Vas Uppal is on a once in a lifetime journey.  His full name is Srinivas Uppalpati, originally from India. Vas is traveling from the delta of the Mississippi River in Louisiana to its headwaters in Northern Minnesota.  Others may have done this trip but his approach is unique.

Vas is visiting many small towns along the way to gain a sense of the heartbeat of America. In Iowa, he is  visiting around 20 towns and villages.

Vas travels at his own pace. His van is well equipped for the logistic challenges he faces for food, sleep and work.  Yes, Vas works remotely for Oracle Corporation in Austin, Texas, and spends time each day doing reports and advising others.

How did Vas become a nomad?  As he explained to Dan Kuennen and I,  his daughters are now in college, so he decided to sell his house in Atlanta, Georgia, and explore the heartland. He has lived in America for 30 years and always had the urge to see life across the Nation. 

This journey up the Mississippi began some months ago.  He enjoys the warm hospitality he receives in the small towns. What attracted him to St. Lucas? He saw reference to the German American Museum on the internet. It piqued his interest to learn of such a large museum in a tiny town.

When we met Vas on Saturday morning at the appointed hour of 10 AM at the Museum, his first question was “What is the size of St. Lucas? Such a small town and such a big museum.” The population is around 155 people.  The workshop we held in 2018 on “Native Americans: Hidden in Plain Sight” drew 185 participants.  That doubled the populace on that mid June day. 

Vas enjoyed his tour of the German American Museum and doubled back to the map to learn more about those connections in Europe. 

We asked him to share his impressions of the museum in an article or email it to us. We wish 

Vas well as he heads into Minnesota visiting the many historic sites he has already selected, as he journeys to the Mississippi River headwaters.