The dash begins

Just a little note as I probably won't be able catch up till tonight or tomorrow.  I start my "India on a shoestring" backpacking tour tomorrow with the official stamping of my visa extension.  It's going to require all the energy, patience, and strength I can muster.  I'll be traveling fast and inexpensive (lots of cheap sleeper trains) till 30 March.  Mamallapuram - Chennai - Rameswaram - Trichy - Cochin - Ahmedabad - Udaipur (think James Bond) - Jodpur (the BLUE city) - Amritsar - Corbit National Park - Varanasi (Benares) - Kolkata - Chennai ... tentatively.  I may fall in love with Rajasthan and just stay there till the 19th!  Then I fly from Chennai to Kuala Lumper to Ho Chi Minh (Siagon) to begin another adventure - teaching and, if all goes well, working;).  Your prayers for me and my muscles (can't seem to get the pack weight down) would be really appreciated;).