Visit to Taj

So we have come up to go and see Taj Mahal during a day off. Being a rather spontaneous idea of Ellie's we quickly jumped on the bandwagon and allowed the kind MHE and OB staff to deal with all the logistics for us.

The next day, we woke up at early o'clock and took the Metro (infinitely better than London Underground) and went over to where our driver picked us up. Greeted by the monkeys we got in the car and went our way (they didn't seem too keen on us anyway).

Three and a half hours to go... It didn't take too long before we enjoyed the Indian services, with many chains, two of which I worked in back in England it didn't take too long to feel 'at home'. The fixed prices meant that for once I did not have to worry about getting shafted - making a nice change.



During the journey I have spent most of the time plugged out with my one of my favourite bands, Sublime - reminding me of how much I love my dog. This means I missed out on the uneccessary stuff like whether we are guided or not (yes we were).

As we were getting out of the car we were welcomed by a lady with severe cataracts in both eyes with a starving baby in her arms begging for money. As much as I somewhat like the idea of being cold and surgical in some aspects of my life I would hate to become oblivious to suffering and poverty...

... On a happier note, we met our guide, and actually saw Taj, being foreign, we paid 1000 rupees instead of 40 - however the 'foreigners queue' moved much faster and came with a few perks so I guess it wasn't that bad. Screened and patted down we joined the crowd who seemed to be very focused on one thing. taking a good selfie.

Not even Ellie will stand in the way of a selfie.

The building (and the ones surrounding it) was nice, the stories told by the guide were really good and enjoyable (some of which later turned out to be complete bollocks, but that's fine). The architecture was fascinating, lots of ooh's and aaaaah's from me. If you happen to be in the area then by all means spend the 1000 rupees and 2,5 hours of your life to apreciate this place. Be aware, however, that everything around it is a complete shithole.

Being a good vibrations blog I had to think many times how to finish, so here goes.

You will be very impressed with the place the local guides take you to to buy the "real deal". And you will make said guide a very, very happy man if you happen to pay the 'western' prices for whatever it may be... Of course, this has nothing to do with the presents my family and a couple of friends will recieve in the upcoming weeks ;) .

Staff Training

Staff training came very quickly and before we knew it we found ourselves in Damdama meeting the new team.

Whilst the working days were hard, with early starts, late(ish) finishes and most importantly - no aircon - I and the others ploughed on and ensured that things got done.

The best thing about the whole experience however was what happened after work. The team, consisting of all sorts of individuals from a range of backgrounds showed remarkable friendliness and both sides did everything they could to bring down the wall that is the language barrier. From inviting us to their games through to sharing passion about the local flora all the way to inviting us on a reccie for a new potential trek. This meant we had an opportunity to see and meet the local monks (for lack of a more approporiate word).

Moral of the story is, that we expected a lot of things, from dengue to shits, malaria and 50 degrees celsius. Instead, we enjoyed getting to know the aspects of Indian culture unknown even to native Indians as well as the great company of the people with whom we will spend the next year with. So from now on, I shall stop expecting and learn to "roll with it".

Tomorrows stop, Taj Mahal

One of the beautiful things about this place is the fact you will never run out of surprises.

First impressions

A few people have asked me about my first impressions of India. I cannot quite decide myself just yet. Here is a few reasons why;

1. Food is great.
2. The divide between the rich and the poor is obvious, shocking and disgusting - very eye opening and enlightening.
3. Food is really great.
4. Shop keepers will try and fleece you at most opportunities.
5. Cultural differences are just that. Including the dynamic
6. The general attitude towards health and safety is... as in this video:

Health and Safety at work... or is it?

7. You will always get your kicks when crossing the road.

Crossing the road, india style!

So far so good!

Quick introduction

Filip, currently on a sandwich year abroad doing an internship for Outward Bound India- Himalaya. This blog will explore my impressions and reflections relating to working for a globally renowned outdoor provider. Along with this, you will find my everyday thoughts and discoveries.