Coming home..

Today will be my last full day in India, and it's been a crazy one. I've done so much running around and spent hours this afternoon in Mumbai's 'red light district', all work no play, trying to find a certain Christmas gift for one of my brothers.

I can't believe that three months have already gone by. I haven't taken many pictures since I've been back in Mumbai so I'm bringing some old ones back for this post. The city seems so different but the pictures help remind me that its just my perspective that has changed, Mumbai is still the busy crazy place it's always been.

My suit is getting its final touches as we speak, I'm hoping its done in time. They assure me it will but India has taught me to know better.

I've payed for another night in my hotel room even though I won't be staying through till the morning. I'm just using my room as a preparation area for my packing that I really should start on soon.

Bollywood: Late this afternoon while wondering the streets of Mumbai, looking good as always, I received my first reasonable offer to be in a Bollywood movie as an extra. They were willing to pay me a salary on top of paying my room, board, and moving me out to Goa for a week. Of course this is terrible timing as I leave for home in less then 24 hours.

I gave the Chicken Maharaja Mac another try, three months later at the same McDonalds in Colaba, Mumbai. Although it will never quite be comparable to the original western 'Big Mac' it tasted a lot better then I remembered.




Well this is me signing off with my last post from India. It will be a long journey home full of many cups of coffee, random conversations, and more time zone changes then I care to think about. I've reached into the softer-side of my iTunes library to find my departure song.

Hope you enjoyed following along for my travels, you'll be hearing from me again soon.

Mumbai: Quick update

I arrived back in Mumbai yesterday but haven't had any time to write a post until now. I'm staying further to the southern tip of Mumbai this time and after going to several hotels that had no rooms I found a place called 'Delight Guest House' for 350rs/night. I think calling it 'Delight' is pushing it a little far as my room is the size of the old style prison cells with nothing but a bed and table but its clean and cheap (by Mumbai standards).

My guest house is only a couple hundred
meters from the gateway of India.

I'm spending today in alternating sessions of running around to shop and get everything done I want to before leaving India with periods of relaxation over the deliciously spicy and flavorful India food I'm sure to miss. But for now I have to run for a fitting as I'm getting a new suit made for myself [prices for hand-tailored suits range from 4,500-15,000rs($100-330+) depending on the quality of your tailor and the materials they use].

One week remaining

I just realized that one week from today I will be on a plane, on my way back home.

I booked a train to Mumbai tomorrow. Seeing as it will be my last train ride in India I thought it was worth splurging a little and booked a first class air conditioned berth for 2,350rs($50). I don't have a confirmed ticket though as every train was fully book so I'm waitlisted. Being waitlisted isn't anything new, but it is making me slightly nervous as I need to get back to Mumbai for my flight.

For those of you wondering what I've been up to in Jaipur, other then the entertaining first couple days, not much. Sure the city has ancient forts and temples, but it's nothing I haven't already seen a million times. I've been spending most my days sharing travel stories with other backpackers over a McChicken burger at McDonalds, fighting with rickshaw drivers, or wondering the endless bazzars in the old city.

"They want to end your life.."

There is lots more to the story but this is my best attempt to sum the last two days without writing a never ending essay on the subject.

Two locals friends recently pushed past a yelling hotel manager after he told them I wasn't there, banging on my door with a message. 'Don't go with them, they want to end your life' they warned me as we talked in my room with the hotel manager angrily pressed against my closed door.

The last two days in Jaipur have been interesting to say the least. With Jaipur being one of the major tourist cities in India there is a large high pressure tout/rickshaw walla population that rush towards tourists hoping for an easy rupee. I met two guys yesterday morning, at a McDonalds, and they offered to show me a new hotel as I had payed far to much the previous night (when you arrive at 1am 700rs for the night is something you just have to deal with). They showed me a new hotel at 400rs per night for an amazing room (sure they got a little commission but I couldn't find anything even close to this cheap & good on my own after hours of searching). After getting settled in they refused to take any payment and wanted to show me around Jaipur.. for free.. Of course I knew something was up but I thought I'd play it out as long as I could. We went up to Tiger Fort, they paid for all the entrance fees and teas, to watch the sunset over Jaipur. Around 7pm we went for supper as his brother and boss had 'just flow in and would like to meet me', okay so isn't as abnormal in India as it would sound in another country. Westerners are after all a hot commodity here. The conversation was good, plus the free beer and meal helped out. Once the 'boss' arrived and started talking I was able to put all doubts aside and knew exactly what scam they were trying to pass over, good news for me there was no risk and I could expect a lot of free things as they tried to gain my trust.



