[Machu Picchu]: Finally! And I must be mad

My heart skipped a beat seeing this mail below. It's so silly actually. It was to do with someone mailing to me from Peru about going to Machu Picchu. It just felt very real, all of a sudden.

Thanks to Bhaskar, I sketched Machu Picchu back in Atlanta - with my usual sketch of the brain with wings next to it, unshackling from some chains - I've drawn that flying thing again and again over the years. Something about freedom or freeing itself. Anyways, he had told me Machu Picchu referring to the movie Agantok - Utpal Dutt's character narrates to his grandnephew about Machu Picchu. That memory stuck in my head. It later came out in the form of that sketch. And I gave it to B before leaving Atlanta and moving to Seattle. That must've been in 2000. Good lord!

This year when I was making my calendar - I asked myself and searched within - for those few things that were pending. Machu Picchu came up. Instead of going on thinking about it, I figured out how to do it. I checked with Suz re dates and stuff - she's amazing, she said go, you must go! And here I am, a few days later.

I'm happy! :)

***

Dear Praveen.

We would absolutely love to take you on the trek and we can promise it will be amazing.  You pass through so many microclimates that you really get the chance to see the Andes and all it offers.  

We have a fixed departure on April 14th we will love to  join you tho this party.

This amazing trek will involve a challenging trek as you were hiking  the Kilimanjaro this will be fine.

Our itinerary is designed to enjoy the nature more rather than big groups of people. Our campsites are located in very strategic locations. The first campsite, for example, is completely private only for alpaca groups with private toilets and nice Chosa or like small straw roof cabanas. Its located in the skirts of  Salkantay glacier peak and at night we use our telescope to stargaze. The second campsite is located right at the gate of the cloud forest and the tropical forest where we have a nice private ecological campsite, surrounded by plants, flowers and fruits including flowers. There is a free hot shower and you can even re-charge camera batteries here. The third campsite is located In front of Machu Picchu where you can enjoy the sunrise and sunset over Machu Picchu.

Our 5 day Salkantay trek is $X US per person and includes everything you need for the trek - your guide, chef who makes the most amazing family style food – lots of it with lots of options, your horsemen/porters who will do everything for you including carrying your personal belongings (your personal porter is included and will carry up to 8 kg per pers 

on), all your transportation including the tourist class train back to Ollantaytambo and transfer back to your hotel in Cusco, and your entrance to Machu Picchu where your guide will give you a 2 hour tour with plenty of free time afterwards for exploring on your own.

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Warmest regards,

Eliana

Bullet Returns: Final words

It's the next day today. Returns are always vague. I feel disoriented adjusting back to the city when I return from a trek or even a small 2-3 day ride like this one.

I wonder what happens to us in the city. B kept asking along the way, why are we planning these Mars colonization trips? There's so much space around. It's true. In a densely populated country like India, there's so much space. It's expansive. We all like to accumulate in the cities for the conveniences and access to stuff. Mars is just an ego project, I said. Cities are hot. Clearly the temperature has been rising. It felt more stuffy than it did 9 years to return to the city.

What happens while riding a motorcycle is that you breath and smell the external world constantly - a changing external world. Your senses are alive. The air hits you. You know if you feel cold or hot. And it's a constant change. So your senses perceive things more acutely than if you would be in a car. And a little differently than if you would be walking (it's slow).

The stuffiness makes people less sensitive generally. More transactional. There's definitely a loss of innocence. Smallest of interactions appear weird in the city. In remote areas, smaller towns - somehow people are a lot more relaxed and natural.

Anyways. The trip was a bigger one for B. He was getting out after 9 years. I've lived most of my life in these 9 years. I've not written about several trips. I'll write, I was telling myself.

Chalo, I'll get going now. 

Bullet Returns: Pune - Mumbai (Day 3)

This was the most picturesque day. Khandala and Lonavala are beautiful in some points. The Western Ghats are beautiful. I remember we stopped at one of the highest points. One of the shopkeepers makes espresso coffee - he has one of those machines we would see in the old movie theaters. B of course didn't have all that sugary stuff :) I had.

