Passage to India
Trip Start
Jul 08, 2008
1
23
Trip End
Ongoing
Delhi,
India
Thursday, July 10, 2008
I'm sending this block email out just to let people know what I'm up to with my travels, which have just begun. I'll get a blog going soon enough but for now I'm pretty tired and just wanted to get the word out as quick as possible. If you guys know of any other people that may want to hear about this just let me know, and if you don't want to hear about it I won't take any offense (I promise). As many of you know I had been planning a trip to Asia for a while and I have finally made it to India. The series of flights took more than 24 hours to carry me to the other side of the globe; basically flying from Miami to Chicago to London to Mumbai to Delhi and it's already been interesting.
So far things have been smooth against all my expectations. The flights had plenty of empty space being a lower time of year for India travel so I had room to lay down. During my flight from Mumbai to Delhi I sat next to an older Indian man who had just returned from the states working with a non-profit teaching a certain meditation method. He had been all over the world including Miami and Quito. Basically, the experience of talking with him made that final flight pleasant. He even offered to give me a free ride to the Tibetan enclave in Delhi which was 'just a few miles' out of his way but I declined and settled for some free books from him instead and helped him with his luggage after the flight.
Coming out of the Indira Ghandi International Airport in Delhi I fortunately had somebody from the guest house pick me up, which allowed me to avoid the taxi drivers who are notorious for pulling all kinds of brilliant schemes I'd rather not deal with after a full day of flying and landing in a completely opposite time zone from my homeland. I was reminded of the pleasant experiences I thought I had forgotten from past travels; Backpack being hurled into the back of a little diesel clunker with ripped seats and four different colored panels making for a diverse body, the jam-packed but fast moving traffic with no discernable lanes, monkeys darting across the streets, and who that's been in a third world country isn't familiar with the constant sound of blaring courtesy horns? I'm happy to be traveling again.
I have just parked myself at a hostel and will probably lay low for today. The plan is to gradually make my way north but I'll see how I deal with the heat which actually seems bearable. If I can put up with it I'll take my sweet time.
I'll get the word out as more develops. I hope this email finds everybody in a good place. Shoot me a line any time.
