I was just made aware that it wasn't possible to post comments on my blogg if you weren't a blogger yourself. It's a simple setting, and now it's changes!
Min kjære moder, og deretter min kjære Karen, har nettopp gjordt meg oppmerksom på at man ikke kunne kommentere bloggen min uten selv å ha en blogg. En enkel innstillig - nå korrigert!
28. september 2006
22. september 2006
Pictures...
Endelig har jeg havnet et sted med godt internett!!! Saa, for ryddighets skyld har jeg puttet bildene der de horer hjemme. Layouten bli kanskje ikke 100 %, men jaja :)
Skal skrive en skikkelig oppdatering fraShimla i morgen, akkurat naa er jeg budt paa middag av et pat australiere, og siden jeg har sittet her i to timer alt, virker det som en god ide... Folg med nedover siden, bildene kommer etterhvert :)
English: Well, we can do a wote: If anyone only reads English, place leave a commet about if, if not there might be a few more english posts, and then we're back to Norwegian. See the older posts for new pictures!
Skal skrive en skikkelig oppdatering fraShimla i morgen, akkurat naa er jeg budt paa middag av et pat australiere, og siden jeg har sittet her i to timer alt, virker det som en god ide... Folg med nedover siden, bildene kommer etterhvert :)
English: Well, we can do a wote: If anyone only reads English, place leave a commet about if, if not there might be a few more english posts, and then we're back to Norwegian. See the older posts for new pictures!
19. september 2006
Mt Abu
After a request from friends and family, I will attempt to write a litte in Norwegian today.
Etter onske fra kjente og kjere skal jeg forsoke med en liten tekst paa norsk i dag. Uten mine kjere tre vokaler.
Mugg og hvile
Mt. Abu viste seg aa vere supert! Jeg kan knapt si at jeg gjorde noe de dagene jeg var der, men det var en saart tiltrengt pause med lesing, turer, mer lesing og masse sovn :) De mugne rommene bedret seg ogsaa drastisk. Det viste seg at det tunge monsunregnet nettopp hadde sluttet et par dager for vi kom, og solen var ikke ferdig med a torke husene. Folkene paa hotellet var super hjelpsomme og tok madrassen min ut i sola i noen timer mens de vasket rommet en ekstra gang :)
Regn på taket av gjstehuset mitt like før vi skulle reise fra Mt Abu :) Er det rart husene blir mugne...?
Har holdt paa med en bok av Jose Saramago, den heter "Den andre mannen" og er veldig god. Mange understrekede sitater som skal skrives av for boken settes i hylla. Ett av mine favoritter er (fritt etter hukommelsen): Det var slik ahn fikk visshet om at verden ikke ville ende i dag, for det ville vært et utilgivelig sløseri å la solen stå opp, bare for at den som hadde satt alt i gang, skulle være tilstede ved intethetens begynnelse...
Mat, mat, mat!
Som mange av hotellene jeg har bodd paa var dette et familiedrevet gjestehus; hvor hadde sin oppgave. En mann hadde resepsjonen, broren hans tok seg av internett etc og jeg tror han holdt paa med restauranten ogsaa. Faren deres var eier/bestyrer. Min personlige favoritt var forstnevnte manns datter, hennes rolle var som "future rocket sientist" :) Mammaen hennes, en fantastisk sot dame gav matlagningstimer hver dag, i sitt eget kjokken ("den indiske kvinnens viktigste rom, for hun bruker nesten hele dagen der") Jeg ble med, off course, og fikk lere aa lage Fryed Daal (linser i en gul suppe), alooe (poteter, her med peanuts og koreander), kaal (som jeg ikke vet hva heter paa hindi) og chepati (mykt, flatt hvetebrod). Og det var simpelt hen den beste maten jeg har faat i India! Kanskje fordi hun brukte mer salt i maten enn hva som er vanlig, men kanskje ogsaa fordi hun er kvinne og alle kokkene paa restauranter er menn...! Hun har gjort dette hver dag i ganske lang tid - she knows what she's doing!
Agra
Etter noen deilige dager i Mt. Abu, uten selgere konstant i helene paa oss, og med rettferdige priser hvor enn vi gikk, satte vi oss paa toget til Agra. Det var litt av en natt: Forst jeep fra Mt. Abu og ned til stasjonen (1 time), saa tog som ankom Jaipur kl 04.30 om morgenen, ligge litt paa stasjonen og saa neste tog (her hadde vi AirCondition) kl 06.10 mot Agra. Vi kom til Agra ved 10-tiden og kunne bare konstatere at det var feil stasjon hvis vi ville etterlate bagasjen og hente den for vi tok toget til Delhi... Vi endte opp med aa la oss overtle til en rickshaw til et reisebyraa som oppbevarte sekkene og skaffet togbiletter. Har en viss folelse av at de lurte oss ang. bilettene, men men, vi kom fram, svettere enn noen sinne for i mitt liv. Den dusjen jeg tok i kveld kan ikke sammenliknes med noen tidligere dusj i mitt liv :)
Dagen i Agra gikk med til aa se Taj Mahal. Og det var absolutt verdt bryet! Et absolutt enestaaende sted, med en helt spesiell atmosfere. Og faktisk langt mindre stressende enn Eiffeltaarnet! Men varmt! Jeg er helt sikker paa at hvis jeg ikke hadde satt meg ned med jevne mellomrom, bare for aa hvile, ville jeg gaatt i bakken! Det er super vanskelig aa faa i seg nok vann naar det er saa varmt. Og det er varmt! Spesiellt sammenliknet med Mt. Abu (enda kallere hvis vi sammenlikner med Nord-Norge, off course!)
