Sunita's blog

The medina at Fes

2012-01-28T15:31:00.001-08:00

Today the day was spent walking in the labyrinth known as the Fes Medina, it dates back to the 9th century and really they don't want to change it anytime soon. No cars are allowed into the walled medina, not that they could even if they tried. Some of the lanes are just narrow enough to allow one person at a time. You can't be obese either, because you would not fit! Some people have to navigate going sideways.

The medina is full of shops everything is sold here. It reminded me a lot of the type of shops that are crammed together in Old Delhi as well as Connaught Place in New Delhi. People in Old Delhi don't want to change their ways either.

The streets are narrow winding and cobblestoned, I have no idea how everyone knows where they are going, to me it seemed we kept walking in a perpetual circle!

We did get to see many artisans create amazing one of a kind pottery pieces as well as watch weavers weave their threads into visual works of art. My first love being art, I wonder why I am still not throwing pots or weaving at the loom-- one day I am sure I will return to that.

It's time to leave Fes already, tomorrow we begin our Sahara Odyssey. I am anxious to touch the sand dunes of the Sahara!

Fes, Morocco.

2012-01-27T13:27:00.001-08:00

It was a long drive to Fes, we stopped on the way to see Roman ruins. I stayed behind in the bus, it had been raining hard the weather was downright chilly and damp. I brought warm clothes with me but I was not prepared for the frigid weather we are experiencing here. The walk to the ruins looked long on uneven ground. I have not been sleeping well, nor am I getting enough nutrition. I decided to give my body a rest while the rest of the group trotted off. I needed alone time. I have come to the conclusion that I prefer traveling alone and on my own schedule. Nothing against the group I am traveling with, they are all caring individuals. It's just hard to sit across from people who are consuming meat, while I eat the same overcooked veggies again and again...

At least when I am by myself, I am responsible for finding a restaurant of my own choice. I am not locked into a designated place where the group has to eat. Also, my own schedule involves waking up when the body is ready. I don't do well when I have to be up early. I am now too used to going at my own pace.

Well, enough about that! I am very surprised at the country of Morocco, my images of this place have been arid and hot-- not so, it's lush, cold and wet! I am sure the Sahara Dessert will be different. Though our tour guide keeps telling us we are here in the middle of the winter. It's strange to see palm trees lining the streets of the towns while it's so damn cold!

We stopped on the way to Fes by the roadside, where people who had collected truffles were selling them. They had a unique way to advertising their wares. Little mounds of cone shaped mud are placed atop boxes or tins along the hi-way a few hundred yards apart, and then finally, many cones are placed on iron bars, drawing attention to the final 'sculpture'. This is the location where the farmer with the truffles can be found. Here in Morocco, they have trained dogs to find the highly prized mushrooms, because the pigs would find and eat them. Dogs just find them!

Our guide Mohamed bought a few, he has promised to make them for us while we are roughing it in the dessert. At least I will get to eat something different than mush veggies!

Well, dinner was the same veggies in a filo pastry, I think they were trying to fool me with a different presentation. Ha! They didn't succeed !

Tomorrow we go to the Medina of Fes. This should be interesting since this place is a throwback to the ninth century. I am looking forward to the sounds and aromas of the open air market.

Rabat, Morocco!

2012-01-26T14:28:00.001-08:00

I am making this entry from Rabat, Morocco. My good friends Gwen and Jim were supposed to be on this trip with me, but a couple of weeks ago, Gwen injured herself, so here I am in exotic Morocco with a group of people I don't know. However, I find myself feeling comfortable, even though I travel alone most of the time, it's good to share this experience and meet new people.

It took a long time to get here, I left Oklahoma on Jan. 24, and got here around 3 p.m Jan 25. Today the day was spent touring Rabat, Morocco's capital. This is a very panoramic country. The history of Morocco is rich with Berber/Arab heritage, Roman ruins, mosques all cohabiting in perfect harmony. Morocco is under a monarchy which does not rule, there is a prime minister and unlike other Muslim countries, women do have more of an equal footing here. Though, I did notice most of them do wear the "hijab" which is a head covering that Muslim women wear in public as part of their faith.

My main reason for coming here is the Sahara Dessert, it has always beckoned me, must be a past life memory! We will spend a couple of nights in the dessert sleeping in tents under the open sky. I hope it will be a clear night so I can witness the beauty of the night sky. See the stars of the Milky Way clearly as seen on no place else on the planet.

I have been disappointed in the food here, I think that is part of being a tour group, where the meals are paid for in advance and they do cater to the meat eater. I think either I should pay less for a group tour or I should be afforded the same type of choices -- only vegetarian! This is something I will address with the tour company when I return home. I do know that Moroccan cuisine has veggie choices, I am just not getting to taste any.

We have another early morning bus ride tomorrow, we will be on our way to the city of Fes. If, the connection to the internet is stable I will pen my next entry from there. This passage is being written while I sit in the lobby of the hotel, while listening to really bad elevator music, which is not helping me write more eloquently!

More tomorrow...

Baking in Oklahoma...

2011-08-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

I have been home for about two weeks and am already tired of record breaking high temps! I have no idea how the rest of my fellow Oklahomans survived this incredibly hot, hot summer. I came home to many shrubs toasted by the heat even though my lovely neighbour Valerie watered them.

The trip across Canada now seems like a very long dream! Friends ask me what was my favorite Canadian Province? I must say picking one is hard to do because the adventure was crossing Canada. Though, I did like Newfoundland, because it is so remote, and getting there was it's own journey. Prince Edward Island had a lot of charm going for it. Though Manitoba and Sasketchewan reminded me of the same type of prairie landscape I am used to here in the heartland of America. And of course, Beautiful British Columbia is aptly named! So, I would have to answer that question with-- which was my least favorite? That would have to be Quebec.

Most likely I will not travel across Canada as I did this summer. I may go to a few provinces again just to explore them more thoroughly. I would like to go back to Manitoba and see Lake Winnipeg again. Revisit Moose Jaw Sasketchewan, and spend time at the hot springs there. I would enjoy spending a couple of weeks in Newfoundland and take the ferry across to Labrador too. Prince Edward Island certainly deserves more exploration!

Before I do any more traveling to those provinces, I have decided that I will have to visit the Northwest Territories in northern Canada. One can drive all the way to the Arctic Circle and experience daylight for twenty four hours of the day! Now THAT sounds like a road trip!

In Vancouver!

2011-07-24T20:00:00.000-07:00

We were both so exhausted last night after our ordeal of being stuck on hi-way 93, that neither one had enough energy to chat. We both went to sleep almost immediately. Shushma and I woke up early this morning, we both decided if it was at all possible to make it home by the evening we would do so.

After breakfast we hoped and prayed that TCH going west beyond Golden was in good shape. We wanted no more hi-way drama in our lives!

We were on the road by 9:30 a.m., gratefully the hi-way was not closed and the open road lay in front of us. I was most concerned about Rogers Pass through the Canadian Rockies near Revelstoke, I had traveled this stretch of the road before and remember it's beauty and the road's curvaceous nature! This pass is certainly the crowing glory of the Trans Canada Hi-way. The road is carved around the mountains and at times goes through the mountains with five tunnels. It is a sight to behold! The tunnels add a measure of protection from avalanches. Many railway workers were killed at Rogers Pass due to avalanches.

We filled up on gasoline every opportunity we had and we used the bathroom facilities at every stop we made! My sister is used to having her iPhone work in every location, however, it does not work in the Canadian Rockies! I think at times cell phone towers intrude on the scenic beauty of this planet and I was grateful the ugly things were nowhere to be found on these majestic mountains-- having said that, you are in a tough spot if you need help, there is no way of calling for aid. Though, there are plenty of other drivers that can be of assistance, it's not like driving to Alaska where for stretches of road my car was the only car on the road!

We stopped by Shuswap lake for lunch, we sat in the car with the top down and enjoyed our pizza and a Coke, took a couple of pictures, talked a bit more about our incredulous journey; marveled at our unique experience and then, we were back on the road.

We made it home by the evening and now it was time to relay our story to family and friends who were surprised, shocked, dumbfounded, but were glad to have two sisters home safe and sound from their excellent adventure!

For me it has been a phenomenal journey, I can look back and really appreciate the road I have been on for the past twenty five days. It took a long time to get here, yet easily one could spend another month on the road. After a while the familiar begins to beckon and the road stretched out in front looks alien. Soon it will be time to go home and sleep in my own bed!

Mini road trip with Shushma!

2011-07-23T23:59:00.000-07:00

My sister Shushma arrived in Calgary at 2 a.m. about three hours later than her scheduled time due to a cancelled flight-- that set the stage for our mini road trip! After we awoke, we headed down to the dinning room for breakfast. We decided we would head to Banff National Park and then Lake Louise. Then, call it a night in Golden BC. It all seemed perfectly feasible, a leisurely day of sightseeing and conversation.

So, off we went; my sister and I are not navigators, it's like the blind leading the blind-- but somehow we both manage to get where we are going. We call it intuitive driving!

As we were driving towards Banff, I noticed a sign on the side of the road which said "TCH (Trans Canada Hi-way) closed take 93 south" I looked over at Shush and asked her if that meant us? She looked back at me and said "No, I am sure they wouldn't close hi-way one" Without giving the sign a second thought we continued towards Banff and got there in plenty of time. We decided to go up on Sulfur mountain in a gondola. We were more interested in the ride up than being up on the mountain, so we turned right around and went down in the same gondola we came up in. The young man who was taking photographs thought it was an awfully expensive ride.

After we came down, we headed out to Lake Louise which is a glacial lake, I was in Banff about thirty years ago and remembered how pristine this lake is. After our little excursion of Lake Louise we got back on TCH towards Golden BC, only to come to a road block where workers were turning people around. As we approached the flagmen, we were informed TCH was closed due to a mud slide; in order to get to Golden we have to go on 93 south to a town called Radium which was only another 100 kilometers away and then catch 95 north to Golden.

This seemed inconvenient but there was no other option, we figured we would still get to Golden by about 7 p.m. However, that is not how this was to day was supposed to end!

About thirty kilometers (approx. 18 miles) from Radium we came to a dead stop. There was a stream of cars ahead of us stopped. We both speculated as to what could be the cause of this traffic jam. We concluded there must be a wreck and we would be moving soon enough. But, thirty minutes later when we still had not moved an inch, we thought it has to be another mud slide or rock slide. At this point we both began to look at the map to see if there was any other way to get out of this predicament. We had made reservations in a hotel in Golden, since we were on our way to Vancouver and the only way to get there was through Golden, we decided to stay put and wait out the traffic congestion. About an hour passed, we had barely move a few hundred feet. I turned the car off since I was not sure if I had enough gasoline to keep idling and still reach Golden. The thought of running out of gas was an added stress to an already stressful situation.

