26. another year of conspiracy.

well, alot worth recalling in the last few weeks. a trip to darjeeling, a break to the sea, a tropical depression---aka: entirely too much water sitting around kolkata streets... and i jumped the hill past a quarter of a century. thats right folks, last weds i turned 26. officially.

and that, i believe is where i must start because "the journey through a birthday-a tribute to beth's big 26" is far overdue. words could do no justice.

my room mates know me and my obsession with conspiracies FAR too well i'm afraid.

because last weds morning, before my alarm could shake me from sleep at 6 am, i rolled over to hear the soundtrack from Alias blowing through my door with Sarah and Kristin watching from the door. (if you don't know the Alias addiction personally--let me just say it's only the greatest conspiracy show ever...doesn't get any better than girl power double agents-and honestly the best part is all the costume changes she has)

so throughout the day they had me carrying around a backpack full of random "disguises" and had me meeting "special agents" throughout the day to recieve my new locations and assignments. it was so creative, thoughtful, hilarious.

on no other birthday have i worn a sari, rode a motorcycle all across Kolkata, gotten a pedicure, and walked down the busiest market in kolkata wearing sparkly bouncing ball headbands...hmmm. here's some pictures to better describe my day.

oh and it ended with a beautifully calm night of friends and chips and salsa and walking into my newly re arranged room, norah jones singing in the background, to find a lovely new table which i just absoletely adore.

and so it begins...

hidden behind our super spy glasses we headed to breakfast and yes, we're in a rickshaw.

after leaving me at breakfast with my journal and sufjan i was instructed by a man, yes an indian man...wearing a full burka...to put on this orange number. our friend avishek pulled off the best outfit of the day when he waltzed in wearing a black burka and speaking in a middle eastern accent...for those of you not knowing the burka...yes, this is what he wore.then away i wisked to sari bari to celebrate with the ladies, as they

dressed me in a flash sari and we enjoyed cake and cold drinks together (aka:pepsi)

as you can imagine, when i reached in my bag to pull these beauties out,

all i could muster was, you've got to be kidding me. nope, it was my next disguise, oddly enough, don't you think i resemble Upendra...must be the stache.

with my special spy glasses firmly in place i got to hop on our friend

julian's motorcycle, and take a ride around the city. i'm not even kidding,

my dream come true, just me and the open road on the back of a bike. (picture to come)

well, about as open as kolkata streets in mid afternoon traffic can be...but hey, i was on a bike.

so in a nutshell that was my day. i'll find a few more pictures to piece the final bits of the story together, but really i just end by saying i felt loved and cared for and thought of all day. what amazing folks i get to call friends here in kolkata. and i didn't even think about turning yet another year older.