DAY 1 - Namaste, India!

Arrived in Bangalore early this morning after 24 hours of traveling. I'm so nervous and excited to be here that I don't even feel tired! When we leave the airport I'm pleasantly surprised; India doesn't feel as unfamiliar as I expected. It reminds me of many places I've been before... palm trees, dirt and dust, brightly colored little shacks with tin roofs. No turquoise waters here, though! The road is paved and it's a smooth 3 hour ride to Mysore, with the rising sun burning away the morning fog as we go. I'm loving the ride, taking in all the sights: Om on the grille of a Mack truck, women in saris on the back of mopeds, dogs and cows in the streets, Shiva Family Restaurant, Ganesh Tiles, Raja Wine Shoppe. We stop for steaming chai in little glass cups and it burns my fingers and my tongue. After a couple of hours the jetlag begins to set in and I zone out until we reach Gokulum. (photo: leaving detroit)