Immeasurably More

"Speed thrills, But kills"

Driving in India is best experienced for yourself. You will see a lot of yellow on the tuk-tuks, but not a lot of it on the pavement.  Lanes are purely abstract concepts to be referenced when an oncoming bus overtaking a mini van leaves the taxi driver no choice but to surrender the middle ground.  This is the closest we will ever get to being part of a high speed chase in an action film.  But the drivers here are more polite than the stars of action films; they have this way of communicating with their horns: There's no way, Buddy. No way. I am not stopping for the likes of you. Be somewhere out of my way or take the consequences. And noone seems to take this personally.

"It is music that you wish would never end."

If wearing a sari seems complicated,  that's because it is complicated.  So many folds held in place with so few safety pins. So much fabric to be kicked out of the way with each step. There's probably not many things that can get as many stares in India as two blond Western women in sparkling saris. TIRMa blames the looks on my white blond hair; I blame it on her height. Sometimes the Indian women will wave if they realize I have caught them staring. This is different from how it was in China, where the Chinese tourists photo stalked me with their long camera lenses.  This feels less threatening;  more amused by the unusual. Friendlier.  More complimentary. Still,  one of my friends Uncles made a point of telling us - in Munnar where we are going tomorrow,  we should not speak to the locals after 8pm. Maybe there is 1 person in 100 who will cause trouble, but there was a report in the paper last week...

"I wasn't expecting to sing hymns at an Indian wedding." One of the English guests commented. Kerela is a predominantly Christian area and my friends wedding would be comfortable to most Western Christians including familiar scripture ( 1 Cor. 13) and songs. Even the party dance music was familiar; the last song of the night for which we were all summoned to the floor was... Feliz Navidad!

We had our final (of two) dance practice today.  For the reception tomorrow. there's a choreographed dance for all the family (grandparents,  parents,  bride and groom, cousins ...) and overseas visitors to perform.  We may come home you tube sensations. But before that is the wedding.  We're off to be dressed by professionals!

I lost a day in my calculations.  I neglected the fact that London to Cochi is an over night flight. Neither of us were expecting the phone to ring moments after we had entered the room. We looked at the flashing lights in the bathroom,  on the desk by the bed. "I think it's for you," the Porter said.  So,  I answered it. "Hello?" "Are you coming shopping?" asked the bride. "Oh.  Was that today? Where should we meet you?" "Tell the hotel to send you to Lulu Mall.  I'll meet you out front." Afterwards TIRMa commented that we hadn't taken any photos while we were shopping for our saris. We had been too busy comparing patterns and admiring the shop staff's skill in wrapping and draping each of us in yards of brightly colored fabric. But it's not enough to buy a sari;  a matching petticoat (color options below) and a trip to the tailor for a blouse are also required.

I remember a good friend from college telling the story of her arrival home from India; they took her straight to the hospital where the drugs she was prescribed in India were confiscated and disposed of. "You're not supposed to have these," she was told.  I am not an adventure traveller, and many of the Westerners I know who have been to India come home with stories of illness. Plus, India is crowded, and I don't like crowds.  When I was in graduate school, I lived with an Indian woman. We spent several evenings talking about men, specifically the blue eyed Irish man who shared  her classes and the Indian men presented to her by her family via curriculum vitae. And almost 10 years later, she has invited me to her wedding in India to an English man. Indian weddings are rumored to be something to see. So I have taken a deep breath, focused on celebrating with a friend and booked a ticket.  Zone E boarding now.