INDIA: MEET THE PARENTS

Really hard to take a bad photo of the Taj Mahal, possibly the world's most architecturally stunning building. 

When you experience something memorable for the first time—swimming with a school of sharks, for example—it’s really nice to have people you love nearby…especially if the fish get hungry. 

So when Kip’s parents Paula and Larry decided to meet us in India, we were excited. Not only were we finally getting to see some of our family after nearly nine months on the road, but we also would be accompanying them to through New Delhi, Jaipur, and the Taj Mahal. As an added bonus, we also knew Kip’s mom would probably be hauling a backpack full of Clif bars, and his dad might even leave Kip a fresh shirt or two, which Liz was really pumped about. 

Larry and Paula warily pet a live cobra at Jaipur's City Palace. Nice shirt, Larry...maybe you'll leave it behind?

We kicked things off in New Delhi, where Paula splurged for a hotel with hot water, satellite TV, in-room wi-fi, and even clean, white sheets and fluffy towels (such rarities, at least where we usually sleep). We lived the good life, doing serious damage to the breakfast buffet and stopping by the sauna, while the folks slept off jetlag. The next day we toured some of the city’s highlights—the Red Fort, India Gate—weaving our way through the dust, dirt and chaotic traffic while clinging for life in the rear of an Indian auto-rickshaw, which thrilled Larry to no end.

Next we were off to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal. On the side of the road, “parked” at a gas station en route (seriously), we spotted a camel, which Liz and Paula both had to ride. Paula even got a big kiss. 

After a lunch break at McDonald’s for some fries, a Coke and a beef-free Big Mac, aka a “Maharaja Mac,” (Indians don’t eat beef, so there’s no Big Mac; but Mickey D’s remains insanely popular), we finally made it to our hotel, where through a thick blanket of fog we caught our first glimpse of the Taj Mahal. 

It was incredible, as was our long visit the following morning at sunrise. We'll only show a couple photos here, but as you can imagine, we took hundreds. 

The Patricks visit the Taj--Larry, Paula, Liz and Kip

 

 Dressed in their new "Indian" clothes, Liz and Paula share a laugh (left). The Taj framed (right).

Last stop was the historic city of Jaipur, the highlight of which was a visit to the Amber Fort. All four of us got to ride elephants up the steep, stone roadway to the entrance. Larry and Kip even allowed themselves to be conned into buying these stylish turbans. 

Larry and Kip go local at the Amber Fort outside of Jaipur, India.

After a lot of chicken curry, too many miles, and the making of some long-lasting memories, we headed back to India’s capital, tired but happy. We had watched the sun rise over the world’s most stunning architectural creation—something we’d dreamed of doing forever. We rode elephants. Some of us kissed a camel (Paula) and a water buffalo (Larry). And we got to do it with some of the people we love.

Not too shabby a way to spend a few of the not-so-many days we’re allotted on this planet. Not too shabby at all.

Addendum: If you’re back home in Louisiana and run into Paula and Larry, make sure to ask them about our not-so-friendly car driver, the over-eager postcard and trinket sellers at the Palace, and last but not least, how much they enjoyed being celebrities and having their picture taken with strangers everywhere they went.