I woke up feeling so happy to be in the comfort of Pin's apartment. I think I said, "Japan... It's so not India!" I think I got up too early though and was lured into an internet binge for a couple of hours. Online payments to make, people to Skype. I met Pin and his friend Rebecca for sushi near Shizuoka station. The restaurant had a sushi conveyor belt as well as a touch screen computer to place orders. When you are done, they scan chips inside the plates and give you some sort of smart card to take to the register to pay. Japan dude. In the restaurant the night before, the table had a button on it to summon the waitress. Service.
I spent the rest of the afternoon searching for a haircut joint called Snip Snap. I was failing miserably until I gave in and went back to Pin's to consult a map. What is it with me and wandering foreign places without a map? I've wasted hours lost in the heat this way... though I do discover neighborhoods much better this way.
The video below gives you a taste of my day. I mentioned walking around the streets here is like walking on a movie set because a) it looks so different from home and like something out of a 'movie' and b) it's so clean, like a movie set (on a film set everything is controlled, even the grime) And the vending machines... so convenient. I'm walking around sweating and I think, "Boy, I sure wish I could have a cold drink right now" Boom, a vending machine within 20 feet. Pin claims there's one vending machine per 7 people here or something insane. I dunno. I must say, it ain't cheap. I do miss the 50-cent water in India.
Pin's new place has one of these toilets that I thought was so great the first time I used one in 2004. The water is fresh, it's actually the water that refills the tank for the next flush. And I forgot to mention in the video that it also has a heated seat!
Later in the evening we went to the harbor in Shimizu for drinks and snacks while checking out the lunar eclipse. A little cloudy but still pretty special. I've been in such a good mood here. Too many days of rough travel perhaps. I really need to figure out where to go in the few days I have here. I wish I could stay longer but my budget's already hurting enough. I'll try to head to Mt. Fuji soon and do some day trips to Kyoto, Nagoya, Tokyo, and see Hiroshima.
I haven't been taking photos of India which is a shame, I know. I've always been uncomfortable taking photos of street life in poorer areas. Valentina says it's called "the gaze"... those pictures of kids smiling while living in poverty. I'll try to snap something 'real' while I'm here but for now, let me try to paint the picture in words. (Half of you just stopped reading and scrolled to the YouTube videos ha!)
To catch a 6am train to Agra the other day, I decided to book myself into the Smyle Inn across from New Delhi Railway Station. The hostel's actually located in an alley off of the Market Bazaar. Now, imagine chaos. Double that. You get the area around NDRS. Across the street is this market where you're subjected to all sorts of unpleasant smells and constantly have to watch your step as there's animal droppings, food debris, or people spit everywhere. You'll also have to dodge cows, motorcycles, autorickshaws, and people pushing carts or carrying goods.
When I finally found the Smyle Inn, I thought, "hmm, it smells like a toilet" (that's not exactly what I said to myself but I have to clean up my language- mom's readin' this). I couldn't figure out where it was coming from until later when I realized, there was actually two open squat toilets right at the entrance of the alley. Only once did I see someone use it and thank goodness he was only urinating.
Bathing has been a chore in India. Most of my bathrooms have a shower with low pressure, no hot water, and no toilet paper. What they do have are buckets. 'Bucket showers' are a new fact of life. You fill up a bucket, try to soap up, and use a smaller bucket to poor the water over you. This makes 'a quick shower' not so quick. Meanwhile, you end up with the entire floor completely wet. All of this was part of the adventure at Caroline's because I knew that she was the only one using the place (plus she's got a great squeegee to clean up the water). But there's a whole lot of shuttering going on when I start thinking about how people use the other tiny bucket for the toilet next to the shower. My poor feet. Oh, and in Agra, I was showering and looked up to see dozens of tiny insects hanging out in the corner above my head.
Last night I came back from my day roaming the Agra Fort and other sights and saw something run across my wall. I was spooked. The four different types of insects I spotted didn't bother me so much as long as they stayed out of my hair and shoes but this thing was big. I pulled the bed out and found a lizard. ::sigh of relief:: I thought, at least he's helping to eat the bugs.
On the streets of Agra, I've been spotting a variety of wild life. Again, I wasn't able to whip out the camera in time. There are elephants, camels, buffalo, goats, burrows, dogs, (a rat just ran out the door of this internet cafe) and my favorite- families of monkeys. It's a zoo out here!
Lying in bed last night, I started to get a little impatient. I was constantly shifting my body around to get out of my own sweat spot. I'm laying there under a fan, swatting away flies, and I'm thinking, this is only the beginning. Thailand, China, Vietnam... there are some funky places ahead. What have I gotten myself into. But this morning, I met an Englishman who's on his last stop before returning to the UK from a 10 month trip (shortened from 12). I can do this. I stink right now and there's something crawling on me but man, what an adventure.
Went out and checked out Saqqara, Dahshur, Memphis, and Giza. Had a fun driver named Hossein take me around. Met an Aussie named Tom who spit some history knowledge at me while we climbed up and through things (the Mastaba of Ti was pretty cool). Had a meal sponsored by Julie (Thanks! Video when I find a fast connection) at the Saqqara Nest restaurant. Climbed into a pyramid, wandered into a tomb, rode a horse for the second time in my life, and survived not only Egyptian traffic but the Egyptian meal as well (so far).
Part of the tour involved checking out a carpet school (where they tried to sell me some goods) and a papyrus shop (where they tried to sell me goods). I can't be buyin' nothin' folks, sorry. Though after learning a bit about papyrus history and stories behind the art, I was tempted. I suggested that they make smaller pieces.
The tipping thing is frustrating. Everyone wants a tip for something. At the step pyramid, the guides wanted some so I slyly pointed towards the Aussie who hadn't come out yet and they went after him. My driver got a kick out of that. At the carpet shop, the merchant wanted 10 LE after I offered 1 LE. He refused to take it. My money's no good unless it's more (granted, I think 1 LE is 20-cents... but if you're an Egyptian, that'll get you a bottle of water where I have to pay five times or more as a tourist) The horse guide also didn't like my tip. But you know what, I've got six more months to live and some plastic debt building up, I'm not going to lose sleep over it. I've learned how to say no and thank you in Arabic. That's all I need I think.
I've also started to tell people that I'm from Canada. I think I should switch it to Australia. Can't let them know there are poor people from California wandering the world.
The one mistake I made today was to take the horse around the pyramids instead of going in on foot. I think I overpaid even after 15 minutes of bargaining and everyone wearing very unhappy faces. What happens is that you take these horses or camels (I'll ride one of those tomorrow) around the hills of the ancient sites. True you get some nice photos from there but you don't actually go inside the grounds where you have to pay for entry. It was an interesting experience but I may have to return to get a closer look.
Toilets: I've suddenly encountered the toilets with a hose next to them for spraying your bottom off. Makes me worry about touching fixtures and handles around the place. Fortunately places catering to tourists have had TP. I've also had to deal with showers with no shower curtain. You get a small square to stand in and the water sprays all over the floor. On the Greek islands this got pretty messy and here in Egypt they often have a big squeegee in the bathroom for pushing the water towards the drain afterwards. Fun.
Pooping abroad has been a real concern of mine. I don't want people to get the impression that I don't eat. I eat plenty and my body metabolizes the food pretty well. So well that I can have a nice healthy bowel movement sometimes three times a day. But I've got issues about bathrooms. I love my bathroom at home because I keep it very clean with Clorox wipes and toilet bowl cleaner. At work, we've got those nifty seat covers and a cleaning staff that tidy up the joint a couple times a day.When I'm traveling through Asia though, my fear is that I'm going to eat something strange and have to deal with squat toilets. I've read travel forums about these things and in some cases you're left with nothing to wipe except for your hand and a hose. Good times.
Pooping around the world is going to be a freeing experience. I've always admired my friends who have no shame in their bodily functions. I mean we all have to poop! It's as natural as breathing. For now. I will savor every moment on my private throne in Glendale.
Labels: Toilets
