Thanksgiving

Nearing the end of this Thanksgiving weekend, I am grateful for so much:

- For Manna's amazing kitchen and culinary skills and also that I didn't eat as much as I could have.
- For my daughters, Bita and Matata, who both came to spend our first Thanksgiving together since Bi left for college in 2003.
- For Judy and Joe who have repaired furnaces, moved equipment, and shared kids, food and music to make us all comfortable and welcome. Judy further endured hours of shopping and shlepping us all to the malls -- with her usual grace and smile.  She was grateful that we shop less now than we used to.
- For my traveling companion, Komal, and her amazing family who made our Thanksgiving so special.
- For the cold weather which makes me happy I live in India most of the time.
- For warm coats and gloves that make me happy to be here now.
- For Lori and Mimi who danced with me last night to Joe's Bruce Springsteen band, even though I danced once in stocking feet and next in my hot pink reflecting sneakers.
- For all the friends and family members who have hosted, feted and feasted us over the past 3 months and nearly 11,000 miles. I'm only now beginning to process the enormous outpouring of care, love and warmth I've been surrounded by -- that I'm still surrounded by. It's quite overwhelming.

May your holiday season be as joyful and as full of surprises.

Glorious Days

Something about the coziness of being in this 'efficiency' apartment that invites me to write. So we are in DC now and the apartment is Bi's. Washington DC where everything is Capitol and Presidential, American and First. Many a day have passed since I wrote last. Many people, many vistas, trees and miles! So, the day we were leaving Atlanta, we stopped on the way out to meet Shalini - a college friend, who I hadn't seen or met since 1983. How does one 'catch up' on 27 years of connection that has been like an underground stream - there but not seen, heard or even felt? And then suddenly 'it' reappears. Surfaces. Now it is alive and bubbling!

From Atlanta to Tryon, on the border between North and South Carolina. It's in the North part of this gorgeous gorgeous belt of hill, lake and color dripping trees. A word about the trees from today - I think people living in America are so fortunate. How wonderful it must be to wake up everyday - during Fall - and walk out of the door into the fairyland that this landscape. It's like living in a painting!

To continue - Yep! done it again - the scenic-drive meandering through my conversation here. Ok, to continue - So we went to Tryon, near Asheville and met The Davins, who are absolutely lovely. They live in a beautiful house by a little lake and the golf course. The porch is covered and has windows wrapping it in light, color and the moon glow when it shone in the night smiling at us at the dining table and as Carol's hidden stream of energy was fed by these loving elders from her past.

From Tryon to Charlotte, North Carolina. The romantic, the gracious, the home of Margaret Mitchell. Perhaps she spelled out the words of Gone With the Wind sitting on the swing in a gazebo and blooming magnolia trees leaned over her shoulders to take a sneak peak at the book, while slim pencil-pillars holding up terraces and porches of her mansion provided a backdrop that stretched into the Carolina blue skies.

And, at this time, I am about to wind up this little piece about our lives and others'. Today is Prithvi's birthday. We are going out for lunch. Carol and I have packed to move from Mala's house in Fairfax to Michele's in Arlington. This DC stay has very interesting elements. We'll share them - teser in a wrinkle in our packed time to the quiet writing zone! (That was a reference to two books that we have met that talked about time travel. REad/hear them!
1) A Wrinkle in Time. 2) When You Reach Me)

With lots of love.
It is a sunny happy bright, post rain day that is inviting us out.

Komal

Inside Job

Cousin Debbie, Komal and I went to a movie tonight, the first we've seen since coming to the US. "Inside Job" is worth seeing. As the promo poster promised: "If you don't leave this movie enraged, you weren't paying attention."

Because I know that it's more productive to fight for something rather than against something, I'm all fired up right now to support strong regulation of financial markets and institutions. But I have to admit to rather strong urges to shoot some of the smug sonofaguns who clearly have no intention of behaving differently. And I'm disappointed in the academics who, for some reason, I think should act objectively instead of being bought out like everyone else.

I'm enjoying Charlotte, being with Debbie, and the gorgeous fall weather and colors. Another long walk planned for tomorrow morning, then we'll be off to Raleigh/Wake Forest. 

