AND NOW FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT

So I'm sitting in a giant pyramid. The room is tiled in black marble. New Agey music pulses from the speakers. And 200 people all dressed in plain white robes are dancing and gyrating and freely spinning around and around.

Welcome to the OSHO (tm) International Mediation Resort.

The Music stops and everyone yells "OSHO!"... and the music kicks on again. It's a zippy tune and is a hell of a lot of fun to dance to. After a few more stops with "OSHO!" cries, the music finally ends with four "OSHO's!" and everything falls silent. Everyone sits down and is silent. I'm following along, because there's no instruction. Sure they gave you a booklet when you arrived (along with a massive amount of rules and instruction on how to behave at this ashram located in Pune, India). I read the booklet. I don't remember the order of things, so I'm just following along as best I can. And supposedly the word "OSHO" doesn't mean anything. It's just something to yell. But it is the name that the guru here chose, so I'm not so sure about it meaning nothing at all...

After a few minutes, or maybe it's 10, of silence. A video starts up and Mr. Osho himself comes on a 10 foot video screen at the front of the "OSHO dome" (As I like to call it). He then proceeds to impart wisdom on his loyal followers. And he speaks realllllllyyyyy sloooooooooooooowwwwwwwwlllllllyyyyyy.  I mean, I'm not sure I've ever listened to 45 minutes to an hour of speaking that was quite this slow. To be fair, what he had to say was kind of interesting. It had to do with being an artist vs. being a seeker. Things that apply to my life. But man it took him a long time to get to the point. The video was recorded sometime in the late 80's or early 90's, so no HD here. (Osho died in the early 90's).

After the "sermon" (For lack of a better term) the video goes black, but OSHO continues to speak. And after a minute hits the punchline on a dirty joke. The place erupts in laughter. And follows this with another off color joke about cannibals. I ain't going to lie, they were both fabulously funny and so out of character for the very mellow man who gave the speech. Or so I thought... it turns out Osho would use dirty jokes in his speechmaking as he got older. I guess he figured laughter was good for the spirit as well.

The jokes end and BOOM, a huge drumbeat and everyone in the room starts speaking gibberish. Yep. It was like being in a room full of people speaking tongues. A few people spoke English, yelling curse words out and frustrated frantic speech, but most people were rambling in other languages (which they might not even know). I'm serious. People were speaking all sorts of weird things, and knowing the language is not a requirement. This is called "The Gibberish". For me, I don't know how to speak in a language I don't know. So I just sort of mumbled and listened as the sounds echoed around the empty pyramid until...

BOOM.  Another drumbeat. And everyone fell silent. Osho came back on the audio to lead a little meditation and after 2 minutes....

BOOM... everyone flops to the ground like "a bag of rice" (to use the OSHO term.) I just laid back and closed my eyes. Then OSHO guides you through a brief meditation. Maybe 5 minutes... or was it 10? Until on the recording he asks his band leader to start up a tune. She replies with a very mellow "yes OSHO"...

And the music kicks back on. People get up and start dancing again. The energy is different from the start, but still free. It lasts 5 minutes or so until the final "OSHO!" and then it's over. People walk out in silence into the night. Ghosts in white robes drifting down the steps from the Illuminati pyramid that is the OSHO (tm) Dome and out into the campus. The moon was bright. The dome is lit deep blue and frankly looks like a 1980's movie visual effect from the outside.

At this point you're probably thinking:  "Craig, did you just join a cult?"

But in truth, Meditation retreats and ashram's exist all over India. Each is led by their own Guru who has his (or occasionally her) own version of the path to enlightenment, or peace, or truth, or healing. They all serve a different purpose and a different path. Some are very Zen, some are unique like OSHO. He teaches an "Active meditation" which has to do with doing something physical before dropping into the quiet meditative state.  The "Brotherhood of the white robe" that I went to above happens every night, and it is the only time you wear the white robe. During the daytime meditation sessions you must wear a maroon robe. So everyone walks around in Maroon robes all day and white robes at night. It could seem creepy, but it's actually kind of nice and has a pleasant visual aspect to it.

Now, the thing about OSHO is that, even though it's about finding enlightenment or transcendence through active meditation. It's also a giant, shameless money making machine. And this was hard to stomach when I first got there. I knew it was going to be pricey, but this was hands down the most expensive thing I did while in India. I ended up there for two days and spent over... $100. Yes, I realize that is very little when you think about how much things cost in LA (Hell, you could blow that on one dinner easily). But in India, where my average daily cost was $42. (That includes food, lodging, transportation, activities and everything), spending $100 on something is way out of balance. And when I mentioned that (with a smile) to the man checking me in, he said "This isn't an Indian company." (Interesting since OSHO was very much an Indian).

When you arrive you have to have a registration fee of 1,400 Rupees. The registration takes 10 minutes and they do a manditory AIDS/HIV test. I asked why and was told that in the 1980's OSHO realized HIV was going to be an incurable epidemic and wanted to make sure his commune was safe. I didn't ask how they treated someone who was HIV+. Back in the 1970's-1980's OSHO was controversial for his including sex as part of his teachings. It earned him the dergitory title of "Sex Guru". Frankly, I didn't see or hear any mention of sex while I was there in the teachings (other than the dirty jokes). I could've bought the book of his talks on the subject in the OSHO bookstore if I'd wanted to. But I'd used up all my "OSHO Bucks" and didn't want to get anymore. (You have to buy vouchers to spend inside the resort. This is so you don't have to worry about cash. Of course you have to worry about these cards they mark up with markers and then throw away. So I'm not sure it's any better. But as anyone who has worked a county fair knows: If you have vouchers or tickets people spend more money.) The people checking you in smile and say "Now it's time to break out your ATM Card". It's pretty shameless. You want to use the pool: Pay extra. Oh, but you have to use wear a maroon swimsuit so you fit in. Conveniently purchasable in the boutique with OSHO bucks.

In the end, it really isn't that much money. But in a country where many people live on US $2 a day, a place that costs this much, and gives nothing back to the poor ("that is someone elses job") really bothered me. People travel here to take courses, and they spend a lot of money. I met people there for 3 weeks, 3 months or even longer. Some never even saw any other part of India while they were there. They even stayed on campus for about $70/night. It really is like going to a resort in Mexico and never seeing any of the local people, villages or events. It's not how I usually like to travel and took some shifting. I felt like I was cheating. It was too easy. Too clean. Too quiet. This wasn't India...

... and yet it was. Because so many people come to India seeking truth. Seeking peace. Seeking something to calm them, to straighten them out, to get them on track. People need guidance in life. Some find it in religion (Christianity, Hindu, Islam to name a few), some find it in work or public service,  and for some OSHO is the man to give it. His words were actually pretty wise. His idea of active or dynamic meditation is pretty fabulous. It's hard for me to just stop and say "Now I shall sit quietly and meditate for one hour. Shhhhhhh. Ommmmmm.".  But after running in place for 15 minutes, swaying like a reed of grass for 15 minutes, moving my eyes in a circle for 15 minutes... by the time I got to the 15 minute stage of laying and just being... I was calm and felt great.  Each of his meditations has 3 or 4 steps and lasts an hour. The active part of the mediations vary, but the final step is always just laying on your stomach or back with eyes closed and just being. And you know what? It works pretty great.

But after all that, here's something I learned from my month in India...

India isn't any more spiritual or special than any other place else on earth. India doesn't have some magical energy that vibrates through the people and places that makes you calm or gives you peace or makes you holy or brings you closer to God. An ashram in India might be spiritual to one person, a beach at sunset might be to another, or a mountaintop in Colorado might be to another. This whole world is filled with amazing, spiritual, divine places that can take our breath away, inspire our passions, or give us peace.

And in the end it actually doesn't require going anywhere to do it. (Though often times breaking out of our routines and habits and comfort zones is necessary to find it). Peace comes from within. People who sell peace are businessmen. It doesn't cost you money to find it (but if you need to spend money to find a teacher, there's nothing wrong wit that). It only requires you loving yourself and loving this wonderful life we are given. Even when things are bad, smile: tomorrow could be worse. (I saw that sign in Mumbai).

Did I need to go to India to learn this lesson? Maybe. Maybe not.

But the answer didn't come from India. It came from within.

KING KERALA

So I made it to the south. I'd heard legend of this state in the far south, on the west coast (best coast!) that was awesome. And my friends, it is!
Kerala, home of 900km of backwaters, with villages spread along canals and rivers and lakes. With beaches and towns where people ACTUALLY AREN'T HONKING ALL THE TIME!  Woooooooooo!

I'm telling you. From the second I hit the ground at the Kochi International (Albeit very small) airport, something felt different. Was it all the green trees? And green grass? So there wasn't dust blowing around everywhere.  Was it the roads that were actually complete?  Roads with good pavement and very few potholes?  Was it the drivers who actually obeyed traffic laws and stayed in their lane.... oh wait, it's still India! 

But seriously. It's different down here. Much different.  The touts are few and far between. And when they do come, most of the time they aren't as annoying or in your face.  There's almost no dust in the air, whereas much of the rest of India is so dusty. The people smile more. There really is very little honking. And the temperature is much, much.... cooler.

Not what I was expecting. I thought it would be hotter. But so far the Agra - Khajuraho - Varanasi run wins. It was 102 - 108. Every day for a week. With Varanasi winning. Thank god for Air Conditioning. We could last maybe 3 hours before having to chill in the room for a bit and then going back out. It was still 93 at 10 o'clock at night.  But in Varanasi it was ONLY 93! Woooo!  Sure it was more humid and sweat poured off my head all day long. But it felt great compared to the furnace of before!

I took a ferry over to Fort Kochi and love it. No horns. Hell, almost no traffic! I stayed in a hostel here because I wanted to meet some new travelers. And immediately met a cool British couple and a super fun Aussie gal. (In India Britain wins the traveler sweepstakes. There are more Brits here than I've ever seen. Probably because India is so much a part of their history). I enjoyed the beach which was... still kinda trashy. But not nearly as trashy as up north! In fact, the amount of trash in most of Kerala was pretty low. Comparative to Bali or Thailand. And cows... what cows? No cow shit in the alleys, streets and food areas here. In fact... you can get a steak! A real, honest to goodness steak!  I had one at this fabulous little beachside place owned by a Portuguese man named Miguel. If you make it to Coconut Terrace north of Fort Kochi, definitely swing in. (I can't remember the beach name, but it's the "good swimming beach" near Fort Kochi).

We went and saw some traditional Keralan dancing. Performed for thousands of years. It's strange and fun. With wild costumes and lots of exagerated facial expressions. We ate fresh fish and curry at a fancy place with a jetty out into the channel. Lightning in the distance. An awesome setting. Such good food. A place like this would easily be $30 per plate in the USA. Here... $7 USD. 

