Delhi day one continued...

alright. here we go again.
where did i leave off?
no time to go back and look so i will do my best.

now. before i go into the highlights of my morning i must share a small background note. upon arriving at the home of my host the day before i was privy to a mini tour of her home. including.
the shitpot.
"the what?"
"shitpot, you know, its right in there - i really don't like the traditional indian toilets and i dont know many westerners who like them either so please, if you would feel more comfortable, use the shitpot.'
oh wow.

now. the morning after. a lovely breakfast of more oats and curd and bathing via deliciously hot water and bucket (i've been developing a fondness for bucket baths) and the need to poop made itself known.
finally.
the moment i was waiting for.
"R---, may i please use your shitpot?"
no words could ever encompass the glee i felt in that moment.

seriously.

moving on. attempting to get directions from every single person i have asked here is proving to be a challenge. i get general hand waves, mumbles, and vague circular motions. and thats at best with english speakers.
it seems i must learn hindi as well.
finding the metro stop (even with somewhat useless directions from my host) was a journey but when all fails, grab a rickshaw and tell them where you need to go.
pay close attention.
and the next time it will be easy :)

discovered the wonders of delhi's new metro where, it seems, they scan every single person that wants to use it. meaning, a magtron, a handwand, and a xray belt for parcels, bags, etc.
its also divided between men and women - to keep things proper apparently.
and if it wasnt for the lovely assistance of security woman i would have spent half the morning attempting to figure out just how to get past the gate and up to the platform (press the token to the pad and magically the pathway opens!)

it took a very very long hour from dwarka sector 11 to ranjiv - a central location of the city. but i had ever so fascinating thoughts to occupy my mind.
1) belly exposure
and
2) smoky skies

lets start with the sky.
i had been informed by my host of some massive fire that took places some days ago and could possibly have contributed to the smoke scent that assaulted me when getting off the plane. however. when you have an entire hour to stare at the delhi skyline and hence the delhi sky, i couldnt help but think that whatever fire this was it must have burnt an entire city down. endless haze. anywhere you look.
pollution/smog/smoke - whatever.
if you dont think too hard about it its a never ending sunrise. that blur of early morning.
a pause button to make the day a little more beautiful.
that is - until the sun nears it peak and you wonder what the hell you're breathing.

bellies.
now. there are certainly some american women who have no qualms about their protruding bellies (and not of the pregnant kind) and wander about fully exposed. im not discussing them.
what i was so enchanted by was a woman who shared metro space with me, for nearly the entire hour, squished against the windows we were - in saree garb (and looked lovely mind you) but with a belly. an attractive tall woman with a curvy figure.
and an exposed belly.
that most women in the united states would rather die an excruciating death than expose.
i found it interesting.
and she was the first of many.
(some not so attractive, with perhaps a little curve shall we say)
could you imagine?
i think we ought to start a movement.
some saree therapy program.
where women are allowed to love themselves and feel at home in their folds.
'this is all me! in a saree! and im lovely!'
what do you think?

fast forward.
though in summary - upon landing.
the next couple hours included being approached by 4 different men, all attempting to either chat me up and/or lead me to some shady tourist office. getting lost in the absolute chaos that is delhi and attempting to make sense of more questionable direction giving by my beloved host country. the 2 most enlightening moment being -

shady tourist man number 1.
when presenting me with the price of a ticket to dharamshala i respond with my standard:
"thank you for the information, i will think about it."
but he, by far, has given me the best damned response ive ever heard.
"think? why think? thinking is bad for you! you're on vacation, you dont need to think!"

so thats what ive been doing wrong all these years?

boy number 3. the chat me up boy.
he was chattering away when i stopped suddenly to buy a sprite.
20 rupees im told. thats less than fifty cents - no big deal.
im sipping away and he looks edgy.
'you know, if i bought that, it would only be 10 rupees.'
'oh?'
'yes. youre a tourist, thats why they charge you more.'
i could only laugh.