Catching Up in Old Pictures

"In India, we are using our hands."

People always say that India will change you. I never really thought it was true until this morning.

There are things I would never put up with in the West that i have learned to brush off here as if it were nothing. In the West I would never wash sewage off my feet in a river with 37 sewage outlets pouring into it. Here, it is the norm and regarded as holy.

In the west, if I found bed bugs crawling on me in the night, I would probably freak out. Here, who do you tell? What can be done?

Its a whole other world here and I don't think I know many people who would love it the way I do. I find it just as disgusting as anyone else but here I think its easier to keep life in perspective. I know that when I leave, i leave the bugs behind. I know that the sewage pouring over my feet can be washed away with soap and clean water. I can live with it because I know that its not my life.

My life is, and always will be, ever changing. I left Bundi a few days ago and after 36 hours on trains I have finally arrived in Varanasi.




It was difficult to leave Mama and Bobbi. They cried and it made me cry too. I hate that.






We played dress up before I went and that was a lot of fun. I got to wear two different saris, one of them being the one Mama gave me.












My heat exhaustion is finally getting better. Not that it lasted too long but it sucks so it feels like an eternity. Yesterday, after getting off the train and having a rickshaw driver refuse to take us further, I had to walk all over the ghats to find the hotel Jake wanted to stay in. Bundi had cooled down a lot and my body had adjusted. Its hot here. Like really hot. Like back in the 40s hot (100+F). I threw up when we finally arrived and could hardly stand on my own. I ate and slept the rest of the day.

Heat exhaustion's symptoms usually include weakness, irritability, nausea or vomiting, slow pulse, headache. I had all of them. Fun. My strength is beginning to come back and I feel much better but its still really fucking hot here.

Varanasi seems nice enough. Its SUPER touristy. I dont like that much but what can I do. The river here is SO polluted! I think it just might be the most polluted river in the world. Its so nasty! But the people here bathe in it and drink the water because its considered holy. There are parts of corpses floating around in the water near the burning ghats and there are sewage outlets all over the river. Eww.

Jake will be leaving on the third to catch his flight back to Thailand and after that Ill be on my own! So exciting! I may be going up to Nepal for a few days but it depends on if I can get in or not. Apparently you have to pay for the visa with USDs not in Rupees. I have no American money. I have some pounds and Euros but why on earth would I have USDs? So stupid.

And then its back to the good ole US of A for me. Feels strange and ever since I booked the ticket I cant sleep. Im really nervous and excited and feeling weird about it all at once.

I get to fly through Moscow. That should be neat.

My Ribs Hurt And Its Hard To Breath...

So I don't think I ever really got over being sick. Ive been feeling nasty all day which is a shame because tomorrow Ill be leaving Mama and Bobbi and Rashu. There are worse things in the world though so I shouldn't complain. I hope Ill be feeling better by tomorrow.

Its going to be crazy getting from here to Varanasi! Eight hours from here to Delhi by train, then a ten hour layover and then another 13 to Varanasi. Oh boy!

From there Ill be headed to Nepal! I'm pretty excited about it since I wanted to go before and thought I wouldn't make it this time. Ill be alone since Jake is flying to Thailand on the 5th. Very exciting. Funny how I find being alone much more thrilling than having people to share it with. Is there something wrong with me?

In other news, Mama gave me my first sari as a going away gift. Its beautiful! It will be back from the tailor in the morning, just in time to leave. I'm going to try to get some photos in it before I go to show you.

And what your all waiting for.... Pictures!

This is where I live. Well, sort of... Jake wanted to take some pictures with his old fashioned camera and this is what came out.








I really like this one and Im sure my mother will as well. I think its funny that it looks like I dont have any tattoos. Its kind of like a time warp. Hahaha.


Sometimes in India, there are strange things in the sky. Its not really a rainbow or a storm cloud. The pictures doesnt do it justice but maybe you can get the idea.



Since my camera quit working there I havent been able to share my favorite spot with you. The waterfall is about 18km away. I just love it. You can hike up to the top and wander around. The day I went up I say lots of monkeys of course but also some kind of strange lizard thing. It looked like a small Kimono Dragon. Rad.







These are from the Palace. Well worth the wait I think.




More pictures of me with Rashika. Its still strange to like a baby so much. I think we get along well, even though she likes to pee on me. Those times I like her much less but what can you do. It will never be cute but Ill let it slide for now.



This is the "working woman's" grandson. He was cute for a hot second but then he got all comfortable around me. I dont like him anymore. He likes to follow me around and talk my ear off in Hindi. Some things may have changed but my love of children, or lack there of, hasnt. Sorry to burst that bubble.


And of course more pictures of me doing nothing in particular.



And one of Mama for the road.