The Indian Journey.. so far!

While the fear of the wet bathrooms seem to have only aggravated over time.. they have been temporarily suspended with a pair of bathroom slippers/ flip flops... that cost me a headache. The guy at the store insisted on showing Cheeky pink slippers, and when the guy was told that pink was big NO.. he went on to blue and green with shiny tassels/ pink flowers/ barbies and princesses! Seriously I am not sure what was with that guy... finally we found a boring gray and black one for 200 bucks (an average flip flop costs about 40-50 bucks!) and received an exasperated look from the bewildered guy!! Later that day I spied a kids tooth paste pack with princess on the top cover and spider man inside!! I had to suppress a laugh!! I can't remember how it was when we were kids.. were we equally confused?

The lizards are back too... while visiting family recently, I spied Cheeky looking intently at a point in the wall above the television.. while the rest of the household watched yet another soap on the TV. Confused I asked him what he was looking at .. there it was a huge giant lizard!! Cheeky was curious "Why do they grow lizards in India?" Try as I may I just couldn't explain to him why they did not voluntarily grow these lizards, or why the lizard and his friend did not really care about migrating to California (I wonder where that came from!!??)

Meanwhile the flip flops have been bought and we have been exploring the fantasies of Indian Railways, Spluttering Autos, and bumpy roads! Everything is met with the same aura of surprise and awe. For example on our third train journey, I asked Cheeky to go to the restroom before he went to bed. He was heard loudly declaring to anyone that would care to tune in "You know mommy, in the train when I pee, the pee pee falls on the tracks! That is so eewie!!" Oh well.. I could send him to pick a bone with the railway minister! That should be fun!

The next morning we took a ride in our yellow chariot.. down the beach road in Chennai! It was 6 am and there were people strolling/ jogging and amidst them a couple holding hands and sharing a cup of corn! I looked closely and they seemed to be married! I wonder what the story is.. {wink} The beach beckoned to me that early in the day... try going there in the evening and it drives you away with the stench and the crowd!

Last week, we went on a trip around south India.. and it was there in a small village that Cheeky grew enamored with India.! A few months back we had been to a place in Charlotte, called Lazy 5 Ranch.. as we drove through the park, deers and ostriches, zebras and emus walked up to our car and greeted us while they searched us for food! Now in a small village in south India, the goats and cows arrived at our doorstep in the same quest! And Cheeky just fell in love with the place! A mahout with his elephant had me take a picture and promise to send him a copy! Watch him stand there in all splendor with his dear friend the tusked beauty!

Still later in Kanyakumari, the southern tip of India we experienced the Indian Carosels while I devoured on the yummy mangoes in its raw splendour with just a sprinkling of salt and chilli powder.. mmmm yumm!! The Mango vendor and the peanut vendor pose for the pictures like that is part of their daily routine! Judging by the throngs of tourist, I bet it really is!! As the waves beat up the rocks and the winds blew our hair around, we sat on a ledge and watched rich colorful shops with the bustling melee of people .. we were experiencing the true spirit of India!