How Many Gods do you Have? What about the one with extra arms?

    Wanted to back up a little bit and review a few things ...

    .... that have taken place in the last week.  It's been a pretty rapid travel sequence and there were some noteworthy things that happened. 
    Before we left India, on the last full day there, we spent the day out in the rural countryside, at our small Eco (short for ecological) Lodge.  It was a long way out from any city, and a bit hard to get to and plus, it was pretty much off the grid.  
    They had a small sustainable organic farm, utilizing solar power and environmentally safe practices.  Frankly, the environment in India is not the best, with a lot of waste, garbage, unhealthy surroundings, and air pollution.  But these guys are doing their part. 

One thing they offered there was a cooking class

    So Fiona and I attended an Indian cooking class, which lasted a few hours and was very fun and interesting.  First off, Indian cooking is pretty unique, and since most Indians are Hindu and don't eat meat, the class was vegetarian cooking.

    Indian cooking is all about the spices.  We made a stuffed eggplant dish that was out of this world.  And we made a potato curry dish that was terrific.  Of course, we had a professional instructor, a long time chef.  

    Then we made Chai tea, which they drink all the time here everywhere.  And we made a Dahl dish, a staple in Indian food, which uses lentils.  To wrap things up (pardon the pun) we made a bunch of delicious Indian flat bread, chapati and peratha, which they eat with every meal.  

    We love Indian food and intend to put some of this cooking into action when we return home.

    Spices used were: cloves, cinnamon, pepper, chili powder, mustard seed, coriander (cilantro), star anise, cumin, bay leaves, salt, fennel, curry, garlic, ginger, mango powder, mint, basil, saffron, turmeric, sesame, and peanut oil.  

    Just putting all that stuff in a pan and heating it up was enough to send the senses soaring, it was mind altering!

Riding a Camel is fun ... for a while

    We went for a pretty long camel ride in the afternoon, way out into the country, really out in the sticks.  It was pretty fun to start, but eventually became rather uncomfortable.  It was definitely a treat however. 

    We were on a camel cart actually, there was a French couple in a second cart.  We rode several kilometers out into the bush, and ultimately came to a farm where one of the camel drivers lived.  They made us some Chai tea there and we had a nice visit.

    We had a female camel, and the driver was very good with her, even dressed her up real pretty!

     It got hot that afternoon, and it's a dusty dry place in the region where we stayed, so by the time we were done with the ride, we were tired.  But not too tired, so we went out for dinner at a nearby hotel restaurant, where we ate ... curry!  Yesss!

The Hindu religion can be confusing to an outsider

    The day we left, we drove a long ways to get back to New Delhi, and during that time, we passed what looked like a parade of people.  They were pilgrims on a march to a distant Hindu temple.     

    I was curious about their religious beliefs because they have a lot of gods.  In fact we were told by one of our occasional guides that that they have 36 million gods!  

    So we asked our driver Jile (pronounced Jillay) - "how do you keep track of that many gods?" 

    "There are only a few main gods, the really important ones, and the rest ... well, you know ... "

Me: "what about the god with the eight arms?"

Him:  "No god with eight arms, sir"  (he always called us sir, even Fiona)

Me: "Doesn't Krishna or one of the main gods have eight arms?"

Him: "No, only four arms, sir"

Me: "So, the lesser gods are not as good as the big three?"  The big three are Vishnu, Krisha, and Shiva.

Him: "No sir, they must keep being reincarnated until they get better."

Me: "How long does that take?"

Him: (chuckling) "Long time, sir, it depends on their Karma."

    It was a wonderful time in India, and as we finished our last full day, we were met with a nice sunset.   Fun times!

    

True Confessions, a real bad day ...

    A long story, bear with me.

    I don't know how to write about today.  It started out okay, but turned into a great big ball of frustration.  In fact it was a thermonuclear tsunami volcanic eruption of ... well, maybe I should explain. 

