A Week+ in Photos…

 

No photos of the chaos that was Mumbai (thankfully Delhi is still a few more weeks away :)) But here is some of the beauty located not too far away….

Tamarind and palm trees and monkeys galore: Elephanta Island off the Mumbai Coast.

Kev reading up on the symbolism behind the cave carvings.

Shiva.

This was pretty funny though.

Kev, Oli and Eden (new friends) in temple.

On the way back to Mumbai, you will see the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel (oddly (or maybe not so odd? This is India after all…), located only 21 hours away from the Taj….)

First legit Indian Meal: Paneer Masala, Rice and hella naan and chapati.

For a grand total of: 218 rupees ($3.58)

Sunset at Chowpatty.

After Mumbai, we took the train down to Goa. It was pretty awesome.

A Sleeper 1st AC car (probably the only time in our life that happens) which pretty much meant for 13 hours, I got to sleep (ya’ll know how I like to sleep in mobiles!) wake, drink chai. Rinse and Repeat. Again, pretty awesome.

Like you would expect? Some of this for sure, but also a lot of beauty.

And then. We got to Goa.

Full disclosure: No one swims on the beach. Especially not women. So fully clothed, in the scorching hot sun (thankfully this day, under an umbrella) this is what we did. Therefore, we did not swim in the Arabian Sea.I also found a new favorite drink: Salty lime soda.  So that was pretty nifty.

Besides drinking beer and lime soda – we looked for rocks…ans shells…and crabs….

Goa has a huge Portuguese influence – behold the Virgin Mother all blinged out -Indian style.Mini Thali Dinner.

Due to the heat, we really didn’t have a huge desire to eat – BUT! We found this AMAZING street food cart that had THIS! Dahi Aloo Puri, I believe. If ONLY you could taste the Ratatouille happenin’ with each bite…Yowza!

This morning, we packed up shop, and were on the move again to HAMPI! 

Today, no AC. cramped seating, Indian families and kids sharing apples and snacks with us, and broken conversations in English trying to alert us of breathtaking views ahead. Vendors and noise and vendors and noise, BUT! Cruising up and down the isles for 8 hours straight I’ve come to learn probably my favorite Indian phrase thus far: Garam Chai! Garam Chai! (hot tea! hot tea!) It was the perfect way to go.

And so you have it. Today, we landed (once again) in Hampi – Which I truly believe might be our own personal bit of heaven. Quiet, dirt roads, smiles and questions galore and awesome ancient ruins (from the 3rd century BC – WHHHHAT?!?)  to be explored tomorrow (did I mention the quiet?) Currently listening to the monsoonin’ rain smacking on tin panels outside  and embracing the rickety fan’s love, snuggled up under the mosquito net as I write to you. Life is good.  We’re doin’ this thing.