So I’m not doing a good job at keeping up on the travel blog. From Agra I went to Varanasi where I took no pictures! I was there for three days too. I think it is a place that is too large to be photographed well by the likes of me. There are autorickshaws zooming about everywhere, except the old city where they are not alowed because the streets are too narrow. Here people zip around in motorcycles which often requires jumping out of the way (hopefully not into the cow dung that is everywhere). So far the hawkers were the worst in Varanasi, especially when I would wonder around without Kevin. Though poor Kevin was being offered all sorts of lovely drugs anytime I was not near (and sometimes even when I was).  I’ve been turned off by the market scene. You have to expell a lot of energy to bargain for decent prices, and it is hard to know what a good price is to aim for. So sorry to everyone who wanted a souvenier.

Kevin and I went our seperate ways yesterday morning. I took a plane and a train to get to Jodhpur. And  during that commute I read Three Cups of Tea. I honestly think it is the best book I’ve ever read. Not for the writing, but what the book represents.  My mind has been turning around the same ideas over war and what is happening in Afganistan and Iraq for many years now. But it always seemed like the problem was too big. That the best I could do was cast my vote and campaign hard for the next president. But this is a story of how one person can do so much. And he is doing exactly what I think needs to be done.

I’m not so idealistic to think that war no longer has a place in modern society. Though I think that many times war could be avoided if people took the time and money to prevent it nonviolently.  Look at poor Afganistan.  We came in as heroes and disposed of their government and then left them. We left a country we had helped rip apart with no training, military backup, healthcare, homes,  or roads. And so the Taliban came into power. And so again we go back in ripping the country apart. And again we are leaving them, having done nothing to help them restore roads, hospitals, homes or schools. How are they suppose to rebuild themselves if we have taken everything? Do we really think that is a good idea? Do we really need to learn the same lesson twice? Yes, all these things cost money, but war costs so much more. And until we as Americans go back to being the generous nation of the world there will be no solution to the growing animosity towards us. We use to be known across the world for our humanitarian efforts. And now we are seen as selfish bullies and murderers.

What I think really needs to happen to secure the future and safety of  the USA does not involve building up the military. The military should not be in charge of rebuilding the countries it tears apart. Too often the money that is ‘earmarked’ for rebuilding is taken away to buy more bombs, more guns, given to warlords who then ‘lose’ it. They do not understand how to do this. We need a Department of Peace. For every town we bomb where innocent civilians are killed, there needs to be a seperate group that comes in setting up hospitals, training civilians to rebuild, practice basic medicine and supplying food. This should not be based on the whims and biases of the populous or the president. It should always happen. And it should be done by people who are trained to help make rebuilding happen and work, not shoot missiles. Greg Mortensen who is the ‘hero’ in Three Cups of Tea, is trying to help rebuild nations on his own. And so for the first time I feel like someone in America is doing what needs to be done. And I want to help him somehow. So I thought I’d start by telling everyone to go read his book. If you don’t want to buy a copy get one from the library or let me know and I’ll send you a copy.  I’m adding him to my list of charities. And for now I’m not sure past that what I can do presently. But I don’t want to forget that one person really can make a difference. That past all of this political tormoil, there are people who are beyond it making things happen.