Homeward Bound (Jason's Reflections)

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Trip Start Apr 15, 2011 Previous
Entry Trip End Jul 14, 2011

  Delhi, India
Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Yesterday was an emotional day. Lacey's cousins cooked us a traditional Tibetan breakfast of Tsampa porridge.  After a filling meal, we were presented with gifts, kata scarves, and the red protective strings that the Dalai Lama had given them when they arrived.  It was hard to hold back the tears…

I then went to my final class at LIT where I decided to play a game instead of lecturing on all the confusing rules English has to offer (it has GOT to be one of the hardest languages to teach…).  When class was over, the students, of which many are monks and nuns, thanked me, hugged me, shook my hand, and promised to pray for me.  I was honored with more kata scarves – 4 in total.  I don’t quite know how to put it into words, but receiving these kata scarves is very special.  While just a simple white scarf, the act of placing it around the recipient’s neck really shows the giver’s appreciation.  Needless to say, I had to continue fighting back emotion.  They were a great class of students.

 After class, Lacey and I cleaned and packed.  Our place was a mess, especially our kitchen.  A family of plump fruit flies had made home on my rotting mangos and plums.  The smell from the trash was nauseating, and the one emanating from our sink was not much better.  We will fondly remember our time in this apartment, but I’m ready to leave it, and our other inhabitants, behind. 

 Our packs were full, and we still had about 50 pounds of gifts yet to pack.  We hit the town to grab lunch and find a bag to hold all of this additional weight.  Our last stroll in Dharamsala was a typical one…evading the torrential downpour and hiking up our pants to cross the river of brown water in the streets.  As soon as we returned, the sun came back out.  Go figure.

 We put the finishing touches on packing and then headed back to Lacey’s cousin’s to spend our final moments with the extended family.  I taught Sonam how to cook popcorn, which has become our favorite snack here.  We enjoyed our final tea together, shared some laughs, and then headed back to our place where we geared up and caught a cab to the bus station.  After an emotional good-bye, Lacey and I were on our way to Delhi, which is where I sit now.

 Incredible India.  That’s the tourism bureau’s slogan.  It is true.  India IS incredible.  But just as the Taj, the banks of Varanasi, and the mountains of Himal Pradesh are incredibly great…the rampant poverty, widespread pollution, and corrupt government are incredibly bad.  Our two months here has given us a taste of both, and I’m still digesting it.  I don’t think I can pass any judgment quite yet, but I can give you a sense of what I will and will not miss once I return to the states.

 India and Nepal are noisy.  I will not miss the non-stop beeping horns.  They are freaking awful.  Honestly, I cannot comprehend the reason for such obnoxious use of horns.  Bus rides have been ruined, nice strolls have ended, and my hearing is getting worse…all because of those f’in horns.  What I will miss though, is the barking of stray dogs at 10 PM, the bleeding bahs of goats at 8 AM, and the moo of a calf looking for its mother at all hours of the day.  I’ve come to love the orchestra of animals in Nepal of India, and I worry that the states will prove to be just too quiet once I return. 

 India and Nepal are smelly.  I will not miss the smell of shit.  But I will miss the smell of incense used to mask the smell of shit.  I will miss the fragrant smell of the 6 c’s of Indian cooking – coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, cumin, and chili.  I will not miss the smell of gas, both auto exhaust and human flatus (especially bad after the 6 c’s). I will miss the smell of glacial air soaring down the mountains, carrying with it the odor of pine and smoke from simple stoves. 

 India and Nepal are visually stimulating.  I already miss the view from Kala Pattar.  I miss the white peaks of the Nepali Himalaya, and the terraced green rice patties of the lower hills.  I will not miss the sight of trash polluting an otherwise beautiful river – the Ganga and the Bagmati in particular.  I will miss the ornately carved wooden temples of Nepal as well as their gilded Indian siblings.  I will not miss the mutilated beggar asking for "donations" at the gate.

India and Nepal are tasty.  Momos, curry, paneer, roti, naan, parathas, dosas, lassi,…. the list goes on.  Truth is, I will not miss it…because we learned how to make it!  What I miss at the moment is a cheeseburger, so in that regard I can’t wait to get back.  I will miss shopping for dirt cheap produce that is fresh and delicious – the sweetest plums, tasty tomatoes, green beans, and onions.  Oh, and the mangos…I will surely miss the mangos.

India and Nepal bring pleasure and pain.  I will not miss the headaches and fatigue that altitude brings with it.  But I will miss the euphoria one feels when they push past their limits in order to achieve a goal.  I will not miss the stomach bugs, the nausea, and the repercussions of a fiery curry.  I will miss the satisfaction of eating a meal that you crave so bad that you don’t care if it gives you “delhi belly”.  I will not miss the humid, wet monsoon.

I will surely miss the people.  We’ve made some great friends along the way - Tibetans, Nepali, Indian, French, American, Israeli, Russian, Chinese, Swedes, Swiss, Germans, Austrian, Aussies, Kiwis…even Brits.  The trip would have not been the same without them.  Good thing we’ve got a slew of great friends and family to return too. 

On that note, I think its time to wrap things up.  The trip has been an absolute blast.  To all the readers, thanks!  Your comments kept us going!

 Until Kohlmoos-Heckert (or Heckert-Kohlmoos) expedition #2….

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