India Neemrana Fort Sunday

In Karawal Nagar, I met up with a PSI worker by the name of Dipanwitta. She is 22, graduated College, has an MBA and is now doing some amazing work for PSI. We got to talking and we found out we have a lot of similar interests and enjoy similar environments mostly because of our age and our attitude. After coming back from McLeod Ganj, she was excited to give me more spots to check out. This Sunday I headed to another suggested site: Neemrana Fort. Well, Dipanwitta did not let me down in the slightest. Neemrana Fort sits between Jaipur and Delhi and has been turned into a 5 star hotel by the Heritage Hotel Group. It is absolutely breathtaking. On the grounds, they have contracted space to a company called FlyingFox. FlyingFox is an outdoor adventure group that specializes in Zipline tours. I signed up immediately and went on a two hour tour with some awesome guides. See pictures below:

India: Agra

Saturday I went to Agra with a woman from Madacascar by the name of Ando. Ando was doing some consulting for PSI India and will be visiting for just one week. We decided to make the 4 hour trip to see the Taj Mahal and Redfort. On the way back we also visited Mathura, birthplace of the God Krishna.

The trip was an overall success purely because of the Taj Mahal. Everything before and after sucked-ass. See the pics below for a narrative on the day. In short, our driver sucked, Agra outside the Taj Mahal felt like Disney World in the middle of a civil war, and Mathura was a very hostile place for a Westerner. However it was all worth it for two hours of peace and awe-inspiring sights on the ground of the Taj Mahal.

India: PSI: Field Work: Karawal Nagar: Wednesday

I went out into the field today where we will be implementing our TB pilot. It is in Karawal Nagar which is a slum in North East Delhi. This is my second time in the field and it is a crazy experience. See below for some pictures. They speak for themselves:

India: PSI: Gates Foundation RFP: Monday

E-Mail below from Managing Director Dana Ward. New work to be done.

Hi Dan,

We could use your help on another project, if you have time and interest.
As you may have heard, we're responding to a couple of important tender
offers by the Gates Foundation. One is to improve treatment of TB,
pneumonia, diarrhea, and visceral leishmaniasis in the state of Bihar,
through private sector providers. The Gates Foundation (BMGF) is super
oriented to science and technology. One of the mandates in this tender is
the use of some type of telemedicine.

At PSI/India we've never used telemedicine but we need to incorporate it
into our proposal. I did a database search, through Johns Hopkins, and came
out with a few hits, below. I've downloaded some of the articles from the
Internet.

Would you be able to do some desk research on potential applications of
telemedicine for the Bihar project? The purpose would be to provide some
background info on the latest and greatest in India and see if there's
anything that is super simple and low cost, preferably requiring only a cell
phone, that we could adapt to the Bihar project?

Attached are the articles and the tender from BMGF. Also a link to our big
competitor in this tender, called World Health Partners
(http://www.worldhealthpartners.org/), which is well-advanced in
telemedicine.

This isn't in your scope of work, so feel free to stay focused on GIS if you
need the time for that.

Best
Dana

India: First Weekend Trip: McLeod Ganj: Tibetian Pray and HH Dalai Lama: Sunday

Sunday was such an incredible day and one that I will always carry with me for the rest of my life. Before I left on my hike the previous day, one of the monks invited me to join in prayer on Sunday. He informed me that they would start at 2am due to the Tibetian New Year! Also His Holiness the Dalai Lama (HHDL) would be holding a prayer ceremony at his temple at 7am! I couldn't believe he was here, what are the chances!

I set my alarm at a reasonable time, 4:45am. I woke up extremely groggy so i ran into a freezing cold shower without thinking to try and wake myself up. I opened the door to my room to what felt like a bass reverberating in the back of a car. OMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM, OMMMMMMMM. Imagine that, pitch black, lanterns lit and all you can hear is OMMMMMMM echoing through the valley. I stopped and faced over the valley with my arms outstretched and the sound at my back just feeling the energy and power. It was amazing.

I quietly snuck into the back of the temple with my shoes off and sat as the monk had told me to do. I imitated all of their movement and sounds, but at a much quieter level as to not stand out. I wish I took pictures, but they were not allowed for the ceremony. Monks also don't really enjoy cameras. They allowed them, but you can tell it makes them uncomfortable. They believe that if you look into the camera, it will steal your soul....

I sat in session until 630 when everyone broke for breakfast. I sat as one at a long bench cross legged on the ground. I ate a bowl of oatmeal and then followed all of them up the HHDL's temple for another prayer ceremony. This time only monks were allowed in the temple so myself and the rest of the town sat quietly in the courtyard listening. After the ceremony, when HHDL came out to address the crowd, I would say 2/3rds of the people were in tears. Some were hysterical. This was their living deity and you definitely got that sense. Kind of the way we Americans treated MJ.

