My trip to India will be over tomorrow - but oh, what a trip it has been!
Yesterday in the very early morning, before I left Darjeeling, the clouds lifted and I was finally able to glimpse the majesty of the snow capped HImalayas. They were breathtaking - There is no good way to capture something like that on film, so this was an experience I will savor alone.
The journey down the mountain was even prettier than on the way up, with almost endless forests and tea gardens. I arrrived safely in Delhi at my home away from home, the Master Guest House, and then left early this morning on the long journey to Agra to see the Taj Mahal. I had very low expectations- I knew it would be crowded, the air quality was dreadful and I tend to find postcard destinations somewhat disappointing. But, I was blown away. The Taj was stunning. And nothing compares to really feeling that sun-warmed marble beneath your bare feet and rubbing the elaborate carvings with your fingertips. The crowds don't matter - it's the Taj Mahal!
Tomorrow is my last day. I will do some last minute sightseeing and take some more pictures of Delhi, since I was a bit overwhelmed when I first got here. Then, I will try to defy the laws of physics and zipper up my bags.
I have had a marvelous time and will do a round up and reflection when I return, but I must say that my trip was much easier and much less shocking than I had anticipated. I know I travelled in a comfortable cocoon made of dollars, but to do the journey on a tighter budget or pretend that I couldn't afford the luxuries I took advantage of, would have seemed miserly and almost insulting.
I now appreciate my comfortable American lifestyle even more. I cherish even the concept of the ice cube! I also see how little it actually takes to live, even thrive. India is not the desperate place it once was. It is not closer to heaven. It not a techno-superpower eager to overthrow America. Just like at home , it is an amazingly complicated place full of real people and families. And I am so very glad I was able to visit.
Thanks again for all of your emails and words of support! See you back home!
Susan.
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