Zip Lining In Jodhpur

The Meherangargh fort sits 400 feet above the city of Jodhpur and is enclosed by thick walls.  A winding road leads to and from the city below.  

The top of the fort is home to the Flying Fox Zip Line Course.  The six line course extends from the exterior of the fort offering beautiful views of the city as well as the two lakes below the fort.  The lines are very fast and provide a nice adrenaline rush along with the outstanding scenery. 

Gearing up.

Hanging with Dad on the course.

Flying!

Focusing as he comes toward the landing platform. 

Peace Out!

Jodhpur Market

On Monday evening January 27th, we arrived in the city of Jodhpur.  As evening rolled around,we decided to venture into the Jodhpur market which is widely recognized as an insanely crowded and chaotic place...even by India standards. The markets are divided into sectors defined by the goods which are sold.  Leather products, silk products, fruits and vegetables, jewelry and so on.  

There are no sidewalks and no defined places for pedestrians to navigate.  The cars, motorcycles, trucks, tuc tucs and animals criss-cross without any pattern leaving no ability to predict which way the next vehicle will turn.  One must utilize all senses in order to enjoy the market while walking safely.  While Mom and Dad have been fortunate to travel many places, we have never seen an open air market quite as crazy as this.  

We say all this to say that watching Mabret and Roman walk this market was a highlight of the trip.  We watched them closely and witnessed them employ so many lessons that were learned during this trip.  From the way that they remained calm and relaxed keeping eyes peeled to the way that they balanced challenging the motorcycles just enough to make sure that we did not spend the night pinned against the wall watching traffic while making certain they didn't get run over, they moved about with the ease of well seasoned adventurers.  They made us very proud. 

The markets.  These pictures cannot really do justice to the scene but use your imagination.

After several hours of navigating, we jumped into a tuc tuc for a ride out of the markets.  Below, Roman and Mabret was the chaos through the back of the tuc tuc.  

An admission from the RTW Adventure Family.  After 3 months on the road, 7 countries, and more than  20,000 miles, we broke down for some comfort from home...

 

And it tasted sooooooo good.

Peace out!

A Desert Oasis

Yesterday (Saturday January 25th), we drove into the Thar Desert of India to ride camels atop the sand dunes and watch the sunset followed by spending the night at a tent camp while enjoying traditional Rajasthani food and dancing. 

The definition of a desert oasis:  An oasis is lush green area in the midst of a desert, centered around a natural spring or a well. In many cases, the oasis will be the only place where trees such as date palms grow for miles around.  

As we drove the endless dry road into the desert, an oasis appeared just over the hilltop.  Katie and Kathy believed that they were hallucinating but were convinced to exit the vehicle and began walking toward the beautiful sight.  

Much to our delight, the oasis was called Desert Paradise and it was the type of liquor store that can only be found here...in the middle of nowhere.

After stocking up, we headed further into the desert in search of our next mode of transportation.

(A special hello to Zach Mead.  We hope you enjoy these pics.). 

Roman pointing out the dunes in the distance to Mom.

After arriving at the sand dunes to watch the sunset.

Fun in the dunes.

Some local villagers encouraged Kathy and Katie to put their dancing shoes on.

After working up an appetite dancing, we were all delighted to see the local beer and soda man walk up the dune.  Reminiscent of hot days at the jersey shore when the ice cream guy would arrive.  Well sorta...

The sunset was memorable.

The evening ended with dinner by the fire and some traditional dancing. 

A truly memorable day. 

Peace Out.

Volunteering At Vatsalya

Vatsalya is a non-profit organization that provides an array of services to the people of India who are in need.  They administer a residential care program for children, an economic empowerment program for women, a skills training program that assists unskilled young people enter the workforce and an outreach program that provides basic personal care as well as medical care to the poorest citizens of India.  

Vatsalya Udayan is a home for orphaned and abandoned children.  The campus contains several buildings that serve as living quarters for the children as well as a school and recreational facilities.  The children range in age from approximately 5 years old to 16 years of age.  Some of the staff members lived at Udayan as children and have returned there to work.  

We arrived at Udayan on Monday January 20th to begin 4 days of volunteer work.  The first two nights we stayed on the campus so that we could spend more time getting to know the children and understanding the program. The last two nights we commuted to a hotel in Jaipur.  We enjoyed many meals with the children. 

Our work at Udayan included teaching children of all ages both conversational English and math skills. We were welcomed into the classrooms by both the teachers and students.  

Below, Roman and Mabret teach a lesson in conversational English.  They made us proud.

After school we organized games for the children.  Some activities were outdoor recreational games including soccer but the children also enjoyed using flash cards and board games.  

Below, Katie is teaching the children a new game.

Below, Roman jogs to mid field after scoring a goal off a pass from Mabret.

One of the highlights for the children was receiving the many video games that were donated by Mabret and Roman's teammates back home.  Prior to leaving on our journey, we put out a call for old handheld games and many families responded with donations.  It did not take long for them to catch on and become experts. By the time we left, all the games, cartridges and chargers were organized and the children had a system in place to care for their new toys.  Thanks to our friends back home for making this possible. 

We were fortunate to see a rehearsal by some of the young ladies who will be performing in an India Independence Day celebration later in January.  

