That was a question several of my friends asked when I told
them last spring that I was thinking of joining Professor Neal Bushoven’s 28th
trip to the South Asian country. My answer was “why not?” or “because I can!”
Many people were surprised that I was considering such an adventure and when
told that the trip was for a whole month they become more incredulous.
Why go to India? I chose to go to India as a milestone trip
with the hope that it would help me move on from the loss of my partner, best
friend and husband. Lenny and I had been together 25 years and married for 19. I
was 25 when I met him; I am now 50. Half my life was growing up the other half
was with Lenny, it all neatly seemed to fit together - apart from the question of what to do
after Lenny. Lenny died of lung cancer Dec. 31st, 2014 (New Year’s
Eve) after six months of an uphill battle and honestly as we look back two
years of declining health. In my grief, I immersed myself at work which is not
such a bad thing to do when you work somewhere as supportive as St. Andrews. We
are always busy with something and I needed the distraction.
Preparation for the trip is fairly extensive including renewing
your childhood shots if you have never done so. Additional
shots are required and for me having a reportable reaction to the large battery of shots was part of the preparation. A
visa is required for entry into the country which entails working through many
web pages with confusing questions and then (assuming you filled out everything
correctly) sending your passport to the Indian Embassy for processing. The trip
includes a 12 day trek through the Himalayas so equipment must be purchased and
packing is a huge consideration! Shopping at REI became one of my favorite
pastimes!
As the day to depart drew near, I began to worry about
packing the right clothes, forgetting something important, and just exactly was
I going to be doing for the next 30 days considering I did not know any of the
people traveling other than Neal. I was also worried about leaving Abby, Ziva
and Max (my dog, cat and aged horse). Little did I know what an amazing experience
I had signed up for!
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| Chikha campsite second night on the trek at 10,625 feet |
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| The Taj is truly amazing! Seen here from the opposite bank of the Yamuna River |
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| The ponies that carry everything for camp climbing up to the Kunzum Pass 15,000 ft. overlooking the Spiti Valley |
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