Here we go again

Getting to India

Prelude:

First up, I'd like to say sorry to my parents that this has taken so long. I've been in India for 2 weeks and this is my first blog. It has been a time full of all sorts of challenges, and I now have a couple of days in Hampi to sit down and try to breathe. Try to.

Melbourne

The lead-up (yes, this is basically an update on my life so far)

Before this trip, my life's been kinda busy. It's consisted of finishing my first year of a degree in Science and Global Studies at Monash Uni, with a focus on Physics and International Studies. For the second half of the year, I've been a maths tutor teaching 5 kids from my old high school, and I've absolutely loved it. I've continued volunteering at Oaktree and my role is the Team Support Officer for the IE team, a role that's quite admin heavy including things such as; inductions, file management, training, and team performance measurement. It's a role that pushes me to learn important skills, yet is not as passionate nor community driven as my old role. I'm also a youth-leader and regular contributor at my church, Canterbury Baptist Church, which I just adore. 

In late November and early December I was down at the coastal town of Lorne volunteering with Red Frogs on their Schoolies Programme. That was a truly incredible week where I was more of the man I wanted to be and was recognised as being a good Frogger (someone who does Red Frogs) for being genuine and honest with who I am, the quote my location leader was "You have no mask to hide behind, your mask is just your face". That hit me hard as after Frogs I struggle to link the person of clarity I was during the week to everyday life. I was, for the first time in a while, having maturity growing-pains (gee, I wish there was a better way of saying that). My big brother was also on the same Schoolies as me, and I remember playing cricket with him in the backyard and thinking "How do I say to you that what you saw is what I'm trying to be?". Since Red Frogs the meaning of manhood has been close to my mind, and it is a thought that has captured me so far this trip. 

But I'm getting bored of writing this section and you may be sick of reading it, so let's get on with the adventure!

Yes, this is an old photo, but Matt still sucks at cricket

Pre-departure - 30/12/2016

At 7 I awoke, and the day began with packing and searching for my glasses case. Great start.

The rest of the morning was surprising frantic as an international travel sim was put in my phone, my old Indian phone came back to life, internet checking in, trying to print boarding passes (that were later proved useless) and then sneaking in the last dash of home cricket. One beautiful moment amidst the hustle was reading text messages on my India phone, seeing old memories and old relationships re-appear as if through fog. 

Left the house at 11:10 with tears behind my eyes as I begin to relive my previous India adventure and feared that I may again bear the pain that it brought (have a read of some of my earlier stuff from India if you're confused by this, particularly Honesty). It seems my subconscious has focussed on the negatives from my time there, and I really wish it hadn't. 

For going to the airport, Lach drove this time with me in front and parents in back (whilst releasing their inner child), another sign of changing maturity in our family. Whilst in the car I put on one of my favourite bands, NeedToBreathe, which was perfect when thinking about the craziness of life (and Indian adventures) and how God goes through it with you. 

Arrived at airports and got to the check-in gate before it even opened. Mum waited with me in line which was nice to talk through and try describe how I was feeling and try take my mind off things. I was nervous that I had got everything I needed for check-in and that my bags were fine, yet all I needed was to hand over my passport and my bags were fine. After check-in, I grabbed a small bite with the fam (minus big bro) then went to the gate. Of course, mum had to get several photos and they needed to be of 'acceptable' quality, was frustratingly awkward yet not embarrassing, it was an act of love and it was for her benefit, not mine. 

Get on with it...

Through security, and thankfully didn't lose anything this time (last time I left scissors in my carry-on). Going through the gallery of duty-free shops, then seeing tarmac for the first time in a while was oddly calming. There were signs restricting me from taking photos unfortunately but trust me, it looked nice. Took a seat and read the start of I am not but I know I Am, has been an awesome Christian book so far. Got on the plane and away I go.

Accidently sat in the wrong seat, which I realised when I was offered a vegetarian meal for lunch 1 hr into the flight. The guy across the aisle from me made awkward eye contact which I guess meant he was vegetarian. 

For lunch I chose curry, something I might as well get used to. For entertainment I watched 2001: A Space Odyssey. It was a movie I've been meaning to watch for ages, yet boy was it different than what I expected. I feel like it was incredible just from a cinematic perspective for the time rather than the action that modern sci-fi flicks consist of. For views, flying over Uluru was pretty spectacular. I couldn't snap a pick but even from our altitude it was freakishly obvious. That rock must be seriously HUGE. For more entertainment I watched Finding Dory that was slightly better than expected, yet a bit too tear-jerking, sorry if that offended anyone.

Slept a bit. Yep, not much to pass on from that experience.

Dinner was chicken noodles, and I watched Bear Hood, a doco about bears growing up and probably dying.

Eventually, the lights of Bangkok filled the ground and it was wonderful to see an ocean of gold.

