Nomadic Nirvana: Journey to Delhi

flickr.com

WOW, Ok.

I am still fresh off the plane from my second trip to New Delhi, India and I am at a loss of where to begin to tell the story of my recent love/hate relationship with the metropolis.

Previously, despite all the obvious negatives you see and hear about the poverty, filth and chaos, I was able to see past it somehow; choosing instead to see the beauty, its people, food and culture.

BUT, this trip was eye opening, not just from the view of a tourist looking to find some yogic feeling of “Ohm Shanti, Namaste” but as the white American finace’ of a real live bonafide Indian man.

Yes, elusive as they may seem, like bigfoot, the Indian man does on occasion veer from tradition and choose to marry a non-Indian or GASP a “Gori Girl.”

The horror.

I struggled to write an article about New Delhi last year, because I had spent most of my time in Jaipur, India with all of it’s magic and romance.

Link—> Nomadic Nirvana, Jaipur

We stayed in Havelli’s (palaces) and were treated like Bollywood stars; what was not to love?

Samode Havelli Jaipur, India

After returning from the magic of Jaipur… then being proposed to at the Taj Mahal… New Delhi seemed much like an Indian version of Washington D.C. with all of its government buildings, parks and normalcy.

I was at a loss of what to write really.

They have Dunkin Dougnuts, Starbucks and Pizza Hut… they have more malls than back home in New Jersey. The normal look of girls clothing blew me away. They wear tank-tops revealing shoulders and tight jeans; nothing like the “blogs” tell you to avoid while in India.

New Delhi, despite the obvious fact that it does exist “in India,” is quite progressive and normal comparatively speaking. I struggled to write about New Delhi because I had fallen in love with the “other India” which is shown to tourists; Delhi seemed a little beige in comparison.

I will begin, well, at the beginning of THIS journey.

Last year I flew on Emirates and I RAVED about it. This year I chose United airlines, because they offer a direct flight from Newark to New Delhi.

EASY BREEZY RIGHT?

Not exactly, but I was impressed that Newark airport has changed dramatically into a super modern and surprisingly friendly airport.  You can even order a glass of wine to be sent directly to your gate via iPad’s on every table.

Ipad ordering at Newark Airport

Ok, I have established AGAIN how much I love Emirates… the food, the service, the way they make you feel like royalty?

Well equally, I have learned that United airlines was completely the opposite. It was an embarrassment to be an American flying on an American airline with SUCH poor quality in every aspect.

The flight attendants were rude, the food was barely edible and god forbid you asked for an extra bottle of water. Needless to say, I will NEVER be flying United again.

Upon arrival at New Delhi customs, I was surprised by the ease of the new E-VISA. Gone are the days where you have to apply months in advance with lots of paperwork and the anxiety of mailing away your passport for approval.

Thanks to the Modi presidency, these new E-Visa’s are a game-changer for tourism in India.

Customs line in New Delhi, India airport

You can apply for the new Indian E-Visa within 30 days of your travel date —-> HERE

I had decided since I have already seen the “touristy” India, the real ME would kick-in this time. I arranged for a three-star boutique hotel in a busy section of town. I did plenty of research on all of the travel sites to where I narrowed it down to “The Pearl Hotel.”

Booking.com screenshot of Pearl Hotel

Keep in mind I am not a twenty-something naive girl; I am a well traveled, low maintenance, adventurous “woman.”

My fiance’ and I arrived at the Pearl Hotel about one o’clock in the morning after my daunting flight. The reservation had been made for two people and was confirmed prior to my arrival.

From the very start the FOUR front desk staff members gave me looks of disgust and pretended to have trouble finding my reservation, although I could see my own name in a book on the desk.

Mind you, I had read hundreds of reviews from this hotel. European travelers said nice things like it was “a great place to stay, except the staff was rude;” so I was prepared for a rude welcome.

What I was not prepared for was the fact that I was treated like a prostitute. They refused to let my fiance’ stay with me, claiming some bizarre law about not letting New Delhi residents stay in a New Delhi hotel??????

The fact of the matter was that I was white and he was Indian… Obviously he hired the “American whore” for the night… right?

Ok, so we went to look for a police-officer to talk some sense into this hotel, but instead we were confronted with the cop siding with the hotel!  He said “If you are in fact getting married, then he should be taking you home to his mothers house, not a hotel.”

Not exactly a comment you would EVER hear in the States, is it?

While I understand it is typical for an Indian man to live at home with his mother, they need to understand that as an American woman I prefer an “English” toilet and air-conditioning. But hey? When in “Delhi” I suppose.

Typical Indian toilet clipish.com

The auto-rickshaw driver takes us to a “lower class” hotel assuming this was a better fit, around 3am. This time when my fiance’ asks if there are rooms available the front desk guy says “yes, but is that a Gori girl?” pointing out the window directly at me.

Translation? If that’s a white girl we have no rooms available for her.

WHAT. THE. HELL?

Its 3am, I’m on a rickshaw in New Delhi after a 30 hour flight with rude flight attendants and disgusting airline food. I’m starving, embarrassed and tired… apparently I am no longer a writer, student, mother or upstanding citizen of the world; my new profession is American prostitute.

I decided to do what feels completely natural to me and check into the 5-star Claridges Hotel, who welcomed this hooker and her sexy Indian-pimp with open arms at 4am.

The Claridges, New Delhi

Thank You Claridges!  I took a bath bubble-bath, ordered room service and vowed to write lots of nasty reviews about the Pearl Hotel.

Welcome back to India Lisa Britt… let the adventure begin.

Subscribe to BuddhafulBritt.com for more Nomadic Nirvana

The Claridges, New Delhi

For more stories in the Jersey Girl and the Sikh category, click—> HERE

Read about “My Indian Boyfriend “—>HERE

My Big Fat Sikh Wedding: Indian Astrology —> HERE

My Big Fat Sikh Wedding: The Dress —> HERE

Surviving Long Distance Love—> HERE

Open Letter to my Husband—> HERE

Our Honeymoon, Rishikesh India—> HERE

Fiance Visa Process—> HERE

US Embassy Interview—> HERE

Journey to New Delhi—> HERE 

First Trip to Jaipur India —> HERE

Our First Diwali—> HERE

Giving Thanks, Shukryia  —> HERE

Being Sikh in America—> HERE

The Indian Grocery—> HERE

A Path to Happiness—> HERE