Last Day in India

Well, like most, today has been a struggle. My whole intent for today was to buy a camera for Africa, mail some stuff home, and repack my bags for the plane tomorrow. Well, Anand's boss had told me to be ready at 10:30. At 9:00, he was knocking on my hotel room door ready for me to leave. Crap. I dressed quickly (no shower) and grabbed my stuff. We walk out front and there's his motorcycle and I'm expected to ride on the back. No helmets for either of us and did I tell you that the traffic here is INSANE? Normally, I love to ride on a motorcycle, but in Delhi? Well, I got on and away we went. Luckily, he was just taking me to his office to catch my taxi for the day. It was a very short ride mostly on alleys, though potholes and rickshaws were a problem.

The driver (a new guy -- Anand finally got a day off) took me to the place where all the camera stores were, but none were open. So off to the post office we went. It took me 1.5 hours to get the package paid for and off to the US. Why? Because the old man that was putting everything in boxes and wrapping them took his sweet time. He kept leaving to get tea, chatting with people, and running in back telling folks that I was out there. A crowd of men gathered to stand and stare at me while I waited in the chair. I finally got upset, ran up to a window, explained that I was in a hurry and the guy did his job. Nice.

We then went through several camera shops, but since I'm American, no one would show me anything that cost less than $2K US. I finally gave up and had the driver take me back to the office to see Sateesh (Anand's boss). He wasn't there. The driver left at my insistance and I asked for directions back to the hotel (it's only about a 5 minute walk). But they wouldn't give them to me. Instead, one of Sateesh's coworkers "had a friend" who he called about the camera. I had a Sony catalog by that time and knew what I wanted. They quoted me a price and the coworker and I took a bicycle rickshaw to the store. We talked, I paid, and go back to the store at 4:30 to test and pick up the camera. Don't worry -- I have a big receipt and can cancel the credit card transaction if something goes wrong. In the meantime, I needed to go back to Connaught Place to buy an adaptor so that I can plug the battery charger in in the US. I called Sateesh about a driver, he sent the morning's guy, but apparently chewed him out for leaving. So now I'm in the dog house with him. I've tried calling Sateesh twice to tell him that it wasn't the driver's fault, but he's not answering his cell phone.

In the meantime, I've had no shower nor food all day. It's after 3:00. I'd be at my hotel, but the power's out, so I'm down the street on the internet. Soon I go back, shower, pack, go get the camera and collapse until tomorrow. At 9:00am, a driver is coming to take me to the airport. I've been told that Nepal is easy to travel in -- just like Thailand. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

And Sabine and Beth W. -- I got a Sony alpha 200 package with 2 lenses. One is the 18-70mm that comes standard with the model and the other a 75-300mm. The whole thing's just under $800.