Winter Break -- All Over India

It's been a while! I have a feeling I'll only post 3 or 4 more blog entries before I leave India. My time is consumed with the documentary now, and we are editing non-stop every day. Classes start in a few days.

But yes, I've been gone for over a month -- zigzagging all over India!!! It's been really fun! First, Heather (my friend and former roommate) joined me for adventures in Rajasthan, Agra, and Dehli. And then I met up with Megan and Jennie for touring to Lucknow, Varanasi, Calcutta, Goa, and Kerella. India is freaking diverse!

It's so much, you just have to come here yourself!!! I won't narrate anything in detail, I'll just show the highlights and cool pics. The full photo story can be seen in my Mostly January 2008 - Winter Vacation album.

JAIPUR

(at a fort in Jaipur)

(a palace in Jaipur)

(the lake in Jaipur)

JODPHUR

(from our hotel rooftop)

(sweet lime soda)

(the fort in jodhpur)

(jodhpur the blue city)

(camel on the street)

(the clock tower)

(from our hotel rooftop)

UDAIPUR

(a palace in Udaipur)

(waiting in line)

(largest turban in the world)

(our friendly driver)

FROM UDAIPUR TO DELHI:

THE TRAIN RIDE FROM HELL

Basically, our waiting list reversations got canceled by the computer, and we ended up with "no reservation" tickets aka cattle car class. Then we bribed the train office to get sleeper seats. Then, in the non-AC (non-air conditioning) sleeper train, a girl puked on us. Then we had to stop in Jaipur and bought more "no reservation" tickets. Then we snuck on the "reservation" coach and pretended we were supposed to be there. Miraculously, the conductors didn't ask for our tickets even though they passed by and checked our neighbors 7 to 8 times. The journey from Udaipur to Delhi which originally would have cost us Rs.2000 each, ended up only costing us Rs.300 each as pseudo-stowaways. Currently worth $6.

AGRA

(Alison, Heather, Jeanne)

(That lady is also trying an illusion.)


LUCKNOW

Thanks Simz, we had a great time in Lucknow!!!

(at the palace with the maze in Lucknow)

(at a tiger reserve)

(elephant safari)

(on the elephant's butt)

VARANASI

(walking 2-3 miles to the ghats)

(buying saris)

(along the ghats)

(our rower)

(the ghats)

(Megan looks cool!)

(At Pappu's house, meeting his family)

(Pappu, the best rickshaw driver in the world!!!)


MUMBAI

Oh, we got stuck in Mumbai for a night after our plane got delayed and so we couldn't catch our connecting flight.

(night market)


GOA

(we sat under these every day)

(man selling books)

(nun and students play in water with boys in bg)

KERELA - KUMARAGUM & THEKADY

(black pepper plant)

(figs or something)

(cardamom plants)

(incense tree)

(the elephant kept whacking me with its ear)

KERELA - ALLEPY

(the backwaters)

(weird tree)

(we met these school kids in the jungle!)

(our awesome boathouse)

(Ahoy!)

(Megan and Jennie)
(view from our houseboat)

India is wicked awesome! I highly recommend traveling all these places! We stayed in some nice accomodations and took 3 plane rides and 3 train rides, and all that (not including food) averaged US$50 per day. Food probably cost $10 a day, eating at nice restaurants.