We are back in Madras (Chennai) at my grandmother's house after a 5 day drip in the mountains of western Tamil Nadu state (the same state that Madras is in). It is funny how her house can feel so much like home, and how you can long for it when you are gone.
But, we had a very nice trip, we left Christmas night on the night train, and traveled all night to Mysore. Indian trains are an experience (as are most things in india). You can see the tracks through the toilet hole, and you sleep on bunks that are stacked 3 high. Everyone and their brother takes the train in India, so getting to the train, and finding the right car and bed, and getting settled in is pure chaos... never mind the fact that you are trying to keep track of 10 people.
I don't know what we would do it we didn't have my dad to translate and talk to the drivers and people etc. After two hours in the van we ended up at the wrong resort (not sure whose fault that was) and after another 5 hours (because we had gone the wrong way) we finally arrived at the proper resort. Although, it is only 60 or 70 miles, because of the pure chaos that is travel in India, you can never travel more than 20-30 miles in an hour. During our time there, we went on 2 safari's and saw everything from elephants and leopards (15 feet from the road) to wild boar, peacocks & monkey's. Sadly, we were not able to ride on an elephant, thanks to the animal rights activists... however the soft top jeeps that were at least 20 years old were great fun.
We spent our 4th anniversary in Ooty, my favorite spot that I remember from my last trip. We drive up a mountain pass (they measure the distance by the hairpin turns - 36 turns). It is a one lane road filled with everything from busses and vans to motocycles with 2 adults and their two children to people walking. After creeping behind a bus for nearly a mile, the entire bus cheered as we passed them. The hills are covered in tea plants. They are harvested by women who carry a huge basket on their backs. These women are paid 60 rupees per day (about $1.50), and if they pick more than 25 kilos, they get 1 rupee (2 cents) per extra kilo. We toured a tea factory, and made the owners extremely happy when we bought 50+ bags of tea between all ten of us. :)
We then stopped in Coimbatore, where we have a bunch of family, and where my grandma will be moving early next year. We had a great time, and I had my first bucket bath (my grandma has water heaters and showers but our friend did not). Other than taking about an hour to heat a gallon of water, it wasn't bad.
We are now in our last stretch here in Chennai before heading home on the 5th. I will miss the food and my grandmother, and all the interesting sights, however I am looking forward to not being a spectical. I am SOOOO sick of everyone staring. In the US it is rude to stare, but in India, whether it is rude or not... everyone outright stares. Sometimes, I just stare back to make them feel uncomfortable, and some will finally avert their eyes, but some will just keep doing it! There is a chance I could pass for an Indian, but when you are traveling in a party of 10, with 4 very white americans there is no chance. I am also looking forward to calmer traffic, toilet paper, soap in all bathrooms, my bed, toilet paper and slightly cooler weather.
If it is not too much I am hoping to give you a day-by-day tour of our trip with pictures when I get back. I can't wait to show you all of my pictures!!! I have taken over 1500 pictures.
Happy New Year!!! It is 4:30pm on the 31st here so it will be New Year here 10 1/2 hours ahead of you! (if you live on the east coast). If I don't talk to you before, I will talk to you when we get back on the 7th!
Blessings,
Leah
P.S. This post was sponsored by my wonderful great-uncle who came to visit and brought his computer that has an India-wide wireless card!!
12.31.2006
12.21.2006
HELLO FROM JAPIUR
Hello!!
I am sorry it has taken me so long to update. Internet access has been less than available. :) We landed in India on the 13th, and spent 4 days in Chennai (Madras), spending time with my grandmother, eating FAARRR to much wonderful food, visiting where my dad went to school, a snake park, and a thousand little fabric, trinket & stainless steel shops. We also saw the sun rise on the Indian Ocean... they Bay of Bengal to be exact. On Sunday we went to a Tamil speaking church and my dad preached while the pastor translated. (My dad speaks Tamil, but for preaching they use a special dialect, which he said is like speaking in King James Version, so he spoke in English) and we sang away in a Manger a capella.