Another hour passed, we moved another few hundred feet and again stopped. Not knowing the cause of the delay was just as frustrating as being stuck in a parking lot on the hi-way. I was quite impressed by the calmness all the drivers exhibited. A few people had to go into the bushes to take care of full bladders. One man next to our car decided not to be modest and relieved himself in plain view. He did however keep his back to us. But, even then it was unpleasant to witness! I am so grateful that both of us had used the bathroom in Banff.

We had now been waiting for three hours with very little progress. At this point, I looked at the map more closely and realized that 93 south meets 95 north at a T junction in Radium, I came to the conclusion that there has to be a traffic light at the junction, which is the reason we move a little and then come to a complete stop. My sister thought that is not possible-- she is a woman who lives in the city! I have seen and traveled through too many rural towns to know this is how roads are carved out.

Five hours later at long last, we get to the end of the road in Radium, where finally, the cause of our five hours of misery would be revealed. It was indeed a T junction but instead of a traffic light it was a four way stop light! I was stupefied! I could not believe the reason we had been at a virtual standstill for the past five hours was due to a 4-way stop light! There were two road workers who were directing traffic, trying desperately to keep the flow moving. To make matters worse, the town of Radium had run out of gas because many people thought they'd fill up their tanks there. Fortunately we did have enough gas to get to Golden, we arrived there at 11:30 p.m.

I am amazed that in a province where mudslides are common place that something like this is allowed to happen. To have just one small sign saying TCH closed and not to have any type of contingency plan in place. To inconvenience thousands of travelers with no forewarning; certainly there was no organization to alleviate the immense amount of distress caused by something that could have been so easily avoided!

I am embarrassed this happened in the province I call home for every summer.

Calgary, Alberta.

2011-07-22T21:23:00.000-07:00

My day started off with grace this morning! As I was checking out of my hotel, I turned and looked at the dinning area where breakfast was served only to realize I had missed it. I lamented the fact that I missed breakfast when Myrinna, who was processing my payment offered to get me a muffin for the road. Appreciatively I accepted, she asked Janie the hostess to grab a muffin for me. We all got to talking when I told them about my epic journey across Canada. Most often people are amazed that I am doing this by myself, and usually the next remark is "You go girl!"

I found out that Myrinna has never been away from Sasketchewan, but Janie on the other hand has lived in many different provinces. She decided that she wanted to retire in a small friendly town such as Moose Jaw. As we continued to talk about our lives, both the ladies decided I needed fruit for the road too and a glass of juice also. I am always heart warmed by people's simple acts of kindness. With a great bran muffin and all my other goodies I headed out on the Trans Canada Hi-way.

I neglected to take photos of Sasketchewan yesterday, thinking today there would be plenty of time to stop and take a snap shot or two. Not so, it rained the entire day and soon I was crossing over to Alberta. Well, I will just have to contend with the memories I have in my mind and the ball cap I got yesterday. Manitoba and Sasketchewan both look like parts of Kansas and the panhandle of Texas.

The drive was a bit stressful since the rain was steady and heavy, though I have to give credit to most Canadian drivers, they stay in the left lane only to overtake leaving the left lane virtually empty. Little things like that make my day!

The next act of grace came a bit later in the day as I was searching for a good vegetarian restaurant. I spied a billboard claiming to have the best Indian food! Well, say no more! I decided to find it in the town called Medicine Hat. I got there just as they were closing up after lunch, disappointed I asked the owner when the restaurant would open again? He asked me to come inside and sit down, he prepared a vegetarian plate for me. Another gesture of kindness! The name of the restaurant is The Spice Route and the owner's name is Shir Brar. The food was indeed exceptional.

After lunch, Calgary was only a couple of hours away, I drove through rain and realized that today is the end of my solo journey. Tomorrow my sister will be with me. As much as I am looking forward to seeing her, I am a bit sad today that this part of my adventure has ended. Tomorrow will be a different kind of a road trip.

Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan!

2011-07-21T18:57:00.000-07:00

You gotta love the name Moose Jaw! I was going to stay in Regina the capital of Saskatchewan, but decided to drive a bit further to Moose Jaw so that I would be closer to Calgary. My sister Shushma is going to fly up from Vancouver to meet me and then we will have a mini road trip together. I have traveled with my younger sister Sadhna many times but Shushma and I have never gone on a road trip before. So, when her busy schedule allowed her to sneak away for a couple of days we decided to meet each other in Calgary and take advantage of this rare opportunity. She will get to see the most picturesque part of Canada, since we will be crossing the Canadian Rockies! I will be very grateful to have a driving partner!

This morning, I was still on the hunt for some type of a souvenir from Winnipeg. My hotel staff were not very helpful and I was unable to find anything. It's not that I want to buy a ton of stuff, that is not my style, but I so wanted a T shirt with lake Winnipeg on it. Well, some things are just not meant to be.

I got on the road towards Saskatchewan, it didn't take long to leave Manitoba, these two provinces are very narrow but, are long northwards. Saskatchewan is not as lush looking as Manitoba and the tress here are shorter. My family who live in Vancouver thought the drive through the prairies would be dull and boring, I find it to be the exact opposite. I love the fact that I had an almost 360 degree panoramic view of the earth, flat land covered in hues of green, yellow and the colour of mud meeting the blue of the sky at the horizon, with just a few white clouds to add drama to the sky. Nothing could be finer! The temps were in the upper seventies, the top was down on the car, the music was cranked up and I was having a wonderful time!

I got to Moose Jaw around dinner time, decided to eat Greek food tonight, but I was sadly disappointed with the variety as well as the taste. It's hard to be a vegetarian, to look at the choices on the menu that all sound good if only they could be vegetarian options instead of meat. As a vegetarian there is always just one choice in a menu filled with at least 20-30 meat choices-- c'est la vie!

I was able to find a ball cap from a store with the logo of a moose, with Moose Jaw written across the top, I think it will be a treasure to have!

Lake Winnipeg.

2011-07-20T19:30:00.000-07:00

Today i decided to drive to Lake Winnipeg. I went to Grand Beach which has a white sand beach, I have never seen a lake with a white sandy beach. So, off I went on Hwy. 59 towards Grand Beach, it's about an hour's drive from Winnipeg. The lake is apparently under duress from nitrogen and phosphorus seeping into the lake. Algae is growing at a remarkable rate and it is killing the lake. It is the eleventh largest freshwater lake in the world and now there is a movement underway to save the lake and clean it up. I hope they will be successful.

I got to Grand Beach and saw the white sand beach I was transported back to the times I have taken my children and nephew to the beach. My son Mahesh would sit at the water's edge fighting waves, while my daughter Reina and I would build sand castles. My son and Sudhir (my nephew) would dig giant holes and just sit in them! It was fun to see families frolicking in the water. I asked a woman to take a picture of me with the lake as the backdrop, her name is Jan, she was there with her daughter and grandchildren. We got to talking about my epic journey across Canada. It's always good to converse with people share stories and exchange ideas.

After Grand Beach, I decided to drive to Gimli at the suggestion of the hotel staff. It's a resort town; I wanted to be able to find a T-shirt with a rendition of Lake Winnipeg, I have developed an affinity for this lake. As hard as I tried to find a shirt, none was available. I would make a ton of money in this small town, because I would design an absolute bevy of Lake Winnipeg shirts! I asked my waitstaff, Linda if she was aware of any gift shops that may sell shirts or hats, she pointed me to a store around the corner, but alas, they too didn't have anything! Discouraged, I left Gimli and headed back towards Winnipeg, on the way I noticed among the fields of green, every so often there were groves of trees. As I looked closely, I realized that in the middle of the groves; nestled were houses. The only indication that anyone lived in the small wooded patch was a small dirt road leading towards a house and perhaps a mailbox by the side of the road. I can understand why the trees are grown in this manner, they surround the house, protect the homestead from wind as well as heat. A small oasis!

It was a fun day to explore a small part of Manitoba, tomorrow I head towards Sasketchewan. I have been fascinated with all the Canadian Provinces for a long time. I am so glad I get to see each of them in their unique way.

Winnipeg!

2011-07-19T19:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I am finally out of Ontario, thank the Maker! As I left my hotel room this morning I stopped at a grocery store to pick up some fruit. The town of Ignace is very small, population is about fourteen hundred people. Most everyone I spoke with was complaining about the heat wave this region is experiencing. I smiled at the fact they think temps in the nineties is a heat wave! As I was driving out of Ontario, I stopped and took some more pictures of their solid granite hills and more stone sculptures. I could not resist stacking a few small stones of my own. I too wanted to leave behind a "Sunita sculpture"!

As soon as I crossed over to Manitoba, the terrain changed almost immediately. Instead of granite hills I was in flat land and could see for miles. I wonder how that happens, crossing from one state or province to another and all of a sudden the topography is different. I have noticed that in the United States also, it's almost as if who ever drew the lines for the boundaries did it deliberately.

Tomorrow, I will visit Lake Winnipeg, it is the eleventh largest fresh water lake on the planet and it's about an hour's drive from Winnipeg. Even though right now I am tired of driving, I think I must go and see this lake and dip my toe in it, especially since I didn't get to dip my toe in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Newfoundland! But, first, I am sleeping in tomorrow.

Still in Ontario!

2011-07-18T21:32:00.001-07:00

I have no idea how long it will take to get out of Ontario, it's like California, it goes on forever! I will be in Manitoba tomorrow for sure. I am looking forward to being in Winnipeg, just the name makes me smile.

Today most of the day was spent driving through Ontario, at times I was by Lake Superior, it's an immense lake, the only problem was that there were very few turn offs to get closer to the lake. That is one thing which is so different than in the USA. In America lots of points of interest are available right off the road, with plenty of signs showing you when a turn off is coming. Not so in Canada. That was disappointing. On the way the road is dotted with numerous lakes, three in particular caught my attention; one was Mom lake, next came Baby lake and then Dad lake! I would have liked to have been able to stop and take photographs of the three lakes, but there was no room on the side of the hi-way. Since the road is just a two lane hi-way and the shoulder is very narrow it was not possible to pull over to take pictures. I guess I will have to depend on my memory to remember. I was able to take a photograph of stone sculptures that I am assuming young people make and leave atop of giant rocks by the side of the road. I began to notice them as I began to get into rural Ontario. Through the entire area of Ontario beginning with Sudbury and continuing to Thunder Bay people have defaced rocks with names, which makes me sad, it takes away from the natural majestic beauty of the immense rocks. However, seeing the small rock sculptures made me smile each time. They are usually made with small rocks on either side to make the legs and then a large horizontal rock to make the body and arms, then a small rock to make the head. They stand as if to bid you welcome. While driving the wonder of nature keeps me occupied and I truly enjoy this spiritual connection with the earth.

