New hair cut

New hair cut
Originally uploaded by Maleaji.

This is my new hair cut from the last day in Bombay. Needless to say, back in DC it is much larger, and far from perfectly blown out, but I still like it.

Back

snake charmer
Originally uploaded by Maleaji.

So, Tom and I and all of our luggage arrived safely back in DC. I'm a little sad to have left, but it's nice to be in DC. For example, I am sitting in a coffee shop eating yogurt with granola and berries, which tastes like the best breakfast ever, but I'll be missing dosas soon. Anyway, my phone is reconnected, so you can call me. I'll probably be back in NC next week.

Delhi

Delhi
Originally uploaded by Maleaji.

Crazy sign in Delhi. Now I'm caught up. It's been a really exhausting week, and places outside big cities have horribly slow internet connections (and by big citiest, I mean over 8 million people.)

Agra

Agra
Originally uploaded by Maleaji.

And this is me at Lincoln's birthplace. Oh wait, no...

Fatepur Sikri

Fatepur Sikri
Originally uploaded by Maleaji.

I am told that this is Asia's largest gate. You don't really get a sense of how big it is from this pictures, but it's really impressive. It's at Akbar's deserted capital outside of Agra.

Jodhpur Haveli

Jodhpur Haveli
Originally uploaded by Maleaji.

Jodhpur had pretty buildings.

Flooding

Flooding
Originally uploaded by Maleaji.

This was the flooding we saw on our train ride out of Mumbai. It looked like a lake, except that lakes don't usually have power lines running through them.

Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer
Originally uploaded by Maleaji.

jaisalmer

jaisalmer
Originally uploaded by Maleaji.

So, we spent one day in Jodhpur, two days in Jaisalmer, (inside the fort in the background. It was great.) We just got to New Delhi this morning, and are planning on going to Agra tomorrow. Getting kind of tired, but still having a really good time. I'm completely dreading the thought of being in classes again.

finally...

To update from the last post, I managed to get tom's airline to tell me approximately when his fight was getting in, dash back to my airline to catch the last flight of the day to bombay about 5 minutes before it was scheduled to leave, with all the ticket people shaking their heads and making jokes about how crazy we were to actually want to be on that flight. It was pretty uneventful, until just before landing they mentioned that the flooding at the airport had damaged some of the equipment on the ground, so they had to land by sight. It was a little bumpy, but at least we didn't skid off the runway, as had a flight that morning. I got in at midnight, Tom got in around 3, and everything indeed worked out ok, despite the rain and the flooding in other parts of the city. They day before we were supposed to catch our train to Rajasthan, the weather forecaster said to expect heavy to extremely heavy rains, but they never came, and our train, despite being in the suburbs of Bombay, where the flooding was worse, left exactly on time. We did pass through some really bad flooding, where you could see that if the rains were just a little heavier the tracks would be submerged. You would have through you were passing through a lake, except for the power lines sticking up out of it. Anyway, I would post pictures, but I am in Jopdhpur and the connection is none too good. It's a gorgeous city, and we leave for jaisalmer tonight.

Crap.

My travel agent wouldn't tell me what the status of my flight was. This irritated me. I spent over two hours calling the travel agent and the airline, and Tom's airline, without being able to get an answer out of anyone. Since I live close to the airport, I just decided to go and find out what was up. Turns out my flight is cancelled, and the people at Tom's airline couldn't tell me anyhing about when or if his plane would make it to Bombay (I'm worried he's going to be diverted to Delhi or something.) The people at his airline were also really unfriendly, but I was also flipping out a little, so they might not have been totally out of line. Actually, yeah they were out of line. So... the people at my airline said they could put me on a flight at 1:40, but it was already 1:15, and since my flight wasn't until 5, I hadn't brought my considerable pile of luggage with me. As it stands, I might be able to get on a flight at 8, if it doesn't get canceled. The website of Tom's airline isn't working, and no one is picking up the phone at their office. I ate lunch with my roommate and am trying figure out what to do, while knowing that the only thing I can do is wait and see.

I procrastinate...

and yet, this time, knowing it's Tom's first trip to India, I decide to meticulously plan ahead. All train tickets were booked well in advance. Our hotel reservations are made. I did not, however, think of the possibility that Mumbai would get the most rain any part of India has seen since 1910. Apparently his flight is getting in at 2:30 in the morning, and that's from e-mails from his mom and a friend in San Francisco. My travel agent keeps telling me she'll call in 15 minutes, and never does (this has been going on for 2 hours), and no one picks up the phone at the airline. Seriously, this is the land of bloody call centers, and the airlines' phone numbers are always either busy or no one answers. I am a little worked up, even though I know things will work out. Eventually. So tha's it. I will post again when I get to Bombay, and post pictures of my last day in Hyderabad when I get somewhere with a USB port.

Another Charminar run

Me in Lad Bazaar
Originally uploaded by Maleaji.

Since no one was in the office yesterday, my coworker and I decided we would get bangles for her sari to wear to another coworkers wedding today. So, where else should you buy bangles but next to the Charminar? So, this is me bangle shopping it was fun, although my friend complained that the prices go up when you're shopping with a foreigner. I'm finishing up last minute things today at work, but hopefully I'll be done soon, and can enjoy my last full day in Hyderabad.