you're back here in Germany. Did you even do not change! How was India? Do you have a culture shock?
India was great. I do not know where to start. All the many visual and emotional impressions, exciting and unique experiences, the abundance of stimuli. A culture shock I experienced definitely, and by trying to capture with a formula. But a culture shock subsides again. Thoughts and feelings act differently depending on the time perspective.
what way?
Well, when I flew from India to Dubai, I had the smell of the Indian taxi driver Beedis
still in his nose, his few words of English even in the ears and the images of the skyline but also the slums of Bombay in mind. Then cut, say flight. And around you, everything is different: new, modern, sterile, perfect. That is what a culture shock. You are with your feelings and thoughts or in one environment, while the body and the current perception is already in a different environment.
was the shock greater than after your stay in China in 2007?
Yes. Definitely. I believe this is due to the stark contrasts: India-Dubai-Beckum is more extreme than east coast of China-Hamburg.
What was so your best experience?
Since you're not the first to ask that. Hard to say, because it gave so much. Overall I would say I was glad to have within the seven weeks never once felt danger. I was always able to move freely. Well, maybe I had a little scared when I saw the tiger in the National Park in the face ... (Laughs) What comes to you because first thing in the head if you now (Note: 1 month after return) look back?
These are individual
scraps: pictures, conversations, feelings. The room in Udaipur overlooking the lake. Where I wanted to arrive first. Getting to the trip. It was my first day after the project in Chennai. Added to this was that I was weakened by diarrhea and a night of drinking. This room was a dream! Sounds kitischig, but was so! Other fragments: The first day - Mario and the girls have taken me great. Everything was so naturally at ease. The trip to the beach at Mamallapuram. Eight children in their arms in the slums, the squeaking with joy. The association of chain fragments of memory is going now, but I now want to make any sequence of images. There were indeed the slide show ... 
How was that for your journey. Have you traveled alone or with others? And where did you knew that? Actually, I'm alone traveled. But since one has the freedom to join another. So I got the camel trek with the two Chinese and Japanese made. The three I had met at the hotel. In Delhi and Agra I was traveling with Lydia. We had virtually agreed there. On the train ride to Mumbai, I got the Frenchwoman Julie met in Mumbai and we have made a day together shopping and sightseeing. The last day in Mumbai I was traveling with a group of Germans, a Swede and a Dane, who were in the same hotel. It was quite different, but very funny. We have experienced the incredible Ganpatty Festival, where devout Indians in remembrance of the deity Ganesha (the one with the elephant head) dance all day and sing and end up putting at countless small and large elephant statues in the sea. I estimate that there were 500,000 people on the streets, painted in red. The nice thing about traveling alone on that one is completely flexible and experienced a lot more chances to more than. Moreover, people take their own different way. And if someone wants to society, then it babbles to stop somebody. This is very good and is not a problem in India.
What is funny happened on the trips ?
was very fun to visit a temple in Kanchipuram. When Mario and I came back out, as smooth but two monkeys were sitting on our bikes. One was drinking a juice pack, the other looked in the mirror. These were the first two monkeys, I have encountered in India. In the town also began another coincidence: The hotel's four girls from Spain met and dined with them in the evening. 3 weeks later and 500 km are more Mario and I on the way to Ooty and meet at the platform, the four girls.
Another coincidence: On the bus from Udaipur to Jodhpur I met a couple. But they are directly went on to Jaisalmer. In Jodhpur I visited a fort and got to know this couple from Hamburg. Then I went to Jaisalmer on camel tour and from there to Delhi. In Delhi I meet at the platform then the first this couple again, and this was the second this couple together in Jaisalmer Tour gemacht.Die the world of travel is so damn small, even in India.
Basically it helpful to take a lot of things in India with humor and understanding. For example, chronic unreliability of the project staff. Otherwise, only makes you look even angry, you lose the fun and then not running the project. I have seen many smiling Indian and laughed a lot with Indians.
Now you have your time there with the book "Life of Pi" linked websites built and over again. Why?
for three reasons: First, the book
with guilt that I landed in India am. When I started it a second time to read the option led with India. The visualization of the language has made the zoo to me alive. I wanted to go there, in this Pondicherry. Second, the
have descriptions of people, society, swimming pools, religions have attracted the attraction to strange to immerse the increased curiosity in other cultures. Third, there
between the book and my time there always interfaces, points of contact and parallels. If you now have with the statements of the fictional character Pi Patel on my time in India, then a different perspective is on things.
That sounds interesting, but you could not before but Know how your time runs there!
