Arrived safe and sound!

Flights on time. Hotel perfect. New Years Eve party on roof! Life is good in India!


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We will be well cared for, Mom....xoxo

This is a letter with the plan for our first day from our new and dear friend, Dharmender. I don't think he would mind me sharing with you...

hii
kerry
it's nice to hear from you
as we are going to met at 11 a.m in the morning we don't have much time to visit whole Delhi
so according to me
firstly i'll take you to my home
here you'll met my family
then there is an old temple up to 10,000 years old in my village
i would like to take you there .......
then there's a local and popular market near my village
from there you can buy salwar kameez because if you buy it from fabindia its quite similar to buying from canada
but in the local market you'll get better variety at cheaper rates.....
and else as you wish we'll do it like that
and don' worry i'm not gonna get bored with you four...
and your botteled water would be ready in my car....
and one more thing rajasthan is too famous for for clothes......
as there are a lots of textiles over there.
and a greater quantity of clothes are exported from there....
and according to me you should prepare a list of items you wanna buy then i'll take you to the places where you can get them at cheaper rates with greater quatilty...
and for your husband tell him that i'll take care of you
and first day we'll not see any tourist place...
you'll be safe with us on hour home
here i'll introduce you to different cultured people...
in the end as always
have a nice day
and may god bless you.


dharmender.......

Waiting. Wondering.

Three more sleeps.

I am sitting alone in my living room. Waiting.

I know it's a big deal for me to be going to India. I feel the reality sinking in. My travel partners are feeling similar thoughts. Leaving your family, your work and your comfort zone for almost a month can be daunting as the time draws near.

I hope I can do this trip justice. I read that India is an amazing experience, a sensory overload of sights, sounds and smells. I don't want to miss any of it.

I don't feel afraid. If anything, I feel more alive than I have in a long, long time. I feel 23 again, and for that I am thankful. I am blessed with this great big life surrounded by a loving and supportive family. I will miss them.

The four of us will all come home with different stories. I wonder what they will be? We will learn new life lessons and I know we will be better for it. The Indian culture and their way of life has always fascinated me and now we get to live it.

Thank you.

Namaste.

As a matter of interest...

Beer in India dates from the early days of the British Empire by the 1700's. Beer was produced in India after the high demand of this refreshing drink by the British administrators and troops in a hot climate country.

Nowadays production of beer keeps on increasing in the Indian beer market, reason why there are plenty of breweries. Some of then are currently producing beers that are brewed for export and are very popular in India as well.

The most famous beer is Kingfisher that is sold in many countries around the world.

Kingfisher
Kingfisher is a beer with history; it is made in India since 1857. It is very popular around the world, this lager contains 5% alcohol is slightly sweet, crisp and refreshing.

Bangla Premium Beer
Bangla is stronger than most Indian beers; it contains 5.5% alcohol and has a fuller flavor and smoother taste. It is a perfect drink to complement a spicy food popular across India.

Lal Toofan
Lal Toofan is a 5% alcohol premium lager brewed with basmati rice, which gives it a good taste in order to go with the Indian cuisine. Its name comes from the red dust storms that show of the desert sands of Rajasthan in Northern India.

Cobra Lager
Cobra Lager is a new style of Indian beers, it contains 5% alcohol, it is an extra smooth lager with full flavor.

Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal premium is brewed by United Breweries which is India's largest brewer that make many brands including Kingfisher and UB Export. Taj Mahal Premium is a 4.5% Crisp hoppy bitter with a clear amber color and a light body that complements many a spicy Indian curry.

Maharaja Lager
Delectable hops and malts in a lighter style lager; good with fruitier preparations of poultry or lamb.

Information from Cocktails From Around World website.

A Plug for Vedas Indian Restaurant

If you love Indian, you simply must try Vedas at 149 West 3rd Street in North Vancouver. The four of us recently went there for the first time after our field trip to the India Consulate. The restaurant itself is lovely. The staff terrific. The food to die for. Nice extra touches like fresh flowers on the tables and hot, steamy cloths at the end of the delicious experience.

Last night we ordered takeout from Vedas and were not disappointed. Really great Indian dishes. All so fresh and unique.

Give it a try over Christmas if you want a change from turkey and shortbread.

Check out the extensive menu at www.vegasindianrestaurant.com or call 604-973-0123.

Tell them who sent you.

L.

Practice with the itouch

Here we sit at Kerry's having our last planning meeting for India.

Kerry says that at age 47 she is so grateful that she can still experience wonder. She is looking forward to an intellectual adventure.

Cathy says she hopes to see something so totally new...something she has never seen before.

Leslie says she has gratitude for the man who is sending her on this journey and she looks forward to sharing her stories with him.

Shelley says she looks forward to a sensory and spiritual experience.

Namaste.



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The Dabbawalla

Yesterday I came across an excellent CBC TV series called "India Reborn" which can be viewed online. It is divided into four segments, about an hour in length each. I believe it was originally broadcast in the spring of 2009. I was fascinated to learn about the career of a "Dabbawalla." The Dabbawalla (also spelled dabawalla, dabbawallah) are predominantly entrepreneurial men who pick up and deliver the Tiffin (lunch day meal) to customers (mostly men) in major cities such as Mumbai or Delhi. Dabbawalla in English means something very close to "one who carries a box."

The devoted Indian wife prepares the hot meal in the morning and then packs it in an insulated stainless steel tube with various compartments. The Dabawalla then collects the Lunch Tiffin from home and delivers it to the work place in a record time. Approximately 4,000,000 transactions are done per day with a work force of approximately 5000 employees.. The Error rate is 1 in 16 million transactions. The charge is Rs 300/- per month ($6 per month) This rate is standard for any distance or weight.

Affluent families use this service today to deliver nutritious meals to their children at school.

It is a century old profession and it an integral part of Indian culture.

Factual information above found at wikipedia.org

I am looking forward to lots of cilantro in my food! LOVE IT!