Delhi
I have arrived safely in Lucknow and I am doing well. The recent events may have scared some of you since I was traveling but I was nowhere near Mumbai. This week my adventure began in New Delhi. I went with two other CLS students, Kim and one of my roommates Subrina. We arrived in Delhi by plane, where we immediately took an airport taxi to our first previously booked hotel. The taxi guys are making a lot of money... the car was metered but he took us way out of the way. We only figured that out because the hotel had internet and there was actually one road that would have gotten us there. Excited about the trip all we wanted to do was chill, which we did. Subrina called up a native Delhian* she was introduced to by a fellow CLS student. His name was Sankalk; I ended up calling him Sunkemp. He came through that night and we all went to eat at a near by KFC. It was good. It was also kind to my stomach. After sitting in the KFC for a few minutes I noticed the store was being ran by mostly signers and I also saw a few African people. Both of these events made me happy. We walked around the area a little while after dinner. Sankalk who is a twenty year old guy told us our hotel was in a small village. He made the joke that where we were wasn't really Delhi. This was our most relaxed day all week. The next day we planned to go to Dharamshala, but we heard from some friends that there were monsoons there so we changed our plans. We were going to stay in Delhi another night.
The next morning we spent deciding what to do and were to go. We then checked out and met up with Sankalk who was given the duty of finding us a hotel to check into. Meeting up with him became a bit confusing but nothing we couldn't handle. We were tasked with getting to the Delhi Metro (a very efficient metro system) and going to where he was or going to where the hotel was...either or both. We eventually made it to a stop where the hotel was to find no Sankalk. Now, the first night I met this guy he said, "don't trust anybody" in Delhi in particular so this little missing bit didn't surprise me. We waited for a while then ventured across the street to where the hotel supposedly was. I say ventured because the streets in Delhi are crazy. It literally feels like you're the turtle in all those movies desperately trying to cross the road, no joke. Sankalk eventually came we checked in and began our adventure in New Delhi.
Since Sankalk was from Delhi, we used public transportation to the fullest. There are so many attractions/monuments, which mostly consist of religious temples and the like, in India to visit. The first place we ended up was the Lotus Temple. It had amazing architecture and it was probably one of my top favorite places we visited. In addition to the awesome design, consisting of twenty-seven petals and pools of water around it to cool the building, it was a very peaceful place. It welcome people of all religions. It was so great that I can't describe it. At this point, against my advice to drink lots of water, I could tell Kim and Subrina were getting dehydrated. ((shakes my head)) After taking the bus and the metro to the lotus we then took the metro to the biggest mosque in Delhi maybe in India, the Jama Mashjid (Masjid-i Jahān-Numā). By this time it was dark, beggars were on their grind, and no one was feeling at 100%. We took a bus back to the hotel on the longest bus ride ever and hoped for a really great next day.
The next stop was Amritsar but not before India hit another student with ailments. Kim fell ill. That morning we packed our bags, asked Sankalk if he wanted to travel with us, and went to find food. [ FYI: He is a hustler because he hustled Kim and Subrina out of a free trip to Amritsar and Dharmshala...against my better judgement but the more the merrier.] We don't eat street food and only go to trusted restaurants so we found a Cafe Coffee Day, which was our only true friend on the whole trip. It was even our first stop off of the plane from Lucknow. They have coffee drinks and a few sandwiches. It's a safe wanna be Starbucks, American/Indian style. Sankalk found us an air-conditioned bus to Amritsar and we were off...
