Pappuji approaches the group and he and other the men have themselves a little chat. They both motion for us to pile into Pappuji's little car. We're hesitant. We don't trust anyone at this point. But we make the decision that, should the need arise and they were in fact plotting on us, we wouldn't mind attacking Pappuji and end up on the New Delhi nightly news. 

You guys know I'm always looking for something fun (and cheap) to do. 

I love to cook and try new cuisines....so I saw a Groupon for a Sushi 101 class and purchased it without hesitation. For $45 I would learn the sushi basics and have some fun.

The forecast for the weekend boasted temperatures in the lo 70s high 80s. To a Houstonian like me, who is constantly seeking shelter from the oppressive summer sun, that's like leaving a fat kid in a bakery overnight. Fall was upon us. Every park and all the patios in the city would be teeming with people, eager to enjoy one of the few days when Houston experiences perfect weather. 

How I Traveled to 5 Different Countries Using Only 7 Vacation Days

Like many Americans, I suffer from a severe lack of vacation days. Every year, I undertake the near impossible task of traveling the world with a mere 10 vacation days and 3 sick days.

So every year, I have to figure out how I'm going to take a minimum of two international trips (a requirement I imposed on myself 2 years ago) and as many domestic trips as I can handle read: afford)....which is usually once a month (but not always). How do I accomplish such an amazing feat?

How Not to Miss your Interational Flight

For $300 or so, we would fly JFK to AUH....that's an incredible deal. Being the genius that I am, I schemed the rest of my travel plans, and in an effort to save money, decided to fly standby to LGA and take the short 20 mins taxi ride to JFK. I did something similar for China....and I was shackled on the way back home so I knew, I KNEW, there would be some obstacles, but nothing insurmountable....so I thought. 

I was content but I felt like I was lacking the full Fiji experience. You see, I wanted to immerse myself in the culture during my brief two days on the island (but not that much b/c I'm still pretty bougie and need things like a/c and running water, etc). So, we stayed in a beach front bure - the traditional style homes on Fiji. But...I also wanted to try kava before I left.