Life goes on regardless of what I WANT.

 
No electricity! 

During my first year in India, when the lights would start flickering, I began to pray silently (or not so silently) "Please don't let it be for a long time." If it was during the cold season here in Dharamshal, I would panic because I knew I'd be uncomfortable. With my jacket on, I was known to crawl into bed and cover up with our heavy Indian comforter.

We made too many rookie mistakes in the beginning - number one being we purchased electric appliances! So, of course there were times when I was in the middle of cooking a meal and the "light" went out, or taking a shower and suddenly, no hot water.

Outages in many countries are frequent, and for those of us who take the utility forgranted, the thought of being without it makes us feel helpless. You can't cook, you can't use the Internet and you can forget about staying warm in the winter.

Yesterday, there was a power cut here all day -  the first since we arrived this year. For natives, business continues- sometimes with a generator, but everyone adapts, they work around it. For instance, most use propane powered stoves. Over the years, we have learned to adapt. We now have a gas burner, make sure our backup batteries, cell phones and computers are fully charged at all times, and I have learned to dress in layers when needed.

I was so proud of myself. I didn't panic. I didn't go running to my neighbors asking if they know how long the lights will be out. I didn't pester my husband to call our landlord to find out what is going on. While it was an inconvenience, I knew that eventually the electricity would come back on.

I've never been the most patient person in the world. I've always wanted a solution- NOW! What I'm learning from immersing myself in another culture is that life just goes on regardless of what I WANT.

Get out there! Mingle! Have fun!

Whether it's joining an impromtu dance at the beach, saying "yes" when locals want their photo taken with you, or asking if you can participate in an event, getting out of your comfort zone will really enhance your travel experience.

We recently returned from a month-long stay in Cascais Portugal. Wow, what a privilege to spend so much time in one place. Nearly everyday we walked to the beach area just to see what was happening and, of course, eat! We happened on a dance party, which my husband quickly joined in.... if there's dancing, you know he'll be out there movin' and groovin'. How fun, not only for him, but he put a smile on a lot of faces.... sadly, most people are age seem to prefer to sit on the sidelines. Not us! 

I have no idea who these people are, but they wanted their photo taken with us! I have grown accustomed to this request, especially in Asia. Why people want a photo is beyond me, but I always say "yes."

Dham is unique to Himachal Pradesh, India. It is a way to serve hundreds of people quickly and efficiently. You can experience Dham, which consists of several lentil curries and rice, at weddings and other family events. Whenever possible, I try to get myself invited to these event. But in India, really you don't have to wait for an invitation. All are welcome.

Traveling the rails in India is worth the trip.

Travel through India is not complete without at least one trip on the train.
My first train experience in India was 15 years ago, and the railway station, at that time, was so chaotic and confusing that I had a panic attack when Chan left me to find the bathroom - and he didn't tell me. I was so scared  to turn around and find him gone. So, I yelled at the top of my lungs "CHAN." If that didn't get people's attention, my tears of anxiety sure did. And Indians then do what they do best  - Help out. Despite the language barrier, so many people tried to assure me I was going to be OK. Anyway, I remembered the lesson I taught my kids when they were young... "if we get parted, just stay put." So that's what I did, and Chan eventually came back totally unaware of the crisis he had caused.
But now, traveling by train in India is a wonderful experience; the stations are clean and orderly, and even if you don't speak the language, you'll be just fine because the signage is easy to understand.
HOWEVER.... when booking your ticket, make sure that you are choosing the right class. Now is not the time to try to save money, or you could find yourself standing, crammed into a car with way too many people.

We booked A1 sleeper for the nine hour night journey to our destination, Ajmer.  We thought we would have the cabin to ourselves. OK, so there were four of us, that was doable. You get clean sheets and pillows, and actually the ride isn't bad.

Tips: 

• Book your rail tickets as far a head as possible- seats sell out fast.
• Use the porter service available at the stations. Those guys carry your luggage, bring you to the right lounge (yes, there are comfortable places to wait) and they make sure you and your luggage get on the right train.
• Bring snacks and water. These days, food is not available on the trains.
• Bring hand santizer and lots of it.
• Handwipes are a must- you may get lucky and have a western-style toilet in your car, but you won't have paper of any sort. In fact a good idea is get used to using the bidet method which is most common in India.