24 Hours in Agra - Plan B part 2

A bit out of order, but this is part 2 of Plan B

Our bone weary pack of 7 arrived at Taj Haveli Hotel at 4:45 am on Monday morning.  In terms of hotels, I've seen worse, but I was unique in our group in being able to say that.  However, there were beds, and that was all that mattered.  The adults made it to breakfast before it was cleaned up at 10:30am, but none of the youth did.  But that was okay as the only familiar food available at the simple buffet were bananas.

By 11:30 we were ready to head out and see what we could see.  As we had three taxis and a private guide at our disposal, we were able to see some amazing wonders in this city famous for only one thing - the Taj Mahal.  It is truly a wonder of the world, but that was our end, not our beginning.

With Khan as our guide, we first went to the Agra Fort.  It wasn't something I was able to see on my previous trip to Agra so I didn't know what to expect.  I was told it was like the Red Fort in Delhi - well, it was so much better than expected.  It wasn't primarily a fort, but a palace from the 1500 and 1600's.  Amazing.  As pictures are worth 1000's of words...

From there we went to a inlaid stone gallery where we were able to see how this ancient craft is created, and some people were able to make use of credit cards which function just fine.

On the way to lunch (at 3 in the afternoon) the timing belt decided to break after one too many dramatic accelerations around something moving slowly down the road.  We were thankful that we had three.  With 7 tourists and one guide, we snugly filled the remaining taxis and made it to lunch.

Then after a great lunch of wonderful Indian food we were off to the Taj (as they like to say).

It is amazing!  And I have now seen it glow warming in the setting sun...

On the way back to our hotel we stopped for a little more shopping and then off to bed.  At 4:45am Tuesday morning we were off again, back to the Delhi airport (about 4 hours away).  It was 24 unexpected hours, and it was good.

PS.  If you were keeping track, other than plane food we had only one meal in a restaurant, and some of us got some "breakfast" food at the hotel.  In a 48 hour period our power bar supplies were severely depleted, but we had all we needed.  Soon we would be spoiled by our hosts in Likabali.

Four days in Likabali

We have been in Likabali, Arunachal Pradesh for a little over four days and it seems like much more.  But it seems like it has been much more in the best possible way.  God brought together seven people, bonded us together through an amazing journey to get here, and has used each one of us over these fleeting days.  And while we have given of ourselves, we have received so much more.  It is almost a cliche line coming from those involved in trips like this, but it is said so often because it is so true.  We get more than we could possibly give.

Everyday has been perfectly full.

Each day - some time between noon and one - six people would climb up the rustic concrete steps built into the hillside upon which Steward and Nyapu's house sits. After teaching, playing, loving and singing with the children of Oxford Brook School from nine in the morning until noon (school ends at 1pm) they returned with smiles, energy and joy.  Sandy taught some science, Nancy had a great time with the youngest and finger puppets, Brianna, Corban and the Emilies taught social studies, reviewed math facts, and it seems in every way had a ball.

In three mornings at this simple elementary school they created memories which will last a lifetime for everyone involved.  Wait until you hear their stories!

Meanwhile, back at the Leadership Training Centre, I was humbled and honored once again to teach and encourage over 50 pastors from northeast India.  These are pastors who do not get paid, do not have an organized support network, do not receive regular encouragements from e-mail newsletters, and have only a Bible and the Holy Spirit as their resource.  In the evening hours some would share their stories, and many were along the lines of, "I became a Christian in my village, and a few months later I was appointed pastor."

17 of the participants of the workshop I was running - "Foundations and Future" - were students who have been studying full time here at the Training Centre for the past 9 months.  On Friday night we celebrated their graduation.  They are young men and women called by God to go share the Good News of Great Joy.  Some come from tribes which border Myanmar to the east, and others from tribes up in the mountains to the west which border China.  It was an privileged to deliver their charge - sending them out into ministry.

