Japan Day 1 - Arrival

I am in Japan!

My day started early, 6 am. The 2 hour drive to the airport went well and check in at Calgary's new International Terminal was the easiest, quickest ever. I was surprised when many of the staff I encountered said, "Tokyo?" to me. But then I saw it was the only international flight leaving for hours, haha!

The terminal is big and bright with a few shops and places to eat, none of which I needed. I had an aisle seat with one seat-mate, a polite young man (maybe Siek?) on his way to India. I was quite tired and dozed off easily.

Due to turbulence, first meal came about 2 hours into the flight. I chose 'western' food thinking I would get enough Japanese food in the days to come. Although I had brought plenty of reading material, I decided to try and sleep and was able to grab a few more winks. Then I watched "Eddie the Eagle", a movie I had been wanting to see. It was a perfect choice, a feel-good, humorous flick based on a true story.

Tokyo time is 16 hours ahead of home so I wasn't sure if we were going to get breakfast or what. But we were served another hot supper type of entree. The 11 hour flight, which I had been dreading, passed surprisingly quite well.

The Narita Airport, which is 60 km from Tokyo, was quite cloudy with a light rain. The walk to customs & immigration was a very long one and I made use of the many 'moving sidewalks'. It went well though, unlike arriving at the Delhi Airport. You get your index fingers printed and they take a photo of you. I am always overjoyed when I see my luggage on the carousel. You just never know!

I had decided to take the Airport Limousine Bus into the city in order to avoid changing trains with my luggage at a busy station in rush hour traffic.  I thought it would be a nice way to see the sights. For quite a bit of the drive we were on a freeway with high fences so I saw very little.

I am surprised to find out they drive on the other side of the road than we do. And of course all the road signs are in Japanese kanji. Closer to the city, I began to see lots of very tall buildings and we have crossed over water several times. I was looking forward to taking photos from the bus windows but it got dark by 4:30 pm! Yuck! Same as home.

I got a talk/text/data plan for my phone and tried to book a morning tour for tomorrow but I am too late. Darn! I thought I'd have plenty of time. Oh well, I'll have to figure it out for myself I guess.

The traffic was pretty slow towards our final destination, but all in all, it didn't take as long as I thought it would. The bus dropped me off at a different hotel about 10 minutes walk from mine. I had a map and thought I knew which direction I was going. I didn't. I knew it was by a McDonald's so when I spied one I thought 'what the heck!' So my first meal in this country ended up being a Big Mac. Oh well, there was free wifi too and I got my bearings.

I'm glad I got a data plan before I left as I needed to use Google Maps for  turn by turn directions. My hotel, Shibuya Tokyu REI, is beside a big camera store so that is a good landmark.

The room is small but the bed is big and apparently I don't have to share with anyone despite not paying the single supplement for this tour. Huzzah! I thought there was no window in the room but then later I realized the decorative wooden panel is a sliding window covering. The bathroom is about the size of a trailer bathroom and I needn't have worried about whether to pack shampoo etc. (I didn't.) There are lots of soaps and shampoos as well as a toothbrush, razor, brush, slippers, etc. Oh, and even my own Japanese type of dressing gown.

Since it was only 7 PM Japan time (which translates to 3 AM Hometime) I decided to go outside and see what was in the neighbourhood. I can't begin to explain everything I saw in the hour I was gone. There are hundreds of people on the street. The traffic is busy and there is loud raucous music coming from businesses, even from speakers on streetlights. There are many places to eat and shop. Most of the shops though, are places I have no interest in: electronics, eye wear, furniture. I did go into a 'family mart'. Although the store is small, they sell ready-made single portions of food, pop, liquor, junk food, face masks (you see many people wearing these on the street), and items such as stationery, men's packaged dress shirts and many other items too weird to remember.

I came through the famous Shibuya Crossing. When the walk light turns green all the pedestrians cross every which way. My guide book said it is the worlds largest pedestrian crossing with up to 2000 people crossing at a time.

It was all just too much to take in and I was back within an hour. It is almost 9 PM here which translates to 5 AM back home. I'm kind of glad now that I don't have to get up early to take that morning tour I was thinking of. I'll figure things out tomorrow after a good sleep.

