India´s glue! - OR - Why we love it!

Today (19th July) we need return to Delhi and start again at 7 am to the airport. The airport in Leh is very small and 10 min from the centre. The airport is dominated of military officials. After the third body- and passport-check, the second luggage re-identification, we know what we missed here in open Ladakh. The famous, senseless and time-consuming, but “officer-himself-important-making” Indian bureaucracy! Thanks to Leh airport staff for giving us the feeling to be in India. After every check our luggage gets a tag and our boarding pass gets stamped. No good, if the last officer finds out, your hand luggage got the wrong tag, as it happened to Sabine. Then the procedures keeps revolving.

Women and men proceed to separate exits, where they are body-checked again. After that women enter a red bus and men a blue one, which brings them to the aircraft. Needless to say that women board as soon as they arrive there and men are waiting in a line until the last woman is on the gateway. Thanks to Leh airport. We highly appreciate women privileging procedures!

Shrinagar in Kashmir, where we stop-over for some minutes, is an even more military dominated area. Despite warnings Julia favours her passion for prohibited photographs. Heavy vehicles and armed soldiers are in sight. We also spot every other kind of transportation (i. e. tractor, donkey), except elephants. Approx 10 officers enter the aircraft and check passports and luggage. After this procedure, a person with a vacuum cleaner favours his designated task. We sit, watch and can not believe. Thank you Indian Airlines. We really appreciate your sense for cleanness.

At Delhi airport our reliable friend Manoj is waiting to give us a lift. Good to have AC in the car. It is 39 Celsius and it rains from time to time quite heavily – very exhausting. Under this conditions we sure you understand we spend most of the time in shops, eating halls and a beauty spa.
Sabine has been fed up with Indian style cuisine for 2 weeks already! Our final event is our last evening in an Arabic restaurant. We have probably the most delicious dishes while in India: Great mixed starter plate! By chance we are there during Happy Hour! We enjoy the AC, the lounge style sofa and discuss …… what is to be discussed now???? ….. Yes, we are discussing our next holiday!