I feel like I have returned from the dead. Friday I completely ran out of energy. Over the weekend I just stayed at the apartment and took it easy. I still have the head cold, but am feeling slightly better.

Some of the coworkers told me not to go out the next two weekends anyways for safety reasons. This Saturday is Diwali, the festival of lights, the biggest holiday for the Hindu’s. It is like Christmas in that people exchange gifts and lights are hung from most buildings. They also light candles and shoot fireworks all night long. I will have to get the ear plugs out. The safety reason that I was mentioning is a few terrorist groups like to strike this time of year since most people are out in the markets shopping for gifts. I have not heard of any bombings yet this year, but last year there were a number of them.

I ended up going to the Expat Group meeting this morning. Once again it was a 1.5 hour car ride, but without air conditioning this time. I truly got to hear the sounds and the smell the air, I mean smog, with the windows down on the car. This time I was the only guy with about 50 women, most were in the 50 year old age range. They are all road warriors following their husbands around from country to country. The group I was speaking with had lived in various third world countries following their husbands. From their experience Delhi by far has been the biggest adjustment because of the hygiene and the very little value that life has. I also met a couple people that are coming on the Pushkar trip at the end of this month. One lady is my age from Italy and the other 5 are in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. It will make for an interesting trip especially with all the walking we are supposed to do.

I signed up for a 7 day trip to Pushkar, 3 days in Pushkar, 2 in Jodpur, and 3 in Jaiselmaire. I was hoping to take one more stop in Udaipur, but that would have taken another 3-4 days and 2 more days away from work. I will have to skip out on that one. It is know as the most romantic city in India. It has a couple of palaces on a lake and one of only a few 7 star hotels in the world.

I am also working on my trip to Kerala, trying to hit the beach towns and the backwaters. Since November is now peak season, the hotel costs have now doubled from when I originally booked. Plus they charge an individual the same price as dual occupancy. That trip is adding up fast.

Then the dollar has tanked in the last week. I was supposed to exchange $200 last Thursday and get 9,700 rupees. However the forex guy never showed up. I then waited until Tuesday and only received 9,200 rupees for the same $200. That was a shock.