Official Day 1

I'm not a big fan of airports now.
Previously, it was fun to people watch... now... tiny cramped seats.. horrid mystery food and super tiny bathrooms!
So the flight to Chicago- was cake. Then came the next one.. the long one.. just short 15 Hours.. yes folks- thats right... JUST UNDER 15 HOURS!
Thanfully, the plane had some awesome (and free) movies, un-thankfully: I was stuck in the middle of a row, between someone who was asleep the entire time and another who didn't know how to "tuck" his elbows in!
So needless to say... I had a measly 2 hours of sleep for that entire time.
THANKFULLY, I had some of my favorite people to keep me company... musical wise. (Thanks guys for rocking my eardrums so hard!)
So arrival comes... here I am in New Delhi, India. I jump off the plane and meet a fellow who is connecting to the same flight as me. We take a seat in a "Transit" area (imagine the long pool lawn chairs, a row of them... facing a glass window...
thrilling right? It was like sunbathing indoors) - So my new friend and I sit/lounge down. Besides us is a fellow who looks like Robert Pattingson (yes I snuck a photo) We chatted up a skosh until he had to take off for his flight to Hong Kong - I adore guys with UK accents!!! My other friend, whom is of Nepali ethnicity is studying IT-Medical systems in OMAHA of all places!!!! He slept off and on, while I read. We chatted in between as I chatted with fellow people in the transit area. Our connecting flight which would take us to Nepal was at 6:30am (Monday, the 19th.. today) We sat in the transit area for roughly 10 hours.. and then FINALLY we were able to go to our gate! We walked onto the tarmack - jumped on a bus- and then walked up the stairs and loaded. FINALLY I had a window seat... a seat with room for my legs to branch out... but not enough time to get comfy and sleep! The final and remaining flight was roughly an hour and half. And then I realize.. after hanging out with my new friend, my travel buddy... we never exchanged names - yet got to know another quite well. Its bums me.
Now I land in Nepal - its cloudy - and finally I see homes upon homes... most are multi-leveled! AMAZING green hills and people.. lots of people. I follow thru the general Visa and Customs fun times and find my United Planet pick-up.
I notice the air quality is so much more different than usual. I'm used to the fresh, crisp Ocean air... I am surrounded by fumes and the smells of animals.
We jump in our taxi and all you hear is cars honking. Picture... Tijuana- if you've driven at all in TJ... you may have a small sense of what I experienced. COMPLETE MADNESS!!! Its definitely a crazy experience, I probably wouldn't survive driving if I had to. Theres no order, people EVERYWHERE, cows, dogs, motorcycles, rick-shaws and cars... all going in whatever direction the need to! It was identical to a game of frogger. (yet harder)
My first gasp of complete awesome came when I saw a monkey! Plain and simple! :)

I am told that my first night will be spent in a "guesthouse" (which is like a hotel). I go and shower up, lay down - attempt unsuccessfully to sleep and then I am picked up and taken to the Social Tours office (which is where I am now). I get introduced to Bipin and a few others and we discuss some general things.
Next is lunchtime (I promise I will remember names, but my brain is complete mush right now) and the woman who cooks makes a fabulous lunchtime meal, which some of it is a little too spicy for my tastebuds - but I manage and eat the curry and the dried rice.
After lunch, I am set up here in Raj's desk (whom is out of town during the time i am here) and I am blogging, facebooking and gmailing.

Tonight, is orientation and dinner with the staff and another volunteer whom I will go on excursions with tomorrow. From what I hear, she is 18-19years old and from Austria.

I am beat. I can't wait for my head to hit a pillow after dinner.
I've got about 6-7 hours for that. I'm sipping on tea and listening to Saynt's LIB mix... today is a relaxing one... we'll see how the remainder goes! :)

Hope everyone is well.. sorry this is completely long-winded as well as probably TMI.. but deal with it...