Amritsar
Arriving in Amritsar about eight to ten hours later, we took a very nice auto rickshaw to the previously booked hotel and immediately began to use their internet. In the night we briefly heard about the bombing events in Mumbai. I called the family to see what was up and heard everyone was worried. This was a small shocker since I was at least 700 miles away from Mumbai and I told people where I was going. ((Maps do come in handy! :)) Rest assured I was safe. The hotel on the other hand was super raggedy, India hood. Our room was up the stairs, past the kitchen, down a wet and dark hall, outside, and in front of a space street cats inhabited. The air conditioner was so throw-back that it was leaking a pool of water and had a lot of heat coming from it. Then inside of the room the furniture was old and molded, and the door didn't really fit, allowing mosquitoes free range. On top of all of that the man at the desk would not let Sankalk inside. After also discovering one bed and no toilet paper, we swiftly exited the room. By this time, Kim was getting better and Subrina was getting sick. Via my own diagnosis, these weren't normal sicknesses. They included vomiting, fever, and stomach problems. It clearly was not just travelers diarrhea. We stayed in the lobby of that silly hotel using their WiFi trying to find another hotel. Once we called one that seemed reasonable we left and it was just down the next alley way. Since, Sankalk was Punjabi and very outgoing I think we got a bit of a hook-up. The room was ok and they had a pretty decent WiFi connection for a few hours. We settled in and against my judgement again, they decided to wait until the dead of heat to go to the Golden Temple. Since we were further up north, the heat wasn't too deadly.
First thing after their nap we went to find food. Once again, we ended up in Cafe Coffee Day but we ate at Pizza Hut. The auto rickshaws in Amritsar were too costly for me but I guess their charges were the norm. (Agra rickshaw prices were the best.) We ordered the cheapest pizza and drinks ever. An appetizer, a personal pan pizza, and a cool drink for Rs. 99, which is equal to $2.42. I was happy; it eventually caught up to my tummy but I was ok. We then began our site seeing at around noon. The Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) was very nice. This place is considered holy but the Sikhs. In this rectangular complex, the temple of pure gold sits off the water. Some sort of music/reciting of script plays over speakers and gives off this calming vibe. People are allowed to stay there for free in return for simple work tasks around the temple. Anyone can also eat there three times and day for free because they turn no one back. It is a really great system and has been working for years.
The the further we got from Delhi the more intense the staring became. Even in the temple people would trip over themselves looking at us. (A Black woman, a White woman, an American Pakistani Punjabi woman and a very native Indian Punjabi boy.) It became very annoying. On our way back to the hotel we stopped at a martyr's memorial where some soldiers became trapped and jumped into a well to save themselves the execution years ago. Back at the hotel we got some much needed down time. Sankalk and Subrina went to the India Pakistan border ceremony. They had a good time and I had an even better time napping. When they came back Kim and I decided to go back to the Golden Temple because it was said to be very beautiful at night. Sankalk joined us. During the night at the Golden Temple there was a totally different feel. There were a lot less people out, it was more serene, and stepping further outside of my comfort zone we even ate there. Accepting naan with the right hand over the left and eating it with some daal. The food wasn't too shabby. It filled the void in my stomach even though I was a bit hesitant. It was a really nice experience. That night it rained. After checkout that morning, we had to tread through some disgusting puddles to get to the main street, which was clearly flooded. A rickshaw took us to the bus station that Sankalk ventured off to get information on the night before. The streets were so flooded that I imagined the fear Katrina might have brought on.
Dharamshala
Our bus arrived. For about 450 rupees a piece we all got on an unair-conditioned raggedy bus to Dharamshala. Dharamshala is further north and is apart of the Himalayan mountains. The ride was intense. It took us a while to get there. We sat near the front of the bus so the staring wasn't so bad although we did have many onlookers. At the break stop before we got into the mountains Subrina got into a small spat with some women over our seats. She used her Hindi (language) magic so they moved to some opened seating. It was funny because she hadn't really been speaking the language the whole trip. I was having a lot of nonverbal communication with other people on the bus during that situation...one of many. On our way up the mountain the bus would stop so people could get on and get off. One guy that got on would not stop looking at us. He was Indian with these blue hazel eyes. He sat in front of us so he was head turning the whole ride up. I think we even obtained a few pictures of him looking. After a lot more than 50 kilometers up the mountain, we arrived at the bus station. We then took another bus some kilometers up the mountain to where in 1959 the Dalai Lama fled. This was a tourist destination but there is still a big Tibetan community there. We went to a temple of sorts, and absolutely came unprepared to shop on the streets. Subrina was still sick, and it was Sankalks first time visiting there just like us. He was super excited. Spending a few days with him we learned that he was a nice guy but being an only child still lacked some skills he may have gained if he had siblings...like being considerate. There was word of a very nice waterfall near by so we went.
