from India with love..

That title just came to me and now for some strange reason I want to watch Bond. HA HA Well things here are good I am hanging out with a friends family here and they have put me up in a little room and all my needs are being taken care of. A lot cheaper then if I was at a hotel and she is an amazing cook. I told her that I was trying to lose a few pounds and she said that I need to eat more cause I am not eating enough. HA HA Getting her to serve me just fruit and toast for breakfast was a chore in itself and she keeps asking if she can make me something else. The food is amazing to say the least and she is thrilled that I can eat Indian food. I have adjusted quite well to the food and find that if I eat to many green chilies that I start to have a bit of a problem but in small doses they are good. The food has some amazing flavor Nolan you would love it. While I am on the food subject I have to say that I have had 2 western meals in the last week as well. Pizza Hut and McDonald's both of which are almost the same except that I can't get a big mac. Once I was in McDonald's I had a craving in the worst way for a nice beef burger. Ha ha it has been 2 weeks since I have had one. I have had beef since I was here though. On Wednesday night I had am amazing beef curry. Oh so good. Anyway enough about food.

Well I have been shopping and to Elephant Island and have been on all kinds of adventures. The local train that is an adventure. If you want a seat at the start of the line you hop on to the train while it is still moving. It was fun. Things here are very different then Canada. Yea I know it is India but to be a Canadian in India can be hard. You know that be nice and wait your turn that does not go here at all you could be waiting for all 1.1 billion to go in front of you and they will not ask or offer you a place in line. With a population of over 16 million people in Bombay it is very much take care of yourself thinking. The train is fun though if you like getting stared at. I understand know what it feels like to be the one that sticks out. Being white on a train full of Brown people you get people staring. To feel odd like that is something that I have never felt before but have been very aware of since I have landed here. I think that I could type and type trying to tell you all everything but for the sake of time I will not. I guess that you will just have to have me over when I get back to get more details. HA HA

I was told before I left that I needed to have some adventures while I was here but I just want to say that it is an adventure every time you step out the door here for someone that is from Canada. The local train and bus are great but I know that I would get lost if I was to do it on my own. That is why it is good to have local guides that are willing to take you places and try to convince you of things and pull your leg and joke with you. That would be the Naz boys for me. They are 3 Indian guys that are Assistants to the pastor that I am staying with and they have been my guides for the last few days. They have taken me shopping and to Elephant Island.

Ok so on with getting you up to date with my travels and my doings. On Thursday I had the awesome privilege to go and see the Gateway of India and to go to Elephant Island. Both of which are beautiful. The gateway is huge and has some amazing craftsmanship in it. Yes Jonny I did get pictures that you will like of it. You are always in my thoughts when I am taking pictures of things specially buildings and the such. HA HA So the gateway is not just the gate way but it sits right on the shore of the Arabian Sea and that is where you have to catch the boats that are going out to Elephant Island. Oh side note here at the gateway I meet an Aussi by the name of Ryan and invited him along with us if he wanted to come to the Island. He did and we had an awesome talk but I will leave it at that for now cause he is an entry all on his own. HA HA So into the boat and off to the island we went. The boat ride more then doubled because of the rough water but that was ok. We made it safe and sound and upon getting to the island I was not sure what we would find but we found stairs and lots of them. It was a great work out and about 500 feet up or more not really sure but it was a long way and a lot of stair. The top finally oh look another place that wants money. HA HA but that was not the worst part the locals that I had with me cost 10rs each and it was 250rs for me. What a rip off but it was worth it, that is about $5 Canadian if you were wondering.

The caves themselves are beautiful and amazing to see. It is a temple that has been carved out of the stone. The doorways and everything were carved right out of the rock. To see it now as it is took my breath away and I was amazed at the work that went into it. Then it made me think and try and imagine what it must have been like in its day. There were holy rooms and court yards. It must have been incredible to see it at its glory. Statues carved into the rock and out of the rock. What a sight to see. Wish I could post some pictures of it so that you could see the beauty that I am talking about. I will try some other time cause it is not working right now. Well that gets you up to date with me and my adventures for right now. As I took yesterday off and read most of the day. Tonight is youth meeting night so I will see how that goes and tomorrow is Sunday. Still missing lots of you but am having lots of fun and will talk to you all soon. What only 6 weeks to go or something like that anyway ha ha hope that you are all having a fun summer.