Relaxation, A Quick Tour and Good Company..

This post is kind of a “two-for-one” because, as we had assumed, it has been a pretty low key two days here in Chennai. Had the opportunity to see a beautiful sunrise on my morning run and then met my Dad and PJ for breakfast. The rest of the first day here was spent laying by the pool with our group of friends from the train. They are a really fun and easy group and have made our travels that much more memorable.

There’s Roger and Lou from Britain. She’s a private chef for a wealthy family just outside of London. She is incredibly sarcastic and totally down to earth. Roger is a real estate lawyer in London. He’s as easy going as they come and the perfect compliment to Lou. He’s a bit quieter but still has a wicked sense of humor. They love to have a good time, which is probably why we gravitated towards them from the start. Just good, solid people. Our kind of people.

There’s Libby Dacre and her three children: William, Sassie and Kit. They are from just outside London and are as nice a family as you would ever meet. Libby’s husband used to work for the Golden Eagle but died tragically about a year ago…and the owner of Golden Eagle invited them on the trip so that they could be together and continue to heal from this loss. William and PJ are about the same age, and because they are both shy, have taken a while to get to know each other…but it’s happening slowly…and I hope they become good pals by the end of the trip. Kit is the oldest boy and is a musician. Sassie is the middle child and she is really funny. Quick witted. They all take such good care of each other and you can tell that their unfortunate life changing situation has brought them even closer.

There’s Mark and Linda Enderby from England and their good friend Elizabeth Orchard from Australia. Don’t know what it is about the British and the Aussies…but they have been the total makeup of our social group on the train and beyond. Linda worked for GE in London for over 20 years and is now retired. Mark was in “finance” and is also retired. They have chosen to travel the world as a reward for all of their hard work. Linda reminds me of the perfect combination of Angela Lansbury and Mrs. Doubtfire. She is charming, hilarious, sarcastic and blunt. Mark is a bit quieter, but when he says something….it’s ALWAYS spot on and usually very funny. They met at a bar when Linda was out with her ex-boyfriend at the time, in his attempt to win her back. Mark walked right up to her and asked her out. Linda was so surprised by the gesture that she said yes - partially because she was attracted to his “total lack of fear” - and also to make her ex-boyfriend jealous. Mark cooked her dinner the next night and the rest - as they say - is history. Linda told me that Mark was her “last ditch effort at men before traveling to the other side”…to which Mark just shook his head and laughed.

Elizabeth Orchard met Linda and Mark on a Golden Eagle trip two years ago and have kept in touch ever since. Trips like this tend to have that effect. She worked at the UN for 20 years, based out of Cairo, Egypt. If that doesn’t tell you how tough she is…you only need to sit and hear stories about her world experiences to know that she has seen it all. After living in New York for the last 10 years of her UN job, she decided to quit and move back to Australia to care for her family. It’s what she referred to as “her true calling in life”. Her humor is blunt, inappropriate and dirty….and that’s what we loved most about her. But behind her tough exterior is an incredibly kind and caring person, who looked out for all of us this entire trip. She is a self-professed germaphobe and was always quick to whip out the hand sanitizer and wet wipes every time we got on and off the bus….and always before and after a meal. I’d like to think she is entirely responsible for keeping us all healthy on the trip (knock on wood).

There’s Kate Kearns from….yep….England. She was the On Board Yoga Instructor and probably one of the nicest people I have ever met. She and my Dad had a lot of great conversation and she was always interested in what PJ had to say and what his interests were. Though we didn’t talk much about it, Kate mentioned that had she had recently lost her child to a brain tumor. I think PJ’s presence - along with William, Sassie and Kit - was probably refreshing for her…but also maybe sad. I didn’t want to ask but do wonder what goes through her mind when she sees them playing in the pool or interacting with their parents. She was a great conversationalist and also very spiritual…so I suppose that’s how she heals. She learns about people…and is dedicated to her profession and the spirituality that lies behind it. We all have different ways of coping, and this is hers.

There’s Doctor Dawn Philip and her husband Vince. Dawn was in her official capacity as the On Board Physician, tending to anyone on the train who had an ailment of any kind. I got to know her quickly due to a rather gruesome leg injury that I managed to get myself on our second day on the train. I honestly just bumped my left leg on a post that I didn’t see and it resulted in a massive bruise that covered almost the entire bottom half of my leg. The first thing she said to me after looking at it was: “It seems to me if you want to enjoy this trip, we should just lop it off at the knee and call it a day.” Similar senses of humor are often way at the top of my list, so I was sold. We had a lot of very interesting conversation with Dawn - most specifically - my Dad as they have both traveled to so many similar places. As the On Board Physician for many train trips, you can only imagine some of the stories she shared. I can’t imagine what the pressure of a job like that entails, but she is as cool as a cucumber and a great conversationalist.

There are many others who we had wonderful conversation with that we will also remember forever: Jack Swanberg and John Saracene, two travel buddies who fought in the Navy together. There’s a couple from Norway who names escape me at the moment. Quite the couple. He was about 10 feet tall and reminded me of the Norwegian version of Elmer Fudd. He was very pleasant and had a laugh you could hear from miles away. His wife…not so much. She was very serious and quite negative. She spoke very loud and was kind of like the Norwegian version of “Debbie Downer”. I guess it’s true that opposites sometimes attract.

