Half way wrap up

In reading through previous posts I realize how much time I've spent talking about getting to places and not that much about what we do when we're there.

Delhi really was all about planning for future travel but the second time, we did see quite a bit. We went to a very strange giant sundial and the India gate, which would remind you of the arc d'triumph a bit. I got hoodwinked by this young girl who started drawing henna designs on my hand before I had a chance to say no. Our driver was horrified at how much I paid her relative to what we were paying him, so JD more than made up for the difference.

In rishikesh, cows dominated the tiny lanes of the alleys and men in orange robes asked for rupees. The streets were lined with vendors selling their wares: powder bindi guy, things made out of wood, papadum cooked over charcoal, pashminas and genie pants. Restaurants clung to the hillside on either side of the river and there was a footbridge on either end that frequently had motorbikes, people, cows and monkeys all jockeying to get across. Our favorite was the man who was ever-present in our hotel, serving us chai and bruschetta.

Udaipur was another water-lined city, but the lake was big and open. The shops all felt a little bit the same and the guys trying to sell you stuff would always lure you with a hello, I just want to show you my shop, you don't have to buy. Lots of suit shops, tiny handmade paintings, leather goods and rooftop terraces all showing octopussy nightly. Cows and dogs there didn't seem as loved as rishikesh. We saw lots of them eating trash. Now instead of bargaining for a few hundred rupees (55r = $1), you were aiming for half of the original price.

Mumbai was big and felt European once we settled in the banking district. We hung out in a park for an hour while the sun went down and ate at one of India's staple 'all veg' restaurants. They all have pizza, Chinese food, veg burgers and a selection of Indian staples, mostly centered around paneer.

People have all been extremely kind to us. JD can make friends with anyone. After 10 min they all tell us to call them if we need anything and to let us know when we're back. Like Taiwan, when you're lost or looking for something, more than half the time, someone just walks you there or asks lots of strangers on the street for help. My strategy is to look for modern looking women or guys with a smartphone.

Food-wise, we started off timid but have been pretty trusting since. When my stomach was upset I survived on toast and scrambled eggs, but we've had a fair bit of street food and train food. My fav is the spicy mango pickle.. which is oddly exaaactly like the kind you get at Indian grocery stores at home. Today on the train we had fried bananas, veg and chicken briyani which is just rice. And JD samples the chai everywhere we go. My fav was still in rishikesh. It's gotten much less sweet lately. Although the kind we had on the train today tasted like marshmallow.

Anyway it's been fun, stressful at times. The fact that JD and I have no way to communicate when we aren't in sight of each other makes me feel panicky sometimes. But overall we've loved it. Everyone we meet is very fascinated that we work in politics and have been overjoyed to talk about Obama. We both get lots of stares. It's been fun. Half way done and lots left to do.