Hurray for Disneyland!

My friend Mykan and I decided to take our two oldest girls to Disneyland before school starts on Monday--the last hurrah of the summer. We had so much fun! We were there from 8:30am to 10pm and the girls did so good just going and going! Andie did a few new rollercoasters she hasn't done before (including the Matterhorn & the one in Toon Town) and absolutely loved them. It has been a warming up process for her for the fast rides (she still refuses to return to Tower of Terror :-> ), but I loved watching her turn around after they were finished and saying to me, "Can we go again?!!" Of course we had to see some princesses and we also liked seeing Goofy, Minnie and Pluto. At the end of the day, after the parade we went over to Rain Forest Cafe and had dinner. It only took about 5 minutes in the car before they both were out! Fun day!
On Friday we are taking Andie to her Kinder"garden" party where she gets to meet the principal, teachers and classmates. I think she's excited because I called it a "party". I can't believe she's starting Kindergarten! Unbelievable! We'll let you know how the first day goes!

Yes, We Are Still Here!

I resolved not to say, "Sorry, it's been so long, but....." I mean life happens, you know?! I always think summer is going to be easy-going and relaxing, but it ends up being busy, busy, busy. So, I may not have posted since May, but now you get to hear about some of our fun times this summer!

June was a big month for our family--especially Andie! She graduated from Preschool, had her 5th birthday, and had a birthday extravaganza at Disneyland. Please note in the Preschool graduation pictures that Super Duper Cooper is the boy just ahead of her coming out of the preschool. He was also the only invited boy at her birthday party (the others are siblings of the girls that were invited). But, alas, we said goodbye to him for good as he lives in another town therefore will not be in Andie's school. But they will always have the memories!

Andie's 5th Birthday Party

Andie got her hair and nails done at Libby Lu's when we went to Disneyland! What a highlight--she loved it! Be sure to check out Jamis flirting with the princesses!! Hilarious! He already knows how to use those big brown eyes and long, long eyelashes to woo the ladies!

For the 4th of July we braved the beach!! It was almost comical how we sat in a sea of people in the middle of the beach with our tents, umbrellas, and tables along with every other person in the North County, but it was a great day!! We had so much fun. The kids loved getting covered in sand from head to toe, and Paigey just couldn't help herself from putting her face in and chowing down--aahhhh!! Jamis was comic relief for everyone--gee, I wonder he gets that from?

For more of our great summer moments, I'll try and put some photos in a new slide show. It's good to be back!

A day of Travel

What a whirl wind. Troy and I got up at 6am in order to meet the Indian team at 9am. We had breakfast and were downstairs in the lobby waiting for them. At 10:30 am we finally left for Shimla an Indian resort area high in the mountains. As you would guess Troy and I loved it.

Unfortunately we had a few stops along the way. Simar and Sonya both got car sick going up the very windy road and we stopped so they could rearrange their meals and bond with nature.

On the way up the mountain we saw cows and buffalo in the streets they were absolutely anywhere they wanted to be. They were right in the middle of the market with people walking right around them. These were Brahma bulls that had no problem with people. If you were in America, people would be running scared to see a bull in a marketplace in a city with a ton of people around! Monkeys were also everywhere. As I was taking ones picture, one made it very clear I was not to come to close. So I used the telephoto lens. He bore his teeth and looked at me like he was going to attack!

On the road up to Shimla it was very windy and around every bend was a new experience. We were stopped about half way up and our Cabby got fined for not having the proper paperwork. He had to pay a fine of about $50. He was not happy. We continued up the mountain and saw monkeys, cows, big lizards that I could not identify, and many other things.

When we got to the top, we were amazed with this town. They had built hotels and buildings into the mountain to the point that there was absolutely no more mountain left! it was all buildings and they seemingly went up vertical forever. After checking into our hotel, which felt like a Big Bear Cabin, we went for a long walk with the rest of India...or at least that is how it felt. They had a series of elevators cut into the mountain that let you go up level by level until you got to the top. I felt good about this because it helped dad out. (not that he seemed to need it!)

