I arrived in India this morning at 3:30 am after a loooooong flight. One leg was 10 hours, the other, about 7 and a half with a stop over in Frankfurt. The flight itself wasn't too bad. Being able to sleep on a dime, it wasn't too hard for me to zonk myself out once I got comfortable. Rajiv is quite clever- anticipating that the flight was not full, he recommended that we wait until everyone took their seats so that we could see where there were empty rows to stretch out in. Good call. We squatted in a four across row towards the front of the cabin where we made a long bed for ourselves and made ourselves comfortable.The plane didn't actually depart until an hour after it was supposed to, which kept us a bit ancy, but our conversation was great and we were giddy enough not to really notice. I ordered a small bottle of wine of course, you know- to help me sleep! The inflight entertainment was Indian, but I wasn't much in the mood to read subtitles although I love Bollywood films. Besides, I was happy to be able to spend quality moments with Rajiv. Rajiv, as always, had mad jokes. We made wisecracks over the mediocre aircraft and the passengers and whining kids. Eventually we both buried our noses into Indian newspapers and I was soon asleep.
I woke up to the smell of sweet curry and flatbread and thought, "awwww yea, suppertime!". The meal was great. The airline hostess automatically tossed the American chicken breast meal onto my tray table and I insisted on the curry lentils. She looked at me with a wry glance and exchanged the plate with hasty oblige. Mmmm... curry. Falling back asleep after the meal I awoke shortly before landing in Frankfurt. Disembarking the plane and onto European soil, although only the international terminal, was fun. Everything and everyone was so German and I kept thinking, "I gotta live here, these scruffy dietrich-snakes are so my type". Then I shook that off, remembering that I am trying to stay away from dancing snakes, even the tall das boot ones. (But I still want to go to Germany on vacation one day).
After wandering around duty free and killing time, we soon boarded Air India again, this time for the final leg of the trip. Unfortunately, we weren't so lucky with our get-on-last plan. Two acrid German women with rusty brown roots showing through their blond highlights pecked at us as we were sprawled out in another 4 seater isle. "I think you art in ourt seats". Rajiv and I played dumb and then sashayed to our real seats. Oh well, can't blame us for trying. We sneered at the Germans and then planned our sleep strategy for the rest of the flight.
We arrived in Delhi at 3:30 am, 7 and a half hours later. Wide awake. After a quick pass through customs, mine was the last bag to come out off of the baggage claim. Rajiv delighted in tricking me by hiding my luggage when I wasn't looking and saying it got lost. Just as I was about to burst into tears, I saw my luggage hidden behind some airport carts. Rajiv howled with laughter. Punk. Took me a minute to recover from that one.
Stepping outside into the early dawn, the New Delhi air smelled of warm hay, the distant fragrance of a dairy farm and burning logs. There weren't many people out at this time, but enough were gathered at the airport for a what seemed like a staged greeting. Motorised rickshaws and buzzing motorbikes whipped in and out of dogs and pedestrians racing the dawn with bee-like activity.
Shalin, Rajiv's cousin picked us up, sardining our luggage into his small compact car. Half way down the road we were met by Rajiv's fiancee, the sweet Shalini. As I sat in the front seat, I angled the rear view mirror to watch them greet each other with exuberant love and joy. It was very sweet.
On the way to my hotel, Rajiv took us through a wide avenue, not unlike the Champs Elysee, lined with government buildings and square mansions. Monkeys ran the streets like squirrels and as the light of day reached out across the picturesque landscape, I realized, "I'm here, I finally made it".
We arrived in Delhi at 3:30 am, 7 and a half hours later. Wide awake. After a quick pass through customs, mine was the last bag to come out off of the baggage claim. Rajiv delighted in tricking me by hiding my luggage when I wasn't looking and saying it got lost. Just as I was about to burst into tears, I saw my luggage hidden behind some airport carts. Rajiv howled with laughter. Punk. Took me a minute to recover from that one.
Stepping outside into the early dawn, the New Delhi air smelled of warm hay, the distant fragrance of a dairy farm and burning logs. There weren't many people out at this time, but enough were gathered at the airport for a what seemed like a staged greeting. Motorised rickshaws and buzzing motorbikes whipped in and out of dogs and pedestrians racing the dawn with bee-like activity.
Shalin, Rajiv's cousin picked us up, sardining our luggage into his small compact car. Half way down the road we were met by Rajiv's fiancee, the sweet Shalini. As I sat in the front seat, I angled the rear view mirror to watch them greet each other with exuberant love and joy. It was very sweet.
On the way to my hotel, Rajiv took us through a wide avenue, not unlike the Champs Elysee, lined with government buildings and square mansions. Monkeys ran the streets like squirrels and as the light of day reached out across the picturesque landscape, I realized, "I'm here, I finally made it".
