Winter Break Trips-- Part I- Mumbai and Agra with Brian and Sara

After a big December full of concerts, we enjoyed a few days at home before our wonderful friends, Brian and Sara, came to visit for Christmas. They arrived after a grueling 38 hour trip, but didn't even stop to take a nap. We were out walking around our neighborhood, brought them to school, had our masseur over for both of them, and enjoyed a number of our favorite restaurants.

The next day we went downtown to explore more of Mumbai, including Elephanta Island (where some 1,000+ year old Hindu caves are), Victoria Terminus, British architecture, and the general mayhem that is this city.

Then early on Christmas Eve we set out for Agra. With the dust and fog (it's COLD in Agra now!), the sunlight leaves much earlier, so, we barely got the last rays in to see Agra Fort. By evening, we were all pretty tired. Jet lag and Indian microbes then did a number on our travel companions. We had visions of ourselves on our third day in India, also stomach sick and exhausted. But, like the rockstars they are, Brian and Sara rallied by the next afternoon (Christmas Day!) to go see the amazing Taj Mahal. Reid and I during the day had the chance to visit the gardens behind the Taj and enjoy a rooftop lunch. All four of us also enjoyed Akbar's Tomb, a peaceful, clean, and beautiful complex in the midst of dumpy and dirty Agra.

Then, more travel complications came our way when our plans to go to Jaipur fell through due to road and train blockades from rioting farmer-union groups wanting more jobs laid aside for their caste. We very wisely abandoned the idea of Jaipur, bought new plane tickets home, and headed back to Dehli. After a stomach-wrenching, knee-shaking ride back to Dehli, our delayed plane by 8hours, we made it back to Mumbai in 9am hour. A nap, some food, laundry, and a little shopping, and then Brian and Sara were back on a plane, this time to Hong Kong, for a wedding. They had managed to get in the full range of experiences (both amazing and awful) that India can be in a matter of 5 days. Whew! We were blessed to have them here and thankful for their positive attitudes and openness throughout our little adventure. More photos and details linked in the picassa web album!