Last Day In India!

Will begin the three transfer flight to Canada in 40 minutes. Logging out!

Last Day!

I didn't know Madagascar even had a population besides the sufaka's.
Neat to find this in the most hip place of Pune.

Hahaha! I burst out with smokey cackles! Because I was partaking in a shisha
 at the moment. Apple, mint. Check out the Shisha Cafe in ABC Farms if your ever in Pune.
We had live jazz, the place was PACKED with people and the outside with busy too.

Ya no idea what this was for, this is The Hidden Place.
Check it out if your ever in Pune. Good food and drinks. Popular with students.

We're trying to figure out who's in the picture without googling.
If you know let me know!

The late afternoon sun on the last day of the interior compound were I spent two months. How I will miss it.

Yes, this is exactly what it looks like. The staff at the Hard Rock are doing the YMCA including the chefs!

We are so far behind on our work! I really shouldn't be spending time writing on here. The last few days have been pretty sweet. Check these pictures out.

Update On Stuff

Shisha Cafe at ABC Farms in Koregaon Park, Pune

We have collectively sat on our asses for the majority of two months. That's just the nature of our work. Sit at a computer and tinker away at code, or debug errors in code that was written by someone else, or do a little of this and a little of that. I've had enough time to learn the entire material for three of my classes that I'll be taking next year and one that I won't be. I've got a running route that I made, and I'm working my way to being able to do a saddle planche pushup. I'm planning my journey home after my work is done, and I'm hoping to have time to climb the mountain once again, with Mark perhaps this time.

Poisionous perhaps, spider at NCRA.

Today, I decided to run my route backwards and in doing so got lost and ended up doubling the length. Luckily it wasn't too hot out and didn't rain. The hardest part about doing anything here is trying to plan it around the rain which happens sporadically and is usually not very hard or long. Sometimes it pelts buckets for hours though and I don't want to be stuck outside in the middle of a forest when that happens.

My ping-pong is on a completely new level. That's the only fun thing they have in the recreational hall. I'm working on my curving serve of destruction! It's a modified version of the regular serve of destruction. I'm still not sure if I'm any good because Mark is the only measuring device to compare myself against.

When in the field I usually walk barefoot.
Mud is much more manageable when is
only on your skin.

I've learned to touch type! This is probably the most awesome achievement I've made in a long time. It's so nice not having to look at your fingers (or the screen for that matter) and being sure that your fingers are not making any mistakes. It certainly makes this blog more of a rambling diary since now I can just let my thoughts wander and type whatever pops into my head. I must be around 50 words per minute.

My German hasn't improved much sadly. This is because I haven't had much time to practice in truth. I wanted to try to increase my vocabulary while here but it's a little difficult when all my materials are back home in Canada. I have had time to think about my imminent journey to Germany though. It is going to be one of the most unique experiences ever. I know that when I come back I will be fluent completely in a new language that most of my friends and family don't speak and I'll be able to start learning a new language.

I know for certain that I'd always like to be learning a new language so long as I can. I think the next one will be musical scores. I'd very much like to be able to sight read music and transpose this to my guitar in one fluid motion. I've never fully developed this skill and sadly I may have forgotten everything I have learned about music theory. Incidentally, I fully understand how sound works and how musical instruments function. A trade off I'm not too sure I enjoy.

Shots at the Hard Rock Cafe, and more importantly, burgers!

After musical scores I will tackle French. This is one language that I feel should be easy to learn and it is one that I should not have been given the option of not learning. Its so very common for children in other countries to be spoken to in several languages by their parents. It adds an extra layer of communication.

Doing field work.

I want to eventually become a rare hyperpolyglut. That is, a person who is fluent is six or more languages. after French it is a tossup between Mandarin, Spanish, again something I wish I had paid more attention to in class, and Russian. I feel that Mandarin would be the most useful and Russian the most difficult to learn. This is all at least five years from now in any case.

Drinking on the roof of the GMRT one night.

By far the best thing I've read in a long time is Moonwalking With Einstein by Joshua Foer. If you've never heard of mental athletics before, or of a Memory Palace, then I highly suggest you look up the Rhetorica ad. Herrenium and perhaps learn the most useful technique you'll ever encounter. I'm certainly using it to learn German now, as well as learn 4 courses worth of material. (hint: It is the ancient technique of memory loci used to memorize vast sequences of images in your mind)

I've been dreadfully sick again. I woke up one morning at the NCRA, having spent the day before giving a talk to some astronomers, and was so sick (well I was sick all night really so there was no definable waking point). At some point I decided I should try to brush my teeth, so I got up and found Mark was already brushing his teeth. All of a sudden I felt faint and the next moment I was on the floor with a pounding head and Mark was looking down at me asking me what I was doing. I've never fainted before without blood loss.

