India Part 1

I have no idea how many parts it might take to tell my India story.  I think I'll start by posting parts of my journal and pictures...and I am sure that I will end with my thoughts and reflections on how my trip has impacted me.  I will just copy straight from my journal, so you're going to read everything just as I experienced it.  Hope you enjoy this little snapshot of my trip to the other side of the world (literally!)

Waiting at the gate...anticipation mounting!

December 31, 2011

It's officially day 2 of our trip, but since I'm wearing the same clothes I left Indy in, I feel like it's just been one VERY long day.  I might be mentally starting to lose it already.  I knew the trip would be hard, but had no idea exactly how hard a 14 hour flight would be.  Seven hours in, I still hadn't slept even though I was exhausted.  I finally used an airplane bathroom for the first time in my life (the whole idea has never appealed to me so I've avoided it until now.  But with this long a flight, I had no options!)  I was finally able to doze off a little, but my sleep was very uncomfortable and broken.  There are SO many kids and babies on this flight, and all night it seemed like there was crying of some sort.

I'm not thrilled about the middle seat, but I'll survive

We were served 3 meals on the plane.  The first was chicken curry (not too bad), plain yogurt (not too good), and some sort of grainy, sweet, pudding-ish thing (not my fave).  About 9 hours into the flight we got fruit and 

Our plane--Air India wasn't bad at all!

cucumber sandwiches.  And then about 12 hours into it we had omelets with potatoes and some kind of cake--very savory and pretty tasty.  There was also fruit and a bran muffin.  At this point I feel pretty sick and just can't wait for the travels to be over!


Right now I feel completely overwhelmed with the travel.  But when I think about where we're going and what we'll be doing I'm very excited.  I pray that I will be able to remain flexible on this trip and to be willing to try new things.  I verse that has kept coming back to me during our trip is 2 Corinthians 5:17 "If anyone is in Christ He is a new creation.  The old has passed, the new has come."  I know that this verse refers to the change in us before Christ vs. our life with Him, but I know that someone the things I am about to see and experience will make a new creation out of me.

The 3 awesome ladies I was privileged to travel with