So what did I think of Delhi?

in one word...chaos. two words? chaotic and stressful. I wonder how people manage. hotel prices are ridiculously expensive. more than 10,000 rupees for a mediocre place. In the end I opted to stay at Zimpy's and Nidhi's place. (more time for us to catch up).
Im already worrying about having to go back there in September. the airport wasnt a good experience either. long queues just to get inside...then go through X-ray (another story there.....they had 2 guys sitting on either side of the X-ray machine whose job was to get the security tag wrapped around bags...but it was a third guy's job to get the bags on to the tag machine. so while this one guy is suppose to be working lifting the bags...the other 2 just sat there and pressed some button to get the tags tied around the bag. what a total waste of resource and time!!! anyhow the bags had piled up...and the guy picks up the ones that come through later, while mine is sitting there waiting still. got to the point where i got annoyed and got up on the conveyor belt myself and lifted the bag for one of the man sitting on the side so that he could push that button! they all must have looked at me and thought this woman can not be a woman.....but rather an alien!!
more example of how women are expected to take a quieter submissive role I suppose? my story doesnt end here......so Im waiting in (YET ANOTHER) line....to get through immigration. suddenly just as I get to front of line a guy pops up out of no where and is suddenly at the open space between me and the counter. before I had a chance to say anything one of the guys that works there directed this guy who cut the queue to approach the counter....so I begin to question it...and the staff simply tries to appease me by waving me to the next counter that just became available. sounds trivial perhaps...but how can they provide service in an orderly manner if they encourage people to cut queues like that? how annoying!!! my consoolation? that guy was hovering at the counter while officer was still serving another traveller, so officer sent him to wait at the back of the line :P

India, New Delhi.......16 years later...almost to the date

so here I am ...kinda suddenly in India at relatively short notice. some work related meetings....not seen all that much of the place yet...but so far doesnt seem much has changed.....crowded roads, with cars honking constantly every 10 seconds!! one obvious glaring fact seems to be that the divide between the haves and the havenots seem to have increased. and dont even talk about hotel prices in Delhi....something like 200US$ for a run down 3 star hotel that claims to be a 5star.

I decided to stay at a friend's house instead. This seems to be the highlight of my trip....seeing my high school friends after all these years. Zimpy, Nidhi Gupta and Reena Thapar and I met up yesterday, chatting, catching up etc. We were up til past 3am this morning!! talking about all sorts of silly things we did back in school :p