Wednesday, December 20 Home Sweet Home

Today is technically the day of my flight out of India, and because of the 13.5-hour time zone, it’s a 37.5-hour day. The cool part is that I reach Seattle just 12 hours after I leave Delhi (but really, there are over 24 hours of transit). Honestly, 24 hours is nothing once you’ve ridden Indian Railways as much as I have. The airplane is comfortable, has movies, has music, has toilet paper, is fast, and serves, and serves food and drink. It’s really nice in comparison. Well, that is, unless you fly British Airways, in which case I’d rather even be in Sleeper class on Indian Railways. I reached a foggy, foggy London at 8am, and have a five hour layover, so I was planning on exploring Heathrow Airport’s outskirts, like I did on the way over. Until they said it was 40 degrees outside. Appparently, British Airways makes anyone traveling through the UK (and all of their flights connect in the UK) do a second security check (even within the international terminal), and it’s a bit more stringent than India’s lax standards. Liquids are strictly prohibited, so I had to throw away the holy Ganges water I have been saving four months from Varanasi. Thanks, BA. Then, for some reason, each person is allowed only one carry-on bag (even though once you’re past security, you can have two). So, I had to spend an hour packing everything (including my laptop and backpack) into my carry-on suitcase, which I somehow managed to do, only after breaking the handle and almost causing the bag to burst at the seams. The British Airways ushers were idiots, telling me my carry-on was too big, what my stuff wouldn’t all fit, and that I should just check my bag “for a small fee of $200”. Somehow I managed to fit everything into one bag. Luckily security sucked because I had a bunch of [liquid] perfumes and a stack of illegal pirated DVDs I smuggled past them in my over-stuffed bag. I sat in the terminal for a while, watching the diverse crowd of people shuffle by. Everything was so expensive by my standards, so I went hungry until the flight to Seattle, which I spent sleeping. Nine hours later, I stepped onto American soil. I’m finally back in the United States of America. First, I got a drink at the [safe] water fountain, then admired the superior carpentry of the airport facility, and then lied to customs about having no foods (I had tea and spices) in my bags. I descended into the familiar baggage claim, where my Mom was waiting for me with a huge smile. We got my bags (we had to rent trolleys there was so much luggage) and we drove home. Unfortunately, it was kind of a buzzkill because we haven’t had power for five days; the whole Seattle area has been hit hard by the windstorms and wet weather in the past months. I may have to say it: I’d rather be in Delhi right now… I got to see Hershey finally, who was adorable and whose teeth were chattering because it was freezing in our house. So, my mom and brother have been staying in a hotel downtown, while my Dad has been stubbornly holding down the fort, much like a captain going down with his ship. I don’t get why he doesn’t just stay with us; in bed, he is using a sleeping bag under the covers of his normal bed, with a hat and gloves. Mom, Sam, and I went to Blue C Sushi, which was amazing. Then I went in the hot tub and wanted nothing more to relax and get over my jet-lag. My Indian adventure has officially come to a close. I personally had a blast. However, I can’t say that without also saying that I had an awful time. India is a crazy place; a land of extremes, and a sensory overload. There, I have seen the most beautiful things, along with the ugliest things I have seen. The smells that stick in my mind are urine, feces, fire, incense, and curry. I have tasted the worst food and tasted the best food of my life. I have heard bombs, a third of the world’s languages being spoken, and some of the best music on earth. I could even see myself living there, for the modern amenities and openness of its culture and government. I will return someday, but in the meantime there are so many other places I must see first. But I will return. For, I owe a little piece of who I am, to this enchanting land, called India.