Slow Travel- Make a home away from home

 

Finding a home away from home can make all the difference in your slow travel experience, especially when you are of a well-seasoned age.

Our slow travel experience began 8 years ago with us establishing a five-month home in Dharamshala India, which is located in the foothills of the Himalaya mountains.

We opt for long-term rental because it provides us a base to explore the country as well as others close by. For instance, being stationed in India, Southeast Asia is quickly accessible as well as Mediterranean countries. And you’d be surprised how inexpensive airfares can be, once you're out of the USA.

Also, a homebase allows you a place to dump your luggage and take only what you need when you venture out to somewhere else.

For instance, this year, we plan to spend five weeks in Vietnam, and then return to homebase India. We can take only what we need for that warmer climate. A couple of years ago we stayed for a month in Cascais Portugal, but took side trips to the north and then to Morocco. It was just great having a homebase to leave our things and take only the essentials on the side trips.

Finding the perfect long-term accommodations requires you to really think about the creature comforts you may need to be comfortable.

Our room and kitchen in India. We look for furnished accommodations when planning a long stay

We recommend finding a place that will allow you to establish a home environment and is convenient. For instance, an old historical building may have an aesthetic appeal, but are you gonna want to go up and down the stairs if there’s no lift? Another example: staying in an apartment in the center of a big city may have some appeal. But if you’re like me, and have trouble sleeping, well that location may not be the best choice.

 Your place should come fully furnished. You don’t want to take up your precious luggage space hauling along towels and bedding. You may not need a TV, but you’ll definitely need pillows, a place to sit and a place to sleep. So check it out, I pay close attention to the reviews when I’m looking for a place on Arbnb or Booking.com. I've found they are sometimes more helpful that the owner's promotional descriptions and photos.

Our needs include a heating or air conditioning (depending on the country). A refrigerator, washing machine, and good cooking facilities as we like to cook at home at times.

You may take your reliable Internet and electricity for granted in your home country, but when looking for a long-term stay, you’ll need to make sure that those utitlities are working well. While we have great internet now, in our India stay, we sure didn’t back when we first came here.

 And what about the water? Will you need to use bottled water for drinking? Is there a water filter? Is it clean? Is it readily available for showers?

Something else to think about, especially at our age, is access to medical facilities. When choosing where to park our bodes for awhile, we always check to see if doctors and hospitals are close by…. Just in case. You will want to check your medical insurance coverage before traveling. There’s lots of information on the web about this.

 Transportation. I’m try to find places within walking distance to main attractions or close to transportation options. We like to walk as much as possible as you’re able to really take in your surroundings, and taxi fees can add up and become your greatest traveling expense (outside air travel) if you’re not careful.

These are just a few tips for slow travelers who are at a seasoned age. We’d love to hear your tips. Drop them in the comment section.

Taking the bus in Toyko. It's always an experience in another country when you don't know the language. But eventually you figure things out..

Life goes on regardless of what I WANT.

 
No electricity! 

During my first year in India, when the lights would start flickering, I began to pray silently (or not so silently) "Please don't let it be for a long time." If it was during the cold season here in Dharamshal, I would panic because I knew I'd be uncomfortable. With my jacket on, I was known to crawl into bed and cover up with our heavy Indian comforter.

We made too many rookie mistakes in the beginning - number one being we purchased electric appliances! So, of course there were times when I was in the middle of cooking a meal and the "light" went out, or taking a shower and suddenly, no hot water.

Outages in many countries are frequent, and for those of us who take the utility forgranted, the thought of being without it makes us feel helpless. You can't cook, you can't use the Internet and you can forget about staying warm in the winter.

Yesterday, there was a power cut here all day -  the first since we arrived this year. For natives, business continues- sometimes with a generator, but everyone adapts, they work around it. For instance, most use propane powered stoves. Over the years, we have learned to adapt. We now have a gas burner, make sure our backup batteries, cell phones and computers are fully charged at all times, and I have learned to dress in layers when needed.

I was so proud of myself. I didn't panic. I didn't go running to my neighbors asking if they know how long the lights will be out. I didn't pester my husband to call our landlord to find out what is going on. While it was an inconvenience, I knew that eventually the electricity would come back on.

I've never been the most patient person in the world. I've always wanted a solution- NOW! What I'm learning from immersing myself in another culture is that life just goes on regardless of what I WANT.

