Catchy sayings and thoughts

It's been a few weeks now since I arrived back in Canada but I can't stop thinking about India, traveling, and the people I met. I just wanted to share a couple things I heard while traveling that have stuck in my head.

During your first couple weeks in India the country will be an acronym.

..India as an acronym..

I was able to meet a variety of backpackers while in India. A good number of these people, usually the fresh arrivals, absolutely hated the country. The culture shock and different feelings for the country had caused fights between many couples and often caused others to arrange onward flights as soon as possible (for those who were doing an 'around-the-world' trip).

The key to enjoying India? 
     Lower your standards and keep an open mind!


Another saying I heard from someone in the group I traveled with for just over a month is still one of my favorites. He told me "It takes a brave man to fart in India". At first I didn't understand what he meant. Was it culturally insensitive to fart here? How could that be when there is, burning, garbage everywhere with people defecating in the middle of the street?

It took a while but I figured out what he meant.. Diarrhea! Oh yes, the famous 'delhi belly' that attacks so many travelers. The saying "It takes a brave man to fart in India" is a reminder that you don't always know if that fart is actually a fart.. I have seen the face of a man who thought he had a fart but got more than he was expecting. It was a look of fright, worry, and slight disgust. In Canada we call this little surprise the 'Shart'.

So remember this every time you want fart in India... 'Is it really worth the risk'?

Culture Shock (Reversed)

It's been a few days now since I arrived home. Not too many people know this, but every time I fly through airports I like to play little games with other people to keep myself entertained without spending any money. During my flight to India back in September I decided that people don't smile enough and set out to make as many strangers smile during my 5 hour layover in Minneapolis and 6 hour layover in Amsterdam. I ended up loosing track of how many people smiled back at me after only a couple hours but I'll consider that a good thing. Not only did it keep me entertained without spending money but I'm hoping it made someones day a little better when I was able to put a smile on their face.

On the way back from India, seeing as how I was constantly getting searched and questioned by security on my flights to India in September, I thought I'd dress as someone who fits the typical stereotype of a possible threat to airport security. I wanted to see how dressing in a foreign cultures clothing and having my ungroomed beard would play into the 'random' security checks and the racism of airport authorities. When I was in India, towards the end of the trip, everyone asked me if I was Muslim so that's the look I went for on my flight home as I was sure it would cause problems when going through the USA. I was quite surprised with the results of my little game.  I got through security at Amsterdam quicker then I had before and absolutely flew through the USA's security check, faster than any of the other people in my line. Sure I got a lot of stares as I waited for planes during my layovers, but it was nothing in comparision to the stares you get in India. Actually, I'm pretty certain that India took more pictures of me than I took of it.

Back home, my dog and a lot of snow.

Now that I am back home in Canada I'm facing some (reverse) culture shock similar to my first week in India. The structure to everything, the absolute quietness, and the way people isolate themselves from others is chipping away at my nerves. I'm not really sleeping yet. Wide awake every night until well into the next day, it's taking a long time to get my body back to its original time zone. Driving on the icy Canadian roads is stressful, I'd take an Indian road over an icy road any day. I'm glad to see family, old friends, and familiar faces once again. I have just over one week to prepare for a conference I'm facilitating and after three months of no responsibilities getting down to work has proven difficult.

I'm hoping that this is all just the effects of reverse culture shock but it almost feels like I don't belong here, I'm already looking forward to my future travels.

It's the little things: Contrast

Contrast is everywhere in India. I was wondering away from the touristy part of Kochin when I came across this amazingly built, and clean, house in a neighborhood where almost all of the other buildings are falling apart or deserted with people sleeping out on the streets.

This is an scheduled posting which means I'm still at the Ashram with no internet access. - Simon

It’s the little things: Football

Me with some fellow football fans I met. I was walking back to my hostel in Fort Kochi when they saw my Manchester United jersey and invited me to join their football game. They told me they didn’t think Canadians could play football; that is until my team cleaned house! haha

This is an scheduled posting which means I'm still at the Ashram with no internet access. - Simon

It’s the little things: Breakfast

Every day; waking up and eating breakfast with friends while looking out on to the ocean: 

 A month well spent.

This is an scheduled posting which means I'm still at the Ashram with no internet access. - Simon

Lonely Road

Traveling alone is a funny thing. I’ve never been surrounded by and met so many interesting people everyday yet still missed someone so much. Before I left for India a few of my friends told me this would happen. 

One of the things I’m looking most forward to about coming home is seeing her.

The little things

Even though it's only been a short time here I'm starting to forget how things are back home. I haven’t had a hot shower in over a month now, or drank water from a tap. No one speaks the same type of English as I do; I’m starting to pick up accents depending on who I’m around at the time.

Garbage, where are the garbage bins? I still hate littering the streets of India with my garbage but I rarely (read never) have any other choice.  Recycling bins? I wish. I don’t think India has any sort of recycling program.  The guest house we stayed at in Palolem (Goa) used our Tuborg beer bottles to create walls around the plants as they had nowhere else to put the bottles.

After staying in a new room every night everywhere I go I’m starting to forget what mine looks like back home. I’ve gotten use to the Indian way of driving; hopefully I don’t continue to drive like that back home though as it won’t go over well. What do you mean I can’t just urinate everywhere and pay off police officers for any sort of offence? I remember when a police officer tried to pull me over in Fort Kochi and I just waved back and speed up on my motorbike, acting as if I thought we was just waving to me. I wonder if bargaining will work back home? And to what degree before people just get offended?

It will be interesting to see how I’ve changed once I get home and all the little things, even if I hate them now, that I will miss about India.


This is an scheduled posting which means I'm still at the Ashram with no internet access. - Simon

Halfway mark

Today marks the halfway point in my trip. I can’t believe it’s already been 45 days traveling around India.

I’ve met so many fascinating people on this trip, both from India and travelers from across the world. There was a group of nine of us who met in Goa that I will never forget. We ate, slept, drank, and traveled together for a month in south India.

To those who I’ve met in Mumbai, traveled with to Goa, met in Anjuna, sailed with through the backwaters of Kerala and to those who I will meet in the upcoming days/months cheers and thank you for all the memories past, present, and future.

-  Simon

Day 15: Reflecting on my situation

Today I felt almost back to normal. I'm getting use to controlling my diabetes using old fashion injections but still eagerly await for my pump to arrive.

Over the last couple days I've been doing a bit of reflection on my situation. It seems India forces you to reflex on your situation after everything you see here. The biggest point of reflection for me so far was when my insulin pump went down and I was forced to fight for control of my body. I'm glad in a way that everything has happened as it forced me to remember how well off I really am. Diabetes is all over India as it is a lot of countries, but here it can take all of a families income simply to purchase the most basic of supplies like insulin and syringes. If I had been born into a family, like one of the many found in India, that couldn't afford the medicine there is a good chance I wouldn't be alive today.

It's amazing the things we complain about when those who have so much less, according to our standards, can be so happy. I remember some of the biggest smiles I've ever seen from the children in the slums of Mumbai. At that time I couldn't believe that someone with so little could be so happy but I am starting to understand it now.

 Insulin Pump Update: It had cleared customs in New Delhi earlier today and is now in transit.