Five
One holiday you can almost predict is the Moslem month of
fasting. One of the
Five
That's because, like most early lunar calendars, the traditional
Moslem calendar uses true lunar months of 29.5 days (achieved by
alternating 29 and 30-day months). Such a 12-month lunar year takes
up 354 days, 11 days short of a standard 365 day year. The actual
date varies with geography because the date of the full moon does
as well. Here's a
ConverterFull
In many Moslem countries, during the entire month of Ramadan, food will become quite scarce during the day, when Moslem adults are proscribed from eating or drinking anything -- and also from smoking and sex. Those observing Ramadan may only break the fast during hours of darkness, where "dark" is traditionally defined as "when you cannot distinguish between a black thread and a white thread". For those with too many street lights, the local mosque will sound a call to make it official. In the very early morning, you may hear a clatter of pans in your inn as the family prepares a simple breakfast (called suhoor during Ramadan) before day breaks.
Many restaurants just close down for the entire month of Ramadan, making it difficult to find food at night, as well. The evening meal (called iftar during Ramadan) becomes a time to be home with the family. In some more traditional or rural areas, this meal is very simple and light, in keeping with the ideals of the month of austerity, sacrifice, and introspection. In a number of other countries however (Egypt, for example), -- and some urban areas -- every night of Ramadan is like a big family banquet of celebration after dark!
Please note that different Moslem countries have different levels of religious piety and observance. Turkey, for example, is no where near as strict or observant as its neighbor, Syria. This applies all year long where it can be difficult in Syria to find any place to "secretly" buy an alcoholic drink through a small window in a dark alley in the cities of Syria, while beer gardens flourish on the sidewalks of the main streets of Turkish cities. On the rural east coast of Malaysia you may find it difficult to find any food during the day in the month of Ramadan; while on the bustling (and more Chinese) west coast, you may not notice that any fasting is going on at all!And, yes, times do change -- as I have personally observed. In 1984 -- after the "Islamic Revolution" in Iran -- I was surprised to find that all the school girls in Malaysia were wearing modest head scarves, which were no where to be seen on my previous visit in 1974.
In any case, in many devout Muslim countries during Ramadan you will have more trouble finding cafes that are open, even at night. Seek out Chinese restaurants! While it is acceptable for non-Muslims to eat and drink during the daytime, it is best to do so in the privacy of your own room, and avoid offending (and irritating) people by eating and drinking -- or smoking -- in front of them. If your hotel is still serving breakfast, then it is meant for you. (Personally, I find it embarrassing to be served a big breakfast by waiters who are fasting.) Otherwise, stock up the night before on juice, yogurt, biscuits, or whatever you can find for an adequate breakfast in your room. In countries where alcohol is normally available, it may be prohibited during Ramadan. When Ramadan occurs in the heat of the summer, it is quite a hardship for people just to get through the day without eating or drinking. You will see many people taking a mid-day nap instead of gathering at the cafes and tea shops. Smoking is also prohibited in the daylight hours, and tempers can become short as hunger, thirst, and nicotine fits take control.
Following Ramadan, there is a big celebratory feast -- the Id-al-Fitr -- which lasts about three or four days. The feasting takes place in family homes, so many businesses -- including some restaurants -- remain closed, and many people are traveling.
More Cultural Notes on Ramadan: Id is pronounced EEd, and is often spelled Eid (Eid-al-Fitr, Eid-al-Adha). Another Id feast celebrates the last few days of the Hajj season -- for 3 or 4 days beginning on the 10th day of Dhul Hijjah (the 12th month) -- and is called Id-al-Adha. This will be Dec 20, 2007; Dec 8, 2008, Nov 27, 2009, Nov 16, 2010 ...etc. When you hear these events reported in Western media, they often say "They are celebrating the Id, which is the festival that comes after Ramadan [or Hajj]". That's probably because locals usually just say that it's "The Id", but each festival has a unique name, and should be called the "Id al Fitr" or "Id al Adha" to distinguish it.
Exceptions to the fasting rules are generally provided for children (under age 12 or 14), women during their menstrual period and while pregnant or nursing their child, and also in case of traveling far from home and of sickness for both men and women. In these cases, fasting is not required, but many people will fast during these times if it is not problematic. Children may be encouraged to fast for part of the day. Traditionally, for adults who find themselves unable to fast, they must feed a needy person for every day missed.
The Fickle Crescent Moon
As mentioned above, Ramadan (like the full moon) doesn't happen at exactly the same time everywhere in the world. More interestingly, it is open to differences of opinion. Usually, official "government" clerics determine if the crescent moon has been sighted at the proper time (usually at dusk, before dark) determining the beginning -- and the end -- of Ramadan. They usually allow input from citizens throughout the country. But adjacent countries may declare Ramadan on different days.
One morning in Amman, Jordan, I arose expectantly, hoping to have a nice breakfast on the street instead of another yoghurt and biscuits in my hotel room (which I failed to buy the night before). But outside, the streets were bare and the morning papers on the curb proclaimed the date to be the 30th of Ramadan, not the 1st of Shawal, as most people had expected! That hungry little crescent just did not appear over Amman!
