After a very long day of travelling that began at 2:30 am (GMT +05:30) and finished at 6:30 pm (GMT +01:00), I made it to my hostel in Madrid. One desperately needed shower later, I went out for a bit of a walk to see if I could find someplace to buy a map and/or guidebook and/or food. No luck on any account (I found food but it was all so expensive). So I took a 12 hour "nap" in my very squeaky top bunk.
Here's the trouble with an impromptu trip to Spain from India:
- There are no Madrid guidebooks to be found in Delhi
- All the guidebooks in Madrid are in Spanish
- I don't have any Madrid-appropriate clothes to wear
Oh well. I've loaded up on hostel-provided coffee, cereal, and Nutella toast, and soon I will go out wandering and hopefully not get lost. Someone's gotta have a map to sell me. I hope.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Goodbye paneer, hello tapas!
I'm leaving for Spain in 15 hours. After all this waiting and anticipation, it turns out it's a little bittersweet. It's going to be tough leaving the man who's been my rock throughout this whole stressful ordeal... but I'll see him again in about a month, so I guess that's ok.
It's funny how important food has become for me over the past few weeks. Growing up in a cosmopolitan society, I've always taken it for granted that I can get any kind of food I want, any time I want it. It's a lot tougher to do that here in India. I find my mouth watering at the thought of the middle eastern food I hope to get on the plane, the tapas I'll find in Madrid, and the ploughman's sandwich I can't wait to sink my teeth into as soon as I get back to London.
Speaking of which... no need to worry, family members. I won't be stranded indefinitely in Madrid. Getting on a train proved impossible, but I did manage to get a flight to Paris and then one to London. I'll be home Monday evening, at long last.
I never thought I'd say this, but I'm really looking forward to getting back to work.
It's funny how important food has become for me over the past few weeks. Growing up in a cosmopolitan society, I've always taken it for granted that I can get any kind of food I want, any time I want it. It's a lot tougher to do that here in India. I find my mouth watering at the thought of the middle eastern food I hope to get on the plane, the tapas I'll find in Madrid, and the ploughman's sandwich I can't wait to sink my teeth into as soon as I get back to London.
Speaking of which... no need to worry, family members. I won't be stranded indefinitely in Madrid. Getting on a train proved impossible, but I did manage to get a flight to Paris and then one to London. I'll be home Monday evening, at long last.
I never thought I'd say this, but I'm really looking forward to getting back to work.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
When I said I wanted an adventure...
... I didn't mean for it to involve 8 days of food poisoning and a volcano.
For those of you not following on Facebook, I fell ill almost immediately upon my arrival in Shimla. I know that it was beautiful there, mostly from Nathan's pictures (poor thing was only there a day before he got sick too) and the view from our hotel room, but most of it has been left up to my imagination. I recovered just enough to make it down the mountain, only for the bug to kick in again full force. 2 doctors and a hospital trip later, I am happy to report that I am almost completely back to normal.
Then this volcano thing happened. I was grateful for it at first, since I really wasn't fit to fly out on Friday. But then I found out that the earliest I could rebook my flight was the 30th of April, and even then there are no guarantees that the volcano will have stopped by then. Clearly, a Plan B was needed.
Plan B (which is now Plan A) involves flying to Madrid on Friday. I get to stop in Jordan, which would be exciting if I could actually leave the airport. But anyhow, yay, Madrid. The plan from there was to take the train to London (via Paris)... problem being that European rail is stupid and backwards and does not do e-ticketing. I need a paper ticket, and it's kind of difficult to get my grubby little hands on one of those all the way from Delhi.
So where does that leave me? I'm not sure yet. I'm sure somehow I'll make it back to London, and in the meantime I get a bonus holiday in Spain. And an extra week in India to hang out with my man and do some of the things I couldn't do while I was sick. And I lost 12 pounds. So I suppose life could be worse.
Editorial note: I do not endorse the food poisoning diet.
For those of you not following on Facebook, I fell ill almost immediately upon my arrival in Shimla. I know that it was beautiful there, mostly from Nathan's pictures (poor thing was only there a day before he got sick too) and the view from our hotel room, but most of it has been left up to my imagination. I recovered just enough to make it down the mountain, only for the bug to kick in again full force. 2 doctors and a hospital trip later, I am happy to report that I am almost completely back to normal.
Then this volcano thing happened. I was grateful for it at first, since I really wasn't fit to fly out on Friday. But then I found out that the earliest I could rebook my flight was the 30th of April, and even then there are no guarantees that the volcano will have stopped by then. Clearly, a Plan B was needed.
