A quick random post.
Last week I went for a workshop which was held on a camp site at Rishikesh. The highlight of this trip was the white water rafting that we did on a 24 river kms stretch on the Ganges! It was a super exhilarating and a fun experience.
This is the camp where we stayed. Yes, those small huts were our home for 3 days. The area under the white parachute was our conference hall.
The food was simple and basic and simply awesome and the weather was COLD. Except me nobody had carried any woollens! Yes, the smart me, knows that it always gets chillier (pleasant for others) in the mornings and evenings near the rivers and mountains. But it was not pleasant out there in the evenings but was rather very very cold!! Bon fire and fire-water kept the other people warm 😉
Saw this metallic Ox at a resort. Very creative, I must say!!
In the train, during sometimes in the afternoon, the attendant came to gather all the beddings consisting of a blanket, 2 bed sheets and a pillow. And like in all trains, I saw this guy, folding the blankets with the ends of the blankets touching the train floor, which was so messy and dirty. I asked him the frequency of washing/dry cleaning the bedding. He replied the pillow covers and bed sheets are washed daily while the blankets are washed after a month or so!! I told him that he is dirtying the blankets with his style of folding. He said that he has to fold around 150 beddings in 2 compartments so this is the best he can do.
I shared this with a friend and she said that only I could think and ask questions about unhygienic blankets in the train. 🙄 Sigh!!
Pictures Courtesy : Himanshu Pandey
10 Responses
Dear Shilpa:
I love this story for many reasons, most importantly because it shows that you live in such a different place than me. I love that we are friends (if I can presume to call myself such) living around the world from one another. I have learned/heard lots about the Ganges, but to have a first person account is so cool!
I too overfocus on things like dirtiness of linens. I know it detracts from daily experiences, but what can I do…I’m a germaphobe.
What a great experience, despite the cold and dirty linens. Good for you.
Fondly,
Elizabeth
Lovely place to have a conference! I find it difficult to handle the winter in Chennai (which is basically mild-summer!) hence there is no way I can handle the COLD at hill stations. But it’s good to see the pictures happily from a far-away (warm… no, HOT) place! 🙂
Destination Infinity
WOW, that is amazing! Good thing you thought to pack warm clothes. Sounds like quite the adventure.
Rishikesh in winter and its white water rafting was considerably overshadowed with the Indian Railway story.
Once, just once in my life long ago on the train from New Delhi to Cochin I accepted the blanket and fell ill for two weeks. Why not the Railways do away with this blanket /sheet/pillow largesse? The whole thing together with the cattle food and its handling makes one revolt with revulsion.
Coming back to Rishikesh , my only trip was in June and in the height of summer en route to a trek to Kedar. Wish I could make it there before the pilgrim season that is such a messy affair Lucky you
That looks like a fun experience Shilpa! Minus the dirty sheets 😉
A whole 3 days away from it all. How I wish!
Wow…this was official? Awesome place to choose!! Seems you had a lovely time well except the dirty sheets! 😉
It would have been an energizing trip indeed…
Even I am the same type (particular) when it comes to hygiene…a bit strange for others….
LOL ta ur frnds comment 😉
Intersting .
But,more important is..what was the workshop about? Sharing expeience of workshop will be spreading knowledge.
Shilpa,you did all this while A-Z was on?
That’s exactly the reason that we carry our own flannel shawls during the journey. Hubby and little one are highly allergic to dust and dirt.