frgdr.com Blog

Hi everybody!

I am still in Cochin in Kerala state, having the time of my life.
It was so hot these last couple of days but now it's much cooler - and I am in an internet cafe with AIR-CONDITIONING!
Imagine that!

I know I have been slacking with the personal emails, but you cannot say I do not put the extra effort with the general emails.
So here are some more pictures, just in case you are missing me.

The first is of me driving a Rikshaw in Hampi. Rikshaw drivers are a unique form of human beings. Every time you hire a Rikshaw you need to be prepared. A Rikshaw driver will always know how much to charge you for a ride, even if he has absolutely no clue how to get to
the place you want. Many times he will demand a different price than what you agreed at the beginning of the ride, and of course the Rikshaw-meter has one price for Indian citizens and another for tourists (we pay four times as much).
A sense of humor is obligatory.

The second picture is me sitting with some Babas at Hanuman Temple in Hampi. You need to cross the river on a tiny tiny raft, that reminds you of Moses from the Bible. Then you need to climb some 600 steps (590 to be exact, we counted) to get to the temple.
When we arrived, all the Babas, dressed in orange, were having lunch and smoking Chillums.
The view from the top is a-m-a-z-i-n-g.

The third picture is from Sera village south of Mysore in Karnataka state. As you know, many Tibetians immigrated to India after the Dalai Lama fled the country. Sera is one of the villages where these Tibetian refugees live.
The difference between Indian and these villages is astonishing. The streets are so clean there, the people smile and they don't talk to you (i.e. "Rikshaw, Rikshaw, you need a Rikshaw?").
Heaven.

As always, I have put more pictures at my cyber photo
album at:
[…]
Some pictures are also at much better quality, and the map is always updated.

Lots of love from South India,
Shahar.

[10/1/2002 Cochin, Kerala, India]

Hi everybody!

Just a quick update for those of you keeping track:
The last couple of days I have been to Mysore, keeping on track and heading south.
Mysore is a big city so it is way too noisy to stay in.
I went to a village called Sera, which is actually a Tibetan refugee village.
It's amazing to see the difference between the Tibetan people and the Indian people.
The village looks like another country.
So clean, so quite, so peaceful.
It's difficult to comprehend this is still India.

Anyway, This morning I arrived with two friends, Ronit and Oren to Cochin.
My neck is killing me from the 10 hours bus drive - nothing that a good shower wouldn't fix.

Those of you who smoke cigarettes should know that there is actually a fine here if you smoke on the street.
But that's just for Indian citizens. Go figure.

Anyway, I plan to spend here a week or two and then continue south. Apparently, there's a lot to see here, so I'll explore and report to you.

By the way, if you have no idea where all those places I'm telling you are located, and you are too lazy to open an Atlas - go to:
[…]
I have put there a travelling progress map.

Lots of love from sunny India to cold Israel,
Shahar.

[Sunday? 5/1/2002 14:15 Hampi, Karanatake, India]

Hi Everybody!

As promised - some more pictures of me having fun.

The first was taken in the morning after a full moon trance party at Vagator beach, Goa.
A bit different from parties you probably know.

The second is here at Hampi, just outside of my guest house.
Cows are just a thing you need to get used to in India.
Especially notice when a bull is running wild in a narrow alley.

The third is me at Ugra Narasimha statue. Hampi is filled with old temples and statues.
They say that there are as many Gods in India as there are people.
I guess that every person here is an incarnation of God himself, in some way.

Lots of love from Karnataka state,
Shahar.

[2/1/2002 19:13 Hampi, Karnataka, India]

The road to Tiparary may be long,
but the road to Hampi is B^U^M^P^Y.

So, everybody!

Hope you all danced and celebrated New-Year's well.
After Goa's New-Year's party I left to Hampi with two friends, Elad and Yossi.
We arrived in Hampi in the state of Karnataka after a 10 hours drive on the most bumpy roads I have ever seen.

A quick riddle:
Where am I?
1. The sleeper bus gets cancelled.
2. The travelling agency offers no alternative.
3. You end up hiring a Jeep driver for 4 times the amount you should have spent.
4. You try to sleep sitting up for 10 hours with no luck.
5. In the middle of the way, you stop for dinner and the driver vanishes when the check arrives.
6. You stop at 6 different point and the soldiers are looking for alcohol - not drugs.
7. At one of these stops the driver brings a soldier for safety reasons to drive with us.
Yes! You're right. I am in India.

One last thing -
Following are 14 things I learned after 10 days in
Goa:
1. MDMA
2. "Lekases"
3. Filter
4. Chewing Gum
5. Mineral Water
6. "Boof"
7. "Mitpotsets"
8. Munchees
9. Excta
10. Joint
11. Space Cookie
12. Hush Brownies
13. Bang Lassis
14. Chillum
If none of those things ring a bell - don't feel bad.

That's it for now,
Lots of love,
Shahar.