When people are bursting into song roughly every 7 minutes and the plots are as convoluted as they are, it’s little wonder that the films also tend to span 3 – 4 hours and tend to give new meaning to the word “epic”. Many films are so long that when they are screened at theaters, there’s often a brief intermission break between Acts 1 & 2 so that audience members can refill on their popcorn equivalents (chaat?) and take necessary bathroom breaks.
Having been trained by Bollywood’s American counterpart, which assumes its target audiences have attention spans that combust around the 90 minute mark, we’re at the point in our RTW journey where I keep expecting the credits to roll. We have already experienced so much, and our dreams have been so big and fueled us on for so long, in some way, it almost feels like those dreams alone have been enough and have been the point. We haven’t even gotten on a plane and I already feel like we have accomplished something big.
I have a feeling that today will redefine my notions of just what “big” means.
Today we leave for Tokyo and will see our RTW trip finally spring to glorious life… our life. It feels incredibly surreal, like we’re standing on the precipice of something monumental and truly amazing. After pushing and dreaming it feels like we’re about to fade to black and cue the exit music.
But as I sit here now, I realize that as much as my life has been about culminations and conclusions the past 3 months, what I am experiencing now is entirely different. This is not an ending. It is a transition.
I have had so much fun sowing the seeds for this trip that it is unfathomable to me that we haven’t even really gotten to the truly fun stuff. Now we’re at the point where the best is no longer yet to come… it’s here! Life is no longer about looking forward and waiting for tomorrow, it is about inhabiting the here and now and enjoying every moment that is present. I can’t wait to do just that. And guess what? I don’t have to!
So go get some snacks and stretch your legs (do it for us… tomorrow will bring 16 hours of flying on our end… we ache just thinking of it), because today is just the intermission. Today we see what happens when a dream ceases to be a dream and becomes very much real. Today, is a beginning. Of an adventure, of a dream made real, of a life that has been calling to us and which waits no more. Today we take ownership of our life and finally make it ours.
I guarantee you won’t want to miss it.
End Act One.
If you are planning on going to Mumbai, there is a very good chance of actually being an extra in a Bollywood movie. Scouts from the production companies make the rounds of several tourist guest houses on almost a daily basis, looking for westerners to appear as background artists. They don’t pay much and you have to have a somewhat flexible schedule, but if you spend a week in Mumbai, you will almost certainly be approached several times.
Squee!!! I’m so thrilled for you both, and I hope it surpasses your wildest expectations. 😀
So exciting!! Have a great flight… 16 hours is worth it, you’ve waited this long! Also the bollywood movie? What a fun idea! You guys are going to see and experience so many amazing things – and I can’t wait to hear about them!
AHH! You guys! It’s here! So exciting. SUGOI! (“Wonderful” in Japanese 🙂 ) I’m incredibly jealous that you’re headed to my favorite country of all time. I have been musing the last few days on heading there post-however long I’m in Roatan….
I loved reading this, it made me even more excited to leave in two days. And thank you for reminding me that this is a transition, not an ending. I needed that.
Gambatte kudasai! (= best of luck!)
Holy guacamole I can’t believe you’re off on your adventure!! Have a blast! I’ll just sit here at home and wait for the stories. 😀