Uppal's Orchid Hotel

Hotel Room

Restaurant Area

Gardens

June 16 - The Best Day of the Year (Tom's Birthday)

Monsoon-like Rain

It poured so for the first hour we just drove around and finally ended up at the Ashok Hotel (government run) for coffee. The problem with rain is that the storm drains clogged and then the roads flood which means six "lanes" of traffic are reduced to about two. Keep in mind you also have to add to the equation rickshaw drivers, camel pulled carts, tractors, mopeds.....you would be yelling your head off. The horn here is the most important part of the vehicle.

Humayun's Tomb

Craft Museum

This museum is a combination indoor/outdoor museum. The indoor part is a bunch of rooms based on different themes like textiles, cultic figures, wood carvings, and metal work. Inside the textile area was a demonstration area.

The outdoor area had villages representing different regions and crafts in India. There was also a bazaar to buy goods from the different regions. Some of the goods were authentic but most looked "cheesy." The museum also had its own shop that was quite cluttered and interesting because the figures we saw in the museum were copied in this shop.

Lotus Temple

Birthday Dinner at "Chef and I"

For dinner we ate at The Chef and I. I had told the wait staff that it was Tom's birthday so they had prepared a "small" chocolate cake for him. They sang happy birthday. Tom requested the lady sing some Nora Jones. She had pre-recorded music on an electronic keyboard and was actually pretty good. Upstairs in the lobby, however, they were playing an out-of-tune piano and a flat violin. Have you ever heard the song "We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun?" Probably not. It was not good.

June 15

Went malling in India. First to the DLF Mega Mall. It was lots of small stores.

Then we went to the Metropolitan Mall. We had dinner at Chor Bizarre. It is an Indian restaurant chain started in London and then the owner moved back to New Delhi. "Chor" means "thieves" so the theme of the restaurant is a thief's market. None of the furnishings, plates, and silver match as if they were stolen. The food is Indian eclectic as well so a very interesting variety.

For appetizers, a small hollow piece of dough is poked with the finger. It is filled with garbonzo beans and diced cooked potatoes. Then a thin soup is ladled into the hole and the entire thing is popped into the mouth. Very tasty.

This is followed with soup and then main courses from Afghanistan, North India, South India, and Persia.

Susan - June 13

Today I went shopping at Sahara Mall by myself. There were mostly men at the mall and LOTS of them. I was the lone white woman. I was bumped from front, back, and both elbows. Could have been the crowd but I think it was because I was a lone white woman. In the stores, the sales clerk(s) stood right at your shoulder and I stepped on one lady's toes about five times. Get OUT of my way! I know they think they are being helpful, but it was very annoying. I wonder what they do if you want to try something on?

http://www.gurgaonshoppingmalls.com/sahara-mall-gurgaon.php

I went to a small jewelry store where it was not crowded and tried on about every necklace in the joint. I also had coffee. Yum. Hotel coffee is very bad unless you can gag it down black.

It is truly a sight to see - people sleeping on the sidewalk, living under bridges, any place where there is some shade. Right as I was stepping out of the mall onto the sidewalk (which is mostly a dirt path) a man walks by with four donkies. Cows are everywhere, too. 15 million people live in Delhi. Mostly I see men and boys but some women.

Susan - June 12

Today was not quite so hot. The temp tonight was pleasant without sweating just by standing.

For breakfast I tried the hot tea which tasted like artichoke water. Truly gross and hard to swallow. The coffee isn't much better.

I miss orderly traffic flow. However, it is amazing there aren't more accidents. Once I was scared but our driver is excellent.

We saw parrots at Qutb Minar. Such a bright green.

Did we mention that sales people here are really pushy? You can say no a thousand times and they keep on trying. Guess they thought we had money to spend on rugs. Not!

Tom said at work they keep it very cold and the curtains are always closed. He didn't think he would need to bring long sleeved shirts. I know where he can go to buy them!

