Our Amazing Adventure Photobook

I finally put together a photobook from our trip across Southeast Asia and India.  It took me a while to sort through all of the amazing photos that we took along the way, but I think it's a pretty fun book to flip through. I hope you all enjoy it.

Click here to view this photo book larger

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Married! September 24, 2011

We've been living back in the United States since December 14, 2010.  I can't believe we've been here for almost a full year.....  We surprised our families by showing up at the front door unannounced (thanks to the help of a good friend picking us up at the airport).  It was nice to be home for Christmas, especially since we got to surprise everyone.




Brad and I started planning our wedding shortly after coming home.  After lots of talk, we decided to get married in our hometown of St. Marys, Georgia at the beautiful John McIntosh Sugar Mill Ruins.  The weather was great (a little humid), and we had our friends and family with us to celebrate our love.

We had our reception at the Overlook Room in Osprey Cove.  Our wedding colors were purple (Brad's favorite color) and orange (my favorite color).  The table decorations were simple.... burlap, wood planks, various glass jars, raffia, candles, and Alstromeria flower arrangements (created by Brad's Aunt Lorna and my sister, Kari).

We wanted to keep the favors simple as well, and also send people home with something that we felt not only represented our style, but also what we hoped people would use.  We decided on wildflower seed packets and my mom suggested placing them in small clay pots.  Adorable!

Here's a shot of my mom being walked to her seat by Brad's nephew, Seth.

My lovely sister, Kari, preceded me down the aisle.  Her bouquet was made of five white spider mums wrapped with a ribbon.

Brad rocked it in a pinstripe three-piece suit.  We kept it simple and a bit casual for Tripp, the best man, and asked him to wear gray pants with a white shirt and black tie.  The boutonnieres were made from Alstromeria flowers (put together by Brad's cousin, Rob).

My mom, who hails from Scotland, surprised me with a bagpiper who played as I walked down the aisle!  He was a wonderful addition to our day.  In keeping with the Scottish tradition, I wore a sixpence in my shoe.

I asked my dad to walk me down the aisle, which he happily agreed to do.  Without his help, we wouldn't have had any of our decorations.  He cut all the tree slabs for us (from a diseased tree), made the table number holders, cut the burlap, and together we built the pallet screens you see behind us so I wouldn't be visible to the crowd until I reached the aisle.  He's a pretty amazing guy.

I couldn't stop giggling, which made Brad giggle as well.  I suppose it was just nerves and excitement.  I felt so lucky standing in front of him at that moment, and my luck continues with each day that I wake up next to my best friend.  We decided to write our entire ceremony, including our own vows.  I feel like it made our wedding day even more unique and special because what was said represented our thoughts and ideas as a couple.  (My bouquet was made of burnt orange spider mums held together with a simple white ribbon.)

Needless to say, it was a truly amazing day.  And now, we are Mr. & Mrs.!!

-Renee

November 12, 2010 Random Thoughts

**Things I Miss (in no particular order)**

-my family and Petey

-cheese, Morningstar and Gardenburger products

-basically having access to a variety of foods

-living somewhere where lines are the norm and skipping is considered rude

-litter laws

-washing machines

-contoured pillows

-comfy beds

-hot water whenever I want it

-bath towels after every shower

-toilet paper all the time

-using sink water to rinse my mouth and toothbrush after brushing

-my clothes

-not having to carry all of my belongings on my back

-getting dressed up, sometimes with makeup

-public toilets and urination laws

**Thoughts on India**

The breathtaking Taj Mahal.

I’m not sure how many years I’ve been dreaming of visiting India.  I’d dreamed of the beautiful saris, the unique architecture, and of course the Taj Mahal.  I knew before I stepped foot into the country that I would love it.  Nothing I’d pictured in my head could have prepared me for the reality.

The streets are filled with color.

The country is filled with beauty.  Walking down the street one can admire the women dressed in their colorful saris, their arms filled with bangles that jangle, their ankles decorated with small bells, their ears holding gold earrings, their hands and palms decorated with henna, and their noses pierced.  They are absolutely lovely.

The buildings are exquisite.  Forts that contain palaces within their walls can be found in nearly every town in Rajasthan.  Hand carved marble adorns the exteriors of the buildings while stained glass and mirrors make the sunlight sparkle and dance in the inner rooms.  The Raj lifestyle was definitely an elaborate one.

Young children that asked us for money.

With the rich also comes the poor, and there is a lot of poverty here.  The disparity between the two is wide and extremely evident.  As we walk down the street, we are approached by children with ratty, natty hair asking for food, men with crippled legs begging for any spare change, and people of all ages simply asking for anything you can offer.  It is difficult to say no, but we must.  If we open our wallets for one, we must open them for all.  

A woman sits alongside the tracks
 in front of bags full of plastic bottles.

Riding on the train from town to town we see ‘villages’ that are nothing more than tarps fashioned into tents.  They are often located right next to the train tracks, as people take advantage of this ‘prime real estate.’  In India, all trash created on the train is thrown out the train window.  Therefore, people living nearby the tracks can find plastic bottles to reuse, scraps of food, and more.  The piles of trash along the tracks are alarming, and attract a variety of animals such as cows, pigs, dogs, and rats.

