Lala, popcorn, floating
Door: patricia
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Patricia Christina
19 December 2008 | India, New Delhi
I left Delhi already 4 hours ago. Due to my gut-feeling I managed to get my train just on time. Should not have ignored that feeling 45 minutes longer, cause than I would have missed it. Packed in a full coupe. My current address is: 2612/Mas Garib Rath, coach 12, number 70, 3 high, totally in the back! It’s not difficult to find me, cause I’m the only Dutchie. Just yell ‘Dutchie’ and everybody will pinpoint you the way.
At the same moment another family installs themselves in neighbourhood ‘Welfare December 2008’. Two sisters and their big, real big, brother. A man with those big intriguing eyes, wild beard, with a look, ‘if you touch them, I touch you…’ I peacefully sit and watch the movie which is playing in front of/under, me. My new lovely neighbours are totally enjoying the trip. Their beautiful wobbly-jobbly bodies are dancing on the rhythm of the train. After 1 hour of loudly praying, they turn their seats into a kitchen within no-time. The whole coupe smells to their delicious dishes.
With a loud bang, the door opens and a man comes in shouting ‘Chicken biryani, chicken biryani!’. Gone as quickly as he came. Not long after, the same ritual, but another man, with another line ‘Chai, chai!’
The kid of 3 doors further, can’t behave and is yelling too…Nervous situation here! mmm ever thought of selling earplugs yaar...
Hemant already said to me ‘Are you C R A Z Y!?!’, with the surprise in his voice, only he can have. Some other people asked me politely why I wanted to travel from Delhi to Chennai by train…‘Hey, listen, I want to see the change of the country. It’s the path you walk, which is just as important as your goal’.
However, I’m slightly regretting it already after 4 hours. I’m not feeling well at all. Or, I m suffering from fever, or, I will get it. Everywhere muscle pain, a head which feels like a ticking bomb, shivering and swetting at the same time. Eating Saridon like it is my gaining-weight-diet. For 25 rps (around 50 eurocent) I rent a blanket and a pillow. My new home is decorated. Ready for total surrender to my new adventure.
I reached India just a week ago. And like every trip also this is a 1000 miles trip which started with the first step. Holland is farther behind me than ever. The 5 hours stop in Helsinki was gone in a snatch, due to good company. Safe under the arrows of a tremendous big bird, I was carried to the country I love so deeply. A country in which I feel maybe more comfortable than in my birth country.
Once landed in Delhi I didn’t understand my one and only sleepless night before take off! Now I even don’t understand why I said to mamma and pappa, hanging above my nice steaming cup of tea, ‘for the first time in my life, I’m having severe nerves to go back’. Pappas remark, ‘in case of doubt, you know, you should say no!’, recalls such tremendous resistance. A sign telling me that I just need to continue my journey in life. My journey to India!
Outside Delhi’s airport, I am sitting on my suitcase, waiting 15 minutes for my pick up. Terroristic treat… not once I feel uncomfortable. Not in Delhi, not in Chennai, not everywhere. Again for me the confirmation that the media prefers to sow fear instead of showing the truth. (What is truth actually…does anybody know that?) I love to see how Delhi wakes up. I love to see how they slowly find their way to a new day. Some of them spitting, ever coughing, some of them just relaxing and observing what is happening around them. Just like me!
The feeling of being one of Delhis stuck traffic vein during traffic jam, is totally gone. I m totally at ease. Though, I still feel the enormous Dutch organising pressure and control adrenaline running through my veins. I realise that my enormous will to hold a grip, my mental picture how everything has to be, totally blocks the force of life on my journey today. I will get rid of it soon, cause my job ended and there is no need to continue like that. Gautam you are right, I need to float!!!
Delhi…
I don’t recognise it anymore. It’s not Delhi how I left it 9 years ago. Hardly any cows to find. Hardly any beggers. Only once I had severe difficulties not to throw up. Why? Because I couldn’t see the difference between a real open and wounded hand or a fake one. Again truth and fiction … For sure the pollution has dropped. For sure also here you can find everything for everybody. The power of this city (better said: this country) is tremendous. The West has to wake up, has to change their socio-economic system, cause India is really coming up, faster and stronger!!!!! The suburbs are gigantic. The development is tremendous.
So, I totally enjoy Delhi! The minute I land, I can almost scream it from the top of my lungs. I MISSED IT AND I’M SO HAPPY to be back again. I inhale every single minute, every single detail with great joy and laughter. Looking into a world with sometimes very innocent eyes! ‘Life is beautiful, no matter what happens!’
