During the past few weeks things have had a tendency to get progressively worse, the more you complained.  It all started with showers that leaked in New Delhi.  Then, we complained ourselves into cold shower with hot bucket.  Then, cold shower, but no hot bucket.  Then no shower, but cold bucket.  Then questionably hygenic cold bucket.  Then, a local boy would pump water out of a well for a refreshingly cold bucket.

Finally, we stopped complaining and things began to turn for the better.  Near our end in Chitwan, we had graduated to bucket pumped from a well, followed by furious chopping of wood, a joke of a fire, and then after about 1 hour, a luke warm bucket.  Yano gave me the biggest guilt trip while I watched through the window as the owner’s son chopped the wood to warm my water– there were comments about child exploitation, deforestation, and the obsession at having hot water every day.  I turned a deaf ear– it was bad enough I hadn’t used internet in over a week, and electricity had become a luxury seen for only 3 hours a day (usually from 2-5am when you were sleeping, so at least you could pee in the bucket in the middle of the night without missing).

Anyways… as bathing improved to the luke warm stage, we booked a flight from Kathmandu, Nepal to New Delhi, India– for only $104 (taxes included).  It sure beat a 3 day bus journey, and after a week in the jungle, we deserved it.  If you ever have a chance, the Kathmandu <-> New Delhi flight is jaw droppingly gorgeous.  The entire route is parallel to the snow covered Himalayas, and you see them from the beginning to the end of the flight.  Everyone lucky enough to have a window seat on the Himalaya side was glued to the window for the entire hour and 20 minutes.  P.S.  Don’t be an idiot and leave the camera in your checked baggage like I did.

So we’re back in Delhi, where we feel like kings: constant electricity, fast internet, great food, hot water, reliable transportation, and of course– I can pee on the street again.

Ok, enough with the blabbing, I’m uploading some pictures (though no time for all).  Here’s our favorite at one of the mosques facing the Taj Mahal (which we’ve finally seen).  Click on it for a large version.