After work

sorry, sorry for not updating. Well, I have finished my traineeship and the last day was not really satisfactory. I had an argue with my boss on the reference letter I was supposed to write myself (how absurd). Well, the discussion ended up very emotionally, my boss shouting at me and losing his temper. It shows again how different working culture in India is from the West; never question authorities!!! However, I am in the midst of my preperations for travelling. I will remain for another 10 days in the south. on the 14th I'll fly to Mumbai and a week later to Delhi to head off for the Himalaya. I am pretty glad to leave Bangalore even though I'm sad to leave many new friends behind. The social life was definitely wonderful here. But I never really liked the city. So, this friday I'll head for Pondicherry, a former French colony-enclave. I also want to visit the Ashram of Auroville there which is a community, founded in the sixties. The international community of Auroville (60% non-Indians from countries all over the world) share an Ideology which is a mix between a communistic and spiritual credo. I imagine something like a spiritual Israeli Kibbutz. I'll see. After Pondicherry and Auroville I want to go to the mountains (Whestern Ghats) again. I have not made up my mind yet where exactly I want to go. I have only one week left then, and the mountain area is huge. Next weekend I plan to go to Madikeri in the region of Coorgh. The population there is suppose to be descendents of Persians who fled the islamic invasion a few hundred years ago. One of my collegues at my work was from the region and she definitely seemed different to me than a classic southern-Indian. She also seemed proud of that:-) Anyway, after Coorgh I will come back to B'lore again for one or two nights and then fly to Mumbai. Exciting it sounds, yeah. But travel-preparation can be very exhausting too.
Otherwise.... the monsoon has started in the south-west, the weather here in B'lore is cloudy and cool (around 25 degrees). Very comfortable for a tropical region like here. Pondicherry will be around 40 degrees and horribly humid so I enjoy my last days here or at least the climated....
Cheers.
mi scho.

Two more weeks...

Two more weeks with Pharmarc and I'll be off. Off for an experience of freedom:-) Soon afterwards my big travel-period starts. How exciting. To be honest, I cannot really make myself an idea what it will be like to be 'on the road'. I got so used to Bangalore, in spite of all the things I don't like here... anyway, I guess and hope it's gonna be another very interesting period. I will see India again from a different perspective I guess. Probably a more superficial one. However, I want to concentrate on all the things which are quite unique here: trekking in the Himalaya, doing meditation and yoga in an Ashram or wherever; I would love to cross the boarder to Tibet. Well, there's a lot to do and I want to enjoy the time without commitments and constraints as good as possible... how exciting.

Hyderabad

Was in Hyderabad last week-end, the capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. Since some of my trainee-friends used to work there for some time they are still in contact with the Hyderabadian trainees. Well, the latter organized a party last week-end which I took as an opportunity to join a big group of about 14 people from Bangalore to visit this not really touristic city. Hyderabad has a sizeable percentage of Muslim population which is definitely visible in the streets where a lot of women wear tchadors. The picture of the city is characterized by many mosques. Poeple there are less familiar with westerners and therefore the typical Indian 'staring' is more intense than e.g. in Bangalore. But still, poeple there seemed to me more curious than eager to rip you off or sell you everything every 5 meters which is more common at touristic places. Anyway, what astonished me most was the very intact and well-done infrastructure in the center which gave the city a hint of an 'urban' character -something I really miss in Bangalore-. All the more did the well maintained roads surprise me because my trainee friends knowing Hyderabad told me that the city is far worse than Bangalore regarding rubbish and infrastructure. But; well-built roads, no cows, hardly any rubbish bunches and street-dogs. The reason for this: Sonja Gandhi honoured the city with a short official visit about 4 months ago. Thus, the entire center was renovated, cleanded and made-up within 2 months. Wow, und das in Indien, wo doch immer alles sooooo mega langsam geht. Sie koennen, eben doch... wenn sie nur wollen:-) However, the only sight-seeing I did was visiting Hyderabad's principal landmark Charminar mosque, which we did not enter because - once again- white-skinned people were supposed to pay 100 Rupees whereas for Indians it was only 5. Poeple who visited it told me that besided a nice-looking ceiling there was nothing else to see inside anyway. Well, after lingering around in the old city we went to our guest-house where we definitely needed a nap (night-train sleep is never really recreative). In the evening the party started. Well, it was interesting to meet a few new poeple... sonst halt, wie immer trainee-parties... next day we decided to visit the Golconda Fort which was in the outskirts of the city. I was terribly tired and not in the best mood. All the more our seats for our return train-trip were not confirmed. So we were not even sure whether we would be able to sit not to mention to sleep on the way back. The fort was really huge and quite impressive with a very nice view on the entire city of Hyderabad. The wheather was extremely hot and made my condition even worse but it was nice to see the fort, still. When we arrived at the train station, suddenly our seats were confirmed which was a big relief. I even slept quite well because I was definitely almost 'delapidated' (I know, not proper English; it's an insider:-)) after this week-end. Well, I must say, it was nice to see another big city which is said to be competing with Bangalore. Cyberabad with the nice roads, no cows, street-dogs und kein abfall auf den strassen:-)
cheers.

