To BE or to DO, that is the question

After 30 days of trekking in Nepal, and weeks of touring sites and riding camels in central India, I found myself on the beaches of Goa.  It was here that it was pointed out to me that I am a DO'er, and maybe I should try just BEING.  This comment was from someone who is very content to DO nothing, but just sit, relax, and BE.  In my 10 days in Goa, there really was not much to DO, so I tried out just BEING.

Actually, it took a few days to get the hang of it.  I started out by DOING at few activities, like riding my bike on the beach, touring the nearby sites on a scooter, and checking out new restaurants and bars.   After a few days of DOING, I settled into just BEING.  I ate at my favorite restaurant, and relaxed at my favorite beach bar.  But BEING takes more effort than you might think.  At a street corner café, you have to be observant, and open your senses to the sights, sounds, and smells around you.  With people watching in India, there is always something entertaining to watch.  Or it might just be a herd of goats crossing the main town square heading to the pastures in the early morning, or the gang of Rickshaw drivers relaxing with a Masala Chai.  At my breakfast place, watching the gang of monkeys trying to steal the fresh Chocolate Croissants from under the bakers watchful eye, was also entertaining.  It's always something different.  At the beach bar, it might be watching the white beached whales slow roasting in the tropical sun, or just watching the sun turn to bright crimson as it sinks into the sea.  Listening is also important in mastering the art of BEING.  There is always interesting sounds in India.  It might be the early morning Roosters, or the scratching of the bamboo sweepers as they move dirt from one pile to another.  On the beach, the all encompassing music is the rhythm of the never ending surf.   The only problem with BEING is that once you've BEEN there, it's very hard to DO anything about it.

Photos of Beach BEING posted at

Photos posted here
https://photos.app.goo.gl/ESwsEfH2eUcGaDy68

Dave got married and now has two kids

Yep, I finally tied the knot.  Let me tell you the story….

When meeting the local people in Nepal and India, I get asked a number of questions.  The first is "Where are you from?", the second is "How old are you?", and the 3^rd question is "How many children do you have?".   The first 2 answers go over well, but when I answer the 3^rd question and say I don't have children, and am not married, they look at me as if I'm an Alien (I know…that Alien theme again).  They then ask me "why are you not married, you don't have much time because you're so old already".  Ya, and these are people I just met… they never chat about the weather.  When I try to explain why I'm not married, they look at me with curiosity, their brows furrow, but they just can't understand it.  Being single and over 30 is not a state of being that exists over here.  The worst thing is I can't get them off the topic of me not being married.  Questions like.. "Is there something wrong with you?", "Are there no women in your country that are good enough to marry?",  "Do you like the women here?", "Maybe you should marry one of our women… they are very beautiful, don't you think?"

Well, it's getting kind of tiring, with all this explaining of my marital status.  So, I decide to get married, and also throw in a couple kids as well.  Now when I'm asked that 3^rd question, I say "Why yes, I'm married with 2 lovely children.  But my wife couldn't join me travelling, because she has to stay home and look after the kids".  I then get approving nods.  We can then move onto other topics like "How much money do you make?

I'm looking forward to just talking about the weather.

Riding the Beaches of Goa, India

After the general chaos of travelling in central India, I flew to the state of Goa for a week of R&R in a beach area.  Goa was a famous hippy backpacker hang-out in the 60’s, but today it attracts load of people from all over the world.  It’s green and gorgeous, and hassle-free.  For me, it was a perfect get-away from the ‘Real India’.

So, what is ‘Riding the Beaches’ all about you ask?  I had not heard of this activity before coming here, but when I saw a couple people riding their bikes along the beach at low tide, I had to try it.  I had my doubts when I looked at the bikes I could rent.  Think single gear, covered in rust, and weighing in at a hefty 50 pounds.  Yikes, I could hardly pedal this beast.  I’ll post some photos of my rusty ‘Beach Tank”.

I was staying in the laid back village of Benaulim in the south of Goa.  It is right in the middle of a 30km long white sand beach.  At low tide, the beach is as much as ½ km wide and very flat.  When I first tried riding on the beach, I found it way to tough in the soft sand, and ended up pushing the bike, then giving up.  When I came back later at low tide, with the tide still going out, the sand along the gentle surf, was hard and flat.  And that’s the trick.  You have to ride right along the edge of water while the tide is going out, and only when the surface is hard and flat.  Perfect for bike riding, even with a tank of a bike. 