When was the last time you ate SPAM?

Spam! No, not the annoying stuff you get in your email. I'm talking about Spam - the canned meat that sustained the troops in WWII and, to this day, is celebrated in Hawaii, and eaten all over the world.

Did you know there is a Spam Museum in Minnesota? 

My brother Richard, me and Chan with "Spammy"

Today, we ventured down I-35W to Austin - an hour and a half south of the Twin Cities. My Phoenix brother was visiting his wife's relatives in Des Moines, Iowa, so we decided to meetup at a halfway point and suggested the Spam Museum. 

How much fun. You're treated to Spam samples as you wander through the space, which takes you through the history of this canned delight and how this Minnesota product has become world famous. Did you know that Hawaii even has a Spam festival  - over 7 million cans of the stuff are sold in the islands every year. But the facination with Spam has actually spread all over the world, and the Hormel company has come up with so many different versions to suit these tastes.

After our visit we stopped at Kenny's Oak Grill, for what else but Spam!

Other fun museums we have visited: 

Potato Museum, Blackfoot, Idaho

                                                                     Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota

Get out there! Mingle! Have fun!

Whether it's joining an impromtu dance at the beach, saying "yes" when locals want their photo taken with you, or asking if you can participate in an event, getting out of your comfort zone will really enhance your travel experience.

We recently returned from a month-long stay in Cascais Portugal. Wow, what a privilege to spend so much time in one place. Nearly everyday we walked to the beach area just to see what was happening and, of course, eat! We happened on a dance party, which my husband quickly joined in.... if there's dancing, you know he'll be out there movin' and groovin'. How fun, not only for him, but he put a smile on a lot of faces.... sadly, most people are age seem to prefer to sit on the sidelines. Not us! 

I have no idea who these people are, but they wanted their photo taken with us! I have grown accustomed to this request, especially in Asia. Why people want a photo is beyond me, but I always say "yes."

Dham is unique to Himachal Pradesh, India. It is a way to serve hundreds of people quickly and efficiently. You can experience Dham, which consists of several lentil curries and rice, at weddings and other family events. Whenever possible, I try to get myself invited to these event. But in India, really you don't have to wait for an invitation. All are welcome.

"Explore" Kerala: I wish I'd had more time

Two days after touching down in India, after our grueling trip from USA, we joined three friends and boarded a plane to the southern most tip of India, the state of Kerala. 

To be standing where the explorer Vasco da Gama landed, and was later buried, really captured my imagination.

Let's keep the politics of colonization out of it for a minute.... Just imagine the will, the determination and the sheer maddness it took for explorers of that time, to leave the safety of their homes for the open sea and the possiblities of new lands.

The state of Kerala is very different from northern India. I hope I don't offend anyone when I say that it seems more "civilized." It is definitely cleaner and all-in-all, it seems more orderly. From clothes, to food, to the weather, language and terrain, everything is different from northern India, which I have grown accustomed. 

Kerala is definitely a tourist state, with good food, facilities and roads that are easy to travel. We hired a driver for our 8-day visit, which I highly recommend.... while the roads may be good, the driving habits are foreign to a westerner.

We spent three nights at Uday Samudra Leisure Beach Hotel which is within walking distance of the Arabian Sea, and located in the nearby town of Kovalam. The morning view from our window was of fishermen casting their nets for the daily catch.

I certainly got my fill of prawns, and on at least two nights, the head chef came to our table to display the day's catch and tell us how it would be prepared. I was definitely in the lap of luxury.

Sad to say, this is when I started feeling sick and even though I made time for an Ayurvdaic massage, I spent a lot of time in bed, trying to kick what was causing my digestive disorder.

Thank god for Pepto Bismol, as I was able to withstand the five-hour drive to Kochi, also known as Cochin. It is a large port city known as the Queen of the Arabian Sea. 

On the way, we visited Padmanabhaswamy temple, which is an architectural marvel located in Thiruvanthapuram. Only Hindus are allowed into the temple and men must be shirtless and wear the mundu (sarong) to enter.  It was, even from the outside, a stunningly beautiful.

Once we got to our hotel in Kochi, I crashed for two days while my travel mates took in the historic sites, which included the old city, where Portugese influence and trading history was apparent in the old architecture.

