It's been a really long time, although I've been filling in my solid-state journal with some trip reminiscences. Three things though,

1) should Zamir ever become de facto ruler of Kashmir, or the dissolute son of said ruler, I will have known him.. way back when he was doing his M. Phil. on the Kashmiri film industry and its historical grounding (or whatever, Bollywood is involved somehow).

2) at some point in the last week, I experienced a kind of horrible epiphany and now feel like I have been mentally scarred. As though I've seen the slow starvation of a village, I guess would be an apt analog

3) I sure hope that I gain lasting friendships from this