Have feet, will travel…

We had our orientation presentation at the Ecosphere office in Kaza where they told us more about what we will be doing and also about their other work that they do. Plan was to have lunch and look around Kaza before heading to see a previously built greenhouse nearby and finally to Key Monastery, our home for the next 10 days.
As we drove up I saw the monastery perched on a hill, a series of different buildings in red and white that looked so isolated amongst the big brown mountains behind. I was wrong, the monastery might look isolated but the energy within was truly buzzing with life of over 200 monks from 8 – 80 yrs old. So many daily activities from morning prayers, to little monks going for breakfast and later school, monks washing clothes and carrying food for meal time, the oldest monk helping to peel sweet peas… the list goes on… It was truly an experience to have this opportunity to be part of something so different from my life. Each family from that area has to send a son to the monastery, normally the youngest son as the elder son inherits the land and is busy taking care of that. I always thought how sad for them to be forced into this but after living amongst them for more than a week I have a different view of what it means to be a monk. They are actually very happy and some are even comedians and always laughing. Smiles are plenty and they are always smiling when talking to each other. I didn’t understand much of what they were saying as I don’t know the language but they were always having fun chatting.

We were shown to our room, a nice peaceful room at the main building and then shown around the monastery by our rep that would be there with us every day showing us what to do and making sure we had everything we needed. Sonam Lotey was his name and he was with us every step of the way making these last 2 weeks one of the greatest experiences I’ve had. Key Gompais a Tibetan Buddhist monastery located on top of a hill at an altitude of 4,166 metres (13,668 ft) above sea level. The monastery has a lot of history being very old and the different prayer rooms were full of old Buddhism prayer books, statues, paintings and so much more. The main prayer hall is gorgeous and we are allowed to go for morning prayers at 7am daily. I managed to go for one day but my knees were killing me sitting cross-legged for 45mins, been having knee problems with all the uphills I’ve been doing in the mountains.

My stay was absolutely amazing. The monks were so nice to us. They would serve us chai tea starting at 7am to our room, after every meal and at 1130 and 430 while we worked. They would hike down with their flask, cups and biscuits every day. We had a few monks who were in-charge of guests so every day they pain-stakingly would cook us every meal and made sure we had boiled water to drink without fail. They were so attentive and never missed one meal or one tea break.We were also privileged enough to have the use of hot water to shower in the VIP bathroom reserved for guests.

The junior monks were the cutest. Seeing them going for breakfast with their bowls in their hands or even hidden under their robes sometimes. I would see them going to school or playing soccer or eating their treats of chocolates and sweets. It’s all very systematic how everything works, they have so much discipline and everyone has a task to do so you see monks all day busy doing something.

photos to follow soon… way to many to choose from : )

Our goal was to build a greenhouse for the monastery so that they can get vegetables year-round including in winter. Spiti has an extremely cold winter and the horrendous roads during summer are inevitably closed in winter and I can now see why. So for half a year very little produce gets to this part of India and so they rely on stored dried food stuff. The greenhouse concept is simple to offer a temperature controlled structure so vegetables can be grown all year round.

The structure is built of mud as mud actually retains heat. I learnt that the monastery is built of mud and so are many of the village houses. So even though the temperature outside would be -30 degrees, it was possible to maintain temperatures of 20 degrees inside the greenhouse and in summer there are vent doors in place to regular the temperatures within the greenhouse. When we visited the greenhouse at the Key Old Aged home I saw the different vegetables being grown and I felt really excited for this building project.

Our duties were simple compared to what everyone else had to do; we would make 250 mud bricks, we would learn to lay the brick walls, then use mud to plaster the bricks together, we would stuff grass between the mud wall and the mud brick wall for insulation and finally we would be painting the greenhouse white except for one wall black as this is in line with how the temperature is regulated with the black wall used to retain the heat from the sun. We did have loads of help, preparation was already on the way before we arrived with a rock foundation being built, and while we worked mud walls 7ft high were being built by the workers, monks were also in full force helping to lay the brick wall and doing the roof. It was quite a big project with us only doing a small portion of the work but mainly being the financial sponsors for the project.

