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....