Has it been a year since I was in India? \u00a0It feels longer. \u00a0This world has been through such turmoil and upheaval in 12 months… and honestly four-plus years since the rise of mainstreamed Trumpism.<\/p>\n
But the last year especially, with the rise of Coronavirus and Quarantines… and the continued devastation it wreaks on our lives with infection rates and death tolls going entirely the wrong way despite hope on the horizon of vaccinations… the way we live has changed so, so much. \u00a0I used to travel and run and run and travel with nary a second thought. \u00a0Oh, sure, I had to do a bit of research to find a cheap murder hotel and I would spend far too often refreshing kayak.com and the cheap tickets app looking for the cheapest possible airfare, layover times be damned. \u00a0But I never once thought, “oh, well… I couldn’t possibly go there.” Hell, I was even scheduled and booked to go to Chernobyl! \u00a0That all came crashing down. \u00a0And those are champagne problems to be sure — so many others lost loved ones and livelihoods. \u00a0Me? \u00a0I’ve basically been holed up for almost a year in my house, the longest I’ve been any one place in decades.<\/p>\n
But it has been a year… almost to the day… that I went to India. \u00a0And so I finally got around to putting together the trip index page over in the “Tours” section of this website. \u00a0It was fun scrolling through snapshots and thoughts from that time. \u00a0It really was another life. \u00a0We all will eventually get back to traveling and seeing people and living a slightly less isolated and socially distant life. \u00a0It will take some more time, some more sacrifices, and sadly a greater toll on all of us.<\/p>\n
I want to believe there are brighter days ahead. \u00a0Some times that’s hard to imagine when armed insurrection occurs at the US Capitol and around the country, when deniers of science and facts shout from the rooftops and violently shove their way past those who are trying to do the right thing. \u00a0I am going to try and be more positive… though if this past week is any indication I have a long, long, LONG way to go.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, a throwback to what life was like before the pandemic, before the dark times. \u00a0The weirdest thing for me was seeing my bristling at the transit through China with journey’s end. \u00a0How naive and arrogant I was… how naive I may remain.<\/p>\n
Wait, wait. \u00a0That feels negative! \u00a0Let me end on this note instead — I’m trying to get in contact with my driver from this trip, Budhiman (the spelling of his name I’m still not entirely sure on… hence, a few difficulties there). \u00a0I figured with the loss of tourism he and his family might be struggling more than most. \u00a0I’ve been meaning to do this for months but I think I may have finally gotten his contact details. \u00a0I was going to reach out and send him some money as a bonus “tip” for his touring services last year. \u00a0In a world where we get to choose who we are, I’m going to try and choose to be better.<\/p>\n
I’m not going to be best. \u00a0That’s just dumb.<\/p>\n
ZING!<\/p>\n