Welcome to India - January 2008

I am sitting here up on the border of Arunachal Paradesh, in India, in a national Park, Tiger reserve,” Namli Tiger reserve”, writing you this mail. Sabine and I have been traveling around the North East of India, and have just arrived from Sikkm, at Changu lake, about 4000 meters above sea level brrrrr bloody cold, and we rode around up there on the back of a very funny cow, with long curly hair, called a YAK. in Assam where we are at present. The day we arrived in the capital of Assam, Guwahati, there were four bomb attacks, one where we had just been. I ask, why do they always wait for us to arrive, before they start there silly buggers. Assam has a history of independent movements and desire for self autonomy. We tried to cross into Arunachal Paradesh to go to the Tawang monestry, second largest and most important Buddhist monastery after Potala palace in Tibet, but were sent to the capital to obtain “special permits” because it is on the disputed border with China. On our way back we stopped off at this Tiger reserve which is more known for its 350 different species of birds, man they make a lot of noise. There are supposed to be 35 tagged Bengali tigers here but ????

Lots of hefalumps a few Single horn Rhinos, and birds, birds and more bloody birds, now if they were only the two legged ones hmmmm. We will go on to Maguly Island, the world’s largest River Island, more than 876 Square kilometers; in the holy mighty Brahma Putra River. From there we will go to the Capital of Arunachal Paradesh, to apply for a permit to go to the Tawang monestry, on the China border at more than 4000 Meters above, way up there in the mountains. Sometime I think we are both crazy going to all these places where no one else goes. We really have been to some strange record breaking places, like the worlds highest rail bridge, world’s longest river, world’s most mighty river, world’s largest pile of bricks, worlds longest teak bridge, world’s biggest bell, holiest city, depends how you look at it! Biggest desert, most populated capital city, etc. etc.

So we move on, and hope to see tigers tomorrow. Sabine says perhaps we will see the only one, old man without teeth. I look forward to going to the Sunderbans Islands, in Bangladesh, home to the largest tiger populations in the world, and biggest mangroves in the world, as I have been to Burma last year after reading Glass Palace, (recommended reading) Then I read his second book about the Islands and can’t wait to get there. From there it is off on a Paddle boat up river through Bangladesh toward Kolkata, we fly from there to Bangkok and return to Sri Lanka, to sea sun and surf.

So from us, here in the most populated country in the world, Hare Krishna, Buddha, and a thousand other Gods to choose from, Peace love enlightenment or whatever catches your fancy.

At the moment we are now on the Island of Mauguli, where we arrived to find that they are in the middle of a Krishna festival, so we are very privileged to have attended the festival, the only tourists, even got interviewed last night by the local television station, and will be on the air tomorrow. Dancing monks, very feminine, and beautiful boys some even on the thin line of being transvestites. They have an Interesting concept of the mixture of religion, and the arts, dance theater etc. Check out “Island of the dancing monks” or the river dog.

And so I end, still on the road, discovering new things, new people, religions, cultures, food, adventures,

I still stay India is an Experience:

After busses and Sumos, “a kind of jeep land rover Indian car” we have arrived in the Scotland of the east of India, green rolling hills cold and rainy, with allsorts of tribal people. We will head out of here down down, down back to sea level and the sea in Bangladesh to the once again we have done it, the widest longest beach in the world.

Clive und Sabine

Greetings From Assam in the North East of India,

I am sitting here up on the border of Arunachal Paradesh, in India, in a national Park, Tiger reserve,” Namli Tiger reserve”, writing you this mail. Sabine and I have been traveling around the North East of India, and have just arrived from Sikkm, at Changu lake, about 4000 meters above sea level brrrrr bloody cold, and we rode around up there on the back of a very funny cow, with long curly hair, called a YAK. in Assam where we are at present. The day we arrived in the capital of Assam, Guwahati, there were four bomb attacks, one where we had just been. I ask, why do they always wait for us to arrive, before they start there silly buggers. Assam has a history of independent movements and desire for self autonomy. We tried to cross into Arunachal Paradesh to go to the Tawang monestry, second largest and most important Buddhist monastery after Potala palace in Tibet, but were sent to the capital to obtain “special permits” because it is on the disputed border with China. On our way back we stopped off at this Tiger reserve which is more known for its 350 different species of birds, man they make a lot of noise. There are supposed to be 35 tagged Bengali tigers here but ????

Lots of hefalumps a few Single horn Rhinos, and birds, birds and more bloody birds, now if they were only the two legged ones hmmmm. We will go on to Maguly Island, the world’s largest River Island, more than 876 Square kilometers; in the holy mighty Brahma Putra River. From there we will go to the Capital of Arunachal Paradesh, to apply for a permit to go to the Tawang monestry, on the China border at more than 4000 Meters above, way up there in the mountains. Sometime I think we are both crazy going to all these places where no one else goes. We really have been to some strange record breaking places, like the worlds highest rail bridge, world’s longest river, world’s most mighty river, world’s largest pile of bricks, worlds longest teak bridge, world’s biggest bell, holiest city, depends how you look at it! Biggest desert, most populated capital city, etc. etc.

So we move on, and hope to see tigers tomorrow. Sabine says perhaps we will see the only one, old man without teeth. I look forward to going to the Sunderbans Islands, in Bangladesh, home to the largest tiger populations in the world, and biggest mangroves in the world, as I have been to Burma last year after reading Glass Palace, (recommended reading) Then I read his second book about the Islands and can’t wait to get there. From there it is off on a Paddle boat up river through Bangladesh toward Kolkata, we fly from there to Bangkok and return to Sri Lanka, to sea sun and surf.

So from us, here in the most populated country in the world, Hare Krishna, Buddha, and a thousand other Gods to choose from, Peace love enlightenment or whatever catches your fancy.

At the moment we are now on the Island of Mauguli, where we arrived to find that they are in the middle of a Krishna festival, so we are very privileged to have attended the festival, the only tourists, even got interviewed last night by the local television station, and will be on the air tomorrow. Dancing monks, very feminine, and beautiful boys some even on the thin line of being transvestites. They have an Interesting concept of the mixture of religion, and the arts, dance theater etc. Check out “Island of the dancing monks” or the river dog.

And so I end, still on the road, discovering new things, new people, religions, cultures, food, adventures, I still stay India is an Experience:

Clive und Sabine