Thursday, July 20, 2006
 ***new pictures uploaded***ENGLISHIndia --> ThailandLast time I wrote, I was in Manali, India. On the day I left, I bagged in loafs of breads and caned processed cheese so I wouldn't have to eat Delhi's food. I left anything that was for cold weather in the room to travel more lightly. I looked at my emails one last time to find an email form Seishi (the Japanese crazy traveler whom I've been traveling with in Thailand, Nepal and India). He simply had said; "I'm here! where you at? lets meet!" or something like that. It only had been about less than a week since we separated and I missed him already but it was only one hour before my bus departed for Delhi.
I sat on the bus making new friends with my usual manners and that crazy Japanese jumped on back screaming "CRAZY CANADA!!!". I was staying 5 minutes outside the town and hitched a ride with the buses going south to get back. SO we had the proper Good byes and all.
That night I slept on the roof of the bus eager to return to Thailand.
I've seen it all coming to me... the filth! at first, it was the heat, then we stoped for 10 minutes and the smell of human piss struck. The people started to change too, they were different. Then finally to conclude it all; trash, rubbish and everything else combined. Welcome to India.
Arrived in Delhi, slept one night there and made sure i wasn't gonna miss my plane for Thailand. It is only on the plane that I relaxed a little and I was thinking that India had much to offer if you could get pass any medical problems. I met many people who loved it yet they never got sick. I've met many others that caught some awful crawling persistent bugs and diseases and like me they can think of other places to go. I guess it is a personal preference.
Chiang Mai, ThailandI spent a little over a week there. It is not the first time I've been there and I know the city quite well. I was so happy to be back the first few days. As I drove around the city, I was smiling and saying: "they are so civilised! I love them!" by that I meant that they don't piss and spit on every wall in the city and the traffic make a lot of sense when you understand it. Yes! Thais are clean, they can drive and the women are hot!
It was good to be back with my friends, in a place where the food is eatable and where you can talk to women. I never realised it until I got to Chiang Mai. Something was missing in my life while I was in India. Often you never see women in the streets, they go to the market and they hurry back home to take care of the house and kids as it is no business of the women to be socialising (doing nothing) in the streets like men do. Without noticing it, 90% of my contacts were with men. As men and women don't mixed together in India and Nepal, I didn't see much female radiance.
In Chiang Mai, Thailand, the women are much more liberated like in western countries. I saw them, just naturally doing their things, nothing special but it felt so much better to be back in the liberated world.
And for those who don't understand what I'm talking about, don't try to look between the lines, I ain't no talking about whores or any kind of ass banging just so I'm clear.
I went twice to the dentist because my wisdom teeth needed to be pulled out. Both time, a doctor shot me with strong drugs right in the veins to calm me down. Things like sleeping 19 hours without a break or a faint souvenir of me sitting like a bum on the sidewalk with my friends looking over me. Unfortunately for me these drugs made the truth come out since my conscious mind was K.O., the unconscious took over and babbled its was trough my butchered mouth.
I'm depressed a lot these days over some bureaucracy problems in Canada and I feel so powerless.
what's nextI just arrived to Bangkok and will be leaving in a few hours towards an unknown destination to me at the moment. I'll probably end up in some island where I can party a bit, dive with fishes or maybe do some dirt bike action. All this trying to shake off this relentless depression of mine.
next update; when?the internet on the islands is always too expensive to accommodate the rich tourists who still think they are in their country and make a small bargain. So I won't update until I get back to Bangkok in.... some days...???
Don't worry, I'll be fine and will be over with that annoying depression thing of mine. Posted at 05:24 pm by rudecam
Thursday, June 29, 2006
ENGLISHKashmirSoon after writing my last entry on June 8 '06, the traveling trio ,which i was part of, literally fled the filth of India by bus despite our excessive and frequent evacuation of watery feces.
We ended up in Kashmir, a wonderful place unfortunately overwhelmed by the army. 1 soldier for every 6 kashmirians if my numbers are close to exact. There has been many fights between Pakistan and India and also with smaller groups called "terrorists".
