Taj Mahal - the perfect end to a great adventure

Soon it was time to leave Madurai and begin the long journey home and I knew that no trip would be complete without a trip to the Taj Mahal. Since I was flying out of New Delhi, I planned a turbo charged 3 days in India's capital city.

It is easy to see why the Taj Mahal is one of the Great Wonders of the World.

It was built by the grief stricken Emperor Shah Jahan in 1631 as a monument/shrine to remember his third wife that had died in the birth of the 14^th child.   This romantic story compels you to go and visit but the amazing carving and Islamic architecture makes it so visually stunning that you want to stay a while and look around.

Visiting the Taj involved leaving the hotel at 5.30 and catching a train for 3 hours journey. It was great to see some of the Indian countryside and since I had flown in late the night before from Madurai via Chennai also catch up on sleep.

Just before Agra, it was interesting to see dozens of locals taking part in their “morning constitutional” in direct view of the passing trains and without embarrassment or shame.

Chaos greeted the train from Delhi but luckily I had joined an organised tour which was probably a good thing since by that stage I wasn’t really in the mood for bartering with taxi drivers, finding my way etc.   

It was nice to visit other sites in the immediate area. We visited several forts and while they weren’t as famous as the Taj, they were equally as exquisite. The emperor that had built these buildings had 3 wives and had different suites (with different styles or architecture) made for each of his beloveds.

Soon enough it was time to make the trip back to Delhi and after finally getting home at 11 pm, I soon fell into a deep sleep and dreamt of magnificent buildings and having a prince charming build a wonderful monument in my memory.

But soon it was time to get up again and check out more of Delhi. First was a walking tour of Old Delhi where we explored some of the tiny back streets of this bustling city. We saw many vendors trying to peddle their wedding invitation services as well as a Mosque and Hindu Temple. As usual, I was stared at by many locals as if they had never seen a short white girl with a limp before but by that stage I had got used to it.  

Since I had a midnight flight, I managed to squeeze in an evening cooking class before heading home. By this stage I was tired and my brain was bursting at the seams with impressions and memories of what would soon become a far away and exotic place. But it was still great to be invited into a local’s home to see how they prepare their evening meal.

But as the time to leave soon arrived and I had to make a mad dash across Delhi to the airport and start the long journey home. During this really tedious process I often hoped that one day I could return to this interesting country and get to know it even better.

But until then India, thank you and see you later!!!   

Two weeks is too short to discover incredible India

Having reached the end of my two week writing stint in India I’ve realised that two weeks really is two short but I have also realised that doing a journalism project through Projects Abroad has been an amazing opportunity to start to understand this incredible country.

I love words and writing but I also love observing and discovering more about people and the communities in which they live. So doing such a project seemed like such a perfect opportunity to learn about this country that has such a rich history and such a vibrant and diverse population.

This week we were able to attend a local celebration of the One Billion Rising Movement. OBR is a worldwide awareness campaign that tries to raise consciousness about violence against women. Almost all of the proceedings were in Tamil so we didn’t really understand what was being said but it was interesting to watch the local dancing. We found it especially interesting to see that at an event promoting female liberation from the patriarchy that there were styles of dance that saw women dancing to the beat of a man’s drum but it was still great to attend such an event about such a really important issue.

Much of the week was spent writing up articles and one of the articles that was assigned to me was a book review. I’d never heard of Rudali by Mahasweta Devi before but it is a short story which had been turned into a play and a film.

It is a powerful story that covers so many important topics. From abject poverty to the Indian Caste system and funeral practices as well as the role of women in a strong patriarchal society. This story challenges readers on their ideas on poverty and feminism.

I also managed to finish my article on a school in Madurai that had won a British Council drama competition as well as one for the Voices of World website which will, apparently, be uploaded very soon.

But one of the highlights of the week was on Sunday night when Marco, another volunteer from Italy, made a dozen of us volunteers pasta. It was so nice to get together with the other volunteers and share big bowls of pasta in India. It was very unexpected but very cool.

As my stint as a volunteer journalist comes to an end I make a “note to self” to come back as soon as possible because it was such a great experience. I learnt so much about India and met so many really cool people that I won't ever forget but I also got to do what I loved the most - to observe, to write and to try and understand! 

Journalism project – the best way to spend the holiday

As some of you may know I am a great fan of the written word. I love reading and I love writing in almost equal proportions and so when I learnt about Project Abroad’s Journalism programme in India I had knew to go, even if it was for the final two weeks of my annual leave from my day job.

Having visited India as a baby, I’ve always wanted to visit India again and see what it is really like as an adult. Also, the food is something that I’ve always adored and I’ve always been draw to this far away place that was home to spices, food to die for and colourful saris.

