See you soon monsoon

Delhi sent me off with a strong, diagonally falling, capricious rain. The last days I felt as if this country wanted to show me its gloomier side, away from the Southern fairytale I have mentally stored in my mind during the last two months. The little I have seen from Northern India has made realize more the hardship the majority of this country faces. Down south, in my comfortable rural bubble, where everybody smiles at me and makes 120% sure that they give me the right amount of change when I purchase something, I experienced the generosity of those who have nothing, the slow rural but monotonously organized tempo, the simplicity of their meals, their lives and the certainty of their futures. In the metro, I felt capitalism in the worst form and the amount of times I had to argue with drivers, train station managers, restaurant waiters, hotel staff, annoying men and guides was too high for a way too short stay in this corner of India.

The memories of Marina Beach in Chennai (apparently one of the longest in the world) or a simple day trip to the rice fields around Thanjavur made me quickly forget Delhi’s poignancy.