Monday, January 5, 2009
On Pins and Needles
"'I'm very brave generally,' he went on in a low voice: 'only today I happen to have a headache.'"
-Lewis Carroll
With astonishing speed, Spouse and I have concocted a plan which will place us in India in little more than a week from now.
We will be travelling for nearly a month and in spite of the overwhelming number of tasks to accomplish before we set sail, I am looking forward with high spirits to the excursion.
I contemplate the delicious treats I will savour, the warm and welcome change in weather, the commotion of a family eager to acquaint themselves with me- and I would not change places with a single soul.
Except for tomorrow.
Tomorrow I shall require a body-double, a duplicate arm, a doppelganger of tenacious and strong disposition. I will need to be far away when a medical man aims to puncture my arm, my precious, pain-sensitive, intact limb, and pump all manner of vaccines into it.
I am not at all brave in the face of injections and would prefer, given the option, not to do battle with cruel and pointed instruments.
I insist on being the one who eventually boards the airplane and steps into a world of fruit markets and dusty streets and bookstalls and dizzying crowds, the whole of it humming with the promise of adventure, and to be the one who laps up the best of the explorations and discoveries.
But tomorrow, I must be elsewhere; and I am scrambling frantically to find a decoy with which to pacify the needle-wielding, insatiable doctor.
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8 comments:
oh, how exciting!! you must take paul theroux's great railway bazaar and his new ghost train to the eastern star with you on the journey. it will be worth the weight in your luggage.
and you must find a way to give us some updates from the road. for all my lack of enthusiasm for india (which is largely because of chennai and people going for a stroll with their bulls on beaches), it is a colorful and marvelous place and i would love to see it through your eyes!
safe, safe, safe travels!!!
and if sabin could make it through the vaccinations, i have faith that you can too. :-)
oh my goodness! What an exciting turn of events--details when you have a chance?
That's why Valium was invented "The". Just a little tablet about twenty minutes before your injections and you can probably watch the whole procedure in detached amusement. You should take someone with you to drive or point you to the correct bus, but other than that.... Pappy
Julie, thanks for that literary tip- I do know of him, but mostly his England and China books.
I will do my best to get updates, I'll certainly be noting everything for that purpose.
And I did make it through the vaccinations, although my arms (both) hurt terribly and I can't even lift more than a cup of tea now. But perhaps it's the sugar weighing it down ;)
Beth, lots of details ;) we're leaving on the 14th of January, arriving on the 16th; I've never, ever, been on such a long flight; we're going to see Spouse's family. It's just a little way outside Calcutta and for the first few days we'll have a hotel, then we'll see where to go after that, perhaps stay with family. We've got two nephews and a niece to see, all under five years, and most of our luggage will consist of chocolate and toys :) It's very exciting for both of us too- we couldn't wait much longer as Februrary is a warmer month and after that it's impossible, too warm for me, hence the sudden decision.
I'm still trying to figure it all out myself, and there's so much to do!
Texican, I just closed my eyes. I didn't even consider watching, but thanks for the advice ;) I'm surprise by the stiffness in my arms. Feels as though I lifted a pile of bricks.
I am envious. Your upcoming adventure sounds marvelous!
San, I know that it will be. There's much to do but we're getting there!
Lucky, lucky you. No not for the needles, although those are protective, but for the trip . . . the world travel . . . the adventure. I'll so look forward to hearing about it.
Ruth, not the needles, certainly ;) but they're over and done with now. I've never been outside Europe and North America, so it's quite a change! I'll keep everybody updated with stories of the travels.
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