On Monday morning, we left at 3am for Delhi. We flew to Delhi and toured the city, then, after staying in one of the nastiest hotel ever, I was wondering if I would get flees from the mattress, and the carpet was damp 24/7, not to mention it was bright red. We left early the next morning for Agra... the Indian City of Love. :) The Taj Mahal is in the city of Agra, and no motorized vehicle is allowed in a 2 kilometer radius because of pollution, and no factories are allowed so that there is no pollution, so the city is filled with handicraft materials. Everything from bedding and hand-made rugs to hand carved marble and rose wood elephants. We got to the Taj Mahal around 6 and watched the sun rise... and Somebody asked a question, and Somebody said YES!!! CONGRATULATIONS TO RYAN & MEREDITH!!!!! (Keep end May/early June open!!)
Needless to say, we are more than a spectacle... 10 Americans traveling together. Everywhere we stop there are 10-20 beggars and sellers reaching their arms into our van trying to sell anything and everything. We have bought mini chess boards, ankle bracelets, colored elephants and much more... There is NO set price, they will tell any American at least 10 times the price, so we can usually talk them down to at least a 1/4 of the asking price, maybe less. It is quite fun. The key talk them down, and talk them down and then walk away... then they come running after you with the price you wanted.
Yesterday we headed from Agra, to Japiur... the Pink City. All the shops and buildings are covered in a redish mud clay paste, so everything looks pink, especially at sunset. When we were traveling yesterday the traffic stopped because a man had held up a few shops and was running with about 15 lacks ($600,000), so we sat on the road, with about 15 boys begging for pens near our bus, and waited for 2 hours while the police sorted everything out. The entire journey took about 8 hours.
Travel in India is very different. First, they drive on the other side of the road... most of the time. They horn is an extension of your voice, depending on how many honks and how long it can mean "I am passing you" "Please move over a little so I can get by" "You cut in front of me" "I am turning here" or "Get off the road." I have loved our drives, we see everything from boys playing cricket in the dirt with stones and women carrying cow dung patties on their head, to camels and elephants and auto rickshaws and bike rickshaws as well. We have been traveling in 12 passenger van, and most times the ac works, it has been nice.
Also, if you ever travel to India... don't forget toilet paper!! Most places now have western toilets (as opposed to a hole in the ground) but they don't have toilet paper. Often beggars will stand outside and sell napkins. :)
Thankfully we are staying in a nice hotel today and we were able to get on the Internet. I will try and upload a few pictures, but there are no promises. The one downside of having a 10 mega pixel camera is that it will kill the computer before it uploads! But not to worry, I have taken over 1000 pics so far, and we are only 1/3 of the way through. :) There will be plenty when we get home! Each picture tells a story, so I cannot wait to share them!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Blessings,
L
I am sorry it has taken me so long to update. Internet access has been less than available. :) We landed in India on the 13th, and spent 4 days in Chennai (Madras), spending time with my grandmother, eating FAARRR to much wonderful food, visiting where my dad went to school, a snake park, and a thousand little fabric, trinket & stainless steel shops. We also saw the sun rise on the Indian Ocean... they Bay of Bengal to be exact. On Sunday we went to a Tamil speaking church and my dad preached while the pastor translated. (My dad speaks Tamil, but for preaching they use a special dialect, which he said is like speaking in King James Version, so he spoke in English) and we sang away in a Manger a capella.
On Monday morning, we left at 3am for Delhi. We flew to Delhi and toured the city, then, after staying in one of the nastiest hotel ever, I was wondering if I would get flees from the mattress, and the carpet was damp 24/7, not to mention it was bright red. We left early the next morning for Agra... the Indian City of Love. :) The Taj Mahal is in the city of Agra, and no motorized vehicle is allowed in a 2 kilometer radius because of pollution, and no factories are allowed so that there is no pollution, so the city is filled with handicraft materials. Everything from bedding and hand-made rugs to hand carved marble and rose wood elephants. We got to the Taj Mahal around 6 and watched the sun rise... and Somebody asked a question, and Somebody said YES!!! CONGRATULATIONS TO RYAN & MEREDITH!!!!! (Keep end May/early June open!!)
