Leaving India

I flew from Dharmasala back to Delhi for one final night in India before I flew home. The airport in Dharmasla is very small, two terminals, which really means two doors about 30 feet apart. There are only 2 planes there at one time and only 4 flight times in total, 2 for each plane. My plane was late and I filled my time chatting with a couple that was spending a year traveling the world before they settle down and build a home. They didn't know where that would be yet but they were enjoying the year. They had 8 months left of travel time.

When I arrived at Delhi is was dinner time. I went back to the same bar that I had drank coffee in while waiting for my ride into the unknown at the start of my journey. This time I had a whole different perspective on life. I sat and the young man smiled and welcomed me back asking about my adventure. We chatted for the few hours I sat there, and then I went

to my room for my last night of sleep in a bed for the next 40 hours. I reflected a bit, cried bit, smiled a bit, and felt thankful for everything I had just experienced. I was mostly nervous about the reverse culture shock I would feel when I landed in LA.

I can say that after I landed I didn't leave my home for about 36 hours. And when I did it was to get food. Then it was another 36 hours before I started to find my way back out. Mostly I sat and wrote all of this and enjoyed my kitties who appartenty missed me as much as I missed them. They sat on me, behind me, on the keyboard, where ever they could to distract me and get attention.

India changed me… I've heard this before, but now I know what it means. India changes a person because it can show them who they are, it can open their heart, it can cause fear, discomfort, and peace. It can offer lessons, it can reinforce lessons already learned, it can do many things. I imagine it means many things to many people,

but I know one thing for sure, you won't change if you don't surrender to the unknown and drink in every drop you can.