Fun & Frenetic Travel Shrine

I'm home - struggling with jet-lag and frighting off a cold. Ahhhh travel....Yes, it IS worth the discomforts. I've added treasures brought home from my trip to the other side of the world and now my India Travel Shrine looks just as busy and frenetic as the country itself.

When asked "Will you go again?" I have to admit that 2 weeks ago I might have answered, "No, once is enough." But something happened along the journey - our busy schedule slowed down the farther south we went and a shift occurred. It was then I fell in love with India. YES, I WILL go again! Thanks to all who shared the journey.

Namiste.

~ Nancy

Shopped 'til We Dropped

Our grand journey around India - from the north to south - is coming to an end. Tomorrow morning - no, that's not right -to call 4:00AM morning just isn't - but tomorrow we begin our journey home. A 4-hour flight from here (Vararkala at nearly the southern tip) to Delhi where we'll spend to day and evening exploring and shopping, and maybe even catching a movie (Slum Dog Millionaire is a HUGE hit here) then we'll board our flight to Amsterdam where we'll have time to catch a cup of REAL coffee with Jillian ( a young woman who was an exchange student with my family something like 20 + years ago) then it's off to America! WE have been moved by the gentle spirit of the Indian people. We've seen a LOT. We've done a LOT! And we've SHOPPED 'til we dropped. I am ,and will forever be, utterly grateful for this special time with my sister, my best friend, Pam. And, as "they" say.....'It is good to journey to an end, but in the end it is the journey that really matters.

And, "they" also say....'There's no place like home."

~ Namiste from Pam & Nancy

LOVE THOSE BANANAS !

After our elephant ride we got to feed Chronda. We put the bananas right in her mouth! And, boy,we couldn't stuff 'em in fast enough. Next, Pam gave her a chunk of pineapple in her truck and - SWOOSH - right up to her mouth it went and in with the rest. Chronda had a regular fruit salad and, I believe, for her it was just a little snack.

Coconut Weaving

In every country I've ever visited there is weaving. In India it is the 'coconut weaving' that is popular. These two young women spin the raw, rough fibers into 'yarn' that is then woven into carpets, placemats and other things. The women on the right had me feel her hands. To say they were calloused isn't right - they were one one entire callous! So, for those of you who are working, you can thank your lucky stars that you aren't a coconut weaver living in India. We are blessed.

The Real Deal

We took a short ride out into the countryside today to take another ride on an elephant. No fancy paint-job; no fancy sidesadle seat this time. This was the real deal. We rode BAREBACK! Now let me tell you.....they may look like really fat animals...but they've got the boniest backs you can imagine. It was great fun though and we felt like we were truly 'riding an elephant.'

In the Coconut Weaving Factory

Pam checks out the HUGE loom used to make carpet and other large items in the coconut factory.

Backwater School Bus

This is how the kids who live on the 'wrong side of the river' get to school. It looks like more fun than any old yellow school bus to me!

Backwater Sari's

All dolled up in our saris on the backwater tour. This is the living room of the boat. We each had our own bedroom and bath and they were even air-conditioned. Boy did we think we were living in "high cotton"........... or, would that be 'high silk?"

The captain began to call us 'Queen Elisabeth & Margaret Thatcher." The funny part was that he THOUGHT he was paying us a compliment.

This was the view from the boat on our backwaters overnight tour. What a tranquil 24 hours we spent - almost dreamlike - Memories of our short time on our own little 'African Queen' will be with us forever. Namiste.

On the Inside Looking Out

This is the view from the living room of our 'African Queen." Boy! Talk about being pampered. Three young men practically tripping over each ovther to wait on us. I think this is what is known as 'every woman's dream. :-) The tiniest one was the cook and we had the BEST meals we've had since arrival in India on our overnight boat trip into the backwaters. The view was a tropical paradise and around every bend was another
Kodiak moment." If the Internet wasn't slow slow (like molasses) here I'd post more pix, but think 'African Queen' (Katherine Hepburn & Humphrey Bogart) and you'll get the idea.

HENNA

There is a practice in India of the women having their hands and feet decorated with henna artwork. We had it done in Cochin just before we left for the Backwater trip. Here is a view of Pam getting hers done. It was fun doing it, but the little couple doing it tried to pull a fast one on us. They had quoted us 50 RS and then they wanted 1,000RS! Now bear in mind that 1000RS is only $20, but it was the principle of the thing - an agreement is an agreement. So, we held firm and ended up paying them 100RS each - 50 for each foot.

Love those Camels !

We just can't get enough of the camels here. Check this one out. And this on a busy city street!

Kathakali Dance Show

We went to a dance/play in Chochin that was similar to Chinese Opera but without the screeching singing. It was truly a strange play by Western standards ( the woman tries to rape the man) but quite interesting. We enjoyed it a lot, but but both Pam and I agreed that the one-hour show was just enough.

MG in Udaipur

At the little car show Pam 'faked' driving an antique MG. It looks pretty real, don't you think?

Summer Palace in Udaipur

Here we are on the steps to the Summer Palace in Lake Pichola in Udaipur. This is where the Raj who built the Taj Mahal went to pout when his father initially did not approve a marriage to the most beautiful women he saw in the market. It must have worked as two years later dad finally agreed and he married the love of his life. The story of their relationship and his deep grief after her death is a poignant story of India.

Adorable Children

The children of India are beautiful - especially their eyes - long lashes and a rainbow of colors from deep black to lime green. We're been surprised by how ready the mothers are to have us take their photographs.

With a Few of Our New Best Friends

Here we are at the Red Fort in Jaiper posing with some of the palace guards - our 'new best friends'

The Camel Cart Ride

My second goal was to ride on a camel. Well, we didn't get to actually get ON him but we did take a camel cart through a village and up what they refer to as a 'mountain' here. But, trust me, even Iowa has bigger 'mountains' than these.

The ride was fun, although the village rather hard to see. The poverty here is probably the most abysmal I've seen in my travels. We didn't get to talk with any of the village people, other than the waiter in the restaurant at the top of the hill, so it's hard to know how they view their world.

Our Elephant Ride !

Before coming to India. I set two goals. One was to ride an elephant. Check it out! What sweet creatures they are! Very intelligent and sensitive. Our guy loved to be scratched behind the ears (but hey, what guy doesn't?) and we obliged him at the end of the trek up the hill to the Red Fort in Jaiper. Every time I scratched and ask 'Does that feel good?" He would raise his truck. .....I think that means yes. This day put new meaning to 'living large' in India.

Just one snap mom?

Our celebrity status has been a huge surprise. Here a group of school children surrounded us pleading - "Just one snap mom? May we have just one snap?" Don't you just love their cute ways of saying things?