One month and 12 days after...it finally happened!

It had to come the day...

No one can expect to embark on a long journey like this, through places where poverty is an imposed lifestyle and not beeing robbed!

This night it happened to me! I left Rishikesh on my way to Nepal, on a night train. The train trip itself, for the first 3 hours was the worst one i ever had! Hundreds of pilgrims came to the Ganges River to collect holy whater to take back to their hometowns has tomorrow is national hollidays, Shiva's, the hindu godess, day. And they all decided to go back to their villages on the same train I was!

You can see in these pictures how the train was!



I was actually enjoying the trip. Welcome to India I was thinking!:)





These flowers u see, are structures where they carry two buckets of water on each end. They walked from their villages to the river to collect the water, and then they go back by train, bus or whatever. They cannot put this water on the floor, and as u can imagine, they were pretty pissed of when i was hitting them with my huge backpack on my way to my seat!!:)

Around 2 in the morning they left. I came down my bed, put my backpack under to bottom bed (i was on the top one) and, confortably, took out my shoes, got in my sleeping bag for my beauty sleep!

Well...When I woke up, My shoes were gone!!!beautiful nike trekking shoes, gore tex, probably even hand made by some kid in bangladesh...It was love at first sight when I saw them in a shop in Poland...I cannot even tell you how many adventures I had with these shoes, how many KM they already had on them....

COnsolation prize is that they didnt take the backpack! At least a good thing that i'm carrying a stupidly big and over stuffed backpack...not any indian guy can easily steal it!!

Anyhow...It could have been worse. Was a wake up call that I left Muslim countries, with all their flaws (no women, no alchool, no pork meat...) but with NO THIEVES!!!

Next time they'll come I'll be waiting for them!

But I Guess this was a TRIP:



(Found this sign on the door of every bathroom in the train!dont ask me what is, but I guess it stands for smelly, dirty and shitty!:)

Translation of Previous Post

For the ones that dont speak portuguese, the translation of the previous post:

Im in rishikesh, India, the place to come if you are interested in Spiritualism, Yoga, and all that kind of shit.


Wouldnt the world be a better place if everyone spoke portuguese??

Heading to Nepal tomorrow.

Cya then!

Rishikesh-Yoga, yoga, yoga...

Estou neste momento em Rishikesh. Aka capital mundial do Yoga!

Quem me conhece bem, sabe que eu sou um animal do Yoga. Acordo a pensar em Yoga, saio de casa a pensar em yoga, e o meu ponto alto de yoga e' quando vou a casa de banho!

Para quem:

1)Gostar de Yoga
2)Gostar de Meditacao
3)For vegetariano
4)Votar Bloco de Esquerda
5)For xapito
6)Tiver rastas
7)Tiver um cao com pulgas e tocar um instrumento na rua
8)Tiver uma casa a tresandar a incenso
9)Tiverem um par de calcas feitos do mesmo material que os sacos de batatas em amarelo, cor de laranja, ou qq outra cor

sintam-se felizes, porque encontrei o vosso local de sonho! Porta sim porta sim, e' uma escola de yoga, meditacao, massagens e o camandro. Nao se encontra um bife, um bitoque, um hamburger, nada nada, so soja&companhia! so fominha!

Um cheiro a incenso que nao se pode. Ha sempre alguma aparelhagem a tocar musica do genero "Sounds of the Nature"...Vacas por todo o lado (e macacos, nao tou a gozar), tipos embrulhados em trapos que nao tomam banho god knows how long...e hippies, mts hippies.

Mas e' um sitio calmo, ha beira de um rio agradavel, com praias limpas. Um optimo sitio para descansar depois das piores estradas por onde ja passei (nao, nao tou a falar da polonia, mas do paquistao). Baratuxo. Tou a pagar 3 euros por um quarto so para mim, com casa de banho privativa (ler luxo!)