The second day, Mel (The Aussie) and I rented mopeds, took em on the car ferry with all the other people, and rode 25 km up to the aforementioned swimming beach. It was empty when we arrived, and after lunch it was PACKED with people. Everyone enjoying the sunset, laughing near the waves (some of them in the water) and flying kites. And taking pictures of us white folk too! lol.  The strangest thing about beaches in India is that there is something missing... skin. Everyone (Even most of the men) are covered up almost completely and go swimming in their full clothing. A few teenagers and young men might be in suits. But normal clothes or Sari's are the way to go here. And the smart female tourist will do the same unless she wants a lot, and I mean A LOT of staring, and photo taking. Each place has their own rules.

The ride back was in the rain! 25 km at night in the rain on a scooter is always a white knuckle experience. And with the full high beams and continuous passing on Indian roads it was even more so. But truthfully the roads on these islands are much mellower than anything up north, which is also why renting a scooter sounded fun instead of terrifying.

My second stop in Kerala was Alleppy. 80 km south and the home of the backwaters. The canals. A fabulous canoe trip and the houseboats. Over 1,500 of them in Alleppy alone. 1,500. It is big business and the boats range from 1 bedroom cruisers to floating party palaces like the one I ended up on with 16 other travelers and a shit ton of booze.

But first, canoeing. See, I arrived in Alleppy true backpacker style. No room booked. No one to go on the houseboat with. And I had faith and trusted my instincts that it would come together. So things brought me to a hostel that was full of.... no one. I was totally alone the day I arrived. Hmmmm, not promising. But these two guys showed up later. Dylan from Canada and Paul from Newcastle UK. We chatted a little, But they weren't going on a boat until the day after I wanted to leave. So the hostel guy suggested I do a canoe trip for a day. And I did. And it was awesome!

To be on the water, floating past villages and homes where people walk out their front door and step into the canal to bathe or do laundry or hop on a canoe or water taxi was really fascinating. And another thing... these village homes, where never made of mud. And almost always were painted and decorated. It wasn't just mud huts and dirt floors. The reason I bring this up is because they were nice and usually in "villages" of places like India, the villagers live a very simple life. And in Kerala it's different. And this may be why...

Kerala was the first state in India to claim 100% literacy. And this was years ago. like 1930's if I remember right. They were the first to have women in government. And to make sure women were educated. It has the highest per capita income of any state in India. There are ads for jewelry and movies and all sorts of things that much of India didn't have. Now does this make them better? No. Happier? I couldn't tell you. But having a bed and windows and a floor that isn't mud seems like a higher quality of life.... or is that just "stuff" and happiness is something else?  (Anna and I had a very fascinating debate about this subject in Varanasi. )

The Canoe trip was great. I met an awesome German. We had a great time chatting afterwards as well.

And when I got back to the hostel... it wasn't quiet anymore. The masses had made it. Somehow Dylan and this gal Maddy had managed to get 16 backpackers to meet at a location weeks after the original meeting. And people made it. Often times bringing new folks. It was really fun to see this happen. It's one of the joys of a longer trip. You can have a blast with someone earlier in a trip, go your separate ways and meet again later. The fact that this many backpackers came to the same place on a schedule is kind of miraculous! Dylan invited me to be number 17.

And the next day we all piled onto a 5 bedroom, two story houseboat and had a fabulous freaking time. Naturally "I'm on a boat!" by Lonely Island started it off (with a bit o performance by yours truly. :), and we proceeded to laugh and sing and dance and swim and have a great time. It's exactly what I was hoping for. A fun party with a great group of people. (There hasn't been any partay-ing here in India). And all this worked out because I didn't try to control the outcome. I trusted it would work... and it did. Which hints and manifesting things in your life. I can tell you from my traveling (and a few other aspects too), that this shit works. I don't know how. It's tapping into something in the universe that is there but elusive. It is the same reason a prayer can come true. And it doesn't work for the same reason.

And there is another lesson I learned here too. It's something that has been a recurring theme on this trip. And that is what Schimer's dad said (what seems like) years ago now. That Peace comes from the inside. Because I was stressing a bit about the boat and the fact that my trip is in it's final week and there is so much I'd love to see and do... but I can't do it all. So I have this tendency to try to analytically think "What is the BEST way to spend this time? Which will be the BEST choice of activities? etc". The truth is, it'll be what it'll be. Sure, make an effort, but if I'm okay with the outcome either way. I almost always get what I really want, and I always get what is the "Best" option, even if it's not what I want. So, while on the canoe trip I thought "You know... if I end up on a houseboat solo. Then that'll be great. I'll have a good time enjoying the views and swimming and reading and that'll be wonderful too." And when I was at peace with myself and what might be the other outcome, I felt great. And then I ended up getting exactly what I hoped for.

And this leads to what Anna said to me when my plane got cancelled to get down to Kerala in the first place. Yep, 3 hours before the 3 legged flight, they cancel the middle leg. Which makes the whole thing moot. So I had to figure out what to do. I was a little stressed about it. Trying to figure it out in 108 degree Varanasi heat. I said "Well this fucks up the whole next stage of the trip. And I don't have time to 'lose' days. My trip is almost over."
And she said to me "You don't know if this path is wrong. You don't know where it will take you ."

And she's right...that flight change led me to be half a day later to Fort Kochi. Which led to meeting people which led to an extra day there having an awesome time on scooters in the rain, which led to a different hostel in Alleppy, which led to a canoe trip which held off the houseboat till the party group arrived.

So you never do know where a particular path will lead...
And if the journey is the point...
Have faith. Things will work out...
Because, somehow,  they always do.

DEATH AND REBIRTH

"200 - 300 bodies a day are cremated here. Everyday. For 3,500 years."

Welcome to Varanasi. The holiest city in all of India when it comes to the Hindu religion. Which therefore makes it the holiest city in the entire world when it comes to the Hindu religion. It is one of the most continuously occupied (if not the most) city on the planet. Civilazation has been there since time immemorial... and for much of that time they have burned bodies in public view. Because it is believed that if you die in Varanasi, you will have escaped the cycle of death and rebirth and will reach Nirvana. Therefore there are many many people who take a final pilgrimage there and wait to die.

The Ghats are cement or stone stairs that line the riverbank, allowing access to the water at any level. The main section of the city has 3 km worth of them. Every 100 feet - 100 meters they will have a new name, and a different purpose. Some are for bathing. Some for ceremony. We watched a "putting the river to sleep" ceremony, that was held at sundown every night. We were on a rowboat, in a massive floatilla of boats all on top of each other. In addition, thousands watched from the ghats themselves. The ceremony involved lights and flames and drums and bells (Hindu's love the bells!). It was fascinating to be there and watch this event that happens every day. Some ghats are for boats, some for bathing animals. They are all for sleeping apparently, as when we walked back at 11pm there were some with dozens if not hundreds of people, I'm assuming homeless, who were sleeping on blankets spread out on the steps and flats of some of the Ghats.

My favorite was a tiny Ghat were my traveling companion Anna from Ukraine and I stumbled upon a couple guys playing guitar and another playing flute at 10 o'clock at night. It was a jam session, but was all Indian. They sang in Hindi. And just played for fun. We enjoyed the music and even danced a bit. It was great fun. And sort of strangely for India, they didn't ask for money. They just gave us a thumbs up while we danced and a wave when we walked off after half an hour.

And then there are the burning Ghats. One smaller one. And then the big one.

There are three large hospice buildings behind the burning Ghat where the dying are tended to by people of the untouchable caste. People who's fathers and grandfathers did the same thing. They care for the dying. And when death finally comes, they massage the corpse. As the women of the family performs ceremony's over it in the room. Then the untouchables bring the body to the river, shrowded in a cloth, and bathe it in the Ganges. It is then placed on a pile of wood (which has been stacked by another Untouchable whose only job is to prepare the fire). Then a male relative or two, who has had his head shaved and wears a loin cloth, will take dry grass to the eternal flame which burns in the temple above. This flame has burned for as long as anyone knows. It is tended to by a man who's job it is to keep that fire burning. As his father before him. And during the monsoon, when most of the Ghats are underwater, the fire is moved inside the temple and kept safe.

Once the grass ignites, the family member brings the fire to the pyre and ignites it. No gasoline, no fire starters, nothing but wood is used. And if you have more money you buy more expesive wood. (Sandalwood being the most expensive).  Even the cheapest wood is 650 Rupees a Kilogram. And it takes 200 Kg to burn a body to ash and bone. THat's 45,000+ Rupees. Far more than most Indian families can afford. And yet somehow they do. By donation (we naturally were asked to give after we were shown around). Or by gifts from higher caste families. The wood is transported 600 km to the site.

Once the burn begins, it goes on for 2-3 hours.Over which time other bodies may be lit nearby. Because the Ghats are big. And they have multiple levels. The lowest level by the river is for the low caste people. There's a middle level for the middle castes. And up on a platform above is for the Brahman's, the highest caste. (During the monsoon, only the high caste level is above water. So everyone burns there. I guess mother nature has a way of balancing out humankind's need to make some people better and more important than others.). There's even a separate cage area designed for non-caste people. Like if I wanted to be burned there.

Watching a dead mans face covered with a shrowd, and then his body ignited in flames. And his feet sticking out of the fire. I thought of how strange it is, that that is what remains when we die... and it burns away just like everything else.

But not everyone gets to be burned. Children under 10 are still pure and innocent. They don't need the fires to burn away their sins and purify them. Pregnant women, because they have the pure child inside. Animals. No need to burn those.  Lepers. Yep, specifically lepers. And cobra bite victims:  These are put on a raft of banan tree logs and sent floating downstream, with a note that says how they die. Then someone farther down the river, maybe a shaman, will deal with the body when it floats into town.

Now the reason for this, is because the Cobra poison often puts people into a coma, where they appear dead. So over the course of time, they might come awake. Or a shaman might be able to revive them.

For the others who are not burned. They are tied to a stone slap. Rowed out to the middle of the river... and sunk. Which means, over time there are hundreds of thousands of bodies on the bottom of the Ganges right there. When the monsoon comes, maybe they are washed downstream... maybe they aren't. Either way, the bodies are there.

While we watched the Ghat from afar. 3 or 4 fires burning bright. A man came over to the shade we were under with a tiny baby wrapped in a white cloth. I could see the outline of it's little arms. It's tiny legs. I watched them tied the body to a 2 foot long slab of slate. He pulled out the birth certificate... the child only lived one day. He took his baby on a rowboat out to the middle of the river and with no pause dropped it in. They rowed back, he paid the boatman and walked away. I didn't see a single tear...

... which is why there are no women present. Or so I was told: Women are too emotional. They cry too much and it is believed that the soul will see this sadness and carry it into Nirvana or the next life. So the guide we had said "With men there  are no tears. No sadness."
I said "There is definitely sadness. They just aren't showing it."