Then, of course, there’s the “Complainer”….and quite frankly….the “Resident Asshole” of the trip. I have no idea what his name was because I had no desire to find out. There’s one in every bunch. Complaining about the temperature of the bus, the taste of his food, the service…just about anything you could imagine. He complained about too many tours, tours to the wrong places, the train being too bumpy at night disrupting his sleep. He and his wife sat with the same couple for every single meal, which really isn’t the point when you put yourself on a two-week trip with 80 other people. I don’t know why a guy like that signs up for a trip like this. Like my Dad always says, “there’s an asshole in every bunch….sometimes more than one….and be careful because sometimes that asshole might be you.” But…I digress. I’ve already given this guy too much time.

On a more positive note, the entire group on this train was 99% lovely and easy going. They went with the flow and took it all in. Enjoyed everything….even the things that maybe didn’t go so well. A group of people willing to talk to everyone. Make conversation. I mean, that’s the whole point, right? To learn about other views outside of your own, other peoples experiences, how they live and who they are.

One of the many very valuable lessons I have learned from my Dad is that there are two key elements to this art of conversation: the first is being good at speaking with people, but the second (which is maybe more important than the first) is being a really good listener. There are some people who will sit and tell you everything you ever wanted to know about themselves - where they’ve been, who they know, how they spend their time. But, you notice they don’t necessarily want to listen to your story. They’re not all that interested in hearing about you or your experiences. The people who are the best conversationalists know when they’ve said enough and are willing to listen….really listen…and who have an interest in knowing the other side of the conversation. This is something that I think PJ has learned much more on the trip and he has gotten very good at both sharing…and listening. Asking the right questions. Remembering things people have shared with him. One of the best life skills that can be taught - and certainly not in the classroom.

And look - it does get exhausting at times. Constantly talking and socializing. On the train. On the bus. At every meal. Even if you try to escape and find a quiet place to be by yourself, you are inevitably found. But, if you allow yourself to be open to how a trip like this is supposed to go, then you end up meeting incredible people with incredible stories….that will hopefully be friends for life.

Day two of our time at Fisherman’s Cove included an “optional tour” to one of the largest textile centers in India, located in Kanchipuram. We were told this was a place where we could see some of the most highly skilled weavers specializing in the art of sari and silk making. PJ and I decided this was a chance to see and experience something we may never get a chance at again, so we went along.

Known as the “Silk City” in India, Kanchipuram silks are made locally, and these giant silk looms are often found inside of people homes. Its is considered to be a family business, spanning generations. These silks are some of the most intricately decorated that you will see in all of India and the process is incredibly involved and takes incredible skill. A traditional sari or silk can sometimes take 2 months to complete, but the end result is absolute beauty in its purest form.

And of course…you can’t be here without doing a little shopping. I may have bought a few things…

When we got back to the Hotel, we met back up at the pool with the group and my Dad for a cocktail or two. My Dad and I then decided we were all “group dinnered” out and just needed to take a night off and have a nice quiet night with just the three of us. It’s funny, you spend so much time connecting with others that we didn’t spend much time for just the three of us to connect and have time together.

We ordered lots of great food and a few bottles of wine and just spent the next two hours talking about our trip. The things we loved seeing, the people we have met and what our experiences have been on this trip. PJ and my Dad are kindred spirits and love being together. They have such a special connection and I think this trip has been a really good experience for all of us just to be together and to learn together. To experience this whole journey as a team. All looking out for each other and making sure we are all having the best time. Mission accomplished…at least so far….but I only imagine it will get better and better in the days ahead.

And with that….I will throw it over to PJ:

Hi, PJ here.

Ah, the Taj Hotel. Truly a great experience in Mumbai, but it’s an even greater experience when you finally get out of the state of sleep where your bed has been moving and jostling around all night on a train and you could barely fit in the halls. Look, I am, in no way, complaining about the train or the trip. All I’m saying is - you can really take a non-moving bed for granted. 

I have to say, this Taj Hotel was even better than Mumbai, due to the facts that 1. it was on the beach, and 2. we were in our own little cottage. Well, they were about the size of your average master bedroom, maybe a bit tinier…and then add average hotel stuff (like a minibar, tv, desk, etc) and a bathroom with outdoor shower. But honestly, that’s really all you need. It successfully blended a cottage and a hotel room. On that topic, there were 3 possible types of rooms you could stay in. A regular hotel room, a cottage (arguably the best choice) and a villa (probably too much money). Overall, the room we stayed in was great. 

Once we got there, we basically just chilled out. We only went on one tour, which I’ll talk about later, and I only left our room to swim, eat, and go on the 1 tour we went on. Mom could throw one extra thing on there, because she worked out. However, that was not the case for me.

When I wasn’t in the pool/eating at the restaurant/leaving, I was in the room catching up on school work, texting with friends, playing Pokémon, and napping. One night, Mom, Poppy and I ordered room service, and it made me so grateful that they took my joke request to come on this trip seriously. We were all glad to be all in one piece, and know that we were in the final stretch of the trip. I am so grateful for Mom and Poppy for taking me on the trip, letting me experience this life lesson, and for them helping me along the way and teaching me everything I need to know. I am also thankful for the rest of my family, supporting me going on the trip, and once again, teaching me everything I need to know. Also, about the food we ordered- it was really good. Like, somehow, they made fish and chips taste even better than they do regularly. So, I was grateful for that too. 

So, about the tour. It was to a textile-making factory of sorts in Kanchivaram, and we learned that it takes a whopping 10-15 days to make a singular sari. They could just... upgrade their weaving machines, or at least trade for some upgraded ones. 

We leave tomorrow for our last stop until we come home. I’m kind of sad to leave here because it’s really awesome, but excited to stay is what everyone keeps calling a Palace. Sounds pretty exciting to me.

That’s all I have to say! Goodbye for now, but you all will hear from me in later posts to come.