Permits & Paragliding

Saturday 29th March

We had an early start to the day to take a trip to Mcleod Ganj, about two hours away. It was there we needed to get a permit to stay in Bir as it is restricted due the refugee status of the Tibetans here, and it being a colony. We were worried after hearing that the previous volunteer group waited quite some time and were questioned when applying for their permits. Luckily, securing ours was reasonably straightforward.

Mcleod Ganj, located in Upper Daramasala, is a lovely village nestled into the side of a mountain with stunning views.  It is also the home of the Dalai Lama who is supposed to be visiting Bir next month after our departure. 

There are lovely shops with all sorts of treasures to spend your money on, street food and some nice cafés and restaurants. A very touristy area with lots of alternative-looking Europeans.

Marijuana is easily available too, apparently.

We went for a walk from the village to a lovely waterfall where there were monks were washing clothes, people bathing, and others just soaking in the sights.

Sunday 30th

Today was the day we went PARAGLIDING- oh my god, I have never been so challenged in my life!

We travelled in a van up a very windy, narrow road with stunning views but that racked our nerves before we even started. We travelled through a rhododendron forest and saw a few monkeys on the way.

Once at the top, we looked up to see the men who were our pilots with all the gear. No turning back as the driver of the van had gone back down the mountain! I geared up and then the tears started (yes, I was that scared) but I wasn't about to give in. All of a sudden it was "run, run," and we were airborne. Once in the air I was almost instantly calm which was the most amazing thing.  We glided for about 20 minutes and were astonished by the view of spectacular, snow covered mountains, a valley that stretched on forever and Bir below us to the left. The day was crystal clear and crisp. I loved it. Will I do it again? NO, definitely a bucket list experience. Actually, it wasn't even on the list, it was only due to pure peer pressure. There was no way I was going to be the only one not jumping. Jim was a calm as a cucumber; however, he has been paragliding before. Jim hired a go pro to record his glide and got some great footage.

Link to Marisa's blog

http://bonvoyage4.blogspot.in/

If you want another blog to look at, check out Marisa's blog about our trip. Marisa is a journalist who is also volunteering with us. 

Main street Bir

Some of the young monks in Maree's class

The Monastery in Bir where we teach

View from our home stay

Bus stuck in mud approximately 3am

What's happening in Bir

We went to the Nyoman monestry last night to have conversation with the older monks to help them with their English. They all have a very good sence of humor and enjoy music and soccer. One Direction seemed to be a favorite amongst the teenage monks, they also watch the odd movie. 

We teach from 10.30 til 12, then 1.30 til 3 each day at the Chokling monestry. My class consists of seven very lively monks who are about 6 years old, with very little English, they also can't sit still for any length of time. They are dear wee guys but a challenge. 

This afternoon we went to the Pujab near our homestay and watched while a senior Lama took prayer. Everyone had a prayer wheel that they continually spun and prayer beads which they rub. The Monks played a gong and two very long horns to make quite a noise during parts of the prayers. It was a very enjoyable experience and again a community whom are very devout in their beliefs.

We have found a couple of cafés which is rather nice and one even has baking. The banana cake was delicious, we haven't had anything like that since we left home. One of the cafés sells all sorts of clothes and trinkets that are homemade. We have both purchased some lovely hand knitted items, Jim a beanie and me some socks which are toasty warm.

Bir is a very quiet village and you wouldn't really know you were in India when you compare it to Dehli. The people here try to be more sustainable, you have your purchases given to you in bags made from recycled newspaper and you are certainly encouraged to conserve water. Though there is some rubbish around, there is also signage encouraging careful disposal of waste. The people are very peaceful and though they stare at times, they will always speak if you greet them in the street.

Goodbye Delhi - Hello Bir

We have had a fantastic week in Dehli, and the sights we have seen are just so numerous to mention and difficult to put into words, definetly a go to place for a cultural and life experience. Our host family, especially Serita was a gem, nothing was too much trouble, she offered great advice and entertainment. Grandad of the house kept us on the straight and narrow with advice on how to use our favorite way to wash by bucket shower, to giving us pointers on bargaining in the markets. He didn't miss a thing. 

We are also proud to report that we survived Delhi without getting 'Delhi Belly' - yippee.