The most notable thing about the children is their attitude and outlook.  Without exception, every child is happy and wants to be living at Udayan.  The children look out for one another and they are motivated to learn and grow together.   The teachers and staff work to identify appropriate fields of training for the children as they enter their teen years directing each child toward educational and vocational endeavors which fit their personalities and skill sets. 

Hats off to the staff and children of Udayan.  Thanks for making us feel welcome. 

News From Awassa

We have been getting positive news from Awassa as Endris, Shemelese and Yenu seem to be adjusting well to their new routine. They are working daily with the tutor in preparation for school beginning on February 13th.  

Their school uniforms have arrived and the kids look smart and handsome/beautiful in them. 

So far so good...

Bob's Short Trip Home

Things have been moving so quickly that I did not have an opportunity to reflect upon my quick but busy trip to the States.  After arriving late on Friday evening, I was able to sleep a bit but the jet lag kicked in with a 3:30am wake-up. My body was reminding me that it was 11:30am in Ethiopia.  After tossing and turning a bit, I got up and worked a full day in preparation for taking depositions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.  

While it was tough to stomach leaving the family, returning home reminded me how fortunate I am to have good friends.  When I unlocked the door to the office and our Philadelphia apartment, it was obvious that Marianne had worked to leave things in perfect condition.  After a long trip back, a clean, warm and organized office and apartment were a welcome sight.  Ed and Ray set aside their own family responsibilities to work whenever needed and help me prepare for a tough week ahead. 

Perhaps the most difficult part of the week was knowing that I was only a two hour drive from my beloved dogs but unable to see them until my work was completed in Philly.  Fortunately, the depositions went well and Friday arrived with me feeling that the trip home was productive and worthwhile. 

I spent Friday morning trying to put out a few more fires at the office while watching the clock closely.  My friend, comrade and coaching buddy, Chris S-----, graciously invited me to assist him coaching the Paupack Power in their championship game against our arch rival, the Pocono Snow, in Scranton at 7pm.  This was an opportunity to see many people (both kids and adults) who we all miss while doing the thing I have missed the most...coaching some of my favorite kids. 

The familiar drive north on 476 gave me an opportunity to reflect upon all that we have experienced since walking through security at Newark Airport on November 2, 2013 and the support that we have received from friends and family back home.  As I drove through Scranton toward the Riverfront Sports Complex, I looked to my left and was greeted by the P---- family who had pulled alongside of me.  A welcome reminder that I was home. 

Wyatt snuck me onto the sideline approximately 5 minutes before game time and the kids gave me an awesome welcome. The warm welcome they gave me was great but the best part of the evening was their performance on the field.  Coach S---- has done outstanding work with the kids.  The game was never close as the Power won 8 to 2.  Congrats to the guys - Andrew, Brett, Dane, Evan, Jack, Jake, Karter, Luke, TJ, Tyler, Wyatt, Zach.

Shout out to Dieter for scoring the game winning goal with only seconds left as Paupack FC won the U12 division.  Great work by Coach Tim and the kids. 

To all of the parents who are like family to us, thanks for a brief but memorable stop home.  It was great to see you guys.  

When I pulled down the driveway of the house, the barking changed to howls as my pooches greeted me with much love.  There is no way that we can thank Amber and Josh enough or properly for the love that they have given the dogs.  It was so obvious that Ella and Zeke are loved and well-cared for.  Seeing how happy Ella and Zeke are made leaving them a second time just a bit easier.  Thanks again Amber and Josh.  

Thanks to the Tonkins for brunch and great conversation on Saturday morning.  

Saturday evening I arrived back in Philly.  Big shout out to Ray for driving me to Newark in the middle of the night.  

By Monday afternoon, I was back in Awassa and ready for the final push to get Endris, Shemelese and Yenu settled into their new home before we depart for India. 

Ghost City of Fatehpur

After leaving the Taj Mahal (Saturday January 18th), we checked out of our hotel and headed toward the city of Jaipur.  On the way to Jaipur, we stopped in the city of Fatehpur Sikiri which is home to a "walled ghost city" built by "Akbar The Great".   The city was founded in 1569 and served as the capital of the Mughal Empire from 1571 to 1585.  The construction of the walled city took fifteen years to complete.  As red sandstone was plentiful throughout the area, the entire complex was constructed using the dark stone.  The enclosed city included a palace, several large living quarters with separate areas for Akbar's many wives and a huge mosque.  The name of the city comes from the Arabic word Fateh which means victorious.  

Amazingly, the complex was abandoned shortly after its completion due to the lack of water in the area and the fact that the region became home to many rival factions. Because the walled city still stands uninhabited today, it has become known as the Ghost City of Fatehpur.  

The street hawkers were fairly aggressive at this stop.  

Roman and Mabret were convinced to buy a homemade wire puzzle game.  

Since they looked quite flimsy, the young adventurers negotiated a price of 4 toys for 100 Rupees or approximately $1.40USD.  The exchange rate is approximately 60 Rupees to one dollar.  After the first toy broke, Roman set out to resell the item.  He successfully found a buyer who paid 5 Rupees for the broken toy.  There is one born every minute.  A salesman was also born. It was hilarious and rewarding to watch Roman jump in and hawk among the local kids.  We were so enthralled watching him that we both forgot to take a photo.