Yes, I made it.
With a sizeable bribe (in the neighborhood of – oh, well, exactly a hundred bucks…) to a senior airline offical at a certain Thai Airlines (oops – I hope I’m not sued when the movie comes out…), I left on my scheduled flight to Bangkok. I recognized the sneers of the employees as I presented my ticket – I felt dirty and excited. The looks I recognized were the ones I used to give to industry interlopers who got great seats/passes/meet & greets for people they didn’t care about, while fans went wanting. Oh fate!
My rather dour look at India in my preceding message was brewed in 36 hours of hellish travel from Nepal in the (vain) attempt to arrive in Delhi before the end of business last Saturday. Two bus breakdowns, a canceled train, five buses over 30 hours – a great, great trip. Did I mention that the temperature was over 110 degrees and the humidity was about, oh, a hundred per cent? This is no traveler bravado tale – it really was that hot. It was like trying to walk through clear jello while getting repeated punches to the head. Now THAT’S hot.
Anyway, I didn’t go to Bardia – you know me and recrossing bridges I’ve already crossed. I ended up going to Chitwan National Park in the Terai. I went with a friend I met on my trip to Tibet – Mia from Hoboken. We swam with an elephant, went on a jungle walk, an elephant ride, and a jeep safari. Everything but the jeep was great. Seems that the jeep driver and guide feel the best way to see animals is to shout at the top of your lungs while driving 60 kmph. I think I’ll try this method at the San Diego Zoo when I get back.
On foot though, got REALLY close to rhinos. My other experience was a yawn compared to this. How close you ask? When I snapped the picture of the rhino, he lowered his head and started to charge. Now that’s fun!
From Chitwan, I took a bus to the border near where the Buddha was born. Then a three hour bus to Gorakhpur, near where the Buddha died. (Is there a theme to this trip or what?) In a second attempt at trying to contract malaria, I allowed myself to be bitten by about a hundred mosquitos on the bus to Delhi. Here’s a test for you, Larium.
So I have to admit to a little sadness at leaving India – a mission completed, an adventure ended. So don’t take all the stinkin’ cesspool talk so seriously. It IS a stinking cesspool, but it is also a bit of heaven, and I would go back again in a second.
Well, got to go – it’s really freaking me out to see all the honkies in
Bangkok.
Sawasdee!