E ha a possibilidade de fazer rafting, fiz ontem. Loucura!:)

Mas sinto que o cerco esta a apertar. A carne de galinha ja nao sabe ao mesmo. Hoje de manha cheguei a pensar durante 1 minuto se deveria experimentar yoga...A este ritmo volto para portugal e o meu ganha pao vai ser lancar fogo pela boca e atirar o diablo ao ar na Visconde da Luz. Os meus pais nao merecem este desgosto.

Como tal, arranco amanha para o Nepal!

Radical Change of Plans!

When I first started this trip, the initial idea was to fly to South America first, in search of good weather (ok, and I admit, Carnaval!:). The price of tickets and the uncertainty wheather you could just buy one way tickets to Brazil(there is the chance the airline would refuse u bording when u were doing your check in because in case of the customs in south america wouldnt let you through, they would be responsbible to fly you back for free!it happened before to many people and so I didnt wanna risk it!).

This and the fact I didnt wanna blow right in the beggining of my trip 500euros or more, led me to take the cheapest flight out of europe. Easy jet to Istanbul.

One month and 9 days later, here I am, in India. Survived two countries in the axis of evil (for sure i would have seen more evil if I had traveled to US...) and Pakistan, the dangerest place of the all itinerary (even though things were alway under control...or so I like to think!:)

The original Idea was to the classic, romantic round the world trip. flying from south east asia to australia and then New Zealand and from there to South America, from where I would take a flight back to Portugal.

Unfortunately I lack two things that is this case, literally make the world go round: time and money!

I will remain in India till end of April (some family obligations as well as "professional" ones...i will go into this in a later post...) So I really would be cruising through South East Asia, Rushing through Australia and New Zealand, and fly to SOuth America only to see maybe Argentina and Brazil (when the original, before thinking, tiago style, was to tour all of them!). There is simply no time for all this (and I doubt Money!:)

Therefore, I already made up my mind (but I reserve my self the right to change it again, if you dont mind), not to go to Australia, New Zealand and South America (this when the sound effects come in and you here the "ohhhh" in the audience!:)

I realised this today, while I was on a rafting trip. After this huge rapid where I almost shit my pants (it was a begginers rapid, but no one needs to know this!) the bonanza settled in, with the mountain landscape surrounding us. Monkeys where coming to the shore of the river to drink water. (soundtrack:violins...)

And I felt that life is to short, but long enough to see everything. and I really should take my time to enjoy this kind of moments.

So...I will take my time and eventually will go back. after south east asia, through china, mongolia and russia taking the trans siberian as the consolation prize not to go around the world... (I will leave that adventure for my middle age crisis!:) I will go back to europe entering Poland, to see my friends, and to Slovakia, to see a certain someone (yes, you!:)

( other reasons behind this decision, more practical ones are: 1)Flying to Australia, to South America and Europe would cost never less that 1500 euros. A lot of money that can be used for some other interesting stuff along the way: rafting, diving,a few nights in the Hilton, etc...)2) When I got to Australia, New Zealand and South America it would be winter there, so i wouldnt really make the most of these places, while in China and Russia will be Summer 3) Australia and New Zealand are really expensive, and would put a severe pressure on my poor resources, and wouldnt be able to enjoy it 4)I really dont want to take the trouble to find cheap flights, that eventually simply dont exist 5) I already got informed for the visas for china and russia and I think I can get them more or less easily in Bangkok. 6) I will have more time to see without rushing asia.I can take time to go to Myanmar, and even Tibet. I will just leave south america and australia for other time).

Ok...I've been uploading the photos I took so far. All of them! It can be a bit boring so just zoom them out, and check just the ones you want! (let me know it the blog will be too heavy to access)

hasta!

India!

After over one month traveling through muslim countries, I arrived in India.

