Delhi Trip

Okay so this weekend has been a whirlwind of events. Wednesday our A/C went out in the Elephant house and it was miserable. We didn't get very good sleep that night and were very tired Thursday. It still wasn't working by Thursday night, but we had to leave at 2:45 am (Friday morning) for the Chennai airport so we all just hung out in the courtyard; ironically it was cooler outside than in.

We played games like signs and stuff, juggled a volleyball, made French toast (heaven sent) and just chilled until we left for Chennai. I did fall asleep from 2:00-2:30 and then I slept the whole 2.5 hours from RSO campus to Chennai. Once we were all checked in we had an hour before take off so I slept on and off for that hour. I slept the whole flight to Delhi so by the time we landed I had accumulated about 5 hours of sleep.

I tried to use the ATM and it wouldn't let me. I realized I didn't have a pin for my credit card and didn't bring my debit card-yikes! I didn't need it that day so I just decided to wait until I had Internet to call my mom and work something out.

We were met by our tour guides Praveen and Rajesh right as we stepped out of the airport. From there we boarded a charter bus that we'd use for the rest of the weekend.

Our first day in Delhi I was surprised at the difference between northern and southern India. Not only are the dress,food, and culture different but the landscape and architecture as well. We drove down embassy road (all the embassies are on one road) and we circled the Capitol buildings. I was so blown away at the cleanliness and landscaping of this area, but it didn't last long when the next place we went was Old Delhi.

We took rickshaws through the most narrow city streets I've ever seen. It was like being on the bus in Harry potter where you magically fit through places and people. The electrical wiring was crazy and all over the place. I took a lot of pictures but pictures don't do it justice.

India traffic is so busy and bizarre from buses to camels to cows to men pulling handcarts to whole families packing on a motorcycle and pedestrians crossing at any place or time it makes for chaos. During our rickshaw ride one of the drivers cut off a man pulling a handcart full of heavy bags and a fight broke out! All of our drivers (14) parked each bike and left us as they went to aid their fellow driver. It was a scary and potentially dangerous situation but somehow it was resolved and we got out of there. The girls whose driver initiated the fight got it on film!
During our tour of old Delhi we walked through the spice market and the smells were so strong it made me sick. We had a cool opportunity to go on the roof of one of the buildings and I took some cool pictures. After this we got back on the bus for a 7 hour drive to Agra.

We stopped halfway for bathroom and snacks. They had gum! ( I was so excited because the TSA lameos stole all 10 packs of mine!l) well I was so stoked I didn't realize how much I was paying--I paid $10 for 2 packs-- another dumb purchase which brings my total to 3 dumb buys. No big.

We finally reached our 5 star Jaypee Palace Hotel Friday night around 10:00 pm (after being up since Thursday morning at 7:00) We were exhausted, check in went smoothly until we realized one of our group members didn't have her passport!

That is one of the worst things that could happen and come to find out she hadn't made copies at all! I felt awful for her and Kim was sick ( she has lupus and she's the only coordinator that came) so the stress was not good. Most people went to their rooms but our tour guides and a few of us stayed to try and help this girl. We called so many different numbers and places but I believe the thing that helped us most was prayer. It is a true miracle that the Chennai airport found her passport there and was able to fax a copy to the hotel. (otherwise she couldn't have stayed there at all!) The whole ordeal lasted about an hour or so.

We finally got ready for bed around midnight and were up at 4;45am to get ready for the one and only TAJ MAHAL! Our tour guides have toured so many famous people including Gordon B Hinckley, Elder Holland, Elder Oaks, Julia Roberts and Will Smith. We had the best of the best.
Side note Praveen is a member of the church and he served his mission in Chennai and taught most of the members that make up that branch. Awesome. Also Rajesh is 28 and he's paid $10,000 for each of his sisters weddings because his parents can't afford it. He fell in love with a Spaniard from one of his tours and hopes to marry her. He said in India there are 90% arranged marriages and 10% love marriages. So his situation is very unique (although they aren't married yet)

At the Taj we took a lot of pictures and learned a lot about it. It's amazing that in comparative dollars it cost $22 billion and took 22 years to build! It's amazing! Also he had 2 other wives but he loved this one the most so he built this for her and the Mini Taj for the other 2. He wanted to build a black Taj for himself and actually started it but his youngest son went wacko, killed his older 3 brothers and put his father ( the emperor) in prison in the Agra fort.

After the Taj we went back to the hotel for breakfast. I ate sooo much! It was great to have a good variety of American and Indian options. We had a few hours to chill so we got internet to Skype my mom about my credit card situation. I felt bad because I called her at 12:30 am Utah time but she answered and said she'd look into it in the morning. After that call Britt and I met some of the others at the pool. We didn't stay long but it was very refreshing. We went exploring of the hotel and then at 2 left for the Red Fort (Agra fort) which was the emperors residence and is now occupied by the Indian army. It was very neat and cool to take pictures. It is across the river from the Taj. When the one emperor was imprisoned he could gaze across the river at his creation of the Taj Mahal ( Mahal means palace). While we were at the red fort I collided with Britt and I dropped my camera! When I picked it up i had lost all of my pictures! I kinda was freaking out inside and Britt said to take out the memory card and put it back in. I was thinking, "that won't do anything" but I opened it anyway and my memory card had been dislodged! When I pushed it back in all my pictures were there! HUGE sigh of relief!

All day Asians and Indians would just come up to us and take pictures with us like we were movie stars. It was nuts men and women were constantly thronging us that Ramesh had to pull us away. Weird.

We went shopping later and didn't have much luck. I'm having a super hard time finding gifts for the boys in my family and am also going over my budget but there is so much I want! Anyway we didn't eat lunch so by the time we stopped for dinner at 7:30 I ate a whole personal pizza at pizza hut. Yum!

Our hotel had a club and we were there for disco night. Pretty much everyone went but that's not my scene and I was worn out. Britt, Kim, and I went to our room and got to bed at a decent hour.

We woke up today (Sunday) at about 7:30 took my 4th real shower for the weekend and enjoyed our last meal of awesome food. We boarded our bus and headed back to Delhi. (kind of sad because this weekend actually felt like a vacation) At about the halfway point we stopped to ride elephants, camels and some people held monkeys. The rides were super short but it was fun to take pictures on the animals and pet them. We got to Delhi an hour before scheduled so we stopped at yet another market but I only got a fanta.

At the airport I was able to check my email but was disappointed to find out my mom won't be able to work out my card. Kim said I could borrow from her then just give her mom money to put in her account. That will be pretty great.

That brings me to current where I have spent the last hour typing this post on my iPhone notepad so I can email it to my laptop later. We should get in at midnight tonight and start a construction day tomorrow morning.

It's crazy this is already our last week here. Although it has gone fast I am ready to come home and face the reality of figuring out my future and what direction I want to go. Sometimes I think an arranged marriage would be awesome - sometimes not. Who knows but some things I'm looking forward to are seeing my family, my new dog :), eating good food, working out and laying out. Not looking forward to finding a job and growing up.

The end. Pictures to come.