Top Tens

Get ready for a bunch of lists! I've been asked by just about everyone I know, what it's like being back, what I miss, what I am doing now and for how long will I stay. I'm still waiting to hear about the job in Peru, but for now, after a few weeks in America, I've put together several lists for your (or my ;) enjoyment. In no particular order:

Top Ten Things I Miss About India:

• Delicious Indian chai - anywhere, anytime
• Being surrounded by women in elegant rainbow colored saris and salwar kamiz
• Indian hospitality and of course my wonderful friends over there!
• Indian food (especially samosas, parathas, dal, malai kofta, Sathi lassi, and a Gujarati Thali!)
• Colorfully painted trucks and buses with funny words on the back and mini neon shrines inside
• Rickshaw rides with Indian drivers on Indian roads
• Random parades of people/kids/marching bands/floats/animals/lights etc
• Cute Indian children saying hello, excited to practice their English and encouraged to shake my hand
• The prices! Lodging and meals and books and clothes for under $3!
• Last, but definitely not least, the Indian head wobble :)

Top Ten Things I Do NOT Miss About India:

• The smell of urine randomly throughout town
• Dodging blobs of chunky multicolored spittle
• Neglected, begging children
• Wasting so much plastic because you can't drink tap water
• Incessant honking/jingling/beeping/blasting
• My perpetually dirty feet
• No toilet paper, squat toilets and bucket showers
• "Hello!" Being shouted at me every other minute/Being aggressively pestered in the marketplaces
• Being given wrong directions/information/time, usually in an effort to help, but often with an opposite effect
• Last and definitely most annoying, throwing of garbage on the ground

Top Ten Things That I Have Enjoyed About Being Back In America:

• Reuniting with so many marvelous friends
• Spending time with my family
• Being in a "home" that is somewhat mine
• Meat, cheese and spiked hot cocoa :)
• Going for jogs and starting to get back into shape
• My extra soft bed with it's electric blanket
• Feeling 100% clean
• Getting out of a backpack
• Change of clothes, especially my favorite hoody!
• Driving!

Top Ten Places That I Went In India:

• Leh, Ladakh
• McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh
• Manali, Himachal Pradesh
• Amritsar, Punjab
• Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh
• Pushkar, Rajasthan
• Bundi, Rajasthan
• Orcha, Madhya Pradesh
• Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Hampi, Karnataka

Top Ten Experiences While In India:

• Indian festivals (I couldn't narrow them down) Diwali, Uttarayan, Holi etc.
• Participating in an Indian wedding
• Riding camels in the Rajasthan
• Cross-country train rides
• The Pakistan border guard ceremony at Atari
• Attending a reading by the Dalai Lama and a Tibetan-in-exile protest
• Riding bikes down from the world's highest motorable pass (Khardung La, 5359m)
• Yatra season in Haridwar, Uttarakhand
• Being in a Bollywood Movie
• Participating in Rakhi, being interviewed, filmed, and on the 9 o'clock news

Phew! I've got lists galore, but I'll stop there for now :) I want to say a big THANKS to Caroline for visiting last week and Laura for having us over! I had so much fun with you two girls and look forward to our next reunion - PWoo! I am incredibly thrilled to be heading to Utah this week to see even MORE of my favorite people in the world. What a lucky girl I am!

Back! (for now)

I'm back! Back in the USofA. After ten months in sunny India and SE Asia, I've returned to the cold and rainy Pacific North West. My natural body temperature has always been a little lower than the average Joe, but I really think that by missing winter, my central heating put itself into hibernation until next fall. I simply cannot get warm!

My last few weeks in India were fantastic. I returned to Bundi for a third time. As I walked the streets, people recognized me and invited me in for chai. I spent time with my Indian family. One night, a pregnant woman and several of her female family and friends were over since she was close to labor and Rupa (my Indian mother) is a nurse. The power kept flickering on and off so candles were lit. We watched bits and pieces of a children comedians show - these kids were so funny, I was laughing out loud despite not understanding a word! Suddenly, Rupa emerged with a sari in hand and told me I needed to practice my sari wrapping skills. I proceeded to learn a couple different styles and then repeated the process several times, with all eyes on me until they were satisfied. I felt as though I was being initiated. Then Rupa asked me to teach them salsa dancing and thus, in the intermittent dim and bright lighting, with the help of my mini iPod speakers, I taught (and entertained) women in saris how to swivel their hips and spin with attitude :).

Back in Pushkar, I was unsuccessful in my attempt to surprise my friends and they all received me with open arms. It was so nice to be in familiar places with familiar friendly faces for a change. I had planned my visit to coincide with my last big Indian festival, Holi, a two day festival of light and color. The first day is celebrated with controlled fires in the streets and the first color being gently spread on eachother cheeks and hair. The second day (more often than not, after profuse drinking the night before), the real debauchery begins! Giant bags of rainbow powders and huge waterguns filled with colored water are produced. Starting in the early morning people, mostly men, gather in the market places and neighborhood parks to paint eachother as thoroughly and in as many colors as possible. Groups of men came to the hotel to entice the occupants out into the fray and I was warned not to go to the market since an unfortunate activity, sadly becoming a tradition, is the drunk men tearing off the clothes of anyone they can get their hands on (naïve female tourists being the most popular victims).

Holi is the one day in the entire Indian year in which the police look the other way, conservative values get blindfolds and Indians try to get all of their lust, passion, practical joking and curiosity out of their systems. The idea behind it though, covering everyone of various shades of white to brown to black, head to toe like an artists pallet, so that at the end of the day we all look the same, is a really attractive idea to me and I wish we had a similar holiday in the States! Of course, that extends into the next several days where everyone is various shades of pink since that's the color that seems to dye the skin (even after scrubbing in the pool and 5 showers!).

I did try to sneak down towards the marketplace in order to get some shots, you know me, despite the warnings. I thought I would be able to avoid the worst of the revelers. To my great disappointment, before getting even two minutes away from my hotel, I was approached by three boys in their twenties, colored powder in hand and while two of then spread it on my arms, the third reached as far down my shirt as he could before I reared back and walloped him across the face. They scurried off and although I was glad I got in a sound slap, they had ruined my optimism and I decided that as a single girl, with a camera to protect, perhaps I should not attempt the marketplace after all (as a side note, several girls did go down later with several of the guys, trusting they would be safe in a group. They were sadly mistaken. Two of the girls shirts were ripped open and others were fondled... such a shame that they ruin what could be a wonderful festival!).