    So we arrived in Dubai late last night, and got to the hotel room around 1:30 in the morning, so it was a long day yesterday traveling from Delhi India. The flight was late and there were issues. Anyway, we didn't sleep much.  By the way, jet lag has not really been too much of a problem, because once you cross the Pacific, there are only small time zone changes between say, China and Thailand.  And let's not forget about the half hour time zone thing.  At least we're back on the even hour now in Dubai.

    So we set out relatively early today to explore Dubai.  First stop was a nearby Starbucks, first cup since we left home.  Sitting there looking out the window, I was feeling pretty good and reflecting on life. 

    We figured out that the best way to see the place on short notice without a lot of time (we're only here two full days with travel on either end) would be to get a city tour and check things out.  It's a bus thing and you can get on and off at different stops, in theory. 

    It starts out pretty good, and we can get a grasp of what Dubai is about, and some history, and you begin to get a feel for the place (it's a first time visit here).  We get back to a spot where you change into another vehicle and see another part of town.  We get some lunch and the new rig shows up right on time.  

   Only it doesn't leave.  Well, it sorta leaves and circles the block and comes back and parks in the same spot as before.  Okay ... we're a little short on time here ... can we go now?  We wait, and we wait.  Is there some kind of issue?  What's the deal, let's go!

     They are screwing around for no apparent reason and pretty soon I am getting irritated, then ticked off, and by then it's been 45 minutes and we are burning daylight and they driver goes into a local mall and starts shopping.  Shopping? Are you kidding me?  For what?  Groceries?  

     And my frustration builds into anger and then ... I lose it.  I confess I have a problem with patience, which does not always serve me well when traveling in distant places.  I kinda come unhinged.  

    Usually when that sort of thing begins to happen I engage in self talk:  "Okay Kevin, just calm down.  This is a vacation / travel experience ... enjoy it for what it is.  Remain calm.  You can't be in a hurry when traveling ... keep your cool ... WHAT THE (blankety blank) ARE THEY DOING?  We're wasting time!"

    My self talk goes off the track and so do I.  I just pop a cork and, it's a rather embarrassing confession, I am ashamed.   So my self talk kicks in - "Geez dude, get a grip!"

    Eventually the bus leaves and I try to process my feelings, which go from anger, to shame, to questioning why God put us here in the first place.  So I gradually come back to reality and begin to enjoy the views.

    Only it gets worse.  We check out The Palm, you know the thing that Dubai built out into the water that looks like a palm tree.  And it's really cool.  But then we are supposed to transfer to yet another vehicle so we get off at a rather remote spot and wait, with a bunch of other people.  Some of them have been here for quite some time. 

From Bad to Worse

    And guess what?  The other vehicle doesn't come, and we wait, like for an hour.  And since I am already in rehab, I can sort of deal with it.  But the others get super agitated and start hammering on the guy who is responsible for the next bus.  By this time, they have been waiting for well over an hour and a half.  This one British lady just freaks out.  It's getting real bad.  This day is going down the tubes big time. 

    There is a minor mutiny among the "abandoned" passengers.  Fiona and I begin to plan our escape from this hopeless situation.  "Let's just bail on this and get a taxi"  Only there are no taxis anywhere near.  So we start walking ... and we walk ... and we - well, you get the picture.  We eventually find our way to a metro station and try to purchase tickets and it's a final complete total disaster.  

    Why?  Because in Dubai, the "citizens" don't really work.  They have enormous oil reserves and they just sort of manage the money.  The real work is done by imported workers, from the Philippines, China, Thailand, Pakistan, and India.  This is not a secret, it's a way of life here.

    So the people who work on the subway, tram, metro, or any other kind of real work are from somewhere else - often a place we just left.  So when the metro ticket machine doesn't work, the people who are supposed to help resolve this, don't really have the skills, or the customer service ethic, or ... just really don't care.  

     Their machine doesn't work so their solution is, "you have to buy another ticket."  This is not a solution.  And then they want to argue about it.  So I buy another ticket, and it doesn't work and - of course - they demand that I buy another ticket, and by this point I am so far gone, and so is Fiona, that life begins to become surreal, and "have we passed into another universe?"  So they argue some more and ... let's just say sometimes you have to roll with the punch. 

    Thanks for listening. 

