Just Check For Bomb Continued...

---

Alright, I'm back. Where was I in this riveting story of baggage claim?? Oh, the smell. Anyway, after finally getting my bag I headed toward the exit where I was hoping there would be someone to meet me. I exit and there's this massive sea of humanity all pressed up against a metal rail...everyone waiting for someone they know to arrive. I see a dark Indian man holding a sign with my name on it and we make eye contact...that's my driver. But walking through the corridors to the parking lot I could feel all these male eyes making uncomfortably long penetrating stares on my white skin. I immediately look away and decide I'll just stare at the ground and that's when I notice all the people curled up in little balls just sleeping outside. Loads of them; men, women, children, young, old. All making themselves comfortable on the marble floors. I don't feel scared or even sorry for them but just overwhelmed at the sheer number. My drivers insists on carrying my bag and walking way in front of me. Once we're outside in the darkness of the parking lot I run along beside him and try to make conversation which goes extremely well. He takes me to the waiting car and is surprised when I hop in the front seat right next to him. Its really hard to discern much on the drive from airport to hotel cause its like 4 a.m. and totally dark. There's a lot of people out and of course what I do see of the city is just shambles and roaming dogs which my driver tells me "most are nice but some are danger." Thank goodness I have my rabies vaccination. Within 15 minutes we pull into the swank hotel but before the gate would be opened for his car to come in, a man runs out to us, takes a long pole with a mirror at the end and sticks it under the hood then says we can enter. I know what this is but am curious to see how the driver responds when I ask. He flashes a bright white smile and says "oh, they just check for bomb" in the same tone they say "thanks and have a great day" at McDonalds. So its just a quick "mirror check" to make sure no entering vehicles are carrying bombs to blow up fancy hotels. I feel safer already.

I want to tip my driver but realize I don't have any rupees on me and just the cash mom handed me before going to the airport. I ask the guy if he'd mind dollars and of course he says that's fine. I hand him a 5 dollar bill which I realize probably just doubled his pay for the last two days but WHO CARES.

Then to get into the hotel you have to go through security and an x-ray machine which funnily enough no one is watching the screen when your bags go through. A nice Indian man takes your bag, puts it on the conveyor belt, opens the front door for you then goes to get your bag at the end of the conveyor, hands it to you and you're on your way. So, in theory, this x-ray machine could really keep terrorist bombs out but you really need to have someone watching the screen....

I was surprised to find Jeremy up and waiting for me at 4 a.m. in the lobby. The hotel is gorgeous and huge and just fabulous. Jeremy can't sleep so I just stay up with him til he has breakfast at 7. We have breakfast with Mike (his training partner). He's a scrawny Jewish guy who is usually extremely sarcastic and we tend to bump heads immediately. I'm kind of dreading seeing him but surprisingly it all went well. He was nice, funny and non-insulting. Which is all very good cause Mike is going to be a permanent fixture in this India trip. After loading up on fruit and omlettes I just can't fight the exhaustion anymore and go back to my room to take a nap. Jeremy says "just hang out here today and swim and eat and I'll be back at 7 tonight." Sounds good enough to me. So Jeremy leaves me in the room and I lay down to nap. The next thing I know I hear a gentle knocking on the door and think "DIDN'T I PUT OUT THE DO NOT DISTURB SIGN???" The knocking doesn't stop and I sit up and say "I'M SLEEPING PLEASE!" The knocking still doesn't stop and I figure some little Indian guy is really gonna get it when I open the door. Only, its Jeremy at the door. It was 7 p.m. and I'd slept all day! So that nap turned into an 11 hour sleep. Wow, I must of been tired. Jeremy says, "Let's go swim and get supper!" I'm thinking we just ate! So, me, Mike and Jeremy go swimming and have a great supper together where I'm not sure why I find Mike so funny all the sudden. Didn't I not like him? A combination of jet lag, Long Island iced tea and an 11 hr nap and I think everyone is just hilarious.

Mike is a take charge kind of guy which is great cause he's arranging everything for me that I want to do. Well, he's spent months teaching here before so he knows a lot of people. So I should be set up with my driver (my new best friend only he doesn't know it yet!) and ready for my first adventure on Friday. Tomorrow I'm not heading out during the day, maybe in the evening when the guys are home. I'm too tired to care about temples or shrines or scarves right now. But I am excited to get out of the hotel compound and see something! Anything! I hear about the cows roaming the streets, insane traffic, and the leg (yes, a human leg) Mike saw on the side of the street coming home from work yesterday. I know all of you are at home now just pea green with envy that I'm here and you're not. Ha, ha, ha.

I have internet in my room so I'll be able to check my email everyday and send more of these tantelizing tales from India. Love to you all!

Andrea

P.S. This is kind of interesting. It is SUPPOSE to be screaming hot here but its NOT. Its overcast, rainy and cool-ish! All the locals are stunned at this recent change in weather and say its really unusual. "This not usually how it is in July." Someone told me once I was like a dark cloud. Looks like "dark cloud" brought some relief to the Indians.

---

Comments

[Arjun]

Funny
Anastasia, I have been reading through your blogs, your rendering was quite funny... He flashes a bright white smile and says "oh, they just check for bomb" in the same tone they say "thanks and have a great day" at McDonalds - Hilarious I hand him a 5 dollar bill which I realize probably just doubled his pay for the last two days but WHO CARES - Check the value of money, $5*42=INR200 (Meals for two!!), it's not going to make him millionaire nor it's going to make him happy... Arjun