Neste stopp...
I morgen tidlig har jeg tenkt aa prove aa komme meg paa et tog til Shimla, litt lenger nord i India. Der bor en av jentene fra Juliette Low-seminaret i Pune, jeg skal besoke henne. Eneste utfordring blir aa skaffe togbillett for 07.30. Er ikke sikker paa om billettkontoret er aapent... Vi faar se hvordan det gaar!
Klem, kram og hugs to everyone :)
Etter onske fra kjente og kjere skal jeg forsoke med en liten tekst paa norsk i dag. Uten mine kjere tre vokaler.
Mugg og hvile
Mt. Abu viste seg aa vere supert! Jeg kan knapt si at jeg gjorde noe de dagene jeg var der, men det var en saart tiltrengt pause med lesing, turer, mer lesing og masse sovn :) De mugne rommene bedret seg ogsaa drastisk. Det viste seg at det tunge monsunregnet nettopp hadde sluttet et par dager for vi kom, og solen var ikke ferdig med a torke husene. Folkene paa hotellet var super hjelpsomme og tok madrassen min ut i sola i noen timer mens de vasket rommet en ekstra gang :)
Regn på taket av gjstehuset mitt like før vi skulle reise fra Mt Abu :) Er det rart husene blir mugne...?Har holdt paa med en bok av Jose Saramago, den heter "Den andre mannen" og er veldig god. Mange understrekede sitater som skal skrives av for boken settes i hylla. Ett av mine favoritter er (fritt etter hukommelsen): Det var slik ahn fikk visshet om at verden ikke ville ende i dag, for det ville vært et utilgivelig sløseri å la solen stå opp, bare for at den som hadde satt alt i gang, skulle være tilstede ved intethetens begynnelse...
Mat, mat, mat!
Som mange av hotellene jeg har bodd paa var dette et familiedrevet gjestehus; hvor hadde sin oppgave. En mann hadde resepsjonen, broren hans tok seg av internett etc og jeg tror han holdt paa med restauranten ogsaa. Faren deres var eier/bestyrer. Min personlige favoritt var forstnevnte manns datter, hennes rolle var som "future rocket sientist" :) Mammaen hennes, en fantastisk sot dame gav matlagningstimer hver dag, i sitt eget kjokken ("den indiske kvinnens viktigste rom, for hun bruker nesten hele dagen der") Jeg ble med, off course, og fikk lere aa lage Fryed Daal (linser i en gul suppe), alooe (poteter, her med peanuts og koreander), kaal (som jeg ikke vet hva heter paa hindi) og chepati (mykt, flatt hvetebrod). Og det var simpelt hen den beste maten jeg har faat i India! Kanskje fordi hun brukte mer salt i maten enn hva som er vanlig, men kanskje ogsaa fordi hun er kvinne og alle kokkene paa restauranter er menn...! Hun har gjort dette hver dag i ganske lang tid - she knows what she's doing!
Agra
Etter noen deilige dager i Mt. Abu, uten selgere konstant i helene paa oss, og med rettferdige priser hvor enn vi gikk, satte vi oss paa toget til Agra. Det var litt av en natt: Forst jeep fra Mt. Abu og ned til stasjonen (1 time), saa tog som ankom Jaipur kl 04.30 om morgenen, ligge litt paa stasjonen og saa neste tog (her hadde vi AirCondition) kl 06.10 mot Agra. Vi kom til Agra ved 10-tiden og kunne bare konstatere at det var feil stasjon hvis vi ville etterlate bagasjen og hente den for vi tok toget til Delhi... Vi endte opp med aa la oss overtle til en rickshaw til et reisebyraa som oppbevarte sekkene og skaffet togbiletter. Har en viss folelse av at de lurte oss ang. bilettene, men men, vi kom fram, svettere enn noen sinne for i mitt liv. Den dusjen jeg tok i kveld kan ikke sammenliknes med noen tidligere dusj i mitt liv :)
Dagen i Agra gikk med til aa se Taj Mahal. Og det var absolutt verdt bryet! Et absolutt enestaaende sted, med en helt spesiell atmosfere. Og faktisk langt mindre stressende enn Eiffeltaarnet! Men varmt! Jeg er helt sikker paa at hvis jeg ikke hadde satt meg ned med jevne mellomrom, bare for aa hvile, ville jeg gaatt i bakken! Det er super vanskelig aa faa i seg nok vann naar det er saa varmt. Og det er varmt! Spesiellt sammenliknet med Mt. Abu (enda kallere hvis vi sammenlikner med Nord-Norge, off course!)
