Safari....Sorta!?

Our safari plans were initially cancelled due to CRAZY rain!  So crazy in fact, we saw a family of three on a motorcycle with the baby sandwiched in between the parents that was getting POURED on.  The rain came on so quickly they didn't have any choice but to DRIVE!!!  As soon as there was shelter on the roadside - They pulled over.  We also saw a motorcycle wipe out in the middle of the road!  NUTS!!  Put it this way, it was not ideal for humans to be out in this monsoon-like rain so we figured the animals would probably be tucked away safe in the jungle somewhere too so we decided to re-schedule our safari for the next day.

The safari driver showed up with his Jeep and we all piled in "Indian Style."  Mikey and Matt road in the front seat.  Rach, Erica, David and I sat in the back.  No seat belts.  Just an open line of prayer to the Heavenly Father!  It was WILD!  It's a whole new experience when you are riding in the back of a Jeep, wind blowing through your hair, sucking in exhaust fumes, trying to position your legs as a human seat belt so that none of your children go bouncing out the tailgate!   

Our faithful friend, Shadow, ran behind the safari Jeep all the way to the front gate.  The kids kept yelling to him, "It's okay Shadow.  We're not really leaving.  We'll be back!"

Michael and Daddy sitting up front with the Safari Man

Driving in India is completely backwards, upside down and inside out from what we are used to!  Steering wheel is on the right side of the car and they drive on the left side of the road.  Although Matt has obtained an Indian drivers license and motorcycle license, I have no desire to drive on the roads of India.  My poor little brain would seriously suffer from sensory overload.  Even if I could retrain my brain which side of the road to drive on, I'd still have all the other distractions to contend with:  goats, pedestrians, cows, auto-rickshaws, cycles, stray dogs, buses....factor in the honking...yep.  I'm pretty much overwhelmed just writing about it - Let alone trying to drive in it! 

Almost as soon as we got into the back of the Jeep, David started to suck his thumb which is 100% indication that he is T.I.R.E.D!!! 

He started out by resting his head between my knees.  Within moments I could feel it, a warm trickle, slowly sliding down my leg....
DROOL!  Ewww!

It blew my mind that he was able to sleep through the madness going on all around us but he slept soundly until the Jeep came to a full and complete stop.  :0)

Looks like Erica might be the next one in Lala Land!?
(Notice my tightened toes next to David!?)

I was tense the entire ride on the busy streets as I was convinced someone was going to end up getting launched out of the vehicle!  And let's face it - The odds are stacked against him - If anybody was going to find themselves in a dangerous situation or bounce out the back door - It would have been David.  One moment sleeping - The next minute SORING out of his safari seat straight onto the STREET!!!  After about 30 minutes of being in my Mommy Bear protector mode, I started to get a cramp in my calf and a tightness in my toes.  Dear Lord!  I fear I am getting old and I can't just hold a position for this long without ramifications!  When we stopped on the side of the road to pay some tax or tariff or something like that the men of our family all got out to "take a wazz" as Erica calls it - I got out to stretch my legs.  The locals were looking at me as if I was a poor, crippled white woman.  Hopping around on one foot.  Waggling my tense tootsies and trying to kneed the cramp out of my calf...did I mention I too had to take a "wazz" but it's not so easy for a woman.  Right!?  Ladies.  Can I get a whoop-whoop if you are with me!?  I mean the world is not our urinal!!  You can't exactly just drop trou wherever you please.  Even in India - I've yet to see a woman just let it all hang out.  Men.  Well, should we really go there?  I mean it's a daily occurrence.  They whip Mr. Wiggly out whenever they feel like it.  No qualms.  You gotta go.  GO!  Ladies.  Newp.  It's keep your legs crossed and clench until you can find a suitable spot. And well, suitable here is debatable.  Which brings me to the "Squatty!".  As in the "Squatty Potty!"  If you are confused by what I am talking about, let me be more specific.  The Urban Dictionary describes a squat toilet as:  a low, ground-level bathroom fixture used for defecation and urination. More common in Eastern cultures, particularly public restrooms. 