I spent the rest of the day with my friends, playfully using eachother for canvases and then jumping in the pool so that the turquoise blue turned a delicate shade of lilac. Another sad farewell set me on my last overnight bus ride to Delhi. I bought an extra bag to carry my gifts and souvenirs and before I could drink one last chai, I was on my nearly 30 hour set of flights to the good ol' PNW. To those of you who read this, a BIG hug to all my lovely Indian friends! I miss you!

...

So what now? Well, I just finished reunioning with some of my favorite people in the world! First, my dear friend Fergus made his way to Washington to visit me, in this our fourth country together. I had a wonderful time showing him around Mt. Vernon, Anacortes, Portland, Cannon Beach and Seattle. We hiked, took pictures (including just a couple jumping shots ;), strolled markets, met some of my friends for delicious home cooked American food (Thanks Kate) and hilarious rounds of catchphrase (where Fergus earned a new nickname). We "caught a movie" and crashed at Dan and Nikki's (Thanks loves!), pot-lucked with some of my favorite Seattlites, toured the underground and he ate his first turkey bacon, American Burger, Krispy Kreme doughnut, Beef Jerky, Crackerjacks AND bacon icecream (God bless America hehe - and chef Niels)! Plus his first Baseball game (which I was quite pleased did not bore him to pieces :). So glad you could visit Fergus, I had a brilliant time, although the bruises from slugbug (not beetlebuggy) /yellowcar /minipunch are still healing, and I look forward to our next adventure!

Immediately back down in Oregon, I got to meet the newest addition to the pacific circle, little Violet Ross and chat with Angie, Annie and Katherine. I joined Dave and Lauren for dinner and my first encounter with Rock Band! And then again for a night of good food (cheers Nikki!), catchphrase and once the 6 bottles of wine kicked in, crazy camera antics! Ahhhh, I am absolutely in love with my friends!

Now, it's on to being productive, getting organized, getting a job (I've applied for a job in Peru this summer), looking forward to Caroline's visit next week and then my trip to Utah the week after that! Full schedule, but if anyone else wants to get together while I'm in the States, just let me know! :)

A Rare Valley

I've recently emerged from a rare valley in two senses of the word. I mentioned in the last entry that I would be visiting Hampi, a small town in a magical boulder-strewn landscape of banana plantations, freckled with more ruins, (a misnomer, as most were in surprisingly good shape) and temples still in use (more than 550 monuments), than I could have possibly explored in the measly three days that I was there.

I also found myself in a metaphorical valley, which even now I find hard to describe. Everything within me had sunk. My motivation was down, my spirit of adventure was down, my excitement of the next place, the next discovery, the next friend, were all just down.

Since my return to India, a yearning had been growing in my soul. Unidentifiable until a few weeks ago, but nonetheless heavy and concerning. Most of my blog entries and corespondances with friends and family have been filled with optimism and facination for everything around me, but an enigmatic feeling was demanding my attention and if I am to be entirely forthcoming, I thought I ought to share some of this with you :).

I finally realized that I needed peace. Yes, world peace would be nice, but I'm not running for Miss America. Inner peace is also somewhere on the list but what I needed is far less esoteric. I needed a little peace of mind and even more pressing, peace and quiet in my ears! Ha, having been in India for more than 8 months and most of that time spent on the move, various modes of transportation, friends houses, guesthouses, tents, waiting rooms, terminal platforms etc with no place to call my own. Without checkout times, someone waiting for me, time tables to review or tickets to book. No place absent from rickshaw touts or 'tour guides' or men shouting at you to follow them to a hotel for a commision, or every single product in their 5x10ft corner stall or did I mention a lovely Pashmina, "100% madam, cheap and best, I give you good price, first sale of the day, my good luck, please madam, looking is free, only look!". If I had a rupee for everytime someone hollared "Hello!" at me, not to me, at me, I could fund my trip. I would even take 50 paise for each horn honk/beep/blast/jingle and I would be a millionaire several times over - in USD. It has not mattered where I am; there is never a moment free of animal sounds, human sounds, traffic sounds, industrial sounds - noise. It is no wonder that this is the country that created yoga and meditation, where sadhus wander in search of enlightenment and hermits seek caves to escape the chaos (although I have my own theory of a natural magnetism that has developed in Indians. They seem to gravitate to each other, preferring to be shoulder to shoulder in an empty room than the personal bubble other societies deem necessary. What is the opposite of claustrophobia?)

All of this had been a weight increasing gradually despite the exciting day-to-day activities and warm, generous company. I felt as if I had no goal. That 2009 started aimlessly and question marks ahead were amassing faster than I could organize them. Travel, job, projects, relationships, potential relationships... I missed spending time with someone that actually knew me. Someone that understood me and shared more that a common travel schedule. You know, I missed being around my close friends. I, as shocking as it sounds even to me, needed some continuity in my life for a change.

One event suddenly accelerated the crescendo. With all of this and more, swirling viciously around in my head, a very dear friend of mine... decided I was no longer a dear friend of theirs. Saving you all the melodrama of heartache, I shall just say this came at a most inopportune time and indeed, I still feel a profound loss.

I battled each night with my inherent cheerfulness, sense of adventure and opportunity against this disconcerting angst and confusion.

My schedule had changed several times due to the cancellation of the wedding and twice the cancellation of a friend’s visit (and subsequent rescheduling) which only exacerbated the feeling of constant flux. With more time on my hands than expected, I talked myself into one last jaunt south to see Hampi, which I had wanted to see since the beginning of my trip, before I retreated north to Delhi. Thank Ganesh that I did, for it was in Hampi that I reached a stopping point in my decent, found peace however brief and could finally look up to see a little clarity versus the miasmic blur below.

Arriving in Hampi, I could tell it was absolutely my kind of place. Only one tenth of the sites are protected by the World Heritage Organization, so one could easily play Indian Jones and explore entire ancient complexes all alone. Perfect.

The first day, after checking out the main temple, I absconded to a hillock just outside town. Incredibly impressed with the sheer number of ruins, the explorer in me resurfaced. Around noon, I spotted a tiny temple of sorts, really just four granite pillars with a roof perched atop a huge pile of boulders. It looked difficult to reach, which not only appealed to my competitive side but also meant few others would be around. I set my compass.

