I've been in an internet desert for the last few days but a lot has been happening. I know I'll post more about children but yesterday was a real kid immersion and i wanted to get these pictures up. One thing that is striking about this visit to southern India is that the kids are doing better than the kids I saw in the North 6 years ago. The emphasis on school is everywhere. Kids in uniform are all over the place like the little girl with her brother waiting for the bus to taker her to Kindergarten. Kids look healthier and better nourished. The country has instituted a "Mid Day Meal Scheme' so every kid in elementary school gets a nourishing noon meal. It has considerably increased school attendance and is having an impact on malnutrition. Kids look healthier and more have good energy. I haven't seen the skin diseases I saw before. 
A couple of days ago I walked through a village and sand saw all the kids getting ready for school. Yesterday We visited the orphanage out travel company contributes to and then spontaneously stopped at a local village festival in a village where the people are 'Daleet', formerly called untouchable. It was an amazing day full of amazing kids. More on all of this later but I couldn't wait to share these happy faces with you

We Flew from New York to Delhi and then from Delhi to Chennai. It was after midnight when we got to our hotel in Chennai. We had an orientation briefing in the morning and were on to our next stop  Mandellapurum on the Bay of Bengal. We took a quick drive through Chennai viewing major sites and walking through a local market. We stopped at a really good vegetarian restaurant for lunch and visited the Basilica of St Thomas on the way to our place for the night. Eight of us had done a pretrip to Sri Lanka and eight of us were new to this time zone.
I had hope to upload pictures today of some very nice food that we had but the wifi here doesn't support that. I hope it's better at the next place,

It's that time. T Day -1. It's packing day!
I've been packing for this trip for weeks in my mind. What will go with what? What activities will require unique clothes?  What goes in the suitcase and what goes into the carry on?

I simplify my life as much as possible. I no longer carry gels etc... in my carry on. I pack a sliver of deodorant bar soap. I take anti bacterial wipes. I put some toothpaste on a toothbrush and put a carry cap on it. Not having to take that little baggie of stuff out is one less complication going through security.  But this time dear readers I am going in the other direction. Still no gels but I am taking the big camera and the teeny camera. I know from my previous trip that India is a feast for the eyes and I want to bring as much of that feast home as possible. The big camera just takes better pictures. Faster shutter speeds, better lenses, a view finder as well as an lcd screen and it lets in more light. So that big boy is coming along and he has to ride in the carry on. I am also switching the ipad for the netbook so I can publish this blog as I go along. That has to go into the carry on too. Along with a couple of changes of clothes, some pharmacy stuff and some documents, and with all the electronic stuff like chargers and adapters and power cords that makes for a mighty bulky backpack. My first practice run came in at 18 lbs. I am hoping I have it pared down to a much slimmer 15 tonight.
For the big suitcase, a 25" rolly, I'll be light, Probably about 35 lbs total. I am a clothes roller and I make max use of ziplocs to keep things contained. Tops in one, tank tops in another, underoos in another etc... I am fortunate that India will be warm so the clothes won't be bulky. I always pack a substantial plastic hanger with clothes pins for easy laundry drying and some clear shampoo. It works better than the fancy detergents, it gets out oily drips including olive oil if they are washed the same day. And I always get a few little half bottles every trip.
I'll move stuff from the backpack into the rolly once I land and I'll sling the big camera around my neck so it's only the flights where all of this is a concern. I'll tighten up the big bag with bubble wrap  so everything is stable and doesn't shift too much and there will be plenty of room for souvenirs when I come home.

Some of you know that I am an inveterate thrift store shopper, always looking to upgrade and diversify my travel wardrobe. I have become very successful in this. Almost everything I pack to wear has special attributes for travel and I've paid a fraction of the price  these items would cost new. 
Travel clothes are expensive! They are designed to be lightweight or wrinkle proof or both. They may be sun resistant and bug proof. They often have special pockets, sometimes cleverly concealed. Women's travel clothes usually fit different than regular clothes. Often they are cut leaner and the fabric is less forgiving. When I started traveling in earnest I ordered some things on line and sent many back because they were so darned unattractive and/or the fit was just wrong. 
Finally I figured out which brands worked for me.  TravelSmith can run big but the cut is unique and they must be tried on. I can wear Ex Officio but I may need a size larger. REI  things usually fit true to size as do Royal Robbins. Patagonia may take a larger size if it is advertised as a 'lean' fit. And I discovered Foxcroft! These shirts are truly wrinkle free and fade proof. They come out of the suitcase and shed wrinkles with a shake. They wash like a dream. And they cost a mint! They are my treasure when I am treasure hunting in a thrift store. I am always on the lookout for the distinctive embroidered label  underneath the collar.  I use them as a shirt, a light jacket and even a swimsuit cover up.  I am lucky to have a small collection of these now and some of the brighter colors like the one in this picture are going to India with me.

Whenever I take a trip there are certain preparations that need to happen. If I am going somewhere that has health risks from disease or bugs I always make a visit to the travel doctor.
http://www.TravelClinicOregon.com There are clinics associated with various medical and insurance groups but I go to a private clinic. The Doc there is a true expert who loves what he does and only does travel medicine. Each of his exam rooms is set up for a different part of the world and he uses the maps there as he talks to me. He lectures me on food safety, advises me of any specific issues and prescribes any necessary meds. For the upcoming trip to India he prescribed an antibiotic suited toward the bacteria I might encounter there and an anti malaria med. I'll take the antimalarials for a day before I go, all the time I am gone and for 7 days after I get back.
He always supplies a water purification kit and instructions how to use it. He files a mark into the syringe to show just how much iodine should go into a quart of water to make it safe and provides an envelope of vitamin C to make the safe but iodized water taste better. He is a big advocate of this process both for safety sake and to keep millions of disposable plastic water bottle out of the landfills.
Up to now I have resisted the process and gone the plastic bottle route. I use sparkling water if I can get it both for drinking and tooth brushing because it is less likely to be counterfeit or tampered with. But this time I decided I would try it, at least where I thought the bottled water was dodgy. He said to do it at home first so I  would know what I was getting into.
I did that and found it was a pretty easy process. The water with a bit of the vitamin powder tasted fine, just a hint of orange. I drank a quart of it with no ill effect. I'll take everything with me to India and be one step closer to a good travel experience.

When I retired in 2000 I had three broad life goals; Spend quality time with friends and family, give back to the world in some way, and travel to all the interesting places I had read about and heard about . Since retiring I have taken 14 International land trips, a few cruises, been to New York city and Washington DC a few times. I always have an unwritten list in my head of places I want to go.
Last Summer I realized it was time to book the next trip! I already had one scheduled for Fall of 2012 to Spain. I had been to Africa in 2011 for the most exciting adventure of my life. I really felt I was ready for something exotic and challenging again so I decided on Southern India  I had been to the Northern part of India in 2007. It was a wonderful trip. I loved the country the people, the food. I didn't love the poverty but it helped me understand the energy and challenges of this populous and dynamic country so India again it would be! Now I am in the final stages of getting ready for another adventure.