How can i possibly convey the experience of my arrival in India? I still need time to reflect on these things, and will write more about it later. So, here is the unedited version.
By the time I arrived, I had been travelling for close to 24 hours, and was already feeling light headed. I lucked out and found an honest pre-paid taxi service. Coming out of the terminal into the Indian night, the air hit me like a wall. It was hazy from the humidity and pollution, and smelled heavily of sulfer and coal.

Next came my introduction to Indian driving and traffic. At night the roads were full of large, brigthly painted trucks which loomed up out of the mist belching clouds fo smoke. Nobody followed lanes, and swerved and suged around each other like a swarm of bees. The horn, I soon discovered, is used much like a fog horn, to let the other drivers know you are there. More on the traffic later.
Eventually we reached smaller streets, where I could see the prostrate forms of people sleeping next to the road: on the sidewalk, charpoys or on their bicycle carts.
By the time I reached my opulant hotel, I was completely dazed. I reached my room, sat down and said to myself, “what the hell have you gotten yourself into?!?”
On Monday I was saved by Vish’s cousin Anu. She picked me up from my hotel and baby sat me for the day. I doubt I would have had the nerve to leave the hotel otherwise.
In the afternoon we went to a poorer section of town where she had to do some work. I waited on the street while she went upstairs. I was constantly surrounded by people trying to sell me things. A small woman with an infant in dirty rags followed me for 10 minutes saying, “manee”. I had all my money toghether, and was too freaked out to take it out right there, so I eventually ignored her and kept walking. I am still working out my feelings about all this.
Tonight I am fleeing to the hills (quite literally). I take the night train to Dehradun. By tomorrow night I’ll be in Mussoorie.