After taking a week to settle in back home, I finally got around to finishing this last post.
Conclusion of India Part 4, hope you've enjoyed following the journey!
Conclusion of India Part 4, hope you've enjoyed following the journey!
Monday, March 7th was Shivaratri, one of India's favorite holidays honouring their beloved god Shiva and his divine union to Parvati (or Shakti - feminine essence, power). Isabelle and I started our day with a street chai on our way to yoga class with Ashish (whom, I must point out, Isabelle had become quite infatuated with - as is the case for many of the ladies who attend his classes!). Then, since Shivaratri is an auspicious day to do so, Isabelle and I walked along the river to a deserted spot for our cleansing Ganga dip (in not so clean, but magical, water). Stopped in a for a refreshing lemon mint drink at the "Last Chance Café" (end of the road leading to our dip spot) on the way back. We then crossed the Ramjula bridge and walked up the hill to the Sivananda ashram for a short sit in the small, colourful meditation hall, where for the past hundred years or so there has been a non-stop stream of the maha mantra (Hare Krishna) chanted by a monk (on rotation). Back down the hill at the rickshaw parking lot, we picked up some samosas and pakoras (Isabelle's favorite street food so far) before catching the 20 cent boat ride back to our side of the river. It was then time to get ready to head to Parmarth Niketan (the biggest ashram of the area, where the International Yoga Festival was happening) for Ganga Aarti, a daily river worship at sunset. Today's was particularly festive for Shivaratri, with hundreds of people, lively music, singing and dancing. When we had had enough of the crowds, we headed to the Health Café for dinner, and then (for balance of course), we ended the day with some sweets from the bakery.
Tuesday morning we each went up for an ayurvedic consultation at the clinic-spa on the top floor of our hotel. I came out of mine with the realization that I wasn't kapha after all (if you don't know what that means and you are curious, ask me...) and Isabelle came out of hers with tears and newfound life goals. Pretty powerful stuff. We shared our experiences during the almost hour long walk to Ramana's Garden, a vibrant and inspiring place I discovered with Cindy and Lorraine on my last trip: a lush plot of land that houses an orphanage, school rooms for the kids, gardens where the children help to grow fresh organic food and a café where the kids as well as volunteers work to prepare and serve delicious food infused with love. We had a wonderful lunch and soaked up all those good vibes. Next stop was the little stone shop for mala bead buying (the same place and lovely couple that my Trika friend Scott had introduced me to in 2012, which I have been to on every trip since). The lady served us a deliciously spicy and fragrant cup of chai while her husband told us about the different types stones and their healing properties. That evening we went down to the basement of our hotel where the Children of the Ganges classroom is situated. We listened to the kids sing their opening chants, then taught them how to play UNO (merci Isabelle Truchon!) and they went nuts for it. The day ended with a scrumptious dinner at Oasis, and banoffee pie for dessert - cookie crumb crust, banana paste center, smooth toffee topping. Yeah.
Wednesday morning started with a street chai on our way to our last class with Ashish - evidently one of the saddest moments of the trip for Isabelle ;) As it was our final day in Rishikesh, we had quite a bit of last minute shopping to do that afternoon. When we needed a little break and energy boost, we stopped at a street wallah for a glass of fresh sugarcane (with mint and lime) juice and then a few steps over to his neighbour for a bowl of chaat, a messy but scrumptious mix of fried potato patties, chickpeas, curd, green chutney, spices, topped with salt and crushed crispy bits - a veritable party in the mouth. In the evening, after sunset, to mark the end of our time in Rishikesh, we walked down to the river for our own personal Ganga puja. We each bought a little flower floater bowl from the boy at the top of the ghats, walked down the steps to the water, removed our flip-flops, lit the fire stick in the flower bowl, infused the floater with a thought of something we wish to let go of, then placed the floater onto the water and let the current take it away. I haven't asked Isabelle yet about hers, but I can confirm that what I chose to release has indeed begun to dissipate with a little help from the Ganga. For our last dinner we went to a local ashram that serves the best and cheapest (60 rupees - $1.20 - per plate) thalis in town. Then up to the bakery for a final cappuccino and pastry after which Isabelle headed back to our room to start packing while I went over to Swati's for a goodbye and "See you next year!" When I got back to the room around 10pm, Isabelle was almost done packing, but I had yet to start. Almost midnight by the time I was done, with the alarm going off at 4am for the start of our journey towards Delhi.
