Back to teaching.

After I got home from my recent road trip, I hit the ground running. Usually I give myself at least a week before I enter my life here in Oklahoma. I take that time to readjust to my former life. I am fortunate that I can do this, since I set my own schedule for teaching and consultations with clients. But, this time since I had taken three trips one after the other, my schedule was more cramped. A day after I was home I taught a course in Feng Shui. I enjoy teaching. It's fun to see the "eureka" moment in my students faces. Feng Shui is solution oriented philosophy and I like to solve puzzles. It's always a challenge to figure out why people are stuck in certain habitual life patterns. And, how to unlock the stagnant areas of their lives. I am a problem solver. It's fulfilling to figure out why a person's environment is stuck and how to get the energy moving again.

Even though it's very enjoyable to be on the road, I am glad to be home and in a routine. We are all creatures of habit after all!

The drive home.

I am back in Oklahoma. The drive home was uneventful and an easy drive. I was home by 6 p.m. My daughter was waiting at my home for me with a stocked fridge and snacks for me to eat. Since she knows, I will not go to the grocery store anytime soon! What a wonderful daughter. I did something right in my previous lifetime to deserve the children I have in this lifetime!

On the way home on I-40 east in New Mexico there is a truck stop which is owned by Sikh Indians. The billboard intrigued me. It said "A taste of India" I had to pull over and investigate. Sure enough they had a taste of India, as in-- Indian food! I was so happy. Since I left Vancouver I had not eaten any Indian food. I think my system begins to crave the Indian spices after a few days. To find a truck stop that served authentic home prepared Indian food was a delight! I took the time to sit and eat lunch. I felt as though I was in an episode of the Twilight Zone. I was surrounded by Indians, there was Indian news on the television set in the corner. This was a truck stop in America, but all the truckers were Indians And, the food aroma was unmistakably Indian!  And, it was interesting to speak Hindi and Punjabi in the desert of New Mexico. Wonders never cease to exist!

The Painted Desert.

There is a side to my personality that wants to push the limits of my endurance. After Gene and I arrived in Chicago from India, I chose to drive to OKC, a twelve hour journey! This was after a long international flight. When I woke up this morning, I had a chat with myself--- no way was I going to drive straight through to OKC. I woke up late deliberately; that's not too hard to do! Then, I drove slowly, that was a bit more difficult. Then, I made myself take the exit for the Petrified Forest and the Painted Desert. Even though I have seen this beautiful park before, I knew the only way I would not test my endurance was if I simply didn't have enough time to make it to OKC in one day from Winslow.

I am glad I took my time today, I drove slowly through the Painted Desert, it always reminds me of spumoni the delicious Italian ice cream dessert. I almost want to take a spoon to the delicious looking mounds. Fear not, I only think about it!

The Petrified wood really fascinates me, I want to take a big chunk home with me, but I resist the strong urge. Instead I took pictures of the colourful trees. As you exit the park the rangers ask you if you enjoyed your drive through and then politely ask if you removed any petrified wood? I am sure no one is going to admit to taking anything, yet the park has been pillaged since it's discovery. I am reminded of a policeman who stopped me from picking up a stone from Mount Rushmore. He eloquently said "Young lady, I am as serious as a heart attack, you can't pick up a rock from here. If I let you take a rock, then everyone else will want one too, and pretty soon we won't have a mountain left". Those were the days when I used to pick up rocks as souvenirs, I ain't like that no more! I am a reformed rockoholic.

After my side trip to the Painted Desert, I drove on through. It was hard to say goodbye to Arizona.  New Mexico is interesting too, I find Arizona's beauty in a class by itself. Tomorrow  

I will be home, and I would not have pushed the limits. It will be an easy drive from Santa Rosa to OKC. There are no more road trips in the near future for me. I guess I need to start planning where I will drive to next summer. Nova Scotia has been intriguing me of late!

 

The Grand Canyon!

Today, I left Kingman AZ in the morning and headed east on I-40. At Seligman AZ, I had to stop because they had a cafe called "The Roadkill Cafe" I had to find out what a vegetarian could eat at a place called ' roadkill '! Turns out, they had quite a few items on the menu for a vegetarian. I settled on a grilled cheese sandwich with fries. After lunch I decided not to go back on I-40, instead I followed historic route 66 to Ashford and then joined I-40. But, for about 22 miles I was traveling on a piece of history.

For the rest of the day my time was spent in a place where my heart resides. I have been in love with the Grand Canyon for a long time. I took both my children and my nephew along with my sister to the canyon on our first trip west. I have taken a lot of trips down memory lane on this sojourn. Remembering my son, daughter and nephew when they were little tykes, looking over at the canyon and not really understanding what they were looking at. Later as my children grew up, my daughter and I rafted the Colorado River at the bottom of the canyon, and then hiked our way out of the canyon. Out of all the trips I have taken, that one still takes my breath away. We stayed at the bottom of the canyon for a whole week, slept under the stars and ate our meals by the river bed. It was an awesome trip. Today, I retraced my steps minus the rafting or hiking out of the canyon. I missed my daughter, so I called her as I got close to Bright Angel trail, the trail we had used for our hike out. It was good to hear her voice as both of us were transported back to our trip, it was good to reminisce about our time together at the canyon. 

Getting to the canyon on hi-way 64 north, one does not get the sense that soon we are about to witness one of the seven wonders of the world! The entrance fee to the park is $25.00, the pass will last for one week, well worth it. I tried to spend as much time as I could at the canyon, I really didn't want to leave. I took hi-way 64 east towards Cameron, so I could see more of the canyon as I drove out. The vistas along this hi-way are superb. My heart just filled with overwhelming feeling of joy and sadness at the same time. I don't like traveling alone, I would much rather share these fantastic moments with loved ones, or a special someone I can share my life with, for now that is not how my life is evolving, and I am a person who believes in living in the moment. So, if traveling alone is how it must be for now, then, so shall it be. 

I am spending the night in Winslow Arizona, the song "Take it easy" by the Eagles is making it's way in my mind right now. Whenever I hear that song, I am transported to Arizona, not that I need any nudge to transport me here. In my head I think I live at the bottom of the Grand Canyon all the time!

Tomorrow I will see the Painted Dessert along with Petrified Forest. I love this drive on I-40 east.

The Grand Canyon state.

I left this morning from Stockton, I noticed how messy the hi-way was in this area. There was trash everywhere. I think Stockton is referred to as the armpit of California. I can see why.

As I was driving east towards Arizona from California, I took hi-way 58 east from Modesto. This road wove it's way through high mountain country, at top of the hills were several thousand wind mills. They looked so graceful, it seemed as if they were doing cartwheels, at times it felt like they were waving to me. I did take a few pictures, but it didn't seem to do justice to the vista I was viewing. Today the driving was more pleasurable, even though on hi-way 99 drivers were hogging the left lane. Nothing annoys me more than people in my way when I have the need to speed!

I love being in Arizona, it's one of two states in the Union that does not observe daylight savings time. I call that free spirited! I don't like to have to adjust to time changes twice a year, it messes with my internal clock.  I think Arizona is my favorite state. There is something about the stark beauty of this state that amazes me every time I drive through.

Hills that have hues of pink, butter yellow and mauve mixed in with brown dirt look so barren yet open. I don't feel oppressed here as I do in the northwest. I do love trees, though the mountains in Vancouver feel as though they are foreboding. The terrain here feels more open. The sunset colours were spectacular. The mountains looked as if they had taken on a deep purple colour against the yellow, amber of the sunset, truly magnificent. Tomorrow I will be at the Grand Canyon, I really think that I have spent other lifetimes at the bottom of the canyon, I always feel as though I have come home when I am here.

Stockton CA.

I made very good time today, I am in Stockton CA. After having left my son's home this morning around eleven. I miss him terribly. He is a gifted writer and I was able to read some of his new writings. The story had me in tears as well as many moments of laugh out loud excerpts. He began writing in the fourth grade and I have enjoyed his musings since then. I know his time to be a published author is not far away.

We may live logistically far away from each other, but our hearts are attached by that ethereal bond. I can always tell when either one of my children are in a state of distress. I usually dream about them or my mind remains occupied by their image. It feels good to be so closely connected to both my son and daughter. 

The drive today was uneventful. I didn't stop at too many places, just long enough to fill up gas and stop to stretch my legs and then I was on the road again. It was incredibly hot, most of the way the temps were hundred or above. It's never fun to stop in this type of heat. And, of course the car top could not be down, I had to have air conditioning on---bummer!

Tomorrow I hope to reach somewhere in Arizona, and then I will decide if Zion Nat. Park is an option. I do know that I will stop at the Grand Canyon, I have to see that again. Today I did get to see Mount Shasta, it's odd to see such a huge mountain traveling south on I-5 with snow in the middle of a heat wave! 

The cooking diva.

Today the day is going to be spent cooking a favorite dish requested by my son. Since I was driving, I was able to bring the supplies needed to prepare the meal. I enjoy cooking and I am grateful that my family loves the food I prepare for them. While in Canada, I prepared pakoras for everyone, not a morsel was left at the end of the evening. Pakoras are spicy potato and onion fritters. For my son today I prepared handowa, it's akin to a spicy baked cornbread type of a dish. It too never lasts very long. 

It's been very hot here in Portland, fortunately my son's home is air conditioned. Portland has seen record breaking temps. I need to bring some cooler weather here! I will be leaving in the morning. The time spent with my son has been all too short. Again, never enough time. I have come to the conclusion, I need to spend my summers here in Portland, so that I can see him for at least three months. I enjoy time spent with my son, we have great conversations about a myriad of subjects. I am always heart warmed by his unique perspective on life. 

