CRAZY LIKE A RICKSHAW!!

Good Morning Zelda Fan Club, (pictures are still on the way)

Sorry for the long time since India and lack of post, pictures can take even longer to develop out in the middle of the Indian Ocean. There have been quite a lot of activities going on here on and off the ship. First activity was the great Sea Olympics. For one day, classes were cancelled and there was a complete mixed bag of activities ranging from dodgeball, to board games, to lyp synch competitions, to how many marshmallows you can stuff in your mouth, and much much more. I participated in the Tug o’ War and my team placed second. Even if you weren’t participating in the games, you were participating in the cheering section. I am still amazed at how for one day everyone in our section of the boat bonded and made up cheers for our team the Red Sea Ringers. You can tell some people here really really miss their college sport festivities. The day ended with us getting 4th overall in the Olympics. so that’s what order we get off the boat in San Diego which is good news for people who are waiting for me. Finally what you’ve all been waiting for… the top 10 things to know about India:

10. Wow… Columbus was way off.
9. You get to be a celebrity because everyone here wants to be you.
8. Caerful Driving… Cows everywhere even the middle of the street.
7. Careful Driving part 2… Road rules are really Road recommendations so when your rickshaw turns around to go against traffic… just smile.
6. Never pay even half of what anyone in the market is asking for.
5. If you’re a guy… friend is your new name to everyone on the street and if you’re a girl… pretty lady is your new name.
4. Don’t Breathe… near a city. Or you will get sick… and belong right at home here on this boat.
3. Don’t eat pizza… cheese/dairy/India… not a healthy mix. In fact, it’s better if you just don’t eat anything.
2. India actually likes America… I am not sure why, but everyone here is really friendly. And they really want to get to America.
1. Never trust a rickshaw driver, but don’t be afraid to fall in love with the rickshaw.

The First day of India was a nice walk through an Indian movie studio. It was amazing to see them still using film technology since in less than five years, those techniques will be somewhat extinct. It was cool though to see how Hollywood USED to work before all the digital technology. It was a nice learning experience and was a good way to spend my first day in this intriguing country.
The second day, I put myself on a bus for Mallalapuram and we rode out to this small town just ouside of Chennai. The resort we stayed at was quite cozy and air conditioned so it made for a relaxing time. In the morning we watched a group of professional dancers do some cool on the spot dancing and they put on quite the show. Later that afternoon we took a walk around the city and visited some cool shrines and pagodas that dated back to the 7th century. It was pretty amazing to see a place where the tsunami hit because there were a lot of signs for hope. Though with all the trash you really can’t tell if its debris from the tsunami or just part of the filth of India. Either is equally plausible. Street vendors and beggars are just about everywhere, and its quite amazing how they never ever stop following you. We spent the evening dining Indian style in the hotel and enjoying a nice break from the hubbub.
The next morning we woke up at 6 in the morning for an early yoga and meditation session. It was quite relaxing and a good way to see the sunrise in the brownish dirty ocean. After yoga, the group gave in and had a wonderful horse ride on the beach which was quite fun. Then we headed to a village headed by one medical guy where he donates his medical services to everyone in the town. Although it seemed quite nice and he seemed quite unselfish, I was amazed at how nice his house was, and in what poor condition everyone else’s house was. After a nice lunch in the downpour, they decided to cancel our overnight stay in the village and we headed back for a nice walk around the town. In the morning a couple of friends and I headed out to a pagoda on top of a hill which used to be a light house. I was amazed going through this place because of the long stair climb, and then the priests blessed the Gods of Vishnu and Ganesh and asked us for money and… pens! Random… yes. But actually pens was something commonly asked for by beggar and rickshaw driver alike. After this amazing cultural experience we returned back to the city markets of Chennai. This involved more of our beloved rickshaw ridings which for those who are still unaware, is a cross between a scooter and an old Ford model car. Really quite remarkable and I think would be pretty popular on some college campuses.
India was by far the dirtiest country we have been to. I have to admit, unless I was exploring the Taj Mahal or the beautiful small villages of South India, I would not come back here. But it was altogether a very good experience for me. It was one of the more different cultural experiences and for that I am grateful for having seen it, but at least it was a good spiritual place that seems overcrowded with people and energy. Things are getting serious now, as we begin to ration water and we make our way to the military regime of myanmar (burma). Go gophers!