Looking for Ideas and a Companion for my Next Photo Trip

I’m feeling a gentle photo-itch in my hands, so I imagine it’s probably time to start thinking about my next photo trip.  I know I don’t have to travel far (or even at all) in order to make great images, but I do like to travel far and to take part in the lives of people who lead a much simpler life.  The whole thing started three years ago when I visited India together with a tourist group and came back with some very nice images.  I then made two more trips, this time alone and totally immersed in photography.

Traveling alone has the advantage of being totally flexible, but it’s a lonely 10–14 days in a foreign culture with no related soul to share your experiences.  Plus it’s surely better to have someone to divide the practical chores as well: finding the right bus or hotel, planing the route for the next day, sharing the cost of taxi and hotel, carrying just one soap or tube of sun cream, and not to forget, simply watching each-other’s backs.  But while it would be great to have company along, it is my impression that a photo trip is not really compatible with vacation and relaxation.  So it’s not terribly practical to have friends along who simply want to relax and have a nice vacation.  They will want to hit all the tourist attractions whereas a photographer will usually stay away from just those places, which are actually worst for mingling with typical locals or experiencing “real life.”  Furthermore tourist-friends might want to travel and sleep “western class” whereas a photographer might prefer more typical accommodations in order to stay focused and connected with the country he is visiting.

So to me the solution is to travel with one or two other photographers.  The advantages are numerous: common goals and interests, sharing ideas, talk about the images on a daily basis, lend each-other equipment, carry just one tripod, one laptop, etc.  Well great, but unfortunately I don’t know any other photographers who have similar interests or enough free time.

So how about this?  Is anyone “out there” interested in joining me on a photographic trip? I am very flexible, so feel free to suggest a destination, time-line or mode of transportation.  I’m really ager to hear from you!

Just to get the ball rolling, here is what I have in mind, roughly:

• A trip to a relatively safe “third-world” country, e.g. Thailand, Vietnam, Nepal, China.  I’ve visited India for three years in a row, so let’s choose a different country this time please.  And it doesn’t have to be a country in South Asia.  Africa, Central or South America, Central Asia or the Middle East are all interesting to me.  It would be great if one can get by with English there, or if you speak the language of that country.  As a very different alternative, how about a “winterly” trip to Sweden, Norway or Finland?
• A trip of roughly two weeks, probably some time in Jan-April 2010.  Less than two weeks is just too short to get into the “photo zone,” at least for me, and longer than two weeks requires too much of my precious vacation.
• The photographic opportunities should be centered around people or landscapes.  I’m just not very experienced or have the fitting gear for shooting wildlife.
• Let’s not make it a luxurious trip.  Since we are talking about “back to the basics” countries, I like to travel, eat and sleep in relatively modest accommodations.  These should still be quiet, clean and tidy, just not 4 or 5 star hotels with room service and fancy restaurants that serve continental breakfast.  I like to get to know the life of the locals, and simple surroundings get me in a more appropriate mood photographically.  I would prefer to hire a car, if possible, however.  On my second trip to India I did so, and it cost me 280 EUR for 10 days.  The car was driven by a local driver who was able to suggest hotels and places to eat.  And it was enormously practical to stop and leave wherever or whenever I pleased.  I was thus able to visit remote villages and non-tourist places as much as I wanted to.

That’s it basically.  If anyone is interested in coming along or simply has a suggestion on when or where my next trip should go, I’d very happy to hear from you.

Colorful Milan, Italy

You might remember that about 2.5 years ago I visited Milan and was quite impressed with the city and with its people.  This past weekend I was there again and visited Duomo, La Scala and all the other tourist attractions.  Of course I photographed these (again) and I will be updating my Milan gallery soon, but I also managed some non-tourist photos.  Here are a few…

Go Visit India (Part 2)

In my previous post I gave some practical tips about how to travel around, find a hotel, where to eat, etc.  Now I want to talk about even more important things.