The boss left as he of course had urgent business matters, but said he would like to have breakfast with me tomorrow morning. The two others and myself talked for another hour before they dropped me off at my hostel, refusing any payment once again.


This morning they picked me up at 10am and took me out for coffee at a Cafe Coffee Day branch for some espressos and breakfast. I offered to pay but they declined, the boss had to remain in character and pick up the tab. Then the business offer came, it was a simple idea but was well presented, you could tell this was a regular act for them.  All I had to do was have some precious jewelry mailed to myself back home (they would never actually be sent in the mail) and deliver them to their agents in Canada (who would pay you and reimburse you for any taxes you had to pay), allowing them to bypass the high tariffs on exporting. How the scam works is they will either get a small payment from you up front or a credit card so they can fake some receipts and undervalue the jewelery. After the pitch I politely declined and left, they gave surprisingly little effort (for India) to try and convince me to stay.

So with that I come to the end of my second day in India. Its been a fun, and free, ride but I knew it had to end at some point. For those of you wondering about my friends warning me that they 'want to end my life' its just a common lost in translation thing. They were actually just wanting to warn me that these other people were trying to scam me for $1,000-5,000 and it had nothing to do with my safety, just the end of my financial life.

For those planning to travel to India: I hope you venture outside of the famous golden triangle route (Delhi-Agra-Jaipur) as the rest of India is completely different, more friendly, and less stressful to travel. From what I've seen so far South India is without a doubt better for backpackers than Northern India.

Leaving the Taj behind

I leave Agra later today for Jaipur, Rajasthan (the desert state). My train bookings are always last minute so it left me with few options of when I would leave/arrive. The train will be arriving in Jaipur around 10pm, assuming there is a miracle and the train isn't late by several hours. This leaves me at the mercy of my rickshaw driver for the first night as my ability to wonder around and find somewhere on my own that has 24hr reception is limited.

I bought some dvd's yesterday (a dvd containing six good quality movies with subtitles/ surroundsound costs around 75rs) for the train ride as I'm not a huge fan of talking with everyone when I'm feeling sick. So I'm keeping my ear buds in and my sunglasses down today. I would love nothing more at this point than to have an entire day, just one, where no strangers talk to me, ask me where I'm from and try to devise a way to get rupees from, or take pictures with, me.

One a more positive note, I got a call from a familiar voice back home this morning that put a smile on my face and a good start to my day. Thank you :)

Big Spender

I went to the Agra Fort yesterday, it was only 2km from my hostel so I opted to walk rather then take a rickshaw.

View from outside the Agra (red) Fort

The fort, although it had an expensive entrance 300rs($6.50), was fell worth the money. It is a huge castle like fortress and one of the main attractions in Agra. The well persevered red brick walls that towered over twenty meters high make me wish I could have seen it back in it's prime days. I spent most the afternoon there wondering around, talking, and taking pictures, with random people. I couldn't help but think while looking around how much my brother Byron would love to see this up close as he's always been the one in my family with the strongest appreciate for history.

Me at the Taj Mahal

This morning I had my alarm set for 5:30am, I had to see the Taj Mahal! During sunrise before the crowds seemed like the best plan of attack. It almost hurt paying the 750rs entrance fee when you see Indians only paying 20rs for the exact same thing, but that's good old racist India for you. India likes to segregate everyone as much as possible, both race and sex. I know there are reasons for this but it still bothers me, anyhow that's a rant for another time.


The Taj Mahal was a glorious site! The pictures can't do it justice, the sheer size and amount of dedication that went into this ultimate monument to love is astounding! I lost track of time on the grounds, after walking around I just sat and watched the main building, just soaking in all the architecture that has fascinated so many people for hundreds of years. One of the seven wonders of the world only meters in front of me.