At the top there were shops and a number of people just hanging out and having a good time. We walked around and checked things out. We took a picture with a policeman dressed in traditional gear. We also purchased some gifts for people back home. We also went into a catholic church that was at the top of the hill. This was Sonia's first time in a church! It was great fun.

After we were done at the top of the hill, we walked back down to the hotel and went to bed.

The next day we woke up and got ready to go to Simar's Native place. The gang was 1 hour late for this departure again! It was funny. India standard time is not like our country. We rode to the Native place, which is on the border of Pakistan and India. Simar told us that they speak the same language over there and they look the same and also their homes and structures are the same. Their religions are different and that is where the turmoil comes in. Anyway, once we got to his Father's house, we were greeted like kings. Some of the younger people (my age) that met dad would crouch down and touch his feet when they met him. This was the first time we saw this in India. It is a way that they respect their elders. Dad was a little confused at first, but got used to it.

After some visiting, we went to the market with Simar's dad and the team. It was like walking around the city with a dignitary or mayor. Everyone knew him and he would walk into shops and the shop keepers would give him gifts. As we were walking, their were about 50,000 vehicles, motor bikes, rickashaws, cows, bulls, etc. whizzing by. We just walked calmly through it all as we felt really safe with them. This was the first time that we actually crossed a busy street in India! it was fun.

After we were done shopping, we went to the school that his dad is a principal of. It was very impressive and a great school. We went to the cricket field and Dad immediately jumped up to the plate and asked for a pitch. He hit it out of the park and everyone cheered. He then threw a softball to one of the students and they cheered again. Two of the kids came up to us and asked for our autograph on their hands. We complied and they were ecstatic. I am sure that they went home immediately and showed their parents.

Back at Simar's parent's home, we looked at photos together and just had some good conversational time. It was very apparent that family relationships are everything here. Everyone seemed to get along quite nicely and it was a very good feel. Simar's brothers live with their parents and have one baby each. We met one brother and he was great. He is a Chartered Accountant and works with UK companies doing business over in India.

Oh, I forgot to say that we stopped by Baljeet's home town and met her parents as well. We needed to pick up a microwave for them to take back to Chanidarh. Some things are the same...it felt just like Jen and I getting something from our parents. It was fun. Also, some of her neighbors came out and started pushing money into her hands. This was customary when greeting a new bride. It was great to see.

Now we are waiting for the team to go to the Golden Temple. This is our first tourist destination that we are going to. It should be pretty cool. But there is something to say for seeing India the way we are...we are definitely getting to know the team well and understanding the culture more than you would otherwise. Thanks to Simar and team for that!

Wow! We are surely in India...

What a way to travel! One major thing we are learning about this world is that it is HUGE. It took us 13.5 hours to get to Taipae, 6.5 hours to get to Delhi, and after some major travel plan changes, 4.5 hours to get to Chandigarh via car! This does not include about 10 hours of layovers that we spent in airports. Needless to say, when we got in we were beat.

Here’s a run-down of things we have seen and experienced along the way:

1. 1. We landed in Delhi and realized that we were definitely not in Kansas anymore. We went through customs without any problems. We were then stalked by taxi drivers for a ride to Chandigarh.

1. 2. We had to wait in the domestic lounge for our shuttle to come for about 2 hours. Workers watching the Ballywood production with a woman singing.

1. 3. We then boarded a hot bus that had no airconditioning to get to the domestic terminal.

1. 4. Got to terminal and everyone tried to help. Didn’t know who was helping or trying to take advantage.

1. 5. No one knew our airline. MDLR. Found a small ticket counter and it was our airline. Checked baggage.

1. 6. Went through screening process. Everyone came up and went ahead of us. They all cut in line and we couldn’t figure out how to eventually get to the front of the line. We are so formal in the US with lines. Here you have to fight and claw to get to the front. That having been said, no one is mad at anyone when they are getting cut in front of.

1. 7. Ate at McDonalds. There were no hamburgers! They don’t eat cows needless to say.

