Part 11
The infamous Golden Temple
Song: Don’t go away by Oasis
The journey to Amritsar after a week in paradise (McLeod) is like Beetleby & Loki, the angels in Kevin Smith’s “Dogma” that being cast away from heaven to earth for all life and eternity. The road gradually returning to normal and typical Indian road. Pollution and traffic jam were back in operation. The journey took me about 6 hours.
I arrived in Pathankot at 7.30 pm and the sky was already dark. There was no bus to Amritsar until tomorrow morning. And the earliest train was schedule to arrive 6 hours after that. I had no choice but to hung out with my friend, the 15 kilo bag pack, on the floor by the entrance of the railway station. I was already drain out and tired.
Song: Mellon Collie & the infinite sadness by Smashing Pumpkins
I brought the cheapest ticket or the lowest class. I didn’t know it was suppose to be first come first basis. And when the train arrived, I didn’t manage to find myself a seat so I ended up on the smelly dirty floor by the side of the door and the miserable toilet was like less than 10 meter away. I took out a paper and spread it on the floor, hugging my bag pack and fall asleep. I was awaken by a train manager and he was kind enough to alert me of possible thievery if I would to sleep openly like thin with my bag pack. I think it must had been his first time to see a foreign traveler sleeping on the train floor. Because of his generosity, I was being offer a sleeper class until I reached Amritsar.
Song: How you remind me by Nickelback
I arrived at Amritsar dead early in the morning. I was tired from the train ride and lack of sleep. And my bag pack was killing me with its weight. I went straight to the golden temple. Amritsar didn’t really impress me. In facts I hate it so much I wish the day would be over soon. The only consolation on Amritsar which is also one of the best thing was the golden temple.
Golden temple is the most important sacred shrine for the Sikhs, who travel from all parts of the world to enjoy the blissful environments and offer their thanks by giving prayers.
I went to one of the lodging and took a nap on its bench. It was a brief nap but it sure felt like I had been sleeping forever. At around I visited the golden temple. The temple open 24 hours and we the visitors and the pilgrimages had to cover our head with scarf and wash our feet clean before enter to the holy place. Inside, it was huge. I was overwhelmed at its majestic view and awesome architecture. It was the same amazement I had when I first saw the Taj Mahal last year. The time was around 5.30 in the morning and trust me, it was the most suitable time to visit the temple. The sun was barely seen but its light was slightly felt by the sky. So I walked in peace around the temple until I reached the golden temple, which located and floating in the middle of the lake.
I was done with Amritsar once I done with the golden temple. It was around 8 in the morning. I knew that my time is up and something deep inside me had call for me to return to Pune. So immediately I responded to that gut, that voice, the same voice that made me traveling in the beginning. But it was not until 9.30 pm can I board the train to Bombay, which is another 12 hours. Honestly, this was the city made in hell, with all due respect to the beautiful and majestic golden temple. I couldn’t even stand more than an hour, let alone 12 hours. The weather was hot and humid, the place was dusty and chaotic and somehow I felt like the people here were less friendly and more fiercely. I had no choice but to find something to kill time. So after couldn’t figure out what better thing to do, I went to a free guest house, established by the golden temple committee, to take a nap and a round of shower.
In the evening, I went to the border of Pakistan-India to witness the border closing ceremony, which celebrated everyday. It was a fully emotional and charge up performance and march by military of both side. What enlighten me was the powerful march of Indian military. Both seating place was separated by a gate that mark the separation of boundary. The crowds were cheering and shouting in common spirit. The ceremony witnessed a patriotic march by the armies and positive powerful response from both crowds. It also witnessed the lowering of both nation’s flag and the opening of border gate. The whole ceremony took about an hour.
I boarded the train from Amritsar to Bombay at around 9.30 pm. By then, approximately 25 days was already passed since the day I left Pune. I was still in the same trouser, the khakis, the only different was it was much dirtier, brownish and more ripped, on the knee part and on my back as well. My goatie beard was already long and unorganized. My hair looks like circus crown. The shirt I was wearing that day was already stinking and couldn’t get more worst. And so there it goes, 36 hours train ride, through many different places, day and night, rain and shine, all the way to Bombay.
