Anticipation

I can not believe that I might be going to India. It wasn't two weeks ago that I found out that my friend and co-Worker Amit Savant was getting married! Amit is from Pune India where he owns a house and resides. He's here in America for the last 8 years as a Consultant working for NIIT Technologies. His current post is embedded in the Department of Safety for the State of New Hampshire. To make a long story short, he has extended an invitation to his wedding in India! I just need to find a way to get there. Currently tickets are about 1200 for round trip. Not a bad price considering you are literally flying halfway around the world!

There are a couple problems with plane tickets. The price increases as you get closer and closer to the date of the flight. Amit already has his tickets but i don't have the money upfront for them right now and obviously I want to take the same flight so we can car pool to his house. Well, that and I might need a translator! I was thinking Amit if he would purchase the ticket for me and allow me to pay him back with my money i get from guitar lessons. But that is a HUGE question to ask someone else. The second problem is that I need a passport and visa before we go.... If i don't get it in time the tickets are NON REFUNDABLE! but I don't know if i have much other option then to ask him. My only backup plan at this point is to ask a friend of mine, Wendy. Either way I feel horrible asking anyone!

In the mean time to take my mind off the stress of trying to organize this trip I started to compile a list of location i want to go when I'm in India। Here's what i have come up with so far: Koregaon Park, Osho Ashram, Trek up to Sinhagad Fort, Shaniwar Wada Palace Fort, Parvati Hill and Temple, Torna. But I'm sure Amit will keep us very busy while we are there!

Well I will have one other American with me, Ryan Horn. I have only met Ryan a few times before through a mutual friend that i know from work Bill Bryer. Ryan is a big hiker so i think he will be into seeing all these sites with me. This means I'm going to need a backback. I have been shopping online for one but I found out Kendra has already bought me one for my birthday! :) She's all nervous now that i won't like it. I'll bet that i get it before my birthday!

I've also been thinking about all the things that i should bring with me. I have to keep my cost VERY low. When I'm in India will pretty much be depending on Amit and his family for food so just a little necessity money is all i will have. I want to bring a camera and a laptop to keep pictures and blog the experience to reflect on later! Besides that i want to bring my headlamp, batteries, bug spray, and books to read on the flight!