Two little girls watch the white man get a shave but by then end of it, we had a little bit of a crowd looking in.

We left Amristar at 1am and arrived in Udhampur at 10am. Udhampur is the furthest north we will be on this trip and I have to say I really liked it. The air was clean, mountains all around us and it wasn’t a busy city but more of a small village. The place kind of reminded me of Ecuador, which we know I love me some Ecuador.

We checked into a local hotel and 4 of us guys shared a room. I wanted a shower but as always my motto is “Photo first, then food, shower last!” and was happy others were starving as much as Drew and I were. So a group of us walked down the street looking for something edible to eat. We found a shabby little place of a restaurant but they were cooking the food outside on street and it look pleasing to eat, so we all decided it was probably as good as we were going to get in this tiny village. You know what, for 60Rs ($1.40) we got a kick ass meal that we all enjoyed. I finished before everyone, so I decided to play with the camera some. The guys cooking took a real keen interest to me and so I asked them if they wanted me to take their photo. As usual in this country, it went from 2 guys being photographed to about 5-6 and they all couldn’t wait to see the photo on the LCD screen of the camera afterwards.

We finished up eating, paid and started walking down the main but small road of the town. All the shops were open and people were full in the streets. In general this town gets next to nothing tourist wise for the most part, so it was no surprise that we got odd looks and giggles from kids to shop owners when we walked by. We didn’t really have a set plan on where we were going so we just walked aimlessly around.

Half the group split up and Drew, Todd, Lauren, Steve and I decided that maybe we guys wanted to finally get a shave in. It had been almost a week since I had one and Drew was looking a little shaggy as well. Drew and I both had decided that we would get a straight razor shave somewhere on this trip, as neither of us have had it done before. Todd was up for it to but think he was secretly waiting to see how it went for us first. So off we went looking for a barber with a steady hand.

We stopped at one place but the light didn’t look for photos, as Drew and I both wanted to document it. We walked up a little bit more and seen another shop with one old guy sitting in his chair looking bored. I walked up and asked if he could do a shave and he shook his head yes with a big smile. So Steve said he’d go first as it was he who brought up the idea to start with. He jumped into the seat and we all crowed around taking photos and videos.

The old man worked quickly and kind of thought we were funny because we were doing all these photos, guess maybe he didn’t understand all the fuss about it. So while Steve laid back in the chair getting shaved I bounced around the room trying to get the best shots I could in the bad lighting circumstances. After he was done, Steve got up and asked the guy how much. The Old man just shrugged and kind of waved his hands around, to which Steve’s reply was “I hate it when you guys do that, as I don’t know what is a fair price!” The old man didn’t really speak any English and only understood a few words we said, so Steve did his best to tell him 30Rs was a fair price. The guy did the same motion as before and we were all wondering what was going on. Finally I said I would go next and Steve said, “Ok, 100Rs and that is for the both of us, deal?” He just nodded and started to prep for my shave.

I’ve had a straight razor shave on my head once but never on my face and have to admit I was a little worried. As long as he used a new razor I was cool as I seen the work he did on Steve and knew he knew what he was doing. As requested he used a brand new razor blade and started lathering my face up, which tickled like crazy. He must have out a 2 inch coat of foam on my face but it was warm and the brush he used was soothing. Finally he went to make his first swipe just below my right side burn. I didn’t feel a thing and wouldn’t have even known he had made a cut if I hadn’t of seen it. Oh, this guy was good, he had the hands of a surgeon!

He finished my shave and the only time I got at all nervous really was when he was shaving around my throat… sorry couldn’t help but close my eyes on that part. Afterwards he wiped off my face, strayed water on it and got me all fresh and clean. He then added cream to my entire face and started giving me a face massage. This was for sure a first for me and have to admit, was nice. I was so relaxed by the end of it, that I almost just wanted to take a nap in the chair. While I was getting shaved, Lauren wanted to use my camera and see if she could figure it out some and Steve started talking to another guy who had walked in. Steve is the most talkative guy when it comes to locals because within 10min we knew this guys whole life story.

After my shave we all thanked him but the guy motioned for us to stay for a second. He went into his drawer and tried to give Steve back the money and muttered the word “gift”. We didn’t know it but when Steve went to pay the first time what the old man was really trying to say wasn’t “name your price” but “a gift from me to you.” We all were shocked and Steve insisted on paying something as he told him that he probably had a family to feed and couldn’t except it for free. So the old man reached back into his drawer and pulled out 60Rs and tried to give it back to Steve, as if to say we paid him too much. Again we were all floored by this mans honesty and kindness.

Most times it seems like were trying to get the bottom price on something or as the traveler we think we’re always getting ripped off. Then something like this happens and it just makes you feel so good. So much that you didn’t want to leave this small little village. So much that I want to come back to it and tell everyone else to at that. It confirms what I always think, that if you meet one good person at a place it will forever change you opinion of it. I often wonder if I ever did that for someone, left an impression so strong that when they left they felt good. I don’t know for sure if I have but it humbles me I met someone like this barber while traveling. It’s truly reasons like this that I keep traveling like I do, as who could argue that events like that are the best therapy in life?

Steve having his face pampered after the shave

Everyone watches me as he makes the first stroke with the razor

After the shave I get a face message… who doesn’t want that???

… and the finished product! Not one single nick on me and well worth the 50Rs ($1.10).

Ah, looks like someone has a case of the Mondies!!! Sorry but I had to add this photo because it was too funny. Basically, we were walking around and the old couple on the right was kind of following us for bit. Someone noticed them and said something to the group, which we all responded by turning around and smiling at them. We asked for a photo and the old man and women got real happy. This is the funny part though, as the two guys on the left we guessed were their sons but as you can see, the oldest son didn’t seem to happy about getting his photo taken, while the youngest son didn’t seem to know what was going on. I took 5 photos myself and all 5 the guy in the white shirt had the same expression… as in “I don’t want my photo taken Mommy! I don’t want it!!!!!!”

I still laugh every time I see this photo, as it totally cracks me up!

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