Staring at the other end of the mountain, he told me about Nik Wallenda, the rope walker. That his father, mother, grandfather - everyone died rope walking. Everyone else in the family left the tradition but he didn't. He sat imagining - he walked over the Grand Canyon. Pointing to the mountain ahead, he said can't even imagine this - how could he walk on a rope over Grand Canyon. People do the most interesting things.

While descending from Khandala, he remembered the Benjamin Button movie. In that the protagonist meets an old lady whose only regret in life was to not have completed swimming of the English Channel - the last 5 % or something like that. A few years later, he reads in the papers that she becomes the oldest lady to swim the English Channel. And then he said, jab ek keeda hota hai in the head, it never goes.

I remember being conflicted about getting a picture taken where the sun was shining correctly - of me driving the motorcycle. On one hand, it was the right point, position etc photographically. On the other - which was the main thing that was bothering me - what is it for that I want that picture? Haven't I shared and shared. What is it that I'm trying to impress for and whom. And why? Unless I get out of this nonsensical external world, I'll be stuck in a loop of doing things without meaning.

I detested Mumbai. B could tell. It looks like you don't want to go. Almost like a kid who doesn't want to be taken out of the toy store. It was something like that. Actually, I could smell the city. People change in their demeanors too. Something happens to people. We had a small interaction in Khapoli - it's at the foothills of Khandala. I could tell in how the auto driver pointed us towards the Mumbai road.

Mumbai drive - it was for about 1.5hours. It drove me crazy. Heat. Dust. Pollution. Watery eyes. Traffic. Choking throat. Sneezes. And so many many people drive day and in out. I wondered what am I complaining about. It wasn't that I was complaining - just that I have gotten out of touch with the discomfort. Rather, have consciously avoided it.

We reached home around 1.15pm. Lunch was thalipeeth! :)

Bullet Returns: Solapur - Pune (Day 2)

The road from Solapur to Pune is really nice. As B would say, makkhan jaisa. We would drive at 80kmph mostly. It was an easy and smooth drive.

We started a little earlier than the previous day. I entertained myself by doing the levitation magic with Bhaskar during breakfast at the Tripursundari hotel. :)

B was to get off at Pune at his parents' place. But the plans changed after we reached.

I kept obsessing about Thalipeeth, a Maharashtrian pancake. So despite the breakfast, we stopped at a dhaba near Indapur. I inquired about thalipeeth and the owner responded with a but-of course.

It was maha tasty and they give this really chilli chutney. It hit home.

Lunch was nice too. B was keen to eat a clean place. It was called Deva. We ate regular fare - like one brinjal curry and dal with roti. But the nice part was sitting outside Deva. It was a good decision to just sit and stare at vehicles passing by. We just kept staring. A car would go. A motorcycle. A truck. A man with a Gandhi cap and a woman. A cycle. Life keeps going. Going on.

We reached Pune by 5pm or so. Who knows. That's how it seemed. The cities are maddening. The traffic. Pollution. Heat. My eyes water and itch. I started sneezing. I live in a cocoon in the city - moving from inside of a car to inside of a home or office. The body loses its tolerance.

B hadn't told his family that we were coming. It was a surprise for them. It was a nice evening. Aunty made nice dinner. I ate heartily. Everyone had to go to someone's place. I slept by 10pm or so - for the next 9 hours - snoring the day out. I remember I had weird dreams.

Bullet Returns: Hyderabad - Bidar - Solapur (Day 1)

After landing, getting my helmet (checked in with a fragile sticker) and getting a shared cab, I reached Bhaskar's place quite late. We started I guess around 11am or so...can't remember. But I remember the feeling when I got on the Bullet - just felt one with it. Like, fish taking to water - I kept telling B.

We stopped first somewhere outside of Hyderabad. The whole region is so dry. The roads were bad. B said it's connected - the region being dry - no agriculture, no money generally so no money for development of roads.

We were riding together after 9+ years - last was Aug or Sept 2007. I realize now that you just don't notice the gap in time. Both of us fit assumed our roles, behaviors as we had earlier so many years back. I kept thinking of 'tuning' among people. We can spend a lot of time with an individual but if the tuning isn't there then working hard towards making tuning happen is weird. On the other side, you may not spend anytime with someone but somehow the tuning happens and time is of no consequence. Also, tuning in one sphere need not translate to other areas of life.

