In Delhi

I arrived in Delhi safely. Only a 14 hour flight on AirIndia. I say only because travelling to India in the past could mean being in transit for 28 hours with the stopovers and the connecting flights…A big blur of bad airplane food, occasional movies, and strange airports. The only plus was buying duty-free chocolate along the way. But now travelling to India is simple. 14 hours from NY or Newark to Delhi or Mumbai on flights that run daily…And if you can believe it, my flight actually landed an hour early!

Each time I visit India, Indira Gandhi Int’l airport is cleaner and more orderly. This time were even hand sanitizers in one of the lines…While I appreciate the efficiency and stream-lined orderliness, it’s a little deceptive because Delhi isn’t quite like the airport which becomes apparent once you step outside.

How to describe Delhi street life…Delhi is an huge, huge city. I’m a geek for statistics, so here are some facts. Delhi is the 8th largest metropolis in the world by population. It’s one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Over 20 million people live in this city. It’s India’s capital and home to 160 embassies. It’s also an educational and cultural hub with some of the best universities and performing arts centers in the country. Every year more and more people migrate to Delhi for the financial and educational opportunities. It’s a city that’s rapidly changing with growth in population and the increase in infrastructure.

Anyhow, the first thing I noticed in the car ride from the airport was the Delhi traffic. On any given road, you could have the following combination of elements: cars, of course, cycle rickshaws, auto rickshaws, a vegetable seller stand, a cow that could care less that she is in the middle of the road, motorcycles, and of course pedestrians. It’s taken some adjustment to remember again how to cross the road. Delhi isn’t the most pedestrian-friendly city. But what’s truly amazing to me is that despite all the honking, the noise, the appearance of chaos, every one sort of figures out how to manage in limited space. Above is a picture of a local bazaar that gives you an idea of what I’m talking about…