India and Nepal

India

Mumbai

AI arrived into Mumbai at 4 am and had NO CLUE where I was gonna stay. So I jumped into a cab and headed to the Salvation Army downtown. I heard they had dorms that you could stay in for cheap. I arrived around 5am and got a bed for a few hours. The one thing I thought was so strange was how driving in everyone is sleeping on top of there cars or just on the street.

I woke up around 8:30 grabbed some grub then headed to see the gate of India and take a boat to elephant Island.

Both were cool but India got condensed because of the Visa issues in Uganda so I didn't have much time. I went back grabbed my pack and jumped on a 20 hour overnight train to Agra to See the Taj!

Agra

Agra is a cool condensed town that's really main sign in the Taj. I took a moto rickshaw to the east gate and walked till I found a place I heard was good. Took a nice shower and went out to dinner and to see the Taj at sunset. I ended up eating at a great place, met some cool people. Also go to see for the first time kids flying Kites like in the kite runner. They were EVERYWHERE at sunset. It was pretty cool.

I woke up before sunrise and headed to the East gate to see the Taj at sunrise. Definitely worth the lack of sleep. Its very impressive and massive.

After that I left and met up with some Americans I had met the night before and we went out to get some food and book our train tickets. I was off to the holy city of Varanasi.

I took a 5 hr bus and became friends with a sikh high priest. By the end he was calling me his grandson, was pretty cool.

I got to the train and ran across the tracks to barley make my train. It was a 15 hour overnight train that long story short I got a ton of my stuff stolen on. Lesson learned and to others, watch your stuff on Indian trains!

Varanasi

Varanasi is a crazy place. Its where the Ganges river is which is one of the holiest rivers in India. Its is where bodies are burned and or floated down the river. It is very all the sewage from the city is dumped and also were all the locals bath. They also drink the water. Its pretty crazy.

I find my hostel and grab a room. Its a backpackers place so I meet a lot of cool people.

I

got to talk to my mom finally on Skype and she got to see how long my hair and beard have gotten :o)

I also got to talk to one of my best best friends Karen which was great.

We then took a sunset boat out and saw some of the ceremonies. Bodies are burned 24 hours a day here. Its a crazy site. Better if you see from the pictures.


The people who are burned are only those that die or old age. Anyone else is floated or sunk. When they are sunk the bodies sometimes get stuck on the sides. When that happens to the populated sides they are put back in the water. When it happens on the other side they are just left for the animals. We took the boat to that side and saw some nutty things. Skulls and bones scattered along the beach with kids playing. A dog eating a human body that was a few days old. It was intense.

We got back in the boat then went to watch the nigh time closing ceremonies that happen every night , 365 days a year.

We headed back after the ceremonies and hung out. Tomorrow I am attempting to cross into Nepal!


India to Nepal


Get up and get ready for one of the things I am MOST excited about, seeing if I can make it to Nepal. I start off on a train which is around 8 or so hours which gets me to a town that I have to take a bus from to the India Nepal boarder which is around 3 to 4 hours. The rides isn't bad except I arrive at the boarder at 1am. I walk to the boarder and have to wake up the immigration officer who was not happy. I walked across to the Nepal side and see the Army everywhere. There is a lot of issues going on in Nepal at the moment. I wake up the immigrant people and get my Visa and stamped in.

Its now around 1:30 am so I walked up to the army guys and started chatting with them. All SO nice. They tell me a bus doesn't leave for Kathmandu till 4 am. I end up chilling with them and sleeping in the Nepal army Barracks till 4 am, was awesome!

Nepal continued.....

The ride was unreal. The landscape is so different from India. India was flat and Nepal has mountains reaching to the sky covered in green with deep valleys dotted with Temples. The people are so nice. Its an a surreal place.

I get into Kathmandu and find my bed for the night. Kathmandu is marked by busy and narrow streets much like Zanzibar but with Rickshaws and motorbikes all over the place. I headed to the "Monkey Temple". The place in massive and there are monkeys of course all over the place and prayer flags. Seeing it at sunset was pretty cool.

I ended up meeting Justin from Canada after that and we paled around that night. We grabbed some food and then meet these awesome 20 something locals and went to a club that played live music. It was so much fun.


The next day we headed to Pashupatinath to see a famous temple that also did the body cremations and see some spiritual leaders called baba's. Very trippy!

Justin and I said our good byes as I headed back to Mumbai. I had to fly back to Mumbai because of the time crunch. The plane flys out as I get to see Everest peeking through the clouds.

I make a quick overnight stop in Delhi which was fun the Mumbai to Mongolia. Its been a crazy trip so far! I am off to Mongolia to build homes with Habitat for Humanity for the rest of the Month which I am really looking forward to :o)

Kenya

Kenya



After Uganda I caught a 14 hour bus to Nairobi which is the Capital of Kenya. The ride was long but good. I got off the bus and walked to the Africa Hotel which was defiantly in the rougher part but for a few bucks a night I couldn't complain. It had hot water and I felt safe. I woke up early and headed to Karen. I took a local bus and a few mini buses later I arrived at the Sheldrake elephant and rhino orphanage.