Death By Elephant? And other odd things about India

Death by Elephant?  How does that happen?

      A Story:  It is remarkable to see the enormous power wielded by ancient kings and their seemingly unlimited resources to build magnificent palaces, much as we have seen in the last few weeks.  You are always struck by the absolute life or death influence they held over people's lives. 
    We visited the palace pictured and they talked about the king who lived there long ago.  In addition to riches beyond belief, and a far reaching empire, he also had the final decision in disputes amongst his subjects.  He was the ultimate judge. 
    So he would regularly sit in court, as it were, and hear both sides of conflict and (hopefully) make a careful judgment.  This is where it gets interesting.  

    There are also a lot of elephants around here, or at least there used to be.  Indians utilize them in many ways.  They pointed out a place in the corner of the courtyard where the king would sit in judgment - get it? "court yard"?  

    They showed us a large stake in the ground where they used to tie up an elephant.  Turns out if the king decided someone was guilty, they would immediately take the condemned prisoner out to the elephant.  This was the place of execution.  
    They would place the head of the unlucky loser of the trial under the elephant's foot and - squish - the elephant would step on his head!  Not much of an appeal process involved here ... Yikes!  What a way to go!
    I wonder if the condemned got a chance to have a last meal?  If it was me, I would have asked for some of the delicious Indian curry! 

The Great Wall of ... India?

     One (among many) of the numerous surprises we've seen happened while we were passing through the mountains on the way to our current area.  All over, up and down the hillside were these big giant walls, just like - you guessed it - the Great Wall of China.  

    In all fairness, this India wall was not too shabby!  Not well known, but every bit as good as the one in China, although not nearly as long.  For what this is, however, it ain't bad!
    It goes for a long way and seems to be a well preserved fortification against invading enemies.  We didn't get a lot of information about it.   Indians seem to think it was no big deal. 
    I was rather impressed.   
    
    And just so you don't think that they only build great walls around here, they do a pretty good job with gardens too.  This picture below was taken from a hill far above the garden, which was in the middle of a big lake.  
     Just to put things in perspective, the thin line near the top was the highway and the three little dots on the left were cars. 

We Make You Pay Way More!  It's Very Funny!

    So here is a typical conversation between us and the taxi driver at a recent sight seeing "opportunity".  (this is one of the three wheeled TukTuk taxi rigs that they get around in)

    We pull up to the front of the fort/castle/palace/temple and we have to buy a ticket to get in.   I notice a disparity between what we are charged and what the locals pay.

    I say to the taxi guy , "seems like they charge us a lot more to get in?"

    And he starts laughing uproariously "BWAHA HA HA HA!"

    Well, I fail to see the humor in this, "So this is funny?"  They charge the locals like ten cents, and they charge us ten dollars.  This is an upcharge of like ten thousand percent. 

    Him: "BWA HA HA HA!"

    Me: "Why are you laughing?"

    Him: "Because you are the for-ee-nahs! (foreigners) - BWA  HA HA HA HA!"

    Okay dude, have a nice day!

 

    

 

Warning! This Lady Is Not Making Cookies!

Scenes From The Streets in India

So she is crafting by hand what are known here as Dung Cakes.  Yes that's right, she is shaping Cow Poop into little flat cakes to dry ... for use later as fuel to burn in their fire.  Almost looks good enough to eat ... ? ... well, maybe not!

There are plenty of Sacred Cows in India, and it's not just a figure of speech.  They literally roam the streets, and folks just drive between them and pay 'em no mind.  They're all over the place.

    Transportation in India - choose your weapon

    There is more than one way to get around India.  In fact, the variety is almost limitless.  Check out this overloaded truck, with a front and back view, hilarious!  They said it was full of "animal food".  I guess that means - hay?  Hope it isn't too heavy. 

    And it is surprising how many camels there are around here.  I didn't expect a bunch of camels in India, but they are very common in the rural area where we are staying.  I thought this picture turned out pretty cool, snapped it in front of Hindu temple/museum.

Incredible Variety of Historic Structures

    So we've been traveling quite a long ways in the last couple days, and have driven several hundred kilometers.  We seen a range of buildings and ancient places with a lot of history behind them.   

