Time Travel, Jet Lag, and Thanksgivings.

Hi to all,

Our departure date is coming up and I'm quite excited. My suitcase is about half packed in readiness. I think when full it will weigh about 40 lbs.

In regards to jet lag: This is caused when the pituitary gland in the brain is fooled by the shortened or lengthened hours of daily light and doesn't release melatonin on time and in the right amount. An extra dose of melatonin on the plane (you can buy it at any health food store) and sleeping on the plane are my little tricks. I imagine that some (most?) of my fellow travellers would never touch this, but my trick for sleeping on the plane is prescription Ambien, which has a rapid onset of action, and wears off completely in four hours. I took a trip to Ireland with these a few years ago, and arrived rested and refreshed without any jet lag. You can ask your MD for an Ambien prescription for travel, if this appeals to you. The melatonin is considered a harmless supplement, something your body produces and disposes of everyday, but the Ambien is a sleeping pill similar to Valium, so perhaps not for everybody.

I had dinner recently with one of the people I originally went to India with back in the '70s. He has continued to go to India once or twice a year for fieldwork and says this is going to feel like time travel to me. He says it will feel like leaving India in the 1860's and coming back in 2010!
Can't wait.

Also, I just wanted to give thanks now to Scott, Pema, Pam, Jugney, and maybe others I don't know about for all the hard work and thorough preparations they have put in so far for us. I think you all have done such a great job in preparing us to get the most out of this trip, as well as making thoughtful preparations for our safety and comfort.

Namaste,

Dana