More Photos of Paradise!

So many pictures... so little time!

Here are some pictures that I just have to share with you all! I have less than 5 minutes to upload them, so we'll see how this goes! These are all taken at the resort where I'm staying in Goa. Much more to come soon!

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Lonely Planet guidebooks are great. I found loads of information from their India guidebook. One very crucial piece of information that Lonely Planet failed to highlight was the monsoon season. I’m sure it was in the book somewhere, but the book also happens to be over 1,200 pages in length. In other words, I’m sitting in paradise, otherwise known as Goa, India, in my hotel room listening to the rain come out of the sky like water from a fire hose. I’m not made of sugar (entirely, that is), so I won’t melt. But, even a semi-sweet gal doesn’t like to be drenched within seconds of being outside. We walked to breakfast this morning to a restaurant on the resort property and I was absolutely soaked by the time we arrived. I’ll have to learn to operate in a soggy state for at least the next four or five days. That’s OK, because as I mentioned before, we’re in paradise!

For example, this is our room at the resort. Wowzas! We have a covered porch that overlooks the expansive pools and rainforest-like flora of the resort.

This is our super-sweet bathtub. I think. I haven’t quite figured out how to fill it up, so I’m just using it as a shower for now. Not pictured here is the rain shower shower- head fixed to the ceiling. It is very high pressure, just like the rain pouring down outside as I type.

We actually only made it to Goa yesterday. Somehow we missed our flight on our original departure date, June 10th. (If you want to know how that happened I have to tell you when I’m back in the States… ughhh….) Now that we’re finally here, Jana and I are just enjoying, well, our room and our porch. We hope to make a trip out to a local market if the rain slacks off a bit. I don’t mind walking around the resort in the rain, but I’m not too keen on walking down muddy village roads in the rain.


With our extra day in Delhi Jana was able to do some last minute shopping for jewelry supplies. We also visited the Red Fort. It was built to protect the entire city of Delhi “back in the day.” As you can see from this picture, I’m outside the walls of the fort… so; I’d say the architects didn’t imagine India would have a billion people any time in their future. Their trajectory was a bit off…

This resort has an unbelievable spa, only a few soggy minutes walk from my room. I might just have to check that out! We took a tour of the spa yesterday and I was sold! The spa also has a sauna, but I have my own personal sauna. It’s called “being outside.” I also had my own personal parasite for a few days. That has finally passed, I hope. Today I ate a muffin. That was the first thing I’ve eaten in two days. Yay for Arbonne Powepacks! Hopefully my system absorbed some of those vitamins while I was on my parasite diet.

More updates soon! Keep checking back and keep pr@y!ing!

A Day of Shopping

We started our day with breakfast at "Cafe Coffee Day." Jana's breadfast looked yummy, but my "Italian Foccocia" left much to be desired. Spicy carrots on panini bread at 8:30am isn't my idea of a good breakfast. My second shot at a breakfast item was the chocolate doughnut. It was just like Daylight Doughnuts, a sure win.

Today we met up with our friend Raji who took us to several bazaars to buy jewelry pieces. Here is Jana and Raji walking to the bazaar.

Jana spent many hours picking out just the right pieces of silver, beads, and crystals for the jewelry business.

The street bazaars were CRAZY!!! I've never been stared at more in my life! There were billions of people, all crammed into tiny alleys, with motor scooters, bikes, rickshaws, and cars, all trying to go different directions. I was almost run over about 35 times (which barely beats the amount of times I saw a man "relieving himself" on the sidewalk. eeeewwww....) If you look closely, you can see the monkey on the wire above the street. It was so Indian Jones-esque!

As we were walking I spotted a drinking station where they serve the lowest caste of people (the Dalits) water from small clay pots. After the Dalit drinks from the pot they are required to throw it on the ground so that no person might drink from the same cup as a Dalit.

This doesn't begin to show how incredibly dirty and sweaty I was after eight hours of non-stop shopping. I had a "second skin" of street scum and pure sweat!

Mississippi Mudpie + Delhi + A Cazillion Degrees = Delicious!

Today was a beautifully humid day in Delhi. Jana and I woke up pretty early and had a chance to catch up on all that has been going on over the past year or so. We chatted while we sat in bed for close to an hour! Then, we got ready and went to breakfast at the hotel restaurant. When our waiter brought the bill he informed us that our breakfast might be free tomorrow. We were both confused and he didn’t bother to explain himself any further. Is this some new promo technique? Works for me... I’ll be there tomorrow morning! I’m quite the sucker for freebies!

After a relaxing morning we went to a fellowship gathering in central Delhi. How beautiful it is to hear Indian voices singing to the Father! The message was exactly what I needed to hear. In fact, the verses that the teacher covered in the message were just what I have been studying for the past few days, and the same verses my wonderful boyfriend Jake wrote to encourage me on my trip. We studied what it means to experience “joy” that is not transient, and studied what it means to have G’s “peace” in our heart.

Our friend Kate took us to an INCREDIBLE restaurant after the gathering. The place is called “The Big Chill.” Yes, there were movie posters all over the restaurant. And, oddly, lots of Alfred Hitchcock memorbelia as decor. I was confused about that part of the restaurant, but not at all confused about the amazing meal! Without knowing it, Jana and I ordered enough food to feed most of the restaurant... for super cheap! Then, to top it all off, they had “Mississippi Mudpie” on the dessert menu. Curiosity got the best of us, so we had to order it. It was just what my palate was craving! Just like the mudpie we have in the South! Again, it was more than we could eat, but I’ve never had a problem finishing a dessert. It’s just a sin to leave gobs of chocolate on your plate. Paula Deen would have been proud.

This afternoon (you know, when the sun’s had enough time to heat up the air and pavement to a nice and steaming cazillion degrees...) we’re planning to visit a silver jewelry dealer to barter/purchase silver for the jewelry business. I’m excited to see Jana in action! We’re also on the prowl for sandals for the both of us that we can wear to an Afgh wedding. The tackier the better, I was told. Finally! Tacky dress is culturally appropriate! My Nana always says to take off at least one accessory before you leave the house, but just the opposite is true for an Afgh wedding! Pile on the yellow gold and gaudy jewels... it’s party time!

Photos Thus Phar

So, I just realized I haven't taken many photos since I've been here. Actually, none at all! But, here are a few from my time in NYC and with Jake before I left. Also, there is a picture of me with a cup of coffee at a place called "Jake's Coffehouse." How neat.

India smells just like I remember!

Dear Readership,

I have arrived. Literally. I'm in India! The flight was too long. I'd suggest NEVER taking a non-stop flight to Delhi. Ever. But, I'm here now. I had about a six hour layover in New Jersey, so I hopped on the train into NYC. I spent a few hours just walking around and taking in the sights, walked to Time Square, ate at an expensive deli, and headed back to the airport just in time for my international flight. It was really fun to be out an about all on my own! After about a 15 hour flight, I'm finally in Delhi, India.

It was so great to see my friend Jana at the hotel! We had a very sweet reunion. Tomorrow we are going to a fellowship gathering together. Then, we'll do some shopping for jewelry in the afternoon.

Thank you for lifting me up during my flight. All of my bags arrived in (almost) perfect condition. Nothing was taken from the bags, they were just a little shuffled around. I am doing well and not quite tired yet. I'm still on Arkansas time! I better get to bed soon, though, so I can get on Indian time. I'll upload pictures soon of my journey so far!