Osakatomebaby

Update on India plans from my agent in the field, the lovely and talented Miss Kristen:

Okay, so I will figure out my schedule and just plan a trip for us. I meant put you on a train with me! Not alone. I'll talk to Al a bit, too, since she's scheduled to leave India (I think) April 30. She may want to bunk a few days of class at the end and hang out with us somewhere nice! There are plenty of cool temples, artists, shows, performances, shopping, etc. right here in Chennai, so we can do all that from here. I wouldn't mind a trip either to the hills, out of the oppressive heat which you probably won't be acclimated to just yet, and/or to a nice swimming beach. The backwater boat tours in Kerala are supposed to be fantastic, too, and I've never done it. And this may be a good time since it's neither monsoon or high season...I'm excited to travel a bit, since I'll be pretty stuck in Chennai until then (except maybe a day to either Madurai or Pondy to see my friend Gillian...though maybe I'll just work that into our trip...) trying to get work done.

Short sleeves are definitely preferable since it's so ridiculously hot. I have nothing but short sleeves. And baggy pants and cargoes are perfect. You'll be fine.

Of course she needn't worry about me being adjusted to the heat since I have never to recent memory complained of such a thing. As a child you could always find me sitting on the heat vents in our house, and as long as I'm not trapped in a vehicle on an Austin summer day or wearing a suit here in Kansai in August, I don't mind. Sweat gets the toxins out! Not sure what these toxins are but I'm sure it's true. Okay okay, I know, it's India. I haven't done the heat of India. But you know, if people have been living there for hundreds of thousands (millions?) of years without airconditioning or ice or other such modern amenities, I'm quite sure I can survive too.

If it's an excuse to take a trip to the hills on the other hand, hot damn I am all for it. Let's go. And the words backwater and boat appeal to me infinitely, though I wonder at this word "tour" but no doubt this is not the kind advertised in American guide books so righty-o I'm off.

I've also been requested to bring 5 examples of the best manga with me to give to an artist friend of friend whose work apparently bears some relation to it. I know nothing of manga and I don't really feel like doing web research on a topic no doubt rife with inane controversy so any suggestions you have I will immediately accept as gospel truth. Ideas?