Day 9: Delhi Belly

It certainly sucks when you can't go out not only because you're in pain but also, when you're not in pain, you are afraid the attacks will come while you're out. Having traveler's diarrhea is unpleasant, to say the least. But then, maybe that's part of coping with traveling; it is part of traveling, and as much as I want to get stuff done, this little problem just won't let me. Now I feel a bit nauseated. Within the confines of the hotel, here are some interesting notes from the cleaning episode. There is no fitted sheet; it's just another sheet tucked around and under the mattress! No one is smiling! The smallest boy is in charge of the grimiest job of cleaning the marble floor. So he uses this broom with a long brush but short handle to sweep stuff out of the room (not into a tray!). After that he got on his knees with a dirty rag and mopped the floor! There's something unpleasant about seeing a dark skin, sullen boy on his knees mopping up the dirt you partly are responsible for while you sit there and watch.... Not eating anything big and difficult to digest. Just rice, tea, yogurt (yuck), and toast! Oh, and bananas. I finally called the ASHA organization that helps children. I remember reading about the organization's fund raising drive, a document that contains details on how much each slum child's family makes. It was discouraging to see that many earn about 1000 rupees a month, some as little as 700. Seven hundred rupees is $14. That's half a dollar a day. And when you read this from the newspapers you get sad but you get over it the moment you flip the page. Here I get to see these people everyday (except when I am stuck in the hotel). It's a different experience. But I wonder if I just also go on with life after boarding the plane. One more note: although there are plenty of cows, today I spotted my first cow dung patty! And I can assure you that there is no department of sanitation in this country. So where do you think all the patties went to? Hint: they don't burn wood or gas here for making their chais...

tired cycle rickshaw-wallah mystery pots roadside mommy