Manali & Vashist
So the trip to Manali was pretty wretched; it got off to a bad start by us having to walk in the dark for 5 mins with our packs seemingly into nowhere to find the bus, of course the travel agents neglected to say it wouldn't be in the main bus stand. Then the drivers hardly seem to know which agency they're with, so it was quite a pain to find the right one. Some Israeli girls in front of us made exasperated comments in Hebrew, and though I understood not a word, the sentiment was crystal clear.
Sorry to complain so much. Most of my ire comes from the way Indians deal with us- very much like we're objects rather than people. If I understood intellectually, for example, how women feel when in misogynist spaces, maybe now I know a bit better experientially. It absolutely sucks! It's at the point where I can hardly risk making eye contact with people, lest they holler at me the usual cat-calls, trying to get me to buy whatever it is they're selling. The only time people seem to be nice is when the business has already been done, and they already caught their fish.
No one likes to take no or "ney ney" (=no, absolutely not) for an answer, I often have to be what I would consider rude before people lay off.
The other frustration (one of many, can you tell?) is how people are always ripping you off, or trying. And in reading about India's economic and social situations (I've had lots of time to read), I see it as part of this system of bribes and corruption, so destructive. Everyone is ripping everyone else off, so of course I'm going to rip you off if you don't know better.
The other exception would be other Indian "tourists," who can sometimes be nice, and even cool. Though at times, again, you're just objectified for being westerner or foreigner or whatever, and there is this grinning shouting of whatever English invective comes to mind.
So today we braved the walk from old Manali to a village across the river and up the mountainside called Vashisht, just to see what it's like. Many Indian tourists here, as in "new" Manali, and we did find the recommended dinner place. The walk here was most yucky of course, hard to survive the traffic, the dust, the exhaust fumes. But we made it, and the view of the mountains and the valley makes it all worth it of course.
I should mention too that the view from our hotel room is terrific, really extraordinary. We look out at green mountainface across the valley, going around in all directions, and further to the distance the snowcaps of even bigger Himalayan lovelies. Oh and I counted at least four waterfalls visible from where we are; the river that goes through town is always roaring, which we can hear especially later on when the nightlife has died down. Yesterday we went through the vast park that lies between old and new Manali, and Vashisht- got some nice photos I think, rather akin to the feeling of being in the pacific northwest. Only with monkeys!
Yesterday, at the Nyingma monastery in central Manali, we ran into a Tibetan tour guide (he spotted his customers well) who seems pretty chill, who runs a day-trip up into the mountains, where the Nyingmapas have their main monastery. Mostly nuns apparently, with a few monks as well. The sound of it was that we'll go up for there and have lunch, and be free to talk to the lamas up there... some Kagyu folks as well. Sounds great to me! So we'll give it a try; there's an hour of hiking/trekking involved, and though we're not really geared for it with our shoes, we'll try our best.
It's a pity we didn't get to go to Ladakh, but the road only just opened, and it takes 2-3 days to get there, maybe more to prevent altitude issues. Also it's super cold still. Next time, though, for sure. Only about a week left on our trip! Wish us luck and sanity, I'm out,
Nicolas
Sorry to complain so much. Most of my ire comes from the way Indians deal with us- very much like we're objects rather than people. If I understood intellectually, for example, how women feel when in misogynist spaces, maybe now I know a bit better experientially. It absolutely sucks! It's at the point where I can hardly risk making eye contact with people, lest they holler at me the usual cat-calls, trying to get me to buy whatever it is they're selling. The only time people seem to be nice is when the business has already been done, and they already caught their fish.
No one likes to take no or "ney ney" (=no, absolutely not) for an answer, I often have to be what I would consider rude before people lay off.
The other frustration (one of many, can you tell?) is how people are always ripping you off, or trying. And in reading about India's economic and social situations (I've had lots of time to read), I see it as part of this system of bribes and corruption, so destructive. Everyone is ripping everyone else off, so of course I'm going to rip you off if you don't know better.
The other exception would be other Indian "tourists," who can sometimes be nice, and even cool. Though at times, again, you're just objectified for being westerner or foreigner or whatever, and there is this grinning shouting of whatever English invective comes to mind.
So today we braved the walk from old Manali to a village across the river and up the mountainside called Vashisht, just to see what it's like. Many Indian tourists here, as in "new" Manali, and we did find the recommended dinner place. The walk here was most yucky of course, hard to survive the traffic, the dust, the exhaust fumes. But we made it, and the view of the mountains and the valley makes it all worth it of course.
I should mention too that the view from our hotel room is terrific, really extraordinary. We look out at green mountainface across the valley, going around in all directions, and further to the distance the snowcaps of even bigger Himalayan lovelies. Oh and I counted at least four waterfalls visible from where we are; the river that goes through town is always roaring, which we can hear especially later on when the nightlife has died down. Yesterday we went through the vast park that lies between old and new Manali, and Vashisht- got some nice photos I think, rather akin to the feeling of being in the pacific northwest. Only with monkeys!
Yesterday, at the Nyingma monastery in central Manali, we ran into a Tibetan tour guide (he spotted his customers well) who seems pretty chill, who runs a day-trip up into the mountains, where the Nyingmapas have their main monastery. Mostly nuns apparently, with a few monks as well. The sound of it was that we'll go up for there and have lunch, and be free to talk to the lamas up there... some Kagyu folks as well. Sounds great to me! So we'll give it a try; there's an hour of hiking/trekking involved, and though we're not really geared for it with our shoes, we'll try our best.
It's a pity we didn't get to go to Ladakh, but the road only just opened, and it takes 2-3 days to get there, maybe more to prevent altitude issues. Also it's super cold still. Next time, though, for sure. Only about a week left on our trip! Wish us luck and sanity, I'm out,
Nicolas
posted by Nicolas at 6:54 AM
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