The drive home will be long, I am not sure I want to stop off at Zion National Park. The northwest is seeing temps in the triple digits and Oklahoma is experiencing eighty degree weather; what's wrong with this picture?!

Well, I will be on the road again tomorrow and will write more from whatever town I end up in. More later....

Back in the USA.

This morning, I said goodbye to my Canada family as they are fondly known and headed southwards towards Portland to spend a couple of days with my son and daughter in law. It was a tearful goodbye. It's hard to bid adieu to my sisters. It never gets easier. It's never enough time. Even though I was ready to go home, I am never ready to leave my Canada family. 

The drive to the US border was fairly fast, but the wait at the border was horrendous. It took more than two hours to get through. I hate having to go through customs, I always freak out because, either I can't find my passport, or I wonder if my car will be the one they will want to check randomly. Usually my passport is always in a safe place and my car is never singled out. Except, for last year when I was on my way to Alaska, then-- I was pulled over. A customs officer was curious as to why I was going to Alaska? My mistake was answering in a rather cheeky manner ..."because it's there" Not a good answer. They just get annoyed with answers like that!

My time in Vancouver was spent painting three paintings for my sister's radio station RJ 1200. I spent time with my brother and his family, applying my Feng Shui principals to their home. My two sisters and I took our youngest nephew on a short trip to Hwy 24 in BC. It's hi-way that meanders through the lake country of British Columbia. Pristine clear lakes dot this hi-way. We stayed at Lac des Roches a fishing resort. It's not really a resort, more like a cabin with minimum amenities. Our eldest sister is not used to anything but a five star hotel! It was quite an adventure for our young nephew to stay in one room with all of his aunts. I think he is a brave soul. He did exceptionally well, he seemed to enjoy our company. He was very easy to get along with. My two sisters get to see my nephew often. I on the other hand don't get the opportunity to spend time with my nephews. I was very pleasantly surprised with my nephew. He has a gentle manner and a very caring disposition.

This time my visit to Vancouver was different, usually I am greeted with cool ocean breezes. This time it was uncomfortably hot the entire time I was there. At least in Oklahoma I have air conditioning to temper the heat. I kept visualizing a thunder storm, and finally day before yesterday, a spectacular thunder storm along with lightening appeared out of the eastern sky. I was glad to see that my weather making powers are still working!

Yaletown.

Today, my day was spent in the company of my eldest nephew and his wife. I love to be able to spend time with my nephew, he is five months older than my son. I regard him as my son. I went to their apartment in trendy Yaletown. This is where the young, hip generation of Vancouverites live. I have watched my nephew grow up from babyhood to adulthood. Just as I have witnessed my two children grow up. There is very little age difference between my two children and my nephew. The three of them grew up together, even though we lived so far away. Their bond is special and strong. That's how families in the Indian culture behave. Closely knit.

They treated me to lunch, another thing that is different from days gone by. I used to pick up the tab and now they pick up the tab. It feels strange. I am not sure if I like it much, I guess I need to get used to it.  After lunch we walked around meandering in and out of shops. Something I could not have gotten my nephew to do only  a few moons ago! But, here he was as casual as you please, walking through shabby chic furniture store. When I asked him how come he can wander through a home decorating store now, his calm answer... "In my head I am replaying the entire Star Wars movie"! Things a man will do for the love of a woman. I was pleased to see that. I smiled a silent smirk and walked on.

Vancouver.

Vancouver is my home away from home. This is the place where I spend my summers. It's a good thing, since Oklahoma is so hot at this time of the year. Though, the past couple of days Vancouver has been experiencing it's own heat wave. And, without the aid of air conditioning, it is uncomfortable. At this point I am wishing for cool breezes and rainfall!

I arrived in Vancouver yesterday, after a frustrating day of driving. I have decided that Washington state drivers are the worst drivers in the United States. They really don't understand the concept of using the left lane on the hi way for passing slower traffic. They just stay in the left lane driving really slowly. People in Oklahoma do that too, and it annoys me to no end. They do it especially on the stretch of I-40 from OKC to Shawnee. My drive from Portland to Vancouver was long, the border crossing took almost an hour and then just trying to get to my family's home was an adventure in itself. I expressed some road rage as a young Chinese driver muscled his way into my lane, rather arrogantly. Usually I am accommodating towards people who are in the wrong lane during a bottle neck. But, this young man was rude in his behavior towards me. He not only got ahead of me through sheer force but also neglected to thank me for allowing him to get in front of me. I find lack of road etiquette to be disconcerting.  

Arriving at my family's home and being greeted by my two sisters melted away the stress of the long drive. Getting to eat homemade Indian food was even better! There is nothing like an evening spent in the company of loved ones, reminiscing about days gone by. Laughing, teasing the younger family members about childhood memories. Good times.

Tomorrow, I am going to spend time with my brother, sister in law, niece and nephew. We are planning on going to one of my favorite restaurants, eating as much as I possibly can. After lunch I will spend the rest of the day in their home, catching up.

Day at leisure.

Today, Sara and I went shopping downtown Portland. Every time I come to Portland Sara and I take a day out just for the two of us. We stop and have tea and just walk downtown, window shopping, looking at art galleries. I enjoy finding little treasures that will remind me of my visit here. More than that it's time spent with Sara that I enjoy the most. Since they live so far away, I don't get the opportunity to have quality time with her. We have great discussions about philosophy, politics and general musings about people. Both of us are people watchers and we have similar tastes. 

I always enjoy my time in Portland, I am looking forward to going to Vancouver, at the same time I am not anxious to leave Portland.

Portland at last!

I reached Portland today during the thick of the rush hour. After having had a great Indian dinner with my precious son and daughter in law, I feel very full and very sleepy right now. It was a long and tiring drive. When I am anxious to get someplace I find the journey gets to be less interesting and the destination becomes more important.  Even though I saw my son in May, it's always great to get to spend time with him. 

The drive to Portland from Boise was along the Columbia river, at times the mountains were lush with trees and other times quite barren. The day was hot, it felt uncomfortable. I always associate the northwest with cool temps and cool breezes. Neither were present. So, I drove with the top up and tried to get to Portland as quickly as possible. I may have enjoyed the scenery more if I wasn't in such a hurry to see my son.

I was only going to spend one evening here but as soon as I saw "that boy" as he is affectionately known, I decided to stay another day. Fortunately both my son and daughter in law were happy to have me stay an extra day. I am going to see them on the way back to Oklahoma too. I think tomorrow, a day of shopping is in order with Sara, my daughter in law. She is an artist too. We both enjoy going into art galleries and just plain window shopping.

More tomorrow...

Boise, Idaho

Well, this entry is being written from Boise. Tomorrow I will be in Portland to visit my son and daughter in law. The weather was mild enough today to have the top down for the entire day. The breeze was cool and the sky was clear and the road stretched out in front of me towards the horizon.

I left Porvo, Utah this morning headed west towards Salt Lake City. Most of my journey today was on the interstate hi-way, during the summer months these roads are always under construction and bottle necks are a plenty. It took quite a while to get out of Salt Lake, but once away from the city the traffic was minimal. The terrain was barren, lots of high hills but no trees. Just prairie grass. 

As I got close to Twin Falls, I decided to take a side tour to see the Snake River up close and personal. After all that is the reason one goes on a road trip, to make the schedule as one goes along. I took the exit for a small town called Rupert, I drove through the town looking for a way to get closer to the river. The very first rafting trip my children and I took was on Snake River. It was just a short two hour rafting trip, we enjoyed that so much that as a graduation present for my daughter Reina, we rafted the Colorado at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Now that is a rafting trip!

Well, today I wanted to see a different face of the river. I ended up at Walcott Lake, from there the ranger pointed me in the right direction. I found it meandering along through fertile farm land. I was able to drive along this pristine river. At one point I was able to go right to the bank of the river and put both my feet in. The water was clear and very cold. The river reminded me of the holy river Ganga in Haridwar, India.  I sat on the riverbank drank a cold Coke and ate fried potato wedges. The only time I allow myself to have junk food is on road trips. The rest of the time I am a model vegetarian!

I was able to share the moment with my daughter via phone, she called me as I sat on the riverbank. I marvel at the ingenuity of cell phones! I took pictures so I can show her when I get home where I was when we spoke. Sometimes it's really hard to be alone on the road, moments like today when you want to be able to turn to a loved one and marvel at the beauty before you. Other times-- I am fine about communing with nature by myself. After my brief sojourn, I drove along the river and headed back into town, from there I went onto Twin Falls  and took another detour towards the falls. Another spectacular image. An abundant amount of water rushing over large rock cliffs, falling with tremendous force.  So different than the dessert, arid landscape of yesterday. In only a day I have witnessed amazing variety. I am always dumbfounded by the beauty of this country. 

Arches National Park

Today was an awesome day! I did get up early... every so often it's not a bad idea to get out of bed early. I was on the road by 9:30 a.m. now-- by some standards that is not really early, by my standards it's early! I had already filled the car up the night before and had all the essentials ready i.e. camera battery charged up, phone battery charged, clothes laid out. Anticipation was high in the air. I started westward on 491 and then caught 191 north towards Moab. The two lane hi-way offered many passing lanes along the way and the little roadster was more than happy to kick into high gear and overtake everyone. I love that car! 

I stopped in Moab, this town is famous for more than one reason, Butch Cassidy and his wild Bunch stayed here. It is frequently the back drop for many movies. I picked up my lunch in Moab, the only handicap of being on the road in this country is my choice for breakfast, lunch and dinner is often limited. I pulled into Subway ordered a veggie sandwich to go. I took no napkins, no bag to carry the sandwich in. I am determined to add less trash to the world on my account. I carry a cloth napkin with me in the car, it's much more civilized!  Soon after leaving Moab, I took the exit for Arches National Park, paid my ten dollar fee to enter the park, stopped at the visitor center to ask pertinent questions from the rangers. I had allotted about six hours for the park and it seemed like it would be enough time to catch all the highlights of this amazing sculpture of mother nature.