Didn't get much sleep between 12-4, kept slipping in and out of dreamland, making for a groggy rise at 4am. Our hired man with a push-cart arrived promptly at 4:40 to help us get all our luggage from the hotel to the bridge and across (a beautifully dark, peaceful and quiet walk), to where our cab was waiting (also punctually at 5am) to take us to the Haridwar train station 40min away. Got a "chai-shot" from our train station platform, a few snacks for the ride, and boarded at 6:50 for the 5 hour journey to Delhi. Quick tuk-tuk ride from the Delhi station to RAK Hotel on Main Bazaar in Paharganj, the backpacker district and guesthouse where I always stay in Delhi. After a wonderfully refreshing shower, we headed out for a little shopping along Main Bazaar, then returned to our guesthouse for a lukewarm Kingfisher beer on the rooftop. Never made it out for dinner that night - both pretty exhausted, and since we now had a tv in our room, we opted for leftover train cookies and sitcoms. And relished the relaxing break.
The bustling streets of Delhi get real loud real early, so we were up just after 6 on Friday morning. Went to the organic Brown Bread Bakery for breakfast, then hopped on the modern, clean, air-conditioned metro to Dilli Haat, a wonderful outdoor market with delicious food stalls and beautiful handmade local art, jewelry, clothing, etc. There is a small fee to get in, and the gated entrance means a very calm and pleasant shopping atmosphere. This was in stark contrast to our afternoon market, Chandni Chowk, a maze of grimy alleys packed with street food and vendors of all sorts. At the first market, there were only tourists, but at this one we were the only tourists. Metro back to Main Bazaar (we rode in the 'ladies only' car, as the general public ones were insanely packed and even a bit rough). It was raining as we walked from the metro station towards our hotel so we stopped into a nice looking statuette-singingbowl-jewelry store, coming out an hour later with several less dollars in our bank accounts, and a possible major shift in Isabelle's jewelry business... Dropped bags off in our room before heading out for our last dinner together at Club India, a fabulous rooftop restaurant overlooking the sights and sounds of Delhi nightlife. Some final last-minute shopping on the way back to our hotel, then showers and packing. I worked my OCD magic to make everything fit, but it took time. A lot of time. It was almost 3am when I turned the light out (Isabelle had already been asleep for a couple hours), and the alarm was ringing at 5 for our flights.
Taxi was waiting at 5:30 Saturday morning, taking us to the airport about 30min away. Isabelle was dropped off first at the domestic terminal for her flight to Mumbai where she would spend the next couple days on her own before flying home. We said our goodbyes (but see you soon!) after a wonderful time spent together, then I was dropped at the international terminal for my flight to Qatar. Difficulty getting through the entrance gates due to not having printed out my boarding pass, and several long check-in and security line-ups meant I wouldn't have time to browse around in my favorite Delhi airport shop. Always one of my favorite last pit-stops, so I was a little bummed (but my wallet was pleased). Just enough time to pick up my annual Indian Vogue and speed walk to my gate in time for the last boarding call. No upgrade to 1st class this time, but I did get an emergency exit row seat and lovely neighbours. Slept most of the 3hr flight, after hardly any shut-eye the night before. As per tradition, my first stop at the Doha airport was for an $8 coffee while flipping through my Vogue India - then figuring out how I'd spend the next 21 hours... Started by acquainting myself with new airport, totally renovated and redesigned since my last visit, and awarded the distinction of best airport in the Middle East. I guess there could be worse places to be stuck with a 21hr layover. Plopped my heavy carry-on backpack (full of books, of course) into a trolley and strolled around the squeaky clean, shimmering concourses - realizing with delight how lovely it was not to have to stare at the ground as I walked in order to avoid stepping in dirty puddles or cow dung. Using the airport bathrooms that come fully equipped with toilet paper and have dry floors is always another very enjoyable experience. After some exploring, reading, webbing, and trip budget calculating, it was already time for dinner. Around 8pm, after a delicious and reasonably priced meal salad, I headed to the quiet room (except for the two Indian ladies having a loud and animated conversation, not quite understanding the concept of this space), a closed-off area with long chairs to sleep on. Read a bit, pulled a very fitting tarot card, then put on my eye-mask, earplugs and blanket, and slept on-and-off from 9pm-1am. Got up, went to the bathroom, walked around, read a little more, then made my way back to the sleep lounge, this time stretching out on the carpeted floor with my blanket and neck-wrap pillow (a purchase I had made at the airport that afternoon, now wondering how I have traveled so far and so often and never owned one of these delightful pieces of comfort!). Semi-slept from 2-5am before getting up for good.
