First day in India, New Delhi, 113 degrees (in the shade)

Posted By: Sara Bartlemay

Hello Everyone, Greetings from New Delhi, India! When we landed, it was 10 at night and 113 degrees. Here, the heat is like a heavy snake coiling around you. There is no escape from it. This morning, I had to stand in awe off the white marble balcony and let my senses adjust. There was so much to take in at once: It is so very different here. The streets are tiny and narrow and lined with merchants selling colorful fruits or silk saris. People hurry in all directions going somewhere. Tiny rickshaw ( 3 wheeled) cars zip around as the taxi service. The most important driving tool here is the horn, and they know how to use it! I finally saw a traffic light, but evidently, none of the drivers saw it, for they all just kept driving through in a steady stresm...so when other cars tried to cross lanes of trafic, an incredibly tight traffic jam began- with homeless beggars weaving in the small spaces between vehicles holding out empty palms and staring at us with hollow eyes. The roads are lined with trash, and occationally a cow will wander through, right down the middle of the road with his pelvic bones jutting out under his skin. People stop to feed these cows, tie on colorful beaded necklaces, pet them or pray to them as they mozie through traffic.
Last night, there was a loud bang against the door, followed by the scraping of nails...and then silence. Lauren and her roomate were both terrified, but had to see what was out there. Couldn't sleep with all that adrenaline and raquet outside anyhow. They cracked the door only to peer into the thick darkness. the hall was quiet. someone was breathing loudly. She looked behind the door to see our bell boy, a hotel employee, with his fists clenched tightly around a baseball bat. He looked armed and ready to attack. "No problem!" He exclaimed in broken english, "Noh problem.....eh....monkey."
Well, we are fighing off the heat and doging monkeys here but so far everyone is healthy!