HHDL spoke in Tibetian, but just being there with his people was incredible. Again, no cameras were allowed. Upsetting, but also nice to know that only memories and personal accounts can capture these experiences. They are supremely special and should be experienced first hand. The feeling is indescribable.

After the ceremony, I packed up my stuff at the Monastary and gave the Monk rs1,000, which is about $20USD. That is unheard of. Probably the equivalent of me giving a guy at a motel 6 500 bucks for one night. The room usually rented for $2 a night, but I wanted to thank them for such an incredible experience and they were genuinely appreciative. It seemed kind of contradictory to thank a monk in dollars, but I guess there were mouths to feed and bills to pay.

McLeod Ganj was an experience. An experience and a weekend that was filled with positives. The whole ride back to Delhi I had a huge smile on my face. I also didnt use any soap when showering here so I stunk when my driver DP picked me up from the airport. I told him I had a fantastic weekend. He was confused. He thought I had been hit by a bus or kidnapped or fell down the mountain by the looks of me. That is saying a lot if someone in India says you don't smell good........

India: First Weekend Trip: McLeod Ganj: Triund: Saturday

I took a taxi from the center of McLeod Ganj to a little mountain town farther north known as Dharam Cote. I had no idea what I was doing, just trying to get lost in the upper parts of the mountain. In Dharam Cote I learned I could hike farther, about a 4 hour hike to a Plataea at the top of the mountain known as Triund. Triund has one "guesthouse" where people can stay the night and watch the sunrise over the Kangra Valley. It is supposedly one of the most spectacular sunrises to witness because it looks as if the sun is rising directly out of the Kangra Valley as you sit perched on a Plataea in the Himalayan Mountain Range. Pretty cool stuff. Unfortunately I said "supposedly" because I had to turn back about 1,000 feet from the top because the snow was about 4 feet deep. It was fresh enough as well where you just sink through.

On my trek I met up with a couple Aussies by the names of Jasper, James and Tim. I joined them for the majority of the hike and the companionship came at the perfect time. Along the hike there were a couple of stops where we could get some 'chai' and take a break. I enjoyed getting to know these guys and explaining all about America since none of them have been. After 4 hours of hiking we all became pretty good friends and we hung out the rest of the night. Here are some pics of the journey:

Close to town we stopped off to play some Cricket. I sat in the outfield flagging balls while the Aussies got really into it. Here are a couple of pictures of James and Tim getting after it:

I ate dinner and went to the local bar with the Aussies and we got royaly "pissed." It was fantastic. It also made for an interesting walk back to the Monestary! I have some war wounds after the walk down the stairs.

I went to bed extremely easily, but prepared for little sleep. I had a BIG day planned for Sunday.

India: First Weekend Trip: McLeod Ganj: Tse Chokling Monestary: Saturday

After asking around the town, I finally found Tse Chokling Monestary. It was down this really sketchy dirt road off the main road of the town. When I reached the steps leading down to the entrance of the Monestary i thought, you have got to be kidding me. It was kind of like Ace Ventura in concept. The stairs were windy and completely different but same effect. I reached the bottom and saw the Monestary perched on the side of the mountain looking over the whole Kangra Valley. It was quite a sight.

I took pictures of the temple courtyard, inside the temple and around the grounds before I went into the office to negotiate a price for the room. Refreshingly enough negotiation was not apart of the transaction. In fact, the monk who ran the place told me to pay him whatever I felt was a suitable price at the end of my stay.....He got me......

After I checked out the room, I put down my stuff and hiked back up to town to begin a day of Trekking farther north of McLeod Ganj.

India: First Weekend Trip: McLeod Ganj: Saturday

I woke up at Hill View and I couldn't help but think Hill View seemed like an understatement. From my bedroom window I could see three Himalayan peaks. No clue what the names were. Didn't care. I ate some breakfast consisting of porrage and bananas and ate on the balcony off of my room. You can see some of the views.

After a nice relaxing morning of reading, breakfast and Tibetan Butter Tea, I packed up my shit and started moving again. This time to find the allusive Tse Chokling Monestary.

