To India and Back - part 1

Things have finally slowed down since my return from India.  All school assignments, classes, etc. have ended, so I can now breathe and reflect on my mission trip.  This first post will focus on the events pertaining to the events of the first three and half days, all of which were travel.  It may not sound exciting, but it was a hard three days for me.

Day 1 - April 12

• 4:00pm - We check in for leg 1 of our journey to Malda Town, West Bengal, India.  Already we have signs there will be trouble in our travels.  Our original flights had been canceled about 8 weeks prior, but American Airlines had booked replacement flights for us.  So we thought.  Everything was fine for two members of the team.  The other two, including me, not so fine.  Reservations were made but payment had never been processed.  After about 30 minutes of trying to clear up the matter, we receive our boarding passes to London and receipts for our next two flights.  We'll see how this turns out.  We eventually board the plane for our eight and half hour flight to London.

Day 2 - April 13

• 7:00am London time (2:00am EDT) - We land at London Heathrow Airport.  We check in for the next leg of our journey, destination Mumbai.  After several minutes trying to figure out the deal with our situation, we get our boarding passes for this flight.  Two of us receive boarding passes for the final leg.  Two of do not.  Guess who one of those people was?  We are told that once we arrive in Mumbai, we will have to check in there to receive our final pass.
• 7:45am - I'm hungry so I look for the closest thing London has to a bacon,egg, and cheese biscuit.  I purchase a tomato, smoke cheese, bacon, and ham croissant from Pret a Manger.  Not bad.
• 8:45am - We board the Boeing 777 for our flight to Mumbai.  VERY nice plane and only half full at best.  Plenty of room and comfort, much more than our flight from Raleigh.  I'm hoping to get some sleep on this flight since I haven't slept since Wednesday night.
• 11:00pm Mumbai time (1:30pm EDT) - We land in Mumbai.  We have a nine and a half hour layover before our flight to Kolkata.  Hoping to get some sleep because I napped maybe two hours on the flight.
• 1:30am - It's now early Saturday morning and I finally have a boarding pass for my final flight.  It involved many people, including one not so happy security officer who did not like that I had to leave the terminal and re-enter in order to get to the ticket office.  I was reminded very sternly that once I re-entered I would not be allow to leave again.  I very politely and submissively acknowledged his admonition.  I hope some sleep is in my near future because this is getting hard.

Day 3 - April 14

• 6:00am - We board a 737 (which is my least favorite plane to fly) for Kolkata.  Lucky us, we get the row in front of the emergency exit.  Therefore our seats do not recline and our leg room has been reduced.  My knees bump up against the seat in front of me.  The passenger in that seat decides to recline and I find myself looking down on his scalp.  No sleep in the airport prior to this.  Life continues to get harder.
• 9:30am - After more than three hours in less than roomy conditions, we land in Kolkata.  We meet Santosh Makal, our host, outside the terminal.  We exchange hugs and quickly catch a taxi for the local YMCA.  We will spend the day resting in a guestroom until our train for Malda Town leaves that night.
• 10:30am - I crash at the YMCA.  I desperately need sleep.  I begin to wonder why on earth I'm on this trip, especially when I think about all the school work waiting me when I return.
• 2:00pm - After having lunch, I agree to explore the local market with another member of the team.  He is stoked about all the new experiences.  It's a holiday in Kolkata and the market is crowded.  It feels impossible to walk through the crowd.  The smells are overwhelming, and not in a positive way.  My 6'2" whiteness is drawing the attention of everyone.  When I enter the meat market, it's all I can do to not vomit because of the smell.  It's official.  I want to go home.  Culture shock has set in full force.  I follow my friends for another hour or so, but it is a struggle.
• 4:00pm - I return to our guestroom where I take another short nap.  I pass on another trip to the market.
• 6:00pm - Santosh takes us to the market for dinner.  I'm fearful of what lies ahead.  I seriously need sleep and wonder if I can take the stimuli.  I enjoy a meal of chicken momo.  We would call them Chinese dumplings.  They are delicious.  Luckily, we need to check out of the Y after dinner and make our way to the train station, so no exploring the market.
• 9:00pm - We arrive at the train station.  We continually approached by beggars, some as young as 2 years old.  This country is imprisoned in darkness and their worldview keeps them from breaking free.  I just want some sleep.  I pray I can make it through the week ahead.
• 10:30pm - The eight hour train ride is underway.  We have settled into our sleeping car.  Exhausted, I fall asleep.

Day 4 - April 15

• 6:00am Malda time (8:30pm Sat nite EDT) - After 51 hours, we finally arrive to our final destination.  I slept the entire night and finally feel somewhat rested.
• 6:30am - We have checked into the hotel.  I don't wait for the hot water in my room and take my first shower in over three days.  It feels good after spending  a hot, humid day in Kolkata the day before.
• I'm still wondering why I'm here.  I pray God uses me anyway and I look forward to him revealing why I'm along.