And this points to something about Indian society that you may or may not have picked up on in these emails or in your own experience. It's the fact that Indian society is incredibly sexist. I know that's a judgement. But it's also an observation. Women here are so suppressed it's hard not to get a little pissed off about it. If you're a woman in most Indian families. You have two potentials in life:  To be a good homemaker, and a mother. If you can't do those things, you are broken. You are shunned. And in extreme cases of "Wife Burning" you will be burned alive. I'm not kidding. In some villages, if you are inadequate in your womanly responsabilities (Homemaking, cooking, bearing a son...) the husband or his parents might throw gasoline on you and burn you alive. This happens. And is almost never prosecuted.

In 2012 there were 285,000 violent crimes charged in India. 250,000 of them were against women.

The good news is things are changing. As women become more educated, they learn there is more than can do in life than take care of their husbands and raise kids. Not that there is anything wrong with these goals, as long as you choose them. At least in my opinion.

Which brings up arranged marriages. Yes. They are very common. I've met multiple men (and a woman or two) who says their parents will or have arranged their marriage and they will accept it because that is how it's done. And they don't say it with any resistance. Even if they haven't met the partner yet. Or if they have and they aren't head over heels about the girl (or guy).  Men marry at 27-30. Women marry at 21-24. There are so many rules guiding this it's something a non-Indian will probably never understand.

Which brings us to India in general. My friends, this is a baffling country. At times beautiful. At others so strange that I've never been to anyplace like it. Now, to be fair, this is why I wanted to come to India. The social rules, safety rules (ha ha!), religious rules, beliefs, culture is so strange compared to our "western" beliefs, it is constantly challenging and fascinating. The fact that the place even works at all, almost defies belief. But yet it does.

As an American, India is something that we just don't learn that much about. Yeah, we know the basics. Hindu. Yoga. "Sprituality" (Whatever that means here...) But the amount of history here is mindblowing. The amount of emperors, and counquorers, armies and leaders. Religions and influences is staggering. I have only tapped the surface, and am sure I never will get very deep. Because it goes deep. Deep as the waters of the Ganges with a million bodies beneath the surface, and dead cows floating by, and people swimming and bathing in it all day long. It's holy waters pure and safe from what science tells us is there. The ashes and big bones are spread in the water and float downstream or into the mud. No one thinks this is weird... because it's not. To an Indian.

Religious beliefs and stories and myths are like that. To the believer it makes total sense. To the open minded observer, it serves good purpose. To the zealot or the radical it serves as fuel to fight.

And then there are places where all these beliefs and religions are side by side in harmony. One of those places is Zanzibar, off the coast of Tanzania.
Another of those places is Kerala state, in the south of India.

"WHAT COUNTRY YOU?"

"What Country You?" has possibly beaten out "May I have your Photo?" for the most asked question here in India.

First, a Photo update:  at the Golden Temple in Amritsar I was asked this question 32 times in 3 1/2 hours (2 at night, 1 1/2 the next day). Every time I have said yes and had my photo taken. And it's rarely one photo, it's always multiple pics and almost every combination of the group of people who asked and me. And once those floodgates open it is photo after photo after photo. As I mentioned before... I really think I know what being famous will feel like. It's crazy. I've even had a family hand me their 2 year old to hold in a photo!

Now, this is all usually pretty friendly. But I've talked to some female travelers who started to charge for photos when groups of men come up because there are so many and it can be uncomfortable. But there's more than that. Occasionally men will just come up and stare at western women. They stare at me sometimes too. But travelers have told me stories about being on the beach in Goa and a group of men just standing there, 10 feet away, taking pictures and staring. It's a strange culture thing.

And this brings up the Touts.
Ugh.

It is almost unhalting. Walk down the street... people say "Hello! What country?" and thus begins the tout. Maybe a rickshaw ride. Maybe a magnet. A trinket. An invite into their shop to "Just look! How can you know you don't want if you don't look!". To the guy outside the Agra Fort who was shoving this handmade travel chess set into my hand and following me to the rickshaw and who would NOT take NO for an answer. He was saying "Twenty. Twenty. Okay Fifteen" and I thought "25 cents for that? I might take him on it. Until he said. "Okay 2 for twenty dollars."

If I step out of my hotel here in Khajuraho, a small, dusty one street feeling town, I have MULTIPLE people rush up and ask if I want ride, rickshaw, whiskey, beer, food, transport, drugs, massage etc etc etc. Hell it even happens INSIDE the hotel. The Massage guy, the rickshaw driver, the shop guy attached.

And I would be lying if I didn't say it was really, really annoying. And really really tiring.

Look, I get it. The hustle is how you feed yourself. Feed your family. Make a living. And right now things are slow. There aren't so many tourists this time of year. But the sad thing that has happened is it has become very difficult to trust any Indian that starts a conversation on the street. I have been conditioned to think that everyone wants my money. And I'm not the only traveler who feels this way.

And it's sad. Because sometimes the person really is just saying "Hello" and wanting to meet me. Sometimes they don't want anything and just want to be helpful. The delimma is everyone starts with the same question:  "What Country you from?"

Followed by, in no particular order:
"What state?"
"You alone? Where's your wife? Your girlfriend?"
"You're not married? Why you not married?"
"How long in India?"
"Where you been in India?"
"Where you going?"
"You need a rickshaw?"

I almost want to make a sign with all the answers. :)

Compound this with the continuously honking horns (though not so much here in Khajuraho), and the fact that it's getting hotter and hotter, (Yesterday was 102. In my next stop, it's supposed to be 108) and you've created some rather unpleasant moments.

But that's part of what it's all about. Because even if this is annoying, it is part of the experience. It's part of being here. And likely, by the end of the trip, and probably sooner, It'll slide right off my shoulder and I can focus on the things I enjoy.

Backpacking/Travel isn't always easy. And it's not always fun. But in the end it's always worth it...

Now it's time to tell you about the "Kama Sutra" temples here in Khajuraho. Yep. 1000 year old temples with erotic carvings all over them. Amazingly intricate carvings. Thousands of them over many temples. They often features sexy, buxom naked women and fit, strong naked men. And sometimes horses. And elephants.

Sometimes posing. Sometimes engaged in intimate acts. Yes sometimes with the horses and elephants. There are some rather racy positions (3, 4, 5 people. Why not!). Some things you probably would want to try (THAT looks like fun)...  And some things you probably wouldn't...  (Is that elephants trunk really going there?). Then again, Why not? It's on a temple to Shiva!

It's rather fascinating really. Because India is a very conservative society. The movies contain no kissing, let alone nudity or sex. So to see these in  India looking is amusing. There are men and women of many cultures going through the temple complex. Its fun to watch people's reactions. Some of them are quite explicit, and I try to imagine the culture that created these images. AND the fact that the carvings are incredibly detailed. It's fascinating to think of how long it must have taken to do it.

Temples are everywhere in India... and though it is not a temple. The TAJ MAHAL is, undoubtably the queen, king and everything in between.

Everyone has seen photos of it. And it is indeed every bit as amazing as you'd imagine. It's fun when something actually lives up to the hype. It's a mezmerizing building. The details are unreal. The intricate stone flowers in multiple colors, hand carved. The layout. The way the sun plays off it in the morning light. It really really is something awesome to see. I stayed at Hotel Suriya and had a view from the rooftop restraunt. AND... from my pimpin roof top room! It was the bomb! And cost $12 USD a night!

There's no words to really describe the Taj. It's just awesome. You have to see it. Go early. Enjoy the beauty. Imagine the story behind it.
Love and Loss do indeed give us the worlds most powerful, most amazing things.

ATTARI BORDER SMACKDOWN

So at the border of India and Pakistan a very unusual battle takes place.
It happens every night when the sun sets and the flags are taken down.
And it is a spectacle like no other on Earth (I would imagine).
See, these two countries who are not very fond of each other historically, have an enormous display of pomp and circumstance to take down the flag at sunset. So enormous there are permanent bleachers build on both sides of the border so you can come and watch the two nations posture, stomp, march and pose as they do it. And it is fabulously entertaining...

This was part of my road trip with Ravi and Munira. After being ushered through 3 separate security stations with metal detectors and full body pat downs. (I mean, they REALLY made sure you weren't hiding anything), we went into the stadium on the India/Pakistan border. There is a gate with INDIA on it, facing a gate with PAKISTAN on it. 2000 plus watching on the Indian side.... and 1500 plus on the Paskistan side. Every soldier on both sides had to be at least 6 feet tall or more. They wore big fancy hats with large fans on top to make them look taller. There was a huge picture of Ghandi on the Indian side and a photo of Pakistan's independence leader on their side.  An MC on a mic would hype the crowd like a sporting event. A drummer would pound the drums in accordance with the marching soldiers footsteps, and the music blasted all sorts of upbeat Hindi songs. Including "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire. (I'm still not clear how Indian's feel about that movie.)

The energy in the place was like a fever pitch. It might as well have been the World Cup.
The pre festivities consisted of many Indian women running down the Indian side carrying Indian flags. They would wave them at the Pakistani's. While on their side they had people dancing a sort of riverdance style dance with the flag. Both sides would cheer wildly for their country.

Now, don't think any of this was hostel or antagonistic. It really wasn't. When the soldiers march down the road and pose with flexing arms and high steps, it's all perfectly mirrored on the otherside. When the gates are whipped open the place went wild. Then a procession of soldiers stomping, marching, high kicking and posing with flexed arms would happen. It was so amusing. With my 30X superzoom camera I could take close up pictures of the Pakistani's! And the thing that struck me most (Besides the fact that the men and women were separated onto bleachers on opposite sides... and that the women wore very colourful clothing. Not just all black like we are led to believe), It was the fact that...


... they're just people. People like you and me. I bring this up, because for us in the USA, Pakistan is not necessarily one of our "Friends" in the world. Maybe not a bitter enemy, but there is definitely conflict.... or so the Media would have us believe. And yes, there are policy issues and blah blah blah. But the thing that happens when I see another person, from another country, doing the things that they do, living the life they live, is that I realize they are really a lot like me. They want entertainment, they have friends, they laugh, they eat, they have cell phones and girl friends and families and want to see things. It's one of the best reasons to travel. Because when you do, you realize that people from other countries are ultimately just human beings, with goals and dreams and beliefs and jobs and lives... and we really aren't so different after all.

Unlike a sporting event, the Attari Border Smackdown has no winner. It's a show of force and might, but also strangely friendship. I think. The flags come down in perfect synchronization as the sun sets. Both sides cheer and the gates are closed for the night.

