Delhi first time 04Jun07

I'm sick, whatever grandpa had I caught it. I think it's the famed delhi belly. After a few days I put him on anti-biotics. Now I'm sick, and as usual since I only packed for myself and there are more than one person being supported by my kit I'm SOL. Sorry if I'm a bit grump. We departed Jaipur at 6 this morning after a 430 wake up call. The uprising is threatening to bust out into a caste civil conflict and it is in the outskirts of delhi so our trip manager tried to confine us to the hotel. I went out to the the Air India office to get my return ticket changed and got that taken care of in 1 hour and of course the nominal change fee.

I'm starting to get really pissed off with the people trying to sell you stuff. "No" usually means ask louder and shove whatever crap they're trying to pass off in my face. And of course as soon as they get the hint that I"m not interested they repeat the pitch to Grandpa who is on one of my arms. At the fort/palace of Jaipur this got a bit much so I whipped my sunglasses off and got in someones face. No nasty words were said but I made it quite clear that was not okay. I understand people have to make a living, but still there is only so much I can take. At least I didn't hit anyone or cuss them out. I have recieved many emails as to the make up of my tour group.

Most are over 70, but there are a couple who are in there 50's of course and there is one girl who is 26 who is traveling with her grandma. most have extensive travel experiance of the same nature as this trip. Air-conditioned buses everywhere to nice hotels. I get some sick pleasure whenever we stop at some bump in the road to use the facilities and I think of them standing over the squat-holes, trying to figure out why there is no toilet paper.

Back on the civil disturbances, I think I mentioned this earlier but a group of people is trying to get put in the "untouchables" caste so they can recieve benefits. Another group already in there is arfaid they will lose their quota and oppose this measure and they're having some conflict. The rail-roads got cut for a while but the army secured them and they were openned shortly. Some highways have been dug up as well. WTF, seriously burning cars and police stations that's normal rioting behavior, but who comes up with these "I know everyone, lets go dig up the highway." Frickin morons, highways are a bitch to dig up with machines and they went and did it by hand, so of course they're going to have to build it back by hand. I'm pretty POed right now and kinda wish the Army would just light em up and we can get back to normal. We ahd to completely reorganize the trip and we are forced to skip a really fun adventure in the jungle with Tigers cause of some asshats burning crap. Enough on that. I'm out to score as many boxes of Imoddium AD as my stock is gone. Hope all is well. I bought spices in a bazaar but I won't be able to cook with them for a while given my current situation.