I should probably book some trains soon as my flight is coming up and I'm still quite far from Mumbai. Hmm.. on the other hand... I am hungry and ordering food is easier then planning future travels..

Almighty Agra

The train ride from Varanasi to Agra, although only 14 hours, seemed to drag on forever. I booked a berth on the highest class available (AC2), splurging the extra $14 to have a clean(ish) toilet to be hunched over. I'm still quite sick but am slowly getting my energy back. Hopefully tomorrow I will be back to 100%.

As for Agra, it has been quite a surprise. For such a 'touristy' city it lacks the high prices and high concentration of Caucasians I was expecting. After a cheap rickshaw ride, 50rs, from the railway station to the south gate of the Taj Mahal I started my search for a hostel room for the next couple nights. It wasn't long before I came across the 'Shanti Hotel' were I was able to get a nice room for a refreshing price after some bargaining. (for 333rs/night I'm getting a big room with cable tv, double bed, fan, couch, and attached bathroom with 24hr hot water)

The rooftop restaurant/lounging area of my hostel has one of the best views of the Taj Mahal. I have yet to decide when I'm going to see it up close but with such a steap admission price, 750rs($16), I'm going to wait till I'm feeling a bit better and can enjoy it for a good half a day. When I'm feeling more budget conscious I can walk merly 50 feet from my hostel for some 15rs($0.30) breakfast (toast, eggs, fruit, and tea) or 30rs($0.60) for a mid-day thali (a traditional meal like we ate in the ashram).

Random moment of the day: I found a gate leading into an empty park around 500 meters west of the Taj Mahal and went for a wonder. I found a shady rusty and decrepit tower that I climbed for a great view of all the surrounding city and a few exotic birds that were running around the park. When I finally decided to leave I discovered the gate I came through, the only gate in the park surrounded by a high wall, was locked. Turns out it was a scam. There was an old lady who locked me in and only let me go when I promised her money (she wanted 500rs).  This is one of the few times I've lost my temper in India. I after yelling at here for a minute I threw 3rs($0.06) in a nearby pile of cow feces and spit on it. I'm getting rather sick of how many people try to trick and scam you everywhere you go. But the number of bad experiences has always been vastly outweighed by the good, so there is still a smile on my face, regardless of what happens.

Day 73-74: Varanasi

I've been spending most my days in Varanasi wondering along the ghats or getting lost for hours in the endless alleyways with some of the most random little shops selling anything from bhang cookies to stuffed animals. The night scene in Varanasi was a little disappointing at first when compared to the more tourist places I've been to, but with the help of the three gals from Australia that are also staying at the hostel there is never a dull moment!

On a less positive note, last night/early this morning I got violently ill for the first time in India. I'm not sure if it was simply the food I ate or something else but I spent from 1-4am bent over the toilet while attempting not to wake up the rest of the hotel with horrid noises. I'm not going to go into any details as I don't want to make anyone sick but lets just say it wasn't a pleasant site (even by Indian standards).


Still feeling ill today, I've decided to take it easy and try not to venture too far from a decent bathroom (which are far and few between in India). Maybe I'll go watch a Hindi film later today, another Bollywood or possibly a Hindi dubbed Hollywood movie.

Most random moment of the day: Eating with Tibetan monks at a McDonalds in Varanasi. I love how monks from Nepal and Tibet always seem to know a decent amount of English as they have provided some of the most interesting conversations during my travels!

Varinasi, the holy city

How is it I always forget my camera in my room when I need it most? The night I arrived in Varanasi also happened to be the day of a festival for the god Shiva. I made it down to the Ganges where there were thousands of people with candles and offerings having a puja(Indian prayer/ceremony). It was an amazing site to see and a warm welcome to the city as I was able to join in using some of the chants I had learnt back at the Ashram.

My basic but cheap room.

The hotel I found, or rather was taken to, turned out to be fantastic! Not only is the 'Old Yogi Lodge' cheap (200rs[$4]/night for a single room with attached bath and 24 hour hot water) but it also sports internet facilities, a decent restaurant, a great rooftop terrace, and an atmosphere that reminds me of my favorite hostel back in Goa (Evershine Guest House).

Cows need lovin' too!