Skirt counting

"I only have 16 long cotton skirts left!"
"Yes, you've sold at least half already."
"And 6 short ones and 9 silk ones."

So the morning begins: coffee by Terry, kid picture sharing (Bi, Mattie, Adam, Halina), skirt sharing accompanied by flute blowing. Terry is heading to Los Angeles this morning, needing to get Bela the dog over to her friend for the weekend,  yet we find time to relax, to exclaim, to enjoy these moments. Last night after driving nephew Gaurav back to campus, we were treated to videos of Halina's performances -- what a voice and stage presence that young woman has!

A beautiful visit, unlike any other we've enjoyed so far; each has been unique, unexpected, irreplaceable.

Today, on to visit The Davins. Always written in capitals for me, after so many years. They've retired from Glen Ellyn to Tryon, North Carolina.

Partial Statistics

I checked this evening.

58 - days into the road trip

9106 - miles added to Sweet Chariot since we started.

26 - states we have driven through
Connecticut, Massachussets, New YOrk, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan,
Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Nevada,
California, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Louisiana, Mississipi, Alabama,
Florida, Georgia

5 - states traveled through in one day
Texas, Louisiana, Mississipi, Alabama, Florida

9 - Cuisines tried
Lebanese, Mexican, Tex Mex, Thai, Indian, Chinese, Lousiana, All American Hotdogs,
Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

4 - minutes before my computer dies.

Good night.
To be continued later.

Love,
Komal

Fall is

It is an interesting time capsule that I entered through the doorway of trees coloring themselves into fall. Red, orange, yellow and shades in between that were so beautiful and so intense that as I walked through this doorway and we drove all those miles and as the landscape changed I did not even notice that there were places during the drive that were not changing their greens. Until now. I am in this amazing sun room in Atlanta, Georgia, in Terry's house watching yellow leaves drip and float down to the peach and pink orange - everything has changed again. In these woods near Emory University, a mile away from seemingly everywhere, I can hear the water running as Terry does things in the kitchen and the sound of the season in full bloom.

Today we are in Atlanta, the land of Marting Luther King and Jimmy Carter. Also Gaurav - nephew, Babbu Mausi - Shani Narang's sister, Shalini Subbarao from college, Frank - Christine's son who is a new father, Shreyas - Shrikant's son. I am delighted that I am surrounded by this energy of people I know and of. I have spoken with some and will meet some. I may also miss meeting someone that I thought I would definitely meet. I may also meet someone inside me who is known and someone who I may discover, quite by chance as I gather my jacket to fold me in warmth, smiling at the wind. I feel the sun on my grey leopard print sock, and enjoy the tickling of its heat, as I feel movement in me and around me. Sitting here watching the leaves and being touched by the sense of time traveling at a slow, pleasurable, morning-walk pace I wonder at this woman - Komal - who has come all the way from Delhi, India, spent time money energy to be here and driven all these miles for something - and that something is this witnessing.

With love and gratitude,
Komal

Things to do in Houston

Laundry
Blog
Arrange and Picasa publish photographs
Plan and route the rest of the trip
Get table at the bar for the Divine Ale by Draft
Drink above ale
Go to Comic Sportz
Line Dance
Visit NASA
Eat TEXMEX
Diwali

"The title?"... hmmm, let me think.....

In Houston, in a room that is adorned by sunlight bowing in appreciation through the window, Pippin periodically four footing it in to announce something important in the dog world, Carol blowing dust from the 1500 piece puzzle that we have started and the time and space to sit and allow all the thoughts and wishes to surface, to find blog space, to be whisked around in my belly by all the ready to digest juices.

And once again, folks that, above was a long sentence belonging to the tribe of words that will have their way to out and be spoken. So, the thoughts and wishes that I had about blogging - to write about all the people that I have met in the last few days that I wanted to write about. To write down a calender of places that we have been and the people we met there. Such a list sits right now in a crumpled napkin from Something Different, the Teriyaki Bowl restaurant that we went to in Portales, and partially in the trusty red notebook that also holds important things like money accounts, phone numbers and the miles we have covered in this trip.

