This afternoon we hopped on a train and traveled to the historic city of Mysore.
Looking out the window, we saw snapshots of life in India as we passed cricket games, sugar cane farms, and coconut trees.
As we moved away from the city, we got to see the natural greenery of India, which provided a peaceful backdrop for us to reflect on our adventures so far.
One of the most important lessons we've learned is that black coffee is next to impossible to find here. It always comes pre-sweetened, and even then it is only available in Dixie cup-sized portions.
We've grown accustomed to the traffic situation, and we always look both ways and "put our hand shields up" before even thinking of crossing the street.
We've learned to maneuver through the unforgiving obstacle course that is the sidewalk.
We've accepted the sounds of the cuckoo birds and the saxophone man serenading us each morning, as well as the constant sound of honking horns throughout the day.
We've learned to always wear shoes that can easily be slipped on and off.
We've learned that if you hire someone to do your laundry, you may not get it back for 4-5 business days.
We've learned that when people say "bucks" here, they're referring to Rupees, not U.S. dollars.
We've learned to never underestimate the power of a selfie to bring people together.
We've learned that if you tell people in a market that you're from the U.S., they may refer to you as Obama, Hilary Clinton, or Bruce Wayne.
We've learned to always conduct a "lizard check" before using the bathroom.
We've learned how to take bucket showers. A select few have mastered the art of using an Indian toilet without completely soaking their pants with water.
We've had to learn a lot of things the hard way, but hey - that's just part of the adventure.
