OK, we're back in business...sort of

Hello everyone.
Sorry about the hiatus. Its been a little wacky, but we're online (at least for today). Since we last spoke (or rather, I monologed) we have had a whirlwind last few days. So, Felicia and I met up in Delhi. Our hotel room was most entertaining. As mentioned before, we got a car and driver for a day in Delhi and Agra. Delhi was fun. Agra was ridiculous. For the first part, our driver stopped off several times during the day to take us to "museum/shop" places that were really just stores full of tourist stuff. When we got to Agra, we were hounded by people begging (especially the kids, which is tough and they know it....one of them kept calling me Uncle). Actually, Delhi was pretty bad too. Its a shame, because all these people getting in your face insisting that you buy stuff makes you a little paranoid and on edge while you try to enjoy the sights. Having white skin is like having a target on your forehead. But black skin has its own issues too. If people sometimes stared at me, Felicia was very very popular. You'd think these people had never seen a black person before. Many Indians are as dark as her, but they looked at her like she had just stepped off of a spaceship. Amusing, especially when they all wanted their pictures taken with her.




Here is Felicia inside one of the mausoleum "annexes"






So, we went to Agra. Saw the tomb of Akbar. Had lunch. Went to the Taj Mahal. It was like running a gauntlet to get through the people trying to scam you out of every little cent. I really began to feel like all Indians just want to nickle and dime you to death. I know this was just sypmtomatic of the locale, but it got old really fast.















Here is the lotus-shaped b'hai temple in Delhi. They were very nice. It was free, including shoe storage.







I think this is Akbar's tomb. Its all blurring together.












Inside of Agra Fort.










Holey Moley, I can see the Taj mhal from here!


















Yes, we are very cute.










Our hotel in Agra was ok, not much better than the one we had in Delhi. We did get a free breakfast again, though! We left early to make sure we did not miss our flight out of Delhi that afternoon. The two cities are about 120km apart, but on Indian roads that can easily take 4 hours. Our driver stopped again at the same little rest area as before, this time there was a guy with a cobra out front. So we walk over, I figure it will be a couple of rupees. He wants to put a python on Felicia's neck but she declines. He pulls out the cobra which gets all worked up and puffs up. We take our pictures. And then he demands 500 rupess. Wow. My mistake for not agreeing on a price sooner. We haggle, I give him 300 (about $10, still way too much), but he is a dirty nasty old man and I just want to get on the road.

We made it to the airport in enough time and got to Cochin with no problems. This place is so much more laid back than around Delhi. It was a little cooler, if more humid, but cleaner and less hectic. Our homestay sent a car to pick us up, for what amounted to a 1hour drive to our new home. We were very pleased with the new digs, went out to eat, then home to sleep.

In the AM, we got up early and headed over to the elephant training center, where orphaned elephants are taken in and trained, so that they can lead productive lives working for the forestry department or in temples. If you get there early enough, you can help wash them in the river!






Here is Felicia scrubbing away with a coconut shell! We scrubbed a 6-yr old female named Asha. She was very clean in the end.
Here is footage of the acutual elephant scrubbing. There are shots of me too, we'll put them up in a few days. Anyways, it was a dream come true for me to scrub an elephant. We got a ride on the big adult female too. Wow. Thats a lot of animal.

On the way home I realized that India is trying to kill me. I began round two (and by far much more severe) of my gastro-intestinal difficulties. It has been pretty rough. Felicia is wonderful, though. We were supposed to have moved on today, but we stayed in Fort Cochin for an extra day to let me be a little more presentable in public. I probably won't eat at all today, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Tonight we'll try to see some ritual dance performances, and then tomorrow its on to Alleppey, and eventual houseboat time.

Here are a few words from Felicia:
Hey, world! Look Mom I'm blogging. The next time we get to another internet cafe I will put up a proper post, but I just want to say "Hi!" and let everyone know that I am doing well and I am having a great time. So far I have not had much gastric upset and for the most part the climate seems to agree with me, although Chris may have a different opinion. We have got to run to the theatre, so I will leave you for now. Thanks for reading! More to come!