  

 

     This last picture is a place called the Amber Fort and yes, it's as dramatic as it looks, up on a hill.  

    Amazing, and one of our favorites.

Today is The Day - The Taj Mahal - India

This is Why you Travel  ... Part II

    Fiona and were so excited when we woke up today in New Delhi India, knowing that today would be the day we would see the Taj Mahal!  In fact, she literally said to me, "Today is the day!"  and I knew exactly what she meant.

     It's one of those life long dreams, to see the Taj Mahal, the mysterious and remote building deep in the heart of India.  We were full of anticipation, and couldn't wait to lay eyes on ... what is really one of the world's most magnificent structures.  

    Only we had to wait.  We drove about 300 kilometers from Delhi to Agra, India, the home of the Taj Mahal  (and as it turns out several other amazing historical sites).  And one of the more surprising things was the green and lush Indian country side that we traveled through.

    We got there in the afternoon, and of course the driver and the guide insisted we have lunch before we go to the "the Taj" as they call it.  We were positively delighted by the absolutely wonderful meal of curry and other curious spices, that really hit the spot since we had been traveling since early in the morning. 

    Only this picture doesn't do it justice, it was a delcious and spicy Indian special local dish.

    The impact of seeing the Taj Mahal, up close and personal was ... to use a cliche - rather breathtaking.  In fact, it brought tears to your eyes (at least Fiona's eyes, and to be truthful I got a lump in my throat).
    We walked around and spent a lot of time there, we had a guide who explained the history of the site, and the weather was really perfect, around 83F with a mild breeze. 
    As the tour guide said (and I've used this phrase) "it's not really a view, it's a feeling."  And it was, we couldn't get enough of it. 

    Eventually we moved on to the next stop.  I hate to say it that way, but there is a lot more ancient history in India than I was aware of.  We went to the "Fort" or Palace of the same family and empire that built the Taj Mahal.   And it was incredibly interesting, with new amazing views around every corner.
    We've had a good trip so far, and this was one of those really special days that make a huge impression on you. 

    Fiona is a pretty special person too, and I can't imagine a trip doing this on our own ... without her skills in making travel arrangements and accommodations, all the other things that it takes to pull off an Around the World Trip ... I am a lucky guy. 

There is no Such Thing as a Typical Day

Start out in One Place, End up in Another, Here's a blow-by-blow account of today's activities

    We woke up this morning in Sri Lanka, our last day there.  I went for a run, and we had to pack up our stuff because we were leaving for the airport later in the morning. 

    Went down for breakfast at the Hotel guest house where we were staying, it's called the Norfolk Airport Villa, and is owned by a British guy who was born in Sri Lanka.  He lives in Norfolk England, hence the name. 

    At breakfast we sat next to, and had a long conversation with, a couple who were traveling.  The man was Austrian, and his wife was Hungarian.  It's common to meet other travelers while on the road yourself. 

    We went to the airport and got there a little early, which is a good thing because it took a super long time to check in.  One of the biggest irritations while traveling is dealing with airports, and customs, and check-in, etc.  They seem to apply the rules differently all the time, and it can be a real drag, especially in countries who are not very efficient. 

    The flight left on time however, and we were on our way to India.  They actually served a meal on the flight, Indian curry, not bad for airplane food.  I love Indian curry, and I'm looking forward to enjoying several curry meals and other Indian foods while in the country.

    There are a lot of quirky things that can happen in other cultures.  For example, on the plane, the flight attendants went down the aisle to clean up the food trays, and they did one side all the way down, and then went back and did the other side, weird.  They also collect the headsets about halfway through the flight, like they start to clean up way early.  "Hey, I'm watching a movie!  Can't I just wait until the movie's over?  The flight goes on for a long time."

    So we arrive in New Delhi, India late in the afternoon, almost evening.  We have another hassle getting Indian visas to allow us to visit the country.  You would think that countries would encourage tourists to come and spend money, but they make it really hard to get permission to enter.  You have to really want to go to India, because you have to jump through a lot of hoops to get there. 

