The Universal Language

After a not so pleasant experience in mysore (see bed bugs), we headed to the southern part of the state of Karnataka to the western ghats, a small mountain range. craving some respite from cities, we were in search of a little peace and quiet, ideally in the form of trekking. and we found just that. this was one of my favorite experiences in india. so far, my richest experiences have been spending time with local people. it is easy enough to travel around india as a tourist, but it feels more rewarding to have the chance to spend time and speak with the people who live here.

we set off from Madikeri and for 3 days we trekked the hills. it felt wonderful to breath the fresh air, strap on a pack, and hike. the scenery was beautiful and varied through coffee plantations, rice patties, pepper and cardamom plants, over ridgelines, and past waterfalls. but it would not have been the same without our enthusiastic guide, Vijakimar. He has been leading treks for 20 years, and more recently with tourists as the demand has increased. as we strolled up with our fancy packs and shoes and quick-drying clothing, Vijak wore a cotton polo, double knit bell-bottoms, and converse chuck taylor style shoes. a simple man with curious intellect full of trivia and facts and a lover of nature, history, culture, science and philosophy, conversation with Vijak was never dull. by the end, it felt like we were old pals.

each of the 2 nights was a homestay in two quite different homes that provided traditional breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. the first night, we stayed with a husband and wife on their coffee plantation. apparently doing pretty well, their house was large and well-maintained, and we stayed in the extra guesthouse behind the main house. electricity was provided and hot water was available, heated by a stove, and we each had individual beds. the two were quite friendly and welcoming and spoke enough english to get by.

the second night, we stayed in a hut. the accommodation was quite basic using a kerosene lamp to light the space and provided an outdoor cold shower (which was fantastic by the way). the woman who provided our meals and maintained the huts lived with her mother in a simple 2 room home with a thatched roof. 1 room was the kitchen and the other served as the bedroom/dining room. speaking little english, we thought it might be difficult to communicate and perhaps a bit awkward. however, after working a full day in a rice patty, in her slightly tattered and well-worked sari she wore earlier in the day, she cooked a delicious meal for us and presented it with the warmest most genuine smile. her body language said it all. without speaking a single word we could understand, we were at ease. the cultural gap was barried in her natural demeaner. we ate contently in comfortable silence that evening in the glow of the candle. and we responded with smiles of sincere gratitude. perhaps a smile is the universal language. a humbling experience to say the least, the expression that filled this woman's being was inspiring. she may not own many things, but she possesses the most valuable of all (to be cliche)...happiness!