Having finally got here after several weeks in Shanghai, this week has been a frenzy of activity. After we get allocated stories during a weekly editorial meeting, the rest of the time is spent researching, drafting questions and popping out to interview people. Much of this done in between power cuts and often in silence with the tapping away on the computer blending in with the sounds of the ceiling fans (when we have power) and the noise that floats up from the street.

But it is hard getting used to ‘Indian time’ where we have to wait for things to happen but it is all part of the experience.

                 

On Wednesday, I got to facilitate the workshop with several girls from a local college. They were doing an online journalism programme and were also involve with the Voices of the World website. With the help of Liz, another volunteer Journalist, I went through how to write an article, how to make it flow, etc. It was a bit scary because it is not something I usually do but it was really fun as the girls were really enthusiastic and had lots to say.

Copyright Madurai Messenger

Thursday saw a group of us visit a school in Madurai who had participated in a British Council Drama Competition and had made it to the top 8 as well as wining the ‘Best Script Award’. They were given a topic which was ‘India-UK: A modern fairytale.’ It was combination of British and Indian fairytales with a bit of Shakespeare mixed in and which produced a really interesting play, we were all impressed. It was also great to find out more about the process so that I could write my article.  

Copyright Madurai Messenger 

This article took up most of Friday and the weekend included a final bit of sightseeing.

On Saturday we visited a local palace which was built in the 16 century and was quite beautiful. I don’t think I’ll ever forget being swamped by a school group of kids and being asked by half a dozen families to have photos taken with them.

Sunday was a quiet one but we did manage to go to the Gandhi Museum and which we leant about India’s struggle for independence and learnt that it was here in Madurai that Gandhi adopted his Loin Cloth so that he would be more like the people he was representing.     

It is a shame that I have only two weeks for this project because even after one week I want to stay for longer. India is such a fascinating country with so much to discover and write about that I am sure this next week should be as equally as interesting.   

The joys of travelling to parts unknown

Travelling is amazing. When I decided to visit China and India during my annual leave from work, I was hoping that it would be seven weeks of adventure and of diverse experiences.

Having just finished an internship in the great metropolis of Shanghai, I thought that Madurai would bring a quiet relief from the big city that I had been living in but I was so wrong. After a trip that took 16 hours (including stopovers) on three different airlines and as many airplanes, I finally got to Madurai in the south of India.

After walking across the tarmac being able to stand up in the cool and breezy terminal (that smelt of bleach) was a welcome relief. Soon enough and true to India’s British heritage, all passengers soon lined up in neat rows in order to pass through immigration.

  

Adjusting my ear to the Indian accent led to quite a funny conversation with the immigration officer but as soon as I became accustomed to his accent I was able to answer his questions correctly.  After moving through immigration, customs and baggage claim (that miraculously made it all the way to India) I was ready to begin discovering the country that I had dreamt about visiting since I was a child.

The first thing that hits you is the noisy busy streets full of rickshaws, cars and bikes. Everyone seems to want to get to their final destination as quickly as possible with the impatient behaviour that would get you fined in Australia. While it seems that no one follows the rules but, maybe as a foreigner, I am seeing them follow a set of rules that I am not familiar with.

Soon after leaving the airport you notice the odd cow or herd of goats that wonder past unlike a western city where there is a clear divide between nature and humans. From now onwards I think I’ll be more aware of  where food comes from.

One of the things that always drew me to visiting India was the food. Indian cuisine is so spicy and so full of flavour that I dream about it at night and wake up wondering what great food I get to try during the day ahead.

It is wonderful to experience a way of life that is so different to my own. Who knew that riding in a rickshaw could be so much fun or that I could become comfortable bartering with the sellers at the market. Living here is also showing me that I can live without Starbucks, a nice cold beer (Alcohol is almost impossible to find here) and Japanese food.

While I am here for a short time I am sure that this is just the beginning of a life time of discovering India.    

Visiting the Great Wall of China early one Sunday morning

Going to Great Wall of China required getting up early. At first I thought the tour that I had booked was a group one but since it was the middle of winter and Beijing had been experiencing lots of smog that reduced visibility, I was the only one. The day started early with a long drive from Beijing to the Great Wall with the temperature dropping to -5 but thankfully the car was warm and so it didn’t feel too bad.

When the guide asked me if I wanted to climbed the 400 steps or take the ski lift up I eagerly chose the steps but the ski lift option soon became more attractive but by that time it was too late. The only benefit to climb up to the wall was that it was a great way to keep warm.

