already a lifetime has gone by

voyage to Bangalore, India:
left SF at 10pm, Wednesday night
SF to Hong Kong: 15.5 hours
layover Hong Kong airport: 3 hours
Hong Kong to Delhi: 6.5 hours (met Matthew here!)
Delhi to Bangalore: 2.5 hours
airport to hotel: 1 hour, arriving at 10pm, Friday night
48 hours later. subtract 12 hours we lost crossing the date line.
total travel time: 36 hours.
The kids were totally amazing. Such troopers during an incredibly long journey! And we all are adjusting to the time rapidly, although we find ourselves a bit tired and spacey still, and getting hungry at odd times.

Matthew: amazing, loving, has arranged for every possible detail for us, for our comfort, happiness, enjoyment.
Matthew's friends: humble, sweet, loving, kind, incredible hosts. drive us everywhere, spend time with us whatever we are doing, accepting every state that we are in, giving us gifts.
Bangalore:
smells like incense, flowers, garbage, exhaust. incredible amounts of traffic, motorcycles, auto rickshaws, people, shops. people are kind, sweet, patient, easy.

Ended our first day with an unbelievable concert: Jayanta Kumar Das (with Tabla player) played Gandharva Veda sitar concert for us, friends of Matthew, and the two important contact people at ComplianceOnline (David's sister company). It was completely beautiful.

Today we buy more Indian clothes, attend a luncheon hosted by Matthew's friend, and fly to our next destination.

The Trip: Our Itinerary w/o Matthew's Magic Included

1. Depart San Francisco, 1:00AM on Wed. March 19th
Fly through Hong Kong to Delhi, meet Matthew in Delhi, get right on plane
2. Bangalore
see Jayanth play sitar, party with Matthew's friends, shopping for clothing for India, rest
3. Samantha, Matthew & kids fly to Madurai, David stays one more day in Bangalore to meet with ComplianceOnline. In Madurai see famous temple.
4. Train to Kanyakumari. See temples, go to Nagercoil and see snake temple, see statue of Hannuman.
5. Car to Varkala. Spend a couple of days by the ocean (purifying), relaxing.
6. Car to Allepy. Take a house boat for a couple of days down the backwaters.
7. Arrive at Kochin. Port town, spice trading, incense trading, Jewtown.
8. Fly to Varanasi. Spend several days at the doorway to the final dissolution where pure silence is enlivened.
9. Drive to Agra. See Taj Mahal.
10. Drive to Mathura, the birthplace of Krishna, one of the 7 holy cities of India, the final one for Matthew to see.
11. Brief stay in Delhi to see Akshardham Temple, make last minute purchases
12. Up to Rishikesh (where Maharishi's Ashram was) and Haridwar, the gateway to the Himalayas, passageway of monks and pilgrims.
13. Up to Uttarkashi, town at the base of the place where Maharishi choose for his Purusha.
14. Take raft trip down the Ganges back to Rishikesh/Haridwar.
15. Back to Delhi, fly to Hong Kong. Have either 1, 2, or 3 days there, still unclear.
16. Arrive back in San Francisco April 11, 12, or 13.

packing & to do list (for today)

flashlights

sunglasses

a few smaller suitcases, a few day backpacks

Ziploc bags (w/medicine and empty both)

passport, visa, driver’s license, Schwab card

money belt

nice cotton shirt/light sweater on airplane

TSA 3 combo lock for suitcases

earplugs

eye covers

mosquito repellant for hats, clothing

computer lock (note porn block for kids)

converter plugs – adapter only (w/surge protector)

retractable cable lock

books for leisure

art supplies?

sunscreen

chewable pepto bismal

ibuprofen – adult and kids

TUMS

calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream

travel toothbrushes (note travel conditioner container, contact lens for me)

thumb drives

waterproof computer/camera bags

gum for plane

Dramamine/motion sickness bands for me & girls

vitamin supplement for kids

band aids

hand wipes (non allergenic for Elie)

TO DO:

cars (drop Volvo, figure out Dug)

Dania sandals

figure out iPhone for D

photocopy passports and visas, travel docs