Aug 12 2001- Flight Via Amman,Arriving in Delhi, and First Day's Adventure
August 12th: 8:40 PM:
We are now waiting in Amman to board the flight to Delhi. We are closer to home than when I fly to Eilat (only 30 minutes to get here) but it seems far away and strange. The terminal is very European. Quiet, classy, very unlike the place we left behind just a little while ago. But sitting here in the terminal, all the Israelis sit near each other, even if not speaking to each other. It is so quiet, lots of people here but no noise. All kinds of people, European, Arabs, Indians, backpackers, South Americans, very interesting. I wonder how people who see me sitting here see me.
I'm too old to fit in with the young kids sitting around me. Well, some guy keeps eyeing me. Have to learn quickly to avert my eyes. I am not used to doing that. We have decided to speak only English from now on. On the plane turned out that we both had wonderful seats with plenty of leg room and nice seat partners... didn't sleep much on the flight but the time went by very fast. Much easier that the 5 hour bus ride to Eilat!).
9 PM: I am now seated on the plane. VERY comfortable. Plenty of leg room- without even reserving, I've got a window seat. I think I will take a travamin to play safe and hopefully it will even help me sleep. In 5 hours it's effects should wear off and I won't be uncomfortable during the flight. Now some Reiki and then the rest is in God's hands!
5 AM India Time (2:30 AM Israeli time)
Landing in a few minutes. Slept a little, very comfortable flight. Very tired. Looking forward to nice shower and nice bed (little did we know what awaited us!!)
3:30 PM: Well, this is a very long story now...I didn't have the strength to write earlier but I've rested for a couple of hours now and will try to put it all down on paper as it happened.
We arrived at the airport in Delhi and were quite pleasantly surprised. We quickly went through customs- we stood in line behind an Indian business man who had come home from New York who promptly proceeded to give us all kinds of hints and advice, the most urgent one being "DON'T TRUST ANYONE". Well, we listened and shook our heads and said thanks and continued on our way. We got our bags and were pleased at the cleanliness and quietness of the terminal. Nothing like the madhouse at Ben Gurion.
We exchanged money the bank very easily and then started out to find the taxi that was supposed to be waiting for us. We never found him!!
They claim they were there but we didn't find him! Anyway, tried calling the number of the taxi service and they answered but no one spoke English! In the end, we decided to take a pre-paid taxi. Problem was, I didn't think to write down the address and phone number of the hotel - I assumed someone would be waiting for us. But at the booth they said they knew where it is and the driver would take us! Well, he took us to the right area but didn't speak English and didn't know where the hotel was (or so he said) probably took us to a hotel where he hoped to abandon us and get his commission! In the end we called from the hotel he took us to - with him waiting outside - to MIlan"s (our guide to the Himalayas) grandmother (he gave us her number for emergencies and this was definitely an emergency) and she answered and said immediately - "come to my house - we will work it out".
She gave the driver her address and he finally found it not before arguing that we prepaid for one address and had to give him more money and I was adamant that he didn't take us where we wanted to go so he still owed us a trip. He finally found her address - in a "swanky" neighborhood we later learned was only VIP's and tried to get her to get us to pay more money. In the end, we all settled for 1/2 of what he wanted and that ended the first part of the morning.
By now it was around 8 AM and we had expected to be after breakfast, shower and asleep, and we were in this lady's house (Mati) instead. I can't begin to describe her. She looked and acted not more than 60 and she is 86! She is, we found out, in addition to being India's first woman pilot which we already knew from Milan, a famous painter, jewelry designer, seamstress and very wise and religious woman who is also versed in politics, world affairs, religions, philosophy, she also "knows" 7 generations of women from her great-grandmother up to her great-grandchildren!. You should have heard HER talk about Muslims!!!
Well, she promptly called her grandson, Milan, our guide, and explained the situation to him and said she has a spare room we could stay in - no need to go to a hotel, but we had need of an air conditioner so insisted on a hotel. So her grandson said the same driver who we somehow missed at the airport would pick us up at her house but only around 11!!. So we had 3 hours to spend there.
Well, as tired as we were and hungry, the time just flew by. It was amazing. And while there, her granddaughter, and great-granddaughter came to visit after just arriving from Malaysia where they live, for a visit. Her great granddaughter is 23 and just completed her studies in law school. She looked like any typical young woman that age. Tight jeans and form fitting sleeveless top. Gave great grandma a hug and went off to see her friends. In the meantime, we got to know granddaughter named Shuchi (which means pure) who is an artist in her own right, even has a web site-and the hours just flew by. I could have sat and spoken with this beautiful, serene wise women for days and not gotten tired of them.
Finally the taxi arrived, after several cups of tea and a forced on us breakfast of chapati and mango-time came to leave. But first, we wanted to take pictures, and like women all over the world, they had to first go and put on makeup!!
We parted with promises to come back and visit on our return to Delhi and Shuchi invited us to visit her in Malaysia--we may just do that!!
We got to our hotel finally, around 11:30-checked in, too exhausted to really unpack, put Chopin on the speakers, A. showered, I ordered lunch-delicious meal - I asked for "not spicy" well their not spicy gave me heartburn -something I last experienced 20 years ago when I was pregnant with Shai!. I brought an entire pharmacy to India and no one suggested "Tums". Will look for some when we finally venture out!
But I fell asleep pleased and comfortable. The room is adequate if simple, the AC works, the bathroom pleasant and we haven't tried the TV yet.
