We arrived in Mysore, India just before Freeman's birthday and have gotten settled in quite comfortably here. We are staying at one of Freeman's best friend's mom's house outside of Mysore. The house was designed by Freeman's friend, Kartik's Aunt and Uncle and has some very cool environmental features. The house refreshes all its gray water for secondary use in flushing the toilets. The house also collects and filters the roof runoff for use as water in all the taps for cooking, hand washing, and etcetera. The hot water is heated using a solar water heater on the roof, which gets piping hot. It's been fun to feel a bit more integrated with the local landscape.
The rains have come to this part of India finally and are causing a fair amount of flooding. The weather is a bit cooler on average during the days and there have been some excellent rain showers in the evenings and sporadically throughout the days. We just picked up a couple bikes for each of us for commuting into town, and so far only got caught in a mild shower once, we've been lucky.
In town we are both keeping ourselves busy. Jo is taking traditional Indian dance classes for and Free is taking private and group yoga lessons. We usually wake up late and spend the rest of the morning reading, then ride 8.5 miles into town for our afternoon lessons. We're on our way back by the evening in time for dinner a bit after 7:30. Add in some more reading and internet puttering and that's a good day.
We've befriended a retired couple around the corner who are voracious readers and have amassed quite a library. We now have a small stack of borrowed literature and environmental non-fiction to keep us busy for a few weeks. On the book front, don't bother reading Dan Brown's newest "The Lost Symbol". A Dr. Bronner's soap bottle is more engrossing and thematically very similar.
We are both feeling very relaxed and enjoying getting to know one place well, as opposed to bouncing around we were doing for a while. We think about home often and hope you all are well.
Cheers,
Jo and Free
Monday, October 5, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
India by Train
We are now in Pune, a small city near the mountains Southeast of Mumbai (formerly Bombay). Tomorrow we will be visiting Jo's United World College so Freeman can see where Jo finished up her studies before Middlebury.
So far, our travels have taken us from Delhi through Agra, Jaipur, and Mumbai. wWe landed in Delhi after our flight from Nairobi and saw some of the cultural sights including the Red Fort, Gandhi's Memorial, and the India Gate. We were ushered around a Sikh temple on a holy day and got a small introduction to that religion from an outgoing sikh at the temple. The food was extraordinary and a welcome return to vegetarianism for Free after tasty meat, meat, and more meat in East Africa.
In Agra we spent a day visiting old temples and seeing the "Baby Taj Mahal" (an earlier mausoleum in a similar though less grand architectural style) on the first day. Then in the late morning on the second day we went to see the big daddy Taj Mahal. It is epic. It's the size of an enormous graveyard and it holds two people. The mausoleum itself defies description. We also got a chance to visit a modern palace at the Oberoi Hotel there in Agra. We had a chance to have a few drinks there and walk the opulent grounds.
In Jaipur we toured more old forts and saw the sunset from a hilltop fort overlooking the pink city. That night we even got a chance to watch a fun Bollywood movie in a huge local cinema. Suffice it to say that Freeman's uncle Chris would have gone nuts and Free's dad would have loved it. Everyone was talking to the actors and screaming at the characters to do or not do different things. It was much more like a rowdy live theater scene than what Americans or Europeans are used to in a cinema. We loved it. Freeman's "hardy guffaws" fit right in, indeed he felt meek in comparison to the outbursts all around us.
Then we took the overnight sleeper train from Jaipur to Mumbai for 19 hours. It's a bit like falling asleep in a massage chair set to "shake". We were in Mumbai long enough to buy a copy of Dan Brown's newest book and catch our train to Pune. This was probably the first real stereotypical Indian train adventure for Free. Much of the trip was along a high ridge between two mountain ranges with breathtaking views. Add in ample and worthy beggars interrupted by snack vendors and chaiwallas galore along with a few pushy gentlemen trying to find their seats and you've got a good time. Did we mention the sweat or the staring?
The staring is worth a moment. We often joke that the horns on our forehead are coming in quite nicely, as we attract ample staring wherever we go. By 'staring' we don't mean prolonged glances, mind you. By staring, we mean walking close enough to really get a good look and then investigating every visual aspect of your person, then moving on to regard you at a distance. Luckily we have always felt safe and honored in a way, it's just a new thing to enjoy.
