We are finally here. 

Suman and Parveen met us at the airport in Delhi, and shortly after loading up our buses we made our way north to Rishikesh, where we will stay tonight to gain a context for the rest of our journey. 

Today’s travel through the plains was punctuated by sugar cane, chai and pakora breaks, boundless colors, and a little bit of jet lag. With that said, our leader of the day, Rosie, has given us a great deal to think about, and her blog post will serve as the inaugural one from our students. 

Today all the newcomers focused on the indescribable colors of this place: cardamom smells that translate to pale green, saffron, deep chai browns that “feel like a hug from mom,” according to Rosie. India really is magical. As we transitioned from the plains to the foundations of the Himalayas, Alice commented that it all felt so familiar (and that she couldn’t stop finding birds out the windows). MacLean said he’s never had spicier food, and he loves it. 

We are about to go explore Rishikesh. We’ll talk to you soon.