What's up?

If you didn't already know, I'm going to India! Yup, traveling halfway around the world in 18 days with my good friend Avinash - not only a super exciting adventure away from work and worry but it's also an exceptional opportunity because I'll have my own, honest-to-goodness Indian-American translator slash tour guide slash (sometime-bullshit artist) haggler slash cultural attache.

I consider myself very lucky for the chance to meet Avi's family and friends, and since we're mostly staying with his friends at their house(s), being able to learn about Indian life by jumping head-first into the deep end of the cultural pool.  Let's just hope it's not this pool:

Levity aside, the one thing that I want to get out of this trip is perspective. That's what this blog is about. The cultural and economic differences between India and America are still very vast, and my hope is that the process of maintaining this site - armed with a new camera, a legal pad and an open mind - will force me to truly appreciate and ruminate on these differences.

So, my plan is to try to update this site every few days. I don't have a particular agenda to discuss. The posts on here may be long or short, serious or trivial, but I do hope that you come back and visit every few days. I encourage you to make comments on my posts, whether to call me an idiot or to just say hello from far away. With that said, I would appreciate any comments you have now, before the craziness gets started. We leave in about two weeks, with anticipated stays in Bangalore, Mysore, Leh and Goa.

What should I see/experience in or around any of these four places?
Any India travel tips? [Besides the inevitability of diarrhea - thanks, already got that memo.]