india - the internet here doesn't like live journal!
we have had a pretty interesting few days. i can't remember where i last wrote from so here's a quick version.
we took the train from Delhi to Dherra dun to meet Clifton's girlfriend Priscilla, and his friend Silas. they were great & we hired a car (& driver) for roughly $30 and traveled to missorrie to see the view and the mountains. it would have been more beautiful if it hadn't had people build around waterfalls and things. luckily we managed to keep that stuff out of our pictures.
we had our first momos (like dim sims) at a Tibetan restaurant (we got beef ones, which weren't listed on the menu to avoid upsetting people). the next day we again had a driver and just drove around the town shopping and what not. we sat in a park feeding tons of ants and all the people stared at us. a group of boys even came to sit just watching us. it is such a strange and horrible feeling. it was my birthday & the boys gave me fake flowers, some cream (light and lovely) and bindis, and Silas gave me kit kats! we shopped and it was fun. we went for dinner to a Punjab restaurant where they surprised me with a cake! i was quite surprised. we dropped everyone off and then quickly hopped on the bus back to Delhi. we were on the back three seats, and in the middle of the bus trip there was a huge bump and we all flew up about 2 feet in the air. the man next to us hit his head on the lockers above the seats and then fell down on the armrest. he was quite old and made gurgling noises - we thought he was going to die.
back to Charlie and Kennys for a nap and then we wore some horrible shirts we had bought at the Tibetan market - Aaron a ladies blouse, Clifton an orange woven shirt, and me a 50 cent shirt. very classy. it was great to see Hosea. we got a taxi home and slept more.
the next morning we headed to Agra. 5 hours in the train (quite nice seats) got ourselves a driver for the day (after lots of hassle) and found our hotel. he took us to an old city that had been abandoned long ago due to lack of water. we had to take off our shoes as it was considered a holy place, and there were swarms and swarms of people trying to sell us things. it was also boiling hot and the stones burnt out feet. Hosea was even felt up for his wallet! we headed to some shops (the taxi driver was insistent and we needed to stay over that way for sunset). we didn't buy anything so he wouldn't have gotten commission, but we saw how they make mosaic. we went the see the rear view of the taj at sunset & clifton had swarms of people around him becauase he's a foreigner that speaks Hindi. back to the hotel where we order a stack of room service and about 20 odd pepsi's between us.
went to the taj the next day. it was beautiful and very big. took some great photos of it. we booked the train back (only 2nd class no a/c available) & a 6 hour wait so we went to the red fort and had a look, then ended up sitting in a park being stared at by about 5 different groups of people for a few hours playing cards, then caught the train back to Delhi. it stank as we were near the toilets. it stopped at one station for about half an hour, we got frustrated & Clifton called Charlie - apparently we were very close to home. so we hopped out and walked to catch an auto. Hosea's thong broke and the driver was drunk. a very interesting ride.
we spent the day in Delhi - went to some more ruins that have some famous old metal pillar in them. same red kind of materials used to build them. i had apple Fanta. we then caught the night bus to banbassa. i hope i never had to do that again.
the farm is amazing the kids are very cute (and quite demanding for attention), the adults are all friendly and warm. we have our own rooms in the guest house & have been to the jungle to pick wild lemons, to boom - more jungle and rocks but we went on motorbikes, and to Abbott mount where we stayed in a colonial house owned by some family friends. the drive there took about 3 hours and was as windy as the elephant pass. but more dangerous. absolutely gorgeous.
we were going to Nepal today and Goa tomorrow but Mrs Shipway has fallen ill so we will be staying at the farm longer than expected.
i have been spending time in the kitchen with the girls and in the afternoon we play with the smaller children. yesterday i took photos of the boys as they played soccer in the rain and then down at the river. about 15 of them with Clifton, Hosea and Aaron. i can get away with it because i am foreign. i feel sorry for the girls as they don't get so much fun....