The Wedding Story

Well, I have been absent from the blog site because I have had a limited time to plan and organize a little wedding ceremony. As of yesterday, I officially became Mrs. Tanis Crawford. I don't have a picture of the wedding dress. I only have the ones of the sunset sailing trip and the dinner that was served to us on our balcony with champagne and flower petals that were spread from the doorway and all over the decorated bed and out to the balcony that overlooked the ocean and sailing boats.

It was a stunning day on a little island and it was simply perfect. The only thing missing was my family.

Five years ago Rufas and I met here in Belize when he was living in Mexico city. He had asked me to come visit him so he could tell me in person that he wanted to be more than friends. When we got to Mexico this time, he told me that the trip was my engagement trip versus getting a ring (which by my standard was much better than a ring any day). And when we hit Belize, it beame the perfect place for a wedding. It meant a lot to both of us and it was the right time and setting. The difficult decision was deciding on what to do about our family. Both sets of parents had had medical issues over the last 6 months that weighed heavy on both of us.

Rufas asked me the question Could you live with yourself if something happened while they were here....and the answer was no.

The rest of the wedding was planned in a golf cart in one day zooming up and down the Caye on its two streets.

We went to Raggamuffin boat and sail trips and the girl working made some arrangements. She found out the guy who was making Rufas shark tooth necklace was also a pastor. So when we wandered back to pick it up we asked if he could mary us...he siad yes and he took care of most of the paperwork. We toured around in the golf cart some more to find some flowers (and give the little coconut fudge girls a ride home).

It was a beautiful day and we got it videotaped for our family. So I am not posting the wedding photos until after my family gets to see them.

We took the sunset cruise after we returned from the Caye...it was very romantic and very sweet. Finishing touches of champagne and a trail of flower petals made for a beautiful day and evening.

With the finishing touches we were off to Honduras for our Honeymoon. I will try and update the rest of the trip as I go.....

t

Welcome home, go slow

We did not stick it out in Playa, we caught the bus with the locals and headed to Belize City. It was an adventure to cross the border from Mexico into Belize that landed us paired up with Valerye and Louise from Quebec. They were making their way in the same direction so we shared some of the costs to hit the border of beautiful Belize...and it is still beautiful. The customs people were so friendly they were giving tips on how to see the whale sharks down in Plancencia. I immediately remembered why I love this country.

We made it into Belize City, but missed the last water taxi out to the Cayes. Even the people looking for cash are friendly. They eventually ask you for a dollar but then when you say no they say "okay mon, you have a great stay in Belize mon..beautiful Belize mon" You can't help but shake your head. Anyone and everyone will stop to see if you need something or if you are looking for something. We ended up eating with Marva and her family in a little restaurant with te staple food being red beans and rice....very nice with a little jerk chicken or deer meat and side of potatoe salad mmmmmmgood!

Rufas got picked up off the street: "you look like a mon that works out, come see my gym" and of course every person has something that you should buy...especailly the fressh cut fruit on the street stands.

We made it out to the Caye after much organizing and planning... Upon arrival you are greeted by many: Welcome Home..Go Slow..it is the official slogan here. However, I am not sure how one could go any slower. Even the little girls selling coconut fudge are so laid back they could care less if you bought it or not. I was looking at some jewelry and could not even fins the guy who sold it..he could see me but send t a friend over to see if I really needed anything. People leave their little stands all of the time. It is just a really safe place
Once we hit the Caye we headed to our old place Lorraine's guest house to see if we could get our old cabin form five years ago...however we ended up next door on the stilted shacks that look over the ocean..not a bad compromise for 20 dollars a night. it was a step up from the10 we paid in the past...oh well.

More organizing and Belikin drinking landed us on a dive boat for the morning. And into my Belize 5-0: Translation, I officially hit 50 dives under water and had Rufas look at me and say "I think I have done over 1000"....haha. I guess I deserved that one...diving with a commercial diver and all.

