India Trip (25th April to 3rd June)

Well, should have put this up long back. Tried to upload it from India... but as you know...

Anyways, it all happened suddenly and in span of just 4-5 days. Let me get back to 2nd week of April: I had just confirmed my admission to Case Western Reserve University for PhD in Biomedical Engineering, rejecting other 2 admits I had. It was kind of tough decision as I had assistantship and funding from all 3. But chose Case as it gives me an opportunity to do research at one of the best medical research schools in the world + had a fellowship with healthy stipend. It was an offer I could not reject :). I decided to join Case in June itself as it would give me couple of more months for work and to settle down in Cleveland.

So after all formalities were completed, I had a break for more than a month. I was talking to Madhuri about how to spend time and all, and she said why don't you go to India and do a nice trek? It sounded interesting. It was something I had thought long back... when I was dreaming about my dream vacations. So I googled and contacted a few friends in India to see if there were some nice Himalayalan treks being organized in May, and indeed there were a few. It sounded feasible and interesting too. Then I enquired about tickets and surprisingly they were within my budget! Then thought, why not!!... Dreams sometimes come true. So, let’s make this trip.

I got tickets on the 20th and I flew on the 25th. It was bit too hectic to pack up everything as I was leaving Clemson for good. But you never feel tired while leaving for India. So somehow managed everything. And I was off to India....

(Continued in part 2)