Needless to say, we are more than a spectacle... 10 Americans traveling together. Everywhere we stop there are 10-20 beggars and sellers reaching their arms into our van trying to sell anything and everything. We have bought mini chess boards, ankle bracelets, colored elephants and much more... There is NO set price, they will tell any American at least 10 times the price, so we can usually talk them down to at least a 1/4 of the asking price, maybe less. It is quite fun. The key talk them down, and talk them down and then walk away... then they come running after you with the price you wanted.
Yesterday we headed from Agra, to Japiur... the Pink City. All the shops and buildings are covered in a redish mud clay paste, so everything looks pink, especially at sunset. When we were traveling yesterday the traffic stopped because a man had held up a few shops and was running with about 15 lacks ($600,000), so we sat on the road, with about 15 boys begging for pens near our bus, and waited for 2 hours while the police sorted everything out. The entire journey took about 8 hours.
Travel in India is very different. First, they drive on the other side of the road... most of the time. They horn is an extension of your voice, depending on how many honks and how long it can mean "I am passing you" "Please move over a little so I can get by" "You cut in front of me" "I am turning here" or "Get off the road." I have loved our drives, we see everything from boys playing cricket in the dirt with stones and women carrying cow dung patties on their head, to camels and elephants and auto rickshaws and bike rickshaws as well. We have been traveling in 12 passenger van, and most times the ac works, it has been nice.
Also, if you ever travel to India... don't forget toilet paper!! Most places now have western toilets (as opposed to a hole in the ground) but they don't have toilet paper. Often beggars will stand outside and sell napkins. :)
Thankfully we are staying in a nice hotel today and we were able to get on the Internet. I will try and upload a few pictures, but there are no promises. The one downside of having a 10 mega pixel camera is that it will kill the computer before it uploads! But not to worry, I have taken over 1000 pics so far, and we are only 1/3 of the way through. :) There will be plenty when we get home! Each picture tells a story, so I cannot wait to share them!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Blessings,
L
12.12.2006
In Malaysia
Hello from KL! (Never mind what is says, it is 8:30am on Wednesday).
After:
26 Hour in Airplanes AND 17 Hours in Airports we arrived in KL safe and will all bags!!
The computer here is not cooperating, so I don't have pictures yet, but hopefully when we get to India we can upload them!
One of our first impressions of KL, is that it feels like an American city. There are wide highways with lines (although, they don't drive like they have lines), there are green highway signs white letters... in English, and the high rises look like any American building. And even our hotel is covered with Christmas decorations. (Although, they don't quite understand, as they have the 7 dwarfs standing around a Christmas tree in the lobby, and Snow White is no where to be found).
I also didn't realize that the Malaysia doesn't really have its own culture, it is a mixture of everything else. There are Dutch, English, Portuguese, Indian, Chinese & Islamic influences, and even the Malay language is made a mish-mash of Mandarin, Arabic, Hindi & English.
The government owns most of the land, and employs a lot of the people. If you work for the government, you don't make any money, but you do get your house and car paid for, so it seems to entice most people. :) And if you some day want to move to Malaysia, don't plan on owning a foreign car, because the government, in an attempt to make sure people buy local cars, puts a 300% tax on all foreign cars, so your 7 series BMW would cost you a whopping $250,000 ($768,000 ringets).
So far we have visited a Chinatown market (anybody for a fake Rolex??), been to the top of the KL Tower, which has 360 degree views of the city, been to a chocolate factory, visited the central market with lots of little shops, almost died a few times in traffic, had lunch for $10 at an Indian restaurant (that it all 6 of us ate until we were stuffed, and even with tip it was only $3 each). Today we are taking a tour of the historic side of Kuala Lumpur and then heading to the airport, and we will be in India tonight!
L
After:
26 Hour in Airplanes AND 17 Hours in Airports we arrived in KL safe and will all bags!!
The computer here is not cooperating, so I don't have pictures yet, but hopefully when we get to India we can upload them!
One of our first impressions of KL, is that it feels like an American city. There are wide highways with lines (although, they don't drive like they have lines), there are green highway signs white letters... in English, and the high rises look like any American building. And even our hotel is covered with Christmas decorations. (Although, they don't quite understand, as they have the 7 dwarfs standing around a Christmas tree in the lobby, and Snow White is no where to be found).
