Vodka Monks Drunks Australians Indians
One thing that is worse than overnight bus-rides in India is an RAC (Reservation After Cancellation) ticket on the overnight train. When I reserved a ticket for my trip from Agra to Varanasi, this was the only ticket available, so I took it. The ticket was in an air-conditioned car, which is probably the nicest way to travel, so I wasn’t concerned at all. Upon arrival onto the train, I went to my seat only to find a man already occupying it. I tried to inform him that I had the seat while he tried to inform me that he had the seat. It didn’t look like he planned on getting up from the seat. So, I went to look for someone to help me out. Finally, I found two guys who said they’d help me. We went back to my seat and the three men started mumbling in Hindi. As it turned out, the three men were all friends. For the next five minutes, it appeared that the two guys I found made fun of the guy who was in my seat. Why you ask? Because since the man and I had the same seat number, we had to share a bed; on an overnight train. The bed was half the size of a single bed. We slept head to foot and I slept horribly. The guys feet were poking and prodding me the whole night. Not Cool. I arrived in Varanasi after 13 hours on a train and about 2 hours of sleep.
After arriving to Varanasi I needed to sleep so I took a nap once I arrived at the Ganga Yogi Lodge. After a nap I went downstairs to find out if it was possible to buy some soap and shampoo nearby. The conversation went like this:
“Excuse me, but, do you know where I could buy some shampoo or soap?”
“Yes. Do you want some Hashish or Opium?”
“Um. What?”
“Hashish or Opium.”
“Oh! Uhh, no, it’s ok. I think I just need to get some shampoo and soap.”
“OK”
I was offered Hashish or Opium at least 100 times over the next two days. After an evening of washing and sleeping, I went to eat at a restaurant called Haifa and then checked out some of the Ghats (stairs that people walk down into the Ganga (Ganges)) with a friend whom I met who was from France but who didn’t speak English but did speak Spanish (which I spoke with him). I made it an early night and hit the sack early because I was getting up at 4:45am the next morning to be on the Ganga (on a boat) for sunrise. Both the sights of the Ganga and the stomachache that I began to have while on the boat were breathtaking. The scene at the Ganga is very powerful. There are thousands of devotees chanting, bathing, singing, socializing, cremating, shaving heads, shitting, drinking, eating, ritualizing, and more. There were colors, smells, sounds, and for those who put the Ganga water in their mouths…flavors (and probably stomach aches later in the day because the Ganges is the most polluted river in the world. This scense happens every day. It is the most holy place on earth for Hindus. It’s like being in Mecca or in Jerusalem. It was amazing, just like the pain I was having in my stomach.
For the next 27 hours I experienced intermittent abdominal pain followed by explosive diarrhea. This happened about every 25 minutes. THE PAIN WAS THE WORST PAIN I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. Imagine someone being able to twist, wiggle, and pull the nerve endings on your intestines and NOTHING could made the pain recede or lessen. That is what it felt like. It hurt to the point where I laid in the fetal position on my bed for hours upon hours, eating nothing except for cipro, acidophilus, and the occasional potato chip. It was horrible. I hope whatever is in my stomach is almost dead! (I am still feeling occasional pains).
After this 27 hour ordeal of pain and diarizz, I made it out to see some of the temples of Varanasi. The varied greatly from a tranquil temple in the middle of a university to a temple that had robotic gods playing music (this one was weird). Some of the temples were amazingly spiritual while others felt very dull. Some had music and lots of pooja happening and others had noting going on except the chirping of birds. That is all I feel like saying about these temples. Sorrie.
Try to imagine the following scene, my last train-ride in India (this trip at least), a 13 hour sleeper train from Varanasi to Delhi: Myself, an Israeli “Pacifist” who refused to ever serve in the Israeli army and who reminded me a LOT of the rabbi who presided at our wedding, two Buddhist monks from Vietnam, three Indian businessmen, an Australian flight attendant who had a child and who was also divorced and who said that most male flight attendants aren’t gay, and a bottle and a half of Vodka.