At this point, we were able to walk right up to the fence and wire lined border and wander along it. On the Indian side, maybe 50 people did this. On the Pakistani side 3 people did. We walked over to a cement pyramid about 3 feet high that marked a point where you could stand and take pictures. You couldn't cross. But soldiers would take your pic near it.

So.... I reached over and touched Pakistan and snapped a pic!
 Ha ha! I've been to Pakistan! (Sort of. :) )

But I have seen a little of Pakistan... and it's not so "scary" anymore.

(And yes, I spelled Attari right. It's the border town in India, and it has two T's :)

A TALE OF TWO HILLSTATIONS —

For a few days I was able to spend time in the hillstations of Shimla and Dalhousie. 
Before India I thought I had been to hill stations before... not a chance.
These are uniquely British build cities and towns on top of mountain ridges. See, in Colorado or California or frankly most anyplace I've visited, the cities are build in the valleys with maybe small towns up on the top of peaks or ridgelines. Here, they did the opposite. They build a 200,000 person city on a knife edge ridge in the lower Himalaya. Shimla in particular was fascinating how the buildings hugged these impossibly steep cliffs and slops. The roads were thigh-busters. They twist and turn all over the side of the mountain. Getting from one level to the next required stairs, slopes and in Shimla... an elevator.

I hopped out of the cab on a busy two lane road with the music of India blaring (That's car horns if you remember). Traffic. Noise. I walk over to an outdoor elevator and for Rs10 (10 Rupee or 15 cents) I get a pass to the elevator. Me and 8 other people got in. The doors closed. And... MUZAK!  It was hilarious. Total silence but Muzak sax. No one talking.
Door open... STREET NOISE.  Walk over to the second part of the lift. Same thing. Silence and Muzak.  And at the top get off on "Mall Road". A multi-kilometer road of shops and restraunts. Passing restored historical theaters, government buildings and more. At one point Shimla was the seat of British government in India and 1/5 of the worlds population was governed from it's 2,200 meter (6,800foot) elevation.

And the day I arrived it was COLD. 35 degrees at night. And my room at the giant YMCA had no heat. As no room in Shimla does. Weird. But there were lots of blankets. And I had the sound of FAST AND FURIOUS 7 in Hindi roaring into my room from the movie theater that was in the next building over, about 50 feet from my room. Kind of hilarious to hear the cars revving and explosions with the occasional line of Hindi coming through.  I wanted to see it, but never had the chance.

Up here I went for a couple of hikes. Enjoyed beautiful views of 7,000 meter snow capped Himalaya mountains. And enjoyed the cool weather. It warmed up to shorts weather. But was still nice.  (NOw that I'm in Khajuraho and it's 102, I miss the mountains!)


The other Hill Station was Dalhousie. I went there with my awesome friend Ravi and his daughter Munira. So the 3 of us went on a road trip through Northern India for 4 awesome days. And one of our stops was Dalhousie.  A MUCH quieter, smaller hillstation. With gorgeous views, a cliffside temple we hiked too, and the strange deal of not wanted to rent hotel rooms to foreigners.

To be fair, there's a new law where they have to go online to register any foreigner that stays with them, and they said they didn't have the ability. We were turned down rooms at 3 places before having Ravi enter, get a room and then switch it up on them that it was for me!  In the end they just took my info to a cybercafe and sent it in. But sometimes in India you have to be crafty to make things happen. :)

Up here we also went to "Switzerland in the Himalaya".  We drove on cliffside roads, through gorgeous woods, past snow banks. (Snowball fights ensued between me and Munira!), and reached this beautiful meadow surrounded by pine clad slopes.  A place at home in Switzerland. But very Indian as there were cows and goats roaming it to eat the grass, kids with bunny rabbits trying to make a buck (or a Rupee) for their photo, and horseback rides. We took a ride around the meadow. Maybe 20 minutes. FOr $5USD each. Not bad. We played frisbee, ate lunch at one of the many little cafes.

It was all very pretty, though there were a fair amount of people there. And as is the case in India, once you went behind the shops to the road there was trash piled and strewn about. It's a sad fact that in India there is a lot of garbage. A LOT. It's piled in beautiful places, thown down slopes, put around dumpsters, burned on the street. And then there are the cows. Shitting on the street. In the market alleys. Even the alleys where they sell food. Yes. I'm not kidding.

And then there is the rather open using of the "toilet" by Indian's themselves. Not everyone to be sure, but there are open urinals in various places. (Nothing for the ladies. Just the men). I saw men squatting and peeing into the gutter in the old parts of town in Agra. And when you ride the train, you'll pass fields and places where people are just squatting to take care of business in plain view of the tracks. Not one person in a field, but 4 or 5 near each other.

 Now, I'm not saying this to say "Oh god, how disgusting", though some of it is pretty raw. This is India. It's a VERY different culture from anyplace I've been. (And not just because of this). There are rules here that are hard to figure out. Customs that don't make sense to me (or any of the European travelers I've met). Oddities that are so uniquely Indian (As far as I know) that it's both fascinating and frustrating. And of course India should be nothing but what India is. And if you can't take it... India doesn't care. So best to adapt, go with the flow and see where the road takes you...

... and the next stop... Pakistan.

SAFETY FIRST?

"Are you going to turn on your headlights?"

It's after sunset, deep in twilight, and we're starting back from our mountain climb in the Himalaya. It's a one lane mountain road that dives deep into a valley before climbing the near cliffside back up to the opposite ridgeline. It's 35km of twisty roads with the occasional oncoming car or, you know, bus.

"We don't turn our headlight on until it is full dark.  That's how we do it in India" Says my guide.
I look at him with a smile "Just turn on the f-ing headlights. Safety first."
"Oh of course. Safety first."

Or safety.... never?

One thing I've noticed in my 10 days in India is that safety seems to be rather low on the list of priorities. Here are some examples:
--A 3 lane road, well.... it's more like a 5 lane road. Lanes don't matter. And cars, buses and trucks all drive with motorbikes, tuk-tuks' and bicycle rickshaws.  I've seen so many near accidents it's unreal. Yet I've never seen an accident. (Other than the cars that obviously rolled off the mountain roads and were smashed to oblivion).
--Stoplights.... sometimes. If you feel like stopping. I mean, just honk. They'll move. (And they do...)
--Crosswalks? Brother please! Cross all 10 lanes. Somehow the cars will miss you. Especially if you hold out your hand. Occasionally people almost get clipped. (Somehow it hasn't happened that I've seen).
-- Blind mountain corners... probably shouldn't pass, right?  Hell no! Pass away. Honk those horns. They'll move over, somehow!
-- 2 lane oncoming traffic at night. HI-BEAMS ONLY my friends! Screw the cars in the other lane, we gotta make the sucker in front of us move! (At night we use the horn less of course.)  And this on a road with bikes and motorbikes that have no lights so you can not see them at all because you're blinded.
-- Passing one car wide.... nah, let's do 3 cars passing side by side on a two lane road. Yep, that's a truck coming at you.
-- Need to repair a pothole? Put up a pile of rocks, fill it in with stones by hand. No warning signs.

Wow, I just realized those are all DRIVING safety things.

-- The there's food, trash piles on the street, those cows in the road, stray dogs barking in wild packs (especailly in the mountains), cooking street food with no cleaning abilities, masses of people shoving to get into Golden Temples... the list goes on.

And there's the pollution. Yes, it's bad. Every road is dusty and smokey (Except the mountain... well, it's still dusty). Diesel blasts out of buses, dust seems to be everywhere, especially when it's getting dark. The train ride up the mountains had so much diesel fumage that I had a headache and felt shitty for hours after. (The views were great)...

... except for the places where people decided to toss trash over the hillsides, or in piles by the road, or... it's really sad that nature can be treated like that. It's not everywhere, don't think that, but people tossed trash out of the train up the mountain. Even cups of chai that said "Use paper cups. Reduce pollution." Ironic indeed.

It's taken me awhile to slip into the rhythm here. Longer than any trip I think I've been on. It's incredibly chaotic. Noisy (Seriously, the horn usage is unreal), and stinky (though not as much as I thought it would be). But I finally realized I was expecting India to be something.... specific. I can't put it in words, but I did have some notions of what India might be. And I've finally realized the issue was not India, but me.  India will be what India is. If you can't handle it, tough shit. So I shifted, and today everything was right. India shows her form. And it involved a crazy border ceremony with Pakistan. In fact... I touched Pakistan today.... yep....


But that's another story.
This keyboard stinks and I gotta get up early tomorrow.

Thanks for reading!

CHILLIN’ IN CHANDIGARH

What?  Back to back travel emails?  You bet Team!  Here we go!

So in Chandigarh India there is a magical place called the Nek Chand Rock Garden.
It's one of those wonderful places that is someone's imagination made real.
It started as a secret in the 50's by Nek Chand, as he used recycled materials, old building blocks, road pieces, broken china and other things to construct a fanciful playground in a city of order and balance.  See, Chandigarh, unlike most places in India, is a planned city. It's a series of Sectors (Sector 15, Sector 22,) each with a purpose, a design and sub sectors A, B, C, D.  They are divided by a perfect grid of roads and roundabouts. That all look the same. But actually have TREES and GRASS on them. Which is pretty novel after Delhi which is solid buildings.

So Nek Chand build this secret garden just off of Sector 1 (the Government buildings!).  It was never intended to be seen or to be a tourist attraction. But one day it was found... and after a bit of a battle, he was allowed to continue and in fact was supported. And what has resulted is fabulous...

For 20 Rupees.  Yes. Only 20. That's 33 Cents. You get to duck under this rock wall and explore a twisting turning, near maze like land of canyons, squares, hidden temples, waterfalls, passageways, more tunnels, more towers, more passageways... the thing just keeps going and going and going. It's full of rock and tile characters that are people, or horses or monkeys. I mean HUNDREDS of them. All is great detail. Ranging in height from a foot to ten feet. There's a temple with a 15 foot waterfall in front. And under another tunnel and over another bridge there is a paradise with 40 foot tall walls, a giant waterfall, pools and more. And then it just keeps going...

There's a courtyard with a mosaic bandstand that could seat 300 people. Giant swings lined out that you can swing the day away. (As I did!).  There's "laughing mirrors" and even a camel ride.

To be fair, the final section with the swings and camel's seems to have lost the vision a bit. It's too big, and too practical. Though still fun. But the main parts with the little characters and them tomb raider temples is really really really fun. It reminded me of City Museum in St. Louis. It's really the only other place I've seen like it. And interestingly, both use recycled materials in new, playful ways.

On the way to eat I stopped in the middle of the road along with many others to watch two Steers locking horns outside an apartment complex. They were battling with people all around them.  Ravi said "Oh! Bull fight!" and we got out of the car. At first I thought it was something organized and thought "That seems odd in India" (Haha, like ANYTHING should seem odd in India!!!).  But it was even stranger... just two animals fighting for territory. They ran off between two apartment buildings.