Tonight I am staying in Ignace Ontario, my hotel room is a throwback to the seventies, except for the internet. The furnishings and keys remind me of the times I took my little children on a cross country trip and stayed in some shady locations!

I have not been able to find too many vegetarian choices for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I am looking forward to being in Vancouver and eating some fresh veggies. I have been stopping at local grocery stores and picking up some fruit, that seems to make the lack of good veggie choices a bit easier to tolerate.

Wawa Ontario.

2011-07-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

I do believe that I am getting tired of driving! I didn't think I would ever say those words! I have been on the road now for eighteen days and really do wish the trip had already ended. I have slowed my pace somewhat, for some reason my right shoulder is sore and it has been difficult to drive for long periods of time without a break.

I left Sudbury this morning in a leisurely manner, the hotel I had stayed in offered me a complimentary brunch since the night before rowdy teenagers had kept me awake until 4 a.m. I was grateful for an understanding hotel manager.

As I was driving through on the Trans Canada Hi-way I noticed a sign for spicy Indian food-- of course I had to stop and see this place! Inside I was met by two friends who were having Sunday brunch with each other. They invited me to sit and join them, while the proprietor made "channa biriyani" for me. the owner is from Pakistan and the two gentlemen who were enjoying their brunch were from Canada.

Farewell Toronto.

2011-07-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning with a heavy heart, knowing I will be leaving and I have no idea when I will see Farzana, Shablee and their family again. Farzana had invited both her children and their spouses and her grandchildren to lunch today. All I have done is eat splendid food the entire time I have been here. I feel like I have stayed at a five star hotel!

The vegetarian feast before us was splendid and the conversation jovial. I got to meet Sabrina, Adil's wife. Both Adil and Sabrina work in their respective careers and are raising two adorable sons. Shayaan their incredibly smart son sat next to me, he is fascinated by my journey and Spitfire (my car). He wanted to have his picture taken in the car, so of course I obliged. Their younger son Rayaan is also very curious, though I didn't get a chance to get to know him. It was really wonderful to see Adil and Nadia again, the last time I saw them they were both teenagers and still living at home. Nadia has grown into a lovely young woman and Adil is a very handsome young man. Both of them have married people that match their personalities. Nadia has always been a quiet and observant person. Chad her husband is an easy person to converse with and he is a good listener. Adil is married to Sabrina who in the short time that I was with her, seems to be a lively conversationist and is beautiful.

After our lunch it was time to start packing and heading out. It's never easy to say goodbye to loved ones, staying another day seems so appealing, though at some point a person has to leave. It's best to leave while your hosts are still enjoying your company and not waiting for you to leave!

We took our photos hugged and cried, hugged some more and made promises to see each other sooner than another twenty years. I got in the car and drove off. Toronto traffic was heavy even though it was a Saturday afternoon, though soon enough I was out of the city and onto the open road. Misty eyed I drove on and stopped for the night in Sudbury Ontario.

Catching up...

2011-07-15T17:54:00.000-07:00

I slept really well, Farzana had made a wonderful vegetarian dinner, we sat around the dinner table catching up on the last twenty years! We talk on a regular basis but face to face contact has been very limited. This morning Shablee had made breakfast for all of us. He is a good cook, though, no one can top the way Farzana cooks!

In the afternoon, we looked at old photographs of the times I have not been able to share with my friend. We sat on the floor reminiscing about the time when we were both young mothers and now our children are grown and leading their own lives. Farzana's daughter Nadia came to visit with her husband Chad, it was good to see her. She and her husband are both teachers and seem to enjoy working in the Canadian school system.

Nadia wanted to know what was my favorite portion of the trip so far, of course spending time in Toronto has been a wonderful respite, I told her my choice picks would have to be Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. They have been thinking about taking a trip to the east and my journey may just prompt them to go there in the near future.

Tomorrow I will be leaving and continuing my journey, a part of me does not want to leave, I wish Farzana and I lived closer so that we could see each other more often; the way we used to when we lived in London.

In Toronto!

2011-07-14T18:29:00.000-07:00

I left Quebec, in fact I was eager to leave that Province, I felt like I was in a foreign country! I was able to get to Toronto by dinner time. My dear friend Farzana and her husband Shablee had made a wonderful dinner! So good to eat homemade Indian food after having been on the road for so long! Farzana has two adorable grandsons, I got a chance to visit with them before their father took them home. To me her grandsons reminded me of her son Adil when both of us were young mothers. Our friendship is now decades old, I am grateful that we have continued to stay in touch with each other. This trip across Canada had a two fold purpose; one was to drive across Canada to Vancouver to see my siblings and the other was to see Farzana! We met each other in London while we were both teenagers. When I moved away from London, the only way we could stay in touch was by writing letters to each other-- in other words snail mail! When she moved to Toronto, it was so much easier because then we were able to talk on the phone. I will stay with Farzana until Saturday and I hope to spend some time with both her children and their spouses, after that I will begin my journey again.

Quebec.

2011-07-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

Quebec is my least favorite Province. All of Canada is bi-lingual in their hi-way markings except Quebec-- the only writing here is in French, don't they realize they are in Canada and not France? I stopped at a gas station to fill up and buy something to eat, none of the attendants would speak to me in English they just kept barking at me in French. I can understand a little bit of French, I used to be able to get by when I was in high school, but that was a long time ago! I am anxious to get out of Quebec as quickly as possible. The last time I was here was for the '76 summer Olympics in Montreal and I remember how frustrating it was to get anywhere, well, it has not changed a whit!

If I could have avoided Quebec altogether I would have, but that was not possible. I am looking forward to seeing my friend Farzana tomorrow, today leaving PEI was a little tough, I got in a couple last shots of another church and then it was onto the Confederation Bridge with a toll of $43.00 I guess they have to pay for that one billion price tag!

Anne of Green Gables!

2011-07-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

The farm where Lucy Maud Montgomery based her book Anne of Green Gables is a National Historic Monument. It was fun to see the haunted woods come to life as I walked around the farm house. The farm house has been decorated to look like the place Anne grew up. It was enjoyable to see the book come to life, they have done a good job of keeping this piece of history alive.

It was a very pleasant drive to the town of Cavendish. Every town in P.E.I. is very accessible. It took only forty five minutes to get there from Charlottetown. I was in no hurry, so I drove slowly taking in the serene beauty of this island. Stopping every time I spotted a white church with a steeple. There's something about a white church with a long spire against the blue sky that has always appealed to me. Of course, I am always fascinated by the graveyards next to these tiny churches. As a Hindu where cremation is our way of paying final respect to the body, I find burial of a body interesting. On the one hand it gives the ones left behind a place to memorialize the final resting place of a loved one. On the other hand, a lot of land is devoted to dead people. As an environmentalist I find that to be wasteful, I can also see the comfort a final resting place brings to friends and family members. It is hard to go to the River Ganga in India, every time a Hindu misses the ones who are gone!

I had an extremely pleasant day, even though the day started off with rain and overcast sky. I was determined not to let that be a hinderance. I slept in and woke up when my body felt ready and then, after breakfast, I was off to explore. The day turned out quite well, every so often the clouds would part and allow the sun to peak out. The temps were in the upper seventies, which allowed me to have the top down for most of my sightseeing.

Tomorrow the driving begins again, this time the destination is Toronto, I am going to visit my childhood friend Farzana who lives in Toronto with her family. We have not seen each other in about twenty years. We speak with each other regularly and keep abreast of each other's lives. It will be wonderful to see her again.

Prince Edward Island.

2011-07-11T19:27:00.000-07:00

Well, this entry is being made from Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest province. I left North Sydney this morning and headed straight towards P.E.I. It seems all the cute, charming cottages and houses wanted to live here on this island! The entire island is green and so well manicured.

Getting here I went across Confederation Bridge. The bridge is a marvel of modern day engineering. The bridge is eight miles long and it goes over the Northumberland Strait, it took over five thousand local workers, four years to build at a cost of one billion dollars to complete the task! The bridge opened in 1997, linking Prince Edward Island to the mainland of Canada. I was very happy to travel over the bridge instead of having to take a ferry to the island. I think I am done with ferry rides for a while. I used to have a house on Salt Spring Island off the coast of Vancouver, just getting to my house would take four hours on the ferry!

Tomorrow I am going to visit the farm where the author of Anne of Green Gables used to visit. I am looking forward to driving over this island and taking my time discovering. I noticed there are a lot of white churches with steeples, I plan to stop and take pictures of as many churches as I can.

Back on the ferry!

2011-07-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

I am making this entry from the ferry to Nova Scotia, I just learnt from Doug Johnston, a fellow passenger that the ferry route is an extension of the Trans-Canada Hi-way. He also pointed out that this is the only "road" you can have an alcohol beverage! The crossing has been a bit rough so I will not be partaking in anything that can add to my queasiness!

The drive to Port aux Basques took 91/2 hours I was on the road at 8:30 a.m. I am glad I got up early and drove out, I made it to the ferry terminal at 5:58 p.m. and loading began promptly at 6:00 p.m.

I stopped on the way at Mary's diner where Ramona my waitstaff provided me with a delicious grilled cheese sandwich. When I asked her how long she had lived on Newfoundland? "All my life". She answered, not only that, she had lived in the town of Eastland her entire life. She seemed very happy and content with her life. It's hard for me to imagine living in one place for an entire lifetime. At times I do envy people who have such deep roots, my roots are spread all over the world. I guess I call the entire planet my home not just one place.

Well, my next entry will be from Prince Edward Island, Canada's smallest Province, we will be docking soon and tonight I will go straight to bed!

Cape Spear!