Personal safety is probably the number one concern, so let’s start with it.  India is an extremely safe place.  During my three trips, one with an organized group and two alone with a backpack, and after talks with numerous people who have visited India at various times, I’ve never heard of anyone ever getting into a dangerous situation.  This is of course no proof, but I am convinced that one is much more likely to get in trouble anywhere in the western world than in India.

I guess the worst thing than can happen to you is to get lost in the narrow streets of the old towns or to step into a pile of cow shit.  For the first problem there is an easy solution — simply hire a rickshaw and let the driver bring you to a location you already know.  However there is no solution for the second problem — sooner or later you will get your shoes dirty.

Still, there are many annoyances to watch out for.  For example the ever-present merchants.  Everyone, and I mean everyone, will try to get you to look into their shop or the shop of their brother/father/cousin.  Even young guys who look like students and tell you that they simply want to show you around or talk to you in order to improve their English work on commission.  In general, the better someone speaks English, the more specialized he is on tourists.  If you ever ask for directions, the person you asked will insist to accompany you, and he will get you into a few shops along the way.  Rickshaw drivers sometimes drive you around for free if you agree to go into a few shops and look at gems, jewelry, silk goods, etc.

This is simply a fact of tourist life in India, so you might as well accept it. In fact, do go into a few shops and buy some souvenirs.  Many things are very beautiful and cost close to nothing.  But be weary of promises like “highest quality,” “pure gold,” “very rare,” “handmade,” “made by my teacher, who is a famous artist,” etc.  And finally, can you really be the first customer of the day at 3 pm?!  Indians will never steal from you directly, but they have a million ways of making you willingly part with your cash. 

There are two further sources of trouble that I have to mention.  Monkeys like to steal things, so close all doors and windows of your hotel room before going out or going to bed.  And be aware of groups of dogs.  No need to worry during the day, but early in the morning or late at night the dogs sometimes form small groups and can get annoying.  If they start barking or getting aggressive, a firm tap with your foot will usually make them pull back.

A rabies vaccination is probably a good thing to have, as well as tetanus and hepatitis A and B.  Talk to your doctor well in advance because some of the vaccinations need to be repeated before they offer full protection.  If you are of the worrying kind, you might also want to think about malaria tablets, water purifying tablets, something against diarrhea, etc.

OK, so now I’ve gotten you to India, helped you a bit with finding a hotel, something to eat and I’ve given you a few hints on how to travel around.  But what should you see?  Basically you have two alternatives: see what tourists are supposed to see and see everything.

If you travel with a group on a chartered bus, you will only be shown the tourist part of India.  You will see magnificent colors, grand palaces and temples, sumptuous gardens, happy and well-fed Indian people.  Nothing wrong with that, but it’s just a quarter of the whole picture.  In my opinion one has to experience the rest too: walk around in the old towns, ride in a bicycle rickshaw or a tuk-tuk, give the driver directions when he doesn’t speak any English and doesn’t even know the place you want to go to, but he still drives off in fear that some other driver might snipe you up.  You will still get to your destination, because after three crossings the driver will start asking for directions.  Eat some samosa or pakora that you buy on the street, talk to older men who invite you to drink tea with them, watch women doing their laundry or ironing directly on the street, take a picture of all the children playing around you, walk into a house, greet the oldest person in the house, tell people a million times where you come from, what your job is, if you are married, how many children you have, etc, etc, etc.  These too are experiences that you should not miss.

After you’ve visited the tourist attractions in a town, plan at least a day without an itinerary.  Stroll around the streets of the old city, find your way into the Muslim part of town, watch skillful craftsmen work with metal, wood or cloth.  Visit a vegetable market, a Muslim meat and fish market, etc.  Hire a tuk-tuk and let the driver drive you to a nearby village.  Look around there.  All doors are open, so walk into the yards, try to make a contact, then walk into the house.  Take some pictures.  You are guaranteed to have at least 30 kids jumping around you, so don’t expect to be able to photograph unnoticed.  At some point maybe you can buy the children some bonbons (50 pieces for 50 Rs).  If you are traveling by car, make your driver stop at a few road crossings.  At larger crossings there will inevitably be medium-sized markets, lots and lots of travelers waiting for the bus, car and truck repair shops, places to eat, fruit and vegetable sellers, etc.