After the little exercise session we got to the top and the effort to climb all those steps was so worth it. Since it was early on a Sunday morning, the wall seemed deserted. It was also so quiet, except for the clucking of several chickens and later someone singing Italian opera.

It was great to learn more about the history of the wall and that it was built to keep the Mongolians out and the Chinese in rather than to keep the rabbits out. It was also built as a mode of getting soldiers from one part of the country to another.

After a few hours of enjoying the amazing view it was ready for lunch which was the usual rice and a few local dishes which was really nice and so much nicer than traditional English food which is so bland.

On the way home we stopped for a massage which was a perfect way to sooth sore feet and legs after vaulting up (and down) 400 steps.

Luckily, Monday’s little adventure around Beijing didn’t involve getting up super early but it did involve visiting the Forbidden City, Temple of Haven and Tiananmen Square, all of which were very interesting and Tiananmen Square was especially moving. We didn’t really talk about the square much; I guess the Chinese Government don’t want it discussed that much.

 Tiananmen Square

The trip back was equally much of an adventure. Trying to get a correct ticket was a nightmare but it was great to travel back to Shanghai with the super fast train that goes up to 30o km per hour and links two of Asia's biggest train stations. 

I got home at 1 am, totally exhausted but happy that it was such a great final weekend in China.  

Making the most of living in Shanghai

Knowing that this was there was not much time left in China I had to plan my time so I could do everything that I want to do in Shanghai before I had to leave.

Apart from work and the usual tasks involving more researching importers and exporters, editing marketing documents/press releases and developing ideas for the VIP Wine Club, I knew I wanted to visit the famous Shanghai JZ Club.

I didn’t know what to expect but if it was that “pumped vibe” maybe I had picked the wrong night because I got the whole place to myself. It was still cool to listen to the group that was playing. Who know what they were called but they were cool; there were a DJ, a Sax player and a guy on a classical Chinese instrument, all just jamming together. It was great!!

Soon enough it was weekend so I visited the Tianzifang area near my apartment. With its tiny laneways and lots cool places to hang I had to linger there awhile on the way home. There was this German bar that does this wonderful Mulled Wine, I can never find it but I have to rely on the smell of its hot spicy wine to locate it.

Saturday was a shopping day with the girls. First of all we went to the Fabric Market where I got measured up for a pair of pants and a jacket, all for under $100AU. Later we visited the fake market and this antique market. In between there we ate a lot and tried more of the great local food and I can tell you now that after eating out for just a couple of dollars per meal it will be hard to go home and start cooking again.

On Sunday, I squeezed in a visit to the museum. I must look like a push over because I keep on getting asked if I want to attend a tea ceremony but being scam I hung on to my bag I said no!!!

This scam often involves being approached by two locals asking if you need help to find your way or if you can take their photo. They have this story about one of them being from out of town and is being shown around the sights Shanghai and would you like to join them for a traditional tea ceremony?  

Just say no and smile because you’ve just avoided paying $100 for a cup of tea.

But the museum was great. It was full of great Chinese treasures including calligraphy, china, jade carvings and traditional dresses.
    

The weekend finished with an outing to a Jazz place on The Bund and an early night in preparation for another week of exploring Shanghai.

Internship gives insight into China’s love of luxury goods

How times have changed!

It wasn’t so long ago that life in China was a harsh place to live and probably as colourful as the smog that blankets its major cities but with the opening up of the economy and increasing wealth of the country’s middle class the changes have been massive.

Now China is the biggest consumer of Louis Vuitton and by 2020 and according to a CLSA report (a brokerage and investment firm) this will rise to 19%.

So I was quite excited my Internship placement this week with an Importer and Distributor of Spanish food and wine. While the company doesn’t have the same profile as Louis Vuitton or Burberry, it aims to satisfy China’s appetite for high end goods and food/wine from overseas.

All week I have been reviewing and editing a lot of documents and doing market research. I’ve especially enjoyed the editing and making the documents sound a little more “Western” sounding. The market research showed me how keen China is to trade with the rest of the world and it been interesting to find out more about cosmopolitan Shanghai as well as how much the Chinese want high quality items from The West, especially food and wine.

But what I’ve found really interesting (among many other things) about working in China is that what people wear to work isn’t as formal as I thought it would be. People wear jeans, ugg boots and hoodies but none of the suits that would be common in Australia and the UK. But as I’m in the shop I get to dress up, which I don't mind at all.     

But outside of work there had been Karaoke night which was fun. The weekend allowed me to visit the Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art as well as visit to couple of the sights of Shanghai and few bars. On Sunday afternoon we went to see a movie because a trip to China wouldn’t be complete without seeing a Jakki Chan movie, would it?    

The Bund