Two Weeks To Go

Another day closer to flying. This day marks the two-week-to-go point in our countdown. One moment we feel that fourteen days are not enough time to get all the last details nailed down, and the next we feel we just want to turn our backs on all the details and go already. Today was full of accomplishments, but tomorrow seems to have as many things left to do as there were before today began.

I am now a paid-up card-carrying member of AAA, via the Israeli affiliate of this world-encompassing organization. New horizons are open to us now that weren't there before I joined this morning. We hope to take full advantage of our AAA status.

Another important matter was dealt with today. I got a form from our lawyer to fill out that will give him power of attorney over any legal matters that might arise; just for our peace of mind, not because we expect to need him to stand in for us. But you never know . . .

We now have a fist-full of rupees. I stopped at a money changer's shop today and asked about this currency. I was told it was pointless to search for rupees. None of the money changers stocked them. Ahh, but I had an alternative source. It is my great good fortune to have wonderful friends who travel. One of these friends just got back from a business trip to India and he knew to bring back his unspent rupees for us rather than convert them back before he left there. Razelle and I spent some time visiting with him and his wife. They answered our many questions about what to expect when we get to Mumbai: everything from traffic to tipping, from eateries to . . .well . . . (Razelle quaintly refers to this as the "food-in-food-out" topic). Knowing now what we didn't know before our visit with these friends has given us (especially Razelle) confidence that we can manage Mumbai after all.

I now need to confirm offers of hospitality from many quarters as they come in. My letter writing has generated a nice response from all over the map. I hope I can manage to keep up with this correspondence. It's nice to know others are as excited about this trip as we are.