So, you guessed it.  India would pretty much BE an Eastern culture so squatties are everywhere.  Not cool, not ideal but when you are in a pee or poo yourself situation and there's not a secluded place to do a nature squat (which I am not above taking care of business in the great outdoors if that happens to be my only option) but in India public places are often crowded and you can't just pop a squat wherever you please.  SO!  You use a squatty.  A squat pot can be anything from a hole in the ground that you drop and aim your "business" into, a cement type trough where multiple people can "go" at the same time or in public places you might find "modern" stalls like you would in most public restrooms in the US but when you open the door you will not find a lovely American Standard white porcelain bowl on the other side of the door you will be greeted by the notorious Squatty Potty!!! 

 An American Commode

             

                      VS.

                                

      

                   The Indian Squat Pot

 My experience thus far with the squatties in public places is that it is STILL a hole in the ground but it's a little more high tech.  High tech meaning - A hole with plastic foot grips positioned on either side of the hole.  As well as bucket filled with water and usually having some sort of cup inside so that you can "flush" your deuce juice down the hole.  Toilet paper.  Pashaw!  Are you kidding me!?  The likelihood of t.p. is slim to none so a word to the wise, always go to the bathroom BEFORE you leave the house in India b/c you don't know what you will encounter along your travels and By George don't be foolish enough to get caught without a napkin in your pocket or t.p. in your purse b/c you may just end up having to leave your sock or underwear behind (no pun intended! Hahaha!)

I would also like to point out that I think I have some sort of genetic deficiency and I would love to know if it's just ME or are there others of you out there!?!  So we've got a little experiment to do here.  I need you all to squat.  Not to poo or anything but try it.  Can you squat?  Here are the particulars...when you squat down....Keep your heels flat on the floor.  I'm not kidding.  I CAN'T do it.  My heels lift off the ground and if I was in the proper squat position I'd tip over backwards (God only knows you don't want to be TIPPING OVER onto the floor in a squattie!!  Not unless you are able to take a Bleach Bath or have gallons of Purell at the ready for purification purposes!)  So, seriously now.  I'm not kidding.  Quit reading and get up and SQUAT!    I'm waiting.  GO DO IT!!!  Maybe I just need more practice b/c you see people squatting EVERYWHERE here.  Not just for bowel relieving purposes but they squat to simply take a "rest".  They squat while working.  I'm surrounded by SQUATTERS!!!!  Quite frankly, I'm a bit baffled by it all.  I CAN'T do it.  When I squat my heels come up off the ground and hence hinder my squat capabilities.  I've tried sitting in the squatting position while I'm waiting for my gallon of water to fill up from the bubbler in the kitchen and I found myself rolled over on my back like a sad little beetle.

The Restful Squat

Squatting with a View

Even young children have mastered the squat!

Wow!  I have really gotten sidetracked here BUT all of this to say that I used my first squat pot on this trip.  I need practice.  (Which I'm sure living here for three years will lend itself to more attempts at improving my bathroom abilities).  After 45 minutes of jostling around in the back of a jeep I thought I wouldn't even make it to the bathroom.  I was pretty sure I was going to have a pee-pee trail leading all the way to the toilet.  I made it.  I squared my feet evenly on either side of the hole.  Dropped my drawers, lowered my derriere.  Hovered over the hole.  Steady.  Aim.  FIRE!!  Phew.  Not bad!!  I did not use the bucket of water and cup to "wash" my keister which I think is customary)...I rather opted to use my nicely folded toilet tissue I had in my pocket and then I simply used the water to "flush" out the hole for the next toilet traveler.

Erica giving a lesson on the Squatty.  She has mastered the Posterior Position!!

