Mind the gap

Well, it's been a few days since I updated my blog. There are a few a very good reasons.

1) On Sunday I joined my tour group and we rushed off to jam in as much sight seeing as possible. I found it far more exhausting than I expected.

2) On Monday afternoon, we left the relatively sophisticated Delhi for Agra. It was a 6 hour bus ride in Monsoon rains on the eve of the brother-sister holiday (everyone and their brother was on the road to get home to visit their sisters.) In Agra, the hotel's Internet wifi was broken.

3) Wednesday, we drove across the state border into Rajathstan. The hotel is in a small rural town without ATMs let alone Internet.

In the meanwhile, Monday I began with a full body ache (my typical precursor to a cold). By Wednesday night I ended up staying back from the wildlife preserve visit to shake and bake in my room with a fever. Today is Thursday, and I've had 13 hours sleep and I'm feeling mostly better.

As for my problem with Internet access, I'm finding that 70% of the time, I can get my iPhone data to flow (depending on the town and the roaming carrier.) AT&Ts international data plan isn't cheap ($25 for 20mb + $5/mb overage.) So, I'm rationing my cell data. I can also communicate with the outside world via text messages ( free to receive, and $0.40 to send).

I understand that I can buy a SIM card from vodaphone or Reliance and get a much better data rate. Still trying to find a mud hut that sells them...

Now, enough about Internet challenges, and more about the trip.

My tour is made up of two parts. Part one is called Moghul Highlights (9 days). Part two is Little Tibet (14 days). The focus of part one is on seeing Moghul architecture (1400-1700 AD) built for the Moghul emperors. The architecture is quite breathtaking. We've seen at least one mosque per day, climbed up minarets for breathtaking city views, seen where each mogul emperor reigned, visited the houses of the emperors' many wives and concubines, and all the while pressed past numerous aggressive hawkers and beggars targeting the white visitors.

I'm not sure which is more tiring, climbing a 162 step minaret, or pushing through the 162 hawkers waiting at the bottom. I've become quite good at evading them. Here are a few tips in case you ever find yourself accosted by mob of hawkers:

1) Never make eye contact

2) Keep walking with a purpose

3) Do not, do not , do not engage in conversation. This is their main gambit... Asking where you are from, or if you like the building, or whatever. They are not being nice to you, they are trying to draw you in. If you speak one word to them it should only be "no" or in Hindi, "nahi". I had a friendly local tell me to say "chowda sir", as a polite and local way of saying please leave me alone. I've tried it and it works very well.

4) Project dominant, aggressive energy (almost like pushing them away with your spirit, heart or will.) If you've ever watched The Dog Whisperer project dominant energy to a dog, this is the same principal. Push them away in spirit. It's surprising how well it works. They just fall away and seek an easier target.
Unfortunately, I don't have pictures to share from my iPhone (from which I've authored this entry.) I do have quite a backlog of videos and photos on my other cameras, and I'll post them as soon as I can juice up my laptop with some Internet service.

Perhaps by Sunday or Monday I'll have worked out the Internet issue.

-Phil

(ps: on Monday we rode the metro in Delhi to get to the bazaar. The recording that played at each stop said "mind the gap". A British thing I'm sure. It did remind me of a strange little indy film called "Mind The Gap." Just a random thought I decided to foist upon you.)