Science for Monks and Nuns

A nice write up about the recent workshop on the Science for Monks and Nuns website; and some new photos too!

Dharamsala 2023 Photo Album

I finally had time to edit the photographs I took in Dharamsala. 

No Need to Worry

My concerns about being able to stay in touch with people back in the US were unfounded.  During my stay in India, the ability to communicate by chat and make phone calls was fine.  In fact, the speed and clarity of the messages were so good, it seemed like I was just down the street and not sending a message from halfway around the world.

I also used WhatsApp to communicate with people in Dharamsala and in New Delhi.  For example, when my computer power adapter broke, I sent a WhatsApp message to program staff to see if they could help. Also, the driver who waited for me at the Delhi airport contacted me via WhatsApp to ask if my plane had landed.

News Story - Central Tibetan Admin.

Sager Science Center

 A short article about the closing ceremony of Sager Nun’s Science Leadership Program was published by the Central Tibetan Administration.

Currency "No" Exchange

On arrival to the New Delhi airport at 1 am for my flight back to Seattle, I had 3,500 rupees I wanted to exchange back to dollars.  I decided that I would first check my bag at the airline counter and then look for a currency exchange booth.  When I asked a worker at the first booth I saw, he said he could not change rupees into dollars and that I would have to go through security first and then find a currency exchange.

Ok, fine.  About 1.5 hours later after clearing passport control and security, I made it into the departure gate area.  The first currency exchange booth I found had a sign that said, "Staff on break."  I looked around and saw some airport workers and asked where to find a currency exchange.  The worker pointed to the place I had just been.  When I mentioned that no one was there, the worker said it was the only currency exchange available.

Ok, fine.  I went back to wait at the currency exchange booth.  About 10 minutes later a woman entered the currency exchange kiosk and asked me what I wanted to exchange.  I said rupees into US dollars.  She then tells me that she can exchange rupees for no less than $100.  I said I had only 3,500 rupees (about $45).  She said that she was sorry, but could not make the exchange.  I asked what was I supposed to do with the rupees if I couldn't exchange them.  The money is useless outside of India.  She responded that I should spend the money at the airport shops.

Ok, not fine.  I suppose I could keep the rupees in case I returned to India.  But I wanted my dollars back.  I did not want to shop at airport stores at 3 am.  There was nothing I wanted to buy.  Also, everything is overpriced at the airport.  And it's the principle of the thing:  I sold them dollars for rupees when I entered the country and they should buy the rupees back when I leave the country.  Seems a bit unethical to me.

But what choice did I have?  I ended up buying a puzzle book, two blank notebooks and a bottle of melatonin. My suggestion is to make sure you have almost no rupees in your possession before you get to the airport.

The Long Road Home

The most stressful part of traveling is, well, the actual traveling.  Door to door, the trip home from Dharamsala to Seattle took about 43 hours.  Here are my notes; all times India:

9:00 am (Wed):  Leave Dharamsala by car to Kangra Airport

9:45 am:  Arrive Kangra Airport

12:15 pm: Leave Kangra Airport for Delhi

1:45 pm: Plane arrives Delhi [Flight time = 1.5 hours]

2:30 pm:  Arrive Delhi Hotel by car

2:30 pm to 12:45 am (Thur): Rest in Delhi Hotel, have meal, watch cricket on TV

1 am:  Arrive Delhi airport by car

1 am to 1:45 am:  Wait in line to get boarding pass/check bag

1:45 am to 2:30 am: Wait in line to clear passport control

2:30 am to 3 am:  Wait in line/clear security

4:05 am:  Plane departs Delhi to Dubai

7:30 am:  Plane arrives Dubai [Flight time = 3.5 hours]

10:30 am:  Plane departs Dubai for Seattle

1:30 am (Fri) [1 pm, Thur, Seattle]: Plane arrives Seattle [Flight time = 14 hours]

1:30 am - 2:15 am [1 pm-1:45 pm Seattle]:  Wait for bag at Seattle Airport/Clear Customs and Immigration

3:00 am [2:30 pm Seattle]:  Arrive home in Seattle

Additional Notes:

1. At Delhi airport:  it is important to have a boarding pass to get into the terminal.  I did not have a boarding pass, but I did have a copy of my ticket that worked.  The security guard gave me a funny look when I showed the ticket, but allowed me to pass.

2. At Delhi airport:  give yourself at least 3 hours from the time you enter the terminal to the time you get to your boarding gate.  The airport is very crowded and chaotic and you will spend a couple hours waiting to check a bag, get a boarding pass, clear passport control and clear security.  Add more time if you have to exchange currency.

3. USA Global Entry saved me at least 45 minutes when I arrived in Seattle.  After waiting 45 minutes for my bag to arrive off the plane, I breezed through customs/immigration in about 1 minute using the Global Entry program.  There were long lines of people waiting in customs/immigration who did not have access to this progrm.

On the Road Back to Kangra

Looking north from Kangra Airport

The trip to Kangra Airport from Dharamsala was an uneventful, but exciting drive.  The road between Kangra Airport and Dharamsala is...what is the right word..."uneven."  Apparently, a monsoon destroyed part of the road last year and it has not yet been fixed.

The road is meant for two-way traffic, but often it is too narrow to fit two cars.  Add people, tractors, buses, bicycles, motorcycles, cows and dogs to the road and you would think it is a recipe for disaster.  I don't know what the rules of the road are, but drivers seem to navigate the chaos without problems.

The view from the plane as it ascends from the airport reveals a lush, green landscape.  Delhi is a 1.5 hour flight.  The trip home has just started.

Landscape from the air