I missed these waters... the blue is a color that is not describable...only stunning. We are soaking up the rays and the salt sprays..but I will try and find a computer to upload some pictures.

Life is good, it feels like home and its nice to go slow!

xot

Living the life

We

have arrived safe and sound in Mexico. We have spent the day at the beach eating ceviche and drinking cervesas and margaritas. We finished the afternoon with a massage on the beach to the sound of a mariache band in the background. We are making some plans to head straight down to Honduras to see if they will let me in! I only have 3 months left on my passport and they may be sticky about it. Soooo we are relaxing, drinking and eating some seafood, before we attempt to make the trek to Utilla. We are seriously thinking of hitching the ride with the fishermen and working our way across to the other side. But we also really want to take the train ride along the coast line that only costs one dollar! How many times can you catch a train for a dollar?

First on the list is some arrangements for some diving in Cozumel and then we will see where things are at.

So for, the cervesas are cold and the sun is hot..not much more you can ask for in life!

t

Home again, home again..

I managed to post my last blogs and I am currently safe and sound in Saskatoon. I arrived for the first day of spring..which in Canadian terms is a fresh snowfall...In other words I am cold!!!

Rufas met me at the airport, as did my Mom and Dad. But most exciting was that I also got top reunite with my dog....she is still the sweetest thing in the world. It was very exciting to be home. I managed to get into Toronto and visit my sister and Andre who treat me very well and I was sad that I had limited time with them, but I was also anxious to see Rufas and my family. There is nothing like a Canadian hug and man did I miss it.

The exciting news is that the adventure do not end with India. I hopefully will be able to post part II of my trip..which has been a mystery to me until today!!!

I recieved my itinerary and it looks like Rufas and I are doing a very exciting tour through Central America..hitting Mexico and following the diving tour all the way into Honduras. I am very excited. It will be our first official trip together where we will actually be in the same plane! In all of our travels we have never been on the same plane together.

I am in Plunkett tonight to pack and we leave tomorrow from Saskatoon at 6.

t

Delhi

So sadly I returned to Delhi and to the AIPTF office to pick up a suitcase and say my good-byes. I was surprised to see Suresh, one of my PDP students had shown up to surprise me and say good-bye. I was a little cught of guard, as were they. They said I went away Canadian, and I returned looking Indian. In other words I picked up some sunshine in Goa that gave me a tan. They took a picture and so that I could send it to them. My going away gift from Suresh was an unbelievable sari the is multi colored and jeweled and sequence..it really does turn me into a princess. I tried to dress myself with the instructions I had recieved from Meena but they informed me that I must have missed a step...haha. So I wouldn't let them take a picture. I am going to practice and get it right. I am taking off for Canada in less than 12 hours...

t

Last days in Goa

The pool, the ocean and of course the unbeleivable view.. I debated about posting the models but you have to understand that I don't normally sneak into five star resorts but the men were just tooooo beautiful to not enjoy the view. There were seven of the guys doing some work for Levi and Wrangler jeans.

I spent my last few days in Goa hanging out with them before returning to Delhi and the real world of India. I was offered a job in Mumbai doing some modeling work ( which made me want to scream with laughter..only in India would I be considered a beauty) I kept get asked for my hotel room number and I kept avoiding the answer simply because I wasn't staying there! As well, I was very clear about my unavailable status but I have to say getting adored by beautiful men was really just too much fun. I finally confessed that I was not staying at the hotel and I got the official invitation to return the following day and hang out with them...ummmm I didn't refuse. They didn't know how to swim and I spent my last day in Goa giving swimming instructions to two of them, and really not complaining about it. Lets face it, not even in my wildest dreams will I ever be in swimming pool with 7 top models from Mumbai all by myself ever again...and I truly soaked up every single minute of the attention.

where in the world....

Well I have decided to stay put. I was going to head to a beach for my last few days, but the people in the place I am staying are really sweet. So the solution has been to wander over to the five star resort and pray that no one catches on that I am not staying there....so far so good.

