Hi from Karachi Airport

Hello from the airport...the recurring delays of this morning's flight to Delhi has given me the gifts of complimentary breakfast and internet use! "PIA Flight 272 is delayed due to technical reasons." Hearing this, a couple of people standing nearby joked, "Yes, technically, the plane is not here."

So where to start...I arrived back from my week in Oman (the first 4 days of which were spent resting my stomach which was invaded by microbes of rotten raita at the fanciest restaurant in the Karachi neighborhood I stay in) last Thursday. Friends and family were suggesting I avoid going back to pakistan due to the state of emergency, and I went to a travel office in Nizwa, Oman, to change the ticket - but due to the Diwali holidays there were no seats available to delhi from there, and so bravely I returned. And, as every pakistani I had spoken to had said, it actually feels safer and more stable than before, somehow. Anyways, I had had my ticket changed from the 17th to the 12th...meaning I wouldn't take my trip to multan and couldn't go to see my dear sweet 10 year old friend Erum. Anyone who knows me, knows I'm not going to sacrifice that trip...I'll be back across the border by road in 2 weeks time and go to the ancient Sufi centre of Multan and I'll get to see my Erum!! It will probably be faster from Delhi than from here, distance-wise it's closer from there.

In the 4 days back in Karachi, away from running hot water again, I set my mind to paintin one of the walls of Ikhlaq's family's house, there's a beautiful archway to the kitchen, and I had envisioned a traditional Mughal palace archway there...so 4 days I painted to complete a really lovely archway with arcs and flowers, hearts, and messages painted in for my family. It came out lovely, and I photographed everyone there. There was one picture of me and Papa, and when we looked at it we were amazed, our faces look exactly the same, we definately could be family, the same music spirit kindled in our eyes.

The little hillarious details about things like the tailor and the clothes that were supposed to be stitched the previous week, and then would be done by evening, and then would be done by next morning, and then by 1pm after the azhan, and then by 8pm, and finally we had to collect everything, and one sister stayed up finishing the stitches long past midnight! Imran Bhai honored my request to cook his special secret recipe chicken...which he said he'd give me the recipe for, but naturally didn't...so we all went down the street to his house for a midnight meal. Ikhlaq called while we were there, and the phone was passed to Papa so Ikhlaq could play some sitar strains and get Papa's suggestions on how to improve them - precious. When Papa listens to music, he practically dances, feeling the notes so deeply, and the spirit spreads, the appreciation radiates thickly from him until there's no way not to enjoy and feel the same power in every note.

Well, let's see if the flight is further delayed, if complimentary lunch is also offered, if the technical difficulties get solved and the plane comes and safely flies and lands in Delhi where other wonders are waiting for me.....

p e a c e