Good havens, why India?

It was the most frequently asked question from many of my friends. It was nonsence traing to explain, that the reason was not only the traveling on India subcontinent, but a need of meeting with asian reality, culture, religion and mysticism too. Lot of people believe about last point, that it is covered in every bananas shell here. This impresion is made from the deluge of informations about the East, with every philosophy, healing practise, religions and other "guarantly righ" things. Our (I must call it "spoil") civilization is turning to this things, suppose it will solve their own problems. It is not for the first time in the history, when we long for sitting down to the lotos sit and spend rest of our lives in meditation about non-existence in a garden full of a flowers and coloured birds. We decided to set up to the East in november 1997. In januar 1998 we start with preparation for the journey; with my friends Jiri and Dan we let vaccinate us, started to make an itinerary, buy an equipment and study a literature and a charts. We had to listened all reports about how this places are dangerous, how we can be attacked and robbed, but we was surprised how few of visitors from the West have been there already. We start to ask for a documents on the embassies of the longed-for countries. The succesful receiving of visums was prologate. The reason was, that the embassies had sanitary days, but hinduists and muslims feasts too. These feasts are not on the calendar, and so often our way to the Prague was useless. Every necessary documents with every needful stamps we had in our hands in the last april. Because we did not tell to our friends when we will return, the saing good-bay was without end. The day of our departure was 4th may 1998. This day we, hics from the nort (of Czech republic) set up on the journey to the other continent, with its deserts, sky-high mountains and out of sight seas horizons. So the hardest part of the journey (start) was done.

Which way, where, for what price and how

We decided to go on the way because we want traveling with an lowest account. We went through the Slovakia, Hungary, Rumunia, Turkey and Iran. The second reason for this way was that we wanted to meet with diferent countries and a behavior of their inhabitants. One of cheapest way of traveling is hitch-hiking, but because we was three, the hitch-hiking was not possible. The other way was using a local trains and buses of a country we travel through. We plan our way from a border to the border, and over it we often get on food. This way is cheaper that the way by the international trains, where you have to pay lot of expensive extras. But certainly it is more interesting way, full of surprises; it depend on the fortune, a people you meet and way you will solve the problems. We had lot of fortune; our guardian angel had a lot of work. We pass through the most of passport and duty controls without inspection of our dusty things and clothes. A duty clerks often gave us except a stamps a forbearing smile too. We stoped in front of Blue mosque in the Istambul already on 8th may. Till this time we did not spend more than 100 DM for a traveling and eating for one of us. When I compare it with the price of train going right from the Prague, it is three times cheaper (it take two days). The bridge over the Bospor we passed by the bus, one of the bus link going to the Teheran. The way was two days long and it cost only 25 USD. It passed calmly thanks to compliance, sacrifice and hospitality of our irans fellow-travelers. 11th may we entered the Teheran, the city under the high moutains. Than we was at the rest on the beaches of the Kaspic see till the 14th may, when we flew from the Teheran to the desert city Zahedan (only 22 USD). Zahedan is the last city ahead of Pakistans border. It is full of intrusive taxidrivers waiting in front of airport hall, frequent controls on the roads and with temperature 45 degrees of centigrade. In the same day we enter Third world, without any experience with it. We entered the Baluchistan, probably a poorest and most inhospitable part of Pakistan. The fact that this country has an atomic bomb did not balance the shock we had when we entered it. This country and its society work on principle of a hierarchy and a family structures. Our journey continued thanks to wrecked buses and a full trains over a bizarre stone desert to the city Quetta and further to the lowlands of river Indus, to the capital of this country, the double city Islamabad-Rawalpindi. We waited longer then one week for the prologation of our visa in the one local camp; it was unsufferable hot weather. We needed it for the longer stay on the mountain on the north, in the range Karakoram (part of Himalaya). The waiting we spend by hitchhiking to the surroundings. It was a trips to the "hot" border with the Kashmir and wandering in the surrounding of cities Muree and Nathia Gali. The other our sport of killing the time was traing to buy the new cooker. The old one we let in the bus to the Iran. We bought it only one week before the departure from our country for the non-muslims money. It worked for everything with the percentage of an alcohol more than 50. In this day we had an dysentery too. We took it from the excellent drink from the sugar cane we bought in the one street of Rawapindi. When we overcome these baits, we stop on the beginning of the road called magnificently Karakoram Highway, what is directed to the longed-for mountains.

