Comforted By Orbiting Celestial Spheres

---

Looking up at the moon, I realize that it is the same as at home (wherever that is these days!). No matter how far away or how different the culture, there is a lot of commonality amongst us.

I have been in this country for close to a week and a half now and I finally feel like I am finding a groove. This place is so different than the life I lead at home. There is so much new stimuli that it almost sends your body into system shock. It was difficult to sleep the first few nights because my mind was constantly racing with various thoughts. Looking back, during the initial days here, I was walking around with blinders on. I wasn’t able to take in everything around me because it was too much to process too soon. I did well enough to focus on what was what in front of me at the time.

But now, I feel like I am becoming a part of the environment here. I am aware of all my senses and everything that is going on around me simultaneously. That is crucial to be able to gain a deeper appreciation for this place. Plus it means I am not constantly on edge.

One of the best ways to cope early on is talking with other travelers who are or who have experienced a lot of same that you are going through. You meet some very interesting people travelling who come from very different backgrounds as yourself but are currently experiencing the same things as you. For whatever reason, humans find it reassuring and comforting that there are others going through the same struggles.

Leaving the hotel at 4 am to drive to the airport was incredible. There were people sleeping everywhere. On the ground, in their auto-rickshaws, on their pushcarts, on the sidewalk, on some stairs. It seemed as if all of Delhi did not have a bed to sleep in. My driver was telling me how much he misses his family. His wife and three kids live in a village some 40 hours away by train. He gets to see them for 3 months each summer when he escapes the heat. Delhi provides the best opportunity for income. I imagine he sleeps in his car at night. This place definitely leads you to inventory and appreciate all that you have.

Airport??...

---