Neste stopp...
I morgen tidlig har jeg tenkt aa prove aa komme meg paa et tog til Shimla, litt lenger nord i India. Der bor en av jentene fra Juliette Low-seminaret i Pune, jeg skal besoke henne. Eneste utfordring blir aa skaffe togbillett for 07.30. Er ikke sikker paa om billettkontoret er aapent... Vi faar se hvordan det gaar!
Klem, kram og hugs to everyone :)
14. september 2006
Tuesday
I started the day with visiting the city palace of Udiapur wich was really beautiful and farytale-like. There was a rooom perfect for the H C Andersen tale of the Nightingale, and another that looked like it belonged in the tale of the Flying Suitcase. Bouth farytales are highly recommended by yours truely! Sightseeing, no matter how interesting, can be quite exhausting, and I think that is was provided me with the meanest headake in ages throughout the afternoon. When you have such a headake, and all you want to do is get back to your hotel and lie down, nothing is worse than percistant salesmen saying "hallo!" "How are you?" "Wich coutry ma'm?"
- Pleace! I am exhausted! My head is pounding! Just, for once, let me pass without all the hassel! But no...
I this was what finally made me grow a little tired of India. The cultue in different parts of India varies, in the north it strikes me as a lot more agressive than further south... Later that night the main question was what to do after Udiapur. I felt tired of Rajastan, tired of the salesmen, and ready for somethnig new. The girl from America I had been sightseeing with had spent a lot of time in the far north, and I started considering going there. It would be intersting to see what India was like up there, and I am going to Shimla (north) to vistit a girl guide anyway... Choises!
Wednsday
I woke up thinking that I'd spent my last nigt in Udiaour, and would leave the same afternoon. I started packing so I could check out by 10, but as I put my things together I realized how stressfull it would be to go so far north as I had been considering. And what did I want there anyway? To study yoga? That is the main thing people do up north. No: Back to the original plan of Mt. Abu in Rajastan. This gave me another night in Udiapur, so I had the whole day to relax, read and wirte my jurnal. I thought!
I went down to the shore of the lake and read for a while. On my way I was invited in to a womans house for Chai (tea with spices, sugar and milk). She introdused me to her two newly married and both pregnet sisters, and one ran to get a fourth sister. This fourth sister sold handbags, it turned out, that the children in the family would sitch in the evenings. She wanted me to buy, but after looking for a bit I asked a price that was lower that she would take, and I got out of the situation.
When reading by the lake, a guy came up and asked where I was from (as always). I answered, and politely asked him to let me read. He so did, but he kept quite near, so the minute I finished, he was back. So, we talked. It turned out to be a really interesting talk, maybe inspired by the fact that I had been reading my Bible... We talked about our views of life, religion, happiness, what is good and what is holy. It was quite interesting, and when we finally broke off it was because I was so hugry I couldn't consentrate.
On my way to get lunch I was (as always) invited for Chai, this time by a guy in a shop I had inteded to buy a skirt from. So, why not? Well, we also ended up talking for a couple of hours, about life, religion, marriage, thrust and fidility. He said that if he got married it would be the same as just having daal every day for the rest of his life. He would rather have Talis (a mixture of different dishes). In the end I think we concluded that that was the main difference between us, though I can think of a few more :) Finally I got some food, and time to read. Having a pair of deacent conversations helped India grow a little on me again, so I not so tired fo the country anymore. By the way, I did go back for my skirt (and I didn't have to bargin!)
Thursday
Up at 06.30, a quick breakfast and a bumpy bussride for 7 hours taking me to Mt. Abu. Population unknown (my guidebook is in my room). A rather small hill station with a nice lake and (hopefully) some good areas to walk. A lot of Indian touists here, not as much hassel as Udiapur, but we still draw a salesman or two.
After arriving in the rather mouldy smelling hotel, I took a walk with Lauren (from the USA, she decided to come to Mt. Abu as well). We went to a place called Brahma Kumaris Ishwaria Vishwa Vidyalaya, or the univercity of Peace. Their philosophy is that all religions are testemonies of the same supreme god, yet they expect a paradice ruled by a pair of hindu gods. Most of what they had to say I could agree with, but at some point it all was too relative for me. Lauren is going to check out their yoga class. I might join, just to see. Play Arild Romarhein for a little while ;)
I started the day with visiting the city palace of Udiapur wich was really beautiful and farytale-like. There was a rooom perfect for the H C Andersen tale of the Nightingale, and another that looked like it belonged in the tale of the Flying Suitcase. Bouth farytales are highly recommended by yours truely! Sightseeing, no matter how interesting, can be quite exhausting, and I think that is was provided me with the meanest headake in ages throughout the afternoon. When you have such a headake, and all you want to do is get back to your hotel and lie down, nothing is worse than percistant salesmen saying "hallo!" "How are you?" "Wich coutry ma'm?"
- Pleace! I am exhausted! My head is pounding! Just, for once, let me pass without all the hassel! But no...