By we, I mean Sankalk and myself. Kim stayed with our sickly friend. We took a rickshaw further up the mountain to get to another tourist space from where we would hike to the water fall. This was no ordinary hike. The incline was massive, and I was carrying 25 to 35 pounds (packing light). On the way up the mountain we took a few pictures and Sankalk picked up his speed. I stayed going at my own pace and taking in the scenery. The clouds were beautiful, the river below was flowing through the valley, and above was the waterfall. At the beginning of the journey a couple of dogs began to follow us. I think they were following me... the rottweiler anyway because he stayed with me the whole time up and he wasn't begging for food or anything. The hike took a tole on my body or maybe I was weak in the knees like my mom. Most of the way up I was by myself taking pictures of the distance. Some people passed me and there were a few tea shops along the way. I stopped frequently to drink water. When I came to the last stretch before the waterfall I discovered that you had to climb a wet rock to go further into the mountain to get to it. After much contemplation, I decided against it. I was as far as my mind and body would take me in that condition. My bags weren't steady and my shoes were not fit to go unbalanced on a slippery rock. I met this girl from New Delhi who was with her parents; she took a photo of me. We discussed how our parents wouldn't let us climb that rock to get to the water fall. Legs shaking I sat down to wait for Sankalk. I saw him over at the waterfall waving me over. I waved that I wasn't coming and waited some more. He didn't come back and I even tried to call him but the phone wouldn't work. So I said a prayer and went on. On the way back down I actually walked on some of that wet rocked and slipped but I didn't fall. An India guy saw it and chucked to himself; I warned his group that it was slippery and kept it pushing. Getting down the mountain was no easier than getting up it. When I cam upon the shops I waited a little while longer for Sankalk but he was a no show so I tried to call Kim. Again the phone would not work but it eventually sent a text. I tried to get a rickshaw back down to where my group was but the rickshaw guy did not speak English. He was trying to rip me off so I walked. Did I mention that the hiking was exhausting yet invigorating. I was hot but it was a good time. To be safe I walked with a group of German students. Back in town, Kim and Subrina were at Cafe Coffee Day. I told them about the hike and how the boy ditched me. I ate some food and we went to shop around some more. Sankalk met back up with us. He said he went to the police, drew a picture or me, and he actually said he was "not going to talk" to me. This was a bit childish considering the days events but I know people always come around. Earlier that day we discovered that he was holding out on us and actually brought a bit of money with him. Because of his collective actions, Subrina and Kim seriously contemplated leaving him. We didn't although we did make him pay for half of his ticket back to New Delhi. On the Jeep down the mountain we fit twelve in the ride. I happened to get sat next to an old tipsy man who knew a little English. With my language skills and personality I made the best of it. I had almost everyone in the ride minus Sankalk, who sat very far from us, laughing. This man was talking about things being pretty...probably us being pretty, then about how he needed a woman, and about getting money. I think he was trying to solicit for sex... I dont know. I was speaking to him half in English and half in Hindi/Urdu. Subrina was telling me a few things that I wanted to say. I told him to ask this young guy in the car where the woman were and to go get a job in Delhi... I'm pretty sure everyone in the car understood what was going on and yet no one said anything. Good thing I handle myself well in those situations.
The mountains were so amazing...we were in a cloud half of the time.
