Edmonton - I have been back for a week now. The weather has been cold by India standards, but warm by Edmonton standards, so I guess I have been lucky. My plane back was great until LA when I got food poisoning. It took me a couple of days to recover from that, but now I am alright. I hope everyone has enjoyed reading about my adventures!

New Delhi - My week in Kolkata flew by. I got lots of visiting and shopping in. My train to Delhi was just overnight and is one of the best in India, so it went smoothly and was exactly on time. Yesterday afternoon I wandered around Connaught Place and did some last minute shopping. It is a lot cooler now in Delhi than when we first arrived, so I had a pleasant sleep and actually got to sleep in (in Kolkata I was awoken at 6:15 in the morning by temple bells and then by the loudspeaker from the mosque and then by school children). Today should be a slow day as most of the shops are closed and I am just waiting out my time until my flight in the evening. And then the marathon begins. Can't wait to see everyone!

Kolkata - The 30 hour train ride from Chennai was surprisingly nice. I was in a compartment with a nice family, so we passed the time by talking. Once in Kolkata, I missed the driver at the train station, so I had to go in a cab. It was a painful 40 minutes of heat, exhaust and driving in circles. I finally arrived at the apartment of my host parents, where I have been staying since. The weather here has actually been quite pleasant - not too hot or humid. I have spent the weekend shopping (Kolkata has many more shops and malls than 5 years ago) and visiting. That is what the rest of the week looks like, too. Fun to be taken care of and not having to worry about transport or places to stay.