Delhi to Jaipur

What can be said of Delhi that hasn't already been said? It's busy, it's buzzy, and it has every scent and texture on earth. The city motto should be the sound of a horn because it's everywhere. No matter if you're on a promenade, a street, an alley or even a sidewalk. Someone is always right behind you. In a city of 22 million people, it makes sense, but for a kid who grew up in a small town in Hawaii, it's a little staggering. I had some communication issues getting in touch with the teacher under the bridge Rajesh Sharma, but the hotel concierge helped me out and I'm on my way to meet him and see his school under the overpass of a highway. I know I'll be back in Delhi in a few weeks so this'll give me a chance to find out what kind of supplies he might need and we can go out shopping for them. I also  am very aware that my presence might be seen as a foreigner trying to meddle into his practice and I'm treading lightly so as not to offend and think I can solve all of these problems in a day.  I'm hoping to offer my self and services in any way I can and perhaps play a little music on the ukulele for them too! Okay, I'm off!

India: A beginners journey

  In about 10 hours, I'll be on plane to India. Well, technically I'll be making a stop over in London for a few hours, but Delhi is the final destination. The above photo is all that I'm taking with me to last me for an entire month and it all fits in that backpack. Take a good look, most of it is not coming back. There's crayons, toy animals, glow sticks, disposable cleaning wipes, rubber gloves, hospital masks, two first aid kits, Clif Bars, soaps, pens. I also got some fun stuff in there too. A ukulele, kazoo, harmonica, a mini frisbee that lights up, a GoPro camera, a book on Paramahansa Yogananda. Those I plan on keeping!

  I've been asked many times, why India, why now? Well, there's more than one reason and not all of them are easy to explain. A big reason is that I love adventure and I love to travel.  I wanted to go to a place where I don't easily blend in to my surroundings. I'm also going because I love to volunteer and there I'll be offering my help in a hospital in Kolkata, an orphanage in Varanasi and a 'school' in Delhi. I'm sure while I'm there that I'll find other places to offer myself. I'm very grateful for the outpouring of love and support from so many of my friends and family. Many of you reading this have donated to a fund that I will then use to further help those in need. I thank you for that and I'm humbled you've given so much trust (and $) in me to see your donations through. I guess in a way, although you can't see it in the photo, you're also there. I'll be taking all of you with me on this journey and this blog is just one small way for me to invite you along for the ride. Shall we begin?

Back in Nairobi..but not for long.

Safely ensconced on the 1st floor of the Kenya Comfort Hotel after a long drive from the Mara Leisure Camp in the Masai Mara territory. The last week has been spectacular and really, photos would serve my words better but here goes. We drove to Lake Nakuru in the central part of Kenya to look primarily at pelicans, storks and flamingos but were also surprised with heards of zebras, loping giraffes, gazelles a leaping, rhinos sleeping, baboons a scratching and just about every kind of wild bird you could think of. We stayed in the Flamingo Hill Hotel and it was great, huge tents, nice pool, great staff and delicious meals. I've been struck a little by the traveling in between the towns and most of what I see, in fact, all of it is so polluted and poverty stricken that I feel a little guilty to be living it up 3km away or even less. I tell myself that I didn't cause it and I shouldn't feel guilty but I want to help and there's just so much of it: pollution being the main thing, I've never seen so much garbage just out, everywhere. You name it, I've seen it clogging streams, lining walking paths, flying in the breeze, swaying in the trees. It's all consuming and even in the National Parks there are plastic bottles on the roadside, bags in the lake etc. But, the people I've met have been so generous and eager to show me their world that I overlook the downsides when I can. My arm was in a perpetual waving motion the whole drive from Naro Moru to Lake Nakuru, just waving at all the kids I passed on the roadside. Bright and beaming faces just make me smile too.
After Lake Nakuru we went to Masai Mara and spent 3 nights at the Mara Leisure Camp. The reserve is huge and we had a local guide, Kenyua who has been great at driving the rocky, muddy and uneven roads here. We spotted every animal under the sun here. Cheetahs, leopards, and lions to be the main ones. We came upon a resting lion and his lioness after a heavy mating session and they looked very, what's the word, content, if you know what I mean ;)
I've been lucky to be with a great group of people, I'm the youngest by about 15-20 years but my mom has been great and I got to play my ukulele for our chefs and hostel employees in Naro Moru. James, the man who works for the re-forestation project at Mt. Kenya asked me to play Silver Dagger 6 times in a row for him because he liked it so much. Who would've thought an old folk/Joan Baez song I heard and loved would resonate all the way here. He was also nice enough to be my kazoo holder while I played it and sang Ring of Fire. That was a crowd favorite!
Well, tonight in Nairobi and tomorrow we fly to Mombasa and drive up the coast to Malindi for 2 nights. Supposed to be beautiful beaches there and also the navigational site of Vasco deGama from 1498. Oh, and it's also a huge sex tourism destination and my guide book says to be weary of looking at anyone for too long, oh, and women who wear blue jeans!
Updates in a few days if I can pry myself away from the great experience I'm having.