The big difference after all these years is Google maps! When riding at the back, I looked up various places and then randomly felt we should go to Bidar in Karnataka. We thought we'll go there for lunch, may be see a fort or two.

Once Karnataka starts, the roads get better. Bidar is up at a higher altitude. The weather is somewhat cooler as you reach the city. But once you reach the city, it seems like any other tier 4 town in India. We asked someone where we could eat and what we could eat.

He mentioned ABC restaurant near the bus stand. So we went in search of it. Locals tend to point to the "best looking" restaurant when you ask them for references for a good place to eat. It won't necessarily have the tastiest food, leave alone local food.

ABC turned out to be a local Biryani place. We both liked it. They put cauliflowers - nice, tasty ones in the biryani! It was filling but didn't bloat me. B had some chicken kababs. He's cut down a lot what he eats - no sugar, no tea, eats little and I was surprised to see him. He was very lean.

Both of us didn't wear watches. We realized after lunch that it was 3pm. So we said we should start heading towards Sholapur.

On the way out of Bidar, I nearly ran into an auto that was taking a U-turn in the middle of the road. It scared B the whole episode. I don't know what happened. I think I estimated it to turn or what. But I was able to control things and keep going.

That's when the drive started getting difficult. The roads are bumpy leading up to Sholapur. As much as we wanted to avoid night driving, we got stuck by dusk. We were middle of no where.

It being New Year's eve, B wanted to reach a nice place, unwind, eat good food and drink scotch etc. So we continued.

After dusk, it became difficult to see the road. Speed cut down to 40kmph. To engage Bhaskar and to help me avoid the focus on the pain of sitting on the rear seat (it pretty much cuts into your butt after a point - it helps I guess if you have a bigger bum to cushion - I don't!), I started narrating a couple of movie stories - Kali and Charlie - both Malayalam Dulquer Salman movies that I had obsessively watched in 2016.

We finally reached Sholapur after 8pm I think. We weren't keeping track of time. We just moved and moved - alternating when one of us couldn't take the back seat anymore. Despite the challenge, the night was nice in its own way.

A couple of boys on another enfield helped us find Tripursundhari hotel, which Google suggested is a good one (it was OK). We were both exhausted. Ate well. I couldn't drink much more than a bottle of Carlsberg (beer) and then I had ordered two so I had some more - once you stop, the body resists. B had that whiskey that Sug recos (I had introed it to him years ago). We talked well into the night about all kinds of things. It was very nice.

The body gets exhausted faster with age. I could tell the difference from 9 years ago. Or it could be the lack of rhythm of sitting in that motorcycle-angle for long periods of time. It got better the next day. But the roads, if they are bad, bash you up.

Bullet calling

I just booked my tix to hyd. Right after selling off the nano, I got the idea of getting the Bullet back to Mumbai and utilizing the parking lots in the building. It's been years since it's been here. May be 2007 or 2008 when life was so different. I drove to Kaniyakumari back then - the last long drive I guess. Hmmm. Bhaskar and I will be driving from hyd to mumbai now on 31st and 1st. I have a mild worry - very mild but it exists. That's what time does - it makes you forget who you are or were. It's the same Bullet that's gone to Leh, same that's gone to Munnar and so many places in the country. Children or for me, my son - they play a strong role in one's mind. You begin to worry for yourself suddenly. But there's no end to this stuff.

I'm looking forward to this one. It's very short but will be worth the while. Thankfully, I won't be sitting and answering phones or messaging new year wishes. I'll be some place I don't know. Yet.

How could 2016 pass without a trek or trip? It's crazy. Anyways...

Kili: Less than a week to go (wrote on Feb 2, 2014)

We will be trekking, climbing by the weekend. Kilimanjaro. It's happened quite randomly...it was never in my mind to climb this mountain...it's africa's highest, world's highest freestanding and also the highest volcano...it's never been an active volcano. We are climbing via the Rongai route...I learn that it's the least scenic and also the least occupied...it's approaches Kili from the northern side...near to Kenya. I wonder if it'll all be busy, touristy...may be, may be not. I keep thinking about the last night, day...it'll be a 15hour climb and descent...the body just needs to stay put, keep doing its thing.

