Misc.

India – Day 12, Goa to Jodhpur

May 6, 2017 by Justin Kerby

Today we caught an early flight from Goa to Mumbai, then from Mumbai to Jodhpur after a short layover. Jodhpur is a really cool city – it has a mix of historic forts and busy streets that make it feel very alive. Our hotel was only three miles from the airport but took half an hour to get to via tuk-tuk. We had to drive through very skinny winding streets to arrive at the Singhvi Hegelian Hotel. The hotel is really cool – it has a very colorful eating room, a funky common area, and our room is enormous. It sits at the top of the hotel and overlooks the entire city. It’s really amazing. There’s also a rooftop bar that’s great for reading in the daytime and having a drink on at night.

After relaxing at the hotel for a bit, we took to the city. We wandered through the skinny alleyways to the Mehrangarh Fort. It’s the best viewpoint of the city, and also the most dominating feature of the city by far. We wandered through the Fort and explored for a few hours before heading out to see the rest of the city.

We walked down from the Fort through the town and made our way to Jodhpur’s famous clock tower. It sits at the center of the city and is surrounded by a large market full of spices, clothing, fruits, and much more. I bought 6 teacups featuring the Taj Mahal for $2 that I’m pretty proud of. Here’s a look at the market.

We tuk-tuk’d home after the market, and had dinner and drinks at the hotel while watching the final US presidential debate. Amanda went to bed after dinner and I hung out on the rooftop for drinks with a new Belgian friend. All in all, I’m really liking this city.

India – Day 11, Goa

May 6, 2017 by Justin Kerby

Today was relaxing. We had breakfast around ten, then headed to the beach for another day of sun. It was hot, and we took quite a few photos with the go pro to document Goa a bit better.

After our time at the beach we headed to the pool. Again it was empty. I think Goa may be the Indian Las Vegas. There are a lot of all male groups here, and everyone seems to disappear from the resort after breakfast. Casinos are only a half hour away and they seem to be a big draw. Whatever the case, it was our gain. We loved having this resort to ourselves for two entire days. And for $80 a night including breakfast!

Tomorrow we’re off to Jodhpur – the blue city. This was an awesome, unexpected two days of relaxation.

India – Day 9 & 10, Jaipur to Goa

May 6, 2017 by Justin Kerby

Our plans changed, and honestly, I was kind of excited about it. Instead of Jaisalmer Amanda and I decided to head to Goa for 3 nights. It would be the perfect opportunity to relax and get a little sun.

First, we traveled. We left at 3 pm from our hotel in Jaipur and flew to Mumbai. After a delay and four hours in the airport, we headed to Goa. Our hotel is about an hour from the airport so we arranged transport, and fell asleep quickly.

The next day, we awoke in Goa. We’re staying at a beautiful resort with beach access and a beautiful pool. The hotel is full but for some reason, the pool and beach are completely empty. Indians don’t seem to enjoy the water too much here in Goa. After our delicious breakfast, we spent the morning/afternoon on the beach. They have a beach bar so I had a few Kingfishers (their national beer here in India). We walked up and down the beach as well. It’s very peaceful. Zero water sports or touts hawking goods, just a big empty beach. There aren’t even any other tourists.

We hung out by the pool in the late afternoon which was also deserted. That also surprised me because the pool is big and beautiful. It has a swim up bar so I’ve been happy as a clam today.

We skipped lunch entirely and had dinner at the hotel, then turned in for the evening. So far Goa has been as described: relaxing.

India – Day 8, Jaipur

May 6, 2017 by Justin Kerby

Today was hectic – but so is India. We woke up at 5 am to meet our tour in the Pink City. This morning we went on a bike tour of Jaipur, and while we were 30 minutes late due to our hotel not allowing tuk-tuks to enter, we made it. It turned out the tour was only us and two French girls.

For 4 hours, we cycled 11km through Jaipur. We stopped at the local flower market, at a lassi stand, at a marble carving shop, and at a local resident’s home for some daal and roti. We ended the tour at a factory style milk processing center, where locals brought in buffalo and cow milk and boiled it off for sale at local shops. India loves their milk, and we sampled some of the famous rasmalai after our tour was done.

Next, we headed straight to a cooking class we booked with the same company. It was just us and our private chef, Payal for the rest of the day. Payal took us to the local market where we learned about all of the Indian staples including many types of lentils and grains, and then we headed to the vegetable market to decide on what we’d be cooking. We settled on cauliflower, onion, chick peas, tomato, capsicum (green pepper), and a few other ingredients.

The cooking class was fantastic. Payal showed us how to make a base masala sauce, and we cooked paneer masala. We also made chickpea daal, rice with mustard seed, a spicy cauliflower and pepper dish which was amazing, and even our own chapati. We kneaded the dough and learned how to cook them over the flame which is somewhat of an art form.

Our day ended after an unsuccessful trip to the train station in Jaipur. We’d booked two tickets that said confirmed on them, but at the station learned we were waitlisted and didn’t make the train. It was the first time on the trip we’ve felt cheated out of something. Instead of heading to Jaisalmer as planned, we’ve now decided to move our camel safari to Jodhpur and spend 3 days in Goa. Our day-of-flight cost only $260, so it’s an affordable detour. Looking forward to relaxing in the sun!

Becoming an American

January 23, 2017 by Justin Kerby

Last Friday, I became a US citizen. Yes, coincidentally, it was the same day that Donald Trump was sworn in as President – January 20th, 2017. I was one of the last people who became a citizen under President Obama’s tenure.

It was the culmination of over a decade of work, started by my parents when I was 17 years old, and finished by me.

A lot of work went into this. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very doable – but you have to be willing to put the time in. There are countless meetings, forms, and bureaucratic hoops to jump through in order to get to this day. But if you put in the time, you won’t be disappointed.

In order to qualify for citizenship, I had to spend a majority of my time in the US. Dating a woman from Canada, I was constantly keeping track of my days away from the US. It was a challenge that I’m happy to say is over with. Now, I can choose to spend my time where I wish, and enjoy the benefits of being an American citizen.

Having dual citizenship has its perks, namely that I can work where I choose. I own a business that is based in the United States, but I love day to day life in Canada. It’s nice to be able to do both at the same time.

Here’s a photo of me at the ceremony. Definitely a good day for me.