Hello from Kolkata!

Well, we are here.  Everything went smoothly at the Embassy.  It does pay to get their at 8:00 a.m. and be the first in line.  It doesn't open till 8:30, but as soon as the line begins to form, the process takes longer and longer.  We were in and back out by about 9:45.   The man who did our interview actually called our driver for us, so we didn't have to try to figure out how to use the phone in the waiting area.

We arrived in Kolkata an hour late due to plane delays tonight, but we are here.  You hear about all the stuff in India and wonder what you'll see.  Today we saw cattle by the side of the road, monkeys on the sidewalks, men peeing on the sides of the road, etc. and that was all just on the way to the airport!

Word of  caution to those moms getting ready to travel...  We had heard not to let your driver suggest to take you shopping because they will take you somewhere where they get a cut in the profits of what you buy.  We fell for it, however.  We were so exhausted and not paying attention and when our driver suggested we stop at an emporium on the way back to our hotel, we were for some reason thinking about a little garden area and agreed.  He took us through a small gated area and dropped us off, saying that he would see us in an hour.  We were then left alone in the middle of Delhi in a beautiful store with 5 clerks and just the two of us.  We were then subjected to the drama that only a used car salesman can portray, and ended up buying a few items just to get out of there.  I was horrified, David was amused.  On a positive note, I won't be coming home with an "authentic" Kashmir carpet, but I did get an Indian pillow cover, an Indian "black star" ring, and a rice paper Christmas tree ornament! (David and I always try to get a Christmas ornament from everywhere we travel.)

Anyway, tomorrow will be our "Gotcha Day," and I cannot even express the emotions I'm feeling, so I won't try yet.  We'll just wait and see what tomorrow holds.  Thanks especially for all your prayers.  I have felt a very strange oppression here on my spirit and I feel the need for your prayers to surround us.  Till tomorrow...