Palamariu Family Blog

Just looking at the map, India seems a very big country, but travelling from one state to the other was an experiential proof of this reality. It took us 19 hours to get from Rajasthan – Jodhpur to Uttarankhan – Rishikesh, the ‘Yoga Capital of the World’.

We can confirm the surname of this city. Here are plenty of yoga ashrams corresponding to the needs of the seekers; from low budget with very modest rooms to very expensive ones which have 4 stars conditions, from very strict to flexible yoga programs.
As we had so many options, it took us about 3 days to find the right ashram based on our few but more or less strict criteria: good yoga teachers – which means teachers having good recommendations from travelers, relatively structured program, medium accommodation and food conditions and of course a room available for 1 week.

So here we are, experiencing life in Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram!! Traveler’s lifestyle is not really about structure and fixed program, so after all these months of traveling we ended up appreciating daily discipline and structure imposed within the ashram. Our life here is quite simple but in the same time intense… The bell rings waking up song at 5.30am, allowing us half an hour to get ready for the 2 hours yoga session. At first I thought it would be very difficult to stay awake at that cruel hour in the morning, but focusing on the respiration and postures I just don’t feel anymore what time is it and I’m always surprised to hear the bell ringing at 8.00am, announcing the breakfast time. Lunch at 12.00pm and a new yoga session from 16.00pm followed by dinner are the next points on our daily timetable; the gate closes at 9.30pm so if we go out after dinner we have to make sure we’re back before 9.30pm otherwise no accommodation for the night time… . As none of us is experienced yoga practitioner, it’s hard to appreciate the real quality of the yoga we have learned and performed, but definitely the impact on our bodies and minds was easy to notice. After the first 2 days we have already started to keep our back in a straight position, our need for sweets diminished, we had a better attention and focus on our actions during the classes but as well in our free time, we felt less tired in the after-noon.

Besides ashrams, Hindu temples and spiritual activities like meditations and religious events bring to Rishikesh hundreds of Indian pilgrims every week.  Due to the greatest spiritual event happening each 12 years, Kumbh Mela, taking place in the neighboring city – Haridwar, Rishikesh is even more crowded with both foreigner and Indian tourists.

Just to have an idea, see below the traffic on Laxman Jhula bridge.

Rishikesh is a city built in a very fortunate nature frame. The impressive Ganges valley is right there in the heart of the city, having along beautiful white sand beaches and splitting the city into 2 parts. This is one of the main reasons for having less traffic in Rishikesh! On one side of Ganges, only motor bikes and bicycles have enough room to circulate which means more room for pedestrians; as we are pedestrians, we are very happy with this. Also, rafting on Ganges is very popular especially among Indian young people. Moreover, in Rishikesh one can feel closer to the nature due to the fact that everywhere you look, there are mountains surrounding the city; also one can go trekking or exploring the jungle with a jeep.

Being close to the jungle, the cheeky monkeys get down into the city and are making “the guardians” on both Ram Jhula and Laxman Jhula bridges. They are making sure that no bag filled with fruits or vegetables will be transported from one side of the bridge to the other side. Therefore, one should be cautious about this: fruits and vegetables have to be hidden in non-transparent bags if one wants to enjoy them

After 2 weeks we finally start to mind more or less about our “business” for which we came here in India.

Why didn’t we start earlier? Well the reasons are multiple, but they can be summarized in 2 words: culture shock.  I name culture shock all the different things that I use to think are not normal to happen, but which seem to be the lifestyle here: cows, goats, rats, squirrels spending all day long on the street without anybody to make them go aside from the traffic, a lot of dust everywhere inside and outside, people paying 50 Rp (less than 1 euro) to have accommodation in front of the hotel in beds guarded by the hotel’s staff, many cars which are no moment lined up on a lane since everybody has his own rules of circulation or recycling garbage with the help of cows that use it as meals. Adapting to this life it’s a process that took us 2 weeks  :-D

Before telling you the “business” we are having in India, I would like to share with you more impressions about India. I perceive this country to be aggressive in almost all ways, which is not always a bad thing. One’s eyes can enjoy a multitude of strong colors just in the way women dress here: turquoise, green lime combined with red, dark pink, bright yellow or gold orange saris, a lot of golden jewelries, tenth’s of colored bracelets. More than that, no pylon escaped from the big, colorful advertisements in the cities or in-between cities. When it comes to your ears, one can enjoy the delightful chanting dedicated to divers Gods. Also, on the other hand, even if you wear ear plugs, you can still hear a determined Indian who wants to sell you something and keeps repeating sooo loud his speech (coffee man in the train, sellers in the market, auto-rickshaw drivers etc.) and the continuous horning from the street. When it comes to taste, I sincerely confess that food here is delicious, even if it’s aggressively spicy, salted or sweet. With the smell, I think I had the hardest time to adapt. The food’s smell is covered by the petrol smell coming from the thousands of auto-vehicles on the street, cow’s sheet which is rarely cleaned from the street (attracting so many flies), and human urine (because men sometimes just piss on the street).