Riding in the tropical sun with the sea breeze to keep me cool, and the surf for company is pretty amazing.  There are lots of sea birds, and eagles.  And did I mention the Beach Bars?  When you get tired and hot, you just stop for a swim, and then lunch and a refreshment at one of the many beach bar shacks along the way.  There are fishing villages with colorful wooden boats, and a few tourist beaches with fat humans being slowly roasted. But there are also long sections of beach that are completely deserted and a dream to ride. This style of riding might not make it as an event in the Tour De France, but for a Beach break activity, I would highly recommend it.

Photos
https://photos.app.goo.gl/1wXqKL4cR6B9YGri6

Thoughts by Dave - Why India is so poorly managed

I've been trying to figure the root cause of why India is so poorly managed.  What is poorly managed?   Well the government bureaucracy, and pretty much all businesses, but I'm specifically referring to hotels, restaurants, and travel agencies, which are all way down at the bottom of the 'Customer Service' scale when compared with other countries is Asia.  So why is this?

Here's my theory.  In almost all other countries in SE Asia, women run things.  In Hindu India, the women do not work in restaurants, hotels, or travel agencies.  Actually, I'm not sure Hindu women work in any areas that deal with the public, and I think most don't work at all.  In the rest of SE Asia, women do all the work, while men sit around and drink beer.  This is especially true in Vietnam, which is the economic powerhouse in SE Asia.  Another example is in Buddhist regions of Nepal where the Hotels and Guesthouses are run by the older woman matriarch of the family.  She is totally in charge and keeps a close eye on everything to ensure things are done properly.  Guesthouses are very well managed, with friendly and excellent service. In India, everything is managed and run by young men.  They all seem to be between 15 and 25 years old, and I call them the "young punks".  The better-off ones have motorbikes, and roam around in gangs, and all have an "attitude".  And these "young punks" are in charge of serving, cleaning, booking bus and train tickets, and managing hotels.  What could go wrong?

Well I have a couple of example of what can go wrong.  In my hotel, there is one manager who is about 25, educated and is a really nice guy.  He has about 6 helpers between the ages of 15 and 21.  The helpers speak little English, and just stand around until the manager tells them what to do.  I watched them cleaning the hotel, but as soon as the manager leaves the area, they all stop working and just sit around smoking and listening to music on their mobile phones.  They post a 'lookout', and as soon as the manager returns they all get up and start working again.   I'm starting to understand why everything is so dirty in Indian Hotels.  Hotel reviews for India have comments like… "…well is was kind of clean, by Indian standards",

I've noticed the similar weird performances in restaurants.  Today I ordered a beer and pizza in a rooftop restaurant in Jaisalmer.  I was the only customer, and when I ordered, the entire staff of 5 "young punks" all gathered around to take my order.  They then all proceeded into the tiny kitchen to prepare the pizza.  Two of them came out with my beer, but neither of them had a bottle opener, so they called a 3^rd one over to open the beer.  Now that's Indian efficiency and service.  Of course the beer was warm, as they hadn't bothered to check which ones where cold in their fridge.  The pizza was delivered by a "young punk" who looked about 15, who then proceeded to sit down at my table and engage me in conversation while I ate.  I had my phone on the table, which he picked up and started playing with.  He then picked up my Guidebook and started looking through it.  Of course the rest of them all just sat at an adjacent table and stared at me the whole time.  I'm sure they have no training and no idea what it takes to run a restaurant.  Reviews for restaurants say things like.. "not bad service, by Indian standards".

            Another example is when I booked a plane ticket with Air India.  I couldn't find their office, so I popped into the very modern and meticulously clean Thai Air office to ask directions.  Thai Air had no lineups, had a doorman, and the agents all smiled, bowed, and where very happy to tell me that the Air India office was just down a nearby side street.  When at the Air India office, I thought I must be in the wrong building.  It looked abandoned.  When I pushed open the unmarked door to their office, I was greeted by a crowd of 20 people all crammed into a tiny and very dirty room.  And get this… there was only one Air India agent, sitting behind a tiny little ancient computer.  He just sat they and ignored everyone in the room.  It took me over an hour just to get him to confirm my flight, which I'm pretty sure he never actually did.  I think he was playing solitaire on the tiny computer screen, and he just waved me away as if I was a dog on street.

Well this is how things run in India.  Everyone is very curious, and some try to do their best, but really they have no idea what they're doing.  Rudeness is not a trait that is discouraged.  It's certainly interesting, frustrating at time, but I seem to be learning how to get things done.

Photos
https://photos.app.goo.gl/i44JSnADYX6jWnmi8

Man my butt hurts

I just got back from a 2 day camel safari in the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, India.  Good news/bad news....

