26. Shattering Comfort Zones

Shattering Comfort Zones: We weren’t even in India for 48 hours before we wandered into the most beautifully jarring cultural experience that Delhi has to offer. Our host Charles had a day off, so he escorted us deep into the labrynth of Old Delhi. Nothing about Western life prepares you for the sensory experience of a place like this. We immediately had the sensation of being swallowed whole by some mythical, storied creature you have only seen in school books, wood carvings or rerun episodes of Globe Trekker.

Sloan: Do you have any idea where this particular alley goes?
Charles: Not really. I do know for sure that it goes on forever.
Sloan: How many times have you been here?
Charles: Oh, a handful.
Sloan: So you’re confident enough to get us hopelessly lost.
Charles: Exactly!

As it turns out, we didn’t get lost, mostly because Charles bargained the hell out of a $1 cycle rickshaw ride to the main spice market on Chandni Chowk. It was there that Amy boldly plowed through a cup of popcorn from a street vendor, only to be rewarded the next day with a bad case of “Delhi Belly.” Abdominal pain aside, Old Delhi has a fast way of getting under your skin – the fevered pace and often pungent street scenes make the rest of the world seem impossibly far away. Still jet-lagged and struggling to comprehend the complexity of India, it’s very difficult to to describe what we were feeling there. Shock and awe? Something like that.

 

  1. Erin says:
    January 9, 2007 at 5:55 pm

    That looks so exciting! Feel free to purchase gifts for me. I LOVE the videos…keep ‘em coming. I almost forgot Amy’s laugh….

  2. Anonymous says:
    January 9, 2007 at 6:07 pm

    Bring us back a slurpee..

  3. The Alien Among Your says:
    January 9, 2007 at 7:32 pm

    Drink it all in! Indigestion notwithstanding! Love, Hikie Mikie.

  4. S says:
    January 10, 2007 at 3:47 am

    You’re going to have to get your own Slurpee, oh anonymous stranger, that’s purely an American culinary delight. We could send back a fantastic lassi though – Erin’s getting one, I hope it keeps.

  5. rja72 says:
    January 10, 2007 at 9:12 am

    As Mikey would say, “thats good stuff”.

    You worked that guy over. Don’t worry though he’ll be working your old job in a year ot two :O

    Glad your safe, have fun….

    ron