Turbans, Temples, and Traffic: Life in Amritsar

Posted on May 21, 2014 by The Wandering Nomads

“Stop waiting for Friday, for summer, for someone to fall in love with you, for life. Happiness is achieved when you stop waiting for it and make the most of the moment you are in now.”

Arriving in Amritsar, a large punjabi town that boarders Pakistan, was like arriving in Heaven. After leaving on a sour note six months ago I was wary to re-enter a country I considered unjust and evil. Instead of the hostile stares and harassment I was so accustomed to receiving in the East, I was welcomed in by the friendliest and kidndest group of Indians possible, the Sikhs. It wasn’t an “I want your money” friendly like in Nepal, or a “oh my God it’s a westerner lets touch her” like in many parts of India, but rather a “hey, we are an extremely open and friendly group of people who want to make you feel completely at home just because we can.” Seriously, every time I looked a bit lost on a street corner (something that happens a lot let me remind you) I immediately had a smiling man in a beautiful turban asking how he could be of service. And if he didn’t speak English, he immediately signaled someone else to come help as well.

After visiting the Sikh temple one afternoon we decided to cycle through town at night in order to experience the beautiful grounds in the dark and at sunrise. We arrived just in time for morning prayer, after which everyone walked around the temple, prayed, bathed in the water, then proceeded to the free “kitchen” for tea. It was an amazing experience, in part because the buildings themselves are so beautiful, but also because the people were so welcoming. It was also astonishing how well everything worked. It was extremely clean (remember, this is India, things are NEVER clean)
and everything was run by volunteers meaning there was no money, power, or corruption involved. It was a utopia of sorts, the perfect example of a beautiful peaceful place for people from around the world to gather.

I agree with the Sikhs on many of their principles- equality (they don’t believe in the caste system), women’s rights, and peace for starters, and visiting their town and temple has given me an even greater respect for them. Plus, this was the perfect way for Kevin and I to restart out trip after the last two months of dealing with his different illnesses (which, by the way, are officially cured). We were finally able to cycle around town, eat new and delicious foods, and enjoy ourselves at the farm house we were lucky enough to land on couchsurfing. Now we are back on the road, headed up to Jammu, another boarder town with Pakistan, which is predominately Muslim.

40 Hours Of Sitting

Posted on May 19, 2014 by The Wandering Nomads

“You won’t always be young. And life won’t always be just about you. So travel, young person. Experience the world for all it’s worth. Become a person of culture, adventure, and compassion.”

40 hours of sitting in the bus, that’s what we just went through in order to arrive in Amritsar, a town in Punjab (Northwest India) that boarders Pakistan. Though the rides were indeed painful and long (not to mention two nights of lost sleep), it was reassuring to know that (hopefully) these were the last two buses in the next two and a half years, because from now on, we cycle!

As we passed through India, from the eastern side which I cycled through last summer to this unknown area, I was shocked at the difference. This part of India is much more developed than where I have been, and certainly much wealthier than Nepal. It was much less farming, and many more giant cities, and we even passed a few McDonalds. I had heard that most of India is quite developed, and that I had only visited the least developed areas, and now I see how true that is. Kevin also pointed out along the way that Indians are much taller and larger than the short scrawny Nepalis, a definite sign of more wealth.

We finally arrived where we were to stay, a giant farm hotel that we had found through couchsurfing. With goats outside our air conditioned and spacious room, a camel waiting to great us, and baby sheep and a few colts running around in the courtyard, it seemed much too good to be true. Though people do come here as paying guests, it seems the lovely Sikh owner has also opened his giant farmhouse up to couchsurfers who are free to enjoy his gorgeous land ten kilometers outside of the city. Too good to be true, or just the most amazing couchsurfing opportunity out there? I guess we will find out.

Climbing At Midnight: High Altitude Climbing in the Peruvian Andes

Posted on May 17, 2014 by The Wandering Nomads

“Somewhere between the bottom of the mountain and the summit is the answer to the mystery of why we climb.”