Invariably what comes up is, "But why is that important? Why would anyone like to know all this? Why am I blogging this trip? What difference would it make to the life of the person that I write about? And what kind of vanity and pride is this that enjoys putting out the words and inviting ... no not inviting... exhorting people to read them and then feels a nice plump satisfaction when there are comments - for example Alex's on the last post - and responses"
Well, I'm expressing these little thoughts as I still think of the title. And just to let everyone know that while the title may take long coming, I have no difficulty talking here about the fantasticness of this whole trip in all its stages, rests, people stops, pitstops and laundry stops.

On 4 November 2010, in Nancy and Cary's house. Nancy is Carol's sister. I have heard about her over the years. Hearing about what she does, where she lives, who her children and husband are, why she likes and does not like to do different things is one experience and meeting her, sitting in her kitchen, eating her chili at 9.30 pm and laughing like a loud hyena held at gunpoint at all the jokes that Nancy and Cary cracked, is another thing. There is a comfort in knowing her and not knowing her at all.

Then there is the other aspect of sibling relationships that is a feature of this trip. Alok and Rahul - my brothers - and their families have lived in the US for years/decades. This is the first time I am visiting them. And though I have 'known' them forever, and met them hundreds of times since they have been in America, on their visits to India, in many ways meeting them in their homes has been as fresh as meeting Nancy. Looking at the perspective of being away from 'home' - Carol has been away from home in Africa, Pakistan, India. Rahul, Alok have been away from home in America. Each one of us is 'at home' where we are. The boundaries of country, land, house all telescopically zoom in to being at home in ourselves, our lives. And here I am, at home in my body and being, drinking great coffee and blogging. I could b e anywhere in the modern internet supported world!

Still thinking of title.

Waiting to..... exhale(?)

Inside us there is a river born in the good cold

that longs to give itself to the Gulf of light

and there is another river more like the Missouri

that carries earth, and earth joys and the earthly.

‘The Two Rivers’ by Robert Bly

Random quote from book on side table in guest room at Melanie’s in Santa Fe.  A welcome reminder of why I’m traveling, why I walk the path I chose again this morning. Which is more important, the tangible beauty that fills every waking moment of canyons- clouds-colors or the intangible joy in the longing to be? Clearly not the right question. A better one would be: How can I keep a balance between the worlds of being and doing?

Melanie is showering us with gifts of hospitality and friendship; I’m listening to her latest CD with the apt title “Along the Way”. Another reminder of the gifts that we’re receiving from those who are sharing our journey in large and small ways. 

Fast forward to Day 3 in Portales, New Mexico, home of “17,000 friendly folks and 3 or 4 old grouches” according to the welcome sign on Route 70 about a mile down from our base, the Sands Motel. On Day 1 we left Santa Fe at 4 a.m. with the intention of reaching Houston 14-15 hours later. It didn’t start out so well: I got confused and got on the highway the wrong way, then cut through the emergency median which I’d never do in the daylight.  Either I was picking up on Sweet Chariot’s energy (our beloved Land Rover Discovery) or she was picking up on mine -- just short of Fort Sumner, a horrendous clanking brought us to a sudden stop. We called AAA, but it was too early on Sunday morning and we had to wait 3 hours for a tow. Merlin was worth the wait, setting us up with a good, cheap hotel and a reliable mechanic before giving us a guided tour of Portales which includes the small campus of Eastern New Mexico University, home of the Greyhounds. Yesterday, we gave up on finding a cheaper alternative to ordering a new drive shaft and had David the mechanic order a new part. Today we wait to see if UPS will get it here today or tomorrow.

So how does this forced period of waiting fit into my journey? Is there something waiting for me in Portales? Something to learn? Maybe that Komal remains my ideal travel companion, taking everything in stride (we’re walking a lot) and with a smile that elicits warmth and advice from shopkeepers, waitresses and teenagers on the street. Perhaps a reminder of my own arrogance: why do I keep thinking of this as the middle of nowhere? Every soul is the center of his/her own universe.

Just spoke to David. The part is on its way and we’ll be on ours this afternoon. On to new places, people and universes.   

Have you ever wondered about the intensity of being in your life, in your day?

