Mauritius was a wonderful break, and while I can't say I had a cultural experience, I had quite a blast. We got in and took a water taxi from the boat to the exit of the port, and could already see the amazingly blue water. We eventually took a taxi to Grand Baia (Bay) and our jaws all dropped as soon as we saw through a thicket of pine like trees, the bay. I cannot describe how crystal clear blue it was. So we went right in and went swimming, then got lunch. We then headed up to our villa which was different than we were expecting, but still beautiful. It had it's own private beach, so we just swam out there and had a great night. Next day we had a private catamaran for about 30 of us, and it took us out to a private island where about 7 or 8 other catamarans all showed up. I can say that our catamaran, the Top Cat, was the best. It was the boat everyone eventually tried to get on or stop by. The two days in Mauritius were a great way to spend my birthday, one that I'll never forget.
Right before India we have a reading day, which means no classes. Not so much a reading day since tomorrow is the Sea Olympics, which every sea on the ship competes in. The sea's are different cabin areas, think like a dorm, and my sea is the Red Sea. There's a bunch of crazy games that we compete in, and two nights ago we had the pep rally for it, which each sea put on a skit, some funny, some lame (Red Sea's was pretty good, our own take of Backstreet Boy's I Want It That Way with some different lyrics). The prize for which sea wins the sea Olympics is a private dance party w/ beverages in the Glazer Lounge, and they will be the very first sea to disembark from the ship in San Diego. It should be a fun day, I'm hoping for a BBQ on the top deck to end the day.
But what I'm really excited for now is India. I think India will be the most exotic and foreign country that I'll ever have been to. I think it's going to attack all 5 senses: sight (crazy temples, colors, poverty), sound (Indian music sounds awesome from what we've heard), smell (manure is the main AC in rural areas, trash everywhere, exotic things everywhere), taste (spices spices spices!), and touch (massive crowding, people everywhere!). I'll be going with SAS to the Taj Majal and then to Varanasi, hindu's holiest city, and also to the temple north of Varnasi where Buddha gave his first sermon. I'll be visiting a college and it's students who will then take us to our homes, and on the first day in Chennai I'm either going to be doing some sort of service project, or I'm going to higher a driver to just take me around to the sites of the city, hopefully his own home if he's cool.
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