Midnight Again in India

This will be the third night in a row of getting to sleep well after midnight. For those who know me, this is not normal behavior, but the short time we have been in Delhi has been jam packed. My intent was to blog daily, but better late than never. Our first evening after checking in to our hotel we enjoyed a welcome dinner at the Ashoka Hotel's Oudh Restaurant. We met Vishal, our Indian agent and enjoyed an excellent meal in beautiful surroundings. The next day was very full, with visits to The Red Fort, the Raj Ghat, where Ghandi was cremated; Chandni , a bustling, crowded huge bazaar area; the Jama Masjid, the largest Mosque in India and the second largest in the world, and Birla House, where Ghandi stayed during his last fast and where he was assassinated. I would have to say the highlight since our arrival on Sat., 10/15/2011 was last night at a dinner in the home of Jadip and Joyita Shankar. They did everything I had hoped for in our "Cuisine Workshop" from demonstrating cooking techniques, and showing various spices and seasonings to providing a warm welcome to India formour guests who would otherwise never have the chance to visit an Indian home. Their beautiful, bright, articulate 15 year old daughter was delightful and the addition of Jadip's older brother and wife and a friend of the family rounded out the company. They served so many dishes they had spent the day preparing, it was a feast of the best of Indian cuisine, with several dishes that were new to me. A highlight of the evening for the ladies was getting wrapped in saris for our own little fashion show. (Watch for photo posting at a later date). Today was not as successful as yesterday as there were issues with timing starting in the AM which affected the day. We started the day at Humayan's tomb, which was a precurser and inspiration of the Taj Mahal. The Sikh Gurudwara was impressive to all and we got to make chapatis in the kitchen as volunteers prepared lunch for thousands of people. Quran Minar, well known for it's never rusting iron staff and impressive ruins was beautiful, though we were all tired by that time. Things got dicey during a drive to the Centre for Dalit Studies. Traffic was heavy and our driver and escort did not know the way, so the trip was twice as long as it could have been. Our drive through horrendous slums and grinding poverty was difficult for everyone. Dr. Massey related some historical aspects of the Caste system and discussed current challenges for Dalits. We had dinner with him and his wife at a local restaurant where the food and setting were very nice. I am afraid the happy outcome was not enough to counteract the dismay felt by everyone during our drive there. Luckily, the ride back to the hotel this evening was prompt and uneventful. We have learned from today and will make corrections for our trip next year. Tomorrow we start out at 8:00 for the drive to Sariska Tiger Camp and an afternoon jeep drive through the Preserve. It will be an interesting, but long drive. Hopefully the swimming pool will be in good repair..

I plan to wear Indian dress much more than I have in the past.  But when I look at the clothes I plan to take, the good old pants and tops look the most comfortable and practical.  The weather forecast is for continuing sunny and hot and dusty days ahead.  I have several nice outfits for evening/dinner, but am not excited about wearing any of them during the day especially since a dupatta (scarf) is part of the outfit.  Margaret plans to get off the plane wearing Indian dress.  Indian people really are pleased to see Westerners in their national dress, so I'll do my best.  

Sometimes Things Aren't So Hard

Whew.  For some reason I thought there was a big issue getting into my blog account since I changed my e mail address.  Apparently not, and I can keep using my old address for the blog.

Less than three weeks to trip time.  We had  a Pre Trip Workshop for our guests where we served Indian snacks (samosas) and dessert (kheer.)  The first half of the evening was a quickie review of the history of India, which we covered in an hour.  When I say quickie, I mean it.  The second half was directly related to the trip. the itinerary, what to wear and bring, cultural tips, reading suggestions, etc.

Our guests had a chance to meet one another and us in an informal, stress free setting.  Being able to host this is one advantage of having a small group from the same geographical area.  And it is a value added feature of India Journey with Grace Inc. that no other tour company offers.

We had hoped to be able to sell travel insurance, however issues with New York State are holding up the licensing process.  So we can do that next year.  Our Business Plan is complete, and projections for the future of our company positive.  Now all we have to do is help our guests have the journey of a lifetime.

The Business Plan

Today I met with an advisor from  Stony Brook University Small Business Development.  I have known all along that I should have written a business plan.  But I did not do that and characteristically jumped into this business full of enthusiasm and confidence.  Now the enthusiasm will be tempered with facts and we will have a much better idea of what we will have to invest in time, talents and money as we go forward.  I am committed to having the Plan pretty much completed in time for my next meeting in one week.

On the plus side are the components we have put into place; the website www.indiajourneywithgrace.com,  our business cards and brochures.  We are pleased with our legal and accounting advisors and the fact that we have been incorporated.  All in all, we think we are in a good place and await the information a realistic plan will provide.

Reservations, Please

We are now taking reservations for our inaugural trip and firming up plans for lectures and workshops. So far three travelers are booked and we will assemble information needed to confirm hotel and air reservations.

Our group, although small at this time, looks to be simpatico and fun.

India Journey with Grace Inc.

It seems like a very long road from deciding to start our company until now. As of today the web site is up and running, we have new business cards, our itinerary is fabulous and looks it, and our brochures give a good idea of what we are about.

Today we were scheduled to briefly thank the Prebytery of Long Island for their support of our India trip of 2010 when we represented PCUSA at the 40th Anniversary Celebration of the Church of North India. It was during that trip that the idea of India Journey with Grace was conceived. We have much to be thankful for.

We are grateful to everyone who has helped us along the way; lawyers, accountants, travel insurance specialists, contacts in India, and most especially web designers Richard and Phoebe Maddrell of Vitalis UK, and Joani Madarash of Access Linx.

I do hope to get many visitors to our website, IndiaJourneywithGrace.com

Our first trip is scheduled from October 14th through the 30th, 2011. It is not too late to sign up.

Why India?

Margaret Cook and I are partners in this venture; each of us bringing our extensive backgrounds and love of India to India Journey with Grace Inc.  Our website is under construction, meetings have been held with lawyers, accountants and bankers and we are well on our way to putting into place those unique experiences that will make ours an experience to be treasured.

We get a lot of different reactions when we talk to people about going to India.  The range from "I would never go to India." to "When do we leave?"

So why India?

     India is REALLY different - culture, food, history, religions, customs- it stretches the mind.

     Elephants walking along a road with trucks, buses, bicycles, rickshaws, tuk tuks, donkeys, cows, cars      and motorbikes give new meaning to the word "traffic".

     Women working in fields, besides rivers and on construction sites wearing colorful saris and moving with grace and ease gives a different slant on women's liberation.

     Worshipers in temples, mosques and churches expressing their faith in the ultimate goodness of God in unique ways.

     Food prepared with a palette of herbs and spices to delight your senses.

     Music and dance from a tradition stretching back thousands of years and colorful Bollywood  movies reflecting the challenges faced by modern Indians.

     Beauty all around, in people, in crafts, in architecture, in the land.

     And yes, there is poverty - not always hidden and sometimes in juxtaposition to great wealth.  And there is often an acceptance of the vicissitudes of life that makes it seem less onerous.  There is injustice and  a fight for the rights of all people.  Struggles we as Americans can relate to.

                                                           So why India?
                                  When I am in India I smile outside and inside.
                                                      Maybe you would too.