ANTI-Ci-Pation

Since this is what I have managed to do so far in terms of packing and in honour of my jittery pre-India anticipatory nerves, I had a practice holiday down in Sydney this weekend....madness really. Pre-Xmas Sydney is full of shoppers, tourists and drunks and navigating your way through them is tricky.





It was a spectacular day- blue skies, warm breezes and of course, I was on the harbour, which always makes me want to live in Sydney- until I breathe in that is.
So now with less than 36 hours to go - yes Michael I am a bit scared- and excited too!- I have no choice but to continue with the packing. All of which makes the anticipation more intense. Every item of clothing I put into the case is accompanied by imagining in what circumstances will I be wearing that item, and what experiences will I be having.

I know by now, that no amount of reading, imagining or any other related activity will come close to what will actually be happening, but I can't help myself. All I am missing are the sensations: smells, sights, touch- will my thermals keep out the cold of the Himalayas? Will this shirt I've chosen be too hot? not warm enough? I also know that it doesn't make any difference what I pack because what clothes I come home with will not be the ones I put in the case today. And what, besides the Lonely Planet India guide, do I take to read? Do I read about the fall of the Liberals? another Westerner touring through India? a murder mystery? a biography? Or do I wait to browse through the airport selections, because I will have 2-3 hours before I have to get on the plane- thanks to anti-terrorist paranoia. [Which bits have to be in the plastic bags?]

During my short practice holiday in Sydney, a huge ship was docked at the Quay. I asked the security guy and he told me it was from New York and making its way around the Pacific and eventually over to Europe. I couldn't help but think about my 3 cruises in 2005-and how the ship is a floating city, complete with everything you could imagine which makes it difficult for people to come ashore and explore- suddenly you are on your own! [I can't wait!] People were coming off the ship and wandering around in a daze and the city looked beautiful on the surface. Underneath are the homeless, the smells of rotting food and god knows what else and the millions of cigarette butts, which litter the wharf now that we have driven smokers outside. It's always a challenge to navigate your way down a Sydney street on a Friday or Saturday night without being assaulted by smoke.


As mentioned before, my India trip has two parts-and I did not include the itinerary for the Buddhist Magical Mystery Tour. Here's what will be happening:

13 Jan - Full day of sightseeing New Delhi [and perhaps some shopping n'est pas?]
14 Jan - Varanasi - this is where I catch up with Jim- among other things, and maybe swim in the Ganges?!- I've been warned to keep my head out of the water.
15 Jan - Varanasi
16 Jan - Morning drive to Bodhgaya
17 Jan - Depart for Rajgir
18 Jan - Drive to Kushinagar
19 Jan - Kushingar-Limbini
20 Jan - Lumbini
21 Jan - Drive to Kathmandu
22 Jan - Kathmandu
23 Jan - Kathmandu
24 Jan - Kathmandu
25 Jan - leave for Delhi to fly back to Sydney and entertain everyone at copious dinner parties about the trip!


Well, enough of this procrastination, time to finish packing....now which long shirt should I take?