Categories
India Travel

End of India in Posts (2+ Months Late)

At this point, sadly, I cannot remember what was posted or not, or what photos were shown, but the photos below are from our last few days in Delhi (well, Agra and area surrounding Delhi, anywyay :))
IMG_1021Visiting the Temple where Buddha gave his first speech on the 8-fold PathIMG_1035

Kevin standing under Buddha’s Bodhi Tree (implanted from Bodh Gaya)IMG_1030IMG_1047

Tired as a goat.IMG_1091

We made it to the Taj Mahal!IMG_1088

Bucket List – Check! Turns out, it was pretty cool – and for me anyway, lived up to my expectations…even if it was 6,000 degrees and took us 6+ hours to get home.IMG_1095

Representin’ St. Bede!IMG_1085

When we got home from the Taj, I have never felt so sick in my entire life. After throwing up on my hair, I had quite a (quite uncharacteristically, I hope!) dramatic moment and chopped off a hunk of my hair with Kev’s kid scissors he used to make Japanese Kanji flashcards. IMG_1103Here I am (feeling much better, 3 days later) with much shorter hair (and a see-through shirt , as it turns out!)IMG_1107

Not sure what else there is to report from our last few days in Delhi. That said, minutes before leaving for the airport, I watched a woman get hit by a car turning her thigh into glue on the pavement. While many watched her scream, no one came to help her. After quite a bit of effort, I was finally able to secure a Tuk Tuk driver to take the woman to the airport (after the first 4 refused to put her in their vehicles.) I felt pretty shaken by the entire experience, but it was a reminder once again of the difficult lives that many Indians face on a daily basis. I know it is not from an unkind spirit that so many stopped to watched or refused to help this woman – I know that to be completely opposite from my experience during the last 1.5 months…I do think, however, that individual lives are truly so difficult on a day to day basis, it must be extremely hard to imagine taking on someone else’s pain or difficulty, when so many are struggling just to get by themselves. It was something that I had felt on numerous occasions while in India, but was never made more clear until our last night there.

At this point, it’s hard to remember just how we were feeling when we left, but I do remember the genuine sense of relief I felt when we finally entered the airport. India had, without question, rocked me to my core, and made me feel stronger and weaker as a person that I can ever remember feeling (especially in such a short period of time!). From the highs to the lows, the beauty and the filth, I could not be happier that we chose to travel here – I know I am better for it – and will be looking forward to the day when we have an opportunity to dig a little deeper into the scratch we left there.

 

3 replies on “End of India in Posts (2+ Months Late)”

Love your postings Lindsay and Kev. There is a book series, “the 12th ( or some number?) Wife” , with the sequel “Feast of Roses” which historical fiction style, tells the story of the man who had the Taj Mahal built for his wife. It’s interesting reading! Uncle Chris says you need to start writing your own book!

I love your short hair. I have worked with so many people from India that have been sent to the USA for their education and work experience and know they come from the “better” side of the track. I felt the same way you did when I left Cairo, Egypt. There are so many people there, that one or more less is not even thought about. Donkeys, however, are thought to be very valuable! Love having you share your wonderful experiences.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *