Our Cramazing May, Episode XVIII: INDIA!

Asia...India...New Delhi!  We were here!!!  I remember landing in Ethiopia and feeling the same way...we were in Neil's birth country....the long journey had led to this, and here we were!  Difference here was that this journey had been much, much longer...and we still had another plane ride to go before we would meet Tom.  But it would be very soon.

 When we landed, the adrenaline kicked in, and even though it was 2 o'clock in the morning, we were all wide awake.

 Rex was very responsible with his luggage and with Jingles, his stuffed animal friend (that he eventually gave to Tom).  Look how excited he was!

 This is the inside of the Delhi airport terminal.  All throughout, there are signs that say, "Rated the World's #4 airport."  Oh, the irony that, just 10 days later, Rex and Daddy would be stuck in this terminal for hours, finally missing their flight.  That saga will be described later....Rex can't wait to help tell the story!

Getting off of the plane, we had to have our itinerary out to show to the guards on the way in.  I had them ready and showed the guard exactly what he was looking for.  Kind of funny...it didn't seem like he really knew what he was supposed to be looking for, but it was VERY important that he look like he did.  So I helped him out a little.  ;) 

Once in the terminal, we visited the bathroom, gazed at our surroundings (Are we really in India?), and found a little coffee shop where we would spend the next couple of hours.  While there, I asked the cashier how to say "Thank you" in Hindi, and he wrote it down for me.  Of course, I tried to repeat it many times, and he and the other guy working laughed at me.  No better way of making a connection with someone than trying (even if you fail) to learn something they have to teach you!  The effort is nearly always appreciated (and you might just learn something in the process).  Everyone was so nice, and we couldn't believe how very modern, clean, and "normal" the whole experience felt.  Then again, it seemed completely foreign and different and all-new interesting at the same time.

While we were sitting eating our early a.m. snack and drinking our hot drinks, a man came up and asked if he could sit with us, as there was only one table (see above) outside the coffee shop.  He was a fascinating man, and we had a wonderful discussion for an hour or so.  His American name was Pat, and he was an Indian man traveling back to Chennai to visit his mother.  Pat had lived in Chicago for quite some time but currently is living in China, teaching up-and-coming businessmen the ways of Western business.  He was fascinating...and was a Christian.  He told us all about the St. Thomas Mount in Chennai, which is said to be where Thomas was killed and also about the Dioceses where his remains are said to reside.  Six months later, I can't remember much of the details about the conversation, but when it was over, we were very encouraged and were so grateful to the Lord that He had brought us an Indian brother in Christ to welcome us to India.

It was especially nice because one of the names that we were giving our new son was Thomas, after Hoffbeast's paternal grandfather but also in honor of the Apostle Thomas who is believed to have been the disciple to head east from Jerusalem and take the Gospel all the way to India.  How sweet of the Lord to give us an appointment with a fellow believer who could encourage us and tell us a little about our child's namesake and his role in Indian Christianity.

Indian elephants have small ears...Indian elephants have small ears.  I can never remember that, but this picture of this huge, beautiful, bronze elephant should help me remember.  (Aren't elephants supposed to be forgetful or something?  Kind of ironic that I can't remember the difference between African and Indian elephants, huh?)

 To me, this face says, "I can't believe I'm here.  I'm here.  I can't believe I'm here.  I'm going to hold my baby in a few hours.  This is really happening.  I am in Asia with my sweet husband and son, and soon we will meet Tom."  All that.  My face says all that.

 In 10 days time, Rex and Daddy would not be able to get through those doors.  Remember the itinerary that I said that we needed to get into the airport when we arrived?  Well, they needed one 10 days later, too, but they didn't have a printout of it.  So they were stuck outside for hours--and then stuck inside for longer.  Oh goodness....what a story.  And when we took this picture, we had no idea of the drama that was to enfold.  At the time this picture was taken, we still really liked the Delhi airport.  :)

Soon after taking this picture, we began walking toward the Kingfisher Airlines check-in.  That would be the last flight before arriving in Orissa, the state where Tom lived.  On the way, we took our time, knowing that we had plenty of time to get to our gate.  Hoffbeast stopped and exchanged some money, and we noticed little things like the donut stand.  It was called something like "Donut Destination" and had a bright pink neon side.  It looked so out of place, like it had just been pulled out of Times Square or something.  We sauntered and waved to our friend, Pat, as he was moving toward his connecting flight's check-in area as well.

And then we got to Kingfisher.  I calmly handed our itinerary/tickets to the Kingfisher agent, and time sped up!  He said, "Come with me!" and all of a sudden, we were rushed to the front of the line, through the check-in area to security, where he escorted us through a private line and on through the airport almost all the way to our gate.  It was so odd, but we were grateful.  We were walking really fast...poor little Rex had to move as fast as his little legs would carry him.  But he did great!  It was exciting and confusing at the same time.  Why were we being escorted?  Were we supposed to tip this guy?  Were we late for our plane somehow?  We rounded the corner to the hallway where our gate was, and our guide said that that was the end of the road for him.  We thanked him, offered him a small tip (which he refused), and rushed on toward our gate.  We gave our tickets to the gate agent, aware that we were there 2 whole hours before our flight was scheduled to leave, and we rushed down the ramp and out to the jetway.

Here, Hoffbeast tells the story...

To this day, we've never figured it out.  The only thing we can figure is that we were treated sort of like celebraties because we were white.  Seems crazy, but at the same time, there were very few white people in the airport...I think we maybe saw one other.  And this was a huge airport that was very crowded by the time morning came.  So maybe that was it.  I don't know.  Whatever it was, we sure appreciated the help and were grateful to be on our plane early.  Fabulous customer service--we highly recommend Kingfisher!

The Daddy deep in thought...

The view out the window of Bhubaneswar, Orissa, was very different from what we had seen when flying out of Delhi.  Night and day.  A tale of two cities of sorts.

Finally, after 6 days of travel, we were here.  And seeing Tom's face for the first time was only a few hours away...