This afternoon we drove to downtown New Delhi to have lunch, exchange some of my money, and to buy some beer for the New Year's Eve party tonight.  And, once again, what seemed like pretty simple tasks were so much more exciting and exhausting.  

Driving in Delhi is crazy.  Lavanya drove us downtown.  And, for a woman who failed her U.S. driving test because she was "being too cautious," she surprised me.  Lavanya has nerve.  She got us downtown without getting us in an accident, which seems hard to avoid in these driving conditions.

To this tourist there seemed to be very few traffic rules.  I saw no speed limit signs and drivers seemed to be going as fast or as slow as they pleased.  There are white lines on the roads, but there were clearly no "defined" lanes.  Two lane roads are often filled with three to five vehicles side by side (rickshaws, autorickshaws, cars, motorcycles, and bikes).  There is a lot of honking, a lot of "lane changing," and pedestrians and bikes everywhere.  But, after watching the traffic for a while it was clear that there are definite traffic rules.  You honk to warn those cutting you off and you honk to cut off.  Basically, honking seems to mean "I am here, get out of my way."  Lavanya told me that to drive here you have to be concerned only with yourself and your car.  You move to get out of the way or you move to get into the correct turning lane.  No one seems to worry whether or not there is already a car or person where they plan to be driving.  And, at times cars get within inches of your car.  I was continually amazed that no one got hit.  So, as it looks chaotic to me, it seems to work for Delhi.  I will tell you one thing though, I am never driving in Delhi!

Downtown New Delhi is an interesting place.  First of all, the three main streets are circular, as opposed to the grid system.  There is the outer circle, middle circle, and inner circle.  The inner circle is where the nice shops are.  Here we exchanged some of my money and walked around looking for a liquor store.  The shops were relatively high end clothing and shoe retailers.  And, the crowds were mixed.  I saw occasional foreigners like me.  Every time I saw a white person I felt a little more comfortable, which was kind of strange feeling.  There were a lot of Indian shoppers, street vendors, and some beggars.  Dan schooled me on dealing with beggars before we left, so I did not have too much trouble.  So far I have been very good about avoiding eye contact which seems to work very well.  But, it is hard to not notice the poverty.  Many of the beggars had obvious health problems or were missing limbs.  It is hard to care about their condition, but continue to walk on knowing that if you gave money you would only be followed during your entire trip to the market.

I was worried about how this first experience in the markets would go, but I felt pretty safe with Lavanya and Dan.  And, by the end of the trip I felt pretty confident walking through the main streets and the allies.  I get a lot of looks from those around me, but no one hassles me much.  And, so far it seems that most of the beggars, rickshaw drivers, and vendors think that Dan is the white person with the money.  As we got into the taxi for our drive home, one of the common vendors (men trying to sell large topo maps of India) came up to Dan's window.  He said, "one day I just want to say, 'I know what country I am in!'"  Not only was this funny, but he summed up the frustration we both had during our brief shopping experience.  It is already tiring to be in a place that you cannot easily navigate and where you are surrounded by people who do not speak your language.  But, it is even more taxing to be constantly approached by people and to always have your guard up.  

So, our short trip has worn me out.  And, together with my continuing jet lag, I am getting very tired.  Thus, it is nap time.  A nap is my only hope for being conscious during the New Year.  Maybe I will just go to sleep and celebrate it with you all tomorrow :)

Ginger Does Errands in India

(Above is an image from the balcony of Lavanya and Dan's apartment.)

Today I felt jetlagged for the first time in my life.  Morning was brutal.  And, not even the delicious butter rotis and yogurt helped me feel any better.  But, after a brief nap in the late morning, I was more awake and ready to experience Dwarka.  First experience, answering the door while I was home alone.  Eggs and onions were delivered and I was asked for 42 rupi.  I have no rupi.  So, I had to communicate to the delivery boy to wait while I walked across the hall to ask Lavanya's sister for the money.  While I imagined India as an English speaking country, it is clear that it is the upper classes that speak English and that those that I need to help me shop or travel do not speak English.  Even so, I think I dealt with my first experience with the language barrier fairly well.

Afterward I spent some time with Lavanya's sister, Ka, and her associate while they worked from home.  Ka is the editor of sports for Hindustan Times.  They were writing a column on cricket and were interviewing professional cricket players about their picks for the best players of 2008.  Instead of watching and trying to understand the cricket game on the TV, I decided to be stay sheltered for another hour or two and turned the TV to soccer and read some Harry Potter.  

It was in the afternoon that I first left the apartment.  The fog had lifted and it was time for Lavanya and I to go to the post office, the grocery store, and the vegetable market.  While these were rather mundane tasks, they gave me a good chance to get to see some of her neighborhood and get used to being a foreigner in India.  

First Impressions:

1.  Delhi is dirty.  It sounds mean.  But, it is.  There is dust everywhere.  People live on the street so there are former fires and ash on the sidewalk and trash in the gutters.  To illustrate this reality I will tell a story.  On the way to the vegetable market Dan and I walked on the sidewalk while Lavi walked on the street.   Dan warned me that traffic is crazy and to always be watching so to avoid getting hit by a car or motorcycle.  The sidewalk seemed like the best way to do this.  Dan commented on Lavi's position and she said that she is an Indian, Indians walk on the street.  "Indians only use the sidewalk to pee."  She pointed to the various wet spots along the sidewalk and wall.   A couple moments later we saw a man peeing on the sidewalk.  Pee or no pee, the sidewalk still seemed to be the safer avenue for the dumbstruck tourist.