The only highlight I want to put it here was when it was unexpectedly spot check by the local police on us the passengers. Of all my train experience in India I never had such experience and never knew such thing practice. Of course if I wasn’t guilty of any sort, then I shouldn’t be afraid. The problem was I had few grams of hash and another few grams of Marijuana left in my bag and if I were caught, I will either sent to jail and being work over or ripped off financially which either case wouldn’t do me any good. And to make matter worse, they started with my compartment.
The passengers are not suppose to keep illegal substance in the train mainly alcoholic drink but if they got you with drugs, matter could get even worse.
At that time I was seating with few senior citizens on their compartment, which opposite mine and my bag pack was on my compartment. After searching the locals, they were staring at my bag and I was already freaking out as my heartbeat pounding so hard I could hear them cry like a lion. Time stood still as I turn pale and scared of many ugly possibilities. And one of the officer point his baton to my bag pack and asked one of the Indian with his body sign saying, who’s bag?
And all hell broke loose when they pointed it at me. I don’t know why but they just gave me a cursory look and they passed me. No question asked. Probably I was a foreigner and these scumbag police couldn’t speak English and they wouldn’t want to trouble themselves struggling with me over Alien’s language. But still, it scare the hell out of me. I immediately took it and flush it down the toilet.
I felt like I had been gone for many days. The feeling of being back to my base was really something. I felt the connection and sentimental again. The house was messy and there was some new faces but nevertheless, I was home. I clean myself up, shave my head and my bearded goatie and dress myself in completely clean pair of new attires.
I spent a few days in Pune before I embarked on my last stop of 40 days traveling; Goa. And again I embarked on my last destination without anyone tag along with me and I was fine. I will go anyway with or without anybody.
Part 11
Song: Surrounded by Dream Theatre
Somehow I was reluctant to leave Pune after I connected with her for few memorable and eventful days but at the same time I was also determine as hell to finish what I had started, the traveling. Plus, I had quite some money left and thus the objective of my last destination was to spent it all there and to have a good life.
I met a guy who was in India for business in the bus. While we were having dinner, we were joint by a very attractive girl, who also happen to be traveling alone. She looks like a hair stylist or something. Her name was Luca and she was from Holland. We found something in common and the common thing was smoking weed.
She invited me to her compartment and together we darkened ourselves and open up the windows and smoke the night away. It was a weed from Morocco.
The journey to Amritsar after a week in paradise (McLeod) is like Beetleby & Loki, the angels in Kevin Smith’s “Dogma” that being cast away from heaven to earth for all life and eternity. The road gradually returning to normal and typical Indian road. Pollution and traffic jam were back in operation. The journey took me about 6 hours.
I arrived in Pathankot at 7.30 pm and the sky was already dark. There was no bus to Amritsar until tomorrow morning. And the earliest train was schedule to arrive 6 hours after that. I had no choice but to hung out with my friend, the 15 kilo bag pack, on the floor by the entrance of the railway station. I was already drain out and tired.
Song: Mellon Collie & the infinite sadness by Smashing Pumpkins
I brought the cheapest ticket or the lowest class. I didn’t know it was suppose to be first come first basis. And when the train arrived, I didn’t manage to find myself a seat so I ended up on the smelly dirty floor by the side of the door and the miserable toilet was like less than 10 meter away. I took out a paper and spread it on the floor, hugging my bag pack and fall asleep. I was awaken by a train manager and he was kind enough to alert me of possible thievery if I would to sleep openly like thin with my bag pack. I think it must had been his first time to see a foreign traveler sleeping on the train floor. Because of his generosity, I was being offer a sleeper class until I reached Amritsar.
Song: How you remind me by Nickelback
I arrived at Amritsar dead early in the morning. I was tired from the train ride and lack of sleep. And my bag pack was killing me with its weight. I went straight to the golden temple. Amritsar didn’t really impress me. In facts I hate it so much I wish the day would be over soon. The only consolation on Amritsar which is also one of the best thing was the golden temple.
Golden temple is the most important sacred shrine for the Sikhs, who travel from all parts of the world to enjoy the blissful environments and offer their thanks by giving prayers.
I went to one of the lodging and took a nap on its bench. It was a brief nap but it sure felt like I had been sleeping forever. At around I visited the golden temple. The temple open 24 hours and we the visitors and the pilgrimages had to cover our head with scarf and wash our feet clean before enter to the holy place. Inside, it was huge. I was overwhelmed at its majestic view and awesome architecture. It was the same amazement I had when I first saw the Taj Mahal last year. The time was around 5.30 in the morning and trust me, it was the most suitable time to visit the temple. The sun was barely seen but its light was slightly felt by the sky. So I walked in peace around the temple until I reached the golden temple, which located and floating in the middle of the lake.
