Trip Wrap Up

Well, we are back in the states. I put Kathy on a bus from O'Hare to Madison about 6pm last evening and assume she made it home safe. My bus arrived in Racine about 8:15pm and Erica picked me up at the bus stop. Both Kathy and I arrived home with colds, but that is nobody's fault. I expect Kathy caught hers because she was run down from her intestinal problems. I caught mine about 5 days later, so we might well have been exposed at the same time. The others on the planes were probably cussing us out for spreading our germs around, but we really didn't have a choice.

The trip was wonderful. I can't imagine having a better six week vacation. I really don't know how to end the blog, so here are just a few reflections on high points (and low points) of the trip.

Favorite Experiences:
- sitting on a rock with Dinesh eating dinner and listening to the sounds of a small village rise up to us, as we discussed the phases of the moon and life.
- Kathy playing with Satya and Triveni's kids.
- seeing elephants and other wildlife at the Rajiv Gandhi Game Park
- all the outdoor activities, including hiking to the top of several hills/mountains, visiting the bird sanctuary, visiting the Hyderabad zoo, parasailing, dolphin watching, Ajanta and Elura caves, etc.
- the food. Sorry Tim: we never posted anything about this is particular. The food was amazing. The spices warm you all the way through.

Favorite Sounds:
- listening to the call to prayer from the minurets at 5 or 6am in Jaipur.
- while at Ajanta caves, a group of buddhist monks, probably from Thailand entered on cave and started chanting. It was incredibly beautiful

Least Favorite Sound:
- the constant beeping of horns in Delhi

Biggest Packing Mistake:
- not taking my own laptop. Any American going to India should pack one. There is wireless in every hotel and it would have saved us the trouble of repeatedly looking for Internet cafes

Things I Still don't Understand:
- how to use a mobile phone. I can now at least make a call and receive a call, however. :-)
- cricket. Actually, I have watched enough of the Austrailian test match, that I think I am beginning to get it, but I still can't figure out some of the basics, like, since there are always two batters, which one does the bowler throw to.

What I recall 20 years from now:
- the outstanding Indian hospitality. Everywhere we went people were gracious hosts, even when we were boorish Americans. Satya and Thriveni, Dinesh and his sister, and the schools we visited all made us feel very comfortable and at home. They fed us (and fed us and fed us) very well. Special thanks to Prof. Wagh and IndSearch, in particular, who did a very nice job of taking care of us while Kathy had intestinal problems.

India was wonderful, but six weeks of travelling is enough for now. I slept in my own bed last night, and it was good.

Stu