It was the prison system in Nepal and my relationships with inmates living within it that led to a resolution, a resolution that wherever I travelled in the world I would attempt to visit a foreign prisoner. The purpose being to brighten their day and make life a little easier, whether it was bringing them food or supplies, sending off an email to a loved one back home, or just breaking up the monotony of their day.
After leaving Nepal in March 2009 I headed to India where I had booked a tour of the South. After the 3 week tour, which was excellent, I headed off on my own to Goa, a coastal paradise. There the plan was to meet up with my friend and fellow volunteer from Nepal, Allison. Plus, I had done some research before going and learnt that there was a prison in the area. So I planned to take my chances at visiting.
Well, looking back it was a dumb idea. I should have known that the completely open prison system that I had experienced in Nepal was not so in other countries. In Nepal (at that time), anyone could simply show up, look at a list of foreign prisoners on the wall and pick who they wanted to see. So I expected that it would be that easy in India as well.
Luckily the place where I would be meeting Allison was close by the prison. After finding a hotel I hired a taxi and off we went. On the way I stopped at a little store and picked up some basic things to give to the person who I expected to meet such as toiletries and some snacks.
We drove along the beautiful coast and arrived at a stone, fort-like prison on a cliff overlooking the ocean. It was so bizarre that a prison had been built in such a beautiful place. I remember thinking that apart from the fact that these prisoners were locked up, they sure were lucky to have such an amazing view!
I had a really good taxi driver; a young guy who spoke good English, and bless his heart he went and talked to the military type guards that were standing at the entrance of the prison. I knew it didn't look good when I noticed the visiting hours posted on the gate, and I wasn't there on one of those days. On top of that I learnt that only family members could visit, so it didn't even matter that it wasn't a visiting day. It was pretty clear that there was no Canadian girl charm that was going to get me in, so disappointed and dejected I left with my bag of goodies, all bought for nothing.
I think the taxi driver felt bad that I had hired him for nothing, so on the way back he played tour guide, taking me to a fort that was popular with tourists. I had no desire to tour this fort after the failed prison visit but went along with it given how kind he was being. The pictures are the prison and scenery on the way.
So India was a bust...
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