Indian Barbie

16/12-19/12/2012

Aikaa on taas vierahtanyt Udaipurin paivista, joten katsotaan mita kaikkea kontit oikein muistavat. Kieli vaihtelee nyt englannista suomeksi ja toisin pain, mutta koittakaa pysytella perassa. Anteeksi epajohdonmukaisuudesta, mutta suomeksi on huomattavasti helpompi kirjoittaa ja nopeampi, niin sen vuoksi vaihdan kielen nyt vanhaan tuttuun murteeseen.

Mutta mita oikein tapahtui Udaipurissa, kun teimme parempaa tuttavuutta Buntyn kanssa? Ensimmaisen turistipaivan jalkeen halusimme Jeremyn kanssa kokea jotain aidompaa kuin turisteille suunniteltua valmista ohjelmaa. Palatsi ja tanssiesitys olivat toki osa intialaista kulttuuria, mutta se mita me haemme, on tavallisen paikallisen elaman kohtaamista ja nakemista. Kavimme siis kysymassa paikalliselta rikshaw (tuk tukin kaltainen menopeli)-kuskilta Buntylta, jonka kanssa vaihdoimme ensimmaisena paivana kuulumisia, voisiko han vieda meidat maaseudulle ja nayttaa lahilaueen paikkoja. Yllatyksemme han vei meidat siskonsa luokse, jossa meita tervehti suuri perhe iloisesti. Lapset nayttivat innoissaan koulukirjojaan (, jotka olivat itseasiassa tilikirjoja - mielenkiintoinen tapa opettaa matikkaa taytyy sanoa) ja tarjosivat chapatia ja muita kaiken maailman herkkuja.

"We're are family ... "

The countryside and neighbourhood

Locals make "poop" cakes to use as coal or wood

Palasimme perheen luokse myos seuraavana paivana ja vieraanvaraisuus vain yltyi. Buntyn sisko puki minut ystaviensa kanssa juhla-sariin (sari on paikallisten naisten monen metrin pituinen vaatekappale, joka kiedotaan paalle) ja meikkasivat ja laittoivat hiukset ym. Jeremy taas puettiin paikallisten miesten vaatetukseen ja olimme kuin haapari konsanaan ! Sariin pukeutuminen kesti varmaan tunnin tai pari ja kaikki ymparillani olevat ihmiset puhuivat vain hindia. Valilla vieraan kielen keskelta tunnistin sanat "Indian Barbie". Hahahah. Buntyn siskon Motman ystava teki minulle myos kauniit henna-tatuoinnit, joista olen saanut kuulla kehuja myohemmin matkani aikana. Silla valin kun naiset ja lapset laitattivat minua, niin miehet nauttivat ylakerran terassilla perinteisesti muutamat lasit viskia ja paransivat maailmaa. Ha.

Bunty's sister and her family

Henna tattoo

" Indian barbie ", ha

Pakko sanoa, etta ihailen intialaisten ja erityisesti Buntyn perheen avoimuutta ja vieraanvaraisuutta. Heilla ei ole paljonkaan, mista tarjota, mutta silti he ovat valmiit jakamaan illallisen antimiaan meille ja kestitsemaan kuin laheisia ystavia. Jotain opittavaa itselle ja muille kotimaahan. Voin sanoa oppineeni Buntyn ansiosta todella paljon paikallisten elamasta ja intialaisesta kulttuurista. Kavimme myos mielenkiintoisia keskusteluja paikallisten seurustelukulttuurista. Valitettavasti on ilmeisesti edelleen hyvin yleista, etta suuria kaupunkeja lukuunottamatta avioliitot hoidetaan jarjestamalla ja sopimuksien kanssa.

Kids were so nice ! Offering chapati this time

Kavimme Buntyn kanssa myos katsastamassa pari temppelia, joista toinen oli kamasutra-temppeli. Mielenkiintoisia seinapiirustuksia taytyy sanoa. Kaksi paivaa hanen seurassaan sujuivat siivilla. Ajelimme rikshawn kanssa ympariinsa ja pysahdyimme aina valille chaille (NAM!). Jeremy myos kavi pitkia ja utelevia keskusteluja Buntyn kanssa rikshawn ostosta ja kuulkaas se herra meni ja osti sellaisen ! Eli pian on Intian valtateilla ajelemassa yksi pieni kanadalainen rikshawllaan. Varokaa muut autoilijat !

From the village nearby Udaipur

Kamasutra temple

Interesting ..

The country is so fascinating ! You just turn your head and you see ..