I also didn't realize that the Malaysia doesn't really have its own culture, it is a mixture of everything else. There are Dutch, English, Portuguese, Indian, Chinese & Islamic influences, and even the Malay language is made a mish-mash of Mandarin, Arabic, Hindi & English.
The government owns most of the land, and employs a lot of the people. If you work for the government, you don't make any money, but you do get your house and car paid for, so it seems to entice most people. :) And if you some day want to move to Malaysia, don't plan on owning a foreign car, because the government, in an attempt to make sure people buy local cars, puts a 300% tax on all foreign cars, so your 7 series BMW would cost you a whopping $250,000 ($768,000 ringets).
So far we have visited a Chinatown market (anybody for a fake Rolex??), been to the top of the KL Tower, which has 360 degree views of the city, been to a chocolate factory, visited the central market with lots of little shops, almost died a few times in traffic, had lunch for $10 at an Indian restaurant (that it all 6 of us ate until we were stuffed, and even with tip it was only $3 each). Today we are taking a tour of the historic side of Kuala Lumpur and then heading to the airport, and we will be in India tonight!
L
12.08.2006
Signing Off...
Well, this will probably be our last post this side of the international date line! If I don't talk to you before...
Check back for posts, and hopefully pictures soon from Malaysia & India!!
L
MERRY CHRISTMAS &
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Check back for posts, and hopefully pictures soon from Malaysia & India!!
L
Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures
This morning we woke up to find that the pipes had been frozen solid during the night. (Well actually all 3 boys got into the shower a few second apart and found out, I slept until they all started talking about it loudly). So, after lamenting the scene for a few minutes, they all got dressed and headed out for work. I, on the other hand, could not think of going out with my nasty greasy hair slicked to my head and an unwashed face (thank you dad for burning that into me!).
Sooo...
Once the boys were gone, I emptied the ice maker, and put it on the stove (using my resourcefulness that I get from my mother's side of the family!) and then proceeded to wash my face and hair in the stock pot. I must say, it was not half bad, although I am very glad no one was there to laugh at me, because all the ice made only about 3 inches of water, and the pot was about 15 inches deep, so everything almost to my shoulders was in the pot before I hit the water. So, although the scene did conjure up memories from my grandmother's house as a girl with my head over the sink smelling the nasty iron water as my mom washed my hair, I think I would do it again if I had to... although, I will always prefer a real shower.
L
Sooo...
Once the boys were gone, I emptied the ice maker, and put it on the stove (using my resourcefulness that I get from my mother's side of the family!) and then proceeded to wash my face and hair in the stock pot. I must say, it was not half bad, although I am very glad no one was there to laugh at me, because all the ice made only about 3 inches of water, and the pot was about 15 inches deep, so everything almost to my shoulders was in the pot before I hit the water. So, although the scene did conjure up memories from my grandmother's house as a girl with my head over the sink smelling the nasty iron water as my mom washed my hair, I think I would do it again if I had to... although, I will always prefer a real shower.
L
BBLLLUURRRRRRR
On Day 1241...
I am sorry, my faithful readers, that we have been delinquent in posting. The last two weeks has been filled with fun, and busyness... and I am not shopping for Christmas at all! In an attempt to catch you up, before we leave TOMORROW... here are a few of the highlights...
My birthday! - I celebrated no less than 4 times! I had three birthday dinners, one out with my husband, one with family, and a final one with friends (which was cooked by Ryan, Jonathon & Drew and was great!). I got my traditional carrot cake, picked out a Christmas tree, was given a vita mix!!! and was even woken up by a call from my mother, singing happy birthday... horrible flashbacks to my childhood. :)
India Preparations - I have been shopping, shopping, shopping! Thankfully my mom went ahead of us, so we can bring what is missing... so I have bought shower curtains, bug spray (which is quite a feat in December!), gifts for our Compassion kids that we are going to visit!, cardamom seeds, gifts for relatives,Emergen-C, NyQuil, sandals, travelers checks, passports and visas, luggage tags, ear plugs, sheets and much much more. Thankfully after packing last night we still had an extra bag! Although I think that all our carry-ons are overweight... who allows only 12 lbs???
