I’ve added sunglasses…

…to my long list of things to take to India. I refuse to buy an i-pod. Read Mark Manson’s blog about India…

“I have been to 40 different countries. Yet India made the most indelible impression of any of them. And not for all of the right reasons. Frankly, it’s not a pleasant place to be.

The first thing that strikes you about India is how dirty it is. In a word, the place is disgusting. All of it. The entire country. Never before have I seen mountains of garbage the size of a small house stacked on the side of a road, in broad daylight, in the middle of a city, repeatedly. Dumpsters tipped over and overflowing. Mounds of trash — wrappers, cups, papers, napkins, strewn all about, mixed with sludge from the soda and urine and spit coagulated from thousands of daily passersby.

Like the dust, the garbage never ceases. …And that is the second thing to strike you about India. The poverty….. Limbless men stewing about in their own feces….. A man with his leg literally rotting off to the bone, maggots and all, laying on the curb. It’s everywhere. …After a couple days, I was excited to hire a driver to go to Agra because I figured I’d be able to see some countryside and escape the stench and horrors of the city. But no. The entire four hours between Delhi and Agra was an unending stream of people, garbage and cars, with billows of dust drafting in our wake the whole way down.”

POST MASCULINE ; Radical new perspectives on life:DUST OVER INDIA (6.12.11)

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://postmasculine.com/a-dust-over-india

About Mark Manson…

Mark Manson is from Austin, Texas, USA and graduated from Boston University in 2007. He began coaching men informally that same year, taking them out to local bars and helping them approach attractive women.
Mark founded Practical Pick Up in 2008 and has since worked with hundreds of men in 12 different countries and four different continents. He’s given over 40 public presentations worldwide and has been interviewed for news shows and magazines. In 2011, he changed his business to PostMasculine.com.  He currently lives a mobile lifestyle traveling and residing across the globe. He can be reached at mark@postmasculine.com.

 

 

An Idiot Abroad ...

KARL MEETS SWAMI G

3:57; “ i thought that was it..then suddenly..it’s oh...like dunk your head...3 times ...3 dunks...you don’t  do that with a ginger nut, in a cup of tea...that’s a 2 dunk.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnJjScj0lHs&feature=related

An Idiot Abroad ....

FESTIVAL OF COLOUR AND BABA PEOPLE

episode 2 India - Best bits and highlights. Karl Pilkington travels to India in an Idiot Abroad

FESTIVAL OF COLOURS…

“ I don’t know what’s going on- everyone just looks like they’re painters and decorators”

“I just hope we don’t stop at any more traffic lights , cos every time we stop, someone slaps my face with a load of colour”

Normally if I’m messing around with paint, I’m quite a tidy worker- this wouldn’t happen

“It is paintball basically but without the safety…there’s no goggles involved- there’s just booofff”

THE BABA PEOPLE

“ this is a bit weird isn’t it? They’re supposed to have special powers aren’t they? But look at em…I thought they be more religious looking, you know what I mean, all prim and proper, some of them haven’t even got pants on”

“ the 1^st baba reminded me of Bill Oddie…even though he’s this mystical man, I was thinking ‘ I haven’t seen the Goodies for ages’”

“Then the other baba looked like Jim Morrison…there he was stark bullock naked…shades on….he was concerned about hurting his eyes in the sun but he wasn’t worried about sunburning his arse cheeks”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgjFmhs5rk8&oref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.nz%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3Dthe%2520idiot%2520abroad%252C%2520india%26source%3Dweb%26cd%3D3%26ved%3D0CHEQFjAC%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.youtube.com%252Fwatch%253Fv%253DTgjFmhs5rk8%26ei%3DpPIRUJOgKISViAfsoYHQDQ%26usg%3DAFQjCNEh5zw8nf4jw7KK4_f2mLr9r3tywg&has_verified=1

An Idiot Abroad ...

