Tuesday, January 15, 2019

In 1986 there were still steam trains all across India

Of course now this was 33 or 34 years ago so likely there are few or none left now. But then, trains everywhere were steam trains. We took our first train ride as a family from Patna to Varanasi

First we took a bus from Bodhgaya in Bihar State to Patna where the Train Station is:

Map from Bodhgaya, Bihar, India to Patna, Bihar, India

3 h 20 min (123.8 km) via NH22 and SH 1

Then the Steam Train from Patna to Varanasi: I think the last bit was by either rickshaw or taxi or bus. It's been a long time but now I'm thinking maybe taxi or 3 wheeled taxi driven by an 8 year old boy. When we got in no one told us an 8 year old was driving us and we couldn't easily see him because it was raining with green canvas between us and him. So, we didn't know until we got out of the 3 wheeled taxi. There was always a lot of unexpected stuff to sort through in India. Nothing was exactly what it appeared to be then. But, mostly I felt very safe in India because people believed in Karma. So, they were very careful how they treated other people. But, they gave no psychic space at all. What I mean by that is we in the U.S. give other people 3 feet of space and we don't usually psychically violate others mentally. None of this is true (or was true) then in India. So, this is something my family had to get used to there. Also, people stared at us like they would Gurus because that is a sign of respect in that country. So, you might be waiting for a bus or a train and 1000 people might gather around you and stare at you unmercifully because that was their custom then. OR if you camped out you might wake up with 1000 people standing over you staring at you too. So, hotels are necessary in India for this reason, just for your sanity if for no other reason. But, often people are very sweet because of their belief systems and often very kind. But, some can be rude like New York City Taxi drivers, especially almost all taxi drivers like in India. So, you have to be prepared for this too. You have to be prepared for almost anything in India. Almost anything unusual or magical or watching people dying on the streets with no help is something I had to get used to. But, I hear it's changed a lot now.

Map from Patna, Bihar, India to Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

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Then we stayed there and saw the burning Ghat and took a boat out onto the Ganges (my family and friends).

Then we took a steam train to Agra where the Taj Mahal is. At that time you could still walk inside and see the Lingham and Yoni and all the amazing lattice work in marble from the inside.

Map from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India to Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

9 h 13 min

6:47 PM - 4:00 AM

6:47 PM from Varanasi

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from Agra we took a steam train to New Delhi after we walked through the Taj Mahal and toured the grounds there.

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Directions

Map from Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India to New Delhi, Delhi, India

3 h 1 min

1:44 PM - 4:45 PM

1:44 PM from Agra Cantt

then we ate at the Lords Cafe and I had my first Lassi (yoghurt drink).
I didn't have my first Mango Lassi until I returned to the U.S.,
however at an East Indian Restaurant here.

Then my stepdaughter became very ill and I wanted her to get out of the city
and into the Himalayas so she could get well.
So, the family and friends boarded a train to Pathankot, Punjab, India.
From there we took a bus to Dharamshala, India at about 6000 feet in
the foothills of the Himalayas and also where the Dalai Lama lives.

Map from New Delhi, Delhi, India to Pathankot, Punjab 145001, India

9 h

2:10 PM - 11:10 PM

2:10 PM from New Delhi

So, we boarded our bus to Dharamshala and the first night we stayed in the EVerest Hotel I believe.
Then we moved to the Green Hotel which had larger rooms then. We bought a kerosene stove
because at that time it was winter and very cold at night there 25 to 35 at night Fahrenheit and
there were no heaters in the hotel rooms then. So, a kerosene stove allowed us to sterilize water
so we could safely drink it during the night and also stay warm in our rooms there even though
the smell of burning kerosene could be a bit much too to deal with. However, this allowed us to be okay
with everything we were experiencing which was an extreme adventure for about 4 months
time for myself and wife and children then. Our children were 10, 12, and 14 at the time.
And ever since then our children and ourselves have been world travelers.
We all felt like Citizens of Earth after 4 months in Japan, Thailand, India and Nepal.

It greatly changed our world view from the very ethnocentric American one.
And the worst culture shock was not going there it was coming home which
was completely unexpected.

To come home to a place where people don't talk to each other much and hide
in their cars and apartments mostly away from the world
was pretty horrific for us to experience. People we met everywhere often were
very close to death and people like that are often more fearless than here in the
U.S. So, we met amazing people, saw people die there, some we could help
and others we couldn't.

Don't go to places like India or Nepal unless you are prepared to see people die
(at least it was like this 33 or 34 years ago). I haven't been back because I was
busy raising my kids and putting them through college.