Pune-Ni

Hello. After the beach house in Alibag we went to Pune (pronounced Poo-na). Now you get the title, especially you D-rock. Stayed there for a couple of days mostly just relaxing and planning future moves. Spent one day walking around the city. I must have walked 20 miles that day. Thought I'd be savy and take a different route than the way I came once, and got lost, way lost. Ended up in a very local part of town where everyone looked at me like "What are you doing here?". The sun was also starting to set and, not recognizing any landmarks or wanting to get caught after dark in a strange part of town, I decided to hire a rikshaw. Started to get a little nervous when all five rikshaw drivers in a group said they wouldn't take me where I wanted to go. Finally I found one that would. Quite a relief. Pune is an up-and-coming city and there's always a lot of construction work going on which adds lots of dust to all the pollution. It's hard on your eyes and lungs to be in the city for too long without a cloth over your face. You see a lot of people wearing rags while they walk or drive their bikes and scooters. Also they have huge power shortages and on every Thursday the power is cut off to the whole city for conservation purposes. Another hustling, bustling city. The computer I'm using won't recognize my camers so I'll post pics soon.

View from tuk-tuk

Shiva and I discussing the meaning of things

Pune's Two Wheeler Dealer

Lumber yard

Don't know why this one's messed up. Any way, this is my cocoon phase

Guest house I stayed in

Pune construction site, all done by hand

Had to throw this in, Pryom(Vishaks nephew) all tucked in and braced for impact

Couldn't have said it any better myself

Many enviro. conscious signs around Pune, maybe too late

Bombay The Hard Way

Hello all. First post from India. Where to start? Flew into Bombay at nite and left the next morning so I didn't get to see alot of it other than through car windows. However what I did see was almost undiscribeable, especially the poverty. Arrived on a hot steamy nite, wouldn't have it any other way. Chose a non air conditioned cab with insence burning inside. The traffic was an all out free-for-all, no real lanes, cars and cycles(carrying entire families) passing and cutting each other off and honking for honk's sake. Actually broke down and cried within 45 minutes of being in the country when, at a stop light, a little boy about six yrs old and filthy came up to the cab and started tapping me on the shoulder begging for money and making the sign to eat. It made me feel horrible. I wondered why I deserved to be born in the U.S. with a mother that gave me everything and more, even when she didin't have it, rather than on the streets of India begging for money and food. Arrived at the hotel Vishak was staying, which proved to be the polar opposite; a five star joint overlooking the Arabian sea. Seeing the kids after a trip like that was something special. I couldn't help think that it could have been them begging on the streets. The next day we stopped at some of Shak's old haunts before leaving to his family's beach house in Alibag. Alibag is very rural and quite primative. Major power shortages afford us electricity for only a few hours of each day and little hot water, sort of like camping but with a roof and caretakers that manage the place and cook every meal. We have tea at least three times a day. The palm groves and beach are beautiful. Spent a few days with Shak's mother, father, brother, sister in law, niece and nephew. They are all very special and they've taken me in as family. His father is incredible; eighty yrs old and spry as can be, does yoga every morning. We have great conversations and I love listening to him speak. Shacks nephew Priyom and I played cricket and soccer in the yard and on the beach. At nite when walking in the yard or going to pee, was told to watch for cobras, Russell's vipers, saw scaled vipers, and scorpions. One nite got buzzed by a giant fruit bat inches from my face, scared my to death, those bad boys are huge. Saw a dead sea snake on the beach, they come in with the tide to hunt crabs, extremely deadly. Every meal has been amazing, each one better than the next. I'm in Pune now at Shak's parents's compound. Again, arrived at nite so didn't get to see much yet. Attacked by a mosquito army last nite. Shak's brother and father are going to help me plan a flexible ittenerary and I'm planning on setting out on my own in the next couple of days. So much to see and do, feel like I don't have enough time. Things will work themselves out. Acha, untill next time. Fast lane
It's a jungle out there
Bombay express mail service
Old Bombay
Anopheles mosquito, notice the stripes, malaria coming atcha Shak
Fruit market, Sadanand calling the shots, he's the man
Bombay flats, some of the most expensive real estate in Asia, doesn't look like it because they get worked by the typhoons
Heavy traffic; Alibag


The Das family plus 1 new edition

Tracy getting mobbed by school children, she got extra attention everywhere, maybe it's the blonde hair and fair skin, ya think
Playa Alibag
Das mannor @ Alibag, beware creatures
Shantys outside of Bombay, went on for miles, tugs at the heart
Fish market, stinky fishy, flies galore

Storming the Big Apple

Stayed with family the first nite in NYC and listened to some amazing stories about my uncle Ricky's time in India. He planned on visiting for two months like me and ended up staying for over a year and spending time in Pakistan and "no man's land (detention)" as well. He's the coolest. When I arrived in Queens Bret had a mission already lined up for us. He has a friend that's in the coast guard and stationed in Manhatten. He and his fellow crew members took us out in they're coast guard boat for a ride all around Manhatten. It was sick, most people could live in NY all their lives and never get an experience like this. Some cool pics of us; maning the guns, Bret driving, our lady of liberty, and the crew. Later that nite we grilled out and then Bret took us to the Comedy Celler and got us in free to see some fairly big name comics including Dave Attel, hilarious. What a host, way to go Bret. Also staying with Allison, his cousin and long time friend of mine, so good to see her. There's a pic in there for you Noah, found it on the side of a building down in Chinatown, you'll know which one it is. Leaving the states tomorrow and it's still sort of surreal. I love you all, you know who you are. I'll keep in touch as best I can and try to keep the blog updated. Untill then, so long. Namaste.

Loose Ends

Getting in good with Ganesh at the Indian Embassy in D.C. My new best friend for the next two months.

forever in thought

Hindu Homies

These are the homies I'll be hangin with. That's me in the big black turban with hands in the air.

Next Week

Still making a tentative plan, this will be my playground.