Plan B (which is now Plan A) involves flying to Madrid on Friday. I get to stop in Jordan, which would be exciting if I could actually leave the airport. But anyhow, yay, Madrid. The plan from there was to take the train to London (via Paris)... problem being that European rail is stupid and backwards and does not do e-ticketing. I need a paper ticket, and it's kind of difficult to get my grubby little hands on one of those all the way from Delhi.
So where does that leave me? I'm not sure yet. I'm sure somehow I'll make it back to London, and in the meantime I get a bonus holiday in Spain. And an extra week in India to hang out with my man and do some of the things I couldn't do while I was sick. And I lost 12 pounds. So I suppose life could be worse.
Editorial note: I do not endorse the food poisoning diet.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Incredible India
I made it to Akshardam Temple on Tuesday, after all. The temple itself is closed for renovations, so I was only able to wander the grounds (which were beautiful) and check out the exhibitions. Exhibition #1 involved a series of rooms, each with a scene telling the story of Lord Swaminarayan's life, acted out by robots. Exhibition #2 was a 40 minute movie about his life. And exhibition #3 was a 12 minute boat ride (think: theme park) through the history of India. There were Catholic nuns on my boat, which I thought was pretty cool (seeing as this was at a Hindu temple). Although the whole thing was kinda kitschy, by the end of it, I did actually feel a sense of inner calm and tranquility. I even contemplated becoming a vegetarian for a minute or two.
That night, Nathan and I went for a walk through a sort of informal market area next to our hotel. What strikes me most about India is that even though people are living in squalor, there is this wonderful feeling of community and industry everywhere you look. It's a good reality check.
Yesterday, I took on Chandni Chowk and the Red Fort. The Red Fort was beautiful and tranquil; the perfect place to spend a hot, sunny day. But Indians are funny... every time I took out my camera, people started begging me to take their photo. At one point, a group of women came up and stood next to me. They didn't speak English and my Hindi is primitive at best, so I had no idea what was going on until I turned and saw a man with a camera, at which point there was nothing left to do but pose and smile. Apparently I am a tourist attraction.
A little later on, a family asked me to take pictures of their kids. I'd been saying no to people (mainly 20-something guys) all day, but since the kids were totally adorable, I couldn't refuse.
After I'd waved goodbye to the family, this little guy couldn't resist creeping over to me for his own photo op.
On I wandered to Chandni Chowk. Chandni Chowk is... confusing and overwhelming and completely amazing. It's a labyrinth of tiny streets and alleyways, lined with shops. And when I say shops, I really mean alcoves packed with wares. It is more crowded and even dustier than anywhere else I've been so far, with incense masking the scent of urine and rotting garbage. But amidst this filth you find colourful displays of fresh fruit and vegetables, thousands of glittering and miraculously clean saris, and smiling people all shouting hello. I'll say it again: India is amazing.
Here is one of the wider and more formal streets in Chandni Chowk:
On one of my rickshaw rides back to the metro (I had to take two because the first guy took me to the wrong place), I learned the lesson once again that Indians are obsessed with having their picture taken. As soon as this guy noticed my camera, he swerved in closer to make the shot.
To round off the day, Nathan and I had thali at a dhabba (sort of a cross between a restaurant and street food) we'd found on our walk the night before. The food was excellent, though a little too spicy for me, but the naan has ruined me for life. I will never be able to fully appreciate naan anywhere else ever again.
Today, I'm supposed to head over to the Lodhi Gardens. I'm still not sure whether I'll make it. The lazy bug has bitten me again today.
Tomorrow morning, we head off for our weekend getaway in the Himalayas. We've settled on Shimla; Darjeeling would have been nigh impossible. I guess this just means I'll have to come back! No complaints here.
That night, Nathan and I went for a walk through a sort of informal market area next to our hotel. What strikes me most about India is that even though people are living in squalor, there is this wonderful feeling of community and industry everywhere you look. It's a good reality check.
Yesterday, I took on Chandni Chowk and the Red Fort. The Red Fort was beautiful and tranquil; the perfect place to spend a hot, sunny day. But Indians are funny... every time I took out my camera, people started begging me to take their photo. At one point, a group of women came up and stood next to me. They didn't speak English and my Hindi is primitive at best, so I had no idea what was going on until I turned and saw a man with a camera, at which point there was nothing left to do but pose and smile. Apparently I am a tourist attraction.
A little later on, a family asked me to take pictures of their kids. I'd been saying no to people (mainly 20-something guys) all day, but since the kids were totally adorable, I couldn't refuse.
After I'd waved goodbye to the family, this little guy couldn't resist creeping over to me for his own photo op.