We're off to do some more walking around and see Pune a bit. We miss our friends and family and wish each of you all the best. Stay in touch.
Cheers!
So far, our travels have taken us from Delhi through Agra, Jaipur, and Mumbai. wWe landed in Delhi after our flight from Nairobi and saw some of the cultural sights including the Red Fort, Gandhi's Memorial, and the India Gate. We were ushered around a Sikh temple on a holy day and got a small introduction to that religion from an outgoing sikh at the temple. The food was extraordinary and a welcome return to vegetarianism for Free after tasty meat, meat, and more meat in East Africa.
In Agra we spent a day visiting old temples and seeing the "Baby Taj Mahal" (an earlier mausoleum in a similar though less grand architectural style) on the first day. Then in the late morning on the second day we went to see the big daddy Taj Mahal. It is epic. It's the size of an enormous graveyard and it holds two people. The mausoleum itself defies description. We also got a chance to visit a modern palace at the Oberoi Hotel there in Agra. We had a chance to have a few drinks there and walk the opulent grounds.
In Jaipur we toured more old forts and saw the sunset from a hilltop fort overlooking the pink city. That night we even got a chance to watch a fun Bollywood movie in a huge local cinema. Suffice it to say that Freeman's uncle Chris would have gone nuts and Free's dad would have loved it. Everyone was talking to the actors and screaming at the characters to do or not do different things. It was much more like a rowdy live theater scene than what Americans or Europeans are used to in a cinema. We loved it. Freeman's "hardy guffaws" fit right in, indeed he felt meek in comparison to the outbursts all around us.
Then we took the overnight sleeper train from Jaipur to Mumbai for 19 hours. It's a bit like falling asleep in a massage chair set to "shake". We were in Mumbai long enough to buy a copy of Dan Brown's newest book and catch our train to Pune. This was probably the first real stereotypical Indian train adventure for Free. Much of the trip was along a high ridge between two mountain ranges with breathtaking views. Add in ample and worthy beggars interrupted by snack vendors and chaiwallas galore along with a few pushy gentlemen trying to find their seats and you've got a good time. Did we mention the sweat or the staring?
The staring is worth a moment. We often joke that the horns on our forehead are coming in quite nicely, as we attract ample staring wherever we go. By 'staring' we don't mean prolonged glances, mind you. By staring, we mean walking close enough to really get a good look and then investigating every visual aspect of your person, then moving on to regard you at a distance. Luckily we have always felt safe and honored in a way, it's just a new thing to enjoy.
We're off to do some more walking around and see Pune a bit. We miss our friends and family and wish each of you all the best. Stay in touch.
Cheers!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
India!
We have safely touched down in India. We are exploring Delhi for a few days before making our way south. We'll give more information on our time in Delhi before long, but for now we need to get out there and live it.
Snacking on pappadam,
Jo and Free
Snacking on pappadam,
Jo and Free
Monday, September 7, 2009
From cargo ships to candle-lit dinners on the beach
Zanzibar here we come! We had imagined this day for months and were looking forward to the six-hour ride under a starry sky and were only too excited to jump onboard at 2.00am. Little problem....the ship was a cargo boat that was ferrying coconuts. Alas, we arrived in Zanzibar after sitting, lying, squating and kneeling on coconuts for a-quarter-of-a-day while moving at 5 miles per hour.
That said, it was an incredible cool night as the boat gently rocked through the deep azur waters and at sunrise Freeman even watched shoals of fish swim around the boat as the captain softly hummed; but don't ask Jo, she spent the entire night barfing into a plastic bag and wondering why bile tastes so bitter. It's official Jo and Free will never take a cruise together! The rest of the commute (1.5 days) consisted of another boat ride and a car ride with 10 people (Four in front, five at the back and 1 in the trunk.)- Ouchhh! By the time we got to the pier we were certain that our trip back to Nairobi will consist of one plane flight.
However, the moment we stepped on Kendwa beach our hearts melted as we have never ever seen a place so beautiful. The powdery white sand seeps between your toes as you walk on the expansive beach littered with shells. The sun gently tingles your skin but not too much; while the ocean consists of alternate azur and cobalt strips and you only need to swim 20 metres to see stunning corals reefs. The locals placed flowers on our bed and made us feel like we were long lost friends coming home and on Saturday night we danced the night away at the Full Moon party then jumped in the ocean for a 2.00am swim. Yes, everyone should visit Kendwa Beach in Zanzibar. It's paradise.