For the next bus ride they decided against the air-conditioned bus which was double the price. So we endured another night of being stared at awake and in our sleep. On the way back to Delhi a boy on the bus was vomiting out the window about every three minutes after the first couple of times I gave him a napkin to wipe his face. (By the way this bus was full of men.) After another 15 minutes of him jumping over his friends to hurl out the window I checked to see if pepto bismol would work for him. Since it was dark, I had may hair tied up and my face covered so I wouldn't get sick from all the air. I told Sankalk to give him the medicine. After they spoke a bit, Sankalk told me that they thought I was going to poison him. The young man didn't immediately take the medicine. Sankalk told me they were afraid of me. At our next stop I asked how the young man was in Urdu...when I tapped him he actually jumped. Come to find out the media portrays African Americans as scary. Maybe that gesture changed his perception and the perception of the many creepy onlookers. Needless to say he stopped throwing up after taking the medicine. Too bad the staring did not stop.
The ride back to Delhi was long and we were miserable. It started to rain and of course it was raining in the bus. We were wet, tired, and angry at all the people continuously staring. It was still a well worth it trip. Down the mountain Sankalk started talking to me and apologized. The Himalayan mountains are a must see. It was also nice being around people other than Indian people for a change. One of my next trips will definitely be an Asia excursion or Europe of course, so I can master a different accent. In New Delhi we took the metro to the airport and eventually said bye to Sankalk. We were about eight hours early to the airport and they would not let us inside. A sort of unspoken sadness came upon us but what Americans take no for an answer? After speaking to a few people and trying to get in at every corner, a guy in a window told us how to sneak in (not that it was illegal or anything. they just have really tight security.) We made our way into the airport, washed up a little, changed into cleaner clothes, and went to sit and eat at Cafe Coffee Day. We spoke about our trip, all of the good, and all of the bad.
Today, Subrina is better and we are safe and sound in Lucknow. Home is closer and our next stipend comes in a few days. I think I'll stick around Lucknow until August. We still have many local trips planned and I need to study.
I have arrived safely in Lucknow and I am doing well. The recent events may have scared some of you since I was traveling but I was nowhere near Mumbai. This week my adventure began in New Delhi. I went with two other CLS students, Kim and one of my roommates Subrina. We arrived in Delhi by plane, where we immediately took an airport taxi to our first previously booked hotel. The taxi guys are making a lot of money... the car was metered but he took us way out of the way. We only figured that out because the hotel had internet and there was actually one road that would have gotten us there. Excited about the trip all we wanted to do was chill, which we did. Subrina called up a native Delhian* she was introduced to by a fellow CLS student. His name was Sankalk; I ended up calling him Sunkemp. He came through that night and we all went to eat at a near by KFC. It was good. It was also kind to my stomach. After sitting in the KFC for a few minutes I noticed the store was being ran by mostly signers and I also saw a few African people. Both of these events made me happy. We walked around the area a little while after dinner. Sankalk who is a twenty year old guy told us our hotel was in a small village. He made the joke that where we were wasn't really Delhi. This was our most relaxed day all week. The next day we planned to go to Dharamshala, but we heard from some friends that there were monsoons there so we changed our plans. We were going to stay in Delhi another night.
The next morning we spent deciding what to do and were to go. We then checked out and met up with Sankalk who was given the duty of finding us a hotel to check into. Meeting up with him became a bit confusing but nothing we couldn't handle. We were tasked with getting to the Delhi Metro (a very efficient metro system) and going to where he was or going to where the hotel was...either or both. We eventually made it to a stop where the hotel was to find no Sankalk. Now, the first night I met this guy he said, "don't trust anybody" in Delhi in particular so this little missing bit didn't surprise me. We waited for a while then ventured across the street to where the hotel supposedly was. I say ventured because the streets in Delhi are crazy. It literally feels like you're the turtle in all those movies desperately trying to cross the road, no joke. Sankalk eventually came we checked in and began our adventure in New Delhi.
