The End of India

We headed down the mountain, back to the worlds second cutest airport (second to Charlottetown, PEI) in Dehra Dun and flew back to Delhi. I decided that I do not like Delhi and I did not miss it one bit. The time and effort spent on going to Mussoorie was more than worth it as it got us out of Delhi.

We got a pre-paid taxi and our driver was illiterate and spoke very little English. Always an adventure. Teresa managed to communicate with him and be found some people to clarify directions from and we got to our hotel. 

Dinner that evening was suspect at best. We couldn't be bothered to walk around and look for a restaurant so we settled for the one in the hotel. In the basement. Now, in India this has been quite common and usually it is no big deal. This place was different. We walked to the dark downstairs, were greeted by a semi-shocked server and escorted to the dining area which looked like it had just had a meeting in it and was not yet entirely cleaned up. The basement was eerily quiet. But at that point it would have been more awkward to leave then stay so we waited it out. Miraculously the food we ordered arrived and it even looked and tasted good. I suppose it's that whole 'judging a book by its' cover thing'.

We opted to chill in the room for the evening. Teresa and I planned our next leg of the journey (China, Cambodia etc...) and Michelle read. We saw Michelle off at 11:30 that night as she headed to the airport for a 2:30 am flight. That marks the end of Michelle's trip and the halfway mark for me and Teresa.

Semi-final thoughts on India:

- India is massive. We saw deserts, mountains, deep green Canadian-like forests and jungle

- India is old. The history is incredibly layered. I love Canadian history but in the grand scheme of things Canada is but a speck.

- India is populated. People-dense. As we would walk through the streets at night, every alley you looked down had people in many doorways.

- India has an intense religious heritage. Hinduism pervades but Islam and Buddhism are prevalent. People are not ashamed of their religion; it is not secretive, rather, a proud, bold statement. 

- food is not as spicy as I had feared. Growing up the extent of the spices I remember on food was cinnamon on French toast and nutmeg on cauliflower. And when food is too spicy, naan and water do wonders.

- it is always fun to see familiar things in new languages 

- chocolate bars are wrapped in an extra layer that seems to be like tin foil: similar to cigarette packaging. Protection against heat perhaps?

- I am writing this in china where I can make a comparison. I got used to India fast. Now that I'm gone I realize how intense the garbage and smell of urine were. If wasnt actually everywhere but unfortunately that is how I remember it. At historical forts and mosques the smell of urine was rampant. As we walked down the street we knew when we were approaching a public urinal. The amount of men (and we only saw men) who publicly urinated anywhere (on the sidewalk, in the historical forts, in a river where people were washing clothes and more) was astounding.

- I learned a new bathroom 'normal': the squatting toilet. Common in India. They are here in China too. This picture shows both toilet options, but that is not the norm in bathrooms.

- bathrooms are also fun with respect to showers. There are rarely specific showers, usually a shower head on a wall somewhere in the bathroom. Bathroom floors get wet. We get over it.

- I never, not even for a nanosecond, felt unsafe. And I comfortably walked around alone. Not often, but I did.

- experiencing familiar restaurants in unfamiliar places is always an experience. We went to McDonald's and I had the Indian version of a Big Mac: the Maharaja Mac (maharaja means emperor or high king). It was Indian. Remember that India has no beef and very little pork. Who's kidding who? There's very little meat here.

- I learned too much: about history, religion, social dynamics and norms, cultural norms, food, help, idols, transportation, geography, europeans and heat.

- there is a beauty to India but you often need to look past a layer or two to find it

- I am content with this trip. There are two other places (Darjeeling and Kerala) that I would have liked to go but I am content. I do not feel the need to return and for me, that is rare.

- going to India was pivotal for me. I knew I had stereotypes, assumptions and ignorance about religion and culture. The best way or me to rid myself of such things is to make my ideas human. Put faces to my ignorance and dislike. I did. I appreciate and understand better. I do not like all that comes with Indian culture. There is much I disagree with, but I am in a healthier place. I better understand their views and ways. I believe that with better understanding comes healthier communication, and hope.