Delhi to Toronto

I don't know how many of you who are reading this have made the trip from India to Canada ....let me tell you that it is a very long trip. I got on the plane and found my seat. Shortly after, I realized that the two seats between myself and the other fellow were empty. Not often you get to have two seats to yourself in economy class. Anyways the rather big Indian fellow on the other side of the two seats realized the same thing. So he says to me that he's going to use the empty two seats plus his own to lie down. No I said. You get this seat and I get the other. Two each. But I'm tired he says and I want to lie down. Well everyone is tired and would like to lie down too(international flights leave after midnight). Besides what would you have done if economy class had been full. It is not often that we get such a luxury in a class that is usually packed like a sardine can. Anyways the flight takes off. Ten minutes into it, we hit turbulence. Now I consider myself a fairly seasoned flyer, and never have I hit turbulence like that. All of the women screamed at the same time. I started crying; all I wanted was to get home to see Arjun. Besides, I think allof the stress of my last day in India was finally coming out too. I looked out the window and it looked like lightning. Very plausible since it had been raining when we left Delhi. The things that go through your head: those are the lights of the plane not ligthning; more people die in traffic accidents than in airplane crashes; most airplane crashes happen during take off and landing; all I want to do is see my husband. Needless to say, we got through it in what seemed like forever. Once things settled down, my Indian friend lies down with his head next to my thighs. Okay? he asks me. No, you get this seat and I get that seat. Besides, if your mother, wife, daughter, aunt, neice were sitting in my place would you want some strange man putting his head down by her thighs? So he sits up. Then the stewardess comes by and informs me that there are three seats in the back that are not being used. My good good buddy tells me that I should move. No, my stuff is overhead and this is my seat...now he wants all four seats for himself...pig...he says that my stuff doesn't matter. Well maybe not to you, but it does matter to me. He moves....and a young girl takes up those two seats...happy happy happy...Anyways, we landed safely in Toronto, and I had never been happier to step on solid ground. And even happier to see Arjun waiting for me at Vancouver airport.

Last day in India

My last day in India was rather chaotic (actually which day wasn't?). Anyways I got up in the morning to have breakfast with Uncle and Priyanka. Uncle informed me that the driver and the car would be available to take me wherever I wanted...yahoo....So 15 minutes after Uncle and Priyanka left, I was ready to go. I asked Meena (the driver's wife) to get the driver. She came down and said he was taking a bath. Fine 20 minutes and I should be on my way. Well 40 minutes later he still hadn't shown up. Meena went out to see if he was ready to go. She came down and told me that he wasn't going anywhere until the evening. Now considering the driver has Sunday off to drink, I was okay with that. However, I would have appreciated knowing earlier. So I got a autorickshaw to Connaught Place to run my last few errands. I spent two hours getting things done. I caught a rickshaw back so I could have lunch with Ami. I had a bath after lunch getting ready to go that evening and also because I was expecting some people to stop by for a visit. I spent the next few hours hanging out with Ami. Our expected guests never came. At about 5:00, I decided that since the driver is so unreliable, I would be better to hire a cab to take me to the market then on to the airport. I called Priyanka at work to get a number for a taxi company. Well Ami got herself upset about this saying that the family wouldn't leave me to take a taxi. Okay but no one is here to deal with the driver and he isn't going to listen to a foreign woman or an old woman. I called the cab company and asked if they spoke English. No Hindi only. So I hung up. Ami, who can't hear, asked me if the cab was coming. No they don't speak English. She says they don't speak when they answer. No they don't speak English. We went back and forth 4-5 times before she realized that they don't speakEnglish. She got on the phone and ordered the taxi to come. So the servants are helping me take my bags down the stairs and who shows up? The driver of course. I asked him what the hell he was doing and as far as I'm concerned he can spend the rest of the evening upstairs doing nothing. But they took my bags downstairs and put them in the family car. This all happening just as the taxi drives up. The driver seemed a little out of sorts but he got me to my dinner date with Priyanka and to the airport safely and on time. I don't like to drive at all, but having a driver who creates hassles like that....I'll drive myself thank you very much.

Servants

As those of you have kept tabs on my stay in India, you will know that I've spent most of my time in Delhi with Arjun's Uncle, Aunt and cousin. This household is well-equipped with servants. There is a person who cleans, one who cooks, one who supposedly oversees the day-to-day operations of the house. One of the joys of this is that I have my tea served to me whenever and whereever I want. Now before you run out and get a servant there is downside to all of this. The person who seems to oversee the day-to-day running of the house is rude and just doesn't listen. When I ask her a question, she walks behind me and natters away...sometimes she does this even when I don't ask her a question. Usually her natterings are followed by a questioning okay. I think I've actually promised my first born to her. The worst part of this is that I don't feel like I've had any privacy. While I like being served tea in bed, I've decided that it would be easier to do the work myself rather than to worry if it has been done or to scold someone if it isn't done. Besides, I think keeping my privacy is worth doing the work myself.

Air Canada

Because I've decided to stay in Delhi, I've also decided to shorten my stay here. This involves changing my ticket through the Air Canada office here in Delhi. One free change to be made directly through the airline...pretty standard right? Standard but not easy. After two visits to the AC office and numerous phone calls, I realized my efforts were going to go unrewarded. The people in the office here can't really do anything...they have to send a message to the AC office in Toronto and wait for a reply. In this case, the reply was always no. So at the suggestion of my husband, I went through my travel agent in Canada. Three e-mails and a phone call and oh yeah another trip to that annoying AC office here in Delhi and it was done. I realize that AC flies here so they have to have an office here. But why so many staff who can't actually make any changes to tickets? No wonder AC has had so much money trouble.

travelling

It has been a while since I've posted....I've chosen to spend the rest of my time in Delhi. After getting sick in Jaipur, I felt a little gun shy about going off on my own again. Lots of people do it I know...It really isn't just that...I felt so lonely on the road without Arjun. He really took a lot of the pressure and hassle on himself. More than that, it was a great feeling to have someone to hang with. Besides my main purpose was to come and see Arjun's grandmother, and that's what I have done. Next time, Arjun and I will come here together and explore more of India. In the meantime, I'm enjoying the company of his family and of course the shopping.