India - Land of Contrasts
Arriving into Indira Ghandi International Airport in Delhi is an experience. As soon as you step off the aircraft, you see the black, missing, and delapidated ceiling tiles, giving you a first glimpse of the poor infrastucture of the country. The road from the airport to the hotels is even more striking. While I have seen poverty before in other developing countries, this is the worst I have seen. There are people living in shanties on any open tract of land. In front of brand new shiny glass office buildings, there are tents and shanties, with women washing their clothes in the sewer water. There are cattle grazing on the medians of the highways and occasionally wandering into the traffic lanes. Delhi is one of the wealthiest cities in India. I cannot even imagine what the poor areas are like.
After arriving at the hotel, I quickly hired a driver and headed out, trying to beat the 100 degree heat with nearly 100 percent humidity. My driver was very friendly. He was studying computer science in the evenings. He took me to all the sites I wanted to see, negotiated with the entrance people so I was not overcharged, and provided a very basic tour of some sites. However, as happened to me in Egypt, he kept stopping in stores on the way between sights. "Just look. Ten minutes. You don’t have to buy." The drivers get a commision when they bring customers to the stores. Even if you ask not to be brought there, they tell you, "My company requires it so that you have the opportunity to purchase anything you need." By the end of the day, with temperatures approaching 100, I just wanted to jump in the pool and cool off. I finally told him I would tip him an extra 100 rupees if he would take me straight home.
