Day 8 - Rishikesh And Onwards...

So I had booked an overnight express to Agra for tonight, but it got cancelled as of this afternoon as I was the only passenger booked on it! Fuck me... anyways, the travel agent got me on another bus, this one going to Delhi (fuck me#2). Thankfully I am only there for 2 hours before catching the train he also booked for me to get to Agra and the Taj Mahal. So, by tomorrow morning at 10:00am IST (11:30pm EST) I will be in Agra. Today I just chilled out on the ghats and walked around soaking in all of the peaceful atmosphere here that I could. Agra is going to push me to my limits with all of the pushy touts there trying to get me to buy this or buy that...

How about some pictures??? One in particular - I got swarmed by about 30-40 kids today, visiting Rishikesh from the state of Gujarat... I dont think theyve seen many white people in person - they were snapping photos with me like there was no tomorrow. They mustve taken about 20!!! So, I got my due and got one with as many of them as could be gathered without announcing it to the whole ghat! It was just one of those VERY fun moments in life...

Me and the kids from Gujarat!

The spiciest chips I've ever eaten! Wish we had these at home!

Saying goodbye to some negative things...

I don't think they had his size... either way, he wanted to look!

Alpha Male Macaque en route to the waterfalls

Agra tomorrow and Rajasthan to follow... enjoy the weekend friends and loved ones! I know I will!

Day 7 - Rishikesh

Spent a lot of time relaxing yesterday... this really is the peaceful sort of place to do that, as it is in the Himalayas. It does get cold here at night, but not so bad a blanket or two cant hold it at bay. Gonna try to get some more photos online for you... they will say more than I ever could about the beauty of this valley community.

Lakshman Jhula Bridge

Hanuman's Langur Monkey near Ram Jhula Bridge

Croissant Stealing Monkey!!!

Ive got the rest of today and tomorrow afternoon here in Rishikesh, and then I am off for a day trip to Haridwar, where I will catch my connection to take me 12 hours south to Agra and the Taj Mahal! See you all then!!! Peace!

Day 5 - delhi and Rishikesh

I realize I havent been keeping up to date here... its been so time consuming that Ive let things ride for a while. I will try to sum it all up so far, as best I can.

New Delhi is schizophrenic, but at the same time, awesome! It takes about a day to get used to the smell and the noise, but after that its smooth sailing - until you step out onto the street. Its mayhem!!! Still, that being said, it doesnt take long to learn how to navigate the streets. And the food! My goodness, but its excellent! The best yet was a street vendor selling hard brown potatoes covered with salt, chilis and lemon juice. Sounds strange I know, but I ate it constantly, about 2-3 times a day. And each bowl only cost 20 rupees (about $0.35 CDN).

I am currently in Rishikesh beside the Ganges river in the Himalayas... its peaceful here. The kind of place Ive needed for a long time. However, in two days, I leave to head 12 hours south for Agra to see the Taj Mahal.

Heres some photos:

Me at the Ganges in Rishikesh

Monkey at Rishikesh - Lakshman Jhula Bridge

New Delhi - Day One!

I am here! The flight was exhausting (17 hours all told) - I even slept through takeoff in Istanbul - whoever heard of such a thing?!?!


Delhi is a chaotic mess! There are rickshaws everywhere, honking all the time, spewing toxic exhaust out at every rev of the engine. And the dogs, cows and other assorted critters makes for an interesting mix. Even though its a rough looking area I am staying in, everyone here is SOOO nice and helpful. And the food... to die for!


I will be going to do the touristy thing tomorrow and Monday... too jet lagged today to think about it. So, sorry, no photos yet. Im just too exhausted to think about it,. and its been a little rough adjusting to the air here. Its not really so different, aside from the smell and thickness of the pollution, but Im just not used to it.

I finally am here ... I am finally doing it. Those traveller stories that I always had to listen to??? Yeah, they're mine now... And Im tickled pink at the idea of it all.

So dont worry friends... I am safe and I am sound, if not just a little tired and missing things we take for granted. More will follow...

And oh... to call Canada from India for 10 minutes??? $0.45 canadian... lol, I love it here! 30 minutes internet usage, $0.25.

Until tomorrow...

Holy Fuck - It's Today!

Okay, so yeah, yesterday, I was calm, I was chill... until last night. I couldnt sleep for shit. It took me 3 hours to fall asleep and then once I was off to la-la land, I was awake again 4 hours later. I'm so thrilled, spooked, whatever, that I just couldn't sleep at all.

I'm trying to tell myself that I'm cycling into a new time zone, yeah thats it!!! Laughable... :)

So, last minute shit to do today, nothing too big, just those annoying things you know will nag you for ages if you don't do something about them. Mostly done now, and just waiting in this cafe to have lunch with my Aunt, who works around the corner. That'll be nice!

Mais, tabarank en crisse de calisse! I'm stressed - got window seats on both legs of my flight tonight from Toronto to Istanbul and onwards to Delhi, so thats good. Everything else is just making me itch... I'm just too fucking eager to be away! Sooner gone, sooner back - and you know, I'm slowly coming to realize that, like Santiago in the Alchemist, the things I was looking to find overseas are a lot closer to home than I ever imagined.

But I digress... this is gonna be the adventure to blow all the others out of the water. This is the primer for the next Amazing Race. Aude... I hope you're getting prepared! :)

One Day To Go!!!

Here we go! The day is almost upon me, and oddly enough, all of the stress and all of the doubts are gone. I am calm and focused on what lies ahead. Everything I could do to be prepared has been done. All that remains is to make it through to tomorrow and then to get on my flight.

Today, Oshawa. Tomorrow, Toronto. Friday, Istanbul. Saturday, Delhi...

That's fucked up! And I love it! Other than that, there isn't much more I can say - I'm calm. And I know that will change in 3 short days. Three very short days from now, winter will be a thing of the past for me for the year.

Here's to the year where everything changes ... and for the best!

See you all in India!!!! Yahoo!

One Week To Go!

It's really starting to get real now... I've got 2 days left in Quebec before heading to Toronto. After the four days there with my family and friends, it will be off to the airport for a whirlwind 17 hour flight, halfway around the world!

10.5 Time Zones, 3 oceans and 3 continents... I can almost smell the air, taste the food and hear the chaos that is New Delhi. And that's all within the confines of my mind from whatever media I have been able to peruse. I can safely assume that I will need to multiply that tenfold to match the reality! LoL! Fuck I'm excited!

All things being equal, I'm glad I'm not on a one week all-inclusive trip to Mexico.

Anything and everything is possible now - I've taken the biggest step of my life, a small step into a bigger world, by doing this and you know what? I plan to keep on walking, because isn't that what those boots were made for?

Stay posted kids... the adventure-fest is right around the corner!!! Delhi, Haridwar, Rishikesh and Agra - 9 days of mischief and mayhem. Fuck - j'ai hate!

And with that I only have one more thing to say - Wait for me.