by Stephanie Quan | Jul 5, 2011 | India, Introspection, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
Leh is geographically 300 km northeast of Srinagar, but it feels like much farther in terms of its environment. As I sit in this cafe typing, we are behind the mountains. Away from the monsoon, the air has the arid, light, unforgiving smell of the high desert....
by Calvin Sun | Jul 5, 2011 | India, Pakistan, Public Transportation, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Travel Warnings, What Dreams May Come
I guess not everything is that peachy in the region at the moment. At least Pakistan isn’t blaming India. Before I write about Kashmir’s Ladakh region, I have to pull the same stunt when I wrote about Varanasi and use the same video that I did then...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 3, 2011 | India, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
More scenes from our unplanned gueststay at a Kashmiri wedding in nowhere else but Kashmir. Pre-wedding: Getting henna done: As the groom arrives, the balcony and street are flooded with onlookers. The girls are all together off on one side…...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 3, 2011 | India, Introspection, Lessons Learned, Mythbusters, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Travel Warnings
“In the last 3 days it seems like we’ve been the only international tourists in Srinagar.” “That’s because your media always paints the wrong picture of Kashmir.” He was right. Although Srinagar boasts more security...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 2, 2011 | Fit for Foodies, India, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
Najia’s Classmate Calvin Sun will arrive in Srinagar soon. Arrives in Srinagar 1st or 2nd July to attend Neelu’s wedding. He will call your Mom/Dad. Give him a place to stay and feed him to fatten him with wazwan. - Najia’s uncle in an email...
by Calvin Sun | Jul 2, 2011 | Fail, How Did You Do That?, How's the weather?, India, Lessons Learned, Let me tell you a Story..., Mo' Money Mo' Problems, Nepal, Public Transportation, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
The last 36 hours have been no less than a harrowing series of events and run-ins. For our last hours in Kathmandu, I got to head over to the suburbs of Chisablani to meet with a family that hosted my cousin when he was in Nepal last year. This was the same Sherpa...
by Calvin Sun | Jun 29, 2011 | Nepal, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, What Dreams May Come
Today I saw Mount Everest with my own eyes. Whether it’s the 14-day trek to Everest Base Camp or a 1 hour mountain flight from Kathmandu, everyone should see Earth’s tallest structure at least once in their lives. I went in thinking it...
by Calvin Sun | Jun 28, 2011 | Community Service, Fit for Foodies, Nepal, Serendipitous!, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea, Way Way Off the Beaten Path
Before I post up my entry on Everest, I should mention our unexpected detour to Hindu Vidyapeeth (HVP) last night. HVP is a non-profit educational trust that enrolls Nepalese children from regions as far as Myanmar and provides them a quality education and prepares...
by Calvin Sun | Jun 28, 2011 | Let me tell you a Story..., Nepal, Public Transportation, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
I was warned about this. One day someone will ask me what is the worst bus I’ve ever ridden. Would it be a 16 hour overnight bus from Udaipur to Mumbai where the A/C dripped water on my face for half the time? Would it be a 10 hour overnight bus from Hyderabad...
by Stephanie Quan | Jun 28, 2011 | Let me tell you a Story..., Nepal, Public Transportation, Summer 2011: From the Middle East to North Korea
The bus ride that no one but Calvin and I found hilarious, then not so hilarious In Nepal, the transportation is..well…not like Turkey’s. So to travel approximately 200 km, we alloted a day each way. The ride to Pokhara, was a little...
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