Today is Friday January 15. We've been in India since Wednesday and it seems like it has been forever. Every day is so packed with experiences that I'm overwhelmed trying to describe it. To say Chennai is a bustling city would not even begin to describe it. Imagine you are standing on a traffic island in the middle of highway 101 during rush hour, except forthe fact that all of the traffic is whizzing down the wrong side of the road, there is no such thing as pollution control, horns are honking at all pitches and all around you, and you are trying to cross the road as where you want to go is over on that other side. Meanwhile, in the middle of the traffic there are 3 guys driving carts being pulled by beautiful while cows, and one guy with really skinny legs is pulling a cart impossibly piled up with hay and it is bulging out on either side of his cart. Meanwhile, everyone is dodging around each other to get in front, regardless of what side of the road they are on. Add a few blind curves just for the excitement and also a really sorry looking beggar who is attempting to distract you while you are trying to cross the road and he is calling "Madame, madame!!" A few Indian people are also calling to you, "where are you coming from?" and "what's your name." Meanwhile its about 90 degrees in the shade with humidity about 200 %, and that doesn't even begin to describe the incredibly ripe smells that are all around you all of the time.

Yesterday, we went shopping. Gayle, who is from now on known as Nandini, and I both bought saris so we could visit the temples in traditional Indian dress. We had a lesson about how to tie a sari which believe me is alot harder than it looks. I tried by myself today for the first time and I look rather like I rolled myself up in a most gorgeous bed spread. The Indian women look so beautiful with their dark skin and big eyes and whenever I look in the mirror I can't imagine how I got so pale. Plus, my red hair really stands out. There are very few people around who look anything like Nandini and myself, at least once we get outside of the hotel. The hotel is called Nilgiri's Nest. It is beside the aforementioned road that resembles 101 except much homier.

We also visited the government museum. (I don't want you to think that I'm born to shop.) It was filled with the most beautiful and elaborate stone carvings dating back to 200 A.D. That kind of a antiquity is really humbling. All of the carvings are gods and goddess of the Hindu religion and all have their foibles and lessons that they have to teach. The goddesses, some of us may be glad to know, are very ripe and round, with the most dreamy expressions on their faces. In fact, in the middle of all of this chaos the people around me are all rather dreamy and unconcerned also. We laugh alot, and they laugh at us alot.

Eating is grand. Most everything is eaten with your fingers. Last night an Indian gentleman told me I was eating too delicately and that I was supposed to eat "shamelessly." They don't serve napkins at our favorite veggie restaurant but there is a big sink where you wash up afterwards. And the food is delicious and very spicy. We mostly don't know what we are ordering so we have to have everything explained to us. Our waiter has been very patient and then when he serves the food he comes back and tells us how to combine things for the best effect. You get all kinds of little stainless steel bowls full of various and sundry condiments, and we just mix and match with abandon, shamelessly.

Tomorrow is Pongal, the harvest festival. We have hired a driver and we are heading out to Kangipurum. Kangipurum is a small town about 2 hours southwest. We have reservations in what is supposed to be the"swankiest joint in town." Judging from the price I'd say swanky is a relative term. I'm all dressed in my new punjabi suit for travel, and today someone applied my first bindi between my eyes. All of the Indians find this quite amusing and the internet guy says I've really changed since yesterday.

Will try to report again soon. Hope your days are as eventful and as exciting as mine are.