There are only a few people in your life who take the time out of their lives to inspire you, believe in your cause and excite you to make a difference. One of these friends wrote me only 2 weeks ago with a very casual letter about business and asking how I’ve been and congratulating me on meeting Elizabeth. He ends the email with, “also I’m getting married and you’re invited.”
After a few back and forth emails, I agreed to attend and support my friend but then asked, “where and when?” He answered, Mumbai India…in three weeks!
:)
It has been quite a whirlwind since that night of emailing leading up to today even though it’s only been one week. My friend is getting married and I want to be there. So, I’ve been chiseling through a huge to-do list that is required in order to get everything ready starting with warmer clothes, an Indian Visa, getting down to Newark New Jersey in order to catch the direct flight to Mumbai and figuring out my allowed time off at work. It has been quite a bit of work getting everything in order but it’s going to be a worthwhile adventure.
I fly out on Saturday the 19th after spending a day in Manhattan snapping photos and playing tourist. I’ll be boarding a bus here in New Hampshire at 6AM (equipped with power adapters and free Wi-Fi) and arriving at Grand Central station before lunch time. I haven’t been to NYC as an adult and have only gone as a kid to attend Macworld many years ago. So, after arriving in Manhattan, it’ll be a day of photography followed by a late night flight that takes nearly a full day. After a week of sight-seeing, I’ll spend 5 days attending Indian wedding festivities for my friend followed by another full day in the air and returning on March 2nd.
It will be quite a week and quite an adventure. My friend has been helpful in getting me setup with scheduling so it all works out with timing of my work. I’m lucky to have such great friends in my life and am very lucky to visit India for the first time.
I’ll be in the city of Bombay (Mumbai) for most of the time but plan on doing some sightseeing by plane or train to various other parts of the country. My friend is well-connected so I’ve been hearing from some other friends that he’s inviting some of my really close friends from San Francisco who are coming as well so I’ll get to see friends while in a very uncharted country where a language is spoken that I don’t understand. It’ll be nice having familiar faces there with me.
In my time in India, I’ll be attending a 5 day Indian Wedding Celebration honoring my friend and his bride. I’ll get to wear traditional dress and, as my friend says, “it will be a good photo opp with pictures of you in full costume!” We’ll spend time in New Delhi at the Taj Mahal and make our way through the country side. The 12 days in India will be a journey in self discovery and yet another chance to experience a new culture…of course, the most important aspect of this is that my friend is getting married and I couldn’t be happier.
I’m borrowing a Canon 5D Full Frame SLR from a friend with a few lenses and borrowing lenses from others. I should have a new compact camera by then as well for video and other quick shots. I’ll be packing light as it’s so warm in India (highs of 85 and lows of 60) compared to the daily average of 5-15 degrees Fahrenheit here in New Hampshire.
This is a time of celebration, exploration and discovery. I’m happy for my friend and for his invitation to take part in this celebration. Next stop: India.
—————–
In March, I have other travel lined up:
- SXSW, Austin Texas (March 10th-15th)
- Wedding, Asheville North Carolina (March 19th-21st)
- Ultra Music Festival, Miami Florida (March 24-28th)
April should reveal more weekend travel to new and exciting lands or at least over the Canadian border to spend a few days in Montreal or perhaps a weekend in New York City. I look forward to a trip to Netherlands or Belgium before Summer hits. This has certainly been a year for travel and I’m happy to be sharing it with friends and those that enrich my life. I’m thankful these days and happy to be blessed and rewarded with these adventures. I’m most of all happy that you’re following along and take the time to read what I write and review my photos. It means a lot to me. Thank you!