Where in the World are the Wheelhouses?

   We arrived at the Radisson Hotel in Jaipur in the late afternoon.  This is called the Pink City because of the pink hue of its sandstone structures.  We began our tour the next day with a drive to the enormous and imposing Amer Fort, where we took an elephant ride to the top of the mount.   Rob charmed a cobra with the help of an Indian playing a flute.       The fort itself is huge.  We toured it slowly, taking in the beauty of the melding of Islamic and Hindu architecture and art.  This was one of the main stops on the Silk Road; a juncture of many cultures. Following that, we walked along a lakefront park, where we saw water buffalo crossing the water, and many wild shore birds.  Again, we saw wild monkeys right in the downtown area.  Following the stroll along the lake, we went to an artisan bazaar where we bought a colorblock tablecloth and...

   Day Two found us visiting the local Hare Krishna Temple, then the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai.  Both were fascinating.  We went to Pfizer India to visit Andrea’s offices there, and to have lunch in a local bistro.  From there we went to the Mumbai airport to fly to Udaipur.    Our plans changed, and we spent two more nights in Mumbai.  Andrea arranged for us to stay next at the Hare Krishna Ashram, on the same property as the Temple we had visited earlier.  We had dinner at the Govinda Restaurant on the property.  I saw several green parrots in the monastery gardens, and I had seen other green parrots flitting through the trees in downtown Mumbai.  They continued to be present throughout our stay in India.      The next night we stayed at the Mumbai Hilton, an opulent hotel next to the airport, where we would fly out the next mornin...

    As our departure date approached, I continued working away at an ever-lengthening “to do” list.  There were technical clothes and gear to purchase and break in.  There were visas to obtain for both countries.  Rob asked me to get a 10-year visa for India as he intends for us to return in the future.  Nepal grants a 90-day Tourist Visa at the blink of an eye.  At the time, I didn’t understand why that would be necessary.  Now I do.     For some reason I couldn’t name, I felt extremely uneasy about the trip, especially the Indian segment.  We would be shepherded around India via private cars and English-speaking guides for ten days.  We would be meeting up with some of Rob’s former Pfizer colleagues, and we would stay two nights with an Indian friend who also has a home in Connecticut. I prayed a lot about this trip. Surely we would be well cared-for. Fr...

    Pilgrimage to India and Nepal March 8-31, 2019  In March of 2019, my husband and I flew to Mumbai, India, and Kathmandu, Nepal for an adventure.  I don’t know how to begin this narrative, other than to say that I was terrified at the idea of spending three weeks touring around India and Nepal without a formal tour group.  I agreed to go on this trip because it was so important to my husband Rob that I experience what he had done three years ago in Nepal with his friends.  He had travelled to India during his working career, and then went trekking in 2016 for a full month in the Annapurna Circuit and the Langtang Valley with two other men in retirement.    Just the physical preparation was daunting.  I have had six foot operations altogether on both feet.  Only ten years ago I didn’t know if I would ever walk again unaided. How could I possibly go trekking in the Himalayas? ...