Train rides in India... and the joy they encompass

At first it sounds like a heck of a good time. I mean not to sound like Sheldon Cooper or anything, but who doesn't like trains? Especially if its across a country you have never seen to a place you have never been what could be more adventurous I ask you? Then you see this...

 

 

Just playing that isn't what I rode, but a lot of you were thinking it was weren't you? Come on be honest! So it wasn't anything like this, but it was an adventure. First off it is night when one travels across country so that view you were imaging that you might get doesn't happen. It also means that you are now expected to sleep on the train since once again you will be traveling at night and arriving about 2 or 3 in the morning if in fact the train is on time. Now I am not sure if any of you have ever rode on a train during the night or in fact slept on a train so allow me to set the stage for you if I may.

First and foremost you must prepare yourself for the mass exodus/mad dash to either get aboard the train or off the train. EVERYONE and I do mean EVERYONE attempts to get off and on at the same time (when here you face this same situation pretty much everywhere there is not a clearly marked entrance or exit). Now for those of you unfamiliar with a mass exodus/mad dash entrance it involves a whole heck of a lot of pushing, some yelling, then some smashing, followed closely with pulling and shoving. It also includes some choice words in a language you may or may not understand followed closely with a tone that you can't mistake. I promise you the tone and the meaning behind the words was duly noted buddy, duly noted.

Now you may be wondering if that also means you have to fight for your seat because obviously if you are that desperate to get on you surely are in order to get a good seat. That you would in fact have to fight for your seat. Well if that is what you are thinking then you would be wrong. The mad dash and mass exodus is for nothing... absolutely nothing. There is in fact assigned seats. So the mad dash is for no other reason then the simple fact of why not?! We can so we will mentality.

So now that you have fought your way on board, then found your assigned seat, and then stored your luggage underneath your assigned seat you think you can relax and let the adventure occur. That's when it hits you that you actually have to sleep on this thing. This is what your seat looks like at first

Now it depends if you are lucky or not (and let's face it if you have been reading this blog up to this point you have surely figured out that I am not lucky). If you are not me and lucky you will get the bottom bunk/bird. If however, you are me and unlucky in your travels you will either get the middle bird/bunk or the top one.

When they are down and ready for bed this is what they look like...
Now the middle bird is a tricky bird (pun is in fact tended) and when one enters the middle bird one must envision oneself as a worm crawling into a cocoon. All you can really do in this situation is to wiggle on your stomach up to the top and flop down praying those two strappy things that are holding you up in fact do hold you up throughout the shaky night. Now once you are in your bird that's it there will be no sitting and if you were me there will be no going to the bathroom b/c let's face it I had no idea how to get out of the bird once I was in it. And while the whole country of India is smarter than I (b/c they have in fact mastered how to get out of the bird to pee) I was stuck for 6 hours praying that we wouldn't hit anymore ruts in the track.

Now if for some reason you are lucky enough to get the top bird as I was coming back it is much easier to get in and out of. You do not have the added worry of the bird collapsing under your weight and you have the advantage of steps on both sides to climb up and down. The only difficulty one has on the top bird is making the bird up for a nice little sleep. This means that when riding on the top bird you might just find yourself sleeping on vinyl plastic sweating your butt off wishing they had not in fact turned off the air conditioning in an air conditioning car because enough natives complained about how cold it was getting. The whole time wishing you had mastered making a top bunk bed back at camp. *sigh*

Now if the story above sounds like an adventure to you well then all I can say is bully for you. Cause you haven't even asked me what the potty situation is like yet... yep that one is going to be saved for another day needless to say this part is a walk in the park compared to the squatty potty that I had to use on a train. Next time I travel via train I vow to never drink water during my 6 hours and to always, always get the bottom bird.

For Melissa who wants to know what Holi is like

This is not it LOL welcome to Bollywood. Although this is what people tend to think this is what Holi is it is in fact not nearly as fun or glamorous as this nor surrounded with so many pretty people... so yeah enjoy

Side saddle is a sure fire way to die

I know, I know it sounds like fun... well its not. It is in fact scary as hell. You are barely balanced, you can not move in the way your body naturally wants you too (if you do the driver will in fact yell at you in numerous languages) the whole time the above mentioned driver is bobbing and weaving in and out of traffic going speeds I dare not mention for those weak in stature. The whole time he is doing his bobbing and weaving thing you are clinging to the back of the bumper and to his shoulder yelling at him in only one language that isn't suitable for young ears. Then when that doesn't work you resort to threating to haunt him every day of his life if he gets you killed. With the added threat of "and trust me you don't want this voice haunting you everyday until you die!"

Now as if that wasn't all traumatic enough let's add in the wonderful creation known as a dupatta. That just loves to fly in the wind reminding you that if it feels like it, it can and will end your life by getting caught in the wheels. Because it knows that you know there is no way you are letting go of the stupid bike to catch it cause that would be a sure fire way to die as well. You really begin to realize that stupid express caught between a rock and a hard place fits this exact situation. Making you want to know which rock and hard place that person who came up with the expression was in. I bet you it was wearing a dupatta whilst riding side saddle on a freaking bike in India. I would in fact put money on that (no seriously I won't because you know I don't have any).

