The flights went well but I was beat when I landed in Dulles. I then had to find a cab to my car. No problem right? Wrong, it was a Muslim holiday so many driver's weren't working. Additionally Washington Flyer has legal monopoly at the airport. How they managed to grease the wheels to get this EXCLUSIVE deal at the airport is amazing. Their contract means that other cab companies are NOT ALLOWED to pick up passengers at the arrivals gate.
After waiting in a ridiculous line for half an hour I got fed up and called the taxi company that brought me to the airport. Their name is withheld to avoid prosecution. Bottom line they were able to pick me up but I had to be waiting at the departure gate. I made it back to my car and went to pay the cabbie only to find I only had Nepali rupees in my wallet. Fixed that with a quick debit purchase at Giant then got in my car to go. Turn the key, dead battery. I contemplated attempting a push-start of my car, but the thought of running my car through the grocery parking lot sounded a bit much. A kind gentleman accepted my request for a jump and I was soon on my way. It was thrilling and terrifying to leave the grocery store and break 35mph for the first time in a month. After a couple mind numbing hours on the road I eventually made it home and curled in my bed about 10PM. (Thanks to Nico for the awesome khata.)
I was up in the office by 8:30 the next morning.
Biking through town I felt like a stranger in my own town. I was amazed by the society we've built with modern conveniences: paved streets, traffic lights, computers, refrigerators, and most of all potable tap water. We are so truly privileged.
The first couple of days were especially rough with my body being very confused. I slept about 6 hours a night but adjusting to eating 3 round meals was a challenge. My gut struggled digesting meat, beans, and dairy for the first times in a month.
My sleeping pattern actually worsened after a couple days back. I found myself waking up at 4AM unable to continue my slumber. My body has gradually acquiesced to sleeping longer but after 2.5 weeks I still have trouble sleeping past 7. After getting 10 hours of sleep a night on the trail, 7 or 8 hours does not feel like enough. I would like to try getting back to the sunset-sunrise schedule of rest. It was glorious.
I went grocery shopping while seeing Lauren in Williamsburg and didn't think it would be an issue. After traversing 2 isles and handling at least 10 varieties and brands of PASTA I was thoroughly overwhelmed. I quickly grabbed the couple of items on my list and headed for the exit. To see so much food in one place with so many choices of every conceivable item! How can we complain about a society that provides so much?
As is always the case after travel- nothing has changed in Charlottesville. With 2 exceptions, 2rw hired another mechanical engineer, and Obama came to town to campaign for our democratic congressional candidate Mr. Perriello. Who then lost. And so the frustrating tug of war continues.
I feel almost accustomed to 'normal life' again. I'm back in the hum of modern life with the pressures of work and society. Always much to do and work occupying the majority of one's time.
I've downloaded my 800+ pictures and put a good sampling online with some descriptive headings. They can be seen here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/BucknellJay/Nepal
I would like to spend some time editing and compiling pictures that I took for the purpose of making HDR shots. Google 'HDR photography' and you'll see what they can look like.
I'd like to keep using this blog while I'm back but want to figure out how best to use it. I will likely start more frequent shorter posts and especially put out links that I find educational/helpful. Nepal was awesome and has rekindled my love for travel. The world is such a huge, diverse, and truly amazing place.
PS- Movember was awesome. $250 in a couple days from friends and family. Thanks to everyone!
http://us.movember.com/mospace/1287424/
PPS- Figured out how to post pictures and a slideshow in my blog today!