As normal, photos struggle to portray the truth
but it's sometimes the best you've got, much like democracy

Bangkok

meh

Bengaluru

Lel just kidding. Got into Bangkok but had a fair bit of trouble knowing where to go. Firstly I had to find my way to the transfer gate (the easy bit), then it took more than 5 min to find where my flight was on the board since it was a single small board for all the flights. I recognised the gate as I had walked past it so I went back to where I'd seen it, and discovered that you couldn't get through. All the doors were closed yep people were getting in somehow. On closer examination, I saw that people got down to the gate from a staircase coming from the floor above. So I ran back past all the gates looking for stairs and then found some next to the sign for the flight departure gates. Went up the starts to realise that I needed to go through security again. That was fun. By the time security finished it was 5 min after the gate was meant to open (the fact that I consider this late may tell you a bit about my desire for punctuality).  I ran back past the gates, this time looking down on them, and descended the stairs to my departure gate just as people began to line up. Perfect. 

The whole experience of running around the terminal was stressful of course yet had the exhilaration that any adventure brings. Was just a cool thought that this was my first time being in this part of the world. 

Got my window seat and enjoyed a sleepy flight which left at 9:36 Thailand time.  The lights of Bangkok were once again marvellous. I described it in my journal as "Lights of Bangkok sparkle like magma beneath the fresh rock of clouds"

During the flight, the psychological reality of going back to India hit hard. It almost terrified me. Almost. The fact that I was now properly alone (well it felt like I was) magnified all my anxieties, and made my exchange trip to India feel like a normal rollercoaster, with safety and support. I felt like I had neither of these things once I landed. Yet still there was courage, reminded by the bible verse Joshua 1:9 that sits around my neck. And so I say: India... 

Bengaluru, for realz now

Landed at midnight Indian time, 5:30 am Aus time. Got off plane and went to toilet. It was my first time using the hose in a while. It was not as good as I remember it, the experience was not good.
The Indian process was easier than Bangkok though had a slight issue with putting a phone number on my immigration card as my Indian phone was in my checked-in luggage. An immigration staffer and another Indian passenger (who'd studied in Melbourne) helped me figure it out. Collected luggage and going through customs was so much simpler than Aus's. After getting through the arrivals gate I tried calling my hotel to see if they had vacancy for that night. I called the number on my booking yet it was wrong. So I spent time connecting to airport wifi, found the number then called them on the free airport phone (which another passenger kindly pointed out to me). The catch for the phone was that it was limited to 2 minutes. The first call I ran out of time, as I was on hold, the second I tried again and had a brief chat, then the third I found out that there was room.
Left the airport and followed signs to Uber and City buses. The buses had a help desk next to them, which gave the price and location for each bus. Decided to use it as opposed to Uber for the more authentic experience and I'd never used Uber before either. Obviously the bus took longer than an Uber yet was a great experience. One highlight was seeing road signs made from thick red tape stuck to wooden sheets that directed people around some roadwork.

On that same bus with me was another white uni student, someone who seemed a tad lost and had that 'I'm in India, what the heck is going on' look in his eyes. I had suspicions that he was doing the same program as me, and that was confirmed when he told the bus conductor where he was going. It was slightly entertaining watching him take in India for the first time, sucking it all in like the drain of a bath. I'd been there (except it was a car ride not a bus ride, but who cares). We got off the bus together, and I used google maps to guide us to his hotel. 

The streets of Bengaluru at 2 am were honestly murky. It's not sleepy and calm like it is in Melbourne,  there's quiet activity as people going through garbage next to the road, randoms walking around quietly, collect drainage mud (from what I know, they filter it to collect gold dust from all the wealthy people that have gone through the street that day). It was creepy. Thankfully my friend from the bus offered to walk me to my hotel around the corner with his roommate. Whilst waiting for the guys to walk me to my hotel, a few Indians walked in and started having a bit of fun with me about stereotypical Aussie stuff. The best way to deal with it is to have fun with them and try give it back even stronger. The best result is that both you and them feel like they've wasted the others time. 

The walk just to my hotel was tense, and I arrived to find it locked and with the lights off. The receptionist was there behind the desk though and after firmly knocking he opened the doors, turned on lights, and sleepily checked me in. 

I get to my room and hop in bed at around 3 am. Even though it's late, sleep was delayed. I listened to the random loud noises outside my room. I think about the trip so far and see myself as a pendulum getting out of control. I swing from awe and joy to fear and "what-the-heck-am-I-doing-here". One possible reason (besides the fatigue) is that I now had no structure for my time, nothing that I had to do next. I thought about school and my life, how I'm usually so busy that there's always something I could/should be doing, yet now I have 3 days of nothing until 40K rescues me with hard work and a purpose. In such a crazy place like India, I "need" to do something so that I'm not overwhelmed. 

In the morning I can set out my priorities and the tasks I want to do, but for my first night in India I got to bed feeling: 

1. stressed
2. exhausted
3. unstable

Tomorrow, it's time to explore.

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