TAJ MAHAL

9:20 mins; “ Compared to out there this is peaceful! And I think that’s why Diana came here. That’s why she looked fed up. She probably had the shits for 2 days, sick of the racket, crap hotel. She’s like ‘God when am I going home’. Nothing to do with her marriage break up- it’s India!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD_UC6jupdA

Via Agra…

play on words ‘via Agra’.( Via Agra, a small diner in the outskirts of The City of London.)

Flights and dates confirmed

From: Craig

Sent: Friday, 20 July 2012 3:39 p.m.

To: Ann

Subject: RE: OK!

Hi

 Luke and Ann

2 passengers:

19DEC Auckland - Kuala Lumpur

20DEC Kuala Lumpur - Chennai

07JAN Delhi - Kuala Lumpur

07JAN Kuala Lumpur - Auckland

 Harry

Coming from New York:

Return economy flights with Emirates

19DEC New York - Dubai

21DEC Dubai - Chennai

07JAN Delhi - Dubai

08JAN Dubai - New York

please confirm all good

Spiritual India…

·         Bodhgaya is the most important Buddhist pilgrimage place in the world. Located in the state of Bihar, it’s here that Lord Buddha became enlightened during intense meditation under a Bodhi tree. The exact spot is now marked by the sprawling Mahabodhi Temple complex.

·         Spiritual journey to the soul of India's religious culture, the Golden Temple, home of the Dalai Lama, Amritsar, Dharamshala .. Amritsar was founded in 1577 by Guru Ram Das, the fourth guru of Sikhs. It’s the spiritual capital of the Sikhs and gained its name, meaning "Holy Pool of Nectar", from the body of water around the Golden Temple.

·         Rishikesh, the birthplace of yoga, is a popular place to come and meditate, do yoga, and learn about other aspects of Hinduism. It’s situated on the banks of the Ganges River, surrounded by hills on three sides, not far from Haridwar in Uttarakhand.

·         Ancient Haridwar (the "Gateway to God") is one of the seven holiest places in India, and one of the oldest living cities. Located at the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, it's particularly popular with Hindu pilgrims who come to take a dip in the holy waters of the fast flowing Ganges River and wash away their sins.

·         Varanasi, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, is another of the seven sacred Hindu cities with a very old history. Known as the city of Lord Shiva, the god of creation and destruction, it’s believed that anyone who dies here will be liberated from the cycle of reincarnation. 

I vomited all night ...practicing for India.

DO.NOT.GOOGLE.VOMIT.Ann

Interesting things in India; 11

Jallikatti-Bull taming

Jallikattu (Tamil) or Eruthazhuvuthal or Manju Virattu is a bull taming sport played in Tamil Nadu as a part of Pongal celebrations usually on Mattu Pongal day. This is one of the oldest living ancient sports seen in the modern era. Although it sounds similar to the Spanish running of the bulls, it is quite different. In Jallikattu, the bull is not killed and the 'matadors' are not supposed to use any weapon. It is held in the villages of Tamil Nadu as a part of the village festival. The festivals are held from January to July, every year. Jallikattu's been played first in Palamedu,a village located near madurai on January 15 which was getting famous in recent years followed by the world-famous "Alanganallur-Jallikattu" in Alanganallur, another village near Madurai on 16 January.

 “Save India’s reputation: End Jallikattu’’  http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/article2831802.ece

Interesting things in India; 10

Kabaddi

The name may be derived from the Tamil word "kai" (hand), "pidi" (catch), which could be translated into "Holding Hands".

Two teams occupy opposite halves of a small field and take turns sending a "raider" into the other half, in order to win points by tackling members of the opposing team; then the raider tries to return to his own half, holding his breath and chanting the word "Kabaddi" during the whole raid. The raider must not cross the lobby unless he touches any of his opponents. If he does so then he will be declared as "out". There is also a bonus line which ensure extra points for the raider if he manages to touch it and return to his side of the field successfully.

