Okay. I’m being a little dramatic. But I also haven’t eaten in almost 12 hours. Those of you who know me well are probably amazed I’m not completely comatose.

Recap of yesterday afternoon: I saw cremations. They were really really interesting, but I don’t think I’ve processed enough to say more about them. There was also another sita lesson, this time with my new friend Pieter! We learned Razakhemi Hat in Teentad (I’m spelling it wrong) which was in our heads for the rest of the day.

THEN

I got on a 12 hour train ride

• which turned out to be 18 hours
• which made me miss my flight

Thus begins my anxiety ridden, cursed afternoon. mostly fueled by my own inability to just be zen about stuff like this.

Let’s backtrack.

10:30am. After pacing the last 4 hours of the train ride and annoying everyone with “When are we getting to Delhi?!”, I had my bunkmate call the airlines to see if they could  reach Calvin, what other flights are available, etc. no dice.

11:00am. The train stops in the middle of nowhere.

I’m willing it and praying for it to just GO and calculating minute by minute how I could catch my plane.

My most compressed plan was this: putting on all my gear, jumping out as soon as the train came close to stopping, running across the station to the metro, checking into my flight at the new delhi train station, hopefully catching a train right away, running to security, yelling loudly that my flight is about to leave and i need to cut the line, cutting the security line, running to the gate, making my flight.

12:00pm I gave up this plan.

and began to frantically search hostels, things to do in Delhi, ways to contact Avanti’s friends.

I’m really not so good with just letting things flow.

1:00pm The train finally gets into Delhi. I walk (medium pace. trying to get my heart rate down) to the metro and get to the airport.

1:30-3:00pm I run around the airport (I literally jogged end to end several times) because the various computer systems don’t recognize me. Finally I find out I can buy a ticket for tomorrow’s flight to Jodhpur. 300 dollars. Please excuse the vulgarity of my response. “F that”

3:00pm Completely tired, I wander like a zombie, weighing my options. I get to the taxi station. Its 170 Rs to an internet cafe. Again, what?! It was only 80 Rs to get me here from the train station via metro.

Wait. The train. It is a much cheaper way to travel. And it would eliminate the need for a hotel…

So I get back on the metro. Now I’m really swaying because of the lack of energy.

Make it back to the train station, walk around for 15 minutes to find the “International Tourist Bureau” and booked an overnight train to Jodhpur, 2AC, $20.

4:00pm I reward myself with a bag of chips and found this internet cafe

Now I’m off in search of real food and a bathroom before my train.

Not such a bad day in the end.

–steph