One night at the Wine Bar.
A little bit of the after dinner table top.

Mark bought me some sort of pill and the next thing I knew my whole immune system was obliterated by the potent anti-botics I had just taken, which then allowed some sort of disease to overtake me for the next few days. But I got better very quickly somehow.

The next time I was in Pune at the NCRA I was listening to a talk instead of delivering one. I went out for steak at lunch, and for supper went to the Hard Rock Cafe! I was ultimately the best decision I've made since coming to the GMRT. I finally was beginning to get a feel for the layout of Pune city and I feel that I could navigate it on my own now.

The team when Ue-Li was there.
Me, Mark, Ue-Li, Tabitha, Hans, Nidhi, Connie, Viktor.

As of now Goa is off my list of things to do. It is just the wrong season to go there. And since I wouldn't even be able to catch a full moon party I can't see spending that much money to do it. Rather I think I'll spend the last of my days in India in Pune moving about the city looking for some interesting situations and places. I will have nearly a week there (4th - 9th).

The significance of this picture is perhaps clear to Jacob.

Planning for Goa

So I'm in the stages of planning my trip to Goa, specifically Anjuna. I've some mixed feelings on following through with my plan. On the one hand it is reportedly a notorious party district of... perhaps the world! Since the 60s hippies have been making Anjuna beach their place. It is notorious for its full moon parties which tend to be open-air and trance oriented (one of my favorite flavours of music), and the area's Portuguese influences.

The area is full of sights and attractions such as the infamous Wednesday Flea Market, the German Bakery, Paradisco (Goa's most famous night club), the white sand beaches. It is a great place to rent a motorcycle. It's a very common destination for Russian students on vacation. Alcohol is cheap. And other great facets make this a top destination on my list.

The down side is that the tourist season is typically from November to March (with some rain around December). We would be going in Monsoon season. We would get wet and there would be a lot less tourists, and parties wouldn't happen so frequently. So Mark isn't too keen on going. The rain deters him and I think he is aftaid that things will be closed down since it is not tourist season. If anything I think everything would be open and we would be in a better position to haggle.

The flight there would be about Rs.2500 and the flight to Delhi would be another Rs.2500. That is only if we book right away. The taxi from the airport to Anjuna is another Rs.750. Accomadations are cheap and can be about Rs.250 per night. Reminder :Add this up later.

Anthia sexguttata

30 June - The other day I was sprayed by the Domino Beetle, or the A. sexguttata. I was just done washing some laundry when I spotted a massive beetle crawling around with a pretty design on its back. I followed it and eventually poked it. I noticed there was some liquid on my fingers and realized it had sprayed me. Oh no! It sprayed highly concentrated acid on my finger and my arm was going numb. By the time Mark emerged from the laundry room it was a burning sensation and I told him what I had done. We rushed back to our rooms where I washed my finger and slowly the pain receded. It was an interesting experience and I updated the Wikipedia page on them with my field results. This is science!

I didn't have my camera on me so I didn't get a picture of the beetle but I will find one soon and post a picture of these impressive bugs.

Since I have begun my exploration of wild things, this blog article will become my journal on that subject. We will see how much pain the tiny bugs in India can cause me before this is over. I'm betting a lot.

Scaled lizard on garden wall.

Very fast lizard off path near guest
house.

1 July - Today I finally had my camera ready when I came across these two particular lizards that I often see. One occasionally rests on a garden wall and the other usually flits around the pathway near the guest house. I'm not sure about the guest house one but I'm fairly certain the garden wall one is the same that I usually see.

Gecko Lizard in the lamp at wine bar on Canada Day night.

Also, today at the wine bar we saw a gecko like lizard in the ceiling light. Smart guy! He gets a heat bath and the bugs are attracted to him. He was gorging himself all night while we ate, until we turned the light off to stop the bugs flying into our food.

2 July - Maintenance workers have reported that the Naja Naja Cobra has been spotted near Antenna C3 and two leopards have been spotted within the last two months!

Tonight I'm planning my expedition to track the leopards and tomorrow I think I will take a walk over to the Cobra's nest. If I get bitten and can't get the polyvalent serum antidote then there is a local spice called zedoary which apparently is used as an antivenin. If the bite is minor I can cut circulation of to the limb and I can have up to 2 hours before paralysis sets in. Serious bites take effect within 15 minutes and can cause cardiac arrest. But this is all worse case scenario stuff.