Even geographically, you can have here all the extremes: aggressively hot in the south while close to Himalaya Mountains it’s extremely cold, both desert and very green places can be found in India. Good or less good things, both are in your face.

Now that I described the way I see India, up to this point, I’ll share with you what we want to do in India. We came to India having planned to explore nature diversity (desert, forest and mountains) but also the spiritual side of India. After overcoming the culture shock together with the hard moments of body weakness (cold or stomach ache) we are ready for camel safari and life in desert, do trekking activities in Daramshala, going in an ashram for Vipassana meditation and Yoga class.

Keep you posted!

When we left on our trip, hardly did we know what experiences awaited us. It is not to say that now we feel we know better, but at least we have an idea. And it is quite different than that of a trip of one week or even one month. Thinking back on when I was working and used to take a holiday, I would take at least 2-3 months to plan in detail. Well, a trip for one year can hardly be planned the same way…or you would get biggg headaches.

Why am I thinking of this? Well, because we are just 4 days away from our next destination. And I am a bit melancholic as I reflect on how time has past since we first arrived in Indonesia. It was beginning of November 2009. And our habit of being very procedural with organizing our time, with organizing small trips and meeting different people was sooooo strong. We were on a schedule. Too little things were left to chance. “This is the way we are”, we were thinking back then as we took time before going to sleep to be grateful for all he little things we were experiencing.

But from then until now it seems like years have passed by. And this has a lot to do with our Bali experience. At the beginning, there were 2 weeks in which we wanted just to explore. And this was exactly the prelude in which Bali seduced our senses:
- our sight with the beauty of the landscapes, bright traditional clothing and the shiny smiles on people’s faces
- our hearing with the day and night concert of the gheko and chichak lizards accompanied by the chorus of insects and the sound of the gamelan in ceremony days
- our smell with the powerful aroma of flowers, incense and jungle in the rainy days
- our taste with the delicious foods at Dewa Warung, Mangga Madu, Sari organic and the numerous Padang Warungs

And it was no wonder that, following this, we followed our senses and came back to Bali once again. This time for 2 months. And now, looking back on those months, if I am to reflect on what are the most important memories I will store in my memory luggage, there are certain places, people and experiences that I have already reserved a very special place:

Dewa Warung- the restaurant where we feasted on mouth watering vegetarian meals. And especially the best dessert in the world: the coconut pie!
Our numerous lunches and dinners here were moments of sharing thoughts, emotions, happiness, new discoveries and experiences with travelers all across the world. As there are long tables with benches you are “forced” to stay next to people you do not know. And even if you just want to have a chat with your husband, your neighbor will still start talking to you, ask if you like your food or try to guess your nationality. Plus, almost all the backpackers stop at Dewa if for nothing else, they will buy a coconut pie “bunkus” (take away in Indonesian)

Dewa Warung

The wonder of getting up in the clear morning and taking a walk in the rice paddies. In the distance, you can spot the massive volcanoes at 40 kms away, framing the landscape on both sides, and making you feel really small as you trek off the beaten path.

Rice paddies & mont Agung

The Let Go and Go with the flow feelings. Probably they are not useful in all circumstances, but I sure needed to experience them!

Because in the process of growing up, i had developed preferences for a certain clothes, foods, i had became attached to the things I owned and the places I felt comfortable in. The Let Go feeling offered me a new perspective; it’s quite useful especially when traveling and the sequence of events “discover”, “find the comfort”, “head to a new destination” happens frequently. For me it’s just a new way to manifest my freedom.

Whilst the Go with the flow state of mind taught me that using the system to manifest my dreams is much more relaxing and less energy consuming than when I viciously fight against it. It may be a bit generic, but there are so many practical applications.
Simple example: the rules in Bali traffic. One can overtake on both sides. Honking equals signaling. You are responsible only for what happens in your front so nobody looks behind when changing directions. You need to pay constant attention to motorbikes rushing towards you on your own line as well as the dogs sleeping in the middle of the road. Not to mention the black holes in the asphalt that if you are not careful can swallow you and the bike altogether. Now, of course, you can chose to be frustrated, start honking like crazy or “bless” everybody with a curse (which would probably be normal in Romania), but what good would that be? Just go with the flow!

The thundering waterfall in which we immersed and swam and got hypnotized by how beautiful nature can be.

Waterfall

The pitch black sand beach, as soft as a pillow, with surfers riding the waves.

Black sand beach

The wonderful people we met and the community of friends we built around Kubu Merta villa and with which we organized countless events: salsa lessons, movie nights, jam sessions, laughing yoga, karaoke, full moon party, etc.  (We miss you guys!!)

Elsha and Phil, our lovely hosts, who inspired us with their forever young spirit and their playful way of being, not to mention their incredible life stories.

Reading all this, you can probably imagine why Bali is still on our list for 2010. We are coming back with Radu’s parents in August!!

As for now, we have begun the moral and physical preparation for India!