This is interesting since all my overseas Indian friends thought the notion of a trip to/through India was fantastic. All my non-Indian-but-of-the neighborhood friends thought it was a daft idea. This conversation below was repeated, in a couple of formats, with a friend from Bhutan and another from the Maldives. In this example, it was my brother who's actually done the trip before and who does speak/understand Hindi.
Me: So I'm thinking of going to Paris and then Delhi and then to Kathmandu in the winter...
Sibling: Good idea, Paris in winter is going to be great but how are you getting from Delhi to Nepal?
Me: Fly, I thought.
Sibling: there's a 10-hour wait at the airport. Indira Gandhi's pretty hardcore--the seats there are awful. Hard and knobbly. The attendants are annoying as well--they pass by and ask you to produce your passport every once in a while and try hassle you.
Me: Didn't you take the overland route once? or even twice
Sibling: Yes, once was Edinburgh-London-Dhaka-Delhi-Kathmandu...another time, Edinburgh-London-Delhi-Kathmandu. I'd recommend neither.
Me: why not?
Sibling: Well, Delhi to Gorakhpur by train and then minivan to Sunauli/Bhairawa (in Nepal) and then an overnight bus to Kathmandu.
Me: That sounds fine. What was wrong with it?
Sibling 1: The Indian part is awful--people shouting, rudeness, general pushing and shoving everywhere. Bhairawa* felt like paradise.
Me: Well, I'll ask Dad to come get me in Gorakhpur**. he can just drive there can't he? (technically, yes, but it's a long drive and it'll be winter in the mountains so not a good time to be driving around there. The plains--which is where the Indian border is--is more accessible. )
Sibling: Don't be silly. The only person you should invite to Gorakhpur is your worst enemy. It's probably best to stay in the USA.
and that was that. It's pretty certain I'll most likely stay here over the winter. Damn and blast indeed.
* People in the mountains make fun of Bhairawa for being too crowded and busy.
** The closest train station to Nepal. Nepal doesn't have railways.
3.11.09
2.11.09
Wintering plans
I've spent a significant amount of time today trying to figure out a way to go in/around South/Southeast Asia over the winter break without actually paying the equivalent of five months' rent for my ticket. So far, my options are:
1. Go from Washington to New Delhi and then fly to Nepal and wander around there.
-ve: the India-Nepal part of the trip seems rather uncertain. Stories I've read online (obviously very trustworthy) recommend not doing this because apparently there's a long wait for the Delhi-Kathmandu part of the trip AND the "customs officials are quite rude" (no, I'm not making this up).
+ve: possibility of an overland trip from Delhi, all the way up to the North of India and then to Nepal. Always a challenge if you "look" local but don't speak a word of the language. The last time I was in India, I felt like buying a t-shirt saying: Sorry, I know I should but I don't (with various useful phrases like "do you know when the blasted train is ever going to arrive?" on the back )
2. Go from Washington to Paris to Bahrain to Saudi Arabia to Nepal.
-ve: really? did yous read that? Each stop has a 4-5 hour wait, making the entire trip about 3 days long.
+ve: look at those countries! If I can get an overnight stopover in each, it'd be fantastic! Saudi Arabia: I've always wanted to go there.
3. New York to China/Taipei and then to anywhere in Southeast/South Asia
-ve: visas needed. Each visa also requires proof I'm allowed to stay in the USA for longer than a year. At the moment, I am not allowed to stay in the USA for longer than a year so, due to a chain reaction, no visas (visae?) and no trip.
I was told there's a possibility of getting them anyway since I work and "you're not a student" (apparently it's only students who might get the urge to illegally stay in Taipei/China ) so this wouldn't be a problem. However, I'd then have to make my way from Taipei to China to somewhere in India (again) and then to Nepal. Seems like a lot of hassle for the 3 weeks I have off.
+ve: This is, by far, the cheapest option.
4. Washington or New York to Bangkok/Singapore and then to Nepal.
+ve: good connections (about 2-3 hours' wait at each stop ) and the Singapore airport is absolutely fantastic. I once fell asleep on a sofa there and was one of those people whose names they announce over the tannoy: "X airlines is paging Ms. D...Will Ms. D please go to Gate no. Y". The point of this story? Even the airport sofas are the sort you can fall asleep on.
-ve: rather expensive. Perilously close to the $2000 mark.
There's, of course, option no. 5 which is: Florida or Las Vegas. Though (and I'll admit this here ) I'm getting a bit bored of solitary travelling and the Christmas period is not a good time to persuade my overseas mates to come visit. Besides, I always assumed Las Vegas would be somewhere to go with a mate since it seems like the sort of place that I'd want to make fun of. It's not much point making fun of a place to yourself, eh? Florida, I've been to before and it's not on the same level as Taipei/China, Paris, Saudi Arabia.
