Archive for September, 2008
The Ultimate Chicken Bus
By Tony on September 30, 2008 | 2 Comments »
I really thought I had seen it all. I’ve been in buses with chickens, ducks, pigs, goats, sheep… but oh, India has so many ways to remind us that this is no ordinary third-world country. India had to take the “chicken bus” to a whole new level.
Imagine our surprise when the villagers pulled a DONKEY, which was protesting wildly, into our already very crowded bus. Oh, such a bad idea!
Now, in case this isn’t painfully obvious, donkeys are not meant to be transported in public buses traveling over stone-covered, potholed mountain roads. I’m surprised the poor animal survived the trauma.
Hiking Spiti
By Thomas on September 28, 2008 | 4 Comments »
Follow along as we explore the mountains and canyons of Spiti Valley on foot. Visit a hermit monk, witness a village holyman channeling local gods, and discover the spectacular cliff-side monasteries and villages of one of India’s remotest regions. Just click the video above to begin.
Treasure Hunt
By Thomas on September 27, 2008 | No Comments »
While hiking along the narrow paths through the deserted landscape of Spiti Valley, Amit, Tony and I became totally obsessed with all the bits and pieces of marine fossil littering the hiking trails, a testament to a prehistoric sea covering this area.
Of course, we each wanted to discover our own perfectly preserved fossil. After a while, we could not walk past a single black, egg-shaped rock without cracking it open to possibly reveal some extinct ocean-dwelling arthropod or mollusk.
I soon was in gold rush mode, constantly scanning the path for likely treasures. It was a compulsion I couldn’t resist. My eyes were so fixed to the ground that the landscape passed by without me noticing any of its beauty. But I wasn’t the only victim. » Continue reading this post »
Homestay
By Thomas on September 26, 2008 | 2 Comments »
After a number of day hikes with Amit, Ariel and Yael, we were ready for more of a challenge and decided to do a 4-day homestay trek along the northern edge of the Spiti Valley. In addition to taking in the phenomenal scenery, we would be able to explore the fascinating Spitian culture by living with local families. We knew this would come with certain inconveniences, but all of us were willing to trade a private bathroom (as it turned out pretty much any bathroom) for some cultural exchange. » Continue reading this post »
Day Trip to the Hermit Monk
By Tony on September 24, 2008 | No Comments »
While staying in Tabo, we heard rumors of a hermit Buddhist monk living up one of the side valleys in a small cave temple. Intrigued by such a figure, our small band of rag-tag explorers couldn’t pass up the opportunity to pay the monk a visit.
Thomas, Ariel, Amit, Yael and I joined by our new friend Craig from Scotland made our way up through the dramatically eroded valley along extremely narrow, crumbling paths looking for the hermit. We didn’t know what a “cave temple” looked like or how obvious is might be in the surrounding cliffs, so we took our time.
As we were slowly taking in the valley around us, a lone British hiker happened by. She informed us that the hermit monk did not like visitors and discouraged outsiders from » Continue reading this post »
