Getting ready to go home
Leaning on a pole at Fatehpur Sikri
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January 5th:
Early flight to Bombay and on to Delhi. Hot vegetarian breakfast is served on the 30 minute flight to Bombay. It was Jet Airways, so we indulged. Delicious!
Stuck in the Bombay airport for four hours due to "fog" in Delhi (it is smog, but they prefer to call it "fog"). Fortunately we didn't travel yesterday as flights were diverted to Lucklow and passengers had to spend the night on the plane! So, we are not complaining.
We get back to the Imperial and have a wonderful dinner at the Indian restaurant at the hotel. We dress up for our last night. Almost all the men are Western and in coat and tie. A rarity on the tourist track.
January 6th:
Our last day is totally focused on shopping!
Our travel agent president personally takes us to the best shops in Delhi where the local gliterati shop. Wow. the most gorgous multi-story "malls" I have ever seen in my life--bar none. Not even LA or NYC has this level of high end shops in one place. They are called M-1 and M-2 for their addresses. Interestingly, the buildings are sort of a co-op of the designers. After this great tour with Ajay our agent, we now really like Delhi and have totally changed our initial jet-lagged opinion. Would visit Delhi again. Prefer it to Bombay.
Bought some great stuff at these designer shops. Expensive for India, but not touching US prices.
Had the hotel room until our flight at 11:30 PM. Headed to the airport around 8:30PM. Airport does not seem as wild as when we arrived, but I am sure it is that my attitude toward complete chaos has changed.
Non stop flight to Newark smooth as silk. Great food, wine and slept for 7 hours in very comfortable sleeper chair. Love Continental Airlines.
India is fascinating. More so, in my opinion, than China. China is easy to figure out and very easy to visit. I clearly understand how China is winning the trade war--it is a simple formula. India leaves you scratching your head relative to the stunning uneveness of their democratic country and their people. I believe you need to visit other countries in Asia before India. It is not a good first country. The stimuli assaults you from every direction. It takes some getting used to in the first week.
However, it is culturally rich, the food is *SO* much better than in China, the colors are stunning and the shopping is great. If you can get through the first week, you're golden and will have a great time.
As they say in India, Namaste
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 | Permalink | Posted by Patricia Pomerleau on Sunday, January 22, 2006 |
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