India, sweet India! Traveling to foreign lands always has a way of bombarding you with new and interesting experiences! The contact high alone that one gets just from the scent of the air entering your nasal passageways. Wow! Nothing can prepare you for the putrid aromas wafting through the atmosphere here. Driving takes on a whole new meaning in this country. Some of the worst I've ever seen. red lights are completely disregarded as are any sort of lines on the pavement. Horns are used frequently and for extended periods of time. There's the homeless dog population that you never know what to do with. Perhaps just have gratitude that India is predominantly a vegetarian culture which allows the dogs to escape the horrors of ending up as someone's meal. The endless line of homeless people scattered along the roadside...its a tragic and heartbreaking sight. The trash piles go on for days. In all directions. And there's freeway congestion like you wouldn't believe at 1:30am. Where is anyone going at this hour? Not to mention all of the construction work happening at that same hour. Do these people not sleep? And once you finally arrive at your hotel that has a stray dog population of 200 right outside the compound walls, there's a small man carrying a machine gun that is probably as big as he is. The mind can go racing a hundred miles a minute wondering why the gun is a necessary fixture for greeting the guests. Nothing can prepare you though for the deliciousness of authentic curry and Indian bread. That alone is worth the price of admission! There's a real fascination that some of the Indian men have with American women. Especially those originating from California. I was treated like royalty at breakfast this morning and i must confess, it was a refreshing experience. I have met a few of the yogi's in my entourage and it is my best guess that ill be the grandma in the group. Girls in their 20's who are starting off on this tour and then spending the next 10 months traveling to Nepal, Thailand and Bali. Oh the jealousy! I have a roommate this evening by the name of Tara that I have yet to meet. We will all congregate in a few hours for yoga with govind das....apparently a very well known LA yogi whom I just met and can confirm that he does indeed embody an authentic and groovy vibe. And then there's dinner with the group, followed by kirtan. Chanting, call and response style, for those of you not in the know. We are 21 in total and I'm certain to have lots of interesting stories to tell as the days roll by!

Location:New Delhi, India