The Daily Destination- Cochin, India: Ayurvedia

Ayurvedic Massages or Awkwardly Hilarious Nudist Rubbing Massage

One of the most relaxing things about Asia is it's cheap massages. Yes, you have to deny 100 people a day for their 'masaaaaage'. Yes, about 50% of the time the woman giving you a massage is not enjoying her job that day. Yes, 25% of the time there is a dude or ladybody giving them. But you can't deny that ~$5/hr is an incredible deal! Getting a Thai massage is an experience no backpacker misses. So it is ingrained in my mind that I can assume the same principles for India. I was wrong. Go figure!

There is an ancient healing practiced in India called Ayurvedic medicine that bases on Hindu principles of treating the mind, body, and spirit all in one. Just the idea of a natural holistic medicine practiced for over 6000 years adds to the mystique for me. Read through India's books of wisdom, 'The Vedas', Ayurveda is living through principles of a balanced life found in the simple and permanent laws of nature. Therefore it is thought by many as the first form of medicine, the one we were born instinctively with. Everyone is treated as an individual and therefore everyone is placed in three basic body types with a margin for body combinations of the three. It is said by those who practice to be considered the fountain of youth in it's simple yet affective way of treating ailments. Basically the way we look physically, move, and behave is directly correlated to the way we treat our bodies. Changing your diet and exercise to match your body type is natural science, the Science of Life.

Whether you're a believer in these holistic approaches or not, I'm not here to judge, but I'd love to share my story with you.

Me being me I decided to have a day of New Experiences in Cochin, India. I went and got fitted for a saree, then went to see a Keralan Kathakali dance performance, and topped the day off with an Ayurvedic 1.5 hour therapeutic massage. So I have it all booked out at this lady's house who was recommended to me by my rickshaw driver-turned impromptu friend. I go there and everything seems ok. She makes me fill out a questionnaire filled with all sorts of questions from eyelash thickness to stool frequency.  I am then lead into a room where she closes the door behind her and shuts the curtain. She instructs me to take off all my clothes and lie down on her wooden table. She doesn't leave the room. I didn't even get a towel or anything. So I'm down to my granny panties and she say something along the lines of "yes all of it, it's nothing I haven't seen before" in that Indian-Brittish accent. I don't think I've ever been fully naked in front of my doctor before, never mind a random Indian lady in a strange country. Naked. And of course I went for the hour and a half treatment!

 I should've known better to do something like that here, but I just couldn't resist. I just couldn't believe that Indian people, who by culture could not be any more conservative in their beliefs and behaviours, were rubbing close to the private parts of people with hot oil! You can never expect what is expected in India. Take my advice.

To be honest, it was hard to relax at first. I started the massage lying on my back, legs slightly spread while she did some routine prayer and dabbed my pressure points with scented oil. I'm just naked and uncomfortable at this point. There was no bedside manner, there was no protective towel, and there was nowhere to focus my eyes except the back of my eyelids. I actually opened them once or twice, got freaked out when she caught my gaze, and promptly went back to fake-relaxing. And then a thought occurred to me that I will never see this person again in my life. Who cares if she is erotically massaging me? I might as well enjoy it because I paid for it!

You know what? It worked. I just relaxed and let her do her thing. It wasn't erotic at all when I just stopped panicking in my head and let go of my insecurities. She was a professional and was doing her job. When the massage was finished she started her home-made steam bath made out of a wooden box, I sat with just my head poking out-absolutely roasting in the Indian summer heat. As a finishing 'touch' she toweled me off (all the dead skin came with it) and I can promise you that I've never felt better in my entire life! Although it was a 10 minute walk back to my guesthouse and by the time I arrived I was already dusty. That's India for you!!

Chai-ddicted!

Chai-ddicted!