    We were met by a driver - a first for us - we usually make our way to the hotel or wherever we're going.  But we have actually hired a car and a driver for the time we're in India.  We had planned to maybe rent a car, because we're going to be moving around a lot, but we got a lot of advice: You can hire a driver and the car for as much as it would cost to just rent the car, and you really don't want to drive in India. 

    The driver took us to our Hotel in downtown Delhi, and by the time we got there, I was already glad to not be driving.  This place is intense!  

    We walked around the area by the Hotel, and the nightlife was buzzing, just a whole buncha people out doing shopping or going about their business.  It was fun. 

    

Do You Have Any Leopards Here?

To start off with a brief conversation ...

    So I try to go jogging or running every morning, which can be a challenge while on the road traveling.  But I give it my level best to get out and have a decent run each day, usually early in the morning.  

   This morning started out in Kandy, Sri Lanka, our last day here.  I went up the hill from our Hotel and eventually ran out of road, ending up at a Nature Preserve.  There was no one around, but the gate was ajar, and I thought, maybe I'll take a run through here (it was a bit like a hilly jungle).  The gate however, had a big sign that said "No Admittance."

    I looked around for a while, and since no one was there, I wandered inside.  There was a cheesy kind of display area with among other things, a stuffed leopard.  Did I mention that Sri Lanka is know for their leopard population?  This gave me pause ...

    Eventually a guy came walking up the lane and I kinda figured he worked there.  So we had a conversation:

- Me: "Can I go inside for a run?"

- Him: "No, sir, we are closed."

- Me: "but is it okay if I go inside?  I am out for jogging" and I make a running example, flailing my arms and moving my feet.  I also imitate the basic English with which they are familiar. 

Him: "Yes, sir, it will be okay for you to run."

Me: "So it's okay?'

Him "Yes"

Me: "Are there leopards inside?"

Him: "Yes" 

Me: "Is it safe?'

Him: "No"

Me: "... Umm ... y'know ... maybe I'll just head back down the road .. thanks!"

Last Night, The Temple of the Tooth

    We walked around last night after we arrived in Kandy, a mountain town in the Sri Lanka highlands.  It just so happened we came across a brightly lit and rather impressive temple, with which we were unfamiliar.

    Upon inquiry (that was met with indignation) "You don't know what this is?"  we found out that this was the Temple of the Tooth.  Okay, what tooth are we talking about?  The tooth of the Buddha! like the real guy, the person around whom the religion is based.  Like it came out of his mouth.  If nothing else, they get style points for a cool name. 

    Wow!  This is a big deal around here, and is a profound spiritual destination for many.  Hey, I'm not going to pass judgment here, I thought the place was pretty awesome though ...

A Place Called Kandy -  "We have the Best Botanical Gardens in Asia!"

    So we spent the last day in Sri Lanka as mentioned in a small town in the mountains called Kandy (don't ask), and it was a perfect day with some interesting sites.

    They claim to have this fantastic garden, and I reckon they certainly have the climate for this kind of thing.  And you know what? It was a rather amazing place.

    So we wandered around looking at the very impressive display of plants from all over the world.  It was one of those days where the weather is perfect and you are relaxed, and you think mankind isn't so bad after all, if we can create places like this ...

    And we came across a sample of Mexican Agave, as in the picture below, and since these are samples from all over the world - Pop Quiz - who can say what they make out of this stuff?

    Okay, free pass on the answer ... because you probably can't read the sign, but it says Agave Tequiliana - who can guess what they make out of this plant?

People have priorities that often don't match up with ours

    Our last stop before leaving town was the giant statue of the Buddha that overlooks Kandy.  It was on top of one of the hills that surround the town.  It was impressive, and very white!

    I could make a snide comment such as ... "he has all his teeth" ... but that would be unkind.  The fact is, this is one of the largest Buddha statues in the world, and it's in the remote mountains of Sri Lanka.  There are around 400 million Buddhists believers currently. 

    

    

We're on The Train and Fiona Takes Off Her Pants and Throws them Out the Window

We've been off the Grid for a Couple Days, with a lot of Catching up to do.

