Rinku and Jay in New Mexico

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Rinku Shah and Jay Patel in Eastern Arizona

Following the roads Caroline and I drove the week before, I took Rinku Shah and Jay Patel out for a day trip so these two could get away from Phoenix for a moment.

Rinku Shah and Jay Patel at the New Mexico state line

If I’ve not already shared this, Jay is leaving America later this summer, and so Caroline and I are doing our best to make sure he leaves with an extra suitcase worth of memories of his time seeing the United States from the ground as he’s already seen a bit from flying over it, but not from the road.

On the road in New Mexico

That is the Mogollon Range out there on this beautiful day to be taking a road trip with friends.

Rinku Shah and Jay Patel at the Catwalk Recreation Area near Glenwood, New Mexico

Our first real stop of the day is at the Catwalk Recreation Area east of Glenwood, New Mexico, in Whitewater Canyon.

Rinku Shah and Jay Patel at the Catwalk Recreation Area near Glenwood, New Mexico

I told them how Caroline steps into every river, stream, lake, ocean, or other waterway wherever we are traveling and that she’d be surprised to see the two of you following in her footsteps. The water is nearly ice-cold, but I’m guessing you can tell from the looks on their faces.

Rinku Shah and Jay Patel at the Catwalk Recreation Area near Glenwood, New Mexico

Seeing Caroline couldn’t join us today, we brought a printout of her from our trip to Disneyland last month.

Mogollon, New Mexico

Had to stop in on a ghost town so bragging rights could be earned from having visited one. From the sign on the theater, you should be able to deduce that we are in Mogollon, which I just wrote about last week.

Rinku Shah and Jay Patel sitting in the snow roadside on the Arizona / New Mexico border on the way to Alpine, Arizona

Instead of heading back south, we went north in the hopes of finding snow, and sure enough, that’s just what we found. I might be wrong, but I think Rinku said this was the first time she’d been in the snow.

Rinku Shah and Jay Patel at Luna Lake in Arizona

You just had to know that we’d have some dancing somewhere during this day; as a matter of fact, this wasn’t the first time.

Near Greer, Arizona

It was starting to get late in the day as we were driving in the general direction of Phoenix. This is near Greer, Arizona.

Disneyland to Magic Mountain – Day 3

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Rinku Shah and John Wise at Magic Mountain in California

So what should we do this Sunday morning? I know; let’s go to Six Flags Magic Mountain and see how truly exhausted we can become. So that’s what we did.

Jay Patel, Rinku Shah and Krupesh Shah at Magic Mountain in California

While I didn’t show you this yesterday, it is, in fact, the way Queen Rinku is moved around. She can walk without issue, but in her village, she is royalty, so Jay and Krupesh are trying to help her adjust to living in America.

Jay Patel, Rinku Shah, Raenu Bhadriraju, Krupesh Shah, and Caroline Wise at Magic Mountain in California

All of us except Krupesh somehow took a bath on this last ride, and it being February, we are quite cold.

Jay Patel, Rinku Shah, Raenu Bhadriraju, Krupesh Shah, and Caroline Wise at Magic Mountain in California

Knowing that we don’t have a lot of time here, we are trying to get to some of the more iconic rides, such as the kind of roller coasters Caroline loathes.

Rinku Shah at Magic Mountain in California

Like a wolf howling at the moon, this is how Rinku talks about her life with her friends back in India….”Just let me tell you about Tapuuuuuuuu and Seemaaaaaaa.”

Caroline Wise and Jay Patel at Magic Mountain in California

Nobody can ever know how much we laughed over these two days, and it’s not over yet.

Jay Patel, Rinku Shah, Raenu Bhadriraju, Krupesh Shah, and Caroline Wise at Little India in Artesia, California

It’s getting late when we arrive in Little India for some dinner at Rasraj and some CDs from Ziba Music. It was agreed that even though this detour to Artesia would guarantee that we wouldn’t be home until about 3:00, everyone would work with me to stay awake for the long drive back to Phoenix. We sang, froze with the windows open, screamed as loud as we could, got out and walked around, danced in our seats to Bollywood favorites at full volume, and laughed; all the way home.

Disneyland to Magic Mountain – Day 2

JWise Photo of the Day, Travels

Jay Patel, Rinku Shah, Raenu Bhadriraju, Krupesh Shah, and Caroline Wise at Disneyland in California

We stayed the night across the street at the Stardust Motel because that’s always where Caroline and I wanted to stay. The car is safe over there during the day, and as we are staying there again tonight, we don’t have to move it in the afternoon. So the convenience and money saved just add to the ease of simply walking across the street and across the massive parking area to get in line early and enter Disneyland before the crowds arrive.

Rinku Shah at Disneyland, California

For Rinku, her brother Krupesh, and our friend Jay, this was their first time visiting the park.

Caroline Wise, John Wise, Krupesh Shah and Rinku Shah at Disneyland, California

Getting the rides that will be difficult to get on due to long lines out of the way first has us already on the Matterhorn Bobsleds.

Rinku Shah at Disneyland, California

Taking Rinku with us was like taking a seven-year to Disneyland for the first time. She just couldn’t help but show how much fun she was having.

Caroline Wise and Jay Patel at Disneyland, California

I suppose the same goes for my wife, too. If Jay flies a plane like he does a rocket ship, we might be in trouble.

Jay Patel, Rinku Shah, Raenu Bhadriraju and Caroline Wise at Disneyland in California

I’m not sure, but I think Jay is trying to figure out what went wrong back there on the rocket and why he couldn’t break out of going around in circles. The TSRK on Rinku’s shirt is a shout-out to her gang back in her village in India. Rinku was telling us how much Disneyland feels like those days when she and her friends would ride the ox-cart around the village when they were growing up.

Caroline Wise and Rinku Shah at Disneyland, California

Hey, Caroline, look, you have a carbuncle on your shoulder. Stinku doesn’t know what a carbuncle is; probably better that way.

Rinku Shah at Disneyland, California

When Rinku first met me, she thought that I looked like a “Galgota” or marigold; here we are, turning her into one.

Jay Patel at Disneyland, California

Jay being a lot taller it was more difficult to get enough hands around his face to turn him into a Galgota.

Jay Patel, Rinku Shah, Raenu Bhadriraju, Krupesh Shah and Caroline Wise at Disneyland in California

We stayed until the main park was closed and then slowly meandered down Main Street, visiting the gift stores and grazing on sweets along the way. This was yet another great 16-hour visit to the Happiest Place on Earth.

Engagement

JWise Photo of the Day

Gujarati friends at an engagement in Phoenix, Arizona

Caroline and I were invited to an engagement today that is not your average affair. Friends, family, aunties, uncles, and a beautiful splash of color, ceremony, and prayers are all part of a traditional Gujarati engagement.

Gujarati friends at an engagement in Phoenix, Arizona

This is Niraj and Kavitha, who, as of today, are engaged to be married. It was an honor to be witness to the formal beginning of their life-long commitment to each other.