A YetiHoliday® - TheOne® visits India for the first time.

[Sam Kapasi]

Hi!

I know this one has been much awaited and I'm going to try and make it worth your while. She's gone back to Germany and I'm left with thousands of pictures and stories in my head.

I will be brave enough to say that this will probably be the longest and most complex YetiBlog® yet and for the first time, written by 2 people. Everyday TheOne® will join in with her own views and points of view on everything, something that I am sure we will find most interesting.

It's a fresh look at our own country. I do hope you enjoy it and remember, keep your comments coming.

Sam

[Sam Kapasi]

Just 4 days to go. TheOne® is going to see India for the very first time. It has been a toss up of sorts. She is a person that needs culture, life, forests, animals and adventure.
I’ve wanted her to see urban life in India, see day-today existence. A slice of my life, if you will.

Since the plans were up to me I made them as I went along. A reason for mostly sticking to the city was the fact that I don’t want to be away from the office for too long and I am carrying my laptop and BB with me everywhere I go.

So this is a YetiHoliday®, but not a perfect one. I just hope she has the patience to put up with my work travelling with me. Of course I don’t need an excuse to enjoy and I will.

It’s going to be interesting to see her reactions to things around her. Though she has seen much of the world outside of Europe (South Africa, Australia, Mexico, Bolivia, Spain, Botswana and more) I truly believe that nothing is going to prepare her for the emotional and physical assault that India provides. Especially for someone who has never seen any Asian country before.

A traveller once told me “You can never quite be OK with India. You can love it madly or hate it with passion. I’ve never met anyone who thought India was alright.”

This blog will follow the travels of TheOne® and The Yeti® around India for 16 days. It will include experiences, cultures, restaurants, stories and incidents. I expect her to actively participate with her point of view on almost everything. Be assured it will be very different from mine.

So what’s the plan?

There is a lot of travel. Travel has been an integral part of my life and this is something we share a common passion for. Not only the destination, but the means of travel as well. People, incidents, stations, airports. A bit strange you think?

Looks like The AirportMan has finally met his match.

Over the next 16 days we will cover Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Agra, Neemrana/Alwar, back to Mumbai, then Bangalore, Chennai & Pondicherry and back to Mumbai.
Hectic? Heck, I should think YES.
Disadvantage – not enough time to explore in detail, this will be more of a trailer of India for the fine German lass. A trailer that will decide if she wants to see the whole movie or not, if you know what I mean.

Enjoy!
Sam

[Sam Kapasi]

It's J-Day!! She arrives at 11pm today by Air India. I am a cocktail of excited and apprehensive.

It's a hot and humid day, even by Bombay standards. I reach the airport on time, but what's this?
The terminal is a rollicking mess, a mixture of mismanagement and repairs. Yes, yes I know we're trying to build a better tomorrow, but my girlfriend is arriving today!!
What she is going to think???!! I am really a bundle of nerves. I look around me. Wow, we have so many people, what are all these people doing here at this hour.



Why do they stand right in the middle of the path, not allowing passengers to walk out peacefully?

I park myself on the side. I am tall, as is TheOne® (she almost 5 feet 10 inches), I will see her when she arrives.

Suddenly I see her across many people. No looking around, somehow she knows exactly where to look and sees me. She breaks into a beautiful smile. No, she doesn't seem shocked seeing the people around her.

I walk up to her baggage cart quickly.

Everything's going to be alright

[hellspawn]

Im sure you are really excited,though you need to add more smilies to actually convey your excitement.
The story begins!
Cast: The yeti,The One and India.
Lights ,camera,action!

[arif_t01]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

Just 4 days to go. TheOne® is going to see India for the very first time. This blog will follow the travels of TheOne® and The Yeti® around India for 16 days.

Over the next 16 days we will cover Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Agra, Neemrana/Alwar, back to Mumbai, then Bangalore, Chennai & Pondicherry and back to Mumbai.

Oh come on! How can you give a miss to 'God's Own Country'. ZAAAAK!!!

[Sam Kapasi]

Originally Posted by arif_t01

Oh come on! How can you give a miss to 'God's Own Country'. ZAAAAK!!!

Kerala is something that we will cover in great detail. Probably on the next YetiHoliday®

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

This blog will follow the travels of TheOne® and The Yeti® around India for 16 days. It will include experiences, cultures, restaurants, stories and incidents. I expect her to actively participate with her point of view on almost everything. Be assured it will be very different from mine.

Over the next 16 days we will cover Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Agra, Neemrana/Alwar, back to Mumbai, then Bangalore, Chennai & Pondicherry and back to Mumbai.

Sounds very very interesting. Probably a record breaker. can't wait.

[benbsb29]

Interesting. I was waiting for this one to come up.

[akroy]

Nice start Sam, Keep them coming

Abhi

[wheeler]

Sam, you've just started and I'm already glued to this thread. I keep refreshing the page every 5 minutes hoping for another post from you. And in the picture of the crowd outside the airport, you've managed to capture the scene in its true sense. I can actually feel the hustle-bustle of the impatient crowd. Just waiting for more from you.

[Sam Kapasi]

It's morning in Mumbai. We have the day to spend, roaming, shopping etc.
She doesn't have many summer clothes, we will need to buy some today. We get dressed and leave. She is completely amazed by what she sees. She starts taking pictures of things that leave me laughing. Welcome to Bombay!!
I will not describe her impressions, I will leave that for her to do. What I can tell you is that she is amazed, but not shocked. I guess a combination of an open-minded person and a traveller makes it easier to accept things.

We spend the day discussing why there are cows on the street (where there are cows on the street) and almost every small thing that there is to see. I'll let her pictures show you what amazed her.





Not very Modern huh, that chemist? lol

Some lovely Indian Coffee before we shop.



What was the cow discussion about? Well, she's seen cows before (of course) but Jenny couldn't believe that traffic jams and cows could co-exist. That someone would have a cow in the city!
As she explained, in other african nations she had seen, there would be cows and other domestic animals, but on the outskirts of the city, or out of the city itself.










Ah, Bombay Bombay!! Beautiful, busy and ugly all rolled up into one big pot-pourri. Busy people, essentially Indian - hospitable and kind but no time to exercise either kindness and hospitality. A big bustling city with a thousand cultures, foods and languages.

[ramie2400]

wow sam,another exciting Yeti works..cool,by the way never seen Mumbai in soo much depth..hehehehehe..lovely pics keep them coming

[safari_lover]

I am glued to this thread now. Keep it coming Sam.

[Sam Kapasi]

The Kelawala poses.


Fresh Sugarcane juice with a fresh lemon in the centre. I laugh at the marvel of it all.




A well read cat.




It's called Idli and Vada. The Idli is made by shoving dough under your armpit. The vada is made by...
But she does not believe me. Dammit.


The coconut is green???

Yes, let me show you how we consume it

[navin]

Sam, so did she enjoy it?

The One, did you enjoy it?