Arriving in India

11/17/07

We arrived to Praveen’s parents’ house yesterday after what was the longest trip of my life. We left SFO at 12am on Thursday and flew 13 hours to Hong Kong. We had a 3 hour layover in Hong Kong then flew four hours to Singapore. We then had a 9 hour layover in Singapore then flew 4 hours to Chennai where we had a 8 hour layover then finally flew an hour to Praveen’s home town. Phew! We booked the trip originally this way so we could spend a week in Thailand but due to some work obligations we had to cut that trip out of our itinerary.

I have to say if you are going to be stuck for nine hours in an airport Singapore is the one to be in. There is a hotel within the airport where you can rent rooms by the hour! Wow, how exciting! That was my first time ever renting a room by the hour, though Praveen tells me he has done it on many occasions :/ . The room was great. We took a shower, worked out in the gym, went to the pool, took another shower, got a pedicure and ate some nasty food. A good restaurant is all the airport lacks. When we arrived in India the adventure began. A few of Praveen’s very devoted friends showed up to pick us up at 12.30 am and take us to a hotel. When we arrived at the hotel I noticed my carry on bag was missing. I always pack only the most important stuff in my carry on so that it is ALWAYS with me and I don’t have to worry about someone riffling through it and stealing something. I had packed my laptop, Sandhya’s wedding gift (a set of pearls), recently purchased cosmetics (because I forgot my makeup bag), both our cameras and other random stuff. Oh, also some very expensive face cream that I had been sparingly using because of the price (A lady who gave me a facial in SF had guilted me into buying it. It has ‘breast milk’ among other things and it is supposed to make me beautiful and reduce all signs of aging. Anyway, we knew the bag was on the cart, which was loaded by a driver sent by the hotel, for some reason he never loaded that bag. Praveen’s friends, who are very sweet and protective, proceeded to take me on a high speed chase back to the airport to find my bag, which I was sure I had lost. I was fighting back tears, trying to focus on the positive and not focus on what it would be like to be laid up in an Indian hospital should we crash into one of the thousand motorbikes, oxen or other cars coming directly towards us. For those of you who aren’t aware, there are no rules when it comes to driving in India. It’s crazy to say the least.

When we arrived back at the airport we paced the parking lot and did not find the bag. One of Praveen’s friends proceeded to ask a police officer about the bag. I had written it off and at this point and finally broke down in tears. I was trying to figure out how in the world I was going to live with out my laptop for two weeks. I had all these plans that included my laptop and with out it I thought I’d surely die. I began negotiating in my head, trying to figure out what could and couldn’t be replaced. Everything except the cosmetics and the laptop could be replaced in India. Even the laptop could though probably not with one that I’d want or with the programs I need to work while here.

The cop said they had found the bag and taken it to security in the airport. I don’t think I am an expert on the third world by any means, but I have been around enough to know that even with this news I wasn’t necessary going to see my bag and if
I did see it I wasn’t sure that anything would be inside. Actually had I left it in SFO or STL international I wouldn’t expect it to be there either, but it would be different. We proceed to the place where we thought the cop was directing us, luckily it was not the place he intended we go, because luck had turned. We ended up in the office of an angelic airport manager, who was a very feisty woman, who wanted to help. After a recent trip to Mexico where we were ushered from one place to another looking for bags I was still not hopeful, but I knew enough to know that this woman was a rarity. After several phone calls to the police who were looking for a bribe to bring back the bag, they brought it to her were I inspected it. I would have happily paid them what they wanted, but the airport manager was determined to get it without the BS. The only item missing was a bag of my liquid cosmetics, face lotion and some random shampoos, deodorants, ect. I am sure it got tossed aside by accident while they were looking for what they could use for a bribe. I was Elated! Finally we returned to the hotel at 2am for a few drinks before getting 3 hours of shut eye.

The really ironic thing is that this is the same bag that I had left at home by accident. When we got to SFO, we realized we didn’t have it so we actually drove back home to get it. AHHHH! From now on I am committed to being the only one responsible for my carry on and counting all bags loaded in any car.

Anyway, since arriving at Praveen’s parents we have been relaxing and getting ready for the wedding which is a few days away. I was very pleased to find that a Sari left over from my wedding (that I never wore) and several items borrowed from an Indian friend in the US were approved for wearing at various events, so that I don’t have to buy anything! Since shopping is such an exhausting event, this makes me very happy.

Praveen and his sister have quickly reverted back to their brother and sister games. He woke form a nap yesterday to find post-its all over his face. They are really cute together.

Praveen’s parents were nice enough to install a shower for me. Showering out of a bucket my last trip was a first for me, but not one I particularly minded. As long as I can take a shower, I am good. Anyway, no more buckets. The shower has jets that shoot in every direction, although since the bathrooms here are wet, therefore open, I don’t think I’ll be using the jets. Also the water is not warm and is in short supply so I basically use it very similarly to how I’d used the bucket. I drench myself, do what I got to do and get out of there. I totally understand why all the Indian women I know are into waxing. I am a daily shaver. When you are soaping up with cold water and your legs have goose bumps on them, it makes for a pretty rough shave.

It’s good to have home cooked food though praveen is very disappointed that there is again a hired cook doing the cooking rather than his mother who is busy preparing for the wedding and catching up with guests.