In one recent year, Ramadan began on a Friday in the Middle East,
while in Indonesia and Malaysia it was Saturday; but it was
declared on Friday in the Phillipines! And Afghanistan
declared Ramadan on Friday, while in Pakistan, it was not
until Saturday! Also, while the Indonesian government declared
Ramadan to start on Saturday, a large Islamic political group in
Indonesia declared that it would begin observing Ramadan on
Friday. See also this article on
Crescent
indicates an external link to someone
else's web site.
To the extent that you can fit in with the flow of local lives and lifestyles, you will be better accepted and be in a better position to experience the way people really live. White people cannot fade into the wallpaper in Africa, nor non-Asians in China or Thailand, but this does not mean that you cannot be accepted in societies that are used to a variety (both good and bad) of expatriate residents. A great deal depends on your apparent position and how you treat people.
In Latin America, people of most ethnic groups have the opportunity
to blend in to some degree. There are large local populations of
pure fair skinned European stock, as well as pure blacks, Indians,
even Asians in several places -- and any mixture of the above. You
are usually distinguished by your clothing, manner, and speech.
Since I speak Spanish, I could sometimes pass myself off as a Cuban
or Northern Mexican. By buying some local clothing, you can at
least avoid being singled out as you walk down the street, if that
is your aim. (Photo,
left: Travelers in Madian, Swat Valley, Pakistan, blending in.)
Check
out Masculine Dress
under Glimpses of the
Road, back on Randy's Travel
Page.
Traveling is Hassles. I'm sorry, but I believe this to be absolutely true. I could go on to explain that all of Life is hassles and that we have all learned to minimize them by living by very strict routines in fixed dwellings and small social circles and spending money to avoid coming into contact with people, situations, or natural elements that just inherently strive to vex us in so many ways that we would otherwise rip our hair out in desperation. But I won't.
Travel is hassles. If you expect otherwise, you are doomed. If you were to travel around cheaply in western countries, you would also have hassles, just not quite as many. If every hassle that you encounter comes as a complete surprise, a personal affront, and a disappointment, you will be back home in no time at all.
A hassle is an inconvenience, an annoyance, a problem, a delay, an unexpectedly frustrating or unpleasant situation. It can be a hassle just trying to find a reasonable hotel or vegetarian food, dealing in an unknown foreign language, getting a package mailed, or buying a train ticket. Sometimes just getting a good night's sleep or buying a loaf of bread can be a hassle. Other common hassles involve dealing with bureaucracy, touts, hucksters and con-artists, lost luggage, endless delays, and struggling through the thousand public offices that human flesh is heir to.
Here is the key. Traveling is hassles. A good traveler avoids hassles. A good traveler avoids many more hassles than an inexperienced traveler, and enjoys his or her trip accordingly. Avoiding hassles is a major step to feeling At Home On the Road. Perhaps the major step, and it is an acquired skill.
You will inevitably be faced with hassles that you must deal with. Many of them are a part of the daily life in the countries you visit, and you just have to put up with them like everyone else does. But the more hassles you can avoid, the better. And you can avoid hassles. A large percentage -- well over half! -- of the hassles that an inexperienced traveler is plagued by, could have been avoided. Read that last sentence two more times, and quote me.
Avoiding hassles is a rather esoteric and demanding art form that I am already in the process of teaching you about. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of tips, tricks, maneuvers, nuances, packable items, and techniques to avoid hassles (read "have a good time"), a number of which are contained in my various travel notes on this site. You will discover and invent a few more each time you hit the Road. Some of the lessons you will not like, and will not follow. Many people, for example, prefer to invite more hassles on themselves rather than be rude to strangers. (See Security on the Street on another page.)
Preparation can mean just having what you need for any situation, so you don't have to go out looking for it when you suddenly come down with diarrhea on the bus, or need to mend your trousers in the wilderness. Or perhaps it means knowing what kind of locally available materials can be used to solve your problems.
Another important aspect of preparation is just having a good idea of what may be waiting for you out there, so that you aren't completely shocked by each new situation. At least when hassles first arise, you can say, "Oh, yeah! I read about this, it's pretty common. I need to get used to it, or learn how to avoid it."
I have provided lots of useful information on what to take, and the kinds of people and situations you may find on your travels. Along the way I make plenty of suggestions about how you dress, behave, and approach people, but it is not my intention to tell you how to act, or how to travel. Everyone has their own style and personality. Some people will naturally want to argue with every uncooperative local, while others will shy away from social interactions.
I won't try to force you to behave differently, but I will remind you that the more "acceptable", or respectable you look and act, the fewer hassles you will have. People will not usually come right up to you and complain about your dress or appearance, but anyone can be aware enough to notice the differences in their own dress and behavior relative to the local people, and to notice when it makes a difference in the way they are treated. Enough said.
If you are the type of person who learns from experience, you will develop a natural traveler's instinct for the kinds of situations that are bound to be fraught with hassles. The more you travel, the better your instincts will become. I tend to avoid horsecarts, touts, and taxis in many countries because my instincts (based on experience) tell me that it is only asking for aggravation. Moreover, good travel instincts should warn you when you have just entered the wrong bar, are dealing with the wrong merchant, or have picked up the wrong class of local "friends" -- and you should just back out and walk away.
