Free Oranges

Life begins at 30....really??

2012-02-17T23:03:00.001-06:00

Hey there,
Well my 30th birthday is one I will definitely never forget. The original plan was to spend it on the luscious beaches of the Andaman Islands snorkelling, tanning and having a few cocktails however flight cancellations and lack of available accommodation had made it impossible so we took on plan B..head to the mountains of Darjeerling.
Two hours out from Kolkata our train stopped and all the passengers from our carriage were told to move into the next carriage. There were quite a few police with torches the size of watermelons and others with large guns searching just our carriage however at this stage we were unsure of for what. We watched on concerned and confused for sometime until I overheard a conversation with two guys in Hindi the only word I recognized was "bomb". I took a few minutes to process this then asked him to clarify. He told me it was dangerous and we shouldn't be on the train at all as someone had phoned the police and told them there was a bomb in our carriage...WTF!!!
Turns out the guy was traveling with his band and two of the guys could speak english. We stood on the platform in the cold (I was only wearing a tshirt and obviously couldn't go back for a sweater) with spots of rain for nearly 4 hours until 2am. During this time the police brought in dogs from the bomb squad and searched the entire train while we made friends with the band. The situation would have been a lot worse if we didn't have anyone to translate for us so we were lucky in that respect. Although the Indian police did their job as I am still alive to tell the tale, their work was seriously sloppy. They didn't evacuate the train or close down the station and other trains continued to pass and even stop. We were not told to keep a distance from the train (we did though as we actually have common sense!) and other passengers gathered around the train watching the dogs in action while others returned to sleep in the suspected carriage. No one was searched when the green light was given for the train to continue to it's destination although the dogs had been walked through the crowds of people (this provided me with some comfort) but if someone was carrying a bomb on them they could have easily avoided the police. Before I would reenter the train I made the police inspector promise the train was safe and I wouldn't be dying on this train...All the Indians were pretty amused by this!!
After a few hours sleep (somehow) we were confronted with another interesting situation . A transvestite boarded the train and was threatening men in our cabin to expose themselves (which is extremely embarrassing to the Indians) if they didn't give 'it' money. Of course the men obliged rather than facing the embarrassment but I was shocked at the lengths people in this country go to to scab money from others. This was then followed by another incident later while we were in a taxi when a crazy lady stood in the middle of the road holding a large piece of wood threatening to smash in the car unless the driver gave her 2 rupees. She made some signals with her hands indicating she was crazy but I was again disgusted at the lengths people go to for money rather than getting out there and finding a proper job.
So I turned 30 while standing on a train platform while my carriage was searched for a bomb!! Who would of ever thought...
So after all the excitement and drama of the day and massive delays we reached Darjeerling six hours late hungry and tired. No thanks to our driver who stopped three times during the three hour journey up the mountain. On the third stop I actually got out and yelled at him that I wasn't paying him to eat I was paying him to drive. Harsh I know but it had been a seriously long 24 hours. Yelling proved to help the situation and we didn't stop again.
Lish shouted me pizza and fries for dinner (which was breakfast and lunch as well) and then we built a fire in our room (so grateful for a room with a fireplace in this weather) and I fell asleep soon after. We decided to celebrate my birthday properly the next day....TO BE CONTINUED!!!
From your happy to be alive however over the hill best friend xx

E's Birthday!

2012-02-16T09:04:00.000-06:00

Dear Emma,

Today is your birthday! Happy birthday to you! I hope you are eating lots of cake and getting to open presents... or at least getting a decent meal and a warm bed.

Love and miss you, birthday girl!

Valentine

2012-02-14T10:35:00.000-06:00

Dear Emma:

Happy Valentine's Day! Things have been really busy around my house since I hosted my first annual Valentine's Party over the weekend!

I spent all of my free time making delicious treats such as cake batter truffles and raspberry cheesecake cupcakes (you would have adored them!!).

(and also decorating my house with all the lovely flowers my amazing husband brought home for me!)

I hope you are having a wonderful Valentine's Day across the world! Miss you heaps!

