Friday, November 18, 2005
Friday, the 18th
The flight from Dubai to Delhi was uneventful, except that I was sitting in a middle seat between a big guy who kept trying to hold a conversation but couldn't because he lost his voice 12 mo. ago when her had a stroke, and another guy who wanted to talk and kept leaning over on me. The personalized video screen in front of me didn't work, so I didn't even have that "out." Some flights are like that.
The plane got in about 3:30am. Immigration was interminable and the baggage claim even slower. Got through all this by about 5. Managed to change some currency - 49.5 rupees per dollar. But the promised Tourist Information Desk doesn't exist, and neither does the promised restaurant for breakfast. I ignored a couple of touts and found a guy wearing a badge to talk to, and he sent me to the Airport Security Mgrs office. They gave me basic advice on areas to stay, and use of their phone to make calls to hotels listed my my Rough Guide to India. The third try landed a reservation at Namaskar Hotel. I found a prepaid cab, ignoring many more touts. The ride, in an ancient Austin with stickers of Lashmi and Shiva on the windshield, took about half an hour and landed us in an area of crowded, dirty alleys with sacred cows ambling along. What could they possibly eat?
Of course the driver couldn't find Namaskar for another 20 minutes. But we finally got there - it is down a crowded path off from the alley, right next to the Hotel Sweet Dream and My Hotel. Vary basic. Cold water only. I took a single room, behind the impressive pile of left luggage, and lay down, falling asleep wondering what I am doing here.
So what AM I doing here? Decided:
Experiencing India
Studying religions, esp. Sikhism and Buddhism
Learning to read an Indian restaurant menu.
The flight from Dubai to Delhi was uneventful, except that I was sitting in a middle seat between a big guy who kept trying to hold a conversation but couldn't because he lost his voice 12 mo. ago when her had a stroke, and another guy who wanted to talk and kept leaning over on me. The personalized video screen in front of me didn't work, so I didn't even have that "out." Some flights are like that.
The plane got in about 3:30am. Immigration was interminable and the baggage claim even slower. Got through all this by about 5. Managed to change some currency - 49.5 rupees per dollar. But the promised Tourist Information Desk doesn't exist, and neither does the promised restaurant for breakfast. I ignored a couple of touts and found a guy wearing a badge to talk to, and he sent me to the Airport Security Mgrs office. They gave me basic advice on areas to stay, and use of their phone to make calls to hotels listed my my Rough Guide to India. The third try landed a reservation at Namaskar Hotel. I found a prepaid cab, ignoring many more touts. The ride, in an ancient Austin with stickers of Lashmi and Shiva on the windshield, took about half an hour and landed us in an area of crowded, dirty alleys with sacred cows ambling along. What could they possibly eat?
Of course the driver couldn't find Namaskar for another 20 minutes. But we finally got there - it is down a crowded path off from the alley, right next to the Hotel Sweet Dream and My Hotel. Vary basic. Cold water only. I took a single room, behind the impressive pile of left luggage, and lay down, falling asleep wondering what I am doing here.
So what AM I doing here? Decided:
Experiencing India
Studying religions, esp. Sikhism and Buddhism
Learning to read an Indian restaurant menu.
