The Adventures of Bindi Girl: (2012) (23 page)

I’d been dismissed.

I stood there a minute, without moving. Noticing the look of despair on my face, he ended the discussion with a sympathizing head wobble. I got the feeling he’d seen more than his share of teary-eyed, bummed-out backpackers, reluctant to depart.

I mulled and muttered, pondered and pouted for a few days, sitting with the possibility of heading to Nepal for a visa run. I just wasn’t
done
yet! But the bite of reality was sinking in. I was not only being kicked out of mother’s nest, I was being called back to the West.

I felt the pull of my friends and family, as I caught up on months’ worth of emails that had piled up while I was away from civilization. These were dear friends’
loving letters—real, vibrant stories chock full of heart and soul. They described lives back home, accounts of new unions and departures, aches and pains, struggles and victories, births and deaths. I felt each message cut to my communal core. While I had felt so utterly cast adrift in the Andaman Islands, my community had never let go of the love line. No matter how far and away I was flying, I was still lightly tethered, like a cosmic kite on a string of stars…

I dedicate this work to all beings—seen and unseen, human and non-human—who have so generously provided me with protection and strength, courage and guidance, and help along the way… even when I wasn’t aware that it was all right there. There will be another journey up ahead, and I hope you join me for the next one, too.

Thank you, my friends, and thank you, Great Mystery. With a deep bow of gratitude, respect, and humility,

Namaste,

Erin Reese

3. Mini-speakers for iPod

Personally, these are worth their weight in gold. Nothing like putting on some music in a dowdy guest house room to clear the air and lift your spirits. My cheap, lightweight Sony speakers have survived spontaneous soirees on sandy beaches, campfires in the jungle, and dance parties in my postage-sized guest house room.

4. Bach Rescue Remedy and Rescue Sleep

These flower essence combinations are amazing, and most definitely cannot be found in India. Whether you’re feeling woozy from the frenetic bus ride, wiped out from pollution and noise, or simply stressed or out-of-sorts, a shot of this homeopathic standby works absolute wonders. I keep an eyedropper bottle full in my bag at all times, and take a shot when the road is too much for my brain. Good for shock and trauma, too—or when ill to calm nerves. The new Rescue Sleep spray-on-tongue-at-bedtime formula is fantastic for an herbal rest aid.

5. Earplugs

Bring a good supply. Believe it or not, not so easily found in the backwaters. Stuff ’em in tight. India is loud. Even in the countryside, you’re never alone. Some family, farm, or frenzy is going off somewhere nearby. My personal favorite are Mack’s silicone earplugs, which are also great for swimming. They make an ultra-tight seal. Available at major drugstores.

6. Lightweight Sleeping Bag or sleep sack

This is a controversial item, but I feel so much happier traveling with a lightweight (down = more warmth for the weight) sleeping bag. Unless you’re heading to Nepal or Kashmir in winter, usually a 15
°
–30
°
F bag is fine. It makes a huge difference—so cozy, protection from mysterious bedding, makes a great hammock liner on the beach or in the jungle (even in South India, it gets chilly pre-dawn). Overnights in second-class trains are especially chilly in the north. I love my compact down bag; it weighs only one kilo and stuffs into a small ball.

7. Headlamp or other tiny torch/flashlight

An absolute must. Carry it with you at all times. You never know when the electricity will go out in India—and it will, invariably one to three times per day. There are plenty of cow patties and other mystery objects to dodge in the road—even the random sleeping baba.

I particularly like the Petzl Zipka version, because it has a zippy stretch toggle strap that you can wear on your head (giving access to both hands), or easily snaps on to a bicycle, or worn on wrist as a bracelet light. Also comes with three different light levels (mood lighting, anyone?) as well as a flashing blinky setting in case you find yourself at a rave in Goa. It’s as light as a feather, too. Whatever light you bring, make sure it takes AAA or AA batteries—the fancy high-tech lithium varieties may be hard to find on the road.

8. Combination Padlock

Remember the old-school combination lockers from high school? Bring a heavy-duty combo padlock, and commit the numbers to memory. You can use this lock in 95% of guest houses, instead of the bulky lock -and-key apparatus they’ll provide.

In addition to not having to maneuver tricky skeleton keys, or risk losing a keychain with your room number and guest house boldly revealed on it, you can share the number with your travel partner so you don’t have to go back and forth (“Do you have the key? When can we meet back here? Where’s the key?”).

Added bonus: with a luggage security chain (make yourself, purchase at home or near railway stations), you can use the padlock to secure your pack underneath the seat in the train. You’ll rest much easier on overnight journeys knowing your gear is protected from quick swipes. (Although I must say, in my experience, most of India is hassle-free and I’ve had more theft and problems in Europe and the U.S. Yet, as they say, “Trust Allah, and tie your camel.”)

9. Travel Clothesline or small length of rope.

Lewis N. Clark and a few other companies make stretchy travel clotheslines with clips on the end. You can then pick up a small pack (10-12) of plastic mini-clothespins once you’re here to deter monkeys and wind gusts from nabbing your undies. The suction cups feature never works—I invariably end up throwing them away—but the toggle clips attach nicely to stretch the line between curtain and shower rods, or door handles. Even when not doing laundry, the line makes a nice apparatus for airing out items, drying sarongs, or simply to use as a place to hang clothes in the room.

10. ZIPLOC
®
BAGS!!!!

Bring extra. These cannot be found in India. If you can, get the fancy version with actual “zips” (“Easy Zipper” rather than standard press ’n seal variety). Due to the indomitable nature of plastic, these bags can be washed and used again and again, for six months and beyond. Use ’em to store fruit, extra biscuits, and soggy laundry, seal up mosquito repellent, or protect important documents. Get a bunch of gallon-sized ones and throw in a few sandwich-sized ones, too. You won’t regret it.

Have fun, and remember the Golden Rule when packing:

When in doubt,

Leave it out...

...or you’ll end up shipping four kilos of junk back home after the first week, once your back is screaming, “Why? Why?”