Once I had relieved my weary bladder we were able to get on with the safari.  We were on a mission to see elephants!!  Well, needless to say - We didn't see anything that exciting :/  The closest we got to seeing an elephant was seeing....

A giant elephant Pile o' Poo!!

So, we had our proof that elephants were in the vicinity but the closest encounter we would have on this safari was seeing one whoppin' turd.  Disappointing to say the least but we've got 3 years in India so I'm assuming all is not lost. We'll see an elephant at some point! 

We saw a hawk.  Whoop-dee-stinkin'-doo!

At this point we'd kind of started being animal snobs. :/  I didn't take any pictures of the many monkeys, spotted deer or peacocks b/c quite frankly when you've got your sites set on the likes of seeing an elephant or an elusive tiger well, everything pales in comparison.  Snobs.  I know.

How'd you like to be on post in this animal look-out tower!? 

I should say, "NOT!"

Boy!  What I wouldn't have given to see someone shimmying up that tree to get to that little house in the trees!  (I think that would have even been more exciting than an elephant for me!!)  That would have been like real life "Jungle Book" stuff.  "Mowgli!  Mowgli!  Is that you!?"

Goofy Girls

Although we didn't see all of the critters we were hoping to - Everyone had a good time!  Even though this picture is blurry you can see the girls were havin' a hoot-a-nanny good time yuckin' it up in the back of the Jeep.

The next morning it was time to pack up our things and bid farewell to our time in Kerala.  We had such a great time.  We got to celebrate our first Diwali at Tranquil with Nisha, Ajay, Samara and Zara.  I didn't remember my camera that night so unfortunately, no pictures of the fireworks and all of the children doing sparklers together.  Matt and I sipped our "tranquilizers" and reflected on our first Indian getaway.  It was a lot of fun!  The kids have already declared that we need to spend every Diwali at Tranquil Resort.  :0)

  Time for Samara to go to school and time for us to say

"Good-bye" (David is bummed he's not standing next to Samara!)

Bye Shadow!  See ya next year!

Erica and Swamee had a special connection.

Swamee, one of the hotel staff, LOVED the children.  The morning we were leaving he came down to the Tree Villa with his camera.  He wanted to make sure he got a picture with the kids so they wouldn't forget him.  SO SWEET!

Last moments with their pal, Shadow.

Ready to pile back into the car.

David and his Dosa!

Yep!  We enjoyed the food so much the first time around that on the way home we stopped for dosas on the OTHER side of the road.  Just as good as we remembered!  hahah!

Goofy gal!

Our trip home was shortened significantly because of the Diwali Holiday.  We made it home in lightning fast time (for India!)  Both Matt and I commented to one another how surprised we were as we drove down our street how quickly we have found a sense of "Home" here and although we had a fabulous time in Kerala - It was good to be back to our Bangalore "Home" again!



Adventures at Edakkal Cave

Another day, another adventure!  We are still in Kerala and heading into the Edakkal caves!!  This was my favorite day of our trip!  After taking a few hikes on the coffee plantation and at times the kids getting really tired and whiny about it all - We forewarned them that this was going to be a TOUGH climb (I had no idea just how hard!) and that there would be "No complaining and Dog Gone It...We will have a fun time!"  Hahaha!

On advice from the owners of Tranquil, they told us to get to the caves early to avoid the heat and the crowds.  We ate a fabulous Indian breakfast and then met up with Cladius so he could drive us to the caves.  Cladius had never been to Edakkal before and of course, neither had we.  The car kept winding around these narrow roads and we kept climbing, climbing, climbing.  When we came to the first parking area Cladius pulled over and parked the car and we got out.  (Big mistake - We could have stayed in the car for another 10 minutes and avoided climbing, climbing, climbing on foot!)  Hahaha!  It's all good, right?  We needed to burn off our breakfast anyhow.

Mind you - By the time we were seeing this sign - We've already been walking up a steadily increasing incline for the last 15 minutes or so.  Oh yah!  The buns were burnin'!!



