Code name: SEX PANTHER

Mel and I are back from Goa. It rained the whole time we were there but we still had fun. Glad we upgraded. All inclusive food and activities, not to mention the luxury room, made it more than bearable. I am turning into a fat bastard though. Everything there was buffet. Being the typical American meant two to three plates, breakfast, lunch and dinner. We didn't get the beach and sun that we wanted, but at least the resort was right on the cliffs above the (shitty) beach. The ocean was always in the background, which was quite nice. But moral of the story is don't go to Goa during monsoon season, even at the very end when you think it's safe. It's not worth taking the chance. Everyone says its nice in December, their summer. Last word - I guarantee it rained more there in two days than it did for y'all with Hurricane Irene.

This is likely my last dispatch for awhile. Mel is headed back to the states tomorrow (boo) and 10 of us are headed way up north. We're going to Leh, essentially as far north as you can go in India. I'm not entirely sure about the full itinerary but I know that we're going to lay low the first day - it's 11,000+ feet above sea level, much higher than I've even been. Get acclimatized and all. By all accounts this place is unbelievable though... at the base of the Himalayas and with a very mixed culture - Tibetan, Mongolian, Chinese and Buddhist influences. I know that we're going rafting one day plus visiting Pangong lake, the highest salt water lake in the world at 13,000 feet up, straddling the border of India and Tibet.

Here are some pics (cheating, from the Internet):

Leh, in Ladakh, Northern India

Another view. Apparently this place is impossible to get to once winter hits.

This is the road to Pangong Lake.

Pangong Lake.

Sex Panther

I'm chucking the kitchen sink into this post, since as I said I'm not sure when I'll be able to get back in front of a computer. 

Sex Panther is a code word that Mel and I have been using. I'd been warned about the smells of India. In fact, a friend went as far as suggesting botox injections into my nose to dull the smell receptors. Turns out that this was as ridiculous as it sounds. It's not bad at all. However once in a while you do find a guy who STINKS. Today I thought I was going to vomit in airport security. I was praying to Lord Vishnu to be at least 10 rows from this one malodorous fellow in front of us. Turns out we were safe. Sex Panther!

We need this in the states!

First time I'd ever seen something like this. 70 Rupees ($1.50) into a vending machine gets you an ice cold 22 ounces of beer. Score!

 

Colors

One of the great things about India is the colors. Even the poorest women are donned in the most beautifully colored clothes you've ever seen and even the worst parts of town are spotted with colorful homes - purples and oranges and blues in a sea of aluminum and concrete. This place is across the street from Avi's cousin:

Air India

There could be a happy ending to this story. If you remember, Mel's flight was all messed up, necessitating a 5-hour ordeal at the Air India offices just to prevent her from a ridiculous 12 hour layover in Bombay. BUT, it turns out that I can get her upgraded to first class Delhi- JFK if we go back to the offices tomorrow. I hope it works. I'll be honest - I'll be pissed if it doesn't, this going to be my third damn time in their office. I'm also going to try to scheme the same for Avi and me. We DID spend 5 hours in their offices because they canceled our original flights and rerouted us with half-day layovers.

See Ya!

So, signing off. I'm sad that Mel is leaving, especially as we're all set to embark on a true adventure. This place Leh is going to be amazing. As much as the rain did put a little bit of a damper on Goa, I did appreciate staring into the stormy sea. It's a bit humbling seeing the power and vastness of the water. I think the Himalayas will have the same effect. More adventure to come. CHRIS