My Problems Are Solved

Well well well, I stand corrected. There IS a place in this world where one can find silence regardless of religion or lack thereof. This wonderful beautiful place is called Bahai Temple (aka the lotus temple and I'll eventually post a picture but I can't with this computer). The only rule in this place is to be quiet (oph, and no shoes/cameras or mobile phones), just as I wanted. It is gorgeous inside and out. But wait, let me tell you about the rest of Delhi.

It is refreshing (in every way except the air) to be here. The people are kind, the city is really great and modern, and there is so much beautiful history to be taken in. We saw Qutb Minur, the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, Khan Market (let me tell you about Khan market in just a little minute) and I think that covers it. Okay, so now let me tell you about Khan market heh heh...

You know how in my last entry I was listing all the things I missed from home...well I found them, in Khan market. Ryan and I spent an inordinate amount of rupees to savour such delicacies as fresh croissants, camembert cheese, pork products, and Lindt dark chocolate-particularly wonderful. We were sooo happy. We also found this great bookstore that will bind any book with leather for really cheap. Had we not spent so much in the last week I would have loved a copy of Salinger's Catcher in the Rye leatherbound...I also managed to snag some gifts for a few people (light ones this time since we already sent a box of stuff home by express mail yesterday).

What else? Let me think a little. Well I have gotten quite good at haggling. I managed to knock off a lot of money for our chauffer to Jaipur/Agra by lying a little. I was trying to work with two different drivers, seeing who would give me the best offer. The one we had today offered rs.8000 and the other rs.6000 but with all sorts of extra expenses. I got the second driver to knock it to rs.7000 nothing extra, and then told driver number one that he quoted us rs.6500, which got him to knock his price to rs.6800. A little white lie goes a long way in India, it's all in good spirits. Which brings me to my next point.

We are leaving tomorrow morning for two nights in Jaipur (in Rajasthan-desert place) and then off to Agra. We will see the Taj Mahal, do a little carpet shopping, and then we're off to Varanasi that night (fingers crossed). From Varanasi, where we'll see the Ganges river (don't worry, I won't touch it because I like my flesh on my body, though I could stand to lose a bit...maybe I'll reconsider), we will take a 10-hour bus to Sunauli, the border of Nepal/India. From there we'll see a few things and then take another bus to Kathmandu. I'll tell you more about this when we get there or back. As I never know where there will be internet or not, I can't promise to write for a while, but so far I've managed everywhere we've been.

Wish us a safe and happy journey, and I wish to you the best of luck in all you're doing.

Peace be with you (and also with you...sorry, leftovers from Catholic school, but I like that bit)
Leanne