And then we ate some AMAZING Punjabi (That's Northern Indian) food. SOOOOOOOOO good. At an outside cafe.

Not a bad day at all here in "CITY BEAUTIFUL" as it says on the sign. 

ALMOST FAMOUS

"May I have a photo?"

So we're standing at the Red Fort in Delhi.  It's really more of  a palace/castle/fort combo. It used to be guilded in gold. Now it's red brick.  And this Indian man comes up to ask for a photo. Naturally I oblige. And then the photographer who took the first man's pic wants a pic. No problem. Then the group of 3 women in full Sari's wants a photo. Then another. No problem.  Then the old man. Then the 3 kids.... Then the...

You get the idea. And it isn't just there. And it isn't just once. It has happened AT LEAST 30 times since I got here. Sometimes people try to sneak the photo by standing awkwardly next to me as their husband/wife/friend snaps a pic. Usually they politely ask. Sometimes they'll ask about "What country?" but often it's just the photo and a smiling thank you as they walk off.

But wait, there's more...

People stare. Walking up to me on the street, they flat out stare at me. No smile. No expression other than staring. AT a cafe: sitting at the next table staring over. On the subway. At an intersection. All over.  Sometimes I'll smile and they'll smile back. Sometimes I'll wave, say hello. They'll respond in kind. (Or in the case of the teenage girls, they'll giggle and walk on.)

I think I know what it will be like when I finally frickin' "make it" in Hollywood.  Or at least when some people might say "Hey, you're that dude that made that movie I love. Can I get your pic?"  Reguardless, I can relate to being recognizable... if not famous. IT ain't like I'm Tom Cruise here.  But it's like I'm "That actor you recognize on TV but don't know his name.

And if you ask why this happens. The answer I've been given from Indian friends is:  You're not Indian.
It reminds me of Eminem's "Real Slim Shady":  "You act like you've never seen a white person before..." and in a lot of cases that might actually be the case.  There aren't a lot of tourists in comparrison to how many folks there are here.
The only place many Indian's might have seen a pale, blue eyed guy like me is is in movie.  And in those movies the white folks often speak Hindi. (Which an Australian girl, Mel, I met has been asked numerous time).  (We were at a Mosque and this woman HANDED MEL HER BABY. Yep. Gotta get that pic!)  If anyone has any more info about this phenomenom or any other stories about it, I'd love to hear them.

So....

Saturday, after the rainy morning, I went to the aforementioned Red Fort and then headed into the absolute madness that is Old Delhi. You see, Old Delhi is the India you've probably seen pictures of. The on where it's wall to wall people. Where cars, bicycle rickshaws and auto rickshaws are jammed so close to each other that you are barely moving and can reach out and touch your neighbor. Where the alleys are mazes full of shops selling.... everything. There's the tech district, the fabric district, the wedding card district (yep!). And of course the spice district (No good trip to India would be complete without a bicycle rickshaw driver taking you there even though it was WAY out of the way of where we wanted to go. And then he wanted more money cause it took longer. Sorry my friend, we didn't ask to go and still paid you double).  There's no food anywhere, other than street food, so for 66 cents I had two tasty tins of chickpeas. And got a "Welcome to India" from the friendly owner.

The whole thing reminded me of the old Medina's in Morocco. The only difference is there was no hastle to buy. In fact, most shop owners just looked at us like we were a curiousity. And would always smile if we smiled first. Indian's like to haggle, and in fact it's pretty much excpected on almost everything. But it's no where near as ferocious as Morocco. It's much friendlier. Sure, in the end they want to make as much as possible. But they do it differently.  It's hard to explain, but I'm sure it'll come up again in the emails.

Then, that night after dinner. We were thinking of going to see a Bollywood flick in the theaters (Assuming we could find one instead of Fast and Furious 7.  Because it's showing EVERYWHERE.  In Hindi or English. Check your listings.). So we're thinking of seeing a flick and then.... oooohhhh, um, gotta use the restroom.

Yep!  My first full day in India and BAMMMO!  Delhi Belly! Woooooooooo!

But after a few episodes that evening, I popped one of my antibiotics and took that shit out. (Pun intended?)
(Come on, did you think a trip would happen without at least ONE story about shitting my brains out.!)

Next stop...Chandigarh...

Rock on
Craigo

I’M IN FRICKIN’ INDIA (JAI HO!)

Hi Team,

So the Indian odyssey has begun with 26 hours of traveling and a whole bunch of horns.
I'm currently in Delhi where the music of choice is the car horn. Yep. Non stop, blaring, blazing car horns. Or Rickshaw horns. Or Bike horns. Or bus horns. On the ride from the airport at 5am when there was almost zero traffic, the driver would race up on someone (on a 3-5 lane highway) and honk his horn so the other driver would move. I imagine you could go around, but what fun would that be?  To be fair, it can get a little grating, but it also just blends into the chaos which...

... is not as chaotic as I thought it would be. This isn't to say it's not busy and that there aren't a lot of people, but so far it's been what I would expect from a busy capital city. I'm sure there are many surprises to come. :)

It's raining cats and dogs (Literally! Actual cats and dogs falling from the sky! India is crazy!)  So it's slowing the day down a bit. (But it does give the drivers more to honk at.:)
I'm still going to see the Red Fort and some other sights because I leave for Chandiggarh tomorrow morning (Assuming the train seating works out.)  Does all this make it sound like going with the flow is the way to go in India.... I'm thinking it is.

Yesterday I was exhausted after the 26 hours of travels, and not 1 but 2 young children crying like crazy on the 16 hour flight to Abu Dhabi. Fortunately earplugs and noise-cancelling headphones help, but it still made for a restless night.  I saw some 1,000 year old ruins south of the city and had a really nice time exploring.  The touts are ever present, and it's hard to determine who is just being friendly vs. who is trying to get you to come to a tourist shop or something. But so far even the touts are friendly and full of smiles. And I haven't ended up at a shop yet. It's about being firm and willing to walk away if they won't give you what you want.

I'm looking forward to all sorts of things.... and will be happy to share them with you as they occur.

As for now... off into the rain!  Delhi awaits!

Craigo

THE GRAND ISLE

Ilha Grande.

The Grand Isle... okay. It really means The Big Island in Portuguese, but it was more than just big. It was Grand! (And it's pronounced Eel-ha Graan-ge too).

This is where I end my  trip. 3 days in paradise. The island is only a 2 hour drive and a 45 minute boat ride from Rio, but it might as well be a world away. (Other than the distant smog seen at sunset drifting out over the ocean). It was once a leper colony. Then the home of two prisons. As a result there is very little development. There's no roads. Only trails. You either walk or take a boat around the island. Which at one point I heard had 903 km of coastline. (Which seems like WAY to much for it's size. So maybe I heard wrong). There are a couple of villages, and over 100 beaches, ranging in size from a few dozen meters to curving away into the distance. Supposedly it has one of the top 8 beaches in the world... I was determined to find out.

I arrived in the late afternoon to Che Legarto Hostel. I booked online. It has a common area deck over the bay. That's cool. It has rooms that look out at the ocean. Cool too. I didn't get one of these. I got an 8 bed dorm on the side of the house that had no space and a tiny bathroom and no view. By the time it filled with 6 boys the first night it was uncomfortably crowded and filty. (4 were guys from Dallas, TX. Yep. Travel all the way around the world to hang out with Texans.) By the second night 2 girls from Argentina were added. When I first saw them their expression was just like mine: This place is disgusting and way to small. Where do I go?

The hostel never cleaned the bathroom even though we asked. And keep in mind in South America you put your poopy toilet paper in a bin by the toilet. You don't flush it.

After two nights, for my final night, I moved on to a kick ass Pousada with my own room for the same price. And I thought: I can not BELIEVE I haven't had my own room in 23 days. That's not how I usually travel. I like to have some ME space to regroup and rest. I think the continuous dorming has worn on me a bit.

On top of the crappy room Che was filled with wifi addicts and flashpackers. It's so depressing. (more on that in the next and final update).

BUT... Fear not! I got out and saw it! The Grand Isle!

Day one I went for a hike to Lopes Mendes. (Yep, with S and not Z. Spanish is Z. Portugese is S.).
The hike was 7 km. No mention of the fact it went up about 1500 feet to start with. Given my still unhealthy bronchitis condition, this was a bit of a push in the hike department. But I was so tired of NOT getting what I wanted for the last week, of having to curb my adventures that I said: "I don't care if it takes me all day and I see the beach for 10 minutes before I have to get on a boat to come back, I am finishing this hike."

And once I got to the top, and had a beautiful view across the straight the the endless coastal mountains, things started to get good. My versions of the song "Pompeii" and "Wake me up" kicked on in my head, and I bound down the jungle path with a new feeling. A good feeling. Because it occured to me, that strangely, most of the trip was guided. That this was one of the few solo adventures, where it was all me. Even when I was with Devin, because he had arrived first and had been to World Cups before, I let him lead us to destinations, start most conversations and such. In the Pantanal and Bonito it was ALL guided. all controled. And in Rio, the game and night in Lapa was with Kim who spoke Portugeuse, and then the tour of Rachina. So basically... this was all a very safe trip. And that's now how I generally like to do things. It's really strange that it took this whole time for me to truly get my "see legs". Being sick didn't help.

At the bottom of the slope was a beautiful beautiful beach. A dozen people or so on it. A little shack of a place to eat. I decided to have lunch and take a dip and drink from a coconut. I could have stayed here all day...

But Lopes Mendes awaits!

So I hiked through the jungle to another beach! Still not the destination. But totally beautiful.

On through more jungle. This path had many people on it, going the opposite direction. Hiking from Lopes Mendes back to the water Taxi's to take them home for R$25.

It wasn't long before I heard the surf and came through the trees to the curved stretch of sand. Rocks at one end. Palm trees all along the back. A few stands to buy a drink or rent a board. A good number of people. It was wonderful.

I sat down and nearly dozed off. Bronchitis sure has taken me out. But I wandered out into the water, only stomach deep, as I would cough wildly if I went all the way in. I left my stuff on the sand. No one bothered it. The water was like LA in the summertime. The temperature was like LA in the spring and fall. Not bad at all. (In the summer it's REALLY hot in Ilha Grande).

I sat on the rocks and watched the waves come in. I watched the beach clear of people. I never saw a single boat come to pick anyone up. I enjoyed the peace and quiet. The ocean. The waves... and thought: I'm not getting stuck here and having to walk back. There's only about 6 other people on the beach, I better go.

I walked off the rocks and up to the final 3 people... and it was 3 cool guys from my hostel! So we walked out together, and got on the last boat back to town.

It was a 20 minute, sunset boat ride around a perfect tropical island. The waves were low. The sun glowed orange off the water. The dark green trees loomed perfect all around us. Trust me, it's Paradise.

