Day Two of Agra Trip ----- Taj Mahal

I got up late this morning and did some laundry.  I planned to have lunch with Eli's co-worker Saurabh Saxena...pronounced Sar ob Sax seena.  While Eli is gone, Saurbh will be my back up.  I will call him if I need someone to say something in Hindi language for me.

Driver will pick me up at 11:30 am and then pick up Eli and Saurbh. We went to Dana Choga...a moderately priced Indian Restaurant that served Indian and Chinese Cuisine.  The driver waited outside while we ate.  We ordered Dal Makhani...lentils in cream sauce, Rogan Josh..mutton with tomato sauce, Murg Makhani..chicken with cream sauce, steamed basmati rice, and 3 orders of naan bread.  I ordered sweet carbonated lime juice with no salt in it. (Eli has tried a few times to order the same drink and got it with salt in it...the way Indians drink it)  Eli drank soda,  Saurabh had mango lassi...yoghurt drink.  Saurabh told the waiter not to make my food spicy or we would return it back to the kitchen.  The cook succeeded in making my dish not spicey!!  Sometimes the cook overrides customer wishes.  Now I know some dishes to order in an Indian Restaurant that would not be too spicey for me.

Saurabh was surprised to learn that I had taken a tuk tuk to the Metro station by myself.  Most workers have a driver, so even Eli has never done that.

After lunch Eli and Saurabh went back to work and I got a ride back home.  I did a load of laundry, took a nap and then went grocery shopping at the shopping mall next door for lamb, green beans, apples, pears, a grapefruit, fruit wash, and Q tips.  I looked for Oreo Cookies...not there.  Eli wanted ground lamb, but it was all gone.  So I got a leg of lamb and had the butcher debone and grind it.   I got two red apples and two green apples.  The Red Delicious apples were about 50 rupies each, while the green apples were only 15 rupies each.  Grapefruit was 150 rupies.  Q tips were 350 rupies! Whole bill was about 1500 rupies. 

I cooked Hamburger Helper Stroganoff with ground lamb.  It turned out pretty nice. After dinner I worked on this blog and went to sleep.

Day One of Trip to Agra

Eli and Nicole attended a July 4 party at the American Embassy in Delhi earlier this year.  Eli won a certificate from On Time Travels Agency for a free overnght trip to Agra for two, with a car/driver/gas and tolls.  The trip must be undertake before September 30, 2013 and should be completed by September 30.  Eli has been to see the Taj Mahal five times, so he was not interested in going again.

I said I want to go!  I had to leave right away, he arranged for a driver to pick me up on Sunday morning at 6 am.  The driver...Ramkumar..came at 6:20 am in a Toyota van with seating for seven passengers and a rack on top for baggage.   He was probably delayed at the security gate to the apartment complex.  He was surprised to learn that I was his only passenger.  We introduced each other and I sent a text message to Eli with his name and cell phone number.  I got in and we had gone one mile when he asked me what the name of the hotel was.  Oh, no.  I left the certificate letter back at Eli's apartment.  I asked  the driver to turn around and go back to Eli's.  We finally left at 6:30 am.

We needed to travel to Delhi first to get onto the Yamuna Expressway..(an hour just to get there) which would take us to Agra..another 3 hours going 80 km/hour. The tollway had four lanes for traffic...two lanes going each way and a shoulder lane for slow traffic...motorcycles, carts, pedestrians, bus stops, other vehicles.

 I enjoyed looking out the window at all the new sights. There is a great deal of new construction going on everywhere we went.  New high rise buildings for businesses and apartments.  Road construction.  Animals on the street...cows, water buffalos, donkeys and horses pulling a cart, tuk tuks, bicycle and electric rickshaws, wild dogs and pigs.

