Pondy D1

So the bus arrives and I can barely move. My legs are numb from not moving. I brush the cobwebs off my boots and force myself to rise. I grab bag one and bag two and descend from the bus, stomach growling. we sit down on a bench and grab a few pastries. They tasted pretty gross and had gummy little plugs in the middle. I only at half of mine and then bought something fried which tasted considerably better. Mary Ellen went to a phone charge station and put some charge on the phone, calling Dave and Emily, looking for directions of what to do next. So we argue over price over a rickshaw, which costs considerably more than in Patna. Were riding along and I see this white figure wave at me. It was Emily! On the back of a motorcycle! We kept waving back and forth it was pretty cool. Everyone was smiling ear to ear, it felt like we were home for some reason.

We got to their compound said our hellos and got cleaned up. We got some food at this French pastry. Croissants and fried eggs with chili sauce. So good. We learned what the others have been doing in pondy, testing rocket stoves. We met their friends, French students working at the same company. They took us to this meditation studio which was beautiful and amazing. There is this fish pond that houses fish that eat the dead skin off your feet. It sounds kinda gross, but they are the size of gold fish and it tickles like nothing else. I have pictures of 50 or so of these fish chompin away at feet. I know there was dead skin, I hadn’t changed my socks in 4 days. Well I hadn’t showered or changed any of my clothes for 4 days. So I was a pretty sight for sure.

We went into town to do some shopping which was fun as could be. It was so great being with these other people. The first 9 weeks we have been surviving one on one. Now I could bond with another male that speaks English and Mary Ellen could do the same with a female. I didn’t realize how much I needed this. And David, they guy in pondy, is also my roommate for next year. He;s a really cool guy and has a girl friend back home as well. We ate lunch at this little bistro, eating a whole bunch of different Indian foods. Then we went and got blessed by an elephant. He was HUGE. Like monsterus. And the tusk was so coarse!

We did more shopping and I got a pair of custom made sandals.

WE went back and hung out at their apartment area. A little while later we went out for dinner which was Indian and delicious. We had a few drink before bed and then called it a night. Everyone exhausted from the days events, but especially us.