The journey from the airport

Arriving in Delhi was a special experience of joyful confusion and baggage delays.

We were an hour early but sat on the jetway waiting for a gate. Eventually, the pilot declared that he had never seen a plane take so long to pull out of a gate. But 30 minutes later we deplaned into the new Terminal 3.

And it was totally different. New western style bathrooms, shiny new walls and carpet. It looked like we just landed in Switzerland. But the one thing that was still consistent with past visits is the distinct smell of India. So it looked like Europe but smelled like India. Europe? *Sniff* India. Europe? India.

We waited about an hour for our bags, watching the carousel go round and round as one bag.....then much later another bag.... and after another pause another single bag rolled up from below. Watched the bags go round and round, waiting, waiting.......

Baggage finally in hand, we met the driver Tenzin and got into the shiny new van.

The drive was 45 minutes from the airport, 15 of which was on the shiny new highway that leads to the airport. 15 minutes past areas of low shrubs and trees, and 15 minutes in the small neighborhoods of New Delhi. What an interesting progression from the unfamiliar and somewhat confusing airport culture to the anticipated and more familiar setting of Majnu Katilla. As we meet the group it will be interesting to see you all experience this amazing transition through the city for the first time.