At 6 Sunday morning I went for a Jamocha coffee with my magazine. Checked in with Isabelle in Mumbai - she was managing like a pro on her own, and had already been to two of my favorite spots: Leopold's Café (from Shantaram) and Theobroma (an exquisite patisserie, whose name means food of the gods). Took off at 9am for the 13hr flight home. Again, no upgrade, but again, spacious exit row seat and a neighbour so lovely I wouldn't even have taken the upgrade if it were offered. She was a sweet and sociable (without being excessively chatty) teenage Pakistani girl on her way home to Saskatoon after visiting family in Pakistan. Watched The Big Short (great movie) with breakfast, then napped; then movie #2, Aloha (a cute one), with chips and ice-cream, then napped again; then movie #3, Everest (epic adventure) with lunch and a last nap. Then the custom cards came around and it was almost landing time. The sun was shining and the weather was mild as I stepped outside the airport - and I was happy to be home.
So, recap of this year's top 3 highlights: meeting Arna, Swati's beautiful baby girl; becoming certified in Panchkarma treatments, after an enriching and rejuvenating 3 week course; and having a stellar travel companion to end my trip with, who took to India with ease and grace, open to all the magic it offers, and who is already planning her next visit. Speaking of which... my plan for India Part 5 is to take a small group with me (organizing and guiding the trip), so if anyone wants to join the adventure, hit me up! I have already looked at potential dates: departure on Sunday, Feb. 26th, 2017, group returning two weeks later on Sunday, March 12th, and I would stay an extra 2 weeks, returning on March 26th. Inspired and excited for this new twist on my India trips, and who knows, maybe you'll be with me next year! Namaste and happy sunny spring equinox and St-Patty's Day :)
Tuesday morning we each went up for an ayurvedic consultation at the clinic-spa on the top floor of our hotel. I came out of mine with the realization that I wasn't kapha after all (if you don't know what that means and you are curious, ask me...) and Isabelle came out of hers with tears and newfound life goals. Pretty powerful stuff. We shared our experiences during the almost hour long walk to Ramana's Garden, a vibrant and inspiring place I discovered with Cindy and Lorraine on my last trip: a lush plot of land that houses an orphanage, school rooms for the kids, gardens where the children help to grow fresh organic food and a café where the kids as well as volunteers work to prepare and serve delicious food infused with love. We had a wonderful lunch and soaked up all those good vibes. Next stop was the little stone shop for mala bead buying (the same place and lovely couple that my Trika friend Scott had introduced me to in 2012, which I have been to on every trip since). The lady served us a deliciously spicy and fragrant cup of chai while her husband told us about the different types stones and their healing properties. That evening we went down to the basement of our hotel where the Children of the Ganges classroom is situated. We listened to the kids sing their opening chants, then taught them how to play UNO (merci Isabelle Truchon!) and they went nuts for it. The day ended with a scrumptious dinner at Oasis, and banoffee pie for dessert - cookie crumb crust, banana paste center, smooth toffee topping. Yeah.