2011-07-09T15:43:00.000-07:00

Today I wanted to see the easternmost part of the North American continent, it's located at Cape Spear, it houses one of Newfoundland and Labrador's oldest surviving lighthouse. The 1835 structure is on a rocky cliff 245 ft. above sea water. I was hoping to dip my toe into the Atlantic Ocean at this point, but it was not meant to be. The rocky cliffs are slippery and the ocean tide is very strong with rogue waves coming in with no warning. As much as I wanted to inch my way towards the water, I resisted and took many photos instead. Somethings are just not meant to be and this was one of them. I was treated instead to Humpback whales! I saw a baby just frolicking off the coast. Every few minutes it would come up for air and then disappear into the sea. The only hint the whale was about to surface would be when the water around the whale become a light hue of blue, and the glistening body of the whale came out of the water. Then, water spew out of the blow hole and under she would go again. I was delighted that this extra special treat was in store for me!

I also went to Signal Hill just a short drive from downtown St. John's this is the location where in 1901 the first transatlantic wireless message was received by Guglielmo Marconi. The morning was shrouded in fog at Signal Hill so I was not able to see the ocean, but the view of the harbour was visible. St John's looked very picturesque tucked away off the shore. With the brightly coloured houses, boats and ships docked and a perfect sky as the backdrop. I have enjoyed my stay here in St. John's and I am glad I made this trek to the eastern shore of Canada. Tomorrow begins the trek back to Port aux Basques, the long drive and then the ferry crossing back to Sydney, Nova Scotia.

This has been an incredible journey and even though it has been tiring at times, I am gratified I came. I will be sad to leave St. John's and Newfoundland.

Shopping St. John's style!

2011-07-08T19:39:00.000-07:00

Today, I woke up late! What a joy it is to sleep in, I have been on the go so much my fatigue level was at an all time high. It was good to get the needed rest, after breakfast, I headed towards the historic downtown of St. John's it is the oldest city in Canada. The houses downtown are row houses all painted with bright colours. I am sure to keep the bleak days of winter and fog at bay.

I wanted to be able to pick out gifts for family members from the eastern most part of Canada. Being and artist myself, I prefer to purchase one of a kind handmade items by local artists. I was not disappointed, I found just the right thing for each member of my family! Then, I was off taking pictures of the charming painted houses and the port of St. John's. The downtown area is quite hilly, I wear a pedometer so that I can keep track of the steps I take daily and today I logged well over thirteen thousand steps which is 6.1 miles!

In the evening I went to India Gate on Duckworth street, a local Indian restaurant which has been in business for the past twenty years. I neglected to make a reservation, I simply couldn't remember what day of the week today is and of course on a Friday night in a bustling city such as St. John's reservations are required! The proprietor of the establishment whose name is Varinder could see the disappointment in my face, he very kindly made room for me and I enjoyed an amazing dinner!

At the end of my meal Varinder and I exchanged stories as to how we both ended up so far away from our native lands, during the conversation I find out he lived in Vancouver for a while. He knew who my sister is, he had watched her shows on television and listened to her on the radio! We both remarked on what a small world this truly is. I have come across so many people of Indian descent who know of my sister Shushma, I am heartwarmed by her popularity!

Tomorrow, I will head to Signal Hill and then to Cape Spear, the eastern most part of Canada; dip my toe in the Atlantic Ocean and consider my quest to get to the furthest point of Canada complete!

St. John's!

2011-07-07T18:27:00.000-07:00

After a long ten hour drive I have arrived at the eastern most part of Canada! Leaving Port aux Basques this morning was eerie, the fog was dense and it was difficult to see the road but within about fifteen minutes I left the misty conditions behind and the clouds parted, the sun was shinning and all was well with the world!

Most of Newfoundland has gently rolling hills, I expected it to be much more rugged and rough looking, but it has a gentle, soft personality. Pools of clear water lakes dot the landscape, the hills dip into the lakes at a slow incline and the water seems as though it's a mirror. The people of Newfoundland also match the personality of it's surroundings, they are very kind and helpful. This evening the hostess at a local restaurant went out of her way to suggest where I might find local artists selling their handicrafts. Her name is Sarah and she kindly drew a map for me so I won't get lost. I think Newfoundland's greatest treasure is it's citizens, they are the gems that sparkle along with their crystal clear lakes.

Trans-Canada Hi-way through Newfoundland is a well planned road, even though it's a two lane hi-way; every so often a lane is provided so that people can overtake the slower vehicles. Everyone moves over if a faster car is approaching, which was usually my car! The road is in good shape and there was no trash on the road anywhere and very little roadkill!

Canada does take very good care of it's roads. The Canadians have us beat when it comes to healthcare, road conditions, recycling and overall trash management. In every hotel room I found a bin just for recyclables. At the ferry terminal there were large bins for composting as well as recycling. I like that mentality I wish we could implement more of that back home.

I am tired after the long drive and I am not looking forward to making the same drive back to Port aux Basques so that I can catch the ferry back to Nova Scotia and then drive across Canada-- what was I thinking?!

Port aux Basques, Newfoundland!

2011-07-06T16:28:00.000-07:00

Finally, I am here! The apex of my journey. It seems like just getting here all the stars had to align just right and prayers to all the travel Gods in the pantheon of all Gods were sent out. The prayers were answered, even though I got on the wrong hi-way, I was still able to find the ferry terminal and get in line ahead of time. For those of you who have been following my blog-- you know that mornings are not my best time of the day. Though, when push comes to shove I can function in the mornings, which I did this morning. I got ready in record time and was on the road by 8:15 a.m.

Getting on the ferry is it's own travel drama, one has to report to the terminal two hours ahead of sailing time and then you wait in your designated lane until the ferry personnel motion you forward to board the gigantic vessel. Spitfire had to remain in the parking hold of the ferry in the bottom deck while I went upstairs to a very comfortable lounge.

I had ordered perfect weather, clear blue skies, minimal wind and a calm sea. All of the above were granted! The sailing was smooth as we bid au-revoir to the North Sydney coastline of Nova Scotia. I went to the dinning room for some lunch to find that no vegetarian choices were available for me, as I stood there pondering what I might do to satiate my hunger the chief chef came over and said "I will fix you a vegetarian platter with a salad and it's on the house!" I was indeed moved by his kind gesture. His name is Albert, he is the chef on the vessel named Blue Puttees, if you ever happen to be in this neck of the woods.

I met a charming family from Toronto who were on a family vacation, I enjoyed my conversation with Sue and her son. If I get the opportunity, Sue and I may meet each other for lunch while I am in Toronto. These are the joys of travel, meeting perfect strangers and finding out you have so much in common with each other. We exchanged e-mail addresses and will stay in touch.

Our ferry arrived in Port aux Basques the south western tip of Newfoundland on time at 4:30 p.m. As we were approaching Newfoundland, fog started to roll in and the harbor town was barely visible. Such a difference in less than an hour! We went from summer to late fall like temps in a matter of minutes! The landscape looks like Scotland, granite hills with fog hovering; you expect to see someone playing bagpipes emerging from behind the fog curtain!

The hotel I am staying at is close to the ferry terminal, tomorrow a long 7-10 hour drive awaits me as I journey eastwards to St John's. I may decide to break the journey in half depending on my fatigue level!

Sydney, Nova Scotia!

2011-07-05T18:29:00.000-07:00

It was a long day getting here to Sydney, narrow windy road part of it was not in good repair. The northern part of Nova Scotia near the ocean is picturesque the rest of it is gentle rolling hills with plenty of pine trees. I did drive down to Halifax hoping to catch the coastal hi-way but, got lost and decided to go on the Trans-Canada route to Sydney instead. Tomorrow from North Sydney I will catch the 11 a.m. ferry to Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland-- try saying that really fast three times in a row! It's been a long day and I really need to get to sleep so that I can be up early to wait in line for TWO hours before the ferry sailing. So, I will make a longer entry tomorrow, perhaps even from the ferry if they have an internet connection.

Fredericton, New Brunswick

2011-07-04T20:01:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up to fog in Maine! Fog is rare in Oklahoma, but I remember plenty of foggy days in London as a teenager. By the time I was on the road at ten in the morning the fog had burned off and the day was beautiful. I was going to check some of the lighthouses that Maine is so famous for but decided to head towards New Brunswick, I was anxious to get my journey across Canada started. After topping off Spitfire's (my car) gas tank we headed north on I-95. The top was down since it was only in the upper seventies, Robert Palmer and Prince helped to rev up the journey to high octane and away we went. A lot of the hi-way was very similar to the road I took towards Alaska along with signs warning of moose crossings!

It took less than ten minutes at the Canadian border, customs is my least favorite thing to do on the planet! Memories of being pulled over when I was driving to Alaska will always remain fresh in my mind, so this time I had my story ready along with details of how long I will be in the fair country of Canada. No problems this time I had nothing to declare, questions such as "Do you have any firearms with you?"-- brought a smile inside my head, I was not about to elaborate on my personal feelings about carrying guns, or about being a pacifist; too much information! I have had to remind myself that I only need to answer questions with a 'yes' or, 'no' answer, too much information given out by me always gets me in trouble!

Well, I entered New Brunswick and took a photo of the beginning of my Canadian adventure, Fredericton was not far away and I made it to my hotel by teatime. Indians, Canadians and the British know how to do afternoon tea. I sat in the elegant dinning room sipping on hot English Breakfast tea and eating scones. I didn't have to tell the waitstaff to bring cream for me, they know how to serve afternoon tea. Such a wonderful respite afternoon tea is, it rejuvenates in a very calm and serene manner.

After my tea I went to my room and began to plan out the journey to Newfoundland. This portion of the trip did require schedules since the only way to get to St. John's is by ferry hotels on the way have to be booked in advance so that I will have a place to stay. As much as I dislike planning ahead in this instance I do have to be meticulous in my planning. Getting to St. John's is quite a trek after catching the ferry to Newfoundland, there is a 7-9 hour car journey to arrive at St. John's! Good job, I like to drive!

Tomorrow I am going to get to Nova Scotia and drive to Halifax. I hope everyone at home had a very pleasant July 4th!

Freeport, Maine.

2011-07-03T17:24:00.000-07:00

I crossed over many states in one single day, from Connecticut to Massachusetts, through New Hampshire to Maine! Amazing! It takes two days just to cross the length of California. I decided to get off the major interstate I-95 and go the coastal route on hi-way 1. Soon I realized it was a mistake because it seems everyone in all the eastern states had the same idea. It was bumper to bumper traffic on this tiny hi-way. It took ten minutes to travel less than a mile. Even though the small towns that dot this scenic road, are little jewels, I headed back towards the interstate. I didn't know how long it would take to get to Freeport, I had stopped to make a reservation around tea time. I knew a room would be waiting for me, at the same time I was not willing to crawl at a snails pace during the dusk hours.

