I arrived in India on May 22, 2013 at 2 a.m.
I felt a little nervous upon arrival at the airport because I was supposed to avail of the visa-on-arrival. I thought I wouldn't have enough dollars or requirements on me, etc. But 40 minutes, 2 filled-up forms and USD $65 later, my passport has been stamped.
Another thing that I felt a bit nervous about was the driver that was supposed to pick me up. I think I may have made him wait for quite a long while already and I had no way to tell if he was still at the airport or if he even arrived there. But nevertheless, I was able to spot him as soon as I exited the customs security check area and eventually make it to my host's house.
Here are the places I went to on my first day and some random things I saw. :)
The hand signs looked elegant. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to read about their meanings.
Marigold! Their version of Hawaii's lei, I guess :)
Hanuman's Tomb. A beautiful resting place fit for an emperor.
Qutab Minar. This structure has puzzled scientists for centuries because the iron used has not rusted even after all these years.
For my first tour day in India, I visited Hanuman's Tomb, Qutab Minar and cruised around downtown Delhi. I couldn't handle the 45-degree heat outside! Standing for just a few seconds under the Indian summer sun felt like my skin was burning and about to fire up. Thank God for Namaste Tours' private air conditioned vehicle and an ice box filled with cold bottles of water.
Other random things :)
All these switches were so confusing!
Intense Mint Tea bought from Norway :)
My host dad painted my nails blue!
The story: We were watching TV with his wife. He brought down a basket of nail polish which I thought his wife would be using. But then a few minutes later, I was surprised to find that he was the one applying the polish on his wife's hands. I asked him about it and he said, "I do everything for my wife." That's pretty damn sweet. :)
I finished an entire Indian spicy plate!
I ran out of shampoo so my host mom gave me this. Haha :)
That's just the first leg of my India trip. Next up are Agra Fort and of course, the world-renowned Taj Mahal!