Decisions...decisions.
1. Go from Washington to New Delhi and then fly to Nepal and wander around there.
-ve: the India-Nepal part of the trip seems rather uncertain. Stories I've read online (obviously very trustworthy) recommend not doing this because apparently there's a long wait for the Delhi-Kathmandu part of the trip AND the "customs officials are quite rude" (no, I'm not making this up).
+ve: possibility of an overland trip from Delhi, all the way up to the North of India and then to Nepal. Always a challenge if you "look" local but don't speak a word of the language. The last time I was in India, I felt like buying a t-shirt saying: Sorry, I know I should but I don't (with various useful phrases like "do you know when the blasted train is ever going to arrive?" on the back )
2. Go from Washington to Paris to Bahrain to Saudi Arabia to Nepal.
-ve: really? did yous read that? Each stop has a 4-5 hour wait, making the entire trip about 3 days long.
+ve: look at those countries! If I can get an overnight stopover in each, it'd be fantastic! Saudi Arabia: I've always wanted to go there.
3. New York to China/Taipei and then to anywhere in Southeast/South Asia
-ve: visas needed. Each visa also requires proof I'm allowed to stay in the USA for longer than a year. At the moment, I am not allowed to stay in the USA for longer than a year so, due to a chain reaction, no visas (visae?) and no trip.
I was told there's a possibility of getting them anyway since I work and "you're not a student" (apparently it's only students who might get the urge to illegally stay in Taipei/China ) so this wouldn't be a problem. However, I'd then have to make my way from Taipei to China to somewhere in India (again) and then to Nepal. Seems like a lot of hassle for the 3 weeks I have off.
+ve: This is, by far, the cheapest option.
4. Washington or New York to Bangkok/Singapore and then to Nepal.
+ve: good connections (about 2-3 hours' wait at each stop ) and the Singapore airport is absolutely fantastic. I once fell asleep on a sofa there and was one of those people whose names they announce over the tannoy: "X airlines is paging Ms. D...Will Ms. D please go to Gate no. Y". The point of this story? Even the airport sofas are the sort you can fall asleep on.
-ve: rather expensive. Perilously close to the $2000 mark.
There's, of course, option no. 5 which is: Florida or Las Vegas. Though (and I'll admit this here ) I'm getting a bit bored of solitary travelling and the Christmas period is not a good time to persuade my overseas mates to come visit. Besides, I always assumed Las Vegas would be somewhere to go with a mate since it seems like the sort of place that I'd want to make fun of. It's not much point making fun of a place to yourself, eh? Florida, I've been to before and it's not on the same level as Taipei/China, Paris, Saudi Arabia.
Decisions...decisions.
1.11.09
TV-viewing
As I was making lunch just now (a combo of potatoes and green beans omelette, with some fresh cheese on top), I had the TV on and managed to catch the New Moon trailer. For those not in the know (i.e. the 'rents and my few readers who live in a cave/refuse to acknowledge the existence of TV), New Moon is the second part of a very famous vampire-human-werewolf triangle story. I think. It may be the 3rd part. Actually, here yous go: Wiki knows all.
So, New Moon. Despite my usual partiality for anything that looks terrible (terrible enough to be good, perhaps?), this just looked terrible. In the trailer, there were young shirtless lads fighting each other, a girl shouting "No" a lot (but possibly not when she should be saying it i.e. when she had a vampire in her bedroom saying "I'll always protect you". I'd imagine right about then is when you'd start staying "No". Again I digress.). It looked like an episode in a rather bad Halloween-themed episode of a TV show than a film that's sure to earn millions. After all, the Twihards are a crazy lot. In a completely unrelated segue, I thought I'd write about TV shows I've actually been watching this year.
This is prefaced by saying I usually watch TV when it's on since TV is associated with eating dinner or bludging for a couple of hours after work. The only show which I do see when (well, a day or so afterwards) it's on is Doctor Who and (sometimes) The Sarah Jane Adventures. So here's my weekly schedule:
Monday: Monday, I have two classes and a fairly long day. It would be nice to come home and watch something on TV but Monday's also one of those days that I really don't have anything I can bother watching. Castle I've seen a few times but I'm home around 7ish so by 10pm, it's working time again. Chuck used to be perfect but it's not on at the mo, so Monday it's usually bits of Dancing with the Stars or whatever's on the Food Network. And this is usually some cake thing which is rather dull. Chuck needs to be back on.
