Hello Family & Friends!

Travis and I have started up a new blog, so check out this address as well:

http://www.italmeditations.blogspot.com/

Enjoy! And Merry Christmas!!

Yellow Ball Tourney at good 'ole Wellingdon

This week Audi sponsored a tennis tournament at Willingdon. It was fun to watch Travis compete, and in the process I was able to snap a few shots of the club.

1. Here is the back of the club, taken from the golf course. As you can see there is plenty of lush greenery that provides a nice escape from the crazy city. The verandah, where we eat most of our meals at the club, looks out over this scene.

2. Another view of the golf course

3. Audi comes to Willingdon!
4. With a dazzling vehicle in tow...just to make our mouths water...

5. The courts where Travis spends his working hours

6. Travis educating me on the Audi R8...and only slightly drooling in the process :)

7. Here is Travis with the other Willingdon pros, not really too hard to spot him, is it?!?

Great fun!

Just a little taste of another way of life

As I settle in here, the mystery of this place continues to catch me off-gaurd. Mainly, the fact that in one snapshot I see a dual reality; a bustling, modern city along with a simpler, slower pace of life. As cars whiz by, people push carts full of mysterious fruits along the streets, chai-wallas line the streets chatting with the passer-bys, and women in saris carry baskets gracefully atop their heads; all amongst high-rises towering above. I thought I would share a few more images to give you a small peek into daily life in Bombay.

1. A wall mural by the local mall that I thought was cool. Adam, I thought of you when I saw this my brother.
2. The Fiat cabs that crowd the streets and zip around the city

3. Just another cow, cruisin through traffic with its owner acting as navigator

4. Just one of the many sidewalk markets filled with mysterious fruits & vegetables of the land...don't worry mom, we shop at an actual grocery store nearby!

5. Scooters here are quite popular, below is one on a common looking avenue. It is not uncommon to see the scooters here ladden with a driver, a woman in a sari sitting sideways behind, sometimes with a baby, and maybe even a child in front on the driver's lap. I am still trying to capture this extroadinary scene with a photo...somehow they make it look easy!

6. It is what some have referred to here as "mating season" and we have seen numerous weddings being set up in the short time I have been here. Below is a car decorated for a wedding party, filled with fresh flowers and garlands, quite a sight.

7. If you look closely, the building that appears to be floating in the water is Haji Ali, a temple we can see out our front door. In high tide it is surrounded by water, so it can only be reached during low tide.

As you can see it is a feast for the eyes here...enjoy!

From Bombay, with so much love...

Well, I have arrived! After an extremely long journey consisting of 3 flights and a layover in Bangkok, I made it! After the ridiculously difficult task of obtaining internet, you have NO idea, but just picture lil ole whitey me spending 3+ hours at the electronics store surrounded by 3-4 young Indian gentlemen at a time taking pity on me and helping me out, I am excited to be able to share some stories and pictures through my blog.

Travis greeted me at the airport (above is a photo I took from the plane), and what a relief to see him there waiting for me. He escorted us back to our pad, and I am settling in nicely. Our new home is located on the 35th floor of the Millenium Tower, pictured here:

The view from our apartment is shown at the top of the post... beautiful! We have doormen and elevator operators, and Travis has impressed me by learning some Hindi by conversing with these gentlemen in our building. The city is everything you may imagine, and more. Below are just a few images to give you an idea. I included the McDonald's one because I always find it funny that wherever you go the chain seems to be there, with culturally appropriate menu modifications. The streets are filled with people, cows, goats, and the bumble bee fiat cabs that are the main mode of transit here. The cabs zoom around like something out of a video game, honking and weaving through traffic and people with apparent ease. Art and beautiful imagery everywhere provide thrills to our eyes. Women in beautifully colored Saris catch my attention everywhere, and there is a friendly feeling despite the complexity of the city.

My first full day here was spent sightseeing, with Travis as my tour guide we headed to Colaba to explore. We enjoyed some snacks overlooking the Gateway To India Monument (pictured), and cruised around taking in the scene. Upon arriving back to our apartment Travis had a surprise in store...he proposed! I happily accepted, and with all smiles we are officially engaged! That night a celebratory dinner complete with Champagne sealed the deal, and made for a memorable evening with some of the best Thai food I have ever eaten. So as the adventure begins, we are truly a team experiencing this exotic land together.

On Sunday we were invited to the Race Track by the parents of some of Trav's tennis students. As I have never experienced horse racing it was quite a thrill, and I even one my first bet on a horse named "Wild Imagination". On top of the excitement of hitting the races, the added bonus was that the race track was having a holiday celebration that was randomly sponsored by various German companies. So a mix of Bratwurst, German Beer, holiday decor, and racing made for quite an interesting scene.Many of you had asked if they celebrate Christmas here in India, and the short answer is yes. The course had a Christmas tree set up and some other holiday decor, but honestly the whole thing was a bit comical as winter wonderland played and we sat in 80 degree heat and sunshine. All in all though, it was a lot of fun, and great company as well. We were taken to lunch (AMAZING Indian food, may I add) and treated with the upmost in hospitality, I felt so welcomed by our hosts it was really nice. Some images from the day:

On Monday Travis took me to Willingdon, which is the club he is teaching at. This is a prestigous club that was established in 1916 by the Brits, and is a refreshing oasis in the middle of the bustling city. It is well equipped with many amenities such as a library, pool, tennis courts, billiards, a pub, a bakery, grocery store, barbershop, golf course, numerous restaurants, a gym, and of course tennis courts. Seriously, this place has everything! We eat a lot of our meals here, as there are plenty of safe options and it is quite inexpensive. Choices such as Indian, Chinese, Italian, Western/American are all available, and so far all the meals there but one (an extremely fishy fish curry...never again!) have been delicious. I hope to get some pictures of the club to post soon, it really is nice, and has a very elegant and old-school vibe.

All in all, a great first few days in an exciting new city half way round the world. More to come...