Our Backpack Chronicles: New Delhi (part 1)

Series Two: Do & Dee & Delhi

“HOTEL RAK”, that sign you see at the background was our second hotel. This hotel is probably one of the best ones at Main Bazaar because it had knobs on its airconditioner.


Yes, knobs to control the fan speed and the temperature. The first hotel didn’t have any so I had to cover the airconditioner with pillows and blankets to control the temperature. Garandee’s teeth were chattering so hard I was worried I’ll need to thaw her out the following morning.


Garandee and her huge backpack. I worry that if she fell backwards she can never get back up... you know, like a beetle or a turtle.



One of the best things about walking around Delhi was the opportunity to take photographs of people as they go about their business. Here are a few of my favorite ones…




You just gotta love the fabulous Sari’s the ladies wear in India. They're sooo colorful! Garandee even had a couple of Sari’s when she was working as a part time waitress in an Indian restaurant in Tokyo.


One of my biggest regrets was not having enough time to visit the Hindu temples around Delhi…


Rickshaws! You will not believe how many of these I dodged while I was walking around Delhi, it was absolute “Rickshaw Rampage”!

I remember riding one on our first day…

Garandee: “Do, are you ok? You’ve been hitting the roof of the rickshaw a lot.”

Garando: “Yeah, as long as I use my hands like a helmet, I’ll probably survive. OW!!”

Garandee: “Kawawa… try to duck lower.”

Garando: “If I did that my face will hit the handle bars. YOUCH!”

Garandee: “Oh, right… how about… DO!! LOOK!!”

Garando: “Huh?? What? Where? ARAYKUPO!! (Ouch!!)”

Garandee: “There’s McDonald’s here!”

Garando: “Big deal, there’s McDonald’s everywhere. UFFF!”

Garandee: “But how can you have a burger restaurant in a country where cows are sacred??”

Garando: “Hmmm good point.“

Garandee: “di ba? (isn’t it?)”

Garando: “Driver, can you drop us off at McDonalds? I wanna get me some Big McGuru and Masala Fries!”

Rickshaw: “SCREEEEEEECH!!!”


Next stop: Delhi Belly!


Garando mode:
This is me inside the rickshaw.
Read More......

Our Backpack Chronicles: The Taj (part 3)

read part 1
read part 2


Series One continued: Do & Dee’s quest to check if the Taj Mahal was really made of marble.

I looked left. I looked right. I spotted a shade. I made a run for it.

Running on that blasted carpet was like running on lighted coals. I couldn’t take the heat any longer so I leaped from the carpet back on to the floor. As I landed I was surprised that the floor felt unusually cool under my feet.

I looked down and realized that I was standing on…

Marble!


Yes! The Taj Mahal was indeed made of Marble!!

Garando: “Why would they even use rubber carpets? The marble’s 10 times cooler…”

Garandee: “Stop over re-acting! The carpet’s fine. I’m walking on it, see?”

Calluses does have its benefits.


We continued to walk towards the entrance of the Taj. Everything about it was spectacular!


One of the 4 pillars erected on each corner of the Taj. Though the pillars looked straight, it slanted slightly outward so in the event of an earthquake, none of it will fall on the main structure.


The river behind the Taj. One popular myth is about a black Taj Mahal supposedly built somewhere across that river… but no proof was ever found.


Garandee: “…?? Garando? Where are you?”


What was most fascinating was all the intricate designs surrounding the Taj. All were made of semi-precious stones wedged tightly on carved marble.


The same stones were used for writing the Koran on these huge arches surrounding the Taj.



Taking a closer look, I noticed that some of the stones were partially damaged, almost as if someone tried to pry it out. It will definitely take more than conventional tools to successfully remove it... heck, I could hardly touch the edges of the stone with my fingernails. It’s tightly wedged!

Taj Mahal Security: “Excuse me, Sir. May I ask what you are doing?”

Garando: “…!!!… uhhh… I was just checking how tightly wedged the stone was.”

Taj Mahal Security: “ … ”

Garando: “It’s not what you think! It was like that when I saw it. I just like…uh… touching.”