It took me quite a while to find a viable way up and about half way there, hopping and climbing from rock to rock, I was stopped in my tracks by a family of monkeys. About 15-20 of them I would say, napping together, arms wrapped around each other. SO sweet! They paid me no attention while I snapped a few pictures until I suddenly noticed, having been glued to my camera lense, that one was inches away from my feet! Big curious eyes shone up at me and as I stepped backwards, several more of the younger monkeys gathered near. Instantly I realized I was on a tiny rock island and if the monkeys decided I was invading their grounds, I would be in trouble. With no loose rocks at my feet, the only thing I had to look like a weapon, was my wallet, Ha! I raised it as if to throw and they shrunk back but the longer that we stood there staring at each other, the more I realized they were not threatening me, they were purely curious. Soon, I allowed them to circle my feet, pinch my toes as if feeling the texture of the skin and pull at the elastic on my sandals. They were especially curious about my camera, their reflection in the lense and the flash. Ah, it was truly a rare interaction with animals in the wild, each demonstrating a distinct personality! I was enamoured by them. Eventually though, I slipped past them and continued up to my spot.
Secluded, yet in full view of the sunshine, the highest point in the area, with a marvellous view, I had been drawn here for a reason. I spent the next 4 hours here. Restless Thoughts kept cropping up, 'I should get a move on, wasting time, so much to explore', 'maybe I should go get a bite to eat or a bottle of water or check my email...’ I actually had to convince myself to stop moving. Stop thinking of things to fill the time and for once, just be. Slowly the feelings and ruminations that had settled like dust on my heart began to be swept up. In the relative quiet (though not silence), I allowed myself to do a little early spring cleaning :). I meditated, I sun bathed, I breathed, I even got up and danced to my ipod - it felt as though I was shooting a cheesy music video in this very unique setting :). And I smiled. I had reached a couple epiphanies and could finally start climbing back up (or literally back down since the sun was setting).


The next day I walked in a different direction, this time along a beautiful little river, temples nestled along the banks, villagers doing laundry and selling fresh fruit. I ventured upon a forgotten temple away from the rest and stepped inside. Taking my shoes off to feel the cool stone, the history beneath my feet. I walked through four or five doorways until I was in the inner sanctum sanctorum where the light was limited to a shaft above and glowed iridescently just like in a movie. And lo, silence! My ears rang, confused as they were, in the absence of sound. Absolute silence. The aura of sanctity and peace calmed my ears and soon, save for a bird chirp here and there, I could hear myself...

I wish I could bottle that place and carry it with me wherever I went, but it served it's purpose. I found it when I most needed it and it was like shutting down your system when it's on the fritz and rebooting. Starting fresh. It felt good.

On my last day, I had the morning to hike a little more, buy some fresh bananas and meet up with a friend of mine from Mumbai who had just arrived before I grabbed a bus to Goa, India's hippie coast. I spent several days on the beach in a small hut with a bunch of jolly Brits, swimming, hiking, watching movies, spotting dolphins, eating delicious shark and shopping at the famous flea market. Next stop was Pune for a night with a local chap to show me around, then Valentines Day spent on a 30hour train ride in which I boarded the wrong train to Delhi, but as I've been the recipient of many a wonderful Indian twists, a family including two boys around 20yrs old, sacrificed one of their berths for me and even bought me chocolate cake, wishing me a Happy Vday - what sweethearts! Yes, I was indeed on my way up :)

"India has a way of confounding you and still making you laugh about it." I read recently in the book, In Spite of the Gods. So true. I am now back in Delhi with my Austrian friends at their little oasis awaiting my friend's arrival on the 24th, which should serve to further clarify several pressing matters. After that, I have just a couple weeks before I board a jet plane back to the good ol' USofA! I am busy making plans to see a few friends, pick up a few gifts and enjoy a few of my favorite aspects of India before I leave. The rickshaw ride to the house, whizzing through traffic, the driver stopping for pan (an addictive minty concoction wrapped in a leaf, chewed for seemingly hours and requiring the repetetive ejection of red juice), even the beeping had become endearing again and I know I will sorely miss it.

Mumbai Mania

Phew! I am sure falling behind on my updates! At the risk of omitting certain facts and observations, let me instead summarize the exciting, glamorous and educational chaos that was Mumbai.

First let me say I have become a huge fan of the website www.couchsurfing.com, which in March, will reach it's one millionth member (could be you)! I have used it 3 times now with resounding results! Each time, I met brilliant people that not only offered me a place to stay, a home being so much better than a rundown lonely guesthouse, but also shared unique perspectives on their respective hometowns and provided excellent company out in the nightclubs/pubs, camping, festivals, beaches and eyeopening tours like my "slumdog tour" on motorbike. A big thanks to all those I met through the site, through friends of friends and special thanks goes to Jayant, Mahesh, Rushank, and Sanu!

Mumbai, like the rest of India is a city full of contrast. I feel I overuse that word, but nothing is more true. That being said, Mumbai is extremely unique in it's modernity and style. I had the chance to see Slumdog Millionaire while I was in Ahmedabad (before it came out ;) and then again in the theatre in Mumbai. I loved it and highly recommend it although, the same cannot be said of my Mumbaiker friends, most of whom feel it sets Mumbai in an undeserving negative light. If you understand the film is just one fictional story, and not meant to be a documentary, then it is hard not to appreciate the score, the cinematography and the screenplay - go see it for yourself and tell me what you think! My friend Steve said that the sheer enthusiasm for life was what shone through and it made him want to come here - Yes! :)

Rushank, one outspoken Mumbaiker made it a goal to take me on a tour of his Mumbai vs Slumdog's Mumbai. I got to see all of the places that they filmed as well as his favorite parts of the city (which I had to buy a pair of heeled shoes for as my backpacker garb just wouldn't do ;). It was one of my favorite days in the city!

Many of my 12 days in Mumbai were spent wandering various parts of the massive city. Eating the local specialty of Bhel Puri on Juhu beach, visiting the Iscon temple and the quiet national forest for a long walk to some ancient caves, more caves on elephanta island, being impressed by the beautiful architecture of the Colaba area including the imposing Victoria Train Station, Taj Mahal Hotel and India Gate, finding a cafe that served a surprisingly tasty Washington Apple soup(!) and one day trip out to the secluded Khim beach with a random mix of travelers. The nights were not any less exciting!

One of the highlights of course, for those of you that noticed my status updates on facebook, was my taste of the bollywood scene! I absolutely adore the movies that I have seen since I have been here in India, Om Shanti Om being my favorite! I made it a goal to be an extra in one while I was in town, since I heard that they are often looking for foreigners. My luck held and I was approached by an agent my third day in town. It took a while for the right time to work out, but eventually I was in one TV series (where myself and another white girl, the token foreigners in an episode set in Canada, had to wear skimpy little outfits as opposed to the normal jeans and jackets of the other girls - typical) and two movies (London Dreams with the mega-star Salman Khan, yes I even got to shake his hand haha and Phir which starred a lesser known actor but was actually a lot more fun to shoot)!

