I know that it has been a long time since I have posted a new blog... Megan and Jeanne and I got back from 28 days of traveling around India last week. We did so much that it seems like a big chore to try to write a blog about everything. So I will just write a little bit right now, with more to come...
Basically we traveled from Delhi to Lucknow to Varanasi to Calcutta by train and then flew down to Goa and then Kerala. Some of the highlights include our hilarious and awesome auto rickshaw driver, Pappu, from Varanasi, riding elephants in Lucknow and Kerala and spending the last true night of our vacation on the sweetest houseboat EVER.
Before Megan and I left Mussoorie in December, we met a woman who had recently been to Varanasi. She gave us the phone number and email address of a great auto rickshaw driver. So we emailed him and he was ready to spend the entire four days of our Varanasi stay with us. Pappu loves "making new friends". The first night he took us around he had to show us his photo album and journal of all his international friends. He took special care to make sure we read the entries written by Americans. Anyway, he took us around the whole city - to the silk factories, where we all bought pure silk saris, to the Ganga and various other places. On our last day in the holy city, we were invited to his home for chai. We met his wife and three sons and had moong dal and masala chai. It was a blast! Pappu made our trip to Varanasi!
We also had the chance to meet up with some students and their mother in Lucknow. The family drove us over three hours to see the jungle that borders Nepal. We didn't see any tigers, but we did see crocodiles, river dolphins and fit nine people on an elephant! It was my first elephant ride - but not my last!
We also rode an elephant, Maria, in Kerala. Although this time it was only Jeanne, Megan and me - much more comfy. We also had the chance to pose for a picture with Maria after our ride and apparently she had a cold or something, because Maria sneezed on me! It was more of a spray than anything else (like snot...) but still pretty disgusting. I definitely took a bucket bath that night!
But my elephant sneeze experience was made up by the sweet houseboat that we had! On our last official night (not counting the final night in Delhi) we had the opportunity to sleep in a houseboat! The state of Kerala is known for its natural beauty - including the backwaters that are made up of a huge freshwater lake and many little rivers and canals. Our houseboat picked us up from our hotel and spent the afternoon cruising around the rivers. We enjoyed fresh coconut milk as well as Kerala chicken curry and seafood (for Jeanne and Megan) that was prepared by our own cook on the boat.
I have a lot more to say about our travels around India, but that's all for now! I'll post some pictures soon too.
Basically we traveled from Delhi to Lucknow to Varanasi to Calcutta by train and then flew down to Goa and then Kerala. Some of the highlights include our hilarious and awesome auto rickshaw driver, Pappu, from Varanasi, riding elephants in Lucknow and Kerala and spending the last true night of our vacation on the sweetest houseboat EVER.
Before Megan and I left Mussoorie in December, we met a woman who had recently been to Varanasi. She gave us the phone number and email address of a great auto rickshaw driver. So we emailed him and he was ready to spend the entire four days of our Varanasi stay with us. Pappu loves "making new friends". The first night he took us around he had to show us his photo album and journal of all his international friends. He took special care to make sure we read the entries written by Americans. Anyway, he took us around the whole city - to the silk factories, where we all bought pure silk saris, to the Ganga and various other places. On our last day in the holy city, we were invited to his home for chai. We met his wife and three sons and had moong dal and masala chai. It was a blast! Pappu made our trip to Varanasi!
We also had the chance to meet up with some students and their mother in Lucknow. The family drove us over three hours to see the jungle that borders Nepal. We didn't see any tigers, but we did see crocodiles, river dolphins and fit nine people on an elephant! It was my first elephant ride - but not my last!
We also rode an elephant, Maria, in Kerala. Although this time it was only Jeanne, Megan and me - much more comfy. We also had the chance to pose for a picture with Maria after our ride and apparently she had a cold or something, because Maria sneezed on me! It was more of a spray than anything else (like snot...) but still pretty disgusting. I definitely took a bucket bath that night!
But my elephant sneeze experience was made up by the sweet houseboat that we had! On our last official night (not counting the final night in Delhi) we had the opportunity to sleep in a houseboat! The state of Kerala is known for its natural beauty - including the backwaters that are made up of a huge freshwater lake and many little rivers and canals. Our houseboat picked us up from our hotel and spent the afternoon cruising around the rivers. We enjoyed fresh coconut milk as well as Kerala chicken curry and seafood (for Jeanne and Megan) that was prepared by our own cook on the boat.
I have a lot more to say about our travels around India, but that's all for now! I'll post some pictures soon too.
2 comments:
Hi Jennie..WELCOME BACK to Woodstock! I sse you have had a very productive "break" with a fine tutor, Jeanne. You guys hsve really done the India tour it seems. We'll be following your new year with interest. Best wishes. Bill K.
Hey Jennie,
Yeah, that was wicked fun!!! Let me know when your pictures are posted somewhere!
Jeanne
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