With the money I'm saving by staying here I can afford to start taking yoga classes again, the first one being earlier this morning. The price of food was also a pleasant surprise, being the cheapest I've seen yet.

Rough food prices - hakka noodles 50rs, veggie burger 25rs, cheese&mushroom pizza 60rs

p.s. There are monkeys everywhere.

Hampi (Day 3-4)

I've been spending most my days randomly driving on my motorbike, stopping whenever I see something of interest. I ran across a massive boulder that had a temple at it's tip. After I got to the very top I took a quick look around and was about to head back when someone invited me to join them for tea and see the rest of the temple. Turns out there was a huge area behind the temple even higher in the rocks. I spent a good two or three hours talking with some of the people who lived at the temple about anything and everything from religion to technology to social norms. It wasn't until the sun started going down that I realized so much time had passed, I had to quickly say my goodbyes and go back to Hampi while there was still some light out.

The next day I ate some breakfast and went to book traintickets to.. somewhere. I ended up vandomly picking Varinasi (although getting there involves two trains and three full days of traveling). After that was all sorted it was time to find this monkey temple my friends had told me about. Problem was the temple was on top of a mountain on the otherside of the river, but there where no bridges to cross at. I found some people crossing in little circular 'boats' and decided to give it a try. After I got my bike into the boat and we pushed away it felt as if my motorbike and I were going to fall right through the thin flooring into the river, to my releif we made it across in one peice with minimal water getting in.

 The climb upto the monkey temple, once I eventually found it, was exhausting. The stairs were steep and seemed to be neverending. Remembering my enconters with the monkeys who like to steal at Elephanta Island, by Mumbai, I packed everything into my bag and closed the zippers as I reached the top. It wasn't much of a temple but what a view! You could see for miles on every side, I sat there for a while just looking out and appreciating the landscape for my final day in Hampi.

I leave for Hydrabad this morning, then transfer on to another train tomorrow to continue to Varanasi. It will be my first time in Northern India. I'm quite excited and I'll be keeping you guys posted on how it goes!

Hampi (Day 1-2)

I arrived in Hospet Friday morning. Its the main transport hub in the area, with a 100rs rickshaw ride from the trainstation I shortly after arrived in Hampi. Ofcourse, I had no hotelbookings. This usually isn't a problem unless there is a big festival or celebration taking place.. Which there was. I grabbed one of the last hotel rooms avaliable and have been watching the prices skyrocket everyday since. I'm paying 350-500rs per night for my room with attached bath, but if I wanted the same thing now that the festival is in full swing it would be around 700-800rs!

The good thing about religous festivals is everyone gathers, and stays, in one area; so it has been easy to avoid the crowds. I forget from time to time that there is even a festival going on when I'm wondering anchient ruined cities with no one else in sight.

I rented a scooter/motorbike for 150rs per day so I can go explore on my own. After filling it up with some petro I was off to see what Hampi had to offer. The landscape and sights here are breathtaking! Almost none of the ruins have entrance fees or 'out of bounds' ropes, it's a nice change from other world heritage sites and feels so much more 'real'.

Hello Sushi.. erm Bangalore..

I arrive in Bangalore early in the morning. When the rickshaw drivers see me with my pale skin and large bags they all rush over hoping to get some nicely inflated fares from me. I ask the first one how much it would be to MG rd., 450rs he says! I don’t mind bargaining for a price but there is a point where it just gets offensive. I walk away after laughing at him to the next driver. The fair goes down to 350rs, still well above what a local would pay. On the third or four drivers I spoke to I finally got a reasonable offer, 250rs (the government ‘fixed’ rate). After a bit of work I get him down to 180rs and off we go to MG rd. ‘the heart of the city’.

First sushi night with some friends

The hotel I checked into was double what I paid in Kovalam and less than half as nice, I suppose that’s the price you pay for its connivance and location right on the downtown strip. While walking downtown to scope things out and get a drink I hear a couple people shouting “Simon, hey simon over here!” I look over and see the three I stayed with in Fort Kochi (Kochin) before I left for the ashram. I find it amazing how when I travel to new places full with millions of strangers I still run into friends I’ve met before; it’s happened so many times already and I’m sure it will again as I head up north.


