Delhi - The Old and the New

Greetings from New Delhi,

My journey to Delhi started at the Sea-Tac International Airport. I took a thirteen hour flight to Chiang-Kai Sheck International Airport in Taipei. I had a two hour layover in Taiwan before my seven hour flight to New Delhi. In comparison to my previous experiences with air travel, these flights were relatively enjoyable. I find this slightly ironic, given that I was flying an airline that has a less-than-stellar reputation for safety--China Airlines. However, I was surprised by the excellent service and in-flight entertainment. Every passenger has a personal touch-screen LCD monitor where there are numerous games, "on demand" movies, and television shows to choose from.

Upon landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, I quickly passed through customs. The key word is quickly. The customs official barely looked at my passport before rubber-stamping my visa and sending me on my way. Navigating the airport can be a challenge. The aiport is undergoing massive renovations, and every component of the building shows signs of half-completion. Labels and signs are basically meaningless, since they often direct you towards the wrong direction. After wandering aimlessly around the airport, I decided to give up on the signs and attach myself to several Indians who were on my flight. I finally made my way out of the customs area to catch a pre-paid taxi. Pre-paid taxis are government-sponsered taxi services that ensure a fixed rate on the taxi fare. Regular taxis like to trick foreign travelers into paying more than the agreed price. Pre-paid taxis are therefore the way to go if you want a "safe" (my taxi looked as though it came from the 1920's with no seatbelts) and fair taxi ride to your destination in Dehi. This brings me to the topic of Indian driving.

Road travel in India is everything and nothing that I expected it to be. Yes, the previous statement is a oxymoron, but India herself is full of contradictions. I expected Indian driving to be chaotic and anarchic. I didn't actually believe Indian driving to be as chaotic and anarchic as I expected. But it is. Why do they even draw lines to distinguish lanes on the road? Lines carry absolutely no meaning. Traffic is constantly moving and flowing. If there is a traffic accident in the middle of the road or a meandering cow, traffic simply flows around the cow or the accident. Nothing ever stops, except at streetlights--which surprised me. The commonality of streetlights is the only feature that western traffic shares with Indian traffic. The car horn is also used heavily in Indian driving. Since there is a constant flow of entering and departing traffic, the horn is absolutely necessary to warn other drivers of a potential collision. The horn also serves to warn brave pedestrians--who cross haphazardly across pedestrian-unfriendly roads--and bikers of potential collisions.

I have a deep respect for Indians who have mastered the skill of driving in India. The absence of traffic rules force you to think in a completely different way. It forces you to be extremely alert of your surroundings. If only Indians praticed kung fu. They can easily translate their skill behind the wheel into perfecting this martial art. Think about the potential: The Indian National Army consisting of kick-ass taxi drivers with mad kung fu skills. Awesome.

With that said, describing my 40-minute taxi ride to my friend's home in detail could take three more entries. Let's just say that I saw several cows meandering along the side of the road, IIT (Indian Institute of Technology), a bus literally crammed full of Indians, and poverty.

I have three more days in Delhi before my journey towards Uttaranchal. I still have to see the Taj Mahal in Agra, the Lotus Temple, Humayun's Tomb, among many other things. Most of this will be described in detail in my next update, along with tonight's trip to the Dilli Haat--a bazaar that carries goods from regions all over India--and the Loti Gardens.

It's getting late, so I must end this entry here. I miss you all! Please stay in touch.

--Vania

Mailing List

Greetings from Seattle,

As you all know, I will be traveling to India fairly soon. To satisfy your curious minds about my journey, I've subscribed you all to my mailing list hellishmonkeys_in_india2008@u.washington.edu, through which I will be writing regular email updates about my trip. I will also be simultaneously posting these messages to my travel blog hellishmonkeys-in-india2008.blogspot.com. So, if you would rather read the blog than to receive these "in-your-face" email updates, feel free to unsubscribe yourself from this mailing list. However, the blog won't be updated as often, due to the sketchy internet stability of rural India (email is easier to handle). It will contain pictures though--so it may be a good idea to check the blog periodically for your viewing pleasure.

Finally, please send me your mailing address if you wish to receive a postcard from India.

Cheers,
--Vania