Since Sankalk was from Delhi, we used public transportation to the fullest. There are so many attractions/monuments, which mostly consist of religious temples and the like, in India to visit. The first place we ended up was the Lotus Temple. It had amazing architecture and it was probably one of my top favorite places we visited. In addition to the awesome design, consisting of twenty-seven petals and pools of water around it to cool the building, it was a very peaceful place. It welcome people of all religions. It was so great that I can't describe it. At this point, against my advice to drink lots of water, I could tell Kim and Subrina were getting dehydrated. ((shakes my head)) After taking the bus and the metro to the lotus we then took the metro to the biggest mosque in Delhi maybe in India, the Jama Mashjid (Masjid-i Jahān-Numā). By this time it was dark, beggars were on their grind, and no one was feeling at 100%. We took a bus back to the hotel on the longest bus ride ever and hoped for a really great next day.
The next stop was Amritsar but not before India hit another student with ailments. Kim fell ill. That morning we packed our bags, asked Sankalk if he wanted to travel with us, and went to find food. [ FYI: He is a hustler because he hustled Kim and Subrina out of a free trip to Amritsar and Dharmshala...against my better judgement but the more the merrier.] We don't eat street food and only go to trusted restaurants so we found a Cafe Coffee Day, which was our only true friend on the whole trip. It was even our first stop off of the plane from Lucknow. They have coffee drinks and a few sandwiches. It's a safe wanna be Starbucks, American/Indian style. Sankalk found us an air-conditioned bus to Amritsar and we were off...
Amritsar
Arriving in Amritsar about eight to ten hours later, we took a very nice auto rickshaw to the previously booked hotel and immediately began to use their internet. In the night we briefly heard about the bombing events in Mumbai. I called the family to see what was up and heard everyone was worried. This was a small shocker since I was at least 700 miles away from Mumbai and I told people where I was going. ((Maps do come in handy! :)) Rest assured I was safe. The hotel on the other hand was super raggedy, India hood. Our room was up the stairs, past the kitchen, down a wet and dark hall, outside, and in front of a space street cats inhabited. The air conditioner was so throw-back that it was leaking a pool of water and had a lot of heat coming from it. Then inside of the room the furniture was old and molded, and the door didn't really fit, allowing mosquitoes free range. On top of all of that the man at the desk would not let Sankalk inside. After also discovering one bed and no toilet paper, we swiftly exited the room. By this time, Kim was getting better and Subrina was getting sick. Via my own diagnosis, these weren't normal sicknesses. They included vomiting, fever, and stomach problems. It clearly was not just travelers diarrhea. We stayed in the lobby of that silly hotel using their WiFi trying to find another hotel. Once we called one that seemed reasonable we left and it was just down the next alley way. Since, Sankalk was Punjabi and very outgoing I think we got a bit of a hook-up. The room was ok and they had a pretty decent WiFi connection for a few hours. We settled in and against my judgement again, they decided to wait until the dead of heat to go to the Golden Temple. Since we were further up north, the heat wasn't too deadly.
First thing after their nap we went to find food. Once again, we ended up in Cafe Coffee Day but we ate at Pizza Hut. The auto rickshaws in Amritsar were too costly for me but I guess their charges were the norm. (Agra rickshaw prices were the best.) We ordered the cheapest pizza and drinks ever. An appetizer, a personal pan pizza, and a cool drink for Rs. 99, which is equal to $2.42. I was happy; it eventually caught up to my tummy but I was ok. We then began our site seeing at around noon. The Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) was very nice. This place is considered holy but the Sikhs. In this rectangular complex, the temple of pure gold sits off the water. Some sort of music/reciting of script plays over speakers and gives off this calming vibe. People are allowed to stay there for free in return for simple work tasks around the temple. Anyone can also eat there three times and day for free because they turn no one back. It is a really great system and has been working for years.