Tuesday: Tuesday's actually even worse. Last semester, The Mentalist was on and it was perfect. Similar storylines every week, bearable "team" and a nice, relaxing murder to solve. It's now moved to Thursdays making Tuesdays a TV wasteland. Also, this is funny since it's got the same dynamics as Castle with an "odd" central character working with the police but the show itself--I would argue--is much better in terms of location, team chemistry and general time given to people-who-are-not-the-leads.
Wednesday: Glee and Top Chef. Two hours of watching other people do things I couldn't ever do and being annoyed at the depiction of teachers (in Glee not Top Chef). Mr. Shoe on Glee bugs me (that smile, that annoying far too friendly relationship with students, that smug tendency) but the kids are amusing and, of all the grown-ups, the cheerleading coach is brilliant. "You sunk my battleship"..."you sunk it hard" is a piece of dialogue I'm hoping to use on some poor unsuspecting bastard some time :)
Thursday: Supernatural (which, to me, remains the one show I'd miss all week if I didn't see it. Yes, well, after a long day at uni, it's great to come back to pretty boys who are trying to stave off the Apocalypse). It's followed by the Mentalist (timing-wise, not on the same channel) so the combo is perfect.
Friday: Dollhouse and/or Monk. Usually Monk wins out since I find it soothing (my top criteria for TV shows) but I end up watching Dollhouse if there's not much of Ms Dushku on. Dollhouse has lots of potential: it's dark, the premise is creepy and the people around Ms. Dushku are great. Actually, even Ms. D is fine--it's just that there's far, far too much of her.
There yous have it. A quick review of these shows clearly indicates my TV-viewing is not about intellectual stimulation (especially considering the one thing I do watch each week is EPL football). It's not even about work since I don't watch shows like the Wanted or 24 (how terrorists are represented on-screen) though I did watch Homeland Security USA when it was on and am now watching Border Security: Australia's Front Line. Both are rather awesome in the whole "this is incredibly terrible and yet I have to watch it way". It also gives me a good idea of what would happen if I ever decided I'd had enough of this whole academia business and went on the run.
So, New Moon. Despite my usual partiality for anything that looks terrible (terrible enough to be good, perhaps?), this just looked terrible. In the trailer, there were young shirtless lads fighting each other, a girl shouting "No" a lot (but possibly not when she should be saying it i.e. when she had a vampire in her bedroom saying "I'll always protect you". I'd imagine right about then is when you'd start staying "No". Again I digress.). It looked like an episode in a rather bad Halloween-themed episode of a TV show than a film that's sure to earn millions. After all, the Twihards are a crazy lot. In a completely unrelated segue, I thought I'd write about TV shows I've actually been watching this year.
This is prefaced by saying I usually watch TV when it's on since TV is associated with eating dinner or bludging for a couple of hours after work. The only show which I do see when (well, a day or so afterwards) it's on is Doctor Who and (sometimes) The Sarah Jane Adventures. So here's my weekly schedule:
Monday: Monday, I have two classes and a fairly long day. It would be nice to come home and watch something on TV but Monday's also one of those days that I really don't have anything I can bother watching. Castle I've seen a few times but I'm home around 7ish so by 10pm, it's working time again. Chuck used to be perfect but it's not on at the mo, so Monday it's usually bits of Dancing with the Stars or whatever's on the Food Network. And this is usually some cake thing which is rather dull. Chuck needs to be back on.
Tuesday: Tuesday's actually even worse. Last semester, The Mentalist was on and it was perfect. Similar storylines every week, bearable "team" and a nice, relaxing murder to solve. It's now moved to Thursdays making Tuesdays a TV wasteland. Also, this is funny since it's got the same dynamics as Castle with an "odd" central character working with the police but the show itself--I would argue--is much better in terms of location, team chemistry and general time given to people-who-are-not-the-leads.
Wednesday: Glee and Top Chef. Two hours of watching other people do things I couldn't ever do and being annoyed at the depiction of teachers (in Glee not Top Chef). Mr. Shoe on Glee bugs me (that smile, that annoying far too friendly relationship with students, that smug tendency) but the kids are amusing and, of all the grown-ups, the cheerleading coach is brilliant. "You sunk my battleship"..."you sunk it hard" is a piece of dialogue I'm hoping to use on some poor unsuspecting bastard some time :)
Thursday: Supernatural (which, to me, remains the one show I'd miss all week if I didn't see it. Yes, well, after a long day at uni, it's great to come back to pretty boys who are trying to stave off the Apocalypse). It's followed by the Mentalist (timing-wise, not on the same channel) so the combo is perfect.