In the international team version of kabaddi, two teams of seven members each occupy opposite halves of a field of 10 m × 13 m in case of men and 8 m × 12 m in case of women.^[1] Each has three supplementary players held in reserve. The game is played with 20-minute halves and a five-minute halftime break during which the teams exchange sides.

Teams take turns sending a "raider" to the opposite team's half, where the goal is to tag or wrestle ("confine") members of the opposite team before returning to the home half. Tagged members are "out" and temporarily sent off the field.

The goal of the defenders is to stop the raider from returning to the home side before taking a breath. If any of the seven players cross the lobby without touching the raider he will be declared as "out".

The raider is sent off the field if: the raider takes a breath before returning or the raider crosses boundary line or a part of the raider's body touches the ground outside the boundary (except during a struggle with an opposing team member).

Each time when a player is "out", the opposing team earns a point. A team scores a bonus of two points, called a "lona", if the entire opposing team is declared "out". At the end of the game, the team with the most points wins.

Matches are categorized based on age and weight. Six officials supervise a match: one referee, two umpires, a scorer and two assistant scorers.

Interesting things in India; 1

Bull surfing in Kerala-   FOLLOWUP

Craig sent an email….

Sent: Saturday, 14 July 2012 10:12 p.m.

Subject: check this out!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hdQJ8uAk9g&feature=g-vrec

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

BACKGROUND BBC documentary filmed in Kerala, India as part of the series Colin and Graham's Excellent Adventures. In this episode they travel to Kerala and take part in the sports of kabaddi and bullsurfing.

In addition to his journalism career, Graham Little runs a media services company called NPE Media Ltd. Little is married and has two young sons. He climbed Mt Kilimanjaro on honeymoon in Africa and has completed a series of endurance challenges including the Marathon des Sables in 2012, cycling a mountain stage of the Tour de France in 2010, and swimming from Europe to Asia across the Dardanelles Strait in Turkey. He also captained a Team No Prior Experience to victory in the inaugural Race Around Ireland ultra-endurance cycle race in 2009, and in July 2011 was part of a relay team that broke the record for swimming the entire length of Lough Erne in his native County Fermanagh. Little's team completed the swim in 19 hours and 6 minutes, beating the previous best by three hours.

Colin Carroll is an Irish lawyer, sport scientist, TV presenter and writer. Aside from climbing some of the world’s highest mountains and motor-biking around South America, Colin is Elephant Polo World Champion (Nepal, 2005), became Ireland’s first ever competitor in the Sumo World Championships (Japan, 2006) and holds the World Record in the 3-legged marathon (Cork, 2008). Colin established various sports governing bodies including Sumo Ireland and Synchro Ireland as well as launching the ‘Paddy Games’™, an alternative competition to the Olympics

Now when I get an email saying ‘ check this out!!!!!!!’  it is usually from Harry or Luke and features a world record vomit ,or someone throwing themselves off a building 4000m high, or someone being tattooed somewhere like the back side of their tongue. So if I even bother going there it is a miracle. Ann. Check out 23:32  for the bull surfing, but the whole vid is really watchable..that might have a bit to do with them being fecking gorgush

SheWee…

I thought Mum and Christine were playing an elaborate joke on me… when they both told me I could buy a She Wee to avoid using toilets in India. Have a look at Paul Henry talking about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXE3yRgmZ5s

Email from Don…..
Re; Indian Elephants

From: Don

Sent: Saturday, 14 July 2012 2:56 a.m.

Subject: RE: INDIA here we come

You were always so photogenic when squeezed between a couple of Elephants

………………………………………………………

From: Ann

Sent: Saturday, 14 July 2012 5:57 a.m.

Subject: RE: INDIA here we come

Actually the photographer probably thought that model was looking a bit fat and decided the elephants would make her look thinner…I am surprised elephants are not used more in fashion photography.

