Karin, Anjum and Harry met up at the hotel late Friday evening. Here is the email she sent out before they left Delhi on Saturday morning for Bilaspur:
6:25 am. The group is in the lobby. We are heading out. I have way too much stuff!!!!!!
No sleep last night. Had an Indian feast with Har and Anjum at the 24hr resto upstairs.
Leaving for the train soon... love u all.
K
It's a little after 5:00 AM here on the west coast. Still no heat so it's 60 degrees inside. Now I'm the one bundled up in fleeces. (I can hear Connie's voice now: "Waa waa waa. Take a man-pill!")
This leg of Karin's flight left 13 hours ago.. only 2 left until touch-down.
The expedition that Karin, Harry and Anjum will undertake is organized by Himalayan Health Exchange. In total they will be 2 doctors (including Karin), 8 medical residents, 9 medical students, and Anjum and Harry. The Lead Physician (and trip leader) is also bringing his wife and two young children. Karin's official role is Assistant Physician. Apparently one possible role for Harry will be running the pharmacy (insert your own witty comment here).
When they arrive this evening (morning here), they will be picked up at the airport in Delhi and transported to the Hotel Grand Godwin. The team will stay overnight in Delhi and then will depart tomorrow by train for Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh, as is beautifully rendered in graphic above. Himachal Pradesh is bordered by Kashmir to the north and Punjab to the west. Kashmir has the distinction of being one of the most volatile regions on earth. It is comprised of territory that is disputed by the three nuclear powers that border it. Thankfully, there has not been a major war there in years.
From Bilaspur, the team will be headed to the villages of Harlok, Amarpur (Baged) and Samoh.
And now the answer to the question I received in various forms yesterday... Just how did I get past security at the airport? Well, first I carefully analyzed the situation. I figured I had a few choices. The obvious way to do it would have been to overpower the 20 TSA people that are now needed to man the security checkpoint. The problem with that plan is that for every TSA agent standing around doing nothing by the x-ray machines, there are 5 to 10 more standing around in the break-room. I scratched that idea. My second I idea was to fly a little Cessna to the airport and then figure out a way to get into the AA terminal from the runway side! The problem with that was that I would not have been able to take Karin to the airport. In the end, I did the simplest thing: I bought an unrestricted refundable ticket, printed a boarding pass, went through security, and then canceled the ticket. Not all that exciting, but fool-proof and legal.
You can follow Karin's flight to Delhi by clicking on this Flight Tracker link. Then use the pull down menu to choose American Airlines and put in flight number 292.That will bring up a real-time graphical portrayal of Karin's flight.
If that one doesn't suit you, enter the same info (AA 292) at FlightView or FlyteComm. The coolest tracker I can find right now (they change all the time) is called FlightView Live which can be accessed by clicking on the orange "Launch Live" button once you have brought up the flight at FlightView. If you zoom in all the way with that one you can see the plane moving. If you are really interested in tracking flights, you should try AirNav Live Flight Tracker.
I do suggest you refrain from watching all 15 hours of the flight, however.
The pic two posts below this is of Karin at the airport this morning hitting the Gravol (Dramamine) before her flight. The pic in the post below was taken of us about 5 minutes before she left (gosh, I'm tall).
I'm sitting at O'hare waiting for my flight to Delhi. Only 17 hrs until we arrive in India (barring any flight delays- this is Chicago after all)! So there's not much left to do but wait and imagine what the next month has in store for me. I just met up with Anjum and the first thing she said was "What are we doing? Are we crazy?!"
Yup!
Isn't Jaime amazing? I am so lucky to have him! I love you sweetie!
Love to all! Will write when I find a computer.
:)
Karin
We didn't have any heat last night. At one point Karin came into the bedroom totally bundled up in fleeces and shivering and said "I wonder if it's going to be any colder in the Himalayas." She then picked up the thermometer: 65 degrees. There's a reason she had to buy a sub-zero sleeping bag, and I don't think it's because it's going to be 65 degrees.
Dad, Annie, Hanna Mei, and Shayna stopped by last night to say good bye to Karin. Karin and I then had our final meal together - Vietnamese take-out followed by chocolate and other yum yums. I "made" a fire California-style (as in turning on the gas) and turned on Michael Palin's Himalaya as Karin did her last minute organizing and packing. Michael Palin's series is excellent, by the way. He travels through very isolated and hard-to-reach regions of this world on trains, ultralights, ATV's - whatever it takes. The Himalaya production was done in 2004 and follows his original 80-day round the world travelogue from 1989.
My sources tell me that Karin's brother Harry spent his last evening in this hemisphere with Cathy in New York watching Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. I don't know what Anjum did with her last night. Anjum?
Yesterday evening I spoke to Eric Bellman (who reports for the Wall Street Journal and not something I apparently made up called the Asian Wall Street Journal) in Mumbai and to Ravi Nehru in Delhi to discuss our itinerary. Given the limited time we have, we will likely have to forgo heading to the south. Traveling within the country, while not at all expensive, can be arduous and unreliable. If, for example, a flight is canceled or very delayed, that would kill an entire day for us. That's precisely what happened to us in Vietnam when our one hour flight from Nha Trang to Saigon failed to materialize - it ended up meaning an entire day spent in fear for our lives as we weaved our way through Vietnam's road chaos in a mini-mini-van.