Monday 

We arrived in Bir (pronounced Beer) after a 12 hour bus ride from Delhi to Daramasala, which was very  eventful. A roadwork detour saw the bus stuck in mud for about  an hour with many locals shouting gesturing and so forth, and not much happening. Did I  mention that this was 3.30 am, traffic honking, total chaos, very India. We arrived very tired and ready for breakfast. We didn't eat dinner,

We weren't  brave enough to eat at the roadside stop for an evening meal.
 Daramasala is the home of the Dali Lama, and after something to eat we went to his monastery with our guide Dawa, this was quite exciting to think that we have managed to view his home and place of worship. There was heavy security to enter this monastery which wasn't totally surprising though a shame as it is a place of worship and prayer. After a short wander around we taxied a further 2 hours to Bir. 

Bir is the home of mainly Tibetan refugees who are mostly born in India, but if I have understood correctly must apply for a refugee permit to remain in India every five years. It is a very difficult situation as they are well settled here with homes, family, businesses and jobs. They consider this their home. 

Many Tibetan families send their boys to become monks as this is a pathway for then to have a happy and enlightenment in their life without the stress of making a living in the area, seems a simplistic explanation but this is how it has been explained to me. 

There is an amazing view from my room with rooftops and hundreds of prayer flags in the foreground, in the distance you can look down two different valleys to foothills and high country. Behind us are the mountains and the beginning of the Himalayas. Hence the temperture is quite cold.

We start teaching young monks English today at a monestry. It is hard to get any information about age, what they already know, so again it will be the box of chocolates (it's a big box Stephanie).

The food here is different again from the yummy curries of Delhi, lots of veges, lentils and rice but not as flavoursome. Our home stay family are of course very inviting and friendly. We have other volunteers here from Australia, Russia, Ireland, USA, Canada, Scotland, UK and Alaska, so quite a mix.

Photos and writing may be a bit out of order as Jim's laptop is being trouble some.

Maree on the Princess Dianna seat (we think)

A walk through the Taj Mahal

View as you enter from the street

Servants quarters to the left and right

The main gate

 

First view of the Taj Mahal walking through the gate

Looking back at the main gate

The inlaid semi precious stone in the marble exterior

Optical illusion this surface is actually flat

The Mosque to the right of the Taj Mahal

The Mosque to the left of the Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal itself with two very impressed Kiwis

These little guys are everywhere

This one was at the Red Fort

Dinner out in Faridabad

Chris (Canada), Fiona (Aussie), Lauren (USA), Marisa (USA), Jim and Maree

The Swaminarayan Akshardham Temple

High Security and no Cameras

Photo from the car park

This is a photo of our official paid for photograph

I cheated with this one it is off the web

Sunday 23rd March

We had our last Language class this morning and then packing up as we farewell our host family today, they have been very good to us all. We also farewell Mohit our co-ordinator and Ajun our driver, these guys have equally been amazing.

We are heading up the Daramasala this afternoon with Chris, Marisa, in the bus which is an overnighter (12 hours). Fiona flys up tomorrow to join us there. We are all staying together in the same home-stay.

We have seen so many sights too numerous to mention. However, I was fascinated to see people riding camels in the city, and an elephant on the side of the road, untethered and with no apparent owner. Young children trying to sell their wares in the middle of intersections and traffic. Very small  children sitting or sleeping on medians.  People washing themselves and clothes in very polluted waterways.
We have been surprised at the attention we are getting from the locals and the requests for photos, some of which are quite demanding, or just taken. There are very few Europeans here and we do stand out especially the younger woman and if you are blonde, Fiona has had them lining up and Jim was given a baby to hold! 

Saturday 22nd March
Taj Mahal
After a three hour taxi ride, which we all expected to be at least five considering the traffic here, we arrived in Agra to be met by our guide. We headed to the entry point as far as our taxi was allowed to go and then got into an electric golf cart-like vehicle to ride to the point where you then have to walk a short distance to the main gate. There are three main entrances to the outer complex, with servants' quarters along each side of the pathway, and then the main  arched gate from where you can see your first glimpse of the Taj Mahal.
It is as impressive as you might imagine, and today was a beautiful clear day which gave a lovely contrast of white marble against the azure sky. You are able to go inside and view the tomb of the 3rd and favoured  wife of the king. Story has it that he ordered another Taj Mahal to be built in a mirror image of the first in black marble for his own tomb , however one of the princes imprisoned the king just as its foundations were laid and cut off the hands of the architect, because of the huge cost and extravagance. You can see the foundations still today.
 I managed to sit on the Lady Diana seat; however, they refused to clear the 'Taj' for my own individual photo session, surprised and slightly disappointed I accepted this.
After taking heaps of photos and a thorough look around we headed back.  Thanks to our very aggressive and maniac taxi driver we were back in about four hours, a long day but well worth it.

