Two days ago myself and three of my greatest friends boarded a jet headed for India. (At least I think it’s been two days. Time sped past me as I flew halfway around the Earth, stopped abruptly and landed at least a century in the past in the slums of Chennai, India) We are doctors in training and have been given the amazing opportunity to spend 5 weeks learning medicine at the Christian Medical Hospital in Vellore, India. (with the added bonus of some travel on the weekends) The luxuries of India began on our flight from Brussels to Chennai where stewardesses in traditional Indian dress lavished upon us lemon scented hand towels and traditional south India cuisine (see attached chickpea curry with dumpling combo meal). We arrived around 1 AM and donned our bags packed full of malaria prophylaxis meds, mosquito nets and DEET. As we walked out the front door of the Chennai airport we were startled by a welcoming committee of hundreds and hundreds of Indians packed together on the street and peering over fences, their white eyes staring inquisitively at four completely lost light skinned women. I have never seen so many bodies smashed up together and lingering about for no apparent reason and at such an odd hour. It was as if the whole country had gotten word of some royalty arriving at midnight. Except it was just us and our two day old outfits.
Outside the airport we were immediately greeted by eager locals interested in giving us a lift. We eventually agreed to travel by taxi (i.e. some sort of small 1950’s British looking car). Arrival and check-in at the hotel went smoothly as we dodged multiple requests to “borrow our passports at the front desk for the night”. Our room for 4 persons included 2 twin beds and two “rollaways” (see attached picture of nasty mattress with stains of unknown origin). Our group opted to push the twin beds together and return the “rollaways” to the front desk thank you very much.
The Vellore Four woke up early for a complimentary power breakfast of lentil pancakes and lime juice and then ventured out into the streets of Chennai. I’d like to stop here to mention to my mother that “Yes mother we are wearing lots and lots of DEET and taking our doxycycline and not talking to strangers and have definitely not had any close encounters with death.” Uh. That is except for when, in an effort to stand by our “no man left behind” policy, we folded our bodies and backpacks into the back seat of an auto rickshaw…ie. a go-cart with a convertible top that almost killed 3 pedestrians and goes head on into on coming traffic quite a bit. Our barefoot driver questioned our destination request which went something like “really really big mall with air conditioning”. He finally replied with “you want shops?” to which I too quickly responded “Si!” before realizing my habit foreign language was obviously not of use here.
After coping with the shock of withdrawing 8,000 Rupees, we did a little shopping damage with the help of overly interested Cashmere salesmen. We also enjoyed a little sunbathing at the Marina Beach, an experience which was quickly clouded by young Indian boys and cotton candy peddlers. A market was set up on the beach and we strolled down it to find a young boy charging a pretty penny for what looked to me like ornaments made of Easy Cheese.
So it's bedtime in India and the Vellore Four have officially survived day one of this experience which is turning out to be somewhat like the longest camping trip ever. And we're loving it. And so are our intestines.