I was done with Amritsar once I done with the golden temple. It was around 8 in the morning. I knew that my time is up and something deep inside me had call for me to return to Pune. So immediately I responded to that gut, that voice, the same voice that made me traveling in the beginning. But it was not until 9.30 pm can I board the train to Bombay, which is another 12 hours. Honestly, this was the city made in hell, with all due respect to the beautiful and majestic golden temple. I couldn’t even stand more than an hour, let alone 12 hours. The weather was hot and humid, the place was dusty and chaotic and somehow I felt like the people here were less friendly and more fiercely. I had no choice but to find something to kill time. So after couldn’t figure out what better thing to do, I went to a free guest house, established by the golden temple committee, to take a nap and a round of shower.
In the evening, I went to the border of Pakistan-India to witness the border closing ceremony, which celebrated everyday. It was a fully emotional and charge up performance and march by military of both side. What enlighten me was the powerful march of Indian military. Both seating place was separated by a gate that mark the separation of boundary. The crowds were cheering and shouting in common spirit. The ceremony witnessed a patriotic march by the armies and positive powerful response from both crowds. It also witnessed the lowering of both nation’s flag and the opening of border gate. The whole ceremony took about an hour.
I boarded the train from Amritsar to Bombay at around 9.30 pm. By then, approximately 25 days was already passed since the day I left Pune. I was still in the same trouser, the khakis, the only different was it was much dirtier, brownish and more ripped, on the knee part and on my back as well. My goatie beard was already long and unorganized. My hair looks like circus crown. The shirt I was wearing that day was already stinking and couldn’t get more worst. And so there it goes, 36 hours train ride, through many different places, day and night, rain and shine, all the way to Bombay.
The only highlight I want to put it here was when it was unexpectedly spot check by the local police on us the passengers. Of all my train experience in India I never had such experience and never knew such thing practice. Of course if I wasn’t guilty of any sort, then I shouldn’t be afraid. The problem was I had few grams of hash and another few grams of Marijuana left in my bag and if I were caught, I will either sent to jail and being work over or ripped off financially which either case wouldn’t do me any good. And to make matter worse, they started with my compartment.
The passengers are not suppose to keep illegal substance in the train mainly alcoholic drink but if they got you with drugs, matter could get even worse.
At that time I was seating with few senior citizens on their compartment, which opposite mine and my bag pack was on my compartment. After searching the locals, they were staring at my bag and I was already freaking out as my heartbeat pounding so hard I could hear them cry like a lion. Time stood still as I turn pale and scared of many ugly possibilities. And one of the officer point his baton to my bag pack and asked one of the Indian with his body sign saying, who’s bag?
And all hell broke loose when they pointed it at me. I don’t know why but they just gave me a cursory look and they passed me. No question asked. Probably I was a foreigner and these scumbag police couldn’t speak English and they wouldn’t want to trouble themselves struggling with me over Alien’s language. But still, it scare the hell out of me. I immediately took it and flush it down the toilet.
I felt like I had been gone for many days. The feeling of being back to my base was really something. I felt the connection and sentimental again. The house was messy and there was some new faces but nevertheless, I was home. I clean myself up, shave my head and my bearded goatie and dress myself in completely clean pair of new attires.
I spent a few days in Pune before I embarked on my last stop of 40 days traveling; Goa. And again I embarked on my last destination without anyone tag along with me and I was fine. I will go anyway with or without anybody.
Part 11
Song: Surrounded by Dream Theatre
Somehow I was reluctant to leave Pune after I connected with her for few memorable and eventful days but at the same time I was also determine as hell to finish what I had started, the traveling. Plus, I had quite some money left and thus the objective of my last destination was to spent it all there and to have a good life.
I met a guy who was in India for business in the bus. While we were having dinner, we were joint by a very attractive girl, who also happen to be traveling alone. She looks like a hair stylist or something. Her name was Luca and she was from Holland. We found something in common and the common thing was smoking weed.
She invited me to her compartment and together we darkened ourselves and open up the windows and smoke the night away. It was a weed from Morocco.
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