This park has the largest number of natural stone arches formed by the weathering of openings in vertical slabs of sandstone. Magnificent is one word that comes to mind in describing this park. I am so glad that we have set aside natural treasures such as Arches for the citizens of this country as well as visitors. I was impressed by the fact that there was no trash floating around in the park anywhere. People were being respectful towards this natural treasure.

No matter in what direction I looked I was greeted with amazing views. I think I am at a loss for words. My spirit was refilled today. My eyes drank in the mesmerizing sights. I felt I was on another planet, maybe Mars looks like Arches National Park ? The red sandstone is so fine and so fragile and yet so imposing. The rocks stand guard against the wind, sun and rain, but slowly and gradually the rocks will succumb, and the terrain of Arches will change with time.

I saw giant boulders holding to their position precariously atop a monolith. Only a matter of time before it topples. At least the visitors today got to take a picture o balance rock, balancing! I hiked up to see "Delicate Arch" I saw it from a distance. I didn't have enough time to take the hike to the arch. Though, I was able to see other arches up close and personal. 

I have decided, this park is not really that far away from Oklahoma, and I do want to come back and devote some serious time hiking and taking my time to visit some of the places I was not able to see. So, I see another short road trip in the future to this destination. I do enjoy being outdoors and surrounded by beauty that has been formed by the elements. It's as if a giant sculpting tool in the hands of the immortals was responsible for the panorama I witnessed today. I am humbled.

Cortez CO.

I am in Cortez Colorado, near Mesa Verde National Park. I am not going to be able to go to Mesa Verde. I had to pick between National Arches Park and Mesa, so I opted for the Arches park. I will get there around noon tomorrow, most likely I will spend the entire day there and then head north towards Salt Lake City.

It was a good day of driving. After leaving Tucumcari this morning I headed west on I-40 towards Albuquerque, from there catching 550 north towards Cortez. This road is a four lane hi-way, the good thing about being on this road was not too many large eighteen wheelers. I was able to overtake everyone cruising at about a hundred miles per hour. The top was down in the car today, since it was a high of only 88 degrees. It felt good to have the wind blowing through my hair.  The road wove through mesas dotted with pine and pinion trees. Sage brush growing abundantly. The clouds hung low over the plateaus looking almost like snow topped mountains.

I do wish I had kept on driving and got a little closer to Arches, but I think I was ready for a break. I had not stopped for lunch, and I think that dictated my decision to stop. I will get an early start tomorrow, so that I can spend more time in the national park.

I had dinner tonight at Nero's here in Cortez. It's an Italian restaurant, the food was fresh and well prepared. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming. I am always amused when the host or hostess is about to seat me, they ask, if I am to be joined by someone. Traveling alone, I often eat alone. I am used to eating alone. I have been single for a long time now and have traveled by myself often. I never think it's odd to eat alone. But, people do look at you in a strange manner. I always take that time in a restaurant to be one with my thoughts and observe people and wonder what their story is? I am dismayed when I see a married couple sitting across from one another hardly saying a word to each other over dinner. Maybe because I consider communication to be one of the greatest gifts one can give to another, I look upon silence as a lost opportunity. Or, perhaps losing two brothers and my father, I look at life in finite terms. I do look at time with a loved one as precious. I do see moments gone by as lost time forever. Time that can never be recaptured. I live my life by the rule: make every moment count, let the ones I love, know how I feel about them. And, whenever I do have someone sitting across the table from me, I always converse with my dinner companion-- no matter what.

Tucumcari NM!

This entry is coming to you from Tucumcari. My first memory of Tucumcari is the summer my sister and I decided to take a road trip from Oklahoma to Vancouver, Canada.... with three young children in tow all under the age of five! We stopped in Tucumcari to have lunch. It had to be at least a hundred degree day, very similar to what I am dealing with today. We came back to the car to find all the crayons they had been colouring with-- had melted! We found puddles of a rainbow of colurs. Needless to say I never did get wax colour or the smell of melted wax out of that car!

As, I look over the dessert plain of Tucumcari, I am transported back to when my children were so young. How quickly they grow up. I did want to retrace the original journey, but then decided, I needed to go to other areas of this fantastic country. Also, more often than not, nostalgia takes me to a sad place and I have to remind myself that children grow up, get married and begin their own lives. Just as I did when I moved away from my family in London. I now understand my mother's heartache. But, I am grateful for being able to talk to both my children often. And, with technology, I am able to stay in touch with them via the internet. For my mother and I, the only form of communication was letters, via snail mail!

Tomorrow, I am going to go to Mesa Verde National Park and then onto Arches National Park. Both places I have seen on the travel channel but didn't have the opportunity to explore before now. I do love the dessert vistas. I can see why the artist Georgia O'Keefe chose to live in New Mexico. As an artist, I can understand her desire to be surrounded by a bounty of beauty. It's rugged beauty. The sky here has such a different hue of blue, against the red dirt and sage bushes. Truly magnificent. The Mesas and Buttes jut from the ground as if to call attention to their stark presence. I would be very happy to stay anywhere in New Mexico or Arizona and paint all day long. Even if no one bought any of my paintings, I would be happy painting. However, it would be good to have unlimited funds in my bank account! 

As I was driving through the panhandle of Texas, I enjoyed seeing the flat plains. There are no gently rolling hills of Oklahoma, it's just plain flat!  The eye could see in a perfect 360 degree circumference. And, it was also easy to spot the Texas rangers in their speeding police cars. No way am I going to be surprised by a hi-way patrol car!

Well, I will write more tomorrow, It's good to be on the road again. I am singing the Willie Nelson song in my head.... good job, since I really don't know how to carry a tune! Until tomorrow...

Kenya memories.

It was a nurturing way to grow up in Nairobi, Kenya. I remember carefree days of endless summer like weather. The temperature was always mild. Daytime would be warm and cool evenings. We had two seasons, dry and rainy. We had pomegranate trees in our yard, along with guava and mango trees. I used to spend time sitting in the pomegranate trees, or under the house. During the harvest season of pomegranates, my brothers, sisters and I would spend Sunday afternoons with our parents in our yard eating the seeds mixed with salt, ground red cayenne pepper. Yum! It sounds strange, but it's all so delicious.

Once a year my parents would pack all eight of us into our tiny little Fiat and make a trek to Mombasa, a beach town on the east coast of Africa. The journey was always memorable. We would start at seven in the morning and be in Mombasa by teatime-- 4p.m. I think Mombasa is about three hundred miles from Nairobi. I don't remember the road being paved, it was a dirt road with gravel. My father always drove fast.  I wonder where I get my need for speed when I am driving?! I remember a time when we had to come to a complete stop because, there in the middle of the road, an elephant sat. You don't honk at an elephant. You wait until the elephant decides to move. Kind of like the buffalo who sat in the middle of the Al-Can hi-way.

This was all before the elephants were being hunted close to extinction. It was towards the end of the golden era of the wildlife of Africa. Before the animals all had to be herded into preserves. Before the time of wildlife safaris. You took your chances while you were on this road from Nairobi to Mombasa. It was beyond awesome!

I remember the white sand beaches of Mombasa, I didn't know how to swim, so all I did was put my toe in the ocean. I could not believe how large the ocean was. It was terrifying and awe inspiring at the same time. Since I came from a modest Indian family, I didn't own a swim suit. I wanted to have one of course. I got that swim suit as an adult and I also learnt how to swim. I am the only child of my parents who can swim. I took lessons after being married, living in Shawnee, Oklahoma. I was determined to swim in as many oceans as I could. So far I have managed to put my toe in many a different body of water. It's interesting the paths our lives take. Born in Africa, raised on three different continents and then finally making my home here in America. I feel blessed to have led such a life.

   

Future destinations...

I thought I would comprise a list of trips I want to take over the rest of my life. I have to raft the Amazon River before I leave the planet. And I have always wanted to go to Japan. When I was a little tyke, I discovered 'origami' the art of folding paper and making different objects with folded paper. I started by making an airplane and then graduated to more complex objects such as birds. I think my hesitation for hopping on a plane and going to Japan is my inability to speak the language. Though, really anymore we can go anywhere and find someone who can speak English. I would also like to go to outer space and be weightless for a few moments. To see the world from outer space has been my quest since I was about six years old I wanted to be an astronaut. I told both my children I intend to spend their inheritance, I don't think they liked the idea!

The idea for rafting the Amazon came from having rafted the mighty Colorado River back in 1995. That was an amazing trip. My daughter Reina and I did that together. It was her high school graduation present. We were on the river for six days and I was transformed forever. The rugged beauty of the Grand Canyon is beyond compare. The route the river has taken, carving out the canyon is spectacular. Every vista is more engrossing than the one before. And, besides the sound of the river, we were surrounded by silence. I think silence is a running theme in my life. I remember when I lived in Nairobi Kenya, I would go under our house to get away from the hustle bustle of our busy household. I am one of six children. The house in Nairobi was built atop big blocks so that when the rainy season came your house didn't run off without you! I think growing up in Nairobi, I came to appreciate the gentle beauty of our planet. I do love nature and I do love this planet. So, at some point I will make a point to take the trips I have talked about. Until then I will just revisit the ones I have already taken.

  

More Alaska memories.