In the city there are a lot of speed bumps to limit speed.  Most streets had no lane markings, so vehicles can weave this way and that way to get around parked vehicles and slower vehicles.  Lots of honking to alert other vehicles that you were passing.  Drivers sit on the right side.  You pass vehicles on the right side.  Signs warning drivers not to drink and drive and to not use a cell phone while driving.  Do not go over the speed limit..100 km/hr for cars ..Fines will be given a toll booths.  You are being observed by video cameras.  A large billboard advertised Formula 1 racing in October.  We passed the Raceway along the way. 

We arrived in Agra about 2:30 pm and went to the Amar Hotel and called my hotel...N Home Stay...a bed and breakfast in an Indian home.  I called N Home Stay and gave the phone to the driver to get specific instructions to find them.  Five minutes later we arrived!!

Ramkumar, the driver, waited outside while I got settled.  The lady of the house..Naghma welcomed me warmly and had me fill out the registration form and copied my passport.  Her son Shiron showed me to my room on the second floor and made sure the air conditioner was working and explained that I needed to turn on the hot water heater an hour before my shower.  He helped me set up WiFi for my laptop and gave me the keys.  

Back downstairs I asked Shiron to help me develop a plan for my visit to Agra.  After 15 minutes we had a plan.  First go to Agra Fort, lunch at Only Restaurant, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb (Baby Taj), and then finally to Mehtab Bagh to watch the sunset over the Taj Mahal across the Namuna River.  I went back upstairs to gather what I was going to bring with me and left for Agra Fort.

It took a hour to drive to the thick traffic to get to Fort Agra which was really a short distance away. 
Ramumar parked his car and would wait for me there..about two hours.  I walked across a moat into the Fort.  An elderly man with cane spotted me right away and offered to be my tour guide.  He showed me his credentials...a book that said he was an authorized tour guide with 35 years of experience.  His English was good and I liked his mild respectful manner, so I agreed.  He said he would charge 30  dollars....1500 rupies..  I was surprised at the amount,  but he assured me that I could pay less if I was not satisfied. Ok.

Aziz walked around and explained the history of the Fort and explained what/where each place was about.  It was the residence of five Mughal Emperors....with hundreds of concubines and many wives.  There is a special door that is the entrance to a tunnel that goes underground for miles.  This helped the Emperor travel undetected safely.

Agra was the capital of the Mughal Empire for over 100 years.  Fifth Emperor Shah Jahan modified the Fort and built impressive imperial quarters and a mosque here with white marble.  There were two moats filled with crocodiles and tortoises.  There were over 500 stone buildings, but only women's quarters for his harem are left of the original palace buildings.  There is a large stone bowl with steps going up for bathing.  There are residences for Shah Jahan's two daughters, a throne area, a private audience room, and a Turkish bath house with mirrors and lamps to heat the water.  Every room was once magnificently decorated with rich carvings, gems, and gold...all removed by conquerors.  There are beautiful marble carved jali screens around the women's quarters so that women of the court could watch without being seen.

There were formal geometric gardens and a vineyard.  In the vine garden is a white marble platform wall with a decorative water slide.  From the pool and fountains, water would drain off along channels decorated to mimic a stream.  The surface was scalloped to produce a rippling waterfall, or inlaid to create a shimmering stream bed.  Behind vertical water drops, there are little cusped arch niches into which flowers would be placed during the day and lamps at night.  Tapestries and carpets decorated the interior.  Marble columns were inlaid with semi-precious stones. 

Shah Jahan also built the Taj Mahal and moved to Delhi area, but he was captured and kept as a prisoner here at the Fort by his son in 1650 until his death 8 years later.  He could look out at the Taj Mahal in a distance and mourn his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal.  At the end of the tour, I paid Aziz the 1500 rupies...I didn't mind over paying him...he is getting old and needs to retire and rest more.

