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| Finally in India |
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Turns out I had chosen a very stupid transport (to the city center) and hotel (at Heathrow) in London for the first night, but it didn't really matter. I got everywhere on time and had no problems. I even saw a bonus fox on a playground in the morning! I was surprised at how comfy the flight to India was with 3 seats to myself, a delicious meal and landing even before schedule. Then I decided to start the adventure right away and take the train into the city centre as it was only 6 rupees and a taxi was 250 (after waiting for 1,5 hours for dawn in an airport cafe, mind you). In just 10 stops I saw a cricket field, beggars with children, polio victims and grown men relieving themselves (number 2!) along the tracks. Plus a couple of holy cows and a squirrel.I did read a lot up front on how to avoid being tricked by various touts and tourist traps and did my best, but couldn't shake the two men who wanted to get me a cheap room. So I went with one of them and decided the room was OK for one night. Showered in a bucket and went out to town (it was then around 7 am local time) and had some traditional South Indian breakfast. I had to choose what was least spicy and it was pretty good, but not as good as the looks the people at the table next to me gave me when I was eating, apparently I did it all wrong as I ate this with my fingers and for the first time. As soon as I was finished, their food arrived and I sneaked a peek to avoid this social blunder again ... I had a map and was not afraid to use it. It did, however, turn out that the city was a liiiittle bigger than I thought and that most people didn't speak English, nor could they tell me where on the map we were located. I encountered the biggest rat I have ever seen (luckily it was dead) and loads of children using "the big toilet", i.e. side of the road. I didn't see a single tourist but I'm pretty sure everyone saw me. It is no exagguration what they say about staring in India. Everybody does it! So now I'm excausted and haven't really seen anything. Decided the city's too big for this simple country girl like me and I'm leaving frist thing in the morning to a quieter place with tons of seafood that is hopefully less spicy than the South Indian couisine. I could hardly finish the salted nuts on the plane! But all in all, I'm happy. But sweaty. It's sunny with a few drops of rain now and then.  |