Then, it was off to the hills and the lush greenery of the jungle. We stayed in the rural town of Munnar at the Ice Queen resort. Strange name for a place that has probably never seen snow and ice. Anyway, I was really impressed with the efforts the owners are making to keep the carbon footprint low, and run a sustainable operation. 

Again, because I was still sick I spent one day in bed, while others visited the large tea plantation and museum. 

My absolute highlight, and is not to be missed, was the Kathakali dance performance. If you ever have the chance, please, please see this. The skill of body movement and muscle control (especially facial) is mesmorizing.

And then it was time to head back to the Kochi airport, which has the most comfortable seating I've ever experienced at an airport.

And then it was time to fly back to Delhi and then on to Dharamshala.... our homebase in India. It took we another week, but I am now fully recovered from the travel and illness.

International travel: S**t's gonna happen.

We had three objectives in mind for our travels to India on Nov. 3.

1. No checked luggage; 

2. Connect through Lisbon, Portugal, as we intend to spend March 14- through April 12 there before returning to the USA.

3. Reach Delhi by Nov. 5 to meetup with our friends for a trip to southern India.

We had so many connnections this time to accommodate the Lisbon connection and our timeframe, that we knew there would be a good chance our bags would not make it to our final destination, Delhi. 

Our planned itinerary began in Minneapolis then to Chicago, Chicago to Paris, Paris to Lisbon, Lisbon to Dubai, Dubai to Delhi. 

It turned out to be a very wise move on our part to have only carry-on, as once we reached Paris, we got hung up in security (so short -staffed) that we missed our flight to Lisbon. And that, caused a cascade of issues. The next flight to Lisbon, would have had us miss the Dubai connection, and then possibly the Delhi connection. So, as we sometimes have to do, we had to suck up the financial loss and rebook a direct flight the next day from Paris to Dubai (skipping Lisbon) which meant we had to spend the night in a Paris hotel near the airport.

Pretty confusing! We reached Delhi about 2 a.m. on Nov. 5.

Take-away lessons:

• Go non-stop if at all possible, when flying international;
• Make sure your phone is charged at all times;
• Log into the airport wifi, whenever possible;
• Carry airline customer service numbers with you. You may not be able to locate a "live" person to help you at the airport, especially if your connections involve multiple airlines. You will save a lot of time and headache trying to work out connection issues;
• Be sure to carry water and some snack, your "dollar" may be no good in the foreign airport terminal.
• Most important- stay calm, take it from me getting worked up will get you nowhere. Shit's gonna happen when you travel, it is best to just stay calm.

Mandir, a place of worship and so much more

 

India is known for its magnificent and important temples and mosques. But if you want to see how the average Hindu worships, on nearly a daily basis, you'll need to explore the small streets and pathways for the neighborhood mandir (Hindu temple). During our recent trip to Delhi, our hosts brought us to a couple of temples that my husband worshiped at during his youth. It was a moving experience for him, bringing back many memories of his childhood.

On the day of our visit, the temples were preparing for the upcoming Holi, often called the festival of colors. No doubt you have seen photos of Indians celebrating by throwing colored powders into the air and splashing them all over their faces. 

But something more meaningful was happening. At this temple, along with many others, large batches of food were being prepared for the langar, meals served to all free of charge, regardless of religion, caste, gender, economic status, or ethnicity.

Religion plays a huge role in the lives of Hindus. Being a Christian, from the United States, I won't even pretend to understand how much worship, prayer and sacrifice are a part of their everyday lives. Most families have a mandir at their homes, where daily prayers and offerings are given, but it is at the community temples where you witness true faith.

Welcoming Arms of Lovely Dharamshala

 

We're back! 

With our abrupt departure from India in early March 2020, we had no idea that it would be a full two years before we could return, and the havoc covid would take on all of our lifestyles.

While the country is not officially open to tourists, we have Overseas Citizen status and when we were fully vaccinated with an extra booster shot we decided it was safe for us to return. However, India required a lot of paperwork from us to be posted online basically to prove we were covid free, including copies of our vaccination records before we were OKd to go.

