Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Last minute preparations!

Well, less than 48 hours until I leave for India. I'm EXCITED, anxious, and a tad nervous about leaving! I'm starting to get VERY impatient for our departure on Thursday. I have my backpacking bag packed and I just need to make one more run to Target before I am completely ready to leave.  I am attaching a brief outline of our trip just for anyone who wants to travel along from home.


Eastern Mennonite University
India Cross-cultural Spring 2011
Descriptions of cities and historical sights prepared by Momotours.

Thur Jan 13:   Depart campus at 12:30 pm Dulles
                                                                                                            Depart   Arrive
AUSTRIAN              13JAN WASHINGTON DC  VIENNA         535P    830A
OS 94              THURSDAY DULLES INTL    VIENNA INTL                14JAN
G ECONOMY
                       NON SMOKING      MEAL/BREAKFAST                NON STOP
                                                    RESERVATION CONFIRMED         8:55 DURATION
                                          AIRCRAFT: BOEING 767-300/300ER

AUSTRIAN              14JAN VIENNA         DELHI          1250P   1255A
OS 33                FRIDAY VIENNA INTL    INDIRA GANDHI          15JAN
G ECONOMY                                  TERMINAL 3
           NON SMOKING      MEAL/SNACK                    NON STOP
                            RESERVATION CONFIRMED         7:35 DURATION
                  AIRCRAFT: BOEING 767-300/300ER


Sat Jan 15:  Arrive in New Delhi;  Hotel: Le Vista

Sun Jan 16:  Church and orientation; some sightseeing depending on what is open; at some point we will see most of the historical places in Delhi as noted below.  These places are also in your Walsh text:  A brief history of India. 

Mon Jan 17:  in Delhi

Tues Jan 18:  Morning free.
In afternoon, we will go to train station to catch our overnight train to Kolkata.
            Depart Delhi            2302            Kolkata Rajdhani Exp.            1700 hours Arrive Howrah Jn.            0955 hours

Wed Jan 19 Arrive in Kolkata at 9:55 am; in Kolkata;  Hotel:  YMCA

Thu Jan 20  Kolkata:  (Visit Ankur Kala and Mennonite Central Committee India on either this day or the 21st. )

Fri Jan 21 Missionaries of Charity:  Mother House:  Mother Teressa’s:  we will spend time here, hopefully helping out in one of the homes. 



Sat Jan 22  Perhaps meet with MCC and Ankur Kala if not able to on the 20th.  Late in the evening,  we will take a short overnight train to Gaya. 
Depart Kolkata            HWH JU Express            2330 hours Arrive Gaya            0615 hours

Sun Jan 23  Arrive Gaya 6:15 a.m.;  Drive to Bodh Gaya:  Hotel:  Tathagat International

Mon Jan 24 in Bodh Gaya
Study Buddhist culture and religion:  Particularly Tibetan Buddhism:

Tue Jan 25   Bodh Gaya

Wed Jan 26  Bodh Gaya It is also a National Holiday:  Republic Day

Thu Jan 27 After early breakfast, we drive by bus to Varanas/Benares.  Enroute to Varanasi we will stop at Sarnath.    Hotel in Varanasi:  Hotel Palace on Steps

Fri Jan 28  Varanasi

Sat Jan 29  In evening we will take the overnight train back to New Delhi
Depart Varanasi 2559 Shivganga Exp. 1915 hours Arrive New Delhi 0740 hours

Sun Jan 30   Arrive Delhi at 7:40 am; in Delhi  Hotel Le Vista

Mon Jan 31  in Delhi

Tue Feb 01  in Delhi:  Work with slum children of Delhi

Wed Feb 02   in Delhi:  Work with slum children of Delhi

Thu Feb 03  Depart for the state of Kerala: Upon, drive to Bekal;  Hotel Bekal International
            Depart Delhi               IT 308            1155 hours
            Arrive Mumbai                                       1355
            Depart Mumbai            IT 3154            1755 hours
            Arrive Mangalore                                    1910 hours           

Fri Feb 04: Bekal;

Sat Feb 05:  Drive to Payyannur:  KK International ;   Theyyam Festivals

Sun Feb 06:  in Payyannur and Theyyam festivals

Mon Feb 07:  Payyannur:  Theyyam festivals

Tues Feb 08:  Long drive to Guruvuyoor; Maurya Rajadhani Hotel

Wed:  Feb 9:  Drive to Sarang Centre ;  enroute we will stop at the elephant temple camp; Potters and weavers villages.  Arrived Sarang Centre in afternoon.