I this was what finally made me grow a little tired of India. The cultue in different parts of India varies, in the north it strikes me as a lot more agressive than further south... Later that night the main question was what to do after Udiapur. I felt tired of Rajastan, tired of the salesmen, and ready for somethnig new. The girl from America I had been sightseeing with had spent a lot of time in the far north, and I started considering going there. It would be intersting to see what India was like up there, and I am going to Shimla (north) to vistit a girl guide anyway... Choises!
Wednsday
I woke up thinking that I'd spent my last nigt in Udiaour, and would leave the same afternoon. I started packing so I could check out by 10, but as I put my things together I realized how stressfull it would be to go so far north as I had been considering. And what did I want there anyway? To study yoga? That is the main thing people do up north. No: Back to the original plan of Mt. Abu in Rajastan. This gave me another night in Udiapur, so I had the whole day to relax, read and wirte my jurnal. I thought!
I went down to the shore of the lake and read for a while. On my way I was invited in to a womans house for Chai (tea with spices, sugar and milk). She introdused me to her two newly married and both pregnet sisters, and one ran to get a fourth sister. This fourth sister sold handbags, it turned out, that the children in the family would sitch in the evenings. She wanted me to buy, but after looking for a bit I asked a price that was lower that she would take, and I got out of the situation.
When reading by the lake, a guy came up and asked where I was from (as always). I answered, and politely asked him to let me read. He so did, but he kept quite near, so the minute I finished, he was back. So, we talked. It turned out to be a really interesting talk, maybe inspired by the fact that I had been reading my Bible... We talked about our views of life, religion, happiness, what is good and what is holy. It was quite interesting, and when we finally broke off it was because I was so hugry I couldn't consentrate.
On my way to get lunch I was (as always) invited for Chai, this time by a guy in a shop I had inteded to buy a skirt from. So, why not? Well, we also ended up talking for a couple of hours, about life, religion, marriage, thrust and fidility. He said that if he got married it would be the same as just having daal every day for the rest of his life. He would rather have Talis (a mixture of different dishes). In the end I think we concluded that that was the main difference between us, though I can think of a few more :) Finally I got some food, and time to read. Having a pair of deacent conversations helped India grow a little on me again, so I not so tired fo the country anymore. By the way, I did go back for my skirt (and I didn't have to bargin!)
Thursday
Up at 06.30, a quick breakfast and a bumpy bussride for 7 hours taking me to Mt. Abu. Population unknown (my guidebook is in my room). A rather small hill station with a nice lake and (hopefully) some good areas to walk. A lot of Indian touists here, not as much hassel as Udiapur, but we still draw a salesman or two.
After arriving in the rather mouldy smelling hotel, I took a walk with Lauren (from the USA, she decided to come to Mt. Abu as well). We went to a place called Brahma Kumaris Ishwaria Vishwa Vidyalaya, or the univercity of Peace. Their philosophy is that all religions are testemonies of the same supreme god, yet they expect a paradice ruled by a pair of hindu gods. Most of what they had to say I could agree with, but at some point it all was too relative for me. Lauren is going to check out their yoga class. I might join, just to see. Play Arild Romarhein for a little while ;)
12. september 2006
Udiapur
Population ca 360 000. Famous for the lake palace, and amazing architechture around the artificial city lake. The city is beautiful, and set in beautiful surroundings with hills and mountains and lakes in every direction. Udiapur even has fresh air!
Sunday
I arrived early in the morning, having enjoyed exellent views from the train as I was trying to avoid the eyes of a bangels salesman going to Agra. As I got of the train, the first shock hit me: No storm of carriers and rickshaw driver comming to great me? Nice! When I got out of the station I understood that they had a system where you pre-paied the rickshaws for going to a sertain destination. I got my rickshaw, and we got on our way. The driver, Shamsu, was really nice and good humored! He had a whole book of recommendations from people he had guided around Udiapur, and from the looks of it, really made friends with. So we stopped for tchai (happens all the time), and he asked if I wanted to stay in a guest hous he part-owned. I figured that he couldn't have fabricated the japaneze or french recomendations, so why not?
The guesthouse was great! And only costs me 150 rupees a night, with seperat bathroom. The roof top restaurant doesn't have the best food in the world, but the view is magnificent, and the light breeze makes it great for sitting, reading and enoying a fresh lime soda or a lassie.
Later on I let Shamsu take me on a tour. We saw the tribal museum, wich shows traditional construction from Rajastan, Gujarat and Maharasthra, different kinds of crafts and arts. There even was a group of people preforming traditional music! It was so wierd being the only person there, and having them perform only for me...
Next was Tiger lake, wich is a natural lake that has been dry for years, but finally filled up this monsoon. On the way back we went trough a village and stopped for a Shiva temple. All the kids were playing under a huge tree, and off course they came to say hallo. They were so sweet. Most kids you meet in the tourist areas want something from you, like pens, kandy, 1 rupee, or they want you to take their photo. These kids only asked for the latter. Someone mentioned that it was Sunday (probobly to explain why the kids were ot of school), and all of a sudden we were going through the days of the week together, and then teh numbers, first in English, then in Hindi. That was so nice!
