Thank yous

While stomache stays the course, rupees hold and no nation-wide strikes are declared, I wanted to say my thank yous.

(mostly not in order)

Ruslan, for emails that give me a secret smile and make me work hard and fast so I can hurry home (also his love, support, rings on my finger...)
KEEN all-terrain sandals - screwy-sporty to look at but doing job of 2 lesser pairs of shoes
Glue stick + moleskin lined 8-1/4" notebook - together allowing me to be a whirling sticky thing that collects and clips...
Bottled water - iodine tablets handy and plastic bottles evil, but stomach sacred and time short.
Underwear that dry over night.
Ceiling fans that do the drying
Timex ironman - watch, alarm, constant on my arm
Single serving, Rs. 1, shampoo packets sold at every Indian tiny shop
Bananas + papayas + pineapples = safe (peelable) fruit and always in season far as I can tell
Mom + Dad for linking me to Mother India, Dad for continuing his own affair with India, and Linds for still being here
William Dalrymple - for inspiring much much better writing
NYTimes.com - so I can keep a toe in it
Canon D70 - for being forgiving
Secret Platinum something solid - doubles as on-the-road perfume
LP India - hefty, oft-berated but when you need to know when the bus goes, invaluable
My great-great-great ___ for steering our genes into english-speaking waters. Navigating India in Japanese would be a bitch.

And to everyone who's still reading - especially to you.

Love and thankful C
(still in Pondicherry)