4.30 am - India

as promised, here are some stories related to the fotos I am putting into paper albums.

Yesterday, it was India´s turn. Every foto going into that album is full of colour, life, poverty, contradictions and opposites, joy, sorrow, you name it.

My trip to India took place in 1994. I was prepared for everything:
-hunger
-illness
-beggars
-insane circumstances
-clashes of any kind from a religious, ethnics and political perspective.

my journey took me from New Delhi to Agra, Jaipur, Darjeeling (some hiking), Calcutta, Goa and Bombay.

I will never forget the moment of setting foot into India by arriving in Bombay I think, where we took a flight to our first destination Delhi. The humidity in the air, the heat. The first rupies in Delhi, the almost violent smell that overran my processing capabilities in conjunction with masses of people, colours, language.

It is hard to describe this. But what surprised me personally the most: It felt familiar even though I knew the enormous amount of experiences to be had until the brain can even start to follow that intuition. Let alone the political situation, religious war paths and the worries about personal health. Mosquitos to the day terrify me since then, for a second only, but still...

Somebody in the Himalayas put a bindi on my forehead whilst blessing me. Such a touching gesture, that red dot left me with the sensation of a cold coloured circle on my skin. I left it on out of respect for the blessing that came with it, but it felt strange to have it in the first place. Back in the day I did not sufficiently about hinduism and it made me focus too much on its pure significance instead of enjoying the blessing. cold mass on skin.

We saw so many temples, forts, modern architecture, british influences, the Taj Mahal and yet there are thousands of miles to walk on indian grounds.

I mostly felt safer than in some areas in my world. And even though the colours, smell and (I forgot to mention the ever present) music was there, it had something clarifying about it. I do remember looking in people´s eyes and sometimes seeing a depth that might have been the result of their darkness. But put in combination with some people´s composure, and the fact that a greater part of these people did not know if they would have something to eat on that specific day, it simply - and still - humbles me.

I am a child of materialism. I am used to having the basics of life, and so much more than that. I do like dressing up, looking nice, I have a nice life style. But I have to admit that less choice would make things easier.

If anybody ever saw "before sunset", you will hear Julie Delpy´s character say something like: "I went to a communistic country, and after a few days, I had the clarity I have been missing for such a long time. I realized that I felt so focussed i could write again. and all of this beecause there were simply no distractions. No advertising, no bombardement with information you don´t want in the first place."

That´s what I am talking about.

Bea might remember my reaction when I came back to Germany. I got the cultural shock here. People with everything seemed in part so joyless to me. Frankfurt airport with the shiny floors, almost sterile. And up to the current day I don´t like those shops with too much nic-nac and bling bling.

Don´t get me wrong, there ARE shops I like, and I do have a hand for quality. It might be about clarity, and something missing a greater appreciation for what I have. I think I am aware of it sometimes.

Going to India has been the most rewarding trip I ever went on. I am being told that it has been changing a lot and I hope to go back to see the change.

I am sure that today is a special day where I will dedicate the dreams I will fall into within the next 30 minutes to remember and relive what I remember and like about life. And some images from that specific trip: The Himalayas, Nepal, Monsoon time, people we encountered and talked to.

I feel blessed for have seen India.
And for having seen and talked to some of you yesterday. i do miss you guys so you are spread all over the place.

I feel blessed for knowing all of you and so many more adventures to come.

A big hug,
B