Recent Adventures

• As previously mentioned, I got my nose pierced for 100 rupees (approx. $2 US). And I LOVE IT SO MUCH. I am ridiculously infatuated with it. Right now, I have one of Cayley's gold rings in it, but I'm hoping to find one here soon that I can use instead. There's one in a jewelry shop that I am absolutely infatuated with: diamonds in a vine formation wrapped jetting off the sides of a ring. It's about 5000 rupees (approx. $100-110 US), so that's not going to be happening, but a girl can dream, right?


• I went to an Indian nightclub (Zero) the weekend before last, and it was probably the single most fun thing I've done since I arrived in India. I'm hoping to go again Saturday night. I can't even describe how fun it was.... Just know it was AWESOME. :)


• Sunday before last I learned how to play cricket, and if I get to the point where I'm finally able to understand the rules, you can bet I will be bringing cricket back to NEBRASKA. (Q: How cool would that be? A: VERY COOL.)


• This past weekend, I went on a 9-hour one-way road trip to Agra and Fatehpur Sikri to see the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, and the mausoleum part of Fatehpur Sikri. It was rather expensive by Indian standards, but it was a really great trip all-in-all. I really enjoyed seeing the Taj again--I saw it for the first time when I was 17--and whereas last time it was really underwhelming, it was really overwhelming to see it this time. I could have sat and stared at it all day--not even kidding--but unfortunately hydration, heat, and other such things make that nearly impossible. It was really neat, though. (Pictures are on Facebook.)


• A peer of mine taught a laughing yoga class to all interested participants yesterday. SO MUCH FUN. Roommates and other Nebraskan friends: We WILL be doing this ROUTINELY in the fall. :) Maybe I'll even start a laughing yoga club in Lincoln....


• I've been trying to get hooked up with an NGO while I'm here in Lucknow. So far that search has just brought me to a Fair Trade-esque store that is looking for English teachers, but I'm really hoping to visit an NGO or two tomorrow or Monday.... We'll see how that search goes. I'd really like to be able to connect in that way with the city and with the country, and it would be really excellent experience.


• Cayley, her friend Fahmida (who has been staying with us for a little while), and I went to a restaurant called Barbeque Nation last night for dinner. It was probably one of the Top Ten Best Meals of My Life. It was expensive by Indian standards (500 rupees with tip or about $10), but we ate like kings. Any weight I've lost since coming to India...well, I gained it back last night. Our table had a grill in the center of it and several sauces (i.e. mint, mango, chili, etc.), and the waiters began our meal (which included unlimited mocktails and beverages) with "starters." We chose the non-vegetarian option, so they brought out prawn, fish, chicken, mutton, and some other things--each with a different marinade and all on skewers--and then kept bringing us more. They served us more traditional Indian food--directly to our table--and he had the BEST sweet naan ever. So good. And then they had a more traditional buffet full of Indian food and a dessert bar, but I was already rather full by this point and the food we'd already eaten had been so great. The three of us enjoyed a lavish girl's night out, and we estimated that a place of similar caliber in the US would be an easy $20/head if not closer to $30 or $40. And $10 here is quite a bit for dinner, but when we usually eat for $4 or less per person, $10 isn't such a horrible splurge, which brings me to another adventure....


• I ate street food for the first time the other day! Fahmida and I got lamb kebab rolls (spiced pieces of lamb, onions, and some mint sauce in a greasy sort of roti/flatbread) and a 1 liter bottle of mineral water for 60 rs. (less than $1.50 US). And that was dinner. And it was delicious. And that was Monday, and I haven't gotten sick yet, so I will be going back for more as time allows! Our most expensive meal here has been that one at Barbeque Nation (such a dumb restaurant name), and the kebab roll has been my cheapest, but most of my meals end up being about $2-3 US, but that gets me a decent meal at rather nice restaurants (or a chicken sandwich, Coke, and fries at McDonalds). And, yes, I have eaten at both KFC and McDonalds since I've arrived here...and it's tasted like heaven. And I don't even like fastfood. In fact, I hate it. But it's just tasted so good....