Success!

We finally had a successful shopping trip - I now have several salwar kameez, and I have to say - they're quite pretty. I'm still amazed by how inexpensive things are here - I mean, it makes sense, as it's a very poor country. But still. All kinds of beautiful colors, and even though I only bought cotton, some of the fabrics they have are amazing.

We have our driver, Hamid, back. He's so nice, and took a few days off because his 6-month old daughter was bitten by a rat and had to be in the hospital. I can't quite figure out if she's okay (either she came home last night, or he had to take her back last night), and I'd like to see if I could help, but I don't know if there's any way I can do it without being insulting and/or condescending. Argh...still adjusting to this whole "servants" thing - very odd.

One thing that I didn't think I'd necessarily see here - cows. Grazing in the middle of the city. Just kind of out there. Oh, and there are goats, too. (We share the road with them, as well. And huge, random piles of dirt and rubble. Seriously.) The rickshaws look really fun (I saw a guy in one with his dog. Which has its head out the window), but I think that Hamid would just die if I tried to get in one. He asked me how I was adjusting and how I liked the weather...I think I'm going to stop trying to explain to people that I used to live here, as most of them get a very confused look on their faces, as if they're sure I must be mistaken, or talking about someone else.

I'm not sure what it is, possibly the pollution, but I have developed some wicked hay fever, or something like it. Good thing I brought Benadryl, I'm just glad I don't have to use it for anything scary yet. (Me and my allergies - a match made in suckiness.) I'm going to try, one of these days, to get over to the hospital that my dad built. Everyone here remarks about how it's the best, so well done, Dad!

Since I just took a Benadryl, I think I'm going to go be unconscious for a little while. More later!