The naja naja is usually around 1.9 meters long or six feet! As long as I maintain a proper distance and don't step on it I should be fine.

The leopards will be more challenging as I'll have to be really careful they don't smell or see me because I don't think I can outrun one.

It's an immature Anthia sexguttata. 

8 July - I haven't been able to find a snake, leopard or adult domino beetle. I came across a baby beetle though.

Also I found a huge cockroach that was stuck on its back. Those things are disgusting! No pretty patterns like the domino beetle. It is however more likely to survive a nuclear war than me.

I'm sure that this guy is much smaller than some of its relatives. But it's the first big one I've seen.

A massive coachroach on its back.

Also today Mark was typing away when all of a sudden a baby lizard appears on his wrist! He didn't know how long it had been there but when we saw it, it climbed up his arm. Connie tried to catch it and ripped part of its tail off in the process! The tail stayed alive wriggling around on Mark's pants.

Ja so happy Canada Day eh

We just got back from the wine bar, the Chateau Indage. They sell port for 145Rps a bottle. I don't even know how big a bottle is because I don't care. It's a bottle of distilled wine for less than a plate of butter chicken! So needless to say I bought two, a red and a white. This reminds me a specific occasion when I sat at "the children's table" and they accidentally put wine on the table. Mishka and Matt might know the time. Also Ainsley and Bailey will remember the wedding.

From left: Mark, Hans, two guys, Greg, Me! On our way to the wine bar in the back of a Jeep.

I usually spend Canada day at my camp on Manitoulin Island. India is kind of an island in the rainy season. It's not the same but I'm sure I'll have hundreds of years (what with the rate medical research is progressing) to spend Canada Day in Canada. 

RFI Hunting and Wells

Me in front of 1 of 30,
45m antennas.

Our RFI hunting Jeep driver.

RFI is radio frequency interference. RFI hunting is the tricky business of trying to find it. It's like trying to find an invisible needle in a forest. Cell phones cause RFI. There's an alarm that goes off at the GMRT if it detects a cell phone on.

It would probably look really funny if you chanced across us while we were hunting. We are all holding antennas and GPS's and following the crackling sound of a speaker that crackles more when you point it at radio objects and merely sizzles when you point it anywhere else.Everything makes RFI. Every single engine that is running within a kilometer creates radio waves when the spark plugs fire. In this way we can actually sense a car coming before we see it if we want to.

The Mountain as seen RFI hunting.

Anyway, RFI hunting is tedious and dirty. We walk through farmers fields, over hills, and across river beds. We go in whatever direction our antennas tell us to. Sometimes it seems totally absurd when I examine myself from outside. But then again everything seems absurd when examined from inter-moral space.

Traipsing through farmers' fields in
search of RFI.

One thing that our RFI hunting has found are wells. These are rather open concept wells. There are no walls around them, they are 3 meters across, and they are at least 10 meters deep. To fall down one would either maim you on the rocks at the bottoms or you'd drown in a disease filled water. These wells were particularly on our minds the other night.

A Puppy seen as we RFI hunt.

We were all sitting in at the computers in the Terminal room when suddenly Connie and Nidhi bust in and frantically explain that there was a bumping beat coming from the forest. Someone was letting out there inner dance gods somewhere nearby it seemed, in the pitch black night. Everyone but Mark and I rushed off to pursue the strange music into the wild (leopard filled) forest.

Dense foliage that cuts you like a knife.

We were not in a rush and besides we wanted to finish up work. We left in pursuit 10 minutes later. We left wearing what we had on at the time. Me in my Vibram FiveFinger toe shoes; Mark in flip-flops. I was clearly more prepared to be walking around in the dark Indian outback.

We instantly heard the music when we stepped outdoors. It was fun sounding! We doggedly took off after it on the whimsical hope that there might be booze, girls, and food, perhaps not in that precise order. At the same time we hoped it wasn't a gang of ruffians who would kill us and bury us under one of the huge ant hills. It sounded like it was coming from the edge of the field (near where some of the other GMRT guests played cricket). Perhaps it was them having a fire party!

Some gadgets we use.

It wasn't. We walked for minutes and minutes stumbling over this and that, hoping not to step on a huge ant hill, but never did we come across a clearing of dancing people. At one point we caught sight of a green glow stick off in the distance. A rave then? Hooray! But no, it was not. We kept going and eventually caught up to the green light. It was Hans, Nidhi, Connie and Greg and we had caught up to them!

