...And Then Everything Went Horribly, Horribly Wrong

I'm leaving here at 2:15 a.m. (yes, AM) Friday morning India time...and will arrive in Oregon at 11:40 a.m. Friday morning. Two 11-hour flights, plus a layover in Frankfurt...ugh!

Today I went with Vrinda to Commercial Street - blocks and blocks and blocks of shops. I LOVED IT. We had such a good time shopping and she is insanely effective when it comes to bargaining. She told me not to speak - then she would sit down with store owners and demand everything at half price! I could have spent at least 500 rupees more than I did if she wasn't there...but even so, everything I bought today cost about $65 U.S. Demented, but what a way to shop!

Then we had tea and milk at the old French Embassy. It's completely falling apart, the walls are crumbling, tropical plants are growing in the cracks, but tons of locals (and local French people) hang out there to drink coffee and smoke outside...Vrinda saw not one, but two of her best friends there - one was there for a human-rights get-together. Vrinda was there for coffee and completely nonplussed by the gathering. She was like, "oh, human rights, whatever. let's have a smoke." Hilarious.

Now it's like 6:30 p.m. here...I just finished editing next week's Portland Picks, and my brain is fried. I am exhausted!!! Only one more night (after tonight)! I can't wait to get home. J says that Pork Chop seems fine, but somewhat disoriented...a little lost without me. I think they both miss me very much.

But overall, this trip has been fabulous - lucky for me we've done more sightseeing and hanging out than working - shhh! - but it will be a relief to get home. I thought I was relaxed here but I found that I can't read any of the books I brought...i can't concentrate on the words. I think I will immediately fall into a deep slumber when I finally get to my own house...ahhh...