Here We Are! INDIA!

We have only been in Delhi for 5 hours but I have learned there is no need for an alarm in the morning... all you need is the honking outside your window to tell you when the day has begun. It is about 7:00am here and everyone else is asleep but I cannot go back to sleep so I figured I would take this opportunity to blog about our trip thus far.

Let me start by saying that I’m sure these blog posts will be full of errors. You can judge me on that later but for now you can just accept it as a little spice from India! :) 

This post will be without pictures because I don’t have any on this computer right now. I know, I know, bummer! Use your imagination!

Yesterday... well heck I don’t even know that I can call it that at this point. We sort of skipped Thursday. Wednesday, we headed to the airport around 1pm. I swear to you I was calm and focused which is totally unlike me! We left on time with no issues. Saying goodbye to the boys was way easier than expected. They were ready to go play with their cousins so kisses and hugs were quick. I’m thankful that it wasn’t full of drama and tears because it very well could have been. 

My first little bit of butterflies came when we got inside the airport and began checking in, but they quickly faded. Calm as a cucumber here! Everything at the airport in Atlanta was seamless! No delays. Praise the Lord. We got a bite to eat and then boarded our first flight to Amsterdam.

Lance and I had decided to stay awake as much as possible on this leg of the trip so that we could “switch” over to Delhi time <--- you know because it’s just that easy! Ha! We both watched a couple of movies and Lance may have watched a third, but I fell asleep for a couple of hours toward the end of the flight.

John, on the other hand, has a different approach to fighting jet lag... he just takes some Ambien (maybe 15 of them I don’t know) and sleeps the ENTIRE flight. He was out! I had to reassure the lady next to him that the slumped, drooling mess next to her was not in need of medical attention. Somehow despite the fact he was asleep the entire flight, John still managed to eat the two in-flight meals. No, I didn’t get pictures or video. Yes, I regret that fact.

We landed in Amsterdam around 10:30 in the morning their time and went strait to the gate for our flight to Delhi. Our landing delayed slightly because “visibility was low”! Ummmm yeah that was an understatement. When landing, all we could see were white clouds on the way down and then BUMP we were on the ground! The Amsterdam airport was interesting. It’s not my favorite airport in the world. It was quite confusing where we were supposed to go, but we didn’t get lost. We just followed the mass of Indians really, but it was just odd. This flight was actually behind schedule. They were still loading the food on the plane so we had to wait to board. This was one of the two decker planes. Boeing 747 I think. I have never flown on a plane that big and staring at this monster through the glass of the terminal window, I had to remind myself that God’s hands would make this beast fly and that was all I science I needed to know. When I saw how big the plane was, I thought to myself, “Oh good maybe we have a bit more space!” Uh no. This plane was built for hundreds of 5 year olds not hundreds of adults. Lance and I chose to take an ambien ourselves for this flight. This was the right choice! We were out pretty solid for the majority of the flight (which is probably why my feet and ankles are swollen very nicely). I was up for the last 2 hours of the flight and that was the LONGEST 2 hours of my life. I am convinced the clock was rigged for torture. Miserable. I was so uncomfortable. Lance and John were both asleep of course. 

We landed in Delhi around 1am Delhi time. Getting off that plane was like standing at the gates of Disney World! I was so thankful to NOT be on a plane anymore and a little in disbelief that we were actually standing in Delhi. We were finally in the same city as our daughters. It felt like a dream. 

We found all of our luggage! ANSWER TO PRAYER! We made our way through immigration and customs and then found our friend Tanwar waiting for us in a mass of people just outside the airport doors. Man were we glad to see his face! It’s always good to see friends but we were very glad to see this one! 

Tanwar’s brother-in-law was bringing the car around. We made our way with all of our luggage to the spot where met us. Several Indian men tried to help us with our bags. Lance and I both tried to tell them no but they stuck with us hoping for a few rupees. They got no rupees. We stuffed Tanwar’s SUV slap full of luggage and people and began our drive to the apartment where we are staying for a couple of nights.

Delhi is very smoggy this time of year. You could actually see it inside the airport like a layer of thin smoke but it is definitely noticeable when you start driving. It’s like dense fog with a unique smell. Not a bad smell... just a unique smell. 

There were a lot of big trucks on the quiet-for-India-roads. Tanwar told us they aren’t allowed to be on the roads during the day so they travel after 10pm. Horns are a must in India. It’s like instead of using your blinker or your mirrors you just use your horn. LOL 

As I stared out the window of the car, it was so surreal. I just couldn’t believe we were actually here! After two years of waiting, we are finally in India... the place were chunks of our hearts have lived for so long just waiting for us to catch up with them! 

Tanwar and his brother-in-law brought us up to the apartment. It’s above a shop. Savita, Tanwar’s wife, her family is in the dairy business. So I guess the shop is like a milk shop? Maybe we will get to see it today. As we walked up the side walk to the stairs, I noticed a man laying in front of the door to the shop completely covered with a blanket and laying there as stiff as a corpse. We were told he was guarding the shop along with other workers sleeping inside. I have no idea how he could actually sleep. 

We got the tour of the two bedroom apartments. It’s very nice and simple, yet has interesting features like colored track lighting in the ceiling. This is actually where Savita’s brother’s family lives. They gave us their home for several days. Indian people are hosts like no other. They go over and beyond to make you welcome. 

Savita’s brother made us chai and brought out some Indian biscuits and some type of spicy trail mix. It was all wonderful. Our first cup of chai in India and it was perfect. I think learning to make authentic chai is going to be on my to-do list this weekend. Tanwar stuffed us full and after a quick facetime with our boys we took a “nap”. 

I only slept for a couple of hours but it felt like it was a full nights sleep! Now, here I am listening to the constant horns, bells and other strange sounds. The house is quiet but it will soon be filled with the smell of Savita’s breakfast. I can’t wait to hug her neck and meet her children! 

Today, I think we will relax until about noon and then go out to experience some of Delhi. Hopefully, John will get some pictures up on the website and I will be sure you guys get to see them! 

Tomorrow we go to the Taj Mahal. I am very excited to see this beautiful piece of Indian history! 

Thank you all for your prayers! No doubt they have been heard! We will keep you posted as much as possible. Blogging and Facebooking will be easier when we get to the hotel because there will be wifi available. Right now we only have access to Tanwar’s cellular internet which is wonderful and we are thankful for it but it limits us to this one computer for now. 

Until next time! -K