Only about 30 minutes to go before I head out to the airport -- destination: India. It's going to be a long journey - transiting in Singapore until about 9am tomorrow, then to Chennai, another couple of hours transit there, before Delhi, arriving about 4.15pm Delhi time. It would have taken me more than 24 hours to get from Perth to Delhi.
Feelings? Excited (to be leaving the hum drum mundanity of life/work in Perth) and apprehensive (of the great unknown... and the unabating human bustle of India). At the back of my mind, I see Pokhara in Nepal as a chill out place, a time and space to recover from the manic journey through India. We shall see how Pokhara shapes up.
The last few days have been relatively quiet and relaxed. Brett moved in a couple of nights ago to get used to the house (and cats) he is looking after while I'm away. I've enjoyed having company in the house once more. I took him for a meal at Cafe Via last night as a "thanks for house sitting", and I hope he will be ok living out here in the burbs.
Well, signing off now. Next stop: Changi Airport tonight!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
83.32% prepared
Less than a week to go before India and I'm feeling relatively calm - the sort of calm that emerges because you think you have organised everything. No doubt, I'll remember something at the last minute that needs to be done, but for now, I'm calm and feeling pretty at peace with everything in the universe.
I spent today getting some clothing packed, preparing photography gear for the trip (taking the DSLR and four prime lenses) and generally taking things slowly. The last couple of weeks have been such a mad rush and I have felt so 'wired' (I suspect because of my being on Lariam, the anti-malaria tablets), that it feels so good to have some headspace to just sit back and think things through in a measured, methodical manner.
I've been lucky with the house-sitting as Bretty will be house-sitting here and minding the cats. I think it will be a good thing for both of us as he gets a change of scene and has the opportunity to have Sash visit and stay over.
I'm also taking a small compact digital camera on this trip - shooting JPEGs which will allow me to share pictures from the trip DURING the trip.
I spent today getting some clothing packed, preparing photography gear for the trip (taking the DSLR and four prime lenses) and generally taking things slowly. The last couple of weeks have been such a mad rush and I have felt so 'wired' (I suspect because of my being on Lariam, the anti-malaria tablets), that it feels so good to have some headspace to just sit back and think things through in a measured, methodical manner.
I've been lucky with the house-sitting as Bretty will be house-sitting here and minding the cats. I think it will be a good thing for both of us as he gets a change of scene and has the opportunity to have Sash visit and stay over.
I'm also taking a small compact digital camera on this trip - shooting JPEGs which will allow me to share pictures from the trip DURING the trip.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Hayfever blues
The hayfever has been horrific the last couple of days. My eyes tear and itch and their lower lids feel bloated and inflamed; the nose runs incessantly and I struggle to breath. It's plain awful. I must have caught a face full of grass pollen yesterday when I went out to hang the washing on the line.
It promises to be a warm (33C) and sunny day today. Part of me wants to head down to the beach for a dip; another part doesn't for fear of exacerbating the hayfever through further exposure to pollen. But I can't stay indoors all day, and the thought of going for a dip in the cool and crips ocean is tempting.
It promises to be a warm (33C) and sunny day today. Part of me wants to head down to the beach for a dip; another part doesn't for fear of exacerbating the hayfever through further exposure to pollen. But I can't stay indoors all day, and the thought of going for a dip in the cool and crips ocean is tempting.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Sleepless in the suburbs
While I'd like to possibly blame the effect of Lariam for my very early morning wake ups, I suspect that has more to do with the numerous tasks which I have yet to organise pending this trip to India. With only 2.5 weeks to go, I'm staring down the very short barrel of a gun.
I've been asked: Why India?
That's a difficult one to answer. In all honesty, I don't have a simple and direct answer. That answer lies in a myriad of reasons, each of which isn't enough to explain the motivation to visit India for a month, but together they make a case for this journey. As briefly and succinctly as I can, they include:
I've been asked: Why India?
That's a difficult one to answer. In all honesty, I don't have a simple and direct answer. That answer lies in a myriad of reasons, each of which isn't enough to explain the motivation to visit India for a month, but together they make a case for this journey. As briefly and succinctly as I can, they include:
- Wanting to visit a place like no other place I have visited.
- Wanting to be challenged and taken out of my comfort zones as a traveller.
- Wanting to document certain elements of India photographically (at the moment, I have yet to consolidate what these elements are)
- Wanting to be internally changed by the experience of travel in India.
- Wanting to be revived out of this mundane and comfortable routine of living in Perth.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
India
India status:
- Vaccinated
- Medical kit - in progress
- Visa application - approved; visa to be collected
- Itinerary - in progress
- Accommodation - booking accommodation in Delhi soon
- Registration with Smarttraveller - pending
- Funds - TBA
- Emotional state - rollercoaster ride
- Packing - What??
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