After arriving to Varanasi I needed to sleep so I took a nap once I arrived at the Ganga Yogi Lodge. After a nap I went downstairs to find out if it was possible to buy some soap and shampoo nearby. The conversation went like this:
“Excuse me, but, do you know where I could buy some shampoo or soap?”
“Yes. Do you want some Hashish or Opium?”
“Um. What?”
“Hashish or Opium.”
“Oh! Uhh, no, it’s ok. I think I just need to get some shampoo and soap.”
“OK”
I was offered Hashish or Opium at least 100 times over the next two days. After an evening of washing and sleeping, I went to eat at a restaurant called Haifa and then checked out some of the Ghats (stairs that people walk down into the Ganga (Ganges)) with a friend whom I met who was from France but who didn’t speak English but did speak Spanish (which I spoke with him). I made it an early night and hit the sack early because I was getting up at 4:45am the next morning to be on the Ganga (on a boat) for sunrise. Both the sights of the Ganga and the stomachache that I began to have while on the boat were breathtaking. The scene at the Ganga is very powerful. There are thousands of devotees chanting, bathing, singing, socializing, cremating, shaving heads, shitting, drinking, eating, ritualizing, and more. There were colors, smells, sounds, and for those who put the Ganga water in their mouths…flavors (and probably stomach aches later in the day because the Ganges is the most polluted river in the world. This scense happens every day. It is the most holy place on earth for Hindus. It’s like being in Mecca or in Jerusalem. It was amazing, just like the pain I was having in my stomach.
For the next 27 hours I experienced intermittent abdominal pain followed by explosive diarrhea. This happened about every 25 minutes. THE PAIN WAS THE WORST PAIN I HAVE EVER EXPERIENCED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. Imagine someone being able to twist, wiggle, and pull the nerve endings on your intestines and NOTHING could made the pain recede or lessen. That is what it felt like. It hurt to the point where I laid in the fetal position on my bed for hours upon hours, eating nothing except for cipro, acidophilus, and the occasional potato chip. It was horrible. I hope whatever is in my stomach is almost dead! (I am still feeling occasional pains).
After this 27 hour ordeal of pain and diarizz, I made it out to see some of the temples of Varanasi. The varied greatly from a tranquil temple in the middle of a university to a temple that had robotic gods playing music (this one was weird). Some of the temples were amazingly spiritual while others felt very dull. Some had music and lots of pooja happening and others had noting going on except the chirping of birds. That is all I feel like saying about these temples. Sorrie.
Try to imagine the following scene, my last train-ride in India (this trip at least), a 13 hour sleeper train from Varanasi to Delhi: Myself, an Israeli “Pacifist” who refused to ever serve in the Israeli army and who reminded me a LOT of the rabbi who presided at our wedding, two Buddhist monks from Vietnam, three Indian businessmen, an Australian flight attendant who had a child and who was also divorced and who said that most male flight attendants aren’t gay, and a bottle and a half of Vodka.
posted by Jon at 07:19
4 Comments:
wow.
i agree with shelley. please be a blogger/travel writer, forever. maybe ellyn can join u 10 months out of the year.
CANT WAIT TO SEE YOUR PICS OF THE GANGES
that was such a good description...
Well, your blog is way more interesting than the legal research I'm doing right now. That's gotta mean something, right?
I hope you sleep alone tonight and that your abdominal maladies resolve soon.
Oh, and sort of like Vegas, what happens in India, stays in India. So make sure to leave all that abdominal parasitic germy stuff in India when you leave, ok? We don't need any of that here in Rochester;)
OK. Well, first, good thing YOU'll NEVER HAVE TO GIVE BIRTH! Enough said about that. I too hope that what ever was in your stomach is dead, AND, can't wait to see you. Love you.
What did you pick....hashish or opium????
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