What attracted you from a distance? I devoured the book twice, I fall into sections. Travel to India for me was a little deeper into the book. Many thoughts and ideas of Pi can be transferred even to me. Maybe that is because of this analogy, the book so appealing. I must also say that there are websites that do not fit at first glance to the blog text. In addition, the book was certainly not the only reason to go to India. The organization and the link to a friend (Anja) in India have certainly played a role. Well and finally, the gut feeling say "yo, let's go!" I had with my bosses and Sheila Kennedy to start an interesting conversation about choices: You do not know the gut feeling. For me, there is the difference between head, heart and gut feelings.
For me, the first part was very informative: The species, religions (although I have to Hinduism probably read again what should-on the first look many names of gods and many terms) over and thinking of Pi all this. The second part, I was impressed because I had not thought it possible that a "ride" in a life boat "experience" so much can. The text was any imagine boring and always compelling. As the book was for you?
nice on the first part, I find that Yann Martel tosses both in animals and in the religious descriptions small peaks. Humanization of animals, the religions, despite their actual equality and tranquility to today can debate (if meet the three Kirchenoberhäupte Pi at the fair, with his parents) and she takes another in his leg. Honestly, I've given up trying to understand Hinduism, it is simply too versatile. I get something, but all the gods, interpretations, stories, etc. are quite a lot, but also show the diversity of Hinduism. My "favorite god" in Hinduism is Lord Ganesha. He represents luck, success and wisdom. In addition, I have spent on his "birthday" a great day in Udaipur, and as mentioned above, witnessed the conclusion of the Ganesha festival in Mumbai.
What do you think of the protagonist Pi Patel?
Pi is not a typical hero. He sometimes seems helpless and tried out in its surroundings. The bizarre situation on the boat again and again leads to surprising, humorous situations. Pi does this very human, because he himself, his actions and decisions are reflected. Sometimes he looks weak and uncertain, sometimes strong and courageous. Little things this can make the difference. As in real life also. And Yann Martel describes these infinitesimal changes very precise and comprehensible.
And how was this place Pondicherry for you? You like this in the blog written almost nothing, even though it (isolated) j readers have even called a!
Pondicherry was a dream, an oasis. After 4 weeks in the turbulent, noisy, full and restless Chennai I needed a mental break. Runtergedüst'm alone with the bike the 130 miles. Have on the beaches of Mamallapuram Koval and maintained. In Pondy, I relaxed for three days. French Cuisine enjoyed. The time to elapse there: the speed of life adapted to the inner being and not to external influences. 'm Up in the morning to the sunrise did, meditate in an ashram. Here and there a good coffee, a few pages in a book, a piece of quiche Loraine or not. Useful for clearing out the mind was an Ayurvedic massage: naked on a massive wooden table in the warmed oil lying like an anchovy. The four hands of two well-trained Indians darted over my body in sync. It was painful but liberating. the way, is the much-described Zoo not. He is pure fiction. This I had already researched even before India. But it is my interest in Pondicherry has not decreased but increased. For what is this Place where a wonderful zoo is attributed?
And would fit a zoo to Pondicherry?
Yes, he would need the animals and the beauty of the place to be worthy. It would be hard for him as romantic, loving and scenic design, as he is in my mind based on the book. you wanted with your blog, the three worlds connect India Gecko PiPatel. How is your review on the blog?
The whole story was fun and many readers also had fun. Numbers are not crucial, but sometimes interesting. Every week, there were 77-247 requests. Of course mostly from Germany. I still wonder who came from the 10 requests from Brazil!
and have read all the blog really?
Of course! (Laughs) Typical reaction on my return was that I once looked at your blog and well, frankly, I myself usually only viewed the photos. But that's normal. My analyzer showed that the average stay is 4 minutes. So fast can not read!
you're first again in Germany. What are you doing now with the blog?
As I said, I had fun in propagating my own mustard. And that he tasted many has is also pleasant. And he who does not taste that reads just keep Spiegel Online or Facebook. The blog I will to continue running well. Still, as a "shipwreck with Gecko. However, it is less about India, but more about other topics that interest me and which I think could interest other people. A few ideas I've had.
And what about the photos? Authorized but not now disappear in the drawer!
I will not. First of all, I'm going to make me a decent photo album. This I have already risen in Udaipur. It has a leather cover, is shown on the Ganesha. Part of the Images is indeed still visible on the blog. What else is possible, I do not think so. We'll see.
Thank you for the Intierview! Thanks to all passengers who have endured and suffered with me shipwreck. Both here in Germany, as well as in India and Dubai. It was a beautiful shipwreck. Thanks also to the party since my return. You have asked the questions and helped me free myself from the culture shock. Especially to my parents and siblings, Ellen, my WG. Thanks also to Dennis: Your Mail the idea for this "interview" was.
