Silence, please!

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After Jaipur, Gaelle and I went straight to the International Airport in Delhi. We arrived there by 15:30 or so, which should have given us plenty of time to pick up the package I had sent to the airport, have a bite to eat and say goodbye. But everything is possible in India, so we actually ended up running short in time. The package was not sent to the International Airport, but to the Domestic Airport. It took almost half an hour to find that out in the first place. So ... rickshaw to the Domestic Airport. Another half hour before we were correctly directed to the office where the package was delivered. Weighed out the weights of Gaelle's backpacks and which part of the package she could take on the airplane. Back to the International Airport by taxi, relieved we were there at 18hrs, checkin time for Gaelle. Wrong again... Gaelle's flight was via Mumbai, and therefor she had to leave from the Domestic Airport (which was totally unclear on the ticket). Another rickshaw to the Domestic Airport, and this time we did get stuck in a traffic jam. Errrh, we both got overstressed, even had a heavy argument, but we made up again as well fortunately.

After Gaelle had checked in at 19hrs (her flight was at 20:30; and I remember from the flight to Srinigar, that she was still well in time, because the Domestic Airport procedures take much less time and there is no distance to walk to the correct gate. Everybody is picked up by bus from the same gate). I went for a quick snack by the airport, just so I would be around in case Gaelle would have had problems checking in after all. But she didn't and she is home and safe now.

Next, I shared a taxi to Pahar Ganj (the tourist getto) in Delhi, and followed one of the other passengers to a guest house (the Hare Rama Guest House). She was Israeli, and the hotel turned out to be a meeting point for Israeli's. Along with 2 other Israeli guys, we went out to the Red Fort half an hour later, as there was a festival going on. I was exhausted, but it was a good distraction from the stress of the Airport rush.

I stayed in Delhi for 2 more nights, and met my first couch surfer (www.couchsurfing.com) on Friday evening. I didn't go couchsurfing, but Barry and I had a nice conversation and I tasted my first Indian Beer. Not bad, actually. Barry introduced me to the Delhi metro. Amazing... it is more modern than the London subway and perfectly clean and safe... and only 8 Rupees! The pollution and the noise in Delhi were too much for me though. I went to the booking office for foreigners in the New Delhi train station the next day. I had planned to go to Lucknow (see next paragraph) via Agra, but all the seats on the trains from Agra to Lucknow were taken. So I decided to skip Agra for now, and go straight to Lucknow from Delhi the same night (Saturday to Sunday morning), in AC2 class.

I arrived in Lucknow and it took untill 15:30 before I found an acceptable room within my budget range. The first rickshaw driver kept bringing me to very expensive hotels, in spite of my continuous request to bring me to the guest houses on my printed list. Communication was nearly impossible, he didn't understand a word of English. So I made him stop so I could find a translator who could explain it to him now and then. But he still brought me to other - expensive - hotels. I finally sent him away and continued on my own for a while. Going in and out of hotels, that were all either too expensive or too dirty or too noisy. I hadn't eaten yet (only 2 biscuits on the train) and the heat was an additional difficulty. Eventually I ended up taking another rickshaw and found a hotel room that is still dirty and noisy, but acceptable.

I have been spending most of my time on my room since I arrived here, because I am not doing so well at the moment. Been a little sick, depri and very low on energy. India is a beautiful country and quite an experience, but not especially relaxing. The constant chaos, heat, noise, pollution and having to be alert and running around trying to find accomodation are bound to take their toll at some point. I have been coughing up green flem for weeks now. I don't have a fever and the astma has not even gotten much worse because of it, but I just get very tired at times. Now is one of those times. I have decided to take the advise of some friends and go to a Vipassana Meditation Course in Lucknow. It starts the day after tomorrow (Wednesday). Lucknow is not very interesting as such, so I try to get as much rest as possible and stay out of the heat and the polluting traffic. Hopefully I will feel better by Wednesday. The course takes 10 days (10 days of *not talking at all* - finally: SILENCE), so you won't be hearing a word from me during that time.

Hugs to all of you loyal readers :-))

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Comments

[Rutger]

Vipassana Meditation
Namaste Sas, Ik denk dat je een goede beslissing neemt. Maar geen gemakkelijke! Wat ik zelf nog weet: meditatie kan onrust oproepen.... kriebels, voordurend afdwalen van concentratie.. Het is allemaal goed, je kunt het niet fout doen.. Keer steeds terug naar je meditatie en observeer :-) Haal adem Oh ja... het vereist overgave :-))) Tot over 11 dagen Rutger

[zora]

Kop op,vanaf woensdag ga je in volledige stilte op zoek naar jezelf.ik hoop dat je er veel uit mag leren en dat je je innerlijke rust mag tegen komen. kus

[Mr. Robert]

Blessed Silence
India has made me crave silence like no other country. I envy you the 10 days of not talking and hope it leads to a modicum of peace. Let me know what it's like to utter those first few words after the course. Definately decided I 'may' not go back to the US. Interesting blog. Later.