First off we had to make 250 mud bricks, Sonam thought us how to make them and that was what kept us busy for two days. The method was simple; we had a metal mould that needed to be soaked in water first. Then mud would be put in and we had to use our hands to compact the mud inside the mould then another shovel full of mud and same process till it was full then we had to sprinkle some water and level the top with a flat spade. Finally, we then had to lift the mould out leaving a wet rectangular mud brick. It was actually quite fun after getting the hang of the process. I started enjoying levelling the mud brick as it was almost like putting icing on a cake. The bricks had to lie in the sun for the next 2 -3 days to dry solid.

Next came the laying of the brick wall, this was very difficult as the mud bricks are not evenly shaped as they are handmade so we had to pile on a layer of really wet mud and then place the brick securely using stones to stabilize it. And aligning the bricks to make a straight line was an even bigger task. I was very slow at this and wondered how we would build the wall. Luckily, we had the experts around helping us and I realized I was a better assistant to the mason. So I ended up carrying bricks for him to lay and while we were off trekking for 3 days the wall and roof was finished.Its best that the wall was left to the experts as the wall needs to be sturdy to withstand the severe weather conditions of snow and rainstorms.So when we came back from our trekking break we had to do the plastering of the walls. At first it was tough learning how to fling the mud onto the wall before levelling it but once I got the momentum it was actually quite fun. In the beginning mud was flying everywhere even into my eyes.

Stuffing grass s insulation was easy and lastly the painting part was also easy as it’s something we are all familiar with. Painting the white walls was a bit strange as it was a pouring and drip concept which at first was weird but after some practise it was actually quite easy. And finally we painted the black wall with brushes, that was really our last task and then the greenhouse was done. It was a great feeling seeing the structure being built and I felt very happy we managed to get it done but sad at the same time as it was time to say goodbye soon.

There was a huge ribbon cutting ceremony which I wasn’t expecting. The prince of Spiti and a gov official was going to be there to official open the greenhouse. I was totally stunned to arrive at the site and see like 30 junior monks all in line to welcome the VIP guest. They were absolutely adorable and screamed ‘Julee’ which is hello in the Spitian language when the guest arrived. The Gov.Official was over an hour late and not a peep out of the monks, they waited patiently but did goof around with each other while waiting. It was so fun observing them and watching an older monk scream and all of them quickly listened and went back to order.

We planted some seeds together with the Gov.Official and that was a great feeling. I envisioned the green plants growing like what we’ve seen in other greenhouses and that warmed my heart. I can’t wait for the day I visit Spiti again and can go visit the Monastery and see the greenhouse in action.

Thank you for the wonderful experience, I’ll forever keep the memories shared and friendships made.

My two weeks in Spiti has been amazing and there’s so much to write about and so many photos so i will have a few installments. Here’s Part One:

I signed up with ECOSPHERE to do this Volunteer/Trekking program for 15 days in Spiti, India. The original plan to build a solar bath for Key Monastery changed as the volunteer numbers dropped drastically from 10 members to only 3. So the organizers explained to us that with such a small group we can still build a greenhouse. I was still game for this idea as I wanted to do something like this for a long time. Being a traveller isn’t always about just seeing new sights but also about really experiencing something and what better way than by giving back to the community in a small way.

It’s all began at 3am on 29th August from Manali in a jeep. We got word that we had to leave this early to avoid some road works so we obliged as who would know the roads better than the drivers. Our convoy had 2 jeeps, so there was kind of some discussion on who sits where but finally it got figured out and the 3 of us volunteers were put in one jeep and off we went. We had met the day before and gone for dinner so there was Anuradha and Amit from India and myself.

