Wednesday, May 14th, 2008

Wednesday, May 14th, 2008 - New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

It was mainly a day at the airport. A delayed flight from Toronto furthered delayed me for the connecting flight at Chicago en route to New Orleans. At least the travel to the Jazz Capital of the world was lively due to the conversation with co-passengers to either side of me. Both of them were residents of New Orleans and they had so much to say about the Katrina disaster and the losses they personnally experienced. They say it will take 20 years to get this city back to where it was. I asked about the population and I got mixed answers but ranging from half to two thirds of what it was. Life and our belongings are fragile. Are we ready for disaster of any kind.. Food prices in the world are rising and our environment continues to challenge what we have grown acustomed to with regards to wheather expectations. It is hitting extremes. China and Burma were just shaken by earthquake and cyclone dynamic. Do we wonder where we are headed...Fortunately I had come to learn that the youth are taking some interest in self-sufficiency at New Talavana, my destination, at this rural community near Carriere, Mississippi. The tap water is gloriously drinkable and curiously I find many creepy-crawlies (bugs to me) moving out of the hole and cracks in the quarter I'm staying in. I put on no distance on foot today but my host Haridas did take the time generously to address my fungal issues at the bottom right foot.