Imagine you are walking down the street in India. Every part of a house is painted a shade of vibrant, gaudy color personifying personal taste. Every truck has a 'blow horn' sign on it creating a cacophony of a deafening orchestra. Every chai wallah is preparing clay cup after clay cup of sugar-infused deliciousness, just waiting to create mini flavor explosions on your tongue. Chai time declares that it is break time. These five minutes enable the mustachioed men to enjoy time away from laborious jobs, discuss politics, and allow us tourists to escape the hectic heckling. My tongue is dancing around in my mouth and I am chai-ddicted!
Even though the British brought the tea cultivation to India, the Indians have done what they do to all foreign influences- add spice, in every sense of the word! The preparation of chai is not only a culturally practiced tradition but each single ingredient adds value for the body, mind and spirit. For example Ginger to prevent disease and cardamom to help digestion.
 Chai is the constant companion in all the lands here. With regions varying distinctly in religion, politics, and hygiene, it is wise to assume that all chai is not the same chai. Going from East Bengal to West Bengal by train I had the uncomfortable experience of waking up early in the morning to find my milk and sugar substituted by salt and lime! I later discovered the difference in the chai stemmed from both economic and cultural views; in the smaller, rural areas sugar is unaffordable and milk is revered because it comes from the holiest of animals.
 As I sip the dregs from my clay chai pot, I realize that tea is the basis of culture in many countries but in India it visually represents the sweetness in life- which is needed when life gets hard here for many millions of people. Through India's chai culture, I have learnt that Eastern mentality emphasizes visualization and creation whereas my Western mind requires reasoning and rationality and that is the main reason why many foreigners find Incredible India to be frustrating at times. For this chai moment in time I have adopted their philosophy and savored in every minute detail that awakens each one of my senses like never before. To me, my chai-ddiction allows me to sit back and take in the sensory overload comfortably. These rare moments in life create everlasting impressions in my memory and are essentially what I live for as a traveler.
The perfect masala chai!
- crushed white peppercorns
- sliced dry Ginger
- cinnamon
- clove
- black tea powder
- sugar
1. Mix half milk and half water in a pot. Open flame works the best.
2. Add all above ingredients
3. Heat until the milk boils and bubbles to the top. Froth milk by lifting on and off the fire a few times.
4. Strain into a tea pot and serve for amazing responses.
*come to India for the real authenticy stuff! You won't regret it

Backpacker Hotspots in India

Backpacker Areas for India

For me, india was hard to meet people. It's not like Asia where backpackers are everywhere. I found it really helpful to not have specific places to stay, but more of a general idea where to go in each city. Here are some tips for places to stay or places that a lot of travelers hang out in!
New Delhi- Pahar Ganj, moonlight rooftop restaurant
Kolkata- Sudder St., Spanish cafe
Agra- backside of Taj (so you can see it during breakfast)
Varanasi- near the burning ghat or Assi ghat
Brown bread bakery near burning ghat, Blue Lassi, or pizza place near Assi ghat
Darjeeling- go up the stairs, anywhere up from drop off point
Joeys bar is awesome, and warm
Mumbai- Colaba, leopolds cafe to eat near the Gate of India
Goa- anywhere by the beach
Gokarna- paradise beach- hippy hangout, free to camp out, bring a hammock but nowhere to put valuables
Half moon beach- quiet and cute family owned place, great food and people pass by all day
Om beach- relaxing, more restaurants and people same with Kudley beach
Gokarn- if looking at the sea go right along the beach to find something, wear shoes the sand is hot
Cochin- Fort Cochin. You can get free rickshaw if you go into a store. Don't need to buy, but driver gets 100 rps gas voucher!

Kashi Restaurant :)
Varkala- cheap places on the beach. If looking at the sea the right side cliff is busy with homestays and shops and the left is more quiet with Ayurvedic spas and nice guesthouse overlooking the cliff
Allepy- houseboats
Jaipur- peacock restaurant above pearl palace hotel
Pushkar- anywhere around the lake
Udaipur- central area near the lake with the palace
Hampi- across the river, but make sure to check out the ruins on the front side too!

1 week in India- Some things I have noticed

1 week in India and some things I have noticed.