My journey northwards started in my mind in 2004. At that time I owned a gallery called "Starry Starry Arts"... cute name eh?! I had made several angels for a customer of mine, she was going to give them to her coworkers. When I asked her what the special occasion was, she answered, she and her husband were taking an extended leave and were going to ride their motorcycle to Alaska. My mouth dropped open. Drive to Alaska?! I gasped. Yes, she calmly replied, this was not the first time they had driven either. This would be their third trek. I have to admit, I didn't know you could drive to Alaska from here. For some reason I thought there was a large body of water between us and Alaska, like there is between us and Hawaii! She assured me there was a road which was called the Al-Can hi way. I was hooked. I needed more information, I thought if she and her husband can ride the motorcycle to Alaska, surely I too can drive there. My love of driving is only superseded by my love for Coca Cola. 

My customer, Linda came back from her summer sojourn to Alaska and stopped in to see me. I was ready with a multitude of questions. I knew one day I will make that trek northwards, I had already made up my mind. At that time in my life taking off for six weeks was not a possibility. My gallery took up all of my time and it is true, good full time help is really hard to find. I bated my time and finally, summer of 2008 afforded me the opportunity to make the fabled trek. My mission was to get there, I really didn't know what I would do once I got there. For me it was the actual act of driving over five thousand miles to get there. It was all about the journey, not the destination. And, what a journey it was! I was amazed by the pristine conditions I found myself in. Brooks bubbling along on the side of the road with crystal clear water. Buffalo sitting in the middle of the road. I just waited until they decided to move. I didn't want to interrupt their afternoon siesta! Baby black bears on the side of the road horse playing, too cute!

My daughter, Reina joined me in Alaska, this was our mother daughter trip. We went to see the glaciers. Again, words fail me here. The absolute beauty we witnessed is beyond description. Pristine, clean, clear are some of the words that come to mind when describing all things Alaskan. The days were long and the nights felt more like dusk. It never really gets pitch dark. That was hard to get used to.

Reina and I had countless hours in the car. We reminisced about the trips of days gone by. My two children and I have been going on road trips since she was three and my son was five. They have touched fresh ash from Mt. Saint Helens, to seeing the devastation caused by the gigantic fire which consumed a major portion of Yellowstone, to driving the hi-way to the sun in Glacier National Park, to name a few places. Now it's fun to have them accompany me because they can be my lowly navigator. Since I don't like navigating--just driving.

Leaving Alaska was akin to leaving India. A part of my soul stayed behind. I will return to both those places and I hope to do so... soon.

Contemplating where I have been.

I am grateful to have a blog where I can write down my trip memories. For years I wrote three pages in a note book daily. It was my morning ritual, so I called it my morning pages. I stopped writing about two years ago. I felt I had written enough. But, now that tradition has transformed itself  into my travelogue. After my trip to India, I didn't write in my blog, I felt I had nothing to say. Now that I have had time to process the trip partially, I feel my observations of the trip can be deeper. Also, I want to write about the epic journey I took last summer to Alaska. Yes, I drove from Oklahoma to Anchorage Alaska. I did this while gasoline was five dollars a gallon in some towns! 

It is a bit weird to write and have total strangers read my thought... welcome total strangers! I guess at some level I am comfortable with this new medium. It's no different than people buying books that an author has written, after all they too are read by total strangers. I have always wanted to write stories, this way I get to fulfill my wish. I have had positive feedback for the blog, thanks to all those who have shared their thoughts with me.

The summer of 2008, in June I started off for Alaska. People always ask me how long it took to get there. I went to Alaska by way of Minnesota, Portland and Vancouver, British Columbia. Family and friends live in those three cities. From Vancouver, it took five days of driving ten hours a day to get to Anchorage. It was an amazing journey. For hours my car was the only car on the road. No one in front of me, no one behind me. No one coming towards me, it was surreal. I enjoyed the solitude, alone with my thoughts. Sometimes I drove in silence and other times I had the music cranked up so high, even the bears came out of hibernation!

The Alaska hi-way is a challenging road, most of it is in good repair, but then there are portions of it that are in dire need of repair. There are frost heaves and the only way they are marked-- tiny red flags by the road side to warn you of a buckle in the road that would damage the underside of your car with tremendous force! So, I learnt to drive slowly anytime I saw the flags. With the sun high up in the sky until eleven at night, there was no danger of missing the red flags. There are no towns that far north, just a few motels on the side of the road along with a gas station. True frontier land! I enjoyed my trip and will make that trek again.

Back home.

So, yesterday I woke up early, yes I can do it every once in a while! I had breakfast at the hotel and, was on the road by 9 a.m. I drove through Tennessee, Arkansas and then home to Oklahoma. For part of the way, I was able to have the top down, but then rain clouds appeared and for the rest of the journey the top was up. 

Every time I pull into a gas station, men tell me they really like my car. That car is a man magnet! I enjoy listening to their questions about the car. Most often, you can't get a man to talk about anything, but when it comes to talking about cars, you can't get them to shut up. At a gas station in Tennessee, a man came up to me told me he liked my car.  His name was Jerry, he proceeded to tell me that he gambled for a living. Fascinated, I asked how something like that is at all possible? He explained, he signs up for all the free stuff they give away at the casinos and since he is a regular customer, they give him free rooms and often free meals. He had done this for a living for the past ten years. I asked him does he make enough money to live on from this? And, his answer was-- yeah! I do love to hear people stories.

As I was driving through this amazing country, my mind wandered back to the very first cross country trip I had taken with my two young children, my nephew and sister. We set off across the country to Canada from Oklahoma. We were terrified and excited at the same time. The country has changed a lot since that time. Now the homogenization of America has happened. Every town looks like any other town. It used to be that you could go to a relatively small town and find a home town restaurant with unique flavors. Now the hi-ways are littered with Taco Bell, McDonalds, Wendys, my personal favorite Chic-A-Filet (not really, though I do find the name amusing!). The amount of trash generated by these fast food, convenience based "restaurants" is monumental. Every fast food place you go into, everything you buy to eat comes prepackaged in wrappers, or boxes with drinks served in either styrofoam, plastic or paper cups. Add to that, plastic spoons, knives and forks. Top that off with a handful of napkins. One person just added to the landfill at least ten items. Multiply that with millions of people everyday feeding themselves at these fast food places.

I came to a decision, I was not going to frequent the fast food outlets, not that I do very often. I opted to stop for a sit down break where I was served food in a ceramic plate along with silverware not made from plastic. I drank my Coke from a glass made from glass without the aid of a straw. Straws don't biodegrade! I know I am just one person making this choice, at least there will be ten less items going into a landfill somewhere.

As my journey was nearing it's end, I felt sad that it had come to an end so quickly. I was glad to be going home, to sleep in my own bed and to get to see my daughter and son in law. The sorrow over missing my son had abated somewhat and I will see him again during my summer trip... yes, another road trip is coming up. This time I will be in familiar territory-- the west coast. I made myself a promise, I will go back to the east coast and visit the coastline of both the Carolinas and perhaps make it to Monticello too.

The end is in sight.

Well, tonight I am writing from Murfreesboro TN. I may actually make it to OKC tomorrow night. I think I'll keep driving until I get home. The trip back didn't turn out the way I had envisioned it. I was going to travel the eastern seaboard. But, after saying goodbye to Mahesh, my heart was just too heavy and all the rain didn't help me any. I usually don't mind driving through rain, these past couple of days it's been tough. The rain has been heavy and blinding. So, I drove cautiously with the top up :-(. I did try to drive with the top down, the clouds looked ominous and I had to pull over and put the top up. It's no fun driving a convertible without the top down. It looks like tomorrow it will be a sunny day and I will be able to have the wind blowing through my hair.

I did go to the Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta. Quite a place. I was hoping to see the actual bottling plant, instead we took a tour of 'World of Coke'. It was still a lot of fun. I did taste the different types of products Coke has worldwide. The soft drink they sell in Japan tasted like it had ginger in it. The one sold in Costa Rica tasted fruity. I liked them both. At the end of the tour we were given a free bottle of Coke as a memento of our visit. I am not sure if I will drink that bottle, or just save it as a souvenir. At the end of the tour, of course you are herded towards the Coke shop. Every imaginable Coke product is available in that store. I bought some red drinking glasses. 

What I did like about the World of Coke was the employees were all very happy. They were truly happy to be working there. Unlike the workers at Graceland. All the employees were eager to help and were forthcoming with information. They all said working for the Coca Cola company was a good thing. One young man said he had been working there for the past five years. He started in high school and continued to work there through college. I think I would enjoy working at the Coke place too. When I was a child, one of my dream jobs was to work at a Coke factory along with being an astronaut and an artist. Well, one out of three ain't bad! 

The World of Coke is touted as a happy place and it really was. Everyone there had a smile on their face. It was as if they were visiting a good friend. I read about the 79 days we did without the original formula Coke. I remember those days well, I was very upset about new Coke. And was so grateful when Coke Classic became available again.

After my sojourn to the World of Coke, I started out of Atlanta during rush hour! Atlanta has to be the LA of the midwest. Six lanes of crazy rush hour traffic, what was I thinking? I think every so often I like to remind myself why I don't live in a bigger city than OKC. I drove through Georgia onto Tennessee. I am going to have to come back to this part of the country again. In the past I have always gone west, since my family lives in Vancouver British Columbia. I know the western half of the country well. I have not explored the eastern half of the country.

As I was driving the sun was setting, it was behind clouds the rays were bright and the clouds had a silver lining. It looked almost exactly like the sunset I had witnessed in Goa India, over the Arabian Sea. In a moment I was transported half a world across. If only we could be transported anywhere (like in Star Trek) in the blink of an eye, where would I want to go? Hmmm......

Leaving D.C.

It was hard to say goodbye to my son this morning. We had enjoyed our time together, so we came to a conclusion that we will have to have an annual trip together. I think the next time I will want to go to a beach resort and just relax. D.C. was very interesting, and we packed in too much. After my trip to India which was loaded down with so much sightseeing  I don't think I was ready for another information packed tour-a-thon!

