Yes, I've gotten my shots

I wasn't going to post again until I actually got to India. It's just a few days before I leave and everyone keeps asking me if I'm nervous. So, I thought I would get in the rhythm by writing and address that. No, I'm really not too nervous... I'm pretty fucking excited. I've been talking to so many people about India lately that I can't not be jazzed up. I just wonder how I'm going to see it all in 5 weeks...

This world is crazy. I've been reading a lot of info about India on this Lonely Planet (travel book brand) forum called "The Thorn Tree." People post everything from "Does anybody know how long it takes to get from Pushkar to Mumbai" or "Be aware of the crazy lady on the beach in Goa selling rancid ice cream." I've had to pick through the postings just to find some good stuff, but there is tons of information. A month ago, this one woman posted about how she found this great car + driver that she highly recommends. I started emailing her personally and she's been incredibly helpful. She lives in Portland, Oregon and has been to India 3x in the last three years. It's been great, but I was just thinking about how it's so odd that I'm just emailing with this random woman in the world and taking her advice. The planet is just getting smaller and smaller.

The flight to Delhi from NYC leaves on Wednesday (yes John, it's direct, and it's just under 14 hours. I know you needed to know. And if the other Jon is reading, I'm flying on a 777 with 4 engines, I think.) I've been inoculated for just about everything, and I've got my Malaria pills ready to go. Marcia, my sister, leaves with me from NY and we're heading down to Southern India to a place called Kerala for a few days. It's got beaches and backwaters and tea plantations, so it sounds like a pretty great start to the trip. Marcia is with me for just under 10 days. We're going to then head up to Goa for more beach and apparently some pretty amazing Indian food (Goa cooks Indian with Portuguese influence.) At the point when Marcia leaves, my friend Angie joins in for another 10 days starting in Goa for a little more R&R before heading up to Rajasthan: dessert, lakes, more dessert, and lots of cites called "the Blue City" or "the Pink City."

Yeah, it's all overwhelming and crazy, and I still don't have too many pre-conceived notions, but I'm ready. And I'm psyched.

See you in India.