I have to admit the atmoshphere is much more relaxed. Even though I didnt have any problems or felt any danger anywhere, I dont have anymore the feeling if I do something wrong, take the wrong picture or say the wrong words they will cut my hand, stone me to dead or kidnap me!:)

I entered India and got straight into the most holy place for the siks (the indian guys with turbants), the Golden Temple in Armidstar.Siks believe that to be holy u cannot cut any hair in ur body ( dont ask me if this apply to women or not. I rather not think about it!). They also believe in the equality between man and women, so you can see again men and women together praying, what is nice. They believe in many other stuff. But u will have to wait for my book on that to be published in a near future:)

In this temple everyone can stay for free, they have a special dorm for foreigners. very basic, but still free! they also have this huge canteens for thousands for people where everyone can eat for free. Outside u can see dozens of volunteers preparing the food. Only vegetarian food, but nice. It's that kind of food that once you can switch off ur brain not to throw up, u can realise it's tasty!:)

The golden temple itself is really beautiful, right in the middle of a huge holy pool. 24 hours a day there are priests singing and playing so u can really have a feeling of holiness in this place.

I think I will like India...

Pakistan Family Life

Pakistan society is very conservative.

Women dont work.

The ones that come from good families have a university degree, but not to work, but to be able to educate better their kids.

You hardly see women on the street. They are always at home taking care of the children or their parents. They basically only go out for shopping and when they do they always go with mother, brother, father or husband. No fooling around!

A man can only marry when is able to provide the economic support for the wife and the family, as she wont work. So, when someone wants to get married he will tell his parents, sisters and close family for them to find someone for him. In these modern times, adds in the internet and in the newspaper are also used!

So when a suitable candidate is found, the two families will meet, and negociate about the marriage. The brides family will demand that the husband will give some amount of gold to the bride, if anything will go wrong (divorce, death..). Depending on how rich both families are this amount can go up to 1kg of gold!

The husband is expected to have a house or a room (normally the new couple will move into the house of the parents of the husband), and be able to have a good job to satisfy all the needs of the new family. The wife is supose to provide all the material goods (furniture, tv, fridge. In some cases, even a car).

Family is very important in pakistan. People with good job are suppose to look for all the members of the family that are misfortunate. The future wife is suppose to be like a daughter for the parents of the husband and take care of them. As a Pakistan guy told me:

" the 1st duty of the wife is to serve the husband. the 2nd duty of the wife is to serve the husband parents"....

E esta hein??

Pakistan Nowadays

They say that every country has an army. But in Pakistan the army has a country.

In fact, in a country where 75% (!!!) of the government budget is spent on the military this can be true.

The true power lies with the army in Pakistan. Even though it is a democracy, or pretends to be, any time some civil government goes against or menace the power of the army, some military coup install a military government for a few years. it has been like this ever since the formation of the country.

The army came to this powerfull position due to the perception that the country is permanently in danger of attack. By the Indians first, By the afghan government later, by afghans refugees later (that at some point were 5 million!), by the russians, and now by the americans or islamic radicals.

Over its history Pakistan also profited from the problems in neighbouring afghanistan. When the Soviets invaded the country, Pakistan was the base from which american military aid was given to the mujaheidin (the afghan resistence). Of course Pakistan demanded large amounts of money for this, and also all kind of military assistance, which they used to upgrade their army, agains the old enemy india. Nowadays Pakistan is profiting again from the troubles in Afghanistan. Around 80% of Nato supplies come through Pakistan. Of course Pakistan government is beeing very well paid through loans and military aid for their help in the fight agains "global terrorism".


After this quick brainstorming, what's going on in Pakistan nowadays?

There is somekind of democracy, with a civil government, but where the power of the army is always present. The politicians know that they cannot mess too much with the military.

There is huge amount of poverty. THe local economy has a huge problem when it comes to electrical supply. There are power shortages everyday. Lack of education is a big problem, as its not free, and in huge muslim families not all the children can go to school.(if any go...)

Pakistan was able to produce a nuclear bomb. One can only imagine how much money it was spent on this project and was not spent in the economy and on its people.

