Sunday, August 16, 2009

I'm so sorry!!!

I have been sooooo bad!! I can't believe I let it go this long without a post! Traveling has been.... hectic, to say the least. A blast, but busy! I wish I could explain to you all the crazy situations we have found ourselves in and somehow found our way out. Haha. It's all so... India. Another one of those things that just can't really be properly explained.

To give you an overview of our time so far, here is what we have been up to. We began our travels with a train ride to Varanasi (delayed 2 hours, of course). We spent two days there, taking several boat rides on the Ganges, watching ceremonies, and sleeping on the open-air rooftop dormitory of the Shanti Guest House. Then we took a hell-ish 14 hour bus ride to Khajuraho, where Hannah proceeded to lose her lunch as a result of the bumpy ride. Oy vey! However, Khajuraho was fabulous! There were temples here that date back to the 9th century, built by the Mughals. They were amazing. We also got to rent bikes and ride them around the small town. Next, we took a series of train rides to Agra, the first of which we sat with 16 other people in a compartment that is made for 8. Haha good times. However, it was all worth it when we walked into the grounds of the Taj Mahal. Magnificent! We also saw Agra Fort, which is almost equally as magnificent. Those Mughals really know how to decorate.

Next, we took a train up to Rishikesh. Rishikesh was a relaxing little town on the Ganges where no one wakes up before 9 and everyone does yoga. We stayed in an ashram, took a yoga class, got a massage, and hiked up to a temple. We then went up to the hill station, Mussourie, chasing down cooler weather. We found it here! We only stayed for a day and a half, but it was nice to be in the cool. They had a cable car that we rode up to a point where you are supposed to be able to see the Himalayas, but this time of year, it is virtually impossible, what with the clouds from the monsoon rains. From Mussourie, we took a deluxe, a.c. bus to Delhi. Traveling in style. Haha. Here in Delhi, Hannah knows a family and we met up with them for lunch yesterday. They stuffed us full of homemade DELICIOUS Indian food multiple times before sending us back to our hotel with instructions to rinse and repeat the next day. So we are going to head over there for lunch in just a few minutes. They are the kindest family and the grandchildren are ADORABLE! They make me miss Daya Dan soooo much. We are going to do a little site seeing here in Delhi today and tomorrow and then Molly will go home to Chicago and Hannah and I will continue on to Jaisalmer to ride some camels, on the 18th.

Can you believe it's been two weeks since I left Kolkata? Woah. And in two more weeks, I'll be home. Weeeeeird. Two months has really flown. What an experience! What a life! Haha.

Thanks for your patience and I apologize for all the time that passed since my last post. I will try to be better!!


Much love from India,
Allison

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Beautiful Goodbye

I don't know how to do this. I don't know how to say goodbye to these little angels.

All I can say is that I am so grateful for this experience. To have met these children. To have let them bless my life and to allow me to try to bless theirs. I will never know if I made a difference, but they will be with me forever. I will NEVER forget them. I will carry them in my heart wherever I go. I just hope and pray that they can understand that and know how much I love them.

So tomorrow we say goodbye. But it's not really goodbye, is it?

What a fabulous and beautiful thing.

What an experience!