Jan left for India on the 8th. After spending time with her family and meeting various friends, she flew to New Delhi on the 14th evening and checked into Thikana, a boutique Bed and Breakfast. B&Bs are a relatively new concept in India. A few years ago India hosted the Commonwealth Games and when it was clear there were not enough quality hotels, the New Delhi government, gave generous breaks for folks to convert their homes into B&Bs in time for the influx of visitors and tourists. Our host was one of the early adopters.
Maa, our younger daughter, and I caught a flight out of Dulles on the 13th. The 3-4 days prior to our departure was packed with action items for me. It turns out I was more vital for the successful operations of the company than I believed I was. Go figure! I helped the team with enough knowledge transfer to tide over the days I would not be in the town.
Our onward flight was uneventful with the first leg half empty. Maa and I stretched out in the 4 middle seats and had a restful flight. At Frankfurt, we had an early experience of India. At the gate, there was almost no semblance of order. This is normal in India but very strange for the folks that coined the phrase "Ordnung muss sein". Passengers were milling around the gate as if they would be left behind unless they were the first to board the plane. I watched this with amusement and waited for the traffic jam to clear. The plane left with us after all! The entertainment on Lufthansa flights leave a lot of to be desired.
In New Delhi, my friends Sandeep and Sanjay came to receive me. Considering it was past midnight, it was really very nice of them. By the time we got our bags and left the airport, it was past 2AM in the morning! I too checked in to Thikana. The rooms were spacious, the bed very comfortable, the bathrooms clean, and our hosts Atul and Sheetal very friendly and hospitable. The B&B itself is located close to a metro station and is within 30 minutes of Connaught Place, New Delhi Railway Station, and the International Airport.
After texting a few people about our safe arrival, we popped 1/2 a tablet of Melatonin and slept soundly for 6 hours and woke up at 9AM fully refreshed. Melatonin was a savior, during this trip as well as on my return back. I did not suffer a single day of jet-lag although I used it no more than 3 nights. At least for me, it reset the biological clock was nicely.
I had two items on my agenda for that day. First item was to meet my father's friends who are in some sense an adopted uncle and aunt of mine, in fact far more closer to me than anyone in my family. Mani Mama, as he is addressed by me, is a very handsome octogenarian, with a strong resemblance to Kishore Kumar. I could write an entire post about mama but not today. Lalitha Mami is a beautiful woman, young at heart and looks, a great grandmother, and a wonderful cook. They were staying with their son Raju and his wife Latha.
We made a late start and reached their house a little past noon. Latha had cooked a delicious and wonderful lunch, the details of which sadly elude recollection.We spent several hours reminiscing about the days I lived in Lucknow with them. Things were going great when Maalini accidentally dropped my phone and shattered the glass cover. I am proud to say, I did not even flinch much less lose my temper.
For the second item on my agenda, we left at around 4PM to go to Janakpuri to meet the parents of my best friend from high school. Although we were very dissimilar in temperament, we were quite close during the senior years at high school. My friend's father was away from home, but his mother and his niece were at home. She made tea for us and served us savories and sweets, enough to feed an army. Oh how I wish I were 15 years of age and tuck into food with verve! It was obvious aunty was very happy to see us. After meeting them, we went back to the B&B to rest and get ready for the journey next day to Rajasthan.
Maa, our younger daughter, and I caught a flight out of Dulles on the 13th. The 3-4 days prior to our departure was packed with action items for me. It turns out I was more vital for the successful operations of the company than I believed I was. Go figure! I helped the team with enough knowledge transfer to tide over the days I would not be in the town.
Our onward flight was uneventful with the first leg half empty. Maa and I stretched out in the 4 middle seats and had a restful flight. At Frankfurt, we had an early experience of India. At the gate, there was almost no semblance of order. This is normal in India but very strange for the folks that coined the phrase "Ordnung muss sein". Passengers were milling around the gate as if they would be left behind unless they were the first to board the plane. I watched this with amusement and waited for the traffic jam to clear. The plane left with us after all! The entertainment on Lufthansa flights leave a lot of to be desired.
In New Delhi, my friends Sandeep and Sanjay came to receive me. Considering it was past midnight, it was really very nice of them. By the time we got our bags and left the airport, it was past 2AM in the morning! I too checked in to Thikana. The rooms were spacious, the bed very comfortable, the bathrooms clean, and our hosts Atul and Sheetal very friendly and hospitable. The B&B itself is located close to a metro station and is within 30 minutes of Connaught Place, New Delhi Railway Station, and the International Airport.
After texting a few people about our safe arrival, we popped 1/2 a tablet of Melatonin and slept soundly for 6 hours and woke up at 9AM fully refreshed. Melatonin was a savior, during this trip as well as on my return back. I did not suffer a single day of jet-lag although I used it no more than 3 nights. At least for me, it reset the biological clock was nicely.
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| Mani Mama and Jannavi |
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| L-R : Maa, Jan, Mami, Mama, Raag |
We made a late start and reached their house a little past noon. Latha had cooked a delicious and wonderful lunch, the details of which sadly elude recollection.We spent several hours reminiscing about the days I lived in Lucknow with them. Things were going great when Maalini accidentally dropped my phone and shattered the glass cover. I am proud to say, I did not even flinch much less lose my temper.
For the second item on my agenda, we left at around 4PM to go to Janakpuri to meet the parents of my best friend from high school. Although we were very dissimilar in temperament, we were quite close during the senior years at high school. My friend's father was away from home, but his mother and his niece were at home. She made tea for us and served us savories and sweets, enough to feed an army. Oh how I wish I were 15 years of age and tuck into food with verve! It was obvious aunty was very happy to see us. After meeting them, we went back to the B&B to rest and get ready for the journey next day to Rajasthan.
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