I've been reasonably fit this time round...yoga has been very helpful. My routine has involved weight training at the gym 3x a week (cross-training everyday, lowers with focus on each leg), running/ walking the full stretch of Juhu beach (to-fro) 2x or so/ week and more recently 2-3 times yoga/ week. The yoga (when I did carefully, slowly) has increased the flexibility of my muscles in a fairly short while...it keeps me safe during weight training.

Will write again...am distracted with TV...some awards show...

Bhutan: Final words

This is the first time I've written this blog so much longer after a travel. Bhutan created a deep impression in my mind and as I wrote it (with the help of my mindmaps/ notes), I could recollect everything...in fact, I could actually see it, feel it, experience it. It's one of those places, I could go back again and again and again. And I could live there. I feel a sense of belonging in some places...in a lot of places actually when I go deep inside. With its rawness, I felt it there...I feel it for Bhutan. The country is rapidly changing, modernizing...it shows up with one of the highest growth rates in The Economist rankings (I think top 5 or 10 for 2013-14). With its changes, it'll also change its perception of happiness. I was curious to find out about this happiness thing...that's why I went. I can't say the people were happier than the rest of us...people are the same everywhere. I saw fear glittering in Sonam's eyes...that night when they trailed off the trail...I heard Cookie talk of his ambitions...I heard stories of uncles who had gone on up to mountains to meditate and never returned...the region is different...they are more calmer, people have an easier, more accepting view of life...but then they also have variations of the same emotions...fear, anger, love, hate, lust, contempt, greed and so on. How could it be any other way?

**
(Below is what I wrote in my notes immediately after the trek)

I was in an Indigo plane after Everest Base Camp. Everything felt strange, difficult. This time not so much. My ear block (I remember now I even had this ailment!) seems to have just disappeared. I'm more adjusting - even accepting. The psychological burden of the trek was interfering...but what a bliss! Is Bhutan really the happiest place - I wonder? There is confusion there - all the basic human tendencies exist. Some are dealt with differently. Well...it feels strange to have my ear and hearing back. My throat....is vague - difficult to explain. Wonder about the Hyd trip - should I simply have gone back to Mumbai? I don't know.

(some random words...)

New way of organizing. Extreme attention to detail. Focus, narrow narrow narrow. Whiteness. Gross National Happiness? Design and priorities. Community. Remote working. Thinking ahead - making list, executing. Stability of mind. Trust. Presence is nice but something more? No fakeness. Fix fly. Tighten. Do less. Cut-out distractions. Empathy. Extreme attn to detail.

(And then I saw this doodle...)

That's that.

Bhutan: Return to the plains (Day 15, 16, 17)

DAY 15
After Koina, we reached the campsite we were supposed to go to the previous night.  It was all the way up. I was glad we didn't do it the previous day. We had an early start and reached the camp 3.5 hours later. Had a good breakfast after.

We kept descending going towards Gasa. Somewhere I tried washing my face...in a waterfall and caught an eye infection. Ok, thank you! I looked a mess again with some gooey coming out of my eye all the time and my eye was red. I think I put some medicine...nothing helped. It finally went away on its own by the next day.

My general state of mind was ruffled with the happenings of the previous day. I'm sure it was the same for everyone. We were okay but also not...something like that. When I reached Gasa, I turned my phone on. And from the messages I gathered that my dad wasn't going to be available in India for his 70th birthday. I had requested for a change in the entire trek schedule (which happened) so that we could coordinate the dates. What fun, I thought. :)

At the final camp site, the trek organizer had got us a lot of goodies...beer, cool drinks, cookies...I can't remember what I ate but basically, I couldn't consume much. The trek and our life there seemed better, nicer. I was feeling very strange being back.

The next morning I called Patta...asking if I could stay at his place and Ahaan and Suzette would come there a day later in Hyderabad...if he wanted to hangout etc. This was the alternate plan to Nana's birthday hangout. So he said yes and that was the plan. (The Hyderabad trip ended up being great fun with Kody and family also joining...Neelu sent me to some closeby expensive hotel for massage...I took a few days to be physically normal).

The dinner was strange. Everyone was there but there were disconnects. But we ate, we spoke, we joked.

