Sunday, August 25, 2013

Iowa: day 1

So I'm here, in Iowa City, with the river flowing right by the hotel where all of us are being put up. Everything begins tomorrow, so today we get to hang out, say hello to each other before we're swallowed up by our own schedules.

Yesterday, I arrived to a blessedly warm, balmy day. People were complaining that it was humid, but I don't know; even being in dry-as-bones Hyderabad, I didn't think it was humid like Madras is humid or Delhi in July is humid.

After I settled in, I walked along the river and the air smelled of grass and there were a couple of dead fish floating and bumping along the bank, but at that distance were odour-free. There were many impressions of those few hours I was awake but most of them too fleeting to mention; I really tried to stay awake until a decent time but I've decided 6pm is decent. Such blessed sleep!

I'm thinking I'll blog once a week or thereabouts, but good intentions sometimes never make the transition to proper posts. So let's see how that goes.

The news seems so far away, as it did when I was in Scotland. I can see the reporting about the rape of the journalist and I'm trying to understand why it feels the way it does: not far away, because it doesn't; but not so visceral. Maybe because I'm still - despite whatever I tell myself- still jetlagged.

In the meantime, my most urgent needs have to do with a supply of decent coffee in my room. 



 

7 comments:

Lekhni said...

Oh yes, definitely much less humid than Chennai/ Mumbai. This is the best time of the year in the Midwest. Usually the 80s and 90s are winding down at this point and soon you'll get 70s - Bangalore-like weather. This year has been a bit warmer than usual though.

Fall should be spectacular. I love the color variation among the maples especially.

Space Bar said...

Lekhni: So *this* is what it takes to get you out!

Today has been unbelievably hot. I am thoroughly enjoying myself comlpaining about the weather and being grateful for air conditioning.

km said...

a supply of decent coffee in my room.

LOL. Welcome to America. You will get a 100 channels of TV in your room but don't you *dare* go near that pot of sludge they call coffee. It will scar you for life.

And hi, @Lekhni! Long time no see!

Lekhni said...

A heat advisory, a toddler who napped way longer than usual, and voila, I could write a blog post!

Don't even get me started on this year's weather. Summer pretty much started in July this year, and current heat wave notwithstanding, is running really close to its expiry date.

Space Bar said...

Lekhni: I feel inadequately prepared for both the heat and the cold, for the food and the coffee.

Those are just details, I feel.

km: I don't even get a 100 channels on my TV. Tell me this makes this better and not worse (I miss being able to watch Suits!)

Lekhni said...

KM forgot to say "a 100 mostly unwatchable channels of TV" - even Natgeo and Discovery dumb down their programming in the US.

Lekhni said...

km : Hi! Nice to see you in the comments section too.