Alrighty, due to the sketchy internet here at ACM, this is the second time I’m writing this post. So it will be short, sweet, and not particularly witty.

This weekend, ACM took us on a field trip to rural Maharashtra. Our lodgings were in these adorable eco-friendly [I’m assuming] huts made of wood and straw. It was all organized by Hachiko AgroTourism. Best of all, they fed us. Pohe for breakfast, potato masala, rice and dal, sweet chapati, walnut chutney, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. We toured some farm fields (bananas trees!), greenhouses (peppers!), and livestock (chicks!). There were also ox-cart rides on the dirt roads. That was awesome.

We also visited the GMRT, Asia’s largest radio telescope. Astronomy and agriculture in one trip? Rock on. I kept wishing my Farm Camp friends were there with me; I think they would have all really appreciated it. 
Saturday morning, we witnessed the most magnificent views. We climbed to the top of a mountain, on Fort Shivaneri, the birthplace of the first Maharashtrian Prince, Shivaji. (or something). It was absolutely breathtaking. You could see dark monsoon clouds spilling on one distant mountain top, but surrounded by sunny fields. The fields were patchworked, like in the US, but not just green and yellow. Fields of orange grew marigolds, for temples and holy rituals. The view was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

In other, much sadder news, the battery for my camera has died. I purposefully left it at home, in my muddled thinking of “I must pack light!” Alas, it seems I packed too light. No pictures until I can find a way to charge the battery, it seems…