The Train, The Buddha, The Temple

This weekend has been surprisingly busy. On Thursday 6 of us decided to take a day trip to see the Buddha. Adventure number one. We all hopped into one rickshaw and they took us to a train station. We jumped on the train for 3 rupees (about 7 cents). The trains here are still segregated so the 4 girls got into their car and the guys got on theirs. On the train we met a few beggers, a family with precious children, and my first real smells of India. The first 3 images are the beggers.

This is the little girl who would pose for me :)

 and this is her older brother

This family helped us get off the train at the right stop. If they hadn't been able to communicate with us we would've gotten off at the stop before. Thank God they are teaching little children English in school... I feel so uneducated when I try to communicate with the locals. (Which is why I just bought an English to Hindi dictionary - that's another day though)
We get off the train at the correct stop, Necklace Road, and two girls have to go to the bathroom. So, while they paid 2 rupees to go to the bathroom the rest of us are just sitting in the train station waiting for them. One of the ladies who is collecting money for the bathroom comes over to me and tries to talk with me. Motioning and trying to use body language to communicate. It wasn't doing any good. I had no idea what she was saying, what I got out of it was that she wanted either chocolate or money. I don't really know.. another reason to get a Hindi-English dictionary. So, I gave her 2 rupee and we went on our way.
One thing that I have noticed about this country is that the contrast between old and new, rich and poor. There is a shack next to a nice house or a out of date car next to a brand new ford. A horse buggy and a rickshaw. Tradition and modernization are living hand in hand. That is what I love about the people here. They, my friends, have things together. Their priorities are right. I will probably write a whole blog about this topic but back to my adventures.
We walked around Necklace Road to find the ferry that would take us to the island that housed the Buddha. We found a little amusement park and went inside for no good reason other than to explore :). Little did we know it was there where we get on the ferry to the Buddha. We found some other amusing things to do while we waited for the boat.
We got gelatto :) yummmmmm, (Scott, Lindsay, Rachael, and Lora)

Ryley rode a bull,

and Scott rode the spaceship?

Once we had our fun the boat arrived and we all got on. It was looking like it was going to rain so we hurried onto the boat for cover.

Right as we got onto the boat and sat down the rain started. And it didn't just start sprinkling it  poured. Out of no where the sky opened up and dumped the rain on Hyderabad. It poured the entire ride to the island and while we were there it let up a little bit. So, we had to run out of the boat and situate ourselves to get pictures and then run back to the boat.

Once, we left the island the sun started to shine and the rain stopped.. just our luck. But oh well we got our pictures and that's all we really needed on the island. A little better than my family trip to Mount Rushmore :). Our next adventure was trying to get a rickshaw to take us to the temple. We flagged one down and tried to haggle our price down and we finally got it down to 70 rupee when it should've been 20 rupee but we're foreigners so we must pay extra.

We got to the Temple and had to hide our cameras and shoes in our purses so we didn't have to check them. Barefoot and camera-less the 6 of us went in the temple. The entire thing was marble (very slippery surface) beautiful. Standing on one of the bridges of the temple over looking the entire city of Hyderabad was the most majestic view I have ever seen. The sounds of the city were drown out by Hindu prayers and I was able to tune things out and just reflect on the fact that I am in India. India the place I have dreamed about but never thought I'd go, I am here. Finally.

There was a market on the way up to the temple and I got a few bangles and things there. But the view was gorgeous on the way down the sky was the prettiest colors.

After a very exhilarating rickshaw ride back to the train station, we were almost home free. At the train station, as in most train stations, there is a line that you're not supposed to cross when a train is incoming. Well.. my friend Ryley had his back turned to the incoming train standing over that line. The train comes whizzing through and a man grabs Ryley and yanks him out of the way. If this guardian angel was not starting at us because we are white Ryley's head wouldn't have exploded on the side of the train! Too close of a call. I am sure that won't happen to any of us ever again.