I'm not gonna lie.  I was worried.  I mean, we hadn't even entered the Edakkal cave park yet and it looked like some of the kids were going to start dropping like flies.  They all had terrible colds (nothing like waking up in the morning and listening to four kids sniffling, clearing their throats, wiping away their snots and hacking up mucous...eww!  Can't believe I just said the "M" word but if I didn't use the "M" word you wouldn't have fully understood how sick and how DISGUSTING my kids sounded!)  So, they've already got a strike against them on this hike b/c they are probably only breathing with the capacity of one lung.  I kept thinking, "Great!  So much for the 'having a fun time' part of this climb!"

 

Ready, Get Set, GOOOOO!

 

Right after we entered the park, the kids saw this huge rock and it was "ON!"  They were ready to conquer the caves.

Stopped long enough for the token "CHEESE" for their Momma.

Oh, yes we are!  We are heading...ALL.THE.WAY.UP.THERE!!!!



The monkeys were a nice distraction during the "wide path" part of our ascent.

Some of these monkeys were a little too close for my comfort level.

I kept telling the kids, "Don't make eye contact!  Keep your head down and look submissive!" I was so sure that one of those Imps was going to attack the kids!

I had a friend tell me about when they were in the jungles of India on a trip how a monkey chased after her daughter.  Grabbed the little girl by her skirt, whirled her around and threw her down on the ground!!  Then the monkey ran for the hills with the girls....Popsicle!!!

While I worried about the monkeys "showing the kids who was boss."  Matt kept encouraging David to "do your monkey face!"  Geesh!  I'm just glad that the monkey didn't "Go Ape" and remained on his stoop watching David.

While Matt snaps a picture - Mikey sneaks a hug!  Aw!

"This is hard work!  Time to air out the pits, Rach!"

We kept getting stopped along the hike as people kept asking us to stop to take their picture with them.  Hahaha!  Rachel LOVED it!!  She said, "Mom!  It's like we're famous or something?!" 

Climbing and Resting

Once we made it to this cave we gave our hearts and legs a rest.  Doing good and lovin' it!!

Only one way traffic here.  Waiting for this long line of people to make it down so we can start climbing again!



We met some of the friendliest Indians on this hike.  Almost each and everyone of them that was coming down the stairs was smiling from ear to ear.  They all wanted to shake our hand and then many of them asked us "What's your good name?"  or "Where do you come from?"  One gentlemen in particular held up the whole line of people behind him b/c he wanted to know all of the kids names and ages because his wife (who was not with him) was going to be having their first baby and they needed a name.  (As a side note, the Indians think Erica's name is Eddica.  So, ya' never know - Sometime in the next nine months somewhere in India some lovely gentlemen and his wife might name their firstborn "Eddica" hahaha!) 

Even though there was a long string of folks behind the man looking for baby names- No one seemed to mind.  Everyone stood silently and watched or waited their turn b/c they too wanted to talk with us, shake our hand and make an American Acquaintance.  It really was the craziest thing!  I started to think Rachel was right!  I was starting to feel a bit "famous" myself at this point!  Haha!

And we're back to climbing again!

YAY!  We made it and the view was spectacular!



Lots of cool carvings on the walls inside the cave.

An elephant.

Shiny Happy People

Crazy-Deep Crevasse

"That's what she said!"-M. Scott

After we spent a good long while in the caves we started the trek back down. As we were descending we started to meet more and more people along the path that were arriving to do the cave climb. 



 I had to laugh when we past a mid-50ish couple.  She was large as a barge and he sounded like he'd been smoking 5 packs a day for the last 30 years of his life.  I admired their ambition but I really wanted to pull them aside and say...."You're in India.  You will find no EMT on your way up there.  No one will offer you oxygen or a stretcher if you keel over - I'm pretty sure you might croak or die of a stroke if you proceed any further!"

