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10

Mar

Last night in Varanasi. Saw loads of interesting things. This was described to me as being an “old peoples ceremony.” for what, i don’t know. I’ll write heaps when I can. Going to sleep in hopes for the sunrise. I didn’t like it when I got here. Now I do and have to leave. Oh well. Better than leaving hating it. Hope you’re great.

Last night in Varanasi. Saw loads of interesting things. This was described to me as being an “old peoples ceremony.” for what, i don’t know.

I’ll write heaps when I can. Going to sleep in hopes for the sunrise.

I didn’t like it when I got here. Now I do and have to leave. Oh well. Better than leaving hating it.

Hope you’re great.

12 hours ago 2 notes

07

Mar

My phone is about to die and I may not get wireless for much longer, but here he is folks, the man that made it happen. My younger brother, Brian bond, makes amazing music and is the reason i came to this amazing country that is India. He’s spirit, heart, love and talent are unending. Please show him the love he deserves at myspace.com/brianbond as well as with our other amazing friends at his bands sites, communipawmusic.com and myspace.com/communipawmusic. For now I will rest my feet in Varanasi in a small room with no outlets, so hopefully my lack of electronic mosquito repellant will not be the end of me. I send all of my love.

My phone is about to die and I may not get wireless for much longer, but here he is folks, the man that made it happen. My younger brother, Brian bond, makes amazing music and is the reason i came to this amazing country that is India. He’s spirit, heart, love and talent are unending. Please show him the love he deserves at myspace.com/brianbond as well as with our other amazing friends at his bands sites, communipawmusic.com and myspace.com/communipawmusic.

For now I will rest my feet in Varanasi in a small room with no outlets, so hopefully my lack of electronic mosquito repellant will not be the end of me.

I send all of my love.

3 days ago 2 notes

06

Mar

Yesterday Brian and I went to the residency which is a complex in which the British and Indian people struggled for control eventually leaving buildings riddled with canon ball holes. The complex is an odd mix of indian building techniques with British design. Couple this with the fact that around every turn were two young Indians stealing away some time and space to make out and we were in for an interesting afternoon. If this weren’t enough, the afternoon started with me getting my pants hemmed by a 70 year old man on the street for 20 cents. While waiting a drunk dude came up to stare at Brian and me so eventually he said to the guy that if he wasn’t going to ask a question or talk to us he should stop staring. It was a bit uncomfortable but luckily the tailor and his gaggle of buddies didn’t like this guy and made him leave with the threat of hitting him with a shoe. Eventually I got my pants and we were off to the residency. We wandered around a bit and then sat on a bench to enjoy the lovely evening and lovers sneaking past. When we got back to brian’s we ditched our bikes and went to buy pizza and beer. Pizza Hut and royal challenge to be more specific. Hey, you take what you can get. We stuffed ourselves to the brim and I felt a nice buzz from sucking down RC but that soon wore off and I began to feel weird. Brian and I were both lazy from food and booze and relaxed and talked while I slowly felt even more weird and eventually we went to bed. Sometime in the middle of the night I felt weird cramps and got up knowing something wasn’t right. Sure enough, my body was not happy with me and was telling me out the back. This led to me having to get up multiple times to relieve myself and realize how poor the timing is seeing as I’m leaving tomorrow. So today I’ve just hung out, are pepto bismol between toast and rice and am just hoping tomorrow brings more solid excretion. Here’s to hoping.

Yesterday Brian and I went to the residency which is a complex in which the British and Indian people struggled for control eventually leaving buildings riddled with canon ball holes. The complex is an odd mix of indian building techniques with British design. Couple this with the fact that around every turn were two young Indians stealing away some time and space to make out and we were in for an interesting afternoon. If this weren’t enough, the afternoon started with me getting my pants hemmed by a 70 year old man on the street for 20 cents. While waiting a drunk dude came up to stare at Brian and me so eventually he said to the guy that if he wasn’t going to ask a question or talk to us he should stop staring. It was a bit uncomfortable but luckily the tailor and his gaggle of buddies didn’t like this guy and made him leave with the threat of hitting him with a shoe. Eventually I got my pants and we were off to the residency. We wandered around a bit and then sat on a bench to enjoy the lovely evening and lovers sneaking past.

When we got back to brian’s we ditched our bikes and went to buy pizza and beer. Pizza Hut and royal challenge to be more specific. Hey, you take what you can get. We stuffed ourselves to the brim and I felt a nice buzz from sucking down RC but that soon wore off and I began to feel weird.

