returned.

I've made it back to my dorm cubby hole in the Red Country unscathed and in good spirits.

I had a two night stop-over in Shenzhen after flying into Hong Kong from India and that time proved to be invaluable as a debriefing for returning to "real life" here in the 'Zhou. (But apparently I do not look like my passport pic anymore to Ch.inese guards, and thus border crossing was a little hairy...not sure what to do about that one?)

Anywho, tonight I made it to my final destination - home. My bags are strewn across the floor and my clothes stink. I'm chucking the shoes I trekked across India in because who knows how much cow poop is stuck to the bottom, and those germs belong in the garbage.

I've been uploading pics and I can't wait to share them with you, even though I have no rhyme or reason to today's batch. I apologize if you see some doubles in the future as I decide how to navigate my thoughts and share as appropriate.

My mind is still swirling with the colors of India. It was a great trip. When the boys and I parted in the Hong Kong airport, we group hugged and just looked at each other. "We just went to India and back!" I said. "Holy crap, we survived," I think was the response. ha.

India was incredible. It was filthy and challenging, warm-hearted and tricky. It was exhilarating and inspiring and scary and noisy and beautiful - all at the same time.

And I have a new found appreciation for monkies and cows. Curry and sunsets. Bangles and anklets. Hand sanitizer and high fiber cookies.

Here, have a little glimpse...

sunset from our roof terrace in Udaipur...

rowing a boat along the Ganges in Varanasi...

chats with the Udaipur villa owner, our self-proclaimed, "Indian Grandpa," ...

cow milking area in Varanasi...

shadows at the Taj...

moustache time in the back of a tuk tuk, in Jaipur...

Agra city...

painted elephants at the Amber Fort in Jaipur...

more fort action in Jaipur...

Jaipur...
Udaipur...

the Golden Temple in Amritsar, a holy place for Sikh's...

Need friends fast? Like attention? Dye your hair red and go to India...

a baby in Delhi...

And there's a whole lot more where these came from...

walk slow. xoxo.