So it has been brought to my attention by friendster that I have missed quite a few Birthdays-So Happy Birthday to everyone who’s Birthday I missed – these people include but are not limited to – basically every Lindsay I know.
India is grand!! I have not been able to write in a while because the days are jam packed.
Before my program started I spent two days in Delhi with Sara and Helena. We went all over and say the red fort, aksherbad (which is this new gorgeous temple) a market, took a rikshaw ride through old Delhi and went to Cannaugh Place. We also booked a tour to Agra for the next day and have thus far fallen for every scam known to travelers. Including- making friends with Indian who then walk you to a travel agency where they get a commission. Also, having a rickshaw driver takes you to a market that is over prices and he gets a commission (no wonder he wasn’t charging us for the ride).
The next day we met with two other girls from the program Tara and Tami who are great. We all slept at Hotel Vishal whish is in the heart of the city and quite disgusting (Dear owner of Hotel Vishal, Please tell your cats to stop defecating on my door step. Love, Jessica P.S. your hotel is nasty). We got on the tour bus at 6:30 AM for a “4 hour” ride to Agra to seer that taj. Well, the ride was actually 7.5. The day went like so. Stop at random rest stop. Go to Agra fort, Go to Taj (big and beautiful – very memorable). Haggling in the street with little boys trying to sell me mini taj mahal snow globes. Being ripped off. Taken to a shop to get souvenirs (saw mini Taj mahal- very unnecessary). Went to Lunch in a place where the bottom of the toilet runs out onto the floor while a little boy continuously wipes it up (probably why I have a cold now). Then we were supposed to go home. So, we drove for 3 hours. At 9 at night get woken up to go to Krishna’s temple in the dark. Fine, it was very interesting but a bit crazy to go so late. It was very hot and smiled like incense people were chanting and ringing bells and lying on the floor praying to Krisha. They would approach a statue pray and then walk around it in a circle. Once I was even splashes with some holy water by mistake. Then, after we thought it was all over we get woken up an hour later to go to Krishna’s birthplace and home. This was actually really interesting. We sat on the floor while some guy unveiled the statue of Krishna like it was a magic act. After being told that there was no pressure to donate I gave 200 rupees he said can you give 500. For 500 they were offering bricks with inscriptions with your family’s name. Guys I thought you said no pressure. On the way out they gave us some crystals, some sweets and these little beads to put in a locket for a year and everything that is wrong in your life will be right. The town where this temple is a very religious town and was quiet and clean unlike everywhere else. So, we get back o the bus for what we think it our ride home. Nope, we stop at a trucker stop for diner where some drunken waiter asked my friend to marry him. Ok, ok so we get back on the bus. This day may not sound so bad to you and it was actually really fun. But, we got back at 3 am from a tour which was supposed to end at 10 pm. It was a 22 hour tour!!!
After we got dropped off and had to walk through a scary street we made it back to the hotel in time for a shower before meeting the group at 5:30 1 hour away to start the program.
Thats all I have to say about that.
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