dimanche 11 mars 2012

Indian's wonders



Here are some beautiful pictures I took, I just want to share it with you.
A piece of India ... Enjoy ...


Where our bus stopped, in Hampi. It was 6 am, I just woke up and that was the first thing I saw.
It was unreal ... Definitely AWESOME !!




Here is the view I had from my hotel. I loved staying in the roof and looking at the people coming and going, the cows and all and simply the scenery .. It's a total change of scenery for me !



Here are some pictures of Hampi and its wonders ...



















I don't really have time to put more photos (as I have to choose the good ones, and I have loads of photos!) so it's all for the moment. But don't worry, another ones are coming soon inshaAllah !!


Take care, x

NB : India is great !



mardi 6 mars 2012

Where are we going?

Salam my dear ones,


I don't really have time to stay on internet but I really wanted to make this post.
As you know, I'm in India right now.
I'm really enjoying it al hamduliLlah, that's an amazing country.
I can't deny it, I love it !!!

But there is something very baffling (that I have already pointed) and which is getting on my nerves :
Indian's mentality and attitude.
I have to be frank, I do not believe that all Indian are the same (Thanks to God, and I have already encountered some four exceptions) but a great part of them behave rudly, without shame nor concern.
It seems like they are people without manners. It's normal for them to push in front of you, to knock
you about, to stare at you (which is really annoying and embarrassing).
A lot of them are also dishonest. Yes believe me, I can give you loads of example !
They think because we are tourists that our father is Rothschild !!
No, seriously, they always try to rip us off, increasing the prices. For example the rickshaw drivers
(wallahs). That's completely annoying !!! And we do know the prices so I always have to argue with them and negociate.
Sometimes, they even refuse to take us because of the fact that we refuse to pay "THEIR" price.
That's ridiculous, the only thing we want them is to switch on the meters counter, let's play frank right??!
Is it a décoration or something like this??!
No, because they always switch off it and sometimes they even hide it !!
In three weeks of trip, only two people accepted to switch on it !! YAA I'M SERIOUS .. !!
But the majority refuse ...

Sunday morning, I was waiting with my sister, her children and our luggages in the street,
stopping the rickshaws to drive us to the train station, which was near where we were.
They ALL tried to rip us off, giving us prices which were above the real one!!
I told them that it wasn't honest and that we do know the price as yesterday we went there with a rickshaw driver who switched on his meters counter and so on but they kept refusing..
Two Indian guys ,who heard that I was (a sort of) arguing with a rickshaw driver, came and asked me
what was the problem. I told them it, then one of the guys try to talk to the driver and he told me that
"this man is below poverty"....

I simply replied : "That's a nonsense, if this man is below poverty, why is he refusing to gain money as he is refusing to drive us where we want him him to??! That's a good question right ?
So if I got it, we have to shut our mouth, to let him rip us off and makes his rules?!
That's not even a question of money, I can give it to him but rather a question of values.
I do not approve stealing and I just want them to know it.
So because he's poor, he has the right to steal the ones who have? Is it a good excuse?...
Anyway, that's not fair! I don't know why we would have to pay more than the Indian people.
I'm not rich as they could think.
Yes, I traveled here but I worked hard for it, I saved money and made some sacrifices!
All on my own, without asking nor stealing anyone or whatever.
I'm not trying to be richer, just to live with what I have. It's not because I'm living in Europe that the world is at my feet!! On the contrary, life is expensive and becoming harder !
I am honest, and whatever my life condition, will try to remain so. That's the way of success.
So if he doesn't want to take us, he is the one who loses not me!"
And then the man looked at me, and the only thing he could do was approving and apologising.

I talk about it because I do think it's a real pity because it's giving a bad image of Indian people and a lot of tourists (I said A LOT) are tired of it.

And another thing which is making me sick is to see them polluating their country by throwing rubbish outside, EVERYWHERE ! That seems so normal to them but so baffling to us !
WHY ???!! WHY WASTING THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY ?! THE AMAZING NATURE AND ENVIRONMENT ?? DOES IT MATTER FOR THEM ??!

That's a real pity and telling them it doesn't seem to make them move !!

I will try not to pay attention to it as my efforts seem useless. The least I can do is respecting their country, its nature, culture and so on...

Note that the purpose of this post is to make people aware of it and to make things move, in the right way as well.


Take care, x

vendredi 2 mars 2012

First impressions

Salam everyone !


I took a long time to write another post because of my trip and all the preparation.
It was hard to find time.
I was totally absorbed !!!
I was torn between excitement and anxiety.
Yes. I was looking forward to going in India, to discover its culture, its people and so on.
But yet I was a bit worried.. What would I see? How would it be? And if I disliked? and many more questions.
These feelings, that's what make a journey worth it !
You know, this mix of excitement to discover the unknown and this very fear to face it, to jump into it !
That's exactly how I felt, and I admit that I was happy but also a bit (more than a bit, huush) worried.
The D-day arrived and INDIA here we gone !!

I will be brief, the first day I arrived in India wasn't good at all !
We were tired (8 hours of flight), we arrived at night. It was hard to realise.
Our driver was frightening (doing some sort of strange sounds and looking oddly at us !!! Brrrrr and was sitting just near him!!)
Seriously, I was so afraid that I kept praying !! Moreover, the streets were empty except were wandering some dogs and homeless!)
In my head, I was imagining the worst ! I was ready to apply all the things I learnt in Kung fu Panda, yeaaah I know I'm dangerous ..
Well, we finaly arrived to our hotel (safe, thanks to God !) and we were so happy we smiled to him with a big "THANK YOU" just like thinking within myself : "Thank you not to have kill us!" pfiiiuu

The moment I lied in my bed, the first thought that popped in my head was : "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE????!!"
I was trying to recall what were the reasons for this trip, telling myself that I was a crazy girl !
The next morning, no way we woke up and tell ourselves : "You're here now, so make the most of it ! At least try!"
So we went out and discovered Pahar Gange area.
Well, how can I say .... I LOVED IT !!!!!!!! This very night at the roof restaurant I was looking at the streets, the people, all the noise (horns, for nothing trust me it's an India virus !) and so on and I told myself : "That's why you are here babe!" and I felt much better!!

Now, I have been in India for already two weeks and it seems like I'm here for many years ! We have seen so many things, we know how it works, we even know how to negotiate haha ! Fine!
We have already done New Delhi, Agra, Mumbai, Goa, Hampi and now staying in Bangaluru.
You know India is special, baffling but at the same time so fascinating and charming. I do feel it has its own charm.
Though I do not approve Indian's mentality which is the most baffling thing here !! I do think India is an amazing country which has so much to offer : incredible sceneries of all kind, a rich culture religiously but also historically, many dishes..

Actually, It's hard to describe (and there are so many things to say, I will not even know where to begin!) : you must see it to understand.

I don't know how the trip will end up but for the moment it's going well so I enjoy!
The last city I did was Hampi and this little village is completely incredible!!!
I was completely fascinated when our bus stopped and I was looking out of the window .. All these ruins, it was an unreal scenery I swear !

Now Bangaluru is more developped, "The Indian Sillicone Valley" as they called it.

That's all for the moment, look I'm just as confused as my feelings are ! Just a reflection of how I do feel right now.
Is this trip going to change me just like I expect to? Good question, will reply to it at the end of the trip inshaAllah
I will try to put some photos when I will have the time to, to send you a bit of India and to share with you what I saw : )

Take care x