February 28, 2008

Dear Folks,

In a couple of hours, Shivaya and I will hand over our bags to a coolie, who will put them in a huge basket and hoist them onto his head. Then he'll walk with us up and over the hill from the beach where we are, to the bus station in Gokarna. We were told he can carry 70 kilos, or 160 pounds, so if our bags weigh more than that, we need two coolies!

We will take a 4-1/2 hour bus ride to Hubli, where we will wait for another 4 hours (we've been given the name of a great restaurant there), then get an overnight train to Bangalore. We'll arrive early tomorrow morning, and have the whole day there (read:shopping) before taking an 11pm flight to Singapore. Three hours there, and then an 18 hour flight to San Francisco, and we'll be back home mid-afternoon on Sunday, assuming all goes as planned. Considering all that traveling, we don't even plan to plug the phone in for a few days...

As it has turned out, our trip has been much more an inner journey than an outer one. Although we had ideas when we set out, of places we wanted to go, things we wanted to experience or see, these were happily abandoned as Spirit seemed to draw us in other directions. Rather than force an itinerary, we put our trust into what was given to us, and we were given so much in return that it is simply beyond description.

Our last days at each place have taken on an intensity of gratitude. Each moment is so precious and alive in the awareness that we may never pass this way again. It is certain that we will never again see any of these places exactly as they are now.

More so here and now, as we not only near the end of our days at Kudli Beach, but the end of our entire India trip. Everything seems glowing and poignant, and we are awash in an ocean of Maha gratitude!

So, we will be seeing or talking with you soon, from home. Meanwhile, thanks for sharing our journey via e-mail, and thanks for all the beautiful letters you've sent during our journey.

Sending you so much love,

Uma and Shivaya