All of us had pretty fitful sleep last night, due to the jetlag and the weird side effects of our anti-malarial pills that we are taking. Apparently, these drugs cause "vivid dreams," so we all woke up intermittently throughout the night with some confusion as to what was actually real.
Caitlin, did you actually try to kill me last night???
I ended up shuffling out of bed around 6 AM for a quick workout and another chance to watch the sunrise. I tried multiple times to talk with my family on the phone through WiFi-enabled Viber, but it was legit painful. Apparently my WiFi is terrible, so while I'm talking, my fam is just like--
I quickly and exasperatedly gave up.
After a quick shower in which I couldn't open my mouth (aka none of this for the next month--)
Because of the potential of contracting typhoid through the ingestion of the water, we went downstairs for another traditional Indian breakfast. We then split into small groups in order to meet with our tour guides and begin our walk through the Old City of Ahmedabad. We clambered into rickshaws, which are about the size of golf carts and absolutely flood the streets, and began our journey to the East Bank of the river.
our first rickshaw ride!
Our guide Girish was basically an expert on the art and architecture of Ahmedabad and India in general, so we got a really cool introduction to the mosques and temples in the city. My group was intently listening to Girish's explanations about Ahmed Shah's Mosque, when all of a sudden, a man riding an elephant legit just strolled on by!!!!
literally all of us
We breathlessly inquired whether or not that was a normal occurrence; Girish disinterestedly answered, "eh, it's not permitted, but it happens."
In the US, we might have the same sort of nonchalance about somebody talking on the phone while driving, or jaywalking--but this was an elephant in the middle of the street!!! So crazy.
Another thing I've learned on the streets of India--there are no rules. At all. Drivers swerve on any side of the street that seems free, and it seems like collisions are narrowly avoided. It's extremely unsettling, and we were all kind of gripping each other and whispering little prayers begging for safety.
The Indians with whom I've interacted have been unbelievably kind and open. We wave at each other through the open rickshaws (there are no windows or doors), and we smile at each other on the street. It's so friendly and inclusive and communal--I love it!
We also witnessed a wedding procession passing through the streets, which was so fun. Musicians were beating drums, the women and men danced and twirled, and cars and buses halted to allow the group to walk to the other sidewalk. SO FUN!!!! I couldn't help but tap my feet to the infectious beat.
Other stories from the day: one of my fellow IHPers commented that I looked like a "Persian princess" with my scarf covering my head, so I of course fainted from joy.
but like, please keep going
I also attempted to pet all of the dogs around me, but my friends had to yell at me not to, basically like I was a dog.
"Aubrey, NO!!!!"
I reluctantly obeyed, but I know that I'll succumb to temptation quite soon.
ANYWAYS. I absolutely loved the mosques and temples we visited.
a rooftop view of Ahmedabad plus me!
They were so ornate and intricate, I was stunned.
The Hindu temple especially reminded me of the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland!!!
don't tell me you don't see it
We ate lunch at a tall, revolving restaurant, so we saw the entire city of Ahmedabad over the full hour and a half of lunch and a full revolution.
After lunch we all withdrew some rupees to spend on shopping and on food, and we also bought "burner phones" so that we can contact our host families using local numbers. I legit bought a nice, albeit simple phone, for 1,650 rupees--or about $25.00.
how cheap!?!?!
Because it's a secondary phone with an international number that I might toss out after the trip, I obviously feel like an undercover spy on clandestine business.
So once again, I am utterly exhausted, but I think I did a much better job of including pictures and ~fun things~. My WiFi is really crappy, so it usually takes me about two times as long to write these posts as it should, which means I get pretty lazy by the end (sorry, people). I hope you're still enjoying reading these as much as I enjoy writing them!! And I promise to attempt to shed the jet lag so that I can write more over the next few weeks.
Much love,
Aubs
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