“Climbers struggle to survive through treacherous conditions just for the moments that make every hardship worth it. They do it for the beautiful sunrise above the clouds, for the star filled sky that portrays the immensity of our universe, for the comradery that is created between climbers as they struggle to test the limits of human endurance, and for the feeling of solitude and isolation only a fierce mountain can create.”

High Altitude Climbing In Peru

Working Abroad, Nepali Style

Posted on May 16, 2014 by The Wandering Nomads

“Sometimes, those who wander really are lost.”

As I talked about in my last post, many Nepalis want to leave in order to make more money abroad. A large percentage of these workers go to Malaysia, Qatar, and Dubai, where many of them work long hours in boring and mindless jobs, often in dangerous situations.

Please, Take Me With You

Posted on May 15, 2014 by The Wandering Nomads

“He was unheeded, happy, and near to the wild heart of life. He was alone and young and wilful and wildhearted…”

“Get me a visa for your country.” “Take my daughter with you.” “Find my son a job in your town.” I can no longer count the number of times I have been asked to magically procure a visa for the USA or Canada for Indians and Nepalis who believe that life in the west must be better. I could never understand it. Sure, we may have more money and toys, but they still have family, community, and time, priceless gifts our money can’t buy. Why would anyone leave behind a peaceful life surrounded by friends for endless hours of stressful work, a life lived purely for money.

Travel Tips Unlike the Others

Posted on May 14, 2014 by The Wandering Nomads

“I am going away to an unknown country where I shall have no past and no name, and where I shall be born again with a new face and an untried heart.”

There are hundreds, no, thousands of blog entries giving just about the same advice: travel light, pack enough underwear… But here are a few useful tips most blogs don’t include.

-Don’t bring excess hairbands, shampoo, toothpaste… You can get all that where you are going, and if you are going to a developing country, it will be a lot cheaper there than back home.

Life in the Slum: India

Posted on May 12, 2014 by The Wandering Nomads

“The core of mans’ spirit comes from new experiences.”

Those damn rats! Their tiny pitter-patter is multiplied into a roaring thunder, at least to my sleep deprived brain, as they scurry to and fro on the tin metal roof above my head.They have kept me awake all night, though I silently acknowledge that they aren’t the only reason I can’t sleep. There is also a passed-out drunk Indian lady curled up half-on half-off the blanket we are using as a bed, and someone is rattling the scrap piece of metal that doubles as a door to the shack next to mine.

I am sleeping in an Indian slum, one of the last places in India you would expect to find a young Western girl who is traveling solo.

Life in the Slum

Typhoid Fever: The Harsh Reality

Posted on May 10, 2014 by The Wandering Nomads

“I believe that we are who we choose to be. Nobody’s going to come and save you, you’ve got to save yourself. Nobody’s going to give you anything; you’ve got to go out and fight for it. Nobody knows what you want except for you. And nobody will be as sorry as you if you don’t get it. So, don’t give up on your dreams.”

Did you know that salmonella, one of the the most common bacterias responsible for food poisoning, can turn into typhoid fever once it gets into your blood? Nope? Well neither did I until we realized that salmonella typhi is what has been causing Kevin so much trouble.

Through Heaven and Hell: India

Posted on May 9, 2014 by The Wandering Nomads

‘One of the greatest tragedies in mankind’s entire history may be that morality was hijacked by religion.’

Through Heaven and Hell recounts my scariest moment, when I was followed and stopped by multiple Indian men who had less than chivalrous intentions when they trapped me. Thankfully a lovely Sikh grandpa came to my rescue and was able to keep me safe for the night.

Through Heaven and Hell

75,000km and Counting

Posted on May 8, 2014 by The Wandering Nomads

“You always have time for the things you put first.”

That’s right, in Kathmandu I met a couple who has been riding for the last seven and a half years around the world, racking up over 75,000km in the process. When Kevin yelled down to me “Shirine, I see touring bikes! There are other cyclists here!” I never expected to meet some of the most well traveled cyclists around. Though we only got to speak briefly with them as we all happened to be shifting hotels, here is a small glimpse into their amazing story.