The first evening it took some, how shall I say, direct encouragement, to get our tired group of adventures down to the meeting room (trust me, it doesn't look like what you are picturing) for a time of worship and testimonies.  But the exuberant and free worship soon revived our spirits and the stories inspired our souls.

From the hours in the school, to the hours teaching at the Centre, from the times sitting on the porch talking, to eating wonderful home cooked Indian food, from exploring in town, to a "picnic" by the river, we are having an amazing time here at the ends of the earth.

As one team member reflected last night.  We thought the struggle would be once we got here.  Actually the struggle was the trip to get here.  Now that we have arrived it has been blessing upon blessing.  

A Very Unexpected Plan B

I'm having trouble getting pictures up, but something is better than nothing...

Compared the the average person I have traveled a lot.  Now I'm well aware there are people who have traveled a great deal more than me, gone to stranger places, or had bigger adventures, but I have a pretty good reservoir of stories and experiences.  Well, I've now had a travel adventure which is definitely in my "top 5 of crazy travel adventures" list now.

You might have heard that Jesus said don't worry about tomorrow because today has enough problems.  Well, another reason not to worry about tomorrow is because you probably will worry about the wrong thing.  In reality we don't even know what we should be really worry about anyway.  Flying into Delhi for our 36 hour layover before continuing on to Likabali, my biggest concern was transportation from the metro express train station to our hotel.  I knew the way, but I also knew we would be arriving late at night with more luggage than we could manage to carry the final 3/4 mile of that days journey.  I rehersed in my head what it might take to get us into two taxis - directions, price, sticking together, etc... but that never happened - and there was so much more to worry about.

After the 2 1/2  hour process of getting off the plane, getting through immigration, collecting luggage, changing money, and finding the clean and smooth metro express airport train we were on our way - almost to our hotel - almost ready to rest before having a day to explore Delhi - almost...

Stepping out into the near midnight hours of Delhi, there were no taxis to take us to the hotel, but a friendly and willing tuk-tuk (motorized rickshaw) driver was ready to help, and when the size of our group became apparent, it was two drivers, and then the enormity of our 300+ lbs of luggage was realized, a third tuk-tul was called into service.  And we were off... in the wrong direction.

It certainly seemed they knew the hotel I was asking them about, and I had clearly pointed to its general location, but we turned right out of the lot instead of left.  But after two or three blockes they started a series of right hand turns which restored my confidence and allowed me to rationalized they knew the best way to get to the hotel.  Until they pulled into a seemingly random parking lot...where two other men were waiting...

Immediately it started feeling like a shake down.  Problems - special permits needed - requirements to travel to a different part of the city - I was waiting for the price tag - how much was this mistake going to cost me.  We didn't feel unsafe - it wasn't a dark alley after all - but it certainly didn't feel right.  I put up my defensive walls and started pushing back.  Asking questions, looking for holes in their stories, not taking their statements as trustworthy, etc... Remember, this is through broken English, with six people in my care, five of whom were having their very first experience in a developing country - at midnigth, not far from the train station in a city of 22 million people.  Every man on the scene was firm in their story, they could not take us to the hotel... I was firm in mine, I was not going to the location of their choosing.

91-11-47646464 that number, typed into a simple cellphone, will be etched into my brain for some time.  If you want to call the Hotel Krishna New Delhi that's the number.  I convinced one of the drivers to let me use his phone to call the hotel.  The number worked, and the front desked confirmed that we could not make it to the hotel.  Not by auto-rickshaw, not by taxi, not by foot - they were sorry for the inconvenience but due to blocked roads and restricted traffic, it wasn't possible, and we would have to find something else - maybe in the city center - but they had no way of helping us.  The drivers were right we needed to go to a different part of the city (not far away), and find something there.

We took off through the still crazy Delhi traffic in a mini parade of green and yellow three wheeled thrill rides, loaded with seven exhausted travelers and our mini-mountain of luggage.  A few minutes later we turned into a semi-dark alley... but it was lit by a huge blue sign declaring "Delhi Tourist Information Center."  Is wasn't any official center, but it was open, and there was an English speaking person willed to help us with a phone, a computer, and a smile.