For those of you wondering... I did get sushi, twice! I ate at India’s most highly regarded sushi bar on top of the ‘UB’ high fashion mall. The food was amazing as was the atmosphere. The doors must have stood at least twenty feet tall with huge stone statues and waterfalls inside. Sure the single ‘all-you-can-eat’ sushi meal cost me almost all of my budget for the day, but it was worth every penny.. or umm every rupee..

Eating India's finest sushi

With the satisfying feeling of sushi in my stomach it was time to book a train onwards to Hampi. All the travel agent said they couldn’t get space on a train so I decided to just book it myself with the help of www.cleartrip.com. My ticket for the 14 hour train journey came out to 157rs ($3.5). It’s funny how the train rides are now cheaper than the taxi to and from the train stations. (The overnight train rides which I’m a huge fan of will actually save you a good amount of money as they replace the hotel for the night)

I’ve heard Hampi is like Narnia meets Star Wars, I’m looking forward to renting a motorbike and exploring the ruins.

Goodbye my Ocean friend

My longest standing travel partner so far has been the ocean. With the exception of a few days here and there it has been there every day when I wake and every night when I go to sleep. I leave Kovalam, and the ocean, today for Bangalore on the start of my journey to northern India.


Why Bangalore?

Well for those of you who’ve met me on this trip I’m sure you already know why.. my craving for sushi is leading me there. To the IT capital of India, the ‘Silicon Valley’ if it were. I’ve completely given up with planning my trip at this point. It’s a change from the start of the trip but now I’d much rather arrive somewhere with no reservations or plans and just let things work themselves out.

Leaving the Ashram

One night at the ashram, in the health hut also known as the ‘club’, the topic of traveling after the Ashram came up and I quickly came to realized that I had only a month left to see the rest of India. I had loved my time at the Ashram but knew that if I didn’t go to northern India now it would be something I would forever regret; with that I decided it was time to take with me all I had learnt and continue on my journey.

Kovalam, which notoriously holds the title for India’s most developed resort, was my first stop. Originally I planned to stay only one night here and take the next train to Bangalore but when I tried to book I found out there were no trains available until Monday. I went out in search of a new room, with hopes of honing my bargaining skills, as the one I was staying in was cheap but falling apart (I was paying 300rs per night for a double room with attached bathroom). A guest house less than a minute walk away was my first stop; they had slightly better rooms for 300rs, but I wasn’t sure if it was worth the effort of moving. After seeing two more rooms and knowing that they needed the business I asked to see their nicest room. It was amazing, a spacious room with cable tv, soft double bed, a mini fridge, private balcony, huge bathroom with a hot water shower, and stairs that lead above my room to a little personal rooftop space; only problem was they wanted 500-600rs per night for it. I offered 300rs per night, what I was paying at my current hotel, at which point they kindly rejected. I thanked them and started to walk away when she shouted “wait, wait.. best offer?”. I knew they weren’t going to get someone to fill the room for the night so I offered 1,000rs($20) for three nights (the first night free then 500rs for both the other nights), and with that I checked into the nicest cheap room I’ve found yet.

Side note to the picture: When I was leaving Kovalam I decided that it was time I threw away a large portion of what I was carrying with me. I’ve accumulated a lot of things, especially clothing, since I first arrived to India. So with the advice I had received from a Swami (similar to a monk) at the ashram I gave away roughly half of what I was carrying to children and anyone else who could use what I no longer needed. There is also an eight kilogram parcel on its way home, but it could be a while before it actually arrives.

Sivananda Ashram

I don’t even know where to start on writing about the ashram so I’ll just write what comes to mind in no particular order.

On the first day during lectures we went around introducing ourselves and why we came to the ashram, problem was I don’t know why I came to the ashram. Why do we always have to have reasons for the things we do? My answer... ‘why not?’ (said in a more intellectual way of course).

Prepping for morning Yoga.

The first three days were the most challenging. I had only done two or three yoga classes before arriving, it was a struggle to keep up but I wanted to push myself. We did 4-6 hours a day of hatha yoga classes plus another hour for personal yoga and/or meditation coaching. My body was continuously sore, simple things like the steps up to the classes and lectures had become tiring. It was around day four or five things started to click. I had energy, an abundance of positive energy and I felt absolutely amazing. You could see the progress in myself and everyone else in the class. Postures that use to be a struggle to hold were now relaxing.

