November 12, 2005

a techno gypsy?


i am in Kolkata (formally known as Calcutta) in Nort East India. In a few days I will be venturing into Bangladesh and to the largest mangrove forest in the world, by boat, to a small island at the mouth of the Ganges River. There, a group of fishermen and villagers will be converging for a few days to make prayers to the gods of the ocean to protect them and their families with food and from storms. i don't know what to expect, i don't even know if I'll make it there, but the effort in itself should be rewarding because it is one of those places that i can't find more than a few specks of information about. for some reason, i am compelled to go to those places, to meet those peoples, to go into that darkness. it is perhaps a journey into my own darkness that draws me into the hardships that i know i will experience along the way.

i have met a fascinating character, just a bit older than i, from England. he's got a tremendous capacity to tell a story and through writing, i think he and i could be quite a synergistic force. we have so many shared interests around social justice and the idea of getting a couple of old Enfield motor bikes and going to these places to document and interview feels exciting. traveling into the 17th and 18th centuries with 21st century equipment and communication potential is a mind bend but an opportunity to live as a techno gypsy for a few adventures dances in my head even when i turn out the lights at night. would it be possible to make a small wind powered generator, maybe just a few inches tall that i could affix to the side of my bike or the top of my helmet! that could charge all of this gear while riding through the mountains and lowlands?

alas, it won't be for another year at least. my new friend is heading home and i am stretching my rupees out on this trip in a way that doesn't offer such extravagances. more and more, i am thinking about manifesting a house. where is still a question but to make it a reality, i will have to become a little more creative than i have been and perhaps change my idea of what that house looks like!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

hey:
terrific shot. i like the figure in the foreground, adds depth to the shot.

looking forward to your postings.

take care,
jay