 Valitettavasti hauskanpidosta joutui myos maksamaan. Neljantena paivana Udaipurissa sain kuuluisan vatsataudin ja makasin koko paivan sohvalla tai sangyssa nukkuen. Meidan oli tarkoitus matkustaa kyseisena iltana kohti Mumbaita, mutta uusiksihan suunnitelmat meni. Olin kuitenkin onnekas ja vatsatauti hellitti seuraavana paivana. Junaliput peruutettiin, mutta jouduin vaihtamaan ne bussilippuihin, koska kaikki junaliput olivat menneet. Nyt sain siis kokea todellisuuden, kuinka vaikeaa junilla matkustaminen Intiassa voi olla. Jeremy jai hoitamaan rikshawn ostoon liittyvia asioita ja konttien oli aika jatkaa matkaa yksinaan. Eli Intian Hollywood - Mumbai - here I come !

Sorry my English speaking friends - this time the post will be short for you guys. But the next couple days in Udaipur. What happened? And how's Bunty? Bunty is a local rikshaw driver who took us to see the local life in India. He took us to meet his family and both time the family was so happy to welcome us. Bunty's siter and her friends wore me in Sari one day and the family offered us dinner. When the five or six girls wore me in sari and were speaking just Hindi I just recognise few words - "Indian Barbie" hahah. They're so great. Kids were crazy and told us every single English word they just knew. What a lovely family and so kind ! They don't have much but still they'are more than ready share from their own.

Bunty also took us to see two temples (other one was kamasutra temple - interesting must say) and we had long talks about love and relationships. The two days with him really helped me too see and understand local 's life and the culture. But the funny also had it's costs: I got the famous stomach ache and on the fourth day in Udaipur I was just laying and sleeping in the bed. But I had little bit luck and the stomach ache lasted just one day and next day I was able to travel to Mumbai. Jeremy stayed in Udaipur as you never guess - he bought a tuk tuk ! That crazy adventurer ! Now he is somewhere at the Indian highway driving with that ! Awesome. 

But my travels continued towards Indian Hollywood - Mumbai- and from there more South and the beaches ..

Towards South we go ! But shanti shanti (slowly slowly)

So this time we made it. We left two hours before our  train's departing time from our guesthouse so we would be definitely on time. And we were. We had also time for a chai and just relax. Actually India is great as here you have always time for a chai. Shanti shanti they say .. Slowly slowly. And chai ... Finally I have found spiritual tea friends ! Indian people know that the best way to enjoy your tea is with milk. In Finland many people wonder why I put milk in my tea, but here ... They know what I'm talking about.

But so the train trip. Interesting. I'd heard lot of stories about that but still it was something I couldn't imagine. The halls are full of 6 bed "cabins" with out a door and then there are the 50 Indian eye pairs just staring at you. No worda about privacy. But it wasn't that bad. Actually I'm quite used to that the people like to stare me, that weird little white girl .. It's so funny that although there have been travelers in India for hundreds of years but still one little white  girl is something special for them. On the way before trying to get some sleep we talked with local man Ravi who works for French embassy in Delhi but goes every weekend to see his family in Udaipur. Think,every single weekend he travels 24 hours to see his family and he stays in  Udaipur less than one day .. That shows how important  family is here.

And we are in the train !

Always remember to be quick - the top bed is the best !

On the train you see so much people going. People change train, there are chai and soup sellers and when people hear that there are white people in the train  they probably just come to see them (this time us). My first experience and time in the train was actually quite positive!I slept well and had a nice talk with Ravi. So when we arrived in Udaipur I was in good spirit. In Udaipur train station I met immediately the bad side of India. Little kids come to beg some food or anything else we just could give. Jeremy gave our oranges for the kids which I think is ok to do. Food yes,money no. As you never know where to money goes.

In Udaipur we heard from nice guesthouse Shiva and when they had a really nice room with a view to the lake it was that then. After settling down we went to see the perhaps biggest attraction City palace which is still the home of the local King. It was and okay,but well..Museums are always museum. Then we just walked  around  and had lunch in a very cute and a small place next to the lake. The atmosphere was so calm. Also here the traffic is busy and noisy although the city is much smaller than Delhi. So it's nice to run away a bit the traffic sometimes. In the evening we were supposed to meet Ravi but he had family business to do so we ended up to go and see folk dance. Funny little show and entertaining ..

Cows wandering at the street

From local park

Local kids wanted to get into a picture

The cutest place just next to the river !

 

Folk dance show

View from our guesthouse's terrace

 So the first day was pretty touristic kind of day ..Museum, dance show .. But the next day. Luckily we got better friends Bunty. What happened? I'll tell you more next time. I can just tell I know a lot more about local dating culture and that the riksha (tuk-tuk) can go anywhere !

Bunty !