This place was awesome. The have elephants who have lost there parents due to accidents in the wild or hunting. They work to rehab them so they can be brought back into the wild.

They do the same for Rhinos. They brought one out and we go to pet in and see them up close. Very cool.

From there I met a guy on the bus and we walked over to the giraffe park. This place was also awesome! Got to feed giraffes , pet them. Lot of fun.

I headed back to town and explored from there. I was read to bid Africa goodbye for now and head to India.

Uganda!

We arrive in Kampla which is the capital and main city of Uganda. The
traffic is supposed to be insane and it is. Its like nothing I have
seen in Africa yet, picture NYC in rush hour without traffic lights.
CRAZY!

We became friends with Stephen, a 19 year old crazy Canadian who has
done a ton of travel. We all jump in a cab and head to the Red Chilli.
It’s a hippie backpackers place and grab dorms for a few bucks and
just chill after a long travel day

Day 2

I wake up and head to the India Embassy to get my visa with Sarah. We
grab some mot bikes and head off.



Looks like I’ll be chillin in Uganda for a bit cause I have to wait a week which is A O K with me.
I’m stoaked to see Uganda. We head back to the chilli, grab some food. While we were gone the group heard about this island in the sessi island in lake Victoria called Banda island. You have to take a small local boat 3 hours so we jump in a cab and head to some island we hope is there, ADVENTURE TIME!

We arrive after an hour drive and find ourselves being lifted up my men on there shoulders and put into the boat.



The water is extremely polluted so they carry you for about 40 cents.







Off we go as day turns to night and the sunsets over lake Victoria.



As we arrive all we see is a massive fire on the beach and lanterns. This is nuts! We get off the boat with a home made lantern and are led to the dorms. The island is like lost.



We put our stuff down and are led to the “Castle”. It’s a crazy home made church like building. We have food waiting and drinks. This place is awesome.



The castle has electric but not our dorms so we are led back and hit the hay. I cant
wait to see what this place looks like in the light.



I wake up and feel like a kid on Xmas. I peek out and see this crazy place we heard about the day before and now are in. Random massive abandoned boats, homemade buildings, randoms dogs roaming, hammocks, this is what its about. We go get breakfast.















We spent the next few days kayaking around the island, relaxing, laughing by the fire at night and just chillin in the hammocks.





The last night there we met Anthony, Tim aka Jesus and Tom who came
just for the night. We all hung out came back to the main land together.



We arrive back on a Friday night and all wanted to go out for a night
on Kampala and boy did we. We went to a random local club, I had a few
dance offs with locals, everyone did there thing and we left around 4
am. Its was a solid night.






We sleep in, grab some grub then head down to explore the markets and
Kampla. Its super busy but fun to see. The markets are PACKED! We
walk, buy some stuff then head back after the sky opens up. I’m some
how convinced to head to Jinja to go Raft class 5 rapids in the Nile
river in the morning, EPP!


We get picked up and head to Jinja, A town alogn the Nile river where
all the rafting places are. Pulling up you hear the rapids. Its
Antony, Tim aka Jesus, Sarah, Alexa and myself. We get the talk, put
on our gear and off we go.

My Dad and just sent me a NYT article all about the Nile and how crazy
the rapids are, the article was correct.

This is a picture of the “Bad place” a class 5 ½. The river has class
6, yes they do exist.



After rafting, flipping, rafting, flipping and some more rafting we
came back, showered and had some dinner. Our rooms over looked the
nile, not bad for $8. We chilled and had dinner. I could not be
happier I am in Uganda now. I had to cut India short but have had a
blast and met some really awesome people.

I say goodbye to my travel buddies of the last two weeks and head back
to Kampala with Tim. I luck out and get my Visa a day early so now its
off to Kenya then India :o)

Rwanda, DR Congo and now Uganda

WOW what a crazy week its been!


Day 1- Kigali, Rwanda

I arrive at the airport by the skin of my teeth because if a massive
police check point from Moshi to the Kilimanjaro airport. I clear
customs, meet an awesome group from UNC going to Rwanda to study
genocide and off I go!

You arrive over lush rolling volcanic hills, its अमज़िंग.



I get to थे airport and no clue where I am staying so I grab my gear and take bus to the center of Kigali for ten cents. I get off and take a motorbike taxi to with my pack and all my gear to hotel Des मिल्ल्सCollines which is what the movie Hotel Rwanda is based on.

I decided to stay at hotel Gloria which the guide book says is cheap
and good. Two things that are important to me. I arrive and walk
through what seem like an abandoned hotel. I unpack in my room with no
running water pull out my hostel sheets cause my mattress smells reeks
of Urine. Reminds me of Tom Hanks hotel in Big.


walk out and grab another moto bike and head to the
genocide memorial.

The memorial is insane. When you see what really happened its hard to
comprehend how over a million people died in 100 days। I spend a few





hours there they grab a bike back to the “hotel” grab some grub and
call it an early night so I can get going early tomorrow.

