Udairpur and Delhi, our last days

The next day, April 21, I was still not feeling so hot and Sara had a pretty upset stomach so we decided to cut our trip a little short, rather than spending 2 days in Udaipur we would just spend one, and we eliminated Jodhpur all together. So, for our one and only day in Udaipur we started off with brunch at a heritage house (a fairly nice hotel), Agit Jahwan. We hardly ate, but we did have a great view of the city’s lake.

After breakfast we decided to see some sights. We started with the city palace, it was very unimpressive. We then walked around a little looking at some shops, but at that point we really were exhausted, and shopped out! Inasmuch, we got into an auto rickshaw (a taxi) and asked to go to the Hilton!

This was our first experience in a “nice” hotel while on this adventure. The hotel was beautiful, we manicured gardens, an infinity pool, and the service, well the service was enough to stay the night, but then again we weren’t guests. Oops. Haha rather, Sara and I went to the salon where I got a $6 manicure. Yup, just 6 bucks!

After our afternoon excursion to a 5 star hotel we were ready to return to our dump of a place. we wanted henna before we left the country and the hotel manager told us his sister did it, so we went over to his house and hung out while she put the henna paint on us. Meanwhile, the electricity kept coming in and out, none of them spoke English, and oh, did I mention the cow that put up shop outside the front door?

After henna we headed back, and passed out.

The next day we drove 13.5 hours back to Delhi. We got in around 8 pm, showered, and again passed out.

The next morning, April 23rd, we woke up and I had an email from my father of a list of more upper class shopping areas in Delhi. Since Sara and I had only seen one side of India, the lower and lower middle class, my dad wanted us to get another perspective. India is a country of 1 billion people and a growing economy, not all of them are poor, although poverty is clearly a huge issue. Sara and I chose the one closest to the hotel, Ansal Place, and headed over. We spent out afternoon going in and out of commercial stores, some we have in the US others we don’t. everyone spoke English, they were polite by western standards, and didn’t through their trash on the ground when they were done but in a wastebasket, can you imagine that, there were garbage cans! It was “clean” India, who knew it existed. all in all it was a great day, a perfect way to end our 2-week journey.

Later that same afternoon we returned to our hotel, packed up and called it an early night, a car would be picking us up at 4:00 am in order for us to catch our 7:30 flight back to Israel.

The next morning, April 24th, Sara and I were in for a full 23 hours of traveling. In the Delhi airport, we happened to sit across from this guy who had an uncanny resemblance to Osama bin Laden, clearly not him, but still very creepy. Sara, being the bold blonde she is asked the crew of three where they were headed, and their replied: “Afghanistan”. That was a huge wakeup call for me. At that moment I thought to myself, wow people actually go there!?!?! the world is so small yet so vast at the same time.

In the airport I was feeling pretty lousy, I almost got sick on the customs official, that was fun. At that point I just wanted to get on the plane and get the hell out of there! final boarding! Only 4 hours to our next stop Bahrain, that quaint island right next to SAUDI ARABIA!

When we got to Bahrain I was feeling pretty lousy so I decided to look for some medicine to ease my stomach. I was directed to the airport doctor, yes they had a doctor in the airport. He told me I had a bacterial infection and if it didn’t pass by the next day o go to the hospital, because it could be cholera. he said I had low blood pressure and needed an IV. I refused to have one not feeling comfortable there. instead he gave me the generic form of Gatorade and sent me on my way.

Leaving Bahrain, we had a 2-hour flight into Jordan, from Jordan we had a 4-hour bus ride to Tel Aviv. I thought the day would never end, getting to the dorm that night I put my stuff down and walked over to the supermarket to by water. The Gatorade stuff was disgusting tasting, but I needed my liquids.

Every two hours that night my mom would wake me up to remind me to drink. The next morning Ariana woke me up to see how i was feeling. it had been three weeks since i had seen her and i was beyong elated! i wasnt feeling that great but we decided to go to the grocery store to pick up some thing.

walking into the grocery store in Israel during Pesach, is amazing. They covered up all the chamozet, all of it! they only sold kosher for Pesach goods it was incredible! it reminded me of how incredible this country, a Jewish state is.

After the grocery, I was feeling horrible so I got to the hospital, 2 IVs, 2 antibiotics, and 10 days later I was still feeling a little woozy. The hospital said this kind of infection is common among travelers coming from India, and that it needs to take its course. It did, 2 weeks later I was finally losing some of the effects.

Regardless, looking back on my time, I am so happy I went to India. I learned so much, saw so much, and came out a more complicated individual, more humble, more concerned, more aware, and most of all prouder to be an American. Looking back on it I would go back. Their culture, while annoying (being that they try to rip you off and talk to you every chance you get!) is still friendly, the religion is so unique, off the radar almost, away from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Hinduism is different, refreshing, interesting. Their way of life is the yang to America’s yin almost. It’s the opposite of western culture, the antithesis almost, but somehow it works for them. The fun part was watching how.