These two days in Portales, New Mexico have been - only one way to put it - so in the moment for me!

We arrived here at noon and thirty on 31-10-10, sitting in the cab of ABC Towing Service truck, driven by Murlyn, occasionally peeping in the side view mirror to reconfirm that Sweet Chariot was on the tow platform, chained and secure and going with us to find a new drive shaft for her and someone who would fix it on Halloween Sunday.

Murlyn took us to David (who took on the car), took us to find Sands Motel and showed us the entire town including the big grocery store, the many restaurants and the University complex. So here we were, in Room 25 of Sands Motel, waiting for the car to be functional again.

To describe the transition from functional to KABOOM to waiting - we left Santa Fe 15 minutes behind schedule, at 4.15 AM to drive all the 800 miles to Houston. We were excited about the long drive, itching to get our feet and teeth into the almost 15 hour drive. Pocahontas was great - she had us on a great route. We started on the Old Santa Fe Trail, turned left on the Old Pecos Trail and were out of Santa Fe, again into the sea of darkness. We picked up fuel, drove for hour and a half, changed drivers and there I was at the wheel, feeling great, in my body and delighted at the adventure of the drive ahead.

7.30 AM, the sky had pinked beautifully, the sun was raising its brilliant bald head, Carol had saluted it with the new flute she had bought from Sky Redhawk the previous day. We were deep in the thrill of an audio book that was nearing finish - A Wrinkle in Time.

"KHA-DUNK- - - DUNKKK --- DHHUNNKK ---" sort of describes what happened next. Quick to react Carol said, "We've got a flat. Pull over." Slow to connect, I thought, "No. It doesn't feel like a tyre. What is she saying?" I pulled over to the side. The car would not stay in park gear. As I pulled the hand brake up, Carol predicted "oh-oh this is something serious."

So the sun still brilliant and rising, birds chirping, sky doing it's colorful routine and time looking at us asking - "what was it to be? - loss or gain? - moving or standing still?" Time is pretty undiscriminating. It always is what we want it to be. So we chose standing still. We called up AAA, who obligingly responded first through machine and then helpful operators who brought the promise of 'towing to Clovis' as soon as someone in the vicinity responded. The vicinity? Where were we? About 700 feet from Truchas Creek and a sign declaring the joys of being at Sunnyside Springs and the land where Billy the Kid was buried. Somewhere before Fort Sumner and 126 miles from Santa Fe. Modern ways of print, communication and other support systems that I am not even aware of until I need them have made being in situations like this so easy!

All contacts were made. I did the Indian thing and went and peed behind the reeds in the ditch. And we sat and listened to the rest of the audio story as we waited. It was great. Both of us were unperturbed. So, we were not going to reach Houston tonight. So we would have to get our car towed. It's expensive but we have money. We'll find a place to stay. We were alright. As Murlyn said to us, "Don't let this spoil your vacation." There was no reason for it to do that. Life offered us a chance to experience something different and ourselves differently.

So here we are in this motel, catching up with our blogs, the movies we have on our hard drives, the post cards I wanted to mail and a lot of the walking I wanted to do. We've also caught up with ourselves - individually and together. This is an interesting relationship. We've been friends for many years and road trip companions often and this time, intensively for more than a month. We have uncannily and almost eerily entered each other's auras. She speaks what I am about to say and she reports I say what she is thinking. So it is nice to be in a quiet place, with nothing to do but everyday things like walking to meals, clearing the room, doing our blogs. Nothing that requires major option-choosing or declaring reaction to the fantastic-ness of the world, nothing that brings us to the unprepared for wonder of being in such symbiosis.

And Ladies and Gentlemen, I am delighted to hear and to share with you that David called to say that the part should arrive in Portales in 30 min. He'll fix it in another 30 and then we can be on our way. Yipee!

With love, gratitude to all who are sharing this journey with us.

Shane, thank you for reading commenting on the blog. Are you in the list of followers. Would love it if you are.
Meenu, thanks. I am so happy you are reading. Join us on this whirlwind trip if you can. In anycase keep reading and commenting. Do you know I spent so many years dreaming of something like this and now as I live it, I feel grateful to everything in myself and in my world that has helped me come to this.