Each of the movie shoots were about 12 hours long, most of which we waited and waited and waited. The food was good though, we were well taken care of with mineral water and fresh chai and for the second movie, I even got hair and makeup and costume! All the glamour you could expect for being an extra :). I hope to get pics up soon although the computers have not been very friendly towards uploads lately!

On my last night, a couple friends took me to a viewpoint to get a shot of the city. We sat around and chatted for a bit until a "tourist police" jeep rolled up and wanted to know what we were doing. We most certainly looked like hooligans up to no good so I am sure they were just doing their job. A 'discussion' took place between my friends and the 'authorities' which hovered around a) some document my friend did not have with him, I think an auto registration? and b) what a foreign girl was doing alone with two boys this late at night (nearing midnight). After some time, a (monetary) agreement was made and the police were on their way. Lovely impression to leave on a tourist when my poor friends were just trying to show me the good side of Mumbai!

One final highlight was an epic reunion. I have been in touch with a globetrotting friend of mine, Ivan, since we met in Germany in 2001. We met again in Austria in 2002, but since then, email and now facebook have been our only means to track each other all the while with hopes that our paths may cross again. And so they have! We were able to meet for a short 2 hours in a gorgeous rooftop restaurant with a sparkling view of the sun setting over the Indian Ocean since he happened to be here on business! This after 7 years! I love it :)

That night, I waved a wistful goodbye to Mumbai and arrived the next morning in Aurangabad, ready to explore 2nd century BC caves in the nearby towns of Ajanta and Ellora. I will unfortunately do them a great disservice by not going into detail, but they were both magnificent sites, chock full of incredible carvings, stone temples, sculptures and unbelievably well preserved paintings! I even saw the Bibi Ka Muqbara, nicknamed the "Baby Taj" for obvious reasons!

I've since been to Hampi, a truly magical place and will hopefully get that update, along with pics on here soon!

Kites, Cameras, Camping!

Uttarayan - The Kite Festival in Ahmedabad, India was a soaring success! Another big Thanks goes out to Ravi for convincing me to take that 39 hour (versus 40+ as I had expected. SO much better) train ride west - it was more than worth it!

Upon arrival in Ahmed, I took a quick bucket shower (although I needed a little more ;) and joined a group of locals and two Russian girls, Nastia and Sveta, on a small trip into town. They, like me, had been coaxed into coming west by Ravi and we quickly became friends. The next day, the three of us took an audio guided tour around town, visiting some of the major sites and markets. Small streets teemed with people not only buying their usual items, but also searching for the sharpest string (who would have thought string should ever be sharp?), multicolored and neatly spun, the freshest snacks of toasted and roasted goodies and of course the best kites, precisely shaped. That evening, we attended Alpesh's Birthday, which in proper Indian style, had a DJ, plenty of dancing and delicious home cooked food (and Gujarati dishes became one of my favorite Indian foods)!

On day one of the festival, the three of us foreigners arrived at the house around 11am, much much too late for the serious kite flyers of Ahmedabad, some of whom started as early as 4am! Friends and family sat around the living room stringing hundreds of kites (which is an art we learned) and soon enough we were up on the rooftop with millions of others ready to take to the skies. We all tried our hand at kite flying - kite fighting is quite a bit more advanced for a beginner like me and I am sad to say I lost every time! I was simply in awe of the scene and could barely put my camera down! After a brief lunch break, the flying resumed.

Every telephone and electrical wire were decorated in brightly colored tissue tatters and shards of wicker. Tens of thousands of fluttering rainbow manta rays, hopes and joys, slicing through the air, rising and falling, battling for space, for supremacy, rooftops suddenly bursting into raucous cheers of victory, bonding of generations, of neighbors and even of cultures - everyone wanted a chance to teach us! Kites littered the roof, patiently waiting their turn to soar. As the day progressed, food and freshly brewed chai appeared, music intensified and came from more and more directions, fervor grew and above all the cacophony, the city's huge smile could be heard.

The sun set slowly, relishing the sight of the polka-dotted sky and before the last rays dropped below the horizon, the fireworks began. Again, unlike regular fireworks displays, there was no one focus point. All around us, bursts of light and sound and color echoed the excitement of the day and the whole city partied into the night. And the BEST thing about the festival? We got to do it all over again the next day!! Day two brought even more serious kite-fights, everyone using up the rest of their kites in friendly competition. I was determined to get mine up and away on my own and somewhat managed that goal before another swooped in and cut me. I even conducted a little salsa lesson in the afternoon! The locals we met, besides opening their homes, serving us tasty food and teaching us about everything, were just the most friendly and fun people to spend the day with! My heartfelt thanks goes to Alpesh, Anshu, Dhara, Hiral, Kushal, Veeral, and all the rest of the gang for making us feel so welcome!

The next day, we did a little more sight-seeing including a visit to Ghandi's Ashram and ate the best thali (Gujarati) that I have ever had. In the evening, Anshu and Alpesh (professional photographers), gave me the honor of a photoshoot in Indian traditional dress! I love photography and I love dressing up so what more could I ask for!! I had a lot of fun, but I also learned a couple of things: 1) I am not a natural model and much more comfortable behind the camera! 2) As much as I would like to believe otherwise, when it takes nearly an hour to make the sari look right on you (including taping jewelry to your ears since you are the only female in India without piercings), I doubt I have a drop of Indian blood in me! :)

Early the next morning, about 20 of us met to go camping. Most were on motorbikes as we sped off to the countryside, away from the noise and pollution of the city. I watched the swish and swoops of skirts and saris pass by as if the gods looked down upon the dull greys, greens and browns, cement and bricks and grabbed a paintbrush to say "Let there be life. Let there be color!" We reached the peaceful Polo Retreat with 15th century ruins, a quiet river and a couple small hills to climb in time for lunch from an open flame. During the course of the day, we cooled off in a pond, played catch and frisbee, (the foreigners) signed autographs for a group of sweet school children, very excited for the chance to practice their english and then came the campfire!