We started running to catch up to them (and scare them in the dark). Mark lead the way. We were about 50 meters away, in a crouched stealth glide, when suddenly Mark dropped away!

A local farmer stores onions for the next growing season.

His scream cut the humid night air which all of a sudden seemed cold to me. What was I going to find when I looked down? In an instant I was at the edge, and I couldn't contain myself. I broke out laughing my ass off! It's wasn't a well as I'd feared but a little hole in the ground (as tall as me but not even close to well depth). Mark lay in the bottom groaning, but I cackled on regardless. He had stubbed his thumb on a rock. Meh it hardly even bled.

Mark's outcry and my laughter had alerted the others (hopefully scaring them, as our ruse was ruined) and they quickly came to offer help. Mark shrugged it off and we continued onward towards the mysterious sound.

For Jacob - A well above which hang
 these weird nests or hives.

It turned out to be very far away indeed. A patrolling GMRT security Jeep found us and informed us that it was a wedding taking place in Narayangaon (a small town north of us but still about 5 or 10 more kilometers away). We got a ride back with the security to our compound and the night's adventure was over. I was utterly sad to miss out on a wedding. I love weddings and Indian wedding are renown for their peaceful environments where social borders are transcended by all classes. I will see one yet before I die!

How I Got Cholera

The Chhicken Maharaja Mac is only 135Rps but the
consequences are 2 weeks of sloppy ploppies.

It's a nasty parasite. It happens when you eat something washed with contaminated water. I think I know where I got it from. It take millions of parasites. They all fall into your stomach and nearly all of them die. A tiny percentage of the population survive by going into a hibernation mode and shutting down the production of all proteins. Those few that live get dumped into your small intestines where they feel an atmospheric change. A good change. They come out of hibernation and begin torpedoing through the mucus lining of your intestinal walls. They are shaped like little drill bits. They drill into the wall and attach themselves there fully producing the proteins that will soon wreak havoc on your body. They pump chlorine ions into your digestive tract which then bond with sodium ions to make salt. Now your have a tiny concentration of salt in your intestines and water, through osmosis, begins to be leeched out of you. Up to 10 liters of water each day! The water builds up so quickly that you must go to the bathroom several times per hour. It smells terrible and there is no cure except time. You MUST keep your self hydrated by drinking salt water.

Look how happy those prices are!

Salt water counteracts the salty concentration in your intestines. When you already pour salt water into your intestines then it becomes hard for the parasites to pump more chlorine in. The common recipe for hydration is 1 liter of boiled water, half a teaspoon salt, six teaspoons sugar and a banana. It spreads when your toilet water goes into the water supply (as it almost always does in India) and the Cholera has a chance to multiply underground.

Ronald McDonald is a creepy clown who gives
children lifelong fears.

So there I was at McDonalds actually for once in my life looking forward to the horrible food they served. It was something different than the food they served in the canteen. Mark and I ordered the Maharaja Mac (the Indian Big Mac). The lettuce is where I'm nearly positive I got the Cholera. They must have washed it in tap water. Mark was lucky and none made it through his stomach acid. Perhaps it was because I drank too much water and diluted my stomach acid.

Anyway the effect was almost immediate. On the car ride home from Pune (I had just picked up my laptop from the Pune Airport) my stomach told me something was wrong. The symptoms were textbook perfect. I got a fever on night two after McDonalds and I had stopped drinking water. The next day I could barely function. I was shivering and sweating and light headed. I felt like I had very low blood sugar.

The damn things made us so happy. It was probably worth it.
At least now I can look back and laugh.

Perhaps around day five after McDonalds I found the insight to google my symptoms. And that's when I found out I had Cholera, one of the big causes of death in poor countries. Almost as soon as I read about it and started taking salt in my water I felt a noticeable improvement. After about six days I was on track again and somewhat healthy. The food was still terrible and I was beginning to feel malnourished. I didn't take any pictures while I was sick, I couldn't find the strength.

The Mountain (climbed)

The Mountain can be seen as we drive around doing our RFI hunt.

22:37 Thursday, June 30, 2011 - Tomorrow morning at 07:00 we plan to make the trek to The Mountain. It has loomed over us for a long time now, and we are finally about to take it on. Every time we go RFI hunting we can usually see it off in the distance.

Our expedition party may have expanded. Now we may be a team climbing The Mountain. Hans, Mark, Connie, me and Anna-Lisa (a PhD Italian girl visiting the GMRT). Wow! Should be an event.

