Taj Mahal, Varanasi, Independent trip = SUCCESS

10/23/09

I finished packing and met my group at 1:15pm on 5^th floor by the Field Office. I was a little nervous about what was just outside the doors of the ship… India. I was really excited about my Independent trip, but still had some feeling of uneasiness. Once we walked outside we showed our papers to the guards and were on our way. Since our trip wasn’t an SAS trip we had to walk all the way to the gate to get on our bus. So the 30 of us trekked to the gate sweating like you wouldn’t believe, got our papers checked again and saw the bus 20 feet ahead of us. We got on the bus and there was no air conditioning on, so we waited a few minutes to see if they would turn it on. Nope, so we literally sat there for 20 minutes with sweat dripping off of us until the bus driver came back from LUCNH! This is when many of us realized what an adventure these next few days were going to be. Finally, we were on our way and I noticed we were going in a circle and then pulled over. A shop keeper got on the bus and tried to sell us stuff. Our leader Barbara had to explain we just want to get to the airport, so finally the guide understood and we were on our way.  We arrived at the airport about an hour and a half before our flight. We navigated our way around and then finally found the ticket counter and got our tickets. We put the tags on our bags and went through security.  We waited about 1 hour and then they called for boarding. We had our tickets checked again then boarded a bus that took us to our plane. We got off the bus and had our tickets checked again and finally boarded. I didn’t know who was sitting next to me and as more and more SAS kids took the seats around me I was getting nervous. I ended up sitting between two Indians. I actually had conversations with both of them about SAS and what we were doing in India. They both told me good luck. We had lunch on the plane and I was a little nervous because I didn’t know what I was eating. I ate some vegetarian curried meal that was EXTREMELY spicy. I also had some chocolate cake that was amazing. We had a two and a half hour flight so I watched Night at the Museum 2. This plane was pretty cool the TV screen was on the back of the headrest in front of you. We arrived at the airport in Delhi around 8pm and we were greeted by our tour guide. He took us to our bus which was a short walk from the front of the terminal. We were given leis and a warm welcome to Delhi. It was really awesome. Then we boarded the bus and did a little sightseeing around Delhi. We saw the president’s house, and other government buildings. After that we had dinner at a local hotel. Our dinner consisted of chicken, rice, potatoes, curry (I skipped it), bread, and dessert was a donut like shape with honey on it. Everything was absolutely delicious. Oh and of course I had a beer, it’s called Kingfisher and it was really good. By the time we finished dinner it was around 11:30pm so we headed to the hotel. We pulled up in front of a string of hotels and were told to get off and walk with the guide to check in. So, we walked and passed a few hotels covered in what looked like Christmas lights I wasn’t too sure which one would have been our best bet. We ended up in the hotel with blue stringing lights hanging down from the building. They collected our shore passes and escorted us to our rooms. They turned on the air conditioning which was blowing practically hot air at me and left the room. We decided to scope out the rest of the room. Two twin beds, a bathroom with a toilet, a desk, some furniture, seems nice right? Well, the beds didn’t have bed spreads, the tub shaped object didn’t have a shower curtain, the hot water heater plug was just dangling and the towels looked like they were from 1912. We all know how much I sweat so of course I try to fix the air conditioning to turbo and I end up with the handle in my hand. We tried everything to get it to work, but we just decided to turn off the lights and the overhead fan and suffer. It was our first hotel experience in India and it was funny to say the least. Oh and we had to be up at 430am because we had to meet our guide to transfer to the train station. We didn’t get to bed until after 12.