Next I went to Only Restaurant for lunch.  I ordered chow mein and hot water with lemon to drink.  There was only two other men eating there when I arrived.  The food arrived quickly and I was anxious to go to the next place.  The waiter brought the bill, but it was the wrong bill.  I said..I didn't eat this.  He left and returned with the correct bill.  I paid with a large bill to get some change.  The waiter returned with the change, but it was 100 rupies short.  I counted the change in front of him twice, but he still did not understand that it was not enough.  He went away and two other men counted the change.  The manager finally came and apologized saying that the waiter had left the money on the table in back.  I think the waiters cannot read or count well.

It was another 40 minutes of travel through congested roads to get to the I'timad'ud'Daulah (Baby Taj), the precursor and influencer for the Taj Mahal.  This tomb is the first Mughal building to be faced with white marble inlaid with contrasting stones (1622 - 1628).  It is small and intimate, but just as ornate as the Taj Mahal. 

The tomb was built for a Persian advisor serving in Mughul Emperor Akbar and Jahangir's court and his wife.  Shah Jahangir, Akbar's son, fell in love with his daughter Nur Jahan and married her after her first husband died.  She effectively ruled from behind the veil due to Jahangir's addiction to alcohol and opium.   Nur Jahan built the tomb for her father.  This was highly unusual, as her parents were not royals and only royals had previously deserved such a tomb.   However, Nur Jahan was extremely clever and smart.  She was able to rule the Mughal Empire even though she was the 20th wife.  She built the tomb in only six years while Jahangir was away campaigning.   Her niece Mumtaz married Shah Jahan.

 Marble screens of geometric lattice permit soft lighting of the inner chamber.  The white marble is inlaid with mosaics and semi-precious stones.., maybe more intricate and beautiful than at the Taj Mahal. There is a garden surrounding the tomb with wild monkeys roaming the area.  Must remove your shoes just before enter the tomb.  It is across the river from Fort Agra and with a  nice view of Taj Mahal, a half kilometer upstream the Yamuna River on the opposite bank.  Hardly anyone was there.  Very peaceful.  This place is a beautiful monument to the love of a daughter for her parents.

Next stop is the Mehtab Bagh.  It is an ok garden with a view of the back of the Taj Mahal across the Yamuna River.  Images of the Taj Mahal in National Geographic are from this place.  The weather was cloudy and overcast.  Not a good day for sunset photos of the Taj Mahal.   I waited two hours there hoping the sun would come out and surprise me with a magnificent sunset. Not today.

While I was there, I got to know a Chinese couple...Wong Peng and Yee Ying.  They had come there by tuk tuk.  Their driver had insisted on waiting there for them to take them back to their hotel.  Peng even told the driver not to wait.  They did not want to pay the driver extra for waiting so long there.  I told them I could give them a lift back to the hotel with my driver.  They were interested, but the driver even came up to them to remind them that he was waiting for them.  We did not know what to expect when it was time to go.  We walked back to the parking area together.  They hoped to get away without seeing that tuk tuk driver, but no such luck.  He came up to them and said they must go with him.  He waited two hours for them.  My driver did not want to get involved in the argument and said that he would not take them.  He was an outsider from Delhi and needed to get along with the locals.  I felt sorry for the Chinese couple.  I called them later that night to find out what happened.  They paid the driver 100 rupies for the ride...the equivalent to about two dollars.  They were also interested in going to Akbar's Tomb the next morning with my driver, but my driver was willing to take me 40 km to Fatehpur Sikri first..so it would not work out to take them along.

When I got back to my hotel Naghma had a home cooked meal ready for me.   Dinner was served in a metal tray.  I asked her not to use too many spices...not spicey.  A plate of steamed basmati rice, dal makhani (lentils), pumpkin, yogurt, three pieces of roti bread, and butter.  I really liked the dal and the pumpkin. Not too spicey.  I was hoping to get naan bread, but she said she would do that next time.  A very nice meal to end the day.

I felt exhausted, but I wanted to post a blog before I forgot anything.  But here it is three days later, and I am just now typing it up.  I posted a review of the hotel on TripAdvisor.com instead.  You can read it if you go to Bed and Breakfast lodging for Agra, India.  It is rated the number one Bed and Breakfast lodging for Agra.