Who of us has not stared into a fire and become lost in flickering thought? I certainly appreciate that aspect of American culture - the good ol' camp-fire (unfortunately no s'mores out here)! We did however procure a couple bottles of inebriant, once again I find myself embroiled in illegal activity, for Gujarat is a dry state and mostly vegetarian. We played a form of charades, shared fireside banter and later in the night even listened to a few hindi limericks and sang our favorite Bollywood tunes! A fantastic day all together, we savored the last bits of warmth, before settling into sleep. Morning called us to the top of a hill for a 5 hour hike - something else I have really missed lately and then we were back on the bikes heading south.

I decided at the last minute to continue on to Mumbai from there, so my friends helped me get on the right bus and I was off! I've been here over a week now and had quite a few adventures - that update to come soon (hopefully)!

An epic journey ahead

2009 has begun just as I would like it to - flights, buses, rickshaws, cars and motorbikes! Tonight, I can add trains to that list since I will be on the looongest ride of my life - 40+ hours!! I have been convinced by a new friend of mine, Ravi, to attend a huge Kite Festival in Ahmedabad which is on the opposite side of the country. He has promised crowded skies of swooping and slicing kites with glass lines, kids chasing in the streets and every rooftop full of celebrants, good food and music... how could I resist?? Plus a big group is going camping afterwards near some old Mughal ruins - bonus! :)

My layover in Dhaka was once again eventful,

but this time, instead of chatting with two strangers, I got to see one of my favorite people in the whole world - Alisa! We spent a ridiculously short 24hours catching up, musing, analyzing, laughing, exploring, shopping and thankful for this incredible opportunity to see eachother in Bangladesh of all places! Alisa even got so excited, she decided to play an impromptu game of hide-n-seek :) Ahh, that's my Lis! I hope for many many more random meet-ups like this!

Wish me luck with this grand journey (on the rails/in life :) and I will try to update you all after the festival!

**As per Ravi's comment, Yes, once I arrived, I realized the ruins were actually beautiful temples and cenotaphs ruined not built by the Mughals!

Year in Review (and what a year!)

Back in Bangkok for my first flight of 2009 and I thought I'd write a little summary of 2008 in recognition of what was one of the best years of my life!

2008 started off in the company of my dear Kodak Kids in Sunny California during the Rose Parade. We rang in the new year properly with champagne, good food and dancing and then all got up early for a long days work. Little did we know, that our upcoming 'month off' would actually set us free of Kodak Inspiration and on a hunt for the next. I spent half of January with my wonderful friends Kev, Keith, Crafton, Rhi, and new friends Sarah, Pat and Lu on the snowy slopes of Eagle and Vale, Colorado facing below freezing temperatures, snowboarding crystal powders and tromping up to lakes of ice on snowshoes. The hottub and spiked hot chocolate are also not to be forgotten!

The second half of the month and into February, I had the luxury of adding 3 new countries to my list and reuniting with more wonderful people. First, I met me Mom in Ireland (said with an Irish accent ;) and we toured around the cold, grey, but still bonnie green countryside. We also did a wee bit of site-seeing in England including stonehenge and London and munching on our first authentic 'fish-n-chips'. Next stop was the Netherlands, picked up by my dear friend Sebastiaan who took his job of official Dutch tour guide seriously. One week was hardly enough, but I saw more than I could have expected, including the famed windmills, Gouda, Amsterdam and his lovely parents (who make the best pancakes in Holland). I even got in some club dancing with his friends and a night of salsa as well! Finally, I flew back to the UK for a crazy mixed-up pick-up by my buddies Fergus and Kev. I spent one splendid week in their company, bowling, museuming, running, dancing, eating, staying up past midnight to watch THE game (the SuperBowl for my non-American readers ;) and learning more than necessary about Rugby. A truly disheartening farewell with wishes given in pence and revolving door goodbyes sent me on my return to the states to figure out what next.

One insane string of flights (London-Frankfurt-Atlanta-Daytona-Atlanta-LA-Seattle) brought me safely back into WA to see my parents and I even had time for a Tuesday Pot-Luck Dinner with some of my favorite people in Seattle (shout out to Craig, Neils and Brandon!) before my luck held true and a friend of mine hired me for a job beginning the following week. I barely had time to repack my bags before I was on my way to the Big Easy, New Orleans, Louisiana! I worked as a guide for Rustic Pathways assisting HS Students in their quest to volunteer their spring break helping residents and victims of Hurricane Katrina. We built houses, restored wetlands, cleaned neighborhoods and gave our time to the foodbank. It was a fantastic experience and the absolutely incredible music scene of NOLA was the icing on the cake! A HUGE Thank you is owed to my friend Mike and my sbrpnola08 girls, Lauren and Deanna! The three of us had a brilliant time once the work was over road-tripping parts of LA, AL, MS and FL!

During the 6 weeks in N'awlins, I applied and got a position with Rustic in India, which I had wanted to see for years. The month of May was a month of reunions seeing long lost friends in Seattle, Arlington, Portland, Hillsboro and good ol' Salt Lake city. The best part was seeing 3 new arrivals (I think I had about 6 or 7 births announced this year!), the little ones of my friends are just the cutest babies in the whole world!! :)

Half way through the year on June 1st, I landed half way around the world in New Delhi, India. Met by two of my newest friends and co-workers, Scott and Shira, I ventured into the country I would spend most of the next 10 months of my life. The rest of the Rustic Staff, Kalsang, Eric, Tina, Braden and Dalas trained hard in Mcleod Ganj (home of the Dalai lama) before being joined by our darling students for weeks of volunteer work with Tibetan refugees (building a basketball court, english conversation, road repair, tree planting and cultural experiences). It was wonderful working with these kids and learning alongside them. Dealing with sickness abroad is not easy when it comes to yourself, but looking after 18 ducklings is much more difficult! Time flew and before I knew it, the yoga and mud-digging and meditaion and momo making and Tibetan dance parties were over and I was off on my backpacking India adventure!

Tina joined me on an epic trip to Amritsar and the Pakistan border before we parted ways and I journeyed up north. In summary, Manali was a calm little mountain town but ladakh/kashmir (not to mention the 20-24 hour bus trip there and back) was strikingly beautiful! I have never been someplace where the sky is so blue and the people so warm. My birthday adventure of bike riding down from the worlds highest motorable pass was brilliant with two new travel-buddies Emma and Ange and the monasteries and stupas some of the most impressive buildings I have ever seen!

Emma and I returned to a normal elevation for a true backpacking schedule of Manali-Shimla-Chandigar-Haridwar-Rishikesh where she stopped off for some yoga and beetles nostalgia whereas I met up with Austrian friends of mine that I had known in Athens, but now live in Delhi. I cleaned up, relaxed and hit the road again with Tina and Shira to Jaipur, one last fling before we parted ways (yet another sad farewell) and I continued on a tour of Rajasthan, one of Indias most colorful states.