India: First Weekend Trip: Dharamshala to McLeod Ganj: Friday

After a 2 hour flight north of Delhi I arrived in the Kangra Valley in the town of Dharamshala. Well, first I should say the plane ride was incredible. Himalayas on my right which you can see in the pictures and the Kangra Valley to the left of the plane. It was a surreal sight, not just because the mountains were so massive, the Rockies don't look that much smaller, but just the fact that they are the Humalayas! I immediately took a cab north up into the Himalayas to McLeod Ganj. The ride up the mountain was nuts. Sharp turn after sharp turn going about 60mph on a one lane road was not the most pleasant. When I made it to McLeod Ganj, I was a little thrown off because it was a little more touristy than expected, but I suppose that is what the Dalai Lama did for this place. I couldn't find the Tse Chokling Monastery when i got there the first night so I settled in at this place called "Hill View." After I put my stuff in my room, I went to a restaurant called Mcclo which became my local watering hole for the weekend. It turned out to be the most expensive restaurant in the town. Main Entrees going for around $4 USD.

Mcclo was a pretty intense expat hangout, but not your average half-assed expat like me. No, no, these were incredibly hardcore, you can tell they came and never left. You wouldn't even know they were Western judging purely from their mannerism.

I left the restaurant pretty excited for the weekend. I was ready for some trekking, some monks and some memories.

India: First Weekend Trip: Dharamshala

I am off to Dharamshala for the Weekend. Friday thru Sunday. Friday is a holiday here so we have off of work! I am actually headed a little North of Dharamshala to a place called McLeod Ganj. This is the home of the Dalai Lama. It is on the border of India and Tibet. I will be staying in a functional Monestary for two days. See below for a couple links:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/travelblogs/13/2246/McLeod+Ganj?destId=356298

http://www.indiamike.com/india-hotels/tse-chokling-gompa-mcleod-ganj-h3215/

India: PSI

See below for pictures of the office. In brief I am implementing GIS technology for a TB pilot currently underway. It involves procuring the software and hardware, developing field requirements and devloping the software architecture. The project is really interesting. I am excited to be here.

Pictures:

India: Commute to PSI with Driver DP

See video clips for my commute to work. Pretty uneventful, but it gives you a taste of all the random shit on the streets. DP is the PSI driver who picked me up at the airport, takes me to work everyday, and will be shuttling me in and out of town when i desire. I want to give him a tip at the end. How much is good enough?

India: 13 Champa Marg DLF Phase 1

In India I will start with my digs, the PSI Guesthouse. The Guesthouse is located outside of Delhi (by the way, be glad I have enough confindence to admit this, I thought Delhi changed its name to New Delhi as a replacement when in actuality there is Delhi and New Delhi....45 minute drive apart. I felt like such an idiot. Good thing i found that out on my own so I didn't end up looking like a total moron. Also, please mark this as cool if you were in my position so I can feel a little bit better about the situation...quiet Dillon.)

Moving on....The digs are really tight. Three floor house. Simple, functional means. Everyone is incredibly hospitible and nice. Ashok, the care taker is really on top of his game. He doesn't speak anY English so our only means of communicationS are "Thumbs Up" "Thumbs Down."

Here are some pics I took with my computer from my Webcam. You can see my bed in the background. It is exactly my styles. Firm firm bed with a tempurpedic-like mattress cover, one pillow, one blanket. Butterzz.

I am intentionally looking as sweet as possible. Ben, these are your Persols. Nate - I am rocking out to The Stroke - Room On Fire, which I will agree with you when you say it is some of the best rock music of our generation. I wasn't a fan of some of their earlier stuff, but when you listen to thier albums as one whole piece of work they really put together masterful shit. Room On Fire is the truth...

Disclaimer: Audio and Video will be added as soon as i get a USB CORD.....

I started recording and taking photos when I got to India. I have pictures of my house, my office, my commute and more. I will add them in once I get a USB cord. I forgot that mofo.

Conclusions on Entropy

When it was all said and done, Matt was a really nice dude and I am giving him a hard time. If we had a lay-over in Amsterdam, we would have partied. If I met him in Thailand, we would have partied, and if I ever see him in NYC, we will party. Just don't mention anything to him about this blog....

Oh and if in the next couple years my teeth randomly get all jacked up somehow, you'll know why....

Matt Edwards aka Entropy 37: Email 3

From: matt edwards
To: daniel.gavula@gmail.com

odd as it may be, that life may be sooner, just got an invite to nyu dental...never know....and yeah, btw-the tour guide chick by wat phra sing is diff than teoi (but teoi is absolutly adorable, we wanted to bring her back with us~cause she's so tiny!~, she has thai vibes to the max and really looked after us well), and yes, it is def. 'gap's house'...and that is off Rachadamnoen close to the east end, ask any tuk tuk driver and they will tell you, if they want to drive you DO NOT GET ON they will be fukin you for a tourist ride~it's only 100m or so away from you..this will all make sense to you when you get there, just make sure you stop by one of the official tourist centers (on many maps they have them) they had the best maps in town.
nehow,stop readin a fuckin email and get moving through india, bra!