10/24/09

Today I had a wakeup call from the front desk and expected to hear a voice. NOPE! All I hear is annoying buzzing sound in my ear, exactly what I wanted at 430am. So, miserable I got out of bed and started to get ready. We went downstairs after packing up all our stuff and checked out. We were told to go to the roof top for breakfast. So we took the elevator to the 3^rd floor because apparently that’s as high as you could go and then walk up another flight to the roof. Literally we were outside eating a piece of dry toast. After eating quickly I ran downstairs and jumped on the bus to get to the train station. We got to the train station and waited only a little bit before boarding. We were exhausted and many of us slept. I wasn’t too tired, more excited than anything. We had “breakfast” on the train which consisted of tea and a cracker, how appetizing! After about a 2 hour train ride we arrived at 8:15am in Agra. We were met by our new tour guide who took us to the bus. We had a 45 minute ride to a palace called Fatehpur Sikri-a perfectly preserved red sandstone “ghost town” which was the estranged capital of mughal emperor Akbar, built in 1569 and deserted when its water supply failed. It was a beautiful place. The architecture was awesome. Some of the specific designs that went into the making of the town were unbelievable. I cannot wait to show pictures to everyone!. We left there and headed to lunch at the Taj Mahal restaurant which seemed to be a chain of Indian cuisine. It was a buffet style so I had some more bread of course, rice, and vegetables with pasta. After lunch we went to Agra Fort. It was so crowded trying to get in and I hadn’t mentioned this before, but the beggars and people selling stuff are everywhere. Sometimes they would listen and just walk away and others would follow you around making it uncomfortable. Eventually, we dodged most of them and made it to the entrance. But, before you enter if you looked to your right you could see the Taj Mahal off in the distance. We knew we were so close yet so far away. So we had a long tour of the fort which was really cool. There were monkeys everywhere hanging from the buildings. Inside was buildings after buildings with you unique designs even better than the first place we went. I couldn’t believe how articulate some of the structures and designs were. We eventually made up to the top right portion of the fort where we had a CLEAR view of the Taj Mahal. We took tons of pictures and then our guide asked us if we were ready to see the real thing. We obviously told him how excited we were and left the fort to go to the Taj Mahal. We arrived outside the reception area where we were given white booties to put over our shoes if we wanted to walk in or on the marble of the Taj Mahal and a bottle of water. We took an oversized golf cart half the distance to the front gate and then walked the rest. once inside we had to wait for our tour guide. The suspense was killing majority of us because we knew what was on the other side of the large stone entrance. We finally made our way with our cameras out and ready to film. It was absolutely beautiful, I cannot even begin to explain how we all felt seeing it right there in front of us. I snapped pictures and videos and couldn’t help but smile. I couldn’t believe I was standing there in front of the Taj Mahal with about what looked like a million other people. We were all amazed. We made our way toward it when a photographer stopped us and asked if we wanted pictures done. We had solo pictures done and also one group picture and if we liked them we could buy them right before we leave. We were given an hour on our own to explore, and needless to say it was not enough time. I kept taking pictures as I got closer and closer. I finally made it to the stairs and put on my booties and walked up to the platform. It was extremely crowded everywhere and the stairs were practically impossible to climb. It took a few minutes and finally I was standing right there on the marble, looking at the Taj about 10 feet from me. The sun was setting and it was just beautiful. Unfortunately, the line was toooo long to be able to see the inside but I did touch it and took pictures sitting on the outside of it. By that time we had to head back to our guide at the other end. We made our way back and then left to go have dinner. We had dinner at the same restaurant that we had lunch and it was good. I had practically the same stuff and some tomato soup too. After dinner it was now time to transfer to our OVERNIGHT train. Yes, that’s right I took an overnight train in India, to Varanasi our next destination. Our train was to leave at 9:10pm and arrive the next morning at 8:40am. We saw the train pull in and saw 2^nd class which was filled with people just squished everywhere with no room to move and no air conditioning. We all hoped that 1^st class would be much better. So we held our breath practically, and began boarding. All you could hear was  oh my god from the few people ahead of me. I was afraid to look and then once on board your mouth dropped and you couldn’t hold back from laughing. The walkway was no wider than two feet, there were six beds to a compartment (two of which fold up), one fan, one light, two beds across the hall, a blanket, a pillow, and two sheets. No door, no curtain, no lock, no privacy, no real bathroom just a hole in the floor. Once we got on there were people everywhere it was impossible to move and there were people in our beds it was crazy to say the least. Eventually we all got situated and did nothing but laugh for an entire hour. I paid for the experience didn’t I? we all thought what the hell have we got ourselves into. We were all so tired from the lack of sleep the night before majority of us tried to just pass out. I ended up having an allergy attack and couldn’t sleep very well, not to mention the fact that the beds felt like I was sleeping on ply wood which was probably less than 2 feet wide. Eventually I fell asleep or well somewhat.