Thurs Feb 10-Feb 27 Study at Sarang Centre:  study Indian arts;  Hindi;  CC Psychology;

Mon Feb  28:  Leave early (7 am)  for Alleppey and overnight on houseboat.

Tues Mar 01:  In early morning, drive to Kovalam Beach

Wed Mar 02:  Kovalam
                                     
Thu Mar 03  Flight back to Delhi
Depart Thiruvananthapuram            IT 2883            1100 hours  Arrive Chennai            1300 hours
Change planes
Depart Chennai            IT 233            1755 hours Arrive New Delhi            2035 hours

Fri Mar 04  in Delhi

Sat Mar 05  After early breakfast, depart for Bharatpur (Wildlife Sanctuary) by bus arriving Hotel Birder’s Inn in the afternoon.

Sun Mar 06  After breakfast, depart for Agra :  Hotel:  Pushp .  On our way we will stop at Fatehpur Sikri.  We will continue on to Agra after our stop at Fatehpur Sikri and arrive at Agra late in the afternoon.  If not too late we will visit Agra Fort after we check in and freshen up at the hotel.

Mon Mar 07  Visit Taj Mahal at sunrise!  After spending time at the Taj Mahal we leave for Jaipur—The Pink City by bus.

Tues Mar 08  Jaipur:  Hotel:  Hotel Saneer

Wed Mar 09:  In the evening enjoy a typical Rajasthani night at Chokhi Dhani followed by Dinner.

Thur Mar 10:  To Jodhpur:  After breakfast, drive to the Blue City of Rajasthan – Jodhpur bus Hotel: Hotel Ratan Vilas (arrive in the afternoon)

Fri Mar 11:  Jodhpur

Sun Mar 13:  Manvar; Camel rides in dunes. 

Mon Mar 14:  After lunch, drive back to Jodhpur bus arriving Hotel RatanVilas in the evening.

Tues Mar 15:  Bus to Udaipur, via Ranakpur Jain Temples.    Hotel in Udaipur:  Hotel Inderprakash. 

Note:  For dates Mar 16-19 we will plan to visit the Polio Hospital and to help out at St. Mathews School and orphanage.  Times to be arranged yet.

Wed Mar 16:  Udaipur

Thu Mar 17 Udaipur

Fri Mar 18 Udaipur

Sat Mar 19 Udaipur

Sun Mar 20 Udaipur:  Church at St. Mathews; Leave in the evening to catch train to Delhi
Depart Udaipur            2964 Mewar Exp.            1815 hours Arrive in Delhi at 0630 hours.

Mon Mar 21 Arrive Delhi at 6:30 am. Hotel Le Vista. Breakfast at hotel.

Tue Mar 22:  Delhi

Wed Mar 23:  In the afternoon we will catch our train for Amritsar
Depart Delhi            2013 Amritsar Shatabdi            1600 hours
Arrive Amritsar            2235 hours

Thu Mar 24:  Amritsar; Golden Temple;  Wagah Border; Hotel Khyber International

Fri Mar 25. After an early breakfast catch our train back to Delhi
Depart Amritsar                         Paschim Express                        0815 hours
Arrive New Delhi                                                                        1635 hours
Change trains
Depart Delhi                          Mussoorie Express            2235 hours

Sat Mar 26:  Arrive Haridwar                                    0550 (yes-- the morning!l)
Shivpluri: Rafting down the Ganga. 
Get prepared for the day’s action with briefing on safety and equipment by qualified instructor.
Set out on rafts for Camp (8 kms). After negotiating the thrilling ‘Three Blind Mice’ and ‘Cross Fire’. Reach CAMP A-STAR.
Tea & snacks. Evening gets prepared for the festivities the evening around a bonfire. Enjoy the evening besides the Ganges and feel the nature alive all around you.
Overnight at camp.

SunMar27  Tea coffee served 7:00. After breakfast own time at CAMP A-STAR play
volleyball etc. Early lunch at CAMP A-STAR. Post lunch Raft down from CAMP
A-STAR to NIM beach Rishikesh. In this section you go through rapids like,
"Return to Sender", "Roller Coaster", "Golf Course" and lots more.
You also do cliff jumping and Body Surfing. We end near Laxman Jhula.
Enjoy Aarti in the evening on River Ganges at Rishikesh.;  Dinner and overnight at the camp.

