Unfortunate Events (Part II)

Left behind...
Sorry to my faithful blog readers for leaving you hanging for so long between updates. My trip to India did not go exactly as planned to say the least. I am not posting a long reflective description of this port yet as my time/energy/internet access has been running on low to empty for the last few days. I could easily write a book on my experiences over the last week, and perhaps some day I will. As some of you may know (depending on how fast the international SAS rumor mill has been running) the MV Explorer pulled safely away from port in Chennai, India with all passengers minus one...me. As fate would have it, on our last night in port on my way back I got pickpocketed about 100 yards from the ship. I wasn't the only victim of theft here but unfortunately I was the one who lost my money belt containing my credit cards, money and passport. With about an hour and a half until on ship time I worked with the port security and the SAS admininistration team to try and recover it. Unsuccessful in this attempt I boarded the ship and met with the Indian immigrations officials who decided that it would be alright for me to still sail. It was decided that I would pick up a new passport in Burma and work on getting new visas from there. I was warned that I would most likely not be able to get off the ship in Burma because it is one of the most difficult countries in the world to get into. You can imagine what was going through my mind at this point. Disappointment. Shock. Frustration. A little before midnight I was informed that the top immigration official had changed his mind and decided that I could not leave India on the ship. !!! The SAS office was very helpful and tried as hard as humanly possible to keep me aboard the Explorer but in the end it wasn't enough. The officials needed a letter or statement from the consulate to let me stay aboard. The US consulate was of course closed and so I was told that I would have to wait until the next day. SAS arranged for me to stay in India for a few extra days so I could take care of the official paperwork. To me there is nothing more terrifying than being told that you are being left in a foreign country like India with no passport and no credit cards. It has been an experience to say the least, and all bad things aside I wouldn't change it for the world.

To be a foreigner in a strange land...
I have realized that even seeing an American face is something I take for granted now that I have gone a few days on my own. To be traveling as a foreigner with 684 other American college students is one thing... to be doing it alone is a whole new ball game. I have never been more stared at or photographed or questioned in my entire life. I have learned a lot about the way foreign government works and how valuable an American passport can be. I have been with a man (whose name I can't pronounce) who is helping me around the city during my extended Indian holiday. I have learned more about global issues in the past few days than I have this whole semester. Being American, I am told by my new friend, can get you anywhere. There are good people in this world, and there are bad people. When you get dragged down by the bad people, you must take it with a stride and move on. I am experiencing first hand what happens when corruption and poverty prevail in a country. My driver today asked me how much I had to pay off the police to file a report on my stolen passport. He was shocked when I told him I didn't have to pay anything. I guess if I wasn't on the ship when I dealt with the police it would have been a different story. This is the type of reality I am faced with right now. I have never felt like more of a foreigner in my life.

Burma or Bust...
It has been a complicated but rewarding week for me. I have seen so much and wish that I could share every single detail with you all. For now I will just say that I am still in India, I am still safe, and I am meeting up with the ship soon in Myanmar. I am flying to Singapore tomorrow and Yangon, Myanmar the next morning. I am actually really excited because I have always wanted to go to Singapore and now I get to. I wasn't expecting it to be under these circumstances, but there is an up side to every crazy adventure. I currently have a new passport and will soon have a new visa to enter Burma. I am definitely having an adventure out here but in all honesty I can't wait to see that ship again. I can't wait to hear what crazy rumors have been flying around about me and why I am stranded in India. My friends back aboard the ship said they would do some damage control for me and make sure that all the rumors were at least really exciting and cool. Maybe there is some crazy story about me getting thrown in a Indian prison or something by now. Haha, it should be fun to see when I get back. I can't wait to eat the ship food again and put on clean clothes and talk to an American. (Anyone ever seen the movie Brokedown Palace? I feel like I am trapped in it right now.) I am having fun with the situation at least and I really appreciate all the messages and phone calls of support that I have recieved. Hopefully I'll get some time in the near future to reflect more on all the craziness of this week and publish some more details. Cross your fingers that next time you hear from me it won't be from India. Burma or bust baby! More of Amber's crazy trip around the world to come...

Status Report:
Stranded in India! :)

PS- I saw the Taj Mahal for you Aunt Wendy. It was spectacular!