Brian and I were both lazy from food and booze and relaxed and talked while I slowly felt even more weird and eventually we went to bed.

Sometime in the middle of the night I felt weird cramps and got up knowing something wasn’t right. Sure enough, my body was not happy with me and was telling me out the back. This led to me having to get up multiple times to relieve myself and realize how poor the timing is seeing as I’m leaving tomorrow. So today I’ve just hung out, are pepto bismol between toast and rice and am just hoping tomorrow brings more solid excretion. Here’s to hoping.

4 days ago

04

Mar

Brother Brian and basket chaat. Quite a combo. Basket chaat, dear friends, is a fried potato bowl filled with various fried snacks and topped with heaps of yogurt, shaved beet and carrot, coriander, chutney and pomegranite seeds. I can’t tell if it’s terrible or pretty amazing. I was sober when I ate it so it lacked the late night charm of a new Brunswick fat sandwich or a Rochester garbage plate. Still, it was defintely interesting. Brian and I got this before he, buddy grant and I headed to old lucknow to see qawwali singers. Unfortunately said singers were not performing this particular night so instead we replaced an evening of worship music with a trip to a nearby “bar,” which is really more a weird liquor store that has tables and lets you drink. The server basically gets your drink for you and hopes for a tip. This seems typically Indian to me. The whole thing feels somehow ridiculous and completely normal at the same time. At this place we seemed mildly unwelcome and the workers and some of the patrons were talking about us in a way that was so mumbled and odd that both Brian and grant were unsure exactly what was being said. I, of course understood none of the words but was picking up on body language and signals. We were not so much unwelcome as we were obviously outsiders and didn’t fit their mold or maybe even comfort zone. Two more guys sat next to us and upon realizing Brian and grant speak Urdu kind of freaked out a bit. Over the course of the night I never felt threatened but was a bit on edge for it all. The beer we got was the same as the last bar we’d been to but somehow worse. The beer here sucks and is expensive and the bar scene severely lacking. It’s quite alright as this country has so much more to offer. We followed the crap beer with slightly less crap scotch and pepsi, the latter of which was purchased at the bodega next door but with an 8 rupee upcharge. 16 or so cents is not much to get mad over but it’s the principle of the matter. “there’s principalities involved!” we left soon after finishing our blenders pride and pepsi and headed back to brian’s area in an auto rickshaw holding no less than 14 people. Still, who can beat a 10 cent ride across town? I guess qawwali will have to wait until next time; or rather, I will have to wait.

Brother Brian and basket chaat. Quite a combo. Basket chaat, dear friends, is a fried potato bowl filled with various fried snacks and topped with heaps of yogurt, shaved beet and carrot, coriander, chutney and pomegranite seeds. I can’t tell if it’s terrible or pretty amazing. I was sober when I ate it so it lacked the late night charm of a new Brunswick fat sandwich or a Rochester garbage plate. Still, it was defintely interesting. Brian and I got this before he, buddy grant and I headed to old lucknow to see qawwali singers. Unfortunately said singers were not performing this particular night so instead we replaced an evening of worship music with a trip to a nearby “bar,” which is really more a weird liquor store that has tables and lets you drink. The server basically gets your drink for you and hopes for a tip. This seems typically Indian to me. The whole thing feels somehow ridiculous and completely normal at the same time.

At this place we seemed mildly unwelcome and the workers and some of the patrons were talking about us in a way that was so mumbled and odd that both Brian and grant were unsure exactly what was being said. I, of course understood none of the words but was picking up on body language and signals. We were not so much unwelcome as we were obviously outsiders and didn’t fit their mold or maybe even comfort zone. Two more guys sat next to us and upon realizing Brian and grant speak Urdu kind of freaked out a bit. Over the course of the night I never felt threatened but was a bit on edge for it all. The beer we got was the same as the last bar we’d been to but somehow worse. The beer here sucks and is expensive and the bar scene severely lacking. It’s quite alright as this country has so much more to offer.

We followed the crap beer with slightly less crap scotch and pepsi, the latter of which was purchased at the bodega next door but with an 8 rupee upcharge. 16 or so cents is not much to get mad over but it’s the principle of the matter. “there’s principalities involved!” we left soon after finishing our blenders pride and pepsi and headed back to brian’s area in an auto rickshaw holding no less than 14 people. Still, who can beat a 10 cent ride across town? I guess qawwali will have to wait until next time; or rather, I will have to wait.