This I found on the Indian army website:
"...improve and develop infrastructural facilities, schools and vocational training centers, hospitals, bridges, roads and tracks,..." [http://www.armyinkashmir.org] And that means transforming a post office into a fortress for example. they build tours to shoot from, they lay barbwire with pairs of hanging glass bottle to detect any movement, there's "get away" traps and all kinds of fun stuff that makes the province look like a giant paintball field. (talking about paintball! I'd definitely want to join you for a few game of heart beating adrenaline sessions! I'll let you know if i can find enough time kid! I wish so dearly:)).
If they build bridges, roads and tracks... 50% of the vehicles in this part of the country are army related You can see more army convoy than buses, goods carriers and private vehicles all together.
Schools, hospitals and all the rest i don't know, it's hard to tell from a traveler point of view.
Why Indian army's there?:
"Pakistan claims that this number of military personnel is not needed for such a small group of separatists and that India simply wants control over the entire Kashmir region. In response Pakistan has increased its military personnel in it territory. The region remains as one of the most heavily militarised zones in the world."[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism_in_Kashmir]
Everybody wants Kashmir; India, Pakistan and even china. They all have their piece and they all want more. In 1962 China attacked India, now India is justifying this huge military operation as protection against China and Pakistan. Kashmir is also well located. Because of the terrain and the very limited transportation network of the Himalayans, It is a military strategic area for defence. As for the natural resources such as water proper to human consumption... It's precious!
The police searched me 3 times for no reasons at all. But doing so, they used words such as; "sorry, please, sir, it is our duty". They smile too! On the other hand, it is said by some people that this same soldiers are less friendly and more like jerks with the Kashmirian.
Sometimes, the soldiers are stressed out too. there's a terrorist attack every once in a while. Some dude threw a grenade into a bus the day before we left. The same day, an electric transformer on a cable line exploded like a bomb 30 meters away, for those who didn't see/know what happened, they were ducking and rolling inside doorways. The soldier across the street didn't let go the trigger of his machine gun for a good 5 minutes.
As a traveler who didn't spent enough time to understand in depth what is going on, I have no opinions. I just wrote down what i learned.
Far-away
We could rarely find technology. The computers were either abominably snow and badly maintained or they were insanely expensive. Power cut was something to keep in mind and they were frequent and daily. (Sorry Vince and all of Roberts for that disappearance) Couldn't make a phone call without hearing more static than voices. Plus, we were far-far-away. Taking the second less traveled roads and trekking most of the times in remote areas.
We've walked for days and days... up and down these mountains. Altitude sickness got us hard but we acclimatised enough to sleep a little at 5000 meters (we reached this altitude at least half a dozen times).
Much happened, Mainly while trekking around. I climbed my first 6000m high mountain, we hunted Nomads and got them! yeah!.I messed up and made us go the wrong valley in an inferno desert.. etc all these adventures... so much fun!
can-jpn team
I left my Japanese friend Seishi in Leh, a small town in the mountain to the north, a few days ago. It wasn't sad nor joyous, it just needed to be done. It is very common among humans; they can't always be together without getting tired of each other.
We spent 2 months, every day together 97% of which I enjoyed at the highest point.
Now we are separated, but i have the feeling that we will meet again either in Canada or in Japan maybe.
the present situation
Basically, the whole North-West of India is clean! The word "hygiene" as some definition here. The people are always pleasant to talk to etc... In brief, it is not like the rest of India.
Soon I will go back to Thailand by plane. For that, I have to be in Delhi the day before which gives me nightmares.
Thailand... it's fruits, all the good food the cool places to see, the people to meet all the stuff to do! HERE I COME! HAHAHAA!!!