The two towns I did get to see were Portsmouth Maine where the US navy started, and Kittery. In Portsmouth the middle of the town square there was an old working village, where people dress in period costumes and speak old English. It was intriguing to see how people lived in this brand new country. Remarkable to see how much this country has been able to achieve in a mere two hundred odd years. Kittery on the other hand is a shoppers paradise, it's a shame I could not find any parking or a few well chosen items might have found their way into the trunk of my car!

Tomorrow I plan to be in New Brunswick, Canada, but before that I am going to check out the charming little hamlet of Freeport and learn it's history.

Danbury CT.

2011-07-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

Well, I made to Connecticut! I have never been in this part of the country before and I must say the small towns remind me of rural England, with windy narrow roads and no grid pattern apparent. I can see why the east coast is so different than the west coast. The east was colonized by the British and of course they would make this new land look like the home they left behind. As charming as they are, it's easier to navigate on a grid pattern!

Today, the driving was even more pleasant because there was no destination in mind except to get closer to the east coast. I will get to Maine and then on to New Brunswick Canada in the next few days.

I think all the east coast drivers are on some type of hyped coffee or, they all take steroids. I have never been around so many aggressive drivers. Even though the speed limit in Pennsylvania and New York is sixty five miles on the hi-way, none of them pay attention to it and most everyone was speeding-- my kind of people! The Pennsylvanian drivers maybe the best drivers in the nation, they understand the need to get in the left lane only to overtake, even if they are doing it at breakneck speed! It was my turn to be in the slow lane and I am not sure I liked that too much! I did get to enjoy the scenery, it was enjoyable to see the heavily forested lands and the picturesque farms of Pennsylvania. I had not expected that, for some reason I thought the land would be an urban sprawl. Most of the towns are tucked away in the valleys off I-70.

Connecticut is charming I can see why people would want to live here, the forests have tall majestic trees and the homes are lovely. Along with tiny windy roads to compliment the picture perfect location. More tomorrow!

New Stanton, PA.

2011-07-01T20:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't get as far as Harrisburg today, the eastern part of the country is definitely harder to traverse than the western half which I am so used to traveling on my way north to Vancouver. The way I have been driving so long and hard, by now I would have reached Portland Oregon! So, a change in plans, I will not be able to make it to New Brunswick by July 4. Time to step back and remember the reason for this trip-- to enjoy the journey! I think the reason for my haste is rooted in the ferry schedule for Newfoundland and consequently lodging in St. John. I dislike having to book ahead of time it takes all the fun out of spontaneity! This trip has had to be different because I have had to plan ahead and book hotel rooms along the way to insure arrival in St John. Well, today that went out the window! There is more traffic and even more construction on the roads and most drivers just don't stay out of my way!

I came to my hotel room exhausted and regrouped. I cancelled most of the bookings I had made and decided to slow down and enjoy the idyllic Pennsylvanian countryside. I kept one hotel booking on Newfoundland for later next week just in case I do get there, other than that I will be flying by the seat of my pants as I usually do!

Today, as I was racing towards Harrisburg I was mulling over what wonderful fast food chain will I patronize when I noticed a huge sign written in Gurmukhi, it is the way the Punjabi language is written, I can speak Punjabi but never learnt to write it; though I recognize the script. Gratefully, under the Gurmukhi script there were these words in English "A Taste of India next exit and then turn right"! This was another truck stop catering to Sikh truck drivers just as I had found a truck stop in New Mexico last summer. I was overjoyed!

I decided to take the exit knowing I would get to eat authentic Punjabi food. I was not disappointed. These truck stops cater to Indian truckers so the food is like homestyle. It's not made for the North American palate. Sumptuous and spicy I enjoyed my lunch, I was thankful I didn't have to choose between Cracker Barrel or Subway!

The rest of the afternoon was very pleasant, amazing when the belly is full the brain is happy. It also helped that the weather is cooler in this part of the country and I was able to have the top down and listen to some great music!

I have no idea where I'll end up tomorrow so it will be as much a surprise to me as to you! Until then.

Journey towards Newfoundland Canada.

2011-06-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

Well, the day has come to be on the epic journey of traveling across Canada on Trans- Canada Hi-Way 1. But, before one can drive across Canada from east to west one must get to Canada! So, the arduous task of getting mentally and physically prepared for this began in earnest on Monday. I usually make my guest room the staging area for all the items needed for such an undertaking. Having everything in one area is so much simpler. Anytime I find something that must travel with me it goes to the staging room.

It's always hard to leave home, always hard to say good bye to my daughter Reina. She has two precious Cocker pups who are so adorable, if I could have I would have taken them with me. They stopped by to wish me bon voyage, we ate lunch together and then it was time to get on the road.

The drive to Vandalia Illinois was uneventful, too many people kept getting in my way, driving slow in the fast lane.. don't they understand that the left lane is for overtaking only? This has to be my biggest pet peeve. For some reason, today was a hard day, it was very hot in Oklahoma and just getting the car packed was exhausting. I am looking forward to cooler days ahead and getting to drive across all the Canadian Provinces!

Anthony Weiner's Numerology!

2011-06-17T10:32:00.000-07:00

I am always fascinated by human behavior. Watching the unraveling of Anthony Weiner's life so publicly intrigued me enough to want to figure out his Numerology. A person's numerology always gives us insight into the inner workings of the personality.

In numerology every letter in the alphabet has a numeric value. Each number has positive qualities and negative influences. Of course, it's up to us to vibrate to the positive. Mr. Weiner's first name numerology comes to 7 and his full name numerology comes to 9.

Both numbers have the potential to be extraordinary! A 7 vibration to his first name, gave him the ability to be poised, spiritual and be a wise person-- or, cold, aloof and deceitful. His full name numerology offers another peak into what contributed to his fall from grace. As a 9 expression he is charming, magnetic and is drawn toward philanthropy and humanitarian causes. Yet, the negative influence of the same number can be, egocentricity, indiscretion and immorality.

Another component to numerology is the life path. This is determined by the birth date of a person. Mr. Weiner was born Sept. 4, 1964 all the numbers are added together and then reduced down to a single number, which gives us the life path number.

His life path is 6. A person born under this life path must learn the meaning of responsibility! It's a life path of service to the family as well as community. People with a 6-life path are often drawn to the 'helping' professions. Those who choose not to answer the calling of this life path will often be devoid of responsible behavior, have an air of smugness and mistaken ideals.

According to his numerology Anthony Weiner was in the right profession, he had the innate ability to be a wise, spiritual leader who I am sure must have been charming and yet he chose to seek the baser vibrations of his name numerology as well as his life path. A person who wanted to serve his constituents and his country is left out in the cold today; trying, I am sure to make amends to the people he hurt the most, his wife and family.

The open road.

2010-08-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

I think anyone reading knows how much I love to drive. The open road holds so many possibilities. Today I am on my way home to Oklahoma. Yesterday, after a tearful goodbye in Vancouver, I headed south to see Mahesh again in Portland. The sadness of leaving my sisters was tempered by knowing I will be seeing my son soon. I arrived in Portland around 9 p.m., the border crossing is always harder on the way back into the United States, for some reason they never have enough lanes open. I invariably pick the slowest moving lane, I really don't know how I manage to do that!

The drive on I-5 south is ludicrous, I was amazed yet again to come across the most incompetent drivers in the Union. Last year I remember writing that Washington state had the worst drivers and true to form they are still ill mannered. They really don't understand the concept of the left lane is for overtaking only! It was the long border wait and the incompetency of the Washington drivers that delayed my arrival by two very long hours. But, it was wonderful to see Mahesh and Sara again. Dinner was awaiting me and a warm, comfortable bed.

Mahesh and I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning catching up on my visit to Vancouver. It seems as though it's never enough time when we start exchanging ideas. The good news is that he will be coming home to Oklahoma to visit in about two weeks. The lure is two brand new Cocker Spaniel puppies his sister has adopted! I too am looking forward to seeing the brand new addition to the family.

I started out this morning around eleven and ended my day in Boise Idaho. The imagery on the way was spectacular. Oregon has many faces, most often people think it's lush and green with towering cedars, but eastern Oregon has a totally different topography. I had the top down for most of the day and enjoyed the wind through my hair, listening to Robert Plamer and others on the cd my son in law had prepared for me. I love driving in this great country I call home!

Goodbye Vancouver..

2010-08-12T22:13:00.000-07:00

Even though I am anxious to return home, it's never easy to leave Vancouver. I always miss the beauty of this incredibly vibrant city and of course my family. I went to my sister Shushma's radio station RJ1200 in this morning to sit in on a staff meeting and to say goodbye to all the staff members along with my sister and nephew. I was on my way out of the city when I realised I had left a favorite pair of sandals at my sister's home. I was close enough so I turned around and headed back home. I am never happy to leave Vancouver, so it was great that I was able to go back, have lunch with my younger sister Sadhna. That is the comfort of driving, I can change my itinerary at a whim, I love being able to do that!

As it turned out my sandals were tucked away in the boot (trunk) of my car, I guess my heart wanted an excuse to go back one more time. I am glad I had lunch with Sadhna, it was easier to leave again for the second time. Now onto the border and customs not my favorite thing to do!

The warmth of family.

2010-08-05T18:10:00.000-07:00

It's been good to be in Vancouver for the past few days. It was tough to leave Portland last Saturday. After packing my last few belongings I headed north towards the Canadian border, it was easier to leave Oregon knowing I will see my son on my way home in about two weeks.

The wondrous thing about being in Vancouver is spending time with family and getting to eat Indian food I didn't have to prepare! Last night we were at my brother's home, gathered around the dinner table enjoying favorite dishes prepared by my sister-in-law; teasing my young niece and nephew endlessly-- good times!

We all wished my son and daughter could have joined us here in Vancouver this summer; they were both present in our hearts and stories being told about them. Many trips down memory lane accompanied by laughter as well as wistful sighs, missing the members of our families no longer with us.

I have been busy with Feng Shui consultations for family friends, going to familiar haunts and discovering new places to see. Today my sister and I were in downtown Vancouver, how this city has changed in the last few years. I remember how easy it was to go to downtown; it was such an accessible city. Of course now with the city growing it feels as though it's bursting at the seams.

Sometime next week I will be my sister's radio guest. She owns her own radio station called RJ1200. I will be doing a show on numerology. I am anxious to get home to Oklahoma, see my daughter and two brand new Cocker Spaniel puppies!