I thought the mountain roads from Shimla to Manali were bad, I was totally wrong. I couldn’t have imagined what was coming my way from Manali to Spiti. The roads were extremely horrendous. Rohtang Pass stretch was slush mud and our jeeps kept getting stuck in mud and at times even had to be pushed out manually with the help from our other jeep plus total strangers. Many other vehicles were also having the same problem so it was a communal effort to help one another. Our drivers had to move rocks out of the way to navigate a course through the mud. This was only the beginning, it only got worse. 3 hrs into our journey and I was getting quite freaked out, roads were bad, it was dark and my mind was racing about the next 8 hours ahead. Luck was definitely not on our side; after getting out of one tight situation involving a truck and our jeep we realized oil was leaking out from our jeep. It was official, our jeep was not going anywhere for a while. We ended up waiting for 5 hours at the side of the road for the mechanic to make his way to where we were through the same horrendous roads. The situation was calm though, no one was angry, even though our jeep had blocked traffic. Everyone just took the whole situation lightly and came out of their vehicles to help or access the situation. Am loving India and how the people take things easy and don’t get hot and bothered over stuff.

Luckily our broken vehicle had chosen a nice place to breakdown at. It was beautiful, we were there for sunrise and we got to enjoy some lovely scenic views while waiting. I had a snooze and woke up to news that there was a roadside place to get chai. So we went off to get some hot chai and masala maggi. It was quite cold as we were near a mountain pass… so the hot chai was warmly welcomed.

Five hours later the mechanic arrives and believe it or not it was a 5 minute job to change the oil filter. I couldn’t believe it! But the good news was we were good to go, so we resumed the journey. Through more winding mud roads, plenty of waterfall and gravel stone roads we reached Kaza (Central Spiti) at 9pm. It’s really was like an off-roading experience in a jeep and many times I was scared looking down at the plunging cliffs down below and knowing the roads were so narrow and uneven. That meant an 18 hour bumpy journey of lots of adventure. Just imagine the roads when it takes 12 hours to go only 200km. The views though were absolutely stunning. Spiti’s geological landscape is vast and amazingly beautiful, snow-capped mountains, so many different rock formations, rivers and waterfalls. I couldn’t help but stare out the window in total awe and took lots of pictures. This really took my mind off thinking about the crazy mountain roads and the possible dangers that lurked. Funny thing is I didn’t even get my normal motion sickness, possibly because the vehicle is moving at a slow speed or my mind was totally occupied on the beautiful scenery.

Credit has to go to our drivers, even though the conditions were rough and they were covered in mud there was no sign of frustration. They stayed super alert even after driving for 18 hours and being awake so early in the morning. They drove very safely and took all precautions by going slow around blind spots and giving way to others on the narrow mountain roads. Even on our last hour in the dark our driver could see a lizard in our path and slowed down to avoid crushing it. Kudos to their professionalism and patience in driving these crazy roads. They did what they had to, to get us to our destination safe and sound and that was their focus. When we reached Kaza, we were met by Ishita from Ecosphere and she had kept the nearby restaurant open as they knew we were delayed and hadn’t eaten dinner. I was so tired from the long journey, so ate and went straight to bed.

Some photos of Manali to compliment the last post as i wasn’t able to upload them due to the slow connection.

26th August 2011

I was sad to say bye to my river. I’ve gotten very attached to listening to its soothing sounds of flowing water day and night and watching its gushing water from my balcony numerous times a day. But more adventure awaits me so moving on is a must.

I got on an ordinary bus today from Kullu to Manali for USD1, which took 1 ½ hours. My bag inevitably took up a seat and I was feeling quite bad when the bus started to fill up and here was my bag taking up space. People hopped on and off all the time so in the beginning there was plenty of space but soon the bus started getting packed. Another exhilarating bumpy ride and we crossed another waterfall road today. The views though, were magnificent! More mountains and waterfalls and lots of glimpses of the flowing Beas river. I tried taking photos but it was extremely hard and the photos did not do any justice to what my eyes were seeing.