I managed to stay the whole day in the beautiful pool area and hang out with the fifteen to twenty models that are doing a shoot here. Very beautiful surroundings in every way. Dakksh and his manager have invited me out on the town with the rest of the gorgeous peoples but I have to say its a little unnerving. I feel like I am in some magazine with the pool overlooking the ocean and too pretty of people everywhere. I am thankful that the extremely white and sunburnt westerners are around to balance the world of beauty. Not only can I camouflage in, no one even questions what room I am staying in...which I should really figure out, just in case I do get asked...

enjoying the beauty of India for a few more days...
t

Balancing to Bouyancy

So getting into the Goa Resort to do a dive is quite a task. But the resort is stunning with manicured lawns and a sunken pool bar that has a waterfall..very nice! I am not staying here. I am staying at Pete's Hideaway. I think it is called this because it does not want to be seen by the high end Marriot people haha. Its just hidden in a little hole across the street.

What it does have is very hospitable people that went through a list of city options for food, travel and sight seeing which included them photocopying a map for me..very sweet people. I was told to say the word and Grandma would be happy to cook me supper..and I think she seriously means her Grandma!

Sheets are clean, the fan works and the showers are hot. The only cockroaches have been the two that I imported from Mandrem in my luggage..nasty little buggers. So I am content where I am at!

I am tucked in this little place because I headed out in the dawn to check out the dive situation in the Arabian Sea. As promised visibility was 2 metres which is not the greatest for a diver. But the water was warm. And there was still much to see..you just had to be very close up to see it!

The pictures are of Vikar and the boat guys. The one of me shows what 2 hour long dives does to a person: wipes you out and also gives you a nice little mask indentation.

So although part of the dive was like being in a Saskatchewan blizzard ( because of the plankton), there was some neat things to see: groupers, barracudas, moray eels, nudi branch, parrot fishies, huge angel fishies and a ship wreck...okay Suzy's wreck was there for a long time but it was like being in "Finding Nemo" and ducking through little holes peeking at the schools of fish and picking up little shell snails that crawl across your hands. I love being underwater. The second dive was not as interesting as the first, however there were a tonne of sea cucumbers. You can pick them up and play with them, but you have to be careful not squeeze tight otherwise they will throw-up their insides(all of their organs!) and literally explode in your hand..I have never done this... quite honestly because I know that if they go into defensive mode it will take them months to generate all of their organs back..which means that they don't eat and it is quite traumatic for them.

The dive masters were funny and tried to joke with two people doing intro dives about sharks..unfortunately they didn't find them very funny. The reality is that the only sharks to be seen are nurse sharks and they are pretty harmless.

The last thing that made me laugh was the description of the parrot fish..it eats coral and poops it into sand. I was told today that a large parrot fish will actually poop out a truck load of sand in one year...all my time on the beach and I never realized I was lying in coral poop, it is still making me giggle. it reminds me of the termite mounds in Australia made 100% out of snot...its the things you never think about that really get to you.

Checking out Boloma for tomorrow night..not sure I want to stay in the city much longer.

t

Anjuna Market

So sometimes hiring a taxi is easier than waiting for a non-existent bus. It costs more but it has perks..like they will wait for you while you shop and take you to the next spot. The bus is almost never on time and sometimes doesn't show at all...hence I opted for the taxi and I got stp at the Anjuna Wednesday market... it was crazy and colorful. It spread out for miles and the tax driver parked in the middle and I told him I would be back in a couple of hours..the downside to having a car wait for you is that when you get utterly lost you can't just grab a different taxi...argh.