The site where Gandi was cremated

The Jama Mosque

The Red Fort

The India Gate War Memorial 

Lauren with the Ceremonial Guard

One thing that you notice in India are the armed guards

The chap below was at a Jewelry store

He had an old double barreled shot gun

These guys were at the Red Fort they were with the army

Loaded automatic weapons

Thursday 20/3/2014
Old Delhi Sightseeing

Today we have visited several attractions in Delhi, firstly the India Gate which is a memorial to all of the fallen soldiers of the First World War, Pakistani War in 1971, and the Afghanistan War. 

Next we went to the Red Fort, Jama Mosque, and the Ghandi Samadhi, where Ghandi was cremated and it  has an ever burning flame in remembrance of him.

We walked between the Red Fort and the Jama Mosque through the heart of Delhi's markets and what an experience, stalls with everything you could imagine, people of all walks of life, smells , filth, people trying to sell us their wares in sometimes a very intimidating manner. Monkeys, goats, horses being ridden through the market, tuk tuks, bicycles, hand pushed carts brimming with all manner of things. The whole experience was mind blowing.

Friday 21/3/2014

We headed to the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple, amazing. Its a new Hindu temple only about 10 years old. It tells the story of the Gurus over the years. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photographs, and there was very high security getting in.

The temple was elaborate in its carvings both inside and out, and took five years to build. I particularly liked the carvings of the 148 carved elephants, which were all different and intermingled with people and other animals of India. The inside main dome was decorated with precious and semi- precious jewels, just beautiful. The grounds were immaculate which is a complete contrast to what you see outside the grounds. But that is India in a nutshell a complete contrast in ever way.

Tuesday 18 3 2014

Today sightseeing New Delhi. Into two Taxis around 10 o’clock, our one was quite old, no AC so windows down lots of smells and dust. The traffic was quite chaotic, all manner of vehicles in all sorts of condition. Got a good look at the city and outskirts where some of the conditions are not too good. There are some random photos below that would give you an idea of some of the areas we drove through.

The main stops for the day were Qutb Minar and Alai Minar Towers, Humayun’s Tomb, and the Lotus Baha’I Temple. It was great to get to see these local treasures. Photos below.

After the visit to these places the driver took us to a market where some of the girls purchased Saris, then home.

Wednesday 19/3/2014

Language classes in the morning. Jims no good at languages really struggled not only do you have to remember the new word but they are arranged differently. For example, Who are you? becomes You who are? Getting your 50 year old brain around that takes a bit of time.   JH

We have also seen monkeys and chipmunks on the street which was a bit of a surprise.  The area where we are staying is in a ‘good’ area, yet there is still a range of homes and happenings, people beautifully dressed to beggars, BMW’s to oxen pulling carts, no kerb and channelling to speak of, so you can begin to understand the diverse nature of India.

The children of the family go to an international school which is very expensive for them, but the state education system is very sub-standard and not ideal. The home stay family look after us very well and are always ensuring our well-being and comfort, and in particular safety. It is not recommended that we walk anywhere alone, yet we feel quite safe in groups.

 The food is also very good and authentic, which we are both enjoying.

 We went to a Bollywood movie in Hindi called Queen yesterday at the local cinema.  It was a cinema the same as we would attend at home, which we had all speculated as to what it would be like.  Great to see a Bollywood movie in India.

The girls and I had our hands painted with Henna last night.  Serita arranged for a man to come to the home and do this for us, as she said if we did it in the street we would attract too much attention.

Speaking of unwanted attention. We were walking to the market yesterday and saw a soccer field with a whole lot of boys of all ages playing various games of backyard cricket etc.  Thinking (or not) it was a good idea to wander in and have a look, we headed in.  Bad idea, as soon as the kids saw us they all started to rush over and almost got mobbed.  We quickly scurried down the street, with them following and some starting to throw things at us.  Lesson learned! 

Some photos from yesterday

Monkey on front fence 

Maree getting Henna painting

The Bahai house of Worship

Delhi India

This was a building we could see in the distance. Our guide told us

 it was the temple of the destroyer god 

Isa Khan Tomb 1547 AD

Isa Khan Niyazi was a noble in the court of Sher Shah Sur. The tomb has ornamentation in the form of canopies, glazed tiles, and lattice screens. 

Humayun’s Tomb constructed 1569-72 AD

Humayun died in 1556, and his widow Hamida Banu Begam, also known as Haji Begam, commenced the construction of his tomb in 1569, fourteen years after his death. It is the first distinct example of proper Mughal style, which was inspired by Persian architecture. It is well known that Humayun picked up the principles of Persian architecture during his exile, and he himself is likely to have planned the tomb, although there is no record to that effect.