Back to the Mountains

After looking over the hurried efforts to update the blog, I notice all sorts of needed corrections and the very disjointed recount of the adventure thus far. I have ample time and fast affordable internet so I hope to do a better job of it...and least for now.

Here's a quick interruption in the tails of the Annapurna trek:
I just spent four interesting days in New Delhi to attend the ICID irrigation conference. Just before leaving for Asia, I had the opportunity to present some of the research I did as a graduate student at a national water conference (AWRA) in Seattle. I was invited to present again at the conference in Delhi, so I jumped on the chance and the rest is history. I unexpectedly spent the majority of my time in Delhi experiencing a face of the city that can only be described as the opulent end of the "extremes" spectrum. We were housed in a five star hotel that went way beyond anything I've experienced in the states in the way of service and luxury. I felt like a fish out of water dressed in my dingy hiking gear while in the company of elegantly clad wedding parties and dignitaries donning golden turbans. I did venture out to the "real world" in the company of the team of researchers from OSU. We took the old city in by rickshaw, which was even more amazing when rush hour stuck and we were joined on the road by all manner of transport. The roads are an amazing mix of ox drawn carts, hand crank bikes, rickshaws, buses, tuk tuks (onomatopoeia for three wheeled progress I assume), motor bikes, etc. We visited the Jami Mosque ( I witnessed my first case of elephantitis) and passed the Red Fort at dusk. Amazing views. Amazing tangle of people.

I left for Dharamsala to meet up with Dave and Chris promptly after presenting. I'm happy to leave the chaos behind and be back in the peaceful mountains. Mcleod Ganj is perched on a hill above Dharamsala. Last night the town was lit up by butter candles lining the city walls and we were fortunate to hear the chanting drifting from the Dalai Lama Temple just after sunset. Bridget arrives tonight and we'll leave our palatial apartment of a hotel room for a few days of trekking above the snowline.