I have another busy day tomorrow.

Taking a Tuk Tuk to the Metro

Today I learned how to get from Eli's place to the nearest Metro station.

First I must take a Tuk Tuk to the Metro.  Remember a Tuk Tuk is an enclosed three wheeled vehicle with open sides...no doors. They run on compressed natural gas for fuel.

 Eli's apartment is on the 11th floor.  While I was waiting for one of the two elevators to come, his neighborin apartment 1101 came out and was also waiting.  We chatted and I told him that I was going to try to take the tuk tuk to the Metro.  He taught me how to pronounce Sikanderpur Metro.  He thought I should pay 60 rupies for the ride. 

 I walked to end of the driveway where cars, taxis, and tuk tuks are waiting to pick up a ride. I said  Sikanderpur Metro.  How much?  He said 70 rupies.  I said no, too much. 50.  He said ok.  So I got in and sat down. Off we went!!

The driver weaved through the traffic honking frequently.  It was kind of fun riding in the open, even though I did not have air conditioning.  After 15 minutes, I arrived and got out and paid the driver 50 rupies.

I took note of the surroundings so I could figure out how to get back to the apartment.  There were four lanes of traffic.  Two lanes going each way.  I would need to stand on the other side of the road to catch a ride back to Eli's.  I need to remember which direction is the correct way back.

I followed the crowd going up upstairs and looked for a place to buy a smartcard and fill it with 100 rupies.  I found two ticket machines.  A man was standing in front of one of the machines helping people buy a ticket to their destination or to refill their smartcard.  Many people cannot read to operate the machine.  I asked him where to buy the smartcard.  He pointed to a window on the other side of the security check point.  I put my purse and bag on a conveyor belt and walked through a security screening machine with my hands up.  At the window the man asked me how much I wanted to put on the smartcard.  I said 100 rupies.  I paid him and got my smartcard!  Success!

 I walked backwards out through security to get out of the area.  I need 50 rupies in change for my ride back to Eli's.  I only had 100 R bills.  I need to buy something to get change.  I found a shop with drinks for sale in a cooler.  I felt the air conditioning as soon as I stepped inside the shop.   It felt really good.  I chose an orange drink and walked up to the cashier counter.  The two men behind the counter were almost done eating their lunch, so I waited until they were done eating their last bite.  I asked how much.  30 rupies.  I paid with 100 R and got a 50 R and three 10 R bills.  Great.  Now I have my change.

I walked around slowly reading signs and studied a large map of the Metro system on a wall.  Only 29 rupies for a 45 minute ride to the center of Delhi.  I learned I need to go to Platform 2 to go towards Delhi and go to Platform 1 to return back here.

Now to find my way back to Eli's.  I walked across to the other side of the station and found stairs going down to the other side of the road.  At the bottom of the stairs, I noticed a beggar woman sitting on the ground with a bowl in front of her.  I opened my bag and put two saltine cracker packets in her bowl.  She smiled and I walked over to the edge of the street where at least 25 tuk tuks were waiting for a ride.  I walked up to one driver and said Ibis Hotel.  How much?  He said 70 rupies.  I said too much.  50 rupies.  He said no...fixed price...70 rupies.  I tried three more drivers.  They did not want to negotiate.  I walked away from that area and waited for a tuk tuk to drop off a ride and asked him how much.  He also said 70 rupies.  I said no.  60 rupies.  He said no.  I went to another tuk tuk right behind him and repeated 50 rupies.  He said 60 rupies.  Then the first driver said ok 60 rupies.  I got in the first tuk tuk and away we went.

About 5 minutes later, the driver got a cell phone call.  I think he got in trouble for taking a ride when it was not his turn.  He was supposed to get in line with the other tuk tuks and wait for his turn to get a ride.  Also they know that he took a discounted fare for my ride.  This converstaion was all in hindi, but I could sense his dilemma.