I decided not to go to Monticello. As I was leaving D.C. it had begun to rain and the drive to see Thomas Jefferson's home was three hours away. With rain in the forecast for the entire day, I decided to drive south towards Atlanta. That is the beauty of driving, I have the freedom to do as I please. And since I veered away from my AAA triptik, I had to fend for myself. Every so often I pulled over to check my map and kept on going. I was glad to be out of Virginia. I am still mad about getting a ticket for not speeding.

I am tired tonight, I drove through heavy rains all day long. At one point traffic on  I-85 south was crawling at snail's pace. With rain coming down fast and furiously, I decided to call it a night and pulled into Kings Mountain a small town in North Carolina. It's been a somber day. The rain matched my melancholy mood, my heart was crying about at the same pace the rain was falling. I will write more tomorrow, no doubt going to the Coke plant will lift my spirits!

The last day in DC

Well this is our last day in DC. I will miss my son, we have had a good time talking with each other and getting to spend time in the Nation's capital. We went to see the Natural History museum to begin with, after that we went to the Library of Congress. Mahesh wanted to see the draft of the Declaration of Independence, but it was not on display it has been put in a vault to protect it.

We did do a lot of walking, I am tired of walking but I have enjoyed the public transportation. I do wish all of the cities in this country could have public transportation. I guess I can keep on dreaming!

Tonight we went to an Italian restaurant called Al Tiramisu, again an excellent choice by our concierge Eric. He has not steered us wrong. I will miss all the unique restaurants we have eaten at. Having grown up in London, I have enjoyed the variety of different cultures here in DC.  I have decided that DC is an anomaly. I have never visited a city such as this. It seems to have a very transient personality as far as it's inhabitants are concerned. It's a unique city in that it is rich in history, politics and one can't help but feel patriotic, at the same time I didn't feel connected to it's people. Because none of the people I met live in the city. They live in neighboring Virginia or Maryland. I found that to be disconnected.

It will be hard to see my son leave for the west coast tomorrow. Living so far away and not being able to see him often makes my heartache and it bothers me that he won't move closer. Tomorrow, I will be heading towards Oklahoma. First, though I will visit Monticello and then onto Atlanta Georgia to see the Coca-Cola plant. I have been a fan of Coke since I was a child, it will be awesome to see where it all began.

Arlington

Well, today was a laid back day. Mahesh wanted to visit with a friend he has known for about ten years. We took the Metro to meet his friend in Virginia. The Metro is very simple and so convenient. We had been using cabs until now, we needed to have been using public transport. We will do that tomorrow when we visit the museum of Natural History. Mahesh enjoyed seeing his friend. We ate pizza for lunch. They both had a lot to catch up on and conversation over lunch just didn't seem to be long enough. I would have been fine taking a walk while they visited with each other, but my son felt like he would be abandoning his mother...I know how to amuse myself! It's difficult to be the third wheel when two people are friends. They said their goodbyes and we were off to see the Arlington Cemetery.

Today the weather was hot and muggy, I did get tired walking to the last resting place of President John . F. Kennedy. It's always somber to visit a grave site. As a Hindu, I have no point of reference for that, since we cremate. I think there are advantages and disadvantages for both practices. There is a sense of closure when a person can visit a grave site. At the same time there is this sense of loss, holding on to the person lost to us. With cremation there is this sense of moving on and also feeling a bit adrift. I think, I would still prefer cremation. Too much land being dedicated to people who are no longer here. 

After visiting the grave site of JFK, we went to see changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We got there just in time to watch the guards change places. It was an intriguing and a precise ceremony. Mahesh has always been fascinated by military personnel, I think in many other lifetimes he was a soldier. Gratefully, he decided not to be one in this lifetime! We sat for awhile watching, everyone around us was also watching in a somber manner.  As we walked away looking at all the grave markers, I thought of all the families who lost loved ones in wars, such senseless deaths usually at the prime of life. Many would argue that's the price of freedom. I would argue, why we can't have freedom without loss of life?

We got back to our hotel just in time for afternoon tea. We headed to the restaurant and had English breakfast tea along with apple caramel cake with ice cream. Totally the most wonderful way to spend late afternoon.

Later in the evening we went to a Greek/Lebanese restaurant called Zaytinya. The great advantage of a cosmopolitan city like DC is the choice of great restaurants and Zaytinya would have to be added to that list. Great food at reasonable prices. We took a cab back to the hotel and then headed to the White House for our evening conversation in the back yard. 

Tomorrow will be our last day in DC. I will miss the conversations I get to have with my son. It's just never the same over the phone.

Museums, monuments and the Bill of Rights...

Today we walked a lot. To begin with we went to see the Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights and the Constitution. All very impressive. They also had one of four originals of the Magna Carta. I find it interesting that I spent several years in Merry Olde England and had forgotten that it was drafted in England, but seeing it in person was part of the joy of this day. I thought it sad that the Declaration of Independence was so faded by time, but my wonderful son said that the most important thing was that democracy was all around us.  The document itself, although important, was only a vessel for the wonder of this country.  

The Constitution was in better shape - and there were also two guards watching over it. Some people were grumbling about not getting enough time to look at it, and I gave them a wide berth. After that, we went to the National Art Gallery.  

Mahesh's wife Sara hadn't gotten a chance to see the only DaVinci painting in the U.S. from a previous trip to D.C., so one of his "missions" was to see that painting.  The painting itself is beautiful, and I gave my son a brief lesson in art history about how DaVinci used chiaroscuro (the use of light and shadow) and how, essentially, he created photo-realistic paintings when such creations were unheard of.  I prefer the Post-Impressionists myself, but I enjoyed seeing this one-of-a-kind work of art. Next we went to the Air and Space Museum, and I got to touch a moon rock, which was really cool. It brought back my memories of watching the original moon landing live on television, with my brothers and sisters in London.  

We also saw the original Wright Brothers flyer from 1903, and it still looked like it could fly. The next museum was the Museum of American History, and I found this to be a slight disappointment.  While I did enjoy seeing Archie Bunker's chair, the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland and the original Star Spangled Banner that flew over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, I wished there had been more variety.  Although I did get a few pictures of my son with C-3P0.  

At night, we ate a great authentic Mexican restaurant (Oyamel), and afterwards walked off the heavy meal by walking all the way to the Washington Monument.  Of course we ended our day at the backyard of the Nation's House as is our routine for DC.  All in all, it was a busy day, but I enjoyed seeing all the places I'd read (and heard) so much about.  The most priceless thing, of course, was getting to spend it all with my son.

A tourist's guide to DC.

My son Mahesh and I woke up late this morning. That is the theme for this family. I am glad we were able to sleep in, take in breakfast in a leisurely manner. Then, we decided to take a tour of the city. We went on the 'Old town trolley'. An open air trolley that took us around the Embassies, monuments, the White House, Georgetown, and my personal favorite, the Lincoln Memorial. It was Mahesh's favorite too. After seeing the impressive statue of Lincoln, we walked towards the Vietnam Memorial, I have seen it several times on television. Seeing it in person-- a person is thunderstruck, so many lives lost for a senseless war. We walked, stopping every so often to look at a name closely. There were relatives, friends of soldiers lost, looking for their loved one's name on the black granite rock, etched in time. One can't help but feel moved by this simple yet poignant memorial. Just as we were both moved by Lincoln's statue. I am glad there are memorials to fallen heros and they are there for all citizens to enjoy free of charge.

After our stop at the Lincoln Memorial, we headed back to our hotel. We are a stone's throw away from the White Housed. I asked Mahesh if he wanted to look at the White House again. We had strolled towards it last night. It is a breathtaking sight at night too. He was up for another look the the nation's House. It's interesting to see people gathered behind the White House at all times of the day and night. I wonder how the inhabitants of the White House feel about people congregating on the north side all day long?

We decided that this is something we are going to do everyday at the end of our touring. Take an evening stroll, and sit at the edge of the lawn recapping our day. It's a way of being on the north lawn, without actually being inside the grounds. Since both of us love to watch people, this was one way for us to see the myriad of personalities stopping by to see the nation's first residence.

I was glad to see a Muslim family stopping by to look at the White House. I wondered if they are harassed for being who they are? People from all walks of life come and stand by the iron fence. They all have opinions, they all feel a sense of pride. My daughter Reina had said she felt very patriotic when she visited DC during her high school trip. Even though, I wasn't born here, I chose to become an American citizen, and I did feel very proud today to be an American. I have truly enjoyed Washington D.C.

 

The Nation's capital.

Well, I made it to DC. I was concerned about navigating the streets of DC. Had heard horror stories about DC drivers. So, I was on full alert, it wasn't that bad at all. I had paid close attention to the directions on my trip tik, provided by AAA. Usually, I have a navigator with me. In the past it was my sister, more recently, it's been either my son or daughter. So I have never had to be a navigator. It's a tough job, since I never know which way is north and I can never figure out which hi-way I need to be on. In an effort to be focused, I wrote down the directions and then repeated them to my self several times. I was able to find the Hay Adams, our hotel easily. It's a historic place. Our most recent President and family stayed here before moving into the White House.

The drive here was more of the same, back on the interstate. No more Blueridge Parkway. I may decide to go back home through the mountains again. I missed the solitude of the Parkway. I had breakfast at the Waffle house in Staunton, Virginia. It was fascinating to watch the short order cook prepare everyone's breakfast. She didn't seem to enjoy her job. When I asked her how she liked it, she dryly answered, "it's a job". I pondered that for a while as I drove away. I thought I am glad I enjoy doing what I do. And, I wondered why people don't make changes in their lives? I would like to ask those type of questions, but I am afraid I could get my butt kicked at some point...! I may become brave enough and ask questions, take notes in an effort to compile psychological data. I think, I am a frustrated psychologist. I am always interested in the choices people make. The different paths they take and how their life turns out.