Almost a week I spent in Delhi. Thanks to Gautam and other people I m introduced into Indian way of living, trading, dealing and interacting! Who is a lalla? Who is popcorn...
Am I ready for this country? According to food: yes. I eat eat and eat, but according to habits… That’s another kind of dish. Network, contracts, family, whom you meet, where you meet, trust, gut feeling and again floating… and suddenly I understand why certain co-operations didn’t work out although we both had the best intentions. I m happy I have some good, patient Indian mentors around me!
Did I feel threatened? NOOOOOOOO NOT AT ONCE!!!! Although…
Talking about adventure. After the Akshardam Temple (really B E A U T I F U L L!) I wanted to see the Jama Masjid. Totally prepared, I wrapped myself in. No skin to see. The deeper we got into the Masjid area, the more busier it became. The deeper we got in, the more introvert my driver became.
OBSERVE TRISH! OBSERVE!!!
‘Sir, please, don’t bother yourself any longer. Let me get out here. I walk those last 600 meters’. I manage easily. That’s what I thought.
After a couple of meters I see myself walking in the local open air slaughter. The last sound of a chicken, sprinkling blood, seeing how the feathers are removed from the skin… I can only say, we don’t find fresher meat!!!!
I love chicken, but this is too brutal for me. With a firmer, more focussed look, deeply hoping my face doesn’t tell stories, I continue my journey to my goal; the Jama Masjid. Everywhere little restaurants, everywhere food to find. Everywhere cloth to buy. Does this area also suffer from economical recession. don't think so, cause i m stronly convinced of the fact that i m currently walking on the most highly populated part of the entire world.
Wooden cars with goats and chickens, tuk tuks, bicyclers, motor drivers with complete iron storage constructions, lots of men and little me are ‘floating’ centimetre for centimetre through the streets. Trying not to react on the ‘by accident’ bumping into me men. At a certain moment I get the feeling that it’s better for me to turn around. Normally I love to take pictures, this time I don’t even think about taking out my camera.
I don’t give up easily, but after 50 minutes I call my driver.
‘I don’t care where you are. I don’t care if you need to fly. But fly. I want to be picked up N O W!’ There I was waiting for not more than 10 minutes. A bit nervously walking around the same spot, cause standing still at this place was not wise to do.
Later that evening and the days after I heard that even my Delhi friends don’t go or went only once in their life to that area…
Adventures… Adventures… And with a smile on my face I fall asleep.
Approximately 32 hours later I arrive in Chennai. The train gave me a nice lesson in practising patience. Megha and Venky were there to pick me up. We met last year, 10 minutes. Our connection is Pasha. After a year of sharing joy, tears, wisdom and waves through the phone, we finally meet again. The lines are picked up, as if we saw each other yesterday…
It’s 2 in the morning when Megha turns of the lights in my room. And before I hear here closing my door, I m already in dreamland. Dreaming of the days coming…
At the same moment another family installs themselves in neighbourhood ‘Welfare December 2008’. Two sisters and their big, real big, brother. A man with those big intriguing eyes, wild beard, with a look, ‘if you touch them, I touch you…’ I peacefully sit and watch the movie which is playing in front of/under, me. My new lovely neighbours are totally enjoying the trip. Their beautiful wobbly-jobbly bodies are dancing on the rhythm of the train. After 1 hour of loudly praying, they turn their seats into a kitchen within no-time. The whole coupe smells to their delicious dishes.
With a loud bang, the door opens and a man comes in shouting ‘Chicken biryani, chicken biryani!’. Gone as quickly as he came. Not long after, the same ritual, but another man, with another line ‘Chai, chai!’
The kid of 3 doors further, can’t behave and is yelling too…Nervous situation here! mmm ever thought of selling earplugs yaar...
Hemant already said to me ‘Are you C R A Z Y!?!’, with the surprise in his voice, only he can have. Some other people asked me politely why I wanted to travel from Delhi to Chennai by train…‘Hey, listen, I want to see the change of the country. It’s the path you walk, which is just as important as your goal’.
However, I’m slightly regretting it already after 4 hours. I’m not feeling well at all. Or, I m suffering from fever, or, I will get it. Everywhere muscle pain, a head which feels like a ticking bomb, shivering and swetting at the same time. Eating Saridon like it is my gaining-weight-diet. For 25 rps (around 50 eurocent) I rent a blanket and a pillow. My new home is decorated. Ready for total surrender to my new adventure.
I reached India just a week ago. And like every trip also this is a 1000 miles trip which started with the first step. Holland is farther behind me than ever. The 5 hours stop in Helsinki was gone in a snatch, due to good company. Safe under the arrows of a tremendous big bird, I was carried to the country I love so deeply. A country in which I feel maybe more comfortable than in my birth country.
