First impressions

Airports are the same the world over ( or at least the bigger ones are…)  but there are culinary differences – even in my experience of 4 in my first 24 hours. From the coffee and muffin in Newcastle, to the chicken in a mushroom sauce on the flight to Dubai (very tasty I might add!).  In Dubai, t0 go with the wall of heat (28 degrees at midnight) – was a subtly flavoured cheese and Zataar (I think)  toasted flatbread (manakish?).  And then breakfast on the flight to Delhi….. a mushroom curry, dosa and little rolls like oat cakes in texture!  I even ate it delicately with my right hand!  The man in the next seat wryly commented “you are in India now!”  I looked out of the window and saw the sunrise over India.

Delhi airport – very civilised and (perhaps disappointingly) just like any major airport.  Immigration was slow but they let me in and I caught my flight to Udaipur… just!    Unfortunately, Tamzin had an e-visa and that queue was so slow she missed the flight, and had an unscheduled night in Delhi.

Food on the next flight was just snacks …. They turned out to be samosas!  Efficient landing at Udaipur and I was met at the airport and a taxi to Filadelfia campus. Just being in the open air felt a treat after 3 back to back flights and airports.  32 degrees.

Indian traffic and driving…. Oh My Word!  I will do a whole blog on roads I think at some point , because I am having to totally remove any of my “elf and safety” head!  Suffice it to say that horns are absolutely obligatory and motorcycle helmets are worn fetchingly on the arm (in case the police are around!).

Arriving at the campus I decided that the best policy was to keep awake and just go to sleep at night (I had completely lost any sense of the time!).  So after rice and dahl for lunch, I went out shopping with Janet who had called her usual rickshaw driver….   Stopping for a cup of hot, spiced and sweeeet chai on the way (delish) - the trip was just like any other shopping trip – but with an Indian twist….. working out what the fruit and veg were – trying to get an English word for things…. Not always possible – usually greeted with a shrug, chuckle and the suggestion (I think) to taste it and see….  

Arriving back at the campus, a cup of tea, chat and then a walk at dusk to the lake.  Udaipur is known for its lakes, and at night with the lights and a full moon it was beautiful.   We walked back in the dark (avoiding the piles of dung, uneven roads, piles of weed from the lake and other hazards)

And so to bed to try and reset my body clock.  I went to sleep to the drumming from a hindu wedding close by!