Friday: Dollhouse and/or Monk. Usually Monk wins out since I find it soothing (my top criteria for TV shows) but I end up watching Dollhouse if there's not much of Ms Dushku on. Dollhouse has lots of potential: it's dark, the premise is creepy and the people around Ms. Dushku are great. Actually, even Ms. D is fine--it's just that there's far, far too much of her.
There yous have it. A quick review of these shows clearly indicates my TV-viewing is not about intellectual stimulation (especially considering the one thing I do watch each week is EPL football). It's not even about work since I don't watch shows like the Wanted or 24 (how terrorists are represented on-screen) though I did watch Homeland Security USA when it was on and am now watching Border Security: Australia's Front Line. Both are rather awesome in the whole "this is incredibly terrible and yet I have to watch it way". It also gives me a good idea of what would happen if I ever decided I'd had enough of this whole academia business and went on the run.
Halloween costumes
Earlier today, I was sat on the sofa, finishing up my cereal-as-lunch meal when one of my housemates wandered past and went, "What is Halloween?"
Now, there's a question. What is Halloween? You can, of course, give the whole pre-Christianity festival narrative or you can tell them that it's a chance to dress up and scare people. But, what about the people who don't dress up to scare people? On the train just now we saw a girl dressed in aluminium foil. The foil stopped halfway down her thighs and barely covered her chest. The only thing scary about that costume was its ability to stay on (but for how long?). So, I told him: Halloween is just an excuse to dress up and have fun. Yes, I know that was a cop out but what else was there to say?
As for me, my Halloween involved minimal effort. Perhaps sadly, all of my "costume" ideas were from my regular wardrobe. Indeed, my main costume for the day was even something I'd taught classes wearing (a maroon shirt, khaki trousers, brown boots and a brown pleather(!) coat for the "browncoats" costume. Accessorised with a belt, a coin-on-a-leather-strap that a mate once got me from somewhere (Sweden? Japan? I can't remember) and a small knife) (Okay, not the coat. Even I don't wander around uni, wearing a pleather coat ).
Mine was one of those costumes that people couldn't tell whether it was a costume or not. Apart from a few young lads on my way back home and one rather cheeky guy who went "Nice...captain tightpants" (yes, really. And it took me some time to *get* it ), I could get away with it not being a costume.
This was even more obvious for my second outfit of the day. A neighbour was having a party and invited me over. Since an acquaintance of mine was going as the Doctor, I figured I'd go as the Doctor's companion. To think I'd thought this t-shirt would never be worn!
Finally, my alternative idea (which got shot down by siblings for being rather "too geeky even for you") was Dungeons and Dragons. I have a Welsh t-shirt, with the distinctive red Welsh dragon on it. Add a picture of a dungeon at the back and I'd be set. Maybe next year. Though the way things are looking right now, I'll be somewhere in Southeast Asia this time next year. They'll have Halloween too, right?
Now, there's a question. What is Halloween? You can, of course, give the whole pre-Christianity festival narrative or you can tell them that it's a chance to dress up and scare people. But, what about the people who don't dress up to scare people? On the train just now we saw a girl dressed in aluminium foil. The foil stopped halfway down her thighs and barely covered her chest. The only thing scary about that costume was its ability to stay on (but for how long?). So, I told him: Halloween is just an excuse to dress up and have fun. Yes, I know that was a cop out but what else was there to say?
As for me, my Halloween involved minimal effort. Perhaps sadly, all of my "costume" ideas were from my regular wardrobe. Indeed, my main costume for the day was even something I'd taught classes wearing (a maroon shirt, khaki trousers, brown boots and a brown pleather(!) coat for the "browncoats" costume. Accessorised with a belt, a coin-on-a-leather-strap that a mate once got me from somewhere (Sweden? Japan? I can't remember) and a small knife) (Okay, not the coat. Even I don't wander around uni, wearing a pleather coat ).
Mine was one of those costumes that people couldn't tell whether it was a costume or not. Apart from a few young lads on my way back home and one rather cheeky guy who went "Nice...captain tightpants" (yes, really. And it took me some time to *get* it ), I could get away with it not being a costume.
This was even more obvious for my second outfit of the day. A neighbour was having a party and invited me over. Since an acquaintance of mine was going as the Doctor, I figured I'd go as the Doctor's companion. To think I'd thought this t-shirt would never be worn!
Finally, my alternative idea (which got shot down by siblings for being rather "too geeky even for you") was Dungeons and Dragons. I have a Welsh t-shirt, with the distinctive red Welsh dragon on it. Add a picture of a dungeon at the back and I'd be set. Maybe next year. Though the way things are looking right now, I'll be somewhere in Southeast Asia this time next year. They'll have Halloween too, right?
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