That being said, I will most likely travel to Delhi on the 25th to meet Karin and we will begin our travels through Rajasthan from there.
In a few hours I will be taking Karin to the airport. I have made arrangements to be able to go through security with her so that I may see her off at the gate. Expect to see send-off pics tonight!
The next time I see Karin will be on February 25 when she descends out of the rugged isolation of the Himalayas and into the mad frenetic chaos of urban India (not that I've ever been there). It's really odd to think about just how little I will be able to communicate with her over the next 3.5 weeks.
I will be posting to this blog daily. Most of the posts will probably be me whining about how far Karin is, how lonely I am, and how cold our house is. However, those boring epistles will be interspersed with fascinating accounts of Karin's progress in the brutal and unforgiving terrain of the Himalayas. I'm afraid you will have to read through everything to catch those rare nuggets.
Please wish me well as Karin embarks on what is obviously a trip designed to punish me for something. I mean what could I have done to deserve 25 days away from her? And couldn't she just have gone to a spa in Arizona or something? What is so special about the Himalayas? Are they that wonderful? And what is this obsession she has with helping people? Maybe she should see someone about that. Please stay tuned as I answer these and more questions over the coming weeks.
But seriously... I'm going to really miss Dr. Rash. I will also worry about her. And then I will really look forward to seeing her again in Delhi on Feb 25.
Travel well, Karin. We all think what you are doing is unbelievable. We love you and will miss you terribly.
The long-awaited and much-anticipated Montreal Jewish Dining and Gorging article by cousin Alex has finally appeared in The Forward. If I was in Montreal right now I'd already be on my way to Schwartz's. The timing is particularly apropos as I was served the worst pastrami sandwich of my life at lunch today (1 bite and I was done).
I can't write the official last-post-before-Karin-leaves just yet but I had to get this out.
Seeing as this is a blog about my trip to the Himalayas, I figured I should contribute. This may be one of very few posts from me as I am not sure when I will have internet access in the middle of nowhere. I will keep it brief since a) Jaime is a better narrator b) I still have catch up on work emails c) It's almost 11pm and this is my second to last night to spend with Jaime and d) I am working all day tomorrow and need my beauty sleep!
This is surreal. For years I have thought about doing some type of international work, but never got around to seriously pursuing it. Then this year one of my colleagues turned me onto this organization and it suddenly came together for me (thanks Sarah!). I know it is just a 3 week expedition. But for me that is huge. I can check off one of those things on my list of things to do before I get too sick/old/pregnant.
I can't really put into words the whirlwind of emotion/anxiety/panic/ excitement I am experiencing. Mostly because I have been too busy with last-minute preparations and working full-time until the last possible second (I am on peds call Wednesday night, leave Thursday morn). I'm sure it will start sinking in on the 15 hour flight from Chicago to Delhi.
I have been receiving a lot of warm travel wishes from friends and family. I'm sorry if I cannot respond to all emails or calls, but I really appreciate all the love and support. Thank you to Georgine and Tanja for the medication samples (Georgine has contributed to half my luggage space). Thanks to Jim for allowing me to take the time off from work to do this (despite your jealousy). Thanks to my parents for their continuous support (and for not freaking out when reading the accidental death waiver). Honorable mention goes to my mom for preparing madeleines, cookies and other yummy treats for me- all while recovering from bilateral pneumonia! Merci maman! (Harry apparently had no room to transport them, alas). Finally, I cannot express enough appreciation and gratitude to Jaime. He has bought much of my gear, is planning our itinerary, and is energetically documenting every moment! I cannot imagine being in the remote Himalayas without him. I can't wait till he joins me on the 25th!
Love to all,
Karin
I hate getting shots so it is with great displeasure that I find I need the following: Hep A, Hep B series, Tetanus diphtheria Pertussis, Inactivated Polio, Typhoid, Measles Mumps Rubella, Meningitis, and possibly Japanese Encephalitis and Rabies. Add to that the Malaria and.. well there was something else but I've blocked it out. I just don't like when people stick pieces of metal into my body and then force a mysterious liquid into me. I use skin as a barrier to these things. In fact I use all kinds of things as a barrier to entry into my body. It just doesn't seem right that just because someone is wearing a white coat I will actually pay them to violate me. It takes immense concentration for me to overcome the natural inclination I have to A. Run away, B. Demand to be able to stick them back, C. Beg for mercy, and D. Cry like a schoolgirl.
It's Tuesday evening now. We are 36 hours away from Karin's departure. I picked up a few last minute things for her - a water filter, hiking shoes, a camera (our little guy apparently lost a fight with some concrete recently).
And this just in: Karin just sent word that Harry has flat out refused to bring cookies and chocolates that had been prepared for her to receive in Delhi. If that seems trivial to you, you have not tasted Karin's mother's cookies.
