Hello, everyone! Dennis, here. Since this story is all about my month-long work trip to New Delhi, India, Tracy and I thought it was a great opportunity for me to write my first post.
I hated missing the family photo shoot, especially since it was with my own parents and siblings, but I’m happy Tracy and the boys were able to go and represent us. And as much as I hate seeing my big blown-up bald head on a stick, it seems that everyone else enjoyed it so I can’t argue with that.
Leaving Florida
When we departed in Ft. Lauderdale after Jack’s tournament, it was difficult for me for a few reasons. Ben had just spent a week with me in DC which allowed us a rare opportunity for one-on-one time. Then, the whole family spent four days together, which was great; but we stayed so busy that the time flew by entirely too fast. The worst part was that I knew my India trip was coming up. Don’t get me wrong, I was excited to experience this new culture unlike anything I’ve ever encountered. But at the same time, the thought that I’d be away from Tracy and the boys longer than ever before weighed on me heavily. I decided that the best way to survive it would be to immerse myself fully into the situation, while looking forward to seeing them when I returned.
Flight to New Delhi
The flights were a combination of first class and business class; a first for me. And while I looked forward to the comfort and luxury, what I was even more excited about was the layover at Heathrow Airport in London. The first class lounge offers an English-style breakfast buffet. I’d already decided I’d ditch the vegan diet for this trip since I wouldn’t allow myself to eat any fresh fruits or vegetables that would be washed with the local water. So the best place to start my abandoned veganism would be the English breakfast! The thick, fatty bacon and sausage, mushrooms, fried tomatoes. Not so much the baked beans, but I’ll eat them.
A Guy Could Get Used to This
However, you know what they say about the best-laid plans. On the flight from DC to London, I jumped the gun and ate a steamed pseudo-English breakfast on the plane. I just didn’t feel right after. It wasn’t bad enough to be food poisoning or anything like that, I think it was just entirely too different than my strict vegan diet. I still wasn’t feeling well enough to eat anything in London, not even the real English breakfast. I just hoped they would still be serving it during my layover on the way home.
Despite my troubles with the airline’s version of an English breakfast, I remained cautiously optimistic about eating the food in India. Just in case, I packed enough granola bars and peanut butter crackers to last a while, and the hotel in India supplied me with plenty of bottled water.
India
Even though my hotel (The Leela Ambience Gurugram) was a 5-star resort that included a restaurant, buffet and room service, I lived off my snacks for the first few days while I stayed in my room and tried to acclimate to the nine-and-a-half hour time difference between New Delhi and DC. Another reason I wasn’t too interested in venturing out that first weekend: The heat and humidity. I’ve never been much of a fan of a hot and humid climate. I much preferred my cool hotel room and would have been perfectly happy to retire there each evening, and stay in each weekend, especially since my family wasn’t with me. But I promised Tracy and the boys that I’d do some sightseeing while there, as they were experiencing the trip vicariously through me.
During the week, I spent long, productive days in the office. Once I made it there alive, that is. The traffic was terrifying. I had a driver (thank God, because I hope to never drive in India). The office was only about four kilometers away (or 2.5 miles), but the commute took anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes.
The team I work with in India is a smart, friendly and very educated group. We were able to get a lot accomplished while I was there, but let’s get into the food and sightseeing.
Eating during the week
I ate breakfast at the hotel every day, and we ordered pizza at the office almost daily. The pizza was vegetarian (“veg” to the locals, as the food is categorized as “veg” or “non-veg”), and included a hint of masala (the traditional blend of spices used in Indian food). Towards the end of the first week, the department held a big Northern Indian feast. I couldn’t tell you what anything was called, but I realized it didn’t have the overpowering taste of masala and I enjoyed it! Plus, I felt fine after. It was the first time I felt optimistic about eating the local food. On the days I was able to stay awake for dinner, I opted for the hotel restaurant.
Weekend Sight Seeing
After my first week of work, a co-worker offered to take me to his Sikh Temple, Sri Bangla Sahib Gurdwara. While there, I had to cover my head, wash my hands and feet and enter the temple barefoot. Volunteers prepare enough food daily to feed thousands of community members and visitors, where, regardless of religion or caste, they all eat together seated on the floor (the practice of “languar”). Still leery from whatever hit me on the flight over, I didn’t partake. However, I did try the ceremonial paste on the way out, which tasted like thick Cream of Wheat fried in ghee. It wasn’t bad, but the American in me wondered if it would come back to haunt me later.
Since photography is allowed inside the temple, I left with photos of the beautiful sikh architecture of onion domes, multi-foil arches, intricate inlays, and an abundance of gold.
The government area was near the temple. We planned to visit the presidential palace but it was too crowded and hard to find parking, even for our experienced driver. I was able to visit India Gate, though, which is India’s World War I memorial monument. They were preparing a parade for a celebration of the federal police force, and we were shuffled through a different door than we came through, causing a longer walk through hoards of people.
Security in India
This seems like a good time to describe security in India. Just like our security in the US underwent a major upgrade after 9/11, India tightened their security after 26 November. In 2008, multiple terrorist attacks claimed 164 lives. Now, all crowded areas (with the exception of places of worship) include metal detectors and pat-downs. This doesn’t just include tourist attractions, but places such as subways, hotels, and shopping malls as well. This took some getting used to, but is part of everyday life for the locals.