One of the guys from the hostel said it was the most beautiful boat ride he's ever been on...

The next day I spend on a round the island, all day boat tour. It was great. Got to see many other wonderful beaches. Ones with natural pools, one with a big rock I just HAD to jump off of. Despite mad coughing fits when I hit the cold water.  :)  Surfing beaches. Snorkeling beaches. The boat ride was a blast. I met two kick ass German guys, an Israeli gal and a Belgian gal. All super cool. We had dinner that night and even did some dancing in town. Where a guy on an accoustic on a tiny outdoor stage played Brazilian songs, as well as classic dance hits. Even a Portuguese version of "Another Brick in the Wall". Great fun.

My final day was hanging with Belgium on a short trek through the jungle and a day on a nice beach. Frisbee. Lunch. Swimming. Good chats and travel stories. And a final water taxi ride back.

Which beach was the best? Was it Lopes Mendes? I liked Adventura better. I think it's all up to taste.

Oh, a quick mention of Martin! He's a kick ass guide I met and talked to multiple times. I wasn't able to go on any of his hikes and tours because I didn't have the energy for it, but he was a blast to talk to. He had a fabulous energy and excitement. He loves to guide and loves the island. I think if I'd spent more time there, we probably would have been pretty good friends. He's one of the great people I met on the trip from Brazil. And I feel like I always have to say his name like: "Mar-teen!"

My fairy ride back to the mainland was during yet ANOTHER amazing sunset on a slow boat. So I stood up, listened to travel music I love, watched the sun set and the Brazillian flag blow in the breeze...

Even though I only feel like I went on half a trip because of the Bronchitis, it was still a good one. And a strange one too. And that, my friends, will be the final tale in the next email…


NOTE: (5-16-15)
I can’t find any more emails. I know I never wrote “Requiem for the Backpacker” because I didn’t have the heart. (Strange that I didn’t find the courage to face my fear?).  But I’m not sure what the next story would be. I don’t think I ever wrote another email about Brasil….

Another Note:  Devin is down in Brasil right now with Nanda. :)

BLAME IT ON RIO…

Okay, you can't REALLY blame it on Rio. It's not Rio's fault. I just like that title.
After Bonito and Pantanal and sickness I headed to Rio where I.... was sick.
Yep.
Bronchitis bit me in the ass, and though I am finally FINALLY feeling mostly better, I pretty much lost Rio in the process. As I did Bonito really, even though I tried to play it down. Much of my time was spent in a cloud of fatigue and hacking up nasty phlegm. Sleeping lots and losing my voice. It made for a very lonely, dark couple of days honestly. Very dark.

I was at the Pura Vida hostel. I booked it online off the Lonely Planet recommendation. It's in Copacabana, 600 feet from the beach in an old Mansion! How cool!... kinda. It was kinda gloomy and dark. Wifi addicts sat around the lobby texting all day, and it lay at the bottom of a Favela, which meant the whole street leading up to it was really gritty. In fact, GRITTY is the word I would use to describe Rio. I know, not what you might expect. But it really is a gritty town. Now, this isn't bad by any means, but behind the very thing fascade of glamour and beaches is a whole lot of GRIT. Homeless people. Drugged out folks stumbling around. Dirty sidewalks. And that's just in the normal areas...

This isn't to say it's a pig sty. Just that it's Gritty.

Now, I met some cool folks at the hostel. Kim, Jonas and Sylke, all Dutch and all great. It led to some nice dinners and a few adventures.

Such as a MARACANA FUTEBOL match.
It was a couple of the local Rio teams, but this is like seeing a game at Wrigley Field or other classic stadiums. We were all really excited, until we arrived and stood in a 1 1/2 hour line to buy tickets which led to us missing most of the first half of the game. And we were there early!  And there were people who were in the line WAY after us. I have no idea why they were still standing there.

The game we saw was fun. The fans have lots of songs and sing and dance around. We were in the less crowded side, which was a bit of a bummer, but we made it work!

After we headed to Lapa, which is a heavy nightlife area of rio. (And realllllly gritty. Tranny hookers on the corner, some very homeless folks who have seend better days sleeping all about. Some sketchy dealings on dark corners. Oh, and the raw sewage pouring out from a drain and running down one street. That was fun!) (Jesus, it sounds like the biggest shit hole written like that. It's a lot like Bourbon Street in New Orleans. If that gives you any indication). There were some girls who wanted to hang out with us.... back in our rooms.... likely for a price. Since it only took 2 minutes of chatting to get to "Let's go back to your place", we kinda figured there MIGHT be some sort of business exchange that they were desiring. We declined and headed to a Samba club.

It was fun! TONS of energy and dancing and singing. I did the best I could with my limited energy. And I wasn't drinking thanks to antibiotics and wanting to get better. But I lasted a couple hours before I had to head home. It really is fun how much dancing is part of Brazilian life. They dance and let loose and I love it.

The Next day I slept. Rested. Talked with Skype. Slept. Bought medicine. Finally the right stuff... Amoxicillian. And I'm on the healing path.... whew. Thankfully the Pura Vida folks let me have a 4 person dorm room to myself for the last two days I was there. I really needed it. To sleep, and also to have my own space. I haven't had ANY of it since I arrived. First rooming with Devin, then all these dorms. (Normally I wouldn't do so many dorms, but the difference in price to a private room in most places is quite significant).

But all in all I didn't get to do most of what I wanted in Rio. No Sugarloaf, or museums, or really beach days. Or... or.... or... It rained most of the time I was there. I feel like I kinda of missed much of what Rio had to offer.

However, on my last day I went on a FAVELA TOUR.

To Rachina, The largest one in south America. It was fascinating. Our guide was 27 and grew up there. He told us about how in 2009 the Brazilian government began the Pacification Police Force, which is essentially what has cleaned up many of the Favela's in Rio. The thing is, it's all the ones in the South (Rio has 765 Favelas!). As in, all the ones the tourists might see, or that might affect tourists. Though you see Rio a million times on TV, you really are only seeing a small part of it. The amazing hills, beaches, lakes, bay, bridges etc. There is a huge amount of Rio that is north of the mountains that's endless sprawl. Graffitti. Run Down. Dirty. The Real Rio if you will. The divide of rich and pour is very clear.

Especially in a place like Rachina. See, in Rio back in the 50's and 60's as the migrants came from the pour rural areas of the nation seeking opportunity, there was no place for them. So the gov't said: You can build cities and homes, AWAY from the beaches. Away from the rich folk. So they built up the hills. So ironically, the best views in Rio are from the Favela's. The Slums. The Shantytowns. And MAN it has  a great view. IT's a fascinating, beautiful patchwork of totally random buildings stacked on top of each other towering up to the sky. I loved the twisting roads, the stairs and walk ways twisting between homes and shops. It's a true maze, much like the Medina's in Morocco, or Venice in Itally. But even more so. No planning. No logic. Just determination and ingenuity to build these places. That on the outside look run down and hodgepodge, but inside have wifi, bigscreen TV's and everyone has a facebook account. Because, the thing about Favela's, at least the Pacified ones, is that they aren't all dirt broke people. They have jobs, they have some opportunities, they have a community. Some of them choose to stay there because they don't pay water, electricity, property taxes. It's cheap to stay there. So some choose to. Some have no choice.

There are dangers too. There are no rules. So driving is wild. Stairs are broken and random. The sewer is an open concrete ditch that runs down the side of the hill, with houses build on and around it. So the "river front property" here means you have shit running outside (or under) your house. And MAN did it smell like.... well, you know. Also, the electrical and phone lines are just tapped in. However you want. So when it rains there are places where you get shocked because the electricity is live and open. And of course, there are drug dealers.

Now, they've lost their power in some favela's. Been forced out by the Pacifying Police Forces. (Which look like full tactical cops. AR-15's. Bullet proof vests walking in pairs around the streets). The drug dealers uesd to extort money from folks and have gang wars. Now many are gone, but drugs are still sold. Our guide told us to not take pictures in a couple different spots because that's where drugs were sold... and he even said hi to some of the dealers. They're his friends, and he hates that they won't change their ways.  In the Favela it's Marijuana and Cocaine. That's it. No Crack or Meth. Nothing that makes you lose your mind. They want repeat customers after all...

So glad I got to do the tour. It made something real that I've known about and not understood for so long. I'd've liked to see more and explore more and get to know people there, but my illness took my energy away. This will have to do for this trip.

And finally.... with the last day of the Favela tour I felt mostly better. SO I rallied with the hostel folks and headed to one of those Hostel Dance Party Nights at a club. And honestly... it was a TOTAL BLAST.
Man did I need to dance and have fun. I even said "why not!" when it came to the free Caipirinha's too!  The hostel folks were great. We met lots of other travelers, and also lots of Brazilian's too. Including some lovely ladies who danced with us all night and showed us some mad Samba moves. It was really really fun.

Perfect... now I'm mostly better..... and the trip is almost over....

Hmmm.

Ain't gonna lie, having 10 days of a 23 day trip eaten up by an illness sucked. I know these emails I show the positive side of it. But in truth, it's been a hard 10 days. Yes, I've had fun, and seen some amazing things, but I've been dragging myself through each step. Losing my voice. Spitting up phlegm. Coughing fits that hurt my stomach and caused my eyes to water up so bad I couldn't see. Having to pause going up stairs because I was so exhausted. 

Now, I don't want to be ungrateful for the fact that I'm here in this amazing place with amazing people. But when I felt as bad as I did, everything was through a fog, and it wasn't until yesterday that I finally fully woke up and came alive since the illness kicked in. It makes me a little sad that this trip will always have this huge tainted piece of it.

 But I guess that's life. Sometimes everything comes together. And sometimes the obstacles mount up, and we have to push through and keep going. Because there really isn't any other choice.

BEAUTIFUL BONITO

BEAUTIFUL BONITO.

That's redundant.
Since Bonito means "Beautiful" in Portugese.
But it is!

It's a great little "mountain town" that's not in the mountains. When
we drove in it felt like a small US town with houses and a main street
with shops. And the best part: Totally Safe. Like, leave your car
unlocked and don't lock your bike safe. As in, walk anywhere, anytime,
all alone, and you're totally safe. Love places like this.

This is the eco tourist capital of Brazil. Everything is about nature,
water, caves, waterfalls etc. It's supposedly very organized and well
run, and all of the tours are. But booking is complicated, and for
some inexplicable reason, Transport is NOT included in the price. So
you have to separately arrange transport to the attractions (some are
60km out of town). This costs a LOT, if you can't team up with people.
Or get on the "group transport" that leaves once a day and is full
weeks in advance. Most of the tours fill up, and thankfully I booked
everything days before getting here so I was able to do what I
wanted...

