I have wanted to go to India for all of my adult life. And, a few times in the past I seriously started planning to go. But I never got there, in the flesh.
Much of my leisure time in the past ten years has been spent enjoying Indian culture from my armchair in Canada. I love to read about India, watch Indian movies (though not a huge bollywood fan) and listen to Indian music (Zakir Hussain is the best...). I have studied tabla and Hindi, and my personal and academic study is focused on advaita vedanta. I love Indian clothes, and of course, Indian food (northern preferred in almost all cases). I have had a strange connection and love of the region of Kashmir, and one thing I hope is that you might learn a bit about this incredible place, and appreciate it. (on that note, I recommend checking out the work of Justine Hardy, Read Justine's article in the Traveller Magazine about Kashmir ). Going to Kashmir is a large part of what this trip is for me, and I plan to spend more time there than any other single place.
I feel very truly like I have an Indian heart - despite my northern genes.
So it is with considerable emotional fanfare that I tell the world that as of November 15th, 2010, my plane ticket is booked. I am on my way to India in January 2011.
And I have to say that for me it feels like I am finally going home for the first time.
This blog will be a place for my family and friends (and retroactively, myself) to see what I am up to, where I am, catch some of my thoughts, pictures and possibly videos, and hopefully get a sense of what this whole crazy trip means to me, and why.
It is official this time. Rob is actually going to India.
