so it's now 1:39pm on Sunday 23rd December, and my flight back "home" leaves in
10 hours. so i hope you forgive the kinda sombre mood of this email.
Bombay has turned out to be nowhere nearly as bad as i expected! as i mentioned
in my previous email, hung out with this isreali girl who i met at Kathmandu
airport for the first few days here until my brother arrived. i hadn't seen him
for 2 years, so it was wicked to hang out with him again.
Whilst Bombay certainly has plenty of sight-seeing places, none are really
exciting enough to really for me to enthusiastically tell you about them. but
as a summary, the area i stayed in called Colaba, is really is a very different
slice of life compared to the little amount of India I've seen (although using
the "black hole" of Ghorupkur as a measuring stick!). there is quite a nice
promenade running along the sea for a few kilometres, which my brother and i
agreed kinda resembled Seapoint in Cape Town.
but this place is expensive. far more than any other place in India probably.
so i am quite impressed that along with my brother and this israeli girl, i
managed to spend 6 days in Bombai without getting bored once. in fact, there
are things i didnt see and do.
whilst my time in Nepal was short, there were other reasons for not staying
longer. namely the worsening security situation there. in late november there
was a major clash between the Maoists and the police where 200 people from both
sides were killed. a state of emergency was declared after that and things got
worse. Nepalias had (and still have) a 9pm curfew. anyone caught after this
time was pulled aside. going through towns, there were quite a few checkpoints,
armed soldiers in trucks driving up and down Pokhara every hour or so, and also
in Kathmandu. Tourists are never targetted b'cos the Maoists are fighting the
government and it's alleged corruption. still, there is always the risk of
being caught in a cross-fire. anyways.
so i'll be back in New Zealand on the 25th December. a few days later i'm going
to a youth camp i used to be involved with in my younger years to help out with
tent maintenance and other odd admin stuff. this is not an attempt to capture
my youth, but my good mate Ben is going also and in any event this is when i
had planned on coming home anyway. my wild logic behind this idea is
that it will be a good "cushioning" after returning to a city where I
unfortunately have few friends left.
so in short, i'll be away until mid-january camping in the middle of no-where,
so will not be checking email all that time. pls dont expect replies until
about 20th Jan.
so i'm just gonna babble on a bit here about some philosophical stuff, so if
this bores, then just skip to the last paragraph!
just curious to hear feedback i guess. when i set off to England on my
"travels" 2 years ago, i went with several ideas and purposes. one of them was
to get the travel bug "out of my system". 2 years on, the travel bug is as
strong as it was 2 years ago. is it possible to get rid of this travelling bug
or is it something that is simply incorporated into one's life? for me, the
choice is obvious. i dont believe it will ever leave me and in a way, I embrace
it. it's a lifestyle i guess. there are always the logistics of these things,
like money, but personally i see it coming down to a simple question we have to
ask ourselves: Do we go along with what we feel is right and live the lifestyle
of travelling and living in such a way, or supress it and choose the "regular"
lifestyle. i suspect many of the people reading this (those that have not
fallen asleep) are nodding their heads and turning this idea over in their
heads. I know I am.
Time and time again travelling in Europe and Asia, I have encountered people of
all ages travelling, many over the age of 30 and 40. And this gives
inspiration. ofcourse everyone has their own story, but it says to me that
people are not scared to take the bull by the horns and fulfill their dreams.
many such people i met "packed it all in" to go travelling at 45. I think that
that is fantastic. Dont you?
Before I came to India, many people talked about how some people cant handle
India. After my brief stint here, I think that is a load of bollocks. I dont
believe there is such a thing as "handling" India. it's not like you're
travelling in a country with no infrastructure and unfriendly people. There are
many scams and cons abound, but this country has so much to offer the traveller
and i for one will be coming back here for a few months in the next year or two
to explore it properly. So if any of you are planning such a trip, let me know
and maybe we can hook up.
My plans for when I'm back in New Zealand are vague at best. i guess get a job,
then start planning my return trip to Nepal and India, and subsequently South
America.
I guess I'll send updates every now and then what is happening in my life; as
over the past 2 years I have made many friends in many countries and I want to
keep in touch with as many of you as possible. you never know when our paths
may cross again.
I wish you all a happy and healthy 2002.
That's all folks!
Monday, December 24, 2001
Bombay, India
Other Entries
-
1Last one from London
Nov 0252 days priorLondon, United Kingdomphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0 -
2Out with a bang, in with the gang!
Nov 0648 days priorDelhi, Indiaphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0 -
3Tantalising Taj Mahal!
Nov 0846 days priorAgra, Indiaphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0 -
4Off Trekking
Nov 1341 days priorPokhura, Nepalphoto_camera5videocam 0comment 0 -
5Back from the trek!!!
Dec 0321 days priorPokhara, Nepalphoto_camera20videocam 0comment 0 -
6In the Shadows of Giants
Dec 0420 days priorPokhara, Nepalphoto_camera12videocam 0comment 0 -
7Goddess of the River
Dec 1113 days priorKathmandu, Nepalphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0 -
8Crazy Kathmandu!
Dec 177 days priorKathmandu, Nepalphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0 -
9Bustin in bombay
Dec 204 days priorBombay, Indiaphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0 -
10That's all folks!
Dec 24Bombay, Indiaphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0 -
11Back in sunny New Zealand
Dec 273 days laterAuckland, New Zealandphoto_camera0videocam 0comment 0
2025-02-14