Sittin' in a railway station 

Got a ticket for my destination

(not) Homeward bound 

     Old Simon and Garfunkel song

     

     This picture was taken in the main train station in Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital, last evening at 8:00, where we boarded and spent the whole night on the train heading to the highlands of central Sri Lanka.  

     The trip took a long time and we woke up at our destination far into the interior and up in the mountains.  The trip was not without some quirky events which I will outline below.  First, I wanted to describe our day, which was spent also riding the train through the spectacular scenery of Sri Lanka's tea growing region.

     Most people are unaware that Sri Lanka is one of the biggest commercial producers of tea in the world.  It's also a very beautiful country. 

     The old traditional name of Sri Lanka was Ceylon, and they still use that name for the high quality teas produced here.  

    The central highlands are ideal for growing tea, with warm temperatures and rolling hillsides that go on for miles, and lots of rain.  It is extraordinarily pleasant to glide through this landscape looking out a train window, and around every bend brings another visual delight, with countless fields of neon green tea bushes. 

So this is the part where we're riding on the train late in the evening, and Fiona takes off her pants and throws them out the window

    I feel like I probably should elaborate a little to explain this ...

    So she bought some funky pants in Cambodia because everyone was wearing them and they were quite inexpensive.  They had that low crotch thing like bad Hammer pants, with a bunch of colors and elephants and such.  

    After wearing them in this hot muggy climate, they began to stick to Fiona and eventually they split because they were a bad fit to start with.  They were wet from the train too (see below).  Highly uncomfortable.  

    So she decided to change them right then and there in the train car, which was not as bad as it sounds.  I held up a large scarf to cover the action, and the train was not real crowded.  

    So once she had changed into the replacements, she sat there with the crummy pants in her hand.  "what should I do with these now?" she said.  I thought for a minute and said, "why don't you throw them out the window ..." partly joking but also it kinda made sense.  

     So without overthinking this, Fiona chucked them out the open train window.  

     I know, it sounds like littering, but hey, I'm convinced some lady is sure to find these pants.  She will be filled with joy: "This is my lucky day!  I have found some new pants!  I think I will wear them to my sister's wedding!"

    People are very resourceful around here with clothes. 

Guess who shows up at the train station?  The President

    Before we left on the train we bought some water and snacks in a small rail station shop.  I see Fiona inside laughing and she comes out and says, the guy that works there looks just like Barack Obama.  

    Fiona said she asked him if anyone ever told him he looked like President Obama, and he began to joke with his work mates, "Hey man, I look like Obama"

    "Really?" I asked.  "Yes," Fiona said, "and you should go and take a picture of him!"

    So I did.  He wasn't as tall as our President, but there is quite a resemblance, even down to the ears kinda sticking out. 

Excuse me sir, what is that yucky liquid running out of the toilet on the train?

    So as we continue to ride on the train, it's probably around 9:00 at night by now, and there is a bunch of something coming out from under the toilet door on the train.  It's foul and it's running down the aisle and getting everything wet.  I'm thinking, this is gonna be a long night.  It's really heinous. It would gag a maggot. 

    I point this out to the conductor and he investigates.  The liquid is really making a mess and it's all over.  He comes back and makes a triumphant announcement: "It's water, Sir!"  

    He sounds so proud ... It's water?  What kind of water?  And this is supposed to be good? compared to what?  Urine? Feces? Vomit?  Maybe all three mixed together, it sure smells like it.  People are trying to tiptoe around this stuff holding up their skirts and pants legs.

    This guy acts like he is expecting a congratulations or something, but smelly liquid running out of the toilet and down the aisle is no cause for celebration.

    Heck, my wife got some on her pants and threw them out the window ... !

     

Every Day Brings Something Different

We Rough It Once in a While, But We Want to Enjoy Travel Too

So we have stayed in a variety of different places on our trip, and some are better than others.  Often you have to go pretty basic, with "rustic" accommodations, but we also know how to find pleasure in our hotel stays (mostly thanks to Fiona's talent in making arrangements)

Pictured is the Mount Lavinia Hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka.  It's a colonial style place about two hundred years old.  Faded glory, but still very nice and full of character.  

