India Trip introduction (9/3/08)

Namaste from Jaipur –
Nearly one week ago I first left San Francisco for the Far East, and yet today I feel that I have reverted several centuries back. Over the past few days, I’ve traveled to Singapore and in India – to New Delhi, Agra, and finally, just a few hours ago, Jaipur, one of the jewels of Rajasthan, the “Land of Princes.”
The trip so far has consisted of stunning contradictions – from the well-planned and efficient city-state of Singapore to the chaotic and (yet) bureaucratic New Delhi; from the overwhelming odors and beggars of the street bazaar outside the Jama Mosjid (mosque) to the elegant veranda of the Amarvilas hotel overlooking the Taj Mahal; and from the conscientious (and egalitarian, given the high-touch treatment in Economy Class on Singapore Airlines) service in Singapore to the persistence of nearly every Indian trying to make an extra rupee off of an American tourist (hence the differences between industrialized and developing countries) . All of which is not to suggest that I prefer Singapore or dislike India, but rather India is a place of extremes and unpredictability that require a great deal of adjustment to fully appreciate. Moreover, the country is a collection of diverse states, cultures, and peoples that I look forward to exploring over the next couple of weeks.