Nowadays there are several origins for the unsafety in Pakistan:

1)Kashmir is still a " war zone" with a cease fire line, and both armies in combat positions. There is a underground resistance movement in the indian side, supported by Pakistan

2)Some of pakistan religous schools, madrassas, create fightes that fight in different " holly wars" like afghanistan, iraq, and also in Kashmir. These guys sometiems organize bomb atacks in India (like the ones In mumbay). In return indian secret services sponsors some bomb atacks throghout pakistan.

3)The religous fundamentism that pakistan created to fight abroad (afganistan and kashmire) are the main cause for pakistan internal security problems, as they foment etnical divisions between pakistan people (suni and shia, or between punjabis, pastuns, siqs, or any other groups).There are regularly assassinations and bomb atacks a little bit all over the country.

3) People from the tribal areas, that borders afghanistan, are pashtun. The same as taliban fighters in afghanistan. AS both these people are more loyal to their tribe than to their country, they move across the border as they want. American bomb atacks are more and more chasing taliban afghan fighters deep into pakistan tribal areas, creating a lot of civil casualties, with pakistan government agreement. This is causing that Tribal Areas are revolting agains the government, being these places no go areas.

In pakistan every one like to discuss politics so you can learn a lot by talking with people...Everyone agrees that the americans, like the russians wont be able to fight this war. Just because they are fighting people that,like pakistan people describe pastun: when they are born, fires of kalashnikov are fired to celebrate. When they learn how to walk, the father doest reach the hand for support. he gives the machine gun...they live to fight, and after the americans will leave, they will find someone else to fight with. If not, they just fight between them, like they normally do...

Pakistan- A little bit of history

Pakistan, has been involved directly or indirectly in wars ever since its birth.

When the british decided to give independence to India, at first, the idea was to create one single country, for both muslims, hindus and all other religions.
But, the muslims didnt want to be a minority in a Hindu country, fearing that they would always be in disadvantage when the time would come for important decisions. Therefore they lobbied and managed for the british to concede and create a separate country for them. All the governors of each province (that sometimes were kings, princes, marajas, or whatever) were asked to which country they wanted to belong, according to the composition of their population. Two major areas for muslims existed, and therefore it was created East Pakistan and West Pakistan (East Pakistan came to become Bangladesh after a brief civil war agains west pakistan, where India helped the soon to be bangladesh army).

After the borders were defined, the biggest migration of people in modern times took place. Muslims moved west towards pakistan and hindus moved east to India. In this migration, riots and killings took place, beeing murdered over 500 000 people.

WHere does Kashmir enters the equation?

The "sultan" of kashmir was a hindu, but the majority of people were muslims. So he was kind of in a indecision. To "help" him make up his mind, an army made up of people from the tribal areas of paquistan (pastun people, the same from where the taliban come from) invaded Kashmir, to prevent the chance of the maraja would decide to stay in India. The sultan, in face of this invasion asked for the help of the Indian army. And, just a few months after the independence of the two countries they were at war. India captured great part of Kashmir, till a cease fire was signed...since then a few small wars were fought but the stand still remains since then.

International community wants that a referendum be held in the territory so that people from Kashmir can decide for themselves. Probably, as the majority is Muslim, they would vote for a Pakistan integration. Other people think they would vote to be an independent country, since Pakistan is not a safe, stable or rich country that they are eager to join with. Anyhow, India is not interested in holding this referendum, as the loss of this territory would be a major political defeat that no government could resist.

Pakistan II

After I survived(barely) the journey through the desert, we got to quetta in the middle of the night. THank god I was with this pakistanese guy. THe bus stopped in an alley full of taxis (most of taxis here are rickshaws, a moto bike with 3 wheels). He told us it was not safe to stay in quetta as it had occured a few assassinations in the last week ( i came to realise that this is normal stuff in pakistan. Everyone is killing each other, due to etnic and religious tensions. Normally tourists are not harmed, but you know, once in a while, some japanese is caught in the middle!:)

So, after a 16 hours bus ride through the desert, we caught a 24 hour train (sleeping wagon!i deserve some confort once in a while!) to Lahore, the true capital of Pakistan. Islamabad is like the Political capital. All the government, embassies and bomb attacks are there!)so..nothing interesting to see.