I got to DC in the afternoon. I managed to miss any type of rush hour. As I was driving in I saw the Washington Monument. Until one sees this in person, it's hard to imagine the impact it has on a person's psyche. The same type of awe hit me as I drove past, as when I saw the Taj Mahal about six weeks ago.

The room we have in our hotel is elegant. The hotel has been well maintained. It's reminiscent of the hotels Gene and I stayed in India. Though the service in India was one hundred percent better. I wanted to have an afternoon cup of tea. It was a while before the waiter even approached me. When I asked him for tea, his curt reply was they don't do afternoon tea anymore. I politely asked for tea and a cookie anyway. Again, it took him a while before that was brought out and there was no silverware on my table, nor a napkin. They were brought out to me after I asked for them. About ten minutes later, Pierce Brsonan the actor and wife came to the dinning area, at this point I got to see the wait staff fall all over themselves trying to anticipated his every wish. And to top it all off, they charged him nothing for his caffe latte! So, in conclusion, I realized, the service in India was impeccable, whether you were a celebrity or not. Here again, human behavior fascinated me. I am a person just as Pierce Brosnan is a person, yet we are treated so differently. Why? Why do we elevate some people to a higher standard of service and others we choose to ignore? I have always strived to treat all human beings equally. And, will continue to do so always.

    

 

Lost in time.

So, all day today I was traveling the Blueridge Parkway. And, I felt like I was lost in an another era. This is what it must have been like for the early motorists. Just a simple two lane hi-way, meandering along. Not a care in the world, we get there when we get there. I stopped every so often to see the views along the way. When I stop I notice that a lot of people comment on my car, it's an aquamarine blue convertible. More often men are fascinated by the car and always want to know how fast it will go?! I tell them "fast enough".

I enjoyed the Parkway, at times I did have my CD player cranked up high, listening to Robert Palmer singing "Doctor, doctor", followed by Elvis singing "Heartbreak hotel". And, then Rolling Stones singing "Satisfaction". My sense of being for the entire day was satisfaction. So, Mick Jagger without knowing it, sang this song so long ago just so I could enjoy it today and on many other road trips. Other times during my trek on the Parkway, I drove in silence and marveled at the beauty of this planet. I am always awe struck by trees. I have never met a tree I didn't like! 

The Parkway is a unique road. It has no gas stations on it. Just a few restaurants dotted along the way. Camping sites with bathrooms are available. Recycling bins at the campgrounds. I just saw a couple of small cabins for rent. The rest of the Parkway is close enough to towns where overnight lodging is available. It's jarring to the senses to come off the Parkway and get back to the real world. To the four lane hi-ways with cars speeding beyond eighty miles per hour. Believe it or not, I was actually driving the speed limit while on the Parkway. To be honest, it's hard to go beyond 45 mph on hairpin curves, even in my car! 

As I exited the Parkway, I was close to Roanoak Virginia. I decided to get on the interstate, so I could stop for the night. I was driving the speed limit and a Virginia trooper turned his sirens on. Puzzled I pulled over. He came up and asked me why I had a radar detector? Dumbfounded, I stuttered for words. He then proceeded to inform me that radar detectors are illegal in the Commonwealth of Virginia! Long story short... I got a ticket for not speeding but for having a radar detector. At least he returned it to me with express instructions not to use it. By the way, they are illegal in DC too! That was my bit of craziness for the day.

Tomorrow, I get to see my son and spend a few days with him in Washington DC. That's what this whole road trip has been about. To get to have time for a few days with my first born child. I am blessed to have two children who want to spend time with me. I enjoy their company and they return the favor. We have no concrete plans, we do want to see as many museums and monuments as possible. See the White House. Send President Obama our well wishes. 

No doubt, we will stay up late every evening, both of us enjoy listening to the other. I am always amazed at how smart my son is. He is a gifted story teller and I am looking forward to seeing him.

Blueridge Parkway

I am making this entry from Blowing rock North Carolina. A charming town nestled in the Blue Ridge mountains.
I took the Parkway from Ashville. The parkway is a narrow winding roadway, that hugs the edge of the mountain often. I ended up playing peek a boo with the Smokey Mountains. At times the vistas were amazing overlooking expansive mountain ridges. And, at other times I was driving through tree covered road. The tree canopy blocked out the afternoon sun. Made me think of the time I spent on Salt Spring Island off the coast of Vancouver. I have a tough time when I am unable to see the horizon. Must be because I have spent so much time on the open plains of Oklahoma!

There really is a haze over the mountains all through the day. What I enjoyed about the Parkway was no large trucks in my way. No giant RVs. Quite often I was on the road by myself. A bit reminicient of my drive to Alaska. While I was on I-40 earlier this morning, I wondered what it would be like if there were no eighteen wheelers on the roads anywhere? I do wish we as a country could find a different way to transport our goods, so that the roadways could be free for traveling. Well, traveling the Parkway, I got my wish. No big trucks!

I am staying at a charming little inn, it's called Mountainaire Inn. The owners Deborah and Jim McDowell are very hospitable and helpful. I had a wonderful meal at . The amazing thing about little hamlets such as this is the charm they exude. Quaint shops line the main street. Home with flags on the front porch fly gently in the breeze. There are white picket fences and hanging baskets overflowing with flowers and foliage. Of course I immediately want to move to places like this. And, then I realize this looks so good right now, what does it look like in the dead of winter? I am grateful for Oklahoma's clear blue skies even in the dead of winter. I am sure living here has it's advantages as well as disadvantages. I am getting to see the best of Blowing Rock.

Tomorrow, I will be back on the Parkway, even though it's slow going I am enjoying the time on the road without having to battle the eighteen wheelers!
I will write more then.

Graceland!

I woke up late this morning and missed the complimentary breakfast! Bummer! So, since I missed breakfast, I went back to sleep. I was at Graceland by ten thirty. I parked my car and walked towards the ticket counter. There are different packages one can buy to see the different attractions. I bought the middle package. For thirty three dollars I could see the mansion, the various cars Elvis had and the airplanes he had. 

The mansion is kept in a time capsule. It's left the way Elvis left it. It truly is a trip back in time. All those dark colours of the seventies and carpet on the kitchen floor! What were we thinking?

This place is a money making machine. Droves of fans come daily. Graceland is open everyday. The tour is so well organized, I was truly impressed. It's a well oiled machine. Though none of the workers seem very happy. They all act like automatons, I am sure it gets tedious to be doing the same thing over and over again all day long. However I was hoping to see some enthusiasm. After all they are working at Graceland!

It was sad and awe inspiring at the same time to see all the things Elvis had accomplished in his short life. For me it was a trip down memory lane. Each song I heard on the PA system took me to a certain time during my life. Elvis is imbedded in our collective memories. He led a life different than most of us. He had an airplane fitted with a bed for himself and he could fly to any place he wanted to when he wanted to. I came away with the feeling that he was a kind and generous soul, who was lonely in his heart. And, my heart ached for him. At his grave site, I thanked him for the many songs he sang. Songs that no doubt still continue to touch so many people.

It was interesting to see all the things he left behind. Seeing all of his clothes, furniture, television sets-- all frozen in time. If anyone had to do a chronology of my life, very few items would be available for my museum! I believe in purging my closet every couple of seasons. There is something to be said about saving all those items. I sure enjoyed the trip down memory lane. I am not sure how I feel as a Feng Shui consultant... holding onto all that stagnant energy. Well, that is another topic altogether!

The mansion is situated on a thirteen acre estate. The lawns are well manicured and the trees are tall and majestic. The preservation of this property is remarkable. Though the tour is well maintained, there was no warmth present. I think Elvis would have wanted it to be more welcoming. 

After the tour, I had lunch at the Chrome Cafe, this is in the area across from Graceland where tickets and Elvis memorabilia can be purchased--it was not good. Vegetarians do not fare well. I had mashed potatoes and mac 'n' cheese. After my sorry lunch, I headed out towards Nashville. Speeding down I-40 East I made it to Cookeville and decided to call it a night. This is where this entry is coming from. Tomorrow, I will be heading towards the Smokey mountains. I plan to take the Blue Ridge Parkway. I am looking forward to traveling this scenic route.

Until then.

Sunita. 

On the road again...

I have been away from my daily writing in the blog for about a month. I plan to stay connected this time. I think after coming back from India, I had quite an adjustment. I kept thinking of ways to go back! But, after a month or so, my life in Oklahoma took hold. Classes I taught came up on the calendar, reluctantly, I slipped back into the routine of my old life.

And, then came the summer road trip. Yes, I am driving to Washington D.C. I am going to meet my wonderful son there. This is our annual mother son trip. I rarely get the opportunity to spend one on one time with my only son. He is pretty cool!

So, tonight I am writing from Memphis... the land of Elvis Presely! I have been an Elvis fan since I was a teenager in London. Loved those gyrating hips! His mesmerizing voice, and those unique lips! I plan to see Graceland tomorrow. I didn't realize how close Memphis is to OKC. I made it here in about seven hours. Granted I was going faster than most of the cars on the hi-way. 

I do love to drive the open road. One of the many wonderful things about living in this country is one can travel anywhere in this country. Just get behind the wheel and off you go. While driving today I thought of the crazy way people drove in India. Cars all over the place the sheer number of people everywhere. We have an abundance of land in this country. I thought eastern Oklahoma was truly picturesque. Parts of western Arkansas reminded me of the Pacific northwest. The gently rolling hills and lush grasses and green, green trees made me very glad to be alive today. The wind was mild and the sky was clear. The wild flowers were in full bloom. It looked like there were dollops of red, yellow and purple on top of the green grass. The top was down in my convertible and the music was blaring. Thanks to a wonderful mix my lovely daughter prepared for me. I felt blessed and very happy.