Tonight Tom and I went to an authentic Chinese restaurant for dinner. I couldn't stomach any more curry.

Tomorrow I am venturing out on my own to a shopping mall. Well, the driver will drive me but I will be alone. I am on the hunt for a good cup of java. That would make my day!

Susan - June 11

Delhi has been interesting so far to say the least. On Saturday, when traveling through different towns to Agra, our driver had to stop and pay a toll. At one stop, he actually had to go somewhere and pay a tax.

People were everywhere and this boy stops at the car. He has a monkey on a leash and of course I laughed. Before we knew it, the monkey had jumped onto the outside door on Tom's side and was just sitting there. I took a picture and the boy wouldn't go away. He said that monkeys were immortal and since I took a picture I owed him money. Sonia, Tom's co-worker, said something to him and I am glad the doors were locked.

At the last monument (Akbar's Tomb in Sikandra) we visited on the trip to Agra, I fed a monkey from my hand. He was too cute. Tom wasn't interested, however.

Toilets - as a woman, have you ever tried to pee standing up? Without getting your feet wet? It is a chore, to say the least. I was wondering what the faucet at floor level was for!

Speaking of water - when we left the Taj Mahal, we stopped for water. "Safe and pure drinking wate" but ONLY if you are a resident. We had to buy bottled water. I just pray that when we do have water, the seal is not broken. NEVER buy from a street vendor anything. Poverty is everywhere. People living under a blue tarp right on the street along with cows, trash piles, filth. I was glad I couldn't smell outside. Little kids were playing in puddles beside cows. I guess if that is all you have........but still, it bothers me. Maybe it is the number of people. We don't have a house but we have a cow! Monkeys are roaming the streets and we also saw an elephant. Amazing.

Driving - glad Tom doesn't have to. He would have had to stop and perform CPR on me. Sure, there are lanes. Lane driving is safe driving. Okay, let's have six lanes of traffic where there are only two lanes. The driver yesterday was a fan of speed and the horn. Today's driver was slow and didn't blow the horn at all. However, I didn't see cell phone talking while driving. I wonder why!

So far, the food has been good. No fresh fruit or veggies, though. I tried coffee three times this morning. The first cup was too sweet because Tom went down for me. When the cream was added to the second cup, it looked curdled. The waiter said there must be something wrong with the cream. Ya think? The third cup was not much better. I think they heated the cream and then it wouldn't stir into the coffee at all! I didn't want any anyway!!!!

I won't even mention the heat index of 128 degrees. One lesson we learned today was to make sure the battery for the digital camera was charged so we didn't take any photos today except of the Freedom Fighters monument.

We toured the National Museum today and on the way back to the hotel, the driver said he would like to show us one more stop. We pulled up in front of an Emporium. Upon entering, Mona was our assigned saleslady. She showed us everything and followed us every step. When asked if we wanted something to drink, I said Coke. Well, the Coke was hot so we had water. I tried on a beautiful bracelet but it was out of our range. Mona had showed us silk carpets to which we said no SEVERAL times. On the way back to pay, Mona said one more time, let me show you some more rugs. I should have let her get them ALL out and THEN said no. Lesson learned - when you are supplied with a tour driver, you will always stop at a retail outlet. I suppose they need the business and it is safe and clean.

Not sure what I will do this week while Tom is working. The health club is nice and the pool is just amazing. You can swim to the bar and sit on a stool in the water and have a drink. This of course only after the staff has washed all the pigeon poop off that landed overnight. Pigeons are very numerous here. Forget about malaria you will probably pick up some disease from all the birds. I haven't been stared at that much but when I am, I just smile and then they turn away. At least I am not blonde. Love you and will write more when something interesting happens.