Except it rained. The first two days. It rained a lot. So many of the
activities close and don't operate. And last night it was COLD. Like
40 degrees cold. And wet. And no one is ready for it. No really warm
clothes. No heaters in the dorm. And of course I'm sick. So it's been
a bit of a challenge.

Today was sorta sunny. I spent the day doing the Rio De Prata, which
is a river you SNORKEL IN that is CRYSTAL CLEAR. I mean, aquarium
clear. Totally full of fish and springs that feed up through sand that
looks like something from an alien planet, churning, wild. If someone
hadn't told me it was a spring I might have had no idea what it was.

And yesterday... ABISMO ANHUMAS.
This is the king daddy of tours here, and I was lucky enough to book
it. It's limited to 18 people per day. Starts with a 72 meter (230
foot) Rappel straight down into a cave that's filled with water. On
the floating dock inside, you go snorkeling (or for A LOT more money
you can do a single scuba dive. If I were to do it again, I'd do the
scuba. I didn't because the thing already costs almost R$600, and with
scuba it's almost R$900. Now I'm not a broke student doing this, but
that is really pricey).

And it's awesome. The rappel was surreal. You lock legs with the
tourist on the rope next to you, and drop into the Abyss. The snorkel
is some alien world, lit from sun (or gloom) coming in the opening at
the top. You even get a boat tour around the underground lake (Which
like most tours in Brazil, if you don't speak Portugese, it loses a
lot of it's meaning. I did get some translation with the cool folks I
was on the tour with, but it was like that scene from "Lost in
Translation" where the guide would talk for 3 minutes, and the
translation would be something like "The cave is four million years
old". I love them for the translation, but it was pretty funny).

The thing about this, is you had to train the night before in town to
prove you could rappel. And then that you could climb out, on your
own, using an ascender on the rope. Which means you are sliding the
hand portion up, and "standing up" in the web looping, then repeating
hundreds of times while you climb up the free hanging rope to the
surface. It's pretty wild. The rope bounces like crazy and I kept
stopping to look around and think: This is nuts!

And totally awesome. The bronchitis didn't ruin that trip, but I sure
was exhausted when I got back to town. No doubt.

Well, tomorrow it's back to Rio and more adventures in the south. I
wasn't planning on writing so much. I usually like to give you a
shorter report more often, but the feeling ill and the persistance of
wifi everywhere has effected the email reports. Just as wi-fi did last
year too. There will be more on that subject later, but for now, I'm
off to visit with all my new friends one more night before I fly away
and start the next adventure.

Hope you are all well and having a fabulous summer.
CraigO

NO SLEEP TILL… PANTANAL!!!

Yep. The good old overnight bus.
Okay, they suck.

Thanks to the overnight bus last Saturday night, I'm STILL sick. Yep.
Had a cold the first day (because this lady was coughing on the bus
all night... pointing herself right at the row of seats I was in.
Really? COVER YOUR MOUTH). The cold has turned to bronchitis and I'm
hacking up phlegm on a regular basis. And naturally that stopped me
from doing anything fun, right?...

No way.

I traveled 22 hours to get to the Pantanal. And then another 5 to get
to Bonito. There's no way I'm going to skip out on things I've been
looking forward too.

So I've sucked it up, and rallied. I've visited the pharmacy here in
Bonito three times, and even though they don't speak English I was
able to get some stuff to help. And just now I started taking some
Antibiotics thanks to a nurses recommendation. If all goes well, I'll
be feeling better shortly.

As for activities...

The Pantanal is a large swampy grassland area the size of England.
Yep. England. On the western edge of Brazil. (It's also in Paraguay
and Bolivia, since, you know, Nature doesn't care about where our
borders are. :)

The purpose of a visit here is to see wildlife. Camen's. Birds of all
colors. (Some that were nearly extinct and have been reintegrated).
Piranha's. And, if you are lucky, Jaguars. (I was not lucky in that
respect). But it was fun and relaxing. I was at a Pousada (Kinda of a
Safari camp, but permanent) called Santa Clara. It's well run, has
good food, and regular tours throughout the day. (All included in the
day price). Due to my being the only 2 night person in the dorms at
that time, I was sort of forgotten about and not shown a lot of how
the place worked. But I made sure to not miss any of my activities.
The first being a night safari that left without me, so they drove me
at break-neck speed down dirt roads in the dark to catch the truck. It
was actually more fun than the night Safari. :)

The next day had a peaceful horseback ride, a peaceful swamp walk
safari, a peaceful boat ride. Basically the whole thing is really
peaceful. Wish I'd felt 100%.

And even though wildlife was the theory, I didn't feel overwhealmed by
it. But the domestic pigs in the compound that acted like dogs were
great. They even barked!

Met some cool travelers. It's been really fun, because the
Pantanal/Bonito circuit is something many people do. So folks from the
Pantanal have shown up all over Bonito, and it's allowed for some
actual traveling friendships which is nice.

Folks from Nepal, Holland, Germany, USA, Colombia, Australia, Brazil,
Brazil and Brazil.

Yep, unlike anyplace I've ever been, well over half the travelers are
actually Brazillian. Which is super fun. It's let me get to the know
the coutry a lot better. (I was told by one couple that 10 years ago
you wouldn't have seen so many Brazilian's. But the economy has been
great, and there has been a general philosophy change in the country
that travel, both within and outside of the country is very valuable
and worth doing. It's great to see.) A lot of the folks are from Sao
Paolo (Brazil's New York), but by no means all of them. They come from
big towns and small, near and far (mostly far, it's Brazil. It's
huge). It's been great. I've learned Samba dancing, various cultural
and historical things, etc.

A quick note on the food:
Brazilian food...
Burgers, Fries, Chicken, Burgers with cheese, Burgers with egg, Burgers with...
It's weird. For the first week I would have thought the whole place
ate American food. That has changed more as I've traveled more. But I
can tell you, meat is a part of nearly every meal. Which of course is
great for me, but would make it a bit tough for my Vegan friends.
Still, Pray-esh, from Nepal, is vegatarian, and he has made it work
everywhere.

So eat up!

IGUAZU VS. ITAIPU

Iguazu Falls.

Everything you've heard is true.

They are massive, magnificent, huge-normous, loud, wild, wet and fabulous. Devin and I went there our first day here in Foz do Iguazu. It was raining most of the day, but that was the day we went. And it was great. Hell, we're going to a waterfall, so if we get wet, that's cool. Ironically, that day was warmer than the next two have been, so even though it's sunny today, it would have been a much colder experience.

We took the local bus for R$6 (that's about $3USD, roughly half price! :). And then you pay for the park (R$50). We added on the zodiac ride to the base of the falls too (R$170).  Ahh Brazil, the local costs for food and buses are very good. The cost for tours is not so cheap. (More on that in a different email).

The Waterfall trail walks along the ridge overlooking the falls. We saw the first view, and it's pretty far away, and we thought "Well, that's big and cool".  We walked along the trail, and views of another set of falls appears. Closer, louder. Nice! This is great. We kept walking and there was ANOTHER set of falls, the Devil's throat, the big curve of falls you've probably seen in pictures. And here you could go out on boardwalks over the water itself. It was awesome. So much water. You can even walk right up next to the cascade and hear/feel the water blasting past you.

Now the thing about Iguazu, is the tiny part we walked out over, felt like it was enormous. And that is just a FRACTION of how big this thing is. It was awesome. Wonderful and wow.

We grabbed some lunch... and the sun came out.

So we ran back to the boardwalk area and took the killer pics of the day. Sun, clouds, rain, awesome. There was lightning and thunder too, but we didn't get any of those shots.

We then hopped the bus and headed to the Zodiac tour. Well, the last tour of the day is at 5:20pm, and we were the last tour. Just us. Of course, the sun is going down. The rain has returned. And it was a pretty wild boat ride. We even got hailed on as we blasted up the river towards the base of the falls. Thunder booming. Wind blasting past. Walls of water so thick you couldn't breath from all the water in the air. Awesome. We cheered and laughed. The guides were fabulous, they were having a blast too. I said "Let's do it again! " so we went back into the falls for more water soaking action.

Now, you don't get into the devil's throat, because it's too wild, but it was a blast.

And we were on the last bus back to the visitor's center, and then back to town. Soaked, but happy.

The thing about the park that is funny, is that half is on the Brazil side and half is on the Argentina side. And they have a pissing match about which side is better. Brazil has better views. Argentina you get closer. Brazil has more this. Argentina has more that. Is it worth going to both sides? Couldn't tell you, as it costs US Citizens an extra $160 USD to cross the border, and then you have to pay for the park. So we stuck with Brazil, and had a blast. (This also gives me something else to see if I ever make it back.) One of the big selling points of Aregentina is that you can walk out to the top off the Devil's throat on a boardwalk.... when it's there. 3 weeks ago, the water level was 30 times normal, the river was 30 meters deeper and the whole thing got washed away. As did Brazil's rafting and rappeling activities and a bunch of other stuff. One more thing that says... "Oh yeah Human's, I'm Mother Nature, and you are a guest in my house. Remember that."

Then you goto the Itaipu Dam, and see something else entirely.

The next day, we went for a "Special Tour" of the Dam. I'd never heard of it before I got here... It was only the largest dam in the world until 3 Gorges was finished in China. And Itaipu is still the biggest power producing dam in the world. It provides 75% of the power for Paraguay. And 17% of Brazil's. And Paraguay is selling 3/4 of it's power back to brazil. It's 8 km long. 600 plus feet tall, and has more concrete in it than a highway from from Moscow to Lisbon. It was built over 15 years, and frankly... is pretty awesome.

The tour takes you inside the dam, where you can see the 35 foot diamaeter pipes. Feel the water shaking the ground. Watch the turbines spin, which just one can powere 2.5 million homes. And the scale of the whole thing is inhuman (Just as Iguazu is). Everything looks like a hanger for giant robots or something. I really want to shoot a movie here.

Strangely there seems to be very little security or military presence. They never checked our ID to take the tour. There are no tanks or army garrison's or anything. It seems like a pretty important place to be so open. If this was the USA we'd have so much military might nearby to keep it safe. Well, even in Brazil, that's all an illusion. We were told that fighter jets could arrive in 4 SECONDS to shoot down anyone on approach. And that both Paraguay and Brazil have soldiers and more stationed right nearby. (The Dam is on the border and split evenly between the two countries. Technically I have been to PARAGUAY on this trip now. I walked in the country for at least 20 minutes. So... do I count that on my list? :)

Itaipu is the type of thing that says "Oh yeah Mother Nature, humans rule this planet, and can make you do what we want."

It is a fascinating contrast: One of the worlds largest waterfalls and a wonder of the world so close to one of the worlds largest hydro-electric dams and a wonder of human engineering.

