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Friday, February 25, 2005

Cured in Rishikesh

Giardia Lambia, E.Coli, Amoeba Histolytica... names of my newly acquired travelling companions. Apparently they've been living inside me for the past 3 weeks, and there was I thinking I just had never-ending delhi belly. All that remains of whatever there was before the viral visits, is a boney shadow. Parasite & Co. are being un-mercifully wiped out by a crowded combination of modern and ancient medical agents.

My local doctor also has the confidence to have invited us for dinner tomorrow to test my recently functioning constitution, so the future looks solid, pardon the pun. South to warmer climes once I pass the spice test...

Saturday, February 05, 2005

Proud Pakistanis & Timid Tibetans

Arriving at the Pakistani border was like walking into a football stadium packed with crazed devotees in their respective grandstands. Amritsar, in north-western India plays host to a daily spectacle of Monthy Python-esque proportions. "Goose Stepping" border guards parade around either side of the border gates before the flags are lowered. The Indian's and Pakistanis shout at each other as the ceremony proceeds, and then run to the barrier at the end for photos and a quick wave to the opposition... Hilarious silly carry-on alltogether...

The Tibetans on the other hand, were hiding indoors celebrating their New Year in seclusion. The guidebooks say its a 'Great' time to be in Macleod Ganj - 2,500m up the himalayas in the Dalai Lama and Tibetan government's current base. I guess they meant for Tibetans, as they close everything to celebrate alone. Even the monks wandering around in their robes and new fashionable runners, and the young Tibetans on their motorbikes with "Free Tibet" down the side in go-fast blue looked like there was something going on somewhere that we didn't know about. Not to worry though, the (very) fresh mountain air was a welcome respite from the smog of the lowlands.

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

Celebrations in the Desert...

January 26th is Australia Day and also the Indian Day of Independence. Probably fitting then that on this festive evening I was dancing to local folk music in the Rajasthani desert with a bunch of australians. Despite the fireworks, full moon and talented, if well lubricated musicians, the camels just sat in the wings watching with an air of boredom.

I'm now in Delhi about to head north for the mountains. No more camels for a while, I need to rest those sitting muscles, I never knew they existed...

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