Taj Mahal Security: “ … ”

Garando: “Don’t get me wrong, I don’t wanna touch you.”

Taj Mahal Security: “ … ”

Garando: “uh…. I don’t touch people, just stones.”

Garandee: “Garando! There you are, let’s go inside already!”

Garando: “Coming dear!”

Taj Mahal Security: “ … ”


We weren’t allowed to take photos inside the mausoleum and I think it made sense because they'd want to avoid such spoilers. In fact, I won’t even write about what’s inside so you’ll have something to look forward to when you get to visit the Taj yourself.


After we finished touring the mausoleum, it was time to bid the Taj Mahal farewell. I couldn’t stop looking back as we walked through the courtyard heading back from where we came.

By this time, Garandee and I were exhausted and extremely thirsty. It was close to 40 degrees, and we forgot to bring our water bottles so we were desperate for water. After exiting the final gate, I spotted some souvenir shops selling water!

Garando: “Dee!! Water!! Let’s go!”

Garandee: “Hai! Chop chop!”

Garando’s Tour Guide: “uhh friend… May I just mention that…”

Garando: “Puff, puff…. Agua….”

Garandee: “Thirsty po….”

Garando’s Tour Guide: “uh, excuse me but you may want to….”

Garando: “Two bottled water please!”

Store Person: “Of course. Here you are sir.”

Garando: “Finally!! glug! glug! glug!”

I must have chugged over half a liter that ice cold water.

Garando’s Tour Guide: “Uh, friend?”

Garando: “Ahhhhhhhh…..that felt good! Yes, you were saying?”

Garando’s Tour Guide: “I was trying to inform you not to buy water from these stores because there is a high probability of it being fake or re-sealed. There are a few more stores over there that are authorized sellers by our tourism office.“

Garando: “ !!!! ”

Garandee: “Wow, good thing I didn’t drink it yet. Do, you should give him extra tip.”


Garando mode:
FAKE WATER?!?!?!
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Our Backpack Chronicles: The Taj (part 1)

I wished I had a blog when Garandee and I went on our crazy backpacking trips a few years back. Now that I have Balut & Natto, I’m glad that I can finally share our old photos and zany stories. Hopefully this will be a good break from our usual conversations and add a little variety to my blog.

Series One: Do & Dee’s quest to check if the Taj Mahal was really made of marble.


At 6:00am we were up and getting ready for the long trip to Agra!


We carried our backpacks wherever we went. I’m a very light packer so 50% of my backpack was conveniently allocated for Garandee’s cosmetics, curlers, dresses, toiletries, etc. Not bad for a mobile dresser.



This was the scene just outside our hotel at the Main Bazaar in New Delhi. A mecca for backpackers, it’s one of the busiest streets in the city. You’ll spend most of your time dodging cows, rickshaws, travel agents, and cow poo.


As people were scurrying off to work, Garando and Garandee were hustling to make it to Agra before lunch!

Garandee: “Chop chop Garando!!! Ay naku…”

Garando: “Heavy po….puff puff…. I hope I won’t get hernia from all this weight.”


Then we finally hit the highway! As expected, the view was awesome… it felt so… “National Geographic”.


One of the best things about road trips are the stopovers. This was one of the coolest restaurants we passed en route to Agra. The food was excellent, and it gave us a chance to grab some souvenirs and change into more comfortable clothes.

Garandee: "Garando, where's our ride? It's gone missing..."

Garando: "uh-oh..."


continue to part two...


Garando mode:
Yikes! We're marooned!

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Mumbai Terror Attacks

I woke up this morning to find the horrific situation in Mumbai all over the top news channels. Coordinated terror attacks have targeted up to 6 sites, possibly more. 87 dead, hundreds wounded. OMG....

I have friends & colleagues there, dear ones. I am now waiting to hear if they are alright. My thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to the people of Mumbai.

Here are the first pictures of the terror attacks from Vinukumar Ranganathan's flickr site

*photo of the Taj hotel taken from the BBC In Pictures: Mumbai Attacks


Garando mode:
This is terrible... Read More......