![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Updates from India
So, I am currently in Delhi, sitting on (faux marble) stairs just outside my hotel's lobby, as that is the only place that offers wi-fi. I have been here (in Delhi, not on the stairs), for two days, and will continue to be here for another two. Before that I was in Haryana, visiting various archaeological sites; before that, I was in Baroda, a city in Gujarat; before that, I spent two months living in a tent in Kutch, a semi-desert area, to excavate yet another site.
It's much colder here in Delhi than it was in Gujarat, and much damper too, which seems to make the cold worse, and I'm very glad I brought my hoodie along. Today was cloudy, and seems as though it might rain tonight, which is quite the change from the infinitely clear blue sky of Kutch. I've been spending my time here so far shuttling from one meeting to another; networking, basically, with all the important people so that I can ask them for help on my project. Soon I'm going to dinner with a Hungarian woman I never heard of before today, but who apparently I should know. Tomorrow I should have time to do some actual tourist things.
My impressions of Delhi are of a wide, sprawling city; low, with few skyscrapers, but extensive. When the sun is out, it's almost warm, and things shine. There's many trees and wide, green lawns; water fountains; new wide highways. But most of the short time I've spent here has been cloudy, with thick layers of haze or smog, and then the city has more of a gray look, and the cold gets into your bones. Though, of course, I can complain about being too cold in all sorts of perfectly fine weather, and it's certainly nothing like what's currently the weather back in New York.
My Hindi is very slowly increasing. I can do a few basic conversations, though I quickly stop understanding after a few sentences. I can read, but only if given plenty of time to sound out each letter. So far in India, I have seen camels, water buffalo, monkeys (which tried to steal one of my flip-flops), parrots, peacocks, and many wild dogs (which did steal one of my boots, but luckily someone found it for me), but no elephants. My internet connections continue to be come and go, particularly as I continue to travel every few days, but I thought I'd write up a post, even if I don't know when I'll find the time to respond to comments. But I miss you all!
It's much colder here in Delhi than it was in Gujarat, and much damper too, which seems to make the cold worse, and I'm very glad I brought my hoodie along. Today was cloudy, and seems as though it might rain tonight, which is quite the change from the infinitely clear blue sky of Kutch. I've been spending my time here so far shuttling from one meeting to another; networking, basically, with all the important people so that I can ask them for help on my project. Soon I'm going to dinner with a Hungarian woman I never heard of before today, but who apparently I should know. Tomorrow I should have time to do some actual tourist things.
My impressions of Delhi are of a wide, sprawling city; low, with few skyscrapers, but extensive. When the sun is out, it's almost warm, and things shine. There's many trees and wide, green lawns; water fountains; new wide highways. But most of the short time I've spent here has been cloudy, with thick layers of haze or smog, and then the city has more of a gray look, and the cold gets into your bones. Though, of course, I can complain about being too cold in all sorts of perfectly fine weather, and it's certainly nothing like what's currently the weather back in New York.
My Hindi is very slowly increasing. I can do a few basic conversations, though I quickly stop understanding after a few sentences. I can read, but only if given plenty of time to sound out each letter. So far in India, I have seen camels, water buffalo, monkeys (which tried to steal one of my flip-flops), parrots, peacocks, and many wild dogs (which did steal one of my boots, but luckily someone found it for me), but no elephants. My internet connections continue to be come and go, particularly as I continue to travel every few days, but I thought I'd write up a post, even if I don't know when I'll find the time to respond to comments. But I miss you all!