When booking the flight, we decided to fly direct to Delhi from Chicago, then spend the night in the airport hotel and take a morning flight to Dharamshala. In the past, our preference has been to stop over in London or Amsterdam long enough to leave the airport, find a hotel and try to get some sleep. That strategy seems to work for us, as we sure aren't as young as we use to be. This time, however, we felt that any layover in another country could be a hassel because of changing covid requirements. AND then we faced another hurdle. Because of the situation between Russia and Ukraine, the flight pattern was changed to avoid Russian Airspace as well has Iran's. This added about an hour an a half to the already 14 hour flight.

But we made it,. We were greeted in Dharamshala by our trusted taxi driver, Trilok, and crisp mountain air, and while on the half-hour car journey, we couldn't resist stopping in Kangra at a sabji (vegetable market). The sights and smells quickly brought me home to India.

Once we reached our house, we were created by some dear friends who came to greet us with a wonderful chocolate cake.

And of course, there was Shubnum, whom we consider our daughter. She takes care of us when we are here, and watches and cleans our house when we are not. We are so happy that we will be able to attend her wedding set for April 27.

Namaste

Traveling the rails in India is worth the trip.

Travel through India is not complete without at least one trip on the train.
My first train experience in India was 15 years ago, and the railway station, at that time, was so chaotic and confusing that I had a panic attack when Chan left me to find the bathroom - and he didn't tell me. I was so scared  to turn around and find him gone. So, I yelled at the top of my lungs "CHAN." If that didn't get people's attention, my tears of anxiety sure did. And Indians then do what they do best  - Help out. Despite the language barrier, so many people tried to assure me I was going to be OK. Anyway, I remembered the lesson I taught my kids when they were young... "if we get parted, just stay put." So that's what I did, and Chan eventually came back totally unaware of the crisis he had caused.
But now, traveling by train in India is a wonderful experience; the stations are clean and orderly, and even if you don't speak the language, you'll be just fine because the signage is easy to understand.
HOWEVER.... when booking your ticket, make sure that you are choosing the right class. Now is not the time to try to save money, or you could find yourself standing, crammed into a car with way too many people.

We booked A1 sleeper for the nine hour night journey to our destination, Ajmer.  We thought we would have the cabin to ourselves. OK, so there were four of us, that was doable. You get clean sheets and pillows, and actually the ride isn't bad.

Tips: 

• Book your rail tickets as far a head as possible- seats sell out fast.
• Use the porter service available at the stations. Those guys carry your luggage, bring you to the right lounge (yes, there are comfortable places to wait) and they make sure you and your luggage get on the right train.
• Bring snacks and water. These days, food is not available on the trains.
• Bring hand santizer and lots of it.
• Handwipes are a must- you may get lucky and have a western-style toilet in your car, but you won't have paper of any sort. In fact a good idea is get used to using the bidet method which is most common in India.

Garbage out, garbage where?

A dog sits atop a pile of trash near Sidhbari, India

Garbage!
Nowhere is the problem of garbage more evident than in India. It's everywhere. The problem is always right in front of your eyes.
While at my home in Minnesota, all I have to do is dump the trash into one garbage can and the recycling into another, and each week it's picked up and well, goes somewhere. It's no longer my problem!
It has only been through my experience in India that I have become aware how my purchasing habits contribute to this worldwide trash crisis. There is no weekly trash pickup. If I have trash, I have to figure out how to get rid of it - and to do it responsibly, which is not an easy task. What to do with the paper (toilet paper included, you can't flush it). Do I burn it? What about the packaging that I do generate? What about the veggie peelings? Yeah, I know I could start a compost pile, but that will attract critters, I fear?
Whether here or there, for me, it starts at the store. I'm becoming increasingly aware of unnecessary packaging including bottles and boxes. This packaging, here in India, too much of the time ends up along the roadside.
And just cause I can't see where all this refuse goes at my Minnesota home, doesn't mean there isn't a problem. It's just, well, out of sight, out of mind.

DISCLAIMER: My ramblings are in no way a representation of this magnificent country and its people. India is a widely diverse country. Cities are vibrant and very modern, but we choose to live in a smaller, more remote area where many of the old customs and traditions are very much practiced. Dharamshala is home to the Dali Lama and the Tibetan government in exile, thus a large Buddhist population. This area attracts artists, musicians, yoga and meditation practitioners from all the world. It is also home to many important Hindu temples.

Retirement reflections from a mountain view

A Tibetan couple takes time to enjoy the sunset reflect on the mountains. It's been two years since I've retired, but I am still trying to get past the work ethic that was instilled in me and learn how to just "be."

