Jaipur

We've had a fine day of exploring Jaipur, including seeing classic sites like the City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Amber Fort, as well as visiting a textile works and a painting studio. Though the architecture and history are impressive, I was most impressed seeing men tying individual, inch-long loops of yarn to the warp of a huge intricately patterned carpet, one that will take a full year to complete. Seeing such carpets in the past, I never envisioned people sitting for months on end working yarn with their fingers.

Our group has mostly emerged from a wave of intestinal malaise that passed through us like a stampede of elephants in a jungle. Fortunately it was brief and I don't think will hold any of us back any longer. The incidence of homesickness, though, may take a bit longer to shake.

So much happened away from Internet access that it seems ridiculous to try and recapture it, this late evening in an archaic storefront in Jaipur. Perhaps I can catch up in a future post. For now, I will identify a rough outline.

We traveled from Delhi to Haridwar to Ghansali. There, in the Himalayan foothills, we stayed in the village -- with essentially no English speakers -- for five days. It was a lovely if challenging time, and a great introduction to Indian village life. We were able to spend time at the Jaknyali school working with kids and planting trees. We also got up into the high hills on a gorgeously clear day and cast our eyes toward the not-very-distant peaks of Nepal and Tibet.

Then we passed back through Haridwar to get to the Corbett Tiger Reserve. This is a huge expanse of unpopulated and undeveloped land, comprising forest and savannah, rich in wildlife. I would call it wilderness but for the jeep tracks that lace through it and which we used for our two-day safari. Given the population density and environmental degradation that characterizes so much of this country, being in Corbett was a delightful experience.

From Corbett we returned to Delhi, and now we've had three days in what is known as the Golden Triangle, visiting cultural and historical highlights. I think I'd best sign off, partly to get some sleep before tomorrow and partly because this computer is starting to act up and I don't want to lose this post!

Delhi!

Finally, after nearly two weeks in India, I have found a working Internet connection! This is perhaps more a reflection of the remote places we have been and the busy travel schedule we have been maintaining than of India's technological infrastructure. Yet it has been a bit frustrating to be unable to maintain the kind of communication to which I'm accustomed.

And even now, our bus awaits and I have just a moment to check in before moving on. So let me capture this moment: The smog is thick, the traffic hectic, the city amped up for Republic Day, a national holiday. Yesterday we visited the Mahatma Gandhi memorial, the Lotus Temple, the Jama Masjid Mosque, and a few other notable sights around the city. The magnificent antiquity of this place is as humbling as the traffic is obnoxious.

The past two weeks of travel have offered an amazing array of experiences, from urban noise to mountain vistas to village life to wilderness exploration (by jeep, so we're not talking American-style wilderness.) Our group is working well together, has for the most part been in good health and spirits, and is soaking up the amazing differentness of this country.

Today we will visit a couple more sites around this city before heading to Jaipur in a bus we chartered for the purpose. Hopefully there will be Internet access in Jaipur so that I can check in properly.

As we cross the halfway point of our expedition we are thinking of all the folks back home who have supported us, cared for us, and provided inspiration to our adventuresome spirits.

Departure...

With just a few hours before departure, we are poised like river paddlers, hearing the rushing rapids ahead but unable to see just what we are in for.  Excitement is predominant, but it is tempered with a bit of fatigue from all the preparations we've been making.

Our courses have begun; this week has been full with initial classes addressing the geography of South Asia, basic Hindi, Indian music, communication skills, patterns in Indian graphic art, customs and etiquette, and many related topics.  We've been blessed with wonderful guest presenters like Cat Zavis, Sita Amba-Rao, and Ryan Zimmerman, and have also taken time to watch a few Indian films.

As helpful as these activities have been, my sense is that they have only barely begun to prepare us, and that it may not be possible to be fully ready for the pulsing intensity of Delhi that will soon  surround us.

Let me express gratitude to you all for the generous donations and other support you have provided!  This expedition is truly a product of many people's efforts, contributions, and guidance.  We embark today, humbled by the kindness of our community, and eager to share what kindnesses we can with the people of India.