attraversiamo

It’s always a strange experience to wake up in one country and go to sleep in another.

I am so good at breaking down in international airports and flights. Really. It’s like a skill that I have, along with sleeping through take off. Leaving India was a bit more difficult than anticipated. I even got teary eyed when I was drinking chai in the airport… I don’t know if it was because I’m going to miss my Indian chai or because it costed more than a dollar. The days of chai and coffee for 15 cents will soon be a distant memory…

I love the sound of passports being stamped.

I went to go store my bags for the night, because I feel like traveling light. I walked up to the counter and said that I wanted to keep two bags for 24 hours. The guy gave me a sympathetic smile and asked if I was okay. I think my eyes gave it away.

Jet lag and culture shock is already setting in, and I haven’t even left the London airport yet. Awww yeah. Here we go.

Dreaming of the day that I can return to Kerala again. To the land of coconut trees and to the time when I always answered to the name chirikkudukka.

All things considered…

I had a pretty good birthday. A good friend, the Taj Mahal, and the fact that I rocked an insanely pink, full out Indian dress the whole day made it one that I will surely never forget. Thank you for all the birthday wishes, brought so many smiles to my face.

And a huge thank you to the lovely Elle VanTilburg. Your video made me simultaneously laugh out loud and break down into tears. Thank you for everyone featured in the video, and the birthday wishes from all the people working at my favorite places in Austin… even if they had no idea who they were wishing a happy birthday to. Hands down, best birthday present I’ve ever received.

Two days left in India.

My journey back home and back in time will look a little something like this:

Delhi>Dubai>overnight in London>Philidelphia>Chicago on the 13th>Ohio to visit Antioch on the 17th>and finally Austin, Texas on the 19th.

It will be a bitter sweet goodbye to India, but I have a feeling that I’ll be back  soon. It’s been an insane ride, but I think I really do love India. It’s more of a maternal love I have for this country than anything else. India is a force of nature, and she’s never one thing. Always changing. It’s because of that reason that I’ll always be coming back for more. If I could choose one word to sum up this journey it would be humbling.

A big thank you to everyone that has shown me love and support throughout this whole thing. And thanks for the heads up Mom, I’ll be sure to avoid the water in Delhi… apparently a deadly superbug is on the loose.

I know one thing for sure though… I can’t wait to get back to Texas.

It’s fascinating what life brings you when you decide to put everything aside and go for something that has been calling you for quite some time.