We're Coming Home - Namaste

We were a little concerned -- OK, maybe a lot -- that due to the low fog that is prevalent in Northern India in December, our flight home would be delayed or maybe even cancelled. But this didn't happen. Our 1:00 am wake-up call came around much too soon, but we'd packed (in my case, crammed) the night before and were pretty much ready to roll out of bed and go. Our taxi was very prompt and we were at the airport before we knew it. Indira Gandhi Airport is very modern and a pleasant place to spend some time, not at all chaotic. We had enough rupees to pay our airport exit fee, but no one could verify that we needed to pay it, including the folks at the Emirates check-in counter, so we ended up exchanging our remaining rupees for US dollars. The Singapore dollars, they told us, would have to wait until we reached SFO.Both flights on Emirates were great. We've posted some photos of the sunrise on our way to Dubai. However, we saw little of Dubai except for the airport. It would have been nice to have taken an overnight stop there, but we were ready to come home. After 20+ hours in the air, we

arrived at SFO at 2:00 pm on December 26, the same day as we left. It's taken us a wee bit of time to get back to normal...and we're not quite back yet.To quote Erma Bombeck: when you look like your passport picture, it’s time to come home. In my case, I was well past this point as you probably noticed from the photos. But we made it, and we're so grateful for everyone and everything who made this possible. This was a trip full of contrasts and commonalities -- weather, people, culture, religion, food, transportation, comfort, accommodations, activities and much more. Here's a summary of what we covered: Five countries: Indonesia (if you count both Java and Bali), Singapore, Nepal, India; 39 days, 22 hotels, nine flights -- we circled the globeAn overnight train (been there, done that, make big note for next time), one half-day train, a car ferry, taxis, buses, minivans, tut-tuts (auto rickshaws), bicycle rickshaws, two metro systems, a camel cart ride, one elephant ride, and a ride on the back of a motorbike -- and of course, walking and hiking. Countless stairs and close calls with oncoming vehicles and in crossing streets. I didn't count the miles/kilometers - a pedometer would have been a good idea. Maybe next time!