Reached Manali and the main town or better known as “New Manali” was so uninviting, so I decided to follow my guide book and hopped an auto rickshaw to Old Manali. The 2.5km ride mostly uphill was insane, weaving in and out of traffic in bad steep roads but I placed my trust in the expert driver and true enough he got me to the doorstep and was soon met by someone from the guesthouse to walk me in. Checked in to a lovely place that had a stunning garden and plenty of hydrangeas. Haven’t seen bushes of hydrangeas this big since being in Berkeley. And wow what a vast difference Old Manali is with beautiful pine trees filled mountains views and the Beas River. But unfortunately, Manali is a big hippie travellers place. It’s the first time since arriving in India that I’ve seen so many foreign tourists. The other towns I’ve been in were predominated visited by the local Indian crowd. Here the streets are lined with hippie clothes and jewellery shops and loads of internet cafes all catering to the foreign crowds and lots of drugs. The guys are also much more forthcoming here as they are so used to chatting up tourists. I’ve been offered chai like 3 times in a span of my 30 mins stroll down the street. Am getting so much attention from guys that I’m not use to normally getting but I make an easy target too as I am alone and possibly too “nice”. But all’s good, its part of the learning journey of travelling solo and learning when and how to draw boundaries.

Sorry no pictures this time as the internet connection today is extremely poor, system having problems. I had another post but will keep till next time. As just this post cut and paste took me 30 mins. i have to go sleep as tomorrow is a 2:30am wake up call : p

Am leaving for my 2 weeks Volunteer/trekking program tomorrow so won’t have internet for most of the time as its in the rural area of Spiti. Most phones also don’t work there so not much connection via the internet. Don’t worry if you don’t hear from me for 2 weeks. : )

I must say I was a little nervous taking the bus knowing that just less than a week ago there was a major landslide in Manali that killed some people and caused major road blockages. And I was headed the same way. Took the 8am bus from Shimla to Kullu which was estimated to take 8 ½ hours. My bag was safely in a baggage storage boot after giving a tip to have it stored there which I must say was a big relief. Boarded the bus and at 8am sharp the bus was on its way honking and meandering as soon as it started. The bus even stalled a few times. After like 45 mins of looking out the window at plunging cliffs without any barriers and the twisting and turning I soon was feeling not only nervous but the onsets of motion sickness, so decided a nap would ease both. I managed to fall asleep for more than an hour and luckily once I woke up my fear was gone. My first bus ride in India was indeed an adventure; bumpy as well as super rocky literally at times you would sway from left to right and had to hold on. People around me were getting severely sick and I was feeling so thankful that my motion sickness which I thought was bad was nowhere near what these ladies were experiencing. Possibly because my ginger tablets were working.

But must say the journey was quite scenic and beautiful with mountains and valleys with waterfalls and rivers below. Saw loads of small towns buzzing away with their daily activities. I was sitting next to a fellow traveller so we chatted and exchanged stories, it really passed time. I can see how landslides happen regular the towering stone and soil cliffs are steep and don’t look very solid. Rocks jutting out just waiting to fall with some rain to loosen the soil around it. At one point we crossed a road which was actually a waterfall. I looked at the gal next to me and she looked at me and we both went that was a waterfall. The water was seeping across the road. I wonder what happens when the roads are gushing water during monsoon. No wonder during the monsoon season roads are sometimes closed, I see why now. Nearing my destination we saw an excavator having just picked up some fallen rocks from the road. These roads are definitely risky and you never know when a landslide might occur, guess that is what natural calamities are like. They can happen anytime and anywhere.

I survived, 8 ½ hours later I was in Kullu and it’s such a small and charming town. Two rivers run through it and my hotel is just by one of them. When I saw my room, I couldn’t resist spending slightly more to have the penthouse room with a balcony facing the flowing river. Where could I get this panorama view of hills and a river-front room for USD20. I didn’t want to go out and spent the rest of the afternoon on my balcony enjoying the view till night fall. I watched children dance and play in a compound opposite my balcony and watched people, cows and even a whole herd of goats cross the footbridge.