I got so utterly lost because many of the vendors sell the exact same thing. The small area is packed with walking peddlars and these little girls that clasp onto you and say " Madam, madam..please don't forget about me and my shop madam"..as they lead you into the depths of the market never to see the light of day.
I really wanted the singing bowls, and someday when I am not carrying all of m worldly belongings on my back I will be able to purchase whatever I want. But because that is not the case I passed on the singing bowls and did look at some of the jewelery. This is always a mistake...once you stop you are prey that has stopped moving and the hands come out and grasp you around wrists and arms and sometimes ankles. They have a mighty grip that is sometimes painful and just when you think your senses are going to overload, the man with painted cow and musical flute comes wander by followed by women and children begging for money.

I told the taxi driver two hours, this did not include haggling time, nor did it include be strapped down by four Indian women wrapping things around my wrists and ankles. And so my time at the Anjuna market came to an end rather quickly..I bought something from one of the vendors so that he would show me the way back to the taxi and I exited the streaming market overwhelmed and with a smile..only in India could buying a ring actually be a three ring circus...and I never did buy the ring :)

Healing the soul

Before I start I have to post the pic I took of the little girl who sat next to me in Mandrem when was writing e-mails. It amazes me that sometimes the traditional goes high tech--this was a hole in the wall internet place with home separated by a curtain. Her Dad said I could take a picture of her b/c she was making me look at all of her doodles on the computer, jabbering to me without a care that I didn't understand...super cute.

Well, I have made my way to Miramer...which is not much of a place but it is the home of Barracuda Divers in the Goa Marriot Hotel..slightly stunning hotel with full on security..I had to pass through metal detectors and get my bag searched before I entered.

I made arrangements yesterday to stop in at the Anjuna Market and then head to Miramer. Here you hire a taxi and they wait on you while you shop and than take you to your next destination. It is high class next to taking the bus. Especially when you are unsure if the bus is going to be on time, or for that matter even show up.

The day before last we went to Patric the healer. He was a lot younger than what I thought..in fact I think I expected someone with white hair..not sure why but that is what I expected. I have been having a lot of problems with my lungs and sinuses so I thought I would check it out. We left at 6 in the morning so we could sign up in the book and actually be able to see him..we wer not the first in fact by 6:30 There were already 42 people signed up and there was another 50 that followed until they finally wrote closed. It was people of all sorts, disabled, Indian, Israeli, Brazillian... a whole czech family (10). We had breakfast and waited for our turn. I got to sit in a chair and he stood in front of me. I shared the things that I wanted to this young man and he smiled and asked "Is that everything?" I said "Yes" and he stood in front of me with his hands out and his eyes closed. In the response to breathing problems he said: you do not have enough cilia in my nose. He said that without it my upper sinuses open and try and cleanse which creates an overabundance and makes it difficult for me to hear and breathe! All this without even looking up my nose...and yet more information than I have recieved from any doctor..or healer. He was a very kind soul and said that he would help me with time..I am not sure how but somehow it did make me feel better.

Sooo for the cynics in the crowd, the special note is that he does not charge anything. There is a donation box and a sign requesting that all people become selfless...in fact the sign went so far as to request items for nearby orphanages in the area (clothing, soaps, towels) It was very interesting..especially because I just felt good after leaving him..just really really good.

However, not as good as I did after the Ayurvedic Shirodahara massage. It was to create balance in the body and balance the dosha's vatta and kapha. It was sureal. I felt like I had an out of body experience. Who knew that dropping hot oil on person's forehead could make you lose your mind? It was more than just the oil..there was also a scalp massage..back massage... and the oil treatment...it was very, very euphoric and I would reccomend it highly to anyone.

This finished my day with supper and music and a bunch of hippies on the beach singing rajas...quite a day

t

When a day was long...

Retreating to silence only to break it with supper

Well I have completed my retreat...in silence. Apparently this is what the retreat meant when I signed up for it. I really thought I would be finding "peace through meditation" The meditation and yoga was a part of it, but so was the complete silence for all members of the retreat for seven days. No internet, no phone calls, and no talking to people on the retreat. Eating, meditating, yoga, group activities in silence.

