This is just a quick update with several more to follow: We have safely arrived in Calicut / Kozhikode (pronounced CO-rick-code) -- many places have multiple names that don't resemble each other. This is a fantastic creation I'm convinced was meant to confuse the hell out of travelers. Dick move, India.
The last few days have made me extremely thankful for many things. At the top of that list is having Michael and Kellie as travel partners. No one else may believe what we went through, but these guys lived it with me, and as a group, we collectively survived our initial meltdown with our humors still intact. I'm the least traveled and thus the most culture-shocked, but Michael and Kellie weren't far behind. So far, we've experienced being pushed, jostled, assaulted with bags without any acknowledgment or apology, and blatantly stared at / photographed. We have gotten lost, confused, and generally exasperated with what I will call "India time." Also, no one seems to believe a) I'm American or B) speak English. Oh, and Michael got hit by a car -- he's perfectly fine -- more on that later. Also, I will never again complain about cabbies in America.
But never fear -- it all gets better. The night is darkest before the dawn, and all our struggles proved worthwhile in the end.
FYI -- this story is backdated to go in order of the trip.