 The kids were TROUPERS!  Man!!  People kept stopping us on our way down as they were heading up, with skeptical eyes and they would say, "You made it?!  The kids too!?" 

One of the funniest things that happened on the way down was the masses of people arriving.  Again, they wanted to know our names and where we came from.  Then they started with the hand shaking.  Crazy-Crazy-Crazy hand shaking!!  I must have shook at least 250 hands that day.  As the throngs of people kept coming it was getting harder to shake their hands and keep moving so I started giving "high fives" instead.  This took the insanity to a whole new level!  THEY WENT NUTS!!  They LOVED it!  Everyone was squealing and cheering with delight and when I said we were from the US - they added clapping and laughing to the mayhem!  They were on top of the world.  Shoot.  I didn't have the heart to tell them - "Yeah.  I'm just a housewife from Massachusetts.  I have no reality television show or anything.  Really and truly - Just your average homemaker."  Nope.  Didn't matter.  They were loving it and Shucks!!  So was I!!  The rest of the way down that final hill, I had a spring in my step and a cheesy 'ole grin on my face.  Slapping fives. Making someones day.  Who am I kidding?!  They made MY day.  That kind of happiness and enthusiasm is infectious.  It was a great day!

David stopping for one last break on the way down and it looks like he's totally in a "Zen" state of mind?!  Hahaha!

  Hands down - My favorite day of our trip!  Hope we make it back to do it all ONE MORE TIME before we leave India! :)

We will never be the same!

Enjoying the view from the porch.  Relaxin, Bird Watchin, and Killin time until our Couples Massage!

View from the porch balcony

Matt and I woke up with a spring in our step, a tune on our lips and sunshine in our hearts!  Why, you might ask!?  Today is the day of our "Couples Massage!"  Oh yeah, Baby!  We were totally psyched.  Although we were having a great time being together as a family - Let's face it - Going anywhere with four young children is not a vacation.  We've determined it's called "Family Time" and don't get us wrong - It's great but it's no vacation.  Referring to a vacation from here on out will specifically mean - Matt and Jen.  Matt and Jen ALONE=Vacation.  So after our first day on the plantation and loads of Family Time we determined it was time to squeeze in a little vacation time as well.  Thank God for Cladius!  He came on down to the tree house and watched a movie with the kids while Matt and I snuck off for our couples massage.  The two of us were as giddy as two school girls.  A couples massage.  How GREAT is that!?  

  Do we look excited or what!?

As we reached the steps of the spa two friendly and smiling faces came to the door to greet us.  A man and a woman.  They would be giving us our massages.  We were so glad they could fit us in as there were people scheduled before us and another couple scheduled directly after us.  As they ushered us into the building your nose was filled with smells of incense and flowers.  Then my eyes were drawn to the large accordion folded "wall" in the middle of the room.  "Oh."  I thought.  I had envisioned a side by side massage but "that's okay."  "No Biggie".  Just not what I was thinking.  Oh dear. Dear.  Dear.  Well, this would be the first of MANY  "this is not what I had envisioned moments." 

DISCLAIMER!! DISCLAIMER!!  DISCLAIMER!!!

This story is about to go to the Dark Side.  The events that you are about to read about shall be graphic, disturbing and at times not appropriate for young readers.  Read on at your own discretion; however, should you choose to keep reading, I assure you that you will enjoy a laugh at my expense!

