Random stuff and experiences

The food

Is mostly amazing..a couple places in more remote areas of the country have struggled with "freshness" if you will but for the most part my taste buds have been spoiled by the flavours here.  The good thing is I will be taking an indian cooking class in about 2 or 3 days so hopefully I'll come home able to recreate the genius here..I doubt it!  For those of you who don't know, there is something here in India called Delhi belly..this is when tourists visiting the country's stomachs distend and you are stuck on the toilet for a good portion of your time here in this amazing country!  I have been pretty lucky, I have not officially had Delhi belly and at this stage I'm not going to get it.  We choose very clean restaurants and street vendors known to our guide personally.  I have had issues in "that" area but nothing that has stopped me from keeping up on the trip!

The heat

It is HOT...no really, you don't get it..it is really really hot.  But not like get a tan hot, like "smog and extreme heat trapped in smog creating an oven in which you sweat to death and breakout terribly" type heat.
Also, in this heat it is really difficult to eat much, Sarah and I have been splitting very small portions of food once or twice a day but no one in our group is able to eat much of anything...TOO HOT.  I have to say though, I LOVE the heat, I just wish the smog wasn't here so I could get a sweet tan and not breakout like a teenager!

Toilets and toilet paper

There is a serious lack of what we in North America know as toilets.  There are these lovely holes in the ground inside buildings/rooms that look like they would contain toilets..don't be fooled..it's a row of holes in which you get comfortable very fast, drop your pants in front of the other women in the pee room and croutch over your hole while the lady beside you does the same..somewhat horrifying..especially with my lack of leg strength.  Thank God for this one woman on the tour who is like a mom to everyone (including her beautiful daughter who is on the tour with her) and she has held me up a few times over my "toilet"...another thing you never leave home without here, toilet paper!!!!  They don't supply it at your local hole so bring your own!

The people

Children love us, women are shy but want to talk and men..well, they come in a few groups: staring/oogling but no conversation, very chatty and want to practice their english, or merchants who are pressuring you like you've never been pressured before to buy their goods.
99% of our experiences as tourists in this country have been very wonderful.  People wave at us and chase our tuk tuks, rickshaws, jeeps..whatever we are in that day and wave and yell HI, HELLOOOOO!  haha We wave back and yell hello and the kids scream and laugh...its fun...everyone here is beautiful, I have loved every person I have met (minus some merchants!).


The animals

This has been a tough one off and on for me..the good thing is I was mentally prepared with all the warning but still, seeing VERY thin dogs panting and trying to escape the heat has been very sad.  They all just wander aimlessly looking for water and food and it is pretty clear most aren't having much luck.  I have, of course, been sneaking dogs water and food even though we've been told not to.  I can't help it! 

The sacred cow..the cows here are odd..they wander through even the busiest streets of India just chilling like they are in the middle of a barn yard..they are hilarious!  I have gotten so used to walking side by side with a cow while shopping that I have to admit, I don't even notice them anymore. 

The bloody monkeys!  Everyone said I would turn on monkeys and they were right!  They are vicious little asses..the good thing is, we actually don't see too many around and when we do we have people there in charge of scaring them off. 

Camels..see cows..so funny!  Just traffic like any other vehicle..the difference is all camels have owners..the dogs and the cows are random.  Goats and sheep are also owned here..

The last animal that we see every day all day in every city and rural village is warthogs, you know, pumba from the lion king?  I've met every Indian cousin he has!