I will write more tomorrow after my visit to the fabled Graceland!

Until then....

 

Life back to normal?

Well, it's been eight days since I have been home from India.  I still get tired in the middle of the afternoon and I am missing eating Indian food three times a day!  My surroundings here are so quiet. No throngs of people forever in perpetual motion. What struck me about India was how young the entire population is and how thin everyone was. People walk everywhere. That does not mean there are no cars on the roads. There are just as many cars as there are people walking. Another interesting thing... there was no roadkill anywhere on any of the roads in India. All the drivers are adept at avoiding everything and everyone on the road. One does have to take one's chances while crossing the road. No one stops for you, even if you happen to be on the zebra crossing, you are on your own.

So, how do I feel a week later? Sleeping in my own bed having my routine back? I feel a bit lost, I am resistant to going back to my routine. I found myself looking at flights to India today on the net! It will be a while before I go back. This time I would like to go back with my children. Show them their heritage. Will they love this country as much as I do? 

There was a time when I was angry with India. Back in the sixties we moved there from Nairobi. We were not accepted by the locals. I felt like a stranger in my own land. So, at a young age I realized I was more African than Indian. But, now I feel India and I have both grown up a bit. All the Indians I came across during my journey, were happy to see I had not lost touch with my culture. And, I was happy to see India coming into it's own. No longer did I see the longing in people's eyes to move away from India to far away lands for a better life. Life was pretty good in India. And, to be honest, I wouldn't mind going to India and staying there for a while. I wouldn't mind being one of the locals and seeing what is brought forth by a lifestyle change? Something to ponder.

Post script.

Gene and I thought our excellent adventure was over when we left New Delhi.

Well, it was far from over. We arrived in Chicago, anxious to be on the last leg of our journey. Looking forward to seeing loved ones. We got through customs, with baggage in tow we headed towards the monitor to see which gate our departing flight would be. Only to find out it had been cancelled due to bad weather in OKC.

The prospect of another night in a hotel room and no guarantee of leaving Chicago next day. I suggested to Gene we could drive to OKC. We didn't want to lug or very large four suitcases and hand baggage to the room, only to have to do it again the next day. Having to go through the tedious process of checking into O'hare airport. The twelve hour drive seemed tame in comparison.

Gene agreed with me and were off looking for a car to rent. What followed was a comedy of errors. Neither one of us had a working cell phone. We checked with Budget, but they were out of cars. We headed back to the terminal, baggage in tow. I was able to secure a car with Avis. We got to the counter and then I realized , I didn't have my driver's license with me. Since I was going to do the bulk of the driving, we both felt daunted. But, we decided, I would drive anyway and take our chances. I will have to be very careful and not speed! Which is very tough for me!

We called Leslie and Reina to let them know the flight had been cancelled and that we were driving home. Only to find out a blizzard was heading to OK. Okay, I thought what else can go wrong?! Both Reina and Leslie were concerned for our safety. But, I think Reina knows I would be fine driving. Leslie, on the other hand had reason to be concerned. She really does not know my driving history.

Anyhow, we were on our way. I thought I was mad for doing this. I had had some sleep on the plane, but, in all honesty I was driving with a deficit in the sleep department.

About two hours into the drive, I began to get sleepy. Gene was taking a nap, the night sky was upon us. I thought break was in order and then decide how much further I could go. Since we didn't have cell phones, we had to look for places with pay phones. Not an easy task! We were able to put our calls on the credit card and talk with the two daughters. Letting them know we were fine and that we would go on until we can or if bad weather stops us. I assured Leslie, I would be a responsible driver.

As I was driving, I thought my ability to stay up late was definitely coming in handy. And, My love of driving long distances was also very helpful for a twelve hour journey.

Gene and I also remarked about all the different flights we had taken in India. Not one was delayed, late or cancelled. Amazing how in this country air travel is now a headache. Whereas in India, it was such a joy. We were on eight different flights during our time in India. Every single flight there was pleasant. All the crew members were courteous and helpful. Everyone on the flight got good food to eat, not just first class passengers. And, then we land in Chicago and our flight is cancelled with no good reason. The staff was less than helpful. We had to fend for ourselves. Not pleasant.

Well, after driving for about six hours, I decided I would drive all the way home. There was no point in stopping on the way. So, we pressed on. Gene is not a talker, but he did do well in keeping me awake. We stopped every couple of hours, stretched our legs ate horrible snack foods, drank coke and coffee. Oh,  how I missed all those great Indian dishes of the past month!

We made it to OKC at 6:30 a.m. Exactly twelve hours later, and I didn't speed at all! There was very little snow on the ground, I got us home, Gene was kind enough to bring my suitcases in . We hugged goodbye. He went to his house and I went to sleep.

And, so ended our excellent adventure!

A full circle.

I am sitting at the London airport. It seemed fitting to add one last entry. It has come a full circle. I started my journey on the blog for the trip to India at this airport. Gene had remarked that our trip had a beginning and now we have come full circle to the end. Like reincarnation!

It's hard to put into words what the last month has meant to me. I think for Gene it has been the realization of a long wish fulfilled. He had always wanted to visit India. He has commented several times what a joy this journey has been. Yes, we could have gone to many other places, I had to pick and choose the sites we would see. No matter how long one spends in India, it's never enough!

Kudos to LaVeryl, our travel agent, she did such a remarkable job of putting this trip together. Everything flowed effortlessly. At every city we were met with people who took care of all of our needs.

I think for me, writing about the trip makes me feel as though I am still traveling. As if I am still in India, being amazed and upset by what I see. A country of contradiction. After I have had time to process this epic journey, I am going to go back and add more to the blog. Things I didn't have time for while we were moving from city to city.
Until then,
Sunita.

Homeward bound!

Hello Everyone!

This will be my last entry from India. We are homeward bound! Both of us are a bit sad, and also looking forward to coming home and seeing loved ones. What an amazing journey this has been. For me, seeing the country of my origin for an entire month has been such a gift. And, for Gene it has been an interesting, engrossing and novel experience.

Gene has done well eating Indian food on more occasions than not. He has been adventurous for sure. We have done well with each other, we have given each other space for quiet time and had interesting conversations. He has come to the conclusion that I come from a family of talkers. He is amazed that I talk to both my children for hours on end, as well as family members and friends. He thinks saying what's on his mind and then getting off the phone is the best way to go.

Well, we left Agra at 9a.m bidding the Taj a fond farewell, and were in Delhi by 3p.m. a quick visit to the saree store of a family friend was in order, and then to our hotel by the airport. I always enjoy Delhi, it's like coming home.

This has been an incredible journey. How often does one get the opportunity to travel in India for a month?! I am so grateful to Gene for having given me this generous gift. This country has changed for the better, since I was here twelve years ago. And, yet a lot more lies ahead. I hope that by reading this blog you were able to learn more about this country, which is a constant contradiction in terms.

Tonight we will catch at the plane at 3a.m. and be home by 8 p.m. OK time. I have enjoyed updating my blog, something I have looked forward to. I hope all of you have enjoyed my musings.

Sunita.

Taj by sunrise!

Okay, so I got up early to view the Taj by sunrise. Was it worth it? Yes, it was! I am glad I forced myself to do this. The sun hitting the Taj in the morning, so many different hues were visible. The light changes the mood of this monument. Gene thought it was awe inspiring, incredible, magical and impressive. Tagore a Hindu poet said of the Taj, "It's an eternal teardrop on the cheek of time". So beautiful.

I think Gene has enjoyed his trip. Everyday he has written his thoughts in a journal. I think he has already completed one book. No doubt this will be a great read in a few months time. Last night over dinner we were both sad that this journey is coming to an end. We have seen so many faces of India, it's hard to pick a favorite city or area or experience.

After seeing the Taj by sunrise, by the way I have pictures of the morning sun --just to prove I was there! We came back to the hotel and had our breakfast on the balcony facing the Taj. Too surreal!After breakfast we went to Agra Fort which is very similar to the Red Fort in Delhi. We also saw the mini Taj, which was the inspiration for the Taj Mahal.

Tonight we saw a play about the love story behind the Taj Mahal. It was built to house the body of Mumtaz, the queen of Shah Jhan the emperor of India. It took twenty two years to build. The white marble was inlaid by local artisans with semi precious stones. No matter how many times I see the Taj, I am always swept away by the romance of the place. Did the emperor really build it because he was so grief stricken. Or, was it a monument to stroke his ego? One will not know. However, I like the romantic version better. Each person who is in love needs to come to this place.

The rest of Agra is hard to take, it is messy and dirty. It is the most disorganized city we were in. Traffic here was difficult to take. The pollution here was much worse. I don't understand why this one city has not improved?  It's hard to see the Taj in a surrounding that does not suit it. The government makes a lot of money from this monument, I wish they would spend it fixing up the city, and helping the citizens of Agra. 

There have been threats against the Taj Mahal, so security is very tight. The Taj is not lit up at night because they are afraid of an aerial attack. The times we live in... Though, I am pleased to see better security, not so pleased when people don't pay attention to simple instructions. I was shaking my head as I was waiting in line to get through security. Two young European men were being detained because they had back packs filled with chewing gum, food, clothes, phones and battery packs. None of which are allowed into the compound where the Taj is located. As I waited, I wondered why they had not paid attention to the large signs describing contra band items? They were being rather indignant as the guards were searching them. Wonder what would happen to them if they behaved in a similar fashion at the security gate for the White House in D.C.? 

