Indians drive on the wrong side of the road.

We left Cairo at 3:40 in the morning on October 8th...that was fun. After that we were in Mumbai (Bombay) for five days and now have arrived at the Ecumenical Christian Center in Bangaluru (Bangalore) where we will be until November 11. Mumbai was very cool. We saw where Ghandi had lived and also a number of museums and temples. My first impressions of India were that of vibrant colors and even more traffic than Cairo - it is ridiculous. I don't think I'll ever complain about traffic again back home. There are usually five or six lanes of traffic on a three lane street - I would not want to drive here. Our facilities at the ECC are fabulous. There's no A/C but it's been relatively cool and low (80%) humidity. The rooms have fans and mosquito nets. It rains off and on all day. We have singles which are very nice but the doors lock from the outside so pranks have been numerous and I don't see them coming to a close anytime soon haha. The people are just as friendly as in Cairo and possibly even more so. The bus doesn't have A/C either so we just open up the windows - it's manageable. I've learned to carry around a hanky everywhere I go.

I don't have many profound things to say yet, but I am excited to explore this new country. We are staying in a suberb of Bangalore called Whitefield, and the ECC is about a five minute bike ride outside of that. Everything is ridiculously inexpensive, and they eat with their hands in the nicest of restaurant. Did I mention they have a morning and afternoon and evening scheduled tea and snack time? How can I not love a country with set times for snack! I feel quite at home...

Internet unfortunately is quite sketchy and very sporadic so that will be frustrating. I miss all of you so much and I know I'm going to hit the wall in India and want to come home, but I also know as soon as I come home I'm going to want to be back here so I'm trying to keep it in perspective.

Well it's getting dark and i have to bike home - sketch! haha. I'll write more soon.

- CM