The best picture we can get from the ground of the temple on the top.

Everything is contingent on Mark's stomach. If he feels ill in the morning then we will go another day.

Friday, 1 July - Not climbing today. Someone's being a literal mr. poopy pants.

22:05 Saturday, 2 July - Looks like it'll only be Me and Hans climbing the mountain. We leave camp at 07:30 tomorrow morning and should reach the base of the mountain at 09:30. From there it's about 1.5 hours to the top which should put us at the top for lunch. From there we'll explore the temple and the ancient fort that was abandoned hundreds of years ago. We'll make our way back hopefully in time for Greg's farewell dinner. He's going back to Canada on Monday. Wish me good luck! This'll be a terrific time!

Supplies for the trip as they occur to me:
- Polyvalent serum
- 4 liters of water
- 5 meters of rope
- Bug spray
- Pack of raisins and some cookies
- Toilet paper
- Camera
- Sun glasses
- Hair bands
- GPS (for the altitude)
- Notebook
- Rain coat
- Pain killers

Going to bed now.

Sunday, 3 July - Here's a panorama from the top.

A panorama from the highest point on the mountain. It was hard getting there.

My ripped toe, oh no!

As we set out.

8 July - Finally updating this. Me and Hans left at 07:30 and returned at 16:00! He almost died! And I did too for that matter. We got into some tight situations on the mountainside.

Before leaving we asked for anti venom and were told it is not available and we'd have to drive to get some. Great! We asked for some rope and they said we wouldn't need any because there is a donkey path up the side. They clearly didn't know what we were about to do! Anyway we left because we didn't  want to argue further with them.

Walking back.

Hans had never climbed before but he
made a fine effort.

The walk there was only about 30min. It was closer than it seemed. At the foot of the mountain we found a shrine with some tattered clothing and clay pots inside.

Temple at bottom.

Hans about to begin sliding to reach a
ledge about 10 feet below him.

We started climbing and got up to the first plateau. At the top of the next plateau we saw a wise old monkey sitting of a rock! Clearly he would grant us three wishes if we could climb up to him.

After our first defeat we had to look
deep for the courage to carry on.

We tried one approach for about an hour before getting stuck half way up. We had a hell of a time getting down and I ripped my toe.

On a game trail.

The next one proved to be too scary to climb but I got about a third of the way up before turning back (Hans watched from a ledge below). It was the most terrifying experience dangling from a ledge  and looking down only to see about 300 feet of thin air. My heart was in my throat!

Self picture.

The way we did is was by getting to a ledge where we could rest and choosing the next part up from there. I wish we had had ropes so that we could have stopped to get pictures from the best places. As it was we could only spare a hand on rare occasions.

These thorn bushes were everywhere!
No leaves just thorns! - for Jacob.

Exotic flower - for Jacob.

When we finally made it up we found some Indians who we headed to the temple at the second highest peak so we followed them on the ridge to there. There we had snacks and rested.

Me near some ruins.

Some creature's den. So high up and
seems like it would be impossible to
get there. We found egg nests there.

We then headed over to the highest peak by following the ridge along. There were exotic looking plants everywhere and we came across an abandoned ruins. We found that it was mostly destroyed by weather but the parts that could be seen were impressive. It would have been extremely difficult to build that hundreds of years ago.

Planting Jenn's Sunflowers on the
mountain:)

And some water.

I had a special little thing I had to do along the way, a few seeds to plant, so I found a location rich in sun an dug as deep a hole as I could in the rocky soil. The monkey sage would have to water it.

I took a bunch of pictures from the peak and made a panorama later.

Exotic plant - for Jacob.

The walk down was easy enough because we took the donkey trail. It may have been easier but the thorns we had to walk through we disgustingly long. I got some sort of rash on my foot from the whole experience.

A view from high up.

When we got back Mark was feeling better and terribly angry I didn't wait for him to feel better so he could go. I still feel bad about that and need to find some way to make it up to the guy.


Not carrying a 15 pound bag would have made the whole experience easier but as it was I found out that my backpack is very sturdy and comfortable. It's a 40L Ascend Sequoia 3300.

I want to go again. Mark better not be sick this time!

Monkey on a rock at the peak of final wall we had to climb. There's one in the tree too.

Our first picture from after starting climbing.

Hans cresting a ridge.

Another den formed naturally but probably houses something.

Side profile of the mountain.

Other side profile. We chose the other one to  climb because we didn't have ropes.