India Day 16 - Delhi

At long last I am at the New Delhi Airport. It is 9 pm and I am exhausted, however my flight doesn't leave for another 6 and 1/2 hours. I have found a relatively quiet place and have been playing some games on my iPad to unwind.

This morning I checked out of the Hotel Tavisha at 9 am and went outside to wait for the driver that my guide had arranged for the day. There was a young man with a rather large vehicle there and he asked if I wanted to sightsee. I thought he was there on speculation waiting for some tourists to hire him. It turned out that he was my driver, at least for a part of the day.

It was my understanding that I was going to the Red Fort first but he took me to the National Museum of India and said to go in. Unfortunately it wasn't open until 10 am. He was waiting to change drivers. When the second driver came I told him I wanted to go to the Red Fort first but he figured I should wait. I didn't want to aggravate the guy I was spending the day with and trusting my luggage with.

So I waited and practiced 'patience'. At 10 am I went in and began to explore. The museum pieces were well labelled in both Hindi as well as English. There was a lot to take in and I wandered slowly through the galleries that interested me and quickly through the others.

There was a large group of Buddhists at the museum and they were most interested in the Buddhists artifacts. At one point I heard, but didn't see, the large group singing from another room which was rather interesting.

We went to the Red Fort next. I was a bit apprehensive each time he dropped me off as I wasn't sure exactly where I would find him. I had visions of a missing vehicle or perhaps me not understanding and wandering around panicking. Luckily he was watching for me and we connected every time.

It was a long way to the Red Fort as the driver had to stay in the parking area. I enjoyed photographing the outside walls on my way to the gate and after seeing the inside, I realized the outside was the most impressive. Like Egypt, Indians pay but a small portion of the ticket price non-natives are charged. The up side of that is that the 'foreigner' line-up is shorter.

Upon entering the complex, I saw many tourist/souvenir shops in the tunnel leading to the main Fort. I was shocked at the commercialism until I read that that part has traditionally been a market for many years.

 The Fort is not as impressive as the Red Fort in Agra but still, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site so I put it on my 'list'.  I'm sure I would have benefited from a guide but I was quite content to meander again. It's kind of nice going where I want on my own schedule.

The admission for the museum and Fort amounted to more than I thought it would and I wanted a 'cushion' so I asked if the driver could take me to a money exchange place. It was near Old Delhi (I think) and the area was packed. I had to cross the street all by myself and managed by sticking close beside a local.

The money exchange place was up a dingy stairway and I prayed that I would stay safe. The clerk happened to be a nice young woman and I felt safe indeed. She not only needed to see my passport but to take photocopy of it. I planned it well and later on ended up with very few rupees left after my expenses.

I was getting hungry by then and asked the driver to take me for something to eat. "MacDonald’s maybe?", I asked. I thought that would be a safe enough bet, but he told me he knew of a good restaurant so I trusted him. His choice was excellent! It was a very busy place called the Hot Chimney and it had tourists and Indians alike. Prices were great and the food was too. I figured it would be my last Indian food for the trip.

My next stop was the Lodi Gardens about which I had read good reviews. It turned out to be my favourite stop of the day! I thought it would be just some nice gardens but it was so much more. There were tombs in old buildings there, a mosque, beautiful palms and bamboo trees, my fave! The park was filled with people picnicking and kids playing games.

As I walked up to a monument, a young girl asked if I would take a photo of her group. There were about 15 people seated on a grassy hill. Her camera wasn't set right and she kept having to adjust the settings while her friends razed her.

This young man patiently posed for me

There were many birds calling, the sun was shining, and there was a nice breeze. What a welcome respite from the chaos of Delhi! The next place I wanted to go was to see the Lotus Temple run by the Baha’i church. The lineup to get in was hundreds and hundreds of people long so I took photos over the fence. 

Because I didn't really stop there the driver offered to take me to Dilli Haat, a shopping mall. I was reluctant but it was on the way. It turned up to be one huge store on 3 floors. I tried on tops because I absolutely love the orange cotton one I bought. Most of them fit weird but I found a comfy brown one I liked.

