requires very open hips, which I don't have.

Also - just to give everyone peace of mind: I had the worst experience travelling back to Delhi from Rishikesh. I decided to have my hand painted with henna - thinking that I had enough time to make it to the train station in town. When I boarded the autorickshaw, I noticed that my train was to leave in 20 minutes - not the Hour that I thought I'd given myself. After missing my train, I was given a 50% discount on my cancelled ticket -- I then found the nearest bus depot and searched for a bus to Delhi.

In so many words: Someone got into a fight with the driver. I slept with my backpack and other important personal effects under my shirt. I was the only woman on the bus. I was dropped off in the MIDDLE OF OLD DELHI AT 2:30AM. It was raining. Men were staring. I had no idea where I was, but I jumped off the bus (by the way: buses don't stop here, they slow down) and started walking as fast as possible.

My two greatest situational fears are 1. stray/loose animals and 2. walking alone at night. I couldn't afford the rabies shot, so I've tried to stay clear of all animals - it doesn't help that there are stray dogs everywhere I look and cows grazing in trash heaps. Getting dropped off at 2AM ANYWHERE (just my luck that it's India) also does a serious number on me. Oh - and then - once I found my hotel, I found that it was locked for the night. I went next door and was told "Sorry, no beds!"

Well, let me just sleep in your lobby

"No madame, no beds - you need to go somewhere else"

Anyway I found a bed - I spent the rest of the night (early morning) watching Hindi cinema from the 60s. It was great!

Agra, India

Taj Mahal Agra, India

Yes, they're doing maintenance work in the background. I don't think anything could have detracted from the experience of seeing and touching the Taj Mahal. Equally stunning was Agra Fort, just a few kilometers from the Taj Mahal.

There isn't much else to say -- I just booked my train ticket to Haridwar/Rishikesh, where I will finally practice Yoga along the Ganges River. (On a related note: I walked by "Don't Pass Me By: Travel Agency" yesterday. It sounded familiar - when I looked up, I saw that it was adjacent to the Ringo Guesthouse.)

place filler

I am in Delhi, India.


Cows. Everywhere. I know there were cows in Kathmandu .. but today, I was waiting on the stoop of my Hotel for a few minutes because a cow was standing around, enjoying the space.

Also -- leaving Nepal was fun. The airport was surrounded by officers wielding rifles, queues were separated by sex, several full body searches were performed .. and I also had the best airplane food: palak paneer with rice and chapatti, and a delicious golden ladooo.

"I Like Birds" (but I don't think they like me)
Durbar Square Kathmandu, Nepal


Holy guy!
Durbar Square Kathmandu, Nepal

Never Ending Peace And Love ...

Nepalis are BIG on acronyms. That and really corny sayings:

No Money, No Honey!
No hug? No love!
No wife, No Life!

and so on.

Yesterday, I toured the city with Sitram .. Since Ram had already taken me to the buddhist temple overlooking the Kathmandu Valley, Sitram and I visited several other temples and palace squares (durbar). It really feels as if I'm in a dream sequence, monkeys on telephone wires.. dogs freely roaming the streets, cows grazing on the side of the road .. on sidewalks .. rickety buses careening down narrow alleyways .. and all the colors! Neon green, yellow and pink, gold and silver, brown skin, light skin, black skin .. Buddhist mantra music wafting through the air, Nepali folk music chanted by locals -- Complete sensory overload.

We had lunch at a Newari restaurant in Patan (just outside Kathmandu). Bara (egg with lentil), Tibetan momos, and a disgusting barley beer from a barrel. I don't think i can stomach any more momos .. I've eaten them every day since I arrived in Lhasa .. and now in Nepal. They just like potstickers, but the ones in Lhasa were usually filled with Yak meat (mutton/goat-like).

After hearing from several people that if I wasn't wearing a bright yellow "tourist" backpack and toting a camera, I'd pass for a Nepali woman .. Sitram and I went to a fabric shop to buy me an outfit for 800 rupees (just over US$10). Then, he took me to a tailor where I was measured. Lastly, he helped me buy "lady shoes" since I've been wearing my hiking boots from Tibet. When I asked him if he'd ever helped a tourist do something like this, he replied "No, but it's good practice for my future wife!" Haha. Tonight, I'm going to attend the biggest Women's festival in Nepal at a local temple wearing my outfit. I'm so excited!