Yours with love- Anna

Sri Lanka

2012-02-08T08:49:00.001-06:00

Hi there,
Do you recall the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami that hit Sri Lanka after a massive earthquake in Indonesia?
When arriving in the south coast area of Sri Lanka it's really apparent life here has seriously been altered from this natural disaster. Graves border the coast road with signs along the streets recalling the number of lives and houses lost.
Today we went to the Dutch Fort in Galle and walked along the shore to the lighthouse and back through the old buildings and churches. Our tuk tuk driver from Galle back to our hotel in Anawatuna spoke like it was just a few months ago how the area we were driving through had been devastated by the tsunami with the entire waterfront going under water. All the buildings we were seeing were brand new. The tragic result was the loss of 4000 lives just in Galle with tens of thousand in Sri Lanka as a whole. Our driver had been lucky and been on higher ground at the time.
Life along the coast here survives on it's fishing and tourist industry so it's amazing to see how it has bounced back even though after chatting with the locals it seems like yesterday to them.
Sadly the beaches aren't what they used to be and now a narrow shoreline remains. None the less it's still a beautiful area with some very lovely locals.
Miss you
E xx

Memory Monday [5]

2012-02-06T15:45:00.000-06:00

I have been thinking a lot about what we were doing around this time in 2008. About now we were in Thailand in an area called Sukhothai...

I picked a guest house kind of out in the middle of nowhere, but is didn't matter much as we spent our time riding bikes through the palace ruins.

It was like we had the whole place to ourselves!

What was I thinking with that fanny pack? I mailed it home after I saw how it ruined these pictures haha...

Oh, and the green curry was soooooo delicious! It took us quite awhile to catch a bus out though... it was like there was no schedule... a sleepy little town with no need for set times (much to the irritation of us organized backpackers... we were sitting at the side of the road waiting for that bus for what felt like eternity).

May all the buses you need today be prompt!

Going Bananas over Seafood!!

2012-02-05T10:45:00.001-06:00

Hey Anna Banana,
I'm in banana country!! It's so tropical in Sri Lanka and there are bananas everywhere so I'm reminded of your nickname.
Also so much seafood, which Im loving. I've been indulging myself with a few of my favorites including golden fried calamari, prawns and of course fish and chips.

We had heard some great reviews on a restaurant called Hot Rock which is located on the rocky edge of Unawatuna Beach. The Old Fashioned Prawn Curry is their most popular dish and I was not disappointed. A bed of fluffy rice with a sea of yellow curry with delicious prawns. YUM!!!

The seafood here definitely beats what I tried in both Nepal and India. I had grilled King Fish in Goa which was very average and the fried fish I had from the lake in Pokhara, Nepal was terrible...looking back I should have really taken a look at the lake first!!

Your pizza looks delicious, I'm excited to try when I get there (minus the olives please!!)
Love E xx

Pizza

2012-02-01T08:50:00.000-06:00

Dear Emma,

I hope Sabrina is feeling better, it is no fun being sick when you are away from home! It was really nice getting to talk with you on the phone (and via chat). This time zone is much better for us.

Last night Paul and I had this amazing pizza...

It is from a place called Papa Murphy's. They make the pizza for you and then you bake it at home in your own oven. Since our oven is an antique and doesn't work the greatest we decided to take advantage of the fact that we have been house-sitting Paul's parent's house. Chicken Alfredo pizza with spinach and green olives! Yum!

That reminds me of the last time we had pizza together... you were here for my wedding and we were in Galena at Benjamin's.

That was a fun day-trip (remember we went to the winery too?).

You are heading to Sri Lanka right now... safe travels! Can't wait to hear about your next adventure!

Yours with love- Anna

I Found Paradise in India

2012-01-31T07:54:00.002-06:00

Hey,
I never thought I would find paradise in India, then I arrived in Goa. It's a lot bigger than I imagined with the north and south being two and a half hours apart by car.

We started in the north and had our first Indian beach experience here. You will remember what it was like in both Thailand and Cambodia where you are constantly hassled to purchase food, clothes and jewelry on the beach, well the north of Goa is exactly the same but you have the added nuisance of large groups of men just hanging around. They show way too much affection towards one another while starring at us which is a huge deterrent for us to go swimming. Plus there's only so many photos I want of me in a bikini floating around India and the Internet!! Haha (Indian men are known to take photos of foreign girls and pretending they are their "easy" western girlfriend.)

The south of Goa is a world apart, with less crowded beaches and no sellers allowed on the beach...woohoo!! Palolem Beach is lined with palm trees hanging over huts and with restaurants flowing out onto the sand. I had always wanted to stay in a beach hut so we rented one while we were here. It's so great walking out the door and being able to see the beach and hear the waves at night. I love never needing to wear shoes as everything you need here you can get with the sand between your toes...plus I finally got to swim!
Tomorrow we leave this paradise for the chaos of Colombo, Sri Lanka. It's a little sad leaving this place as it was leaving our 3 tiny now flea free kittens in the north.

Hopefully I will return soon...with my favorite American travel companion!! (Hint hint!!)
Miss you,
E xx

Fish Spa and Kittens

2012-01-27T02:28:00.002-06:00

Hey A,
Today I had my first fish spa. This is where you put your feet into fish tanks and the little fish eat the dry skin off your feet. I had seen this before in Thailand but never really wanted to try it before seeing it here in Goa.
We first had our feet washed then as soon as you put your feet into the tank your feet are mobbed by hundreds of fish. It's the strangest feeling at first feeling the dry skin being pulled from your feet and seriously ticklish!!
Once I started to relax it was a really good experience and my feet feel much smoother.
While we were at the fish spa a guy pulled 3 teeny tiny kittens out of a box he had rescued and started feeding them cow milk from a babies bottle. This horrified me as cats are lactose intolerant so this really upsets their stomachs and is generally bad for their health. I got talking to the guy and offered him some advice on taking care of them. They are so adorable just fitting in the palm of my hand, but constantly meowing as they are riddled with flees. My heart really went out to these poor little creatures so I'm heading back there tomorrow to help bath and get rid of some of the fleas. This trip has really made me realize how much of an animal lover I really am, even though you had been telling me this years ago!
Missing you,
E xx

Memory Monday [4]

2012-01-23T09:58:00.001-06:00

Today is the start of Chinese New Year! Back when we were living in Beijing, Emma and I rang in the year of the rat with style! It was a little bit scary as there were fireworks going off everywhere... and not all of them were pointed for the sky!

I was especially nervous... Emma and I were about to embark on our journey around South East Asia and I didn't want to risk being injured!

I don't think hiding behind the Diet Coke bottle made me safer from all the fireworks (but it was worth a try!)...

Just a small sample of what was in store for the night.

The next day we went to the temple fair. It was really crowded but so cool to see! There were food and merchandise booths, red lanterns everywhere, and some interesting entertainment options (remember the singing?).

So much fun! I am going to learn how to make jiaozi and then next year we can celebrate here with sparklers, mahjong, and red decorations!

Just like America...in Mumbai

2012-01-21T05:35:00.001-06:00

Hey Ann,
I have arrived in Mumbai and it is definitely on my list of favorite cities. The shopping malls here are packed with all my favorite stores and restaurants. I was lucky enough to have McDonalds, Dominos Pizza and TGI Fridays all in one day!! I am yet to find the Chilis but I'm working on it.
The other day my friend ordered a Mozzarella salad and to my surprise it came with mozzarella sticks. Of course this reminded me of you so I took a photo to show you and so I can make my own interpretation when I get to the UK.
Wish you were here.
Love Em xx

Applebee's

2012-01-19T09:17:00.001-06:00

Dear E,

That rat temple really grossed me out! The thought of having a rodents crawling all over me... I just fainted in my mind. It reminds me of the time we were in Thailand, Krabi if I remember correct. We really needed to wash our clothes and the only laundry place we could find was a washing machine that was literally on the sidewalk.

While we were sitting there on the sidewalk reading (practically in the gutter), a giant rat waltzed on by!

As promised Paul and I got buffalo chicken wings the other night (the night I had to shovel again).

We got them from Applebee's! Yum! You remember Applebee's, right? We took your parents there straight away when they got into town.

We also got mozzarella sticks in your honor! (also because they are my favorite.) I really wish you would have been there... I got sick because I ate too much... I need you to split food with!

I miss you so much! Can't wait til you get to Mumbai and I get to hear about all the American restaurants in India!

Yours with love- A

P.S. I got a second postcard in the mail! It was from Nepal!

The Rat Temple

2012-01-19T08:50:00.001-06:00

Hi there,

Nice snow hat...looks like a few I saw in Nepal!

I recently visited the Rat Temple while in Bikaner, which is in the north of Rajasthan. The rats here are treated as sacred and protected. If you step on one you have to put a coin down in its place. While this is really a unique experience, I don't think you would be able to experience anywhere else in the world, this place is definitely not for the squeamish.
Shoes are not allowed to be worn and covers are provided for your feet (thankfully!!) but this was still a little too close to those dirty not so little rodents for my liking. After seeing the Indian people let the rats crawl all over them and one mistaking me for an Indian and trying his luck up the leg of my pants, I was ready to get out of there quick smart!!
Being a once in a lifetime experience I'm glad I've been able to visit but positive I will not be returning!!

I much prefer squirrels, which remind me of being in America.

Happy snow shoveling!
Love E xx

Snow Storm

2012-01-17T12:41:00.000-06:00

Dear Em,

I have been a little under the weather lately. Hearing about the lines and seeing your pictures really cheered me up! Oh, also, I got your postcard from Phuket! Yay! How exciting...

We had a massive snowstorm last week on Thursday... they declared it a "snow emergency" in Rockford and the surrounding cities. I had to shovel twice in a matter or 3 hours since the snow was coming so fast! (chelly helped, she loves to shovel.) Paul even had to shovel once the next day... that is a lot of shoveling for one storm! I bet you have never had to shovel in your life. I am excited for you to move here so I can teach you how to shovel! haha... you will hate it.

On top of it we are having another snow storm today. I will be spending the evening shoveling, again, but this time there is a light at the end of the tunnel... buffalo chicken wings for dinner! Even in the dismal weather buffalo chicken can warm the soul. Maybe I will even get some mozzarella sticks (aka fried cheese) in your honor.

Here's wishing you were here... with a shovel in hand!

Yours with love- Anna

"Hello...there is a line"

2012-01-16T03:33:00.002-06:00

Hey Ann,
I'm forming a love/hate relationship with India and it can change in an instant. I am a lover of the chaos which I grew to love living in Beijing. I love the feel of a big city like New York or Chicago but here it's the quieter places I'm liking the most. I'm currently writing to you from the very relaxing roof top of my hotel which looks out towards the Jaisalmer Fort and soaking up some desert sun. I have already seen a number of forts in India (each city seems to have one along with a palace) but this has a particular grandness about it. Jaisalmer is a smaller city near the desert that has been build in and around this fort complete with guesthouses, restaurants, shops with a few cows and stray dogs just like everywhere else in India. The view from the top looks out into the desert which is a real treat at sunset.
Today I went to the post office to mail you another postcard. These places tend to frustrate me a lot as people here do not know how to form a queue. I tend to get mad and yell at people, today being no exception. What was different was this time people did listen and a line of five people formed behind me...miracle!!! The people here tend to have the same mentality as the Chinese and that pushing and shoving is vital for survival. I much prefer the more orderly way of the western world and being here does make me appreciate those small things we take for granted like the ability to form an orderly line.
So next time you are in a queue spare a thought for me and the madness I can't escape even in these smaller less chaotic cities.
Love Em xx

On socks and flip-flops...

2012-01-11T14:49:00.000-06:00

Emma,

I am quite surprised that you buckled and wore socks with your flip-flops (don't you call them thongs? haha)... even if it was wash day. I am certain I remember you making fun of me doing this on my trip to Tibet, saying how you would never stoop to that level... I could be exaggerating.

We have a pretty neat exhibit at the Discovery Center Museum right now. It is about nature and is explained by the Peanuts gang!

Ben's team won their basketball game last night! You would be so proud! He is soooo tall.

I am trying to eat healthier so yesterday I made beet soup. I haven't tried it yet as I ate loaded nachos at the b-ball game, but at least it is made so now when I need to eat I can just warm up a bowl of beet soup... just thinking about it is making me frown haha. I will let you know how it is!

How's the food in India? Any amazing dishes? Let me know if there is something you recommend and I will try to make it here! Be safe!!!!

Yours with love- A

Fashion Faux Pas of the Average Backpacker

2012-01-10T04:20:00.001-06:00

Namaste A,
As you know I have always been interested in fashion and taken pride in my appearance. Now that I am a backpacker once again I am less rigid about what I wear and how my hair looks and more focused on warmth and comfort (within reason). But seeing other backpackers around I'm ashamed for them!!! When was wearing a blanket around your shoulders a replacement for a jacket? (I have seen this countless times...are people really that lazy to buy a jacket?) Or wearing black 3/4 leggings with white fancy lace around the bottom with black socks pulled up and flip flops ok? I admit I have subjected myself to wearing socks with flip flops but only on wash day or when my hiking boots had to be tossed away and a replacement found.
I remember how we took pride in our appearance when we travelled around south east Asia and always looked cute even for long bus rides.
Maybe times have changed or perhaps because the climate is different here in India or the age of the hippie is making a strong comeback or perhaps some people have just been traveling WAY toooo long but the things I'm seeing really do astound me!
E xx

Memory Monday [3]

2012-01-09T14:21:00.001-06:00

Hi Emma!

Well things have gotten colder on this side of the world, but still no sign of snow. Do you remember what we were doing about this time when we lived in Beijing? We went to Harbin to the Ice-Lantern Festival!

The train ride up to Harbin was soooo cold! Once we got there it was even colder... eyelashes froze, mobiles and cameras died, we had to wear layer upon layer of clothing whenever we ventured from the comfort of the hotel...

There was a really pretty cathedral there as well...St. Sofia's.

You wore that scary balaclava the whole time... well some of the time...

Other highlights included Stalin Park, the Russian Ice Bar, and Siberian Tiger Park!

That was such a fun trip! I'm sure you are having just as much fun wherever you are now... though I bet you are enjoying the weather much more! Miss you!

Yours with love-Anna

The Taj Mahal

2012-01-05T11:50:00.002-06:00

Hey A,
It was everything I had ever imagined and such a surreal experience. I was completely in awe when seeing the Taj Mahal from the very first moment.
It took 22 years to build out of white marble, and it really does express the love one emperor had for one of his wives. Inside is delicate mosaic works with the tombs of the emperor Shah Jahan and his favorite wife who was able to give him 14 children.
It's the most beautiful building I have ever seen even giving me chills (just like the Great Wall of China and the Terracota Warriors in Xian did.)
Definitely the highlight of the trip so far just one person was missing :(
Love Em xx

Farewell Nepal

2012-01-05T01:48:00.001-06:00

Dear Ann,
While Nepal was always a place I had dreamed of visiting I leave knowing it's somewhere I'll never return to.
The two weeks spent there were quite the adventure from trekking the Annapurna mountains to just surviving the poorly kept, rubbish cluttered cliff side roads. We never quite knew what to expect when ordering food, one day it might be one thing and the next a completely different interpretation of the same dish.
It was disappointing to see such picturesque landscape ruined by people who think it's ok to toss their rubbish on the ground or out the car window and a country who has no system in place to dispose of it.
But there were things I loved about the country, like the prayer flags hanging everywhere you can possibly imagine, getting the opportunity to meet some amazing people and who can forget White Mischief their vodka!!
We were eagerly awaiting our departure to Delhi to meet Sabrina and make our way to the Taj Mahal. Unfortunately Jet Airways had other ideas when canceling our flight after hours of delays. On the upside it was nice to be put up in luxury accommodation after our usual budget digs and be spoilt with a huge buffet breakfast (Check out the photos below). The following day was yet again totally chaotic at the airport causing numerous arguments and punch ups, and yes we did cause a couple!! Oops!!
Eventually a new flight was arranged which was an obvious delight to all the passengers many who had gone crazy at some point over the past 26 hours...this even got a few Indian men dancing...probably too much White Mischief!!
You would have gone mental at the airport...I think I've taken on your usual role on this trip..besides planner extraordinaire!!! Haha

Missing you and wishing you were here to see the Taj Mahal with me...I've been waiting so long!!

Love Em xx

Hello 2012

2012-01-04T09:35:00.002-06:00

Hey Emma!

Sounds like your trek was gruesome! I'm proud that you made it and in record time at that. Good work.

Paul and I rang in the new year in the suburbs of Chicago with some friends. I wish you would have been there... my purse caught on an old lady's hair (well, relatively old) and she yelled at me! It seriously did nothing to her hair but lift a tiny piece for like 5 seconds. Later, when we were walking by her again, she told her friends I was "the {insert naughty word} who messed up her hair." Can you believe her! The nerve! I walked out of the ballroom and around the outside when I needed to get back to the dance floor as I didn't want to chance seeing her again.

I could have really used your back-up on the dance floor too! Some crazy drunk girl stole Ashish's party hat and gave it to her boyfriend. When Tina went over to confront her, she snatched the Happy New Year tiara right off Tina's head. Then they started elbowing and trying to invade our space... I had none of the space invading. They may or may not have run into my very sharp elbows while I was doing some amazing dance moves, and then backed down... I mean seriously, who acts like that at a new years party?! (well, they also might have cleared away because someone kept passing some serious gas and I kept turning around and telling them to stop stinking up the place... though we will never really know if it was them, the smell did subside once they moved on!)

All in all it was a really fun night! You would have really enjoyed the snack buffet at midnight... and the brunch the next day too!

Did you do anything exciting for New Year's Eve? Your photos all look amazing so far, and I'm trying desperately not to be jealous! Miss you!

Yours with love- Anna

Four Days of Torture on Top of the World

2011-12-31T10:49:00.004-06:00

Dear Anna,
If only I had realized a week ago what trekking in the Annapurna mountains really meant!! It was without a doubt the most horrible and painful 4 days of my life despite being literally on top of the world. The majority of the trek we were higher than the highest mountain in Australia (this I'm pretty proud of). However the first thing I did upon returning was donate my hiking boots freshly purchased from Brisbane before I left to our guesthouse in Pokhara. Each step I took was excruciating from the blisters in multiple places on both my feet. By day 4 I could barely walk and at one point fell down 5 stairs...I was not a happy trekker!!

Have you seen the movie Wolf Creek? It's an Aussie film about backpackers being murdered in the outback...seriously frightening movie. Anyway on our second night we stayed at the freakiest guesthouse and we were the only guests. We were so scared of the creepy owner we slept with our walking sticks beside our bed. I was concerned my head would end up on mine just like in the movie!!!

On a positive note (believe me it was difficult to find any lol) I finished the trek a day ahead of schedule and although I now realize I'm not cut out for trekking (mountains are really of no interest to me!!) I know I can do anything I apply myself to.

So next time I say I'm heading into the mountains for a few days please refresh my memory of this scarring experience...although I don't think I'll be forgetting it in a hurry!! But check out some of the pics from the ordeal...our bus trip to the mountains was somewhat of an experience too...

Missing you xx

P.S I love the matching pjs and can't wait for my very own pair next year :)

Christmas USA

2011-12-29T09:06:00.000-06:00

Dear E,

I had a very busy Christmas holiday this year! Paul and I were bustling around from one relative's house to another's... it is a wonder we made it through the six family events scheduled over the course of just two days! It was really a lot of fun though...

I bet next year when you are spending Christmas with us you will get to take part in matching Kittle family pajamas!

We all got them! Even Jaron.

I bet next year you will get to join us at Benson Christmas breakfast... where we eat scrambled eggs with left-over Christmas Eve ham, and home-made cinnamon rolls.

(I will even let you help make the glogg for my Christmas Eve's Eve celebration... I am starting to make up my own holidays to host haha!)

The saddest part about my Christmas holiday was missing your phone call. We have talked every year on Christmas Eve and this year I missed your call by about eight minutes! (I may or may not have been singing Christmas carols along to a player piano at the time...I guess you will just have to wait until next year's Christmas Eve and find out for yourself!)

I hope you are having a really nice time on your Christmas hiking excursion! All that jogging you did up the hill on your lunch break should help. Miss you!

Yours with love-A

Memory Monday [2]

2011-12-26T21:31:00.003-06:00

Dear E,

I am so sorry that I missed your call on Christmas Eve! I hope Nepal is great!

Do you remember when we spent Christmas together in 2007?

When you were in Oz in November you got us those matching outfits...

Even though we we were both miles away from our families we managed to make it a special event.

Can't wait til next Christmas when you are here having Christmas! Miss you!

Yours with love-A

Christmas in Nepal

2011-12-23T09:12:00.002-06:00

Hey Kittle,
It's nearly Christmas but it really doesn't feel like it for me. We arrived in Nepal almost a week ago and it was really like stepping back in time. There is no electricity during the day and doesn't come back on til 8 or 9 at night (if at all....Chitwan National Park!) and it is often difficult to get foreigner hot water instead of Napali hot water!! Besides that we found Kathmandu to be filled with quirky shops, unique laneways, friendly people and temples popping up in the strangest of places. We spent a few days there before we headed to Chitwan National Park. We stayed at Rainbow Safari Resort as part of a 3 day package. This was a bad decision even worse than getting my fringe cut in Nepal!! The food was terrible, no electricity or hot water for the first two days plus we couldn't do the elephant bathing which was the whole reason I wanted to go there. But we survived and saw some cool things none the less...an 8 day old elephant, rhinos while riding elephants and a crazy Russian licking rhino pee off a tree while his friend requested to taste it's poo, which the guide rejected after I let out a loud "WHAT!!"
We said farewell to the new friends we made (even the Russians despite the things they put in their mouths!! Haha) and headed off on our tiny seated bus full of loud instrument playing Chinese to Pokhara. We had heard great things about Pokhara so we had planned to spend the majority of our Nepal time here, and we were not disappointed. The main tourist area is located next to a giant lake underneath the mountains so the view is breathtaking. The streets are lined with prayer flags which I love and have already purchased some for my new room in the UK....let me know if you want some :) We hired bikes today and cycled around for awhile til the pressure of the trucks and buses became too much for me.
We plan to do a 4-5 day hike into the mountains over Christmas so it really won't feel like Christmas for me this year, besides the random decorations we have seen sporadically.
Hope you, Paul and the rest of my 'adopted' family have a merry Christmas and hopefully I will be there celebrating with you all next year.
Love Em xx

Memory Monday [1]

2011-12-19T09:47:00.001-06:00

Dear E,

Wow! India sounds crazy... like a crazy good time! I hope you remembered your earplugs... haha!

Seeing how you just left Phuket, Thailand, I was just thinking about when we were there last...

Remember how we happened to be there during an election so there were all kinds of rules... like...

Then we met those crazy Aussies who were in town for a destination wedding...

And we wound up lighting off the paper lantern things at the beach...

Then we went for a late night swim... at least you did... until the security guard came. He was blowing a whistle and yelling... something about how swimming at night wasn't allowed (let me just tell you I was panicked while waiting for you on the shore... I imagined you being thrown in jail like Bridget Jones and me having to figure out how to bail you out...).

That was an epic night!

Take care (after all, I'm not there to bail you out this time!).

Yours with love-A

Hello India!

