Holy Shiva! Whoa. Um....I don't even know where to begin. I don't think that I can do justice to my experiences by trying to put them into words, but I will do my best. Also, I'm realizing that it is hard for me right now to want to invest time in this blog - or be on the Internet period. I'll be better and play catch up once I get to Tanzania....hopefully!
Well first off, I'm happier than I've been in a very, very long time. I think everyone should know that. I am simply in my element.
And secondly, I need to thank my co-pilot on my Indian adventure, and my invitee, Jarrod. He's taken the reigns and lead me around India with great ease and without his generosity, knowledge and guidance, a trip to India would have been much more overwhelming and intimidating for me. Thanks Jarrod - you rock! And, I probably wouldn't have come here to be honest. Visiting India wasn't on my top 10. But...now it is for sure. And I think I'll be ready to come back as soon as I leave.
As I remember reading in my Lonely Planet guidebook before coming to India, India is "overwhelming to the senses". That is a gross understatement. Every thing I see and every moment I experience seems like a missed photo opportunity...or sometimes, if I'm lucky, a captured one. India breathes with kindness, intrigue and simplicity at its finest. It oozes color and fills one's heart with curiosity.
Every day here I have done so many amazing things that I can't keep up. As I look back through my pictures, I'm already being reminded of things I had forgotten. We started our journey in Bangalore, where we celebrated Ganesh's birthday (see blog post below), visited botanical gardens and overgrown deserted stadiums, and took in the sights of the big city. Then we moved onto Mysore where Jarrod learned how to drive a rickshaw, we visited a palace of past kings and queens, and were lead through back alleys into private homes to learn how to roll beedis, carve wooden furniture and sooth our ailements with pure ayurvedic oils (over a warm glass of chai, of course). The list goes on and on. From Mysore to Wayanad to Kannur and now Fort Cochin, the sights, smells and tastes have been plentiful. Just today, for example, we were lead into someone's backyard to meet their elephant, saw three snakes being charmed simulatenously, and went to a local laundry facility where clothes are washed on rocks and irons for linens are heated using coconut chips for fuel.
India is simply amazing.
I've been here just two weeks, and I already have over 600 photos. I can't share them all here - just yet. I'd like to write some more eventually. I'll hopefully write a blog post just on traffic in India (quite the experience - those of you who have been here know what I'm talking about). I'd also like to write a post on the animals here, and the people. But for now, here are a few of my favorite shots from today (could only upload a few cause the internet is so damn slow. Sorry folks!)
Shanti shanti! (what the locals say means "cool", or in other definitions means peace, rest, tranquility, calmness or bliss....all of which I can relate to/feel here in this beautiful country).
Well first off, I'm happier than I've been in a very, very long time. I think everyone should know that. I am simply in my element.
And secondly, I need to thank my co-pilot on my Indian adventure, and my invitee, Jarrod. He's taken the reigns and lead me around India with great ease and without his generosity, knowledge and guidance, a trip to India would have been much more overwhelming and intimidating for me. Thanks Jarrod - you rock! And, I probably wouldn't have come here to be honest. Visiting India wasn't on my top 10. But...now it is for sure. And I think I'll be ready to come back as soon as I leave.
As I remember reading in my Lonely Planet guidebook before coming to India, India is "overwhelming to the senses". That is a gross understatement. Every thing I see and every moment I experience seems like a missed photo opportunity...or sometimes, if I'm lucky, a captured one. India breathes with kindness, intrigue and simplicity at its finest. It oozes color and fills one's heart with curiosity.
Every day here I have done so many amazing things that I can't keep up. As I look back through my pictures, I'm already being reminded of things I had forgotten. We started our journey in Bangalore, where we celebrated Ganesh's birthday (see blog post below), visited botanical gardens and overgrown deserted stadiums, and took in the sights of the big city. Then we moved onto Mysore where Jarrod learned how to drive a rickshaw, we visited a palace of past kings and queens, and were lead through back alleys into private homes to learn how to roll beedis, carve wooden furniture and sooth our ailements with pure ayurvedic oils (over a warm glass of chai, of course). The list goes on and on. From Mysore to Wayanad to Kannur and now Fort Cochin, the sights, smells and tastes have been plentiful. Just today, for example, we were lead into someone's backyard to meet their elephant, saw three snakes being charmed simulatenously, and went to a local laundry facility where clothes are washed on rocks and irons for linens are heated using coconut chips for fuel.
India is simply amazing.
I've been here just two weeks, and I already have over 600 photos. I can't share them all here - just yet. I'd like to write some more eventually. I'll hopefully write a blog post just on traffic in India (quite the experience - those of you who have been here know what I'm talking about). I'd also like to write a post on the animals here, and the people. But for now, here are a few of my favorite shots from today (could only upload a few cause the internet is so damn slow. Sorry folks!)
Shanti shanti! (what the locals say means "cool", or in other definitions means peace, rest, tranquility, calmness or bliss....all of which I can relate to/feel here in this beautiful country).
The incredible iron! Heated by burning coconuts. Who wouldda thought??!!
Rickshaw Rubin/Nick/Jarrod from Sprangolia with driver Vodka Jojo at the helm.
A male elephant in heat. Mr. Hari. Watch out folks!
Cute kids in an all muslim community in a mostly communist state
Third times the charm!
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