Planes, Trains, and Running Shoes

Population of US: 307,006,550
Population of India: 1, 155, 347, 700

Good God there are a lot of people in this country. Sometimes I feel like they are all in the same place as I am at the same time. It's insanely overwhelming.

Today is...Thursday? Right? I have absolutely no concept of time anymore. So I've been in Delhi for 4 days now and I've found my way around pretty easily...the Metro system is really easy...and very clean!

So, since I've been here for a few days, I've made several observations.
-All Indian people stare at foreigners. When I say stare, I mean stare. If you stare back, they keep on staring.
-There is a certain sense of entitlement among the population. If you are standing in line for something, they will get in front of you. If you are walking in the same path as someone and don't get out of their way, they will bump into you...and be mad about it.
-Baring any kind of skin, whatsoever will draw a lot of attention. I wore a skirt that went down to my mid calves yesterday and my God, the way people were staring at my ankles, you would have thought I was naked...yet, it's perfectly acceptable for women in saris to completely bare their midriff.
-People will point and laugh at you while you're eating simply because you're a foreigner eating Indian food.
-Indians really, truly do believe in karma. I left my wallet at a coffee shop yesterday and when I went back for it several hours later, nothing was missing and all that was left was a note written by the guy who found it saying to please take care of it.
-The Metro here is very new and people really don't understand the concept of waiting to let passengers off before getting on. Instead, it's a mad rush of people all trying to exit and enter the train car at the same time.
-Ladies only cars on the Metro are the most wonderful thing ever created. Ever.
-Everyone eats with their hands...and they eat everything with their hands. Actually, it's only their right hand...the left is used for umm...cleaning yourself.
-Restaurants give you a bowl of raw red onions and lemons before every meal...everyone eats them...I don't.


As Kay (who I'm staying with) says, "Don't try to make sense of anything in India, it'll just confuse you." It's so true. I don't understand what's going on half the time...and I can't even try to make sense of it.

I wasn't feeling too hot today...1 month of living out of a suitcase without any protein or fiber intake and eating nothing but starches, has done a number on me...so has the heat. I ended up coming back to Kay's and sleeping for about 2 hours. I'm ok now though.

And now for some pictures:

Akshardham Temple

My mhendi...which is almost completely gone on my left hand =(

Lahore Gate at the Red Fort

A guy taking a picture of me

 

Kay looking at the sights at Red Fort

Me at the Red Fort

India Gate