It was the first time, when approached by peddlars on the beach that I was sad to see them leave :) I am soaking up the sun and sweating in the unbelievable humidity but not really complaining...if there was a place to be silent in it would be here. It is very tropical and green with less garbage than I have seen in all of India. The beach is right behind the retreat centre and so if I feel the urge to scream or talk to myself I can easily duck to the ocean. We were supposed to go to a healer (India's Jesus), a couple of days ago but it has been postponed until tomorrow morning. He is supposed to be quite amazing. I haven't figured out what I want healed but I am sure I will think of something just to have the experience and then I am going fo some Ayurvedic Shirodhara. I am really not sure what the whole thing is except that they pour hot oil on your forehead for an hour and then give you some kind of massage. It is supposed to balance the vatta and soothe the kaffa in me. It is a naturalist healing. By the time I make it home I will be blessed, meditated and healed and be dying to talk.

It actually hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. The first couple of days were rough and then you softened into it and started to really erase some of the busyness of the mind.... and man is my mind busy :) I actually came to realize that it had been so long since I had talked to anyone Canadian that I had somehow picked up pidgin English with strange Brazilian, Cezch, British, German lilts ( we are a bit of a motley crew with homes all over the place). I am glad no one could hear me speak, my inner voice was all messed up. I had actually forgotten how to Canadian pronounce things and it made my mind spin a little. Now I have my voice back and it is a struggle to start speaking.....where to go from here?

I am heading down south to check out the dive situation before getting on a plane and returning to Delhi. And then back to Canada and a Canadian accent! I am only home for 1.5 days..long enough to get my Mom to cut my hair ( I hope) and give my dog a long cuddle and then Rufas and I are heading on the Mystery Tour 2007. He has been pretty good about not sharing the actually destination... although I have a few ideas. I really am still quite happy that I don't have to think about it or plan anything and I think he is happy that I am not involved in the planning!!

I missed some steps along the way with the speaking ban..so I what I forgot to share here, I may be able to fill in the holes upon my return. I hope all is well at home and spring is around the corner

xot

Goa

I am here safe and sound..but I just lost the internet connection and unfortunately the entire blog I wrote. I have started the yoga today and I have a class in 10 minutes. But this place is gorgeous..something like a cross between Portugal and Belize...very unlike the rest of India I have been too..which means a lot more western people. It is the most English I have heard and spoken in weeks.

will write again when I have more time,
t

Toilet note

*****As pointed out by a few in the toilet area of things. I was very nice when I took a picture of the clean toilets. These are by far the higher end of things haha, but I am surviving!

t

Kanyakumari

We headed to the southern tip of India today. It is where the Arabian Sea, the Bay Of Bengal and Indian ocean all meet. It is also where some of Mahatma Ghandi's ashes were kept before being spread.

We headed to the meditation monument and statue area ( I cannot even start to spell the man's name... may have to come back when it is in front of me) He is famous for his spirituality and meditation as well as yoga teachings. It was a treat to have Vydhia with us for the day. She was very cute and even when we were meditating she sat with us. Very sweet girl. We walked through the memorial of Ghandi and had lunch and followed by some delicious ice cream in a little fruit shop. It was a long trip there and back on the bus but it was very enjoyable. I am heading to Meena and Sivan's righ now for a good-bye breakfast, as I am on the bus today for Trivandrum in Kerala. From there I will catch a flight to Goa and head to the Ashyiana Ashram for a yoga retreat. My time with Nallasivan and his family has been unbeleivable. It is the true heart of India. I was taken aback by the number of white people in Kanyakumari...I had forgotten how to be a tourist. We got some strange looks: Nallasivan said that they were trying to figure out how the two of us had an Indian girl with no western features. Meena is 8 months pregnant and was unable to come with us. It is an exciting to see there family but also sad to have to say good-bye

