T minus 6 days and counting!

Well, most of my room is packed away into a tiny storage locker in Berkeley and I am done with all of my business visa stuff - I am ready to go to India!

The visa process was fairly simple - an online application for all of the important info, a letter from my work that I am indeed going on their behalf and a letter from the water department that I am indeed living at my current address. After that, a fairly short line at the Visa outsourcing office and a follow-up visit the next day to pick up my new visa. No issues!

The room situation got resolved fairly simply as well - packed up all my "going to India" stuff into my huge suitcase and the rest into storage - including my beautiful bikes. I will miss them when I am abroad.

So, now, all that's left is to do another cataloging of India clothing/equipment to make sure I am not going to be lacking anything, and then off to NY on Thursday night!

It's been fairly easy getting things done for this trip. With a ticket in hand, I've not had much problems motivating myself to clean, pack or anything else of that manner. Poppy's ticket is also already purchased - and she'll be joining me mid-February.

Is there anything else I should write about?

Paring down my life, or, It helps to only have one room

I've been somewhat upset with myself regarding the acquisition of new items after I did such a great job getting rid of stuff when I left Chicago. Sure, I didn't mind getting the new bikes - those are great - but everything else? Well, that came to head recently as I went through my wardrobe. I jettisoned nearly 20 pounds of clothing - much of it worn less than a handful of times! How wasteful.

A goodly portion of the clothing was simply too big on me. I now wear size 33 pants, but much of my "Chicago" wardrobe was size 36. Well, clearly that stuff won't be making it to the next step in my life. Then came the suits - one was over 8 years old and was big enough for two of me (I think it was size 43 reg, I wear 38 reg now)! I think it will find a great new home being given to Career Gear - an org that donates suits to men who are in job training programs. A worthy cause, and not wasteful.

I've also been sending unused and unneeded gear back to Steep and Cheap for the last few weeks. I am hoping it will result in a nice rebate from them, and I am glad to get rid of all of the awesome gear I bought but will never get to use - either because I have 4 of it (or 20 of it if you're talking about backpacks) or because it just didn't fit (alas, medium is not the same everywhere).

I am going to India!

I am going to India! It's official. I purchased my ticket today - leaving from New York on Jan 27th and arriving in Dehli on Jan 28th, 2009. I am very anxious about this trip. Not only is this a big opportunity culturally and career-wise for me - as I will describe in more detail at a later date - but it's also a great opportunity for me to pare down my life, once again, and start anew.

There is more to come, and pictures too - please bookmark this site, or subscribe to it. If you're reading this, please let me know what you'd like to read more of. I will share my adventures in South East Asia, findings about managing a development team, techniques and new-found wisdom and general impressions of India and its people. Stay tuned!