Day 2- Kigali to Ruhengeri

I wake up early and make my way to the tourist office where you pay
and book your trek to see the endangered mountain gorillas in the north
near the Congo. Turns out hey only accept local Rwandan Visa’s or
cash. Here the thing, Rwanda does not have ONE international ATM. No
joke! You can only do cash advances. So my lovely mom comes to the
rescue and wires me money via Western Union where I meet my travel
buddy, Alexa!

Alexa is awesome, South African girl who just got to Rwanda as well
and is looking for cash. I share what I have learned over the last 3
hours looking for it and we start talking about Tanzania where I just
came and she is going and next thing you know we are on a bus together
north to Ruhengeri. Funny how you meet people :o)



The town exists soley to see the Gorilla’s it seems. Its is that of an
abandoned upstate NY town that you wonder how or why anyone would live
there. We eat and have dinner with a local we met named Stella then
head to bed early since we have to be up at 5:45 am

Day 3 – Moto bikes, Ted Turner and Gorillas!

We wake up and walk in the rain to the bus station where we grab moto
bikes to take up to the park office. It’s a fun 20 min ride in the
morning rain.



We arrive have some tea and hang out. Alexa came and was
gonna try and hike but t he weather was to bad so we chatted with
people as we waited to go.

I started chatting with Mr Ted Turner who started and owns CNN. He was
very cool and nice. Asked what we were doing, asked him the same. We
talked for like 10 min or so then went with our groups.



I hitched aride to the base of the trek with two very nice girls which saved me
$100 so I was stoked. I was going to see the Sabynyo Group which has
the LARGEST silver back on the entire mountain!

We trek through the mud and rain for a few hours. The gorillas move
every day so they can be close or far.


We talk up on them circle infront and WOW! The are massive and we are within a few feet of them.They are eating and playing. They walk towards us as we move and make
way. We trek a bit more and follow them to a clearing where we get to
see something that was truly amazing:











After we hitch a ride back to town Alexa and I pack up and head on a
bus to Gisenyl which is on lake Kiva and where you can cross into the
DR Congo. Buses in Rwanda are awesome btw. Nice change from Tanzania.
We arrive at out lodge which is surprisingly nice and meet Sara. A
brit from northern England and hit it off. We chat all night the 3 of
us and plan on meeting up in the morning.

I decide I am going to the venture into the Congo in the morning. I’m
super excited!


Day 4 – The DR Congo and Kibuye

We meet Sara at her place. Her and Alexa decide to go to the lake.
Sara walks me to the boarder as adrenaline rushes over me. The DR
Congo is one of the most dangerous places in the world at the moment.
The rebels who left Rwanda fled to the Congo and violence is still
very real. I found out from someone after I had left that the day
before rebels attacked the boarder and were killed I’m glad I found
this out AFTER I had made it back safe.

I cross over into Goma , get my visa and grab a bike. I spend some time
exploring. Its much like the rest of east Africa but with TONS of UN
soldiers and NGO workers.








I only spent a short bit of time there since there is not a ton to see
since it is involved in civil war and not very safe. After a bit I
grab a bike back to the boarder, cross back to Rwanda then head to
find the girls.

I find them at the beach on the lake. Sara and Alexa are planning on
going to Uganda together later in the week. Alexa and I are going to
grab a bus to Kibuye that day so we say a quick goodbye and head to
off.

The roads are bad and it takes 4 hours or so but its fun. We arrive
grab bikes ( Yes we take them a lot) to Hotel St Jean which is a cheap
hostel run by the catholic church.




It is also the site were a church
lies that 11,400 people were murdered in 94’.






We get a bed for $4 andcrash. We are waking up at 5 to watch the sunrise

Day 5- Kibuye, our new German friend and Kigali


We wake up and watch the sunrise which is beautiful.


We have a nice breakfast and meet Fillip who works for German government working
with NGO’s. ts Sunday so he joins us. He’ll bee in Rwanda for 2 years.
We explore and find a great hotel


gli
We grab a soda then go swimming in the lake. Its great! Fillip strips
down and jumps in naked. Have to love Europeans. We have food, relax
then walk around exploring the town.



Fillip has offered to drive us back to Kigali. SWEET!

Sara called Alexa and said she wants to go to Uganda the next day. I
decided why not! I’m gong to! We ride back to Kigali with Fillip, Sara
meets us there we go to our rooms near a mosque and crash. Tomorrow
should be exciting!


Day 6- Bye bye Rwanda, Hello Uganda

We wake up, grab some food, I change my flight and we head to the bus.



The bus takes 8 + hours to go to Kampala, Uganda which is the main
city. The bus is long and as we pass the boarder I get my head phones
stolen by customs, oh well. Sucks but what can you do?







The ride is insane! The roads in Rwanda are amazing and Uganda they
are horrible. It was a white Knuckle ride the whole way!



We pass over the equator, arrive and take a ride to the Red Chilli where we stayed
the night. It’s a backpacker lodge, very cool and very cheap, good
combo.


So now I’m off to explore Uganda, raft the Nile then Head to Kenya!