Week one - this week was probably the best possible scenario for the start of our trip. I was a bit exhausted after our flight here - although the accommodations of our flight were unrivaled in my personal experience, I sat next to an absolutely adorable but extraordinarily cranky toddler who refused to let me sleep.  Every time I dozed off, he had the uncanny ability to start screaming!  This restless flight was followed by a layover in Dubai (the airport is less of an airport and more of a futuristic mall/airport/atrium hybrid), and another short flight to Delhi.  When we arrived, the sun was shining, and I (accurately) took this to be a good omen for our trip.  The weather was perfect, and the bright warmth was a welcome change from the cold Baltimore winter. Our ride from Delhi to Rishikesh was provided by Suraj's friend, Himanshu, and a borrowed car.  Unfortunately, our timing coincided with a Holi traffic jam, and it took us hours of detours and pot-holed roads to arrive at Suraj's house at 2 am.  Needless to say, after this marathon of travel, I was ready for some rest and relaxation, which was provided at our final destination - Devprayag.

Devprayag is a small town situated in the Himalays, at the head waters of the river Ganges (referred to as Gangaji, a term of reverence, or Mata Ganga, Mother Ganga). Suraj's extended family has a compound nestled in the mountains here called Veidshala, and it is paradise, pure and simple.  The people here are loving, open, generous, and in every way embody the ingratiating hospitality that India is known for.  The children here are unique, and, for lack of a better term, magical. They have the incredible gift of making me feel loved and completely familiar, even though I've only met them once before. They were the perfect cultural guides, taking me on hikes to nearby villages, explaining the significance of small and large shrines we passed, educating me on proper decorum to show the gods respect, and playing games with me to practice my Hindi. I took some painting and drawing activities, which we did together, and they completely annihilated me when we played Holi - yes, it is sooooo much more intense in India, and TONS of water is involved!  In addition to broadening my language foundation, I was also introduced to Indian chores here.  I wasn't allowed to help much in the kitchen, but I did learn the specific way of dish washing, doing laundry and sweeping here (this may seem odd, but I am intrigued by the specific methods each culture has for completing these menial but necessary tasks. It's a small but practical way to differentiate the impact of a country's specific infrastructure, in terms of resources available as well as class/religious values that are at play).

I take hundreds of photos a daily, and each day is an exercise in training my eye to determine what is significant to visually digest around me.  I am in the process of understanding how I want to process and document this trip, and what directions I want to push myself in as an artist. Every day is a visual and emotional adventure.

I've already written far too much, and Suraj has just arrived to fetch me from the internet cafe.  I'll post photos soon (more than what is already on facebook!). Thanks to those of you who stuck it through this incredibly long entry!