Trains and Planes

Friday afternoon Joe + I arrived in Delhi. I was tired and irritated after the excessively long over-night train ride, and the fact that we arrived at the Delhi Junction rather than the New Delhi Train Station, so we had to take a Taxi to the Pahargange.

Oh the joys of the crowded market streets. "Madam, come see my shop", "nice sawari kamis" (I'd been dressed like this for 3 and half months, so it's really not that exciting) "Where you from?" Their guesses were Texas or Germany. Then there was the stalker guy who started walking beside me after I made the mistake of responding to his greeting. I tried to ignore him, as I squinted in the bright sunlight. He kept talking, "you look scared, why you scared?" I glared at him, wishing I could say in Hindi "you are obnoxious and annoying, go away." It's good I can't say that, because that wouldn't be very nice...

A little bit later I heard a sweet voice say softly "I am here. You do not need to search for me." That one made me laughed...I wonder what movie that line is from...

Joe and I met the Idaho group at the guest house. I gave them their train tickets, the group cell-phone and some money left from the group I had been leading. After chilling with them, we helped carry their bags to the train station. Then we had some yummy coffee goodness at "Open Hand" to kill time before going to the airport at 11pm.

Gradually India faded away. My flight to Amsterdam had more Europeans than Indians. Once I got off the plane and walked to the next terminal India was replaced with west-coasters ready for the flight to Portland. I couldn't sleep on that flight...but I did watch 3 movies, which I've heard is pretty much the same as sleeping...

I arrived in Portland just after noon. In India it was already my birthday, but I have to wait another 12 hours for the day to catch up with me.

In Boise I stepped off the plane, smiled at the sight of the snow-capped mountains and breathed in the fresh, clean air, thick with the smell of a spring rain. I'm almost home :)

I'm not as tired as I expected I would be after traveling for 3 days and being awake for the last 20 hours straight.