Motorbike Adventures

Today I experienced Delhi on the back of a motorbike for the first time. The fact that you are reading this means I survived to tell the tale.

I must admit that the first few minutes were completely terrifying. I was clinging onto Sarit for dear life! It didn't take long, though, to move from clinging onto to Sarit to clinging on to the handles on the back of the bike, yet still I was pretty terrified. After only 10 minutes or so, however, I had gone from white knuckles, to gently gripping with both hands, to having only one hand, to finally not holding on at all and just enjoying the ride! It was quite fun, actually, to watch Delhi go by and I didn't even mind that Sarit got lost a couple of times, because it just gave me more time to enjoy the ride.

It turns out that motorbikes are quite convenient. They are small enough to weave through cars in heavy traffic, yet large enough to carry a family of four (father driving the bike with one child in front of him, while the wife sits side-saddle on the back with the youngest child on her lap). They are fast enough to get you where you need to go, but easy enough to park wherever you are. By the afternoon, after visiting the Lotus Temple (more later) and the tomb of one of the Mughal emperors, I got to thinking about why motorbikes, with all their conveniences, are not more common in the United States.... and then it started raining. Oh. That's why. On the way back from the tomb, the thunder and lightning that had been threatening us in the afternoon finally unleashed the rain and within a minute, we were both completely soaked. Scores of motorbikers were huddled under overpasses, or at bus stops, or anywhere they could find a place out of the rain. Sarit and I decided to brave the weather and continue on through the rain and puddles. And I thought it was scary riding in the morning.... As long as you don't think about the fact that you are traveling at 45mph in the pouring rain, inches from other cars, with nothing to protect you but a helmet, and nothing but your own two hands to keep you on the bike, it was actually pretty fun!

Ok, so the Lotus Temple, for those of you who don't know, is a temple of the Baha'i. There are only seven Baha'i temples in the world, and the Lotus Temple is the largest, and by far the most amazing. Again, I am sorry that I don't have pictures. It is too late right now for me to deal with pictures. I promise I will have a whole bunch soon! Anyways, for now, simply do a google image search for 'Lotus temple', and you will see how amazing this building is! The only Baha'i temple in North America happens to be within walking distance of Northwestern University, so I have been to that one, and learned about the others, including the lotus temple, so I have been looking forward to seeing the Lotus Temple for some time. I knew it was in India, but hadn't realized it was in Delhi until we drove by it on the way back from the airport. Definitely the coolest thing I have seen in India so far!