Once landed in Delhi I didn’t understand my one and only sleepless night before take off! Now I even don’t understand why I said to mamma and pappa, hanging above my nice steaming cup of tea, ‘for the first time in my life, I’m having severe nerves to go back’. Pappas remark, ‘in case of doubt, you know, you should say no!’, recalls such tremendous resistance. A sign telling me that I just need to continue my journey in life. My journey to India!
Outside Delhi’s airport, I am sitting on my suitcase, waiting 15 minutes for my pick up. Terroristic treat… not once I feel uncomfortable. Not in Delhi, not in Chennai, not everywhere. Again for me the confirmation that the media prefers to sow fear instead of showing the truth. (What is truth actually…does anybody know that?) I love to see how Delhi wakes up. I love to see how they slowly find their way to a new day. Some of them spitting, ever coughing, some of them just relaxing and observing what is happening around them. Just like me!
The feeling of being one of Delhis stuck traffic vein during traffic jam, is totally gone. I m totally at ease. Though, I still feel the enormous Dutch organising pressure and control adrenaline running through my veins. I realise that my enormous will to hold a grip, my mental picture how everything has to be, totally blocks the force of life on my journey today. I will get rid of it soon, cause my job ended and there is no need to continue like that. Gautam you are right, I need to float!!!
Delhi…
I don’t recognise it anymore. It’s not Delhi how I left it 9 years ago. Hardly any cows to find. Hardly any beggers. Only once I had severe difficulties not to throw up. Why? Because I couldn’t see the difference between a real open and wounded hand or a fake one. Again truth and fiction … For sure the pollution has dropped. For sure also here you can find everything for everybody. The power of this city (better said: this country) is tremendous. The West has to wake up, has to change their socio-economic system, cause India is really coming up, faster and stronger!!!!! The suburbs are gigantic. The development is tremendous.
So, I totally enjoy Delhi! The minute I land, I can almost scream it from the top of my lungs. I MISSED IT AND I’M SO HAPPY to be back again. I inhale every single minute, every single detail with great joy and laughter. Looking into a world with sometimes very innocent eyes! ‘Life is beautiful, no matter what happens!’
Almost a week I spent in Delhi. Thanks to Gautam and other people I m introduced into Indian way of living, trading, dealing and interacting! Who is a lalla? Who is popcorn...
Am I ready for this country? According to food: yes. I eat eat and eat, but according to habits… That’s another kind of dish. Network, contracts, family, whom you meet, where you meet, trust, gut feeling and again floating… and suddenly I understand why certain co-operations didn’t work out although we both had the best intentions. I m happy I have some good, patient Indian mentors around me!
Did I feel threatened? NOOOOOOOO NOT AT ONCE!!!! Although…
Talking about adventure. After the Akshardam Temple (really B E A U T I F U L L!) I wanted to see the Jama Masjid. Totally prepared, I wrapped myself in. No skin to see. The deeper we got into the Masjid area, the more busier it became. The deeper we got in, the more introvert my driver became.
OBSERVE TRISH! OBSERVE!!!
‘Sir, please, don’t bother yourself any longer. Let me get out here. I walk those last 600 meters’. I manage easily. That’s what I thought.
After a couple of meters I see myself walking in the local open air slaughter. The last sound of a chicken, sprinkling blood, seeing how the feathers are removed from the skin… I can only say, we don’t find fresher meat!!!!
I love chicken, but this is too brutal for me. With a firmer, more focussed look, deeply hoping my face doesn’t tell stories, I continue my journey to my goal; the Jama Masjid. Everywhere little restaurants, everywhere food to find. Everywhere cloth to buy. Does this area also suffer from economical recession. don't think so, cause i m stronly convinced of the fact that i m currently walking on the most highly populated part of the entire world.
Wooden cars with goats and chickens, tuk tuks, bicyclers, motor drivers with complete iron storage constructions, lots of men and little me are ‘floating’ centimetre for centimetre through the streets. Trying not to react on the ‘by accident’ bumping into me men. At a certain moment I get the feeling that it’s better for me to turn around. Normally I love to take pictures, this time I don’t even think about taking out my camera.
I don’t give up easily, but after 50 minutes I call my driver.
‘I don’t care where you are. I don’t care if you need to fly. But fly. I want to be picked up N O W!’ There I was waiting for not more than 10 minutes. A bit nervously walking around the same spot, cause standing still at this place was not wise to do.
Later that evening and the days after I heard that even my Delhi friends don’t go or went only once in their life to that area…
Adventures… Adventures… And with a smile on my face I fall asleep.