Mon Mar 28 After Tea coffee and breakfast, drive to SIDH by bus; arrive  in
the afternoon.

Tue Mar 29            Lecture; discussion; Village Study; spend a day and night

Wed Mar 30  Village study:  day and night

Thu Mar 31  Depart for Mussoorie arriving Doma’s Inn & Ivy Bank Cottage in the afternoon.

Fri Apr 01              In Mussoorie:  Hindi refresher & free time

Sat Apr 02  in Mussoorie:  Free time

Sun Apr 03  After early breakfast, drive to Delhi arriving Hotel Le Vista for overnight.

Mon Apr 04 Very early in the morning to airport to catch flight to Leh. Hotel: Hotel Holiday Ladakh
Depart Delhi            IC445/9W 609            0630 hours
Arrive Leh                                                            0745 hours

Due to the high elevation, we will need to relax and take it easy as we get used to the elevation.  Morning is free to relax.  
In the afternoon, enjoy short walk to Leh Market.

Tue Apr 05:  After breakfast, we go to Shey Monastery followed visit by Thiksey and Hemis Monasteries.
Home-stays with Ladakhi family. 

Wed Apr 06:  (Home-stay)  After breakfast, visit the Oracle of Sabu. 

Thu Apr 07:  Lamayuru Monastary; then Jamyangling Model School at Khalatse

Fri Apr 08   After breakfast, go to  Ridzong and Tamisgam Village;  Home-stays with families

Sat Apr 09:  Work with farmers in fields;  Home-stay with families

Sun Apr 10:  Drive to Nubra;  Hotel:  Hubra Guest House

Mon Apr 11:  Deskit Monastery;  Hundar Village;  Camel Ride and stay in a camp overnight.

Tues Apr 12:  After breakfast drive to Sumur enroute Panamik.
Drive back to Sumur for overnight stay at Silk Route Cottages.

Wed Apr 13 :  Drive back to Leh via Khardongla Pass .

Thu Apr 14:  After early breakfast, depart for Pangong Tso Lake by same cars. We drive 4- 5 hrs across Changla pass (5320m), and enter Changthang region of eastern Ladakh. Travel through the remote villages of Durbuk, Tangtse and Mugleb and finally arrive at stunningly beautiful Pangong Lake, 60 percent of the lake is in china and 40 percent in ladakh.
We camp close to the Pangong Tso Lake for overnight.

Fri Apr 15:  After breakfast, drive back via Changla Pass to reach Kharu, we further drive east to reach Khaspang gompa, where the yogis from different parts of ladakh gather every year to meditate in winter time.
Lodging will be at a camp beside the Khaspang Gompa.

Sat Apr 16 Today we will trek to Taktok. After breakfast, we start trekking to Sakti Village, i.e. total 3-4 hours trek and later on we will be picked by Jeeps to drive back to Leh. (It is an easy trek!)

Sun Apr 17 After breakfast, depart for Choglamsar Village to help reconstructing the houses destroyed during the flood in August 2010

Mon Apr 18 Help villagers in reconstructing their homes.

Tue Apr 19  Free

Wed Apr 20:  Very early in morning, catch our flight to New Delhi
Depart Leh            IC 446            1125 hours
Arrive New Delhi                        1240 hours

Thu Apr 21 Combination of Debriefing and Free time for the 21st and 22nd. 

Fri Apr 22  Free

Sat Apr 23            Catch our flight at Indira Gandhi International airport for to return to States.

AUSTRIAN              23APR DELHI          VIENNA         150A    600A
OS 34                          SATURDAY INDIRA GANDHI  VIENNA INTL
                        G ECONOMY                   TERMINAL 3
                                   NON SMOKING      MEAL/BREAKFAST                NON STOP
                            RESERVATION CONFIRMED         7:40 DURATION
                                          AIRCRAFT: BOEING 767-200/300

AUSTRIAN              23APR VIENNA         WASHINGTON DC  1025A   210P
OS 93                          SATURDAY VIENNA INTL    DULLES INTL
G ECONOMY
                                   NON SMOKING      MEAL/SNACK                    NON STOP
                                        RESERVATION CONFIRMED         9:45 DURATION
                                          AIRCRAFT: BOEING 767-300/300ER

Tues Apr 26  Meet once again to make final preparations for our chapel program.  
            10 am chapel presentation
12:30 after lunch meet until 2:30-3:00
           
Wed Apr 27  Debriefing from 9-12

 Thoughts and prayers from home are always appreciated! 

Much love, 
Laura 

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