The Taj Mahal
The second week, something hit me and continued to get worse. By the weekend, I felt like death. It didn’t seem to be food poisoning, but something more along the lines of flu side effects, which included severe nausea and very little energy. The tiniest amount of energy I did have was spent on not throwing up. The second weekend’s events had already been organized: A couple of co-workers were taking me to see the Taj Mahal. And, apparently, the area around the Taj Mahal has the most amazing markets and street food. As badly as I wanted to cancel, they were so excited to experience this trip through my eyes and stomach. So I decided to power through, even though there was absolutely no way I could eat.
We left the hotel at 6 am, since the drive would be around 238 km. My co-workers took care of everything due to the language barrier between my driver and me. We took a new modern highway (the Taj Express) up to Agra, the town in which the Taj Mahal is located.
We were dropped off about a half a mile away and had to walk past a bunch of tourist trap shops. This is where I saw my first monkey. Since the streets were covered in warning signs about aggressive monkeys, I didn’t take any pictures. I was too afraid they would steal my phone right out of my hand.
My visit to the Taj Mahal is a big blur, since I felt so bad that day. I can tell you it was beautiful, peaceful, and crowded. And that no pictures were allowed inside. But check out this shot!
This is my favorite shot, but you can tell i didn't feel so great
My last weekend in India was by far the best. I felt better than I did on the whole trip. My appetite finally returned. A co-worker took me into Old Delhi, where we toured a mosque, spent time at a huge street market, and ate some local food (not street food, though).
The mosque was called the Jama Masjid, and since my shorts showed too much leg, I had to be fully covered before entering. I didn’t buy anything at the market, it was just too overwhelming for me, especially not knowing the language. But it was exciting enough to just watch.
Purple's my color, don't you think?
We ate at a restaurant called Karims, where I tried some kind of chicken grilled over coals, and mutton stew served with lemons and red onions. My favorite was the freshly-made flat bread and butter naan that reminded me of a warm, buttery pretzel from Auntie Anne’s.
I also saw more monkeys, and heard stories ranging from a baby monkey following a guy home and becoming part of the family, to monkeys stealing glasses off people’s faces and bartering with them for a treat in return.
The day was less crowded than a normal Sunday in Old Delhi. Shops were closing early due to the Muslim holiday Eid ul-Adha which fell on the following day. Despite being less crowded, it was still more people than you’d see in the US. The best comparison I can think of is a holiday at Disney World. (And that’s the less crowded day!)
Final Week
The last week of the work part of my trip was by far the most memorable. It couldn’t have been planned any better. I wasn’t sure we’d be able to accomplish everything, but we did and that was a huge relief. And then the last day in the office was India’s Independence Day celebration, before heading into a 3 day holiday weekend. The department had food and games, a sand art contest, and prizes for the best traditional dress. Everyone (except me) sang national songs in their native tongue. The pride they have for their country was unlike anything I’ve experienced in the United States. I heard them speak proudly about how much their country has progressed and continues to improve, but never a hint of hubris.
It was time to head back to DC, with another layover in London and another chance for the English breakfast. Unfortunately, my London layover was too late in the day for breakfast. But being in the UK, I felt free to any and everything without concern. In fact, I ate my first salad in a month, and while it only consisted of lettuce, tomatoes and dressing, it was fantastic.
I’ll spend a few days in the office, then fly home to Colorado to spend much needed time with my family!
I hope you enjoyed my first write-up. Leave comments or questions below, and subscribe for email notifications of new posts if you haven’t already!
Enjoyed reading about your trip to India very much. Happy that you made it home safe and sound!
Thanks, Carolyn!
I enjoyed reading about your trip.I hope your New experience of visiting India outweighed your being sick while there.Looking forward to reading about all the Fun and New Family Experiences in the Future.
He felt so great that last week that it definitely outweighed the illness. He will likely go back, maybe even before the end of the year. He is racking up miles on these trips so after another trip, I can probably tag along!
Dennis! So happy to read more about your experiences in India and see your great pictures!
The parts about the monkeys really made me laugh. I would be so curious to see such humanoid creatures in such close proximity to crowds of people and roads. I mean we see like pigeons and dogs and stuff all the time but monkeys would be so interesting. Do they have dogs and pigeons there too?
I also found it super heart warming and poignant when you talked about the locals celebrating their Independence Day with hope and humility. That is such a breath of fresh air.
Finally, did you get to keep that purple sarong? These are the real questions. Lol. Cheers!
Thanks, Miranda! I’m responding for Dennis, but he said that yes, there are pigeons and lots of wild dogs. He has some great monkey stories and the kids and I are bummed that he didn’t get any pictures of them.
The sarong was a loaner, but I do have a purple one he can borrow at any time 😉
Let’s be honest Dennis, you’re smile at the Taj Mahal is exactly the same as your smile in the other pictures! 🙂 Great read! Glad you’re home safe!
Ha! That made me laugh, it is so true. But seriously, this was one of the better pics from that day. He looked pretty green in some of them!
Sounds like you had a great time !!!! I think you pull off purple very well !!! 😂 loved seeing the pictures!!!! Thank you for sharing your adventures!!!
I love that you read the post, Laura! That makes me so happy. It sounds like he’ll be returning, so I hope to join him after he racks up some miles!
I loved reading this. They had many beautiful buildings, . ( So much gold in their buildings) . They seem very proud of their country and I can see why. A beautiful country with wonderful people. Thank you, Dennis for sharing your trip with us.