DAY 16
The drive to Thimphu was maha fun. Different people took turns being the DJ. We went to see the Punakha dzong on the way. There were these purple flowers...beautiful trees...purple flowers all on the ground, monks sitting chatting, praying, joking. Divya said those were jacaranda trees. I liked the drive. We bought lot of junk food. We bought stuff on the highway...like that red-chillies paste with corn...I loved it. We finally reached Druk hotel. There was TV...I like to watch mindless TV after treks...I watch it without knowing what am watching...just staring into the TV. In some odd way, it helps me reconcile with the reality...to accept that the trek is over and we are in the city...something like that. I remember drawing too. It's what I happily do when I want to do nothing.

That night we had a great time at dinner...wine, gossip and stuff. The hotel manager came up to Mayur and asked if he knew a friend of his who had died a year ago. We were all shocked. He showed us the friend's facebook pic...and told us how dear a friend he was. We talked a lot about rebirth and reincarnation. I was reading Tibetan Book of Living and Dying through the trek and I remember being very active and animated about some story I had read about how an Englishman remembered a past life from several generations ago and helped archeologists discover and make sense of the entire landscape (can't remember where this was)...middle-east/ Europe.

DAY 17
There was sightseeing and stuff the next day. I think I took a break and went to sleep in between...I missed the Thangka painting school...Milan took several pictures...I would've loved to see it from the look of the pics. Very technical art work. Earlier we went to the general post office - it's an interesting place...Bhutan celebrates everyone's success...it could be US going to the moon, there'll be a stamp...India gets independence, there'll be a stamp. It's an amazing, amazing place. And amazing, amazing people.

We had pizza for lunch, did some shopping...the whole day was generally vague for me...being in this city-like life. I loved one book shop...but never bought anything from there.

Bhutan: Koina where hell broke loose (Day 14)

We were descending. I caught on a weird persistent cough...everyone kept asking, how are you? I must've looked a mess...though I couldn't gauge it myself. Our group had its ups and downs through the trek but this was the day when humpty and dumpty had a fall. One part of our group reached the lunch spot late while the others were waiting for well over an hour. Possibly, I could be the cause of that delay :) There was some decisions during lunch on whether we would camp at Koina or beyond and it was finally decided that it would be Koina because of my condition. I was a little confused on what my response needed to be - should I be insisting no, am okay...let's go all the way or should I just follow instructions and not potentially trouble everybody. I decided to follow instructions - that was my role there.

We reached Koina. Our horses had moved ahead, some part of our group had moved ahead. The camping site was moist. Finally the group reunited...the ones who went further, returned. But by then there was so much stress...physical, mental, psychological that we had some fireworks amongst ourselves. Anger, confusion, frustration, sadness and all the stuff that usually follows anger. I did what I usually do...went and did my kriya in one corner in the mountains :) It was nice...calming. Then I cleaned up my bag, settled the various currency notes I had, ate some bar...just kept myself occupied. Nothing that one would say or do at this point would be perceived rationally because everyone's minds were up, up and away and emotion was rife. Tanaav is an amazing thing.

Dusk fell...it was cold. I found the family living in that Koina house (it was a house...with a choking cooking, fireplace inside) very endearing...the father especially. I sat and sketched the mountain ahead and the fallen tree. It seemed as though a landslide had occurred. The father took interest. I was sketching on a card that one Laughing Buddha-like lady had given me in Paro - beginning of the trek. I gave the card to him. It's been several months -- I can still see the image of that landslide place clearly...drawing is an amazing thing. Later the father offered me betel leaves and lime (it's called doma)...it does give a kick...I put it in my mouth. Sharing doma is a friendly gesture.

At night when I went to pee...I saw the moon. It looked like a tube-light...round of course but so bright and white. I didn't need any headlamps.

So that was that. The groups finally reconciled to the situation but stayed distant. Some were quiet, some laughed, some were normal, some were introspective, some observed, some smiled, some ignored...Late at night, a few of the staff members brought back our sleeping bags...they went all the way up and back. Torturous. We had put them through it. Possibly, I had in some way created this situation with my cough and such - I'll never know. When they arrived, the boys were still smiling. It was amazing, humbling.

Koina was very interesting.