Arrival

Fourteen hours in an airplane is a little longer than anyone should ever spend confined in a small space, but it was not as awful as I feared. I must type quickly because my ride will leave soon.

I stayed last night in a small hotel by the airport, and then this morning I have been all over Delhi trying to get a ride to Dharamsala. The airline schedule was wrong on the Internet, and it's booked all week anyway. The train to Pathankot is full, book solid with soldiers moving back and forth to and from Kashmir, and with religious pilgrims visiting Vishnu Devi. So I am in the gov't. tourist office hiring a driver to take me to Dharamsala, which, though more expensive than the train, will get me there tonight and probably with less hassle.

I am waiting for my driver. I've been chatting with Shabir, whose uncle lives in Eureka, California. Shabir wanted to ask me about Area 51 and UFO's, and we got to talking about e-mail, spam, California, music, Kashmir, and lots of other things over a cup of masala chai. While Delhi has been confusing, crowded, noisy, and crazy, I have already encountered several very kind people who have helped me in important ways.


Sixth graders: I have already seen three cows, lots of feral dogs, parakeets and peacocks.

Eighth graders: I have been asked by every taxi driver so far whether I am married and whether I have children. Family is a huge topic of conversation here.

Seniors: My pal Shabir knows about skype.com and lots of other tech stuff that seems to contrast with the less developed conditions on the street here...



My driver is here...I have to go. More later...