Au-revoir Portland...

2010-07-30T19:56:00.000-07:00

Well, my last night here in Portland is here. Mahesh, Sara and I went out for dinner at a local Italian restaurant called Jopa. It's less than a block away from my apartment. I make this entry with a heavy heart, I am never ready to say so long to my son. Now that I have spent the last seven weeks with him, it's going to be twice as hard not seeing him almost daily. I am looking forward to going to Vancouver and getting to spend time with my Canada family. Though, I am also anxious to get home to Oklahoma. Being away from the familiar does begin to wear on a person.

My time here at Glencullen has been very relaxing, I have been able to paint and also spend time discovering the myriad of fabulous eye absorbing locations. Portland is an easy city to navigate, the downtown area is not as frustrating as San-Francisco or Vancouver. Parking is usually readily available and there is no end of charming, eclectic shops to frequent.

I will miss my son the most, my heart aches every time I think of leaving him.

"Vancouver, Vancouver, this is it!"

2010-07-24T23:22:00.000-07:00

Those were the last words heard from David. A. Johnston an American volcanologist. He was killed by the eruption of Mount St. Helens on May 18, 1980. In 1980 when Mahesh, my son was only five his little sister three, I took them to see the devastation caused by the volcano's eruption. Today thirty years later Mahesh and I went back to Mt. St. Helens, this time we were up close and personal. We were at the observatory named after Johnston, it has been erected where Johnston was stationed those thirty years ago. The volcano was majestic before it "blew" it's top and now there is something painful about the volcano, there is a part of it missing forever, though the magma keeps building up and a dome is trying to push up, the majesty of pre-eruption will not be regained. The reminders of the awesome fury of the eruption were visible everywhere. Huge tree trunks left snapped in half dotted the adjoining mountain terrain. I was so tempted to bring a small piece of the felled trees with me but my son would not allow me to fall off the "wagon".. I am after all a recovering rockoholic! Too many pieces of rocks or pieces of wood have found their way back home in earlier travels, but no more. I made a promise a long time ago to leave those treasures in their homeland and not transport them to Oklahoma. I kept my promise, though today it was the hardest thing I have ever done!

Today I was able to walk a lot without pain, I am so grateful for the prolotherapy. I hope more people will educate themselves about this least invasive procedure.

I had such a wonderful day with Mahesh, we ate the soggy tomato and cheese sandwiches with Coke and potato chips and enjoyed deep philosophical discussions. It was a memorable day!

Mt. St. Helens!

2010-07-24T11:08:00.000-07:00

I am waiting for Mahesh, my son, we are going to go to Mt St. Helens today for the entire day. He was only five years old when the volcano erupted back in May 1980. I took them to Toutle River to see the devastation caused by the eruptions. He has been fascinated by volcanos since then! He has wanted to go back and see Mt. St Helens since then; I am glad we will be able to spend the entire day together. I have already prepared sandwiches and Coke is cooling in the cooler. I always made tomato and cheese sandwiches on our road trips, by the time it was time to eat them they were soggy-- both my children have grown to love their mother's soggy tomato and cheese!

I will write more about our adventure together at the end of the day.

The past couple of weeks have been eventful, I went to the Beaverton farmer's market last Saturday with a friend. I was amazed at the size of this farmer's market, it stretched for blocks and the fruit was all too tempting. I had to keep reminding myself that there is only one of me and there is only so much fruit a human being can consume-- nevertheless, I still bought more than needed; though I didn't waste any.

I have also found a charming tearoom in Beaverton, the proprietress is French, so the tea service and food has a very continental flair. The name of this eclectic antique store/tearoom is Tea Thyme and Lavender if you happen to be in this neck of the woods.

While my son and his wife were gone to the coast last weekend for their anniversary, I prepared an entire meal as an anniversary present for their return. It was enjoyable to cook and get to taste some of my own cooking. I don't usually make the time anymore to prepare elaborate meals.

I have also been following up with prolotherapy on a weekly basis and I am happy to report that my knees continue to improve. I am so glad my son found Dr. David, he practices in St. John here in Oregon.

I will write more at the end of my day. Until then.

July in Portland.

2010-07-07T22:30:00.000-07:00

Sunny warm days are finally here in Portland. Though, I have enjoyed the cooler weather, I was ready for hot summer days. Judi and Mike my hosts have a pool and today I was able to swim and laze while looking up at towering cedars. The sky definitely looks a cooler hue of blue here in the northwest.

My daughter Reina came to visit us over July 4th weekend. It was a whirlwind weekend, we went to the Oregon coast to scatter Murphy's ashes (Reina's beloved cat). A few years ago we had done the same type of ceremony for Snuffy our cocker spaniel. It was fitting that Snuffy and Murphy be together on the west coast, since they both grew up together. while Reina was here it rained and was mostly overcast. I think she was happy with that since in Oklahoma it had been hot. It was great fun to have Reina here, though her visit was all too short.

Tomorrow, I go in for another prolotherapy session. The pain in both my knees has returned, my research shows that it will take time before healing can take place. I am happy that I don't need to take any pain medication; at the same time I am a bit disappointed that my recovery is slow.

After Reina left, I returned to my painting and was able to finish two more paintings. One is a sunset and another one is of raindrops--wonder why that is on my mind so much!

As I was laying by the pool this evening, I was looking up at the trees swaying in the gentle breeze, it felt as though the trees were sharing a good laugh with the wind. The leaves were glistening in the sunlight, moving gracefully back and forth and I came to the conclusion that all was well in my world!

Hoyt Arboretum.

2010-06-27T21:39:00.000-07:00

Today, I spent the afternoon at Hoyt Arboretum. I have loved arboretums since my childhood in Nairobi, Kenya. One of my most vivid memories of Nairobi is going to the arboretum with my family. I think my intense love of trees comes from going to the arboretum. I remember looking at the different varieties of trees and visualizing one day seeing the trees in their natural habitat. I am happy to say, this is something I have been able to do in all of my travels. When Mahesh and Reina were little tykes, I taught them to hug trees while on a hike. I would tell them trees had special magical powers and would replenish their energy with a simple hug!

Needless to say, their friends thought both of them to be a bit strange watching both my children hugging trees on nature hikes. Soon, though, they had their friends hugging trees too. Trees are the lungs of this planet; I will never be able to chop a tree down.

My afternoon was indeed idyllic, I am happiest when I am amongst my trees. I took many photographs, and looked at a multitude of trees, plants and flowering bushes. The arboretum is about a fifteen minute drive from my apartment, so I plan to go there often.

The day today was perfect, highs were in the eighties and a soft breeze was present. After my trek to the arboretum, I headed home and still had enough time to paint. I had been waiting for one of my oils to start to dry out so I could add details. The paint had dried enough to allow me to do just that. Painting is a natural endorphin for me; right now all is well in my world!

Painting heaven!

2010-06-24T20:24:00.000-07:00

Today, I spent my entire day painting. I used to do that on a regular basis, but it's been years since I have painted one painting after another. My first composition was calla lilies, I did that in oils. I prefer to paint outdoors in oils, I find that I can paint quickly in oils. Couple of hours later my painting was done and I was on my way to the next painting.

My second project was in acrylics, a painting in the genre of Goddesses. I grew up in a culture of being surrounded by beautiful Goddesses. In Hinduism, we have a Goddess for knowledge, prosperity, a warrior Goddess, a love Goddess and the list continues. My hosts here at Glencullen have a beautiful wooden sculpture of a Goddess from Bali adorning my front door; she became my inspiration! I am going to take my time painting her. Most likely I will paint the Goddess in between painting the outdoor oils.

On another note, my knee continues to be pain free. I am anxious to have an injection in my left knee. It's been strange to be pain free in one knee and still have pain in my left knee.

Painting does the mind good!

Prolotherapy in Portland!

2010-06-21T23:45:00.000-07:00

Today, I did go and see Dr. David to have a session of Prolotherapy. This is not some new-age treatment, it's a treatment that has been practiced by MDs Homeopaths and Naturopaths for the past fifty years. The only problem is that mainstream western doctors don't know about these remedies because they are taught to look at the human body through surgical or drug induced solutions only. Prolotherapy is where the doctor injects dextrose into the knee joint to stimulate the healing process. Since dextrose is an irritant it stimulates the body's response to start healing the irritated area, thus causing for the ligaments to become stronger. This is in laymen's terms. If, you need more information on this process Google prolotherapy and read more.

All those years of running and walking countless miles on hard pavement didn't do my knee joints any favours, so finally now I am getting some relief without cutting out part of my knee as my surgeon suggested!

With the one injection I received today, my right knee is already feeling better than my left knee. I am looking forward to be able to walk, hike and dance pain-free!

My wonderful son Mahesh, spent the day with me. Held my hand while I was being injected; I am a very grateful mother.

One pastel done, at least 29 more to go!

2010-06-20T23:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the clouds parted allowing us to see the sun. So, I ran out to my idyllic park-like backyard; pastels in hand and started expressing myself creatively. It has been years since I have worked in pastels, I had forgotten how much I enjoyed them. To begin with my hands felt a little unsure, but as I let go of expectations and began to enjoy the process; the leaves of the rhododendron plant started to take form, pretty soon I didn't notice the passing of time and found myself totally immersed in my composition.

I am happy to say, I was very pleased with the final outcome of my very first art project here in the Northwest-- the summer of at least thirty paintings. That is my ultimate goal!

After having completed the pastel rendition, I even had time to make dinner for Mahesh and Sara. We enjoyed a home cooked meal and conversation. My first week here has been perfect. I am not used to the rain and overcast days, but everyone keeps telling me sunny days are ahead. I have put in my order for clear blue skies.

My hosts do have a pool that I will be able to use; I plan to swim a lot!

Today was another overcast day, the atmosphere thick with moisture, as the rain drizzled. I invited myself to Mahesh's house with a bribe to make his favorite 'masala chai'; it's a prized family recipe of spice tea. It was a perfect afternoon for that.

Tomorrow I am going to see a doctor about my knees; I am going to start Prolotherapy. It's a way for knees to begin healing without drastic measures. I am hoping I will be a good candidate for this procedure. I will write more tomorrow about my adventures!

Visualizing my paintings.

2010-06-17T23:41:00.001-07:00

Today the day was spent in writing and visualizing the paintings I plan to create. The writing was done for my e-newsletter I send out monthly. The visualizing is a process I go through before I put brush and paint to the canvas. I walked around yesterday, taking in the atmosphere of the Northwest. It's so different than living in Oklahoma. I came from 90 degree weather to a high of 57 degrees today; quite a chilly difference!

