Kochi, India

I have taken more overnight busses than I can count but the worst among them all is the bus I took to Kochi. When we got on the bus I noticed very quickly that we were the only women and definitely the only foreigners. As we took our seats I settled in for a long ride with no springs in my seat and a sticky floor beneath my feet. The ride started off ok, besides the constant honking every time we passed a city, or turned a corner. As the other passengers started to doze off, I clenched my bag a little tighter and leaned back against my seat in an attempt to rest my eyes. Laying no more than 10 minutes I felt long fingers with what seemed like even longer nails grab my arm. I jumped high out of my seat and then leaned forward against the chair in front of me which failed as the hand belonging to the man sitting in front of me dropped down to casually graze my leg. Although many of the other passengers chewed out the men who grabbed me, the remainder of the curvy scary ride was spent with my legs tucked under me as I sat as straight as a board. We pulled into our stop at 5am. Which lead to a long walk around town waiting for someone to open their door. We then spent the next day wandering the streets meeting the nicest people and enjoying the ocean view. 

Kochi was a shockingly peaceful place. Unlike the other southern cities, the streets were walkable, the people moved slower, and smiled more, and the air wasn't as stifling hot and humid.  

In an attempt to get to the airport our taxi driver first lead us to his home for chi and of course some photos with his family...taken on OUR cameras. He then pulled out a pile of photos taken of other helpless victims trying to get to the airport. It was very odd. After this we learned to be very direct with drivers and if they stop where we don't want to be, we simply hail a new ride.

Kathakali Theatre

One of my favorite experiences in India was attending a Kathakali production. I'm not going to lie- it was different. I loved the elaborate costumes and face paint, but the sexual gestures and motifs definitely made it a night I will never forget. Jaims and I still giggle about it when we think back on that night. Real mature, I know. 

Mangalore, India and an Engagement Ceremony!

Our wonderful hosts from Bangalore invited us to join them in Mangalore for their sister's engagement ceremony. After years of devoted Bollywood watching I was curious if the festivities really were as glamourous as in the movies, and let me tell you- they are!
Unlike a wedding, the engagement ceremony only lasts one day. And because the two lovers came from different backgrounds, the traditions of each side had to be fulfilled, which in the end made it feel like we had actually been to two ceremonies.

*the proud father*

*A marriage of love- you can tell by the way he looks at her*

*her sister*

*I LOVE watching the cute grammas*

*even in India the thrift stores pull through*

*we ended the day with a trip to the beach*

*henna or mehndi is a beautiful art form. And since tattoos are too permanent for people like me with commitment issues, this is a nice alternative*

Our trip to Mangalore included our first Indian train ride. It was an interesting adventure I would recommend to anyone willing to give up all sense of personal space, and privacy.