When you explore the real India be also prepared to see lots of misery and unhappiness, crippled and blind people, children with no clothes playing in the dirt, lots of flies, cow shit and so on.  That’s India too.

Before I close I want to mention a few things that you should take along as they will make your journey more enjoyable.  Even if you are not the backpacker type, travel around with a backpack.  It’s very flexible, you can carry all your stuff and still have your hands free.  Bring a metal chain, maybe 1.50 meters (5 feet) long, and a safety lock.  You can leave your luggage unattended, fix it while traveling, lock it up if you want to take a nap, etc.  The lock will come in handy for locking up your hotel room.  Budget hotels do not have locks integrated in the door but small hanging locks, which are quite flimsy.  You will be much more relaxed if you know you’ve locked your room with a western type of lock.  You don’t need anything big or heavy though.

Don’t forget ear plugs — you’ll need them.  Take a power plug adapter, a mosquito spray, sun cream and a small flashlight because the electricity frequently gets cut off for minutes at a time.  Bring an address book, copies of your passport and flight tickets and maybe a few passport photos, just in case.

And that’s it.  There is nothing complicated about it.  Just find a friend or two and take the plunge — you won’t regret it!

Go Visit India (Part 1)

The purpose of this post is to encourage you to visit India, especially if you have the desire to do so, but are unsure about safety, poverty, cleanness, food poisoning, travel comfort, finding a hotel, etc.

As enthusiastic as I am, I have to warn you that India is very large, very hot, very loud, extremely chaotic, the beggars on the street will pester you to death, the rickshaw drivers will always try to trick you into paying a bit more, you will have to haggle over the price of every little thing you buy, and unless you are wealthy, do not expect hotels with western comfort.  But I guess you won’t even notice all this because the breathtaking views, unbelievable colors, smells and sounds, friendly and spiritual people, excellent food and drink, and of course the unbeatable prices will supersede any negative experiences.

By the way, India is waking up, getting rid of its idiosyncrasies and becoming modern at an incredible pace, so if you want to see it like I’ve seen it, arrange your journey soon!

OK, so let’s get to the practical part.  You basically have two alternatives.  The first is to pay 2000-3000 € for a two-week trip and join an organized group with a tour-guide who speaks your language.  The tight schedule and especially chartered air-conditioned bus make the best usage of your time, and you see all significant tourist attractions in the area.  You can leave your valuables in the bus while visiting the monuments, buy cold mineral water from the bus driver, sleep in clean 4-start hotels, have hotel personnel carry your luggage for you, and eat bland meals that won’t upset even the weakest stomachs.  My first trip to India was like this and it was great, but I constantly had the feeling that I’m too isolated from “the real India.”

Alternative two is to find a friend, buy a travel guide and go on your own.  This way you’ll save a good bit of money and experience the real India, but bring ear-plugs and plenty of patience.    The first thing to do is get a travel guide: Lonely Planet is quite good, or if you speak German, Reise Know-How is even better, especially the one on Rajasthan.  These books not only talk about what to see, but also where to sleep, where to eat, how to travel, where the buses leave from, which mode of transportation is best for a given route, etc.  One of these books, a bit of money and a bit of curiosity is all you need!

Just to give you an idea of what hotels look like, here is a typical room and bathroom that cost 450 Rs (7 €), room and bathroom for 700 Rs (11 €), and room and bathroom for 900 Rs (14 €).  Rooms and prices vary a lot, even within the same hotel, so always ask to see several rooms and try a couple of hotels.  Sometimes the rooms are “fixed price” and sometimes it pays to bargain.  For that last room they wanted 2000 Rs, then 1600 Rs, then the guy telephoned with his boss and told me 1100 Rs, final price.  The room was definitely worth that much, but I knew that I’d get a nice room next-door for 700 Rs, so I insisted on 850 Rs.  As I turned around to leave, he offered me 900 Rs, so I took it.  Don’t always expect such luck however, especially if the hotel is nearly full.

