Top 10

hi from India! I am loving this country for all of the differences it holds from probably anywhere else in the world.
Top 10 surprises so far:
1 - cows share the road with people (no one owns them...free ranging - they are sacred in the Hindu religion)
2 - driving means you honk your horn and just go
3 - shaking your head from side to side means yes, no, and maybe (i think...very confusing)
4 - you can NEVER eat enough :)
5 - 5 people can fit on a motorbike (up from 4 in Vietnam)
6 - goregou peacocks with their feathers open are not hard to find (so pretty)...nor are monkey
7 - You say "I need an STD" when you need to make an international phone call
8 - our driver looks like the Indian rendition of the Fonz...hair, hip hugger bell bottoms and all
9 - there are rarely road signs
10 - men wielding machine guns guard temples

I am having a wonderful time - much in part to Deepa's family and friends here. Everyone is lovely and so giving. The food - literally everything we've had - has been absolutely fantastic and we've gone to dinner at a different friend/family member's house every night. I am quite lucky!
It has been fun seeing Deepa as a local celebrity! Everyone has come to see her!
Also, I couldn't contain my laughter when her Uncle and Aunt both were talking to her at the same time, one in Gugrathi and the other in English, and Deepa was desperately trying to answer both...her head couldn't move around fast enough :)

We've also seen some beautiful textiles (mom, you would have drooled) and amazing temples. More exciting news to come :) We're off to dinner at another Uncle's house.
The weight we lost in China will be taken care of here!! Email me - update me about your lives!