Tom - June 9

After 5 hours of sleep, we began our first day in India. My co-worker Sonia and her new husband Guarav met us at the hotel at 6:00 am for a trip to the Taj Mahal in Agra, a short 250 km (155 miles). The temperature had cooled off to 93 degrees F. The traffic was heavy and it took 4 hours. It has been said that the worst drivers are in India. After riding in a taxi for 8 hours, the best drivers are in India. Our driver was quick, efficient, and avoided all accidents and hazards on the way.


What did we see?

• People walking along the highway
• Camels, cows, water buffalos, dogs, elephants, monkeys, horses, donkies, sheep, goats
• Human powered and gas powered rickshaws
• Trucks, buses, tractors
• Men peeing along the highway, children in bathtubs
• Piles of dirt, bricks, trash

There was so much I was overwhelmed and felt like I was watching a movie.

We stopped for breakfast and had traditional Indian food of rice cakes, coffee, plain doughnuts with different kinds of curry.

We finally arrived at the Taj Mahal .

I like how my head is positioned to make it look really BIG.

It was HOT.

After Taj Mahal, we stopped at the Architectural Institute for a lesson on how the marble was inlaid with semi-precious stones and more importantly to cool off.

We then went to the Agra Red Fort.

After lunch of naan (like thin pita bread) and a variety of indian curries, we headed home with one more stop at Sikandra to Akbar's Mausoleum. Akbar was one of the last mughal emperors.

Tom - June 7-8

The air travel to India was uneventful. No exciting stories, no near mishaps, no tension.


We left Greenville on time and arrived in Chicago ahead of time. The winds were quite stiff so the regional jet bounced up and down. The anticipated severe weather in Chicago did not materialise.


We spent a few hours in the American Airlines Admiral's Club Lounge, not as nice as Delta. Since we are flying business class, day membership was free. We checked in on the main floor and rode an elevator to the third level overlooking the airport. Drinks and food were not complimentary and at airport prices. There was a general din to the whole area. The "no cell phone" room had space for 20 and was full when we arrived. It was also next to the main entrance so there was a lot of elevator and foot traffic noise. The quiet room did not have any doors. I found a quiet area to do a little work which was quickly invaded by a group of men talking in Russian. One started on his cell phone and seemed to think that yelling was going to improve the connection.


We retired back to the terminal and waited 2 more hours at the gate, generally watching people watching other people. We boarded the plane on time.

Because of the winds, Chicago had an "unusual" runway configuration delaying the take-off by 45 minutes. Regardless, we arrived in New Delhi ahead of schedule.

On the flight, we were served dinner (lamb medallions), breakfast (cream cheese and chive omelet), and lunch (pizza). Duirng the 13 1/2 hours, we slept, watched movies, read, and watched the landscape unroll underneath us.

Aravind, my counterpart in the New Delhi office, met us in the terminal and escorted us to the hotel. If I was driving, I never would have made it. The traffic was unbelievable. The main road was blockaded for a police inspection. The main road was under construction and detours not marked. The hotel is not any where near the location marked on their website.

http://www.uppalsorchidhotel.com/hotels_delhi/location_map.htm

The heat at 9:00 pm felt like a hair dryer blowing against your whole body.

Planning the Trip

After so many years at my company, I have the opportunity to travel to Delhi, India. My wife is travelling with me and we are planning to spend a few extra days at each end of the trip to sight see.

Being an engineer, the first activity was to survey the internet. I settled on Eyewitness Travel Guides "Delhi, Agra & Jaipur" as a planning tool because of the success I had with it when travelling to Holland.

One lesson learned for me, if going to India on business, you need a Letter of Invitation from a company in India. I had mistakenly assumed that since my company was multi-national, a letter from a US office would suffice.

We are going during the hottest time of year in India (day time highs 105 to 115 degrees F) so we have been updating our wardrobes with light-weight and -colored cottons. I am trying the sta-dry golf shirts. We also have bought deet for mosquitoes and anti-malaria pills for chemo-prophylaxis (that's quite a word) plus the anti-diarrhea pills, aspirin, sun block, anti-itch ointment,