Some of my instincts have become basic rules for travel. For example: Don't arrive in a strange town at night; Don't talk to people who approach you in stations; and Don't walk with your hands full. I tell you to avoid these situations because I know from experience that you are only inviting more hassles when you get into them.
Some of my personal guidelines are somewhat less intuitive even than instinct: I have vague superstitions never to stay at a hotel named Rex or Lido, a town called Milagros or Agua Dulce, or eat at a place with florescent lighting; but the Swiss Chalet and Hotel Europa are almost always good. Go figure. (I also try to stay clear of women named Lupe or Carmen.)
I am now going to teach you the one item -- just...one...single...item! -- that, if you take enough of it with you, will eliminate over half of the hassles that would otherwise befall you. Half! (You think that you should have to pay a lot of money for such worthwhile advice -- but it is priceless, and it is above any capitalist hucksterism.) Are you ready for it?
Time. Time is all you need. Yes, money helps, but it can also get in the way of your trip. I very strongly believe, and it is constantly reaffirmed to me by my own experience and the experiences of many other poor hassled travelers, that over half of the hassles you might encounter can be avoided by having plenty of extra time.
The reason is clear: many problems are caused by time constraints. Whenever you hear yourself lamenting, "But we don't have enough time to...", "We'll never get to Fat City before.....", "But we have to be in Gringo-tenango by Friday for....", then you are dealing with a time constraint.
The Three Ignoble Truths of Travel: (with
appoligies to the Buddha)
1. Traveling is hassles.That's it! It may take the experience of several travel incarnations (trips) for you to realize the importance of these truths, but when you do -- you will be freed into a life (or at least a few good travels) of splendid vagabondage! And I envy you that enlightening experience.
2. Hassles are caused by time constraints.
3. The good traveler avoids hassles by removing time constraints.
When you don't have enough time, you rush. When you rush, you don't pay attention, you get tired, and you make mistakes. You arrive in a strange city at 10 pm, you change money before you know the right rate, you trust a cheat or a conman because he promises to give you what you want in a hurry. When you rush, you need the rest of the world to rush along with you, and the Third World is just not that kind of a place. When you are in a rush, the smallest annoyance or obstacle can become a big hassle. Many of these problems can be solved in the wink of an eye: Take more time to avoid hassles. You will be surprised how easily a problem can be solved -- dissolved before your very eyes -- by removing time constraints.
The difference between "removing time constraints" and "taking more time" is important. While you can remove a number of time constraints by just taking more time, you will face a number of problems that cannot be solved simply by taking more time -- because what you want to do will not wait for you to get there. So, there are two ways to remove time constraints.
The obvious first technique is: Take more Time. "We'll just spend a few extra days along the way and catch the market next Sunday, instead of rushing to get there tomorrow." It is not always what you want to do, and you will of course end up spending more money by staying longer, but it need not be time wasted. Most people travel too fast anyway.
The second technique is to Remove Any and All Deadlines. "It will be too much of a hassle to get to Rio by carnival time, so we will just catch the carnival in Bahia" (a much better idea anyway). You cannot see everything you want to; you cannot visit every country in the dry season; you cannot hit every festival, parade, and cock-fight along the way. Relax and enjoy the everyday life. Plan to catch a few important festivals when you can, but often the most memorable ones are the small unexpected festivals that suddenly spring up under your window in a small village.
I try to limit my time constraints to one: my visa. I want to be out of the country before my visa expires; some people don't even bother with this one. It sets a time limit for my stay in that country; you can usually come back on a new visa, anyway. The other major time constraints that travelers place upon themselves are obligations at home, airplane tickets, meeting people, special events, and seasons. Be aware each time you place one of these constraints on yourself, and convince yourself that it is really necessary or unavoidable.
But even that is not enough. You should allow yourself more than enough time to get everything done at a reasonable (if not leisurely) pace, even on a day-to-day basis. It is easy to create minor time constraints that will make you rush.
For example: As soon as you arrive in the city, you queue up and buy a train ticket for two days later. In the meantime you need to extend your visa, pick up your mail, change money, mail a package, do your laundry and some shopping. Forget it! At home you could accomplish all this in a day or two, but in the Third World, it could easily take three or four days, even if you skip the laundry. Just imagine all the hassles you could have at the Immigration Office, the Post Office, or just finding your shopping needs -- especially if you are in a hurry. Your city stopover could turn into another mad rush between journeys.
Perhaps you can get it all done in two days, but don't count on it. If you do, you can enjoy a free day or two to walk around town or just relax at the hotel and a few cafes all day, getting some letter-writing done. Relaxing is not time wasted -- certainly not for a Vagabond; you need "down time", too. If you are on a limited trip and don't plan enough time for these situations, you will either be disappointed that you missed some of your intended destinations, or you will be in a mad rush all the time, or both.
More on time constraints on the next page...
Randy's Travel Page
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