First Hours in India
How do I describe our first Indian impressions? After flying on the world’s most divine airline, Air Emirates, landing in Dubai Airport, which as my friend Susan says is like Las Vegas on steroids, and after 30 hours of travel, we landed in Kolkata Airport.
Kolkata Airport has the human touch down to a science. Dirty, beat, confusing and befuddling, our first impressions of Kolkata were, shall I say, impressive. Yet, it was only a foretaste of what was to come.
The ability to find pleasure in the smallest of incidents is a unique Indian personality trait. The genuine smiles, the lilted demeanor, the kind and unaffected ways. Not at all childlike or naïve. In fact, a kind of wisdom that comes from knowing what’s important in life is etched on the faces of the Indian people.
If it’s in the food, I’m already hungering for it.
Here is how we were greeted. Hundreds of faces staring at us in unison.
Just outside this area, old women in sarees placed their hands together in the Indian greeting and murmured “Namaste.” Then, gently pressed against me with their hands outstretched for money.
I gave them money.
They were old women, gentle and, in their Indian way, very beautiful in their sarees.
I asked our driver if I had done the right thing, and he smiled, “She’s a professional.”
“A professional what?” I asked.
“A professional beggar.”
Uh oh. I think I’m in trouble. I already can’t resist these people!