He dropped me off at the Ibis Hotel which shared a driveway with Eli's complex Exotica.  Instead of going to Eli's I wanted to go to the ATM machine about a block way.  I walked along the edge of the road...some of it was paved with bricks, but mostly compacted dirt.  Along the way I slowly passed  a wild pig that hangs around the area.  I noticed it there before.

At the ATM machine I forgot how much money to withdraw.  I entered 200,000 rupies.  The machine said no receipt aailable, so I went to another one two doors down.  I entered 200,000 rupies again.  This time the machine said I could only take out 10,000 rupies a day.  No wonder the other machine was not happy.  I entered 10,000 and the machine spit out the money and gave me a receipt.

I had to walk back past the pig through the security gate into the apartment complex.  They guards must have recognized me because they did not question me.  I could see other people were being stopped and questioned.  Now I had to remember how to get back to tower C2.  There are three clusters of three towers.  A1, A2, A3, B1, B2,B3, C1, C2,C3.  Each cluster has a parking lot undergound.  I walked along the edge of the road being careful not to get hit by cars.  I found C2.

Back home, I proudly announced to Eli that I did it!! Now I can go to endless places.  No problemo..Ha Ha.

Eli will be leaving Friday for 16 days...October 5 to October 21.  I should be fine, right??  Grocery store and ATM just down the street.

Next tine  I will tell you about my trip to Agra.

Day Three in India ------ Kingdom of Dreams

I woke up about 7 am and made hash browns and eggs  for breakfast.  Eli usually only eats a apple or cold cereal so he did not eat much...I ate most of it.  We discussed what I wanted to do today.  I told him about a place called the Kingdom of Dreams.  He said that he went there with a few co-workers to see a show and enjoyed it.  It does not open until 1 pm.  Eli will arrange for Balwan to pick me up after he has lunch...about 2:30 pm.

I spent the morning doing another load of laundry and posting another blog.  The washing machine is on the balcony.  It takes 90 minutes for each wash cycle.  No dryer.  Hang clothes on the short laundry line on the balcony or on the folding rack in the dining room.  It takes only one day to dry.

It soon was time to go.  Eli called me that Balwan was on his way to pick me up in 15 minutes.  The trip took 30 minutes.  Fascinating trying to take in all the sights along the way.  Everything is dirty and very primitive compared to US.  There are people living along the road in the open with only a roof made of found materials and a dirt floor.  There are beggars...adults and children... that approach cars at stop lights.    Eli taught me to hand out prepackaged saltine crackers when we are asked by a beggar.  Any money we give them could be taken away by another beggar. 

I was dropped off at the entrance to Kingdom of Dreams.  I went to the ticket window and asked for a ticket for tonight's performance of Zangoora..a story of how a poor lowly gypsy became a prince.  The cheapest seats were silver for 999R, but they were sold out.  Next level cost 1499 R.  I chose a seat closest to the stage...on the third row from the stage last seat at the end.

A ticket to the show included admission to the Culture Gully..a large indoor "food court" with a short cultural dance performances every half hour.  There was a small puppet show with four musician playing live music in the background.  There were people dressed up walking around entertaining visitors...a man in a black suit with a white face paint, another man dressed like a monkey with a long tail that he used to tap people, a  very large outlandishly dressed woman, a man that looked like he was riding a fake horse...... The large room was decorated to make you feel like you were outside in a courtyard surrounded by two floors of shops selling items from different areas of India.  Ceiling was painted like a sky. Restaurant interiors were decorated like they were from different areas of India.  Four shops had windows where you could order food and eat it outside in the open space.  At far end of the room there was a sandy playground for children to play.  A five minute 5D show for 150R.