As for my research, I just happened upon a great collection of pictures and information from Rolf Gibbs' India experience. The Indians can sleep anywhere pics are pretty entertaining.
And just to ensure that this is an entirely disjointed post, the picture below is of Karin taking a mid-packing break. The pic above is of Karin wearing her pack (or vice versa).
It is a spectacular morning here in Del Mar. It rained overnight and I am looking at the last of the clouds disappearing over Torrey Pines and the Pacific Ocean as the early morning sun bathes the entire scene in a warm golden hue. Dozens of birds are flying around in the protected sanctuary below. Absolutely gorgeous.
At the moment I am reading about India. Specifically, I am going through Frommer's India and Lonely Planet Rajasthan, Delhi & Agra. Even more specifically, I've been reading about Goa. Our very first encounter with Goa was a "Goan Curry" that we had in London with John and Stacey at Bombay Brasserie. Karin and I love Indian food and eat it on a regular basis - but the Goan Curry in London left a really lasting impression on us.
Goa, according to my research, is primarily known for three things: 1. PARTYING, 2. Beautiful Beaches, and 3. PARTYING. Goa became a "nirvana for dropouts" in the late 60's and 70's and has evolved into party central in the region. It is also an incredibly beautiful beach resort area.
I'm quite certain that most of the revelers are not aware that Goa encapsulates a rich heritage of both Portuguese and Indian influence. In fact, the Portuguese were in India for 500 years - right up until 1961. Goa contains beautiful villas built for European Gentry and for the Brahmins who were permitted to own land if they converted to Catholicism (it's good to be Brahmin).
Frommer's India refers to Goa as "India Light" and a good place to start a vacation as it is not as challenging as traveling in other parts of India. While Goa does sound intriguing, I do think we are going to have to give it a miss this time around in order to concentrate on the north of the country... though I do think Karin is going to need a bit of "India Light" after her weeks in the Himalayas. We'll see.
I have to get to work people. But before I do, I'd like to thank Mischa for helping me out with learning how to Blog and Heidi for posting her own blog and for answering all our questions.
I promised "at least daily" posts and now it's after midnight on the east coast and it's only Day 2. I apologize but David Zemans and his wife Cathy unexpectedly appeared from Singapore. I really did have to see them. I also got to meet some cool people who live here in San Diego but I shouldn't mention their names without asking for permission first but it can't hurt to say they are affiliated with a gallery, right? But I digress...
When last I posted, Karin was planning on packing. And pack she did. Here is the picture I promised of some of the gear that she is hauling. The picture, of course, does not include her clothing, shoes, toiletries, and all of her other personal items.
We did not get quite as far with our itinerary unfortunately. So far we have established that we will meet either in Kerala or Delhi. There is a good chance that we will stay at the Master Guest House in Delhi, though there is such a wide range of accommodations available.
Tonight Karin is on call - as in she will not be home until after midnight. She is working late again tomorrow night. Wednesday night will be our last evening together as Karin departs Thursday morning for Delhi. I will post a link to a graphic flight tracker (or I will embed it if I can figure out how) on Thursday so you can check her progress if you so choose.
There's a lot of nervous excitement here, people. Karin is going to be really really far away, in a radically foreign environment, with little access to modern communications.
For years Karin has thought about taking her medical expertise to remote areas of this world to deliver care to people who are extremely isolated and who have little or no access to modern medicine. Recently she found an organization that provides medical care to people in the furthest regions of the Himalayas and decided to do her part.
On Thursday, Karin will spend 24 hours traveling to Delhi from San Diego. From Delhi she and her team will travel 8 hours to Bilaspur. From there they will spend almost 3 weeks delivering care in villages in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. All told, they will provide medical care to approximately 2400 patients.
Apparently Karin's enthusiasm has been contagious. Soon after she began discussing her plans, her friend Anjum decided that she too would travel with the group to help out. And not long after that Karin's brother Harry also signed up to do what he could to assist with the medical mission.
I, on the other hand, will skip the most noble part of the trip and will go directly to Mumbai (Bombay) where I will be staying with my friend Eric Bellman (reporter for the Asian Wall Street Journal who apparently parties all the time). Karin and I will then be reunited and will be able to settle once and for all that age-old question... Is partying in Mumbai more exhausting than delivering medical care to people in the Himalayas? So I guess my trip to Mumbai is for a good cause after all.
Once we have answered that question, Karin and I will embark on a trip through India. We are still working on the itinerary but will definitely be spending time in Rajasthan, Delhi and Agra. We are also considering a trip to Kerala so that Karin may enjoy some well-deserved R&R.
The plan today is for Karin to pack and for us to work on our itinerary. Stay tuned tomorrow when I will be posting a picture of the unbelievable assortment of STUFF that she has to haul to India - medication, gear (they will be sleeping in tents), hygiene-related accessories, etc.
This blog is going to be updated at least daily. Unfortunately, while Karin is in the Himalayas her access to modern communications will likely be limited. I will endeavor to get as much info as I can posted.. and, if necessary, will make up the rest.