Contrasts.
Sounds a lot like other parts of Brazil as well.

WELCOME TO BRASIL

Whew!  6 days into this thing and I feel like I've been gone for months. But that's the rule of backpacking after all
1 day = 1 week of normal life.

First things first: WORLD CUP MANIA!

The Fifa Fan Fest was a blast. There is one in every host city for all the games. It's a big festival with music and vendors and giant screens with the games on. It was a total blast. A great vibe and one hell of a game! We were there for Germany (Deutschland or Alamenha (?) depending on your language of choice). Devin had on a German jersey from when he saw world cup there a few years back. And as a result everyone thought we were German. Which wasn't a bad thing, as it meant we had our photos taken with no less than 30- different random groups of people from the time the game ended until we got home. After all, Germany won, and I guess that made us superstars by some connection. It was super fun.

Watching the game was exciting and full of such great energy. There were some Argentina fans there, but most of the Brazilians cheered for Germany. Every almost goal brought forth cheers and gasps. And when Germany scored the place blew up in a giant frenzy of jumping, cheering and gerneral joyous mayhem. It was fabulously fun!

And after a band played and a DJ. We met some cool Brazilian's who wanted to dance with us. Pretty much the Brazilian's love to dance, and are happy to teach you if you don't know. As people are often surprised, I have a few moves up my sleeve, so that was fun. But I definintely learned more.

Next up: ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE

Yep. Zombies. Okay, no actual Zombies, but Brasilia is a gov't town, so when the weekend hits it's like a ghost town. I mean, completely empty subways. Empty streets. Was very cool.

Brasilia is an interesting town. It's completely designed and built to design, so it's clean, spacious, has wide roads and minimal traffic issues compared to other cities of 2.5 million. The archetecture is wild. Domes. Cathedrals made of all stained glass. There is one that is all blue glass and the light shines through on a giant Jesus. It really is unlike any building I've ever seen.

And also... RIO BABY!

The day after the final we flew to Rio. And I have to say..... Rio is awesome, and totally familiar. Even though I've never been there, I've seen it SOOOOO many times that it's hard to believe I haven't. The views from the mountains, the beaches, all of that is so photographed, it's crazy familiar. Reminds me of New York or London or other places that are in movies and pictures all the time.

We stayed in a house near the Christ the Redeemer statue. (Well, not the statue, but below it with views). Cris and Antonio were super nice. The view was fabulous, and it was fun to stay someplace off the tourist track. It was a real middle class neighborhood and not what I expected in Rio.

After we got in we immediately headed up to the Christ the Redeemer statue. If you've ever seen a picture of Rio, you've seen the statue and the view. It's as famous as the Statue of Liberty and.... a GIANT challenge to get to. Sure, you'd think it would be simple, and if it wasn't crowded you'd hop on an incline train and ride to the top in 20 minutes.

Instead.... 3 hours and 45 minutes. Yep. We stood in 4 different lines. First for tickets for the van to take us up. Then to take the van up. Then a traffic jam on the mountain road because of all the people going. Then a cue to buy tickets to the park. Then the grand daddy.... a 3 HOUR line to get on the van to go to the statue. (It ended up being 1 hour 45 minutes, but they told us it would be 3 hours). Our hope of seeing it at sunset vanished before we even got up the mountain. All this because the train was full for the day. We met some cool folks in line: From Austin, TX and Los Angeles. Yep. In fact, we've met 8 or more folks from Austin in a few days. It's weird.

The views are great. The statue is cool. The wind was cold.

We were the last ones off the Statue, heading back to the giant line to go down.... only the line was gone. The last bus had left. Hmmmmm. So we go over to take the Train instead, there was still a line for that. Only they wouldn't let us. They told us to pay up or walk. Even though we'd already paid. They said the vans were a different company. Now, walking down 8 kilometers or more, probably, in pitch black Rio seems like a really dumb idea, so they basically had us. Not ideal, but we paid it. Left a bad taste in my mouth, but what can you do?

A quick note: The statue is probably the worst run tourist attraction I've ever been too. And that says a lot. However, it is cool. My suggestion is to book your train ticket the day before online, then you get there 20 minutes before the train and head on up. When we told our house owners how long it took they were dumbfounded. Usually it's 30 minutes or so of lines.

And finally IPANEMA

There is a beach and a song about a girl. And I can tell you, the beach there is everything you think it is. Beautiful sand. Fabulous waves. Sandwich stands (we had Uruguayan (?) sandwiches, and Brazilian drinks while sitting in chairs under an umbrella). There are gorgous gals in tiny swim suits. (Really tiny! no complaints there!) Guys playing soccer, and just a general state of fun. The water is warmer here in the winter than LA is in the summer. And frankly... it's wonderful.

But here's the thing. I didn't enjoy it at first. Not at all. Part of it was a food thing, my eating has been soooooo far off my good diet that it's thrown my hypoglycemia off a bit. But even once that was in shape with the sandwiches, I was still tense and off... and I realized....

I have been given more safety warnings about Brazil and especially Rio than any place I've ever been. More than Kenya, Uganda, Russia, Morrocco. Any of them. And it's made me paranoid. Freaked out to keep my stuff safe, to keep myself safe. It's basically made me think everyone is going to steal my shit and knife me. And I can tell you: It's all bullshit. It is. Everyone I've met is wonderful. Every place I've gone has felt safe. Everyone I've talked to feels the same. This is a beach, just like any beach in any big city. If you leave your camera out, it'll probably get stolen. But if you stay smart, you will be fine.

Now, I'm not saying bad stuff can't happen in Brazil. It can. It has to people. Sometimes its because they are stupid and walk around with an expensive camera in the ghetto. And sometimes it's bad luck. But keep your wits about you, and don't walk down dark alleys alone at night... just like you would in any big city anywhere in the world... and you'll have a blast.

Once that clicked, I hit the water. I splashed in the waves. I had a blast. Sure, we made positive our little bit of stuff was watched by a friendly neighbor or one of us. But it was no problem at all. We even walked the beach at night... they say NEVER DO THAT. Except, it's completely lit up, bright lights on every inch. And people are all around. It's really fun and really great. Brazilian's are really fabulous people. Yes, just like anywhere there are some bad eggs, but for the most part this is a country full of wonderful vibrant people. Awesome!

CraigO

GOAL!!!! -- or I'm in Frickin' Brazil!

Hi Team!

That´s right, a new adventure has begun. This time: Brazil!

(There will be a number of these travel updates over the next three weeks, so as always, if you´d rather not hear tales of fun, travel, and adventure please let me know and ~I´ll take you off the list. But if you enjoy them... read on!)

I indeed did come for the end of the World Cup. It took a lot of work to get here, much more than I~ve had for the last few trips, but thankfully it worked out and I~m here in Brasilia (captial of Brazil) where last night Devin and I went to see the 3rd/4th place game between Brazil and Netherlands. It was AWESOME! So exciting to be here. The spirti in the stadium was fabulous. Our seats were great thanks to our friends Olga and David who had extra tickets they sold us. It was really a great moment. Especially to share it with one of my best friends, Devin, who is a big time Futbol fan and someone I love to travel with, even though we haven~t had a chance in quite some time to do so. But here we are! And this is our first international trip together. So far so good...

Today we~re going to catch the Fan Fest of the Final here in Brasilia. To get to Rio would have cost us a lot...

and i~m about to run out of time on the internet, so this will have to continue soon!…..

REPOST: Super Minimal packing from Zen Habits

This is a repost from an awesome email/blog I receive called Zen Habits. I thought I packed light, but Leo Babauta has shown me up! Nice work!   zen habits: My Most Minimal Travel Setup Yet

---

My Most Minimal Travel Setup Yet

Posted: 24 Oct 2013 12:00 PM PDT

By Leo Babauta

I just got back from a trip to Beijing and Shanghai, and really loved how light I traveled for 8 days.
It was the least amount of stuff I’ve taken on a trip of any length, and traveling has never been less tiring.
When you have very little on your back, it’s less draining. It’s faster and funner.
I thought I’d share my latest travel setup, in hopes that it’ll inspire a few of you to try the joys of traveling lightly.

My Setup

This setup is unique to me, so I don’t recommend that you copy it … but that said, I’m sharing it so you can possibly get a few ideas and see how light travel is possible.

1. The backpack. I traveled the entire time with just a tiny backpack, no luggage or roller bag. The one I used is the Goruck 15L Shadowruck, which is just 15-liters in volume and only 0.27 lbs. (!). It’s super light. It’s tough. Not much room in it. Perfect.
2. No laptop. The most significant change I made to my setup this trip is to travel without my 11-inch Macbook Air. This tiny laptop is only 2.38 lbs., but traveling without a laptop is a huge change in weight. I was only going for 8 days, so I did my writing before I left. This wouldn’t work for many people. If I had to write for a longer trip, I could find an Internet cafe in most cities and write there.
3. The iPhone. While I resisted getting an iPhone for 6 years, in June Eva bought me the iPhone 5 for Father’s Day. So I’m now a part of the smartphone masses. And I embraced it on this trip, carrying only the iPhone, no laptop or camera. I did my reading, Tweeting, email and other work on here. And of course used it to document my trip with sweet photos. Also included: the charging cord.
4. Clothes: I favor workout clothes, because they are breathable, washable, comfortable and dry fast. So I wore the Ascent Pant, which looks a little dressy and is light and breathable. And a Precision T. And ExOfficio boxer briefs. I packed: another Precision T, two more boxer briefs, some workout socks, workout shorts, and a long-sleeve workout T-shirt. Just in case, I also packed a thin, lightweight Nike rain jacket (I didn’t need it this trip). Just in case it was cold, I also packed a beanie.
5. Toiletries. Deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, nailclippers.
6. Food. Just in case, I packed a handful of fruit & nut bars, and some raw almonds.
7. Other. I also had a couple of notebooks and pens, for writing, my passport, earbuds, a travel towel, a sleep mask, ear plugs, and a universal travel adapter.

Total weight: under 8 lbs.

Questions and Answers

Q: Why travel without a laptop?
A: I liked traveling without all the weight. And I tend to use the laptop too much when I travel, so I thought the restriction of not having a laptop would be good for me. If I needed to write, I might have found a foldable keyboard for the iPhone, or used an Internet cafe.
Q: How do you travel with so few clothes?
A: I simply wash them in the shower, wring them out good, and hang them to dry in my hotel room. I didn’t need to wash the pants, though they’re easily washable (as opposed to jeans). If you wash underwear, a shirt and socks on most nights, you only need one or two changes.
Q: Why workout clothes and not cotton?
A: I love cotton. It’s just heavier, and it gets smellier, than the workout clothes I pack. And it takes longer to dry. And wrinkles more. So the clothes I brought solve all those problems, and they’re very comfortable.