india 2010
Thursday, April 01, 2010
yes, i just returned from india, which explains the lack of posts in recent weeks.
india, i must say, is an amazing country. it has one of the world's fastest developing economy, and definitely has more potential for more. it has thousands of years of history behind it, and is the birthplace of 2 major religions, and is under the influence of many more. even though my trip was a short 18 days, i have already so much to tell...
let's start with the toilet experience i had at indira ghandi international airport, delhi. i entered the toilet after collecting my kit bag, only to find a young man following me to the urinal, then to the wash basin to offer me soap and napkins to dry my hands. i was caught back by surprise (i really wasn't expecting things that i read in books to happen), and so i rejected him, rather rudely i would say. it dawned upon me much later that he was only doing his job, in hope of a generous tip from a tourist, which of course never happened.
then journey from delhi to the camp. a 5 hour train ride and a 1 hour bus ride wasn't that pleasant an experience, but it wasn't as bad as expected either. the train ride was actually quite comfortable, probably five stars in their standards. along the way i saw slums, and many wide stretches of land that are essentially untouched. and i wonder how huge the world actually is.
the actual training. my commanders told me that the accomodation and food in BABINA camp is actually good, much better if you were to compare it to Wallaby. It sure was, with pretty comfy beds and all bunks fitted with a desert fan that was quite effective in cooling the room when it gets unbearably hot in the afternoon. But still, there were instances where you felt that you were thrown back to basics. Blackouts were frequent, and there were times there was no water to wash or shower in. In many parts of India, water is still drawn out from wells. And so in camp, apart from potable water, they actually fill up water drums with water meant for washing on a regular basis. The drums aren't exactly that huge, and so they were times when water just ran out. I guess the experience made me cherish water and electricity, something so necessary yet basic, more than I ever did.
Going outfield was like visiting the safari. They were cows, buffalos along streams of water (that was rare though), shepherds herding their goats, sheep (they come in three types: white sheep, black sheep, and white sheep with black faces) and peacocks. A friend of mine actually saw an animal with the head of a goat and body of a horse, or something like that. Cloudless skies, land that stretched through the horizon, beautiful sunsets, starry nights...There was really nothing more you could ask for. That kind of impact that the place had on me...it was something i haven't felt for a very long time.
Moving on to the tour, the Taj Mahal was certainly food for the soul. I wouldn't elaborate more, it is one of the must-see places in the world. Very beautiful indeed.
Along the way, there was much to see. Traffic seemed to flow even without traffic lights, horns were more of courtesy and acknowledgement than rudeness. I realised that other than their railway system (that i suppose the British left behind), India's transport system isn't very developed. There were no proper expressways or freeways, the roads seemed to stretch on and on, passing by towns and cities along the way. The Indira Ghandi International Airport (Terminal 2) only had 10 gates; passengers had to wait for the aircraft to taxi before they could board. The Metro in Delhi is only in its early stages of construction, and whatever you saw on TV about the train and bus services are true. There is definitely much more room for growth in the sector.
If you were to compare India with the other rapidly developing country in the world, China, you would realise that there are key differences. I would say that China's development is more structured, with cities developing much faster than the rural areas. However, in India, things are abit more balanced. You could find posh buildings and shopping malls situated just hundreds of metres away from slums and tentages. There was no structure in the development of cities, even in New Delhi. Cows roamed the streets, people did whatever they wanted along the streets (that includes answering nature's call); it really could get quite messy. Children ran around asking for food, money, or selling anything they could lay their hands on. It is not up to me to say which form is better, but looking at how the people struggled with poverty pained me.
I wish I could do something substantial for them, but I realise there was hardly anything I could do. I felt not only their poverty, but their helplessness. As I passed by street after street, I realised that poverty is something that is inherent in all economies, and is something that will stay in time to come. It also dawned upon me that lifting people out of poverty is really a noble task.
the actual training. my commanders told me that the accomodation and food in BABINA camp is actually good, much better if you were to compare it to Wallaby. It sure was, with pretty comfy beds and all bunks fitted with a desert fan that was quite effective in cooling the room when it gets unbearably hot in the afternoon. But still, there were instances where you felt that you were thrown back to basics. Blackouts were frequent, and there were times there was no water to wash or shower in. In many parts of India, water is still drawn out from wells. And so in camp, apart from potable water, they actually fill up water drums with water meant for washing on a regular basis. The drums aren't exactly that huge, and so they were times when water just ran out. I guess the experience made me cherish water and electricity, something so necessary yet basic, more than I ever did.
Going outfield was like visiting the safari. They were cows, buffalos along streams of water (that was rare though), shepherds herding their goats, sheep (they come in three types: white sheep, black sheep, and white sheep with black faces) and peacocks. A friend of mine actually saw an animal with the head of a goat and body of a horse, or something like that. Cloudless skies, land that stretched through the horizon, beautiful sunsets, starry nights...There was really nothing more you could ask for. That kind of impact that the place had on me...it was something i haven't felt for a very long time.
Moving on to the tour, the Taj Mahal was certainly food for the soul. I wouldn't elaborate more, it is one of the must-see places in the world. Very beautiful indeed.
Along the way, there was much to see. Traffic seemed to flow even without traffic lights, horns were more of courtesy and acknowledgement than rudeness. I realised that other than their railway system (that i suppose the British left behind), India's transport system isn't very developed. There were no proper expressways or freeways, the roads seemed to stretch on and on, passing by towns and cities along the way. The Indira Ghandi International Airport (Terminal 2) only had 10 gates; passengers had to wait for the aircraft to taxi before they could board. The Metro in Delhi is only in its early stages of construction, and whatever you saw on TV about the train and bus services are true. There is definitely much more room for growth in the sector.
If you were to compare India with the other rapidly developing country in the world, China, you would realise that there are key differences. I would say that China's development is more structured, with cities developing much faster than the rural areas. However, in India, things are abit more balanced. You could find posh buildings and shopping malls situated just hundreds of metres away from slums and tentages. There was no structure in the development of cities, even in New Delhi. Cows roamed the streets, people did whatever they wanted along the streets (that includes answering nature's call); it really could get quite messy. Children ran around asking for food, money, or selling anything they could lay their hands on. It is not up to me to say which form is better, but looking at how the people struggled with poverty pained me.
I wish I could do something substantial for them, but I realise there was hardly anything I could do. I felt not only their poverty, but their helplessness. As I passed by street after street, I realised that poverty is something that is inherent in all economies, and is something that will stay in time to come. It also dawned upon me that lifting people out of poverty is really a noble task.
Maybe life is unfair. All are born equal, but why some enjoy life more than others?
This trip to India is definitely an eye-opener for me. For one, it made me realise how vast the world is. We shouldn't be sitting in front of the computer all day...Find time, save some money, and wander into the different parts of the world. For you never know when you could discover something you never once knew...
This trip to India is definitely an eye-opener for me. For one, it made me realise how vast the world is. We shouldn't be sitting in front of the computer all day...Find time, save some money, and wander into the different parts of the world. For you never know when you could discover something you never once knew...