Fish Market strangers

Sept 26
Difficult to sleep, still adjusting to the time change of 15 hours ahead of home or Hawaii time. So after about 4-5 hours of actual sleep we all gave up and at Kris’s suggestion we got up and jumped in a Taxi by 6:30 am. Headed towards Sassoon Docks to check out the fish market! We had read how it’s in a sensitive area, shipyards etc. and military installations nearby so we knew that picture taking was a risky business. So the few pictures do it little justice for the impact it made. Thousands of people doing this every day is mind boggling. We were caught up in the frenzy of activity; men, women and children all seeming to have great purpose, goal and drive to get there faster than the next person. Women balancing great tubs of a variety of fish on their heads, men straining with wooden carts, ropes over their heads with ice and great loads of shrimp. Ancient wooden boats with no modern equipment or tackle tying “Kingfish” (about 6 ft. long) by the tail and roping it up to the docks. We were the only westerners there and what struck us is how everyone is so much in their own world carrying out their daily task. I wonder what the few people that noticed us and took the time to focus on us thought? There is no way that they could understand the world that we live in and little chance that we can truly understand what their day entails.

This afternoon we took the boat ride out to Elephanta Caves. Glad to be back in the AC room and ready for dinner now that our laundry is back from the dhobiwalla’s.

Hot & Humid

Sept 25
The first day spent trying to get used to the unbelievable heat, humidity, the crush of people and amazing odors. We are staying just behind the Taj Hotel at the Diplomat, comfortable, 24 hr. room service, Wi-Fi, AC, and hot water. What more could you ask for?
Trying to catch-up with this and having some difficulty up-loading pictures so will keep trying.

1st. Day

Sept. 24, jump ahead a day.
Our flight went smoothly, besides a bag falling out of the overhead and hitting Nadine, scratching her forehead and the plane dropping about 100 feet over Greenland!

Our driver was waiting so had no problems, otherwise would have been mobbed by the hustlers. The initial drive in a 3rd world environment is always a wake up call to where now acctually are. This guy had real skills with his horn, however clipped a pedestrian with his side mirror, but did stop to appoligize! Kris was waiting in the room for us, was so great to see him.(hope to have him post some Goa pictures) Had a late dinner and to bed about 3am, time being all screwed up.

Seattle.... a short stop.

Sorry about the lag in updating this! Fatigue and lack of easy hook-up has taken its toll….

We left Kona Sept 22 bound for Seattle via. LA and for me an additional stop in Portland. I lucked out in Portland and was able to get out 2 hrs earlier than originally scheduled, and arrived about 40 minutes after Nadine. By then she had scouted out the shuttle areas and was waiting there for me.

The Light Rail station was a short 10 minute walk from the Lodge, this rail system went operational in 2008. After paying our $5 per round trip, we boarded the train and a half hour and a short walk later we found ourselves at the top of Pike’s Market. It’s still a great place, overlooking Puget Sound and full of the buzz of life and unique shops amongst the fish throwing vendors.

Exploring East

Kris left Sunday night but 2 hours into the flight to San Francisco, they turned back to Honolulu due to a "problem" in the cargo section. All was well but he is now 5 hours late for all the connections, he needs to make the 8pm Sat. flight out of Atlanta for Mumbai, which is a 16 hr. flight, heading east!
United bought him a bed in S.F. and he made the 8am stand-by flight to Atlanta the next morning, he should be good to make the curry connection tonight. He made it to Mumbai, however his backpack didn’t. So while he waited for the baggage “specialist” to report the lost bag his hotel taxi driver must have got tired of waiting out front and left. Kris then got a taxi to Victoria train station and onto his hotel, “The Residency”. We learned all this by e-mail on Monday and have been awaiting word since then. Tonight we were able to chat on G-Mail and his pack arrived Wednesday morning so he is “back in business”. He leaves for Goa at 11:30 p.

Start it up. Slide & glide away form where we find our-selves. Make the effort.

I heard the longest journey starts with the first step, but this one began in my head a few years ago, waffeling as it may be. It has continued to mold itself with help from Nadine and Kris who will share the ride together with me. Thanks also to all friends and relatives who have remembered the past and shaped my awareness of the uniqueness of our family.
Right now, beginning to choose a bag, what and how much to fit into it, how much it will weigh and how difficult to lift it will be to lift into places I can only now imagine.
Time has worked its wonders and I hope I’m up to the task. It’s been 30 years since I last smelt India and 52 years ago we left there. Traveling has always been a way not only to see and feel new things but also a way to change your current mindset (maybe at least for a short time)!
This time I have a hope to follow a goal, not going as a worker or a tourist adventure, but to try and find a beginning and perhaps a better understanding for a sense of life, and how it fits into yours.