The next day I spent sightseeing this small town. There aren’t many sights in the town itself but am just enjoying the relaxing feel of this town. Loads of ethnic ladies selling vegetables and looking at the different shops is nice. It’s quite organized each shop is specific selling a certain kind of item or service. So plastic wares shop, a spice shop, a fruit shop, a vegetable vendor, a tailor, a silverware shop, a chemist. It’s like how old Singapore was before modernization. No modern day supermarket here selling everything at one place!

I encountered a few cows in my path while here. They are everywhere! They happily walk and stop anywhere they please even in the middle of a pathway. People just walk or drive around them, it’s so fascinating. Am loving the new sights, sounds and of course the smells of India.

My journey started in KL bound for New Delhi. Nothing exceptional happened except that I couldn’t have asked for a smoother journey. The plane was empty so got to lay down on three seats so slept well, on take-off and landing my ears didn’t even hurt it was as though I wasn’t on a plane. This really made me happy 🙂 New Delhi was a breeze, easily found the express train to the city got my ticket and was off. Found everyone really friendly from the Air Asia staff offering me Imodium knowing I was heading to India for so long alone, had the police officer at the metro alert me the train was coming which I still missed as I needed to go through a bag and body security check. But I was in no hurry…i was on Indian time : ) taking things easy and slow. The metro station was a short walk to the railway station and this was my first glimpse of busy New Delhi. The railway station was streaming with people everywhere. I had a short look around and then found the ladies only waiting room which was perfect for my 3 hr wait. I read and wrote my diary and met a nice lady next to me with a small girl. So we chatted and passed time. I found my way to the train but had a hard time locating my carriage and seat no. There is a list outside each carriage with everyone’s name on it quite efficient I must say to have to do this every day for every train. But with some help I managed to find my seat after bumping people with my backpack. Got to my seat and the bag rack was like high above my head, had trouble lifting my bag up but a kind gentleman behind me offered to help and I was set for my first train ride this trip.

4 hours 5 mins and 303km later I was in Kalka. The train ride was smooth and they even served food, “meals on wheels” that even came with a tea kit and a small flask of hot water. I was impressed! My first stop for a good night’s rest after almost 24 hours of travelling. I was looking forward to a shower and was greeted with a bucket and bailer for my first shower in India : ) It wasn’t so bad after you got the first 2 splashes on you, then it was rather refreshing.
Was up bright and early and headed for the train station. Onwards to Shimla on the Himalyan Queen train, a toy train that travels through 107 tunnels and meanders around the scenic mountains. This station was so small compared to New Delhi, finding my train and seat was easy. I boarded the train and found my seat but this time I had another problem. My backpack could not fit the tiny compartment below my seat. I was amazed the train was so tiny. I put my bag by my legs and now was taking up ¼ of the seat next to me. But luckily I wasn’t the only one with this problem; some people had brought full luggages. I had a group of boys outside my window staring at me and blatantly checking to see what my name was.

The toy train ride was awesome. The route was so breathtakingly beautiful with so many mountain views and valleys. I had the window seat so i could peek my head out and enjoy the sights. The 5 hour ride covering 96km was simply perfect. The family that sat by me had a 4 year-old girl and often you would hear her speak in Hindi with a word or two of English squeezed in. She once said “Amazing” and that was truly how I felt. It was as though I was a child again, enjoying the simplest of pleasures – A train ride! Reached Shimla and it was raining, so decided would take a taxi. Luckily, I did as the walk up would have been horrendous with my backpack.