We are now waiting in Amman to board the flight to Delhi. We are closer to home than when I fly to Eilat (only 30 minutes to get here) but it seems far away and strange. The terminal is very European. Quiet, classy, very unlike the place we left behind just a little while ago. But sitting here in the terminal, all the Israelis sit near each other, even if not speaking to each other. It is so quiet, lots of people here but no noise. All kinds of people, European, Arabs, Indians, backpackers, South Americans, very interesting. I wonder how people who see me sitting here see me.
I'm too old to fit in with the young kids sitting around me. Well, some guy keeps eyeing me. Have to learn quickly to avert my eyes. I am not used to doing that. We have decided to speak only English from now on. On the plane turned out that we both had wonderful seats with plenty of leg room and nice seat partners... didn't sleep much on the flight but the time went by very fast. Much easier that the 5 hour bus ride to Eilat!).
9 PM: I am now seated on the plane. VERY comfortable. Plenty of leg room- without even reserving, I've got a window seat. I think I will take a travamin to play safe and hopefully it will even help me sleep. In 5 hours it's effects should wear off and I won't be uncomfortable during the flight. Now some Reiki and then the rest is in God's hands!
5 AM India Time (2:30 AM Israeli time)
Landing in a few minutes. Slept a little, very comfortable flight. Very tired. Looking forward to nice shower and nice bed (little did we know what awaited us!!)
3:30 PM: Well, this is a very long story now...I didn't have the strength to write earlier but I've rested for a couple of hours now and will try to put it all down on paper as it happened.
We arrived at the airport in Delhi and were quite pleasantly surprised. We quickly went through customs- we stood in line behind an Indian business man who had come home from New York who promptly proceeded to give us all kinds of hints and advice, the most urgent one being "DON'T TRUST ANYONE". Well, we listened and shook our heads and said thanks and continued on our way. We got our bags and were pleased at the cleanliness and quietness of the terminal. Nothing like the madhouse at Ben Gurion.
We exchanged money the bank very easily and then started out to find the taxi that was supposed to be waiting for us. We never found him!!
They claim they were there but we didn't find him! Anyway, tried calling the number of the taxi service and they answered but no one spoke English! In the end, we decided to take a pre-paid taxi. Problem was, I didn't think to write down the address and phone number of the hotel - I assumed someone would be waiting for us. But at the booth they said they knew where it is and the driver would take us! Well, he took us to the right area but didn't speak English and didn't know where the hotel was (or so he said) probably took us to a hotel where he hoped to abandon us and get his commission! In the end we called from the hotel he took us to - with him waiting outside - to MIlan"s (our guide to the Himalayas) grandmother (he gave us her number for emergencies and this was definitely an emergency) and she answered and said immediately - "come to my house - we will work it out".
She gave the driver her address and he finally found it not before arguing that we prepaid for one address and had to give him more money and I was adamant that he didn't take us where we wanted to go so he still owed us a trip. He finally found her address - in a "swanky" neighborhood we later learned was only VIP's and tried to get her to get us to pay more money. In the end, we all settled for 1/2 of what he wanted and that ended the first part of the morning.
By now it was around 8 AM and we had expected to be after breakfast, shower and asleep, and we were in this lady's house (Mati) instead. I can't begin to describe her. She looked and acted not more than 60 and she is 86! She is, we found out, in addition to being India's first woman pilot which we already knew from Milan, a famous painter, jewelry designer, seamstress and very wise and religious woman who is also versed in politics, world affairs, religions, philosophy, she also "knows" 7 generations of women from her great-grandmother up to her great-grandchildren!. You should have heard HER talk about Muslims!!!Well, she promptly called her grandson, Milan, our guide, and explained the situation to him and said she has a spare room we could stay in - no need to go to a hotel, but we had need of an air conditioner so insisted on a hotel. So her grandson said the same driver who we somehow missed at the airport would pick us up at her house but only around 11!!. So we had 3 hours to spend there.
Well, as tired as we were and hungry, the time just flew by. It was amazing. And while there, her granddaughter, and great-granddaughter came to visit after just arriving from Malaysia where they live, for a visit. Her great granddaughter is 23 and just completed her studies in law school. She looked like any typical young woman that age. Tight jeans and form fitting sleeveless top. Gave great grandma a hug and went off to see her friends. In the meantime, we got to know granddaughter named Shuchi (which means pure) who is an artist in her own right, even has a web site-and the hours just flew by. I could have sat and spoken with this beautiful, serene wise women for days and not gotten tired of them.
Finally the taxi arrived, after several cups of tea and a forced on us breakfast of chapati and mango-time came to leave. But first, we wanted to take pictures, and like women all over the world, they had to first go and put on makeup!!
We parted with promises to come back and visit on our return to Delhi and Shuchi invited us to visit her in Malaysia--we may just do that!!
We got to our hotel finally, around 11:30-checked in, too exhausted to really unpack, put Chopin on the speakers, A. showered, I ordered lunch-delicious meal - I asked for "not spicy" well their not spicy gave me heartburn -something I last experienced 20 years ago when I was pregnant with Shai!. I brought an entire pharmacy to India and no one suggested "Tums". Will look for some when we finally venture out!
But I fell asleep pleased and comfortable. The room is adequate if simple, the AC works, the bathroom pleasant and we haven't tried the TV yet.
posted by Jane @ 5:45 PM
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