Leaving the land of snow flakes and Christmas lights, the time has arrived to begin our travels to India. Boise to Houston in three hours. The way the world travels in this age is incredible and is only improving technologically every single day. I was recently discussing with an engineer friend, that I met during the Oktoberfest in Leavenworth, about the current potential of creating cabin pressure that reduces the effects of stress on eardrums. What an incredible innovation for traveling babies especially. There was one particular summer when that innovation would have been greatly appreciated in my life: I was flying from Oregon to North Dakota while overcoming a fever and my eardrum popped during the take off. My ear began seeping a clearish yellow liquid and the pain grew practically unbearable by the time I got to the hospital for medication. Small details in travel can make a drastic difference such as the way the German airlines hand out freshly warmed lemon towelettes before serving the meals to preserve cleanliness goals in the cabin.
FLYING OVER IDAHO
Boise to Houston in three hours, listening to Papa John and his stories of travels to places like Honduras and Puerto Rico. Papa John is a retired man of the forrest service who has lived a great deal of real life in his 68 years of existence. Climbing trees to retrieve coconuts, hurricanes, deforestation, flying small planes through thunder storms, etc. the list of subject matter seems to continue infinitely. Easy listening sitting next to this sort of unique wisdom and humor.
CREW MUCUNA MATATA: PAPA JOHN, SETH, ME, TANYA THE RESEARCHER
The delay in Houston was accompanied by an older, southern woman with many stories of group travels. Her mother had traveled to many places in the world and now the southern woman's bucket list was filled with places to see. She believes that she has already surpassed her mother, but she has the freedom bug that at least 60% of the world wide population must know about at a very personal level. You catch the bug when you are exposed to an extra ordinary amount of jet lag, car sickness, and elevation exhaustion. The travel bug! Always climbing the highest mountains to bask in the grandest of views and crawling through the thickest jungles to feel the binding strength of earth upon skin. The travel bug is prevalent and absolutely necessary for the growth and unity of this universe.
FLYING OVER HOUSTON, TEXAS
I am ecstatic to see Germany. Only if for a moment while we dash to our gate. I am excited to experience new places as I am on my way to experience new places. Just as life, you cannot have the destination without the journey. Thoughts flow in and out of my mind throughout each journey. I prefer to experience each breath with every sense of my being and writing somehow brings me into the simultaneous moment of present time and reminiscence.
Flying over Boston to a brand new country while all the while I am learning to be a brand new woman. I observe the women around me. No one teaches us to be adults, we just do. No one teaches us how to keep our inner child either, only some of us do and some must grow old to remember his or her authentic selves. I often times revert back to the shy self, but then I remember the feeling of being absolutely open brings absolute abundance and experience which is followed by wisdom and insight in return. I want to breathe all of the impurities and all of the demons out of my system. No longer will fear be a factor, I am soaring over Boston to cross this great sea with integrity. Women are leading this pack and we are women on missions. Mission Mucuna in this case!
Watching the globe on the seat back screen, I see that there is a certain time of the day when the globe barley sees sunlight upon the earth and the sea has an opportunity to soak it in for herself.
Giant cigarette boxes on carts pace the isle. As a non-smoking air bound vehicle, I am not sure of the objective. Besides that, the boxes all say “SMOKING KILLS,” in bold letters. Maybe it is a government tactic in reverting our subconsciouses to be more healthy or maybe it is just simply a caution sign that is to be ignored upon the tempting Camel branded cartons. On a more beautiful note, I am watching Eat Love Pray with Julia Roberts. One of the worlds most incredible actresses in my opinion. The way she captures emotion so effortlessly and lives in her undoubtedly unique gorgeous self, yet her personal insecurities shine. The insecurities and the over confidence are what make her amazing in the film world though, she embraces those moments and those scenes unapologetically. Her grounded transparency makes it seamless for an audience to connect to the characters that she plays. Flaws are what make us flawless. Flaws are an artists everything, from a light leak to a paint drip, it creates authenticity. An unspoken pact that there will never be another the exact same.
Doing booty crunches and occasionally switching positions. Somehow I ended up with TWO pillows! The couple next to me is letting laughter consume their bodies over the new Minions movie. Twice in one plane ride. The lights are illuminating and now is when I begin feeling tired. The adjustment from time zone to time zone is always a challenge. Sleeping pills only give me restless legs from hell, so my goal is to simply drink enough water to avoid excess jet lag.
The sun is rising as we land in Frankfurt. Tiny pieces of frost cling to the outter windows as starfish to a rock in the sea. This silky, monochrome sky that keeps us inside the bearings of the earth also lifts us high to float above the birds. The rise will be turning colors shortly. Maybe pinks? Maybe purples? Maybe just a darker version of itself. I will only know when the time comes and when it does there will never be another like it, fore it is the art of our creator. We are diving through the first layer of clouds and a drop of condensation drips on my arm from a vent above. Strange. I can see the brilliant neon hues of pink cast upon the periwinkle laced sky blanket. I begin to drift until a loud boom and the wings become hardly visible in the foggy air. Raindrops accumulate outside the window and I simply observe the rainy race. Day two of travel and what?! Baileys and Coffee. Unlimited wine. Fluffy bread pudding dessert. Giant fucking zit. The stewardess's voice is almost uncomfortably sexy over the intercom. Either she is roll playing the traditional act of a flight attendant or she is just really tired.
Finally, in German territory and fiascos are happening every step of the way, but somehow we are managing to make it work by sprinting and communicating. My question would be, is the stress needed to push us and rush us to where we are going (even though half the stress is wasted while standing in a line) or could we have done without it and still made good time?
Note to self: when booking a country to country flight, be sure the layover is more than an hour.
Another note to self: check everything for yourself and everyone else if traveling in a group. Bag count, head count, passport count, glasses, camera, tickets… Traveling in a group, you must be responsible for yourself, of course, but if anyone is missing anything, the entire group suffers the consequences.
Three sun rises in one continuous travel session! We are taking off from Chennai to arrive in Coimbatore in one hour. In Coimbatore, we will be met by the assistant to the JSS principal, Cheitanya, and he will drive us to Ooty. That's oo-T-ee. The smog here is heavy. Tractors and planes zooming by upon the asphalt ground that is now flooded with soft orange and pink hues. My seat has a mind of it's own on this small plane!!! Using my abs to stay out of the lap of the passenger behind me.
FIRST GLIMPS OF THE INDIAN TERRAIN
Rolling waves of mountain sporadically and strategically placed peaking through the fog below. Sun rays shift through the rumbly clouds. Buildings take turns shining up gold as if signaling a warm welcome. An entirely different world. A new playground full of open potential. A blank canvas with built in inspiration sky scraping with abundance. This is where the earth rounds. Where the captain sets sail. Where the horizon promises infinity. Where all the unknown makes up all the possibility.