Many ups few downs....

I don't think I will be able to continue with the Grand Canyon travelogue. Not bcoz it was not equally enjoyable and a hundred times worth mentioning, but that there have been so many other things in the offing that its fast fading from memory. :) Having said that, lets still give it a try.

The last time I was on a road trip, I was never in the driver's seat and all I could think of was how much fun it would be to actually drive on the curving, smooth roads that is California. Well, this time I had my wish. Karthik was indeed very sweet to take the risk of me wrecking his car which I did. I went over the road once when I was trying to reverse, which broke half of the new hub-cap on one of his tyres. I also managed to crash over a pavement on a very wild left-turn where I panicked. And yet, he let me drive on the freeway all the way from Phoenix to Tucson. :) Needless to say, the freeway was not without incident. I would have nearly rammed into a truck bcoz I was on a fast-ending lane with the truck blocking my only right exit, but thankfully as you can see I am still here, alive and writing. :)
We were late in setting off for Grand Canyon. Most of the time was to have free breakfast in the hotel and to pose for snaps. But we did finally make it around noon and just stood in awe in front of what can only be described as "grand".

Many have remarked, what of it! Its just a pile of rocks and a huge hole. Well you have to see it to know what of it. Its so majestic and at the same time so humbling. I couldn't thank my stars enough for being finally able to stand there and see it for myself. I loved it. I was just sad about having to leave it. We hiked for an hour down the Bright Angel trail, I think. The down slope was exhilarating, the up-slope was ...... phew ! very tiring. It seemed never-ending and quite steep. But it was fun. We finally made it to one of the viewing points for the sunset. Believe me, if you are ever at Grand Canyon, sunset is something you should not miss. The colors and hues of the canyon and the sky in combination, the departing sunrays, and a great friend's group amidst that is all you could ever want.

I had a rest of a day in-between before I headed off to Maryland. I could hardly have expected how great a trip it would be. I put up with Paromita di and Dipan da in their beautiful house. I could not describe the fun I had in those three days with justice. It was after a long time that I was in a complete, very quintessential bengali life. The evenings were marked by a lot of delicious bengali cuisine which so reminded me of home, and a lot of Pictionary and Taboo. It was so much of excitement, bickering, competition and enthusiasm that now probably any get-together without a game would lose its charm for me. I made a whole gang of new friends (Shouvikda, Moumitadi, Shantanuda, Arpitadi, Subratoda, Arindamda, Sneha, Kuntalda, Piyushda)and they accepted me so fast and instantly as a part of the group that I couldn't help falling in love with all of them.
And again, this was the first time, I was in a group where everybody was older or of the same age as me. Of all the times, of having been the eldest in the group and feeling more or less like a grandma, needless to say, I felt very young and the kid :). The other group that I met and befriended was Aninditadi, Debdeepda, Sabyasachi da, Baisakhi di, Gopalda and Khushi. Reading all these names here probably doesn't make sense to most of you, but I need them there if only say to a big thank you to all of them.

The saying goes, that with new friends, you should not forget the old....
I also got to catch up with Ayan and Mincy, my college-friends at Levantes in Bethesda. The name of the city itself is so quaint and old-fashioned. :) We had a good time, just catching up on who is where and doing what and touring Maryland, College Park campus. They have a lovely campus and it must be more beautiful in spring (I thought spring meant Feb-March but most of the trees were bare and it snowed while I was there).

I also got to visit Washington city. It has the most amazing architectures that I have seen in a long time and it reminds me so much of Romans, and Greeks and of my ideas of how Standford and the ivy league universities might be like.

I could not end this post without talking about the sweetest couple I have seen in a long time. Paromitadi and Dipanda went so much out of their way and did so much to ensure that I have a good time....... it was almost like being at home. They touched my life in a way that I might never be able to touch theirs. I am sure everybody who comes across them will leave feeling as special and wanted and accepted as I did. I can only wish that every relationship is touched by a little of what they share.
And I had the whole flight back, of 7 hours with stops, to feel sad about leaving the few days that I knew there or the "snapshot" as Paromita di called it. Its difficult to get back to life as I know it especially as room-mate problems are far more antagonistic now than before and I would have found it really difficult if it were not for Vishnu. But then..... there is yoga, and ball-room dancing and all the UA presents concerts and ...there is life as I know it............. even though its far-removed from the quintessential bengali life, which made me forget I was in USA.... for sometime. :)