Posted at 06:19 am by rudecam
Thursday, June 08, 2006
ENGLISHarrival in IndiaAfter a full night in a local bus that made a huge detour of 5 hours at least, Seishi and I arrived at the boarder Nepal-India at dawn. The transition was a shock to me! In less than 30 min, I was surrounded by piles of burning garbage containing a lot of plastic. The size and the numbers of these piles of trash were astonishing... "how can they succeed in making so much trash?"
pic of India trash
Trying to get out of there, we ended up into an Indian bus scam. To make it short, a big Indian man with white teeth and a 3 1/2 foot long stick was aggressively trying to intimidate us. Once, he stormed in our direction with his stick in the air ready to hit us because we didn't sit like he ordered us to do so. Even more pressure on Seishi because of his smaller size. At times other men came in and out... you couldn't tell who ran the place. At times they strongly slapped our chests or shoulders. Seishi didn't even flinched, he had fire in his eyes and dared all their moves. I tried to stay centered as much as I could but I ended up feeling my "inner beast"; even more when they were going at Seishi... my friend. It came very close to become fight but they gave us our money back an instant before.
I'm very proud of Seishi, a few hours later, I was to understand a bit more why he resemble me in many ways and why he's got such a strong mind.Vanarasi, Indialeft to right: Etsuko, Seishi, Ken & Cam
We went there especially to meet up with Seishi's friends. As soon as I met them, I felt the joy of life coming back forgetting all the filth of India in all it's misery. We had access to fresh mango and fresh cane juice all day long to our pleasure.
By meeting them I understood a lot more why Seishi and I get along so well. I knew he too also spent some time living in the streets. He never leaves a plate with food in it; the plate have to be emptied and licked! That's a give away of somebody who know what it is to be hungry.
Apparently these people, being a bit older, took care of him when he needed a bit of help. Letting him sleep in the house when he needed shelter, calling him before a meal to invite him for a bite, talking to him when he needed a listening hear... all these thing quickly adds up and keep a youth sane.
I got sick with the Indian food after only a couple of days. Etsuko and Ken took care of me the way older sister and brother take care of their younger brother. They acted the same way with me than with Seishi. Such a refreshing time. While sick, Seishi made sure I had a constant supply of fresh bananas! That's the spirit!
Team of 3
We are now 3 travelers trying to discover this vast planet of ours. Tomoko is the newest one. A female from Japan that we affectionately call "japanese princess... with diarea" because being a woman she needs shops to do shopping activities and she slightly drives up the cost of our accommodation on things like "beauty of the place" and hot water/shower.
She's a bit older than us but her energy is like a ray of sunshine! It's real good for us young male to have some feminine manners in the house since we've been living like cavemen for so long:) As far as I'm concerned, she's a blessing on us.
"Incredible India" more like "Filthy India"
India is Dirty!
It started right away when we entered India. The streets are covered with cow shit and piss (also human piss!), the rotting organic trash give a sight worth of the most disgusting special effect. The smell of a city dump... entering your norcil and chocking your throut while you get the envy of adding the smell of your own vomit to it. Millions of flies coming from these streets and small alley ways escort you like undesirable "friends". Sometime by mistake you step on cow shit if your lucky, otherwise it's the black juice of rotten organic (or already digested) matter that squeeze itself between your toes and your sandal.
Many hotels, especially in Delhi, are filthy like it is unthinkable it can be so. We've seen toilets that couldn't of been cleaned in the last 12 months (this for sure). many of the restaurants will have tables that are rarely wiped. you sit in the last client's curry and rice rest meanwhile the server isn't doing any purposeful action other than standing 1 meter away from you table staring at you while you eat.
The food, as you guest it, is far from any food accepted in developed countries. The kitchen sanity condition are abominable... the food is often improper for human consumption. It is simply disgusting!
The people (obviously a big generalisation based on my short experience) sometime have a very unpleasant body odor, and in the chaos of the terrible honking noises of motor traffic mixed with overwhelmed pedestrian traffic; people bump into you constantly. They don't have the courtesy of saying "excuse me" to raise to your awareness that they want to pass by; they barbariantly rob themselves pass you. Many times, I can feel a film of filth that feels much like grease or motor oil when I receive a hand shake from them. Washing your hands over and over again as they become sticky with ... (haaa!!! fuck!!!).
The exception of filth
My experienced is very limited to a couple place in North India over a short period where I had liquid fire exploding out of my ass! Yes, I am frustrated!
