12.4.2006...Back So Soon? Yes, in Delhi!

Sunday evening we boarded the Rajdhani train from Ahmedabad to Delhi:

We settled in to watch about an hour or so of lit travel scenery before the sun set for the evening.

Here I am contemplating the passing images...




They served us tea and snack early on and then dinner shortly after 8pm. Although I wasn't too tired, I thought time would pass better if I went to sleep on the earlier side.

Here's my bunk...



It's an odd thing travelling by train when you are sleeping. So many of the motions make you feel like your cot is bend at odd angles or that you will fall out. Nothing happened, of course, but it was strange nonetheless.

This time around I was a pro at using the toilet facilities. I knew the difference between Western and Indian...and it didn't mean who could use which.

~~~

In the early morning the light began to break through and the outskirts of New Delhi revealed themselves. Billowing smoke rose from the morning fires of slum settlements among the trees and dilapidated buildings along the rail side.

We were stopped for some time just outside of Delhi and I took this snap. It reminded me of times when I was stopped on the Hudson line heading into New York. There were places that looked just like this in my memory.

The sight that was most, I don't know, 'noticeable' were the morning squatters. Like small boulders and brush spotting the landscape dozens and then hundreds of people, young and old, passed the time casually while making the morning toileting rounds.

No, it isn't the neatest thing to bring up, but it is what it is. They were simply making do with the open areas outside of their slum dwellings.

We started to then see 'graffiti' along the walls and buildings lining the track.

And then there was this bosom bunch of holy rollers. I really only call them that because most often I see them 'rolling' along the countryside. It really hasn't been as common to see them just hanging out. I suppose the time of day warranted that.

Once in Delhi, we took on this porter to help with the luggage and made our way to the 'safe' side of the train station to meet the driver.

I was told the other side wasn't safe because a lot of foreigners hung out there and caused trouble. One group were the hippies.

"Hippies breed crime?"

"Yes, when they need money for their drugs."

"Oh."

Hippies aren't really regarded well in India from what I can tell. It's odd considering how cool they are in the States.

Our lodging while in Delhi was to be in Gurgaon, at the DLF City Center Club.

Gurgaon is part of Delhi's metropolitan area, but about an hour south of city center.

Along the way I noted another Gandhi statue...

I liked this one because of the other people depicted in it. Most often I've seen him alone...like he did everything alone...pah!

I was also interested in seeing the advertised use of Clean Natural Gas (CNG) on Delhi's buses.

After 2 and half hours from the time we got off the train we finally made it to the club. It literally is the nicest place I have stayed in India to date.

The adventure continues....


Peace,

A Pink American