I'm Back. And I Haven't Been Hiking.

So my mental health took a nosedive and I had to put myself through a whole course of Just William books and cribbing to my mom, but woohoo! I'm back, I’m writing, and I’m still very much a happy hiker, even if I haven’t been hiking lately.

The reason is simple - I'm currently in India visiting family, and hiking options are slim around here. At least, they’re slim for folks who can’t drive 100 miles to the outskirts of the big cities. I can’t drive, period, so I content myself with home workouts and the occasional carrots-only meal. Don’t get me wrong, I’m also eating all the fun stuff. Biryani, noodles, paneer, carbonara, kung pao chicken, chocolate cake - issa whole vibe. My family has made several delighted remarks on how much thinner I've become, which is obviously great for my body image and my relationship with self-worth. But I’m eating intuitively (which is a blog post topic on its own), which means I’ll hopefully balloon up less than I usually do after a sojourn in the hometown.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but humid weather is so…somniferous. All I want to do is sleep - and when I wake up, I’m somehow sleepier than when I started. It’s like witchcraft! Kolkata is normally cooler this time of the year, but global warming is having its way, so mornings and afternoons are still almost as hot as they are in summer. Early mornings are gorgeous, though, and perfect for long walks. By the time you’re reading this, I will hopefully be back from a walk with my mom around Rabindrasarovar Lake, one of Kolkata’s most popular morning hangout spots. My mom loves walking, but professes a complete lack of interest in hiking. I hope to change her mind someday.

I call Bangalore home too, and the weather there is honestly TOPS. I was there for a week visiting my in-laws and felt almost as lively doing nothing as I feel in California while hiking! If you’re visiting for the first time, walk your way through the neighbourhoods or ride a bike. You’ll feel a breeze worthy of the highest order of romantic poetry and look upon more trees than you’d ever expect in mega-urban India. Fuel up with crispy dosas and filter coffee, a South Indian brew that never had any equal in the West and never will. Start early for the flight back home, though - the traffic is infamous. 

Kay, mild touristy sell over. Back to cake.

I’ll be seeing y’all.