Welcome to India

This incredible adventure for me began as I boarded the plane in Seattle, WA. With only four hours of sleep the night before I was exhausted but on an incredible high fueled by my impending “homecoming.” I call it a homecoming for two reasons: (1) I’m Indian and was about to visit India for the first time; and (2) home is where the heart is and the person who has my heart is in India.

Boarding the plane was also the first time I was able to give the trip much thought. With all the work, prep, packing, etc. it was very difficult to squeeze in time to actually think, plan, reflect on the journey I was about to embark upon. Not to mention, I was supposed to be responsible for planning the itinerary through Gujarat and Rajasthan. Oops!

Three thoughts resonated through my mind. First, there was my Dad telling me that, “when you step off the plane, just…expect a culture shock.” This comment shouldn’t come as a surprise necessarily. However, it is a little odd coming from someone who has never been to India. Second, there were the countless people telling me that I was a brave idiot for wanting to spend the month of April in Gujarat and Rajasthan. I usually replied with, “Yeah, I know it will be hot, but I’m sure it’s survivable.” Third, I was just really excited about the food!

Expecting the trip from Seattle to Delhi, by way of Seoul, to be the longest 26 hours of my life (yes, even longer than my 26 hours in Spain), I was pleasantly surprised when, after Law Abiding Citizen, The Blind Side, some people-watching in Seoul, and a quick 6-hour nap, I was going through customs in Delhi.

Landing in Delhi at 1am has its downsides; for me the biggest downside was not fully experiencing true Delhi. Far from chaotic, the ride from the airport was relatively uneventful. The driver that was sent by the hotel to pick me up from the airport was easy to pick out – he was the only one standing outside exit #1. The roads were relatively empty – to the point where the driver could actually stick to a lane. It would have been interesting to see the Delhi I expected to see, but I was glad that the lack of chaos got me to the hotel faster.

I did finally make it to the hotel. I checked in. The desk clerk called Zyanya to tell her that I arrived. The bell-boy packed my stuff into the elevator and when he opened the door and I saw Zyanya standing there waiting I did what any good Indian boy would do – I extended my hand for a handshake.