Part I: Greeting the Smells of India

OK, as promised, I'm starting the large task that is writing about our India trip....

The trip started out in Delhi. Actually, that's not true, it really started at the Bangalore airport. If you've heard of Bangalore, it's probably in its capacity as the IT capital of India. This, despite all of Chris' warnings that India was going to be "tough" and unexpected, put me in the mindframe of expecting something, oh I don't know, modern? However, we get out of the airplane in the "International Terminal" and begin to look for the "Domestic Terminal" from where we will continue our journey. I use the quotes because I am not sure I would even call them a terminal or separate them into two, because they are basically 2 big, connected rooms that you still need to go outside to move between. We step outside and, wham!! India whacks me in the face. First of all, it doesn't smell good, a little like curry, b.o. and pee, all mixed into one, fine package. Secondly, many, many rickshaw drivers start accosting us. The ones who weren't peeing in the bushes on the side of building, that is. As we are carrying our luggage and walking toward the "Domestic Terminal" it didn't seem to make sense, but as we were continually reminded throughout the trip, making sense and India didn't really go together. This would be proved, not a moment after pushing through the rickshaw drivers, by the x-ray machine at the entrance to the "terminal." First, you go to a window outside, with your e-ticket printout and pick up your ticket. Then you walk to the door, with a "line" (anytime I use the words line or queue, they must be taken with a grain of salt. While we Americans tend to be an orderly bunch, the Indians prefer "cluster" approach. One you propel your way to the front of the cluster, you arrive at the machine, where a guard asks you what bag you are checking. This bag, and nothing else you are carrying, gets put on the x-ray machine. Now, to me, this didn't make sense. Couldn't you just go inside and check in another bag when you get to the counter? Yes. But again, it goes to show I know nothing about what makes sense here.

After braving this chaos of the outside world for a few minutes, we were safely inside the "Domestic" piece of the airport. A true caffeine addict, I was ready for a non-Indian-Airlines-brewed cup of coffee. I figured they wouldn't have a coffee shop in this 1970's throwback of an airport, but I started to wander around. Lo and behold, I found a place that claimed to serve coffee. We hadn't changed money over before we left, generally preferring to use ATM machines when we arrive, to get the best rates. I stood in line at the coffeshop and asked if I could pay with a credit card (I was that desperate). No? Maybe Singapore Dollars? Hmm..US Dollars? With the shopkeeper growing increasingly impatient, I asked where I could find the nearest ATM. "No. No ATM" How can an airport NOT have an ATM machine?? So I move on to a man selling silk scarves. Surely, HE'D know where an ATM was. Shot down again. No currency change booth either. Finally, I gave up, knowing that my coffee dream was slipping away. Instead, Chris and I got into line to check in for our flight. I couldn't remember the time difference between India and Singapore, so I started surreptitiously checking out other people's watches. "Crap," I thought, "my watch stopped again." I thought this because everyone's watches showed a half hour time difference (plus the time zone difference) from mine. I mentioned this to Chris and he looked at his watch too - Same as mine. This is when we asked someone else in "line" about the time. Turns out - India is HALF AN HOUR away from the rest of the world on time. That's right - it's 3.5 hours different from Singapore, and likely about 8.5 from the Eastern US. I personally think this is what's thrown the whole thing off!

Anyway, coffee-free, we eventually board the plane, Kingfisher Air, which just seems to be the nicest domestic airline in India. We were really impressed and would definitely fly them again! It was a nice treat, after our short and already overwhelming introduction to India!

Note: Bangalore is in the process of opening a NEW airport, which I'm sure is going to be very nice, so you shouldn't be afraid to go!

Part II: Delhi in my Belly...Coming soon