The the further we got from Delhi the more intense the staring became. Even in the temple people would trip over themselves looking at us. (A Black woman, a White woman, an American Pakistani Punjabi woman and a very native Indian Punjabi boy.) It became very annoying. On our way back to the hotel we stopped at a martyr's memorial where some soldiers became trapped and jumped into a well to save themselves the execution years ago. Back at the hotel we got some much needed down time. Sankalk and Subrina went to the India Pakistan border ceremony. They had a good time and I had an even better time napping. When they came back Kim and I decided to go back to the Golden Temple because it was said to be very beautiful at night. Sankalk joined us. During the night at the Golden Temple there was a totally different feel. There were a lot less people out, it was more serene, and stepping further outside of my comfort zone we even ate there. Accepting naan with the right hand over the left and eating it with some daal. The food wasn't too shabby. It filled the void in my stomach even though I was a bit hesitant. It was a really nice experience. That night it rained. After checkout that morning, we had to tread through some disgusting puddles to get to the main street, which was clearly flooded. A rickshaw took us to the bus station that Sankalk ventured off to get information on the night before. The streets were so flooded that I imagined the fear Katrina might have brought on.
Dharamshala
Our bus arrived. For about 450 rupees a piece we all got on an unair-conditioned raggedy bus to Dharamshala. Dharamshala is further north and is apart of the Himalayan mountains. The ride was intense. It took us a while to get there. We sat near the front of the bus so the staring wasn't so bad although we did have many onlookers. At the break stop before we got into the mountains Subrina got into a small spat with some women over our seats. She used her Hindi (language) magic so they moved to some opened seating. It was funny because she hadn't really been speaking the language the whole trip. I was having a lot of nonverbal communication with other people on the bus during that situation...one of many. On our way up the mountain the bus would stop so people could get on and get off. One guy that got on would not stop looking at us. He was Indian with these blue hazel eyes. He sat in front of us so he was head turning the whole ride up. I think we even obtained a few pictures of him looking. After a lot more than 50 kilometers up the mountain, we arrived at the bus station. We then took another bus some kilometers up the mountain to where in 1959 the Dalai Lama fled. This was a tourist destination but there is still a big Tibetan community there. We went to a temple of sorts, and absolutely came unprepared to shop on the streets. Subrina was still sick, and it was Sankalks first time visiting there just like us. He was super excited. Spending a few days with him we learned that he was a nice guy but being an only child still lacked some skills he may have gained if he had siblings...like being considerate. There was word of a very nice waterfall near by so we went.
By we, I mean Sankalk and myself. Kim stayed with our sickly friend. We took a rickshaw further up the mountain to get to another tourist space from where we would hike to the water fall. This was no ordinary hike. The incline was massive, and I was carrying 25 to 35 pounds (packing light). On the way up the mountain we took a few pictures and Sankalk picked up his speed. I stayed going at my own pace and taking in the scenery. The clouds were beautiful, the river below was flowing through the valley, and above was the waterfall. At the beginning of the journey a couple of dogs began to follow us. I think they were following me... the rottweiler anyway because he stayed with me the whole time up and he wasn't begging for food or anything. The hike took a tole on my body or maybe I was weak in the knees like my mom. Most of the way up I was by myself taking pictures of the distance. Some people passed me and there were a few tea shops along the way. I stopped frequently to drink water. When I came to the last stretch before the waterfall I discovered that you had to climb a wet rock to go further into the mountain to get to it. After much contemplation, I decided against it. I was as far as my mind and body would take me in that condition. My bags weren't steady and my shoes were not fit to go unbalanced on a slippery rock. I met this girl from New Delhi who was with her parents; she took a photo of me. We discussed how our parents wouldn't let us climb that rock to get to the water fall. Legs shaking I sat down to wait for Sankalk. I saw him over at the waterfall waving me over. I waved that I wasn't coming and waited some more. He didn't come back and I even tried to call him but the phone wouldn't work. So I said a prayer and went on. On the way back down I actually walked on some of that wet rocked and slipped but I didn't fall. An India guy saw it and chucked to himself; I warned