Christmas Parties - We have also attended 3 Christmas parties, one for work, one for choir and one with friends. At our choir party Ryan & I managed to pick up a nice purse and cookbook from the white elephant party. :)
Driveway - Well, the men who poured our driveway were not satisfied with the result, so they have graciously agreed to pull it up and re-pour it... however they started yesterday, so now I won't be able to park my car in the garage before we leave. I am still very thankful they are doing it, but it is just another thing to remember. (I had watched every morning to make sure they hadn't started, so I could get my car out of the garage... well yesterday morning I didn't check and I went to leave and they had just put the jack-hammer to the pavement, but hadn't turned it on... thank goodness!)
Christmas Concert - Every year our church puts on a Christmas Concert, which happens the first Sunday in December. So, 3 nights, Saturday & Sunday of last week were consumed with practice. The gospel was clearly presented through the lens of Christ's humility, and really understand what is meant when John said "The Word was Made Flesh." It was an amazing time, our choir director always does a finaminal job with the program, and this year was no different.
Christmas Cards - I love sending out Christmas cards. Despite Drew telling me I was crazy, we wrote a letter, and I had addressed 160 cards... they went in the mail this morning!
OK, back to all the other things I need to do!
L
I am sorry, my faithful readers, that we have been delinquent in posting. The last two weeks has been filled with fun, and busyness... and I am not shopping for Christmas at all! In an attempt to catch you up, before we leave TOMORROW... here are a few of the highlights...
My birthday! - I celebrated no less than 4 times! I had three birthday dinners, one out with my husband, one with family, and a final one with friends (which was cooked by Ryan, Jonathon & Drew and was great!). I got my traditional carrot cake, picked out a Christmas tree, was given a vita mix!!! and was even woken up by a call from my mother, singing happy birthday... horrible flashbacks to my childhood. :)
India Preparations - I have been shopping, shopping, shopping! Thankfully my mom went ahead of us, so we can bring what is missing... so I have bought shower curtains, bug spray (which is quite a feat in December!), gifts for our Compassion kids that we are going to visit!, cardamom seeds, gifts for relatives,Emergen-C, NyQuil, sandals, travelers checks, passports and visas, luggage tags, ear plugs, sheets and much much more. Thankfully after packing last night we still had an extra bag! Although I think that all our carry-ons are overweight... who allows only 12 lbs???
Christmas Parties - We have also attended 3 Christmas parties, one for work, one for choir and one with friends. At our choir party Ryan & I managed to pick up a nice purse and cookbook from the white elephant party. :)
Driveway - Well, the men who poured our driveway were not satisfied with the result, so they have graciously agreed to pull it up and re-pour it... however they started yesterday, so now I won't be able to park my car in the garage before we leave. I am still very thankful they are doing it, but it is just another thing to remember. (I had watched every morning to make sure they hadn't started, so I could get my car out of the garage... well yesterday morning I didn't check and I went to leave and they had just put the jack-hammer to the pavement, but hadn't turned it on... thank goodness!)
Christmas Concert - Every year our church puts on a Christmas Concert, which happens the first Sunday in December. So, 3 nights, Saturday & Sunday of last week were consumed with practice. The gospel was clearly presented through the lens of Christ's humility, and really understand what is meant when John said "The Word was Made Flesh." It was an amazing time, our choir director always does a finaminal job with the program, and this year was no different.
Christmas Cards - I love sending out Christmas cards. Despite Drew telling me I was crazy, we wrote a letter, and I had addressed 160 cards... they went in the mail this morning!
OK, back to all the other things I need to do!
L
12.05.2006
12.01.2006
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree
I love traditions... especially Christmas traditions. Every year Drew & I have cut down our Christmas tree and decorated it with the ornaments we buy in the places that we visit. This year the whole gang came out for the event. :) Here is the whole family (including Dodger) & Melanie on the tractor ready to head up the mountain to cut a tree. Thankfully the trees were in the shade, where it was cool... because I don't know if I could have cut down a tree is the 74 degree sunny weather!
Cutting down a tree is a family event at our house, and this year we brought our good friend Melanie, because until now... her 26th year on earth... she had never had a real tree... let alone cut it down! So here she is, loving the experience, standing next to our tree. :)
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