10/25/09

Today I had woken up several times because of a man walking up and down the aisles about 6am yelling CHAI tea CHAI coffee. It was annoying as all hell, but I dealt with it. Eventually we all woke up and got our stuff together so that we could get off the train. It was after 9 and we still weren’t there yet. Finally we asked the Germans that were staying next to us and said we have over a 2 hour delay and we won’t be arriving until about 11am. We all took of our shoes and went back to sleep. Finally we arrived at 11am and found our tour guide who took us to the bus. We were still in our pajamas and wanted a shower bad. So, he took us to the hotel and told us 30 minutes to shower. So we got into the room as quick as possible and started to get ready. This hotel was like 7 stars compared to what we had stayed in the past two nights. It had a large bed, dining table and chairs, living room set, a desk, a shower and closets. It was amazing. After we were done getting ready we headed downstairs to meet our group for lunch. We went to a place called BROWNIE’S. The first thing that they gave us was some sort of white substance in a glass. It looked disgusting and something that Dr. Dave would definitely not approve of. So, none of us drank it. For lunch we had rice, an orange gravy sauce that tasted like beef gravy, vegetables, and some bread. After we finished lunch we went to an Archaeological museum. All of the artifacts were discovered in 1905 in a site just across from the museum. Some of the items dated back centuries ago, it was really neat. We left there and went over to the site where all of it was found. It is also the site where Buddha gave his first speech. And then we went to a temple and the tree of enlightenment which was where he was enlightened. Upon finishing the visit of these two places we headed to the silk factory. We actually watched them make silk items such as scarves, table cloths, etc. it was really neat. After some people purchasing some of their products we got back on the bus and headed to the Ganges River for the ceremony. This was the point in which we had our Rickshaw ride. A rickshaw ride consists of a man on a bicycle with a small carriage attached for two people to sit. It was probably one of my favorite parts of this trip. They just weave in and out of traffic whether it be cars, crowds of people, or motorcycles or actually even COWS. Cows roam the street freely and are everywhere you go. It’s ridiculous and just wanted to inform you that cows are sacred. It was soooo much fun. The streets were extremely crowded because of everyone heading to the Ganges River for the ceremony. Don’t get me wrong the streets of India are crowded all the time, but especially at this time of the night. The dirt, the dust, the pollution was really killing my allergies this whole time and I was having a difficult time breathing. We eventually reached the river and walked down to the ceremony. We went up to a balcony in order to see it sat down and had a soda. It was amazing just to watch it. I have tons of pictures from it too. The ceremony is for the people to give back to the river and to thank it for cleansing their souls. Let me back track a minute, in the morning which we will see tomorrow people gather at the river and cleanse their bodies and souls. It is a ritual that is done and a part of the people of Varanasi. At night is when the ceremony happens to give thanks for this. After the ceremony ended we went to dinner at the hotel. It was pretty good and it was buffet style again so I chose what I wanted to eat. I had some soup, vegetables, rice, etc. We all hung out for a bit then went to the bars for a little then to bed because we had to be up early for the sunrise boat ride on the Ganges River.

10/26/09

Today I had a wakeup call at 435am went back to sleep until alarm my alarm at 5am. We met downstairs in lobby and made our way to the Ganges for the sunrise boat ride. Upon arriving there were tons of people worshipping in the river and the sun wasn’t even up yet. We got in a boat and made our journey down the Ganges. It was definitely a moving experience. There was a dead body floating down the river which caught majority of our attention. It was a little uncomfortable. We moved further down the river and the sun started coming up. It was a gorgeous red color that light up the sky. It was one of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen. I took tons of pictures. Down the river was a crematorium. This is where people bring those who have died to be cremated. By the edge of the river was a body wrapped in an orange sheet with the family standing around it. We weren’t allowed to take pictures because it’s insulting. We turned around and went back down the river the other direction. We were bombarded with people trying to sell us things which was annoying because many of us just wanted the experience of the river and the way of life early in the morning. Another crematorium was located at the other end of the river and there we actually saw a body. It was covered in sticks and lit on fire, but you could see the feet sticking out. It made me feel uneasy. We made our way back to where we started from and got off the boat. We headed back to the hotel and had breakfast. We were given the option of hanging out for the next 3 hours or going to see a classical Varanasi dance. We still had an hour to relax in between if we chose the dancing, so that’s what I did. I was able to watch the end of the Yankees game that brought them to the WORLD SERIES! GO YANKS! After the game ended I went downstairs and headed to the place where we could see the dancing. We were served some tea and sat around on couches. They told us that Varanasi dancing is much like story telling. It was really a lot of fun to watch and the girl had tremendous talent. After the dance we headed back to the hotel and some of us decided to head to the mall. I ended up eating McDonald’s for lunch which was pretty good! We met everyone back at the hotel, they had lunch, and we were on our way to the airport to fly back to Chennai. When we got to the airport it looked like a warehouse. I was a little sketched out. We got inside got our tickets and waited on the security line. Another SAS group was there and their plane was delayed an hour so we left before them. We walked out the back of the “terminal” and walked right to the plane. Needless to say this was an extremely small airport. We took our last group picture together too. We got on the plane and it was MUCH different than our first one. There were no TV’s or anything and it wasn’t very nice inside. I sat next to one SAS student and a creepy Indian who starred at me the whole time. Thank god the flight was only 1 hour and 20 minutes. We arrived at the Delhi airport and got word that our flight back to Chennai was delayed by 1 hour and wouldn’t leave until 8pm. We stood in line for about 45 minutes waiting to get our food vouchers for the plane, which was a pain in the ass. Then we all went up to the food court and had dinner. I ate a giant pizza from pizza hut. We waited about another 45 minutes and then we boarded the plane. Luckily, this time I got a seat in between my two friends. I thought for sure there would be TV’s, nope wrong again. So I listened to my iPod for as long as I could until it died. The flight was long and painful for me because by this time my allergies were killing me. The turbulence almost made me cry because of my ears hurting so bad. Eventually we reached Chennai and were escorted by our guide to the bus and made our way back to the ship. The bus wasn’t allowed in the terminal so we all had to walk back to the ship. Well most of us walked some jumped on the back of a flatbed truck and others took rickshaws. I didn’t get on the ship until after 1am. It was sad to say that our India trip had ended. I have a FDP in the morning I need sleeeeep!

