Wednesday, November 28, 2007

I've never been this unprepared for a trip overseas! Guess I just have to go with it and be okay with having passport, visa, plane ticket, my recording equipment and the dates in (December 3) and out (December 22). And I've got the three days of MN's wedding celebrations in Delhi too: the 15th, 18th and 20th.

There's a vague plan to spend most of the time in Delhi. I hope to take a week and visit a few places in Rajasthan. Jaipur. Udaipur. Maybe Jodhpur? Maybe Pushkar? I would like to sit by the Ganges to people-watch and -- oh you tourist! -- get close to the Taj Mahal at sunset. And a radio friend has won me over with descriptions of the Krishna-lovin' "widow town" Vrindavan too.

I'm going to India first and foremost to celebrate my good friend MN marrying her true love, despite more than their fair share of obstacles. But I also want to experience a little bit of this place for myself. And I desperately need a little healing after the worst year of my life.

I've lost my sister and would give everything in a heartbeat to have her with us, 26 and married, full of laughter and road-rage, at the beginning of her life instead of the end. But that's not meant to be, for whatever reason. I hope I can find some answers in India, answers that haven't become clear in seven months of grieving and attempting the one-step-forward-two-steps-back of learning to live life without Morgan. Bear with me. It's a been a journey to a new world in itself.

So I'm raising my glass to a few weeks of the unknown. May it summon up that spark of curiosity and awareness of the wider world that's been buried since April 20th. I look forward to sharing a little slice of India with you...