I arrived there about 3 pm and had to wait until 7:30 pm before I could go over to the Nauntaki Mahal Auditorium for the show.  I expected more cultural performances, so I was a little bored after an hour of walking around to see everything.

 Before you could buy any from a shop, people had to put money into smartcard..like a gift card.  Any leftover money is refunded.  Prices were high, so I didn't buy anything.  I ate five small steamed chicken momo (potstickers) for 200 R and 36.14 R tax and a bottle of water for 20 R.

I went outside about 7 pm and the sky was red from the sunset.  The theater building was lit up beautifully like a palace with large elephants on each side of the entrance and large water fountains in front.   At 7:30 pm the cultural performers paraded with loud music out the Culture Gully around to the steps of the Theater.  Then we were allowed to go up the steps into the Theater.  There are three floors inside.  Mezzanine level had a lounge/bar area with images of past Maharajahs on the walls.  Third level is a balcony area ...closed to public...stage lighting equipment staff only.

I paid 200R for an English translator device with ear phones.  Deposit is a credit card which is locked in a locker and you are given a key.

Lobby concession areas offered steamed rice with meat or vegetables served in large cups, small  puff pastries with mushrooms or creamed cheese or vegetable filling, beer, soda, water, some kind of Indian drinks.

The 835 seat auditorium had nice plush seats.  The walls on each side of he stage had a large screen to project images to complement the stage background.  During the 2 hour show, performers often  glided above the audience from the balcony above us.  Performers stepped down from the stage and danced in the floor area in front of the stage and also into the aisles in the auditorium.  We were  surrounded by dancers and musicians.  During the 20 minute intermission I purchased three small puff pastries with mushroom filling for 50 R.   I really enjoyed the spectacular show.  The show ended with the performers dancing in the aisles with the audience and others clapping to the beat of the music.  I wanted to dance, too......but too shy. 

When the show ended I hurried to return my translator and get my credit card and bag back.  Then I went outside to call Balwan and say that I am Ready.  You come?  Five minutes later he came to pick me up and dropped me off at Eli's place.  What an enjoyable evening.

Next time I will tell you about my trip to the metro in a tuk tuk.

First Days in India ------- Shopping

I did not sleep much these past two days.  Thursday morning Eli and I left at 11 am.  His driver Balwan picked us up and took Eli to his office...Johnson Controls in the Motorola building.  Then he drove me to Sardar Bazar..a market area where locals do their shopping.  Balwan parked the car in a parking lot.  I told him, "I come back 4 pm."  I walked a few blocks in each direction to get my bearings and find my way back to the car.

 I have to tell you what the streets are like and what a parking lot looks like. There are no sidewalks anywhere.  People walk along the edge of dirt or paved streets, avoiding getting hit by a vehicle.  Watch where you step.  People spit, urinate, put trash in the streets.  Vehicles can be a motorcycle, a tuk tuk... three wheeled taxi..motorcycle with seating for passengers facing front and backwards, a horse drawn cart, cars, vans, a bus, large dump trucks, you name it.

The parking lot was not a paved lot with markings telling you where to park. It was a mish mash of cars and trucks and carts parked very closely together...all on a compacted dirt surface.

 There are also wild dogs, pigs, cows wandering the streets.  Cows are sacred so people leave food out for them each morning.  Cows go to their favorite places for food and people are allowed to milk the cow while it is eating.  A win win situation.  Pigs are like large rats...no good for anything.  Dogs are dangerous.  Two co-workers have been bitten on a leg as they walked by a dog...perhaps they got too close. 