When I tell people of our retirement lifestyle – six months in the comforts of my Minnesota home and six months in a rural India village in the foothills of the Himalayas -the question is “Why?”

The answer is complicated, but to the core it stems from my husband's and my desire to, as we age, remain relevant, challenged by new experiences, engaged in the world around us, and healthy.

From time-to-time, I hope to write about how, at the age of 72, my life continues to unfold with new experiences and challenges – whether in India or Minnesota, all I have to do is open the door to whatever life holds.
DISCLAIMER: My ramblings are in no way a representation of this magnificent country and its people. India is a widely diverse country. Cities are vibrant and very modern, but we choose to live in a smaller, more remote area where many of the old customs and traditions are very much practiced. Dharamshala is home to the Dali Lama and the Tibetan government in exile, thus a large Buddhist population. This area attracts artists, musicians, yoga and meditation practitioners from all the world. It is also home to many important Hindu temples.

Challenge: What can you create from leftovers?

The Stitching Ladies of Nayi Asha create and sell handbags to help support their families. My hope is that by taking time to "play" with fabric, they will feel free to tap into their creativity and begin to think of themselves as artists as well as seamstresses

Today was all about fun.

I distributed different 4-inch fabric squares to the stitching ladies and asked them to come up with a pleasing design. Sounds simple enough for those of us who are quilters, but for the women of Nayi Asha, the sewing cooperative that has been part of my life during my stay in India, it’s not easy for them to think creatively.

The challenge left them giggling, especially when I said they each should exchange (just grab) one square with another person to create a more pleasing design. Oh, the banter exploded as they offered advice to each other, and some tried to protect their own design from pouching.  To finish the project, I asked them to find sashing material, sew the squares and sashing together and return in a week with a perfect 14-inch square.

Thanks to the generosity of my U.S. stitching friends, I was able to purchase
and give he Nayi Asha members new irons.

Today’s exercise, besides the fun part, was meant to build teamwork, improve stitching and pressing skills, but most importantly, tap into their creativity. My plan is to take the squares and make a table runner. I’m so looking forward to seeing their creations.

The Stitching Ladies previously used irons that were heavy, clunky

and not suited to the fine detailing there handbags require when pressing.

These women have never viewed themselves as artists. Women of the villages work hard. The handbags they create are simply seen as a means to add funds to the family’s coffers. Rarely do they get positive feedback.

My role is to help them tap into that available resource of ideas and translate that to creations and help them build their business. Through this process, I am hoping to boost their confidence.

Oh, just to let you know, I finally gave the stitching ladies the new irons that I was able to purchase thanks to the generosity of my stitching friends and their friends.

Follow The Stitching Ladies of Nayi Asha on Facebook @stitchingbringsnewhope; or on Instagram at nayi.asha

Does everyone in India have 20/20 vision?

It turns out that three of my stitching lady friends needs "cheater" glasses. 

Few people in India wear glasses. I suspect that it’s not because they don’t need them, it’s because the cost of having your eyes checked and then purchasing lenses is pretty steep for many people.

I don’t see a lot of people squinting here, so I wonder if they just don’t know how poor their eyesight is and how much more it would be improved if only they had glasses.

I read somewhere that, until the invention of the printing press, people didn’t know they couldn’t see. But when trying to read the new documents made available by the invention – well, they couldn’t make out the letters.

Well, that’s sort of my experience here.

Last year. I watched some of of my stitching lady friends struggle with some tasks, such as sewing a straight line. I wondered if maybe the problem was their eyesight. So, with the money I raised in the U.S. for their tools, I purchased four pairs of “cheater” glasses – something we take for granted in the states, but here they are at a premium. Out of the seven Stitching Ladies, three saw their vision improve to the point that threading a needle, even the old-fashioned way, was a simple task.

Oh, by the way, I also brought along self-threading needles. No more licking the end of a thread and trying to carefully poke it through the eye of a needle. Yup. You just lay the thread horizontally over the top of the needle and gently pull down – voila – you’ve thread the needle. Just like the seam ripper, they were amazed at what’s available out there.

Chan spent some time with the women talking about the importance
 of keeping good inventory records. They may not use Excel, but their method
 serves them very well, he said.

