Words About Things

This amazing video really captures the spirit and beautiful scenery of the Himalayas in India. It makes me want to book a flight to India right away!

“The majesty of mountains, prayer and devotion, magical movements from the land of high passes: Ladakh.”
Shot in Leh/Likir in India during March 2010 by Warmeye.

Anyone who has traveled to Asia is likely to have encountered the auto Rickshaw. They buzz around the big cities in India, Thailand, Pakistani and Sri Lanka ferrying tourists and locals through dense traffic at breakneck speeds. They are normally referred to as Tuk Tuks due to the sound of their engines. They are very cramped (particularly for westerners) and have open sides and no seat belts, they don’t have particularly eco friendly engines, until now.

Air Marshal Morakot Charnsomruad of the Clean Fuel Energy Enterprise in Bangkok has been working on creating the Tuk Tuk of the future. The year round sunshine in Thailand convinced Mr Charnsomruad that a solar power was the way to go:

The new tuk-tuk has a battery, but uses the sun’s rays to supplement the power supply. It is silent, emission-free and can run for 80 kilometres (50 miles) on a three hour battery charge costing 10 baht, compared with up to 60 kilometres for conventional models before they need refuelling.

Tourists thinking of booking a flight to Bangkok will be pleased to note that the new, improved Arun Sawasdi (Good Morning) Tuk Tuk is more spacious than the traditional model. It has extra head and leg room giving it the look of a three wheeled golf cart and the prototype suggests that it will be decorated in some pretty eye catching colours. The prototype continues the theme of having no side panels which suggests that riding in the new solar powered auto rickshaws will be just as exhilarating experience.

Unfortunately the Arun Sawasdi has yet to be approved for public use. It has the backing of Greenpeace environmental campaigner Tara Buakamsri who said “Tuk-tuks can lead the way for a better and healthier transport system in Bangkok and the rest of the country”. Bangkok city authorities actually stopped issuing new tuk-tuk licences in 2008 but are expected to approve the new model within the next few years.

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One of the best things about traveling to new places is experiencing the cultural differences: new smells, new sounds and best of all new tastes. The moment you step out of the airport or train station you are bombarded by new and unknown sights and sounds. The ‘culture shock’ of being somewhere so different to what you have previously experienced can leave a lasting impression on you.

When I visited India I ate a lot of street food from the stalls which are all over cites like Delhi and Mumbai. It might seem risky to eat food from a stall on a busy, dusty street (after all a stall doesn’t need to maintain a reputation like a restaurant does) but street food is surprisingly safe. Most of the street food in India is cooked or reheated to order in very hot oil, any bacteria doesn’t stand a chance.

When I travel I eat as much local food as I can because it is a great way to get to know a new place. Even on my flight to Mumbai I was already tucking into a nice curry. Typically the best places to buy food are not the ‘tourist friendly’ restaurants but where the locals eat – the more obscure the better in my experience. There is no point eating westernized versions of exotic dishes, you can get that at your local take away! Although there are risks involved in trying local food in certain countries (lets not get graphic, you know what I’m talking about) it you are careful you should be okay.

Some popular Indian street foods include:

• Aaloo Tikki These are patties made up of mashed potatoes and masala deep fried in oil. They are served typically with a curry called Chholey (chick peas). They are popular in winter in North India. Chaap is a version of potato patties dipped in flour batter and deep fried. They are served along with onion and beet slices. They are referred to by this name in the Eastern part of the country. One can obtain chaap on local trains travelling to and from Kolkatta. The word “chaap” is probably a corruption of “chop”.

• Poori-Subzie(or Bhaajee) This is available mostly in North India, especially in Uttar Pradesh. The curry (subzie) consists usually of potatoes in gravy. Sometimes, especially in the southern part of the country the potatoes do not have gravy and the poories are exclusively made up of refined flour (maida).

• Chai-faen This term refers to tea with a roasted biscuit called “faen”, possibly a corruption of “fan” which the shape of the biscuit resembles. The biscuit is also called “khaaree biscuit” in other parts of the country. This is available in North India, especially in Uttar Pradesh in cities like Agra and Mathura.

• Vada pav is an example of West Indian street food. Masala chai,: a spiced tea, is also for sale. A syrup-covered deep-fried sweet is sold in the North as jalebi and the South as jangiri. It is generally cheap and available throughout India.

Whilst Italy, France and Spain are typical destinations for a foodie holiday I would thoroughly recommend taking your taste buds to India. Take a look at the video below to get an idea of the Indian street food experience.

Locals in the Indian state of Mizoram are trying to overcome a plague of rats who attack their corn and rice. The Mizoram government have increased wages and food supplies to help the population who rely on farming for their income. The unusually wet monsoon season has lead to an increase of bamboo which in turn has lead to an increased number of rats.

The influx of rats in know locally as Mautam.  As the crop shortfall this year is expected to be up to 75%, each adult villager is given 2kg of rice per week.

“We have also decided to increase the weekly allotment of rice to the villagers so that they have enough to eat,”

Mizoram Home Minister Tony Tawnluia

The locals can earn two rupees per rat killed swapping the rats tails for the reward.

Villagers collect rat tails in Mizoram, India.