Delhi

Things about Delhi that made our life:

1. CRAZY AMAZING PUBLIC TRANSIT
In the run up to the Commonwealth Games, Delhi has invested in massive expansions to its metro system. Unlike most of the city which is fairly dirty, the subway is spotless and ultra modern (also... it uses bombardier trains). The smart card system isn't quite there yet, and it seems like most people still have to line up at a booth to get an individual scan disk for every trip. However, after weeks of being hassled and hustled by auto rickshaw drivers, nothing gave me more satisfaction than to respond to their questions of "where are you going," with "To the Metro." This made them upset.

2. HINDU RELIGIOUS THEME PARKS
We went to Akshardam temple, which is the largest hindu temple in the world, complete with rides, a food court, and imax movie and a music and light water show. It was hilarious because it was quite religious around this particular guru, but then also crazy nationalistic. The boat ride teaches you that India invented EVERYTHING.

No cameras were allowed inside the complex, but here is an image from their website of the anamatronic life story of the first guru.

I also got to run in a stampede because they wouldn't let men in for like 40 mins. The men around me were teaching me stampede etiquette. It was great.

3. LESS COWS


Right now we're in Amritsar. I also got an indian mobile, so if you're rich / bored call 91-954-007-6859

I'll likely be asleep.

well.... at least its a rolex



Finally...a note from Kim in her series of favourite India commercials (which always also seem to have someone from Bollywood in them). This ad is for a drink, Mirinda.

Birthdays and Bollywood!

So we're pretty lazy about posting stuff...mostly cause it's hot and the internet is slow and in unairconditioned, stuffy closets.

We are in Agra, which is surprisingly nice. We just spent the evening drinking beers, eating and looking at the taj mahal, hundreds of kites, parrots, monkeys and trained pigeons all from a rooftop. Earlier today we visited Agra fort where the emperor once played board games on a huge floor using dancing girls as pieces. There were also lots of harem areas.

Before getting here we celebrated Dave's birthday in a $30 hotel room for 2 nights. Fancy us! The hotel also had a pool, a crazy rabbit, numerous adorable puppies, no other guests and a staff of about 70.

Earlier, in jodhpur we were again asked to be in a bollywood movie, twice! even told that it was a shahrukh khan film (which kim disputed because she's pretty sure he's not filming at the moment...) Regardless, we took all the requests as a sign (and had no other afternoon plans) and went. As soon as the guy from the movie came to pick us up at the hotel, kim knew it was a real deal because his badge was from YASH RAJ FILMS!!!!!!!! (this is a big deal apparently) Anyhow, it was a pretty big production. We got a big free lunch, sat outside in the scorching heat for a couple of hours with a lot of those weird types who travel to India, and then got to be in the film. in fact, we were the star extras of the day and even filmed a scene with the star. Our only regret was not getting a picture with him. So...look forward to Shaadi Mubarak this Diwali season, potentially featuring either dave's knee or kim's cleavage.

Three Countries, Two Days

Flight from Vancouver to Hong Kong was diverted to Taipei due to a medical emergency, so we added another country to the trip. I'm pretty sure I saw Taipei 101 while we were landing, or at least I will forever say I did. Becasue of that we missed our connection to Mumbai and were forced to live it up at the best airport hotel in the world 24 hours (a photo will come later which will make this funnyish). So, with our free day in Hong Kong we went into town and saw fish that were filleted but still had beating hearts and moving gills. Pretty appetizing. We also rode massive out door escelators and made all of our belongings smell like those steamed buns you get for dim sum.

We finally got to India at like 2am on Sunday.
Despite the fantastic wine and move selection, on 24 or so hours spent on Cathay Pacific I was disappointinly called sir only once (see last post).

I made up for this in my first hour in India where I was called sir about 27,000 times.

Also in our steriotypical first day we: visited Hindu shrines, were asked to pose for pictures with an indian family, were asked to be extras in a bollywood movie, were unexpectidly bindi'd, saw a man draging a woman by her hair into the middle of an intersection, saw some cows.

Now we're in Udaipur. Its HOT, but its like a dry hot soo. Opening the window in a taxi feels like you're putting your face up to a hairdryer.

kim sends her love.
photos when not lazy.


*Fun Fact:  I always thought the wheel on the India flag it was a Karma wheel or something Hindu, but it is actually Ghandi's spinning wheel, and the idea of manual labour bringing people together.

homeless unemployed deedmontonized repackingfullnessless

Welcome to the post celebrating prefixes and suffixes.

So we have been in Vancouver for just about a week and are feeling almost recovered from moving, my !000% least favorite task in the universe. I guess I have moved about six times in the past 5 years, and while I try to own nothing, Kim somehow manages to collect more and more ikea goods.

Because we were moving everything one way from Edmonton to Kim's parents' basement, we determined the most affordable way to do this was for me to fly to Vancouver, drive Kim's father's suburban 13h back to Edmonton and then drive back to Vancouver a week later. Crossing the Rockies twice was in the span of a week and a bit was great, although listening to stories on cd passes the time much faster than stories on girlfriend. I kid. If you're ever inclined, the southern route, via banff and calgary, is way more entertaining than going on the yellowhead through jasper. Both routes feature a number of fine energy drink and Dorito establishments, however, only on the southern route did we almost hit a big horn sheep.


Speaking of which, I sawed these animals:

PEOPLE

MULE DEER

CATS !!

BIG HORN SHEEP!!!
(over kim's shoulder... the more impressive male one almost hit our car and I didn't want to risk getting rammed for a photo)

COWS!!!






Anyways, we now believe we have everything in order to fly out Thursday afternoon. We're flying to Mumbai via Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific, for which I have very high expectations (I expect to be refered to as "sir" no less than 20 times over the 20 or so hours of flying - will keep you updated).

The past few days have been going around buying stuff to take with us. I got my phone unlocked so in the future I may post a string of 27 or so digits which may connect people to my pocket. Kim bought a pair of pants that cost $70.  $70 !!

I mean she's only taking like 2 pairs for 3 mos. but really.

I plan to wear nothing but shorts and fancy knock-off software.

davis