Interesting things in India; 9b

African Elephants

An easy way to identify the African Elephant is checking for giraffes or lions/leopards etc in pic

Interesting things in India; 9a

Indian Elephants

One way to identify India (asian ) elephants is to look for a woman standing next to elephant in a sari…or elephant wearing Indian cosmetics

Interesting things in India; 9

Differences Between African and Asian Elephants

 There are many differences between Asian and African elephants. Both types of elephant are members of the same taxonomical family, elephantidae, but are of a different genus; elephas maximus (Asian elephants, Loxodonta africana (African savanna elephants) and Loxodonta cyclotis (African Forest Elephant).  

 Size The African elephant is significantly larger, with bulls growing up to 4m tall. The biggest Asian males reach no more than 3.5m 

 Weight Adult African elephants weigh between 4,000-7,500kg. Asian males weigh between 3000-6,000kg. 

 Head Shape African elephants have fuller, more rounded heads. The top of the head is a single dome whereas Asian elephants have a twin-domed head with an indent in the middle. 

The lower lips of the two species also differ, being long and tapered in Asian elephants and short and round in Africans. 

Size of the Ears It is said that you can tell where an elephant comes from by looking at the size of his ears. African ears are like a map of Africa and Asian ears smaller like the shape of India. African ears are much bigger and reach up and over the neck, which does not occur in Asian elephants.

Skin African elephants' skin is more wrinkled

Ribs In general, African elephants have more ribs than the Asian species, though the number of ribs varies in individual animals. African elephants have up to 21 pairs, Asians up to 20.

 Tusks All African elephants, male and female, have tusks - whereas only some male Asian elephants have tusks. African tusks are generally bigger. About 50% of female Asian elephants and a small percentage of males have small tusk like teeth known as tushes.

Teeth The lamella profile along the top of the molar teeth of the two species is different with ridges on Asian elephants' teeth being more tightly compressed.

The Trunk The African elephant’s trunk is visibly more heavily ringed and is not as hard as the Asian trunk. 

The trunk tip is a major difference between the species. The African trunk has two distinct fingers which it uses to pick up and manipulate objects. The Asian elephant has only one ‘finger’. The Asian compensates for this by holding objects against the underside of the trunk and appears not to suffer from any lack of maneuverability. 

 Toenails Toenails in the two different species of African elephants vary. As they do between the African and Asian elephants.  

African forest elephant       5 nails on front feet           4 on the back 

African savanna elephant   4 nails on front feet           3 on the back

Asian elephant                   5 nails on front feet           4 on the back (rarely 5)

Interesting things in India;8

“Colours of India”

Conqueror Paper celebrated ten years of production in India with “Colours of India”, a print advertising campaign featuring faces composed of rolls of paper seen end on and created by Mumbai based Anant Nanvare.

Interesting things in India;7

Goat Dragging

Goat Dragging or Buzkashi is a popular Afghan sport played on horseback in central Asian countries such as Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, northern Pakistan, India and Kazakhstan. Buzkashi can be compared to the game of Polo – there are two teams and players ride on horses, just like in Polo, but instead of the ball is used a carcass of a headless goat or calf.

The goal of the game is to grab the carcass and then get it clear of the other players and pitch it across a goal line or into a target circle. Competition is typically fierce, as other players may use any force short of tripping the horse in order to thwart scoring attempts. The riders will carry a whip, often in their teeth, to fend off opposing horses and riders.

Response from Don…

From: Don

Sent: Thursday, 12 July 2012 9:59 a.m.

To: Ann

Subject: RE: INDIA here we come

Chance of  a lifetime..Would need to rob a bank.....

This photo shows robbing a bank with an Indian sidekick. Ann

Email from Craig…

From: Craig

Sent: Tuesday, 10 July 2012 10:46 p.m.

To Ann

Subject: RE: INDIA here we come

considering Dons input/interest I think you should invite him along.  Total cost about $5000 including flights, hotels, trains, taxes, meals. even numbers always better than odd!