9:30 p.m.
Sunday
25 January 2009
Tiruvannamalai - Tamil Nadu, South India
I've finally had a chance to breathe and find an internet cafe. They have kept us on a pretty tight schedule so far, and as is the case with trips and jet lag, the days all become a blur, so for now I won't even try to give you an accurate timeline. More will follow, probably tomorrow, when I have access to internet at Quo Vadis (see link and previous posts). For now, I'll share my first two adventures.
Lost in Mumbai ~~~ I hesitate to share this but the word will probably leak out anyway.... We arrived around midnight at Mumbai (Bombay) and were to head to a hotel for several hours of sleep before proceeding on to Chennai (Madras). As we navigated customs and the baggage claim area, I had my bag scanned by security, turned the corner and - voila - the rest of the group was gone! Nada. Zip. No where to be seen. I went outside into my first India air and scanned the nearly football-field length crowd of drivers, friends and family members waiting for their arrivals. I couldn't see them anywhere. Then back inside, retracing my steps. No one. And no phone. No rupees. N
o hotel name. After about an hour (at least it seemed that long) I trudged back in to rent a taxi (after borrowing a phone to make several calls to find the hotel name), and came across the group. I expected scolding; instead, my new friend Jane came running towards me with a big hug and a bottle of water. We still haven't decided who was "lost" - them or me.
Sunday
25 January 2009
Tiruvannamalai - Tamil Nadu, South India
I've finally had a chance to breathe and find an internet cafe. They have kept us on a pretty tight schedule so far, and as is the case with trips and jet lag, the days all become a blur, so for now I won't even try to give you an accurate timeline. More will follow, probably tomorrow, when I have access to internet at Quo Vadis (see link and previous posts). For now, I'll share my first two adventures.
Lost in Mumbai ~~~ I hesitate to share this but the word will probably leak out anyway.... We arrived around midnight at Mumbai (Bombay) and were to head to a hotel for several hours of sleep before proceeding on to Chennai (Madras). As we navigated customs and the baggage claim area, I had my bag scanned by security, turned the corner and - voila - the rest of the group was gone! Nada. Zip. No where to be seen. I went outside into my first India air and scanned the nearly football-field length crowd of drivers, friends and family members waiting for their arrivals. I couldn't see them anywhere. Then back inside, retracing my steps. No one. And no phone. No rupees. N
o hotel name. After about an hour (at least it seemed that long) I trudged back in to rent a taxi (after borrowing a phone to make several calls to find the hotel name), and came across the group. I expected scolding; instead, my new friend Jane came running towards me with a big hug and a bottle of water. We still haven't decided who was "lost" - them or me. Crammed into one van at the Mumbai airport (after reunification of group)
On to Chennai (Madras) ~~~
We LOVE India's Jet Airways, which took us from Mumbai to Chennai. Cool towels, superb food, real silverware (!), and genuinely friendly cabin staff. Doug and Jane Koons, who are here working on behalf of LPGM, met us at the airport. They are tireless and generous hosts who have made our visit so smooth and who have the patience of saints. Their diplomacy is remarkable. e.g. Doug (as we arrive at a restaurant): "Based upon our schedule for the remainder of the day, we may wish to eat faster here rather than slower." (Translation: Hurry it up, folks. Haul ..... We haven't got much time.")
Park Town School in the heart of Chennai is a school for mostly homeless and destitute children. Two congregations represented in our group have sponsored the two libraries in the school, and we went to visit. The van turned into a narrow alley, and when we stepped out, we were treated like royalty, with leis, a procession, acrobats, dancing tigers (boys in tiger outfits), drums pounding. We are discovering how much the Indians love their ceremony and ritual (something Mount Olivites will especially appreciate. A tour of the schools and hundreds of adoring children... More to follow. The cafe is closing.
Mark
On to Chennai (Madras) ~~~
We LOVE India's Jet Airways, which took us from Mumbai to Chennai. Cool towels, superb food, real silverware (!), and genuinely friendly cabin staff. Doug and Jane Koons, who are here working on behalf of LPGM, met us at the airport. They are tireless and generous hosts who have made our visit so smooth and who have the patience of saints. Their diplomacy is remarkable. e.g. Doug (as we arrive at a restaurant): "Based upon our schedule for the remainder of the day, we may wish to eat faster here rather than slower." (Translation: Hurry it up, folks. Haul ..... We haven't got much time.")
Park Town School in the heart of Chennai is a school for mostly homeless and destitute children. Two congregations represented in our group have sponsored the two libraries in the school, and we went to visit. The van turned into a narrow alley, and when we stepped out, we were treated like royalty, with leis, a procession, acrobats, dancing tigers (boys in tiger outfits), drums pounding. We are discovering how much the Indians love their ceremony and ritual (something Mount Olivites will especially appreciate. A tour of the schools and hundreds of adoring children... More to follow. The cafe is closing.
Mark
3 comments:
I'd have totally freaked if I got separated from the others first thing. Totally. Freaked.
If you see Doug and Jane again, say hi to them for me. We go all the way back to St. Olaf together!
Beth Gaede
Beth! I will see them at the end of my trip! I'm "storing" a piece of luggage with them.
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