Russian Guests vlog: waiting out the rain at Taptkund before our Himalyan trek

Waiting out the rain at Uma Giri Kutir at Taptkund Mahadev Mandir, before taking our Russian Guests on their first Himalayan trek.

It’s been more than two years with no guests visiting me at Taptkund. The pandemic / lockdown shut down tourist entry in India since mid March 2020 and only reopened in February 2022. During Navratri in October 2022, my friend Tara Giri brought his two Russian guests to stay with me, relativelyLocal style.

This was their first time in India. It was their first few weeks in the Himalayas, and my first time having strangers as guests at Uma Giri Kutir at Taptkund. I set them up with a room at my neighbour’s house next door. They came to my place throughout the day for meals and hanging out. Initially I didn’t realize they were starting their YouTube channel on this trip, (having left Russia to escape the war and potential draft).

This was the first time I was documented in my home. Not understanding Russian, I am not even able to understand their commentary of their experience hanging out here. At least you can get glimpses into what life is like, for two Russians in their mid 20s, traveling in India for the first time. Staying with me at Uma Giri Kutir at Taptkund was their fourth stop on their journey. In this video you’ll see them packing up and traveling from their last destination (Tara Giri’s ashram at Sakteshwar Mandir). And hear some of their early impressions of rural Himalayan life. You’ll also see us mostly hanging around, cooking and looking through old photos on the laptop of my first time in India.

Russians in India VLOG: waiting out the rain at Uma Giri Kutir at Taptkund Mahadev Mandir, before taking our Russian Guests on their first Himalayan trek to Jhuni.

Format: English / Hindi / Russian / Russian Subtitles