More traveling after Christmas

We have had a busy few traveling days, and encountered some illness -- first Barb, then Jeff, then Coleman; all while visiting Bharatpur, near the famous bird sanctuary. We never saw the birds, though Jeff and Chris and Cole (before falling ill) did take a bike ride into the edge of the park, and all enjoyed chatting around a fire at the Falcon Guest House, with other interesting guests. But we cut short the visit and returned to Agra in order to rest. Using up my previous-life's hotel points on a little luxury here (though we still have to buy the obligatory New Years Eve dinner tickets! we'll make sure to get the most out of it), and some real rest and relaxation.

A Happy Christmas and Merry Boxing Day

[Boxing Day is not really celebrated in India, but it's known, and the term refers to the 26th, so I used this title.]
All is well thus far -- an easy train ride south, when the attendants keep coming through with snacks and hot food and bottled water! The train was only half-full departing from DehraDun, but families kept coming in at each stop, so it was packed by the time we got to Delhi, just after 11pm. We negotiated the crowds and the taxi stand, and got to the YWCA and crawled in bed.
This morning we talked to the main post office and sent a few letters and got some special cards, learned how to glue stamps on the envelope. Then we took the new delhi metro to Connaught Place -- beautiful subway, apparently built to last. The stop at Connaught Place is still under construction; but we found our way out, and to the famed Pallika Bazaar, a warren of shops with a park built on top. Bargains and bargaining galore: don't pay list price! A shawl for Barbara (it's colder in Delhi than we had thought) and a belt for Coleman, and some Playstation games for the boys...... Then the close quarters (and the incense in some shops) got us hankering for fresh air, and lunch. Coleman got his promised trip to Subway, for lunch! It is much like any Subway shop, but without beef, and with lots more veggie options -- and almost same as USdollar prices, which is high for India standards.

We then found a CyberCafe where we could check e-mail; then walked to the official tourist office for a very pleasant and informative conversation. The lady there convinced us to go to India Gate -- on the way, we found the official government Cottage Industries Emporium, a surprisingly large and nice state-run handicrafts store that absorbed us for an hour, with promises to return on our way back north through Delhi in January. Then we negotiated an auto-rickshaw ride to IndiaGate, the memorial arch on the grand wide mall in front of the president's house. Lucky for us, we got there just before sunset closing -- we noticed tremendous preparations for the Republic Day parade scheduled for 26 January!
More Walking and sitting and resting and snacking, then we negotiated another auto-rickshaw (technically, maximum 3 riders, so we negotiate) to take us back to Connaught Place for Barb's promised dinner at TGIFridays. Yes, it's another little space of Americana, very well copied--just like you are in New York (lots of foreign tourists!). Again, no beef; but Barb got her delicious imported pork ribs, and Jeff got a (lamb) cheeseburger, and chris got a chicken/bacon cheeseburger and cole got some fettucine alfredo; and Jeff got a draft beer. Outrageously expensive by local standards, (equal to our night's lodging at the YWCA) but still delicious.
Next we decided to go to the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, the big Sikh temple in Delhi. We found a turbaned auto-rickshaw driver (a Sikh, he would be glad to have a fare going to his temple!), and negotiated the ride--he was happy to take us and wait for us, then take us back to the YWCA...I offered 50 rupees. The temple was easy, as I had been there in October with the high school group. More later, on the family's reactions to the temple.

Travel plans from Christmas

It's Christmas day! We celebrated Christmas at the Hindustani Church, bilingual service, with the Hindi youth choir singing -- we could follow along in each other's language, via the Book of Common Worship (of the Church of North India).

We plan to catch the afternoon train from DehraDun to New Delhi, and stay at the YWCA IGH (International Guest House) for a couple of nights, then stay with a colleague in Noida a couple of nights. Then we'll catch the train to Agra, plan to get a taxi to take us to Fatehpur Sikri, tour the ruins there, and go on to Bharatpur, to stay at the Falcon Guest House for 2 nights.

Keoladeo National Park is the main attraction in Bharatpur, to see the many migrating birds there. A train back to Agra, and our bit of luxury, some Hilton points getting us a few nights there, including New Year's Eve. We plan to see the Taj Mahal, and Agra Fort, and Itm-ad-Duallah (the so-called "baby Taj").

January 3rd a train back to Delhi, an overnight at the Y again; then the train to Mumbai (Bombay), overnight. Two nights in Bombay at the Methodist Hostel (the Y is full), and the day-train to Goa/Madgaon. Our friends the Smiths are booking us accomodation at Tanzy's Guest House, where they're staying also. Lots of Woodstockers are in various places in Benaulim, Goa.

We're ticketed on the express sleeper from Goa to Delhi on January 20th, and thence to Delhi on the 24th.
All these plans may shift a day or so, here or there. But we're looking forward to it. And when we get a chance at an internet cafe, we'll update the blog -- watch this space!

Copy of our Christmas Letter to family and friends

Merry Christmas 2005

We have been here since July, adapting to altitude, language, culture, and lifestyle. India is our adopted home for the next several years. Mussoorie is a cool mile-high mile-long town stretched out along the first steep ridge of the Himalayas. Woodstock is an old but renewed international Christian boarding school. Jeff teaches computers to eleventh grade, and serves as Academic Technology Coordinator. Barb teaches third grade, and serves on the chapel committee. Chris finds ninth grade challenging and enjoys the freedom to roam. Cole enjoys sixth grade hikes and camping.

If you would like to know more about what we are doing here, please let us know - we write a newsletter article each month, and would be happy to send one to you. Jeff is maintaining a weblog, at thomasindia.blogspot.com and some newsletter links on a separate webpage at www.geocities.com/thomas10562

We miss you all. Please keep in touch, and plan a visit in the new year. We wish you Christmas blessings, and as we say in India, "Namaste."