If this is your first trip, I’d suggest booking a room ahead of time and arranging with the hotel to send a car to pick you up from the airport (400 Rs extra if you are landing in Delhi).  Since you cannot bargain over a specific room, choose a nicer hotel and book the room for one night only.  Arrange all other accommodations as you arrive and in person.  Your travel book will describe the hotel areas in each town or village, and in general the best budget hotels are right next to the tourist attractions.  The four- and five-star hotels are usually quite a bit further away.

Eating and drinking is probably another concern.  Cold mineral water can be bought just about anywhere and costs 12 Rs for a liter.  As far as food goes, start with the motto “cook it, boil it, peel it, or throw it away,” but after you’ve gotten used to the atmosphere a bit, don’t sweat it too much.  The freshly-squeezed fruit juices (also sugar cane) are absolutely delicious, and so are the lassies.  The dark-red carrots on the vegetable market are really refreshing and unexpectedly sweet.  Wash them up well with mineral water.  Brush teeth and shave with mineral water.

Beware of restaurants with shops inside them.  These are for rich tourists only — the prices are very high and the food has no taste whatsoever.  If you want really tasty food, ask a shop owner or a fruit seller where to find a good pure vegetarian restaurant.  When you get there, if you see many locals and especially some families, and if the main dishes cost 40 — 60 Rs, then you’ve found the right place.  For example, if you are in Udaipur, definitely try “The New Natraj” pure vegetarian thali restaurant.  (You can thank me later!)  By the way, never ask for a restaurant recommendation in a hotel (they’ll invariably suggest their own roof-top restaurant) or a rickshaw-driver (he’ll drive you to the farthest restaurant he knows so that he can ask for higher payment).

Some of you might be unsure about how to get from place to place.  There are many alternatives, all very inexpensive.  Within the old towns you are probably best off taking a bicycle rickshaw.  For distances between 5 and 20 km a tuk-tuk is better, while a car is best for trips between 10 and 200 km.  You can rent a car for anywhere from half a day to a week.  During my 2008 trip I rented a car with a driver for 10 days and payed 360 €.  The price included gas and toll-road fees, and the driver took care of his own meals and sleep accommodations.  Buses are good for trips up to 150-200 km, and trains for distances from 100 km up to maybe 400 km.  Book a seat ahead of time, and on longer trips consider traveling overnight.  Indian trains travel slowly and get delayed often, so it’s best to look for a train that starts its journey at the place where you board it.  For any distance over 300 km consider flying.  Flights are cheap and abundant, and all larger cities as well as many smaller tourist-oriented ones have airports.  In 2009 I used four domestic flights, and each cost about 65 €.

In my next post I talk about personal safety, what to see and what to take along.  Stay tuned…

Off to India

Tomorrow I’m leaving on my third trip to India. My backpack is still empty, but the photo bag is ready:

• Canon 30D with three batteries (*)
• 350D (*)
• 10-22/3.5-4.5
• 17-40/4
• 50/1.8
• 70-200/4 IS
• 420 EX Speedlite (*)
• 10 GB in CF cards
• 120 GB Hyperdive (*)

* These items (as well as the cell phone and iPod) require battery chargers, and of course all are incompatible with each-other — what a pain!

The route is as follows. Early on 03.03. I land in Delhi and fly immediately to Varanasi. Two days later I fly to Khajuraho and from then continue by train to Orchha, then Agra, and finally Amritsar. I will be in Amritsar for Holi and will fly to Delhi on 13.03. After spending 1,5 days there, I will fly back home on 15.03.

I hope all goes well, and I hope to capture many good images!