LOGISTICS

I thought I would tell you about some logistics. My gear, my budget, hygiene, and those things that I live with everyday, but don't make it to the pages of stories about the life of travel.

MORNING AND NIGHT
For most of the time I have been waking up at 6:30-7am. For the last couple of days I got up at 9am. Not sure if this is a trend or what. I wash my face, and go to breakfast. Breakfast consits of chai, and usually a paratha (pancake like thing with potato and peas) that is dipped in curd. I also sometimes have puri - puffed up pancakes that are dipped in a garbanzo bean sauce. Both are very good, oily and fattening, but keep me going until about 1pm. I then go back to the room, use the bathroom (#2), which means I am back to my normal schedule. Then I get my day bag ready and to the sites. When I know I am going to leave the next day I spend the night before or the morning packing my bag. I am getting better and better.

Before going to bed I take a shower. I realized that a shower (water from above) is the thing I need. It is my THING. I can deal with different foods, the constant tourist requests, the dirt, and even the lack of toilet paper, but I NEED A SHOWER. I need to go to sleep feeling clean, not something that happened my first few days. I also use my mom's creams before going to bed. Honestly, my mother, I use them because I want them to be ligther in my bag. Love my products but more and more everyday I am learning that they are not necessary.

I also do a bug check. I check my bed for bugs, cover the pillow with my jacket (the inside part is really soft) and slip into my night sac, which I love. For the most part I have been ok at night. Only one night did the bugs really bother me.

MY STUFF
The single best thing I did before leaving the States was laser hair reduction on my face. I only shave once a week and it's GREAT!

I love my:
-bandana (covers my head, cleans my hands, wet it cools me down, ties things together)
-night sac (keep me protected and just thin enough that feels like a simple sheet in the heat)
-pants (these pants rock and the pockets are really useful.
-torch/flashlight (my little light is great for all the blackouts, for looking under the bed before I leave rooms, and when I hang it from the ceiling at black outs it lights up the whole room)
-watch (I don't have one in the States that I use. The alarm, the stop watch function, etc are all great.
-my money belt (makes me feel safe)

I need to change
-my camera (I love the zoom and the power, but I CANNOT CARRY IT ANYMORE. It is bulky, hard to instruct others to use and it makes me feel unsafe since it looks so expensive). I am working (or should I say Mindy) on changing it when Drew comes.
-jury is still out on the daybag. Some days I love it, somedays I don't.
-I have a lot of products which I may give to Drew to take back in December.

RANDOM
-I tried the bathroom without toilet paper. Interesting. I saves paper, cleans well. My only problem is putting my underwear on without drying. I am still trying to get used to it.
-I am coughing up some narly loogies (sp) because of the dust and smog I have been breathing in. I am starting to understand the Indians taht cough up a lung in the morning.
-I rip pages out of my lonely planet. Places I am for sure not vising get thrown. Pages of the places I am visiting are ripped and taken to those places. The LP stays in the room. That 1200 page is a monster.
-I look the same everyday. It makes me laugh, but is interestingly comforting. I almost bought a kurta today (long Indian blouse that men wear) but the experiencing ended up sour and I left the store unhappy. In the end, one less thing for me to carry.
-My feet are pretty gross, but stronger. I usually soak them at night and then put cream on the cracks. It helps a lot.
-I love EMERGENCEE powder and Drew must bring a whole box when he comes. It is great for hydration, and between the intense heat during the day and the necessary fan at night it keeps me from getting sick. I don't ask for AC rooms. They are cold and I would get sick.
-I love chai and I drink it a lot. I have gotten good at telling the good from the bad. I kinda of wish I hadn't and just lived in bliss.
-I am eating a lot of bread, sugar, and fried and oily things. I think I am loosing weight. I need to eat more fruits. Yes mother, more fruits. I have eaten many bananas and guavas, but I must lay off the guavas. G-d knows I eat enough things that get my stomach going.

"Into the Woods to Find the Giant..."
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