6 days ago

01

Mar

a slight respite

right now i am sitting in lucknow, india, and listening to my brother play me songs he’s been working on during the course of the last few months that he’s been so far away from me.  it’s an amazing feeling to be able to once again hear his voice in person and be able to have spent the last week with him in this country he so loves.  it is immediately obvious why he is so enamored with with india, as it has so many wonderful, beautiful and interesting things to offer.  even the things that are arguably bad have lovely sides.  before i left our buddy keith told me of his visit to brian and how he couldn’t wait until i got home and “understood” all of the things that make india so amazing and ridiculous.  and i now do.  cramming 12 people into a little vehicle half the size of a normal taxi, or seeing 4 people fly by on the same motorcycle.  and it’s obviously not just vehicular, everything here is just by different rules.  i wish i could fully articulate some of the things i’ve seen and felt here, but really it’s not that easy.  and my brain is not totally in it right now, as i’m rather happy hanging with my brother.  but, here are some thoughts:

when i first pulled into delhi and saw the broken roads, stray dogs, barefoot people, cycle rickshaws and all sorts of things that pointed towards poverty, i turned to my brother and asked him if people here are happy.  it was a bit of a ridiculous question to ask but between jetlag and seeing so much at once i felt it must be a rough and perhaps miserable existence.  since then i’ve greatly changed my way of thinking.  i’ve observed so often how people can turn so quickly from seemingly mean to ultra friendly, seen how incredibly helpful and kind people can be, how willing they are to offer up themselves and what they have with no ill intentions.  it’s really quite beautiful and i constantly marvel at it.  sure, there is much less sense of personal space, of privacy, but those things don’t really matter.  and yea, people are willing to try to rip you off when they can, but when you refuse their price and ask where something better is, they give you directions with a smile.  it’s amazing and constantly beautiful.

we spent the first few days in delhi visiting all kinds of beautiful sights which greatly opposed the hustle and bustle of the city just beyond their walls and found ourselves jumping between peace and seeming chaos.  somehow, though, the chaos is beautifully organized.  i’m not sure how it’s done, but it is.  autorickshaw drivers fly through the city squeezing into spots i swore a million times didn’t exist.  in the states everyone would have crashed a thousand times a second, but in india, or at least delhi, it’s a smooth (albiet horn ridden) journey flowing through everything.

after delhi we took a night train (think comfortable cattle car) to haridwar and washed our feet in the ganga (ganges river) with thousands of other people there to celebrate, bathe and worship.  it was a really interesting and beautiful site to see so many people so committed.  from haridwar we took an auto (a tiny cycle/car filled with 12 people) 45 minutes to rishikesh where we eventually walked across a foot bridge to (fairly) peaceful area that allowed brian and i to relax.  i took a walk with a new australian friend to a waterfall and along the ganga.  i explored a bit of the somewhat overly tourist area myself but then brian and i headed over to the less touristy area that eventually led to the ashram that the beatles came to in 1968.  after a bribe of about $1 we were let inside the gate by the guard who is set to protect the now abandoned grounds.  after walking around i now more than ever want to see the beatles anthology again, as well as get my writing bum in gear.

we left rishikesh yesterday to come to lucknow, where brian studies.  it’s really been an amazing trip, and even though we were tired, as we got in from our overnight train at 8 am, brian and i hung out with his roommates and eventually went to play colors for holi.  holi is part of the reason that people gathered to wash in the ganga, from what i can understand, and partially marks the beginning of spring, among other things.  today people all over the city were riding around and rubbing beautiful, bright colored powders on each others faces, heads and clothing, hugging, shaking hands and wishing “happy holi!”  it was an amazing way to spend the morning and i came back covered in color and smiles.  after a nice shower and change of clothes we walked around looking for food but almost nothing was open, so we got a quick snack at one place and then returned to rest and play some music.  eventually restaurants opened up and we had a nice meal and now, after so many wonderful days, i was able to sit and write something short.  there is not even the beginning of describing how things are, but hopefully in the coming days i will revisit and dig deeper.  until then, i hope you’re amazing.  get awesome!