We are now back in Zanzibar's stone town. We will miss Kendwa but we cannot wait for India. T minus 2 days.
Mwah,
Jo and Free
That said, it was an incredible cool night as the boat gently rocked through the deep azur waters and at sunrise Freeman even watched shoals of fish swim around the boat as the captain softly hummed; but don't ask Jo, she spent the entire night barfing into a plastic bag and wondering why bile tastes so bitter. It's official Jo and Free will never take a cruise together! The rest of the commute (1.5 days) consisted of another boat ride and a car ride with 10 people (Four in front, five at the back and 1 in the trunk.)- Ouchhh! By the time we got to the pier we were certain that our trip back to Nairobi will consist of one plane flight.
However, the moment we stepped on Kendwa beach our hearts melted as we have never ever seen a place so beautiful. The powdery white sand seeps between your toes as you walk on the expansive beach littered with shells. The sun gently tingles your skin but not too much; while the ocean consists of alternate azur and cobalt strips and you only need to swim 20 metres to see stunning corals reefs. The locals placed flowers on our bed and made us feel like we were long lost friends coming home and on Saturday night we danced the night away at the Full Moon party then jumped in the ocean for a 2.00am swim. Yes, everyone should visit Kendwa Beach in Zanzibar. It's paradise.
We are now back in Zanzibar's stone town. We will miss Kendwa but we cannot wait for India. T minus 2 days.
Mwah,
Jo and Free
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Nairobi Wedding Celebration and Mombasa
Hello everybody! We are now just North of Mombasa, Kenya on Bamburi Beach, chilling on the fine white sands and dancing the nights away. Picture camel riders haggling with us to take a ride, dugout wooden catamarans ("dhow" in kiswahili) bobbing in the water, crabs scuttling away in their little sand caves on the beach, and Jo and Free sitting on a towel sipping frosty beverages as the waves gurgle in the gloaming. Did we mention we're not working. Life is like a ripe mango.
We arrived in Mombasa by bus after an amazing time in Nairobi with nearly all of Jo's family. With a couple exceptions for those who couldn't make it, we were able to meet or catch up with relatives from both sides of Jo's family and many friends young and old. Free's parents made the journey from Vermont to Nairobi, via London to celebrate on the 22nd as well. There was much dancing, singing, food, speeches, flowers galore, more of the chocolate and cream color scheme than you can shake a cake at, and smiles, smiles, smiles. Frank (Jo's dad), David (Free's dad), and Freeman even did a little booty shakin' in front of the full crowd to get the evening started! Many thanks go out to Florence, Frank, and Jo's brother Ben for all the time they spent making ready for the big day and attending to many details during and after the big day. It was an honor to be treated so well and to have so much love in one place. Jo looked radiant in her dress once again, by the way! We're working on getting pictures to share...
We are off to Zanzibar next. We may dodge pirates by stowing away on a light cargo ship between the tip of Southeastern Kenya to Stone Town in Zanzibar. This is likely to beat the 14 hour bus ride along the coast. That said, it is also a big test as Jo has never travelled by boat before and is still learning how to swim. Ahhh, adventure awaits at sea!
Hakuna shida,
Jo and Free
We arrived in Mombasa by bus after an amazing time in Nairobi with nearly all of Jo's family. With a couple exceptions for those who couldn't make it, we were able to meet or catch up with relatives from both sides of Jo's family and many friends young and old. Free's parents made the journey from Vermont to Nairobi, via London to celebrate on the 22nd as well. There was much dancing, singing, food, speeches, flowers galore, more of the chocolate and cream color scheme than you can shake a cake at, and smiles, smiles, smiles. Frank (Jo's dad), David (Free's dad), and Freeman even did a little booty shakin' in front of the full crowd to get the evening started! Many thanks go out to Florence, Frank, and Jo's brother Ben for all the time they spent making ready for the big day and attending to many details during and after the big day. It was an honor to be treated so well and to have so much love in one place. Jo looked radiant in her dress once again, by the way! We're working on getting pictures to share...
