Tag Archives: food
Queenstown, Otago, New Zealand
I have to say, that never have I been so amazed by the nature and wilderness of a city before entering Queenstown.
Let us be clear though: Queenstown is a rich, expensive town, a bit touristy on some sides, and clearly not as wild as a farmers’ village. However, the nature around it is arguably the most beautiful I have ever seen in the vicinity of such a town, which without a doubt makes it a really incredible place to live in.
Like Ben’s parents, my hosts at that time and friends now, do.
Indian food
The best food is always the street food.
(Anthony Velasquez, as we were eating delicious street felafels in downtown Amman)
I took this truth into consideration and decided to give a try to the Indian street food – but only after a long, too long period of stomach preparation and conditioning. Too long because the street food is, always is, the best food you can find.
The period of adaptation to the local standards of hygiene was important, however; not absolutely necessary, but I had no intention of wasting time because of sickness. I hence in a first time always ate in restaurants, cheap compared to Western standards, but still expensive compared to the street food. Which explains why the majority of locals eat at the street stalls.
Another good reason to try it out: melting with locals. You know, speaking with your hands and eating stuff you do not even have the slightest idea of what it is.
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
The ultimately free man is the Wise man, but he’s lonely.
(Tristan Raoult)
Now that I think about it, India was my first real lone backpacking experience. Not that I was alone, no; I met a lot of people, friendly or unfriendly, travelers or locals, backpackers or foreign students, in hostels, restaurants, streets, buses or even train stations. But I was always traveling alone. My itinerary was only mine, and when I had to part from new friends, I did.
Maybe it was because of the short length of my stay (only three weeks; I will have to come back, and this time for a few months, eh) which forced me to rush to my destinations at all costs – missing my flight from Delhi was not an option, and staying for too long in one place neither – and made impossible for me to follow other travelers. I did my best to visit the most of India I physically and mentally could, having unfortunately to rest at some places because of my weak human condition.
And yes, I felt free. Not free like we, the Donkeys, were back on the highway in Jordan. I felt free because every morning, when I woke up, I could decide what I would do, where I would go, how to do it, without talking to anyone, without having to explain it to anybody, taking my own decisions based upon my own criteria. I could go to uncomfortable, dirty or even scary places without involving anyone else. I could try the risky Indian street food without being a burden to other people if I would get sick. I could bear a heavy travel schedule (sometimes only one or two nights per location, when I was not sleeping in a bus or train) without making people suffer from its fast pace. To put in a nutshell, when I had hard times, I faced them alone, without making anyone suffer around me.
But yes, sometimes, I also did feel lonely. Because no one was here to share the wonders, joys and beauties of the places I saw, no one was here to share my excitation about moving, traveling, discovering this incredible country. No one was there to watch my back, too; it is not a big news that lone travelers are easier preys for thieves, muggers, swindlers, con artists or even just touts.
If being lonely is the price of being free, I guess at least it also made me stronger.