1 week ago

28

Feb

in case you didnt know

right now i am in india.  rishikesh, to be exact.  if youre too lazy to check out google maps, its in the north east on the ganges, in the foothills of the himalayas.  its absolutely beautiful here, and to even try to begin to describe my trip so far would be near impossible in the short time i have in this here internet cafe on this keyboard that does not seem to want to cooperate. however, tomorrow i will be at my brothers house in lucknow and should be able to give a nice big update about all things beautiful and ridiculous.

until then, to tide you over, here are a few interesting things so far-

lots of delicious food.   however, surprisingly similar to the indian food in the states.  i guess i assumed it was less authentic there.

cows everywhere, and therefore, cow shit everywhere.

tons of monkeys in rishikesh.  and when they eat nuts its really cute.

chai here is totally different and delicious.

the beds here are basically benches with the slightest padding.

almost everything is crazy cheap.  booze is not one of those things.  luckily while here ive had very little desire to drink.

there are a ton of tourists, some of which are rad and some of which are not.

ok, brian and i are going to go cram 11 people into a glorified trike motorcycle to get to haridwar, eat some food and then grab a night train to lucknow.  ill write more soon!  hope youre great.

pj

1 week ago 2 notes

24

Feb

delhi

yesterday i landed in delhi at 8 am.  i was off the plane, with my bag and hugging my brother by 8:15, both of us grinning and laughing at the absurd beauty that is the life that brought us arm in skinny arm in delhi, india.  we made our way to the hotel that smelled much like the cow it overlooked, dropped our bags and went into the bazaar.  the car ride from the airport was peaceful, for the most part, as brian and i caught up as we moved past other cars at was only a mildly nerveracking pace.  brian laughed at what i would soon be entering.  we made our way into delhi morning traffic and eventually into the bazaar, thanked our driver and went into the hotel mentioned above. 

brian and i went to breakfast at a little restaurant filled with foreigners but i could barely eat as i’d been traveling for three days with odd sleep and random eating schedules.  we then headed to old dehli on an auto rickshaw and cycle rickshaw and walked around the older, bustiling city.  we visited india’s largest mosque, ate an indian type of funnel cake, visited shops and wound through the maze of alleyways.  i can’t even begin to explain all i saw, from packs of wild dogs to midgets missing legs, amazingly navigated traffic jams to heads piled so high with goods they’d reach over 10 feet easily.  when i get time to sit and write properly i’ll get you caught up, but for now we’re going back out in the world.  i am rested, well fed and happy.  i hope you all are the same.  one love.

2 weeks ago 5 notes

21

Feb

2 down, 2 to go

well i made it to london in one piece.  sort of.  they lost my luggage.  suprise.  luckily, the awesome woman at the luggage claim area is going to take care of it.  she is now the 4th woman today in the airline industry that has gone out of her way to try and make my life easier.  mindblowingly amazing.  but it’s late and i need to be back up in 4 hours to try to get my bag, take care of mini errands and get on my plane to mumbai, where i’ll then wait 5 hours (and hopefully not get malaria while waiting for my bag with insect repellant) and then head to meet brian in delhi.  wild.  goodnight world, i love you.

2 weeks ago 2 notes

At the first of four airports to bring me to my brother in Delhi, India. So excited and so tired. I’ll update as much as I can. Forgive the fact that Internet connections will be sparse. One love.

At the first of four airports to bring me to my brother in Delhi, India. So excited and so tired. I’ll update as much as I can. Forgive the fact that Internet connections will be sparse. One love.

2 weeks ago 1 note

19

Feb

Float peanut shells on a Guinness. I’d like to sail those seas. Guinness, Guinness everywhere oh fuck it let’s have a drink. Yesterday I had to go get shots for India. 412$. Ugh. And now my arms hurt something fierce. I also got to catch up with an old high school friend which was really nice. Late night hang with Keith communipaw totally ruled. Today I tried to start recording new tunes and am only half happy with the results. Hopefully when I get back from overseas I get in the necessary head space to make some good jams. Until then I’ll keep singing loudly and hoping nobody notices the songs are lacking.

Float peanut shells on a Guinness. I’d like to sail those seas. Guinness, Guinness everywhere oh fuck it let’s have a drink.

Yesterday I had to go get shots for India. 412$. Ugh. And now my arms hurt something fierce. I also got to catch up with an old high school friend which was really nice. Late night hang with Keith communipaw totally ruled.

Today I tried to start recording new tunes and am only half happy with the results. Hopefully when I get back from overseas I get in the necessary head space to make some good jams. Until then I’ll keep singing loudly and hoping nobody notices the songs are lacking.

2 weeks ago