Countdown to departure

Over the Christmas holidays and through this past weekend of New Year's celebrations, the reality of actual departure remained somewhat nebulous, much as the foggy weather of the past two days here in southern Maine. However, when I awoke this morning at 4:00, I realized that I really SHOULD get packed, pick up Travelers' Cheques and finish up last minute details at my office. Well, the first task was to create this BLOG, and then to go to the gym for exercise and then to drive to doctor's appointments - (Gee, Elias, could you cram much more into your already tight schedule?) Also, since I will be leading the ROTARY DREAM TEAM - INDIA 2011, in February, for the purpose of immunizing children against the crippling, and sometimes deadly disease of POLIO, as well as working as common laborers in the construction of a water harvesting dam, I need to stop by MIKINI STITCHING in Sanford, Maine, where all of our team shirts are being embroidered. I will take the shirts with me to India tomorrow, rather than trying to get everything packed in February, with the rest of my clothing, etc.
The purpose of this immediate trip is to take my daughter and grandson to India, not only to attend the wedding ceremonies (how many days????) of our adopted niece, Pallavi Saran Mathur, who is the daughter of my little brother, Sanjiv Saran and his wife, Jyotsna. If you are interested in learning more about Pallavi, please follow this link: http://bharatnatyam-pallavi.com She is one of the most talented interpreters of classical Indian mythology and dance and is renowned throughout India, the USA and England.
Following the wedding, we will do some travel, and see India through the eyes of my 9-year old grandson. We will not simply keep to the typical tourist spots (although we will visit the Taj Mahal in Agra and Amber Fort in Jaipur), but I will be pleased to show J.T. and Heather some of the places where I have had the honor to lead previous Rotary Dream Teams in past years. One of the villages where we had worked is a totally Muslim village of Chahalka, and I look forward to sharing with my family the fantastic work we have been able to accomplish, with the help of Rotary and The Rotary Foundation.
More later, when I have a bit more time to write...