Feb 2008

Today I went to visit relatives from my mother's side of the family in Nawanshahr (translates to New town). It probably has about the same population as Ipswich. In India people are more gemmed up about family. Who is related to whom, what they do, what the latest gossip is.

I'm greeted warmly and given tea and treats. Not everyone in India is poor, but the average standard of living is modest compared to most places in England. I haven't seen 32 inch TV's in peoples houses, let alone Plasma or LCD TV"s. This does not stop people being hospitable, in fact, quite often people may drop by unannounced and are always welcomed and even treated to lunch or dinner if it happens to be that time of day.

I learn a little bit about my four cousins. Two are of school age, one is studying nursing at university and the other, Lallit, is running a very small scale business: renting out logs of wood (which are used for scaffolding here) and ironing clothes. Makaans (shops or business premises) are quite often one small room, about the size of an average/small living room with a shutter in front of them when which is drawn down when not in use.

Lallit is a local under 60kg arm wrestling champion. At the weekend he wins a competition and a prize of 200 Rupees (about 2.5 pounds) beating competitors from miles around. A fight-off between the weight categories (a little unfair me thinks) ensues. He loses to the champion of the 70-80 kg division. He is a little disappointed as he reckons he could have beaten him had he found the time to train. By losing in this round he misses out on a prize of 1Kg of Almonds - what a pity !

We go for a wonder around the town while my aunt, who has driven me here, chats to my uncle and aunt who we are visiting. We are joined by another (distant) cousin. The roads are dusty as though from an old spaghetti western movie and the sights and sounds are very unfamiliar to me. I see a cow tied up next to a cart and surprisingly exotic looking sparrow/blackbird.

We wonder towards the railway station which I had visited when I was here at 16 years of age (don't remember much from that time). A group of about 8 men sit on the floor playing cards for money. As I take a photo, one of them jumps up and makes a swift exit. It's illegal to gamble, he must have thought I was a reporter. One of his friends laughs at him.

We walk into the station and onto the one platform. Another group of men are playing cards on the track ! I assume that this track is unused, but there must be other places to play ?

We wonder back towards the house. On the way back we pop into a temple. The temple has a courtyard and an enormous 100 foot statue of Hunumaan (a Hindu monkey god).

Having returned to the house and after a while we say our goodbyes. I'm happy to deliver presents before I go. Chocolates from England are always accepted as a real treat. Sweets from India just aren't the same. A business opportunity perhaps.

So I'm in India, but where do I go now ?

Whether its to do with the airport being rebuilt or its the general state of affairs, I'm not sure, but the sign posting at Delhi Airport doesn't seem very clear to me. I manage to find the carousel where my suitcase is supposed to arrive. I have a mild panic attack when I can't find my suitcase.

But it was the most bashed up, unattractive suitcase there. Who would want my suitcase ? Somebody had taken it off the carousel. My rucksack is in the suitcase and I was using the suitcase to carry extra stuff like gifts for family. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found it.

Then it was off to customs and to find out where I would be catching a domestic flight to Amritsar. I manged to pass through customs without being stopped. I hear that they can be a little uncompromising.

I waited in the domestic departure lounge for the bus to take us to the local airport. It seemed to take ages. Finally, the bus arrived. I rolled my very cumbersome suitcase to the coach and once it was in the hold found a seat on the bus.

It took about half an hour to get to the airport and I got off when the guy on the coach mentioned Kingfisher airlines. I had gotten off one stop to early. I asked at the Kingfisher desk window where I should be going and a slightly curt lady told me, I should be at terminal 1B.

How do I get there ? She pointed. Do I walk ?
Yes.
Brilliant. Well, thanks for your time. Just like being back home.

My suitcase was worse than an unwieldy shopping trolley. I started walking towards the general direction. Within a few minutes somebody in a car pulled up and offered to give me a lift. A minute later I was at terminal 1B.

100 Rupees, he insisted.

What ? We've only gone a few hundred yards ! Should have remembered what the guide book said, make sure you know the price first. This was no samaritan. Tired, and at 2a.m. in the morning he had caught me off guard.

My flight was for 5:50am. It didn't happen. Fog meant the flight was cancelled. My aunt was waiting for me in Amritsar having set off at 4:00 am to pick me up. Things were not going to plan.