We are off to Zanzibar next. We may dodge pirates by stowing away on a light cargo ship between the tip of Southeastern Kenya to Stone Town in Zanzibar. This is likely to beat the 14 hour bus ride along the coast. That said, it is also a big test as Jo has never travelled by boat before and is still learning how to swim. Ahhh, adventure awaits at sea!
Hakuna shida,
Jo and Free
Friday, August 14, 2009
Happy Honeymoon
Hakuna Shida! No worries. Freeman and Jo are finally reunited in Kenya and loving it. Shame it is culturally inappropriate to kiss in public, we're still getting used to that. As a result, we've gotten very good at playing footsie under the dinner table.
Jo got a passport that confirms her correct gender, always a plus. Your guess is as good as ours on how she got through all her travels and visa applications for 8 years on a passport that listed her with the wrong first and middle name and the incorrect gender. That's cleared up finally with some expedited processing, read small bribe to ministry official.
Florence (Jo's Mom) and Ben have been making many preparations for the large family's arrival throughout the coming week. Frank (Jo's Dad) arrives tomorrow. Ben, Susan, Baby Flo, Florence, Jo, and Free all went out to Carnivore last night. After drinking goat's blood in Tanzania and last night eating a meal consisting of only meat shaved directly from the bone to the plate, with a side of beer, Freeman has officially gone "whole hog" on indulging his carnivorous instincts. He is looking forward to a ritual cleansing in India and perhaps some vegetarian penance (picture him slapping his face with a wet brick of extra firm tofu or a cat's tail made of celery or something.)
It has been amazing to see where Jo grew up and visit places that defined her childhood. Also great to see how much Jo and her mom are alike in many ways (picture digging for missing phones simultaneously in oversize purses while fussing about directions in the front car seats as they navigate the streets of Nairobi). Florence has been taking very good care of us and is very excited about the imminent celebration. The emcee for the evening just entertained Hillary Clinton and has no qualms reminding us of the fact on occasion.
We're going out partying tonight with Jo's best friend from grade school, Nairobi nightlife, Tuskers, and Gin and Stoney Tangawizi...it's really hotting up!
Jo got a passport that confirms her correct gender, always a plus. Your guess is as good as ours on how she got through all her travels and visa applications for 8 years on a passport that listed her with the wrong first and middle name and the incorrect gender. That's cleared up finally with some expedited processing, read small bribe to ministry official.
Florence (Jo's Mom) and Ben have been making many preparations for the large family's arrival throughout the coming week. Frank (Jo's Dad) arrives tomorrow. Ben, Susan, Baby Flo, Florence, Jo, and Free all went out to Carnivore last night. After drinking goat's blood in Tanzania and last night eating a meal consisting of only meat shaved directly from the bone to the plate, with a side of beer, Freeman has officially gone "whole hog" on indulging his carnivorous instincts. He is looking forward to a ritual cleansing in India and perhaps some vegetarian penance (picture him slapping his face with a wet brick of extra firm tofu or a cat's tail made of celery or something.)
It has been amazing to see where Jo grew up and visit places that defined her childhood. Also great to see how much Jo and her mom are alike in many ways (picture digging for missing phones simultaneously in oversize purses while fussing about directions in the front car seats as they navigate the streets of Nairobi). Florence has been taking very good care of us and is very excited about the imminent celebration. The emcee for the evening just entertained Hillary Clinton and has no qualms reminding us of the fact on occasion.
We're going out partying tonight with Jo's best friend from grade school, Nairobi nightlife, Tuskers, and Gin and Stoney Tangawizi...it's really hotting up!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Headed into Nairobi
Freeman leaves today from NYC to meet back up with Jo in Nairobi. He is rapidly packing a few final things and will be on his way shortly. New York felt like a bustling oasis for these last few days, thanks to everyone who helped make it so. Now to get back into the heart of traveling!
Freeman picked up a copy of The Da Vinci Code finally and looks forward to reading it on the plane. Let's hear it for the reused book sellers on lower 6th avenue!
Goddess Guide Us.
Freeman picked up a copy of The Da Vinci Code finally and looks forward to reading it on the plane. Let's hear it for the reused book sellers on lower 6th avenue!
Goddess Guide Us.
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