Hampi, zum zweiten

Yep, I was in Hampi again. Definitely one of the best places here in the south and a MUST for every South-India traveller. Since it was a long week-end with the 1st May on Monday, every Bus and every train was packed full and no seat available on any public transport system leaving Bangalore. Thus, a group of German girls rented a car and a driver and invited anyone to join them untill the car would be full. Well, I had been to Hampi before but I would always go there again because the place is simply awesome. 3.00 am we left Bangalore and started the very shaky and terribly uncomfortable road trip (das indische Strassennetz ist natuerlich genauso katastrophal wie die Infrastruktur in den Staedten). To fall asleep in the bus was simply a matter of impossibility. Exhausted and overtired we arrived in Hampi at noon. After lodging in at Hampi-tradition 'Shanthi Guesthouse' we headed directly to Hampi-tradition 'Mango Tree Restaurant' in order to relax, recover and refresh. The sun was burning above the protecting Mango Tree, the air was flickering, insects were flying around our transpiring bodies, the view was inspiring and the river below looked seducing for a refreshing bath. So, some of us decided to look for a bathing-suitable spot between the reeds, rocks and rice fields to jump into the fresh water; and we found one. I must say, it was just....wonderful. The place was so untypical silent and peaceful; the river, the bizarre, round-cut rocks, the rice fields, just everything makes this place so special and almost corny. The next day we rented some bikes and drove around for some sight-seeing. Well, we didn't enter the highlight sights, the Vittala Temple and the Elephant stables since they cost 250 Rupees for foreigners. Indians pay merely 10 Rupees. Even though I am officially registered in this country and pay taxes, thus not supposed to pay the foreigner rate, they refused entrance for the Indian rate simply because I am WHITE. I was - once again - so upset after the discussion with the collector that I decided not to pay any entrance in this country anymore whenever I have to pay more than 20 times more than an Indian. It' s not only the amount of money but also the poor conditions of the sights which are almost never the price worth because they are neither well maintained nor are interesting background informations provided. Anyway, instead, we climbed up a rocky hill right next to the Vittala Temple from where we had an amazing view on the entire temple complex and also on the breath-taking surroundings. In the evening againg climbing, but this time on another hill with a temple on the top (like on so many hills around there) from where we wanted to watch the sun-set. Well, the sky was a bit cloudy and therefore not really mind-blowing. The third day, after break-fast (guess where... at Mango Tree of course!!!) some of us lingered upstream the Tungabhadra River, wandering through reed, jumping over rocks and stones, crossing small side channels of the river.... It was just awesome. Pure nature and SILENCE. Yes, Hampi pure, a great relief from chaotic and polluted Bangalore! In late afternoon, much too early, we had to head back home with our uncomfortabel bus and our only-Cannada-speaking, illiterate van-driver (he could not even read the side boards showing the way). Anyway, we arrived B'lore savely, relaxed and with regained strength to challange once againg with enthusiasm tha Bangalorian pace of life...
in diesem sinne,
auf ein naechstes!!!