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October 30, 2005
A Birthday To Remember
Dehli, India
Yesterday, on October 29th, I turned 23 years old. Yesterday was also the day that terrorists attacked Dehli. Three bombs rocked the capital of India - 2 were placed in crowded markets and the third was found on a bus. At 5:30 PM I left my hotel and began walking down the road to get a drink. I am staying in Pharganj, a congested area right next to New Dehli Train Station (one of the busiest in the country). I didn't get very far from my hotel when I witnessed a large bomb blast, no more than 100m infront of me, which stopped me in my tracks. I knew what it was but I didn't really want to believe it. I was hoping that it was just a fireworks accident (there is a large festival in a few days), but I knew it was no accident. I stood back in wonder as hundreds of people raced past me, trying to get as far away from the blast site as possible. Next, the people in the blood-stained clothing and gaping wounds came limping past me...
I'm okay, you're okay, that's all that matters. There's alot more to tell in all this but I gotta save something for the book!
An outfit linked to the Pakistani-based militant organization, Lashker-e-Taiban (LeT), has claimed responsibility for the attacks which left over 60 dead and 210 injured.
I just wanted to go and get a beer, and about two hours after the blast I finally got one. When something like this happens you cannot run and hide, for that is exactly what terrorists hope to accomplish - to instill fear in you.
Posted by tyler at 07:31 AM | 4 Comments
October 27, 2005
Please give me
New Dehli, India
"To die will be an awfully big adventure."
- Aristotle
My Pakistani visa was suprisingly easy to obtain, but ridicously expensive. It cost around $75 US, not to mention the "Letter of reccomendation" from the Canadian Embassy which cost me 1800 rupees ($1US = 45 Rupees). The fact that they are charging 1800 rupees for this little fucking piece of paper, that the American embassy is handing out for free, absolutely blew my mind. Where do they get off charging 1800 Rs to help a citizen of the country that they are representing - the daily wage of a labourer in India is around 50 rupees. Fifty rupees for a day of sweat-your-balls-off physical labour, but 1800 rupees for a single sheet of paper with my name, passport details and the words "...any help you can give him would be appreciated." It is so out of porpotion it is not even funny. Hell, the letterhead was not even embossed... Once I coughed up all that money the visa was issued in a couple of hours - too easy. I only hope my Iranian visa will come as easy, but I have my doubts on that.
Posted by tyler at 04:10 PM | 1 Comments
October 21, 2005
sex and women
Khajuraho, MP, India
Total KM 8734
"Aashiyan apna loota apn nazar ke saamne,
Ho ke beghar khada apne ghar ke saamne."
(My beautiful world crashed before my very eyes,
I stand homeless outside my own home.)
For my first week back in the saddle after a considerable time out of it, I had a very eventful 7 days. To start from the beginning - I got very ill, practically on my death bed, but I had cable TV and room service so I managed to pull through. Once that was all cleared up and I hit the pot-holed Indian roads again; I got into an accident with another bike; spent a night camping at a petrol station while 30 people peered in my tent at me; had an interview with a journalist about my trip and saw the famous "Kama Sutra" temples of Khajaraho.
I'm currently in Khajuraho, visiting the temples dating back to 1000 AD. The state of preservation that these temples are in is absolutely mind-blowing, they are near perfect. The temples are adorned with sculptures of gods, scenes from everyday life, but more than anything else - women and sex. It's sort of a Kama Sutra in stone. Khajuraho is quite isolated up on a high plateau which probably saved the sandstone "pin-up girls" from destruction unleashed by invaders. I've seen hundreds of temples and I would say that without a doubt the temples of Khajuraho are the best I have seen. Many say it's the finest temple art in the world. The level of preservation and attention to detail totally surpasses that of any other temples I have visited.
Today the "Daihy Bhaska" newspaper featured an article about me and my trip. If you get a chance (and can read Hindi), pick up a copy and enjoy the half page spread on page 6. No, it's not at the top of page 6, it's at the bottom, but you gotta start somewhere!
Posted by tyler at 05:04 PM
October 08, 2005
here it is
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Total KM
"Fall seven times, stand up eight."
-Japanese proverb
I got my bike back today. I couldn't believe it when I walked downstairs and the owner of my guesthouse told me that it was waiting for me at the train station. Good news! It's time to move on.
Posted by tyler at 12:52 PM | 3 Comments
October 06, 2005
go where
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Total KM
"He who has hope has everything."
-Arabian Proverb
Today I did the unthinkable - I looked at a bunch of online air ticketing companies. Where am I thinking of flying to? you ask. I'll tell you, I was looking at flights home, to Manitoba, Canada. I've been thinking about what I shall do if my cycle does not arrive and the idea of putting an end to this trip actually crossed my mind. As I was looking at ticket prices I was listening to a radio station from home,Power 97 , via streaming audio - and the weather report said it was something like 2 degrees and snowing. That made me shiver but the idea of seeing my family and friends really excites me. I haven't been to Canada in over 2 years, it's been 26 months since I've seen anyone in my family, and even when I was home last it was only for 2 months.
This seemed strange to me because I don't usually get homesick. For me, homesickness is when you've been home to long and you are itching to get back on the hard roads.
Where is my bicycle?
Posted by tyler at 12:36 PM
October 05, 2005
iron sticks
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Total KM
"Remember sadness is always temporary. This, too, shall pass."
-Chuck T. Falcon
I couldn't sleep last night, or the night before that. I'm turing into a crazy person, wandering around like a angry zombie, suggesting to complete strangers that they should go and fornicate with an iron stick. Where's my bike?
Posted by tyler at 12:29 PM
October 04, 2005
tell me where
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Total KM
"What is the good of having a nice house without a decent planet to put it on?"
- Henry David Thoreau
Where's my bike man? I'm still thinking positive but what's the hold up? Why is it taking so long? I must occupy my time better, I must stop thinking about it.
Posted by tyler at 12:17 PM
October 01, 2005
where oh where
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Total KM
"True peace is not merely the absence of tension, it is the presence of Justice."
- Martin Luther King
The Sri Lankan vacation is over and I am back in North India, awaiting the arrival of my bicycle so I can get on with this trip. I recieved my new bottom bracket in the mail and as an awesome gesture of support, Alian of Iron-Man Bikes in Ilan, Taiwan, has donated the part to my trip, not wanting any financial compensation. Take a cue from this kind man - make a donation to CNIB.
I flew back into Sotuh India from COlombo, Sri Lanka nd then raced to the train station in an old taxi only to miss the next direct 40 hour train to Varanasi. I managed to secure a seat on a different train the next day in order to cover the two thousand and some odd km back up north to where I had left off. My bicycle, however, was not going on the same train as me. It is now in the hands of Indian Railways, the world's largest empoyer with over 1.6 million workers. It (my bike) was supposed to arrive here a few days ago, but it didn't. I've been told that it had hitched a ride to the end of the line and is now on it's way back to me. As hectic as most of the train stations are in India, I have faith in Indian Railways and that it will come back to me. If you love something, set it free...Can that really apply to a hunk of steel and 2 wheels? Sort of, but it's more like "don't sweat the small stuff." You cannot spend time worrying about circumstances beyond your control.
Posted by tyler at 11:53 AM