In the evening I wandered the streets of Udiapur, wich are quite safe, some ares wery touristified, but it's comfortable that people are used to Westerners. On my wanderings I met a young sakesman called Ravi, and we chatted for quite a while, without him trying to sell me a thing. We came into subjects as differneces between Westerns and Indian culture, especially around issues like man/woman, marriage, family, etc. If he hadn;t thought of it before, he sertainly admitted that his mother worked the hardest in his family.
Monday
This morning I met an American girl at breakfast, and I invited her to come along to my sightseeing with Shamsu. She did, and it was really nice being two people when going to all the sights. We saw the roal graveyard, where there is memorials for Maharanas back to the 16th century, and all the way to today.
One of the Maharanas buildt a garden for his daughter, for her to have parties and for recreation. The garden is still quite nice, with fountains using the natual hight difference do the lake to press the water up into the air.
Another Maharana figured that it would be a good idea to have a monsson palace (like a summer palace), but not to far away. So he started building one on the top of a hill, planning to make it so high he could see his bithtown. This dream was not fulfilled; I ecpext a war came around diverting their attention... The wiew from the temple is still magnificent, especially for sunset (quite romantic!)
The hills around the monsoon palace looked so nice, fresh and welcomming I could practically hear my hiking boots calling me from home. Lets go! Chalo! I want to hike here! Or other parts of South-East Asia, like Thailand and the grat wall of China....
I'll show you the amazing pictures - you'll want to get out there too! :)
Sunday
I arrived early in the morning, having enjoyed exellent views from the train as I was trying to avoid the eyes of a bangels salesman going to Agra. As I got of the train, the first shock hit me: No storm of carriers and rickshaw driver comming to great me? Nice! When I got out of the station I understood that they had a system where you pre-paied the rickshaws for going to a sertain destination. I got my rickshaw, and we got on our way. The driver, Shamsu, was really nice and good humored! He had a whole book of recommendations from people he had guided around Udiapur, and from the looks of it, really made friends with. So we stopped for tchai (happens all the time), and he asked if I wanted to stay in a guest hous he part-owned. I figured that he couldn't have fabricated the japaneze or french recomendations, so why not?
The guesthouse was great! And only costs me 150 rupees a night, with seperat bathroom. The roof top restaurant doesn't have the best food in the world, but the view is magnificent, and the light breeze makes it great for sitting, reading and enoying a fresh lime soda or a lassie.
Later on I let Shamsu take me on a tour. We saw the tribal museum, wich shows traditional construction from Rajastan, Gujarat and Maharasthra, different kinds of crafts and arts. There even was a group of people preforming traditional music! It was so wierd being the only person there, and having them perform only for me...
Next was Tiger lake, wich is a natural lake that has been dry for years, but finally filled up this monsoon. On the way back we went trough a village and stopped for a Shiva temple. All the kids were playing under a huge tree, and off course they came to say hallo. They were so sweet. Most kids you meet in the tourist areas want something from you, like pens, kandy, 1 rupee, or they want you to take their photo. These kids only asked for the latter. Someone mentioned that it was Sunday (probobly to explain why the kids were ot of school), and all of a sudden we were going through the days of the week together, and then teh numbers, first in English, then in Hindi. That was so nice!
In the evening I wandered the streets of Udiapur, wich are quite safe, some ares wery touristified, but it's comfortable that people are used to Westerners. On my wanderings I met a young sakesman called Ravi, and we chatted for quite a while, without him trying to sell me a thing. We came into subjects as differneces between Westerns and Indian culture, especially around issues like man/woman, marriage, family, etc. If he hadn;t thought of it before, he sertainly admitted that his mother worked the hardest in his family.
Monday
This morning I met an American girl at breakfast, and I invited her to come along to my sightseeing with Shamsu. She did, and it was really nice being two people when going to all the sights. We saw the roal graveyard, where there is memorials for Maharanas back to the 16th century, and all the way to today.
One of the Maharanas buildt a garden for his daughter, for her to have parties and for recreation. The garden is still quite nice, with fountains using the natual hight difference do the lake to press the water up into the air.
Another Maharana figured that it would be a good idea to have a monsson palace (like a summer palace), but not to far away. So he started building one on the top of a hill, planning to make it so high he could see his bithtown. This dream was not fulfilled; I ecpext a war came around diverting their attention... The wiew from the temple is still magnificent, especially for sunset (quite romantic!)
The hills around the monsoon palace looked so nice, fresh and welcomming I could practically hear my hiking boots calling me from home. Lets go! Chalo! I want to hike here! Or other parts of South-East Asia, like Thailand and the grat wall of China....
I'll show you the amazing pictures - you'll want to get out there too! :)
10. september 2006
Time to cach up!
It seems I have a bit of caching up to do, at least if I want my blogg to be a reasonable travel jurnal. As I mentioned, time has been of limited supply, but that seems to be turning - thankfully!
Pictures...
So - I've been wanting to post some amazing pictures of this amazing country, and especially the amazing people who attended the JLS seminar with me. But uploads and downloads are proving hard to manage in most internet cafes in this country. There is an answer though, and the few of you currois enough to check my links might have noticed: There are pictures and daily raports from the JLS on a seperat WAGGGS page :) I especially like the picture of my patrol on the front page!