Today, my driver took me up into the mountains, Nagarkot, where there are supposed to be views of the Himalayas. Since its monsoon season, it was raining all morning and fog covered the mountain side. I hung out at a local internet cafe (slowest connection) and started chatting with the guy running the place. After my lunch of dal bhat (my right hand is permanently stained yellow from lentils), I went in search of my driver. Internet cafe guy offered to help me find him ON HIS MOTORBIKE!!!! It was fantastic! I climbed onto the back of his bike and we sped along the mountain roads in the rain.

I'm now in Bhaktapur, about 20km outside of Kathmandu. I should be walking around and taking pics .. but I'm a little tired and my feet are blistered. I purchased another pair of "lady shoes" from a local cobbler for around US$2.

Alright, signing out! I need to find a computer to upload pics from Lhasa. I've visited so many buddhist stupas here in Nepal, and learned more about Tibetan Buddhism than when I was in Tibet.

I feel like I've left my heart in Tibet :(

(OH! I just remembered something really funny about Beijing! Every man, woman and child knows John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Road". It's like the national anthem - next to anything by the Backstreet Boys. Someone was telling me that while he was in Inner Mongolia, he was at a bar and when "Take Me Home" came on, everyone there started singing along.)

Sera Monastery Lhasa, Tibet
"Charmaine" is a difficult name to pronounce, so I've been given alternate names that sound like my real name to ease the confusion and mouth-garble.

In Chinese, my name is "Xia Ming", pronounced "siyah-ming". Its literal translation is "bright summer" and the characters are:

夏明

The second character with the two ladders means "bright", separately they translate as 'sun' and 'moon'.

In Nepali, my name is "Sarmila" (Mero nam Sarmila-ho) meaning "bright, smiling, happy".

And lastly! Today, I was meditating at a Buddhist center where I read books on hatha yoga (the school of yoga that I practice within). I learned that "Hatha" means "The Science of Will" and broken down, ha means 'sun' while tha means 'moon'. Together, it also means 'bright' - in practicing Hatha, you create a bright mind and capable body.

What an interesting connection!

(I've also forgotten to mention that I've been told that I look Nepali -- more specifically, ethnic Mongolian. In China, I was told I looked Singaporean, Chinese, "ethnic minority", and a host of others)

Day ??

I am really feeling the effects of altitude sickness. Cannot sleep through the night, resting heart rate very high (in the middle of the night), headaches (not enough o2), nosebleeds .. etc.

Have had the best last 3 days .. on Monday, set out for whitewater rafting. Threw myself out of the raft because I wanted to float around in the current, was yanked off my raft and onto another .. then climbed on to a kayaker's back who then capsized .. tumbled around before I grabbed on to the kayaker, rescued by my raft soon after. Very cold, but a great experience. Ate lunch alongside the river before heading out to our campsite. Nestled in a valley, beside a stream .. couldn't believe how beautiful it was. Hiked up to a hotspring and scar(r)ed a few Tibetans .. don't know how many diseases I might've picked up but it was fun. I think my sanitation standards have declined preciptously since I arrived here in China. I see faecal matter and instead of cringing, think "hey, good spot". Anyway. Played cards until bedtime, then stood outside and stargazed.. I've never seen stars so clearly, or so bright.

In the morning, we borrowed horses from nearby Tibetans and trekked through the valley alongside the river to a lookout point. Saw several ruins, homes, yaks.. cows .. wild horses .. I wish I could describe this in more detail but my brain is fried. My horse's name was balthazar and we FLEW!! I learned how to encourage her to go fast and we ran at some points.

Ah okay, about to head out to dinner with friends before my flight to nepal tomorrow morning. Today was spent at the highest lake in the world, Nam Tso. It was SO COLD. Chilled with tibetans for lunch, had noodle soup .. stayed in a tent with no running water or toilets .. mmmmm. yes. bye.