This picture at night captures the beauty of the Indian Ocean as the sun goes down. 

Sometimes You Meet Really Nice and Interesting People When You Travel 

We spent the day traveling by train to the very southern tip of Sri Lanka, and low and behold, we met a Scottish lady named Fiona!  So for a while I was traveling with two Fionas!  She was in Sri Lanka to do English language training, and we had a long conversation while on the train, and turns out, her and (my) Fiona actually knew some of the same people!

Good Galle Miss Molly 

Couldn't resist ... we traveled on the train to a town called Galle (pronounced Gall-eh) at the south end of Sri Lanka.  It was a colonial fort area originally settled by the Portuguese, then the Dutch, and then the British.  It was a bona fide fort with ramparts,  and all the other stuff forts are made of.  The day was warm and sunny and we had an awesome time. 

The area was filled with wildlife, animals and such, like this cool large fishing bird with a Sri Lanka name that I couldn't translate. 

Even though Sri Lanka has become a mostly modern nation, (more comments on that later) it still has remnants of a distance past that carry forward to this current time. 

Moving On - Arrived this Morning in Sri Lanka!

Part of our goal in this Around The World trip is to go places we've never been before.  And Sri Lanka is one of those places.  It used to be known as Ceylon, and they grow a lot of tea here.  It's a rather large island nation of 22 million off the southeast coast of India.  We flew here way too early this morning from Bangkok, after leaving Cambodia. Here are some things we've seen and experienced already:

How can you have a half hour time zone change?

    So you know when they land the plane and say "welcome to so and so ... Please note the time change from this to that?" 

    Well, when you arrive in Sri Lanka (pronounced Shree Lawn Ka), they come on and say, "please adjust your watches to one and a half hour ahead of Bangkok time."  Hunh?  

    I though all time zones had to be an hour apart?  Isn't there a rule about those kind of things?  Like, where did they come up with that?  And why?  

    So when it's say 6:00 AM in Portland, it's 7:30 PM in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka.  Very confusing, I still can't get over that one ....

How many Sri Lankans can you fit on a commuter train?

     A story:  We went into downtown Colombo this afternoon to take care of some business and make travel arrangements to take a train up into the mountains in a couple days.  We also had dinner there in a small local cafe (I'm gonna blog about food sometime soon).  The food was freakin' spicy and intense!

     One of the travel things we have to do real quick is go to the American Embassy to get more pages put into, or added to, my passport, which is getting dangerously close to being full.  Every time you enter a country, they stick a visa in there which often takes a full page.  So we contacted the American embassy in Sri Lanka and made an appointment to get more pages inserted so we can keep traveling.  

    So we were going to catch the commuter train back to our Hotel. It just so happens that there is a train station about 200 meters (yards) from our hotel.  

    In fact we rode the local commuter train into town in the first place. It was an interesting trip, about thirty minutes, as the train ran right along the seashore. I was sitting across from Fiona and as I looked out the window, it looked like we were riding the rails across the ocean!  A cool moment in time ...

     However, when we made our way back to the train to head back to our hotel, it was rush hour, and it seemed like the entire city was heading home at the same time and it was crowded, like totally maxed out!  You had to push your way onto the train.   And it was hot, over 91 degrees F.

    So we eventually get on and hang on for dear life in a train that is WAY TOO Crowded.  In fact, I did some quick math and figured there must be close to 400 people like in one train car.       You are pressed together in ways that are not polite, or safe, and barely decent, with sweat (and smells) that test your will to live. 

    You not only have to stand the whole time, you have to stand completely still, because for starters you can't move, and secondarily, you will be accused of molesting someone. 

    As we jumped off the commuter train, I took a picture of people trying to load on.  It just seemed insane.  And one guy who helped us escape said, "well, that wasn't so bad ... !"

But Hey, we survived ...

     And we got back to the Hotel in one disheveled piece, and well, it's hard to complain when this is what it looks like.  A walk on the beach (did I mention our hotel is right on the beach?) and ... I guess you can forget about all the grief when you can relax with this: