It's been awhile since we've been able to post anything due to lack of Internet access so we were not able to share the final leg of our trip with you. Although we made it home safely yesterday, I'd like to back up so we can fill you in on the last portion of our journey.
Previously I wrote that the beautiful smiles and friendly faces are what we were going to choose to remember about India instead of the poverty and filth...that statement still holds true, but I need to be more specific. Not all of India is included in that, that would be referring to Kakinada and Madhavapatnam....Delhi is a whole different ball game! Up until this point I must say the girls were handling all the sights (good and bad) with great courage...I say courage because it would have been much easier to turn away than to look it straight on and accept it for what it is. However, once we reached Delhi their emotions were put to the test! The slums we saw were heart wrenching in contrast to the big modern buildings they surrounded. The people we encountered were the beggars who would approach our bus while stopped in traffic...they would pound on our windows and look for handouts. The warmth we had experienced in the smaller city and village had turned into something cold and hard to face.
That night after a long and exhausting day in Delhi, we spent the night at a "bed and breakfast" in the heart of the city. I wouldn't put it in the category of B&B's of Door County, however it was quaint, clean and gave us a safe place to rest our heads, which is more than the people who lived under the bridge 2 blocks away.
We woke up bright and early the following morning to head up to Corbett National Park for the safari portion of our trip. The 7 hour drive held many interesting sights, most unfamiliar to us from the US, but a few that made us feel at home. Can you guess which ones they are??
From one extreme to the next...for all the craziness and pollution that Delhi held, Corbett National Park held peacefulness and fresh air! We enjoyed the beauty of the surrounding nature...from the landscapes which held the Himalayas and dense forests to the animals and birds living amongst us...what a treat!
While on our ride, the elephant who was carrying us along with the Mahout (elephant driver) became quite anxious, we came to find out that we had stumbled upon a pair of mating pythons. It's not in our nature to infringe on others personal space, but really now...how often do you get to see a deadly snake and not have to worry about it harming you (it had other things on it's mind)!
After an enjoyable outing of eating everything in sight, relief was inevitable...
Previously I wrote that the beautiful smiles and friendly faces are what we were going to choose to remember about India instead of the poverty and filth...that statement still holds true, but I need to be more specific. Not all of India is included in that, that would be referring to Kakinada and Madhavapatnam....Delhi is a whole different ball game! Up until this point I must say the girls were handling all the sights (good and bad) with great courage...I say courage because it would have been much easier to turn away than to look it straight on and accept it for what it is. However, once we reached Delhi their emotions were put to the test! The slums we saw were heart wrenching in contrast to the big modern buildings they surrounded. The people we encountered were the beggars who would approach our bus while stopped in traffic...they would pound on our windows and look for handouts. The warmth we had experienced in the smaller city and village had turned into something cold and hard to face.
After touring around the area for awhile in our bus, our driver took us to the Minar Ruins to checkout some of the historical sites. After some apprehension about actually getting out of the bus, we ventured out to see what there was to see. Since you had to buy a ticket in order to enter the gated area, we were able to relax and enjoy the sights without the uneasiness of the street life around us. It was a peaceful area in amongst the chaos of Delhi with many beautiful structures to behold. The interesting thing is, while we were in "aw" of the architecture around us, the other tourists were in "aw" over us...or should I be more specific and say their eyes were set mainly on Olivia. Being the tall white wonder that she is, she became the object of people's photographs. At first we noticed that folks were trying to be discreet about taking her picture, but after awhile they were boldly coming up to her and asking her if they could have their picture taken with her. Although some wanted their picture taken with all the gals, our Loobie was definitely the center of attention, which you can just imagine was hard for her to handle...NOT!
We woke up bright and early the following morning to head up to Corbett National Park for the safari portion of our trip. The 7 hour drive held many interesting sights, most unfamiliar to us from the US, but a few that made us feel at home. Can you guess which ones they are??
 |
| It was not uncommon to see a whole family riding on a motorcycle, one child in front of the driver, one in between driver and mom and one being held by mom (who would sit side saddle, not hold on, nor wear a helmet). |
 |
| this is one of the toll booths that we went through, check out the wires. |
 |
| Amazingly enough, the food tasted just like back in the states, however they did have a sign that stated "no beef or pork products sold here". |
 |
| All through out India from where we started to where we ended you would see these little stands one after another. They all looked the same and sold the same necessities of life. Potato chips, batteries, and condoms. If anyone is hoping to get a souvenirs from us, you can have your pick from one of those three things because that is basically all that was available for purchase besides freshly butchered chickens. see below...  |
 |
| This was the parking lot outside of the sugar cane mill. We were curious to know whether you left with the same bike you came on or you just took anyone, as they all looked identical. |
 |
| Termite hill |
 |
| wild elephants |
 |
| We heard their roar and saw their tracks, but never actually spotted a tiger...that's probably not such a bad thing considering we were in open jeeps and the drivers did not carry any guns. |
The area was also filled with loads of entertaining monkeys who felt right at home in the lodge, and I do mean "in the lodge". Sophia found out the hard way that you should not keep food in your room without locking your door...she had a visitor come right in and steal the food off the table while she was standing there. She can laugh about it now, but at the time she was pretty freaked out!
We had an adventurous time riding on the elephants through the thick woods. It was truly amazing how they ate their way through the brush.
While on our ride, the elephant who was carrying us along with the Mahout (elephant driver) became quite anxious, we came to find out that we had stumbled upon a pair of mating pythons. It's not in our nature to infringe on others personal space, but really now...how often do you get to see a deadly snake and not have to worry about it harming you (it had other things on it's mind)!
After an enjoyable outing of eating everything in sight, relief was inevitable...
 |
| this picture is for you Grandpa Roger! Our journey back home took us about 31 hours from the time we left the lodge in the park until we reached West Bend. We were warmly welcomed at church with loads of hugs and happy faces. We are incrediblally blessed to be loved by so many around the world...life is good! And, it's good to be home...nothing like our own beds, sufficient toilet paper, and carry out pizza!  Our trip may be over, but our "blog" is not complete yet. Please continue to watch for updates as the rest of the family has some closing thoughts to share with you as well as some of their favorite pictures. Thanks for traveling along with us and by the way, check out the links on the right for some videos from the orphanage. Namaste ~ Jenny |