10/27/09

Today I woke up and showered. Then, I made my way to lunch and met my friends there. I went on my FDP in the afternoon which was really awesome. We were able to see the 3 social classes of Chennai the posh, the colonies, and the slums. We spoke to women about the programs that they have set up for their communities. It is much like financial advisors; they have bank accounts and help each other when they need it. Each family contributes a certain amount per week and that goes into their funds. They use these funds for things such as starting a business and to help them get loans from the bank. We spoke to some students about how they go to school there in order to take the exams so they could get a certificate. This certificate helps them get a job in the real world. Next we went to a disabled children’s school. It was really cool they focus on educating the children, but also teach them daily tasks that can help them survive outside the school. One girl participated in Special Olympics in Ireland and competed in the sport of Basketball. She was very proud of the medal she won. I just want to mention that she was partially blind, deaf, and had a mental defect. It was amazing to see what such a poor community does to help all those in need in a community. Lastly, we went to a child labor school which gets children out of the jobs they are forced into and gives them an education. They sang us a few songs, it was really cute. All in all everyone was very welcoming. There were smiles and waves from side to side. Many children lined up to see us. It was an awesome experience. I headed back to the ship, relaxed, then had some dinner with my friends.  I spent some time outside on deck 7 then went to bed. Tomorrow is a reading day thank god!

I think India has become my new favorite country!!! I’m sad to see it go already!

10/28/09

Today I slept in because I could. No haha I definitely needed it after all the lack of sleep from my adventures in India. I wrote a paper for my Sociology of Marriage and Family class and relaxed. I had lunch with Brianne and then began making my plans for Japan. I’m not sure what exactly I’m doing, but I’m going to venture up to Tokyo for a few days. So I did a little research and figured out how to get there and stuff. I spent the afternoon pretty much doing that. Then, I watched Juno with my roommate and I had my ship picture taken too for SCRANTON! I had dinner with my friends and then relaxed for the rest of the night doing some small stuff. I cannot believe it’s back to classes tomorrow. I only have 3 more countries and I’m really starting to feel the end of this voyage coming. It’s already becoming hard.

10/29/09

Today we all had Global Studies together to watch a movie about Vietnam. It was really interesting and talked a lot about mending relationships with Vietnam after the war. After that I had some lunch with my friends and then read for my one class. I had Deviance and Social Control in the afternoon and the topic we discussed was sexual harassment. After class I watched Harry Potter because it was on the movie channel. We had a lifeboat drill at 5:45 which pushed dinner back a bit. So, I had dinner a little later than usual. After that I spent the night just playing a couple games with my friends and relaxing. Tomorrow is crew talent show which is supposed to be amazing so I’ll have to get there early!

10/30/09

Today I slept in a little later than I thought I would. Then, I did some stuff for class and ate lunch outside on deck 6. I had two classes back to back (International Law and Socio of Marriage and the Family). They were both pretty good. I had dinner with my friends and then relaxed for a little. Nothing to exciting has been going on lately except for CREW TALENT SHOW which took place tonight. I stood in line for 2 hours in order to get a good seat. I got to sit in row 4 not the best seats but I’ll take what I can get. The show was amazing. Some of the crew has amazing talent, singing, dancing, comedy, etc. it was so much fun and made me realize how much I love this community. They were awesome tonight. I’m exhausted and I have to write a long paper tomorrow, FUN!

Sorry for this being so long, but India was intense and exciting and I wanted to share everything with all of you. I figured you would want an explaination of why I think India was so great! I miss you all and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!