his group that it was slippery and kept it pushing. Getting down the mountain was no easier than getting up it. When I cam upon the shops I waited a little while longer for Sankalk but he was a no show so I tried to call Kim. Again the phone would not work but it eventually sent a text. I tried to get a rickshaw back down to where my group was but the rickshaw guy did not speak English. He was trying to rip me off so I walked. Did I mention that the hiking was exhausting yet invigorating. I was hot but it was a good time. To be safe I walked with a group of German students. Back in town, Kim and Subrina were at Cafe Coffee Day. I told them about the hike and how the boy ditched me. I ate some food and we went to shop around some more. Sankalk met back up with us. He said he went to the police, drew a picture or me, and he actually said he was "not going to talk" to me. This was a bit childish considering the days events but I know people always come around. Earlier that day we discovered that he was holding out on us and actually brought a bit of money with him. Because of his collective actions, Subrina and Kim seriously contemplated leaving him. We didn't although we did make him pay for half of his ticket back to New Delhi. On the Jeep down the mountain we fit twelve in the ride. I happened to get sat next to an old tipsy man who knew a little English. With my language skills and personality I made the best of it. I had almost everyone in the ride minus Sankalk, who sat very far from us, laughing. This man was talking about things being pretty...probably us being pretty, then about how he needed a woman, and about getting money. I think he was trying to solicit for sex... I dont know. I was speaking to him half in English and half in Hindi/Urdu. Subrina was telling me a few things that I wanted to say. I told him to ask this young guy in the car where the woman were and to go get a job in Delhi... I'm pretty sure everyone in the car understood what was going on and yet no one said anything. Good thing I handle myself well in those situations.
The mountains were so amazing...we were in a cloud half of the time.
For the next bus ride they decided against the air-conditioned bus which was double the price. So we endured another night of being stared at awake and in our sleep. On the way back to Delhi a boy on the bus was vomiting out the window about every three minutes after the first couple of times I gave him a napkin to wipe his face. (By the way this bus was full of men.) After another 15 minutes of him jumping over his friends to hurl out the window I checked to see if pepto bismol would work for him. Since it was dark, I had may hair tied up and my face covered so I wouldn't get sick from all the air. I told Sankalk to give him the medicine. After they spoke a bit, Sankalk told me that they thought I was going to poison him. The young man didn't immediately take the medicine. Sankalk told me they were afraid of me. At our next stop I asked how the young man was in Urdu...when I tapped him he actually jumped. Come to find out the media portrays African Americans as scary. Maybe that gesture changed his perception and the perception of the many creepy onlookers. Needless to say he stopped throwing up after taking the medicine. Too bad the staring did not stop.
The ride back to Delhi was long and we were miserable. It started to rain and of course it was raining in the bus. We were wet, tired, and angry at all the people continuously staring. It was still a well worth it trip. Down the mountain Sankalk started talking to me and apologized. The Himalayan mountains are a must see. It was also nice being around people other than Indian people for a change. One of my next trips will definitely be an Asia excursion or Europe of course, so I can master a different accent. In New Delhi we took the metro to the airport and eventually said bye to Sankalk. We were about eight hours early to the airport and they would not let us inside. A sort of unspoken sadness came upon us but what Americans take no for an answer? After speaking to a few people and trying to get in at every corner, a guy in a window told us how to sneak in (not that it was illegal or anything. they just have really tight security.) We made our way into the airport, washed up a little, changed into cleaner clothes, and went to sit and eat at Cafe Coffee Day. We spoke about our trip, all of the good, and all of the bad.
Today, Subrina is better and we are safe and sound in Lucknow. Home is closer and our next stipend comes in a few days. I think I'll stick around Lucknow until August. We still have many local trips planned and I need to study.
Nice pics buddy
ReplyDeleteSounds like an adventurous week. I'm glad you mafe it back safely. You know you should go into journalism cause you're ridiculously detailed. Not that it's a bad thing. I would have stopped after the first paragraph but I also have the attention span of a jack russel puppy. But anywhoo hope you enjoy the rest of your time there try not to think about home too much it will always be here.
Love ya