Shall we continue!?  So,  Matt and his guy stay on one side of the partition and I am escorted onto the other side.  My lady told me to take off my clothes.  Wait.  Her English is a little broken but I've gotten pretty good at understanding their accent and I'm pretty sure I just understood her perfectly clearly.  Hmmm.  One more time.  Just to be sure I better have her repeat it b/c I don't want to start taking off all my clothes like some sort of floozy (IN FRONT OF HER, no less!) if this is not what I've really been instructed to do.  I figured I'll  take off my t-shirt first b/c even the most modest of massages you typically don't leave your top on.  I also figured that standing there in my bra isn't so bad - I mean, it's like wearing a bikini top, right?  Then I pause and she gives a general waggle of her finger in my general direction to mean, "The over the shoulder boulder holder too."  Oh great.  Now I'm uncomfortable and she's doing the finger waggle thing again but this time in the general direction of my "lower regions."  Cough.  Oh Gosh.  Okay.  Slip down the shorts.  Not so bad - I've still got on my underwear.  It's like your swimsuit, remember?  Oh good grief.  She's at it again.  The finger waggle and I'm left with no choice...off come my roonies and WA-BAM!!!  All of my earthy possessions are now hanging on a hook and I'm standing next to this stranger in my birthday suit!  "Wow!  Did it just get really cold in here!?  This is going GREAT!!! :0/  Now what!?!?!?"  No joke.  She brings over something that looks like a shoestring with about a four inch wide swatch of fabric attached to it.  "What in tar nation?!"  It's a LOIN CLOTH!!!  Oh, Great Scott!  We can cross "Wear Loin Cloth in Front of Complete Stranger" off the Bucket List.  I don't know which was more uncomfortable being neckid in front of her or having her tie this sorry excuse for "privacy" about my "Netherlands."  Once my shoestring was tied about my torso she then instructed me to climb up onto the table.  AWKWARD.  Do I really want her to be lending me a hand or do I want to get situated on my own?!  Of course, wanted, warranted or not...she lends a hand.  Now she's got me sitting on top of this table.  (I just want to lay down shut my eyes and go to my happy place) but apparently there is more to this massage than I realized.  She picks up a little terracotta pot with some oil in it and dips her fingers into it.  Then she cups her hands and begins to whisper some sort of prayer over the oil...over me perhaps?!  I wasn't sure if I should close my eyes and pray too so I decided I'd shut one eye and pray and leave the other one open so I could peek at what the heck was going on.  After her 30 seconds of supplication, she then took the oil that had been cupped in her hands and began to smear it onto the top of my head and then down to the tips of my tresses.  "Oh, ewww.  I do not like it Sam I am.  I do not like it in my hair.  I do not like it anywhere!"  Aw Shucks!  There was no turning back now.  I was lubed and oiled like a fine tuned machine.  After what seemed like YEARS she finally had me lay down on my back (which I thought was what I wanted to do.)  WRONG AGAIN, SISTER!  I don't think there was one single moment where I was actually relaxed during this entire process.  I figured at least once I laid down and shut my eyes I could just "go with it."  Nope.  She was rubbing oil up and down the entire length of my body.  Zipping at the speed of light.  Down to the toes then zwoop she'd go whizzing back up to my shoulders.  Up one side and down the other side and to the north and to the south and to the east and to the west.  Back and forth.  Fast.  Lightning Fast.  So much oil.  So slippery and in the back of my mind I kept thinking, "Sweet Jesus if one of her bangle bracelets just so happens to hook one of my nips - It's gonna be Bye Bye Boobie!!!"  Stress.   Stress, with every swooping motion.  I was pretty sure at one point with all of this back and forth motion she was going to ZING me right of the table!  In fact, now that I think about it - I'm pretty sure I was holding onto the sides of that table with knuckles white!  Partly holding on in fear and trepidation that one of my teats was surely going to get tangled up in one of her wrist trinkets and if not that - I undoubtedly was going to be flung right off the table due to the excessive amounts of oil being used.