1. I have yet to see any cockroaches or rats in Culcutta yet- whereas I had seen them every day in Asia and India is suppose to be dirtier.
2. The dogs are not your friends
3. Honking is part of their culture
4. They don't really have a word for 'please'
5. Cab drivers will Avoid using the meter at any cost and ultimately screw you over with the price asked. If you do get one with a meter, the price will be doubled (I have yet to find out why). Also, if you are carrying your backpack expect to pay double what that journey would normally cost.
6. Everyone will stare at you, get used to it. Although Indian men are generally shy and usually won't cat-call or touch you
7. Going on the internet is a process. Bring your passport and expect to get your photo taken
8. Buying a train ticket is a process. Bring your passport. Try and go to the tourist quota 2 days before departure. Use cleartrip.com or planmytrip.com. Don't get MB (middle berth). I prefer the UB (upper berth) or SB (the side). This works good for sleeper class. If you don't want the hagglers and chai wallahs in your carriage, go for the AC section. Those get booked up months in advance, but there's something called Tatda (please someone correct me here because I forgot the spelling) that holds back AC tickets. If you go to the train station the day before at 8am, you can get one of these tickets for 200-300 Rps more expensive. If I'm with a friend I just go for sleeper class. It's really not so bad! Unless you're sick.
9. Getting accommodation is a process. Bring your passport. Try and call to make reservation because places get booked quick.
10. Don't let 9 year old girls give you henna. Even if it's cute at the time it is ugly for the next 30 days
11. Everything is interesting. If you give a drunk monkey a camera he will eventually snap a good photo, but give a camera to a drunk monkey in India and they will all be good photos.
12. Everyday you wake up and you play the game of India. Some days you win, most you lose, and some days you are really moody and just don't feel like playing their game. Those are days you should stay in your hotel/hostel.
13. If you plan on going higher up in altitude, bring appropriate clothes.
14. I can't believe how much pushing and shoving goes on at some of the places of worship. I was at the Kali temple in Culcutta and it was everyone for themselves. You would think that their religions- or any religious place anywhere, you would try and be respectful of others. But no. I guess they don't call Kali the God of Destruction for no reason!

15. Anytime you don't want something, like chai for example, a chai wallah is always around. But, anytime you actually want something like chai, you can't actually find it!
16. Everything sucks mad donkey balls when you're sick. And it's not a matter of if you will get sick, but when. YOU WILL GET SICK. And everything that was once interesting, will become tiring and horrible. Especially getting sick on a train. Not fun! Prepare to be in bed for a few days, so look for a good hotel with a tv. (They have Indian Discovery Chanel!) If you have antibiotics, and you should, just take them. It's definitely not the best approach, but it will put you back on your feet much faster than anything else. Don't take cloggers that block you up. There's obviously something that needs to come out.

Not Recommended by the Lonely Planet!

Side note here: everywhere in Asia has stupid advertisements saying "recommended by Lonely Planet". Everyone walks around clutching the lonely planet, therefore leading almost the entire 'n00b' backpacker community to the exact same destinations and to have the exact same experiences. Furthermore, it's not even for backpackers! Yes they have the Southeast Asia on a Budget and those books, but for the most part it has high end eats and comfy posh sleeps. The reality comes in 2 parts. One being the fact that as soon as they leave their "westernized" fanciness and hit the street, they will inevitably be even more culture shocked than stepping off the plane! And the second thing is that I would say 90% of travelers are between 20-35 and probably don't have that kind of money- especially if they are on extended trips. Then you get those people who take holidays, but let's be honest, most people get 2-3 weeks a year holiday and why would you need an 1000 page book for 21 days? So why is the lonely planet so damn popular? I scrapped reading those even before I left home! My advice: talk to people!!! Not only will you have a conversation starter, meet new friends, but get valuable CURRENT information regarding the place of your choosing, and you might even find out about something that wasn't on your radar! Also, buy local maps from local people. Don't be afraid to throw your lonely planet out and eat where YOU want. Eat street food with the locals (watch them cook it and you should be good)! Sleep in dorms with other backpackers to share experiences with them! Go on a walk and discover something new! Excuse my blasphemy but screw the lonely planet and be an Adventurer and explore these places for the first time- not through second hand knowledge!

If you haven't traveled before, and still want to buy a lonely planet after reading this than this is what Bob has to say "Sayin' don't worry, about a thing. Cuz every little thing's, gonna be alright!" Okay, but all jokes aside, the hardest part about traveling is deciding to go and booking your first ticket. The rest is easy, piece of cake, walk in the park. Seriously! The wonderful thing about backpackers is the friendliness and openness- especially if you are on your own. I could walk into the middle of a conversation and be welcomed instantly. It is amazingly easy to meet new friends, make connections, and hear advice. The best part is that all these people you meet are on your brain wavelength of experiencing new cultures, food, people, etc. No, no, the best part is that generally backpackers all have a similar route and you can see eachother again down the line. I met this girl in Airlie Beach, Australia last April, and then I saw her in Kuala Lumpur at the end of November! It was so random and pleasantly unexpected. Actually no, I changed my mind again. The best part of meeting backpackers is having a free place to stay everywhere in the world and potentially meeting invaluable business partners ;)

Anyways, I've gone on a huge tangent when all I really wanted to say was that I personally think a better advertisement for tourists and cool backpackers is "Not recommended by Lonely Planet". Or better yet "Not even in the Lonely Planet!"