The monsoon made its entrance as we prepared for our departure. Less than 24 hours before our scheduled flight on a tiny plane above the mountains surrounding Manali, we learned that flights had been cancelled for the three previous mornings, not delayed, Cancelled (with a capital C). The forecast for our flying time was Rain (with a capital R). We made the decision to cancel our 17 seats, and hired four cars for the 17 hour ride to Delhi, planning our departure for midnight to ensure we would not miss our Continental Airlines connection back to the US at 10:50pm. It was the right decision. Ours was the 4th consecutive day that the flight was cancelled. Knowing this decision meant aborting our plan for a day of touring and shopping in Delhi, everyone spent the final hours picking up gifts and packing for our midnight departure.
We said our goodbyes to Hotel Kanchan Gray, watched as they roped and tarped our bags to the roofs, and with henna'ed palms, began our long journey. There were good signs. 1) I buckled myself into the fully functioning passenger-side seatbelt (see first post if the reference doesn't make you smile). 2) Our driver stopped ever-so-briefly to bow his head, close his eyes, and pray. Given his job description of delivering us safely, I liked that.
Henna design by Himani, a Smith college student conducting research with Heather for the summer
We stopped in Chandigarh at 8:30am for breakfast at Mili's maternal home, meeting her family who welcomed us with a delicious breakfast and her mom's chai, the best I've ever tasted.
We made it. And so I'm home after a great learning experience. Julian and Leo greeted me with hugs that are beyond words. Kissing little boy cheeks was what I missed most of all. I teach about childhood and family resilience. Eric is an amazing dad and made it work with lots of family support, but we are strongest when we share the daily tasks of parenting. Now...final papers to grade from my College Park kitchen table.
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