Seven Month RTW Update: Rambling On To India

I’m in Bangkok, waiting for my upcoming flight to Bombay and catching up on projects. I’ve stayed in Asia a couple months more than I had expected — Vietnam and Laos both deserved more time than I had originally planned for. I’m glad I spent the extra time.

Laos proved to be my favorite country so far — it has that perfect mix of friendly people, amazing scenery, great food and a laid-back attitude that just seeps into your bones. When I first arrived, I spotted a tourism sign that read “Stay Another Day” and I think that’s the perfect slogan for Laos — I found myself falling in love with one quiet town after another and thinking “just one more day…”

But after seven months, I’m ready for something different and I think India will definitely deliver in that regard. It’s been eleven years since I last visited and I’m curious to see what has changed and what hasn’t.

India is not easy travel. It’s crowded, noisy, and dirty and the level of poverty can be soul-crushing. Every aspect of the human experience is not just on display, but right in your face — death, birth, disease, hunger, fear, hope… It’s not an experience that you can control or manage — you just have to dive in and surrender, having faith that at some point you’ll resurface intact. India is all about faith.

My Travel Plans Have Plans of Their Own
I had planned on flying into Calcutta and making my way north to Nepal before it gets too cold in the north. A couple of days before I was to buy my ticket, I discovered that the Durga Puja festival was in full swing in Calcutta, peaking the day after I arrived. It’s one of the largest festivals in India and draws millions of Hindus to the city to make offerings to the Goddess Durga.

At first, I was excited by my lucky timing, but as I learned more I realized just how large a celebration it was and found that most Bengalis go on holiday right after — most transport out of the city is booked up for weeks. As much as I’d like to see it, I realize that it would be the equivalent of arriving in Rio during Carnival with no hotel or transport arrangements — I could be stuck there for awhile.

So, instead, I’m flying into Bombay and making my way northeast to Nepal. I’d hoped to visit Sri Lanka as well, but India has tightened their borders and I was only able to get a double-entry visa. Maybe I can find a way…

Good News and Bad News
The good news is that I bought a new camera. The bad news is that I bought a new camera. I hated spending the money (a significant portion of my remaining budget), but my Canon Rebel XSi finally died. It refused to focus and the electronics were starting to act up. I’d been unhappy with the sharpness of the lens as well and had already resigned myself to investing in an upgraded lens.

The Canon service center in Bangkok could have repaired it for me, but they didn’t have the part and it would take two weeks to order one, meaning it would arrive long after my visa ran out. So I took the plunge and bought the latest, greatest toy… err… tool I could afford, the Rebel T2i/550D with an 18-135mm lens. The lens is a lot sharper than my old one and the low-light capability is astounding. I can’t wait to put it through the paces in India.

Still Going, Still Growing
The site continues to grow, with traffic increasing by about 20% per month which seems pretty good to me. JV has nearly 500 Facebook Fans, over 2,000 Twitter followers, 500 RSS subscribers, and around 7,000 unique visitors per month.

I’ve made a little money from selling ads on the site, but there’s a long ways to go if I hope to generate enough income to extend the trip. Monetizing the site is something I really haven’t spent much time on until now. I’ve got enough budget for another six months, but I’d like to go another year or more, so I’d best get busy.

Freelance graphic design projects have helped slow the bleeding from my savings account as well. (Shameless plug: if you’re looking to buy a new calendar for 2011, check out Calendars.com — they have thousands to choose from and they’re good people.) And if you need some web graphics created, drop me an email. I work cheap!

I’d like to thank you all for following along on my adventures so far and for all of the amazing support I’ve received. Every email or positive comment really makes my day and helps keep me motivated. Thanks so much!

-Wes

Tagged as: Bangkok, India, Route