I found the street where the clothing shops were located and walked slowly down the narrow dirt unpaved street observing people. Vehicles were still traveling in between people shopping.  Honking constantly.  Vehicles were parked  randomly on both sides of the street, so I had to weave around them, watching my step carefully.  I must of walked about five blocks one way and took a few side streets for a short way and then back to where I started.  I was shopping for two outfits to wear to blend in more.  I was not sure what to buy, so I observed what the other women were wearing and decided what would work for me.  Some women wore the traditional sari...pieces of cloth wrapped around your body.  Others wore tunics with baggy pants or tight matching pants and a matching scarf.  I decided I wanted to get tunics with baggy pants.  They looked more comfortable.  On my way back down the street I stopped at a few shops and felt uneasy trying to communicate what I wanted.  I finally chose a shop that had a sign that said 150 firm.  That would make it easy...I picked two tunics and paid 300 R (about $6).  Now I want baggy pants to match them.  Further down the street I found a shop that had the pants hanging in a circular rack.  I picked out what I wanted and asked How Much?  He answered 150 each..300 total.  I tried bargaining by replying 250?  He said, "No, 300".   I thought it was a reasonable price so I paid the 300.  Now I had my tops and pants.  I got my first purchases in India!  Success.

Now the heat and sun was getting to me.  I looked at the cell phone time and it was only 12:30 pm.  What to do next?  I went back to the entrance to the parking lot and found a shady spot to stand.  There were food stands nearby and a cart was parked next to me.  I pretended to be waiting for my ride and stood there about 30 minutes watching people and noticing the run down condition of the brick buildings.  People live upstairs from these shops on the street level.  I know people were wondering what I was doing, but I didn't  care.  I wanted to learn more about this place where they lived.

After awhile, I got tired of standing and called Balwan.  I told him I was Ready.  He said..Go to the car.  I went by the car, but I didn't see him.  After waiting about 10 minutes, I looked in the car and found him sleeping in the driver seat.  I knocked on the window and he got out of the car.  I got in and he drove me home...about a 30 minute ride...I was tired, so I took a 5 minute nap along the way.

It was nice to get back inside to air conditioning.  I got a drink of water and took a nap for a few hours.  Eli got home and found me sleeping and went to sleep, too.  When I awoke at 7 pm, Eli and I walked to a grocery store a block away.

The store was about to close, so we had to shop quickly.  It was a small store with items displayed neatly on shelves.  Meat department was in back with a butcher.  We got 5 chicken legs, orange and apple juice in pint sized cartons, bread, broccoli, carrots, potatoes mouthwash, liquid hand soap..all for about $25.  10R for using their bag.  I forgot to bring bags.  Stores no longer use plastic bags. The store clerk carried the bag outside and Eli told him we did not come by car.  Eli said that the clerk would have walked all the way home carrying the bag for us if we had come earlier  in the day.  He does not expect a tip.  No tipping in India.  I did not realize how heavy the bag was until Eli put it down to open the door.  I tried to pick it up and it was about 25 pounds.

Eli just called.  Balwan is coming to take me to the Kingdom of Dreams.  More about that next time.

Amsterdam to New Delhi

I thought I had plenty of time after my plane landed at the Amsterdam airport before the flight to Delhi......I was wrong.

I went to a WIFI cafe to send a message to Keary that I arrived safely in Amsterdam.  Then I went to Mc Donald's to order two double burgers to bring to Eli......hamburgers do not taste the same in India.  Then I went to a snack bar for floppy french fries and a margarita.......buy one get next one half off......so I drank two margaritas.....I felt relaxed after that! 

I didn't know what the local time was,  By the time I asked a man what time it was, it was 12:30pm.  My flight leaves at 1:50pm...Uh oh...better get over to the departure gate.  Don't want to miss my plane.  I hurried over to gate D6 and they were boarding already with a long line.  When it was my turn to show my boarding pass, the attendant said I was at the wrong gate.  I should be at gate G8.  I apologized and she said, "Don't be sorry.  You are the one who has to do all the walking to get to the correct gate.  It is all the way back to the opposite end of the airport terminals. I practically ran all the way over there...sweating up a storm.  They were also boarding with a long line, but at least it was the correct plane. Ahead of me we all could hear a young child screaming very loudly for about 15 minutes. I hope he is quiet on the plane.

