So, we tried making chapatis last night. Okay, I tried making chapatis last night. They were a little stiff and coarse but edible so I am calling them "rotla." Indian food connoisseurs will know what I'm talking about! The curried beef was fine.

Meanwhile, on to more important things. My hair. It's passable. I suppose you'll all be happy to know that I have greys! Like Lucy.

Here are couple of photos from Africa - the really good ones, I hope, will be from the film camera batch. By the way, anyone hiring? Call me.

Akhil's birthplace: the Aga Khan hospital in Nairobi...



One of our tented camp accomodations in Tanzania...



A lion in the Serengeti National Park...



And, my favorite, elephants. These were at Lake Manyara...

Another week gone by... but this one in good 'ol Los Angeles! We're home and reeling, sort of, as Akhil prepares for the first day back at work (tomorrow) and I prepare for, well, I don't know what, except for my hair appointment on Tuesday. This time, believe me, it's not a want, but a need! We had dinner out in Beverly Hills last night with Leslie, who caught us up on local happenings. Still not sure what the heck is in store for us this year but we're "working on it."

Putting up some photos -- see a few below - but is anyone still reading this?!!!

As today's bonus content feature, I want everyone to see LUCY, Regina's rediculously adorable schnauzer dog! Jealous!



England photos: Akhil's splendid cousin Sagar...



A village in Devonshire....



Us near the site where the Magna Carta was signed...



Now, some India pics. Here's much of the Madhani crew in Jamnagar...



And a schoolboy in Jamnagar, at my father-in-law's former elementary school...



This week I'll work on Africa photos. See ya!

Alas, it's time to admit we've reached the official conclusion of our trip - tomorrow we fly back to Los Angeles and should reach our apartment by dinnertime. People keep saying, "Geez, you must be so depressed!" But not so much, really. I have a feeling of satisfaction that is somewhat invigorating - though I don't have a job to go back to... Maybe that's why I'm so relaxed at the moment. Akhil may feel a bit differently, since he starts working again on Monday. This past week we spent a few days visiting with friends in Boston and then with my parents in Connecticut. Akhil and I went to the Mystic Seaport on Saturday, which I haven't seen since I was a kid, and saw the Charles W. Morgan - which, as I mentioned, we saw a model of in Zanzibar. Then we went to the Mohegan Sun casino just for curiousity's sake, along with my mom who thought it was very unpleasant - it was absolutely packed - New Englanders have apparently taken passionately to gambling. On the way up here to Boston today we visited with Akhil's friend Archie in Providence - also a surprisingly lovely city these days - they seem to be paying a great deal of attention to aesthetics here in the northeast. California developers could learn a lesson or two.

Happy Presidents Day! Photos will appear by the end of the week - assuming we can get our DSL up and running without much trouble.

Ah, Bahston in February... has it always been this cold?! Here we are back on home turf. We were greeted at Logan Tuesday afternoon by very unfriendly airport security personnel followed by my gracious brother Todd, who picked us up and took us on the long way home to his place in Cambridge so we could see the glorious progress on "The Big Dig." A walk through Hahvahd Yahd to Pinnocchio's pizza and then we went to sleep. Yesterday Akhil and I traipsed around Cambridge, Faneuil Hall and Newbury Street, then caught up with some friends here in town and tried to imagine what life would be like if we were ever forced to live here again. A tough sell when the wind rips right through your thermals!

Now that we've got the hang of this blog thing, it may be hard to stop. So keep checking here for updates - and maybe new photos and other exciting added features. Off to Connecticut tomorrow and then, L.A. again on Monday. Back to reality - what?!

Shannon and I have been having a wonderful time here in jolly old England. We spent another day visiting London, including the imperial war museum, which was tremendous. We had dinner - at a local pub - with my aunt Sudha and uncle Douglas. Steak and Ale pie and a pint of local bitter. Very British, very yummy. Great to see them, trading stories about Nairobi, New Zealand and other places.

Over the weekend, we went with Surbhi, Karan and Sagar to Devon. We stayed in Lynmouth - a beautiful little English town on the west coast. Walked through the woods along a river there and generally enjoyed the scenery. This was where Shelley (the poet and original hippie) lived for a few years. We also saw the home of Coleridge. We ate the the Ancient Mariner (the pub next door). In fact we've eaten at a number of pubs - always a highlight of any trip to England!

Today, we're off to Windsor Castle, which is just nearby... In fact we've got to run!

The trip is winding down now as we are back in the Western world... at the mothership: England. Yesterday we went to Westminister Abbey and saw the tombs of many of the characters from the story we've been following the last three months -- Charles Darwin, King George, David Livingstone... what a journey.

We also saw my old B.U. digs at South Kensington and I showed Akhil the deli where we used to buy our beer and Hob Nobs. We feel like we are home already - here with Akhil's aunt Surbhi and uncle Karan in Weybridge and bopping around London during the day. Heard the good news about the Super Bowl and can't wait to reconnect with our friends in Boston and CT and L.A. next week! Hope to bring this mild weather with us. If not, can I borrow some woolens?

And a few notes about Nairobi. We've spent a couple days here since the safari and still had some wildlife experiences! Went to an elephant/rhino orphanage that rescues animals whose mothers have died. Saw a playful baby black rhino and a bunch of mischievous baby elephants! Pretty funny. Then we went to the giraffe preserve... They have an elevated platform and you can feed the giraffes food pellets directly. I mean you put the food right on his tongue! (Which is about a foot long, by the way.) Pretty strange... We also visited the Karen Blixen museum, now of Out of Africa fame. And today, we'll visit the national museum before heading out tonight on a late night flight to London via Dubai. Bye bye Africa!

For Surbhi and Karan! I (Akhil) haven't been able to access my Disney email lately (Shannon's hotmail account, shannonpv@hotmail.com, still works), so just to confirm our flight information:

Emirates Airlines flight EK 15 from Dubai to London Gatwick. Departing Dubai at 7:55 AM Tuesday, arriving in London at 11:40 AM.

Look forward to seeing you!!!