waving monkey

waving monkey

Hello everybody I am so glad I found this
site of travelers.

I am sixty three and tired of the obsession of makin a buck.
So I return to my roots of the sixties culture and hitting the
road.

I study Tibetan Buddhism and like to laugh and meet people
I can not set on the couch and watch TV.

I will leave 9/18/08 and plan on reading all the post before
I ask questions but Im sure some questions will still sound
naive.Please bare with.

Its sounds like there are two Indias. The one in newbies
head and the reality of India. I hope to get a sound footing
on the reality of India before I leave.

I have six months in India and then I see what next.

Thank you for your time. Lets talk.

waving monkey

brishti

yup - lets talk waving monkey!
welcome


great intro!



:brishti

waving monkey

How are you and thanks for your quick reply.
I live in texas and have lived in the dallas area off and on
for decades,time flys.

May I ask a question so soon. What are some of the behavior mistake
that put off Indians when Americans arrive.Customs broken ect.
I realize that politeness is universal but sometimes nuance is very
helpful.

wm

Nick-H

Welcome

Many, many more...

there's the one that people who have been here three or four times know...

There's the one that people who have been coming here for decades know...

There's and India that people who spend weeks and months in the same city discover...

There's the one that people find when they come to live here...

There's they one they (we ) discover after a few years, maybe the ones we go on discovering....

And all that is without even starting on the Indias that Indians know!

__________________
.


Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

freenote

Hi waving monkey ,done the same thing three years ago .A couple of scouting missions of short duration and then wallowed in India for 9 months .The logic was that if we became bored with India after about 4 months we would leave for s/e Asia .No chance the time just flew by and a smile on the face every morning .Don't now your intentions ,but we figured start at the bottom (always a good place to start) and then proceeded slowly up the coast was a good way to go.Ditto for the other side .
only advise is ,as you have enough time , take it slowly

ps welcome to Indiamike
pps don't forget your Deet (insect repellent)
ppps and your sense of humour (tout repellent)

__________________
eyes ,eyes that have seen all , come back to the white chrysanthemum (Basho)

waving monkey

I hope to have the grey haired courage of Wazen.
thanks for your kindness
wm

singsub

and pppps - dont forget your patience (beggar repellent)

waving monkey

Dear Singsub,

Thanks for you reply. Believe me us newbies are grateful
for all words of traveling India from those gone before.It does appear there is [ for some] an addiction of India-ology. I m
hoping Im infected with it.Living a civilized life as one ages
is not really very civil.Come to think of it,what is civil?

Im hoping to live not comfortably but interestingly.I chose India
for its culture,adventure and cultivating of my mind.

I do know the poverty and filth and waiting will be an adjustment.
But I have a long time,I hope.

Again your generosity is appreciated,
wm

Mickey S

But that can be said of every country on earth.

edwardseco

Going to the wrong country. India changed twenty years ago. Status, money, its all there. Best of luck living cheap and simple.
Simple Guides has a short guide to the customs of India that is quite helpful as long as you understand there are general patterns and individual exceptions..

waving monkey

thanks edwardseco

well it will be fresh to me. but i know what you mean.
i had places in south america i would run off and hide in
now their all americanized.

wm

brishti

oh you'll do just fine WM - just keep em questions coming

the one thing that does amuse me about some tourists are - the ones who are always smiling
they smile at the street dog, the vendors, the show windows, the passing cars...
its one thing to be firm and yet friendly...
but this no-holds-barred-smiling - it could read as 'i'm a newbie - cum get me!'



:brishti

machadinha

Maybe we're just having a good time?

__________________
Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

brishti

maybe, maybe mach - but naah - its a kindofa plastered smile.
heck dont tell me you havent seen some of 'em!

its not a criticism - just a varning!
someone once told me - opening up a map on the streets of new york city =



:brishti

machadinha

Yes, sure, I know the idea. Whipping out that map in Delhi may produce very similar results btw

(Thinking now of this place in Madrid, we could never figure out their dinner hours, the Spanish are a bit odd with that, not unlike Indians shall we say. In any case having become quasi-regulars there we were kindly served off-hours to quite an array of outstanding tapas and munching away, when sure enough in walks the next bunch of tourists: Hi, do you serve any food? No, sorry, the kitchen is closed )

--> ps Like people who call you friend for no good reason, I get kind of nervous with that eternal obligatory smile anyway. As the Sex Pistols featuring Ronnie Biggs sang, "Never trust a hippie"