Spiritual, Historical, Fun: Surprise!

Dayton to Chicago, Chicago and back. Dayton to Chicago, Chicago to Hong Kong, Hong Kong to Bombay.  In a span of 54 hours, I travelled around over half the world on several United Airlines aicrafts.  Going to India is always an amazing journey through spirituality, history, and fun.  This trip, however, was going to be a bit more extensive than my usual trip to Bombay and back home (Dayton, Ohio).  This extensive journey began with me sitting in one of the black chairs at Centerville High School.  I had only one final exam before it was time to leave for the airport.  Pencil and eraser in hand, I worked through my test; as the seconds on the clock ticked by slower than ever before, I could feel my heart beating faster than ever before.  As time slowly past, I concurrently grew more anxious. Finishing the exam was a cinch; my brain seemed to work more efficiently as my blood pumped faster.  Finally, the bell rang and I ran out of school.  My aunt was waiting at the front to take me to the airport.  At the airport, once checked in and ready to go, I said my goodbyes and I was off to Chicago.  I had a flight route that was going to take me from Dayton, Ohio to Chicago, Illinois then from Chicago to Brussels, Belgium then from Brussels to Bombay.  If only my flight had gone as planned.  Travelling alone for 24 hours with several stops and connecting flights can be quite an adventure for a 16-year-old like me; however, travelling alone and then having to get sent back home is an extreme adventure.  Upon arriving in Chicago, I was notified that my flight to Brussels was delayed by eight hours which would make me miss my connecting flight to Bombay.  The only option I had, was to be sent back home to Dayton and come back the following morning.  Doing just that, I was greeted back in Dayton with my dad asking me, “Back so soon?” 

                The next morning, I set out for the airport and completed my flight as planned.  To my surprise upon arrival in Bombay, I found out that my family had planned a surprise roadtrip!  The next morning after I arrived, my family and I took a 15 hour train ride to Delhi.  From Delhi, our roadtrip began.  We toured Haridwar, the holiest city of India.  This is where we achieved the main point of our journey, emersing the ashes of my grandmother in the holy river.  From here, we went to Rishikesh, Devprayag, Corbett, Brindavan, Nainital,  Agra, and many other smaller cities.  Our journey included many exciting activities, staying in several Club Mahindra resorts.  We went rafting on the world famous Ganga river where I got the experience of a lifetime to dive into the center of the river which was 110 ft deep.  In an open jeep, we proceeded to a safari tour of the famous tiger reserve, and nearly spotted a tiger! Here I also went bungee jumping off of a 200m high bridge ending in a big splash into the water below.  Monkeycrawling and ziplining were also highlights of my stay.  Visiting the Agra fort and  Taj Mahal was quite the adventure for a tourist like myself.  My stay ended in visiting the birthplace of Lord Krishna, one of the Indian gods, grew up.  

After such an amazing surprise trip, going back to Bombay: one of my most favorite places, was almost sad!  Overall, the trip was a spiritual, historical, and fun journey which I will never forget.