1. 8. I went to the counter to order and there were a few old men standing in front of the register. I politely stood behind them thinking they were in line. I then saw a college aged student come up and just place an order. He then turned to me and told me that those men were not in the line. I then went to the front and tried to order. Just as I started, a woman walked up and cut right in front of me and ordered. The guy taking orders was kind of chuckling as this happened as he knew that I had no idea how to get to the front and order. The lady then politely said sorry and FINISHED her order! I then jumped up to the counter as a young kid jumped in front of me and I just belted out my order quickly and the guy took it. This is so different for us. But you must realize that they don’t feel like they are cutting at all. This is just the way it is. So for us, we get mad, for them, they are wondering why we might be mad.

1. 9. Tried to find our gate. There was no information on our flight on the monitors. We kept asking people what was going on? No on knew. This was not good.

1. 10. Figured it out and then heard that the flight was delayed. There was no visibility because of a dust storm.

1. 11. Waited for 4 hours and then they told us that the flight was cancelled!

1. 12. Called Simar and he was waiting for us at the airport where we were supposed to meet him. He called and got us a taxi.

1. 13. The driver was about 25 years old and one amazing driver.

1. 14. Simar kept calling us on the driver’s phone (he spoke no English) and asking us if we were comfortable.

1. 15. Drove through the city and we were amazed! We now understood why they cut in line; they do it on the road all the time. There were about 10 vehicles of one type or another on a two-lane road. All were mircro-inches apart. We saw rickashaws, motor rickashaws, motorcycles, cars, busses, horse-drawn carriages, and bikes. Saw a guy with a gal on the back of his motorcycle and she was not even holding on! She was talking on her cell and not even looking concerned. Then we saw a family on a motorcycle, a man, woman and a small kid up on the front gas tank. We then saw a bicycle with a family of four on it! Amazing.

1. 16. We wondered at first why it would take us 4-5 hours to get to Chanidgarh. Now we knew once we were on the road and fighting it out with the traffic. There were smells, sights and experiences that we could not believe. It was very dusty and there were tons of people out and about on a Sunday night.

1. 17. Busses did not stop, they just slowed and people jumped off!

1. 18. Saw people crossing the road with children in tow. I would never attempt to cross any of these streets by myself.

1. 19. Signals mean nothing, they are just for a slight suggestion. People just run them and if you don’t you won’t go anywhere.

1. 20. Cars and trucks were traveling on the road in both directions. If there was not on-coming traffic, they would go into the opposing lane. The game of chicken looks like child’s play here.

1. 21. Our driver stops, puts his hand to his throat and then goes into a shanty type restaurant. We figured we were either being set up or he was going to eat. Luckily he ate dinner while we just waited in the car.

1. 22. During his dinner, we were watching three kids trying to secure a light pole that was blowing around and about to fall on a car. They fussed with it for about 10 minutes and then gave up. Dad could not believe it and thought that the pole was surely going to fall. Everything here looks like that; like it is in the middle of getting fixed or secured, but on the verge of collapse.

1. 23. A huge dust storm blew in and inundated everything. They people in the restaurant, which was open to the storm, just hunkered down and kept eating. Amazing. We then saw an older gentleman walk by our car in traditional clothing. He went behind our car about 10 feet and then did a kimchee squat and pulled his robes over his face. He was just waiting the storm out! We were laughing about it. This was just normal for him! As he was crouched down, we saw a misc. cow walk by. No one owns it, it just does what it wants when it wants…crazy for us to think about. No fences…just let them roam in the cities.

1. 24. Road was being worked on, but could not tell if they were really working on them, or if the project had been abandoned.

1. 25. We saw about 600+ (no exaggeration) incidents that would illicit extreme road rage in America. It was amazing to us that we only saw two other drivers show any emotion or anger. But it was really mild emotion at best. We realized that you HAD To cut off people and drive like a maniac to survive. It was so normal, that no one got mad really.

1. 26. Storm came, driver just kept going in very low visibility.

