India Journal - Day 1

It's been almost two years since my last trip to India. A lot has changed since that last trip, but the surreal travel experience remains. The trip to Bangalore consists of two flights (three if you count the hopper from Eugene to SF) of about 10 hours each, with a 1-2 hour stop-over in Frankfurt (a city I'd like to stop in some day, based on the quality of natives I've sat next to who are returning home). The flights take a parabolic course from SF over the Great Lakes and far enough north to catch a glimpse of Reykjavík, Iceland. The visuals seen this far north are said to be spectacular, and judging from the horizon and sky I saw (the picture does it little justice, but gives you a taste), I think I'd like to spend some time here as well.

The flight crews were excellent and helpful this time and they do a nice job of parsing up the trip into digestible (often literally) chunks. I'll do another entry on the flight to Bangalore later... five of my "seatmates" on that flight were not yet a year old!

Anyway, before leaving on this trip, the family drove to Colorado to visit with my brother's family. 2200 miles of cross-country driving is something I generally dread in anticipation, but it is a great way to see the coutry and I always wish we had more time to stop and "be" on these journeys. I was struck this trip by some of the amazing places we passed through, and the majestic views we had - JP and Erin's choice of places to live is among the most breathtaking places I've ever seen. Upon our return, I had a conversation with my mom - she was intimating that if I were going to move to Canada, it's still a good time (apparently once you hit 45, you're a less attractice candidate). I was surprised by my own reaction, which was much stronger than I would have guessed. My own connection to place is much more a part of my life than I let myself believe and for all it's flaws (felt most prominently in our dysfunctional political system) the United States is my country and I can't imagine ever leaving it to live elsewhere.

But I do love visiting other countries and getting to better know the people I meet. I recently read Vonnegut's "A Man without a Country", and I hold close his plea to take note of times when you are happy and savor them. I've thought of this more and more often recently - I realize the blessed life I have and am learning to stop and appreciate how much of it is due to all those people throughout the years who thought I was worth caring about, knowing well my deepest flaws. The goal now is to be that for those I care about, to help with whatever meager skills I may possess to let them know how much I think of them and to learn to better reveal those things that illuminate my own soul.

Well, what started as a physical travelogue has turned a bit inward. Perhaps there is still hope :)