t

Pooja Blessing

More food

So, eating here also means that you may be served on banana leaf which I am all for..the level of garbage in this country is unbelievable..at least this garbage is bio-degradable and kind of neat. This was an amazing meal made by an amazing teacher at Nallasivan's school. The teachers and the students have been overwhelming me with there welcome. It was very sad to say good-bye. I managed to get some pictures of some of the students, but the second I brought my camera out they would stand and say in unison good morning madam and then picture madam picture madam....it got a little crazy. I finally took a picture of the class outside with me in the middle. Sivan kept saying "My school is your school" but the reality was that I cused a ripple effect through classrooms adn I felt bad for the teachers that had to deal with there students after I left. Getting pictures of the actually classrooms was a real challenge. The buildings are in blocks similar to Delhi but they house many students. There is a problem with kids staying home to take care of their younger sisters and brothers..so there is a policy at the school that allows them to bring them to school. It is strange seeing a grade 5 class with a little one tucked into the dress of their sister.

The one picture shows the open air building that houses grades 1,2, 3, and 5 the only divider between classes is a half wall. The closed buildings house the older grades and they are usually in larger numbers...the one teacher was away on my first visit and the teacher trainee was in charge of a class that had more than 70 grade 8's. I couldnt imagine leaving my intern in that situation...

I have a tonne of pictures that show the buildings and the blocks as well as the classes that are taught under the trees. The teachers are an incredible team and the students were very sweet. After my last school visit we went into the mountains to have a bathe and then we stopped at Nallasivan's temple. I got a special pooja blessing and I also got see a lot of the orphans again who were singing prayers and running around the temple...very adorable.

t

Comments are up and running

I am off to an Yoga and Aeuryvedic Medicine place today. I need the reprieve or some kind of exercise..they are going to roll me off the plane to get home. The little orange sweets are killers..as well as the fact that no matter how many plates of rice you consume it is never enough.."you did not eat very much!" they will say and then put anothe course in front of you. Eating times are very different.. a late lunch 1:30 and a very late supper 8,9 soemtimes 10 at night, with much tea and treats in between. I have not been hungry on this trip!

South Indian Lunch

So I am being taught the fine art of eating with one hand and no utensils. It is a skill and I am stil trying to figure out how to eat with out getting a cramp in my hand. The trick to eating: wash your hands before every meal (especailly your left hand) you remoe the liquid portions from your plate and a man comes around and puts ALOT of rice from a

pot on your plate. you pour some samba or curry on it, knead it and mix it, form it into a ball scoop and use your thumb to lever it into your mouth... with one hand... I will stress again..one hand. I did not realize how much I used both hands to eat until I ate in India. If this sounds at all easy..it is not and it is very interesting to watch experts zoom through a meal while I am still trying to figure out how to make little tasty rice balls with my hand.

At the end of the meal you are given a little green leaf that has a paste inside and a rose petal for looks on top. You pop the whole thing in your mouth and chew..I hated it in my mout but it did really help with digestion..it was very soothing.

t

Toilet Talk BEWARE

At some request I am sharing some toilet information...western toilets are few and far between..but they are not as scarce as toilet paper. Beside every toilet (squatter or pot) there is bucket and tap. Sometimes there are three buckets, sometimes there is a spray nozzle( very similar to Thailand) Now for those that did not know: the left hand is used for cleaning purposes and washing. The tap beside the pot is what you fill up and flush with, and the second pot is what you wash with...or if its high class you have the spray nozzle. However it tends to be high pressured and not always pleasant. There is much more to explain but at risk of turning away many readers of this blog I will stop here and answer any questions when I get home or you can e-mail me. Beleive me..there are still questions that I need answered: like how the shower is supposed to work in the place I am staying right now...it has me baffled.

t

Squeaky clean in Tamil Nadu

First Bathing experience was in the temple in the mountain outside of Madurai..second was the waterfall in the Tiger Sanctuary... very unique experiences. Sivan found it quite humourous... he kept saying nothing like this in Canada? If there is.. I sure haven't experienced it!