Pune, India

We arrived in Mumbai two days ago, spent the night and then hired a driver to take us to Puna, about 3 hours away. We are staying in the house of Satyendra Huja's father for the next 5 days. Then we head back to Mumbai for a night before flying to Dubai and then on to Kenya. I didn't know what to expect in India. My last visit here was 18 years ago and much has happened. The Indian economy has been booming and Pune is the center of information technology in India.

Our first taste of Mumbai reminded me very much of my last visit here. Our hotel was not in a nice area and we were all shell shocked as we began to absorb our surroundings. The area looked like a war zone clogged with traffic and wandering refugees. A trip out of the hotel to find an ATM was exhausting. Having been here before, I knew that all of Mumbai was not like this but Liz and the kids were overwhelmed.

Puna, however, is a very different place. Less crowded, less pollution, cooler and signs of affluence everwhere. Modern shopping centers, luxury high rise condos and tree lined streets are unlike anything I ever saw here 18 years ago. We are enjoying the hospitality of Huja's brother and sister-in-law. The house, while old and certainly not of US standards, is located on a quiet shady lane. Will write more when I have a chance.

New pics from Thailand and Vietnam

It's Wednesday in Hanoi and an overcast day has faded to night. We're back in our hotel after another full day of sightseeing. The streets of Old Hanoi alive with activity, motorbikes fill every inch of the street while merchants hustle their wares along sidewalks packed with curious pedestrians. The story that has unfolded here over since the end of the war in 1975 is incredibly captivating, particularly for those of us who grew up during the war but even the kids seem genuinely interested. Today was our first day in Hanoi and we visited the tomb and residence of Ho Chi Minh, the ehnology museum, the temple of literature (Vietnam's first University founded in the 11th century) and the oldest Pagoda in Vietnam. It's been a similar pace throughout Vietnam from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue and now Hanoi. We're headed to Hai Phong and Halong Bay tomorrow, then back to Hanoi on the 19th and on to Bangkok and Mumbai on the 22nd. We'll get to rest for a week in Puna, India and we'll need it. It's hard to fully absorb this place in real time. I think I'll be reflecting for weeks or even months to try to fully understand what's going on here. It's odd but Liz and I both feel this strange connection to Vietnam and consequently their history and future seem somehow more relevant than that most other places in South East Asia.

We've posted some new pics from Thailand and Vietnam. Unfortunately, I lost our first digital camera in Thailand so many of our pictures are now being enjoyed by a Bangkok cabby. Nonetheless, we've posted some from Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Tha Tong. More to come but for now, we're off to dinner.

Sunday in Bangkok

Today we head to Vietnam and I wanted give you a quick update before we go. I have posted pictures from Brisbane and Singapore and will try to post some from Thailand in the next few days. We've been traveling with Jack, Daniel, and Duncan for the past couple of weeks. It's been great having them back in our lives and we're going to miss them. Daniel and Duncan left yesterday and Jack leaves tomorrow. We've toured much of northern Thailand, near the border of Myanmar and Laos. For a detailed account, you can read Anne Nelson's blog. I could spend pages trying to describe this place but I'm afraid I don't understand it well enough yet to be articulate or accurate. Upon reflection, I may have more to offer. For now, it's off to the airport and our next adventure in Vietnam.