Greetings from Delhi, at last –

So, Delhi is still Delhi. The New York City of India. Fast, dirty, congested, people, people, people everywhere. Actually it's much more intense than NYC. Crossing the street is a take-your-life-into-your hands experience. And then you just have to glide through it – pretend as though you do it every day, keeping all eyes wide open. I usually try to hang out with a couple of people who are also crossing, and I go when they do, but take responsibility too.

After the airport, I went to Rooman's (former colleague from Humana People to People) work, in the south of Delhi in Greater Kailash (G.K.) 2. From there I got an autorickshaw to Paharganj, where I stayed for one night at the relatively upscale Hotel Metropolis. The trip from G.K. 2 to Paharganj flows through Connaught Circle, and it was here that my driver and I bumped into the worst traffic jam I've ever seen. It made the newspaper the next day, so it was unusual even for Delhi. You can imagine, all types of vehicles, squeezed as close together as possible, stopped. I felt like I inhaled the equivalent of about 100 packs of cigarettes in the 2 hours that it took to disentangle with many detours and false starts. The driver finally dropped me in front of New Delhi Station, a bit of a hike with my bags to the Metropolis. But I was so grateful to get out of the traffic, that I cheerfully walked the length of Paharganj to the other end. I slept very well that night.

Thursday morning I awoke and actually had the energy to do some stretching and a few postures. Fun sight at breakfast—sitting and eating, facing out to the street, a cow ambles by and decides this restaurant is a good place to gaze into. She was cute, just kind of curious, hanging out for a couple of minutes. Then she strolled off down the street. I walked up to the train station, and got a schedule to check out possibilities for travel. Back in the Main Bazaar, searched for a place to get a mobile phone while I'm here. Didn't find that, oddly: I think, what a great business opp for someone. What I did find was an agent who got a room at a nice hotel for Maureen and me from the 8th to the 11th. It's a bit off the beaten track for westerners, but still in Paharganj, still full of people, noise and comings and goings. I don't usually go with agents, after checking with two other hotels that had no space, I figured it was a good idea to do it this way, especially as the hotel has an elevator. The reason I like Paharganj is because I feel safe. I know that they're pretty used to westerners, and I can walk after dark without fear. Later Rooman met me, and we went back to his area – Gol Market – where I purchased a mobile phone and we had dinner.

One of the most interesting things happened was while I was negotiating the hotel with the agent. His cousin Muna came by and, interested in what I'm doing, he helped me make contact with one of the NGOs I had on my list. So Monday I'm going to visit Mukti Ashram, a kind of boarding school to rehabilitate young boys who have spent their childhood working in carpet factories. There is also a sister organization for girls, and I'm hoping to be able to contact them as well. You can see their website at www.bba.org.in/ourashrams/muktiashram.php3. Muna also helped me find the phone number for a women's organization called Saheli Women's Resource Centre, and I'll give them a call tomorrow.

Today was a study day. I had hoped to visit MUMTA, the NGO Rooman works for, but he felt he should speak to them first, so I stayed home and figured out the trains (it might be better to fly some of the trips). Out in the world my journeys took me to this lovely little Internet café near Rooman's in Gol Market, and then back to Paharganj, to see if I could actually find the new hotel by myself, which I did without problem.

Well, I've made a vow to never exceed 800 words, and my time is up, so, see you next time.

Keep well,

Ellen