I arrived! I made it onto the flight in time and sat next to a nice Indian man. I slept on and off for about 7 hours which was a blessing. I made it through customs, and talked to some Americans on the way. Now, when you arrive in the New Delhi airport, the entryway into the public area is basically like a runway. It was so uncomfortable -- a million and a half Indians are lined up along rails on each side watching everyone come out of the baggage claim, and considering I am a white female traveling alone, I felt like everyone's eyes were on me! (and most likely they probably were, let's be real here)
So I get out into the waiting room expecting to see our family friends, Meenaxi and Juni, who were supposed to be picking me up--I was planning on staying at their house for a few days to recover from jet lag). Well, about half an hour later, I STILL couldn't find them. I felt so lost, and had no way of contacting them considering my phone doesn't exactly work over on that side of the world, nor did I bring it for that matter. However, my dazed and confused face attracted some guardian angels, and an elderly Indian man proceeded to call their numbers for me and told me to call him if I didn't find them, and his driver would pick me up and drop me off in Sunder Nagar, where Meenaxi and Juni's house is located.
Well, as soon as old Indian man left, a younger Indian guy came up to help me out, and took me to his car to make yet another phone call, since our family friends were still nowhere to be found. By now, about an hour had passed (my first experience with Indians and their view of time as an extremely flexible commodity). As we're walking out to his car I see their daughter, Gauri, who is married and in her late twenties! Apparently Meenaxi and Juni decided to take a little trip to Nepal and forgot to inform my parents and me. So Gauri and her husband Gagan have agreed to house me for a few days as I get over jet jag.
What a start to my trip....
So I get out into the waiting room expecting to see our family friends, Meenaxi and Juni, who were supposed to be picking me up--I was planning on staying at their house for a few days to recover from jet lag). Well, about half an hour later, I STILL couldn't find them. I felt so lost, and had no way of contacting them considering my phone doesn't exactly work over on that side of the world, nor did I bring it for that matter. However, my dazed and confused face attracted some guardian angels, and an elderly Indian man proceeded to call their numbers for me and told me to call him if I didn't find them, and his driver would pick me up and drop me off in Sunder Nagar, where Meenaxi and Juni's house is located.
Well, as soon as old Indian man left, a younger Indian guy came up to help me out, and took me to his car to make yet another phone call, since our family friends were still nowhere to be found. By now, about an hour had passed (my first experience with Indians and their view of time as an extremely flexible commodity). As we're walking out to his car I see their daughter, Gauri, who is married and in her late twenties! Apparently Meenaxi and Juni decided to take a little trip to Nepal and forgot to inform my parents and me. So Gauri and her husband Gagan have agreed to house me for a few days as I get over jet jag.
What a start to my trip....