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Published: March 10th 2008
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Christine and Hannah
What to do with a bumpy belly? and we were set to brag about this fact . . .
Despite this setback we managed to have an enjoyable time in part due to meeting Hannah our new Canadian friend who shared the lunch and subsequent belly ache with Christine. We became close in a short time as travellers can and we wish her great luck in her final months in India.
(p.s. there was this bizarre parade for Mardi Gras, hence the upcoming photo. You might recall that Goa was a Portuguese colony.)
Flying into Mumbai was easy as pie and we were greeted once again by our guardian angel, Sapna. This time she was waiting at our too-expensive hotel to whisk us away and back to her place for the night instead. It just seemed so appropriate to be back on the 14th floor in Andheri West for our final night In India. I found a couple of hot samosa and Christine found a pair of shoes and we retired for the night with Sapna and a bottle of vino.
During the taxi ride to the airport we felt amazed that we had done it, INDIA! Maybe just a small portion
Mardi Gras
The Goans go really apeshit for Marde Gras. Don't look to closely at this photo. of it, but a big trip for us. We both felt a fondness and perhaps a bit of relief to be leaving this massively populated, ritualized, polluted, comical, and adorably impossible place. The Author of the book Holy Cow saw it like this:
"India is beyond statement, for anything you say the opposite is also true. It's rich and poor, spiritual and material, cruel and kind, angry but peaceful, ugly but beautiful and smart but stupid. It is all of the extremes. India defies understanding."
If you haven't stopped reading yet, I want to share what a wonderful time we had in England. We spent five days in London mostly walking enjoying the wonderful albeit chilly weather. Our first culture shock was walking out of the Tube station late night into the stately, clean and noiseless Notting Hill neigborhood. it was a bit like emerging into heaven.
Midweek we rented a car and drove out to Salisbury near Stonehenge. This day (Valentine's) was one of the highlights of the whole trip. We met kindred spirits Timothy and Jennifer who treated us to delicious, traditional fish and chips along with some wonderful local ale. Despite a
few ales we were able to get up bright and early to take in the town of Avebury on our way back to London. {We met Timothy and Jennifer at the Haunch of Venison Pub, so old it was crooked and dizzying. That was after catching Evensong at the Cathedral sung by angelic voiced boys in a space so grand and inspiring. What a perfect Valentines it was!-C}
Thanks again to Alexandra who provided a single night for us back in the Paris flat just before we flew to L.A. Our final day in Montmartre was spent drinking wine, eating cheese and hanging inside and out of the Sacre Coeur. We even happened to serendipitously wander in during the Sunday evening mass with the choir and pipe organ. Flying Out of Paris and into the wonderful (really!) Detroit airport, we were delayed arriving into L.A. but our trip wasn't over yet.
Although India is an exotic itinerary, we spent two weeks on each end of the trip visiting friends and family. During our return trip alone we visited L.A., Borrego Springs, Phoenix, Ojai, Santa Cruz and a stop in San Rafael. We've been moved by the
Hannah and Chistine
no longer belly up. swirling and turning of the lives of those we love.
In some places we greeted new babies in others we shared the grief of loss. Some family members are just taking up new residences, a couple doing that just as the roof came down in an existing house. Another friend lost the entire inventory of her new business to fire, but was back up and running by the time of our return.
Leaving the life of the familiar gives one a special perspective on that life. It is a perspective of humility, gratitude and wonder to be part of the wheel of life which can at times seem endless but in reality goes by in a flash. Gratitude in particular to those friends and family who have opened their homes and shared their lives (in whatever circumstances) with us. Life is the real journey.
Thank you all for witnessing our trip in this modern format, your love and encouragement has made us aware of how fortunate we truly are.
Love T and Christine
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lyn
non-member comment
yeeeeeeehawwwww from Aoteroa!! What a blast to follow your luscious meanderings. No doubt you have inspired many to step "out of their familiar" (even if it means taking a different route home from work). You have inspired us to update and jazzify our pathetic little blog as well. Thanks...funny, I heard the "Indian national anthem" today on the street in Nelson, New Zealand! What a small world. Lots of love, darlings...enjoy reentry. Lyn