After a stressful week, I was thrilled to be getting out of Bangalore for a safari in Bandipur. Realistically Claire and I knew the chances were slim, but both of us really, really wanted to see a tiger. We had heard stories of people waiting over five hours in a watch tower to catch a […]
When eating out in India I often find myself asking whether a dish I’m ordering is spicy. I’ve learned that “not spicy” means spicy. I’ve learned that “sweet” means spicy. And I’ve also learned that a “little spicy” means I’m going to need an extra bottle of water and maybe a bowl of yogurt to […]
Hi, I’m a Benson Snail (Indrella ampulla) and I can move quicker than you’d think. Hi, I have amnesia and I’ve forgotten what I am, but don’t I look neat? Hi, I’m a baby python and Julie almost stepped on me. Good thing I slithered back under the rocks where it’s safe.
I love bitter melon (aka gourd) and apparently I’m not the only one. Ravenous Couple’s post/tweet on bitter melon recently made me miss my mom’s bitter melon soup, and also reminded me that I needed to try bitter melon Indian-style. What luck that the restaurant in Wayanad had fried bitter gourd chips served alongside lunch. […]
A month has elapsed and I can’t believe it. I’m starting to panic. Starting to feel like I need more time to explore and discover. I’ve been here an entire month and three days and I’ve hardly seen anything, but the teeniest, tiniest, most minuscule tip of the Indian iceberg. If only work didn’t get […]
I’ve also been told (confirmed through internet searches) that Dussehra is also a time of weapon worship. Since most of us aren’t carrying around swords and guns these days, this translates into a worship of our modern day weapons/tools like cars, tractors, computers and other electronics. Driving though Mysore today, I saw cars, trucks and […]
Today at work Prakash (on the right), one of my favorite people of all time, lit a lemon on fire then smashed it with his palm outside the doorway of the office. Then he lit a coconut on fire and held it above his head and smashed it on the ground beside the lemon. Next […]
Two day trips in one weekend! It’s bananas, I know. As if we hadn’t had enough excitement for one weekend with the coracle ride and wading through the Kaveri river, we threw in a trip to Nandi Hills on Sunday. Located at 4,851 feet above sea level, Nandi Hills offers a nice reprieve from the […]
There are moments I’ve had during this trip where I completely forget that I’m in India. Then I look out the window of the car and there are monkeys everywhere. Adorably deceiving creatures, aren’t they? Cute but with the threat of rabies being so real, it’s best to admire from afar. Oh Toto, we’re definitely […]
Whenever Claire and I ask for recommendations on where to travel in India, people always seem to point us in the direction of fancy 5-star spas and resorts with villas and bungalows. Extravagant places to relax and unwind. We tell them we can relax when we go back to California. Luckily, we’re both more interested […]
