Traveling Light?

Well, I thought I had initially packed light, even considering that I would be gone for nearly 9 months, and would be traveling to varying climates, doing unpredictable things, I tried to pack an array of items while confining it all to my backpacking pack. I succeeded. My pack was stuffed, but had all my essentials and a few extras. Plus books. And sneakers.

But, it seems that the universe has other plans for me. Apparently I'm in for a lesson on attachment, and moderations. Aparigraha and brahmacharya. Yep, I'm not even in India yet, and the yogic lessons have sprung up on me, just to see if I'm up for this. We'll see...

After about 33 hours of chasing after my backpack from Sacramento (on the flight that I, myself, missed) to San Francisco, and then back and forth between the international terminal (with AirChina, the airline I was INITIALLY going to connect with, but I canceled those flights. By the way, my recommendation is to NEVER fly with AirChina if you can avoid it...) to the domestic baggage claim area for United. Back and forth and back and forth ALL DAY. Then they thought it was in Sacramento, then they thought AirChina had it, but they told me that United had to come get it. It was all very reminiscent of a fight between two seven-year olds. And I was the carrier pigeon. My feet hurt.
So, after all that he-said-she-said, I check in with my airline for my flight, and go through security with nothing but the clothes on my back, and my ipad in my purse. (and my wallet, and passport.. but that's pretty much it).

I am really only pining for my books and a few key toilettries. Other than that, I'm alright with buying a few bare essentials in Delhi when I arrive and living off of that for as long as I can. Although I regret wearing this dress for my flight. It would be nice to have a more practical starting point on my clean slate.

To be fair, they still have... 45 minutes to find it and get it on my plane and all will be well. But this certainly has been a trip- and I haven't even left the country yet.

Here's a poem from Brian Andreas, in his book "Traveling Light":

carries a lot of suitases
but all of them are empty
because she's expecting to completely fill them
with life by the end of this trip

& then she'll come home
& sort everything out
& do it all again