Flight is booked.
My 5th visit, this time I’m going to stay in the World Heritage site of Bhaktapur outside of the city.
Trying to avoid the KathmanFlu this time.
Goal is the new Manaslu Circuit trek. Independently.
Category: travel India
Rishikesh Adventure Sports
For centuries a Holy city, Rishikesh, India is today branding itself as an outdoor Adventure Sports centre. Especially for white water rafting. The Ganges here offers medium to rough rapids rated class 3 and class 4.
Bungee jumping was recently introduced, the only leap in India.
I’m here for trekking. But the trekking guides are NOT busy though it’s still high season.
My contact at Red Chili Adventures blames it on the Spring flooding which damaged many of the mountain roads. You can still see the damage here in Rishikesh.
In any case, I hope to survive a 9hr drive over those damaged roads tomorrow. En route to the Kuari Trek. Vistas of Nanda Devi.
I hear most of the flood damage has been cleaned up. In Rishkesh, it’s ongoing.
More Rishikesh photos.
Rishikesh cons
WikiTravel – Rishikesh, India:
A holy city it may be, but Rishikesh draws more than its fair share of criminals and conmen. Don’t walk around alone at night and beware of the motives of sadhus offering one-on-one tutoring. …
Hindu holy men do come to Rishikesh. But you’re not likely to find them in the main tourist areas.
Most of those are tourist sadhus. In the business of separating tourists from their money. 🙂
This guy got 100 rupees!! ($1.60) from cynical me. 😦
He’s good.
Amazing people skills. Gift of the gab.
Hits on every new Western tourist crossing the Ganges bridge.
Seems I’ve met him about a half dozen times around the world. Tall. Bald. Usually Hari Krishna. Usually in an airport.
This one says he’s Italian Swiss. Been in Rishikesh about 30 years. An itinerant Yoga teacher.
Don’t believe a word he says.
My default is never to do any business on the street.
Hindu festival Rishikesh
Just outside my hotel men & boys began constructing a giant statue of bamboo.
The pieces arrived complete. All that was needed was assembly.
By evening it was erect on the bank of the Ganges.
The party was loud and raucous. Many Western tourists joined in.
Next morning there was nothing left but charred remnants. It had been burned at some point.
Just another extravagant, confusing celebration in India. 🙂
Welcome to Rishikesh
Located in the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India, it is known as The Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas. …
Rishikesh has a permanent population of around 75,000. …
The sacred river Ganges flows through Rishikesh. It is here that the river leaves the Shivalik mountains in the Himalayas and flows out into the plains of northern India. …
… sometimes nicknamed “the world capital of Yoga” …
Not much has changed since my last visit, 14-years-ago.
Some of the Saddhus have mobile phones. And take photos of their spiritual journey.
Actually, my memory is so poor I don’t recognize much of the Holy City. Aside from the famous bridges.
Monkeys are all over town. They, along with the Holy cows, own Rishikesh.
This Holy cow directed me to an inexpensive room ($4).
It costs an extra $1 / day for WiFi for a day.
I immediately bathed in the Ganges, for it’s reputed healing powers. Hot out of the shower head, I was rejuvenated. 🙂
32 Parents Who Nailed It On Halloween
Looking for Halloween costume inspiration?
It’s Durga Purja (Dasain) where I’m at, celebrated October 11-15th this year.
… Durga Puja festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. Thus, Durga Puja festival epitomizes the victory of Good over Evil. …
The Goddess requires blood sacrifice. I notice the goats of Dehradun, India are eating well in the days leading up to the Festival.
I’m here getting organized to head up into the Himalaya.
Heathrow Airport security
Airport security theatre is painful.
Astonishing to me is the inefficiency and, often, public humiliation of people like sheep having their bags and bodies examined at the security check.
Heathrow Airport has the best system I’ve ever seen.
It’s obvious the trays have to be a conveyor belt. Empty trays are shuttled back to the start on the lower level.
Why don’t all airports buy these?
Departing Heathrow for India. Right now.
Hans Rosling: The best stats you’ve ever seen
I’m just finishing a BUSY World Gymnastics Championships, packing for my next destination — northern India. Hiking.
If you’ve got time for a laugh today, click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
You’ve never seen data presented like this. With the drama and urgency of a sportscaster, statistics guru Hans Rosling debunks myths about the so-called “developing world.
Professor Bill Sands recommended to me this unbelievably likable educator from Sweden.
Lonely Planet India
I just purchased the essential Lonely Planet India — 1248 pages — for $10.
Published Oct 15th, 2013 for USD $34.99, I got the PDF version early.
The PDF should be $24.49. But LP has a sale on right now. The electronic versions of every guidebook are just $10 with promo code Ebook10.
best picture – Slumdog Millionaire
Of all movie recommendations for 2008, the first I downloaded was Slumdog Millionaire.
From Danny Boyle, director of Trainspotting …, comes the story of Jamal Malik, an 18 year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai, who is about to experience the biggest day of his life. With the whole nation watching, he is just one question away from winning a staggering 20 million rupees on India’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”
Click PLAY or watch the trailer on YouTube.
Actually, I don’t think the trailer does the film justice.
The movie does remind me of Trainspotting, Boyle using “edgy, upfront” music.
The cinematography is mostly fantastic capturing the chaos, horror, laughter and vibrancy of modern Bombay effectively. In many ways it reminds me of my favourite book, Shantaram. (The film adaptation starring Johnny Depp has been delayed, by the way.)
Bottom line, you should rent Slumdog Millionaire.
It’s an entertaining and heartwarming love story on one level. And a complex film aficionado’s triumph on another.
Rick McCharles 