Its hard to summarize Rajasthan, but Jaipur (beautiful fort and palaces), Jodhpur (another impressive fort and my first Indian wedding), Jaisalmer (camel jockeying and desert fireworks), Mt. Abu (cool lake and ice cream), Chittorgarh (Asias largest fort at 700 acres and royal hospitality), Pushkar (2 weeks of swimming, learning Hindi, hiking to temples and good friends) and finally Bundi (perhaps my favorite place in India, spending 3 weeks with my adoptive Indian family, dressing up in a sari and even being on the 9pm news!).

A second reunion with my dear friend Sebastiaan, followed by a month through Agra (the majestic Taj Mahal), Orchha (a secret Indian garden), Kajuraho (Kama Sutra Temples), Varanassi (Indias most sacred city for Diwali, Indias most popular festival) and into Nepal for Himalayan trekking and site-seeing! Sebas and I left eachothers side from Darjeeling and I had just over a week to spend in Calcutta before I flew to Thailand (with an eventful 25hour layover in Dhaka).

Next up was a family reunion with my parents, a little island hopping in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, a reunion with Ange and meeting some of her great friends in Bangkok. Finally, I spontaneously flew up to Chiang Mai and happened to meet a couple fantastic Indian/Nepalis that I spent my Christmas and New Years with... Without saying too much, there is possible romance ahead in 2009 - yes, this coming from the perpetually single and on-the-move-Jessie. Only time can tell!

2008 saw me in 9 new countries (31 total now with Bangladesh to be 32), 10 states, 31 flights, 4 road-trips, reuniting with a couple dozen of the most fantastic friends a girl could have and more memories than I could possibly keep straight if it wasnt for my camera, journal, blog and facebook ;). My love goes out to all those that read this (and onto those who dont as well :) and my only wish is that 2009 is even better for us all (which will be quite the feat)!!!

Sightseeing with Sebastiaan

Once again, I have a lot of catching up to do. With all the facinating things going on, that is truly a challenge, but this time I really am going to try my best to summarize!

Sebastiaan and I wasted no time in hitting the road as we left the comforts of Delhi on a tincan government bus to Agra. Along the way, we befriended Gabor, a nice hungarian that was biking though India with an occasional bus ride on the long stretches. We arrived late at night and while Sebas and I caught a rickshaw, Gabor raced behind us. I was really quite jealous that he had his own wheels - I miss a good workout terribly! In the morning we rose early to get the promised sunrise view of the Taj Mahal from our roof, but instead found a smoggy, faded outline of the famed mosoleum. The area around the Taj was cram-packed with ugly cement tenements and hotels, but the life going on was quite interesting to watch from above. We had one focus. This image we have seen so many times, all over the world, the whole reason we were here in the first place, was barely holding back the modern, conjested, ugly weight squeezing it from all sides. Kids were going to school and people were opening up shops, seemingly unaware of what was on the other side of that great wall - did they not realize they lived right next to the Taj Mahal? Of course they did, otherwise there would not be so many foreigners in their way.

We toured the sights. Agra Fort, the "baby taj", the river but most of our time was spent in awe of the great Taj Mahal and believe me, it is everything they say it is and more. I had my doubts. At $18 a ticket, its easily the most expensive sight in all of India and sometimes these places that are so over exposed can be disappointing but I could have spent the entire day just sitting on the clean white marble surrounding the Taj (everyone must remove their shoes before climbing up to the platform). My feet absorbed the energy, my imagination sparked and I had the rare sense that lifeless stone can be hewn by human heart and infused with spirit to emenate a timeless indescribable energy even now, 400 years later. I just wished I could appreciate it all by myself, somehow have a personal viewing... Im not often that impressed.

Sebas also got the chance to peddal our cycle rickshaw uphill and when we ran into our friend Gabor again after getting seperated he joined us for the Best Thali (typical Indian meal served on a metal plate with several small servings of various dishes - dal, mixed veg etc and chapati) in town, at a locals only place Id heard about. The same helpful local had convinced me to stop in Orchha on our way to Khajuraho which turned out to be incredible - it pays to listen to the locals!

Orchha, which means "hidden place", truly is like a secret garden. Everywere you looked, there were ruins of palaces and temples and one massive fort across the wide river running through town. While Sebas paid the Rs250 for the main sights, I chose to wander off into the countryside and explore the other hidden treasures Indiana Jones style. I followed some goats through an abandoned archway to a spot on the river where locals were doing laundry and hacked my way through overgrowth to an edifice whispering stories of its past... all to myself! I loved it!

Sebas had his first brush with Hinduism as we shared chai with the priest of a temple we came upon and beamed to me with his first tika (colorful blessing placed on the forehead). To my great disappointment, our schedule did not allow us to remain another day and we had to return to catch our bus to Khajuraho, famous for its Kama Sutra Temples.

The temples of Khajuraho had some of the most intricate carving I have seen in India and reminded me of the carvings of Copan in Honduras. The subect matter of course, differed vastly. To be honest though, it was not all ancient, wild sexual positions, but rather an open display of day to day life. It was more a celebration of woman with women writing letters, bathing, battle scenes, even agriculture - and yes, wild sexual positions. It was interesting to see some carvings covering their eyes, or looking away as well as some quite interested in what was going on - there was a lot of life and movement in that simple stone.

We met a young boy of about 12yrs old that helped us rent bikes and took us to the temples outside town. We spent a wonder afternoon peddaling around the old village, everything was SO photogenic but I didnt want to interupt the scene by pulling out my camera. I also discovered a new fruit called sandala in Hindi, maybe waterfruit in english? For those that know me, it was definitely a new fruit day in both senses of the phrase!

From there we took a bus and a train to Varanassi, Indias holiest city for Diwali, Indias biggest holiday. It is a celebration of light and the triumph of good over evil and one of the things Ive wanted to witness since I started learning about India. Although I believe its a place that does not reveal itself to most visitors, we were there during a special time and I think we had superb timing. As one of Indias largest cities we again encountered pollution and crowds and overwhelming smells. I was beginning to fear that Sebastiaan was going to take away a very negative view of the country Ive come to adore.