Wednesday morning started with a street chai on our way to our last class with Ashish - evidently one of the saddest moments of the trip for Isabelle ;) As it was our final day in Rishikesh, we had quite a bit of last minute shopping to do that afternoon. When we needed a little break and energy boost, we stopped at a street wallah for a glass of fresh sugarcane (with mint and lime) juice and then a few steps over to his neighbour for a bowl of chaat, a messy but scrumptious mix of fried potato patties, chickpeas, curd, green chutney, spices, topped with salt and crushed crispy bits - a veritable party in the mouth. In the evening, after sunset, to mark the end of our time in Rishikesh, we walked down to the river for our own personal Ganga puja. We each bought a little flower floater bowl from the boy at the top of the ghats, walked down the steps to the water, removed our flip-flops, lit the fire stick in the flower bowl, infused the floater with a thought of something we wish to let go of, then placed the floater onto the water and let the current take it away. I haven't asked Isabelle yet about hers, but I can confirm that what I chose to release has indeed begun to dissipate with a little help from the Ganga. For our last dinner we went to a local ashram that serves the best and cheapest (60 rupees - $1.20 - per plate) thalis in town. Then up to the bakery for a final cappuccino and pastry after which Isabelle headed back to our room to start packing while I went over to Swati's for a goodbye and "See you next year!" When I got back to the room around 10pm, Isabelle was almost done packing, but I had yet to start. Almost midnight by the time I was done, with the alarm going off at 4am for the start of our journey towards Delhi.
Didn't get much sleep between 12-4, kept slipping in and out of dreamland, making for a groggy rise at 4am. Our hired man with a push-cart arrived promptly at 4:40 to help us get all our luggage from the hotel to the bridge and across (a beautifully dark, peaceful and quiet walk), to where our cab was waiting (also punctually at 5am) to take us to the Haridwar train station 40min away. Got a "chai-shot" from our train station platform, a few snacks for the ride, and boarded at 6:50 for the 5 hour journey to Delhi. Quick tuk-tuk ride from the Delhi station to RAK Hotel on Main Bazaar in Paharganj, the backpacker district and guesthouse where I always stay in Delhi. After a wonderfully refreshing shower, we headed out for a little shopping along Main Bazaar, then returned to our guesthouse for a lukewarm Kingfisher beer on the rooftop. Never made it out for dinner that night - both pretty exhausted, and since we now had a tv in our room, we opted for leftover train cookies and sitcoms. And relished the relaxing break.
The bustling streets of Delhi get real loud real early, so we were up just after 6 on Friday morning. Went to the organic Brown Bread Bakery for breakfast, then hopped on the modern, clean, air-conditioned metro to Dilli Haat, a wonderful outdoor market with delicious food stalls and beautiful handmade local art, jewelry, clothing, etc. There is a small fee to get in, and the gated entrance means a very calm and pleasant shopping atmosphere. This was in stark contrast to our afternoon market, Chandni Chowk, a maze of grimy alleys packed with street food and vendors of all sorts. At the first market, there were only tourists, but at this one we were the only tourists. Metro back to Main Bazaar (we rode in the 'ladies only' car, as the general public ones were insanely packed and even a bit rough). It was raining as we walked from the metro station towards our hotel so we stopped into a nice looking statuette-singingbowl-jewelry store, coming out an hour later with several less dollars in our bank accounts, and a possible major shift in Isabelle's jewelry business... Dropped bags off in our room before heading out for our last dinner together at Club India, a fabulous rooftop restaurant overlooking the sights and sounds of Delhi nightlife. Some final last-minute shopping on the way back to our hotel, then showers and packing. I worked my OCD magic to make everything fit, but it took time. A lot of time. It was almost 3am when I turned the light out (Isabelle had already been asleep for a couple hours), and the alarm was ringing at 5 for our flights.