But there's an exception to all that filth and misery. While trying to reach the Airport in Delhi, we stumbled upon a metro station.
It was clean without cow shit, without the spit of red tobacco on the walls or human piss even. The people were well dressed and smelled better than I. Everybody had shoes... nice shoes. The train was spotless clean well enough to be anywhere in America. We experienced the "higher casts system".
Ever since that moment, we kept on taking trains and buses looking for a land of sanity... "the promised land"...
India... misery
People from all over India come to Varanasi to die. They Believe that if their body is cremated and ditched in the Gange river, they will brake the circles of reincarnation. They do not want to live again as "life is misery". After being in India, I have no choice to agree with them but I cannot give any answer of miracle solution to get them out of that misery. Mother Teressa, Gandhi and many other didn't succeed in fixing all this poignant misery.
so many dirty and/or crazy beggar deploying their darkened of dirt hands asking for something from the "rich and well-off travelers"... kids in all their misery doing things they shouldn't be doing... people sick, dying, begging, pleading, hanging on to our clothes, touching our body... etc
what about us?
The 3 of us have been real sick from all this bad food we ate. I myself have been either vomiting or having all the joys of diaria bus rides for a little less than a full week now. Seishi is presently in bed as I write these word and Tomoko and I are finally seeing the end of this depressing diaria episode. 3 sick travelers has it's advantages too: there's always somebody guarding the bags while the 2 others (or at least 1) is praying to the caca Gods. And we all move at the same speed too. For 48 hours, I refused to eat more of that filth with the exception of 2 small vegetable soup.
"the promised land"
we reached it!.... I'll write more later! Enjoy Canadian sushi in Vancouver guys!! or une vrai grosse POUTINE de la ville de quebec! haaa!!! how much do I dream about clean canadian food!
the cam
Posted at 07:33 am by rudecam
Monday, May 29, 2006
FRANCAISmission "Smilling hikes"Une mission qui consiste a donner des trucs materiel au gens qui en on besoin. Brosse a dent et dentifrices, detergent a lessive, truc pour l'ecole (peinture, livres, crayons de plomb etc), nos vetements... etc..
Sa va faire bientot un mois que moi et Seishi se promenons des les montagnes et distribuons les trucs au gens qui en on besoin.
On ses fait de nombreux amis et les gens on ete tres content de nous voir. Ca nous a pris beaucoup de bonne volonter et de perceverance pour transporter tout les objects au travers les vallees et a monter et desendre des montagnes a tout les jours. D'un autre cote, quand la pluie nous lachais pas, de les sangsues nous fessais saigner (les salopes!), quand nos pack-sacs etais lourd sur nos epaules, affamer et etourdit par l'altitude le long des trails qui finissent plus de se perdre au loin... Au moment ou apres avoir marmonner quelques mots negatif dans nos langages natif... et juste avant le moment ou on en vient a crier: "DL'A MARDE OSTI! JE SUIS ECOEURER DE ME FAIRE CHIER TABARNAK!". On se rappel des gens gens a qui on a donner un sourire et a tout ceux qui on ris avec nous, un sourire en coin apparais donc sur nos levres et un sentiment d'accomplissement emerge... C'est la vrai beaute humaine.
J'ai parcontre apris une bonne lecon; malgre nos effort de distribution de trucs materiel, le vrai bonheur a ete procurer avec nos presences et notre joie de vivre.
Ce matin on est aller distribuer le restant de tout les trucs d'ecole qu'on avais pour les kids: livre pour ecrir, crayon de plomb, painture et pinceaux pis d'autre bebelles. On en a profiter pour s'amuser un peu avec les plus jeunes de la maternelle.
