Up North Update

I thought I would post a small note to let you all know that I'm still alive... Right now I'm in Jodhpur which is a very cool city in Rajasthan, in Northwest India. I'm traveling with a very compatible and fun group of six (Brenda, Maya, Julia, Nick, Jamie, me). We spent two fun-filled days in Delhi, then arrived here yesterday after a really miserable over-night bus. Tomorrow we're off to Jaipur, then if all goes according to plan, Agra, possibly Khajuraho, and Varanasi. It feels like we've been traveling for weeks, but we've only just begun. When I get back to Hyderabad I'll put up a blog so chock-full of stories and pictures it'll knock your socks off.

In the mean time, watch this a few hundred times: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrfGKII6h2Q

Also, I heard Slumdog Millionaire really cleaned up at the Oscars. It's getting kind of an interesting response here. On one hand, Indians are thrilled to be getting so much global recognition, on the other hand there seems to be a lot of irritation at the fact that the huge majority of Western portrayals of India solely focus on poverty and corruption. I read a rather scathing review of the film in The Hindu. I thought it was great when I saw it, but perhaps I should try watching it again.