a little rant/Leaving Chennai
Dear Indian Guys and people in general;
Have you REALLY never seen a foreigner before?! Honestly?! Do I look that weird?! Do you need to stare that much? At me!? Look, I'm sweaty and dirty, and not even all that attractive most of the time, dressed in one of my baggy salawar khameezs'. Come on! Give it a damn rest! A quick glance is one thing, but you stare and stare and STARE until I want to throw something at you!
Maybe because I live in a fairly multicultural city, I can't understand this. I see Indians, people of all races, weird headgear, ethnic costumes, crazy outfits. I might glance, or surruptitiously stare from behind sunglasses (esp. if the person is esp. beautiful!), but come on - at least be cool about it! A couple times, I've seen a guy's head whip around and stare while whizzing by on a motorcycle, and narrowly avoid a disaster.
I'm just NOT all that unusual, people. Please move on, nothing to see here . . . keep going.
*Phew* better now.
It is **115 degrees F** here today - 45C. Believe the technical term for that kind of heat is *&@#*&%^&*(#% HOT! I can't stand it anymore, and we're on to Delhi today. Yes, Delhi . . . Amritsar sadly has left the itinerary. Mostly because we were unable to get the special 10 rupee standby fare - needs a 10 day advance booking, and S didn't know that until he found it out today when we went to book. Oh well, no worries, I'll catch it next trip.
So, we'll leave for Delhi today, on the train. 16 hours, in an AC sleeper car. It'll be great - I like the train, you can walk around, and don't feel as squeezed as in a bus, or confined as in a plane. Not upset that there's now 4-5 days to explore Delhi - since I'm all culture shocked and stuff, I should be able to handle the chaos of Delhi nicely. Plus, it seems there are some swank, Chicago-style eateries, it'll be a nice return to civilization.
S and I are understandably getting a little morose about being separated in several days when I leave. It won't be so bad though, it looks like his visa will go through with no problems, and he'll be in the US quite soon - for sure in time for my cousin's photo show in Milwaukee. S got an invite from the Haggerty Museum, since he was such a huge part of WxW's photography. It's just been so much FUN running around with Sreenu the Amusing - he's patient and just simply handles everything with a smile and that distinctive Indian wag of the head (which I've been practicing, to S's amusement). There's been virtually no bad experiences on this trip - little annoyances to be sure, but nothing major. There's been mosquito bites, and me stumbling around on uneven curbs or whining about the heat, but no theft, major injury or anything of that nature to report. Bliss! And crazy jungle beer drinking, street food eating (S is as much of a fearless aficinado of the street delicacies as I am). I've definitely broadened my Indian food horizons.
Have you REALLY never seen a foreigner before?! Honestly?! Do I look that weird?! Do you need to stare that much? At me!? Look, I'm sweaty and dirty, and not even all that attractive most of the time, dressed in one of my baggy salawar khameezs'. Come on! Give it a damn rest! A quick glance is one thing, but you stare and stare and STARE until I want to throw something at you!
Maybe because I live in a fairly multicultural city, I can't understand this. I see Indians, people of all races, weird headgear, ethnic costumes, crazy outfits. I might glance, or surruptitiously stare from behind sunglasses (esp. if the person is esp. beautiful!), but come on - at least be cool about it! A couple times, I've seen a guy's head whip around and stare while whizzing by on a motorcycle, and narrowly avoid a disaster.
I'm just NOT all that unusual, people. Please move on, nothing to see here . . . keep going.
*Phew* better now.
It is **115 degrees F** here today - 45C. Believe the technical term for that kind of heat is *&@#*&%^&*(#% HOT! I can't stand it anymore, and we're on to Delhi today. Yes, Delhi . . . Amritsar sadly has left the itinerary. Mostly because we were unable to get the special 10 rupee standby fare - needs a 10 day advance booking, and S didn't know that until he found it out today when we went to book. Oh well, no worries, I'll catch it next trip.
So, we'll leave for Delhi today, on the train. 16 hours, in an AC sleeper car. It'll be great - I like the train, you can walk around, and don't feel as squeezed as in a bus, or confined as in a plane. Not upset that there's now 4-5 days to explore Delhi - since I'm all culture shocked and stuff, I should be able to handle the chaos of Delhi nicely. Plus, it seems there are some swank, Chicago-style eateries, it'll be a nice return to civilization.
S and I are understandably getting a little morose about being separated in several days when I leave. It won't be so bad though, it looks like his visa will go through with no problems, and he'll be in the US quite soon - for sure in time for my cousin's photo show in Milwaukee. S got an invite from the Haggerty Museum, since he was such a huge part of WxW's photography. It's just been so much FUN running around with Sreenu the Amusing - he's patient and just simply handles everything with a smile and that distinctive Indian wag of the head (which I've been practicing, to S's amusement). There's been virtually no bad experiences on this trip - little annoyances to be sure, but nothing major. There's been mosquito bites, and me stumbling around on uneven curbs or whining about the heat, but no theft, major injury or anything of that nature to report. Bliss! And crazy jungle beer drinking, street food eating (S is as much of a fearless aficinado of the street delicacies as I am). I've definitely broadened my Indian food horizons.