That's right. The ATK in India experience is over in about eight weeks. (Well, Mr. ATK has a few more weeks than I do. I head home in mid-January with Aloo while he finishes up in early February.)
There are many things that pop up to remind you the end is near. So far, I've had to choose a departure date and send in a resignation letter for my job. Both of these tasks obviosuly serve as a reminder that it's almost time to go. But really, we mark the time by vacations and house guests. Right now we only have two vacations left (both in India) and our last house guest is currently here.
Yep. Our last house guest. Number seven of seven. And after he leaves there will be no other people who will travel across the world specifically to see the ATKs in India.
The Last House Guest and I have been friends since high school and I can always count on him to travel across the seas to see me. He's visited me in Bolivia and actually came back to South America two other times--including a trip to Easter Island. I think it's mainly because he likes to travel but doesn't know anyone else who ever leaves the United States, so he's stuck visiting me. (Hope he likes Central Asia!)
He's here on quite the trip--one month, October 26 to November 26. Mr. ATK and I don't have any vacation time left really, so during the week he goes off to explore some part of India (or wherever) and comes back to Delhi on the weekends for site seeing and laundry services. Last week he went to Shimla and Amritsar; currently he's in Bangkok. He goes where the wind takes him. The wind and his Capital One card.
In the mean time, we've gone around Delhi a bit, exploring some of the classics that we've seen before and some new places. In fact, since Viki the Driver has the flu, we have not been able to avail ourselves of his services. As a result, I took the Delhi Metro for the very first time!
Pushing! The Last House Guest got in trouble for taking this picture.
The other day, The Last House Guest and I went to Qutb Minar and Mehrauli Archeological Park. Mr. ATK stayed home with Aloo,
who has not taken kindly to The Last House Guest's intrusion into her
home. Any of our previous house guests who happen to be reading this are
nodding their heads knowingly. She's a terror to people who come in the
house. Outside the house, she's just terrified of people.
The Last House Guest at Qutb Minar
Anyways, the sites were very interesting as always. The Last House Guest has a few quirks, one of which is wanting pictures without people in them. Like any people. In a country such as India, with 1.2 billion people, and city such as New Delhi with like 20 million people, it is hard to find places without any other people. While he is very good at getting these people-less shots, it can lead to us waiting at a particular spot for about 30 minutes while he waits for people to leave and tries to get a clean shot. While I waited for him at one particular location, several groups came up to me to get their picture taken with me. I'm like Kim Kardashian over here--with 100% fewer sex tapes, of course. The Last House Guest was also approached by a few budding paparazzi.
I like the way they want to shake his hand. Like he's a politician or something.
I don't know if I'm going to miss the ubiquitous picture taking here in India or not. I suppose I generally find it amusing and a little curious. I mean, what are folks doing with these pictures? Do they go home and say, "I made a new friend!"? Or is it, "Look I saw a white person today!"? I really have no idea. I wonder if I'll feel like Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard after I return to the U.S. and no one stares at me or wants to take my picture. Somehow I doubt it, but we'll see.
Other highlights of the day included wandering through a makeshift flower market on the side of a busy road.
Diwali flowers!
And seeing the stepwells at Mehrauli (also known as Rajon ki Baori).
The original Stairmaster. Hey-yo!
Oh and here is a kid defacing one of the walls at Qutb Minar. Completely without shame, too. I mean we were standing fairly close to him, watching him and passive aggressively talking about what a horrible thing he was doing right in front of him, but he just kept carving away. That's dedication.
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