We explored the maze of alleyways, toured a silk factory, saw young boys that had been taken in from the street to learn the art of embroidery for free room and board, joined briefly in a cricket match with the backdrop of ancient temples (no matter how many times I play, Im still rubbish, but at least I didnt hold the bat like in baseball as Sebastiaan! ;) and finally made our way down to the dirty (to put it nicely) Ganges. We strolled along the ghats until we came to the main ghat where Sebas was convinced to get a whole-body, two-person massage while I people watched - there was so much to see! People with shaved heads coming to bathe after bringing their loved ones to the burning ghats, nearly naked yogis with dreadlock behives writhing atop their ash covered bodies, tourists with cameras pointed in all directions... again, such life!

We hired a boat to give us a tour and against my desires, we took a brief tour of the burning ghats. I was very uncomfortable there to say the least, the cessation of life there... I dont know, to a Hindu its the release of the spirit from the rebirth process so its a happy occasion, but for me... well too many thoughts to express here. I also dont hang out at cemeteries to watch burials, go figure.

The best part of our stay in Varanassi was upon returning to the main ghat we were ushured to another boat to watch the Diwali great puja (prayer ceremony). Again, I cant explain everything that happened here, but it was a magnificent sight, filled with color and fire and light and fireworks and music and chanting... As many people as could fit in the stairs and as many as had been lucky enough to be out on the water watched in a glow and immediately afterwards the whole city errupted in explosions. The Indians love their ear-bursting bombs! The great thing is that Ive seen plenty of fireworks in my time, but in the states its all very controlled. Here, I was getting showers of sparks coming down on my head from fire-fountains on rooftops. Rockets were shooting every-which way and around every corner we had to see if kids were covering their ears from a cherrybomb they had lit in the middle of the alley... at our feet. It was so much fun! We were invited to light fireworks on the rooftop of a shopkeeper and I know the sight and sound of pyrotechnics all around us and giant sparklers in our hands will be with me for a long time hence!

The next day we visited temples, Sebas witnessed the craze that came over a large group of boys at a parade we were watching when I was discovered and got a couple good pictures to prove it and finally a long trip (including our bus driving in the dark with no lights) brought us to the border of...

Nepal!!!

The Rest of Rajasthan (a novel)

Ahhh, now that’s more like it! I have returned to Delhi after an outstanding 2 weeks of adventure, new and old friends! Clearly, India had missed me during my unfortunate hiatus as much as I missed her, because she welcomed me back with open arms and surprises at every stop!

*Reader beware, this is a lengthy one so if you would like the summary, skip to the last paragraph :) Pictures to come soon.

I hopped on a night bus (the first of many) to Jodhpur, Rajasthan's blue city and arrived about 14 hours later. I hadn’t left the bus the entire time and hadn’t 'used the restroom' in about 17 so I was ready to burst! India doesn’t really cater to female travellers that way. As is common, the private bus stopped in the middle of nowhere so travellers are forced to hire a rickshaw. I refuse to lose that game so I usually get to amble in a direction chosen by my instincts or maybe a whiff of samosas until I shake the last tout from my trail. This time I wandered past a 5star hotel and decided that would be the best and probably only place to find a "public" toilet. The woman at the front desk gave me and my backpack a disapproving look but the man pointed me down the hall and I had a brief glimpse into a gorgeous hotel where other more, fortunate, travellers stay (they even provided toilet paper - what luxury!).

My friend in Pushkar had already phoned ahead so I had guesthouses expecting me in my next two destinations. I was given a nice room at the base of the beautiful Meherangarh Fort, ordered lunch from the rooftop cafe and then rested from the midday heat before getting out to explore. Despite the fact that it’s Oct, the temperature is still regularly around 33/92 degrees!

Since I was on my own, I had a couple things on my To-Do list, like get my hair cut and try to finally find a tailor who could make the top I designed. While wandering towards a market, I stopped in a spice shop and was pleased to get more than a sales pitch but actually a lesson on Indian spices from a girl about my age whose family had been in the spice business for decades. I bought a few of their special mixes and as I left asked her about a place to get my haircut. She wouldn’t recommend any in the area and said they would charge me an outrageous tourist price anyway so if I came back the next day, her mom would be happy to cut my hair. What luck!

In the market I found a fantastic little juice shop that sold a special "Makanhiya" Lassi for just Rs10 (about 25c) that was thick and sweet and delicious, now my second favorite treat in India (not including anything from Mcleod Ganj)! Then, on my way to a temple that I had seen from my roof, a shopkeeper, who I was originally sceptical of, accompanied me and ended up inviting me to his brothers wedding that night! Not only that, but he would take me to his family's tailor, who he promised would give me an Indian/honest price. My first day back in India proper and I can’t believe my good fortune. I was brought to his mother who gave me a Khagra to wear, the Rajasthani dress of a skirt, top and large scarf pleated and wrapped around me.

I am not sure I can properly put into words the menagerie that took place that night! I felt something like... part Disney Princess, part NBA Cheerleader. All the men wanted their picture taken with me and to dance with me. I was ushered into the photography session with the groom who grinned proudly as I, someone he has never seen in his life, stood next to him in front of 7 or 8 still and video cameras. Next, the women and darling little girls wanted to be in a picture with me, one even pulling me down, crowning me with her tiara and then each one dragging me in a different direction to meet someone or stand where they thought I should be standing.

The groom was finally draped with a huge vale of flowers, perched upon a white horse and led out into the streets, around the reception. Every 5 minutes or so the whole line would stop, the men in the front, the women in the back, the sweet little lower caste girls hired to carry lights on their heads and the band would intensify signalling a time to dance. More than once I was called back to my "proper" place with the women when I tried to sneak around and take pictures - silly foreign girl, get back here where you belong - and almost every time I was cajoled, sometimes tugged into the center of the circle for a performance which I must admit, lost its novelty after the first 3 or 4 rounds. The last stop, back inside, I’m pretty sure that drummer would have burst through his drum before stopping if I hadn’t insisted I was finished! I only have so many bollywood and Punjabi moves in my repertoire!

My new friend, who had anxiously shuffled between the men’s and women’s groups to make sure I was being taken care of, warned me not to talk to any other men and also proceeded to introduce me to every family member and friend that he could possibly find. After the food was served, people seemed to trickle out pretty quickly as the groom sat with other men on the stage apparently waiting for the bride to come at the auspicious hour chosen by the family astrologer sometime later that night. We too left in proper Indian style, I rode on a motorbike behind two men, side-saddle with my scarf fluttering behind me. What a brilliant day!!

