India . . . At Last . . .

Early the next morning, we boarded the plane for the next phase of our adventure. Before we got on the plane though, we sat in an area waiting for our plane to arrive from NY and then once we were told which gate to go to, we went there right away. We didn't want to miss the plane. But the plane was still unloading, so we sat and waited. Finally, they began boarding, and like all flights, they started with First Class and people that needed extra help getting aboard. They also asked that people not crowd the door way and only come to board when their section was called. Well, wouldn't you know, as soon as they started boarding, everyone in the room stood up and crowded the doors! So, Nick and I were the first ones at the gate, and the last ones on the plane, because there was absolutely no reason to rush! It was a very funny thing to watch.
It was another great flight with good food. We flew over Europe and would have seen the Alps, but we were told to shut our window blinds. Later we flew over Turkey, Iran, and Pakistan! So, technically, Nick can say he's seen to Iran and Pakistan! Although, I don't know if 35,000 feet counts! We would have seen the Himalayas too but it was dark by the time we got there.

A mountain somewhere in Turkey

A snack they gave us on the flight. Yes, it says "Mo'pleez!

After leaving about an hour late and circling Delhi for an hour or so waiting for our turn to land, we finally arrived in India around 1 am! We were supposed to arrive around 10:30 pm! Customs was no problem, but retrieving our bags was an adventure in itself!!! Our flight was full so that meant 200+ people were all trying to get their bags as fast as possible. Another thing to note at this point is that Indian people have a different idea of personal space than we do. Since we were some of the first people to check in, our bags were some of the last to come out of the plane. I waited patiently behind Nick with two luggage carts, while he staked a claim on the baggage carousel. Well, his claimed area kept shrinking and I kept getting pushed further and further away from him. Finally, our bags appeared and Nick rescued them from the perilous ride on the carousel. We loaded our luggage carts and headed off to find people that didn’t know what we looked like and vice versa! Luckily, the Maranatha India sign was very big and easy to find. We were with people who would take care of us.

As we walked through the airport door, we were hit with our first taste of India, a brick wall of heat and humidity!!! We walked straight into a jungle, but there was no lush rainforest! But there used to be. And, the begging started. A man rushed up to help us with our luggage carts, and even though we told him we didn’t need help, he persisted and since he touched our bags at some point, he expected us to pay him. So Nick gave him 20 pence, British money! Even though he couldn’t use it here, he seemed satisfied and left!

Our bags were loaded into the car and with Tanvere at the wheel, we began our journey from the airport to Gurgaon, the city where we would live and work for the next year. It did not take long to realize that driving in the UK was a breeze compared to India and after driving here you could probably drive in the States with your eyes closed! But Tanvere, being a seasoned professional, easily weaved his way through traffic, hitting his horn only when needed. As we from the airport to Gurgaon, we intently stared out our windows at the world on the other side of the glass. It was dark, but we could still see that there were people everywhere! But I guess a country with a billion people has to put them somewhere. We could see the poor sleeping wherever they could find a suitable patch of ground, there were pilgrims on a journey from the Ganges, a holy river, carrying water back to their homes, and there were cows and dogs!!