Date: Mon Dec 30, 2002
Subject: Happy New Year from India!

Hi folks,

Wow! I'm in Varanasi, although only for 18 days before I head back to Kyoto and more 5 day working weeks. After Japan it's actually quite strange being in India. I'm noticing all the dirt and chaos more than ever before. However, after the first couple of days, now that I'm into tabla lessons and practice I'm feeling back in my zone.

Brief travel report...
My trip here took 2 days from Kyoto to Varanasi via Seoul (4 hours in the airport using email and reading), Bangkok (1 night and morning eating great food, picking up my ticket to India and having a 1 hour Thai massage) and Kolkata (hanging out at Howrah train station and then catching a 13 hour train trip to Varanasi.

The most notable part of the journey was probably the Air India flight from Bangkok to Kolkata. It was delayed only 20 minutes but at the last minute before boarding the crew decided to do a manual bag and body search on all passengers. At the same time, for some reason I was upgraded to business class, although I'm not sure if there was any difference between business and economy class, except maybe for the newspapers. The flight engineer sat next to me for most of the flight. I had a big surprise on the flight when a Japanese girl came up to me and said "Excuse me, are you Shen?" It was an old student from my school - Emiko! Bikkuri shita! (Surprised!) She was coming to do a 10 day homestay in Kolkata.

Life in Varanasi is much like last time. There are fewer tourists, due to the international political situation, but still lots of Japanese and Israeli folks. I've met quite a few friends from last time, and the Japanese folks are very surprised to hear me speaking in Japanese. I'm actually practising my Japanese more here than in Japan!

My daily routine is becoming established - mornings and early afternoons for practice, late afternoon for lessons, evenings for practising with other musicians, and a bit of sitting around drinking chai and chatting in between. In 2 more weeks I'll be rushing back to Kyoto and no doubt wondering if it really happened. But I have to say that being here has really bolstered my appreciation for living in Japan. I can happily spend the next several years in Varanasi, with its inspirational music and chilled atmosphere, and Kyoto, with its refined splendour and comfortable lifestyle. There's lots of scope for me to develop my music in both places.

Happy New Year to all and may 2003 bring you both what you wish for and some surprises too.

Love to all,
Shen
Aum Mani Padme Hum