Then we went from the fast and ferocious frenzied stage onto a new "beat the tar out of ya" portion.  I'm not sure what it was but from what I could tell from my "one eye peeking" strategy - It was some sort of bundle of something?  Rice maybe?  Spices?  I don't know.  I started to think it was in fact some sort of spice packet because it looked like what I use when I'm making spiced cider.  That's when I started to wonder if she was truly tenderizing me and someone might like to eat me for dinner?  I mean all of that oil - I'd fry up to "finger lickin' good" status in NO TIME!  Maybe she had said a prayer of  blessing over the "food we are about to receive" and I determined right then and there that she started sprinkling anything over me it was probably salt and pepper and I was OUT OF THERE!  Anyhow, this bundle was piping hot and she would use this wad to wack the snot out of me.  Wap. Wap WAP and Thwap-a-Thwap Thwap.  Then she started to do the two handed meat tenderizing motion and I could hear the same noises drifting over the wall from Matt's side which made me start to smile at the thought of him enduring the same nonsense made me want to burst into laughter.  To which I started to think to myself, "Stop smiling or she's going to think you're really enjoying this!"  Let's just say she left no stone unturned.  Flipping me from front to back and back to front....it's a wonder I didn't slip right off that table and right onto her floor!  When it all finally came to an abrupt end I could hear water running coming from Matt's side of the room.  As it turns out, there was only one shower so it was safe to assume Matt had finished before me and was in the shower trying to rid himself of the Penzoil that had been smeared all over his chassis.  So I waited on my table in my greasy loin cloth feeling utterly undressed, unconcealed, exposed, helpless, au naturel - Waiting for my turn to wash off.  The water turned off and of course my gal reappeared to lend a helping hand so I didn't slip and fall en route to the bathroom.  She wiped off my slick and anointed feet with a towel and caringly held my hand as I paraded through the building bare-skinned to get to the bathroom.  Boobies flapping in the breeze.  No secrets here.  "Fantastic!!!  If they could see me now!"  Once we entered the shower room she untied my loin cloth and flung it into the corner and then instructed me to sit down on a stool wear she washed my hair and back with a gritty de-greasifying product.  For the first time I was grateful.  Grateful that she was there with me - I mean how is one to get all that gunk off their back!?  Ish.  It was absolutely disgusting.  When she was done exfoliating my back and scrubbing my scalp she sweetly folded her hands in front of her, bowed and ducked out the door.  I was left with my little cup of skin-scrub and I went to town trying to sluff all that shlop off.  I did the best I could.  Turned the water off.  Dressed.  Slipped out the side door where she was waiting - I tipped her and politely walked out the door with my tail tucked between my legs.  I had been stripped of all things decent.  I mean is nothing Holy anymore?!  I walked around the corner and found Matt.  Our eyes instantly locked like a dear in headlights - Without saying a word our expressions were sharing the same thoughts...."ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?  WHAT JUST HAPPENED"!?!?!?!  Once we were on the path to our villa and in the cover of the forest  then we spoke freely and laughed and laughed and laughed.  You can't make it up but I will tell you - We have since talked to other people that have experienced an Indian massage - It wasn't just us - It is what it is.  Apparently, this is how they do it.  Some folks LOVE it.  There are those like Matt and I who fall into the "Never again" category.  Not our cup o' tea but it was surely part of this wild adventure we are on and we will not soon forget our Day at the Masseuse.  Of course, the kids immediately wanted all of the gory details of our morning together - We spared them but then all day they were obsessed with giving massages to one another and in the evening while we were waiting to head up to supper they opened their own "Massage Shop" and kept busy by serving each other cookies and coffee that they had made with the in-room coffee pot. 

David using a little unconventional massage technique of his own.  Rachel is getting a "foot massage" from David.  Here he is doing the flutter kick on her back.  Not so sure Rachel is loving it!?





Once they tired of the massage parlor the girls put on a Bollywood Dancing show for us.  (Erica is taking Indian dance at school and was showing us some of the moves she is learning). 

My Bollywood Baby, Erica!

Rachel's Turn!

Combining their Dances in the Grand Finale.

Without a doubt, a day we will not soon forget and Matt's story is even CRAZIER than mine but I won't rob him of the opportunity to share it on his own terms! 

More from the B'Block later!

xo