The traveling and separations

Only two of us sat to the bus - me and Jirka. Dan decided for the return to the Czech republic. For the question why so early the answer was the same as in the other situations; the reason was a woman. We obtain an impression that the miracles can happen while we rode by bus through the light and dark on the canyon of river Indus without an change of velocity. The ride was in right antagonism with natural law of centrifugal forces. The bus was more wrecked than suitable for so quick ride. And the road was so bad as the roads on the tankodrom, and on the top of it was the period of rains. In early hours of 27th may we get out of the bus near the Raikotsk bridge made over the wild river Indus on the point 1100 m above sea lever. It was our start point for reach out the Fairy Meadows (3200 m), grasses platform with the unique look at the Nanga Parbat (8125 m). After all day march we reached the Beel camp thanks the fog, rain and be astray, the place 300 m higher than the Fairy Meadows. Till now we did not underestand how we pass two and half of kilometers of altitude in the hard terrain for the 12 hours, most of the way without the watter and with the quarter of quintal weigh rucksacks. Especialy we have to mention the luck that we did not get the mountain illnes. Following days we spend in magician embrace of these mountains rich of wild but captivating beauty. Every our forces we gave to attempt of visiting the basic camp under the Nanga Parbat (4000 m). Unfortunately we was not able to get through the path over the Great glacier covered with the plenty of snow. Further way was very risky enterprise for us because we had not an necesary equipment. When we descended back to the Raikotsk bridge, we spend some days in the city Gilgit by resting and drawing the strenght we needed for the displacement to the region called Hunza. In its brown mountains we undertook a number of colective and solo tracks to the surround of village Gulmit, Passu and Sost, and to its near glaciers. The village Sost is the last pakistans village in front of border with China. After the return to the Islamabad on 17th june we used an hospitality of one local kind man and in 22th june the India met us (an sweat and weary wanderers) with its hot. Next days it was possible to meet us in the city Amristar with the cheerful sikhs in their tabernacle, in the capital Delhi, the old Agra with the old tomb Taj Mahal, the city Gwalior with the extensive stronghold on the rock in the center of city and Jhansi, an important traffic crossroads. Our last joint stopping place was the village Kahuraho with very proved hinduists temles. The decoration of the temle is mainly piquant scenes from the Kamasutra. Our colective traveling with the Jiri was ending here in 7th jule, and he set up to the way along the sacred river Ganga to the Kalkata. They told this city is most indic from every indic cities. He decided returning home after visited this city. He used an rusian air lines for his returning, and he enter his native home in 31th jule, without been annound before.

Where to cast yourself

I was directed at the south in the contrary with the Jiri who traveled to the east. 10th jule I stood on the coast of the Arabian sea in the little country Goa, after I went 1900 km through the endless monotonous green-red indian plane on the buses and trains. It was center of hippies in the break of the 60. and 70. years as like as the Kathmandu in the Nepal. I moved under the 14th degree of north latitude for next two months. This time was fill with the invitations from a natives, stays outside the tourists attractive places, countless numbers of meetings with usual people and get acquainted with their (for us) not usual lifes and fates. The important day was17th august when I reach southern corner of the India, the cape Kanyakumarí, what is the objective of most of an indic pilgrimages. From here further to the north, over some highlands with tea plantations and ananas gardens, to the pilgrimages hinduists places as is the city Madurai or the magnificent island Rameswaram, what is situated about 20 km from the Sri Lanka, and the picturesque village Mahabalipuram at the Madras. My next way led to the capital of the country Tamil Nadu, the Madras; a man will lose among the 6 millions inhabitants in this city. I decided to return to the Europe in this city after the not succesful attempt to extend the visum, the sudden health problems and regarding to run low finance. Before I was able using the services of Aeroflot, it was necesary to go once more through the indic plane on the back way to the Delhi. Than remain to me only to buy an ticket for 290 USD, a presents for my friends and sit down to the air. Although the fly to the Moscov was 10 hours delayed, it was relatively easy catching the line to the Prague. The hundred-tower mother - Praque met me with very cold weather, mainly because I was accustomed for the weather of the tropic zone. I had to change my dollars for the crowns only (but it was unexpected problem) and get the way by the last link bus. The arrival home was of course unexpected and was not annound, but thanks this it was more surprised, cheerful and more emotive. It was 150 days from the time I set up There, to the East…

Sahib