The site hasn’t updated the e-magazine yet, but you can see a version of the story here - Baked In Memory.

I love Rajasthan with its vibrant color against the stark, desert land.  Oh BTW, I highly recommend government buses to Jaipur.  Organized, on time, actual Volvo buses and the rest area stop is fairly swanky.

Unfortunately, I can’t write more or even more eloquently.  My brain isn’t working since it’s the Fourth and I’ve just returned from the festivities at the Embassy.

Ever google your name?  I’m sure you do.  I mean, I do.  Well, I just did and found that I am listed in My Fashion Database.  They only have a few stories I worked on, but it’s funny to think someone took the time to log me in.  Thanks whoever you are!

http://www.myfdb.com/people/2178-jocelyn-baun/credits#editorials

Beginning of April: Adam’s parents and brother Aaron arrived in Delhi, stayed a couple days and then we were off.

Day 01: Flew Delhi to Bagdogra, then drove 5 hours up the mountain on hairpin turn roads with no guardrails and in the rain to Gangtok, Sikkim.  Toured monastaries, explored Gangtok and welcomed relief from Delhi heat with the relatively cool weather.

Day 03: Drove another 5 hours back down and up the mountain to Darjeeling, West Bengal.  Amazing drive though “Gorkhaland” with wonderful vistas, tea plantations and the forest.  We stayed in the downtown/tourist area of Darjeeling at the Elgin, a cute colonial-style heritage hotel.   Walking in Darjeeling feels like San Francisco - ultra hilly and clean air.   That area with all its tourists, is a bit like a mini-Parharganj in Delhi - genie-pant-wearing tourists, trustafarians and people that really shouldn’t be 50 and still backpacking.   But it was refreshing to be around calmer, nicer people, unlike in Delhi.

Day 04: Got up at 3am and drove up to Tiger Hill, the highest point in the area at 8,500 ft/2,600 m, to catch the sunrise over the Himalayas.  It was cloudy that morning and we didn’t see squat.  Sweet.  But there was good chai and great energy from all the people gathered.  After breakfast, it was back in the car for the three hour drive down the mountain to the New Jalpaiguri Station where it was considerably warmer and we caught the overnight train to Varanasi.

Ok, I this is where our trip went downhill for a couple days.  The train has no First Class, so we’re booked Second Sleeper and Adam and his brother get Third Sleeper.  Yes, I know it sounds snotty, but it makes a big difference when riding the trains here.  Both Second and Third classes have A/C but at least in Second you have curtains for a bit of privacy between the bunks.  Aaron’s seat assignment didn’t physically exist, so we bribed the Ticket Taker Rs500 ($11.25), which is a decent amount of money here.  Speaking of bribes, one of my favorite podcasts, NPR Planet Money had a great podcast on bribes in India - here.

We finally got Adam’s brother a bunk, but Adam’s seat was in the crappy Third Class, so he stayed in mine.  I wouldn’t ever recommend this option since those bunks are barely three-quarters the size of a twin bed.  Being cramped, people hacking up a lung and various food sellers kept me up the whole ride down.  And to top it off, Adam’s mother got really sick.

Day 05: 7am we arrive in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on no sleep, sick and it’s a good 25C hotter than Darjeeling.  That evening, we toured the Dhamekh Stupa and saw Bodhi Tree #2 (grown from a sapling of the original Bodhi Tree under which Buddha gained enlightenment) in Sarnath, went for a sunset boat ride on the holy River Ganges seeing bathers and a cremation, and capped off the day by watching evening Aarti (a Hindu ritual offering lit lamps to the deities) at Dashashwamedh Ghat.  It’s performed by young, beautifully dressed Brahmin males (teenagers guys?), and the crowd participates with singing and ringing bells.  If you’re ever in Varanasi, please have that experience.  Varanasi is dirty and full of tourists but there’s definitely a sense of something special and spiritual about it.