On I wandered to Chandni Chowk. Chandni Chowk is... confusing and overwhelming and completely amazing. It's a labyrinth of tiny streets and alleyways, lined with shops. And when I say shops, I really mean alcoves packed with wares. It is more crowded and even dustier than anywhere else I've been so far, with incense masking the scent of urine and rotting garbage. But amidst this filth you find colourful displays of fresh fruit and vegetables, thousands of glittering and miraculously clean saris, and smiling people all shouting hello. I'll say it again: India is amazing.
Here is one of the wider and more formal streets in Chandni Chowk:
On one of my rickshaw rides back to the metro (I had to take two because the first guy took me to the wrong place), I learned the lesson once again that Indians are obsessed with having their picture taken. As soon as this guy noticed my camera, he swerved in closer to make the shot.
To round off the day, Nathan and I had thali at a dhabba (sort of a cross between a restaurant and street food) we'd found on our walk the night before. The food was excellent, though a little too spicy for me, but the naan has ruined me for life. I will never be able to fully appreciate naan anywhere else ever again.
Today, I'm supposed to head over to the Lodhi Gardens. I'm still not sure whether I'll make it. The lazy bug has bitten me again today.
Tomorrow morning, we head off for our weekend getaway in the Himalayas. We've settled on Shimla; Darjeeling would have been nigh impossible. I guess this just means I'll have to come back! No complaints here.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Famous last words
"I want to try that!" I said, watching the dancers from the Punjab having the time of their lives.
"I think I could actually do that," Nathan said, realizing that his problem is an inclination toward dancing big, which was precisely what these dancers were doing.
"We want you to come dance with us," said the dancers, tugging at our arms.
Nathan went first. I have to say, he really rocked out. He also wimped out... 3 times. They had to keep dragging him back on stage.
I went second. As a seasoned dance performer who has dragged many a victim up on stage with me, I now understand the terror I've induced. But once I was up there, I figured I'd better go big or go home. Arms positioned, torso leaning back, big Punjabi grin, my hip went drop, drop, drop. My legs went flick, flick, flick. I went spin, spin, spin. We went conga, conga, conga. And it truly was the time of my life.
All this at the dinner we were invited to at the Imperial hotel. There turned out to be a 2 hour long dance show as part of the package deal (when I found this out, I think I may have squealed with glee). It even featured a guy who danced with 9 pots balanced on his head, atop swords and shards of glass, or with glasses clutched in his toes.
Here are some quick clips of the Punjabi dancers earlier in the night. Sorry the quality isn't great.
Incidentally, the Imperial is absolutely stunning. Compare, for example, this image of their pool with the one I posted yesterday of ours. It's almost embarrassing.
So yes, all in all a wonderful night. Great food, great dancing, great people, great atmosphere. By the time we took off, the metro was no longer running so we had to catch an auto-rickshaw to the hotel. About an hour of letting our hair blow in the breeze for the low, low price of rs. 250 (£3.69). I love this country.
I had planned on going to Akshardam temple today, and I still might... but last night really knocked both of us on our butts. It's now nearly 12:30 pm and Nathan's still sleeping. I'm not much further along. So... we'll see. It may well turn out to be another lazy day.
"I think I could actually do that," Nathan said, realizing that his problem is an inclination toward dancing big, which was precisely what these dancers were doing.
"We want you to come dance with us," said the dancers, tugging at our arms.
Nathan went first. I have to say, he really rocked out. He also wimped out... 3 times. They had to keep dragging him back on stage.
I went second. As a seasoned dance performer who has dragged many a victim up on stage with me, I now understand the terror I've induced. But once I was up there, I figured I'd better go big or go home. Arms positioned, torso leaning back, big Punjabi grin, my hip went drop, drop, drop. My legs went flick, flick, flick. I went spin, spin, spin. We went conga, conga, conga. And it truly was the time of my life.
All this at the dinner we were invited to at the Imperial hotel. There turned out to be a 2 hour long dance show as part of the package deal (when I found this out, I think I may have squealed with glee). It even featured a guy who danced with 9 pots balanced on his head, atop swords and shards of glass, or with glasses clutched in his toes.
Here are some quick clips of the Punjabi dancers earlier in the night. Sorry the quality isn't great.
Incidentally, the Imperial is absolutely stunning. Compare, for example, this image of their pool with the one I posted yesterday of ours. It's almost embarrassing.
So yes, all in all a wonderful night. Great food, great dancing, great people, great atmosphere. By the time we took off, the metro was no longer running so we had to catch an auto-rickshaw to the hotel. About an hour of letting our hair blow in the breeze for the low, low price of rs. 250 (£3.69). I love this country.
I had planned on going to Akshardam temple today, and I still might... but last night really knocked both of us on our butts. It's now nearly 12:30 pm and Nathan's still sleeping. I'm not much further along. So... we'll see. It may well turn out to be another lazy day.