Reconnecting the seams of friendship

The Stitching Ladies of Nayi Asha are so happy to learn about
 and now own seam rippers.

I’m back in India until the end of March and reconnecting with my beloved stitching sisters of Nayi Asha. They were happy to see me, and I was happy to see them.

Thanks to those who attended fundraisers that my U.S. stitching friends held, I was able to bring these women much needed supplies. I am introducing the tools slowly, so that I can teach them how to use them properly. As with me, you get so used to doing things a certain way and when someone shows you a new way, it takes time to make the change even though you know it’s for the best.

First up was the seam ripper. These women were so excited about his handy tool. As one of my quilting buddies so aptly once said, “The seam ripper is my friend.” I sure learned that when trying to do my first and only paper-pieced project. The stitching ladies say this tool is so much better than using a razor blade.

Anyway, I sewed some swatches of fabric together, and had them practice (correctly) how to rip a seam. I then showed them a Youtube video that, again, emphasized the proper way to use a seam ripper.

Sixteen doctors from England are biking through parts of India, including
the Himalays. They stopped at Nishtha to learn more about the NGO, and purchase
bags from the stitching ladies.

Since I’ve been here, there have been two groups of Europeans visiting Nishtha, the NGO which sponsors the ladies. These visits provide an opportunity for the women to sell their bags. I was so happy to see them display their bags in a pleasing way (something we worked on last year). I have been also teaching them some English phrases and they are quick learners – sure better than me with Hindi!

Thank you again, to all of you who contributed to these efforts. I’ll keep you posted.

Lee Ann

What's for dinner? Dal, rice and SURPRISE!

Indian version of eggplant parmesan

When I seat down to a meal here in India, most of the time I have
no idea what I’m eating. Rice? Yes. Paratha (a sort of Indian flatbread). Yes.
Beyond that, well the dishes put before me appear to creatively highlight whatever vegetables are in season – during the winter it’s radishes, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes and some produce that remains a mystery to me. Dal (lentil dishes) are also frequently on our dinner plate. (By the way, my homestay host does all the cooking).

How does the food taste? Certainly not like what you have most likely eaten at an Indian restaurant in Minnesota.

Vegetables for sale in Dharamshala

It’s home cooking here; it is not spicy hot, but oh so flavorful. We eat meat maybe twice a week, and because it is part of a sabzi, the portions are small compared to what I serve in the USA.

We look forward to our frequent trips to the vegetable market as the produce is much more flavorful here, and I seem to be satisfied with smaller portions.
Chan’s salsa, which many of you have tasted and loved, is even better here with absolutely no spice.

We both have lost weight – more than 10 pounds each – and my digestive system, from top to bottom, is much healthier.

Our neighbor, prepares the soil for 

planting winter vegetables

Gardens are prevalent here - our neighbor who is a banker, is constantly working in his before work and on weekends, and as he told me ... "The ground doesn't sleep here." Crops are rotated and planted according to the season... the greatest challenge seems to be keeping a wandering cow from forging the goodies.

It’s now over two months since our arrival in Sidhbari, India, and with New Year’s just around the corner and our USA arrival date in late March, I’m focused on how to maintain some of the healthy changes I’m making here; however, it’s not easy to change over a half a century of culinary habits, but I realize for my own well-being I have to put forth the effort.

What I don’t eat or drink here in India

 Dairy- cheese, milk – taste is hard for me to get used to
Almond milk – limited availability, too expensive
Nuts (walnuts, almonds) too expensive

      Beef- not available

      Ground coffee (Nescafe available, but ground is harder to find)

e     Lettuce or any fresh leaf salad (I’m still to leery of uncooked greens – don’t know what parasites may be laying in wait)

      Beer- (I think for me it was more about opportunity than taste)

Poha is a traditional Indian breakfast

      Good artisan bread (just not readily available – access to oven baking is limited)

      Doughnuts and sweet rolls (Nothing compares to Donut Star in Eagan)

      Candy

         

What’s new that I eat or drink

   Lemon, ginger, honey tea.

   Chai

   Whatever sabzi that is put before me

     Lots of pulse-based dishes (beans and lentils)

COMFORT FOOD – my pretend taste of home

·         Peanut butter sandwich

·         Banana

·         Oatmeal ·         Chan’s salsa

·         French fries