Day 06: Get up at the crack of dawn for a sunrise boat ride on the Ganges.  Aaron is now sick.  The doctor comes.  Two down so it’s just the three of us - Adam’s dad, Adam and me.  Morning is calmer and without organized worship.  People are practicing laughing yoga, dhobi wallahs washing laundry, more folks bathing in the river.  We jumped off the boat, walked through the winding back streets and saw the Golden Temple.  As foreigners and more importantly, non-Hindus, we weren’t allowed to enter the temple, but viewed it from the a lane outside the main entrance.  Back to the hotel for breakfast and off we went to another city.

Flew to Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh to see the erotic sculptures at the temples.  Here’s where we hit rock bottom.  I wasn’t feeling too great - achey with the chills, Aaron threw up on the plane and when we landed, was taken off the plane by wheelchair.  It’s hot as hell here and seeing how we’re all exhausted and/or sick, we cancelled the rest of the day.  I was in bed for at least 12hours, another doctor came to see us and pronounced Aaron as very dehydrated.  WHO formula rehydration packs were dispensed and Adam started to feel ill too.

Day 07: Adam’s parents are the only ones who managed to see the temples at 6am.  We ate breakfast then drove four hours to Jansi to catch the train to Agra.  Everyone is some combo of tired and exhausted so we stressed out about leaving the hotel late; luckily we arrived at the station with time spare.  Two and a half hours later, Adam’s parents, Aaron and I got out at Agra while Adam continued to Delhi.

Day 08: Got up at the crack of dawn again for an 8am visit to the Taj Mahal.  Amazing craftsmanship and quite serene.  No matter how hot it was, I was definitely glad to see it.  The hawkers outside though are hard to dissuade.  10am we checked out and drove 6 hours or so to Jaipur. Yea, Rajasthan (the desert)!  Seriously, Rajasthan, while dry as all hell, is so colorful.  Le Meridien upgraded us to villas.  Woot! Woot!

Day 09: Morning elephant ride and tour of the Amber Fort, then the Jaipur Observatory.  The sun was beating down (it’s near 44C by 11am) and while learning about astronomy, astrology and being surrounded by huge sundials, the heat and sun defeated us.  Back to the hotel by noon.  At 4:30pm Aaron flew back to Delhi.  And because of the Iceland volcano eruption, he’s stuck in Delhi for a few days.

Day 11: Drove 8 hours to Jodhpur, the Blue City.

Day 12: We smartened up and are only doing morning activities and not too many of them.  Toured the Mehrangarh Fort and found a great textile wholesaler who happens to be friends with Bill Murray (we saw the photos and magazine clippings).

Day 13: Drove 8 hours to Udaipur.  Along the way, we stopped at the Jain Temple in Ranakpur.  It’s an intricately carved temple with 1444 pillars, no two alike.  Once in Udaipur, we had a boat ride in the largest of the three man-made lakes.  That night in the hotel, we’re treated to a tire salesmen conference with pumping music and a poolside dancefloor with flashing lights.

Day 14: Saw the Jagdish Temple dedicated Lord Vishnu and then toured the City Palace.  Flew back to Delhi that night.

Whew!  Are you tired reading this?  I’m exhausted recounting it!  I need a vacation from my vacation. Although it was a physically tough journey, I’m glad to have the opportunity for a once in a lifetime trip like this and being able to see the cities, attractions, meet some locals and spend time with the Matthews clan.

And photos coming soon…

The homes / stalls were small, some no taller than me, brown and tent-like.  We walked along a muddy dirt path through a full community - homes, ironing-walas, dhabas, a clinic - and saw these kids playing with stray puppies.  I grabbed a few pics and, feeling odd about the slum touring, we left.  As we walked out the kids, ran after me, stopped then ran away.  Back on the main road, they popped up again, this time with friends and kept asking for more pictures.   A few frames later they all ran off.  How cute are these kids?

When I zoomed in, I noticed a couple had tattoo-like images on the backs of their right hands.  Someone mentioned that they don’t look like the crappy Lick’m-Stick’ms, but I hope they are.