December 2012

Busy, busy, busy…The month of December is a very busy time. We have attended the Idaho Falls Temple ordinance worker dinner and fireside. We have visited so many of the ward members and provided for the children who are less fortunate. We had been busy getting gifts ready for the grand kids and off to the post office. Dawn has written a family letter and mailed a stack of Christmas cards to our friends and family members.

For Dawn, it is a non-stop effort in visiting and planning for the ward Christmas party. She and I were in charge of decorations and the meal. We did it last year as well so it was not as difficult as far as planning.  We met last Saturday and there were a boat-load of folks at the dinner. Dawn also arranged for a “Ugliest Christmas Sweater” contest. She wore her Christmas sweatshirt she has had for 20 years. Believe it or not another sweater won out!

This is the second week of convalescence for me. I had the sides of both my big toe nails removed. A piece of cake, right; well I am still hobbling around and it is mighty sore. Dr. Toleman said the procedure was 80% sure of no return of ingrown nails as they turn in with age.

Right now we are getting ready for our trip to Costa Rica. Julia, Robyn, Wayne, Kesler, Indy, Holly, Jon, Dawn and I are going to Dominical Costa Rica for a week. We plan to hike the jungle, snorkel the ocean and eat the food where it is warm and away from the cold of Idaho.

Today I shoveled snow for the first time this year. Out front the snowmen lawn ornaments are finally looking like they belong in Idaho. Although it is melting fast we did have an inch of snow this morning.

Oh, we received our Kashmir rug we bought in India last week. I will need to list it in our household items under home insurance and then put it in our will for our children to decide who will have it after we are gone! However, it is surely worth it because of the beauty it adds to our home. It is hand woven and took over one year to complete.

Following surgery 

Lonely Snowmen!

Christmas Cards for friends

   

The Kashmir rug from India

 This is Dawn making Christmas fudge for the neighbors. She has her hair in curlers getting ready for the next party!

Ugly Christmas sweater 

I hope to add a few photos of scarlet macaws and flying fish in the January blog after returning from Costa Rica. I also will have  video on YouTube taken with my new GoPro camera (above and below water!) Until then.

Lastly, we wish all of our friends and family a very 

 Merry Christmas!

November 2012

New Delhi airport

One year ago we planned a trip with the Nebekers to India through Fun for Less Travel. Month after month we paid our assessment and saved for the adventure. At one point I was not sure if it was worth it. After all we had just returned from Africa and were we up to another long travel to the other side of the world?

The time came for us to leave. We packed light and left Idaho Falls on the bus shuttle to Salt Lake City. It all began the next morning at the SLC airport meeting up with the Nebekers and many of the other attendees.

From SLC we traveled to Houston, TX then on to Newark, NJ. As we approached Newark we could see downtown New York still showing standing water from the storm, Sandy.  We left NJ on the 2^nd of November at 6:30PM and arrived in Delhi, India at 6:20PM on the 3^rd of November. We were tired yet excited.

From the beginning I wish to acknowledge how efficient the Fun For Less travel group really were. They moved our baggage, arranged for transportation on time and made this trip a wonderful experience. The busses moved us to the Trident Hotel in Delhi where we could rest up. Then beginning early, following a fabulous breakfast, we were back at the airport on our way to Kathmandu, Nepal.  As soon as we arrived we were on busses to explore the city and see the Buddhist temples before returning to the Hyatt Hotel. All our baggage had been taken to the hotel and we were met with a warm welcome.

The next day we boarded the Buddha airplane and flew to Mt. Everest, close and personal. We even were allowed to visit the pilot in the cockpit! It was spectacular and our return was safe.

While in Kathmandu we visited the Bagmati River to witness a cremation. Then we flew on to Varanasi (the oldest city in the world) India. From Varanasi we flew to Agra (home of the Taj Muhal) and following our visit to this incredible city we took a bus ride to Jaipur and finally on to Udaipur before flying back to New Delhi.

The photos tell the story so I will include them with discriptions.

There is no way I can tell all we came to enjoy and appreciate in this exotic and marvelous land of Northern India. Looking back on our trip to India, I can honestly say it was so worth the effort. We have broadened our understanding of the eastern cultures and religions. One last thought I had when returning to the United States…this society is so young compared to the ancient existence of India, the land where civilization began.

Golden Buddhist Temple in Kathmandu

Plane ride to the Himalayas 

Mt. Everest some 29,000 ft

Cremation in Kathmandu

The Hyatt at Kathmandu

Before the Taj in polluted air

The yogis of India and their snakes

The Red Fort of Agra

Vishnu the Hindu god of order

Dawn feeding an elephant

Our elephant ride to the Amber Fort in Jaipur

The Samode Baugh garden

The beautiful Mughal palace

The Jain Temple at Ranakpur

The Palace Fort at Udaipur

Udaipur Hotel (3rd in all the world for luxury)

The garden walk at Oberio Udai Vailas Udaipur Hotel

Palace on the edge of Udiapur lake

India Gate in Delhi