The dupatta also knows that if you should happen to shift to try and grab it that your driver's wrath will come hard, swift and without warning. He will jerk suddenly to the side. Tell you with measured breath to get off his bike. Then after what I'm sure was counting to 10 tell you to get back on. This time you are to "sit like a man for crying out loud". As you get off you think nope not going to happen I am not getting on this bike again with this person yelling at me and this stupid dupatta choking me and no... screw it I will walk home. Until you realize you have no idea where you are because during the whole ride besides the panic that was building about the fact you just might die as a fatality due to a dupatta you also had your eyes shut praying that the ride would be over as soon as possible and that you wouldn't die being known as the foreigner that choked herself to death.

So with a deep breathe and a prayer you hop back on the dang bike sitting like a man this time with your dupatta firmly tucked under your butt.

Dancing in the Rain

When you were a kid what was something that you always wanted to do, but where scared to do?

For some it was riding a bike, for others it was crossing a street, but for our girls it is and was dancing in the rain.

A month or so back we had a warm rain shower. The kind that you pray for in Kansas. The temps had been so hot we couldn't take the girls outside due to heat, the air inside was stale due to lack of breeze and frankly no one wanted to do anything. Then all of the sudden a thunderstorm rolled in, the air within the house was building with tension that was starting to boil over due to being trapped within for so long. The girls were ready to explode. Until the thunder past and I showed them what it truly means to dance in the rain.

At first the girls were scared, the rain was colder than they expected, they were worried about ruining their clothes, or getting in trouble. They had never thought to dance in the rain and to be honest at first I thought I would be the only one out getting soaked. They watched me with wide eyes as I boldly marched out in the middle of the yard and turned slowly to face them. Then out of no where I started dancing like a fool for the world to see. I mainly attempted to do some American moves with Bollywood thrown in for good measure. That earned me a few stares and a lot of giggles. As the giggles got louder I noticed the girls were slowly moving towards me.

When they were within arms reach I snatched out and grabbed one. I wrapped her up in a bear hug and forced her to stand in the rain and dance a waltz with me. She laugh and eventually started to dance without me. The tricky part was getting the older one to think it was fun and not childish. After dancing around each other and a lot of coaxing we finally got her close enough to wrap up in a hug and dance. This of course led to splashing each other, laughing, singing, and some dancing. I'd love to tell you it was a beautiful dance that was well choreographed. But it wasn't it was pure innocent fun of two young ladies who have lived a life I can't even phantom letting go for just a moment of all the anger, guilt, and shame to be children once again by dancing in the rain.

It lasted a while until I noticed their teeth chattering and then much to their disappointment I led them back inside. Once up in their rooms they discovered that dancing in the rain is very similar to dancing in a shower LOL. Clever silly girls that they were they just moved the party upstairs in their bathroom. Finally they were tired enough to change and dry off moving back downstairs.

I admit that in my life I have taken a lot for granted and one of those things for sure is dancing in the rain. I will never forget the looks on their faces as they raised their heads and sung to the rain as it poured down on them. They would twirl and dance all while laughing and splashing each other. They were so innocent and happy in that moment it took a lot for me to pull them away. I am truly blessed that God gave me that moment the right thing to do. Tempers died down, the girls felt they had gotten away with something, and now the 3 of us have a secret about dancing in the rain. It is something they haven't done since and something that every time it rains they look out, look at me and giggle.
 

Some Bollywood for your entertainment AKA what I listen to

Yep slightly obsessed with this stupid song that won't leave me alone in fact it haunts me, everywhere I go it follows like Mary's stupid lamb. But man does it have a good beat or what?!

Dust storms really do happen and not just in deserts

You do not have to live in a sandy part of the world to experience dust storms. Some that are so bad you feel as if you can't breathe, which is sort of what the above picture looks like. Yes there is a good reason to have a dupatta after all. There is also another good reason to pray for monsoon season then again that surely comes with its own issues. I was going to call this a sand storm and in fact I think I have before until I was informed by a native that, I was in fact being a tad dramatic. Cue my eye roll and pardon me for confusing the two.

Anywho either one is not pleasant nor is it something anyone should ever wish to have to experience. Especially if you are a foreigner and didn't know that A) they really do exist in this part of the world or B) happen to be inside when it hits and just are thankful for the cool breeze coming in through the window. Not thinking that it would also leave behind the destructive caterpillars and dust almost a half inch thick. The dust does tend to coat everything your nicely cleaned floor that you spent way too long sweeping with a hand broom then on your bended knee mopping it by hand. Only to then discovered it is now covered in dust as is your computer, tables and chairs. But by the time you discover this little tid bit it is too late. The bugs are in the dirt is set and locking up your flat to roast in 98 degree weather just feels like plain torture at this point.

So you then face the dilemma do you let the dust continue to gather with the lovely breeze or you can shut up your apartment and clean up the dust. AKA re-cleaning the darn thing that just took you the better part of the morning to clean in the first place. Then after you spend another part of your day re-cleaning b/c let's face it that really is the only option you opt for a very ice cold shower if you can find it and crawl into bed. But before you do (And trust me this step is key) change your sheets.

SORRY

I am sorry everyone for the lack of an update! I swear I am doing well and I have a lot to talk about per usual. Sadly school is standing in my way and our conversation. My last week is next week so after that GAME ON!!! In the meantime please enjoy these Bihu pictures that we did at the home and I think there is even a video and psych no there's not sorry...