Fun in Kenya

I'm in Nanyuki near the base of Mt. Kenya and I am having the best time. Will post lots of pictures when I get home but so far we've re-forested near an area that had wildfires and we've painted classrooms at a primary school. Making lots of friends and singing songs with the kids. Going to Masai Mara reservation tomorrow.

Going to Kenya!

Hello World!

It's been a long time since I've written in this blog and public outcry has demanded that I update it for my latest trip which I am taking this Saturday June 11th to Kenya. The trip was sprung on me a few weeks ago by my Mom and a Tom Moe, no not the Olympic Downhill Skier, but my old roommate on our last bike trip together to Croatia in 2008. Tom has been to Kenya about 5 times and is taking me, my mom and a group of his old college buddies from Purdue. He's about 53 and lives in Denver as a structural engineer at an architecture firm. One of his main ones there was the Denver Musuem of Modern Art. Check out it if you're ever in Denver. Anywhats, Tom asked my Mom, my Mom said yes, my Mom asked my Dad, my Dad said no, my Mom asked me and I said "heck yes!" A few weeks ago I had to get 5 shots for various illnesses you could catch in a sub-saharan country like Kenya: Yellow Fever, Hepatitis A, B, Polio, Typhoid, Meningitis, and Malaria, those I have pills to take 2 days before I leave, the whole length of the trip and then a month after I get back. Fun! I also had to get a new passport because mine expired last year and truthfully, I hadn't expected to do much international travel this year so I put it on my back-burner but then this trip happened and voila! Good thing I did because there's also talk of going to South America and Berlin later this year for me.
Okay, so, here is my itinerary for the trip. There's also an extra 3 days tacked on to the end where we'll be doing more safari. I'd like to say I want to climb Mt. Kenya or Kilimanjaro and I do but just not on this trip. I didn't take the time to acclimatize to altitudes and apply for permits and pack in gear and etc...This trip is part volunteer, part safari, part ukulele jam session with the locals. Oh yeah, they will know who Johnny Cash is when I leave Naro Moru, Kenya!

Here is the itinerary:

June 13th :Nairobi drive to Mt Kenya
June 14th, 15th and 16th:Naro Moru village and volunteer project
June 17th and 18th:Lake Nakuru National Park
June 19th, 20th and 21st:Masai Mara Natioinal Park
June 22nd: Nairobi
June 23rd:Fly to Malindi (the coast)
June 24th and 25th: Malindi
June 26th-29: Kikuyu Safari
June 29-30: Travel safely back to Los Angeles

I will try hard to update when I can and post pics during the trip. Putting up pics might be the toughest because I'll probably be at internet cafes and those aren't always the best places to download and send pics from. Rest assured, when I get back though, tons of pictures will be at your viewing pleasure. Oh, if you can think of anything you want me to do while I'm there, let me know. The sillier and harder the better. Think of it more like things you dare me to do while I'm there.
I've added a picture of all the things I am packing in my backpack. You can see for yourself but a few notables are: ukulele, frisbee, Hawaiian flip-flops, kazoo, Point to-it book, flask, US mags, ASU t-shirt, chico bag, ipod shuffle, GU chomps, Power Bars and Kleenex wet-wipes in case I can't get to a shower for a few days.
Wish me luck and stay tuned for updates!
Joshua Meindertsma June 9, 2011

In Bruges. Literally!

So, this is my second night in Bruges after arriving last night from Amsterdam. I should say that Amsterdam was a lot of fun and I even got to perform improv at Boom Chicago with my friend James Kirkland. It was great! But now, I am in Bruges and nursing a slight cold that has rendered me a little weak. I walked around today, went up to the belfry to get a great view of the place. Had some cherry beer and am drinking a Hoegaarden now. Had a terrible nights sleeop at the Charlie Rocket Hostel. Don't ever stay there. I am at Snuffels right now, about to do my laundry, drink some more Belgian beer and take a little nap before I walk around and drink more beer and maybe eat a pizza or try some french fries. Ah, after this, it's a ferry to Dover and then I could either go north to Scotland, or up into London. We'll see what happens.

Berlin Now

I am staying in the Helter Skelter hostel and I can tell you, it lives up to the name. Rock music so loud it is shaking the beer on this small computer terminal. Oh man, I had 6 great days in Prague and believe it or not, only went into the city, 2 out of the 6 days. The rest were filled on the outskirts in Radotin and Tocnik. Went horseback riding, played Johnny Cash on the guitar for a Czech who was a big fan of old American country/western singers. Had a great time with my old pal Andy and his wife Jana and their 5 year old son Alfie. I will post pics of Prague and of Berlin where I will be for at least 2 nights before I head to either Hamburg or Amsterdam. Prost!