Getting ready to eat!

The food; oh the food. People either loved or absolutely hated the food. Maybe it was because my body needed the energy but I thought it was delicious. We ate two simple vegetarian meals every day, sitting on the floor eating with our hands, after our hatha yoga classes. All the food was pure to help our bodies, which means there were no onions, garlic, processed foods, or meats.



I will write a more detailed post with pictures about the ashram later as there is so much to tell. Until then, if anyone has questions feel free to ask me here or via email :)

Ashram: Day 1

Today is my first full day at the Ashram. The schedule is rather strict and I can only imagine how tiring it will be both mentally and physically. It doesn’t help that we will only be served two veg meals a day, which are lacking in both portion and taste from what I’ve heard.  On a more positive note, I’m looking forward to experiencing life at an Ashram and saving money while I’m here (it’s only costing 500rs or $11 per day for all my classes, food, and accommodation).

My daily schedule:

0520 hrs	WAKE UP BELL
0600 hrs	SATSANG (Meditation/Chanting)
0730 hrs	TEA TIME
0800 hrs	ASANA CLASS (Hatha Yoga Class)
1000 hrs	BRUNCH
1100 hrs	KARMA YOGA (Selfless Work)
1230 hrs	COACHING CLASS (optional)
1330 hrs	TEA TIME
1400 hrs	LECTURE (On the philosophy of yoga)
1600 hrs	ASANA CLASS (Hatha Yoga Class)
1800 hrs	DINNER
2000 hrs	SATSANG (Meditation/Chanting)
2200 hrs	LIGHTS OUT

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

Headed south, prepping for the Ashram

I’m headed back down south today after I had my little detour up to Kochin for a couple days. I arrived in Trivandrum (Kerala’s capital city) in the late afternoon after a rather uncomfortable and delayed, but cheap (200rs or $4.50), 5 hour train ride in sleeper class. I’ll be spending less than 24 hours here as I have to head for the Ashram tomorrow afternoon; I still have yet to figure out how I’m actually getting there.

Until then I’ll be enjoying my last little bit of freedom by eating meat, going sightseeing, and living like a tourist.

I probably won’t have access to the internet for anywhere between 7 to 14 days, depending on how long I stay at the Ashram for. But fear not as there will still be posts that I’ve written ahead of time and scheduled for every day starting tomorrow with a description of what my Ashram experience will entail.

This is me signing off with my last live post for a few days; I’ll continue writing as soon as I regain access to the internet. Wish me luck!

Link to my ashram's website: http://www.sivananda.org/ndam/

Killer Coconuts (Random missed post)

I have developed a new fear, one greater than my previous fear of hammoks, a fear of coconuts!

Someone once told me coconuts kill more people every year than sharks do. I have seen coconuts fall from high up in the trees a fair number of times over the past couple weeks. I had a close call in Palolem when a small coconut, about the size of a baseball, fell a couple feet from where I was sitting. They are so far up that by the time they reach the ground the combination of their size and velocity makes quite the impact, sometimes enough to kill someone if hit in the head.

I called home for the first time this morning, other then sorting out my insulin pump. I was talking to my parents on speaker phone when all the sudden, BANG! My back went numb for a minute, it took me a couple seconds to realize what happened. It was a coconut, the worlds most dangerous fruit.

The coconut that struck me is currently sitting in our room. I am planning my revenge, I will soon break it open and turn it into a pina colada.

Dancing, Cake, and Capitalism: Election Time

I had just finished checking some train details at an internet cafe when a huge crowd of cheering people with music and signs crowded me on the streets in Fort Kochi. I’ve gotten use to the rule of dancing first and asking questions later, so I joined the crowd of cheerful locals as we danced and cheered our way down the street.

The festivities were in celebration of the local independent party winning the in the state elections. I’m glad to be here when it happened as it is the first time in 30 years, according to the locals, that the communist party is no longer in power.

After dancing I got free cake, which also happened back in Mumbai, I have no idea what type of cake it was or how to explain its taste. Maybe it was influenced by the heart warming feeling of capitalism overtaking communism, but the cake was delightful.