Random Thoughts

SO.  MUCH.  HEAT. The locals keep telling us it is indeed HOT, "It reached 44 today!!" they exclaim. Sadly, though we are getting better at figuring out the in-head formula to convert rupees to dollars to have some idea of what we are spending, a formula for converting celcius to farenheit has not been commited to memory.  Note to self:  when we have internet look up that formula!  I know 44 must be over 100 degrees.  In Delhi it is a dry heat and I am sweating like I have never sweat before.  But it is interesting - the sweat doesn't STINK.  Even clothes taken off and dried in the hotel room do not smell sweaty before they are pitched unceremoniously on the DIRTY CLOTHES pile.    At India Gate - boy were we SWEATY!  And how about those HATS, eh?? We had a super busy day on day 2.  In fact, we were so busy that by the end of the day we were EXHAUSTED and bailed out on going to meet some relatives of a friend in D...

Today was our first day in Delhi.  We landed (after a 20 hour trip) at 1:30 am.  After immigration, having been met by guides (and given beautiful lei-sort of necklaces made of orange marigolds!) we were taken to our nice hotel in south Delhi.  Aren't they BEAUTIFUL?  They smell nice, too.  Made it to the hotel!! We have seen movies about India.  We read a bit (not enough) before we came.  But even on the ride to the hotel in darkness it was clear - this place is UNIQUE.  I knew it would be, but I never imagined to be as struck by it all as I am.  So maybe it was the bizarre time zone difference (we are 9.5 hours ahead of USA East Coast Time), maybe it was the weird sleep (some on the plane in uncomfortable positions, then a good sleep at the hotel), or maybe just the newness of it all  - but it hit me.  I mean BOY did it hit me... Most people would look at our agenda for today and then look at what we actually accom...