I had a feeling that India would be all that I could hope for- a place so foreign and unexpected, stimulating and offensive- a place so different from my comfortable American home, clean rivers, and empty streets. I was right in terms of the basic differences. What I underestimated was the degree- and that's what this place is all about... intensity. Colors are brighter here and more infused with the scenary- clothing, spices, jewelry, sunsets, thalis- they exude color in ways I had never imagined. Smells are stronger here and more pervasive- sterility is an American concept, maybe a Western concept. I'm confused when I DON'T smell anything- like something important is missing. The garbage stinks terribly, piss takes on a new definition of pungent, cardamom and clove are pervasive, exhaust chokes the air, the sweets and treats of Delhi make even the most satiated traveler gluttonous. History continually plays a part in the present- temples tower over new buildings, 600 year old mosques still call devotees to prayer, and the Taj Mahal still steals the heart of anyone lucky enough to catch a glimpse. It's a culture so steeped in energy and so alive, you can't help but enjoy every second.
Will the novelty wear off? Will the constant threat of shit, animal or human, on my boots or smog-induced lung cancer ever send me back home? Will the spicy masalas and ancient religious monuments lose their lustre? Will the dinghy guest house rooms and shared cold water bucket baths make me miss home? I ask myself this because I enjoy my present response- absolutely not. There's so much here- so much stimulation- full body, mind, and spirit exercise- the same street never looks the same. Navigating a country with over a billion people- it's hard to get bored. I'm a fan of all things Indian.
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oh my god . . . or oh my allah! noah james, you need to be a writer! i truly hope and pray that you are journaling your trip in a more expanded version for youself! you write as though you are billy hayes, the author of midnight express. his descriptions of india were so vivid and so frightening to me that when you told me that you were traveling to india, i was afraid for you. it is such an intense world and so often westerners are wrongly accused. i know that you will be safe though. no one could possibly mistake you for someone that would be harmful to any one creature!
one of your friends commented that they are are vicariously traveling the world from the safety and comfort of their couch through your incredibly descriptive postings that i eagerly check for on a daily basis! this is true for me as well!
noah, i can truly and honestly say that i know no one else like you! you have such an incredible zest for everything magnificent! you are doing what i wish i could/would/should have done when i was just a pup.
be safe, be reckless (in a totally safe way~haha), have fun, and soak in every shit smell, spice smell, wandering sacred cow, call to prayer, and cold bucket bath that comes your way!
i love you so much . . . you make your old auntie proud!
love, ti
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