Monday, April 5, 2010
First impressions
India and I are still in the very early stages of becoming acquainted. I've seen the Delhi airport, my hotel (in the suburb of Noida), the shopping district in Noida, and the stretches of land in between. It has been a gentle introduction, for which I am grateful.
Urban India is rough around the edges. It is stinky, noisy, crumbly, and dusty. Power outages are frequent. People stare at your white skin. Young children chase and prod you with dirty fingers, begging for just 5 rupees. You get scanned and frisked every time you step into any public place. Traffic follows no set pattern, preferring the rush of near-collisions and incessant honking over the monotony of driving within the lines. Jay walking across 6 lanes of traffic is mandatory. Skinny cows poop and soak up the sun along the median.
But this is a place of contradictions. The metro is new, clean, smooth, and air conditioned. The clothing is elegant. The people are friendly. The food is good, cheap, and plentiful. And tonight, we've been invited to a dinner at the Imperial, supposedly the finest hotel in all of India.
I'm loving all of it, and I can't wait to discover more.
The view from our hotel room.
In the shopping district. Don't ask me what "Flavour of Canada" means.
View of the sunset from the metro station.
The rooftop pool, where I spent part of the afternoon.
Urban India is rough around the edges. It is stinky, noisy, crumbly, and dusty. Power outages are frequent. People stare at your white skin. Young children chase and prod you with dirty fingers, begging for just 5 rupees. You get scanned and frisked every time you step into any public place. Traffic follows no set pattern, preferring the rush of near-collisions and incessant honking over the monotony of driving within the lines. Jay walking across 6 lanes of traffic is mandatory. Skinny cows poop and soak up the sun along the median.
But this is a place of contradictions. The metro is new, clean, smooth, and air conditioned. The clothing is elegant. The people are friendly. The food is good, cheap, and plentiful. And tonight, we've been invited to a dinner at the Imperial, supposedly the finest hotel in all of India.
I'm loving all of it, and I can't wait to discover more.
The view from our hotel room.
In the shopping district. Don't ask me what "Flavour of Canada" means.
View of the sunset from the metro station.
The rooftop pool, where I spent part of the afternoon.
Friday, April 2, 2010
The little engine that could
22 hours until my flight to India takes off. It turns out that the boy will be travelling with me, so hopefully that'll help the time go by a little less painfully.
I'm not sure what to say at this point, nor am I sure how I feel. Excited. Anxious. Nervous. Overwhelmed. Disbelieving. I'm pretty sure the words and feelings will all come pouring out of me as soon as I arrive.
We've been trying to decide where we want to go for our getaway in the Himalayas. This process has been unexpectedly difficult, since many of the places we would like to go are dangerous thanks to military/terrorism and/or scary mountain roads and even scarier bus drivers. So, our decision is coming down to places we can reach by train: Shimla or Darjeeling.
I'm rooting for Darjeeling because... how cool would that be?! Plus we'd get to ride this darling toy steam engine! The big downside is that it would take forever and a day to get there, and although we'd get to see loads of pretty countryside, Nathan would have to take an extra day off work. So we'll see. I'm sure Shimla would be really cool too.
I think I've also decided to take a day trip on my own to see the Taj Mahal in Agra. Supposedly it lives up to all the hype, so I feel I have to take advantage of what may be my only chance to see it.
It seems I'm going to be spending an awful lot of time on transport this trip. Hopefully it'll be worth it... and maybe help prepare me for my epic journey to Hawaii in May. After all, that's what all the hours I spend commuting in London every day are for, right? It's like training for a marathon.
I'm not sure what to say at this point, nor am I sure how I feel. Excited. Anxious. Nervous. Overwhelmed. Disbelieving. I'm pretty sure the words and feelings will all come pouring out of me as soon as I arrive.
We've been trying to decide where we want to go for our getaway in the Himalayas. This process has been unexpectedly difficult, since many of the places we would like to go are dangerous thanks to military/terrorism and/or scary mountain roads and even scarier bus drivers. So, our decision is coming down to places we can reach by train: Shimla or Darjeeling.
I'm rooting for Darjeeling because... how cool would that be?! Plus we'd get to ride this darling toy steam engine! The big downside is that it would take forever and a day to get there, and although we'd get to see loads of pretty countryside, Nathan would have to take an extra day off work. So we'll see. I'm sure Shimla would be really cool too.
I think I've also decided to take a day trip on my own to see the Taj Mahal in Agra. Supposedly it lives up to all the hype, so I feel I have to take advantage of what may be my only chance to see it.
It seems I'm going to be spending an awful lot of time on transport this trip. Hopefully it'll be worth it... and maybe help prepare me for my epic journey to Hawaii in May. After all, that's what all the hours I spend commuting in London every day are for, right? It's like training for a marathon.
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