Taxi was waiting at 5:30 Saturday morning, taking us to the airport about 30min away. Isabelle was dropped off first at the domestic terminal for her flight to Mumbai where she would spend the next couple days on her own before flying home. We said our goodbyes (but see you soon!) after a wonderful time spent together, then I was dropped at the international terminal for my flight to Qatar. Difficulty getting through the entrance gates due to not having printed out my boarding pass, and several long check-in and security line-ups meant I wouldn't have time to browse around in my favorite Delhi airport shop. Always one of my favorite last pit-stops, so I was a little bummed (but my wallet was pleased). Just enough time to pick up my annual Indian Vogue and speed walk to my gate in time for the last boarding call. No upgrade to 1st class this time, but I did get an emergency exit row seat and lovely neighbours. Slept most of the 3hr flight, after hardly any shut-eye the night before. As per tradition, my first stop at the Doha airport was for an $8 coffee while flipping through my Vogue India - then figuring out how I'd spend the next 21 hours... Started by acquainting myself with new airport, totally renovated and redesigned since my last visit, and awarded the distinction of best airport in the Middle East. I guess there could be worse places to be stuck with a 21hr layover. Plopped my heavy carry-on backpack (full of books, of course) into a trolley and strolled around the squeaky clean, shimmering concourses - realizing with delight how lovely it was not to have to stare at the ground as I walked in order to avoid stepping in dirty puddles or cow dung. Using the airport bathrooms that come fully equipped with toilet paper and have dry floors is always another very enjoyable experience. After some exploring, reading, webbing, and trip budget calculating, it was already time for dinner. Around 8pm, after a delicious and reasonably priced meal salad, I headed to the quiet room (except for the two Indian ladies having a loud and animated conversation, not quite understanding the concept of this space), a closed-off area with long chairs to sleep on. Read a bit, pulled a very fitting tarot card, then put on my eye-mask, earplugs and blanket, and slept on-and-off from 9pm-1am. Got up, went to the bathroom, walked around, read a little more, then made my way back to the sleep lounge, this time stretching out on the carpeted floor with my blanket and neck-wrap pillow (a purchase I had made at the airport that afternoon, now wondering how I have traveled so far and so often and never owned one of these delightful pieces of comfort!). Semi-slept from 2-5am before getting up for good.
At 6 Sunday morning I went for a Jamocha coffee with my magazine. Checked in with Isabelle in Mumbai - she was managing like a pro on her own, and had already been to two of my favorite spots: Leopold's Café (from Shantaram) and Theobroma (an exquisite patisserie, whose name means food of the gods). Took off at 9am for the 13hr flight home. Again, no upgrade, but again, spacious exit row seat and a neighbour so lovely I wouldn't even have taken the upgrade if it were offered. She was a sweet and sociable (without being excessively chatty) teenage Pakistani girl on her way home to Saskatoon after visiting family in Pakistan. Watched The Big Short (great movie) with breakfast, then napped; then movie #2, Aloha (a cute one), with chips and ice-cream, then napped again; then movie #3, Everest (epic adventure) with lunch and a last nap. Then the custom cards came around and it was almost landing time. The sun was shining and the weather was mild as I stepped outside the airport - and I was happy to be home.
So, recap of this year's top 3 highlights: meeting Arna, Swati's beautiful baby girl; becoming certified in Panchkarma treatments, after an enriching and rejuvenating 3 week course; and having a stellar travel companion to end my trip with, who took to India with ease and grace, open to all the magic it offers, and who is already planning her next visit. Speaking of which... my plan for India Part 5 is to take a small group with me (organizing and guiding the trip), so if anyone wants to join the adventure, hit me up! I have already looked at potential dates: departure on Sunday, Feb. 26th, 2017, group returning two weeks later on Sunday, March 12th, and I would stay an extra 2 weeks, returning on March 26th. Inspired and excited for this new twist on my India trips, and who knows, maybe you'll be with me next year! Namaste and happy sunny spring equinox and St-Patty's Day :)