Shimla is extremely hilly and is made up of many alleys ways with staircases leading to each other. It’s actually a maze when you first get there. Shimla is quaint old British hill station, so lots of old English architecture. The weather the next day was sunny and clear so the views were amazing. It’s so refreshing to be in a cool weather where it’s not humid and sweaty all the time. Was planning on only staying 2 nights but ended up staying for an extra day as there was news of a serious landslide in Manali on Saturday that had blocked roads and so I wasn’t sure if I should be heading that way. Some tourists tried to scare me when I was queuing for the bus ticket. So I decided to wait and find out more before buying my ticket. Am glad I did as I got to do a full day of sightseeing in Shimla with a professional and friendly guide. I wasn’t planning on visiting the Jakhoo temple as the guidebook had warned about the monkeys but the guide convinced me it was nice and he would be there so not to worry. The trek uphill was a killer, it was so steep but managed to get to the temple and once I entered before I knew it something jumped on my back and grabbed my glasses. A monkey had jumped me! I was petrified as images of fierce teeth-bearing monkeys came to mind. Luckily, Arif my guide was there he bought some peanuts and did a barter trade for my glasses. Clever monkeys, supposedly they do this all the time steal so they get food in return for the item. I had to take off my glasses every time I saw monkeys as they were eyeing my glasses. The irony of it all is I never wear glasses out but because I woke up with an eye infection and a jelly bubble in my eye I had no choice. The infection cleared thankfully after 2 days without contacts. We continue on to the Viceroy Lodge which was a long pleasant walk to see a grand old British building that was beautiful inside and out. It looked almost like a castle and the interior with Burmese wood from top to bottom and Kashmiri wood ceilings was gorgeous. The wonderful thing is it’s not a museum but actually still being used today by the Institute of Advance Studies, which houses scholars and fellows both locally and foreign. The ballroom has been turned into a library and one of the other rooms is now a conference room. It was a wonderful day sightseeing today and tomorrow will be heading to Kullu by bus.

I’m fit for airtravel… Yippee!! I’ve been excited every day since getting the news on Monday. I’m leaving on 20th August from Kuala Lumpur to New Delhi and currently my indian visa is pending approval. i’ll know on the 12th if i can get it. Its funny being a tourist in your own country! It has been both liberating and strange. Strange in a sense that some things just cant be done. Example Indian visas are not issued to “Tourists” from the Embassy of India, Singapore at all. Luckily, India knows something about flexibility, so i had an interview with an officer who at first said NO, then gradually said she’ll only give me a single entry for 1 month. But later on granted me a 6 Months Multiple Entry pending approval from my new home country, Ireland : ))) Because technically i was always a Singaporean and havent actually migrated to my home country so based on that i was made the exception to the rule.

So now the fun stuff, trying to pack whatever i need into a backpack. I am sure there will be a few trials before i get the final list of most essential items. This will be my first challenge…departing from my wardrobe and all the luxury items one takes for granted. No more hair products for me… back to basics even if my hair looks more like a lion’s mane :p

I cant’t wait to GO! I’ve been waiting patiently but can’t help feeling anxious. I really hope i can get out by early August. With my unfortunate delays, i’ve had to re-plan my travel route. My plan now is to start in India, arriving in New Delhi and making my way to Amristar, Dharamsala, Ladakh, Kullu and Manali. Then next stop Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan and back again to do the rest of India. Am really excited to soak in the beauty of the Himalayas.

So what have i been up to lately… mostly lots and lots of reading and online research. All this re-planning has made all my previous research/planning redundant as i’m now not starting in SE Asia. Since i’m starting so late in the year i need to visit the Himalayas by end Nov before it gets freezing cold. And i am not a great fan of the cold weather.. been baking near the Equator for far too long now : p

Am also nearly done with my immunizations… have had 7 jabs so far. 3 more to go this week and i’m ready. I have my 6-months supply of anti-malaria pills and a ready supply of dioxin for Altitude Sickness.

I’ve yet to try setting up my mosquito net.. so that is next on my list. I’m seeing all the lovely gifts my friends have given me over the years to use on my trip, thank you ALL! You’ll all be in my thoughts and this blog will help us stay in touch.

I hope all this physio and exercise works soon to cure this blocked ear tube. So i can finally live my dream and set off on this long long awaited journey.

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson