and IN HEALTH !!

Thank you to the hawk who dive bombed me in the head twice on the morning I was trying to decide about leaving Dharamsalla. I left!!

Thank you to the Shah's who, though with some hesitation because of their busy schedules, encouraged my return to Pune, where they could help me get to a good doctor and get good care.

Thank you to the really fine doctor who prescribed the 2 dose Secnil for the parasites and it worked like a dream.

Thank you to the lab which, though they promised to look hard, found no sign of parasites - twice.

THANK YOU TO THE J.W.MARRIOTT in Pune for having reasonable rates for a recovery period.

Who have without a doubt the most comfortable bed I've slept in since leaving home, with the most delicious scrunchy pillows. Who gave me a room above the noise and smells of a city.

Whose senior massage therapist helped me get grounded again.

Whose amazing staff of chefs provided every kind of delicious and tempting food, once I was ready to eat it. And who gave me two private cooking lessons, which I understand is very rare.

Whose well equipped gym allowed me to regain strength - more every day.

Whose accommodating and VERY friendly enormous staff of service people were with me every step of the way - from the lady who had to scan my purse every time I went in or out, to the concierge who helped me figure out how to unfreeze my computer, to the genial hostesses who introduced me to other single travelers looking for friendly conversation (though I was doing quite well on my own in that department!),

to the entire wait staff and many of the chefs who came to talk to me at each meal.

To the dazzling energy of one of the bartenders who took me under his wing and showed me an evening out in the "real Pune". And the other, whose story was ambitious and inspiring to me.

And the remarkable housekeeper who wished she had more time to make the jewelry she likes to make from trash she collects here and there.

Thanks to the flexibility of my schedule that I have had time to gradually recover from travel fatigue as well as dysentery. And thanks to my iPad mini which held tightly to all my memories, when I no longer could.

Thanks to my friend Rupali, who is arriving next week to travel with me and her family to Kashmir as a special treat during my last week in India.

I never got to volunteer here in India for one reason or another, but I have tried in each place I've been to leave behind warmth and goodwill. I certainly have had a rich and abundant time. There was so much traveling and so much minute by minute input that my mind couldn't absorb it all. I took photos, but I couldn't write.... This week I hope I can pull together my thoughts of the various angles on this trip. I hope I can adequately explain the cacophony of sound, sight, smell, taste, feeling, sensing and learning which was implicit in every step of the way. I'm ready to leave, but I wouldn't be sorry to return!

I leave here knowing that my privileged rest and recovery here has been major in preparing me for what may be my next enormous adventure. Only two days ago I was asked to join the administrative team at the school in Beijing where I worked last fall. I am seriously considering it, in part because I have regained my health and my strength. Two weeks ago I wouldn't have thought twice about saying no!

 

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