2011-12-18T06:44:00.003-06:00

Dear A,
The flight to Delhi was like a circus it was total chaos with the other passengers walking around the plane and yelling across it to speak to one another. I have never seen such behavior on a plane before and I have been on quite a few!! After six hours of the two men sitting beside me arguing extremely loudly about some business deal we arrived and I really wasn't sure what I was getting myself into!!
Delhi is crazy, there are sooo many people and I was "lucky" enough to experience one of their traffic jams on my first day while trying to get from the Red Fort to the airport. Absolute madness...rickshaws, motorbikes, cars, bicycles, pedestrians and motos all trying to fight for that tiny bit of road to get ahead. I thought China was bad for the constant honking but India definitely wins hands down...there's a constant loud unnecessary honking which you just can't escape.
Alisha and I had a little time to fill in before our flight to Kathmandu so we headed off to the Red Fort. It was constructed back in the 17th century by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan for the royal family. We wandered around the massive fort which is in ruins now and were of real interest to the Indian locals who were also visiting and taking a lot of photos of us.
Wish you were here you would love getting amongst this chaos!!!
Talk to you soon from Nepal... So excited for the thing we have planned there.
Love E xx

'Tis the Season

2011-12-15T20:08:00.001-06:00

Dear E,

It is the highly anticipated Christmas season but here in the Midwest we are lacking one key component...snow! Paul and I have been busy decking the halls and rocking around the Christmas tree, but it doesn't look much like a winter wonderland without the snow.

We have our tree up! I strung tons of big vintage Christmas lights all over it but unfortunately they all blew out... it took forever too. Thankfully Paul took them down and re-strung other lights... lights that actually work haha.

Wish you were here to join in the festivities with me... if you were here right now I would pour you a glass of hot wassail to enjoy with a plethora of different Christmas cookies! You would probably tell me how being in America makes you a fatty (all that liquid and fried cheese) and I would say that we can just go to the Y and work it off! Here's to hoping next Christmas season you'll be here!

Yours with love- A

Phuket, it's not the same without you!

2011-12-14T09:10:00.001-06:00

Dear A,
I had such fond memories of our trip to Phuket so I thought a slight detour here to see the dentist would make a dreaded chore bearable, plus it's at a fraction of the price I would pay back in Australia.
After two days of "massage miss?", "you Aussie mate?", "DVD sweetie?" and the constant "you want a tuk tuk?" the novelty of this tourist packed paradise soon wore off. Not to mention the serious case of heatstroke, being tricked into seeing a ping pong show and being flashed by a crazy Russian in McDonalds. So now I'm more than ready to move on to my next stop...New Delhi, India!!
But first the dreaded dentist...
Love E xx

Introducing Free Oranges!

2011-12-14T08:47:00.003-06:00

Once upon a time two kindred spirits met in Beijing, China. It was 2007, year of the pig, and a year for so much more...

Emma and Anna were both teaching English in Beijing and happened to meet through mutual friends. They shared a love for fun and adventure... they quickly became best friends and travel buddies.

Though they thoroughly enjoyed Beijing... the food, the culture, moonlighting as socialites in the expatriate scene... they traded in the VIP treatment and comfort of their belongings and apartments to rough it around SouthEast Asia!

After 10 planes, 56 buses, 29 tuk-tuks, 12 ferries, 11 taxis, 9 subways, 2 motorcycles, 1 elephant, 1 bamboo raft, and 1 rickshaw, Emma and Anna parted ways. Emma was back in Australia and Anna was back in the USA. Even with 14,000 km/8,900 miles between them, Emma and Anna remained close.

Emma has even been to the USA to visit twice! Once for the road trip, "16 states, 8 trucker hats, and Route 66," and the other time for Anna's wedding.

It was on their epic road trip across America and back again that Emma and Anna saw a billboard...

Fill up at Shell and get a free bag of oranges!!!
"What would we do with a free bag of oranges?" -Anna
"Eat them, juice them, throw them at people...cars..." -Emma

Though we still haven't decided what we would do with free oranges one thing is certain... no matter where we are in the world, or in life for that matter, we will always remain close! There is no better way to stay in touch than to send postcards... all across the world... so that the people that matter most can have a glimpse into life as we know it.

What would you do with a bag of free oranges?