The past winter was dry. Each day dawned bright and sunny, the sky unmarred by a single cloud. The confused cherry blossoms bloomed too early. The usually rainy holidays were bone dry and passionate skiers walked around sulking. I noted the absence of snowboarding casualties, easily recognized by the men and women staggering into the […]

When folks in San Francisco ask me about my trip to India, I tell them about the friends and family I met, the incredible food and restaurants and the incredibly modern and well designed buildings, I skip the part about the near disastrous start or my attack of food poisoning or the cancelled flights. Because while I could have easily done without those challenges, my trip was still just fantastic. Still, here is an account of the very avoidable and near disastrous beginning of the trip.