So, once in Lahore, I came to a reality I havent seen before. I've seen poverty and dirtyness in many places, but only here I've seen misery. And this is nothing compared with India they say. Central Lahore is just one big pile of polution, rickshaw taxis, horses and donkeys pulling wagons, cars, trucks, fruit sellers, barbers cutting hair in every second corner, piles of garbage everywhere, electric whires all the time over your head.

It's the beggining of the 3rd world. Iran is Europe compared with this!

Would I advise people to come?Absolutely! Once you get used to all this poverty and dirty, you will be able to apreciate the culture.

People are really nice. And anyone that has a little bit of education speak english, what is great for talking with locals. Food is great (if u can forget all known concepts of higyene to mankind!). Spicy and tasty! ANd cheap! Average meal costs 1 euro.(if you eat where all pakistan people eat! I havent been it restaurant for turists!)

Lahore has also some nice monuments, some mosques, palaces..But the highlight of Pakistan is definetly the North, where you have all the Mountains. The second highest mountain in the world, and more dificult to climb than the Everest is here, the so called K2.

Unfortunatly 2 reasons stop me of getting to know more of this great country. THe first one is the weather. Most of the nice places for trekkin are full of snow now. May is the start of the season to visit North Pakistan. THe other reason is security. Swat valley, the switzerland of Asia like its known, is a stage of military operations agains religious extremists (taliban u can say so). other areas, like the tribal areas, on the border to pakistan are also no go zones for tourists or for everyone that wants to stay out of troubles.

Having said this, I recomend people to come to this great country. Maybe wait a while till this internal insurgents are put under control, so you can see more parts of the country. If not, you can always come and visit the Northern Areas and enjoy great trekking scenarios.

I will upload some photos and videos but internet here is as primitive as the brain of a taliban. So, I will wait till India!

Pakistan

When I crossed the border from Iran to Pakistan, I had the same feeling and impression that i had taken the wrong bus and was entering in afghanistan. The same kind of landscape you see on news about afghanistam, the same kind of people (everyone knows how afghani people look after seeing Rambo 3. If you didnt see this movie, than im sorry for ur unhappy childhood!)

Im writting in english cause i realised i have a good excuse for poor writing and spelling and i will reach to more people. Previously i suspect i had 3 people reading my blog (my parents and sister).know im setting my objectives high and maybe as many as 4 people will start reading it!

First taxi i caught after the border: a pick up truck, just like the one taliban use. it just lacked the mashine gun on the back part!:)

My travel companion for this trip consisted of a chinese guy, that came from the eastern western part of china, the muslim part. They have like the same kind of struggle that Tibet has for independece. Only problem is that they dont have a dalai lama or soma budist stuff to call atention to world media!

The other guy who was traveling with me an interesting guy. He was a pakistani, working in construction in Tehran (everyone knows how tehran atracts labour force from all over the world, right up there with london and new york!) and came for a 2 weeks visit to his family. Before he had tried to cross ilegaly from Turkey (to where he had got illegaly as well, crossing the snowing mountains from iran on foot)to Greece, paying around 2000 dolars to some guy. He was caught, and because he would have to pay a huge fine if he was returned to the pakistan authorities, he did what normally pakistani do in these situations. they just hide their passports, say they are from afganistan! They are dropped somewhere in this lovely country from where they cross back into pakistan. they give one dollar to the border guard, and voila, back into pakistan, ready for another adventure.This guy next destination was australia.He had already contacts for crossing from indonesia to australia.6000 dolares. A risky investment but worth it!

From this border i embarked on the worse experience in my life.A 16 hour bus ride, sitted right above the back weels, from where i could feel all the holes in the road (most of the time didnt existed)crossing of the desert of baluchistan. No stopping or slowing down. This place is widely known for banditism and taliban hide out.

Welcome to Pakistan!