Round 2: Schweaty vs. India

“Flight attendants, please prepare for arrival.” The captain spoke as we were landing in Delhi 45 minutes early last Thursday. Considering the smog, I was extremely surprised by this early arrival. Then we taxied for 30 minutes because the runway at the International airport is essentially in a different State than the terminal. Then we pulled up to the gate and the Captain mentioned he had pulled the plane 4 feet too far so that the jet bridge couldn’t attach to the plane. Thus it took an additional 20 minutes to move the plane back 4 feet. Yes 1 foot per minute. Congratulations airport staff. Guess that’s what they mean when they factor in “total flight time.”

Okay so Schweaty is back but unfortunately sweaty no longer. You see, Delhi’s winter has finally settled in and while it’s not Chicago’s -10 degrees with wind chill, the vast majority of Delhi’s homes and even many office buildings don’t have central heating. It may be tough to imagine but while there aren’t extreme temperatures, the cold is brutal. If it’s say 40-45 degrees outside, homes aren’t much warmer. Maybe this is too personal for the blog audience but I don’t even shower at home anymore because the 1-2 minutes of hot water I get are not worth the chill that overcomes your body when you get out. Instead I’ve resorted to showering at the gym I joined which is I guess being resourceful? or maybe just getting my money’s worth? I complain about it constantly but also have to remind myself that hundreds of thousands of people are living on the streets and in slums which don’t even have enclosed structures. Just another instance when you gain perspective on how difficult life is for India’s poor.

So it’s been basically three weeks from my last post after an amazingly quick yet fulfilling journey back to the US. From Bleich’s wedding to spending time with the family over New Years and then topping it off with the old Chi-town crew, the satisfaction and comfort of being back in the US made the return to India quite difficult. Dear Red Meat, I miss you already. The cow may be sacred but biting into a Five Guys burger for lunch and consuming a NY Strip for dinner brought me true happiness.

When I left last summer, I was overcome with excitement about the new adventure and the challenges that awaited me. Over time, I began to seriously anticipate my return to the US and the fresh air! Coming back to India, I now have significant perspective both on what my life was like in the US and how much I truly miss friends and family. This is not to say that I am not excited about what will happen in the next 5 months, however, I know that the US is home.

And thus, we begin Round 2: Schweaty vs. India. With my tolerance waning by the day and India’s ability to frustrate (and surprise), it should be a battle for the ages. I already anticipate peak sweat season coming in mid-April.

So the first week has been relatively uneventful other than the adjustment to the cold. However the New Delhi Auto Show is worth a mention…

Ever want to know what it’s like to fit over 250,00 people, predominantly male, into various show rooms with people pushing and shoving like their lives depended on it? Well, attend the Delhi Auto show. Don’t led the Red carpet fool you, walking through the show rooms was a nightmare.

My favorite was the Toyota stage with the performer playing the flute and the dancers. I can’t think of anything that would persuade me to buy a Prius more than a flutist. And then there’s the Autorickshaw lineup which I’m pretty confident you would not find anywhere else in the world.

Despite the craziness, that retro Mercedes (shown above) was awesome.

I leave you with a gem from Rick Astley.

Let the adventures continue…

80′s Music Video Section:

Rick Astley

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~ by sethigreenberg on January 14, 2010.