Our journey north started with some sad goodbyes to our group members and to Katie Jo. After hugs and some tears we hopped on the bus and were off. We waved longing goodbyes to Manipal, our home for the last four months as we passed by familiar sites on the way to the Mangalore airport. Two flights later and we were in Delhi! and it was all finally all starting to feel real. Alexandra’s mom and her guide Ashok greeted us at the airport and waited patiently as we checked our bags into the airport’s left luggage compartment. We didn't want to be overburdened with all our things from the semester as we traveled across the country for the next week. We signed at the cost; especially since we had just had to pay for the most expensive extra bags I’ve ever paid for at the Mangalore airport, but realized how worth it it would be.
Despite the late hour, the air was still hot, trapped like a blanket over the concrete jungle, and it stuck to our skin and clothes, permeating everything. I could only imagine how the days in the blistering sun and predicted 102-115 degree weather would be. Ashok had a driver take us to CP, an upscale shopping and dining area of Delhi. We found a nice place to eat and enjoyed the most delicious chicken and veg dishes as appetizers over conversation. By the time the food came I wasn’t particularly hungry but managed to eat a solid portion of my meal and by the time we wrapped up, it was passed eleven and we had yet to find and check into our hostel. We would only be there for a few hours now as we planned to leave before 4:30 to catch our train to Agra. The night was restless and hot and we each only managed two to three hours of sleep. Our alarms sounded early in the morning and we were off on our adventures!
Despite the late hour, the air was still hot, trapped like a blanket over the concrete jungle, and it stuck to our skin and clothes, permeating everything. I could only imagine how the days in the blistering sun and predicted 102-115 degree weather would be. Ashok had a driver take us to CP, an upscale shopping and dining area of Delhi. We found a nice place to eat and enjoyed the most delicious chicken and veg dishes as appetizers over conversation. By the time the food came I wasn’t particularly hungry but managed to eat a solid portion of my meal and by the time we wrapped up, it was passed eleven and we had yet to find and check into our hostel. We would only be there for a few hours now as we planned to leave before 4:30 to catch our train to Agra. The night was restless and hot and we each only managed two to three hours of sleep. Our alarms sounded early in the morning and we were off on our adventures!