day two

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It is my second day in Delhi and so far I have not experienced any of the "horrors" people have warned me about. I am having a very soft landing, I guess. I think I am very lucky -- well, that's what Ajay keeps telling me!

I have so far stayed close to home, which is an area of South Delhi. It must be one of the nicest areas in Delhi. Ajay and his family live in something they call a "colony" -- dusty streets of four-story apartment blocks, most of them quite gracious. Today we walked in a park thick with foliage and teeming with peacocks. We couldn't venture too far in, though, because we went at dusk and we might have come across some very large snakes, apparently. Imagine -- huge dangerous snakes living in a city of 14 million.

Tonight we went to "the club," also known by this family as home away from home. They spend a lot of time at a sports complex or the club. There was a large swimming pool that is now empty of water because it is winter here. While it was quite cool tonight -- maybe 10 C. -- it was so hot this afternon on the terrace I was baking. It felt like 26 - 28 C. All the members of Ajay's family were wearing jackets and shawls. All we did tonight was go to the bar and have a few drinks with Ajay's friends Aman, Rohit and Siddharth. At Rohit's suggestion. I drank Indian whiskey with hot water because I am still coughing quite badly. I don't know if it helped but it tasted good.

Again today I spent a lot of time on the beautiful terrace, soaking up thge sun, talking to Ajay's Dad until Ajay got out of bed (which is about noon each day) and then talking to Ajay. And eating. They have a cook who makes amazing food. I have had roti, poori, sweet lassi's, all kinds of spicy Indian vegetable dishes, parathi, curd (that's what they call yogurt) and on and on. And tea. Tea is served by servants all day long. It is the best tea I have ever had. They call it green label, a very high grade. It is light and flavourful with a low caffeine content (which makes it perfect for me as I am so sensitive to caffeine).

I am learning about India through this family. With AJay's dad I have long talks about Hinduism; with his sister-in-law I talk about clothes and family life; and Ajay and I talk about the time we knew each other 13 years ago, about our mutual friend Mychael and many other things. I had a very strong feeling when I was talking to Ajay on the terrace today, with the sights, sounds and smells of Delhi all around us, four stories down, that I was exactly where I am supposed to be. I have never felt it so strongly in my life.

Tomorrow I will begin to explore Delhi.

P.S. I am almost cmpletely over my jet lag. It took only one day. I think my quick recovery was due to three things: tons of water, homeopathy and determination.

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Comments

[marilyn]

concrete?
hello! It all sounds wonderful! Why concrete around the tree? Is it a peacock blocker?