Synthetics of the Subcontinent

Cryptic Moth left the Esperanza and her crew in San Diego with heavy hearts. We wish them nothing but success in their defense of our oceans.



We remain awed.
Thank you.



We hit stable land for only 5 hours before taking the red eye back to Toronto…for only 50 hours. We then had to catch a 20-hour flight to India for 3 weeks of shooting waste management in India.



So you can imagine, we arrived in New Delhi physically-drained, emotionally-raw and completely disoriented. Not a great combo on your first trip to India.



Luckily, Cryptic Moth is well-trained and well-connected. We were met/saved at the airport by Canadian entrepreneur and good friend, Andrew, who has been visiting India for more than a decade.



Cryptic Moth was thrilled to have Andrew’s expertise, like the car he rented – with driver, Tewari...



to take us immediately from the airport to the Himalayas.



Ian, however, was not thrilled to ride shotgun for the 6-hour nighttime OMYGODLOOKOUT gauntlet of cows, buses, trucks, cows, bicycles, tractors, mules, dogs, bulls, cows, motorcycles…



You think you get the picture…



…but you have no idea.



Somehow, we arrived in Chandigarh, the last major city before heading into the mountains.



The plan was to take a few days of rest in the Banjar Valley with a family that Andrew knows well.



Baldev and his family turned out to be truly great hosts. Not only were there scenic shots of forests and snow-capped mountains but Baldev set up interviews with the local magistrate on the effectiveness of recent bans on polyethylene plastic – locally called polythene – that are less than 70 microns (whatever that means?).



The big wig was P.R, a stoic man with a gentle thoroughness, able to administer streams of requests of everything from drivers’ licenses to land disputes.



Once we covered the major points of the interview over a cup of chai, Cryptic Moth chose a venue above P.R’s home, over a fence, and into a once used basketball court.



Perhaps happy with the interview, P.R. insisted we speak with another local government representative – one who oversees agricultural affairs. Vijay spoke soberly about eliminating plastic waste from remote mountain communities. “Bury it or burn it,” was the attitude.



Happily, it turns out the plastic ban exceeded expectations – only 6 people have been charged with selling bags that are too thin and replacements like newspaper are widely accepted. Locals also agreed that the “visual pollution” had been dramatic.



And yet, later that day we drove to a 2000m Jallorie Pass with epic backdrops filled with monkeys and feral cows – again – juxtaposed with a small dumpsite consisting mainly of plastic.



The following day, the Cryptic Moth team (which now included Andrew’s good friend and CMP interpreter, Nandu)...



...drove further north to spend a night at 3000m in Manali.



We arrived after dark and eventually found a great deal at the highest point overlooking “old Manali.”



The next morning we shot broll footage of scenic vistas and local market action and then as fast as we arrived, we were heading back…



Until Andrew suggested we visit a friend who lived nearby…just to say hi…



Now we have seen some hairy roads in India so far but this road – hand built – made even Tewari nervous.
Yes, it made for a great shot.



A quick hello/goodbye and we were gone. Coming down the mountain, we learned a thing or two about Indian driving. For instance, downshifting is frowned upon. Tewari basically rode the brake pads until they smoked, passing trucks on blind corners in 5th gear. Terrifying and yet oddly addictive.



Such beauty…such chaos…and the faces…and eyes…and smiles…and smells. We can't wait to see what's next.



Out.

I+G