Dan Gavula (Notice the LOST reference in the salutation): Email 2

From: daniel.gavula@gmail.com
To: matthew edwards

Matt,

Thanks for the good info brother. They re-routed me on Qatar Airways to Doha connecting to Delhi. I am all set up here and pretty excited for the next couple months. I hope you made it back to Turkey safely. I will definitely hit up all these spots. I am planning on staying at the Gaps Guesthouse in Chiang Mai (correct?) and will try and hit up Teoi. Send any other info my way if you think of it.

Catch you in another life,



DG

Matt Edwards aka Entropy 37: Email 1

From: matthew edwards entropy37@gmail.com
To: daniel.gavula@gmail.com

whatup homie, hope you made it safely to india, here's some of that info i was talking about:
http://www.gtadventures.com/index.php?option=com_expose&Itemid=57

Also, the tour guide I used in Chiang Mai was just go west on Rachadamnoen and just before you run into the dead end/Wat Phra Sing it will be on your right (maybe 5 meters from the corner), a woman runs the business by herself, tell her that an american/turkish couple (named matt/dilek) referred you for good deals; if you book several tours/treks with her (2 or more) she will hook ya up...she can setup muay thai tix too.

I used Teoi (pronounced 'toy')#081.028.3251 for a ride to ban thwang(i prolly fucked up the wording there, but it is where to go if you want amazing carved hand/wood crafts at the lowest prices/nicest stalls)...and she arranged the tickets for the hilltribe cultural dinner (touristy but really fun nontheless)...will get back to you when i see my tourbook.
sin,
matt

IAD: DC-Delhi

I had some problems getting out of the States. I was scheduled to leave Saturday and got snowed in until Monday. On Monday, I waited in the check-in line for 4 hours only to be told that my flight to Delhi connecting through Amsterdam was cancelled due to mechanical problems.....Dammit!

While I was waiting in line I got to talking to a guy who went to UMD and now lives in Istanbul Turkey teaching at the University. He sounded super legit, but after four hours of conversation, his story started to unravel and it became clear that he was a burned out druggie who had traveled the world chasing the next exotic high. At somepoint the money ran out, he got married and ended up in Turkey....On top of it all he was now thinking of a career change into the dental field.....riiiiiiiiiiight. Mind you he said all of this with a dead serious face.

Logistically I was re-routed through Doha Qatar and he was re-rerouted through Paris on his way home to glorious Turkey. By the way, he was incredibly pissed off, on the verge or tears sad that he was not routed through Amsterdam anymore. He even told me he had extended the lay-over so he could get a full day of mayhem in Amsterdam. Oh yea, his name was Matt. Matt Edwards. Call sign Entropy37@gmail.com.

Entropy:
1. A measure of randomness of the microscopic constituents of a thermodynamic system
2. A measure of the loss of information in a transmitted signal or message
3. A hypothetical tendency for the universe to attain a state of maximum homogineity in which all matter is at a moderate temperature

You could tell this guy was brilliant with small talk and very brief conversations with strangers where you could only get a glimpse into his very "exotic and magical life." Unfortunately he got me for 4 hours and when you were raised by Steve Gavula who is skeptical of everyone and certainly understands the charade of smoke and mirrors and you are friends with characters such as Ben Gillespie and Frank Craighill, who are the true roadwarriors, you can sort out the bullshit pretty quick.

We exchanged contact info and the next posts are the ensuing email corrospondence:

The Truman Show

All - I initially created this blog with the thought that it would be the appropriate medium for the next two months of adventures. When I thought more about it, more about the bigger picture, I decided that this blog will be dedicated to all of my future travels for decades to come. Near and far, one day, two weeks, and six months, any chance I can get away, this blog will be the outlet.

Much love,

DG

Prologue

"There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till. The power which resides in him is new in nature, and none but he knows what that is which he can do, nor does he know until he has tried. Not for nothing one face, one character, one fact, makes much impression on him, and another none. This sculpture in the memory is not without preestablished harmony. The eye was placed where one ray should fall, that it might testify of that particular ray. We but half express ourselves, and are ashamed of that divine idea which each of us represents. It may be safely trusted as proportionate and of good issues, so it be faithfully imparted, but God will not have his work made manifest by cowards. A man is relieved and gay when he has put his heart into his work and done his best; but what he has said or done otherwise, shall give him no peace. It is a deliverance which does not deliver. In the attempt his genius deserts him; no muse befriends; no invention, no hope."

"All we are, are our actions, thoughts and words so start making the right actions and having the right thoughts and we will change for the better because regardless, we change. It's your choice to make it in the right direction."