Approximately 32 hours later I arrive in Chennai. The train gave me a nice lesson in practising patience. Megha and Venky were there to pick me up. We met last year, 10 minutes. Our connection is Pasha. After a year of sharing joy, tears, wisdom and waves through the phone, we finally meet again. The lines are picked up, as if we saw each other yesterday…
It’s 2 in the morning when Megha turns of the lights in my room. And before I hear here closing my door, I m already in dreamland. Dreaming of the days coming…
-
19 December 2008 - 12:11
Ingeborg:
Lieve Patricia,
Ik heb weer eens met kippenvel je reisverslag zitten lezen. Je bent weer helemaal op je plekje zo te lezen. Geniet van alhetgeen je ziet/ruikt/proeft. Have fun en wij lezen je verslagen met heel veel plezier.
Liefs Ingeborg -
19 December 2008 - 16:57
Harold:
Wow... het leest als een avonturenroman. Je geniet blijkbaar met volle teugen! Heb je al een uitgever?
Ik mis alleen foto's van je in zo'n oranje jurk! Komen die bij het volgende hoofdstuk?
Goede reis! -
19 December 2008 - 20:09
Mandy:
Hee liefie,
geweldig zeg, wat een spanning, avontuur noem het maar op. Ik heb het op mijn puntje van mijn stoel zitten lezen. pfffff hihihh
Je geniet in ieder geval volop en deze keer niet teveel van achter die camera, maar met je 'eigen'ogen. SUPER!
Geniet nog lekker en ik ben super benieuwd naar je verhalen als je thuis bent. Veel liefs van mij xxx -
21 December 2008 - 04:33
Imran:
Good day monkey where are you now just send me a message or give me a call my mobile no is 09989836016. i will wait for your reply you dont know how happy i am .
with lots of love and kissess.
-
21 December 2008 - 11:04
Meihol Jhaveri:
Hii, Welcome to India, I am for you if u need any help.
regards,
Meihol -
21 December 2008 - 13:52
Sim:
Hi Pix, or no pics what a story. This is your country I can feel the energy of life in your writing. Enjoy and take care.
Xxx -
21 December 2008 - 16:56
Nattie:
Hey lieverd,
Geweldig fijn voor je dat je je weer zo thuis voelt, ondanks de zenuwen van te voren.. Voor mijn gemoedsrust; bespreek bepaalde plekken eerst met de locals voordat je je weer ergens begeeft waar zelfs de meest doorgewinterde Indiër niet komt. Lekker ding ben je ook. :p
Geniet ervan, met volle teugen. Ik spreek je snel. Kus -
22 December 2008 - 09:04
Aukje:
lief trixie,
ik heb zoals altijd genoten van je verhaal en van de prachtige foto s.
Blijf genieten en beleven!
een warme knuffel van Ben en mij. -
22 December 2008 - 11:00
Sonja:
Lieverd!
Wat heerlijk om al je India avonturen weer te lezen! Geniet nog even met volle teugen. Alvast hele fijne feestdagen en een gezond, gelukkig en bruisend 2009!! We zien elkar snel weer als je terugbent!
Dikke kus Son -
22 December 2008 - 20:39
Kim Panken:
Lieverd,
We gaan toch in Den Bosch Oud en nieuw vieren!! Eerst een hapje en een drankeje bij jur thuis en dan met z'n allen de stad in!
En wij willen heeeel graag dat jij er ook bij bent!!
Dikke kus en "be carefulllll!!" -
23 December 2008 - 16:16
Saqib:
Liefe Patricia, doe je rustig aan en niet te veel avontuur opzoeken.
Ik wacht hier verder op jou avontuurlijke verhalen. Ik blijf lekker in Nederland, zonder al die koeien en kippen op de weg:)
Tot snel,
Saqib -
23 December 2008 - 21:29
Mama Mia:
We zijn blij dat je er zo ontzettend van geniet en zoveel beleeft. Maar zoals ouders nu eenmaal zijn.... wees voorzichtig en zoek niet de grenzen op.
Nog heel veel plezier de komende dagen; een heel fijne kerst en wij maken er ondertussen een welbekend familiefeestje van(helaas zonder jou) en zijn blij als we je zondagavond weer even in de armen kunnen sluiten. Geniet nog met volle teugen; een goede terugvlucht en tot zondag.
Love and kisses,mama Mia -
24 December 2008 - 18:42
Sis:
Lieve Sis,
geniet maar lekker met volle teugen, ik geniet van jou als je dat doet!!! Ik denk aan je, love you.
Sis
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