1. 27. At one point, there was a single lane road with curbs on either side about 1.5 feet high. Our driver came up on 4 trucks and came within inches of their rear bumper. He started honking and blinking his bright lights. It was impossible to make a pass; at least it seemed that way to Dad and I. He went to the side and scraped his wheels against the curb and with about 2 inches to spare on the side of the trucks, passed them all. This was the most amazing thing I have ever seen.

1. 28. Got into Chandigarh and saw our first roundabouts. Here, you just barrel into them at speed and people either get out of your way or you get out of theirs. We still don’t see how this really works, but we almost hit countless cars, bikes, motorcycles, etc. Truly amazing.

1. 29. We got to the hotel and were really impressed. It is clean and nice and very good. Simar tells us that this is where the Ballywood stars and diplomats stay. His wife Baljeet and their friend Sonia were amazed that they were able to eat lunch with us here and spend some time here. They insisted that they come up to our room and check out the accommodations. They loved it.

1. 30. Simar and the gang presented us with clothing. They gave me a great jacket and the kids and Jen something as well. They could not figure out what to get Dad, now known as “uncle”, so they got him a bolt of cloth that he could use to make a suit. We may go and have it made here and then shipped back. They thought that a tailor in the US could do it, but we had to explain that we did not make suits that way there and to boot we don’t know how to make the traditional clothing!

1. 31. We were supposed to meet Simar at our hotel at 9:30AM to meet with Daniel. He got there at 10:15 and then we went to the office (his uncles house). After we got to the office, they tried to set up a Skype session and struggled with it. We finally got Daniel on the phone and Daniel was able to go through his presentation. They liked it and thought that Daniel was a guru of programming and tools. Daniel is really going to bring them up a few notches. Thanks Daniel!

1. 32. We had great meetings yesterday and had a great time with the team. Once we started talking business, it went very well and they were on their A game.

1. 33. Today we go to Shimla and then tomorrow it is Simar’s Native Place. Simar is warning us that it is nothing like here (which he considers modern). We are in for a big adventure…

Super Duper Cooper

Andie has never had a problem making friends, especially boy friends...Last year in her "3 Class" at preschool it was Carlo and Brody that she had wrapped around her finger. She could get them to marry her within minutes of arriving at school. This year in her "4 Class" her best little boy friend is Cooper. Ms. Lita says they play great together and Cooper has told her that he "really likes that girl with all the little freckles and the cute dimple." Andie once told us that she and Cooper were playing marriage and he kissed her hand! Her soon-to-be-Uncle Bryan made it clear that if Cooper tried that again, he'd rip his lips off! You should've heard Andie squeal with giggles at that warning! But come on, who could resist the boy's blue eyes and blonde bowl haircut? Can you blame the girl?

Made it to Taiwan

Well, we made it to Taiwan and it was a long 13 hour flight. I waited about 30 minutes in the LA airport at the wrong airline and I was getting worried that Dad was going to miss the flight for some reason. I then looked at my ticket and realized that I was waiting at "Air China" as opposed to "China Airlines". I almost went to Beijing, but I figured it out and met up with Father (as Andie would say) at the correct airline.

We are now embarking on the next stage of our adventure and it will be much more difficult and different than anything we have experienced. We have been told by Simar not to "talk to anyone who doesn't concern us and to keep our hands on our wallets." Taiwan is very clean and looks great...that is all about to change when we get to India. Here is how we look at this stage...I look really bad and it will only go downhill. Dad looks great.

India or Bust

Troy is going to be headed tonight to India for what he claims are business travels, but I strongly suspect it is more like an adventure that he can not be denied!! I am so glad that his dad agreed to go with him so that they can muddle through together. From all I have seen, heard, and read it should be quite a week for them between the exotic food, high temperatures, CRAZY driving, foul smells, etc. But, then again, that does sound right up Troy's alley! So, I am hoping that Troy will post a few blogs while on his vacation--oops!--I mean business trip and share a picture or two for us to see. Let's wish him luck!