Berkeley arrival!

Long day of travelling, including me as the lone crier at the airport (think tissues and mascara streaks, not yelling the news or the time to the masses). Note to self: airports in Chicago and especially San Francisco are much cooler, more invigorating (in a good way) than the White Plains airport. Got to hotel too early to check in so went for a run. Very smart thinking to put running gear in a separate bag in my carry-on. Evidence that we keep learning as we age. For people who run in Brookfield and Roxbury, Berkeley is a piece of cake. You call that a hill? Houses around the university adorable and small, with scented blossoms making the air interesting (not like the skunk carnage on Rte. 67, ick.)

Saw my beautiful Wellesley friend, Suzanna Smith, and her super handsome 7-week old boy, Miles. Suzanna is a jazz singer, graphic designer, mom and general centered competent kind woman who's consistently gorgeous AND I don't hold it against her (that shows her real power). Her new album, Halfway Between Heaven and Love, will be out on iTunes soon, and all the coolest people will have it, putting jazz back into their vernacular. We were having so much fun, we forgot to take a picture of our charming trio. Drat. Next time.

I just had a splendid dinner of fried green tomatoes and black eyed peas at the Hotel Shattuck. I'll skip the picture this time, as I plan to load up this blog with pics of food, street scenes, people, etc. Please send your suggestions: what do you wonder about? What do you want to see?

Let me know!

Night before departure: Wreck it Ralph, frozen Indian food from Trader Joe's (Liv and Ruby's choice) and lots of last-minute organizing.

Can't forget to take the typhoid meds. Have to pack them in a cold pack in my suitcase which means reopening it. That's a risky proposition. Just taking photos of the couch bunnies--poor Chris is so afflicted by the weather here, and it's not even hot compared to India. But everyone living in CT knows it's sticky and gross, and none of them envies me the weather part of the experience. I might come back looking like a bloated bun. Or a raisin. We'll see.

Here's a map of the 8 cities I will be visiting. Starting in New Delhi and ending in Agra.