It is finally winter in Mt Shasta. It has been dumping since sometime last night when, as it often does, the rain turned to snow . The bare trees are coated with thick clumps of snow as the white cascade continues to fall from the sky. I had planned to ski during January prior to our trip to India but the weather gods did not cooperate. Hopefully, I will get out in the next few days.
Snow scene
Yes, I did say India. We had intended to stay home this winter and rest up from our 8 months traveling last year to SE Asia, Mexico (twice) and a two month road trip across Canada and the US. However, as John Lennon said, "Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans". The life, in this case a trip to India, was precipitated by an invitation to a wedding.
Last year when we were cruising through Ha Long Bay, Vietnam, we met a crazy Italian and his equally sane fiance who is from India. After traveling with them for a few days we vowed to keep in touch. As it turned out we did keep in touch and they invited us to their wedding in Kolkata. Never ones to miss a good party, however distant, we decided to go after thinking about it for all of 20 seconds. Also, being ones who never miss an opportunity to travel, we decided to make a trip out of it and spend a few months taking in the sights in India since I have long been promising to take Deborah there to see the Taj Mahal.
I visited India in my youth and was both enamored and driven mad by the crazy, whirling 100% assault on your senses 100% of the time. When I left there, I swore I would never go back... only to miss it within a few weeks of leaving.
There is no other place like India. It is beautiful, ugly, sweet, sour, hot,(did I say crazy), peaceful, loving and repulsive. All this occurs in a short walk down a sidewalk practically anywhere in India. However, it has more heart than any other place I have visited and I suspect this heart is what got under my skin and made me want to return someday.
Someday is finally here next week. We fly out of San Francisco on Tuesday to start a two month journey around India. So sit back and enjoy the ride. I know we will.