Juliette Low
I realize that I have not realy explaned on this page what it is, this JLS that I'm writing about as if it was an experience of a lifetime. Well, Juliette Low was the founder of Girl Scouts USA, and one of her most important work was starting leadership training for the young leaders in her assiostation. When she died, a trust was set up in her name, to fund leadership training in the future. From that developed a seminar that is now arranged by the World Assosiation of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (med andre ord jentespeiderne). The seminar provides a platform for young women from around the world to discuss leadership issues and develop their leadership skills, within the goals and values of WAGGGS.
And this WAGGGS, what is that? Other then an assosiation of girl guides and scout, of course... Well, I've come to love our mission even more over the last few weeks. Our Mission is to enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world.
I know that empowering women might seem unimportant and past tense to many of us Europeans, but I don't believe it is. Women have the same opertuneties as men - yes. They have the same rights, and to some exstent the same vages. But to who belongs the world we live in? And is it women or men who has to adapt the most to gain influence in our society? Still, we are the lucky ones, and in some areas the weight might be shifting too much in the womens favour. But a quick glanse at the rest of the world tells me that that is no reason to stop empowering women.
Women in India
Being a woman in India can be so many different thnigs. If you're lucky, it is a proper education, a love-merriage and a job you can enjoy while taking care of the family in cooperatipon with your housband. But it can also be a life of no school, hard work in the field, watercarrying, an early arranged marriage, continued hard work, helping the housband, but never being helped your self, an invisible worker and the property of your housbands family, hopefully not beaten or burned alive. Or it could be anything in between the two extremes, yet the latter is probobly the more common. Changing this is abouyt setting an example, about keeping the problem in mind, about lobbying and influencing the men in power. Most of all it is about ground work, empowering women in the family and in the local communities. All this we can do by guiding and scouting!
My journey
A long divercion on an important subject. I promised an update, and I will stick to my word. Step by step, this far:
Pune
Population ca 4 mill. Big city. Famous for the Ossia center where sex has become an important part of meditation... Most important site: Sangam world centre!
What did I do there? Well, mainly I met and shared ideas and thoughts with 44 incredible women. Toghether we discovered new skills and ways of talking of leadership. Our theme was light and color, as in the caledioskope. Together we were a live caledioscope, new patterns every second, all colours, shapes and backgrounds. Beautiful :)
Aurangabad
Population ca not as large as Pune, but still a big city. Famous for the caves of Ellora and Ajenta.
I was here with 7 other guides: Marie (Sweden), Connie (Germany), Denice (UK), Kate (UK), Roberta (Malta), Ellanora (Madagaskar) and Elsebeth (Ireland). It was good fun when people asked where we were from! We saw the caves, with excuised carvings in one set, and amazing paintings in the others. Even though the hostel was a nightmare, it was so worth it!
Mumbai
Biggest city in India (hard to know, but probebly ca 16 mill). Famus for it size, the crouded Gateway of India, a huge laundery area, the hanging gardens, nice architecture, some museums and very active salesmen.
The gang from Aurangabad joined Geraldine (Switzerland), Anabelle (UK) and Tina (Fiji) for some sightseeing, shopping/bargening, the Ganesh festival, good food and good laughs. We also got thinking about a new WAGGGS world song, more or less serious suggestions posted :)
Ahmedabad
Population ca 3,3 mill. Big city. A lot of industry, as well as an intersting mix of arab/muslim and indian culture.
When all hecticed-out I settled in a mosqe for writing my jurnal. Interesting experience! In Ahmedabad I met to sweet travellers from New Zealand, stayed at a nicer hotel than what will be common this month, discoverd how poor the maps in my guide book are (got a little lost), enjoyed some nice walks, visited the Ghandi Ashram (where he lived for 12 years, and from where he started the famus salt march), I absolutely rediscovered how much I love Ghandi. I also wisited something called SEWA - check their page www.sewa.org I had red about them in my guide book, but was unable to find the reseption (maps!). I asked a rickshaw driver who ended up taking me to another office, also run by SEWA. I walsed in, said hi, and that I wanted to learn about SEWA, and was welcomed. Turns out I had entered their social servecis office, but still a woman took the time to talk to me. So inspiering! I repeat www.sewa.org !
A little tired from the caos and dust of Ahmedabad I went to find out if the trains had started running to Udiapur again (flodding had blocked the tracks). When they had I made the spare of the moment decicion to go on the forst train, and I haven't regreted it for a second! Well, maybe for a slight second in the train when a bangels salesman gave me a pair of glass bangels, sertainly only to be able to tuch my hand. Did he really believe taht I would contact him when I reched Agra? That is about as likely as that I come from all the contries I have claimed the last week, just to avoid the hassle of comming from a place people know is rich. Polen and Russia are good, Europe is nice and gerneal, but my favorite is Lithuania, cause noone has heard of it :)
I've been writing for ever... Hope you enjoyed reading (if not: pretend!)
Love you loads! Huggs :)
Pictures...