Shacks set up next to the railroad tracks.

Garbage is everywhere in India.  People don’t seem to care where they put it or where it ends up so they simply drop it from their hands no matter where they are sitting or standing.  Men and women spend their time sweeping it away from their door fronts and shop fronts.  These smaller piles of trash are then carried a few feet away to a larger pile of trash that is accumulating on the side of the street.  It is on these piles that you can find the ‘sacred’ cows of India scrounging for food.  They end up eating a variety of old clothes, plastic, and paper.

The India I love.

Some days, I find it incredibly easy to only focus on the waste that lines the streets, and see nothing else.  However, once I take a step back I find the India of my dreams:  the rich colors, the traditional architecture, and of course the delicious foods.

The people are very friendly and curious, always asking “Where are you from?” and “What’s your name?”  Everyone seems concerned with our opinions on their country.  “How do you like India?” is one of the first questions we are asked.  “It’s great,” we reply as we think of the incredible things we have seen thus far.

Prayer flags atop a mountain.

Every town we encounter is rich with aging buildings, narrow alleyways, and stunning mountains that beg to be explored.  The history in this country goes back thousands of years, and its beauty can be found everywhere.

-Renee

Diwali, November 5, 2010

Brad dances around fireworks on Diwali.

We found ourselves in Jodhpur, Rajasthan when the Hindu holiday of Diwali rolled around.  Diwali is one of India’s largest holidays, in which Hindus celebrate and pray to Laxmi, the goddess of money, that their pockets will be filled with riches for the following year.  We woke to the sound of firecrackers in the streets, as well as to car horns and all other noises that fill a typical street in India.  We enjoyed a relaxed breakfast on the rooftop of our guesthouse, Gopal, before hitting the streets to wander the markets and join in the madness of Diwali shopping. 

The market was packed!

The bazaar was packed with people on foot, bicycles, and motorbikes.  Cows wandered without direction looking for food to eat.  People all around bargained for jewelry, spices, blankets, clothes, belts, sunglasses, and so much more.  Pushing to get past others or to get to the counter first was the norm, a fight for oneself.  We were greeted by children and young men asking for their photo to be taken and bidding us a ‘Happy Diwali!’  We were invited into a fabric store where we admired the quilts and blankets that are hand stitched from scraps of old saris and enjoyed chai tea with the owner. 

A closeup of the miniature elephant.

Walking down the street a bit further we found ourselves being invited into an art store.  “No buying, just looking.  It’s a school,” the owner insisted.  He is a master of miniature painting.  We looked around the shop and discovered that he teaches his students for free.  70% of the proceeds from the store go directly to the students and the remainder is used to keep the shop open.  We admired the brushwork and intricacy of the paintings.  “Come and sit,” he said.  “I will make you a gift.”  We watched as he pulled out a split lentil and glued it to his business card.  “Less than one minute, you will see.”  He pulled out a fine tipped paintbrush and paint.  With no hesitation he laid the brush down to the lentil and before our eyes drew a tiny elephant on the lentil!  Amazing!  “The elephant stands for luck,” he explained.  “So I hope you will find luck in all your life."

A closeup of the peacock.

We thanked him and decided to support his shop by purchasing two cards.  “Come sit again, I will make a peacock for you,” he said to me.  “The peacock is the symbol of beauty.  I made the same for Nicole Kidman.”  We watched as he painted a tiny peacock on the lentil.  He then added color to the elephant and the peacock.  He also insisted we sit and have chai with him.  We couldn’t refuse, and so we were treated to more free tea! 

After his shop, we drifted through more streets and got lost in some small alleyways.  We stopped to smell a variety of spices, took photos of several locals that asked us, and simply enjoyed the business of the streets.  Wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of the streets, we headed to a nearby rooftop restaurant that rewards its customers with an amazing view of the fort, Meherangarh as well as the blue buildings that give Jodhpur the nickname ‘Blue City.’

Drawing with my sparkler.

We went back to our guesthouse to have a rest before the night fell and the festival of lights began.  After just a few moments there was a knock at our door.  “Sorry to disturb you,” the owner says, “but it is Diwali and it is our tradition to treat our guests as family and we invite you to dinner on the rooftop.”  We were delightfully surprised by his kind offer.  We quickly dressed and headed to the rooftop.  Several of his family members were present, including his lovely wife and son.  We enjoyed a relaxed dinner, with the cook insisting we eat more and more.  After dinner we went to the prayer room where we asked Laxmi to fill our pockets with money for the year.  After dinner and prayers, the fun began.  A variety of fireworks were purchased and we spent the evening lighting them all and laughing along with the family.  We took turns writing our names with sparklers, danced around a spinning light show and enjoyed watching the children do the same.  It was a truly wonderful day, and we were so lucky to have been invited to join in the celebrations with our host family!

To see more photos of our time in Jodhpur, click here.