I think my paintings are going to have a very organic feeling to them here. In the past I have painted Goddesses, or Oklahoma landscapes. Here I feel they will have a softer look to them. It will be interesting to see what I produce. Except for the three paintings I painted for my sister's office last summer, I have not painted at all in the last four years. Time was when I could not go a day without painting or creating something. I am truly looking forward to painting this weekend.

A day of leisure.

2010-06-16T22:39:00.001-07:00

It was an overcast day, no rain though, so it was pleasant to walk around in the wooded area surrounding my wonderful rented home. I have already scouted out three locations for paintings. The weather looks like it will cooperate this weekend, I may be able to paint outdoors. I am looking forward to that.

After my early afternoon walk, the day was spent getting familiar with my new surroundings. I kept getting lost yesterday while driving around, so the first order of business was go to the AAA office and get a local map of Beaverton/Portland. I love maps, they are a security blanket; I can always find my way home!

I found a local Indian grocery store, there is nothing like the aroma of an Indian grocery store, so familiar and inviting. I want to be able to prepare my son's favorite dish from his childhood, for that I needed Basmati rice (the best rice on the planet!) and I needed chick pea flour. With my new map in hand I ventured out feeling very capable of finding the store and more importantly getting to my son's home and back again without getting LOST!

I was able to find the store and get to Mahesh's home without any problems. The evening spent with him and Sara was very pleasant. Sara had made an enchilada dinner, which was sumptuous. Conversation over dinner about Mahesh being an extra in an upcoming television show was exciting. My son the actor!

Glencullen, Oregon.

2010-06-15T21:51:00.001-07:00

I arrived in Portland yesterday evening after a long eleven hour drive-- too grueling! The drive through the Columbia River Gorge is spectacular, though after a while I was tired of the winding road and the amount of effort it took to stay focused on driving and not being awestruck by the sheer beauty of this region. I was able to drive the entire day with the top down, the weather was perfect; cool with a clear blue sky with a few fluffy white clouds dotting the sky every so often.

At the end of the day, I was glad to be at my destination and anxious to see Glencullen my home for the next few weeks. I was not disappointed, Glencullen is an oasis hidden in the heart of a busy city. I am surrounded by acres of perfectly manicured landscaping, with a babbling brook, gazebo and a charming wooden bridge across the brook. Meandering paths leading to a host of contemplative locations; along with towering trees, and foliage picked by my hosts Judi and Mike to enhance the already stunning location.

By the time I arrived yesterday it was too late to visit my son and daughter in law. That was the first order of business today. I woke up eagerly to find the easiest way to get to my son's home and I was off. Getting to spend the day with Mahesh and Sara was the high point of my day. We spent the entire day catching up with each other, there will be many more days such as these, I am happy to say. We have already made plans for dinner tomorrow night as well as for Saturday night. How wonderful it is to be able to see my son everyday. I am very fortunate indeed!

Ogden, Utah!

2010-06-13T21:38:00.000-07:00

The drive today was long and tiring. I was on the road by 9:30 a.m. I drove through Kansas, then Colorado, north towards Cheyenne and then west towards Salt Lake City Utah. It rained for the entire day. To begin with the rain was a drizzle and I hoped soon it would be over and I could drive with the top down, but the rain Gods had other ideas, they made sure it rained all day and at times hard blinding rain! When it wasn't raining, there was plenty of fog to slow things down; it reminded me of my time in Scotland, the terrain even looked like the Scottish highlands. The fog hung low over the landscape giving it an eerie other world feeling. It felt as if I was driving into another dimension.

Wyoming is an interesting state, I don't think they have a large population, the land is sparsely populated and it seemed people were just driving through to get from one point to another. Towns were too few and far in between with service stations dotted here and there. It was too tempting to speed but I kept my lead foot in check since the road conditions were not optimal.

Tomorrow looks like another long day, but I hope to be in Portland by nightfall.

Goodland KS.

2010-06-12T19:07:00.001-07:00

So, the first day of the epic summer of painting has begun. I left OKC at 2p.m. no use in trying to leave any earlier, it's just not in my genes! The car is packed so full, I don't think there is room for one more item. It was great to be behind the wheel of my awesome car, cruising at 100 mph; weaving in and out of lanes listening to some of my favorite songs on a CD prepared for me by my daughter and son in law.

Driving north through Kansas is not the most exciting route; the landscape is flat and the road stretches out in front for endless miles. The fields had been plowed, I am assuming ready for the next crop. I am always amused by the roadside billboards. Some of the ones I encountered today were; "Christ is THE Lord", another was "Abortion is killing what God created", another was "If you died today where will you spend eternity?" My family and friends who don't live in the Bible belt don't understand billboards like these. Religion is a personal matter, not a subject for a billboard and certainly not a place that admonishes people. My answer for the last question would be "I will be spending eternity with all the souls being reincarnated over and over again."

It's much cooler here in Goodland, I hear thunder outside, I am glad to be off the road and in a comfortable hotel room for the evening. Tomorrow will be a long day, I hope to get an early start (for me early is being on the road by 10a.m.!) This trip north is going to have to be a quick journey. I am anxious to get to Portland, see my son and daughter in law and begin my painting sojourn! I will write more tomorrow from where ever I end up.

Art, tea and architecture...

2010-02-21T17:52:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we went to Fresno, to see Tiffany's one woman show in ceramics. Tiffany Schmierer is a former art student of mine, who moved to San Francisco about ten years ago and received her MFA at the San Francisco Art Institute. Reina drove the long drive from San Fran to Fresno, we stopped half way in Los Banos a small town to eat at a Mexican restaurant for lunch. We had artichoke enchiladas, all three of us are vegetarians. The enchiladas were delicious and they had spicy green chilli sauce for corn chips along with guacamole. After our leisurely lunch we were back on the road again towards Fresno. The long three hour drive allowed us all to get caught up on each other's lives. It had been three years since I had see Tiffany, and since then, she and her husband had bought a house and she is now a full time art teacher at a local community college.

We finally made it to Fresno and Tiffany's art show didn't disappoint us. Her work is thought provoking and whimsical at the same time. I was very happy to see how well Tiffany has blossomed from that young sixteen year old artist I met sixteen years ago!

We drove back to San Francisco, I took a nap in the back seat, and let the two young women catch up. It's very heartening to see how well Reina and Tiff get along with each other.

We ate dinner at an Indian restaurant called Clay Oven, the food was prepared in a similar manner to the way we cook at home. After dinner we took Tiffany home and enjoyed seeing her eclectically designed house.

This morning we woke up late, yesterdays driving was exhausting. We decided to eat at a local Vietnamese restaurant. Eating light was a good plan, since we had reservations at Lovejoy's a local restaurant serving authentic high tea, with scones, cucumber and cheese finger sandwiches. After tea, Reina and I went to an antique store to find a tea cozy for my teapot. I came across the most perfect tea cozy; it's a handmade with lace and dupioni silk. My wonderful daughter insisted on getting the tea cozy for me. It will be a delightful reminder of my visit to San Francisco!

San Francisco, the city by the Bay!

2010-02-19T20:54:00.001-08:00

So, here we are my daughter, Reina and I in San Francisco! We got here yesterday and today spent the day going to old haunts Reina used to frequent while she lived here. We had a great lunch at Chesters in Berkeley. I think, I would enjoy living in Berkeley, very bohemian! After our potato pancakes we headed towards the Golden Gate Bridge, I wanted to be at the base of the bridge looking up at this impressive structure. Lately, I have been interested in digital photography. I enjoy taking pictures from unusual angles. My daughter indulged me and found a way to get us to the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. I was not disappointed, the view was magnificent, and yes, I did get some spectacular shots of the bridge. We also visited a museum by the foundation of the bridge, it is called Fort Point, it's a historic site. We saw numerous cannons and wished my son, Mahesh, who enjoys historical sites and all things related to warfare could have been with us too, to see this quaint museum with it's own bookstore. But, we did the next best thing, bought a great present for him so that he would know he is always with us in our hearts, even when he is physically away from us.

After, our sojourn to the Golden Gate Bridge, we went to an area near the Marina and stopped off to have an afternoon cup of tea with a pastry. Dinner was at Pad Thai-- an incredible Thai restaurant, another one of Reina's favorite places.

As I finish this entry, I am looking out of the window of our hotel, our room is on the 18th floor with a view of this bustling, energetic city. Tomorrow, we will go to Fresno to see the one woman art show of Tiffany Schmierer.

Birthday month!

2010-01-15T12:09:00.000-08:00

January is my birthday month, I celebrate my birthday all month long. I was born on my mother and grandmother's birthday, January 12. My mother and I were both born on a full moon. While my mother was alive it was a very special day for me. We would call each other and see who could wish the other happy birthday first-- now that she is no longer here on this planet, my birthday does have a bitter sweet flavour to it. I miss my mother, moreover, I miss calling her on our special day. I received many strengths of character from my mother and I also discovered artistic talents she and I shared. I look back on the time we had together and am wistful of conversations we didn't have, conversations we take for granted until we can no longer have them. I realized after she died, that I never asked her about the simple things she did? I didn't ask her what her typical day was like when she was raising me and my five siblings in Nairobi, Kenya? I wanted to know the mundane-- what time did she get up? What did she prepare for breakfast, who took all the children to school? When did she start to prepare dinner? What was it like to be one of the few Indian women in Nairobi who drove a car? She was a pioneer, a strong woman, a visionary... I am thankful, I did have that conversation with her, I told her she has always been my hero.

The New Year!

2010-01-14T11:52:00.000-08:00

So, here we are in 2010! This year I hope to raft the widest river in the world... the Amazon River. But, before I do that a trip to San Francisco is coming up in February. My daughter Reina and I are going to see the art exhibit of Tiffany my other 'daughter'. Tiffany is a gifted sculptor and has a show in Fresno until the end of February. I taught Tiff art when she was in high school and I have enjoyed watching her mature into such a gifted artist.

Other trips planned for this year besides the Amazon are driving to Portland to visit my son Mahesh and his wife Sara and a quick trip north to Vancouver BC to visit family and then who knows?

Back to teaching.

2009-08-05T12:39:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-08-02T21:14:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-08-01T20:45:00.001-07:00

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!