So - I've been wanting to post some amazing pictures of this amazing country, and especially the amazing people who attended the JLS seminar with me. But uploads and downloads are proving hard to manage in most internet cafes in this country. There is an answer though, and the few of you currois enough to check my links might have noticed: There are pictures and daily raports from the JLS on a seperat WAGGGS page :) I especially like the picture of my patrol on the front page!
Juliette Low
I realize that I have not realy explaned on this page what it is, this JLS that I'm writing about as if it was an experience of a lifetime. Well, Juliette Low was the founder of Girl Scouts USA, and one of her most important work was starting leadership training for the young leaders in her assiostation. When she died, a trust was set up in her name, to fund leadership training in the future. From that developed a seminar that is now arranged by the World Assosiation of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (med andre ord jentespeiderne). The seminar provides a platform for young women from around the world to discuss leadership issues and develop their leadership skills, within the goals and values of WAGGGS.
And this WAGGGS, what is that? Other then an assosiation of girl guides and scout, of course... Well, I've come to love our mission even more over the last few weeks. Our Mission is to enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential as responsible citizens of the world.
I know that empowering women might seem unimportant and past tense to many of us Europeans, but I don't believe it is. Women have the same opertuneties as men - yes. They have the same rights, and to some exstent the same vages. But to who belongs the world we live in? And is it women or men who has to adapt the most to gain influence in our society? Still, we are the lucky ones, and in some areas the weight might be shifting too much in the womens favour. But a quick glanse at the rest of the world tells me that that is no reason to stop empowering women.
Women in India
Being a woman in India can be so many different thnigs. If you're lucky, it is a proper education, a love-merriage and a job you can enjoy while taking care of the family in cooperatipon with your housband. But it can also be a life of no school, hard work in the field, watercarrying, an early arranged marriage, continued hard work, helping the housband, but never being helped your self, an invisible worker and the property of your housbands family, hopefully not beaten or burned alive. Or it could be anything in between the two extremes, yet the latter is probobly the more common. Changing this is abouyt setting an example, about keeping the problem in mind, about lobbying and influencing the men in power. Most of all it is about ground work, empowering women in the family and in the local communities. All this we can do by guiding and scouting!
My journey
A long divercion on an important subject. I promised an update, and I will stick to my word. Step by step, this far:
Pune
Population ca 4 mill. Big city. Famous for the Ossia center where sex has become an important part of meditation... Most important site: Sangam world centre!
What did I do there? Well, mainly I met and shared ideas and thoughts with 44 incredible women. Toghether we discovered new skills and ways of talking of leadership. Our theme was light and color, as in the caledioskope. Together we were a live caledioscope, new patterns every second, all colours, shapes and backgrounds. Beautiful :)
Aurangabad
Population ca not as large as Pune, but still a big city. Famous for the caves of Ellora and Ajenta.
I was here with 7 other guides: Marie (Sweden), Connie (Germany), Denice (UK), Kate (UK), Roberta (Malta), Ellanora (Madagaskar) and Elsebeth (Ireland). It was good fun when people asked where we were from! We saw the caves, with excuised carvings in one set, and amazing paintings in the others. Even though the hostel was a nightmare, it was so worth it!
Mumbai
Biggest city in India (hard to know, but probebly ca 16 mill). Famus for it size, the crouded Gateway of India, a huge laundery area, the hanging gardens, nice architecture, some museums and very active salesmen.
The gang from Aurangabad joined Geraldine (Switzerland), Anabelle (UK) and Tina (Fiji) for some sightseeing, shopping/bargening, the Ganesh festival, good food and good laughs. We also got thinking about a new WAGGGS world song, more or less serious suggestions posted :)
Ahmedabad
Population ca 3,3 mill. Big city. A lot of industry, as well as an intersting mix of arab/muslim and indian culture.
When all hecticed-out I settled in a mosqe for writing my jurnal. Interesting experience! In Ahmedabad I met to sweet travellers from New Zealand, stayed at a nicer hotel than what will be common this month, discoverd how poor the maps in my guide book are (got a little lost), enjoyed some nice walks, visited the Ghandi Ashram (where he lived for 12 years, and from where he started the famus salt march), I absolutely rediscovered how much I love Ghandi. I also wisited something called SEWA - check their page www.sewa.org I had red about them in my guide book, but was unable to find the reseption (maps!). I asked a rickshaw driver who ended up taking me to another office, also run by SEWA. I walsed in, said hi, and that I wanted to learn about SEWA, and was welcomed. Turns out I had entered their social servecis office, but still a woman took the time to talk to me. So inspiering! I repeat www.sewa.org !
A little tired from the caos and dust of Ahmedabad I went to find out if the trains had started running to Udiapur again (flodding had blocked the tracks). When they had I made the spare of the moment decicion to go on the forst train, and I haven't regreted it for a second! Well, maybe for a slight second in the train when a bangels salesman gave me a pair of glass bangels, sertainly only to be able to tuch my hand. Did he really believe taht I would contact him when I reched Agra? That is about as likely as that I come from all the contries I have claimed the last week, just to avoid the hassle of comming from a place people know is rich. Polen and Russia are good, Europe is nice and gerneal, but my favorite is Lithuania, cause noone has heard of it :)
I've been writing for ever... Hope you enjoyed reading (if not: pretend!)
