a few of my favorite things...

10. Watching Grand Slam Tennis (in Bhilai) + Betting on Nadal beating Federer = Winning a homecooked meal consisting of daal fry & butter chicken. MMMM. Gotta love the Spaniard...and the Indian chef (thanks, Sanjay!)

9. Larger than life Buddha sculptures in caves that were discovered randomly by hunters. The Ajanta & Ellora caves were awesome. Highlights included: Michael convincing the Indian authorities he was from Thailand to get in for free, the Kailasa Temple at the Ellora caves which was constructed from a single rock from the top down and my 4 am train back to Bhilai in 1AC. Regards.

8. Bucket baths (w/the little plastic seat). I've never felt so clean! Seriously though, the water pressure from the shower just doesn't cut it...and if it's gonna be cold water, why not be sitting down, jamming to Bollywood hits in the background? (Actually, to be honest, listening to bollywood hits in the background can make anything fun...)

7. Mexican food in Delhi. The restaurant is called Sanchos in South Ex 1, and the head chef is straight from Mexico... seriously, so so good, it is even better than some restaurants in Cali (I know, right!). I recommend the Santa Fe Burrito. Oh, and the margaritas. I've been there twice and will go back there every time I'm in Delhi. Check out the assortment of salsas :) Ask Hemant about the dog he met outside...

6. Being part of an Indian wedding, specifically an Indian Bharath (the groom's wedding party procession). We danced for hours in the procession that was probably less than 3 km and which included (but was not limited to) fireworks every 2 minutes, women carrying lights on their head, a fully decorated car for Anup (the groom, a teacher at the youth Employability center) and Emily and me, the only two foreigners for hundreds of miles.

5. My "I hate mosquitos bc I'm scared to death of malaria and dengue but am more scared of the scary dreams and the damage to my liver so I quit the anti malarial medicine" kit. Is it bad that I think Mortein smells kinda good?

4. My gumcha. You might think it's a scarf (it's not) or a shawl (it's not) or just a piece of fabric (probably the closest thing)...but it's a gumcha. I wear this amazing accessory (of which I have many) when scootin' around Bhilai (with my helmet on top, of course) to keep away the dust. Meanwhile, most people where it to keep their skin safe (from getting tan) and according to Animesh, girls wear it to conceal their identity when riding around with their secret boyfriends...ooooohhh.

3. Goa. From the gorgeous beaches to the delicious seafood (jumbo prawn and promfret) to the scooty's availaible for rent and the crazy nightlife...what more could ya ask for? Oh, also included in #3 are cows on beaches and Diego's amazing photography skills, too.

2. My anti-hair falling treatment. My daily supplement of Biotin (a vitamin for your hair and skin) was recommended by my chachi (my dad's brother's wife, who is a homeopathic doctor). Also, I recently found a store down the street (read: small street stall) that will deliver to my house two huge jugs of mineral water weekly for 90 Rs. so I can wash my hair with non-hard water (is that technically soft water?). Oh and yes, I use a separate bucket for this water in order to avoid contamination. I'll keep you updated on the progress, if any, if not, well, I'll be bald come summer.

1. Fab India. Need I say more? Oh and I just found one in Raipur (only 45 min from Bhilai)...just what I need to add to my over 1 dozen items that I already have from there...also included in #1 are insanely bright colors and the tasty organic dried fruits they sell.