2009-07-31T21:28:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-07-30T21:17:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-07-29T22:15:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-07-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-07-27T22:37:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-07-19T22:19:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-07-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-07-15T21:12:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-07-14T23:14:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-13T21:06:00.000-07:00

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

2009-07-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-07-11T18:57:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-07-10T19:18:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-06-18T21:03:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-06-17T15:27:00.001-07:00

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.

2009-06-03T21:20:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-05-31T18:21:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-05-29T12:48:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-05-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-05-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

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

2009-05-25T15:41:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-24T15:58:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-05-23T19:32:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-05-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-05-21T13:40:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-05-20T18:05:00.001-07:00

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

2009-05-19T17:22:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-05-18T18:13:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-05-17T18:38:00.000-07:00

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?

2009-04-03T15:14:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-03-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-03-27T01:33:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-26T06:51:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-23T09:23:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-03-22T08:32:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-03-21T08:37:00.000-07:00

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...

2009-03-20T07:52:00.000-07:00

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!

2009-03-19T09:58:00.000-07:00

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.

The three R's, rest ,relax, rejuvenate!

2009-03-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

I feel so much better after an entire day of being a beach bum. I do believe I am darker than my daughter..so take that Reina!

Yesterday and today, I was actually up early and ready to go. Just goes to show, I can be motivated by the beach. I did coax Gene to the beach finally today. Yesterday he spent time reading reports on banks?! I don't get that at all.

Goa is so laid back, it's amazing. The Arabian sea is so warm. I rarely jump right into the ocean, I take painfully slow steps into the ocean,but here the water is so warm. It took no time at all for me to swim like a fish. It's like stepping into a warm bath, with salted water. I had fun today. I spent time thinking about both my children. I fought the waves as Mahesh used to when he was young. And, I swam like a fish as Reina used to. Also, another ritual, Reina and I partake in, tan, tan, tan, swim, swim, swim! That's all one needs to do at the beach. Goa has miles and miles of powder sand beaches. Not polluted at all. I would really like to bring both my children to India. Goa would definitely be a required stop.

Gene and I spent our usual time contemplating our different views on humanity. Then we took a long walk on the beach. Walking on sand and the water lapping up to our feet, stopping every so often to observe sea creatures. Great afternoon!

Tomorrow we leave for Mumbai, I am not sure if my state of being is ready to see what lies ahead. We leave early in the morning. I will write more later.

Incredible Goa!

2009-03-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

I am in love with Goa. And, Gene is impressed too. This is an impeccable resort. My desire to rest and rejuvenate the spirit is on the money. Tomorrow we do go to Shakahari spice farm. This is an organic farm. We will see how all the spices that are used in Indian cooking are grown. A vegetarian lunch will be served after the tour of the farm. After that we will go to see some local churches. Goa's influence is from Portugal. Their influence is apparent in the buildings and even the features of people.

After the sight seeing I am heading to the beach!After we got here today, I strolled the serene white sand beaches. To watch a sunset over the ocean is remarkable. Truly one of those rare occasions for us Oklahomans!

After my sunset stroll, I met Gene for dinner. We ate outside listening to the waves gently rolling in on the beach and the palm trees swaying in the breeze. Now who would not want to have a perfect day like today?
More tomorrow.
Sunita.

Mahabalipuram.

2009-03-15T07:37:00.000-07:00

This is our last day in Chennai. We went to Mahabalipuram. This is a beach town, on the eastern coast of India. The ocean it faces is the Bay of Bengal. I remember this town clearly from my earlier travels. The town has improved with time. It is still the hub of artisans. The students of sculpture attend a school for 5-7 years learning their craft from masters and then a group open a store together. I like to patronize places like these. This way the artisan is the recipient of monetary gains rather than a shop keeper. I wasa glad to see that this place has improved with time. Granted it's busier than I remember it. Many more tourists. Along with the tourist dollar, improvements have been made. The historical sights are well manicured and trash is kept to a minimum.

We saw cave carvings done in 3 B.C. The progression of cave reliefs and the building process was clearly demonstrated in temples. Most of these are not and were not meant to be living temples. Temples must face east for them to be a living temple. Most of these faced west. They were 'practice temples'. The artisans were perfecting their craft. Tough way to practice..in granite! Another reason these beautiful monuments still remain is because they were not living temples. There was nothing for looters to steal.

Another thing I noticed in Mahabalipuram was the number of families out for a day at the beach. Too often the images we see of India are so negative. Today and on many other days, I have seen families spending time together, laughing and enjoying each other's company--positive images. We saw so many school children out for a day excursion, all well dressed and being playful. The guide and I both agreed, more people need to see a balanced picture of this incredible country.

After the ride back to Chennai, we went to visit a museum where we saw one third of the collection of bronzes of Shivji and Parvatiji. There was also a serene looking bronze of Buddha.This was a wonderful day. As an artist I appreciate hand made work. I will always come back to Mahabalipuram. Gene too enjoyed this excursion. He is getting very good at remembering all the stories of the Pantheon of Gods. He'll be able to give a talk on Hinduism better than me.

Tomorrow we go to Goa, it's on the west coast of India. Rest and relaxation are in order. I plan to tan, tan, tan. Swim, swim, swim. I have no idea what Gene will do?!

I am looking forward to the beach.

Sunita.

Kanchipuram.

2009-03-14T08:53:00.000-07:00

Today we were off to Kanchipuram. It took about an hour and half to get there. On the way we stopped at a small village. It was weird to see the village nestled in the middle of large manufacturing plants. South India is a haven for companies like Nokia, Hyundai, IBM and so on. We saw large busses with the Nokia logo filled with people, they were workers being transported from home to work.

The village life is fast disappearing in India. Going are the huts with thatched roofs made out of palm leaves. The village we saw did have little houses with the Palm leaf roofs. Very simple. One room houses. In the middle of the village was a fire pit where the meals are cooked. Another hut was for the animals, mostly goats. There was also a calf, the mother was grazing in a field nearby.

We got to Kanchipuram to see the oldest temple in this town. A large complex, pretty impressive. After that we went to another smaller temple which is now more like a museum rather than a living temple. A living temple is where people pray. This temple did have frescos painted on the carvings.

Then we stopped for lunch, its' so great to be able to have so many veggie choices. Gene does have a tough time with the spice level of the food. The food in the roadside cafe tastes authentic. Unlike a lot of the food served in the hotel restaurants. The hotels cater for non Indians.

We also went to a weaving cottage farm. Kanchipuram is famous for it's hand woven silk. Beautiful sarees, scarves, wall hangings, table runners etc. are available. The weaving process is fascinating for me. I have made a few things on my loom.

Well, tomorrow we will be going to Mahabalipuram, a town which I visited over ten years ago. I am anxious to see what it looks like now. I remember how the whole town was filled with artisans creating sculptures out of stone. Ancient art being practiced today.
Until then,
Sunita.

Chennai.

2009-03-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

We left Kolkata this afternoon and couple of hours later were in Chennai (formerly Madras). The south of India is so much calmer than Kolkata. Both Gene and I agree, if anyone asked for our recommendation, we would suggest coming to the south of India.We have a charming guide, the first woman. We were both very happy to see that. As Gene puts it, he is a feminist. I am glad he is or, we would have serious issues!

As always Gene wants to hit the ground running, luckily we had eaten lunch on the plane and I had had my dose of caffeine (coke of course). After checking in we were off to see the city. All of it was built by the Brits. It was their first strong hold, then Kolkata and finally Delhi. We saw an Anglican church, then a Roman Catholic church where they believe the Apostle Thomas is buried. After that we went to see a Hindu temple.

This evening I heard something I had not heard since I got to India... ambulance sirens! It was so strange to hear that, since for the past two weeks that sound has been missing. I think in all of the cities we have been an ambulance cannot manuver through the traffic. So, I have no idea what people do if they are hurt? Here in Chennai, traffic is a bit more moderate. Even though people do not stay in their lanes. As I have observed, lane markings are decoration for the road in India!

Tomorrow we will see Kanchipuram, more temples (yeah!) Even I am going to be templed out! The day after that we go to Mahabalipuram, a small town filled with artisans, I am so anxious to see that.

Kolkata,continued.

2009-03-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

Our day was spent driving through different towns and villages. There were banana farms. Lots of steel plants. We saw a Catholic church in the middle of a town. A strange sight to see. As I was walking towards the church, I noticed a man with a street cart. He was selling 'gol guppai' as a child, my sister and I would stop and eat gol guppai once a week. These are wafer balls that are filled with spicey tamarind water. The trick is to put the whole gol guppa in your mouth without it breaking. A trick most Indian children master when quite young. I just stood there looking at people stopping and buying the gol guppai from the vendor. My mouth watering. It's not something I could venture to taste. The tamarind water would not be safe to ingest. I had to live vicariously through the people eating them. And, then I moved on. I do get to eat gol guppai when I visit my sisters and brother in Vancouver, so I am not really suffering. Watching the vendor brought back so many memories of my childhood. We lived in India for a short while.

Back in India!

2009-03-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

Hello from Kolkata,

We touched down this morning in Kolkata. From the air I felt like I was coming home. Hard to explain.Today is the festival of Holi. People throw coloured water or powder at each other. I love playing Holi. As a child it was my favorite festival. No, doubt it began as a harvest festival. Today it's a national holiday. When we arrived the streets were calm, everyone is at home playing and having fun. Indians have so many holidays and they are all centered around the family unit. Pretty cool! We didn't get to play Holi, even though we bought the powder and a squirt gun. My fingers were itching to get someone wet with the coloured water. But, I thought better of it, we still had a lot of sightseeing to do.

It was hard to leave Bhutan. I would like to go back one day. I am not sure if my pocket book can handle it or not. Yesterday the lunch I ordered cost $31.00. Please keep in mind, I am a vegetarian. I ordered a tomato and cheese sandwich, chips and a coke. If I had put it on my credit card, there would have been an additional charge of 9%. Everything is expensive in Bhutan!

The hotel we are staying at is just beautiful. We have already had two meals here. My stomach is very happy having Indian food again.

In the afternoon we went for a tour of the city. Since Kolkata was the seat of the British rule for so long, there are a lot of buildings that were built to remind the British what they left behind. We like the guide very much. He's very knowledgeable. He thinks my facial features remind him of the Goddess Durga, she is the Warrior Goddess, I thought that was something to write home about! We drove past the holy river Ganga, even here she looks beautiful. We then went to see the mission run by Mother Teresa, Gene enjoyed seeing that. For me it's tough to see Hindus converting to a different religion. I feel one can help their own kind without having to abandon their entire belief system.

More as the journey unfolds.