Unlike China, communications in India is fairly easy as most people, even in the rural areas speak English. Give a few more years, young people in China would also be speaking English more widely. At the biggest bookstore in Kunming ( 4 floors) I was at the English section and saw many English school books that are used by the children. English literature titles are read by the children: Oliver Twist, Sherlock Holmes, Wuthering Heights, Three Musketeers, Don Quxiote, etc are those available on the shelves.Flipping through the books I saw comprehension exercises at the end testing the children's skills.
Varanasi is a holy place to the Hindus like what Mekah is to the Muslims, but here there is so much poverty and the conditions appalling. The streets are choked with all manners of traffic, the dust and filth plus the stray animals make movements seem impossible, but amazingly everything just blend harmoniously.
The Ghats by the Ganga (the Ganges River) is a hive of activities with the sounds of drums, the chanting of prayers and the smells of incense and the clicking of cameras by the tourists. Scores of people can be seen washing or bathing in the river "purifying" themselves although the Ganga is said to be one of the most polluted rivers (in the world?). The water level is now low and scores of rowing boats vie for the trickle of tourist in the low season.
After 2 and half months on the road I have yet to meet a Malaysian traveller. Most of the backpackers are Europeans or from the West. Also evident are many young Japanese couples, Koreans and Chinese. A young Japanese woman (Hiroko 28) from Kanagawa is staying at the same guesthouse as us for 4 months. She is hoping to start a business here designing clothes. She is also learning the local language.
Walking on the streets, you also need to watch your steps to avoid tripping, stepping on animal dung (and sometimes human faeces) and other obstacles. You also have to be alert with the person walking in front of you for he may suddenly turn his face and spit out the reddish beetlenut spittle that can land on you. The cow is a sacred animal to the Hindus and they are sometimes seen lying in the middle of the busy street with everyone trying to avoid knocking into them.
India is a very big country and to know the real India you can spend a year and not see half of it. After 2 weeks in India and the unfortunate incidents I went through, I need to leave in a hurry as my visa is coming to an end. I applied for my visa in KL 3 months ago and the duration of my visa began when it was approved. So, after more than 2 months travelling through Thailand, Laos and China I only have about 3 weeks in India. On the other hand I have 45 days in Pakistan from the day I enter it.
My next port of call is Agra, and I hope the Taj Mahal can erase the unpleasant episodes I had in India so
far.
Varanasi is a holy place to the Hindus like what Mekah is to the Muslims, but here there is so much poverty and the conditions appalling. The streets are choked with all manners of traffic, the dust and filth plus the stray animals make movements seem impossible, but amazingly everything just blend harmoniously.
The Ghats by the Ganga (the Ganges River) is a hive of activities with the sounds of drums, the chanting of prayers and the smells of incense and the clicking of cameras by the tourists. Scores of people can be seen washing or bathing in the river "purifying" themselves although the Ganga is said to be one of the most polluted rivers (in the world?). The water level is now low and scores of rowing boats vie for the trickle of tourist in the low season.
After 2 and half months on the road I have yet to meet a Malaysian traveller. Most of the backpackers are Europeans or from the West. Also evident are many young Japanese couples, Koreans and Chinese. A young Japanese woman (Hiroko 28) from Kanagawa is staying at the same guesthouse as us for 4 months. She is hoping to start a business here designing clothes. She is also learning the local language.
Walking on the streets, you also need to watch your steps to avoid tripping, stepping on animal dung (and sometimes human faeces) and other obstacles. You also have to be alert with the person walking in front of you for he may suddenly turn his face and spit out the reddish beetlenut spittle that can land on you. The cow is a sacred animal to the Hindus and they are sometimes seen lying in the middle of the busy street with everyone trying to avoid knocking into them.
India is a very big country and to know the real India you can spend a year and not see half of it. After 2 weeks in India and the unfortunate incidents I went through, I need to leave in a hurry as my visa is coming to an end. I applied for my visa in KL 3 months ago and the duration of my visa began when it was approved. So, after more than 2 months travelling through Thailand, Laos and China I only have about 3 weeks in India. On the other hand I have 45 days in Pakistan from the day I enter it.
My next port of call is Agra, and I hope the Taj Mahal can erase the unpleasant episodes I had in India so
far.
Breakfast with Fengyan, Heather & Stuart
Stuart & Heather
Cycling on Howrah Bridge
With Peter & Nick
This is democracy!
2 comments:
nice pictures of the friends u make on your way, more striking is the democrcy in full force.i apreciate u overcoming all the challenges,bravo adnan.please publish more & more travel facts n photos. wish u and your boy smooth riding all the way. may god bless us all.bye deen from j.b. malaysia.
India is definitely an enigma! Hope you have a pleasant trip the rest of the way! Joe
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