Finally, at 8:00am we are told that there is no chance of catching a flight to Amritsar and we have to find our own means of transport. Getting my case back seems to take forever - where is the oganisation ?

Luckilly, I made friends with a couple of guys in the same boat. And they are originally from India so are more in touch with how things work in India - or not - as in this case. Thanks to them, we negotiate with a taxi driver to take us to Punjab.

During our 5 hour taxi drive I wonder if we are being driven my an escaped lunatic. He weaves in and out of traffic, constantly sounds the horn and drives on patches of ground which aren't part of the road to overtake. And at a fast a speed as possible. On more than one occasion, he crossed over to drive in the lanes of traffic going in the opposite direction because they had less traffic ! We almost had a head-on crash !

After about 3 hours, we stopped at a Dhaba (like a roadside cafe) called 'Lovely.' I wasn't too impressed at the state of the rag used to clean the tables but the food we ordered was hot so I assumed it was okay to eat. I drank coke. To drink water would have been guaranteed 'Delhi belly.'

Finally, I was dropped off at a bus station in a town near to the town of Banga where I am to stay with my Uncle and Aunt. I said, good bye to my new friends and I got in the waiting car with my aunt.

This is where a slow moving elephant was holding up traffic. Not something I'm use to on a high street. I find my Aunt has been taught by the same diving instructor as the taxi driver. I am relieved to get to Banga in one piece.

In the evening I'm given a nice warm Indian meal and a bed to sleep in. I sleep soundly.

Got no sleep !

It's not a good idea to stay awake before an early morning flight, but that's what happened. Whether it was excitment, trepidation or fear that kept me up I don't know. I washed and changed.

Got a lift to the airport at 5:30am. Everything was, not surprisingly, quiet at Birmingham International airport and check in went smoothly.

As I sat in the departure lounge, I wondered what/who I might/would miss while I was away. Whatever the answer, it's too late to worry about now.

The questions about luggage, itinerary and what to take were all academic now. I would have to make do with what I had in my bags and let the rest take care of itself.

I got to my seat early and wondered if I would be happy with the person I sat next to. It didn't occur to me they might be concerned about the same thing until there was somebody in situ. Her name was Joanne; she was dressed as to be accustomed to sitting in first class, so I thought, and spoke in Italian to some fellow passengers. At first I tried to go to sleep, so as not to do a Mr Bean and embarass myself scatterring a packet of salted peanuts on the floor or something. After a short while, we both seemed to be smiling at the same thing - business class passengers in the same type of seat as us, immediately in front, who were receiving newspapers to read, etc. Was it too late to upgrade ? I asked Joanne.

Time went by very quickly as we began to talk. Formerly an air hostess herself, she now owned her own business and was on route back home to Italy after visiting relatives in England. If everyone I meet on my trip is going to be as amiable and interesting as Joanne then it will have been a really good trip.

The plane landed in Zurich. I made my way across a very modern and spacious looking airport to Gate 8 where my next flight would take me to Delhi in about 50 minutes time.

My 7/8 hour flight to Delhi went smoothly. I slept most of the way. When I got off the plane in Delhi it was around midnight. I looked forward to catching my flight to Amritsar. Delhi airport is in the middle of rebuilding - someting that seems to be quite common in India.

Well, where do I start ?

It's day 5 for me now and I'm afraid you will have to wait a little while longer to hear what I've been up to because I've run out of time in the cybercafe sending emails.

Suffice to say, at the moment:

I'm alive - despite maniacal taxi drivers and unbelievable driving habits of others. Coupled with all sorts of vehicles on the road moving in all directions. On my first day, my car ride was punctated by an elephant in the road walking slowly - I've got pictures to prove it !

I've not had Delhi belly, yet !!!

I've visited the village where my Grandfather comes from and also seen my Uncle's modest home from my mum's home town. I'm finding everyone needs to talk and see me. Conversation is paramount. To not stop and talk is disrespectable.

The weather is cold, like sping in England, but I've only bought warm weather clothing.

Today I got my haircut. It cost me 20 Rupees - about 25p. I may have been ripped off as my dad only paid 10 when he was here.

This is my first visit to a cyber cafe and I'll try and get back to you soon with other stuff that has been going on and fill in the gaps.

Is it a culture shock from living in England ?

No, its 50,000 Volt lightening strike !

For all the little troublesome irritations and idiots you find back home come and see the real world !