Monkeyrockworld

During this trip in India, I grew a morning habit: I need a chai to get started right. To me, the divine Indian spiced milk tea is best savored with some biscuits. You may think I have run out of topics to end up covering my breakfast habits, but If blogging means spreading advice, I think that Parle G, a local brand of biscuits, deserves a little post. Because it is something all India bound travelers should be aware of.

For a mere 4 rupees – something like 0.1 euros – you will get a 12 biscuits stick. Parle G are some of the best value for money: generally, if you get a cup of chai for around 5 or 6 rupees, you will be able to get a complete breakfast for 10 rupees – less than 0.2 euros-: how about that? (more…)

Come qualcuno di voi sa o avra’ intuito, questo 2012, almeno per il momento, me lo sto riservando per un lungo viaggio senza prendere voli. Ho deciso di coronare un sogno che mi gira in testa da prima ancora daver lasciato l’Italia quattro e passa anni fa, ovvero di fare Asia- Europa via terra: e’ nato dunque il progetto Journey to the West,  che si sta sviluppando lentamente per vie terrestri, senza ricorrere all’utilizzo di voli low cost.

Grazie a Sanba Radio potete ascoltare ogni quindici giorni una decina di minuti di miei reportage dall’Asia, e in particolare in questi primi mesi, dall’India.

Qui di seguito trovate un player per ascoltare in diretta la Seconda Puntata di “Journey to the West”… mi raccomando non dimenticate di commentare, se avete qualcosa da dire, e di aiutarci shareando il link o il player sui vostri siti o social networks… eccola qua:

Buon ascolto e mi raccomando, non dimenticate che se ce la faccio io, ce la potete fare anche voi… realizzate i vostri sogni, qualsiasi essi siano, e viaggiate il piu’ possibile!!!

Last week, on the 8^th of March, as the rest of the world celebrated women, India celebrated happiness: Holi, the color festival. We were in Jodhpur and decided to stay well put, as for a day and a half all of India seems to come down to a halt… even getting a chai becomes an impossible task.
Jodhpur is another gracious Rajasthani city with a town atmosphere, luckily far from the unbearable chaos of Jaipur. It has a majestic fort clinging onto a rock dominating the whole valley… as you get closer and closer, you start feeling like reality morphed into one of Manilla Road’s epic record covers. It is incredible to realize how this part of India might appeal to fans of sword and sorcery and role games. Never before around the world have I seen such a display of forts, citadels, protective walls… I understand for a good reason why Rajhastan draws most international tourism to India. (more…)

Come qualcuno di voi sa o avra’ intuito, questo 2012, almeno per il momento, me lo sto riservando per un lungo viaggio senza prendere voli. Ho deciso di coronare un sogno che mi gira in testa da prima ancora daver lasciato l’Italia quattro e passa anni fa, ovvero di fare Asia- Europa via terra.

Il tutto nacque dalla scontata influenza della lettura di “Un Indovino mi Disse” di Tiziano Terzani, senza infamia e senza lode. Ora, e’ giunto il momento di farlo e sono seriamente intenzionato a tentare di tornare a casa per vie terrestri, senza ricorrere all’utilizzo di voli low cost.

E’ nato dunque il progetto Journey to the West. (more…)

After a bit over one month on the road, finally my humanitarian-cum-music project has officially started in India’s capital Delhi thanks to the help of a few people and two organizations: CIAI World in Italy, and Butterflies in India.

First and foremost, my thanks go to Maria Alessandra Verrienti of CIAI  who put me through Butterflies organization  in Delhi, and also hosted me for a couple very relaxing days – thank you so much, it was so great to break the tiredness of my long journey with your amazing family. She liked my project and contacted the amazing Butterflies organization in Delhi: they are in charge of several projects, but I got to visit only the Night Shelter at Chandni Chowk during my visit on February 14^th. A great, diverse way to spend a St. Valentine’s day without my partner -who’s now here in India with me, in charge of the projects’ videography- (more…)

I sat down and tried to calculate how much money I spent since the beginning of my Journey to the West: the balance is ridiculously low. India is a cheap country, yes, but this would not have been possible without a few tricks.

Here is a lowdown on how I managed to spend 110$ for 6 weeks travelling from Kolkata to Delhi in North India, taking it slow, and doing one hell of a lot of side trips. (more…)

Freedom in year 2012 has the taste of India: a sensation which resembles being sandwiched in between the oily D-cup sized bosoms of a fat Goddess, at 40 degrees Celsius. It definitely stinks and sucks, but after all, still feels like a woman.

Let me tell you, I love India as much as I hate it: chaotic, smelly, pretty dirty, but also divine, sublime, naturalistically beautiful, and so sacred it is impossible to put it into plain words. (more…)