I awoke early the next morning to get an omelette from the famous omelette-shop down town and then hike up to explore the fort. Admission was free for Indians and Rs 250 for foreigners but I had heard the audio guide was worth it and they were right. Chock full of information, I spent the whole afternoon wandering around and learning interesting tidbits about not only the forts history but also about many other places in Rajasthan. Jodhpur's maharaja still lives in one part. Afterwards, I went to get my haircut which was everything you could expect from a free haircut :) and then picked up my brand new Korta top which had been stitched as well as a separate undershirt as the material is see-through for the grand total of Rs60 (about $1.50) when I had previously been quoted Rs500 or the rock bottom price of Rs275. India can be very frustrating sometimes, so I was absolutely tickled to have accomplished so much in my first two days - and so successfully!

7am found me on my next bus towards Jaisalmer, Rajasthan’s golden city, sand-swept on the edge of the Thar Desert. About 5 hours later, I arrived and somehow news had already spread of my arrival, so a man boarded the bus a stop early with my name on a sign. I had not been able to get ahold of my contact in Jaisalmer so to make things easy, I just joined the man that had a jeep waiting for us to another hotel. I didn’t know that this decision would give me such an insight into what makes the underground tourism in Rajasthan tick! Suffice it to say, the manager of the place was quite the playboy and had touts everywhere. My friends all the way back in Pushkar, who are not connected to this gossip-ring mind you, even heard through the grape-vine about who I had been spotted with! The drama in Jaisalmer is a good story for another day, but I did indeed learn a lot about how things work here. I also ate dinner on the roof with the glitter of fireworks in my eyes as the end of a 9 day festival was celebrated all over town. More gifts from india :).

After researching prices, hemming and hawing about the possible uber-touristy-ness of a camel trek, I found a good price from a reputable agent and decided to go for it. It was absolutely the best decision! At 8am I met the other 9 riders from Argentina, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Germany, and Spain and we took a jeep about 50k from town to thankfully get away from the beaten track. After meeting our new steeds and mounting up, (my favorite part of the whole ride was when the camel would stand up! They are so tall, it’s almost like an amusement park ride! :), we set off into a landscape of barren plains and faded bushes. Truly, it was hot, but we were told that in the summer it can get up to 60/140degrees!! We stopped at a tiny village, which I must admit was not all that spectacular. The few people around stopped what they were doing to gaze at us or ask us for something (money, pen, my watch... one woman even took it for a while acting as though she would keep it. My Hindi came in handy!) and we moved on fairly quickly.

Lunch was taken under a small patch of trees while the camel’s ankles were bound and allowed to forage. We had fresh cooked veggies, chapatti and as much warm water as we could drink. For 3 hours, we waited for the sun to inch across the peak. I tried to get out and explore but there wasn’t much to see and the burning sand was quite cunning at finding flesh.

More camel riding, I would try to inch my camel into the lead, which from what I could tell she liked but was quite lazy about. Our last stop before camp was another small village that had an actual refrigerator, which means COLD drinks! It was the closest thing to an oasis that I’ve ever found and paying 3times the regular cost was well worth it!

Along the way, I was extremely tempted to stand up in my saddle. I don’t know why had such a strong urge but I believe mostly it was the challenge. It took me quite a while, Ill admit, as the gate of a camel through sand is not very smooth or regular but soon I had the other riders and even the camelmen cheering me on and then - I was up! And then down :). I could only ever stay standing for maybe 5-10 seconds before dropping back to my seat for fear of falling what must have been at least 10ft to the ground. What a thrill though! I loved it!

Camp was setup on rolling dunes just before sunset and a few of the boys and I had jumping contests in the sand while dinner was prepared. The camelmen sang for us (including one in English to the tune of Barbie Girl, something like - I’m a camelman, in a desert laaand... I only wish Id memorized more of the words through my laughter ;) and we swapped jokes and travel stories - always my favorite. I learned the two Israeli boys would be on the same bus to Udaipur with me so I would have some good company for a change.

After a crisp night in the open air, I awoke to a gentle pink sunrise, spotted with camel silhouettes and fresh chai delivered to my mat. It doesn’t get much better than that! Everything was gathered up and we to my delight we trotted the camels back towards the jeeps. My delight for all of about 30min and then I missed the smooth(er) sauntering of the pervious day. The more competitive of us wrested the lead from each other most of the way and I think we were all happy to see the jeeps come into view and take a last picture or two. Roi, Amir and I had just enough time to shower and have a bite for lunch before we took a sleeper bus to Udaipur in the south of Rajasthan.

Our schedules being fairly tight, after arriving in Udaipur, we decided just to stay the day and take night busses again to our respective destinations. With another recommendation from a friend, we kept our things and freshened up in the guesthouse with the highest rooftop in town. The three of us and about a dozen monkeys ooohed and ahhed at a rosy-bronze sunrise that glazed several palaces, a lake, waterways and a couple temples. Lovely! We spent the day touring the town, running errands and having a general good time. They were great travel buddies and it’s a shame we had to part so soon, but as things go, our busses were leaving at about the same time from the same station so we bid each other fond farewells. I had a somewhat uncomfortable ride to Bundi including my wallet being taken (or perhaps falling out of my bag) which is a first and a man behind me sneaking his hand through the side of my seat for a feel which not even close to a first.

In Bundi, I was heartily received and more people than I expected recognized me and invited me for a chai. I visited my favorite tailor who was too busy since it is Diwali season to fix a top of mine but obliged in embroidering my name in Hindi. It turned out marvellous and he even made me a little gift of a hankie with a rose and my name in English, from what he could tell from the Hindi, "Jusi". I love it!!

Pushkar was more catching up with friends and an invitation to my friend's family's home where I met his adorable parents and got to learn a little about what it’s like in an Indian Christian home. I certainly have met some wonderful people on my trip, especially in Rajasthan!

*So, in summary, I spent 11 days picking up major sights in Rajasthan, including the blue city of Jodhpur (with its impressive fort, spice market, lassis and omelettes and dancing the night away at a fabulously frenetic Indian wedding), the golden city of Jaisalmer (fireworks all night, all over town, taken in from my rooftop and an exciting camel safari/campout under the stars on the dunes), the fairytale city of Udaipur (watching the sunrise and sunset from the highest rooftop in town over two palaces on the lake and the gorgeous city palace and Jama temple) and then two too short stops in Bundi (to visit my adoptive Indian family) and Pushkar (to visit friends as good as family).

I know this has been a fairly verbose blog entry, but I still feel like I have left out so much! Every day here is a mixture of amusement and wonder - I only wish I could share more of it with you all!