We slept under the stars and watched the moon rise.  Stunning sand dunes, not touristy, and I was the only client the day we visited my camel driver's family hut.  Good food, and an magical experience sleeping in the dunes.

Bad news.... camels are really rough to ride and my butt is really sore.

Photos
https://photos.app.goo.gl/6iLsc8tPnZeSndAN7

What happens when a Billion People are all trying to achieve Nirvana

India is an experience that you can't imagine until you've been here.  I've been struggling with something to say to describe it, but I'll try…..

Bamboozling?  An Enigma?  In-Your-Face?  India is often described as the most multidimensional country on earth.  People love it or hate it, but usually both at the same time.  Let me try to explain.

            First, there are more than a BILLION PEOPLE in India.  Bombay alone has over 17 Million people.  This seems to factor into almost every experience.  Every town and city is crowded with an eclectic mix of people from many ethnic groups and religions.  Crowded is not something you really understand until you've been inside the teeming masses of an Indian City.  You get pushed and jostled, no matter where you go or what you're doing.  On first impressions the Indian people seem rude and pushy, but you soon realize this is an impression based on a western centric view or personal space.  Personal space in India is very close indeed.  To survive, and get anywhere, you need to push and jostle other people.  It is done in a friendly manner.  I now feel fine pushing and shoving.  It's a learned thing, and the only way to get to the front of a line.  How about personal space?  Children walk right up to you and stare into your face.  And by staring, I don't mean they just look at you and walk away.  On a local bus, a kid in the seat across the aisle stared at me for the entire 2 hour journey.  It really freaked me out.  Another time, an old man in a florescent orange turban stared at me for at least 30 minutes while I waited for a train.  Am I really so interesting? 

            Let me talk about infrastructure.   Ya, that should be interesting.  In the west we take many thing for granted.  Things like paved roads, traffic lanes + lights, and rules of the road.  Try to imagine a Billion people all moving around in a small space with no traffic lights, roads full of pot holes, and no rules of the road.  Imagine 25 lanes of run down cars, tuk-tuks, motorbikes, trucks and buses spewing exhaust, all intermixed with a mass of humanity seething along narrow city corridors.  Oh, and the noise.   There is a constant deafening noise of constant honking.  Actually, some of the tuk-tuks leave their horn on all the time.  Can you imagine?   At times, it's physically painful.  I'm considering buying earmuffs.

            How about garbage pickup.  As far as I can tell, there is none in India.  The garbage and dirt just gets swept around on the streets from one spot to another.  Walking can be a challenge as you weave you way around huge piles of steaming cow patties, and try not to get hit by speeding punks on motorbikes.

So why do people love India?   Again, it's hard to explain.  It's kind of intoxicating.   I'm not a religious person, but there is something very spiritual about India.  Religion suffuses almost every aspect of life in India.  And it's a real mixture… Hindus, Buddhists, Jainists, Sikhs, and Islam.  Where else would you find a museum dedicated to the history of Turbans.    The colorful Hindu Temples with their thousands of complex Gods and Goddeses.  Greek myths are simple compared with Hindu legends.  There are oodles of sacred sites surrounded by stirring philosophical epic stories.  Or maybe it's just the fact that there are a Billion people all trying to achieve Mokssha (Nirvana for Buddhists).  Trying to gain enough Karma to be released from the cycle of reincarnation?  Not something we think about much in our materialistic western cultures.

Or maybe it's the food.  Again, it's the diversity that rules.  There is no one Indian cuisine.  It's a wild culinary adventure.  The streets and restaurants are full of frying, simmering, sizzling, kneading, and flipping a diverse array of regional dishes.  The menus changes radically from region to region.  And it's mostly vegetation, with some of the most interesting spices in the world.  It's not boring.  No wonder the British came for the spices, and stayed for the weather.

Or maybe it's the history.  I'm not a history buff, but if you have time, watch the BBC Series called "The Story of India", narrated by a young historian named Michael Wood.  He travels throughout India by train and bus telling the history of India along the way.  Fascinating and entertaining.  Also, you really should watch "Gandhi" again.  It's really the story of the creation of India as a single country.

            Whether it's trying to understand the Indian obsession with Bollywood or the rules of Cricket, or trying to figure out what festival in on now, India always has challenges to throw at you.

In India it may not be easy to reach your destination (physically or spiritually), but Indians have always known it's the way you make the journey that counts.  I think I'm starting to get the hang of India, and take the experiences as they come.  It's the Indian way.

Photos

https://photos.app.goo.gl/EvWxgHtqE5m8L2X89