Days 12+ --Going Home!

Our "Premium" Uber.  Ain't she a beaut??

This was going to be a LONG day, so we stayed up a little late Tuesday night, and slept in until about 9AM.  After breakfast and some putzing around in the room (and some work), we finally headed out to see a little of the city.  Uber is very common in India, so we used them to get us to the city, for about $2-3.  We splurged about 30 cents or so for Uber Premier, to see what a “nice” ride might be like.  Yeah…  This car was NOT in great shape, and we can’t imagine why they called it “Premier”!  Oh well.

Most trucks had "blow horn" on the  back.

India Gate (with obligatory tuk tuk!)

Selfie time!!  With two creepy photo-b0mbers!!

We first headed to the “India Gate”, a popular icon for the city, and perhaps nation?  As we got closer, we learned that it is a memorial—most of the surface is inscribed with names of fallen soldiers over many wars.  We walked the length of the plaza to the far side where India’s Parliament buildings stood.  Turns out they are NOT open to the public.  Time to move on to the next agenda.

Little "shopping" area on the way to the Parliament.

The very welcoming Parliament! 
(The guard with a gun did let me take a picture, though!)

If you ever wondered what it's like in a tuk tuk but never want to be there...

I'm lovin' it!!  :-) 

As you may recall, Bill tries to go to a McDonalds in every country.  So, we decided to have lunch.  But it was a long walk.  So, we found a tuk-tuk, and asked about the fare to this McDonalds, showing the map on Theresa’s phone.  We probably got the “tourist discount” of 200%, but it was 100 Rupees ($1.25), so good enough.  Actually, the tuk-tuk was more roomy that we expected, and it allowed us to feel more a part of the chaotic traffic, not being isolated in a steel car!!  We were in the THICK of it!  But we made it safely.

Well, maybe not "lovin" it, but it was OK.

At McD, we of course selected the local fare.  This McDonalds had no beef products.  But they had chicken and also paneer (sort of a pressed and grilled cottage cheese) as the protein.  Theresa got a "pizza" something (like a McD Apple Pie but with pizza stuff minus the meat).  The French Fries were the best part of it—something “normal”!  We even went back and get a McFlurry (for another 100 Rupees). 

After lunch, we used Uber to get a tuk-tuk to the Metro station, and bought a train ride back to Aerocity – for 30 Rupees each (75 cents for both)!!  The train was actually pretty nice!  Mostly clean, plenty of seats, and they had a tracker that showed how far to the next stop.  After a little walk, we were back in our hotel and finished up the packing.  We ordered our Uber to the airport at 7PM (we finagled a 7PM checkout).  He was very talkative, and made sure to give us a business card and wanted us to pass it on to all of our friends, since he runs a tour company.  So, if you find yourself going to Delhi, and want a cab to drive you around, we’ll be happy to give you his card! (Whoops.  Theresa threw it out!)

Three Indian airlines!!

Once at the airport, it was back to the chaos.  There were check points requiring our boarding pass and ID to get into the building and we had heard you needed a printed boarding pass, not the digital ones on phones.  So, we were not sure how we were supposed to print the pass to get into the Terminal so we could check in?  We approached one of the doors (#8) and tried to ask the guard what we were supposed to do.  A moment later, a gentlemen from American stepped up, and interceded.  This was the man who met us coming off of the plane when we arrived, and he was standing by the door waiting for us!  (No idea how long he was there, or would have been there especially had we come through a different door!)  Anyway, he escorted us through, cleared a seat for us, and had a woman stay with Theresa, while he took me to go find the Station Manager.  I met her and talked a little bit, and then it was almost time to check in (counters were about to open).  They escorted us up, checked us in, and we got through security pretty quickly.

Hey!!  I know those people!!

Inside the Terminal, every possible lounge we MIGHT have been able to use was closed.  In fact, since COVID, all but two were closed, and the one we could access closed about the time we arrived in India.  It still wasn’t open so, we meandered through the terminal, looked as Duty Free Scotch (bought none!), and got a small meal at KFC.

For the DEL-JFK flight, Bill got First Class, but Theresa was “stuck” in Business Class.  But she was able to pop up and visit him.  😊  We boarded together, and in a wide area of the jet bridge, the Manager for the maintenance provider (who also does the fueling) was standing there with a beaming smile, waiting to say goodbye to Bill.  (I keep telling Theresa what a big deal I am…she’s starting to wonder if it might be true?).

There is just something awesome about ice cream on a plane!

The flight was long, but mostly uneventful.  Actually, we were early since we had very good winds, so rather than arriving about 6:15, we were landing about 4:55, making it a 15.5 hour journey instead of 16.25!  But, Customs doesn’t open until 5:30, so we sat on the plane for about 15 minutes before they let us get up and get ready to deplane.  Soon, we were IN the country, and back into Terminal.  Since Bill had a FC ticket (inbound), we got access to the First Class lounge and dining.  It was breakfast, and they didn’t serve alcohol until 8AM, but still, a “restaurant style meal” in an airport for free?  Not complaining!  Bill had the “steak and poached eggs” and Theresa had pecan pancakes (and we shared).

A "First Class" Breakfast!

For the final leg, Theresa got upgraded to First Class (domestic, but still!), and Bill…asked to have her coach seat as it was several rows forward and had more leg room than his seat did.  Finally after almost 24 hours from our Delhi departure, we were collecting our bags and calling a ride.  Interestingly (well, to Bill), the Uber from the hotel to the Delhi airport was, after a 50 Rupee tip, $3.23.  Uber wanted over $50 to get from DFW to home, but we managed a Lyft for, after a $5 (thanks for working a holiday) tip, $35.

Not the end.  We have a lot of video, which we hope to edit and post later this weekend, and also have a few final thoughts to share.