He confirmed that we could not reach our hotel, and because so many hotels are in that area, it would be very hard to find a hotel.  After a few calls the gravity of our situation started to set in as we could not find a hotel which could hold the seven of us.  Finally there was one hotel with two suite rooms available for over $400 each!  $1600 for our two nights, in a city where would would not be permitted to travel freely (for reasons we yet did not understand, but certainly seemed ominous) did not seem like a good deal at all.
All the while our luggage is still piled into the three waiting tuk-tuks, which we were watching via security cameras.  The drivers asked if we could unload our bags into the building, because it would be safer... Our feeling of security was not soaring... but everyone seemed to have our best interest in mind, and while our guard was up, and the anxiety (and exhaustion) could be felt, there was no panic.  Well, there was a little bit of panic when the women went to use the bathroom, and promptly reported that they would hold it until a later time.  Their first experience with an Indian bathroom will undoubtedly be with them for the rest of their lives.

A new option was put on the table.  What about traveling to Agra, staying in a hotel there - see the Taj Maha - and then come back up directly to the Delhi airport for our Tuesday flight to Dibrugarh?  We talked through the details, checked in with everyone in the group, took a vote, and decided to go with a very unexpected plan B.  Two taxis, three hotel rooms, entrance to the Taj, and a solution for our very pressing problem were paid for in advance, in cash, in an act of desperate faith.  We bid our tuk-tuk drivers farewell, and waited for our rides to arrive.

20 minutes later two small sedan taxis were loaded up, but it was clear to the travel agent that while we could fit with all our gear, it would not be a comfortable 3+ hour drive to the city of Agra - another taxi was called.  At 1:30 am, some 30 hours after we had left Castleton, NY, we were on our way out of Delhi - still not sure why we were not welcome - and on to Agra.

Arriving at a hotel at 4:45am is confusing to just about everyone, but in short order we had beds, bathrooms with toilets, and it was good.  24 hours later, at 4:45am, Tuesday morning we were departing the hotel again to make the 4 hour drive to the Delhi airport, but those 24 hours are for another post...

WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN DELHI?  Blame our trip to Agra not on religious extremist, nor political activists - it was the Canadians.  Specifically one Canadian - Prime Minister Justine Trudeau.  He and his family had arrived the night before we did, and to ensure their safety during their visit, travel in certain areas was severely limited.  But it turned out that he helped us have a great adventure, and we got to see one of the 7 wonders of the world.   

Three Years Later

Normally before I head out on a trip I like post the itinerary, share what's going on, and why.  It didn't happen this time.  As I write I'm half way through the adventure, and what an adventure it is.

Three years ago my family was able to visit a far off corner of the world; the town of Likabali, India.  On the western edge of Assam, in the far northeast corner of India.  Here Steward and Nyapu train pastors, and educate young children.  It was an amazing experience, and now I am back with Corban our youngest, and six people from Emmanuel Reformed Church. 

Here is the basic plan:

• Fly from JFK in New York City to Delhi.
• Spend 36 hours or so in Delhi before a flight to Dibrugarh
• Travel by van and ferry to Likabali
• Spend seven days there (which is now here).  While I run a three day pastor training workshop, the rest of the team will be engaging with children at the elementary school run by Nyapu.
• After worshiping on the other side of the world at a church in Likabali, and visiting a new church in a rural village on Sunday, Monday we will begin our trek back to the USA.  
• Three plus hours to the airport in Dibrugarh, a flight to Delhi, an overnight stay before our flight back to NYC on Tuesday - to return home by late Tuesday night - Lord willing.

We are a few days in, and what a great adventure for God we are having.  The smiles when the group returns from the Oxford Brook School are great.  The feedback from the pastors I'm working with is encouraging.  And oh the unexpected adventure we had getting here!

But that is for another post...