Love you loads! Huggs :)
7. september 2006
Pink party
There hasn't been a lot of new text here the last weeks. The readson is actuallt not lack og internet, but lack of time. When you travel with others it is importat to compromice about how to use time, and that means first things first. We'll see how it goes when I'm on my own...
English
Sorry guys - it's a nucanse trying to write norwegian without the essential letters ae, oe, aa. Therefore this blogg will, untill further notice be posted only in english. Maybe some of my new friend from Juliette Low will be able to enjoy it as well ;)
Ayrangabad must have been the shabbiest, dirtiest hostel I have ever stayed in. And I belive that (maybe net to the trainstation in Milan) it had the most moskitoes too! I have 27 moskitobites, on my hads and face. Thankfully the rest of my body was covered by my sleeping bag during the night! Anyway, after a few days of borrowing random remedies from amung others the chairwoman of WAGGGS's world board, I was able to find a chemist and get my own litte tube of cream that I carry everywhere. I look much better now, and I hardly scrach :)
Ganesh...
The last week there has been a grat feastival in Maharashtra in honor of the hindi god Ganesh (son of Shiva, easily recignised by having an elephant head). There has been decorations all over, and temporary templels in every neighborhood. Yesterday the festival columinated in the ritual carrying of the god to the river/osean in numerus parades (17.mai assosiations...). Drums, music and dansing in the streets. Children watching from their mothers arms, slightly scared, sligthly impressed. Like holi (color festival in the spring) people trew color powder on eachother, but only pink, and not nearly as extencivly as during holi. It was fun to see the people marching into the water with their gods, sinking them and splashing themselves with the water, children playing in the waves, women staying clear of the water, young men going straight in and out of the water without any fuss. All different - all the same.
Next stop: Amanabad in the state of Gujarat. Write you then!
English
Sorry guys - it's a nucanse trying to write norwegian without the essential letters ae, oe, aa. Therefore this blogg will, untill further notice be posted only in english. Maybe some of my new friend from Juliette Low will be able to enjoy it as well ;)
Ayrangabad must have been the shabbiest, dirtiest hostel I have ever stayed in. And I belive that (maybe net to the trainstation in Milan) it had the most moskitoes too! I have 27 moskitobites, on my hads and face. Thankfully the rest of my body was covered by my sleeping bag during the night! Anyway, after a few days of borrowing random remedies from amung others the chairwoman of WAGGGS's world board, I was able to find a chemist and get my own litte tube of cream that I carry everywhere. I look much better now, and I hardly scrach :)
Ganesh...
The last week there has been a grat feastival in Maharashtra in honor of the hindi god Ganesh (son of Shiva, easily recignised by having an elephant head). There has been decorations all over, and temporary templels in every neighborhood. Yesterday the festival columinated in the ritual carrying of the god to the river/osean in numerus parades (17.mai assosiations...). Drums, music and dansing in the streets. Children watching from their mothers arms, slightly scared, sligthly impressed. Like holi (color festival in the spring) people trew color powder on eachother, but only pink, and not nearly as extencivly as during holi. It was fun to see the people marching into the water with their gods, sinking them and splashing themselves with the water, children playing in the waves, women staying clear of the water, young men going straight in and out of the water without any fuss. All different - all the same.
Next stop: Amanabad in the state of Gujarat. Write you then!
4. september 2006
India...!
Tilbake i landet med alle fargene - det er simpelt hen saa fantastisk!
Forst en uke pa verdensspeidersenteret Sangam i Pune, sammen med unge jenter fra 44 land, med temaer som ledelse, teamarbeid, strategisk planlegging, alt gjennomsyrt av et fokus pa verdiene i speiding, og spesielt i wagggs. Sa fargerikt, herlig, inspirerende, vakkert og opploftende! Jeg vet at fremtiden er i gode hender, for jeg har mott kvinnene som kommer til aa forandre land som Uganda, Armenia, Venezuela og Nigeria. De er sterke og vakre. Tror fortsatt det ligger en link til de daglige rapportene vare (med fine bilder!!!) pa wagggs sin hjemmeside. Se linklista :)
Na: Arangubad - kjempegoy, men shabby hostel. I morgen: Mumbai!
Forst en uke pa verdensspeidersenteret Sangam i Pune, sammen med unge jenter fra 44 land, med temaer som ledelse, teamarbeid, strategisk planlegging, alt gjennomsyrt av et fokus pa verdiene i speiding, og spesielt i wagggs. Sa fargerikt, herlig, inspirerende, vakkert og opploftende! Jeg vet at fremtiden er i gode hender, for jeg har mott kvinnene som kommer til aa forandre land som Uganda, Armenia, Venezuela og Nigeria. De er sterke og vakre. Tror fortsatt det ligger en link til de daglige rapportene vare (med fine bilder!!!) pa wagggs sin hjemmeside. Se linklista :)
Na: Arangubad - kjempegoy, men shabby hostel. I morgen: Mumbai!
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