What's better than working in an exotic country? Taking a week vacation while I'm already here!

How to describe the past week for me is quite difficult. In the past 10 days, I've been on 7 planes, 25 security checkpoints, 2 buses, countless rickshaws, 2 countries, 5 cities, 5 hotels, over a dozen temples, 2 forts, and that is not yet describing the highlights!

I figured if I'm working in India, I should vacation in Nepal. I went to Kathmandu, that's what I gotta do. Walked around the old city, which has buildings as old as 800 years or more. The next day I took the Everest flight. That's right, I saw Mount Everest! With my own eyes, out the plane window. As soon as I landed, I got back on another plane and went to southern Nepal to Lumbini where Buddha was born. Spent a few days there - it is so much. A local monk gave me a tour of some of the monasteries. I then went back to Kathmandu for a few days and saw some of the sights around the city.

When I returned to India, I took a bus from Delhi to Agra. Sure enough, the day I got to see the Taj Mahal, Friday, it was closed! But because it was closed I walked around back and took a boat across the river to see one of the best views. BTW - when this picture was taken, it was 44 degrees centigrade. I spent most of the day at the Red Fort in Agra which was the capital for the Mogul dynasty, Gorgeous fort, and a few of the other mausoleums in the area. The next morning I got inside the Taj Mahal - it is truly a breathtaking sight! Worth every exaggerated description you've heard.

Next I took a bus back to Delhi and spent the night in Old Delhi, right next to the largest mosque in India. The whole area is one huge bazaar - a shoppers paradise full of silver, silks, spices, and car parts. (Don't knock the car parts bazaar - it was the only area I wasn't continuously harassed by salesmen, so I'd walk down that street for some peace) Oh, and really good eating!

As I went back to Deli from Agra, the monsoons started so its been cooler out the past few days, if a little wet and humid.

Now I'm back in Pune and working. Though today I move out of the hotel and into a company guest house. I got a few weeks of work ahead of me, but my head is still in the shadow of the Himalaya...