Well, this excellent adventure is coming to it's end. My last entry from India will be tomorrow. We head back to Delhi and then onto London, then Chicago, then home. I am not ready to leave India. All the wonderful food, people and sounds, aromas of this place will haunt me until I return.

The Taj Mahal!

Hello from Agra,We left Jaipur this morning and were in Agra by tea time. We did stop on the way to see a city built by Akbar a Mughal emperor. It's called Fatepur Sikri. The city was abandoned and remarkably is in very good condition some 400 hundred years or so later.

We went to see the Taj Mahal by sunset. It's an amazing structure by any light. Have I used the word beautiful before?! Well, this is beautiful and then some. I have seen the Taj a couple of times. No matter how many times one is here, the words incredible, beautiful come to mind. Everytime I see it, I just want to sit and stare at it. It feels so surreal. As you enter the gate, you are struck by the majesty of the Taj. The Taj is not visible in it's entirety until you pass through the gate. It's amazing the amount of detail afforded this massive flawless building. 

Tomorrow we will be up early to see the Taj by sunrise. I have come to the conclusion that I just need to accept the morning hours as my friends. A bit late in the game, since we will be home this weekend! 

Yesterday, while Gene and I were coming back to our hotel in the evening, I remarked, that no city in India sleeps at night. He very quietly quipped , "they have no room, they all have to take turns sleeping"! I thought I would share with you his sense of humor. It was so funny, I am still laughing about it.We are both feeling sad that the end of the journey is so near. Though, the thought of seeing our loved ones is tempering the sadness we feel.

More tomorrow.
Sunita.

Enchanting Jaipur!

Hello Everyone,

I am feeling much better today. I left the hotel with a can of Coke with me. So I could avoid a caffeine headache later in the afternoon. We are staying at the fabulous Rambagh Palace hotel. This was the hunting lodge of the last king of Jaipur.  Some hunting lodge! The Taj hotel group took over the palace and made it into an amazing luxury hotel. Every detail is attended to. Every city we have stayed in, we have enjoyed the local flavor. Jaipur certainly has charm. It's a city of artisans. Some of the most unique gem stones are mined right here in Jaipur. This is the city to come to if you are interested in buying unusual jewelry. 

We were up early again today because the Palace we were going to see looks best in the morning light. After breakfast we were picked up by our guide and were on our way.  First we went to see Hawa Mahal, which means the wind palace. This was built for the ladies of court, so they could view street life from behind the palace walls and not be seen by the locals! We then went up to Amber Fort which is built on top of a hill on elephant back. My greatest concern was how the elephants are treated. I am not one for making animals doing our bidding. My heart aches for the elephants separated from their core family group just so tourists can go to the top of the hill.

I really didn't want to ride the elephant. At the same time I knew this was something Gene had been looking forward to. I put aside my feelings of apprehension and sat on the elephants back. I will never do that again. I don't think they enjoy going up and down the hill. And I know I added to their burden. The ride was uncomfortable and I was glad to be done. The Fort was spectacular. It is a massive complex. One area had mirrors imported from Murano, Italy. It was an entire structure embellished in mirrors. Truly remarkable.

After that we were back at the hotel. I thought it was time for high tea, so I invited Gene. We sat on the perfectly manicured grounds of the palace and enjoyed English Breakfast tea, cucumber sandwiches and scones. We discussed our day and both agreed that the elephant ride was not comfortable.

Then, it was time to go to a remote farm for an exclusive dinner. The family who owns this 300 acre estate decided to invite small parties of guests for private dinners. This evening Gene and I were the only guests. Talk about amazing service! The surroundings were serene and very pleasant. The name of this hamlet is Dera Amer. If you are interested in more information about this check out deraamer.com. This ranch is located at the foothills of a mountain range that is older than the Himalayas. Our host was charming!

Tomorrow we leave for Agra by car. We are looking forward to a different mode of transportation.I for one enjoy the car far more than airplanes. Though, it won't be the same as me driving from Oklahoma to Alaska! I think having the image of the Taj Mahal as our final destination is apt. Though, each area we have been to has had it's own special charm.
More from Agra!

Jaipur.

Greetings from the most beautiful city in India... I think so anyway. The city was planned on a grid system. The king believed in Feng Shui and built the city accordingly. So, no wonder I like it. The hotel we are staying in was the hunting palace of the last Maharaja of Jaipur. It's the palace hotel. I think I have used the word beautiful so many times it's overused. But truly there is no other way to describe this magnificent place.

Soon after we left Mumbai we landed in Jaipur after checking in we went on a tour of one of the many palaces this city has. I have been supporting a headache for the entire day, so this entry will be brief. I am sure it's a combination of not sleeping well last night in anticipation of leaving Mumbai. Gene and I both enjoyed our stay in Mumbai and could have easily stayed there a few more days.

Tomorrow we will start off early and see the Hawa Mahal, meaning the wind palace. It's best seen early in the morning. So, off to bed for me. I will write more tomorrow.

Goodbye Mumbai.

Well, our stay in Mumbai is over. Tomorrow we leave for Jaipur, the pink city. So named because it's made out of pink sandstone. I have never been to Jaipur, so I am anxious to see this fabled city of the Maharajas of India.

I will miss the hustle, bustle of Mumbai. I shopped with my family friend this afternoon and then sat down for a long lingering lunch. We caught up on 35 years of absence. It's always great to reconnect with long lost friends.

Soon this excellent adventure will come to a close, I will miss India. I have enjoyed eating great vegetarian dishes for every meal. How will I ever adjust to eating Oklahoma cuisine?!

I will post my entry from Jaipur tomorrow.
Sunita.

Mumbai continued...

Today, we had a tour of the city. Saw the University of Bombay. We went to traffic school for children. I remember doing that. It wasn't until I saw the traffic school that I remembered going to such a school. It was set in the park. A minature street scape, complete with traffic lights, zebra crossings, left turn lanes and all the road signs. Even a roundabout! As a child I learnt how to pretend drive in traffic school. No wonder I grew up-- to love driving! Funny, how I had forgotten traffic school. I was so happy to see this part of my childhood return to me.

After that we saw a museum devoted to Gandhi. It's a house that he would stay at when he visited Mumbai. A room was set up where his spinning wheel is kept. He learnt how to spin yarn in this house. After that we saw a museum where antiquities are kept. Miniature paintings and large pottery pieces found from the period of the Indus civilization. Impressive.Then we saw the dobi ghat, where laundry services are provided for many in the city. It was interesting to see how men wash clothes! None of the washers were women. Now if only we could get men in America to wash the laundry for us!

The name Mumbai comes from the name of the goddess, Mumba who the fishermen worshipped. It was known as Mumba which became Mumbai, but the name was changed when Portugal invaded to Bombai, and then the Brits changed it to Bombay. Bombay was given by Portugal to England as part of the dowery for the marriage between the queen of Portugal and King of England, interesting history I had no knowledge of.Tomorrow Gene is determined to see the slums of Mumbai, needless to say I am not going. I hope to connect with a family friend. He will go with the car and driver.

After the tour of the city, Gene went to his room to read, while I went out for a stroll. The Taj hotel is on the waterfront. It faces the Arabian Sea. It's directly across from India Gate. People come to this part of the city to walk by the harbour. Perfect opportunity for me to people watch. Anytime I am in Vancouver visiting my family, I want to go to little India and just stare at Indians, much to the dismay of my family members. But, here I can stare all I want, because all the Indian people stare at me. I am just as much a novelty for them as they are for me.

This afternoon, I saw families out for an afternoon stroll. Fathers holding their children, walking and showing them the boats in the harbour, while the mothers walk along. Young couples walking hand in hand. Older couples also holding hands. Everyone smiling. These are the images of India no one sees. There is contentment on the faces of people I saw. I have been so heartwarmed by my visit here. On the other hand there are areas of concern for me also. The economic issues facing so many people. The trash that people throw with no regard for their enviornment. The pollution, though better than before is still an issue.
Tomorrow will be a day of rest for me and visiting a long lost friend.
Until then.
Sunita.

Bollywood!

Hello from the financial capital of India. Mumbai (formely Bombay) is a very busy city. It consists of 7 islands. The city is vibrant and oh so busy. Just like any large city in the west. It took us over an hour and a half just to get to our hotel from the airport. The security at the hotel is so intense. We are staying at the Taj, the hotel which was one of the targets of the terroists in November. Though, it looks like business as usual. Gene and I both feel a certain tension in the air. After the relaxed time in Goa, I feel a bit like a fish out of water. I don't feel as fast as all of the Mumbaians. Our rooms over look the harbour of the Arabian ocean. Such a spectacular view.

We were up early this a.m. like 5! In my head I was still asleep. While we were sitting in the lounge at the airport, I actually fell asleep. Gene tried to wake me up gently, but I jumped up as if I had missed the connection. Poor Gene was startled by my reaction. No more naps for me from now on. As soon as we landed we left our luggage at the hotel and went to see the Elephanta caves. The temple carved here was out of one mountain. It is dedicated to Shivji the God of creation and destruction. The carvings are so expressive. Hard to imagine how such a monumental task was accomplished in 6 A.D. All of it was done with rudimentary tools.

Gene and I had a spirited conversation about the movie 'Slumdog millionaire" I have opted not to see it and he can't understand my reason not to see it. In th next coulple of days, he will go and see the slums of Mumbai, I think I will visit a family friend I have not seen since 1972.

Well, the feel of Mumbai is so different. It will take me a while to process. It sure is not the Mumbai I last saw in 1972. So much progress has taken place and yet so much more has yet to be accomplished. My hope is that this country will find it's way to a better life for all of it's citizens.

Tomorrow we go to see the tour of the city. I will write more then.

Until then,

Sunita.