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01/06/2013

Here comes the time of...

… Indian Russian dolls!

 

IMG-20130102-00264.jpg

India,Delhi,winter,cold

That's what the rickshaw drivers look like in winter in Delhi...

Which brings me to my new Indian hardship: the cold.

A few weeks ago I mentioned the hell that the humid heat of the Andamans was. A few months ago I mentioned the hell that the 47 degrees of Delhi were. Well, now, I will talk about the hell that 3 degrees are.

I am led to believe that my 6 years in India have done very little for my spirituality because I am still not able to convince myself that no, I am not cold. My nose, my fingers and my toes are frozen all the time – this is of course the coldest winter in 40 years...

It takes me hours to get the motivation to take a shower (which implies to get undressed) and I even think twice before going to the loo... So here I am, unwaxed, dirty hair, wrapped in a shapeless Russian sweater, wearing ski socks and I don’t give a dam!! I am cold...

And no, Indian houses are not equiped with heaters. I could rent an electric heater but I'm leaving soon...

 

No, the big question is how people survived in Siberian gulags?

The advantage of winter in Delhi it is that there is less traffic - I dunno, maybe rickshaw drivers are too cold to work in the morning and evening? And my cat is glued to me (otherwise I can only dream of it).

 

To conclude, I must say that Delhi is an insane city. In fact you get to enjoy your living-room only a few weeks a year, the rest of the time you remain parked in your bedroom – the one room that you can cool or heat up! No need to take a big flat!

 

Ah I swear, life is tough ;)

12/08/2012

Horseback riding in the heart of Delhi

 A friend of mine told me that I should try and do everything I could in Delhi like if I was going to leave tomorrow. And she asked what would I do? I told her nothing… She thought I was showing attitude but well, making a life in Delhi was not really about visiting all the monuments there are… And I’ve seen a lot of them anyway. 

However there was something pending on my “list” and this was horseback riding. And it is probably the most incredible experience I've had.  

I was taken to the Army Polo and Riding Club located in the “lungs” of the city. Right there, in the middle of Delhi, you have plain jungle!

india,delhi,horseback riding,army ground

india,delhi,horseback riding,army ground

india,delhi,horseback riding,army ground

You arrive there, tell the name of a horse and they hand it over to you, all ready to go – in France most of the time you need to clean your horse, put the saddle and stuff… 

You go up some steps and land on the horse – in France you put your foot in the stirrup and heave yourself up however you can. 

And here you go! 

You can go to the arena, or on the trails, you are completely free – in France no one will let you go before checking your riding skills and making sure you know the area. 

So you have dozens of people riding around…

 

As for us we went on the trail. I was put last. No ride for at least 3 years… These guys started trotting and I realised I had a very uncomfortable horse and an even more uncomfortable saddle. I asked when we were going to gallop and was told the trail was too narrow. Never heard something like that! So I let them trot, hold my horse back and kept catching up galloping!! Full speed… Live your life like if you were going to die tomorrow… 

After 40 minutes I was sweating and out of breath but damn happy!!

I could not feel my legs when I went down. I had two painful blisters on my fingers. And then I found out about the huge bruises all over my inner thighs and ankles. I also found out about muscle sores later but this I knew it would come… Not like the bruises!! Never had that. But it was so cool!!

12/06/2012

Drinking and driving

I may be going havoc these days but I still don’t smoke nor drink and drive – someone must have sung lullabies to me as a baby for these to be so printed in my brain.

Anyways…

The other night my friend tried to convince me to take my car for Friday night (LIT night if you remember) since “it was not too far…”. My friends told me they were impressed with my “self-control” since the other night I stopped after 2 glasses of wine and had food and water before driving back. I think I gave them a shock when I explained that I would be okay going into a wall with my car but would find it difficult to live with the death of someone else on my shoulders…

 

Accordingly last Friday I took a taxi. Now the guy was a young brat, trying to show off, driving like mad, talking on the phone, singing, all that jazz… One has to wonder what is safer?? Him or drunk me driving?? Mmmmhhh not sure… Like this one time I was going to the airport. The driver managed fine in the traffic but once we arrived on the highway, which was relatively empty, he suddenly broke. He had dozed off. And he kept dozing off like 5 times in the next 10 minutes, like if he had some syndrome. And this is so common…

 

So talking of women, drinking and driving, there is this article. So for instance in Chandigarh in 2012 they arrested only 1 woman for drinking and driving against 3 000 men. One could see women going out and having fun as a good thing, but obviously not the Hindustan Times. One woman is spotted puking and the world as we know it is coming to an end… Men are in for surprises in this country…

 

Firstly not so many women are allowed out of the house on their own at night, not many drive, not many drink and anyways, only female constables can check them out and they also don’t come out at night! Still, drinking and driving is not a good idea. Evil tongues might say that it would be even worse with women driving…

 

To finish I’d like to quote the article : “The police asking drivers to roll down the windows before sticking their neck in to sniff liquor is a common sight, a practice they find difficult to follow when it comes to women drivers.” This is hilarious!!

I’m waiting for the day a cop tries to sniff me!!