While dirty, the part of Dwarka I saw did not smell bad.  It had a faint musty smell of burnt wood and cow patties (burned in the winter months by those who live outside).  The smoke and smog made my lungs hurt, but it offered a slightly pleasant smell to a place that most likely needed it. 

2.  There is significant class disparity, but no isolation for the rich or upper middle class.  While I am staying in a gated apartment complex, the surrounding area is open to all.  And, all are present.  There are Indians in very nice cars or dressed very nicely, some street people, street venders, etc.  There were people everywhere.  But, it was not as crowded as I had imagined.

India is also clearly a service economy.  Breakfast was made for me by a servant, I was driven to and from the grocery on a bike rickshaw, groceries were delivered, etc.  It takes some getting used to.  But, I can also see the purpose of paying others for such tasks.  

3.  Deep down, India is not that much different.  We waited in line at the post office.  Did errands.  And, besides getting a ride on rickshaws, did what I would have done on shopping day at home.

So far, I am having a good time.  I have already had more experiences than I can put down in this blog.  And, with Lavanya I feel very comfortable moving around the city.  People do not stare too much at me and no one has harassed me.  I am looking forward to all the new experiences.

Entering the Pervasive Fog

I arrived safely in India on the 29th after a spending 20+ hours on a plane or in an airport.  Thankfully the flight from Chicago to Delhi was shorter than expected (only 13.5 hours) and we landed early enough to miss the infamous Delhi fog that downed 200 flights after my arrival.  

I must comment on the flight since it was my first time flying for such a long period of time.  It was surprisingly comfortable.  Or, at least more comfortable than I had expected it to be.  We were given a bit more personal space than on smaller planes and because the trip was so long, we had our choice of entertainment.  The small touch screen in front of my offered 8 movie selections and numerous TV and audio selections.  I found it amusing that while surrounded by Indian travelers on a flight to India I was able to watch a slightly offensive episode of "The Office" that featured a Diwali celebration.  But, the best part about taking a direct flight to India was the food.  Dinner was entirely vegetarian!  And, I will have to say that it was interesting to taste Indian food made gross by the airline microwaves.  All in all, the flight was relatively comfortable, but very boring.  

Landing in India was interesting.  I was excited by the mere fact that I was in another country.   The fog had already set in and was mixing with the pollution.  This fog was all permeating.  We walked off the plane and were hit with the smokey fog inside the terminal.  My experience in the airport was a mix of confusion and empowerment.  I quickly realized that Lavanya had given me enough information to confidently navigate the airport and look like I knew what I was doing.  But, at the same time I was confused by all the people, the smokey fog, and instantly feeling like an outsider.  Customs was simple.  Baggage claim was a fight amongst a mass of humanity.  But, Lavanya and Dan were waiting outside the gate and from there travel was simplified.

Lavanya's driver had quit recently, so I was able to witness first hand the economy of favors that is common in India.  Lavanya's father's old driver's son came to pick us up.  Driving in India seems to be a nightmare.  No lanes.  Cars, busses, rickshaws, bikes, and pedestrians all trying to find room on the road.  But, as a passenger I relaxed and watched as the driver effortlessly weaved his way through the throng.  Delhi was dark and foggy, so there was not much to be seen.  It would be the next day that I would see Dwarka (the sub-city where Lavanya lives) and see what was underneath all the smoke and fog. 

15 Days

I fly to New Delhi in two weeks.  When I purchased my tickets this summer India seemed distant, both geographically and temporally.  Now it is surreal to think that a day after opening presents around a Christmas tree with my family I will be navigating the streets of New Delhi.  

Now 15 days out, I am beginning the process of preparation.  The needles have struck and my body is building up its defenses against Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Polio, and influenza.  This evening I will begin training myself to keep my mouth closed during a shower.  I still cannot imagine how this is accomplished.  I suppose it is possible to avoid singing and teeth brushing while under the spigot.  If only I can control the yawning and 'mouth breathing'!

While I feel I have come to terms with most of the health concerns involved in traveling to India, the actual journey still unnerves me.  

• I am having an inner debate over the bag that will go to India [do I buy a new, larger suitcase? do I do the anthropology thing and use my backpacking backpack?  how do I secure the straps?  won't it suck to have to pull my clothes out of the top?  do I buy a NEW, LARGER, PRETTY suitcase?].  
  
• How do I get through customs?  I have never flown across national borders and I am embarrassed to say that am a slightly terrified that I have no idea what to do after I get off the plane in India.
• How do I keep myself occupied during my 15 hour flight?  If I sleep, I will mess up my ability to sleep after I arrive in India at 10pm.  If I read, I will sleep.  I have a tiny Ipod and an inept computer.  Will I develop carpal tunnel in my thumbs after twiddling them for 10 hours??
• And, let's not even mention the circulation issues.

What should be clear by now is that I am a worrier.  Fortunately I am also a planner.  And in the next 15 days I will most likely develop ingenious plans to deal with each of these worries.  Depending on how diligent I am about blogging before my trip you may be unfortunate enough to read said plans.  I suggest avoiding this blog until the day of my departure--December 28.