Namaste India

Two flights, one stop in Holland and the most terrifying six hours I have ever spent in a vehicle equated to over 30 hours of travel. This how I came to be in Rishikesh. As I passed the “Welcome to India” banner above the airport exit, it really started to sink in… this is the farthest away from home I have ever been, and I am all alone!

Both scary and exhilarating at the same time, I feel comfortable tackling this adventure solo, thanks to all of the sound travel experience and advice I have learned from my fellow Gypsy Soul Josh Jenkins. Love you muffin!

I suppose it would be best to start with the six hour car ride. As I stepped out of the airport, I was smacked in the face with heavy, humid air and greeted by a slender fellow named Sonu Singh at platform 17. He held a sign with my name in barely legible chicken scratch.

We were in the vehicle for less than one minute (I am not even over exaggerating here) before Sonu nearly caused an accident by cutting someone off. Yet traffic continued to flow. To be honest, this guy didn’t use his brakes much in six hours. It felt more like we were inside of a virtual reality video game, than actually driving.

Now I know most of you are thinking what I was thinking prior to arriving in India, that the mayhem of traffic is to be expected. Let me put this as bluntly as possible, it was fucking terrifying! First of all, the cars are on the left side of the road which alone in itself caused me to panic during several right hand turns.

The easiest way for me to paint this picture for you is with a good ole’ metaphore. Picture for me an aunt hill. You can see the diligent little critters methodically travelling to and from the hill with their goods in a somewhat organized fashion. This reminds me of driving in Canada.

Now picture the same aunt hill moments after you have stomped all over it several times. Shock, confusion, caos… The aunts disperse in every direction, fearful for their lives! This, I feel is an accurate depiction of driving in India.

I feel called to mention that there are not only cars and oversized cargo trucks on the highway, but also bicycles, motorcycles, tuk tuks, donkeys, horses, mules, cows, waggons, buggies and even humans risking their lives just to cross the road.

Fortunately, Sonu has been driving tourists to and from New Dehli for years. As if that was somehow supposed to make me feel better.

Along the way it was impossible to avoid the overwhelming blanket of litter lining the streets. There are endless wastelands of burning garbage and plastic. It was awful and at times unbearable breathing in the plastic fumes.

Accompanied by the trash was a radical amount of poverty. Again, I realize this was to be expected, but seeing it first hand quickly puts things into perspective. I felt thankful beyond words for the creature comforts and luxuries I have back home.

Many people were sleeping on the ground in shanti towns constructed of garbage. I mean these homes were literally built out of garbage. There were other homes constructed of mud and some people had no shelter of any kind. Ok, enough with the sad and depressing stuff. Let’s shift our focus to the positive.

Sonu took me on a detour through a small village where everyone looked happy, healthy and had shelter. There was marijuana along the roads everywhere in this community, maybe that’s why they were all so happy. Gettin’ high on their own supply!

Back on the main highway, I noticed vendors with a strange looking contraption and heaps of sugarcane sprinkled along the road. When I questioned Sonu about the vendors he pulled over at the next contraption we saw.

Sonu insisted on buying me a glass of cane juice which we sipped  together. The contraption to squeeze the sugar cane looked as if it could easily claim a few fingers. Safety first, right? This type of thing would never be allowed back home. The juice maker watched me carefully as I  sipped the sweet nectar he had prepared for me. When we finished, he shook my hand and we were “on the road again”- Willie style.

When we finally arrived in Rishikesh, I was greeted by a guide from my school. Since the city is divided on either side of the river, I had to cross a pedestrian suspension bridge in order to arrive at my final destination.

It was a short walk uphill to Vinyasa Yoga School where I will be devoting the next five and a half weeks of my life to the practise of yoga. Now for some shut eye, I am exhausted!