Jaipur

I have moved on to Jaipur. The temperature was record hot in Delhi. I now have some understanding of my husband! Hot, hot, hot! I have lost total track of days. Friday, I believe, we did nothing. Laid around our room in Delhi, recovering from two busy days in the heat. Saturday we went to the Taj Mahal. It is as incredible as the pictures portray. We got there by train, spent time at Taj Mahal, then went to Agra Fort. By then, I was wearing out, but found an herb garden to sit beside. Next day, got up early and took train to Jaipur. We went straight to Jooli's house and began meeting people. We were not even inside the gate when the children spotted Michael. I am called Mama (accent on last syllable). This morning, Jooli and Bhabiji (pronounced Bobby G) played dress up with me. They got me all gussied up in a festival dress, complete with painted finger and toe nails, toe rings, bangles, bindi, the whole works. Michael took pictures. It was all very fun. Jooli speaks some English, Bhabiji does not. We figured it out though. We had some lunch, then got out the U of M t-shirts. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but it turned out to be so much fun. The kids were rooting around, finding their sizes, and Bhabiji put one on. Jooli's husband put one on, then another, because he wanted two, o.k? Pretty soon, Michael was taking pictures of the "fittings", then we posed for some more pictures. The people here love to be in pictures. It will be good to be in Chennia at Michael's so I can load pictures. Michael and I played cricket with the children for awhile, then went back to our room to rest. Jooli owns another house that she rents, but will always keep Michael's room for him! The "house" is like our houses, only tall and skinny. The "homes" people live in are one very small room. Bhabiji has a husband and three children in her family. During the day, the bed is where people sit. The stove is a two-burner on a table. The bathroom is in common outside. There is a common area that I would consider inside, but it is called outside, I guess because it is outside the home. We will be going back there for dinner when we are done here. I have never had such a dry mouth in my life! Michael is trying to make a plan for us, but everywhere is this hot, except in the mountains, and it would be very expensive to go there. Stay tuned for our next stop!