Day 1 that lasted until Day 3
India--we came looking for adventure...and quickly found it. We missed our New York connection due to fog in D.C.. Air India officials were at a loss what to do with us and ten others. One Indian man (a D.C./Delhi business man), San Jeev stepped forward and clearly took control for the whole group telling us that if we stuck together, we'd have better chance with Air India. He negotiated an acceptable scenerio to get us to Delhi ASAP. He did it in a quiet and polite yet demanding manner. We were given new tickets to Mumbai and then Delhi along with meal and hotel vouchers. From then on, we were close to San Jeev's heels as we moved a a pack from ticket counters, through security checks, in taxis for the next 24 hours. We became the "Dirty Dozen." At one security point, Rog & 2 other got separated. San Jeev spoke to authorities and offered to search for them. Another young man in our group doubled back and proudly returned with all three...relief. Our unplanned night in Mumbai gave us a glimpse of that busy of that busy business center and almost 4 hours sleep in a bed.
We are about to land in Delhi. We feel lost in a time bubble. It's Wed, 11:30 AM here --so that's Tues 1:30 AM USA time. Since we left Detroit at 6 AM on Monday--we just know we've been in planes and airports for a looong time.
Day 4 and 5
Taj Mahal - open sewers
Marble - dirt
flashy tour buses - ox carts
gold carvings - tinsel
domes - dung
gorgeous sari's - bare butts
Mercedes - ricksaws
friendly smiles - honking horns
Hindu - Muslum
rich - poor
The contrast is what smacks me in the face. We have spent the last few days with our driver, Noor who placed a ring of flowers around our necks when he met us at the airport and we were off! We've already been to Gandi's grave & museum, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Sikandra (fort), Fateh Pur Sikri (palace) and a few more palaces and forts. At each, Noor has arranged a guide who is loaded with info and takes our picture!! We've traveled about 500 kilometers on muddy alleys and new toll road, through huge cities & tiny villages, past fields of crops & bricks and past ricksaws, motorcyles (with 4 people on them), trucks totally decorated with USE HORN PLEASE painted on their tailgate, three wheeled taxis with 20+ people, bicycles galore, ox/camel/donkey/horse carts, tour & local buses and small cars. All these shared the road with cows, pigs, sheep, goats and people walking. It only worked because of the cooperation and respect everyone seemed to have for each other...and their horns which they used as a courtesy to warn others as they approached. It seemed like an amazing maze where people had a sixth sense of what others were going to do. All the while, we soak in the sights like a cow walking out of marble doorway, palace built in a lake, sari's blowing in the air as they travel on motorcycles or in backs of trucks, technical university next to dung pile farm, monkeys playing in ancient palace, women in vivid sari's washing clothes in the river and hanging them in dead trees to dry. children in smart uniforms going to school by crowded ricksaws, and so much more.
When we had to cross a road while walking, we would have never moved if Noor or our guide had not led the way stopping traffic. They told us--if you worry, you can't walk. Just walk.We're in Jaipur-the city they painted pink for the Queen's visit--so we'll see more palaces and forts tomorrow. The history here is amazingly ancient and ornate!
Hope all is well with you!
Roger and Jane
For more videos and photos of New Delhi, go to our photo/video page :
http://www.rogerandjane.shutterfly.com/