I had scheduled a Bollywood dance class from 5 - 7 pm and the driver had a bit of difficulty locating it. Finally we got there a bit late. I had requested a costume so I changed into one with the help of a young lady. She also put a marigold wreath around my neck and a red dot on my forehead. My instructor was a guy, probably in his 20's, wearing jeans, a leather jacket, a toque and workbooks, definitely not what I was expecting. I was the only one in the class and it felt a little strange at first. He showed me the moves and we practiced together then he called the owner in and recorded video. I needed cues because there was a lot to remember. I like how my skirt swirled and jingled. I hope the photos turn out ok.

At 7pm the driver wasn't there but came within 5 minutes after the owner phoned the number on the business card. The ride to airport was a typical Delhi experience. I closed my eyes and frequently swore softly under my breath, praying once again that I would make it in one piece.

I did but the security guards wouldn't let me in because I had arrived too early. Instead I was directed to a tiny lounge area but discovered I could 'escape' to the arrivals floor. Also they kept questioning the flight info page I had printed out at home for myself because it didn't have my name on the paper. Fortunately they accepted my iPhone email. There are signs all over the airport saying, "World's Number One Airport". I beg to differ.

My flight leaves at 3:30 am. I am a walking zombie.

Post Script

The Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt went well and I was lucky to get an aisle seat as well as an empty seat beside me. I managed to get a bit of sleep - it’s so much easier when the plane’s interior is darkened and everyone else is zoned out. They feed you all too well on the plane so I didn’t need a meal when I reached Frankfurt. And I really enjoyed a glass of white wine, my first since that expensive one in Delhi on Day 1.

Compared to the long wait at the New Delhi Airport, my time at the Frankfurt Airport went quickly and I was on my next flight in no time. In order to distract me from my restless leg syndrome I watched ‘The Intern’ with Robert De Niro. It was a bit sappy but a pleasant enough diversion.

There was one more short flight, a bit of a drive, then home sweet home at last!

India Day 15 - Udaipur & Delhi

It was a 7 am start today for a roof top yoga session!

Only half the group made it up at that time. Our instructor was a man of indeterminate age (he turned out to be 50), and he was very flexible. He had brought mats for everyone but they were more like thin green pieces of artificial grass.

We started slowly with some very simple warm ups: rotating our wrists, ankles, head, etc. I was thinking 'hmmm, I got up early for this?' But then we got into more and more challenging poses. I appreciated his clear, easy-to-follow instructions. Many of the poses I had done before, and the practice of breathing through one nostril at a time was a good reminder to do this at home once in awhile.

There was nothing scheduled for the morning and I considered going for a walk or taking a tuk-tuk somewhere but there was nothing else I really wanted to see. I took my time packing and downloaded a book to read on the way home.

At 12:30 pm we boarded that bus one more time and headed towards the Udaipur Airport. We stopped at a 'sweet shop' along the way. The treats looked fancy and I bought a wrapped up mango something-or-other. It wasn't really all that great.

I wasn't impressed with security at the Udaipur Airport. After putting my belongings in a tray, I set off through security without my boarding pass as there was no sign telling me to keep it on hand. The female security guard searching women passengers wouldn't take me and I couldn't get the other guards to give it to me. One of my group dug it out of my purse for me. Thank you Marie!

The flight was with Air India and it was smooth enough. They could have kept the meal though as it was inedible. Once in Delhi we boarded a bus and took the long hectic journey back to the Hotel Tavisha where we had stayed 2 weeks ago.

Supper was at a nice restaurant with a wide variety of food on the menu. I had a boneless chicken tikka masala curry dish with my usual, and a glass of Kingfisher beer. I never imagined myself learning to enjoy spicy Indian food and beer! It was our last dinner together and we are all going our separate ways after this. Unfortunately, some of the group weren't there due to illness or leaving early. It would have been nice to get one more group photo. I always find parting sad even though we've only known each other for only 15 days. It was an awesome group of people, together with a great guide!!