 I settled down in my seat.  Then a man and woman came over and asked me if I would be willing to switch seats with them.  They were assigned seats away from each other.  Wife was assigned a seat next to me.  His seat was also a window seat on the other side of the plane.  I said ok and moved over to the other seat.  The Indian man sitting next to me owned a gem business in Jaipur with 50 employees.  His English was excellent so we got to know each other pretty well after seven hours.
I asked questions about customs in India and about how to get through the Delhi airport. 

The flight went well.  The back of each seat had a small TV screen.  There was a nice choice of movies to watch. I watched Epic and took naps most of the way. The meal was a small dish of chicken with rice, salad, and tiny cream puffs...I even got two small bottles of wine for free.  When it was almost time to land, we filled out a customs declaration form.

Upon landing in Delhi about 1 am, my friend on the plane used his phone to call my son Eli so I could let him know that I had arrived.  I quickly made my way over to the other side of the plane where my carry on suitcase was stored and waited to get off the plane.   Next we stood in a long line to go through immigration and then I got my suitcase from the conveyor belt.  Next I walked past customs following the green line marked on the floor as instructed by my friend on the plane.  The red line is for people who have something to declare for customs. 

Now it was time to go out the exit door.  I was told to stay in that area where there is a railing.  Drivers or friends of passengers wait behind this railing.   I was told to stay in front of that railing and look for Eli's driver who should be holding a sign with my name on it.  It was noisy and there were masses of people everywhere behind that railing.  I stayed by the exit door and waited about 15 minutes.  Then Eli's driver appeared.  Yippee.  I went up to him and said Nomeste.  I pointed to him and then to me and said I go with you. 

I walked around to the other side of the railing and he took the suitcases while I followed him closely.  We walked for about ten minutes to his car.  Strange sights and sounds and darkness.  Temperature was about 80 degrees and humid.  I got in and he drove for about 40 minutes to Eli's apartment in Gurgoan, a suburb of Delhi. 

Eli's place is an apartment complex with three towers of apartments.  The entrance to the area is through a security gate.  The driver had to stop and explain that he was driving me to tower C2 to Elijah Hall's place.  The driver then called Eli to let him know that he was there and dropped me off at C2.  There was another security man at the door who greeted me and helped me get the suitcases into the small elevator and accompanied me to the 11th floor to apartment 1102.

Eli welcomed me and showed me around his three bedroom apartment.  I sleep in his son's room on a futon converted into a bed.  His wife Nicole and son Dante left Delhi September 13 and returned to the US because Nicole is three months pregnant.  They wanted Nicole to be cared for by her doctor in Brookfield.   The prenatal care in India is different. 

They did have a housekeeper/nanny, but they fired her over  a disagreement about wages and severance pay.  I also should mention that Eli will be returning to the US for two weeks in 10 days.  I better learn to get along by myself quickly.  I will.  This will be a Great Adventure.

Journey to New Delhi

I am beginning a journey today which will take me through Detroit and Amsterdam on the way to New Delhi, India.  Keary drove me to the Milwaukee Airport three hours early.  It's a good time to start the blog. 

At check in the big check in suitcase was 57 pounds.  I had to take items out to bring the weight  down to 52 pounds.   Then at security check we took our shoes off and placed purse..laptop..I was asked if I had cosmetics. .I opened the suitcase and took out the bag of lotions.etc....He noticed a can of hormel chili with no beans.  He said I needed to put it into my check in bag.  It has been long gone..He said I could go back and they could pull it out of cargo area.  I offered to give him the can.  He put it in a separate bowl for conveyor belt to be xrayed..I stepped into screening area with footprints on floor for me to stand on.  I removed keys from my pocket.  I still got pat down because I had money belt on. I had to take it off and got another pat around butt area..then I passed inspection.  Next I had to retrieve everything in the bins..I went to gate D43..So here I am sitting on the floor typing on my cell phone. Another hour to wait.