quand je trouve un ordinateur avec un peu de bon sens, je mettrais une photo:) "Nepaly system"Dans les prochain 24 heurs, moi et Seishi allons sortir du Nepal pour nous dirriger vers l'Inde. Normalement, nous serions supposer etre dans un autobus en direction de la frontiere, mais a cause du "Nepaly system" ce sera pas possible avant cette nuit. Nous nous somme rendu comme 2 bon voyageur bien docile a "station d'autobus" (une grosse rue ou les bus se park sur le coter) pour prendre le bus de 1pm. Rapidement, PAATAAKKLLAANNG!! une manifestation nous pete en pleine figure. Ou est notre bus?Les gens sont partout avec des drapeaux rouge. Arriver a un petit bureau ou on peu acheter des billet de bus (plus souvent en sen fou et on paye directement la bus dans laquel on viens d'embarquer), la confusion est total... comme d'habitude. En tout temp il y a au moin 4 hommes qui nous parle de plein de choses differentes et qui tape nos epaules alternativement pour notre attention. C'est jamais les meme hommes ou meme des employer de compagnie d'autobus.
Apres 15 minute de gueulage dans la chaleur et mes crampe de ventre; il y a pas de bus 1pm car le chauffeur veux supporter la manifestation. Donc on prend le bus de nuit si le chauffeur veux bien travailler ce soir.
Ceci est une situation normal du "Nepaly system". C'est le meme system qui fait en sorte que ca prend 20 minutes pour poster 2 carte postale au bureaux de poste et qui fait le faire en 2 etapes.
Posted at 03:01 am by rudecam
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
***new pictures uploaded***NIHONGOoira to crazy cam no sututokodotukoiiiiiiiiii yeah !!!sekai wa mechanko semainaa onnaji kokorode hanaseru hitoga takusaniteru .seyakara totemo hiroku kanjiru
bokurawa kyonenno 5/desember/'05 ni thailand no bangkok no apple guest house de deatutenkedo konnani sokonukeni tanosii (FUN ! ) nayatuto deaete atutoiumani sonogono tabino
nagarega kimatutatoomou .mainichi hitch-hiking de ayuthaya kara superhiway
de north mezasitenkedo futaride ironnamon hiroiatumerukotogadekitanowa
sonotoki deaeta subeteno hitotachino okageya..machi no inshou toiuka tabi sonomonoga subete hitode naritatuteirunode hito o toonoketara iitabi ga dekinaku natutesimau .
kokomade koraretakotoni .deaeta subeteno hitoni kansha...!!
sate, bokura crazy japan (bokuno namaewa seishi ) , crazy canada (cam ) no
4 kagetu buriburi no saikaiwa koko Nepal no kathmandu no durbur square no annapurna lodge yatuten .
matutaku onnaji katukoude arawareta crazy cam wa looks thailand no mamayakedo
sono kawaranasaga eetokoyato omou.
koko kathmandu wa aruiterudakede drug wa iranka smoking senka-- tenakanji yakedo deaikata wa totemo daijide peaceful denaito books mo yomarehensi gohanmo taberarehensi meditation mo dekihensi koimo dekihenomou ...
bokuwa mainichi meditation ,drawing, eigono hon (pinoccio no daibouken )yonderu.. konaida crazy cam ni katute moroten..
kono 1weeks pokhala kara annapulna toiu ookinayama ni itutenkedo kathmandu kara pokhala made mata hitch-hiking yarehen ? toiukotode Nepal no hiway de
yatutenkedo pokhala ni tuitara kane kure natuta ..thai dewa hitobitono kokoroiki wa kane
niwa musubi tukahenkatutenkedo dakara itumo good de nice yatutenkedo Nepal dewa kane denaito unhappy na kao suruhitoga ooi..tasikani poor yakedo orewa
kiraiya .datute kuruma orite yeah !! ni narehenmon...!?
ookina yamani tomodachi no cam to itutakaraka kokoroni mainichi suzusii kaze ga
fuiteiru ..tomodachini narutoka ,chantosita painting surutoka ,meditation toka ,
english toka ,honmonono chikara ni suruniwa nandemo jikan ga kakaru omou...
slowly ,sosite peaceful ga daijiya .
kyou cam ga India VISA sinsei sitakara oretachi crazy japan &canada
no sututokodotukoi na tabiga India demo tuzuku noya !
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh !!!!!
seishi crazy japan !?
Posted at 12:20 am by rudecam
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rudecam@gmail.com
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