Mountains, Golf, Wild Boar, and Throat Singing

My friend, April, had a research project in some of the surrounding districts and I went along to help her out. Our excursion began with me stumbling around in the dark at 4 AM because we had no power...and somehow I got myself in a taxi and rolled into her city a few hours later. Not to brag or anything, but we're hardcore. We spent hours upon hours traveling to the ends of the earth on roads that resembled little more than mere trekking trails. I must say it was pretty rewarding to visit places few will ever know exist. It also felt like I was seeing the mountains for the first time--you would think it's impossible to take the Himalayas for granted but sometimes I do--but really, they're the Himalayas!

Now north India is a pretty weird place but even we were caught off guard by a mysterious animal...
April: What is that? It looks like a cross between a yak and a horse.
Me: It's a yorse!
April: A yorse?
Me: Half yak and half horse.
April: Like a merlion?
Me: Exactly like a merlion (may only make sense if you've been to Singapore)

Sadly, the picture turned out really blurry so I can't show you the mysterious animal. But, yes, I will do some research on google and find out if it's possible for yaks to breed with horses. I'll let you know.

After April finished her research we headed down south to visit our friends, Kyle, Ryan, and Brandon, and pick up my computer. The boys graciously replaced my hard drive with one that is much bigger than my old one. They also took us to play golf, which was really fun and I only slightly cared about my wicked slice. We went to see the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and were so nostalgic for our childhood that I even found the Vanilla Ice Ninja Rap from the second movie on Youtube and made everyone watch it. Our weekend was complete with a feast of wild boar. I'm not even kidding. The boys got it from their landlord and apparently it's illegal to hunt or something (so don't tell). Anyway, Brandon marinated it in a fine red wine vinegar and papaya mixture. After about two frustrating hours Kyle and Ryan hunted down coal and got the grill to work. It was pretty tasty.

Right now I'm listening to a Tibetan throat singer named Kongar ol-Ondar. He's from this place called Tuva and his album is called Back Tuva Future, which I think is the greatest thing ever. Throat singing is fascinating, although a little creepy to listen to, but the best part is that Willie Nelson is a guest performer on his album. Now that, my friends, makes it all better! Ok, enough updating...it took me forever to post these pictures so you better enjoy them!

We'll Carry On

Here's a blog with no pictures for you. I'm a terrible updater these days. My computer crashed. My internet fails me all the time. Heck, I actually got busy too. In fact, April and I embark on another crazy adventure in four and a half hours. It involves two hill stations, a billion hours in a taxi, picking up my sad computer, and hopefully some golf.

We'll carry on,
We'll carry on
And though you're dead and gone believe me
Your memory will carry on

I've been walking a crazy road for awhile. It twists and turns and sometimes goes in circles. It kind of seems like things are falling from the sky too...trying to knock me over. But I'm still here. I read bible verses and Augustine quotes. I scribble them on pieces of paper. I plaster them on walls. It's not an instant fix, but more of a reminder of why I should keep going. I wish I came from a culture that valued patience and waiting and silence and faith. I profess to desire these virtues, but behind closed doors I prefer lightning miracles and swallowing pills to the slow burn. And I'd definitely use a microwave if we had one.

There's something slightly glamorous about trials and fire. Still, I think most would welcome any trial except the one they've been given. I guess there are some extremes, but excluding those I do find myself thinking 'anything but this.' 'this' is what it is, however, and I'll keep going and somehow learn to be thankful and quit demanding a lightning miracle. Mountain life is slow. You'd think I would've learned by now.

I should stick to pictures.

We'll carry on
And though you're broken and defeated
Your weary widow marches on